Mohali, November 2
The first day of the Punjab-Hyderabd Ranji Trophy tie saw momentum shifting from one side to the other and ultimately settling in favour of the hosts Punjab at PCA Stadium, Mohali on Friday.

While Hyderabad, put into bat, saw off the early threat from seamers without any fuss and were cruising steadily as the day progressed, hosts Punjab managed to break the monotony with double blows only to let the steam off and pay through their nose for the lack of urgency. By the time stumps were drawn Hyderabad had managed to put a total of 244/7 with Ibrahim Khaleel (38) and Pragyan Ojha (4) holding the fort. Punjab though frittered away the advantage of winning the toss; nevertheless stemmed the rot with majority of the opposition back in the pavillion.

However, there was dissapointment in store for two men who mattered the most to their teams. Punjab skipper Harbhajan Singh somehow doesn't seem to be liking the pitch as his travails at his homeground extended one more day after a feckless season here in 2011. With 20 overs, seven of them maiden, Bhajji gave just 39 runs but could not get a breakthrough for his team. Neither in the early morning nip, nor in afternoon daze, not even in the last few hours of the day. Leave alone taking wickets, there was hardly any appeal that even convinced Bhajji himself; the umpires did not even bother to shake their head in denial.

Though he did get bounce and an occasional turn there was hardly anything lethal about his bowling. Openers AkashReddy (60;154b,10x4) and vice captain Ravi Teja (36) saw off the seamers cautiously and played Bhajji with patience to frustrate the offie.

VVS Laxman coming in to bat late in the day found his feet right from the word go. His stance as firm as ever and his head rock steady. VVS batted like he had never left the crease. The short ball was deadpanned and the full length deliveries were guided effortlessly, of course it was immaterial whether they were scoring shots or not. After all, it is four-day cricket and Laxman never looks in hurry. Bhajji sprung in Manpreet Gony but that did little to fray VVS's nerves, callow Sandeep tried his might but it was like knocking your head on a wall.

Gony's 57th over turned out to be an eventful one.

With three boundaries (mid off, covers and mid on) coming off third, fifth and sixth balls interspersed with two bouncers and a dot ball, Laxman effortlessly offset the fall of two quick wickets.

However Laxman's silken touch had to end soon as all rounder Amitoze Singh got him out plumb before the wicket and set the tone for the day. With three big scalps, right arm medium fast bowler Amitoze turned out to be the unlikely hero of the day, Gony did the rest with his breakneck pace toward the end of the day.

Brief Scores: Hyderabad (first innings): 244/7 in 90 overs (Akshath Reddy 60, Ibrahim Khaleel 38 no, Ravi Teja 36, AS Yadav 34, Gade Hanuma Vihari 28, VVS Laxman 23, Pragyan Ojha 4 no, M Gony 3/51, Amitoze Singh 3/33, Sandeep Sharma 1/40).

Chandigarh, November 1
While scores of India probables staked their claim for the national side on the opening day of the Ranji season, promising young leg-spinnner from Punjab had to sit out in the first match at his home ground.

This at a time when the country is eagerly looking for a tweaker who can fill in Anil Kumble's big shoes. And Rahul Sharma is being considered as a strong contender for the spot along with R Ashwin, left arm Pragyan Ojha and Haryana leggie Amit Mishra.

Rahul's exclusion for the team can only be described on account of Mohali's seamer-friendly conditions and Punjab skipper's horses for courses approach. In case of others' playing at home ground is considered as big advantage but in case of Rahul the very advantage has turned into his nemesis. With Punjab's second match against Bengal also at Mohali Rahul's chances look bleak. It is not only Rahul, all rounder and Bipul Sharma too has too sit out due to this. Those inside like Harbhajan Singh too had nothing to boast as the wicket had just bounce to assist spinners. Many in the know say that wickets during this time of the year have everything for everybody — or conversely, nothing for anyone. — TNS

Nadaun, November 2
Despite Sanju Samson hitting an unbeaten century, Kerala were struggling at 196 for eight on the opening day of their Group C Ranji Trophy match against Himachal Pradesh. At stumps, Samson was not out on 100 and giving him company at the other end was Prasanth Parameswaran on 13.

Besides Samson scoring a century, only two other batsmen in Abhishek Hegde (26) and Sachin Baby (19) could reach the double-figure mark today even as Himachal Pradesh bowlers wreaked havoc. Rishi Dhawan was the pick of the bowlers for Himachal with figures of three for 56. Vikramjeet Malik (2 for 43) and Gurvinder Singh (2 for 47) chipped in with two wickets apiece.

Opting to bat, Kerala could never recover from a disastrous start. And it was the lone batsman in Samson, who held on to his ground even as wickets kept falling at the other end. Towards the end of day one, Samson managed to find an able support in Parameswaran and the duo put up 51 runs together for the unbroken ninth wicket to provide some stability to the visitors. In another Group C match at Jammu, Jharkhand bowled out Jammu and Kashmir for 195 before ending the opening day of their four-day Ranji Trophy match at 81 for one at the Gandhi Memorial Science College Ground.

Jharkhand trail J&K by 114 runs with nine wickets in hand, with Rameez Nemat (batting 42) and Rahul Shukla, yet to open his account, at the crease.

Shankar Rao (3/50) and Shahbaz Nadeem (3/50), who plays for Delhi Daredevils in IPL, took three wickets each, while Sunny Gupta claimed two for 37 to put Jharkhand on top against the hosts. Hardeep Singh was the top-scorer for J&K with an unbeaten 49, while Adil Rishi also contributed with a solid 41. Replying to J&K's modest first innings total, Jharkhand openers Manish Vardhan and Rameez Nemat gave their team a fine start.

It would have been a perfect day for the visitors had Vardhan not fallen for a well-made 31 in the second last ball of the day.

Ghaziabad, November 2
Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir's poor run of form continued as a formidable Delhi batting line-up could manage only 235 against Uttar Pradesh on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy group league match here today.

The likes of Sehwag, Gambhir, Virat Kohli and Unmukt Chand were all back in the pavilion even before the lunch session, much to the disappointment of the capacity 15,000 crowd which expected some fireworks from the India stars in the Group B match.

Sehwag managed 25 while Gambhir and Kohli contributed 32 and 14 respectively. Unmukt, as usual, hit some lovely drives but did not go beyond an individual score of 28. On a hazy day at the Nehru Stadium, Uttar Pradesh's right-arm medium pacer Imtiaz Ahmed bowled to a disciplined line as the much vaunted Delhi line-up could not make an impact. Imtiaz grabbed five for 59 while out of favour seamer Praveen Kumar did his cause no harm by taking three wickets for 56 runs.

Delhi's first innings lasted only only 65.2 over. The highlight of the Delhi innings was 86 runs added for the fifth wicket by Mithun Manhas and Punit Bisht.

Bisht top-scored with 52 while Manhas got out after scoring 42. Delhi lost their last six wickets for 43 runs in 11.1 overs as Imtiaz took four wickets in the post-lunch session.

Sehwag and Gambhir once again flattered to deceive as they could not put up a significant partnership which would have given them requisite confidence before the Test series against England. There was nothing much in the 22-yard strip but poor shot selection is something that Sehwag and Gambhir should be especially worried about. Sehwag, infact, got a reprieve on 14 when rival skipper Suresh Raina dropped him at second slip off Bhuvneshwar Kumar's delivery but did not cash in on the opportunity. — PTI

Mumbai, November 2
Sachin Tendulkar roared back to form ahead of the upcoming Test series against England with a strokeful 137, while Ajinkya Rahane remained unbeaten on 105 to help Mumbai pile up 344 for four against Railways on the opening day of their four-day Ranji Trophy match.

Tendulkar, in Mumbai colours after three years, came in at no 5 and batted fluently after starting cautiously against a largely inexperienced Raileays attack to reach his hundred off 103 balls with 14 fours and 3 sixes. In all, the senior India batsman, whose last hundred in any form of the game was his unprecedented and much-feted 100th international century at Dhaka on March 16, struck 21 fours and three sixes during his 136-ball knock before edging medium pacer Anureet Singh to the slip cordon, three overs before stumps.

The 200-run partnership between Tendulkar, who batted for just over three hours, and one down Rahane placed Mumbai in command in their opening Group A fixture at the Wankhede Stadium here.

Rahane, who fully utilised the life given to him on seven by Murali Kartik, faced 203 balls and struck 13 fours during his unconquered knock. Giving him company at close of play was Abhishek Nayar, who is yet to open his account. The cynosure of all eyes on day one of the match was clearly Tendulkar. The 39-year-old senior batsman's form in the last Test series against New Zealand at home was a cause for concern as he was bowled three times in as many innings.

But the script was tottaly different today, albeit at a lower level of competition.

The three-figure innings was his 18th in the championship and his 79th in first class cricket and it placed him within striking distance of overhauling Sunil Gavaskar's domestic record of 81 tons in games lasting three or more days. Put into bat, Mumbai got off to a decent start as openers Kaustubh Pawar and wicket-keeper Aditya Tare put on 45 runs before the former left in the 15th over, caught behind. Tendulkar, who slammed Shivkant Shukla for a six, and Rahane steadied the boat and carried the home team to 214 for three at tea. — PTI 

Mumbai, November 2
Sachin Tendulkar took a trip down memory lane and for a change, it was not cricket that he talked about.

The veteran batsman, instead, spoke of his gastronomic experiences while travelling with the team all over the country and the world in his over two-decade career.

And the interesting trivia included how he skipped lunch and polished off a large bowl of ice-cream before facing the pace attack from Pakistani trio of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar at the high voltage match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan in 2003 World Cup.

India had won the match by six wickets and Tendulkar, who had some cramps while batting, was adjudged man of the match for the game after his knock of 98 runs from 75 balls. Revealing his fascination for good food, the veteran batsman shared his 'delicious' tour memories at a cook book launch event here last night.

“At lunch time I only had ice-cream. I didn't have anything else. I had my headphones on, and didn't want to listen to anyone. I knew what was wanted at that particular moment. All I did was grab a huge bowl of ice-cream and finished it. I had told when the umpires walk out please let me know. The umpires walked out and I removed my headphones and walked out to bat. In the meanwhile the ice-cream was delicious,” he said.

He said the team had street food in South Africa to celebrate the victory.

“Immediately after the match, we decided wherever we go this evening, we have to be together. It was a big day and we needed to celebrate together. So we went and had street food together. We enjoyed ourselves. That match was one of the most important games of that tournament.

“People had told me a year before the match, that come what may, you need to win this match. So after that, the whole team decided wherever we go, whatever we do we will be together. This was one of those big nights where every little thing we remember and we cherish those moments because it doesn't happen again,” he said.

The senior cricketer further said he gorged on Pakistani food and had piled on a few kilos on his debut tour there.

“The first tour of Pakistan was a memorable one. I used to have a heavy breakfast which was kheema paratha and then have a glass of lassi and then think of dinner. After practice sessions there was no lunch because it was heavy but also at the same time delicious.I wouldn't think of having lunch or snack in the afternoon.I was only 16 and I was growing,” Tendulkar recalled.

“It was a phenomenal experience, because when I got back to Mumbai and got on the weighing scale I couldn't believe myself. But whenever we have been to Pakistan, the food has been delicious. It is tasty and I have to be careful for putting on weight,” he said.

The leading run scorer in world cricket added that cooking relaxes him and he had once cooked for the entire team, something none of his teammates have done so far.

“In 1997 or 1998, we were in Delhi. The entire team was at Ajay Jadeja's place for dinner and I had gone there half an hour earlier to prepare baingan bharta for the whole team,” he said.

A self-proclaimed foodie, Tendulkar said he cooks for his family on special occasions and his wife enjoys the fish curry he makes. — PTI

New Delhi, November 2
The stage is set for a battle royal in the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) elections, slated to be held on November 25 at the Olympic Bhawan here, as both the presidential candidates — Abhay Singh Chautala and Randhir Singh — have thrown their full weight behind the election process, and are sparing no effort to garner maximum support.

Chautala, chairman of the Indian Amateur Boxing Association and vice-president of the IOA, is learned to have got the support of Punjab, and many prominent National Sports Federations (NSFs), while Randhir Singh, as the long-serving secretary-general of the IOA, enjoys a niche voting base.

Though they have not yet openly announced the candidates for the post of secretary-general, it is understood that Virendra Nanavati of the Swimming Federation of India is likely to be backed by the Chautala group while the Randhir group may root for Lalit Bhanot, former secretary-general of the Athletics Federation of India.

Though representatives of both Hockey India and the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) attended the Special General Body Meeting (GBM) of the IOA on October 18, only Hockey India is likely to get voting rights in the elections.

“It was decided in the GBM that only the hockey body recognised by the IOA will get voting rights and the IOA recognizes only Hockey India,” a top source told The Tribune.

Meanwhile, IOA vice-president Tarlochan Singh has written a strong letter to International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge, saying IOA members should not contest elections of their national Olympic body. Though he didn not name anyone, this is clearly a move against Randhir, who is an IOC member.

“Every NOC (National Olympic Committee) office-bearer and member’s ultimate desire is to become an IOC member. If one achieves that, he should not indulge in the elections of the NOC. He should, however, accept any position if the house elects him unanimously,” he added.

Tarlochan Singh, a senior vice-president of the IOA and a seasoned sports administrator, requested Rogge to ensure that an IOC member “should not be seen or act as a factional leader, and not take sides whenever there is any voting takes place, as this will enhance his/her status and respect”.

He said the IOA was committed to the Olympic movement, the IOC and the Olympic Charter.

“Every member of the IOC should be given the maximum respect in every country, and he/she should also act as a guide to the NOC and try and unite the members and create a healthy atmosphere between the NOC and the IOC,” he added, obliquely referring to the upcoming IOA elections.

New Delhi, November 2
Formula One championship leader Sebastian Vettel set the practice pace on Friday ahead of an Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that could bring him a fifth win in a row and speed Red Bull to the constructors' title.

The German lapped the floodlit Yas Marina circuit with a quickest lap of one minute 41.751 seconds in the evening session after McLaren's Lewis Hamilton claimed the honours in the afternoon with a time of 1:43.285.

Hamilton was second on the timesheets in the second practice for Sunday's day-to-night race. Team mate Jenson Button was second and third respectively.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, Vettel's main rival who is 13 points behind in the standings with three races remaining, was fourth and seventh respectively as the team tried new aerodynamic updates to the front and rear wings.

Red Bull's Australian Mark Webber, who can be expected to 'ride shotgun' for Vettel in Sunday's race, was fifth and fourth.

Hamilton won in Abu Dhabi last year, after Vettel qualified on pole and then retired with a puncture, and the two men are the only drivers to have qualified on the front row at Yas Marina in three editions of the race.

Such has been their dominance, that they are also the only two to have won the race while Red Bull and McLaren are the only teams to have lapped fastest in the 11 practice sessions held there to date. Hamilton, who set a best time of one minute 43.285 seconds on Friday afternoon, has been quickest in five of them.

Vettel, winner of the last four races, was 0.765 off the 27-year-old Briton's pace. The double world champion turned the tables in the later session with a lap 0.168 faster than Hamilton.

“I don't know. Maybe ask Lewis,” Vettel told reporters when asked on Thursday why he and Hamilton had such a great relationship with a glittering harbourside track often compared to street circuits like Monaco or Valencia. — Reuters

Dongguan, November 2
Gaganjeet Bhullar added to his growing reputation with a four-under par 68 that saw him jump from overnight 46th to tied 27th at the midway stage of the $7 million WGC-HSBC Champions on Friday.

The 24-year-old Bhullar is three-under 141 for 36 holes and a good showing over the weekend will boost his rankings further.

The other Indian star in the field, veteran Jeev Milkha Singh carded 71 to be tied for 38th place at one-under 143 in Asia's richest event and lone World Golf Championships in the region.

Louis Oosthuizen carded a new course record score of nine-under 63 and moved into pole position and held a whopping five-shot lead over Adam Scott (68) and Ernie Els (63). Oosthuizen, winner of the 2010 Open Championship, where he held a five-shot lead after two rounds at St. Andrews, dominated the field at Mission Hills with a course record.

Oosthuizen, runner-up at the Masters this year, however saw the course record being equalled by senior and fellow South African Ernie Els (63). He was 16-under, while Scott and Els were 11-under. Bhullar had five birdies against a lone bogey on the par-5 15th at the Olazabal course.

“It seems like the game is coming back... I hit the ball good. It was surprising to miss so many putts.” — PTI

New Delhi, November 2
Adam Gilchrist, who led Kings’ XI Punjab in IPL V, thought that he had done and dusted with his IPL career, but has had a change of heart in the interregnum and will return for IPL-VI.

Gilchrist was here as part of an academic team of the University of Wollongong.

Asked about IPL VI as his name features among the foreign players released by the Board of Control for Cricket India, Gilchrist said: “Before the sixth edition of the IPL begins the side has been sorting the team list and the franchisee has made the decision of including me in the playing list. There is a good chance of me playing in the IPL.”

“Indications are that I will be back in the IPL 6 for Kings’ XI,” he said. — TNS

Sydney, November 2
South Africa made a strong start to their tour of Australia on Friday, with Dale Steyn getting among the wickets early on, but their attack stalled later on the opening day against Australia A at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The tourists reduced the home side to 44-3 in the morning session on the first of the three-day match but a 122-run stand before tea, and another of 133 after the break, helped the Australians to 325-7 at the close of play.

Paceman Steyn finished with 3-43 from his 18 overs, while uncapped Rory Kleinveldt, the fourth quick in the South African party, ended the day with figures of 2-45.

Spinner Imran Tahir was the busiest bowler and also grabbed a brace at the cost of 114 runs, but Vernon Philander, ranked second behind Steyn in the bowling world rankings, came up empty and conceded 76 runs.

Former test opener Phillip Hughes, who hammered the Proteas bowlers in South Africa three years ago, did his campaign to earn a recall little good, making five runs at number three before chopping a Kleinveldt delivery onto his stumps. — Reuters

BRIEFLY

Ajeetesh leads at DLF Masters golf
Gurgaon: Ajeetesh Sandhu carded a sizzling six-under-66 to take a three-stroke lead over Gaurav Pratap after the second round of the DLF Masters here today. After two rounds, Ajeetesh aggregate is eight-under-136, followed by Gaurav Pratap, whose total is five-under-139. The cut was declared at five-over-149. Fifty-three professionals made the cut.

Afridi and Younis chased for unpaid tax
Karachi: Former Pakistan captains Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi were among four senior national cricketers being chased by the country's financial authority for unpaid taxes totaling 80 million rupees ($836,200). A spokesman for the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said notices had been send to Younus, Afridi, Abdul Razzaq and Umar Akmal, for unpaid tax.

40 Indians in IAAF list of dope offenders
New Delhi: India has nothing to boast of in terms of achievements at world stage in athletics, but the country has topped in the number offenders caught for doping under IAAF rules. In the latest IAAF list of dope offenders, a whopping 40 Indian athletes figured in the list out of 204 dope offenders all over the world. Among the top Indians in the list were Ashwini Akkunji and top quarter-milers Mandeep Kaur and Sini Jose. — Agencies