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India is familiar place for us: Taylor
Never said Laxman does not enjoy Dhoni’s support: Ganguly
Under-19 World Cup |
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City survive scare, Chelsea open with a win Chelsea's Frank Lampard (R) scores his team's second goal from a penalty during their match against Wigan Athletic in Wigan on Sunday. Chelsea won 2-0. — AFP
Malaga’s Olinga becomes youngest La Liga scorer
Bops-Hesh in Cincinnati Masters final
Athletes allege GND varsity of leaving them in lurch
No violation in Ad campaign: Phelps’ agent
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India is familiar place for us: Taylor
Hyderabad, August 19
"We know we have lot of work to do in next two-three days to make sure we are prepared for the challenge ahead," Taylor said. "We would certainly like to put some good plans in place and be positive about the way we look to play. India is a familiar place for (a) lot of us. We have played well here and are looking forward to the contest," he added. During their last trip to India, in 2010, the Black Caps had drawn two Test matches, and Taylor hoped his team will play equally well this time too.
Taylor knows it's tough to tame the Indians here but hoped to put the hosts under pressure. "It is a good place to play. India is always tough in their home conditions. Whether they play north or down south they play very well," Taylor told "They have a few spinners in their side and we don't play lot of spinners back home. It will be a good challenge and we are looking forward to put India under pressure. We should be careful about the reverse swing and the spinners. We have to learn quickly through the series," he Taylor added. Talking about the team composition, Taylor said: "We are going to lose a bit from (Daniel) Vettori. A player of his stature with more than 100 Tests to his credit ... but it gives an opportunity to Jeetan Patel and debutant Tarun Nethula. "Martin Guptil and Brendon will open the innings. Brendon batted well here on previous occasion, and hopefully, he will continue in the same vein in the upcoming Tests," he said. Battling a lack of form himself, Taylor is also hoping to get back his touch during the series. "I feel a big innings is due. Hopefully, I will get it in Hyderabad in the next few days. I have not been scoring in recent games which is a bit disappointing," he said. Mike Hesson, who succeeded John Wright as the Kiwi head coach, said it is a good opportunity for him as well to start with the series against India. "It is a great opportunity to start afresh (after Jhon Wright). We have a few changes to our side and we are looking forward to obviously put India under pressure," he said. "The Hyderabad pitch does assist swing bowling and it has a bit of pace and bounce in it. In Bangalore there can be a lot of variety, but we are preparing to face both the conditions and play accordingly," added Hesson. ‘You cannot replace Laxman, Dravid’
New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor today joined a host of former and current Indian cricketers in paying tributes to VVS Laxman who retired from international cricket yesterday, saying that India would find it difficult to get a replacement of his calibre. "The retirement of Laxman and (Rahul) Dravid gives opportunity to two new younger players in the Indian side. But you cannot replace Rahul or Laxman -- the two greats of the Indian game," Taylor told reporters after the visiting team's practice session here. "Yes, (against these two players) we had plans few months ago but we don't need to have those plans anymore," he said in a lighter vein ahead of the first Test to be played at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium at Uppal on August 23. Taylor's team-mate Brendon McCullum said that Laxman was a phenomenal player who managed to shore India up in many a pressure situations. "He scored runs against us last time (in Ahmedabad) when we thought we had an opportunity to win a Test match but that was not so," he said. McCullum felt the Indian team without Laxman and Dravid will lack in experience and his side would look to exploit that aspect. "It is so long (they played) in international games. Now we have exploit those areas," he said. Another New Zealander Martin Guptill termed the retirement of Laxman as a "big loss" for India cricket. "He (Laxman) played a lot of international cricket over the years and scored lot of Test runs. It will be quite tough to fill his place," Guptill said. Asked if Laxman's absence will benefit the New Zealand team, Guptill said, "It will, in a way." Pacer Tim Southee said Dravid and Laxman were two great players with lot of experience. "They were exciting, successful world-class players and tough on bowlers," Southee said. — PTI |
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Never said Laxman does not enjoy Dhoni’s support: Ganguly
New Delhi, August 19
Laxman stunned cricket fraternity yesterday by announcing his sudden retirement. The timing of Laxman's retirement shocked many as he was picked in the squad for the upcoming two-Test series against New Zealand. Ganguly was quoted as saying in media that had Laxman enjoyed support of his skipper Dhoni, situation could have been different for him. However, Ganguly today said, he did not mean what media suggested of his comments. "I would like to place on record that part of my comment on VVS Laxman's efforts to get in touch with skipper MS Dhoni was misconstrued. What I did say was, 'In cricket at times you need to be available 24x7 as a captain'. It no way implied that Laxman doesn't enjoy his skipper's support or suggest that the situation would have been different (for Laxman) had he enjoyed the skipper's support," Ganguly said. Ganguly had also lashed out at the selectors, especially chief selector K Srikkanth for the communication gap between them and the players. Team will miss you Lachu Bhai: Dhoni Apparently incommunicado when VVS Laxman tried contacting him before announcing retirement, Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni paid rich tribute to the veteran batsman saying that his absence would be felt by the entire team. "The whole team will miss u VVS. One of the best human being I have ever met in my life. Spent a lot of time with him while batting and Fielding and the chat would always be about the team.will miss him whenever the team cuts cake, Personally I will really miss u LACHU BHAI," Dhoni tweeted. Yesterday, while announcing his immediate retirement Laxman had raised a few eyebrows by stating that he could not contact Dhoni despite trying. "I did try to get in touch with Dhoni but as you know it's very difficult to reach him," Laxman had said. Badri to replace VVS for NZ series Veteran Tamil Nadu batsman S Badrinath has been recalled into the Indian Test team as replacement of the just retired VVS Laxman. "The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named S. Badrinath as VVS Laxman's replacement in the Indian team for the Test series against New Zealand, which commences at Hyderabad on 23 August 2012," secretary Sanjay Jagdale was quoted as saying by a BCCI media release. Badrinath, who is just 10 days shy of being 32, has played two Test matches against South Africa back in 2010 with his highest being 56 in his debut Test. He last played for India in an ODI against West Indies in Antigua in June, last year. Badrinath has been a prolific scorer in the domestic circuit having scored 7836 runs with an average 60.74 with 28 centuries. Srikkanth: Laxman should have got more recognition Chennai: Paying glowing tributes to VVS Laxman selection committee chairman Krishnamachari Srikkanth today said that the batsman should have got more recognition. "Laxman is one of the greatest cricketers. He has won so many matches for India. He has won tremendous matches for India from no win situations. He should have got more recognition for his performances. More credit should go to him for his great performances," Srikkanth told PTI. — PTI |
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India face Pak in quarters
Townsville, August 19 Apart from their match against Zimbabwe, where the top-order clicked in unison, India's batting has been inconsistent with some of the big names like skipper Unmukt Chand and Baba Aprajith failing to deliver the goods. Chand has amassed 104 runs from his three outings in the tournament so far with 78 against Zimbabwe being the best, while Aprajith has managed a meagre 43 from a similar number of matches. The only bright spot in India's top order has been opener Prashant Chopra, who after a poor beginning against the West Indies has come back strongly to score a couple of half-centuries in the following matches. Vijay Zol and wicketkeeper-batsman Samit Patel have been good with the willow in the middle order, but they definitely need to be better against a potent Pakistani attack. India, though, can boast of a reliable bowling attack which has been able to deliver with some degree of consistency in the tournament so far. However, against Pakistan it will be a different ball game altogether with their captain Babar Azam leading from the front. Azam has accumulated 182 runs from three matches including an unbeaten ton against the Scotland. His only failure with the bat came in Pakistan's previous match against the New Zealand. — PTI
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City survive scare, Chelsea open with a win
London, August 19 In similar scenes to May when they came back to beat Queens Park Rangers 3-2 to seal the title, City went ahead through Carlos Tevez in the first half only for Southampton substitutes Rickie Lambert and Steven Davis to stun the home crowd. Edin Dzeko then equalised following a corner and France midfielder Nasri took advantage of some lax defending to ram the ball home for Roberto Mancini's men, who lost Sergio Aguero to an early knee injury and missed a penalty through David Silva. New Chelsea winger Eden Hazard earlier lived up to all the hype inside the first seven minutes of his league debut by setting up both goals in a 2-0 win at Wigan Athletic. First he expertly turned marker Ivan Ramis to release right back Branislav Ivanovic, who ran in and coolly slotted home in the second minute having been allowed to play despite a red card in the 3-2 Community Shield loss to City last Sunday. Hazard then danced his way into the box and was carelessly upended by error-prone Wigan debutant Ramis, leaving Frank Lampard to slam in the seventh-minute penalty. — Reuters
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Malaga’s Olinga becomes youngest La Liga scorer
Madrid, August 19 The Cameroonian striker, from Malaga's youth team, came on as a second-half substitute and bundled the ball in off his thigh from close range in the 84th minute. Olinga passed Athletic Bilbao forward Iker Muniain in the record books. Muniain was 16 years and 289 days old when he made his La Liga debut in October 2009. Celta mounted a desperate late charge on Saturday and were unlucky with a shot that hit the bar and bounced on the line at the end. The result is a boost for Malaga who, despite finishing fourth last season to earn a first ever place in the Champions League playoffs, have suffered a troubled pre-season. Delayed payments to players, the sales of Santi Cazorla and Salomon Rondon, the team's top scorer last season, and rumours that their Qatari owners were considering selling the club have overshadowed their preparations for the new campaign. — Reuters
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London August 19 The Proteas were 311 for seven at Lord's with the ever-reliable Hashim Amla (121) reaching his 16th test century, and de Villiers making 43. With just five sessions remaining in the game, time is running out for England to dismiss South Africa and leave a manageable target they can attain to draw the series 1-1. Steven Finn (4/65) took four crucial wickets while Braod (2/85) also bagged two wickets. Only one wicket fell in the morning session as night-watchman Dale Steyn departed for nine after courageously battling for 44 minutes in the day against a short-pitched barrage. He eventually lobbed a catch up to James Taylor at short leg off the bowling of Stuart Broad. South Africa might have been reduced to 177 for five had James Anderson not dropped a straightforward chance from the dangerous de Villiers. Anderson, until recently, fielded at slip to Swann. It was the second costly miss of innings after Matt Prior floored a catch down the leg side. — Reuters
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Bops-Hesh in Cincinnati Masters final
Cincinnati, August 19 The sixth seed Indian pair recorded a 6-4, 6-3 win over their rivals in the semifinals of the $2,825,280 hard court event. They will now fight it out with fourth seeded pair of Sweden's Robert Lindstedt and Romania's Horia Tecau, who shocked second seed American's Mike and Bob Bryan 7-5, 6-7(5), 10-2. India's Leander Paes and Czech Radek Stepanek had bowed out in the second round. Bhupathi and Bopanna, who have been dumped from India's Davis Cup team, had won a title in Dubai event in February. It is only the second time this season that they have reached final of an ATP event. — PTI |
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maka trophy Gagan K. Teja/TNS
Patiala, August 19 Arjun K Sharma from CSJM University, Kanpur, and Lalit Khushwaha from Ishwar Sharan Degree College, Allahabad, who have taken admission in Punjabi University, Patiala, this year alleged the GNDU lured them by giving admission and after they won six medals each in the AIIU, the varsity backtracked from its promise and were sent back to their old universities. The duo alleged that last year the GNDU Director Sports and coach Pawan offered them admission in in BA-II promising good rewards. “We submitted our original certificates and were informed that we had been admitted in the university and would be exempt from the classes. We were also offered to join the institute just at the time of AIIU competitions and could appear in the final exams without worrying about the attendance.” The players also said that they were also asked to submit the migration certificates later as GNDU was the host of the 2011-12 AIIU and would manage everything, Arjun and Lalit added. “We then went on to win five golds and one silver medal each. Later, when we asked about our BA-II examination, the GNDU Director said the last date of getting admission had elapsed and therefore, we would have to appear from our respective universities. This last minute refusal left us in lurch and we could not perform well in the exams. Having wasted one year now, we have now taken admission in Punjabi University in this session,” said sportspersons. The two players have come out in open to stop GND varsity from cheating athletes in future. Meanwhile, the Punjabi University football coach Dalbir Singh has sent a written complaint to Punjab DGP requesting him to register a forgery case against the GND varsity.
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No violation in Ad campaign: Phelps’ agent
Washington, August 19 Phelps' longtime agent, Peter Carlisle, dismissed any suggestion Friday that the retired swimmer may have violated IOC rules when provocative pictures for the campaign were leaked on the Internet during the Games. The IOC, under a provision known as Rule 40, prohibits athletes from promoting non-official sponsors during a nearly monthlong period around the Games. Among the possible sanctions: stripping medals won by an offending athlete. Carlisle told The Associated Press there's no issue with the IOC because Phelps did not authorize use of the pictures, which were leaked by a source that still isn't known and appeared on several websites. In fact, the agent added, there are dozens of similar, unapproved uses of most top athletes' names and images during any Olympics. "He didn't violate Rule 40; it's as simple as that," Carlisle said. “All that matters is whether the athlete permitted that use. That's all he can control. In this case, Michael did not authorize that use. The images hadn't even been reviewed, much less approved. — Agencies |
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London, August 19
"We hadn't had bad memories the last time we played here. Brendon (McCullum) got 225. We had our opportunities but Harbhajan batted well and took the game away from us. However, it is a different time of the year, and hopefully, we will continue to play well," the 28-year-old said.
