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Pup braces up for big challenge
"You can have as many plans as possible for Sachin Tendulkar but he is a great player. He is the greatest I have seen and I have always loved playing against him. His sign of greatness is his longevity and consistency." — MICHAEL CLARKE |
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Henriques happy with team’s bowling show
Ambati Rayudu and Parvez Rasool
Happy with the way I am going: Rayudu
Oz suffer T20 defeat at the hands of Windies
Nadal targets Rio Olympics
Nadal plays his trademark backhand stroke. — A file photo
Already in dumps, akhara culture on verge of extinction
Wrestlers at an akhara in Patiala. — Tribune photo
Ministry to ask IOC to rethink wrestling's future
Vijay Hazare Vijay hazare
Welsh Open: Advani enters pre-quarters
MI among top-150 most valuable team brands
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Pup braces up for big challenge
Sydney, February 13 Clarke added the selectors sent their players early to India so that they could get properly acclimatized with the difficult sub-continental conditions. Clarke embarked on the first leg of three potentially career-defining series on Tuesday with question marks over his fitness and uncertainty over the team that must defy recent history to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Clarke''s last Test tour of the subcontinent, in 2010, was not a happy one. It was the start of a horror three months for both Clarke and the Australian team culminating in a humiliating drubbing against England, the paper added. Clarke, despite his reputation as a high-class player of spin, managed only 35 runs from four innings against India, which was then ranked world No. 1. Australia has triumphed just once in India in more than 43 years and is not favoured this time either. Clarke said touring India is as tough a challenge as he has had in his career, adding every time he has been there on a Test tour it has been extremely difficult, and hence the Australian team hasn''t won that much over here. The captain said the Test series against India is going to be a huge challenge, and the players know that. Clarke added that is partly why they are trying to prepare as well as they can by sending players early to India to get them used to conditions, to give themselves the best chance. Clarke said they know the series is going to be tough, and they also know how good India is, but they are looking forward to it. Former player Greg Blewett, when picking three pacemen, Lyon and Steve Smith in his ideal XI for the first Test in Delhi, said he wanted Clarke to pick up more of the slack in the bowling department. “I think Michael Clarke needs to step up with the ball," Blewett said. "I'd prefer him to bowl more overs rather than Steve Smith being a designated second spinner, but I like Smith's bowling because he turns it away from the right-hander." Of course, the main stumbling block to Clarke bowling regularly is his dodgy back, which has caused him problems ever since he was a fresh-faced teenager on the cusp of the New South Wales squad. “I’m more than happy to bowl as much as I need to bowl,” Clarke said at Sydney. “We’re very lucky we’ve got a good mixture of spin bowlers, all-rounders, fast bowlers, we’ve got some good choices in our squad. “I enjoy bowling more in India, because conditions suit spin bowling, but we’ll wait and see what happens.” These cryptic clues show the skipper is keeping his cards close to his chest, but a quick check of the statistics show why Clarke might be willing to literally risk his backside. Over his 89 Tests, Clarke has bowled 374 overs, taking 30 wickets at an average of 36.6 and economy rate of 2.93. His record against India is even more impressive, picking up 14 wickets at 34-apiece. — Agencies
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Henriques happy with team’s bowling show
Chennai, February 13 “I bowled well today, but I think (I) let go of a great opportunity I had with the bat yesterday. I felt comfortable early and had a good opportunity to spend some time in those conditions," said Henriques whose impressive 4/12 from 9.3 overs helped Australia bowl BP XI out for 230 on second day. Asked if he was the frontrunner for the number seven spot in Australian Test team for the series starting on February 22, he said, "That's not for me to decide. Steven Smith batted really well yesterday and Maxwell came out today and showed what he can do." He said the Australian side have the balance with several options for the Test series. “At this stage I'm the only seam bowling all-rounder so I certainly give what you could call a unique option. But I guess in these conditions, the spin bowling option also is going to be a good one. I guess whatever situation asks for, the squad has got a good balance to what's needed," he said. About his bowling strategy, he said, "I don't try and change my length too much unless I see the batsman getting too far forward, when I bowl a bumper. I certainly change my position on the crease, a little wider or a little closer." Henriques has been to India several times as member of ODI team and to play in the IPL, but he said he wants to experience the challenge of playing Test cricket.
— PTI |
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Rayudu, Rasool shine as warm-up game ends in draw
Chennai, February 13 After Australia were allout for 241, the Board President's XI were dismissed for 230 in 68.3 overs at the Guru Nanak College ground. With a result out of question, Australians came out to bat and scored 15 for no loss in their second essay before the umpires decided to call off the match with the consent from both captains. For the Board President's XI, Rayudu top-scored with 87 while Rasool, riding high on his seven-wicket haul chipped in with a handy contribution of 36. Rayudu looked confident from the start but did not get much support. — PTI SCOREBOARD Australia 1st Inngs (Allout 241) BPXI 1st Inngs Mukund b Henriques 21 Uthappa c Maxwell b Lyon 24 Mandeep c Wade b Henriques 3 Steve c Mandeep b Rassol 41 Rayudu c Bird b Henriques 87 Jadhav c Wade b Lyon 1 Patel lbw b Maxwell 23 Binny b Pattinson 5 Rasool c Maxwell b Agar 36 Ladda b Henriques 5 Awana not out 0 Extras: 11 Total: (all out; 68.3 ov) 230 Fall of wickets: 1-37, 2-47, 3-60, 4-61, 5-102, 6-132, 7-199, 8-213, 9-229 Bowling: Pattinson 9-1 -24-1, Bird 10-6-10-0, Siddle 11-3-28-0, Lyon 13-0-69-3, Henriques 9.3-3-12-4, Maxwell 4-1-20-1,Smith 4-0-34-0, Agar 8-1-27-1 Australia 2nd Inngs Glenn Maxwell not out 12 Khawaja not out 1 Extras: 2 Total: (0 wicket; 4 ov) 15 Bowling: Shami Ahmed 2-1-9-0, Parvinder Awana 2-0-4-0
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Happy with the way I am going: Rayudu
Chennai, February 13 Rayudu shone for the Board President's XI with an 87 against the Australians in a practice game that ended in a draw. “I'm really happy that I batted well today. Just want to keep doing well in whatever games I get to play," replied the 27-year-old when asked whether he feels he is close to making a Test breakthrough. “To be honest, I'm just happy that I'm doing well and I'm in a good frame of mind. I'm just happy to be batting the way I am right now,” he said. Asked how he measured up against quality Australian pacers such as Peter Siddle and James Pattinson, Rayudu said, "I was just watching the ball, just wanted to spend time in the middle.” Rayudu's 80-match first-class career has so far yielded 5183 runs at an average of over 46. Pujara ties knot
Cheteshwar Pujara tied the nuptial knot with fiancee Puja Pabari. Puja belongs to Gujarat's Jamnagar district and is a management graduate. "Entire Indian team and the BCCI officials are invited," said Arvind Pujara, Cheteshwar's father.
— PTI |
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WI eves pip Australia by 8 runs to enter final
Needing to win the match to qualify for the final at the Brabourne Stadium, the Windies women defended their modest total of 164 with plenty of zeal and pluck to snatch victory with eight balls to spare. West Indies' first-ever win over Australia in ODIs also rendered today's other Super Six game between defending champions England and New Zealand at the Brabourne into an academic affair as irrespective of whoever wins that game, they will have to fight again for the third place play-off on February 15. Both Australia, who have already booked their berth ahead of their final league match, and the West Indies secured eight points from four wins in the Super Six stage. Chasing a modest total of 164 set by West Indies, Australia were inching their way to the target after facing some anxious moments early on after the loss of openers Meg Lanning and Rachael Haynes with only 32 on the board, when disaster struck in the form of the dismissal of top scorer Alexandra Blackwell for 45 off 83 balls with four fours. From 130 for four, Australia slumped to 156 all out in a dramatic collapse. Meanwhile, Dane van Niekerk's all-round performance helped South Africa trounce Sri Lanka by 110 runs and register their first win in the meet. — PTI SCOREBOARD West Indies Nero c Fields b Schutt 1 Natasha lbw b Ferling 26 Campbelle lbw b Schutt 0 Knight c Fields b Ferling 8 Stefanie Taylor b Ferling 5 Merissa c Cameron b Sthalekar 7 Dottin b Osborne 60 Shanel Daley b Schutt 4 Quintayne c Sthalekar b Osborne 15 Anisa Mohammed not out 5 Tremayne c Sthalekar b Hunter 10 Extras: 23 Total: (all out, 47 ovs) 164 Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-36, 3-36, 4-53, 5-59, 6-86, 7-92, 8-135, 9-151 Bowling: Schutt 10-1-50-3,Hunter 8-2-22-1, Ferling 7-1-27-3, Sthalekar 10-2-24-1, Osborne 9-4-16-2, Chappell 3-0-17-0 Australia Lanning b Shanel Daley 0 Haynes c Knight b Daley 21 Cameron b Shaquana 39 Blackwell lbw Stefanie Taylor 45 Sthalekar run out 6 Fields c Nero b Smartt 18 Osborne c Merissa b Daley 19 Hunter run out 0 Chappell lbw Stefanie Taylor 3 Schutt run out 1 Ferling not out 1 Extras: 4 Total: (all out, 48.2 ovs) 156 Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-32, 3-79, 4-89, 5-130, 6-130, 7-131, 8-140, 9-156 Bowling: Smartt 10-4-22-1 Daley 9.2-2-22-3 Taylor 10-1-26-2 Anisa 9-2-38-0 Dottin 4-0-16-0 Quintayne 6-0-29-1
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Oz suffer T20 defeat at the hands of Windies
Brisbane, February 13 Charles, coming off his maiden one-day international century, struck 57 off 35 balls to propel the tourists to an imposing first innings total of 191 after captain Darren Sammy won the toss and elected to bat at the Gabba. Adam Voges blasted a swashbuckling 51 off 33 balls to give them hope of hauling in the total, but paceman Kieron Pollard and spinner Sunil Narine combined for five quick wickets to make sure the hosts' chase came to a crashing halt. The emphatic victory against a second-string Australia side ensured West Indies finished their tour Down Under on a high, having dismally surrendered the preceding one-day series 5-0. Brief Scores: (West Indies): 191/2 in 20 overs (J Charles 57, DM Bravo 32, Faulkner 3/28); (Australia): 164/8 in 20 overs (Haddin 22, S Marsh 21,Narine 2/19, Pollard 3/30).
— PTI |
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Sao Paulo, February 13 “The long-term objective in my mind is to play in Rio in 2016,” the 26-year-old said. “I know it’s a long way from now, but it is also a real objective for me.” Nadal will be 30 years and two months when the Olympics begin August 5, 2016. This week’s event marks the Spaniard’s first appearance in Brazil since winning the same tournament as an 18-year-old in 2005. It follows his defeat in Sunday’s Chile Open final to 73-ranked Horacio Zeballos 7-6 (7/2) 6-7 (6/8) and 4-6, his first competitive event since Wimbledon last June. Nadal is partnering Argentine David Nalbandian in the doubles, which began on Tuesday, while he will start his singles campaign on Thursday against the winner of the Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo — Joao Souza match. Despite an encouraging return in Chile, Nadal talked down his chances of lifting the singles trophy in Brazil. “After so many months away it’s difficult and illogical to think about winning titles,” he said. “Even though my knee continues to hurt me, the doctors say everything is fine and that my recuperation is going to plan.” Sharapova in Round 3 of Qatar Open
Doha: Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova easily reached the third round of the Qatar Open, beating French qualifier Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-2. The third-ranked Russian, who won the tournament in her two previous appearances, broke Garcia twice to go up 3-0 in the first set. Garcia won
the next two games but Sharapova then broke a third time. The second set went with serve through the first five games until Sharapova broke to go up 4-2, and she clinched the victory when the Frenchwoman hit a forehand long.
— IANS |
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Already in dumps, akhara culture on verge of extinction
Patiala, February 13 A country already falling to drug menace,
need more support to promote sports to keep the youth focused and away
from this menace. But the jolt that wrestling would soon be only be a
sport played at national, is something which has shattered the interest
of over 10 thousand young wrestlers, training parts of north India. The
IOC leaders’ move to exclude wrestling was seen a surprise as the IOC
reviewed the 26 current summer sports. Usually the routine for an
average wrestler starts as early as 3.30 am when they have to get
prepared for their practice sessions in the morning. At 4 am they are
all in their ‘langots’ (undergarment) and slugging in the soil.
After the session is over they cook their food and then sleep for a few
hours before getting ready for their evening session. A common scene at
any of the akharahas in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Maharashtra who rue
that despite hard work only a few wrestlers reach the top, but with the
recent international Olympic committee decision to exclude Wrestling
from Olympics 2020, the wrestlers are shattered. “Usually we earn
money through local village fairs and Rustam-e-Hind is the dream of
every wrestler in the country. Later all want to shift to the mat and
try their hand as per the international norms”, claims Gurmail
Pehalwan, a not so known name till date, who fears he might never get
more attention as his sport is already out of international reckoning. President
Wrestling Federation of India Brij Bhushan Saran Singh old The Tribune
that it is not about the ones who will be out of focus, but thousands of
others in parts of the country. “We will not let it happen and try our
best to ensure that their future is safe in this sport”, he said. Indian wrestlers are generally known to play local matches in dug earthen pits and they have been doing the same from the past many decades. Akharhas, which are already running without any financial assistance from any agency, be it government or private, would further be on the verge of extinction. “We
want to win a medal and sometimes we feel that we are better wrestlers,
but due to lack of facilities like a good dietician, sports doctor,
sponsor and a mat our life is limited to fighting in the fairs in the
villages across India”, claimed a few other wrestlers. "If given
a chance we too can succeed and get medals for the country", echoed
numerous young wrestlers awaiting an opportunity. London silver
medalist Sushil Kumar has also expressed shock as the decision would
surely discourage wrestlers. “We need more sponsorships and more
players for more medals in the future”, he stated. |
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Ministry to ask IOC to rethink wrestling's future
Shocked by the International Olympic Committee's decision to take wrestling off the 2020 Olympic roster, the Sports Ministry today said it would ask the IOC to reconsider the move as it would "demoralise" the grapplers and deeply affect the "sustenance" of the game. "Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports will take up the issue with other nations where wrestling is a popular sport. The Ministry will take up the issue with IOC to reconsider its decision and retain wrestling in the category of core sports in Olympic Games," the Ministry said in a statement.
"Ministry is hopeful that with these steps, IOC Executive Board meeting at St. Petersburg in Russia in May and the 12th IOC Session at Buenos Aires, Argentina will decide to retain Wrestling in core Olympic Games," it added. The IOC Executive Board, in its meeting held yesterday, decided on the 25 sports it will propose for approval as the core sports for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in the 125th IOC Session to be held in September in Argentina. Wrestling was not included in the 25 core sports despite the fact that it goes back to the inaugural modern Olympics in Athens in 1896 and had always been a core sport.
— PTI |
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Services register last-over win against HP
Nadaun, February 13 Yashpal hit 10 fours while there were five boundaries for Paliwal, with whom the former added 89 for the fifth wicket in just 12.5 overs. Before that, Yashpal was involved in a stand of 113 runs for the fourth wicket with Swain. Chasing a respectable total, Services were off to a bad start, losing opener Sumit Singh (4) with just 28 on the board. Nakul Verma got out after making 30, followed by Anshul Gupta who scored 22, leaving the Services struggling at 62 for three. Dhruv Singh was the best Himachal bowler with three wickets. Earlier, opting to bat, Hp rode on Dhawan's 72 off 76 balls and Sumit Verma (47) to reach a challenging total. Meanwhile, Punjab left-arm spinner Rajwinder Singh wrecked Haryana with four-wicket haul before openers eked out a comprehensive 10-wicket win at Dharamsala. Rajwinder was the star of the show as he not just grabbed four wickets for a miserly 30 runs in 7.5 overs but also effected a couple of runouts. — PTI
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Vijay hazare Dharamsala, February 13 Rajwinder was the star of the show as he not just grabbed four for 30 runs in 7.5 overs but also effected a couple of runouts. Besides Rajwinder, Siddarth Kaul snapped up three wickets, conceding 33 runs. For Haryana, just four batsmen managed to touch double-digit figures with Rahul Dewan being the notable contributor — 60 off 106 balls, including three fours. Sonu Puransingh Rathee's 29-ball 23, including three fours, was the other notable contribution to the paltry total. In reply, Punjab openers Ravi Inder Singh and Chandan Mohan toyed with the Haryana bowlers before guiding their team home. Ravi smashed 70 off 94 deliveries. Ravi's knock included eight fours and a six. Madan, on the other hand, took 80 deliveries for his 69 that included 11 fours. Brief Scores: Haryana: 153 all out in 45.5 overs (R Dewan 60, Rajwinder 4/30) Punjab: 153/0 in 29 overs (RI Singh 70 no, Chandan Mohan 69 no).
— PT
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MI among top-150 most valuable team brands New Delhi, February 13 In the assessment of brand values of all major sports teams worldwide done by a London-based brand valuation firm, the Mukesh Ambani-owned team found the 146th position with a brand value worth $ 48 millions, followed by Chennai Super Kings at $ 45m. The firm, Brand Finance plc, had compiled the list of the world's 250 most valuable sports teams, including football clubs and teams from the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB and the IPL as on June 1 last year. The inaugural IPL champions, Rajasthan Royals ($ 27 millions), have the least brand value among the other teams in the competition. Despite cricket being one of the the world's biggest sport, the total value of IPL teams is just $321 million, the research claimed. As per the average team brand value for different sports, the cricket event has $35 million brand value. Pujara ties knot Cheteshwar Pujara tied the nuptial knot with fiancee Puja Pabari. Puja belongs to Gujarat's Jamnagar district and is a management graduate. “Entire Indian team and the BCCI officials are invited,” said Arvind Pujara, Cheteshwar's father.
— PTI
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Welsh Open: Advani enters pre-quarters
New Delhi, February 13 Eight-time world champion Advani, the only active player to compete at the highest level in both billiards and snooker concurrently in the same season, reigned supreme at the green baize to enter the Round of 16, where he would be facing either 2006 world champion Graeme Dott of Scotland or Ireland’s Fergal O'Brien. “I’m ecstatic about this win. Defeating a player of Murphy’s calibre, that too in a main event, requires one to play out of his skin. I guess that’s what happened!” Advani said. Advani has became the youngest Indian ever to win eight World titles in any sport, following his World Billiards title triumph
in October last year in Leeds. — PTI |
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Australia captain Michael Clarke has claimed the Test series against India on their home turf will be one of the toughest challenges of his career.
Clarke added the selectors sent their players early to India so that they could get properly acclimatized with the difficult sub-continental conditions.
Sao Paulo, February 13
Patiala, February 13
Mumbai, February 13