Dharamsala, January 24
India and England teams arrived at Dharamsala today afternoon for the One Day match scheduled for January 27. The teams were taken to the team hotel amidst cheering by fans on both sides of the road. Large number of fans had also gathered at Gaggal Airport to catch a glimpse of the cricket stars.

The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) president, Anurag Thakur, also arrived in the evening and held meeting to finalise arrangements for the match.

It is for the first time that an international match is being organised at the Dharamsala cricket stadium. With this HPCA Stadium has been inducted in the list of international venues. In fact, HPCA officials claimed that the stadium here is only international level cricket stadium among all hill states of the country.

An international match is being held here for the first time and it has political hues attached to it. During the regime of the previous government, the HPCA used to have complete support of the official machinery as the organisation is dominated by people associated with the BJP. However, it is not likely to get similar support from the present government.

The HPCA had invited the state Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh, to be chief guest for the match. However, till date no official confirmation of his programme has been received by the district administration. Sources said that though the Singh was coming to Kangra district for a political program, nobody was sure if he would be the chief guest for the match.

In case the chief minister does not attend the match, his supporters and the local minister would not participate in the match. This might send wrong signal to the local administration also.

The organisation of international cricket match is going to bring Dharamsala on the world map, it would also bring major challenges for the local administration.

During the IPL matches that were held here in the last two years, traffic management and parking were the two major problems for the local administration. Being a hill station, the town already faces an acute shortage of parking places. During the cricket match, about 10,000 vehicles are likely to be added to the roads of the town, which has a population of just 50,000 people. The district administration is likely to create parking places at faraway places from the stadium, like Dari and even Sidhbari, located about 6 six kilometres from the stadium. The local administration would have to deploy buses to ferry passengers or they would have to trek long distances on foot to reach the stadium.

During the previous BJP regime buses were provided free of cost for the spectators at the IPL matches. However, the present government is not likely to extend similar facility to HPCA during this One-day International.

Mumbai, January 24
Veteran Saurashtra batsman Sitanshu Kotak feels that the star-studded Mumbai side gunning for their 40th Ranji Trophy title will be favourites in the summit clash starting on Saturday.

“Mumbai is a big team with Sachin Tendulkar playing as well. Then there are players like (captain) Ajit Agarkar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Wasimbhai (Jaffer) and Abhishek Nayar. Mumbai is obviously a superior team; One can lie they are not, but the truth is they are a superior team,” said the 40-year-old left-handed batsman, who is known for doggedness.

“This is big game for us. It’s a pressure game. Personally, I think we should play like another Ranji Trophy game and try out best. But if we get a grip on the match, we have to make sure, we don’t lose it,” said Kotak ahead of Saurashtra’s maiden appearance in the summit contest.

Kotak, who had frustrated Mumbai by batting with monumental patience for nearly 800 minutes in making 168 when the two teams met at the same venue six years ago, said this was one way the visitors could frustrate the hosts again.

“I look at it in two ways. If you win the toss, the only way is to bat them out of the game and try and get them out once. Or if we field first, we have to try and utilise the wicket and dismiss the first five batsmen out quickly.

“We should also keep them tight and bowl them out for a small score of 200 or 300 and then you try to bat them out of the game. You have to play one big innings and you have bowl them out once,” he said.

Melbourne, January 24
Novak Djokovic installed himself as red-hot favourite for a third straight Australian Open title with a semi-final demolition of David Ferrer on Thursday after Victoria Azarenka had controversially set up a final against Li Na.

Serbian world number one Djokovic was brutally dominant as he pulverised the Spanish fourth seed 6-2 6-2 6-1 in 89 minutes in Rod Laver Arena to race into Sunday’s final against Roger Federer or Andy Murray.

“This was definitely one of the best matches of my career,” he said. “Tonight I just played incredible.”

China’s Li could only be less convincing despite the impressive 6-2 6-2 win over Russia’s 2008 champion Maria Sharapova but it was the second women’s semifinal that provided the main talking point of the day.

There was no doubt that defending champion Victoria Azarenka was a worthy 6-1 6-4 winner over American teenager Sloane Stephens but the spectre of gamesmanship was raised when the Belarussian took a lengthy medical timeout after failing to convert five match points.

Stephens, playing in her first grand slam semi-final after upsetting Serena Williams on Wednesday, was not about to make an issue of it and Azarenka clarified her comments in the face of a barrage of questions at her post-match news conference.

Djokovic looked like he barely wanted to take a break even at changeovers as he delivered a one-sided masterpiece of a performance against the fifth best player in men’s tennis.

The 25-year-old Serbian won 91 percent of his first serve points, converted all seven of his break points and hit 30 winners as he thrashed Ferrer, who will rise to number four in the world on Monday in the absence of his injured compatriot Rafa Nadal.

Perhaps deciding that he had not spent enough time on the main showcourt, Djokovic later reappeared during a seniors doubles match dressed as a doctor to give Henri Leconte mock medical treatment.

Patiala, January 24
The oldest marathon runner in the world Fauja Singh (101) has finally decided to bid adieu to the tracks after his last run in Hong Kong in February. In Punjabi University, Patiala, to be a part of the three-day international workshop on ‘Futuristic Trends in Physical Education,’ organised by the Physical Education Department of the university, the centenarian admitted that age had started taking a toll on him and it was time to say good bye to marathons.

Speaking to The Tribune quoting lines from Gurbani almost in his every sentence, the veteran athlete feels that whatever he has achieved is due to the almighty and his coach Harmander Singh and he was indebted to them. “I often feel I am God’s chosen one and feel fortunate for everything. Having started running at an age when people usually stick to their beds and making a mark at international arena at this age, I am happy the way my career shaped up. What else can one ask for? Now after so many years and touring worldwide, I feel it is time to quit. However, I will continue to run for social causes,” adds Fauja Singh.

Beaming with energy on meeting the young players of the university, Fauja Singh said “Running has given a new direction to my life and I cannot even think of stop being in action. Therefore, I have decided to continue my training schedule just for the sake of being healthy. Moreover, I will continue to run for social causes for betterment of society. They have given me lot of love and respect and now is my turn to do my bit.”

On being questioned about his secret of a successful sports career at this age, Fauja Singh said there is no substitute for natural and balanced diet. “Athletes these days take too many supplements and artificial drugs which might give instant results but are very harmful in the long run. They can’t perform for very long and hence their sports career gets shortened. So, I suggest that they turn back to the natural diet which will give them strength and stamina and enhance their performance,” added Fauja Singh.

New Delhi, January 24
The Indian Cricket team is “very average” at the moment and is “lucky” to have a Captain like Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is coping the blame for “lack of quality in the side”, feels former England skipper Geoffrey Boycott.

“...Do you judge Captains on their win and loss ratio, or do you take into account or consideration the quality, or lack of quality, in his team? If you’re thinking about India, there’s a lack of quality at the moment, lack of quality seam bowling, lack of quality spin bowling, and in some cases your best players are beginning to retire after getting past their sell-by date. Aren’t they?” Boycott told said.

“(Rahul)Dravid and (VVS) Laxman are gone, (Sachin) Tendulkar hasn’t got any runs recently, so is it his (Dhoni’s) fault?,” he asked. “I don’t think so. I don’t judge people on the loss and win ratio of the team. You have to look at the team. You are damn lucky you’ve got MS Dhoni,” he asserted.

Dhoni has been under severe scrutiny after the recent home Test debacle against England even though he has been in decent form personally.

Boycott said Dhoni has his limitations as a Test skipper but the Indians don’t have a quality replacement at the moment.

“I think he is a brilliant one-day captain. Like a lot of people, I think he has good leadership skills of the players but, tactically, in Test matches, there’s quite a bit to be desired. But you haven’t got anybody else you can call upon,” he explained.

“A nice set of lads, but in terms of other quality sides around the world, you are very average and you are not going to win with average teams. And the Captains always get blamed.

Captains tend to get plaudits when the team wins, which I think is unfair,” Boycott said.

The former batsman said Dhoni cannot be held responsible for the slide because India is a team in transition right now.

“...the Captain always gets the blame when you lose. It’s like in the war, losing generals always got the sack. It’s like that with Dhoni; because India have hit a sticky situation, with some of the best players retiring or getting to the end of their careers... Zaheer Khan’s gone, Harbhajan’s gone, Dravid and Laxman have gone, Sachin is towards the end of his career,” he pointed out.

“It’s very difficult to replace players like that with young kids and do well, and Dhoni’s getting the flak for it, he’s getting the blame. I don’t think it’s Dhoni’s fault. So you’ve to be careful about blaming people for the lack of quality in the side,” he said.

Talking about other Indian players, Boycott said star opener Virender Sehwag, who has been dropped from the ongoing ODI series against England, was lucky to hold on to his place for so long. The Englishman felt Gambhir was also fortunate to be continuing despite deteriorating technically.

“Sehwag is lucky to be in the team, really. He’s an explosive, fascinating, unpredictable, brilliant batsman, absolutely keeps you on the edge of your seats. But, I’m afraid, father time comes to everybody, and he’s getting towards the end.” — Agencies

Melbourne, January 24
Andy Murray’s bid to become the first man in the open era to back up his maiden grand slam triumph with the title at the next major comes up against the considerable obstacle of Roger Federer in Friday’s Australian Open semi-final.

While the U.S. Open champion has a 10-9 lead over Federer in their career meetings, he has never beaten the world number two in one of the four biggest tournaments in tennis.

The British third seed has never faced Federer before the final of a grand slam, either, and lost in the finals of the 2008 U.S. Open, 2010 Australian Open and 2012 Wimbledon Championships to the Swiss master.

Victory over Federer in a best-of-five-sets match at Wimbledon in the final of the London Olympics last year will have given Murray confidence he can break his grand slam duck against the Swiss on Friday.

“I feel probably a little bit calmer maybe than usual,” the 25-year-old said on Wednesday. But I still have an understanding of how difficult it is to win these events. With the players that are still left in the tournament, it’s going to be a very tough, tough few days if I want to do that.”

Novak Djokovic, who will be awaiting the winner of the match in Sunday’s final after beating David Ferrer on Thursday, is chasing a third successive Australian Open title. Federer’s quest, if there is such a thing for a man who already has 17 grand slam titles under his belt, is to become the first man in the open era to win five titles. — Reuters

London, January 24
Oliver Giroud netted a double, Lukas Podolski scored and set up three more as rampant Arsenal closed the gap on the Champions League positions by thumping West Ham United 5-1 in their rearranged Premier League match on Wednesday.

Arsenal, finding a spark and much-needed self belief after successive league defeats by title-chasing Manchester City and Chelsea, ran riot with four goals in 12 mad minutes after the break having fallen behind in the first half to Jack Collison’s goal. — Reuters

BRIEFLY

Rhinos hand Wizards their first defeat in HIL
Ranchi: Uttar Pradesh Wizards suffered their first defeat of the Hockey India League when they lost 1-3 to Ranchi Rhinos here on Thursday. Strikes from Skipper Moritz Fuerste (27th minute) and Nick Wilson (67th) and a penalty stroke by Ashley Jackson (69th) proved too much for the Wizards. Luke Doerner (53rd) scored the lone goal for the visitors.

Anand draws with Karjakin, Carlsen leads
Wijk Aan Zee: World champion Viswanathan Anand could not breach the solid defence of Sergey Karjakin of Russia and played out a draw in the 10th round while world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen continued with his winning streak in the 75th Tata Steel chess tournament. Anand was joined in second spot by Levon Aronian of Armenia and Hikaru Nakamura of the US.

Starc ignores IPL cash to focus on Oz duty
Melbourne: Promising left-arm paceman Mitchell Starc has decided to pull out off the auction race for the sixth edition of Indian Premier League which will feature some of his national teammates like skipper Michael Clarke, opener David Warner and recently retired Mike Hussey. Starc will use that time during IPL to rest and do the pre-season training for Ashes. “I thought about it long and hard and had a chat with a few people and just figured that I’ve had a pretty big 18 months and I feel that my body just needs that time,” Starc said.