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Lighting up Delhi
Tendulkar is vulnerable: Hauritz
JP Atray Tournament
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Redbacks face Warriors
Navy defeats SAI Patiala
Punjab to get 14 stadiums
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Lighting up Delhi
New Delhi, September 24 It would have been a treat for home fans had world No. 4 Andy Murray, former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, French Open finalist Smantha Stosur and Cyprus' Marcos Bhagdatis, who recently stunned Rafael Nadal, not pulled out of the Games. The Games are clashing with prestigious season-ending ranking events on the two professional tours, forcing players to decide against playing in the Games. Sania, who has been India's face on the WTA circuit in last half-a-decade, feels star-factor or rankings doesn't count much when one is on court. “As a tennis player, one can only compete with the players who are on the other side of the net! However, I can assure you that at least in a global sport like tennis, the depth is tremendous and stardom or rankings have no bearing once a player enters the court,” Sania said. India’s men's squad is packed with legends such as Leander Paes and rising stars in Somev Devvarman but the women’s squad wears a complete contrast look. AITA had to recall 33-year-old Nirupama Sanjeev for the Games and apart from Sania and Nirupama, another veteran Rushmi Chakravarthy (513) and youngster Poojashree Venkatesh (444) comprise the four-member women's team. Sania acknowledged the bleak picture. “It is a great achievement for Niru to be still good enough to get into the team. However, it is disappointing that the cupboard of upcoming talent in Indian women's tennis looks bare,” Sania said. ‘India, Pak don’t complain’
Butt said during the 2002 Manchester Games, they stayed in a University hotel but made a fuss about that. “I don't want to pinpoint any host country but I feel that the issue is blown out of proportion in this case. There were problems during Manchester Games as well where we stayed in a university hostel. That was the worst experience but we did not complaint. We, India and Pakistan, never do that," Butt told PTI-Bhasha from Lahore. Butt also termed as ridiculous the security concerns surrounding the Games despite an attack on a tourist bus outide the historic Jama Masjid. "Other teams are always concerned about playing in India and Pakistan which I find ridiculous. Indian Hockey team has a Spanish coach while we have a Dutch coach. "They don't have problems staying in India or Pakistan. If other countries hesitate to play here then it will be the victory for terrorism. We don't have any security concern. We are definitely participating in the Games and we will go there with the message of peace. We want to show the western countries that if Pakistan can play in India, why can't they?" he said. The Zeeshan Ashraf-led Pakistani hockey team will arrive here on September 29. They will play a practice match with South Africa on the next day. Butt is optimistic about a better show after his team finished last in the World Cup, held at the same venue in February-March. — PTI
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Tendulkar is vulnerable: Hauritz
Chandigarh, September 24 "He (Tendulkar) is the world's best batsman, he is unbelievable. I am looking forward to bowl to him, in what I know, is going to be a tough challenge. But people make mistakes and Tendulkar too can make mistakes," Hauritz told reporters ahead of the three-day practice match against Board President's XI starting here tomorrow. Hauritz, who made his Test debut against India at Mumbai six years ago and took the prized wicket of Tendulkar in that match, will be leading the Australian spin attack during the two-Test series starting here on October 1. "I would be looking to bowl in the right areas but lot depends on the wicket as it has been raining here. Generally, the wickets don't turn much here after the first two days," said the off-spinner, who is returning after an injury. He also sees a "great challenge" in bowling to other Indian batsmen, including Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, saying all of them play spin very aggressively. "I know it's going to be a tough challenge, but my focus would be to see the ball comes out well out of my hands," said Hauritz, who has so far scalped 57 wickets from 15 Tests. Hauritz also heaped praise on his spin counterpart Harbhajan Singh and rated the temperamental Indian off-spinner as "one of the best spinners in the world". Asked if he had made any special preparation for the strong Indian bating line-up, he said, "There is no different preparation as such. It's only a matter of adapting to the wicket." India go into the Test series as the number one side and Hauritz said the Aussies never take any team lightly, no matter who the opposition is. — PTI
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ONGC to clash with Air India in final
Sanjay Bumbroo Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 24 Brief scores: ONGC: 252 (Sandeep Sharma 106, J.Kaushik 2 for 49, S.Suresh Kumar 3 for 39). India Cements: 220 all out (R Parsanna 26, H Badani 34, Sumit Narwal 4 for 52) Air India inflicted a crushing defeat on PCC by 124 runs and entered the finals to set up a title clash with ONGC Delhi. Brief scores: Air India: 226 for 8 (Rajat Bhatia 62, Deepak Joon 89; Bharat Lumba 3 for 37). PCC: 102 all out (Sunny Sohal 23, Sanjay Badwar 5 for 34). The final will be played between ONGC and Air India at Tau Devi Lal Stadium, Sector 3, Panchkula, at 9.15 a.m tomorrow.
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BPXI take on Ponting and Co. today
Chandigarh, September 24 “The practice match is very important for us as except few players most of the members of the team would play for the first time here. The match would provide them a chance of having firsthand account of wickets and tough conditions here”, said Michael Clarke, Australian vice-captain. Continuous rain for past couple of days did not allow the visitors to have proper net practice in open, except today, since their arrival. While the players like Ricky Ponting, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke, Simon Katich and Mitchell Johnson are familiar with the conditions here, some of the youngsters including Marcus North, Tim Paine, Doug Bollinger and Ben Hilfenhaus have not played a single Test here. On the other hand, young members of Gautam Gambhir-led team too looking forward to showcase their talent against one of the top teams of the world on Indian soil.
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Centurion, September 24 Michael Klinger led Redbacks were the only team in the tournament to win all four of their group matches, while South Africa's Warriors won their first three matches before losing to Chennai Super Kings, which plays another IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore in the other last-four clash. For Klinger's men, everything have fallen in place so far but they would have to guard against complacency before tomorrow's tough encounter at the Centurion Park. With 213 runs at an amazing average of 71.00, Klinger is one of the most important factors the Redbacks find themselves in the semifinals and the skipper will have to fire once again if the Australian side have to replicate the success of New South Wales, who won the inaugural edition of the league held in India last year. With the top-order in good form, strength of their middle-order was also tested in their match against Guyana where Callum Ferguson and Cameron Borgas delivered under pressure, scoring 55 and 48 runs respectively. Ferguson has so far notched two half-centuries and scored 129 runs at an average of 43 and the Redbacks would be hoping he delivers once again tomorrow. Redbacks would also be hoping to have Australian pace spearhead Shaun Tait back in their line-up ahead of the crucial tie after he missed the final group game against Guyana due to an elbow niggle. Tait is the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the tournament with six victims in three matches at an average of 14.33 and his presence would mean a lot for Redbacks, who can use him to stop the furious Warriors' captain Davy Jacobs, whose bat has so far yielded 191 runs at an impressive strike rate of 141. Thanks to the start given by Jacobs, Warriors have got 50-plus in first six-over batting powerplay until their last game. — PTI
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Navy defeats SAI Patiala
Chandigarh, September 24 SAI, Patiala, went into the lead as Sandeep scored a field goal in the 10th minute of the game. However, Navy equalised the score in the first half with Sahil scoring through the penalty corner in the 23rd minute. In the second half, Hira Singh of the Navy scored the second goal for his team in the 52nd minute, sealing the fate of SAI, Patiala. Navy won the mach in regulation period. In the second match of the day, Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), Chennai, defeated SAI, Bangalore, by 4-2 in the regulation period. Santhil of IOB scored the first goal for his by sounding the board in the 16th minute of the game. However, SAI’s Pradhan scored the equaliser through field goal. IOB again hit the board when Rupinder scored through penalty corner in the 45th minute to give 2-1 lead to his team in the first half.
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Punjab to get 14 stadiums
Chandigarh, September 24 Badal approved the designs of multipurpose stadium to be constructed at Sports Stadium, Bathinda; War Hero Stadium, Sangrur; outdoor stadium, Hoshiarpur; Guru Nanak Stadium, Amritsar; NM College Stadium, Mansa; Government College Stadium, Gurdaspur; Guru Gobind Singh Stadium, Jalandhar; and Guru Nanak Stadium, Ludhiana. The flood-lit hockey stadiums would be constructed at Govt Barjindra College, Faridkot; PAU, Ludhiana; GND varsity, Amritsar; and Burlton Park, Jalandhar besides Rs 25 crore stadium at Sector 63, Mohali.Flood light facilities: Faridkot, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Bathinda, Sangrur, Hoshiarpur, Guru Nanak Stadium, Amritsar; Gurdaspur, Guru Gobind Singh Stadium, Jalandhar; and Guru Nanak Stadium, Ludhiana.
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players when the sport makes its debut at the Commonwealth Games, feels Sania Mirza.
It would have been a treat for home fans had world No. 4 Andy Murray, former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, French Open finalist Smantha Stosur and Cyprus' Marcos
Bhagdatis, who recently stunned Rafael Nadal, not pulled out of the Games.
Brilliant knock of 106 by Sandeep Sharma helped ONGC to set up title clash with Air India in 17th All India JP Atray Memorial Cricket tournament for Pearls Trophy here today.
Centurion, September 24
Lashing out at the critics of the Delhi Commonwealth Games, Pakistan hockey player Rehan Butt today said things have been blown out of proportion and that all host countries face problems in build-up to big sporting events like this. As the Games Village is still being readied, several athletes have pulled out of the event and those who have arrived were taken to hotels.
Los Angeles: