Mumbai, October 29
After a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of England last year in their backyard, it will be payback time when India take on the English side in the four-Test series starting at Ahmedabad next month, said middle-order batsman Suresh Raina here today.

"I was there in England and I feel the pain of losing that series 0-4. I want to give some of that pain back," said the Uttar Pradesh batsman, who would be leading India 'A' against the tourists in a three-day warm-up game at the Cricket Club of India here from tomorrow.

Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina slug it out during the nets in Mumbai. Both are vying for the No.6 place in the playing XI. — PTI

Raina was of the opinion that the use of SG Test balls in the forthcoming series would be helpful to Indian seamers. "There is a big difference in the SG Test and Duke balls.

We have the bowlers who know how to get the SG Test ball to reverse swing like Zak (Zaheer Khan) and Umesh Yadav. It'll be important how to handle the SG Test ball in humid cities like Kolkata and Mumbai.

"We also have (Ravidhandran) Ashwin and (Pragyan) Ojha who have been amazing. The England team has good seamers like (Steve) Finn, (Stuart) Broad, (James) Anderson and it depends on how they can handle the SG Test ball," Raina insisted.

While the retirement of Andrew Strauss was a blow to England, the return of Kevin Pietersen into their ranks after his patch-up with other team members was a big boost to the tourists' hopes, said Raina.

"Yes, that is (Strauss's retirement) a loss, but they have a huge positive in the form of KP's return. He wasn't there earlier, but now he's back and that's a big positive for them." The 25-year-old left-handed batsman, who is fighting for the lone middle order spot in the Indian Test side with his "role model" Yuvraj Singh, said it was up to the selectors to fill the No. 6 slot. "Yuvraj has just come back from a serious illness. He's a big role model for me and others. I would love to see him back in whites. I want that spot too. I want to play these four Tests against England. But I'd rather not dwell on who the spot will go to. Its upto the selectors who they want to pick," Raina said.

Talking about the warm-up game, Raina said: "This game is very important for me. If I score runs here, it'll help me, but if I don't then its upto the selectors. If I do well here, I will play the next four Tests." Raina, meanwhile, informed that he got tips from former Test batsman Pravin Amre on how to deal with England off spinner Graeme Swann, who has troubled him in the past.

"I asked him about Swann. He troubled me a lot in England and got me out four or five times. He (Amre) told me to keep my shoulder over the ball and my eyes in line with the ball," Raina said when asked about the specifics of his discussion with the former cricketer.

He added that the three-day match against the visitors will be good opportunity for the likes of Yuvraj and Ashok Dinda, apart from his own self, to prepare themselves for a long season ahead.

"Its a long season. We have Tests and then the one-dayers. Its (India 'A' game) a good opportunity for guys like myself, Yuvraj and Dinda. I want to enjoy myself and look to score big runs," he said.

India played two Tests against New Zealand earlier in August-September this year and are set to play four Tests each against England and Australia, who would tour the country in the latter part of the 2012-13 season.

Raina, who has a modest Test record averaging just under 30 from 17 Tests, said he knew where he stood in the longest form of the game. "Its just the mental aspect. I've given all that I have had to Test cricket, but a lot of people say and write a lot of things, but I know where I stand as far as Test cricket is concerned. "Batting at No. 6 is not that easy, very often you get stuck with the tail and have to bat around them. I scored fifties in the West Indies and England and I even batted well against Australia in 2010. — PTI

Mumbai, October 29
England captain Alastair Cook today described the forthcoming four-Test series against India as a huge challenge as no team from his country has won a Test series here for three decades.

“It's a huge challenge as history suggests. It is so hard for an English side to win in the subcontinent. We are just desperate to use the conditions in these three (warm-up) games and change things around," said the left-handed opener at his first post-arrival media conference here.

“Clearly the history shows how hard it is. It's been 30 years (since England won a Test series in India). That's the sort of challenge we have ahead of us," he added. "Nowhere is it going to be easy; there are going to be really tough hurdles on the way. We have to overcome those challenges. As players we put ourselves in that situation as to what we want to do. If we want to be tested against the best in hard conditions then this tour is up there."

England's 2-1 series victory after coming from a match down in 1984-85 under David Gower was the last time the triumphed in India.

The England team baring Kevin Pietersen flew in early this morning from Dubai, where they practised for a few days. Pietersen arrived late last night by a separate flight after taking part in the Champions League T20 in South Africa for Delhi Daredevils.

"Both sides have world-class players. It's going to be a fantastic series to watch. Whichever team handles the conditions better will win the series," said the England skipper, who had made his Test debut with a half-century and an unbeaten ton at Nagpur six years ago.

Cook was not too concerned about the nature of wickets that India would offer. “We can't control the wickets. We have to adapt to whatever the conditions are. I am sure India will have to do the same job," he said. Cook said there was no quick fix to play spin bowling, perceived as his team's threat. — PTI

Mumbai, October 29
England's cricketers start their preparations for what promises to be a gruelling Test series against India by taking on India 'A' in a three-day warm-up game here from tomorrow.

Led by opener Alastair Cook, who made a fine debut in India with a half century and an unbeaten century to boot at Nagpur in March 2006, the Englishmen have arrived with a mission — to become the first team from their shores to defeat India in a Test rubber since David Gower's 1984-85 tourists.

England have won a few Tests on the Indian soil, notably in Cook's debut series when Indian batsmen crumbled against the spin of long-forgotten Shaun Udal and the pace of James Anderson and Andrew Flintoff, but have never clutched the Test rubber in hand while departing.

England are coming off a 0-2 series loss to South Africa that also took away their top ranking in Tests. Now they face a determined-looking India, who are waiting to avenge the humiliating 4-0 whitewash sustained last year in England.

That the visitors had practiced extensively for three days in Dubai against their own spin bowlers Graeme Swann, Monty Panesar and Samit Patel at the ICC Global Cricket Academy is a clear sign of what they expect would be the biggest hurdle here. However, the home team, in the warm-up game led by Test middle order aspirant Suresh Raina, does not have any spin bowlers to boast of, viewed as a deliberate ploy to deprive the visiting batsmen any practice against slow bowling.

The return of Kevin Pietersen as the 17th additional member after his recent patch-up with teammates would be another interesting piece of the puzzle.

The patch-up came after weeks of peace talks that followed his unceremonious ouster for off-field happenings despite scoring a hundred midway through the Test rubber against South Africa at home. How quickly and well the lanky batsman, who had scored a classy hundred on his last Test visit to India in 2008, gels with his teammates in alien conditions would be watched with a lot of interest by the host country's Test team members, some of who are in India 'A' squad.

While the rest of the squad had come from England via Dubai, Pietersen arrived separately last night from South Africa where he was playing for IPL franchise Delhi Daredevils in the Champions League T20.

Pietersen will need to quickly get into the Test mode from the slam-bang of T20s.

The retirement of former skipper Andrew Strauss has also come as a headache for England as they are still searching for a suitable opening partner for Cook in the short time they have. — PTI

Kolkata, October 29
Four years after he announced his retirement from International cricket, former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly has called it quits from all levels of the game, deciding not to play in the IPL as well.

The former India opener had continued playing first-class cricket for Bengal so as to keep in shape for his franchise Pune Warriors but after last year's debacle, Ganguly has at last decided against it.

“I will be almost 41 by the time IPL-6 ends. Twenty20 is a very demanding format. It would have been very tough for the body,” Ganguly said.

The left-hander also said he had made his intention clear to Pune's officials during the last edition itself.

“To captain in IPL, there is a lot of responsibility. You are answerable to many questions. It's better to captain the country. At least, nobody would phone you and ask what went wrong,” he said.

“I had a wonderful time playing in the IPL for five seasons. It gave me a chance to keep playing top-class cricket even after quitting international cricket. But I can't go on forever, and I have requested the franchise owners not to consider me for IPL-6.” Asked whether coaching was on his agenda, Ganguly replied, "There is a long time left to become a coach. “Even if anyone approaches me to turn up as a player I won't agree this time. There is no question of playing anywhere if I'm not playing in Pune. If I don't play IPL, I won't play for Bengal as well.”

“It is tough to play a whole season of first-class cricket when you know that you are not going to play for India. I kept playing firstclass cricket because you cannot just turn up for IPL without any sort of preparation," he said. Bengal cricket is in good hands. It is good to see Manoj, Wriddhiman, Dinda, Shami and Anustup knocking hard on the selectors' door, he added. — PTI 

Mumbai, October 29
Former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist today came out in support of Sachin Tendulkar being conferred the Membership of the Order of Australia, saying that the senior Indian batsman has helped in forging relations between the two countries.

Gilchrist's former opening partner Matthew Hayden was upset at Tendulkar getting the award and had said that the honour should be exclusive to his countrymen. But, Gilchrist felt the honour was a recognition of the respect Tendulkar receives in Australia also.

“The discussion around his award and the variety of opinion shows the amazing profile that Tendulkar has. Credit to Sachin to have the place he has held in both the countries. He has forged 22-years of relation between the two countries," Gilchrist told reporters at the University of Wollongong conference here. “I was able to send him a quick message and was thrilled to receive one back (from him) saying 'welcome to the club', because it was the same honour that I was very fortunate to receive. It (the award) is a mark of respect to a great man," he added. Gilchrist also praised Tendulkar for deciding to play in the Ranji Trophy, saying that it showed the senior batsman's commitment to the game. “I read he is playing a Ranji trophy match this week, his first one in three or four years. The fact that he wants to go and take that as preparation, with a serious Test series coming up is a testament to his professionalism and commitment to the game," he said. — PTI

New Delhi, October 29
He hasn't been in the best of form of late and Virender Sehwag's body language during his first day with the Delhi Ranji Trophy squad said it all.

The 'Nawab of Najafgarh' looked pretty rusty during his first session at the state team's nets where not only seasoned pros like Ashish Nehra and Ishant Sharma but also some of the net bowlers troubled him with pace and bounce.On Novemeber 4, 2012, Sehwag will complete two years in Test cricket without a century with his last (173) coming against New Zealand on November 4, 2010 in Ahmedabad. There are times when a player who is not middling the ball well in the nets goes onto play a good innings in match situations but there are more reasons to worry when a net bowler unsettles a world-class batsman with a bouncer.

Virat Kohli might feel that “a good bouncer is a good bouncer” but the way the veteran played the ball gave an ample indication about the form that he is in right now. The delivery took off from short of good length area and Sehwag took his eyes off the ball and he could have been knocked over. — PTI 

Chandigarh, October 29
Theuns Johannes Koekemoer of South Africa emerged winner while Vijay. M. Soni of India finished runners-up in the International Paragliding Competition that concluded at Bir Billing on Monday.

South African ruled the roost as Andrew John Smith and Nevil Leighton Hulett were the other winners.

India's Gurpreet Singh Dhindsa also managed to secure a position in the top five of the men's category at the end of task IV.

In the women's category, Agnieszka Schwenk of Poland and Meenu Yadav of India bagged first and second position, respectively.

The task IV, assigned on the fourth and the last day of International Paragliding Championship, was ‘Race to Goal’ covering an air distance of 70.2 kilometers from the take-off site at Billing. The windows for today competition opened at 12.30 PM and closed at 2.30 PM. The route of the competition was to fly towards locations like the Dam site, then over the Green Roof, towards the small temple, Red Roof Temple and finally landing at Kyor at Bir.

All competitors landed safely, though due to windy conditions, around 15 pilots landed somewhere near Baijnath, Jogindernagar, Deol, Seol, Utrala, etc.

Talking about the event, Dhindsa said: "It was a very tough competiton and the tasks too stretched the pilots a lot. I wish more and more competitions are held in Billing so that the sport gets a fillip in the region and country." Suman Rawat, Joint Director, Department of Youth Services and Sports said, “Thirty-one of the 65 pilots were from foreign countries. The take-offs were safe and the deadline given to land was fixed at 6 pm."

The prize distribution would be held on Tuesday when the final winners would be declared.

Dubai, October 29
The ICC gave its seal of approval to the day/night Test matches while leaving the member Boards to decide on the type and colour of the ball to be used, as it announced new playing conditions for Tests, ODIs and T20 internationals ahead of Sri Lanka-New Zealand series beginning Tuesday.

Some countries, including Australia and England, have been experimenting day/night Test matches for some time and with the ICC's decision on Monday, the longest format of the game may be held under lights very soon.

"Participating countries may agree to play day/night Test matches. The home and visiting boards will decide on the hours of play which will be six hours of scheduled play per day while the two boards will also decide on the precise brand, type and colour of ball to be used for the match," the ICC said in a statement.

The world body announced a slew of changes in the playing conditions, including powerplays, fielding restrictions and short-pitched deliveries in the ODIs, Decision Review System (in Tests and ODIs), no-ball, dead ball, over-rates, applicable in all the formats and changes in one over-per-side Eliminator in T20Is. "The new playing conditions for Tests, ODIs and Twenty20 internationals will come into effect with the series between Sri Lanka and New Zealand, which starts in Pallekele on Tuesday 30 October. The amendments have been approved by the ICC Board following proposals made by the ICC Cricket Committee at its meeting in London in May," it said.

"It is important to note that the playing conditions are applicable to international cricket and must be read together with the Laws of Cricket. Whilst a playing condition may affect the Laws of Cricket as they may apply to international cricket, these changes are not amendments to the Laws of Cricket themselves," the statement added.

Under the new playing conditions, there would be two blocks of Powerplays in an ODI, instead of existing three.

“In an uninterrupted innings, the first Powerplay will be restricted to the first 10 overs with only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. The second five-over batting Powerplay (in an uninterrupted innings) will have to be completed by the 40th over and only three fielders will be allowed outside the fielding restriction area at the time of delivery," the ICC statement said.

"In the non-Powerplay overs, no more than four fielders will be permitted outside the 30-yard circle."

On the DRS, applicable to both Tests and ODIs, the ICC said, "Clause 3.3 (ii) of Appendix 2, which deals with LBW protocols, has been amended, margin of uncertainty applicable to the point of impact with the pad has been increased so that it is the same as provided for determining the projected point of impact with the stumps i.e. if the centre of the ball is shown to be impacting in line within an area demarcated by a line drawn down the middle of the outer stumps (and the bottom of the bails), then the decision will always be out.

"If the whole of the ball is shown to be impacting outside the line of the stumps, then the decision will always be not out. If there is anything in between, the original on-field decision will stand.

"As such, this clause will now read as follows: If a 'not out' decision is being reviewed, in order to report that the point of impact is between wicket and wicket (i.e. in line with the stumps), the evidence provided by technology should show that the centre of the ball at the moment of interception is in line within an area demarcated by a line drawn below the lower edge of the bails and down the middle of the outer stumps.

"If an 'out' decision is being reviewed, in order to report that the point of impact is not between wicket and wicket (i.e. outside the line of the stumps), the evidence provided by technology should show that no part of the ball at the moment of interception is between wicket and wicket."

On the no-balls, applicable to Tests, ODIs and T20Is, it said, "A clause in Appendix, which deals with no-balls in the Third Umpire TV Replay System, has been amended. This now reads: Following any mode of dismissal that is not permitted off a no-ball and which is not the subject of an Umpire or Player Review, the third umpire shall, subject to the availability of suitable technology, immediately check the fairness of the delivery.

“If the delivery was not a fair delivery, the third umpire shall advise the on-field umpire by two-way radio who should recall the dismissed batsman, indicate that the batsman is not out and signal no-ball.” — PTI

New Delhi, October 29
Formula One Grand Prix is all about money. Only those with unlimited budget can remain in the business and position themselves among the big players. No surprise, thus, that most of the F1 teams, cars and circuits are owned or managed by auto majors like Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Cosworth. Renault and Cosworth do not own teams but only provide chassis while BMW has exited F1. And the teams are mostly based in UK, Italy, Spain and Germany. Even Force India are UK-based (Silverstone), giving the unmistakable impression that money matters the most in F1.

The kind of money expended on an F1 circuit enhances its profile and in the second year itself, India has earned the goodwill of drivers, teams, owners and F1 bosses as one of the best F1 circuits for its track, layout and the general facilities.

The success of the Indian GP at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) for the second year in succession is due to a judicious mix of men, money, machines, material and management. The attendance of just over 65,000 spectators for the Sunday race day was far lesser than last year's attendance (over 1 lakh). In fact this year, the fans turned up only on Sunday. The practice and qualifying session had only patchy attendance. Perhaps the novelty aspect had worn thin this time, after the event's success in the debut year. This time only those rich enough to afford the steeply-priced tickets, or young boys and girls who are crazy or have a passion for motor sports, turned up.

Jayprakash Associates, promoters and owners of the BIC, have striven hard to make the circuit spectator-friendly. They firmly believe that they can make a profit (on the colossal amount of Rs 5000 crore spent to create the circuit), even after a gestation period of five years, only if they make entry into the stadium hassle-free and the ambience and facilities inside inviting. They preferred to keep the facilities shut for one full year to plug the loopholes witnessed last year, and upgrade and beautify other facilities, to give the BIC an impressive makeover. The result was that no major mishap occurred on the track, barring some expected minor flips and spills.

Those who had higher-denomination tickets could drive straight into the parking lot near their stands. And this year, to the fans' delight, they were allowed to carry cameras, cigarette packets and lighters. Inside the venue, there are also stalls selling F1 mementoes, snacks, beverages, though everything inside sells at a premium. A sandwich costs Rs 200, and a pint of beverage Rs 200 or more. The BIC promoters' philosophy is that they can make money only if the spectators are encouraged to come and enjoy the facilities and spend money.

With more events slated to move into the BIC from this year, starting with the JK Tyres Asia-PaciF1c Series on December 4, and perhaps the six-series national championship, it will gain popularity and earn money.

"If more events are held at the BIC, like the grassroots national championship, not only it will help the promoters create a fan base, but will also help them regularly update their facilities, and make money," observed JK Racing Sports Managing Director Raghupathi Singhania.

From next year, big guns of Indian racing like JK will be pitching their tents and racing their cars on a regular basis at the BIC during the F1 to take the sport to the next level in the country.

BRIEFLY

East Bengal beat Pune 1-0 in I-League
Kolkata: East Bengal rode on an Edeh Chidi first-half strike and some moments of luck to pip Pune FC 1-0 in an I-League third-round fixture here today. Man of the Match Chidi scored the winner in the 28th minute from a rebound after Pune's Srikanth Ramu failed to clear a ball. East Bengal now have seven points and Pune have six from three matches each.

Bradman scholarship for Indians in Australia
Mumbai: Australia’s University of Wollongong today announced a scholarship named after legendary cricketer Donald Bradman to be awarded to an Indian student who wants to play the game and undergo studies simultaneously.

Hockey probables list pruned down to 33
New Delhi: The Hockey India selection committee has pruned down the list of the men’s team probables to 33 during the three-day selection trials, which concluded at the SAI Centre in Patiala. Hockey India selectors Balbir Singh, BP Govinda and Thoaiba Singh, and Government Observer Harbinder Singh and chief coach Michael Nobbs observed the players before deciding reduce the number of players. — Agencies