New Delhi, June 18
The plus of a series in the West Indies, especially in recent times, is that many a mistake and misdeed goes unnoticed. After all, even the most committed of Indian fans finds it hard to keep his eyes open and stare at the TV screen, his slumber hardly ever being interrupted with a roar when a six is hit - there have to be people in the stadium to generate a roar.

Rohit Sharma has made the selectors look really silly for not picking him for the Test side

Added to that is this is ‘only’ the West Indies. Sacrilege it would have been not so long ago to use ‘only’ and the West Indies in the same sentence, but that is now the norm. On top of that, most of the people who grab eyeballs gave the tour a miss. Even they think it is ‘only’ the West Indies.

So when India, after winning three matches and the one-day series, lost two games, not too many people were really bothered. To start with, by the time the news of the win or loss appeared in the papers, it was already time to look to the next match. In sum total, nothing too exciting.

But even this little unheralded battle fought in the far corner of the world, the good things did make us sit up and take notice. Not least among them was the mouse that roared. Amit Mishra was always a reticent, hesitant, not-too fashionable little cog in India cricket, till he decided to bare his fangs, literally, and pump his fists after breaking through the defences of batsmen during the Indian Premier League.

His self-doubt and painful awareness that he wasn’t the first choice seem to disappear as the IPL progressed and as he found his feet, and his wrist, India discovered the best leg-spinner now in business. A leg-spinner in his elements is an eternal Christmas gift for a cricket fan. Mishra’s emergence is that much more pleasant since he wasn’t the spinner being discussed.

It was R. Ashwin, the next new kid on the block. So the leggie came through almost unnoticed, like a Lionel Messi slipping past the rival defence in flash, to ram home the advantage. Ashwin is in trouble since stand-in skipper Suresh Raina evidently followed his mentor Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s instructions to the T. He played Ashwin only the dead rubbers (both of which, incidentally, India lost), but also made sure Mishra wasn’t dropped. Ashwin did nothing of note while Mishra was more or less on the length, right through the series.

Also, two batsmen made sure they will never again be ignored. Virat Kohli is destined to be one of the best in the business, especially since he has overcome his youthful impulsiveness and brashness. His selection for the Test side is a case of when, not if. Rohit Sharma has overcome much more than that within himself. He made the selectors look really silly for not picking him for the Test side.

One is left wondering if S. Badrinath, who was exposed even against the modest West Indies, or Abhinav Mukund will be able to match Sharma in terms of skill and class. One doubts it. 

Chandigarh, June 18
India’s only Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra today qualified for next year's London Olympics in the 10m air rifle event, finishing eighth at the Shooting World Cup in Munich. Bindra shot a qualification score of 596, which left him tied with eight others, but he sneaked into the finals by managing a score of 52.6 in the shoot-off.

The Indian eventually finished eighth with a total of 646.2 (596+50.2), but clinched an Olympic quota place as the top six finishers in today’s event had already booked their berths in previous qualifying events.

The gold in the event went to China's Qinan Zhu (651), while the silver was clinched by his compatriot Tao Wang (649.5). Slovakia's Jozef Gonci (649.3) settled for the bronze. As many as 890 shooters from 86 countries are competing in the 2011 Rifle and Pistol World Cup Stage at the Olympic Shooting Range in Munich. This is one of the final chances to qualify for the 2012 London Games, before the continental championships.

Dr. Amit Bhattacharya, Abhinav’s mental trainer, speaking to The Tribune from Germany, said, “It was a really tense situation for Abhinav and the entire team. But we have been working on different types of mental training for him for the past two months, which deal with the bio-mechanics of the human nervous system.”

Dr Bhattacharya, who is a doctor at the PGIMS Chandigarh, added, “It is something we have been working on with an eye on the London Olympics. It helps a person, who is under extreme pressure, to deal with his inner tremors and fear.

“It makes the mind forget past events and lets the person focus completely on the present task. I am glad it helped Abhinav at such a crucial juncture.” 

Kingston, June 18
Clouds of uncertainty continuous to hover over medium-pacer Munaf Patel's availability for the first Test against West Indies at Sabina Park starting next Monday. The gangling medium-fast bowler from Gujarat was reduced to a spectator as his team-mates, including Test arrivals from home notably Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, put themselves to a vigorous work-out yesterday.

Coach Duncan Fletcher has refused to shed light on the reason for Patel's inactivity in the last two team sessions, as well as on missing out on the final one-day international here on Thursday. The only word the Zimbabwe-born coach has said is that "Patel should be fit for selection for the Test."

Patel was hugely impressive in India's World Cup campaign as well as in the one-day series here, where he picked up eight wickets from three matches at 17.75 average. However, he has not played a Test for India for over two years now and if the trend continues, it would most likely pave the way for Praveen Kumar's inclusion in the Test team.

In the practice session, coach Fletcher appeared keen to pick up the brains of Dravid and Dhoni. Fletcher had said earlier that he was looking forward to learning from men with such wealth of experience. Dhoni was among the early bats to pad up, but then sat in the shade for long, while others took their turn under a scorching sun. — PTI 

Kingston, June 18
He has spent 15 years in International cricket but senior India batsman Rahul Dravid says he continues to be inspired by Sachin Tendulkar, with whom he has starred in 19 Test century stands. "He's been phenomenal, has had terrific last 2-3 years and possibly done the best batting of his life," said Dravid in his ever-earnest manner in his first practice session in the Caribbean yesterday.

"When I came, he had already been around for seven years; he was my captain in West Indies (in 1997) and was a source of great motivation. That motivation has not changed," he added. India will play three tests against West Indies starting from next Monday and four against England spread across next two months this summer.

Dravid is the third highest run-scorer of all time, scoring 12,063 Test runs in 150 matches at an average of 52.44. He is also the only batsman to have hit at least one century in all 10 Test playing nations. That's not all, he is also a world-beater with 200 catches. Yet all this greatness sits lightly on a modest man who still is anxious to compete well for himself and his country.

"I had a seven month time off (from Tests). But I knew about these seven Tests in a row and was ready with my preparations," he said. "You know you have done enough, but there is still a certain pressure; you still feel nervous and there are butterflies (in your stomach). These things never change. It would be nice to get runs early on and keep the form going."

Dravid expects great things from this largely young side which is being led by an extremely capable captain in Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

"He (Dhoni) has led very well and done a great job. He exudes calm and his records, be it in Tests, in IPL or in one-day cricket have been phenomenal. His ability to remain calm under pressure is a priceless ability. (The team is) lucky to have a guy who has this kind of quality," he said.

The 38-year-old cricketer is aware that the transitional phase of Indian cricket is at hands and is hopeful that a few of the younger guys would carry the torch forward.

"Over the next year or two, young batsmen should be coming through—like Ganguly, Laxman and I did. Sooner than later, similar young boys would come through and two or three would have similar long careers for the next 15 years. Then the team is going to be in good health," he said.

Dravid hoped he would play a role in this learning curve, sharing his experiences with the younger kids.

"Young kids love to chat and you are always open. There would be opportunity to share this experience over the next seven Tests. It would be great to pass on this knowledge.

"Unfortunately, today it's not the nature of cricket to have a lot of practice games ahead of a series. I remember I had six or seven practice games in England and there was so much to learn from the Tendulkars, Manjrekars and Azharuddins of the side.

"Tests are always so stressful but practice games allow you to relax and interact. I don’t know any solution; its tough on kids," he added. Dravid was particularly keen to do well in Sabina Park, and generally in the Caribbean, for the great charm the region held in his mind while growing up.

"You remember as a kid listening to radio and hearing about Sabina Park; Gavaskar hitting centuries; those fearsome fast bowlers and you dreamt of playing here," he said. — PTI 

Southampton, June 18
Captain Andrew Strauss was out for the third test consecutive time to Sri Lanka's left-arm paceman Chanaka Welegedera as England reached 54 for two at lunch on day three of the third test on Saturday.

England, replying to Sri Lanka's 184, also lost their in-form No.3 batsman Jonathan Trott, who chased a wide pitched-up ball from Suranga Lakmal, delivered from around the wicket to him.

Strauss, with just one test century in two years, departed to the 14th ball of the innings, edging Welegedera to Tharanga Piranavitana at first slip for three. Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen were both unbeaten on 22.

Strauss has fallen to Welegedera three times in 22 balls in the series now. He admitted in his pre-test media conference that he had been working on his technique against the left-armer after he was lbw to him twice at Lord's.

The England captain, who angrily thumped his bat after his latest dismissal, is not under pressure for his place but he should expect no respite with another left-armer Zaheer Khan expected to lead India's attack in the four-test series starting next month.

Curiously, Strauss made 151 for Middlesex against the Sri Lankans a month ago, and Welegedera took the new ball in that game. Cook, with six centuries in his last nine tests, has played with typical solidity and a square driven four off Dilhara Fernando that took him to 20 was perhaps his best stroke.

Pietersen, on the ground where he played from 2005 to 2010, has batted with purpose, playing two well-executed straight drives for four off Lakmal.

He advanced down the pitch to left-arm spinner Rangana Herath and aggressively drove a four off through mid-off from the penultimate ball before lunch. — AFP

Srinagar, June 18
The first-ever Sher-e-Kashmir Golf Tournament began was teed off by the Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Farooq Abdullah, at the Royal Springs Golf Course here today. The tournament, aimed at promoting golf tourism in Kashmir Valley and to spread the message of peace, has been organised by the Sara Group and other corporate houses, which joined hands with the Union Ministry of Tourism and the State Tourism Department.

Speaking on the occasion, Abdullah expressed hope that a number of foreign golfers, particularly from Asian and European countries, would be arriving in Kashmir to play the sport. “It is wonderful to see that the Government of India is supporting the game in Kashmir,” Abdullah, himself a keen golfer, told the gathering of players on the occasion.

He said that various good courses were also coming up in Kashmir, including one opened recently in Pahalgam and one in Jammu. Another world class gold course is coming up at the tourist resort of Gulmarg and will be ready by September this year.

“It is good that the State is looking like it should,” Abdullah commented. The Union Tourism Secretary, R.K. Khwaja, said that the ministry had finalised some guidelines for promoting golf in the State. “We are going to support the holding of championships in the valley,” he added, saying that an amount of Rs 4 crore would be provided to the sponsors for the purpose.

The State Tourism Department, aiming at high-end tourists, is planning to organise three more tournaments this summer, said Farooq Ahmad Shah, Director, Tourism Department, Kashmir. He added that a SAARC tourney would also be organised in July. 

Srinagar, June 18
The 13th Martyrs’ Memorial Football Tournament will kick off here from June 22. The two-week tournament will see 48 teams, including six outstation teams, in the fray. Announcing this, Kuldeep Khoda, Director General of J&K Police, said that six outstation teams were CRPF XI, Punjab Police, Uttrakhand Police, West Bengal, Railway Protection Force and Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala.

Besides 42 teams from the State representing district football associations, J&K Bank, J&K Police, J&K Forest XI, R&B and J&K Food and Supplies are participating in the tournament, Khoda said. The tournament is being played at two venues, Bakshi Stadium and Polo Ground, Srinagar.

The opening and closing ceremonies would be held at the Bakshi Stadium on June 22 and July 6, respectively. J&K Police is organising this tournament under the aegis of Jammu and Kashmir Football Association to commemorate martyrs. This tournament is held every year in memory of those police personnel who have laid down their lives for the integration of the nation.

The tournament was initiated in 1998 in memory of Mushtaq Ahmad Baba, the then SHO of Kothibagh, Srinagar, who laid down his life while protecting civilians from a militant attack at Regal Chowk on October 31, 1997. — TNS

Bhopal, June 18
Karnataka entered the final of Hockey India's first National Men's Hockey Championship after beating Punjab 2-1 here today. Karnataka defender Raghunath converted a penalty corner in the 10th minute to give his team a lead over Punjab, and also became the top scorer of the tournament with 11 goals.

At the breather, Karnataka led by one goal. However, as soon as the match restarted, Punjab bounced back and Dharamvir Singh sounded the board for the equaliser. — PTI 

BRIEFLY

Gambhir defends playing IPL play-off despite injury
New Delhi: Under attack for playing the IPL play-off despite an injury, opener Gautam Gambhir today said it was his decision to play in that game and rubbished suggestions that he compromised the national team's interests in the process. Gambhir, the most expensive player in the IPL, defended his decision to play the eliminator against Mumbai Indians despite the injury, saying it was solely his decision as he did not want to let his team down. "Andrew Leipus was assessing me throughout the IPL and I had got this injury during the World Cup final. We went for an MRI scan and the report came on April 24 and this match was on 25th. Andrew's first reaction was that 'let's discuss the report' but I said, I want to play whatever the injury, whatever happens," Gambhir said. — PTI

Windies board reaches out to Chris Gayle again
Kingston: The reconciliation meeting may have gone completely awry but the West Indies Cricket Board refuses to give up on Chris Gayle even after dropping him from the Test squad for the series against India starting Monday. After a stormy showdown with the WICB officials, Gayle's cricketing future looks bleak but the explosive batsman can expect another letter from the Board very soon to chart a way forward and end the feud which started after he accused the administrators of ignoring him during injury problems. The decision to write to Gayle was taken at a WICB meeting yesterday, just a few days after the two parties had an angry spat ironically during a reconciliation meeting to sort out the differences. — PTI

Mandi hot weather soccer
Mandi: Madhyapur Youth Association of Nepal bowed out of the Power Grid Corporation Hot Weather Football Tournament losing to Central Command, Lucknow, by two goals to nil yesterday. The Nepal team had drawn their first match earlier with Colaba Young Star Club. Central Command will face Colaba Young Star for a place in the final. Shivaji Sports Academy, Kolhapur, had entered the final yesterday. Central Command were always in command of the game, carried out more attacks and struck once in each half. Laxman netted the first goal just before the interval and Diwas Chhetri headed in the flag kick in the 79th minute to increase the margin. — TNS

TT team for Vienna
New Delhi: A four-member Indian team will play in the International Table Tennis Federation-sanctioned Hope Challenge at Vienna (Austria) on June 25 and 26. The ITTF has introduced a tournament for the under-12 age group for the first time. Before participating in the tournament, the Indian players will undergo five-day training at the renowned Werner Schlager Academy from June 20 to 24. The players are: Boys: Ronit Bhanja and Chirag Kapoor. Girls: Naina and Abhinaya. Coach-cum-manager: Bhushan Thakur. — TNS 

Rooney only EPL player on sports’ Top 20 Rich List
London: Manchester United ace Wayne Rooney is the only Premier League player to get into the top 20 in world sport's Rich List. Rooney is placed at No 18 in the annual rankings where as David Beckham is at 23, Carlos Tevez at 39 and Frank Lampard at 49. Golfers, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, still lead the way as the best-paid global sporting icons. The 'Fortunate 50' list is published each year in the USA by Sports Illustrated. Rooney's five-year United deal at £160,000 a week has helped to get into top 20 Rich List. He is the third-placed footballer behind Barcelona genius Lionel Messi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo. Woods took home 41 million pounds in the past 12 months - an £18 million drop in comparison to 2009-10. — ANI