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Confident Kiwis to face Lanka
Munaf to join Indian team in Sri Lanka
Crowd support will be vital during CWG: Vijender
‘Delhi CWG should be the best ever’
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IHF and IWHF merge, election in October
Kalmadi knows everything: Verma
Silva saves world champions from defeat
North Zone Inter-Sainik School Sports
Curtains for Beckham?
OC justifies deal with Fast Track
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Sri Lanka are a tough opponent at home but the way New Zealand crushed India in the series-opener, the hosts must have re-worked their strategy against the Black Caps.
A second consecutive win will enhance New Zealand's chances of making the summit clash but an in-form Sri Lanka would rely on its players to make a winning start. The Kiwi top-order was rocked by Indian pace battery in helpful conditions and considering that Sri Lanka have a more lethal fast bowling combination in Lasith Malinga, Chamara Kapugedara and Nuwan Kulasekara, the New Zealand batsmen have a tough task at hand. Since Angelo Mathews is another good fast bowling option he is likely to make the final XI and the hosts may prefer impressive Suraj Randiv over Ajantha Mendis for the spin slot. Sri Lanka batting line up is full of dependable and classy batsmen led by skipper Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera. The only thing they have to worry about is that the team will have to switch to ODI mode after playing Test series against India. New Zealand had claimed that they are in better shape for the series due to playing match-like situation during the warm up games and they proved that with the first outing. Thrust into captaincy, Ross Taylor led the side from front with a classy 95 against India and the team need senior players such as Martin Guptill and Jacob Oram to contribute with the bat if they have to go 2-0 up. A mix of experienced and youngsters, Black Caps' biggest asset is their fiery pace department. Daryll Tuffey, Kyle Mills and Oram demolished the strong Indian line up and if the the trio can repeat their show, New Zealand would be placed comfortably in the series. Teams (From): Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (c), Mahela Jayawardene (vc), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dilhara Fernando, Rangana Herath, Suraj Randiv, Chamara Kapugedera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis, Thisara Perera, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Upul Tharanga. New Zealand: Ross Taylor (capt), Kyle Mills (vice-capt), Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Gareth Hopkins (wk), Nathan McCullum, Andy McKay, Jacob Oram, Jeetan Patel, Peter Ingram, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Daryl Tuffey, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson. — PTI
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Munaf to join Indian team in Sri Lanka
"Munaf Patel is joining the Indian team in Sri Lanka, as an additional member of the squad. He will reach Dambulla tomorrow," said BCCI secretary N Srinivasan in a media release today. The fast bowlers did extremely well in the series opener between India and New Zealand and that may have prompted the selectors to call Patel. The 27-year-old bowler played the last of his 43 ODIs against Australia at Guwahati in November, 2009. He has been given a chance to resume his stop-start career in which he has taken 47 wickets at just under 33. The Indian team, led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, started its campaign on a poor note two days ago by crashing to a massive 200-run defeat against New Zealand at Dambulla. The event runs up to August 28 with all the matches to be played at the same venue. — PTI BCCI stopped team from returning for short break? The humiliating 200-run defeat against New Zealand in the tri-series opener at Dambulla two days ago seems to have cost the Indian team in more ways than one. The team was to return home for a short three-day break with their next match scheduled only on August 16 but was ordered to stay back in Sri Lanka after the heavy defeat on August 10, cricketnext.com website reported. "An embarrassed Indian Cricket Board have banned a planned comfort trip home for the side after the team's Tuesday night's humiliating 200 runs defeat by New Zealand at Rangiri Stadium," the report said. The BCCI diktat came minutes after India's last man Ashish Nehra was dismissed and the side was bundled out for 88 chasing 289, the report said. There were also reports that in the aftermath of the massive defeat, a key member of the team's think tank has written a letter to BCCI secretary N Srinivasan requesting for a re-look at India's playing schedule. The letter emphasised the absence of key players from the Indian team's line-up because of injuries or breaks and as a first step wanted the upcoming home Test series against New Zealand to be pruned from three matches to two, the reports said. — PTI
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Crowd support will be vital during CWG: Vijender
New Delhi, August 12 "The home crowd support should lift the morale of the Indian boxers", said the 24-year-old star boxer, who is training hard for the big event. Vijender's Olympic bronze has given a big boost to the sport, and India look forward to a decent medal haul in the Commonwealth Games. "Earlier, Indian boxers were content with mere participation in the Olympics and the World Championships, but now they enter the ring gunning for medals", noted Vijender. Vijender, who has been named as one of the six brand ambassadors for the Commonwealth Games, said India were hoping to make a haul of eight to nine medals in Delhi, which should be a vast improvement of the Indian pugilists' performances in Manchester (2002, three medals) and Melbourne (2006, five medals). He said India's encouraging performance in the Commonwealth Championships has boosted the spirits of the boxers. He was in fine fitness, and was looking ahead at the Commonwealth Games to bring out his best and win a gold. After his bronze medal victory at Beijing, Vijender lifted a bronze at the World Championship too, to keep up his good show. He was it was a big honour to be chosen as one of the brand ambassadors for the games. The others are Abhinav Bindra, Saina Nehwal, Sushil Kumar, Samresh Jung and MC Mary Kom.
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‘Delhi CWG should be the best ever’
Talking about corruption charges on the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games, he said it was shameful that instead of making efforts for improving facilities, the committee was getting involved in such controversies. “Anyways, still we have time to handle the situation and save our country from embarrassment. Successful conduct of the Games will not only shut the critics but will also maintain our reputation in world sports fraternity,” he added. As far as expectations from Indian teams are concerned, he said he was hopeful that Indian squad would perform well and bring laurels to the country. Indian players have time and again proved their mettle and this is another chance to show the world that we are no less as far as the sports are concerned. On being questioned about bad performance of the Indian cricket team during the one-day match against New Zealand, he said the players were good but it was all a matter of chance. “Test cricket is the real cricket. Just in one day you cannot access the performance of these players. A bad performance day does not mean our players are bad. It’s just a chance and we must not criticise them. In fact in such situations, we must boost the morale of our team,” he added. When asked about his appearance in reality shows, he said he was currently focusing on politics and development was his main agenda, he signed off.
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Goalless draw for India against Casa Pia AC
Lisbon, August 12 After the breather, N S Manju was brought in for Anthony Pereira. Rahim Nabi was pushed on right flank, with Manju playing as the left wing back. After dictating the terms in the first half, Bob Houghton boy's were given a tough time by their opponents but even their spirited performance was not enough to break the deadlock as the match ended on neutral terms. India will next take on Real Massamá SC. — PTI |
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IHF and IWHF merge, election in October
New Delhi, August 12 Hockey India was de-recognised by the government for non-compliance of guidelines, leaving The KPS Gill-led IHF the sole representative of the game in the country. Gill exchanged papers with the IWHF President Atma Ram during the general and executive body meetings here and said the amendments to the constitution, required to make the changes, effective would be passed next month. "The IHF and the IWHF today merged. But the IHF constitution needs some amendments to formalise the decision, which we will be brought during our next meeting to be held probably on September 9," Gill said at a press conference. "We also want to hold the election of the Federation in the first week of October, before the holidays of Dussera. Till that time two executive committees will jointly look after all the affairs," Gill added. The former top cop said that the IHF would apply for the International Hockey Federation's recognition once the election process is over. "We will apply for the affiliation of the FIH only after the elections," he said. Re-recognised by the Sports Ministry, the IHF is trying to get the approval of the FIH, which still considers Hockey India as the sole representative for the sport in the country. One of the pre-requisites for getting the FIH recognition is to have a single body for both men and the women players. "We are happy to merge with the IHF today. Out of total 33 state units we had 30 units in the meeting and passed the resolution unanimously. IHF also had the majority of the units in attendance. "We now have to give 21 days of notice before passing the amendment resolutions required," IWHF General Secretary Amrit Bose said on the occasion. "We would also like to involve the former players in the Federation's working in order to utilise their experience," Bose added. There is confusion over which body is the official representative of hockey in India as both HI and IHF have staked their claims. While IHF has promised to comply with Sports Ministry's age and tenure-limitation guidelines and has the government's backing, HI enjoys FIH's support. Asked about the confusion, Bose claimed, "Now IHF is the sole representative in India and the HI is only a private body. Only a national federation can take decision regarding the national team and HI has no power now." — PTI
HI moves SC over derecognition
New Delhi, August 12 The government recently derecognised Hockey India and accorded recognition to the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) headed by former Punjab Police chief KPS Gill. It has also written to the International Hockey Federation not to have any dealings with the HI, as it no longer enjoyed government recognition. Hockey India is the only hockey body, which is a member of the International Hockey Federation at present. On July 30 this year, the apex court had allowed Hockey India to hold elections to have a new executive body by staying the verdicts of the Delhi and Bombay High Courts. Both high courts had restrained Hockey India from going ahead with the elections.
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Kalmadi knows everything: Verma
New Delhi, August 12
Verma said Kalmadi, being the chairman of the OC, was the "only sanctioning authority, and hence it was possible only for him to sanction the expenditure as the executive management committee". In an interview to CNN-IBN, on the A.M.Films controversy, Verma said when he was in Delhi, people from the field proposed that this AM Cars Company had been empanelled by the Indian High Commission in London and they were also saying that this expenditure was to be incurred and he had said that a three-member negotiating committee had been proposed under Jayachandran, who was the head of the finance in the OC, and who was supposed to be in London at the QBR launch. He said Sanjay Mahendroo's fax, asking that £127,000 to be released to AM Films, would not have come to him, but instead gone to the cheque signing authority. Verma said he was not in London, and all was left to chairman Kalmadi to decide. He said all decisions in the OC were taken with Kalmadi's nod. Following the QBR launch controversy, particularly with regard to the payment made to AM Films without a tender being floated before hiring them, three senior officials of the OC — R.K.Darbari, Sanjay Mahendroo and Jayachandran — had been suspended. Darbari, who was later sacked, had also spoken against Kalmadi yesterday, saying that the chairman was in the know of all the decisions takenby the OC. Verma was recently re-elected as the president of the BFI, in violation of the tenure restrictions enforced by the Sports Ministry.
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Silva saves world champions from defeat
Mexico City, August 12 "We, who turned up with few training sessions, have behaved extraordinarily. It's just another match but it has big symbolic significance because we came here almost without preparation," Del Bosque said. "Some of the (team) members only had yesterday's practice," he told the post-match news conference. "We must give the players 10 (out of 10), they made no excuses for playing the minutes they were asked to." Hernandez put Mexico ahead when he chased a ball into space, faced goalkeeper Iker Casillas, and with the Spain captain expecting a shot across his body Hernandez slotted the ball inside the near post. "Mexico have a team of quality with young players who were a threat in attack throughout the 90 minutes," Del Bosque said. — Reuters
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North Zone Inter-Sainik School Sports
Jammu, August 12 After the first session of various games, Sainik School, Nagrota, scored 42 points in basketball and defeated Sainik School Kapurthala, who scored 27 points only. In hockey, Sainik School Kapurthala, scored 5 goals and defeated Sainik School, Kunjpura, who scored just one goal. In volleyball, Sainik School, Ghorakhal won three sets and defeated Sainik School Kunjpura (Haryana), who won two sets.
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Curtains for Beckham?
London, August 12 His comments for a TV interview before England's 2-1 win over Hungary at Wembley ended one of greatest careers in the country's football history. But in a statement sent to the BBC, Beckham's agent said: "There has been no discussion of retirement. He will always be available for his country, when fit, and if needed he will be there."
— ANI |
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OC justifies deal with Fast Track
New Delhi, August 12 The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in its interim inspection report has pointed out that Fast Track was preferred over Sports Marketing and Management (SMAM) despite a high comission and thus OC lost on revenue generation. SMAM had offered its services for 12.5 percent while OC gave 15 percent to Fast Track. OC Secretary General Lalit Bhanot said it was a well thought out decision to award the deal to Fast Track as they did not want to give too many contracts to SMAM, which already had bagged the sponsorship contract. "Fast Track is a well known company in this field and we have to ensure that company which has the experience is given the job. They had done it in Melbourne and other Games.," Bhanot said. —
PTI |
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A spectacular win against India under their belt, New Zealand would look to continue their sparkling show when they clash with hosts Sri Lanka in the second match of the cricket tri-series here tomorrow.
New Delhi, August 12
Substitute David Silva saved Spain's blushes with a stoppage-time equaliser as the world champions drew 1-1 with Mexico at the Azteca on Wednesday. Mexico took a 12th-minute lead through striker Javier Hernandez and looked set to hand Spain defeat in their first outing since winning the World Cup in South Africa a month ago.
London, August 12
Dambulla, August 12
Both the teams have some exciting pacemen in their ranks and if the conditions favour them again, it promises to be a cracking contest between ball and bat.
Mumbai, August 12
Patiala, August 12
Clancy 'to forgive Peter
Crouch
Allow Pak players for IPL 4: KKR
Sania-Monica shock Wim champs