New Delhi, September 27
The scare created by media reports about Delhi’s lack of preparenedess to successfully host the 2010 Commonwealth Games is slowly, but surely wearing thin, as more and more countries, including England, Australia, Canada and Scotland, have sent their athletes for the Games to swell the numbers at the Games Village.

Around 550 athletes will check into the Games Village by today evening, which include 113 from South Africa, 77 from Scotland, 61 from England, 59 from Australia and 30 from Canada. Athletes and officials from New Zealand, Wales, Nambia, Jamaica, Botswana, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands,St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Kiribati and others are also arriving.

In addition, chefs-de-mission of Niue Island, Malawi and St. Vincent and The Grenadines, apart from a large international media contingent, will also arrive by this evening.

In fact, the positive feedbacks from the Chefs-de-Mission have emboldened the foreign countries, who hitherto had some reservations about sending their athletes to Delhi, to despatch large contingents. South African High Commissioner Harris Mbulelo Mejeke,who created a ruckus when he said that a snake was found inside his country’s residential block at the Games Village, made an about-turn, when he said “the facilities have improved and are unlike” what he saw during his previous visit.

Nearly 1,100 athletes and officials had arrived in theVillage by late last night to make the Village throb with foreign athletes. The biggest delegation of 112 was from Kenya while Nigeria and Scotland sent 69 and 60 sportspersons and officials, respectively.

Canada will send a 400-strong contingent. Commonwealth Games Canada director of sports Scott Stevenson said emergency equipment and safety procedures have all been verified and tested. “Things are starting to look good”, he mused. “The residential towers have been a huge challenge for us, but I’m happy to say they’re finally coming online now. The dining hall and the training facilities are truly exceptional”, he added.

Meanwhile, Australian freestyle swimmer Ashley Callus and England’s synchronised swimmer Jenna Randall have asserted that they will travel to Delhi for the Games. The Australian swimming squad flew out of their training camp in Kuala Lumpur, on way to Delhi.

“There’s excitement because I’m heading to my fourth Commonwealth Games, but there’s also anxiety to see what it’s actually like over there”, Callus was quoted as saying. “For me, personally (events in Delhi), have not impacted my motivation or desire to go and compete. I am 110 per cent ready to rock'n'roll”, said the 31-year-old who won a gold medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, silver at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games and bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Jenna Randall insisted scare reports from Delhi have not put her off her preparation as she bids to further raise her profile of synchronised swimming. The 21-year-old will leave for her training base in Doha, before heading for Delhi. Randall said she remained committed to the England cause and was determind to improve on the silver she won in Melbourne four years ago. 

Patiala, September 27
The Cycling Federation of India (CFI) dropped a bombshell on Monday excluding three top cyclists from the national team for the Commonwealth Games without assigning any reason.

The entire cycling squad left the National Institute of Sports (NIS) for the Games Village in New Delhi in the afternoon in two air-conditioned buses but surprisingly the trio of Hitraj Singh, Gurbaz Singh and Paramjit Singh was not allowed to board these buses.

Chief coach Chayan Chowdhury initially said that the riders would be in a better position to explain their exclusion but later said there were no events in the Commonwealth Games for these riders.

A senior coach attached with the team said, “If there are no events for the riders, why were they selected in the first place? The three riders have been attending the camp for the past one year. Will the CFI wake out of its slumber and ensure their participation in the Games?”

Another coach said that these riders have been shown the door due to differences among coaches attached with the national camp. All the three riders are from Punjab.

The flimsy explanation of Chayan Chowdhury has not gone down well with a majority of riders who rubbish his claims that there are no events in the games for these riders. The three riders were training in the sprint group, which comprises of events like 1 km time trial, track race, sprint, scratch race and Olympic team sprint. All these events are part of the Commonwealth Games.

Hitraj Singh was understandably non-committal about his last minute ouster. The crestfallen cyclist, an inspector with the BSF, refused to be dragged into any controversy. This was one major event in Hitraj’s long and successful career and a good performance here could have seen him being promoted to the next rank.

Sources claim that the Australian coach attached with the team (Graham Sears) told Hitraj that he was in the camp as a reserve and would be considered only if someone got injured.

Indian riders are going to participate in the Commonwealth Games after a long gap of 32 years but things are certainly not looking rosy for them.

New Delhi, September 27
The arrival of Sania Mirza in Delhi for the Commonwealth Games has pepped up the tennis scene though she may have to wait for a couple of days for the arrival of other women players to get her training schedule on track. Rushmi Chakravarty, Poojashree Venkatesh and Nirumpama Sanjeev are expected to reach Delhi only by Wednesday-Thursday. Nirupama will be coming from her base in the US while the other two are expected from Chennai.

The 23-year-old Sania, who once enjoyed a career-high ranking of 27, will play only in the singles and the mixed doubles, partnering Leander Paes, while Rushmi and Pooja will play in the doubles. Nirupama will partner Rohan Bopanna in the mixed doubles, while Rohan and Somdev Devvarman will play in the doubles as well as the singles. Leander and Mahesh Bhupathi will be the star doubles pair as India hope to lift a clutch of medals in tennis.

Leander and Mahesh will arrive in Delhi after playing in the Thailand Open next week while Somdev will play in the singles there. The practice matches will be held at the Siri Fort Sports Complex while the main competition will be played at the R.K.Khanna stadium complex, which was one of the first stadiums for the CWG to be fully ready. Though the Indian team will have no captains, former captain Jaideep Mukherjea, Nandal Bal and Enrico Piperno will be the coaches. 

New Delhi, September 27
On October 3 when the 400-odd member strong Canadian contingent walks into Jawahar Lal Nehru stadium at the time of the opening ceremony of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, its flag-bearer will be an Indo-Canadian.

Besides the flag-bearer, the Canadian contingent will have 15 persons of Indian origin, including six players.

Thirty-seven-year-old Ken Pereira, born in Toronto of Indian parents of Goan origin, becomes the first ever team sport athlete to be flag-bearer of the Canadian contingent in any Commonwealth Games. Incidentally he is also the first Indo-Canadian and a field hockey player to get the distinction.

A veteran of 300 internationals, he will also lead Canada in the men’s hockey competition of the games. In fact, for Ken Pereira it will be his second competition at the historic Major Dhyan Chand National Hockey Stadium this year. He was here as a member of the Canadian team in the last World Cup Hockey Tournament played in February-March.

An inspired choice for the Canadian squad, Ken Pereira has been to three Commonwealth Games, two Olympic games, four Pan-American and two World Cups and plays as a midfielder. For him, the honour has a special significance as India has been the birthplace of his parents. He hopes that many of his relatives and family friends living in India would come and support Canadian team in the games.

Besides Ken Pereira, Sukhwinder Singh will also be playing for Canada in the field hockey competition. Sukhwinder belongs to Punjab and played in the New Delhi World Cup Hockey Tournament.Other players of Indian origin who will be trying their sporting prowesses during the games include wrestler Arjan Bhullar, weightlifters Jasvir Singh and Parminder Singh Phangura.

Hirendra Bhartu (Lawn Bowls) is the sixth player of Indian origin in the Canadian contingent.

Interesting two officials accompanying the men’s hockey team of Canada - Inderpal Sehmbi and Robin D. Abreau - are also of Indian origin. Robin represented Canada in many international tournaments as a player.

Among the support staff is Ram Nayyar, who is the coach of Canadian badminton team. In fact, Ram had represented Canada in Olympics and Commonwealth games as a player also.

Chandigarh, September 27
The three-day practice match between Australia and Board President XI, which witnessed a total of five centuries, ended in a draw at the Sector 16 Cricket Stadium, here today. The final day witnessed two centuries — the first one by Shane Watson (104 not out) in Australia’s second innings while BPXI’s Ajinkaya Rahane struck an unbeaten 133 (111) while chasing 516 runs in the second innings.

Earlier, taking advantage of morning conditions, Aussie pacer Ben Hilfenhaus completed his five-wicket haul in the match to bundle out BPXI’s first innings for a meagre 177 all out in just 45.5 overs. After opener Shikhar Dhawan (5) retired hurt following a bouncer by Hilfenhaus hit him close to the ear, Chetteshwar Pujara joined Rahane. The highlight of the innings was a quickfire 111-ball 133 by 22-year-old Rahane, studded with 18 fours and a six. Pujara too showed his prowess with his unbeaten half-century (52 off 102). Gambhir, who had suffered a soft tissue injury on his wrist did not take the field today.

Brief Scores:

Australia 505 for 8 dec. and 187 for 6 dec.

BPXI 177 and 174 for 0.