Jalandhar, September 30
Jalandhar, already a happening sports hub, is in the limelight presently, thanks to the selection of two of its cricketers Rahul Sharma Mandeep Singh for National and domestic duties. Sharma was included in the Indian team for the first two One-day Internationals against England while Mandeep is a member of the Rest of India squad for the Irani Trophy and the India Blue team for the N.K.P. Salve Challenger Trophy.

After ace off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, it is the turn of Sharma and Mandeep to be marked up for bigger things joined the ranks of the senior cricket players. At present both Sharma and Mandeep are in Jaipur for the Irani Trophy, beginning tomorrow.

While it was big celebration time for leg spinner Sharma and right hand top order batsman Mandeep, back home in Jalandhar, their coaches were left fielding congratulatory messages from everybody.

Talking to The Tribune, Sharma’s coach Davinder Arora said, “He (Sharma) has been playing under my supervision for the past three years. His performances in Ranji Trophy and in the IPL proved his mettle and he made it to Team India.”

He also said that after Sharma, it would be Mandeep who will make it to the Indian team in the coming days. “The Jalandhar District Cricket Association (JDCA) has been doing a great job in proving itself as a nursery of cricketers,” Arora said. “The budding players are lucky enough to get cricketing lessons from cricketers like Vikram Rathour, Rakesh Rathour, Harjinder Harry and Surjit Rai Bitta,” he added.

Sharma had termed himself lucky to have got a chance to learn bowling from Anil Kumble and play in the IPL. “I was lucky enough that my ideals Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh helped me in improving my game,” Sharma said. “It has been two years since I had been playing under the supervision of Kumble. In fact, that was the time when my cricket career started taking shape.”

On the other hand, India Under-19 star, Mandeep’s career witnessed an upward spiral in the past four years. “I got to know about my selection in the Challenger’s Trophy last evening,” he said. “This will be a wonderful exposure and a great platform for me to excel in the game.”

Coach Sanjeev Vashisht maintained that it was Mandeep’s down-to-earth approach and dedication to the game which had brought him to these heights. “He has been practicing under me for the past six years. I have seen him practicing for more than 12 hours in a day. Cricket is his passion and he is committed to it,” Vashisht said.

It is pertinent to mention here that Mandeep was awarded the BCCI Border- Gavaskar scholarship in 2010 while the IPL gave him a chance to share nets and dressing room with senior players.

Sharma was a part of the Pune Warriors team in the IPL Season 4. He had played under the captaincy of star cricketer Yuvraj Singh. Sharma had also represented Punjab in the domestic cricket and has so far captured 13 wickets in 14 T20 matches. He has been the member of the Punjab team since 2006.

London, September 30
England outplayed India in all three formats of the game in their recent home series but one-day skipper Alastair Cook says beating MS Dhoni's men in their backyard in an ODI series next month would be a lot tougher task.

Stating that Indian team would be "itching" for revenge, Cook said, "Of course it will be difficult over there. They will have a point to prove and the conditions will obviously suit them. I doubt we will see much green grass on the wickets we play on.

"They are world champions at home and itching to get revenge. It is down to us and how we cope with conditions and how we play. The best players adapt to that. We have players who have never played in India in an England shirt.

"The learning curve will be so steep but they will handle it well," Cook told Daily Telegraph. India suffered a humiliating 0-3 defeat in one-dayers in England in a five-match series last month with a match washed out and another ending in a tie. England also humbled India 4-0 in a Test series that resulted in the latter losing their number one ranking.

Although Cook is aware that a number of key players in the Indian team - Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh - have been ruled out of the first two ODIs due to injuries but he admitted that in their own backyard, India are a tough side to beat.

The tour of India is certainly going to be a litmus test for Cook, both as captain and as a player because England have not beaten India in a one-day series in India since 1985. — PTI

New Delhi, September 30
Field hockey's world governing body has warned India it could miss the London Olympics even if it qualifies due to an ongoing tussle over who runs the sport in the country.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) said it was not in favour of a settlement brokered by the Indian sports ministry that would see rival bodies Hockey India (HI) and the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) jointly run the game.

In a letter to the sports ministry, FIH president Leandro Negre said his federation only recognised Hockey India as the governing body for the sport which had exclusive authority to enter national teams in international events.

The FIH wants the government of India to "advise HI and IHF not to proceed with the implementation of their broad arrangement," Negre wrote in the letter dated September 27.

The FIH also wants the Indian government to settle the money owed to it for organising the World Cup in New Delhi in March last year.

"If the above is achieved... there will be no more concerns about the participation of Indian hockey team in FIH-sanctioned competitions such as London 2012 Olympic Games," Negre wrote.

The FIH had earlier this month taken away the elite eight-nation Champions Trophy from India and awarded the hosting rights to New Zealand over the same governance issues.

Sports ministry official Rahul Bhatnagar told reporters the ministry would soon meet Indian Olympic Association and hockey officials to finalise a reply to the FIH.

India failed to get direct entry for next year's London Olympics after finishing third at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, and will now play in a qualifying event.

The eight-time Olympic champions missed out on the 2008 Beijing Olympics after losing in the qualifying tournament. — AFP

New Delhi, September 30
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has taken serious note of the letter written by International Hockey Federation (FIH) president Leandro Negre and has convened an urgent meeting of Hockey India (HI) and the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) here on October 4 to defuse the explosive situation.

The meeting will discuss the issues raised by the FIH in its letter to the Sports Ministry and all the stakeholders of Indian hockey and will try to find out an amicable solution to the satisfaction of all. IOA acting president Vijay Kumar Malhotra said he was confident of thrashing out a solution, so as not to impair the country’s participation in the 2012 London Olympics.

“I am quite hopeful that in the interest of the country and the game, the matter will be resolved. All have the good of the game and country at heart,” he stated.

The FIH letter had warned that India's participation in the London Olympics and other international events may be jeopardised if issues relating to the governance of the sport were not resolved soon. The FIH had recently shifted the Champions Trophy from New Delhi to Auckland as it did not approve of the joint working relationship thrashed out at the behest of the ministry between IHF and HI.

None connected with Indian hockey would favour India losing out the chance to host the Olympic qualifiers in Delhi, in February next year. Hence, the IOA has taken a pro-active stance to thrash out the differences to the satisfaction of the FIH.

Malhotra said he was optimistic that the Olympic qualifiers will be held in New Delhi as scheduled and the country’s participation in FIH-sanctioned events will continue unhindered. “My optimism is based on the talks I had with FIH president Leandro Negre at my residence recently, during which I had made IOA’s stand very clear on the issues raised by him,” Malhotra explained.

He said like the FIH, the IOA was committed to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Charter, which clearly stated that only one association will be allowed for one sport. “I told Mr. Negre that we do not approve of two federations for one game, be it hockey or any other discipline,” he added.

Malhotra, however, expressed surprise over the FIH’s insistence of Government intervention in the IHF-HI dispute. “The IOC Charter, by which the FIH also swears, clearly states that Government should not intervene in the dispute of a federation when the NOC is looking into it.

“The IOA is monitoring the developments relating to hockey and recognises HI as the sole body for the game. So why the FIH wants to involve the Government in this matter?” he asked.

In a letter dated September 27, Negre had asked the Sports Ministry to advise HI and the IHF against proceeding on their ‘settlement’ reached in July. It had also suggested that all lawsuits relating to the governance of hockey “must be finally resolved and terminated”. The FIH has insisted that the Government recognises HI as the sole governing body of hockey in India and not support any other unsanctioned federation.

“The IOA is the supreme sports body in the country and all the National Federations and associations function under it. Nobody can function without its approval and recognition so FIH’s fetish to insist on Government intervention clearly goes against the IOC Charter,” Malhotra noted.

He said the judiciary in India was independent and nobody dares dictate it. He also reminded the FIH that India remained the heart and soul of hockey and it was not conceivable to see hockey progress in the world without India.

Malhotra appreciated Negre’s view that by adhering to the Olympic Charter and the FIH statutes “there will be no concerns” about India's participation in the Olympics and the FIH-sanctioned competitions.

New Delhi, September 30
The Red Bull Racing team has given their approval to the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, which will host India’s first-ever Formula One race on October 30.

The Red Bull team, which is here as part of a promotional tour, today assembled their F1 car in front of the media. The car will now do a stint on Rajpath tomorrow as part of the show, ‘Speed Street’.

"I was there (in Greater Noida) in March and it was impressive track with the most advanced facilities,” said Red Bull Brand Head Anthony Ward. “I think the organisers are on track and it will be ready in time. We are looking forward to the race.”

The media glare evidently has impressed Ward, who said that the drivers, technicians and engineers were all very excited to be in India. “I have not seen so many cameras during the build-up of a race, in any other country,” he quipped.

The car assembled today will be driven on Rajpath tomorrow by Red Bull-supported driver Daniel Ricciardo. Ward also said that the team top guns - F1 champion Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber - were getting familiarised to the track through simulator.

"It is a new track and it’s crucial for the drivers to know the turns before the race. So they have already started using the simulator to get familiar with the track," Ward said.

Ward said that tomorrow’s event will give the fans an idea about the speed of F1. "We are expecting about 100,000 people there,” he said. “People do not know much about F1 and that is why we travel, to show what F1 is all about.” Ward said the Indian GP becomes important since the constructors’ championship could be decided here. As for the drivers’ title, Vettel needs only one point to grab it.

Chandigarh, September 30
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) won the title in 41st SN Vohra All-India Gurmit Singh Memorial Hockey Tournament defeating Punjab & Sind Bank (PSB) 5-2 in the final played here today.

International player and half-back Didar Singh scored the first goal in the 2nd minute of the game while Gagandeep scored the second field goal for IOC in the 9th minute.

Just before the breather, Inderjeet made it 3-0 after converting a penalty corner in the 35th minute.

PSB reduced the margin in the 43rd minute through Parminder but Deepak took the score to 4-1 in the 48th minute. In the 53rd minute, Arfan scored the fifth and final goal for IOC while Vikramjeet scored the second goal for PSB in the 57th minute.

Punjab minister, Sardar Hira Singh Gabaria gave away the cash prizes of Rs 75,000 and 50,000 to the winners and runners-up respectively.

Jasvir Singh of Punjab National Bank was declared ‘goalkeeper of the tournament’ while Gauravjit of Punjab & Sind Bank bagged the ‘best full-back’ award. Inderjeet Singh Chada of IOC was adjudged ‘best half-back’ and Ved Prakash of Indian Navy bagged the ‘best forward’. 

Chandigarh, September 30
Hosts Pinegrove School Dharampur, and Mayo College Girls, Ajmer will battle it out in the final of the All-India IPSC Girls’ Cricket Tournament 2011 for the fourth time in succession. Mayo have been Champions for the past eight years and Pinegrove have been Rrunner-up for the past three years.

In the first semifinal between Pinegrove School and Rajkumar College, Rajkot, Pinegrove elected to field first. The decision paid dividends for the hosts as Rajkot girls collapsed dramatically for just 35 runs. Meghna Mathur led the Pinegrove attack with a rich haul of 4 wickets while Surreet scalped 3 wickets. Pinegrove reached the final with a 10 wicket victory. Surgeet Kaur and Kavya Singh remained not out with 16 and 9 runs respectively. Meghna Mathur was declared Player of the match.

In the second semifinal Mayo College, Girls’ School, Ajmer won the toss and elected to bat. They rode on a brilliant 55 not out of Zara Lee and Preamvadaa who made 25. The total after 20 overs was 147 runs for the loss of 7 wickets. For Modern School, Sanjana and Vaishali bowled a tight line and length and did not allow Mayo girls to score freely. They both took two wickets each.

Modern started their run chase on a sedate note. They lost a couple of early wickets and failed to score at the required pace. They could only muster 105 runs for the loss of 4 wickets. Sanjana scored a marvelous 56 not out while Vaishali contributed 24 runs for Modern School. Zara Lee and Sanjana were jointly adjudged the Player of the match for their all round performance.

Manchester, September 30
Manchester United strikers Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez have recovered from injury and are available for Saturday's Premier League game at home to Norwich City, manager Alex Ferguson said. The pair missed Tuesday's 3-3 home draw with Basel in the Champions League as Rooney was recovering from a hamstring problem and Hernandez from a dead leg.

"Wayne and Javier Hernandez will be fit for tomorrow. They trained yesterday very well and I was pleased with that," Ferguson told a news conference on Friday.

"Jonny Evans also comes back, hopefully that will help us in the defensive part as we're certainly changing the back four at the moment."

After Rooney was injured in training before the match against Stoke City last weekend, Ferguson said the England striker could be out "for a few weeks" but he has made a quicker than expected recovery as he bids to continue his fine start to the season which has brought nine goals so far. — Reuters

BRIEFLY

Kapur for Indian Open
New Delhi: Ace Indian golfer Shiv Kapur has confirmed his participation in the Hero Indian Open, one of the most prestigious events on the Asian Tour, to be held at the Delhi Golf Club (DGC) here from October 13 to 16. In the richest full-field event on the Asian Tour with a prize purse of USD 1.25 million, Kapur will be up against a strong field, which includes European Ryder Cup star Edoardo Molinari of Italy, ranked 53 in the world, and defending champion Rikard Karlberg of Sweden among others. — PTI

Kanitkar cautious over Ranji
Jaipur: Rajasthan captain Hrishikesh Kanitkar admitted that it will be very difficult for his team to repeat last year's performance when they went onto win the Ranji Trophy starting from the Plate League. "To be realistic, it was an unbelievable performance and it would be hard to repeat it. We wish to take one step at a time and it is too early say anything. We have stuck to routine preparations and had a 16-17 day camp," the veteran said. Kanitkar admitted that it will be a big blow that Pankaj Singh has been ruled out due to knee injury. "It is big blow to us that Pankaj Singh who was our main strike bowler has been sidelined because of his injured knee. — PTI

Parthiv eyes Test spot
Jaipur: After establishing himself in India's ODI scheme of things by virtue of his good performance in England, wicketkeeper batsman Parthiv Patel has now set his eyes on a Test spot. Parthiv, who was yesterday retained in India's 15-member team for the first two ODIs against England on home soil, said he was eyeing a strong performance in the Irani Trophy in order to stake a claim in the Test side. "I have played in 28 ODIs and have done well so far. I scored quite a few runs in the ODIs with a couple of half centuries which gave me confidence. But I am yet to cement my place in the Test side," he said. — PTI

Lahiri leads at DLF Masters
Gurgaon: Anirban Lahiri weathered difficult windy conditions to hold on to a two-stroke lead despite carding a two-over 74 on the third day of the Rs 95 lakh DLF Masters golf tournament here today. On a day when gushing winds wrecked havoc and sub-par cards came at a premium, Himmat Rai claimed the second spot with a steady one-under 71 at a three-day aggregate of four-under 212. Sanjay Kumar improved a spot to third after carding an even-par 72 on the third round at the DLF Golf and Country Club here. Veteran Jyoti Randhawa, who was leading after the first round, slipped further to tied fourth after carding a four-over 76 with a total of two-under 214. — PTI

BSF blank TFA in Durand
New Delhi: Seven times champions Border Security Force (BSF) blanked the youthful Tata Football Academy (TFA) 2-0 to enter the pre-quarter-final of the 124th Durand Cup Football Tournament at the Ambedkar Stadium here on Friday. BSF struck once in each half through Harpreet Singh and Avinash Thapa to settle the issue, though TFA were not in full strength as six of their regulars are presently attending the Under-19 National camp. BSF will next meet Assam Rifles to vie for a berth in the quarter-final. Sporting Clube de Goa, Mumbai FC and HAL, Bangalore, have cried off from the tournament. As a consequence, Mohammedan Sporting and Shillong Lajong have been promoted to the quarter-final league. Saturday’s fixture: Indian Air Force vs CRPF (3 pm) Ambedkar Stadium. — TNS

Jeev falters in closing stages
Nagoya: Jeev Milkha Singh was unable to hold on to a brilliant start as he faltered in the closing stages of the second round with a two-under 70 to lie at 26th shot in the Coca Cola Tokai Classic here at the Miyoshi Country Club. Jeev, who shot 73 in the first round, began in style with birdies on second and third holes. He built on that with yet another one on seventh. Further birdies on 10th and 12th meant he was five-under for the day and at that stage he was in top-10 and looking good to go better. — PTI