London, July 26
Bemoaning the loss of key players to injuries midway through the match, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni also held the "variable bounce" at the Lord's pitch responsible for his team's massive defeat in the first Test against England.

"What we saw different from the 2007 series this time was the variable bounce. It became tough. In 2007, there was much more bounce but it was even too. It was interesting to see where I was standing as a keeper then. Zaheer bowls his overs from where I stand, and I used to do so by being 2-3 yards behind in 2007. Here I was standing 2-3 yards in front," Dhoni said after the 196-run loss match on Monday.

"It had an impact. In 2007 you could leave the deliveries. Here the bounce was very uneven. You couldn't leave each delivery because a few balls really kept low and never really carried. You had to look to play each delivery and when it bounced it was difficult." What also prevented India from playing to their full potential were injuries to key players.

"Everything (that) could have gone wrong, went wrong. It was tough for batsmen to bat at different slots, it was tough for bowlers with only three left (in Zaheer Khan's absence)," said Dhoni.

"Zaheer's absence made it tough to manage bowlers. With just three bowlers left and the ball not turning that much, we didn't have too many options... our resources were limited.

"As for batters, it was difficult for them to bat at different slots they are not used to. Dravid, Gambhir and Sachin all had added pressure of not batting at their usual slots," Dhoni said.

Due to Gautam Gambhir's injury, Rahul Dravid came out as an opener in the second innings. Sachin Tendulkar, because of his viral infection, could only bat at number five.

Talking about Zaheer, who left the field on the first morning itself due to a hamstring strain, Dhoni said the seamer's absence was felt.

"If we had one extra bowler, things could have been different. We have three days (before the second Test). I am not 100 per cent sure if he would play. We don't want to risk an individual. There is a lot of cricket we are playing and there is no point in risking a guy for just a game."

Asked to explain why Zaheer's fitness was not checked in time, Dhoni said: "Hamstring injury is a difficult one — a fast bowler doesn't have to bowl to get such an injury. He could be running after the ball and still get injured."

Most of India's top order batsmen seemed to have got out playing rash shots, but Dhoni didn't think so.

"You have your own game plan. When you play a shot, if it doesn't succeed, it might appear a rash stroke. But every batsman has his own game plan," Dhoni said.

Dhoni, who is yet to lose a series, was upbeat about his team's performance in the forthcoming Tests.

"There is a lot of Test cricket left in the series. Batters and bowlers will improve as the series progresses."

The skipper was all praise for England pacer Stuart Broad and wicketkeeper-batsman Matt Prior.

"He bowled the right length and up to the batsmen and made them to drive. His knock was also a great help and just shows what a good performer he is. As for Prior, he had a good partnership going and it changed the complexion of the game."

London, July 26
An elated England skipper Andrew Strauss credited his bowlers for the massive 196-run win over India in the opening Test, saying that it was a perfect performance against a formidable batting line-up.

"Over the two innings, it was as close to perfect bowling performance as it has been in the last two-three years which is saying a lot as we have bowled quite consistently well in this period," stated Strauss after England dismissed India for 286 and 261 in the two innings at Lord's.

"It was an outstanding performance by the whole attack. They showed if you work hard with consistent line and length you could have results on any track."

Strauss picked double centurion Kevin Pietersen for special praise. "Our first innings was a magnificent performance. Kevin was responsible for it -- it was one of the best innings I have seen. He was smart enough against seamers, was prepared to graft and when the opportunity presented itself, he attacked. Others batted around him.

"It was critical that we survived the tricky first day and on the second day, after the second half it got easier. Jonathan Trott as well on the first morning of the Test gave a good example of his temperament and technique," he said. Strauss claimed that this win has demonstrated that if the present team plays to its potential, it can beat any side.

"To be a number one side, you need to grab your opportunity and we did so very well today. We demonstrated when we play well, we are good enough."

Strauss was also full of praise for Stuart Broad. "His position has lately been called to question. It was a big test of his character and Stuart showed immense quality. He bowled very well, his 70 runs were critical to the outcome, he showed his class. It was a tiny reminder to everyone what a great talent he is."

Man of the match Kevin Pietersen, who set the platform with his monumental knock, lauded the English bowlers.

"They were calm throughout. We have an analysis of our bowlers and the percentage (of good deliveries) was among their best," Pietersen said.

Strauss also made a mention of Chris Tremlett whose wicket of Dhoni in the last session was the final straw for India. "He (Tremlett) is the real deal. He definitely adds to our bowling."

India missed Zaheer Khan for most part of the match and due to a hamstring strain and both Pietersen and Strauss were quick to acknowledge that his absence cost the visitors dearly.

"Zaheer's absence was a critical loss to them. The other bowlers had to work really hard. Ishant bowled nearly 65 overs and he would be tired in the second Test," said Pietersen.

"It's never easy to lose your frontline bowler but then these are the cards you are dealt with sometimes," remarked Strauss.

Tendulkar, who was down with viral infection, was also far from his usual self in the middle.

"Sachin was trying to salvage a draw for India. He tried his hardest. But Anderson was good enough to get him out lbw. You never want to drop Sachin. Thankfully, Anderson saved me blushes."

Tendulkar also got a reprieve when umpire Billy Bowden ruled in his favour against a delivery that TV replays showed would have hit the stumps.

Since lbws are not up for review under the DRS in this series, England were left frustrated. "We have always wanted to play with full DRS but since you play with the rules you start a series, you take the umpires' decision on the chin, whether good or bad." — PTI

London, July 26
Injured Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan might be forced out of the second Test against England as well after skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni stated that he would not take a risk with the fast bowler's fitness.

"We have three days but I am not 100 percent sure he will play or not," said Dhoni.

"It is a long series and we do not want to risk any further injury," he told reporters after the 196-run loss to England in the first Test in which Zaheer was absent for most part of the match due to a hamstring strain.

"If we feel he is close to 80 or 90 percent fit but playing the game may increase his chances of being injured we will call someone else in," he added.

Dhoni said given the hectic schedule, it would not be prudent to risk a player's long-term future.

"I feel with the kind of cricket we are playing it is important to get people fit and not risk someone for one individual game," he said.

Zaheer picked up the injury after just three hours of play on the opening day of the match, leaving India a bowler short in the match. — PTI

London, July 26
In scathing criticism of India's performance in the opening Test loss to England, former English captain Nasser Hussain said Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men don't seem to value their number one status given how under prepared they looked in the match.

"I am so pleased that England won because they set the perfect template on how you should prepare for and then perform in a very important game of Test cricket.

"India were exactly the opposite. They just turned up with totally inadequate preparation and expected everything to be alright on the night. Do they not value their status as the best Test team in the world? They did not seem to here," Hussain wrote in the 'Daily Mail'.

Hussain said England have had the best possible preparation for the series and it is now showing in their performance. "Everything that England have done this summer has been geared towards making sure their players are as ready as possible for this Test series, including Andrew Strauss playing at Taunton and Stuart Broad playing for Notts," he said.

"In contrast, India expected their top strike bowler in Zaheer Khan and their premier batsman in Sachin Tendulkar to rock up without playing a Test since January and just have a bit of a hit and giggle against Somerset before the big one. They did not help themselves," he added.

Hussain said the English team is in such fine form that India were perhaps not ready for them.

"India simply were not ready for them in this game. India have real issues. Zaheer is injured, quite probably because his body was not right for this game, and it is difficult to see how he can play in the second Test," he said.

"After that match India just have a two-day game at Northants to get ready for the third Test, when they will again have little opportunity to get themselves right for the second half of the series. What's going on with them?" he asked.

Hussain also criticised the Indian Cricket Board's insistence on not having the LBWs covered under the Decision Review System. "For us to have a halfway house, mish-mash of a decision review system in this series has been driven by India and frankly it's confusing and pathetic" he said. — PTI

New Delhi, July 26
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) acting president Vijay Kumar Malhotra said here today that the agreement signed yesterday between the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and Hockey India (HI) at the behest of the Sports Ministry was “a monumental exercise in confusion and futility, and a bizarre live-in relationship”.

He said the IOA will never accept two federations for one discipline. “We don’t want to open a Pandora’s Box, which will lead to total chaos in Indian sports,” Malhotra added. If the Government sticks to the hockey agreement, and the IOA does not accept it, India’s participation in the 2012 London Olympics hockey (if the team qualifies, that is) will be doubtful.

He further said the IOA will never be a party to the dismemberment of National Sports Federation/s, which the IHF-HI agreement signalled at. “It is laughable and highly incredulous to call such an agreement good for Indian sports,” Malhotra said and added, “The IOA functions under the Olympic Charter and it is there to protect the interest of Indian sports, to defend the autonomy of the NSFs”.

“This agreement is a violation of all that the IOA stands for,” he stressed and asserted that IOA will recognise only one federation for one game. “Unless a unified body is formed to run hockey, it will not be acceptable.”

Malhotra also made it clear that IOA will not accept two co-chairpersons for one federation. “This is neither feasible, nor workable,” he contended.

He wondered how two separate entities could run a single sport and said the Sports Ministry should have “pondered over it before hailing it as a “significant way forward”.

He said IOA was disturbed at the hockey agreement as it was a way forward for “destabilising sports in the country”. The IOA chief pointed out that as per the agreement between IHF and HI, they will continue fighting the court cases and will have their own executives. “How will the game be administered in case of a dispute between the two factions?” he asked.

“If anybody has any complaint, it should be referred to the IOA Arbitration Commission,” Malhotra suggested. He asserted that the hockey agreement was a “blatant act”, enforced by Sports Minister Ajay Maken, who wanted to earn “some brownie points”.

“In his bid to be seen as a minister in action, he has become a minister of distortion,” Malhotra said. He said, instead of uniting the hockey factions, the Ministry had given ideas to disgruntled elements in other sports federations to create feuds.

Malhotra said the agreement only fortified the IOA stand that the Government should not meddle in the affairs of sports federations. One of the clauses in the hockey agreement stated: “The Ministry shall grant provisional recognition to HI as a National Sports Federation and maintain status quo in respect of the recognition of the IHF as a National Sports Federation for Hockey up to 31-12-2012, subject to meeting the following conditions after which the Government shall review the position and decide further on the basis of the Government guidelines for recognition of National Sports Federations”.

The clauses are: A) Setting up of a Joint Executive Board and Joint Working Committee within seven days of grant of provisional recognition; B) Joint Working Committee shall initiate the process of change of name of Hockey India.

New Delhi, July 26
Despite suffering a 3-0 drubbing at the hands of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their away match in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Indian coach Armando Colaco was confident of his boys putting up a better show in the home match, to be played at the Ambedkar Stadium here on July 28.

“It’s a new game,” Colaco said. “We will try to put our best foot forward. We know we have a tough task in hand, but we are ready for the next encounter. If we can get an early goal, the result can be overturned.”

With regular goalkeeper Subrata Paul out of the match due to the red card he received in the away match at the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium in the UAE, the Indian coach was hopeful that substitute goalkeeper Karanjit would do a good job.

“Karanjit played exceptionally well in the last match. But our defence will have to play a very compact game. Our boys are really talented and putting in everything to do well for the country. They are very eager to play and leave a mark in the home match,” the coach averred.

The match will begin at 7 p.m. The stadium is being fully spruced up for the big show. Delhi Soccer Association (DSA) vice-president and media in-charge N.K. Bhatia said the All-India Football Federation, in association with the DSA, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi Police, were making all the arrangements for hosting the match, expected to attract a capacity crowd.

With the arrival of the UAE team today, interest for the match has heightened. The Indian and UAE teams trained at the Nehru Stadium this evening. Bhatia said tickets for the match, priced at Rs 100 and Rs 30, are being sold through the counters at the Ambedkar Stadium.

Patiala, July 26
Two Punjab girls, Navjot Kaur and Gursharanpreet Kaur, have made it to the senior women’s wrestling squad for the Commonwealth Wrestling Championship to be held in Melbourne, Australia, from August 5 to 7 and the World Wrestling Championship, to be held in Turkey during the first week of September.

Giving information in this regard, Monika, coach of women’s wrestling team said out of seven selected wrestlers, four were from Haryana, two from Punjab and one from Uttar Pradesh. Those selected include Babita (48kg), Neha Rathi (51kg), Geeta (55kg), Alka Tomar (59kg), Suman Kundu (63kg), Navjot Kaur (67kg) and Gursharanpreet Kaur (72kg).

There are only four weight categories in the Olympics - 48, 55, 63 and 72kg - for women and four qualifying tournaments for the 2012 London Olympics.

The World Wrestling Championship being held in Turkey is the first qualifying tournament and hence the most crucial one. While Indian women have not been winning medals during world championships, still Babita is the coaches’ biggest bet for this event. A majority of wrestlers are pinning hopes on the Asian qualifying rounds to make an entry into the Olympics.

Chandigarh, July 26
The Punjab Football Association has withdrawn its provisional permission, granted to G.J. Sports Event Co., Ludhiana, for holding the Sher-E-Punjab Football League. The decision was taken in view of the charges levelled against Gurpreet Singh, managing partner of G.J Sports, which were published in various newspapers earlier in the week.

Additionally, PFA has received a written withdrawal request from two of the other partners of the firm - Jagvir Singh and Sunil Kumar.

In a statement issued today, PFA said, “G.J. Sports Event Co. is no more entitled to hold any football event in Punjab. Any organisation or individual who deals with the aforementioned company on the basis of PFA’s permission shall do so at his/her own risk and responsibility.”

New Delhi, July 26
Indian tennis star Somdev Devvarman climbed six places in the latest ATP rankings to touch a career-best 62nd position in the singles list. The 26-year-old, who took a break from the circuit after Wimbledon and was since then losing points, made it to the quarter-finals of last week's Tour event in Atlanta, which helped him gain places.

In the ATP doubles ranking, there was no change in the positions of Mahesh Bhupathi (5), Leander Paes (8) and Rohan Bopanna (10). The pair of Paes and Bhupathi is at number four in the team rankings, while Bopanna and Aisam-ul-haq Qureshi remained at number six. — PTI

BRIEFLY

Rankings dip as India lose
London: Indian batsmen, including Sachin Tendulkar, were pushed down the order in the latest ICC Test rankings following a 196-run bashing at the hands of England in the series opener at Lord's. While Tendulkar dropped a couple of places to fourth position, VVS Laxman was pushed down to seventh place with an aggregate of 771 points. Virender Sehwag has dropped to the 10th spot. In the bowlers list, Zaheer Khan who was forced out of action during the first innings of the Lord's Test with a strained hamstring, lies at fifth spot while Harbhajan Singh slipped four places to join Stuart Broad in joint 11th place. — PTI

Michael Phelps of the U.S. jumps off the block during the men’s 200m butterfly semifinal at the 14th FINA World Championships in Shanghai on Tuesday. — Reuters

Rookie Aussie squad in SL
Sydney: Australia today included four uncapped players in its squad for the three-Test tour of Sri Lanka next month, while batsman Phil Hughes was anointed as Shane Watson's opening partner. Offspinner Nathan Lyon, batsman Shaun Marsh, and young fast bowlers Trent Copeland and James Pattinson are in the 15-man squad, but there was no room for pace duo Doug Bollinger and Ben Hilfenhaus. Michael Clarke leads the team in his first Test series as full-time captain on a tour from August 6 to September 20 which also includes two Twenty20 matches and five one-dayers. — AFP

Kaneria's case against PCB
Karachi: The first full hearing of the case filed by discarded leg-spinner Danish Kaneria against the Pakistan Cricket Board will be heard at the Sindh High Court tomorrow. The PCB's legal team will submit its detailed reply to the petition filed by the discarded leg-spinner in which he has said that the board had given no reason for not clearing him to play for the national team. The court summoned the PCB officials for the hearing to explain why Kaneria was not being considered for selection when the Essex police had cleared him in the spot-fixing investigation that was held last year. — PTI

Japan calls for AFC polls
TOKYO: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) must hold presidential elections after former chief Mohamed Bin Hammam was banned for life by FIFA, Japan’s soccer chief said on Tuesday. Japan Football Association (JFA) president Junji Ogura believes an immediate vote is essential. “(Bin Hammam) has been banned for life so there is a need for elections to be held," Ogura told local media on Tuesday. The election would also include a seat on FIFA's executive committee, occupied by Bin Hammam since 1996 before the Qatari was banned over a bribery allegations. — Reuters

Wenger backs technology
LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has added his voice to calls for the introduction of goalline technology to the English Premier League - perhaps as early as the 2012/13 season. "You want it so you have a better chance to make the right decisions," Wenger said on the club's website (www.arsenal.com). "You know it could be a help for the referees. The more help they get, the more decisions they get right. If out of 100 decisions they get 95 right instead of 85, you have to use technology. To reduce the number of mistakes as much as possible, I'm happy you can use it.” — Reuters

NIS campers clear dope tests
Patiala: The samples of all National Institute of Sports (NIS), Patiala, campers, collected during the recent raid here by the National Anti-Doping Agency have been tested negative. According to information received from NADA Director-General Rahul Bhatnagar, NADA had collected a total of 27 samples, including those of top wrestlers and boxers, during a surprise raid on July 9. NADA had also conducted surprise raids on SAI Centre, Bangalore and Bhopal for collecting samples, the results for which would be declared soon, he added. — TNS