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India looking for answers
Sachin deserves Bharat Ratna: Saina
Olympic gold medallist will get
Rs 2 crore: Haryana CM
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England bowling ace James Anderson in injury scare
Boxing’s golden year
Rooney celebrity villain of the year
Negi clinches chess title
Mumbai boy scores record 498
Rock Rovers win in Liberals hockey
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Durban, December 22 "That's one quality we have," a sarcastic Dhoni told reporters here, referring to India's innings and 25 runs defeat in the first Test. "We don't really do well in the first Test. It's not only in India but even overseas. However, if you look at the previous records, we have come back well in the later stages. Hopefully, we will be back in the next two Test matches," an optimistic Dhoni said. The Indian captain conceded that even though they devised a few plans for the South African batsmen, it didn't work out well. The Indian bowlers were plundered for 620 runs at the Centurion and they managed to dismiss only four South African batsmen. "It was difficult because there was not much help from the wicket. We don't have bowlers with express pace. They don't bowl in 140s so they have to be even more precise with their line and length," Dhoni tried to defend the pace trio of S Sreesanth, Ishant Sharma and rookie Jaydev Unadkat. "We tried different fields. We tried to contain them but were unsuccessful for the better part of their innings," the Indian captain said. When asked whether pace spearhead Zaheer Khan's absence made a big difference in the first Test, he said, "It's not that whenever Zaheer plays, he gets wickets. But with the amount of experience in his repertoire, he always has a back-up plan ready in case the first strategy doesn't work. "It's always difficult to predict the performance of an individual. Especially, we talk a lot about an individual when he is not present," Dhoni added. India will bounce back, says Yuvraj
Kolkata: India made a disastrous start to the Test series against South Africa but middle-order batsman Yuvraj Singh is confident that the number one side would bounce back in the remaining two matches. India lost the series-opener by an innings and 25 runs at Centurion. "India have lost the first Test but I am sure they will bounce back. We have been the number one Test team for the past two years," Yuvraj said during his visit to the city. The left-hander, who will feature in the One-day and Twenty20 matches against the Proteas, said he is preparing well for the assignment. "It's not going to be an easy tour for us. It's tough out there. The wickets will be different. So, we need to practice accordingly," Yuvraj said about one-day and Twenty20 series. Yuvraj, who have had a forgettable 2010, battling with injuries and loss of form, said the series against New Zealand that India won 5-0 gave him a lot of confidence. "The Ranji matches that I played before the New Zealand ODIs gave me a lot of practice. I played in three games, spent enough time on the wickets and got runs as well. "It definitely helped me to prepare for the one-dayers. Hopefully, in the coming few weeks, I will be able to tune myself up for the ODIs in South Africa," he said. Will fill all-rounder’s place: Chawla
New Delhi: Making a comeback into the Indian cricket team after spending nearly two years in wilderness, Uttar Pradesh leg-spinner Piyush Chawla is keen to make the most of the opportunity and wants to cement his place as an all-rounder in the national side. Chawla has been picked for the five ODIs and a Twenty20 game against South Africa beginning January 9. The spinner lost his place in the Indian one-day team in 2008, his last international being against Pakistan in Karachi. "I know the all-rounder's spot in the Indian team is vacant. However, my first job is to take wickets. The selectors have shown faith in my bowling during the Ranji season and I want to make this opportunity count," Chawla said. "If I bat at number 7 or 8 position and score quick 30-40 runs for the team then it will be like bonus for my side and I am preparing myself for that," he added. Chawla said the ODI series in South Africa is a good opportunity to test his skills before the 50-over cricket World Cup in the sub-continent. — PTI |
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Sachin deserves Bharat Ratna: Saina
New Delhi, December 22 "Sachin is the best and he is capable of doing the impossible. He is getting younger with age and at his peak now I think he will keep playing for many more years. He deserves to get the Bharat Ratna," Saina told PTI. "I am sure he will break many more records in future and become the most famous legend ever," she added. Saina said she takes inspiration from the iconic batsman and hopes to reach an equally prestigious position in badminton someday in her career. "Sachin is an inspiration. The focus and confidence with which he plays is amazing. Look at his performance, it is fantastic. He has played for more than 21 years and still every time he bats, he score so many runs," she said. "I'm just a kid in front of him. But I want to do well in my field and may be in another 10-11 years, if I can win enough tournaments, I too might someday hope to win the prestigious award (Bharat Ratna)," she said. Saina is currently nursing a ligament injury, which forced her to skip the Indian Open Grand Prix in Hyderabad and the Indian ace said she would be back to the court soon. "It has been one week since I pulled out of Indian Open. The swelling and pain is still there. I am undergoing treatment, hopefully I should be fine soon," she said. — PTI
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Olympic gold medallist will get
Rs 2 crore: Haryana CM
Panchkula, December 22 Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda announced this at a state level function organized to honor the sportspersons who had won medals in the commonwealth and Asian games in Guangzhou (China), Youth Olympic Games held at Singapore and Paralympics Asian Games in China. He said that Rs one crore would be given to the silver medallists while Rs 50 lakh would be given to bronze medal winners. Hooda said that state government has adopted a three-pronged strategy for producing world-class sportspersons and it included strengthening of sports infrastructure, hunt for hidden talent and ensuring secure future of the sportspersons. He also announced that the government has decided to provide sports infrastructure in 1000 villages in the state every year. Lauding the achievements of the players in the international events Hooda said that the Government could only create congenial atmosphere for promotion of sports, but it was up to the sportspersons to give his best in the playground. He announced that 11 more sports academies would be set up in the state as a part of the drive to provide better facilities to sportspersons. While referring to the construction of 187 sports stadiums in rural areas, he said that 124 stadiums had already been constructed for which ground managers and ground men would soon be appointed. The CM honoured the gold medal winners of Asian Games with a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh, silver medal winners were given Rs 15 lakh each and bronze medal winners Rs 10 lakh each. The coaches of gold medal winners in Asian Games got Rs three lakh and Rs two lakh were given to the coaches of silver medal winners and Rs one lakh to the coaches of bronze medal winners. The gold medal winners of Asian Games are Vikas Yadav (Boxing-man 60 Kg), Vijender Singh (Boxing-man-75 kg), Kaptan Singh (Kabaddi-man), Samarjeet (Kabaddi-man), Jagdeep Singh (Kabaddi-man), Sonu Narwal (Kabaddi-man), Jasmer Gulia (Kabaddi-man),Jasmer (Kabaddi-man), Anup (Kabaddi-man), Manjeet (Kabaddi-man), Manisha (Kabaddi-woman), Sanam Krishan Singh (Lawn Tennis), Kavita Dangi (Kabaddi-woman). Silver medal winners included Balraj Yadav (Sailing (Open Match Racing Team), Gagan Narang (two silver medals in Shooting-man 10 meter Air Rifle Pistol team & Individual), Sanjeev Rajput (Shooting-man 10 meter Air Rifle Pistol team), Dinesh Kumar (Boxing-man-81 kg), Abhinav Lohan (Golf Men Team), Annuraj Singh (Shooting-woman 10 meters Air Pistol), Anil Kumar (two silver medals in Rowing (Men’s 8 & Men’s 4). Bronze medal winners are Sanam Krishan Singh (Lawn Tennis Doubles & Team), Krishna Punia (Athletic-Women’s Discus Throw), Parmjeet Samota (Boxing-man -91+ kg), Sandeep Singh (Hockey-man), Sardara Singh (Hockey-man), Bharat Chikkara (Hockey-man), Kavita Goyat (Boxing-women 69-75 Kg), Mausam Khatri (Wrestling-man Freestyle 96 Kg), Ravinder (Wrestling-man Greco Roman 60 Kg).
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England bowling ace James Anderson in injury scare
Melbourne, December 22 Australian sledgers can't top Warne: KP
England's Kevin Pietersen today said Australia's current team could not out-sledge Test greats Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath, dismissing a sharp rise in verbal clashes during the Ashes series. Pietersen said he had faced some "pretty big verbal contests" during England's last tour of Australia, when the legendary bowlers were still playing, but had seen nothing unusual in this year's Tests. Both teams have acknowledged raised temperatures during the home team's series-levelling win in Perth, with England's James Anderson and Matthew Prior in the thick of it along with Australia's Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle. "There's not really any big chirpers or big sledgers, it's just England versus Australia. It's an Ashes series," said Pietersen. "Blokes get a bit of red mist occasionally. You're allowed to do that on both teams. You're playing for a little urn. It's historic. It's huge. But there's nothing that's been overboard." Australia had not won a Test since July until they wrapped up the big 267-run win on Sunday in a performance marked by a return to their traditional aggression. The series is poised 1-1 going into Sunday's penultimate Test. Australia were ordered to tone down their sledging after the notorious 2008 Sydney Test against India, when alleged racial remarks prompted an angry public backlash against a team dubbed the "Unloveables". Meanwhile Pietersen was also confident that England spearhead Anderson would be fit for the hotly anticipated Boxing Day Test despite a side strain. Cricket Australia says 91,000 people could pack the cavernous Melbourne Cricket Ground for day one on Sunday, outstripping the 90,800 who flocked there in 1961 for the fifth Test against the West Indies. Collingwood a weak link: Warne
Australian spin legend Shane Warne feels all-rounder Paul Collingwood is a weak link in the England team which will take on the hosts in the fourth Ashes Test starting on Boxing day here. According to Warne, England cannot afford to "carry" players after being defeated in the third Test in Perth. "When a team is winning, you can carry a player or two, but unfortunately for Paul Collingwood, he's been short of runs for a while," Warne was quoted as saying in the Daily Telegraph. "Since Perth, when Australia smashed the Poms, Collingwood is back in the spotlight for his lack of runs. He might get one more chance here in Melbourne but he needs to make some runs," he said. Australia have been experimenting a lot with their spin department and Warne feels Nathan Hauritz deserves a recall to the Aussie Test team considering his form with bat and ball at state level. "What has impressed me about Hauritz, he's gone back and taken wickets and made runs," Warne said.
— Agencies |
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New Delhi, December 22 The season began with three gold medals in the South Asian Games in Dhaka in February with Chhote Lal Yadav (57kg), Asian champion Suranjoy Singh (51kg) and Amandeep Singh (48kg) finishing on top. Just a month later, the boxers landed half a dozen gold medals with a cracker of a performance in front of adoring home fans in the Commonwealth Championships. Trading punches in front of crowds that generally don't turn up for non-cricket sporting events in India, the sextet of Vijender (75kg), South Asian Games gold medallist Amandeep (49kg), Suranjoy (52kg), Asian silver medallist Jai Bhagwan (60kg), Olympian Dinesh Kumar (81kg) and Paramjeet Samota (+91kg) fetched gold to further enhance the sport's rising profile in the country. This was Vijender's first gold medal in two years, adding to the aura of the strapping six-footer, who remained the world number one from beginning to the end of 2010 -- his supremacy at the top unchallenged. The championship, in fact, was just a prelude to a fantastic performance in the Commonwealth Games that were to follow six months later, again in the capital. In the build-up to the Games, Vijender and Co took went for a month-long trip to Cuba to get battle-hardened in the 'spiritual home of boxing' and the improvement was there to be seen when they finally took the ring in the main-event. Even as the Commonwealth Games Federation complained of lack of crowds at CWG venues, the dome-shaped Talkatora Stadium was witness to an atmosphere which can only be described as electric in every single session of the boxing competition. Fans queued up as the likes of Vijender, Suranjoy and Akhil Kumar (56kg) began their gold quest in the biggest sporting event India was hosting since the 1982 Asian Games. It turned out to be a bitter-sweet campaign in the end with Vijender settling for bronze after a controversial loss in the semifinals and defending champion Akhil signing off without a medal following a quarterfinal defeat. But Suranjoy, Manoj Kumar (64kg) and Paramjit Samota (+91kg) ensured that Indian boxing pulled off its best-ever performance in the Games history by notching up gold medals. Besides their golds, four bronze came through Amandeep (49kg), Dilbagh Singh (69kg), Vijender and Jai Bhagwan (60kg) making CWG a memorable event for Indian pugilists. But Vijender's loss was a massive disappointment as he went down without conceding a single scoring punch when the referee penalised him twice for clinching and holding on to his rival in the semifinal. However, the poster boy of Indian boxing took the setback on his chin and promised a gold in the Asian Games which took place just a month later. And he delivered the goods at his happy hunting ground, China where the event was held in the city of Guangzhou. There was skepticism that the boxers, who got just a month to rest and recover after the CWG, would under-perform in the Asiad but all such fears vanished once the competition began as Indian pugilists fetched two yellow metals at the event for the first time after Dingko Singh's gold in 1998. In the end, the Indian boxers managed a brilliant haul of two gold, three silver and four bronze medals without showing any sign of fatigue. The only disappointment of the event was Suranjoy settling for bronze after entering the event gunning for an eighth straight international gold. But that apart, the Asiad was an affair to remember for Indian boxing. The 25-year-old Vijender's was the most dramatic final as he squared off against two-time world champion and old nemesis Abbos Atoev of Uzbekistan with a dislocated thumb. Fighting practically with just one hand, he still managed to blank his rival 0-7 in a completely lop-sided encounter. — PTI
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Rooney celebrity villain of the year
London, December 22 Meanwhile, 'X Factor' judge Cheryl Cole, 27, has been named 2010 Hero Of The Year. She received the title after divorcing her cheating husband Ashley, 29, and surviving malaria. Cole beat fellow celebs including Prince William's fiancée Kate Middleton, 28, Harry Potter star Emma Watson, 20, and film hunk Johnny Depp, 47. The poll was conducted by virginmedia.com. — ANI
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Negi clinches chess title
New Delhi, December 22 Playing with white pieces in the final round, second seed Negi needed just half point to ensure the title and he secured the same within 15 moves today against his Air India rival. He ended the tournament with nine and half points. Three players tied for the second spot with eight and half points but better Bucholz tie break score helped Kochi based top seed G N Gopal to lift the Runner-Up trophy and pocket a cash prize of eighty thousand rupees. In the final round, Gopal settled half point against defending champion Grandmaster B Adhiban. Adhiban finished third while former national champion Abhijit Kunte had a fourth spot finish after beating International Master Vidit Gujarathi in the final round. — PTI |
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Mumbai boy scores record 498
Mumbai, December 22 Armaan, playing for Bandra school Rizvi Springfield against Raja Shivaji of Dadar, struck as many as 77 fours in 490 balls at the Karnatak Sports Association ground at Cross Maidan in South Mumbai before he was caught behind two short of a well-deserved 500. It was a chanceless knock by Armaan in his school's Giles (under 14) Shield league match. The knock obliterated the earlier record of 366 that stood in the name of Parikshat Walsankar of IES Sune Guruji, the English medium school of Raja Shivaji Vidhyalaya. Armaan, who was 295 not out last evening, is an avid Tendulkar fan and said, "Sachin Tendulkar is my idol. I was not looking to set records but wanted to bat as long as possible," he said after his marathon knock, which lasted more than eight hours. — PTI
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Rock Rovers win in Liberals hockey
Patiala, December 22 In the other matches of the day UP Police Lucknow outclassed Hawks Ropar 5-2 while Western Central Railway Jabalpur drubbed I.T.B.P Jalandhar 7-4 in a tie-breaker and in the last match of the day Rock Rovers Chandigarh defeated SSB New Delhi 6-4 in another tie-breaker. Punjab National Bank New Delhi continued with their winning streak outperforming their rivals, the PSEB Patiala 3-0 in a rather one-sided match. Supremacy of Bankers was clear as they made inroads in the opposition defense time and again and were successful almost half the times they entered. However the PSEB circle was demolished with 2 quick goals in 26th and 29th minutes with field goals coming in quick succession from Damandeep and Ravinder Tapial respectively. Crossing over with 2-0 lead the PNB side forced two short corners in 42nd and 45th minute off which left-back Satpal converted the second short-corner to make the lead invincible at (3-0). Earlier in the day the first match this morning saw real clash of the titans when the U.P Police prevailed over Hawks Ropar 5-2 in the battle of strokes after the two strong outfits failed to resolve the deadlock. |
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Durban, December 22
Indian ace shuttler Saina Nehwal today threw her weight behind conferring Sachin Tendulkar the Bharat Ratna, saying the iconic batsman is the most deserving sportsperson to receive the country's highest civilian award.
Melbourne, December 22
New Delhi, December 22
London, December 22
No IPL for Johnson