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Zak, Sehwag back for Lanka
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Selectors want Yuvraj back in the side for World T20 in Lanka
Back-to-back half-centuries boosted my confidence: Rahane
Fear of ambush marketing hangs over the Games
India’s oldest woman conquerer of Everest will go on and on...
Rights panel for probe into 'inhuman torture' on Pinki
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Zak, Sehwag back for Lanka
Mumbai, July 4 Sachin Tendulkar has made himself unavailable for the short series involving five ODIs and one T20 game against the hosts, commencing July 21. The five-member selection panel headed by Krishnamachari Srikkanth omitted the Pathan brothers, Yusuf and Irfan, the out-of-form Ravindra Jadeja and medium-pacer Praveen Kumar from the 15-man squad. Returning to the team are the fit-again trio of Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan and Umesh Yadav, who had been left out of the Bangladesh trip due to fitness concerns. Sehwag was nursing back spasms and a shoulder injury, whereas and Umesh too had injuries.The four dropped players were part of India's unsuccessful Asia Cup campaign in Bangladesh in March, where India failed to reach the final. Srikkanth, talking to reporters after the team was named, said the five selectors held a long discussion over the happenings of the last season that saw India being humbled 4-0 in England and Australia in the Tests. They also discussed India's failure to live up to their status as the One-day world champions in the two countries as well as in the Asia Cup in Dhaka. "One good thing is that we had Indian cricket team coach Duncan Fletcher with us. We had a lot of discussions about the pros and cons, about what happened, what did not happen, what's true and what's not true," Srikkanth said. "It was a very healthy discussion with Duncan. We wanted to sort out everything and make sure this season starts with a bang." He didn't say anything about the controversy over the rotation policy put in practice for the seniors during the Australian tour, which saw captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his senior teammates Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir raising their differences in public. Dhoni did not attend the meeting and, according to selection panel sources, is in the U.S. Srikkanth expressed confidence that the Indian team would put behind its ordeal in England, Australia and Bangladesh and return to its winning ways in the season's opening tour of Sri Lanka. "We are looking forward to this particular season. Being the first tour of the season, we really wanted the best possible team. Of course, Sachin Tendulkar is not available," he said. "He's starting off from the New Zealand series. So, we have selected the best available team based on the performance." "I think it is a very good side. Don't forget, we have a strong batting line-up and good bowlers... (like) Zaheer Khan and everybody. We are confident of doing very well in Sri Lanka," he declared. Tendulkar, who has played only two ODI series since the 2011 World Cup and is now a Rajya Sabha MP, has been replaced by young Mumbai batsman Ajinkya Rahane while left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha and Yadav have replaced Jadeja and Praveen Kumar, respectively. There is still no place in the team for senior off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who didn't do well in the previous home season and the IPL and has signed up with English county side Essex. Leg-spinner Rahul Sahrma was retained in the side, the third spinner in the squad.
— PTI |
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Selectors want Yuvraj back in the side for World T20 in Lanka
Mumbai, July 4 The squad for the event in September will be announced later this month. "Yuvraj has started practice, which is a very good thing," Srikkanth said. "A guy who has won the World Cup should come back. We are all hoping for that. We want Yuvraj back for the T20 WC." "We still have time. The squad will be picked later this month," he added. Yuvraj, who recently started practice, is undergoing a rehabilitation programme at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore. He was a standout player also at the inaugural World T20, which India won in 2007 in South Africa. — PTI |
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Back-to-back half-centuries boosted my confidence: Rahane
New Delhi, July 4 "By nature, I am a positive person and I always like to look at the brighter side of various aspects. During the final phase of the India A tour, I scored 79 in the Twenty20 and 58 in a One-day match. Those two innings boosted my confidence and will keep me in good stead ahead of Sri Lanka series,"
Rahane, who has returned home after a month-long tour of the West Indies, said today. "Whether you are playing for India or India A, it's the same thing. You are representing your country and there is no greater satisfaction than contributing to the team's cause," the 24-year-old said. Some of the wickets in the Caribbean islands are on the slower side these days and Rahane admits that his recent experience there may work to his advantage on the slowish Sri Lankan tracks. "The key to performing well overseas is to quickly adapt and adjust to various kinds of pitches. I have never played in Sri Lanka but I don't think I will take much time to adjust to the situation out there," he said. With Sachin Tendulkar deciding to opt out of the series, Rahane is likely to get another extended run either at the opening slot or at No. 3. "I am hopeful that I will get a chance to play and make full use of the opportunities. When I am given a chance, I should be able to give more than 100 per cent," Rahane said. He boasts of an envious average of close to 65 in first-class cricket, but Rahane says there is something to be learnt every day. "I believe that I am a student of the game and you can learn something new in each and every practice session. The endeavour is to improve as a player," he concluded.
— PTI |
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Tests will be in danger in 10 years, says Dravid
"I think today's youngsters like Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Manoj Tiwary have grown up watching and idealising Test cricket. It's (about) kids of my son's age, who have grown up watching T20 and IPL, and what those kids want, will be the challenge in 10 years' time," said Dravid at a book launch today. "I don't see that as an immediate problem, I see it as a long-term issue. That challenge is going to arise in 10 years' time and we need to address that problem right now," said the batsman who was the proverbial rock at N. 3 for India in Tests for more than a decade and a half. Dravid, who holds the record for second highest runs scored in Test matches, said while the cash-rich IPL provides the opportunity for players to earn big bucks, children growing up with the game should be told that the real satisfaction comes by playing Test cricket around the world. "I had gone through a degree in commerce and not very successfully. So I knew that the only option for me was to be a successful Test cricketer at that stage. Today the options are a lot more. People have the option of not playing Test cricket but still making money out of the game. Who is to blame kids for taking that option? I won't judge them on that," he said. "I want to tell kids that the greatest satisfaction you are going to get is by playing Test cricket across these wonderful stadiums in the world. So don't sell yourself short," the former Indian skipper said. Dravid, who took over as captain of India when Greg Chappell was the coach, said he always had felt in command of the team, contrary to the general belief that it was the controversial Aussie who ran the show. "It was always my team. There is no doubt about that. Because Greg was a strong personality and because he himself was a great cricketer, because of the fanfare and publicity, at times it could come across as it was his team," said Dravid about. "He can polarise a team with his strong personality. But I always thought it was my team. I never felt that he took a hard position when I wanted to do things differently," said the former captain. "I thought he (Chappell) was a terrific man to talk batting with. He is the kind of a player who had grown up in a era of Australian cricket where they played the game and, at the end of the day, discussed the game. There was a lot that he could offer in terms of knowledge and experiences on how you could play the game," the 40-year-old former India star elaborated. Dravid brushed aside queries about coaching the national side in the future: "Are you the one offering the job? I don't know. I have not been offered at this stage.”
— PTI |
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Sanga misses 200 again, Test drawn
Colombo, July 4 Sangakkara was dismissed for 192 in the hosts' first innings but shared in a crucial 92-run sixth-wicket partnership with Angelo Mathews (47) as Sri Lanka passed the follow-on mark before being dismissed for 391 just after lunch. Pakistan then set Sri Lanka a daunting victory target of 261 from a minimum of 37 overs after their second turn at bat was closed two overs after tea at 100-2. The hosts ambled to 86 for two from 22 overs before captains Mahela Jayawardene and Misbah ul-Haq agreed to a draw. Sri Lanka lead the three-Test series 1-0. Pakistan left-arm fast bowler Junaid Khan was named man of the match for his five-wicket haul in Sri Lanka's first innings. Sangakkara, who narrowly missed out on a double century in the first test when he was out for 199 in Galle, resumed at the start of the day with his side tenuously poised at 278-5 and still requiring 74 more runs to make Pakistan bat again. The tourists, who took the second new ball towards the end of the fourth day, had hoped for an early breakthrough from Khan, who snapped up two late wickets on Tuesday. However, Sangakkara and Mathews safely negotiated the early overs to frustrate Pakistan, who tried everything to break the stand on a docile wicket. — Reuters Scores Pakistan first innings 551-6 declared (Mohammad Hafeez 196, Azhar Ali 157, Misbah-ul-Haq 66 not out, Taufeeq Umar 65; Rangana Herath (3-164) Sri Lanka first innings T. Paranavitana c Azhar b Junaid 0, T. Dilshan lbw b Junaid 121, K. Sangakkara c Taufiq b Rehman 192, M. Jayawardene lbw b Junaid 0, T. Samaraweera lbw b Ajmal 0, S. Randiv lbw b Rehman 5, A. Mathews c Akmal b Junaid 47, P. Jayawardene c Akmal b Rehman 6, N. Kulasekera b Junaid 0, R. Herath not out 10, N. Pradeep c Ajmal b Rehman 1 Extras: (b-4, lb-5) 9 Total: (all out, 124.4 overs) 391 Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-236, 3-250, 4-259, 5-278, 6-370,7-378, 8-379, 9-385, 10-391. Bowling: Cheema 24-5-86-0, Junaid 28-6-73-5, Ajmal 34-0-106-1, Rehman 26.4-5-78-4,Hafeeez 8-0-29-0, Azhar 4-0-10-0 Pakistan second innings Mohammad Hafeez c Dilshan b Randiv 21, Taufiq Umar not out 42, Abdur Rehman b Randiv 36, Adnan Akmal not out 0 Extras: (nb-1) 1 Total: (one wicket, 18 overs) 100 Fall of wicket: 1-51, 2-99 Bowling: Kulasekara 5-0-23-0, Pradeep 8-0-48-0(nb-1), Randiv 4-0-28-2, Herath 1-0-1-0 Sri Lanka Second Innings T. Paranavitana lbw b Ajmal 32, T. Dilshan lbw b Rehman 28, K. Sangakkara not out 24, M. Jayawardene not out 1 Extras: (lb-1) 1 Total: (two wickets, 22 overs) 86 Fall of wicket: 1-48, 2-78 Bowling: Junaid 4-0-21-0, Cheema 2-0-11-0, Rehman 9-2-19-1, Ajmal 7-0-34-1 |
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Greipel wins stage IV of Tour de France
Rouen (France), July 4 World champion Cavendish fell off his bike amid a massive pile-up with less than three km left and crossed the line long after Greipel had outsprinted Italian Alessandro Petacchi. It was Lotto-Belisol rider Greipel's second Tour de France stage win after he prevailed in the 10th stage last year. Tom Veelers of the Netherlands took third place while Swiss Fabian Cancellara, who narrowly avoided the pile-up, retained the overall leader's yellow jersey at the end of the 214.5-km ride from Abbeville. Slovakian Peter Sagan, who won the first and third stages, took fifth place and retained the green jersey for the points classification. A breakaway group of three was reined in with less than nine km to go as the peloton geared up for the expected mass sprint. Thursday's fifth stage is from Rouen to St Quentin over 196.5 km. Earlier, Slovakian prodigy Peter Sagan had won a second stage in his maiden Tour de France as the peloton was ravaged by crashes. As in stage one on Sunday, Liquigas rider Sagan’s explosive pace proved too much for the competition, but his winning margin was more comfortable on Tuesday as he took the stage win by several bike lengths. Fabian Cancellara had retains the leader’s yellow jersey that he won at Saturday’s prologue in Liege.
— Reuters |
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It’s Federer vs Djokovic again
London, July 4 The Swiss, still seeking a record-equalling seventh title at the All England Club after losing in the quarterfinals in 2010 and 2011, produced an hour and a half of Centre Court magic to set up a last four clash with defending champion Novak Djokovic who was no less impressive in beating Florian Mayer. With the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and former Wimbledon champions Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf watching on from the Royal Box, Federer glided majestically around the turf, barely raising a sweat in a 6-1 6-2 6-2 drubbing. Having lost all 13 of their previous meetings, Youzhny's only real hope was that the back pain that afflicted Federer in the previous round against Xavier Malisse returned. Instead, Federer looked as smooth as ever to reach his 32nd grand slam semifinal — taking him ahead of the record he shared with American Jimmy Connors. "I thought I played great out there today," Federer later said. Djokovic, who beat 6-4, 6-1, 6-4, was looking ahead to his 27th clash with Federer, but first on grass. “This is where he won six titles,” Djokovic said of Federer. “We’ve to play at our best to get a win." Indians out of men’s doubles
The Indian challenge ended in the men's doubles Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek and the pair of Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna suffered contrasting defeats in their respective matches here on Tuesday. Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek were stunned by Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo in a gruelling weather-hit five-setter, Bhupathi and Bopanna lost in straight sets to Mikhael Elgin and Denis Istomin. Paes and Stepanek resumed Monday's suspended third round match to lose 6-4 3-6 4-6 7-6(2) 6-8 after fighting for two hours 49 minutes. Bhupathi and Bopanna lost their second round match 5-7 6-7 (3) 3-6 in two hours and four minutes.
— Agencies |
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Double-amputee Oscar to run in London
Durban, July 4 Pistorius's inclusion in the relay team meant the double-amputee athlete would also be able to take part in the 400m individual race, Tubby Reddy, chief executive of South Africa's Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) said. Pistorius, who races wearing carbon fibre prosthetic blades, will become the first double-amputee athlete to compete on the track at an Olympic Games. His chance of taking in the 400m individual event looked to have eluded him when he failed to reach a second A qualifying standard time before Sascoc's cut-off on June 30. The 25-year-old, known as the 'Blade Runner, had achieved the A qualifying time once this season when he clocked 45.20 in South Africa in March but Sascoc required their athletes to achieve the time twice, with one of the times being at an international meet. However, Pistorius's inclusion on the relay team opened up his opportunity to race in the 400m. "He was named in the Olympic team (in the 4x400m relay) and then the question arose as to whether he was allowed to run the 400m and he can because he is part of the team," Reddy said on the phone. "He has run the (individual) qualifying time but if he was not part of the relay team then he would not be going to the Olympics," he added. Pistorius was, understandably, excited about the chance to represent his country at an Olympic Games. "Today is truly one of the proudest days of my life. To have been selected to represent Team South Africa at the London 2012 Olympic Games in the individual 400m and the 4x400m relay is a real honour and I'm so pleased years of hard work,
determination and sacrifice have all come together," he said in a statement.
— Reuters blade runner Born November 22, 1986 Sandton, (Johannesburg), South Africa personal best 100m 10.91s, 200m 21.41, 400m 45.07y When he was 11 months old, his legs were amputated halfway between his knees and ankless. Still went on to playe rugby union, water polo and tennis In march 2005, finished sixth in the able-bodied 400m at the South African Championships In March 2008, is banned from all able-bodied athletics competitions In may 2008, Court of Arbitration for Sport rule in his favour, allowing him to run in events for the able-bodied times 45.39 in 400m heats in the World Championships in Daegu to qualify for the semifinal AS South africa win silver in 4x400m at Daegu, he becomes first Paralympic athlete to win a World Championship medal
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Boxers ready for world
An unprecedented eight boxers, seven men and for the first time a woman, are headed to the British capital faced with sky-high expectations of over a billion-strong nation that is gradually beginning to realise its sporting potential. The bunch, a mix of sprightly teens and experienced warhorses, has come through tough qualification events and seem to be in peak form. Vijender would be there making a record third Olympic appearance and the middle-weight (75kg) former world number one, who is also India's first World Championships medallist, would play the dual role of a competitor and a mentor for the younger lot. MC Mary Kom (51kg), the feisty five-time world champion, will be India's sole representaive when women's boxing makes its Olympic debut and given her mostly unchallenged domination in the ring over the past decade, she is among the strongest medal contenders. Joining Vijender will be boys whose Olympic dreams took wings after his bronze in Beijing. One of them is Vikas Krishan (69kg), a fellow Haryanvi who has already emulated Vijender's bronze at the World Championships. The 19-year-old, who started in the 60kg division, won an Asian Games gold medal (2010) before taking the massive risk of jumping two divisions with less than a year left for Olympics. The gamble seems to have paid off as the former youth World Championships gold-medallist has made the transition effortlessely, besides finding time to attend to his college exams. Another promising teen in the group is Assam's Shiva Thapa (56kg), and joining him will be his best friend, 20-year-old L Devendro Singh (49kg), who could well be the dark horse of the team.
— PTI |
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Fear of ambush marketing hangs over the Games
London, July 4 Sponsors channel billions of dollars into events like this month's Olympics in London, but rival companies come up with all manner of wheezes to try to publicise their brand for free in so-called ambush marketing. "It's no longer just sport clothing companies or other industries that you might expect to have interest in, or engagement with, the Games," said Arthur Artinian, a lawyer at Freshfields, Bruckhaus Deringer, the legal services provider to the Games. "It's really now everybody. The sponsorship stakes are higher," said Artinian, a London-based Australian who previously worked on the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Eleven companies paid almost $1 billion for the international rights to sponsor the London Games and the 2010 Winter Games in Canada. London organisers have also signed up a further 41 backers, raising £700m ($1.10b) towards the cost of staging the Games. British laws have been tightened to protect Olympic sponsors but other companies still seek to exploit any loopholes in what Artinian says is a "cat and mouse game". "You have people using sporting themes in their advertising. You have people coming as close as possible to the line but not necessarily crossing it," he added. One of the problems for sponsors is that it is sometimes the stunt that lives longer in the memory than the brand of the company who is paying heavily for rights. British sprinter Christie got round the rules by wearing a set of contact lens with the leaping cat emblem of sportswear company Puma in Atlanta in 1996. Bendtner revealed the name of Irish bookmaker Paddy Power on his underwear when celebrating a goal at Euro 2012 last month. Unamused, European soccer's governing body fined him 100,000 euros ($126,100) which the bookmaker paid for the player. London organisers have been criticised for pursuing local businesses in east London that have used the Olympic name or five-ring symbol without permission. Combined with grumbles over the short supply of tickets and special perks for visiting dignitaries, such measures have led some Britons to condemn the Games as elitist and over commercialised. Critics also say that the rules are preventing businesses from publicising work they have done to help build the Olympic Park and other venues. "Frankly, it's a mystery why LOCOG (London Organisers) aren't encouraging these firms rather than censoring them," said Pierre Williams, of the Federation of Small Businesses.
— Reuters |
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India’s oldest woman conquerer of Everest will go on and on...
Jamshedpur, July 4 Undeterred by her unsuccessful attempt to climb Mt. McKinley, renamed as Mt. Denali, in North America due to rough weather conditions in April-May last year, Agarwal is now all geared up for her next expeditions. The 48-year-old mother of two grown-up daughters, the feisty mountaineer from Jharkhand, who conquered the Mt. Everest last year, said she planned to set out for the expedition in early August. Agarwal had earlier scaled two other peaks Mt. Kilimanjaro (19,341ft) in Africa and Mt Aconcagua (22,960 ft) in Mendoza, Argentina. Recalling her pain of not being able to complete climbing Mt. Denali (20,320 ft), she said she was just 700 feet away, roughly 65-70 minute climbing when suddenly the weather turned bad as the temperature plummeted to minus 40 degrees Celsius accompanied by strong winds. "We had decided to return to the camp and restart for the onward journey next day as the distance could have been covered in just over an hour's time, but I was not allowed to scale up alone," said Agarwal, who was the lone woman mountaineer in the expedition. Unfortunately, the weather condition deteriorated further and the weather report for the next 10 days was not friendly either, she said regretting that she had no option but to leave the expedition incomplete. — PTI
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Rights panel for probe into 'inhuman torture' on Pinki
Kolkata, July 4 "One complaint has been submitted alleging inhuman torture both in jail and police custody to Pinki Pramanik," WBHRC chairman Justice Ashok Kumar Ganguly, members Justice NC Sil and SN Roy said in a letter yesterday. "The Commission is seriously concerned and directs the principal secretary (health) for an inquiry into the matter and send the report within two weeks," the letter, a copy of which is with PTI, said. The WBHRC also gave the same direction to principal secretary (home) who is in charge of the jail department and the director general of police. "Prima facie, it's a case of human rights violation. We are awaiting the reports," Justice Ganguly told PTI. The treatment meted out to the athlete has attracted criticism from the sporting fraternity as well. "It's a shame. I feel sad for Pinki who has earned laurels for the country. It's a case of sexual harrassment. I urge the human rights authorities to step in," two-time Olympian Saraswati Saha-Dey, who won 200m gold at the Busan Asian Games, told PTI. "Male police officers have been escorting her and at times dragging her out from police vans. This is absolutely deplorable," former national women's swimming champion Bula Chowdhury said. "She may be charged for a particular crime, but why is she being subjected to this harassment?" Arjuna Awardee Shanti Mullick asked. The retired middle distance runner was arrested on June 14 and has been accused of allegedly raping a live-in partner, a 30-year-old estranged woman. She is currently in judicial custody till July 12. — PTI
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Mumbai, July 4
New Delhi, July 4
