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It’s a tie in
Bangalore Yuvraj Singh plays a shot during the match against England at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on Sunday. Yuvraj scored 58. — AFP |
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Improve or be ready for early flight back: Afridi
Won’t go for three spinners all the time: SA coach
Bravo still inspiring team: Sammy
Dutch promise to match WI
Canada, Zimbabwe lock horns in ‘Battle of Minnows’
Bangladesh calm before next storm
Dropping Hussey a staggering decision: Waugh
Many firsts in Punjab Games
Players’ census on the anvil
Kaymer set to replace Westwood as number one
Squash world cup
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It’s a tie in
Bangalore
Bangalore, February 27 With 14 runs required to get from Munaf Patel’s last over, England finished with 13, and a total of 338 for 8 off 50 overs. The tie gave both teams one point each, but one would suspect India were happier with the result. The Indian total of 338, built on the cornerstone of Sachin Tendulkar’s 120, as he overtook Sourav Ganguly, Mark Waugh and Ricky Ponting to score his fifth World Cup century. But a vital lesson was learned. The race is not won at the beginning but at the end. What matters is not how you begin, but how you end, and while India almost did end the way they wanted to, it wasn’t really a planned closure. Take nothing away from Andrew Strauss. His first World Cup century was a master class in how to chase down big totals. He kept his head down throughout, and thanks to some insipid, unimaginative bowling from practically every Indian bowler, was able to score almost at will. Bell did occasionally tempt fate, but with a reprieve when fourth umpire Aleem Dar decided to send the Decision Review System challenge back to Billy Bowden on the field, who stuck to his not out decision. Post that, he bit the bullet and put his head down, but one rush of blood off Zaheer and a skier, then Strauss being trapped off the next ball, changed the script dramatically. What happened later was a procession, with Zaheer ending with three wickets. His last spell was 3-0-11-3. Even England will struggle to have a serious effort in this tournament if their bowling also stays this way. It won’t be likely that either India or England will have batting successes in all games, and in the knockout stage, it would take just one poor batting effort to end either team’s campaign, since the bowling is nothing to write home about. The spinners, supposedly India’s stronger suit, bowled consistently to Strauss’ strengths, allowing him to play the square-cuts, cuts and pulls pretty much in every over. It seemed the Indians thought that the weight of 338 runs would be enough to crush England. But the visitors had some great match practice against the Netherlands, where they chased down 292, again thanks to Strauss, and they looked at ease practically throughout. The fortuitous dismissal of Kevin Petersen, Jonathan Trott’s playing the wrong line notwithstanding, England kept to their plan, while India didn’t, since they had none. Strauss hits sixes and fours, but what made the match for England was his, and Bell’s, ability to take singles, by just simply pushing the ball short of the close-in fielders and taking off. Not once was he in trouble, a testament to India’s fitness and alacrity. Earlier, Tendulkar made the most of a placid pitch and some pedestrian bowling to notch up a 100. It was an innings which saw him gauge the placidity of the track early enough to play all shots, including in the air as he tormented the England bowling. India would have got an even bigger score, had it not been for a slew of wickets in the last five overs, ironically not being able to complete their quota of 50 overs. They lost their last seven wickets for just 33 runs and Tim Bresnan came out looking best among the England bowlers, returning figures of 5 for 48. Scoreboard India 338 (49.5 ovrs) England 338/8 (50 ovrs) India Sehwag c Prior b Bresnan 35 Tendulkar c Yardy b Anderson 120 Gambhir b Swann 51 Yuvraj c Bell b Yardy 58 Dhoni c sub b Bresnan 31 Yusuf c Swann b Bresnan 14 Kohli b Bresnan 8 Harbhajan lbw b Bresnan 0 Zaheer run out 4 Chawla run out 2 Munaf not out 0 Extras (lb-3, w-7, nb-5) 15 Bowling: Anderson 9.5-0-91-1, Shahzad 8-0-53-0, Bresnan 10-1-48-5, Swann 9-1-59-1, Collingwood 3-0-20-0, Yardy 10-0-64-1. England Strauss lbw b Zaheer 158 Pietersen c & b Munaf 31 Trott lbw b Chawla 16 Bell c Kohli b Zaheer 69 Collingwood b Zaheer 1 Prior c sub b Harbhajan 4 Yardy c Sehwag b Munaf 13 Bresnan b Chawla 14 Swann not out 15 Shahzad not out 6 Extras: (b 1, lb 7, w 3) 11 Bowling: Zaheer 10-0-64-3, Munaf 10-0-70-2, Piyush 10-0-71-2, Harbajjan 10-0-58-1, Yuvraj 7-0-46-0, Pathan 3-0-21-0
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Improve or be ready for early flight back: Afridi
Colombo, February 27 "I think when we go ahead in this tournament our destination will get tougher and tougher and if we commit the same mistakes, then we will return to Pakistan very soon. We must improve," Afridi said after the 11-run win in a thrilling Group A encounter here last night. Pakistan spilled catches and missed run-out and stumping chances in a fumbling fielding display last night that could have cost them dearly. And Afridi minced no words in pointing out the mistakes after the narrow win. "Our fielding has been improving since the New Zealand tour, but I don't know why in this match we dropped catches and failed to take run-out chances," said the skipper, who was named man of the match for picking up four wickets which took his overall tally to 300. Despite the shortcomings highlighted in the match, Afridi said it was nonetheless a big win for his team. "It's a very big win for us, beating Sri Lanka before a capacity crowd, their own people and a strong team which has been playing very well recently," Afridi said. Afridi was all praise for seniors Younus Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq for their crucial fifties which helped Pakistan post a challenging 277 on the board. "I'm happy that seniors have taken responsibility. Younus and Misbah are the backbone of the team, and it's important that the captain performs well as it sets an example for others," he said. Pakistan next face minnows Canada on March 3 and Afridi said the match is as important as any other game of the event. "I will sit down and plan, I will take advice from my coach and from my senior players as it is everyone's team," Afridi said. "Winning is very important for us, it is a good habit and we should try to win every match and play hard with our strength. I think we will give rest to some of our players but definitely we want to win each and every game," he added. — PTI
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Won’t go for three spinners all the time: SA coach
New Delhi, February 27 "Obviously we got to look at the conditions in the matches coming up. We have got a couple of day matches, obviously morning and freshness of wicket do come into play," he said after the team training session here. "Going forward, obviously it (playing three spinners) will be an option but that does not mean it would be the only option. We have one in Mohali which has a little more bounce. Will look at the conditions. I can't say that Peterson, Imran (Tahir) or Johan Botha ... it's about getting the best of type for the conditions and look at the balance of the side," Barnes said. — PTI
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Bravo still inspiring team: Sammy
New Delhi, February 27 Captain Darren Sammy said it would be hard to find a replacement for Bravo in a tournament, in which the two-time champions desperately need something special, after the humiliating defeat against South Africa in their opener. "Dwayne has been an inspiration to us on the field. Losing a key player like him, it's just terrible. But even when he gets injured he becomes an inspiration to the team," Sammy told reporters at the pre-match press conference here. "We'll be using his injury as a form of motivation for us," the skipper added. Bravo twisted his left knee during the match against South Africa at the Feroze Shah Kotla stadium, when he tried to stop a ball in his follow through. The MRI revealed a sprain on his anterior cruciate ligament and a tear of the knee cartilage. — PTI
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SL consider bringing Malinga back for Kenya
Colombo, February 27 "We will consider him for the next game because we need to get him into his rhythm ahead of the game against Australia next Saturday," Anura Tennekoon, Sri Lanka's team manger, told Reuters on Sunday. Malinga has been rested for the first two Sri Lanka World Cup Group A games because of a sore back. The 1996 World Cup champions won the first game against associated member Canada by 210 runs in Hambantota last week, but lost the Pakistan game by 11 runs in Colombo on Saturday. "Malinga was rested as a precautionary measure," Tennekoon said. "We don't want to take any chance with him because he is our key bowler. Malinga is fit but we don't want to take that extra one percent and play him," Tennekoon said. Malinga was one of the leading performers in the last World Cup, taking four wickets in four balls in a match against South Africa. Sri Lanka lost in the 2007 Barbados final to Australia. "We can say that we missed Lasith a bit," Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara said after losing the match against Pakistan. "Lasith is improving. I think he is going to be back with us very shortly. We just don't want to risk him over this match." Sri Lanka play group whipping boys Kenya on Tuesday in Colombo before the toughest match in qualifying against Australia on March 5. — Reuters
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Dutch promise to match WI
New Delhi, February 27 And not without reason. The West Indies are not in their best of spirits after losing to South Africa by seven wickets here last Thursday. And to compound their woes, star player and vice-captain Dwayne Brave has been ruled out of further action after suffering a cartilage damage in the left knee in the first match. The twice former champions are a pale shadow of their former formidable self, and Holland plan to exploit this self-doubt in the Caribbean team, as they gear-up for a showdown tomorrow. For Holland, this would be a life-and-and death matter as they need to put up a good show against the Windies to fulfil their ambition of finding a berth in the quarter-final.
ICC chief Haroon Logart had announced before the start of the World Cup that four years hence, the number of teams would be restricted to 10, which would completely eliminate minnows like The Netherlands, Ireland, Canada, Kenya and Zimbabwe from the World Cup fray. The ICC had to keep the number of teams pegged at 14 in this edition so as to avoid the kind of calamity witnessed in the 2007 championship in the West Indies when India were knocked out by Bangladesh and Pakistan were shut out by Ireland in the group stage itself. But this time around by dividing the 14 teams into two groups, the ICC has allowed a level-playing field, as four teams from each group would progress into the knock-out quarter-final round. Holland hope to be among one of the four teams to move up from Group B, and the display against England, have given them the confidence to take the bull by the horn. And they look up to all-rounder Ryan Ten Doeschate, who cracked a century against England and took two wickets too, to once again play the fulcrum on which the
“We need to tackle such matters to put up a good fight and when we finalise the team, everything will be taken into consideration”, Borren said in a media interaction here today.
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Canada, Zimbabwe lock horns in ‘Battle of Minnows’
While Zimbabwe bowlers managed to restrict Australia to 262 in their first match, their batsmen couldn't soak in the pressure and were all-out for 171. Canada, on the other hand, were no match for former world champions Sri Lanka as they were walloped by 210 runs in the newly built Hambantota stadium. Tomorrow's Group A match will be the best chance for both teams to try and force a victory which will give them requisite confidence to fight in the month-long tournament. With the format being very difficult for the minnows, a victory will certainly keep these teams interested in showing stomach for fight. On paper, Zimbabweans are a superior side with players who have a lot of ODI cricket against the big teams against their names. However, winning is a habit and certainly something that hasn't been the strength of the African nation which has seen a lot of political turmoil in the last few years. Yet the likes of Chigumbura, Tatenda Taibu, Brendan Taylor, Ray Price will hope to showcase their fighting ability on the biggest stage. Since it will be a day match, the bowlers may expect a bit of help early in the morning but the Jamtha strip is an absolute belter where batsmen will make merry once they set their eye in. — PTI
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Bangladesh calm before next storm
Bangladesh regards the World Cup, which it co-hosts for the first time with neighbours India and Sri Lanka, as its biggest event since independence in 1971. And it is going out of its way to put on a party to remember. So far, Bangladesh has proved to be the perfect hosts, creating a delightful World Cup atmosphere that would have pleased ICC chiefs. Unlike empty stands at matches in the other two hosting nations, packed crowds have witnessed the first two matches played by Bangladesh in Dhaka. Tens of thousands, who failed to secure tickets, have partied outside the venue, soaking in the atmosphere on foot and in open vans, dancing, waving flags and blowing locally-made vuvuzelas. Dhaka streets were jammed till late on Friday night after Shakib Al Hasan's home team clinched a superb victory against Ireland, who failed to chase a modest target of 206.
— AFP |
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Dropping Hussey a staggering decision: Waugh
Sydney, February 27 |
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5 Questions from Gulu
1. Name the four West Indians who played in all three finals of 1975, ’79 and ’83.
2. Who was the first Indian to score an ODI century? 3. Who is the only one among the three Australian Chappell brothers to score a century in the World Cup? 4. Which country took part in the World Cup for the first time in 1983? 5. How many players have captained their nation in three successive World Cups? Yesterday’s Answers: 1. India’s Roger Binny with 18; 2. Yashpal Sharma; 3. A fielding circle—actually an oval—30 yards from the stumps with four fielders within it at all times; 4. Mohinder
Amarnath; 5. Kirti Azad — GE Features |
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Bangladesh factories closed
Dhaka: Bangladesh garment export firms today protested against government orders to shut down factories during the cricket World Cup, saying the move would affect the country's economy. Garment factories have been instructed to close for six hours every evening until the final on April 2 so that power cuts do not affect avid cricket fans watching the games on television at home. "We have told the factories about the government decision and asked them to shut their plants in the peak power hours," Manjur Rahman, head of state-owned Dhaka Electric Supply Company, said. — AFP
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Many firsts in Punjab Games
Chandigarh, February 27 The six-day extravaganza will see the champion team in each of the 11 disciplines walk away with a cash prize of rupees nine lakh and will witness competitions being held under floodlights. Never before have any State games in India have had such huge prize money or were conducted under floodlights. The runners-up and the third placed teams will also get cash prizes of rupees seven lakh and five lakh, respectively. In all, more than 4,000 sportspersons are expected to participate in the Games, held in four cities. While Jalandhar (hockey) and Mohali (shooting) will have one event each, Ludhiana will hold the maximum number of events - athletics, basketball, football, kabaddi and tug-of-war. The remaining four events - boxing, weightlifting, wrestling and volleyball — will be held at Patiala. The closing ceremony, at the Olympian Surjit Singh Stadium in Jalandhar on March 6, will also feature Bollywood stars Dharmendra and his sons, Sunny and Bobby Deol. Though the State Games should have been held before the National Games, the sportsperson’s tight schedule during the past nine months prevented these from being scheduled earlier. Though Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who also holds the sports portfolio, maintains that the main purpose of reviving the Games with huge cash prizes was to dissuade the youth from taking to drugs and to channelise their energies in a positive and constructive way, a clever political motive is too obvious to be hidden behind the veil of sports competitions. Former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal has announced to coincide the naming of his new political outfit with the birth anniversary of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh on March 23. The Sports Department evidently wants to steal the thunder by organising this event three weeks before Manpreet Badal’s new political venture. The State Government has already announced its sports policy wherein it has made provisions for absorbing outstanding sportspersons at different levels. To make a beginning, the government plans to offer 10 gazetted jobs to outstanding athletes by taking their posts out of the purview of the State Public Service Commission. Based on the performance, not only in the State Games and also in National Games while representing Punjab, other outstanding players will have a claim on jobs in various departments of the State. “The State Games named after Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh are expected to witness some fierce contests in almost all 11 disciplines,” said Director of Sports Pargat Singh, maintaining that a new wave of enthusiasm has gripped the sports fraternity of the State. Pargat Singh is also hopeful that by the time major hockey events return to Punjab after the Government organised a four-nation invitation tournament in 2009, the new hockey stadium will be ready at
Mohali. |
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Players’ census on the anvil
Ludhiana, February 27 For this purpose, the department is all set to make an online database of former and current players of all sports disciplines. The department would collect the relevant records of players enrolled with the sports wings and speed fund academies. Further, the sports associations have been told to provide the requisite information about players, which would be further stored in a database. The information pertaining to each player including his/her discipline, the district being represented by them and his/her achievements would be collected by the representatives of the department. The orders regarding the data collection from different disciplines has already been sent to District Sports Officers (DSOs) across the state. Confirming the development, the Punjab Director of Sports, Pargat Singh, said that he has already issued directions for the collection of data from different sports wings and academies under the Punjab Sports department. He added that the exercise got delayed due to the preparations of the Shaheed-e-Azam Punjab Games. He further said that soon after the completion of the Games, the players’ registration would begin in full swing. "Several players who have done well in their respective disciplines go unnoticed in the absence of data. Further, the Sports Department had to rely upon its officials for recognizing the players’ achievements," Pargat said. He added that the department was hiring the technical experts for collecting data. Initially this data would be available and accessible exclusively to the department officials. After some time, the players’ achievements would be available to everyone through a website. However, the name of the website has not been decided yet, Pargat added.
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Kaymer set to replace Westwood as number one
Arizona, February 26 Kaymer, 26, beat American Bubba Watson one up in a tightly contested semi-final match at Dove Mountain on Saturday to ensure he will reach the game's summit for the first time. Englishman Westwood has been number one since Nov. 1 when he ended Tiger Woods's unprecedented 281-week reign at the top. "Definitely I need some time to think about it," a smiling Kaymer told reporters after booking his place in Sunday's 18-hole final against Britain's Luke Donald. "The good thing is next week I don't play a tournament, so maybe I can realise what happened. "But I can say one thing for sure, you know, it's a very proud moment. Not only for me, for my family, for the people who helped me and for Germany as well." Kaymer, who clinched his first major title at last year's PGA Championship, will become Germany's second world number one. His compatriot, Bernhard Langer, led the rankings for three consecutive weeks from April 4 1986 when they were first introduced to the sport. "It was a long time ago, and to be the second (German) is a nice feeling," Kaymer said. Asked who he felt was the world's number one player, Kaymer replied with a broad smile: "Still Lee Westwood until Monday." When asked who would be the best beyond Monday, the German replied: "Well, when the rankings say that I'm the No. 1, then I'm the best player in the world. And if they say so, then that's the truth." — Reuters
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Chennai, February 27 Hosts India, seeded six, have been drawn in Pool B along with England (second seed), Australia (3) and Mexico (7) while Pool A comprises top seed Egypt, France (4) Malayaisa (5), South Africa (8) and Sri Lanka (9), a World Squash Federation release here said today. — PTI
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Bangalore, February 27
Dutch game can evolve against the West Indies. Holland captain Peter Borren said the team were in battle mode after two days’ of practice in Delhi to get acclimatised, though West Indies enjoy some advantage as they have been parked in Delhi for the past one week, and have got a full grip of how the Kotla pitch would behave. Borren said the wickets in India behave in varying degrees as the Kotla wicket was not like the one they played at Nagpur. He also said that being a day-night match, the dew will be a factor, though they had encountered the problem in Nagpur and tackled it as well.
Nagpur, February 27
Dhaka, February 27