Perth, December 3
Ricky Ponting was moved to tears after his celebrated test career came to a close with a whimper rather than a bang on Monday when his beloved Australia side suffered a series defeat against South Africa.

The 37-year-old former Australia captain, the second highest run scorer in test cricket, said on the eve of his 168th match that it would be his last and he had hoped to go out on a high with a series win against the Proteas. Those hopes were dashed by three days of brilliant cricket from the best test side in the world which resulted in a 309-run defeat for Ponting and the men in the baggy green caps. "It's been a pretty long, tough week," he told reporters. "I know I've been more nervous this game than any other game I've played, just for the reason that how much it means to me playing or Australia. "I was comfortable with the decision before this game anyway. I just had a bit more of a fairytale ending in my own eyes than what's happened this week."

Ponting was welcomed to the crease 45 minutes before lunch by a guard of honour of applauding South African players and shook hands with Proteas captain Graeme Smith before tamping down the wicket with his bat. "It was just a sign of respect for someone who has given the game so much," said Smith. "I'm sure we're all going to miss Ricky as an opponent...I just told him he deserved everything that comes his way and can be proud of everything he's achieved."

Ponting got off the mark on the sixth ball he faced with a vintage pull shot to propel the ball to the square leg boundary. It was a rare flash of the Ponting who had dominated bowlers on so many occasions since he scored 96 runs on debut against Sri Lanka at the same WACA ground 17 years ago.

There was another with a second four, a drive to mid-on which reached the boundary courtesy of a misfield from Morne Morkel, but the end, when it came, was a soft dismissal unworthy of such a great batsman. With lunch looming and just eight runs to his name, he tried to cut South African spinner Robin Peterson but managed only to get a thick edge on to the ball which ended up in the safe hands of Jacques Kallis at slip.

Kallis with 44 and India's Sachin Tendulkar (51) are the only batsmen to have scored more test centuries than the Tasmanian's 41. "I felt Sachin was probably the best player I played against and that's coming from more of a captain's point of view knowing he had so much success against us in our conditions and their conditions," Ponting said.

"I probably lost more sleep on the eve of games to (Brian) Lara because I knew that he could single-handedly win games for his team. "It's hard to separate the class of players those two guys, you have got to put Kallis in that bracket as well when you put his wickets on top of what he's done with the bat as well."

Ponting did not hang around at the crease after his 40-minute knock but was mobbed by South African players wanting to shake his hand as he walked from the field.

He looked back only once, doffing his helmet and raising both arms to bask one last time in the applause of his compatriots.The statistics which will now forever be appended to his name in the history books are 13,378 runs at 51.85, an average lowered by the two years of patchy form that ultimately convinced him it was time to call time on his career. "Normally for me when those big moments come around or I've been under pressure, I've been able to find something within and go out and score runs and make it all go away," he said.

"But I haven't been able to do it for a while now, that's when alarm bells started to ring." The most successful captain in the history of the game, Ponting will be remembered as an arch-competitor who ranks behind only Donald Bradman in the pantheon of Australian batsmen.” — Reuters

Scoreboard

South Africa 1st innings 225

Australia 1st innings 163

South Africa 2nd innings 569

Australia 2nd innings
(overnight 40/0)

Cowan c Elgar b Steyn 53
Warner c Smith b Philander 29
Watson c Smith b Morkel 25
Ponting c Kallis b Peterson 8
Clarke st de Villiers b Peterson 44
Hussey c de Villiers b Steyn 26
Wade c Smith b Peterson 10
Hastings c Smith b Morkel 20
Johnson c de Villiers b Philander 3
Starc not out 68
Lyon c Smith b Steyn 31
Extras: (lb-3, w-2) 5
Total: (all out, 82.5 overs) 322
Fall of wickets: 1-40, 2-81, 3-102, 4-130, 5-188, 6-198, 7-198, 8-204, 9-235
Bowling: Steyn 22.5-6-72-3, Philander 21-8-41-2, Morkel 16-2-57-2, Peterson 20-2-127-3, Elgar 1-0-4-0, du Plessis 2-0-18-0

South Africa won by 309 runs

Sydney, December 3
Cricketing great Ricky Ponting, who retired from all forms of the game after playing his last Test match at Perth against South Africa, on Monday said India's Sachin Tendulkar is the best player he has played against.

On being asked about the most supreme batsmen of his era, Ponting said: "I feel Sachin was the best player I played against and that's coming from more of a captain's point of view as well, knowing he had so much success against us in our conditions and their conditions."

Commenting further about other great batsmen he played against, as reported by cricinfo, he said: "I probably lost more sleep on the eve of games against [Brian] Lara because I knew he could single-handedly win games. The way I judge players has always been on their ability to win games by themselves. Lara could certainly do that and he did it probably more than what Sachin's done for India.

“You've got to put [Jacques] Kallis in that bracket as well. You put his wickets on top of what he's done with the bat. He came out the other day to bat and I looked at the board and he was averaging 57 in Test cricket. That's remarkable considering the amount he's had to bowl and all that sort of stuff. I've been pretty blessed to play in the era with so many great batsmen, and if my name gets mentioned among them, then that's great."

Ponting, who was part of three World Cup-winning squads in 1999, 2003 and 2007, having led in the latter two, said former pacers Curtly Ambrose of the West Indies and Pakistani Wasim Akram and India spinner Harbhajan Singh were the best bowlers he faced in his career.

"I think Curtly Ambrose and Wasim Akram were probably the two outstanding quicks that I faced, and for different reasons. Ambrose for his ability to just make you feel like you couldn't score off him for long periods of time, never felt like he was going to bowl you a bad ball. Akram for the exact opposite, you could get a few runs off him, but you just knew there was an unplayable ball around the corner, be it with an old ball or with a new ball.

"Harbhajan's probably the other one who caused me as much grief as anything. He got me out a lot of times and caused me a lot of grief. Those guys through their careers can all put their hand up and say they had my measure," said Ponting of Harbhajan, who dismissed the Tasmanian 10 times, including three ducks in Tests. — Reuters

Kolkata, December 3
Steven Finn will be ready to take the new ball for England in the third Test if they need him to do so.

Finn once more demonstrated his recovery after a thigh strain in the nets at Eden Gardens this morning, and then declared himself fit for purpose if required against India on Wednesday. The Middlesex fast bowler is thought likely to replace off-colour vice-captain Stuart Broad, who was ineffective in England's series-levelling victory in Mumbai.

Finn injured himself at the very start of England's Test tour and was therefore unavailable for the first two matches of four, in Ahmedabad and then at the Wankhede Stadium.

He bowled well and without pain, though, in a comeback match last week for the Performance Programme - also in Mumbai - and after several overs in the nets today, he confirmed his well-being. "I did exactly what I planned to do today," he said. "I bowled six overs in two spells, four and two, and I bowled well. "If I'm needed on Wednesday I'm ready to go." Finn was naturally disappointed to miss the first two Tests, but is hoping to finish the tour on a high as England seek series victory here for the first time since 1984-85. "It wasn't to be," he said of his false start to this trip.

"But I've had a little bit of time out and I feel fresh for it. "You can put a positive spin on it and say the rest of my body has had a chance to recover from the (English) season and Twenty20 World Cup. "I feel fresh in my body; I feel good when I'm bowling in the nets now."Broad also bowled in the nets this morning but is an unlikely participant this week, with England expected to stick with two frontline seamers - the other will be Anderson - and two spinners after their 10-wicket victory with that formula last week. — Agencies

Kolkata, December 3
Facing criticism for his prolonged form slump, Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar got some words of encouragement from his former captain and opening partner Sourav Ganguly ahead of the third cricket Test against England starting here on December 5.

Mumbai, December 3
The BCCI has sought an explanation from the Mumbai Cricket Association for hosting England's Performance Programme squad's practice session at its D Y Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai without seeking the parent body's permission.

The BCCI has also written a letter to the England and Wales Cricket Board asking why they did not follow the correct protocol of asking its permission to have ECB's second-string squad practising in India, it was learned. "The Board has written a letter to us asking for an explanation on the issue and we have forwarded that to Mr Vijay Patil (boss of the D Y Patil Academy) asking him to reply last week. We will forward his reply to the BCCI. It's a question of not following the proper protocol," said MCA president Ravi Savant today. Patil is, incidentally, a vice president of the MCA.

It has also been learned from other quarters that the miffed BCCI has raised the issue with the ECB and has also got a reply from the latter, but whether the England board has apologised for not following the protocol is not known. What has raised the concern of the Board is that a few members of the England Test squad, notably Steven Finn and Joe Root, had gone and practised at the D Y Patil Stadium even as the ECB had sought and demanded tight security. — PTI

Mohali, December 3
With no victory in sight till the halfway stage, champions Rajasthan are finding themselves on a sticky wicket this season. And Mohali looks no different.

Title winners twice in a row, Rajasthan were muzzled by a virtually half-strength Punjab side by the end of the third day of their Group A tie at the PCA Stadium on Monday.

Punjab’s rookie pacers Sandeep Sharma, Baltej Singh and Siddharth Kaul proved more than enough for a struggling Rajasthan, who were bundled out for just 196 in 58.2 overs in the second innings.

Punjab were 149/1 in 41 overs at the end of Day 3. With one full day left and just 55 runs more to defend, Rajasthan have no corner to hide.

Apart from conceding a slender first innings lead, Punjab have not put a foot wrong in the last three days. The batsmen are clicking at the right time and the pacers have been backing the team in the time of need. It is their belief in their callow pacers that has bailed the team out of duress.

Such was their confidence, bordering on brazenness, that the hosts chose to rest their key players against the reigning champions in a crucial match.

Sandeep Sharma (5/57), Baltej (3/57) and Siddharth (2/48) cracked the visitors with their express pace and consistent line on a seamer-friendly wicket in the second innings as well. Though Rajasthan had the psychological edge of the first innings lead, their batsmen failed yet again to bat with discipline and lost wickets while slashing and driving against swing bowling. Rajasthan’s only positive of this match could be that their opening woes seem to be solved as of now. The champions had their moments but could not capitalise right from the start.

Rajasthan have been clearly the second best team in the contest, while Punjab are going from strength to strength. The match is practically in Punjab’s pocket, and Rajasthan need to come up with a miracle.

Baltej Singh breathed fire on Monday. — Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

SCOREBOARD

Punjab (Target 204 runs)
Jiwanjot not out 80
Karan c Yagnik b Choudhary 28
Ravi not out 34
Extras: 7
Total: (1 wkt; 41 ov) 149
Fall of wickets: 1-64
Bowling: Pankaj 11-5-13-0, Rituraj 10-3-41-0
Choudhary 10-2-45-1, Chahar 9-1-38-0, Deshpande 1-0-9-0

Brief Scores

(Group B match): Haryana 307 & 167/6 (Amit Mishra 50*, Vikas 3/57, Sumit Narwal 2/15); Delhi 224 all out in 76.1 overs (Unmukt 83, Mithun Manhas 53, Mohit 3/35, Harshal Patel 3/55).

(Group C match): Tripura: 441 & 116 for 5 in 48 overs (Abbas 59*; Vikramjeet Malik 3/25); HP:260 all out in 77 overs (Rishi Dhawan 54; Rana 4/65). 

Patiala, December 3
Subject to clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Riffle Association of India, young shooters in the country aged 12 would be eligible to own a shotgun.

This literally means that Indian youngsters eyeing to take up shooting as a sport would be able to start young and subject to some clearances, they would be able to procure a gun against a license in their own name asa against the present law of waiting till 18 years of age. Highly placed sources in the government confirmed that with an eye on the vision 2020 project of the government it was decided to allow sports federations to tap young potentials who could be future medal prospects. “A committee was appointed by the government, which had many members from various fields to look into the matter if there could be some changes and persons below the age of 18 could be provided a shotgun license”, they added.

Almost three months back, a committee under the officials of the sports ministry was formed which had members of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) as well. “A final report has been submitted and I have been told that a decision in this regard would soon be taken and we could then have young shooters training at the ranges across the country”, said NRAI president Raninder Singh. “The file is some where in the home ministry and should be cleared soon”, he stated.

Countries like Italy, Israel, United Kingdom and some other nations allow shooters at young age procure weapons subject to the fact that they are serious shooters who have proved their mettle on the range. China is another country which has decided to help young shooters and license for a gun is a decision that would get more kids on the range. “Even in India, we will have the state associations recommending the feat of a young shooter and if he or she deserves, the particular case would be discussed by NRAI”, Raninder added. “However we would have to be careful as parents or guardians of the shooter at that young age need to be with the shooter whenever the gun is in use, even at the range”, he added.

At present Indian shooters, on an average take up shotgun shooting at the age of 16, borrowing guns from parents, uncles, state associations, clubs and even senior fellow shooters.

Hoshiarpur, December 3
Sport is all about people and passion. Take out the passion people bring with them to venues and sport will be rendered as hollow as an empty wine bottle.

This was much in evidence as the primordial sport of an ancient civilisation made a stunning appearance in this historical city — known as the city of the Pandavas — much to the excitement of thousands of diehard fans of the sport here. It was a festive atmosphere, but security was so tight at the Outdoor Stadium that had a fly come in, it would have been immediately swatted down by the vigilant cops.

After the hardworking Iranians demolished the defence of Argentina 70-14 and Italy muzzled the noise of the Scottish Bagpipes 66-19, the focus shifted to the Pakistan-Sierra Leone contest. It commenced nearly an hour behind schedule as the men from across the border arrived late. The moment the Pakistanis stepped on the turf, a terrific roar went up, possibly heard in the streets of Lahore.

Sierra Leone is a West African country known for producing and exporting bauxite, titanium and diamonds. On the sports front, it is yet to win a medal in the Olympics but has something to speak about its athletes and footballers. Kabaddi was never in the scheme of things till a Ludhiana entrepreneur, Arvinder Singh Jassal, who is spending money from his pocket to give impetus to the sport, started taking care of the game there.

The sport requires razor-sharp hand-eye coordination, deep reserves of stamina and raw strength. Strength of the body and mind have to go together. Every tackle is a gamble, every voice a roar, every capture a prize, every escape a salvation. Pakistan had all these qualities in abundance as they trampled the fragile defences of their rivals with contemptuous ease.

For the winners, Mohammad Ishfaq played like a champion. Champs like him revel on the big stage, and that is what he did today as he quickly settled into a groove to give the jitters to the young Sierra Leone team. Ishfaq played his heart out in front of a delirious crowd and was the pivot around which his team’s fortunes revolved as he proved that offence is the sum total of technique and aggression.

After the one-sided scoreline in the first half that read 33-4 at the break, Pakistan closed it out at 55-12.

Patiala, December 3
To ensure that the ongoing Kabaddi World Cup is not marred by he dope controversies — unlike last year — the Punjab Sports Department has requested the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) to do test as many players as possible. Shiv Dular Singh Dhillon, Director Sports, Punjab, said that NADA has already collected samples of the Indian players and will soon start the sampling of visiting teams.

However, sources in the NADA say that NADA had been reluctant to do the sampling in this World Cup, citing the lax approach of the Punjab Sports Department towards the players found positive in the previous two editions of tournament. However, after being persuaded by Dhillon, NADA is working out the logistics of their testing operations.

It may be recalled that 16 players were caught using drugs at the first World Cup but the Punjab Sports Department has not yet initiated action against them. Following this, the then Director General of NADA, Rahul Bhatnagar, wrote to Pargat Singh saying that they would do tests at the World Cup only if the Sports Department punished the previous offenders.

They then reached a consensus and NADA agreed to do sampling in the 2nd World Cup, when they 218 samples, out of which 52 were found positive — nearly 25 per cent. Speaking to The Tribune, Dhillon said they have already banned the tainted players. He said they have even written to respective embassies requesting them not to grant visas to tainted players for the World Cup. “This is the only thing we can do,” he added.

Asked if NADA had earlier refused to collect samples, he said WADA had issued fresh guidelines for them due to which there was some confussion but everything has been sorted out.

Hoshiarpur, December 3
Raiders resemble carnivores hunting in packs. Argentinean captain Yuri Maier stalks his rivals with eyes that dare not blink. He chants in one long breath and is hardly out of it. He circles them, they circle him. The hunter and the hunted swap roles at a furious pace. There is palpable tension and there are heaves, sweat and the all important chant. The chant, at once quiet and deadly, never stops: Kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi.

Modern kabaddi is focussed more on rules, although holding one’s breath for the maximum time remains the mantra. Maier grew up learning the finer points of the game in the nondescript township of Corrientes. Preparing himself on the sidelines for his team’s match against Iran, Maier, who is also an international Greco Roman wrestler, said, “Our chain is too strong for our opponents. Some raids of our rivals have fizzled out due to the tactical acumen with which we form the chain.”

“Chain forming in itself is a unique exercise. Every player must move in unison with the other players if we have to pin down a raider,” Maier, who has won several medals in Pan-American wrestling championships, said.

His colleague Romen G said, “We play the game with verve and vigour. We reply more on holding our breath when raiding the opponent’s citadel. For this some of my colleagues take special yoga classes because if you loose your breath you are doomed. Like the Indians and Pakistanis, we chant the word “kabaddi” while in Iran the players chant “zoo”. In Nepal, the players repeating the phrase “do-do”. There are different words for different nations but it all boils down to a raider who holds his breath for the maximum time can inflict the maximum damage in the rival terrain.”

“Playing styles differ from region to region,” India star Gurlal Ghanour adds. “But the bottomline is that the sport is a manly game which requires tonnes of athleticism, skill, speed and above all stamina. Basically, it combines the games of rugby and wrestling.”

New Delhi, December 3
There is tension in the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is set for its Executive Board meeting on December 4 and 5, where it may take penal action against the IOA if the government’s Sports Code is applied in its elections on December 5.

What’s worrying for the IOA is that the IOC has not responded to its request to allow two of its senior members — R.K. Anand and Hockey India secretary-general Narinder Batra — to visit Lausanne to explain the IOA’s stand on the Sports Code.

“We pray that the IOC does not put any sanction on the IOA as we have not violated the Olympic Charter,” V.K. Malhotra, IOA acting president, told The Tribune. “We’ve faithfully followed the Charter in letter and spirit.”