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Oz turn and twist into the mouth of defeat
Henriques enjoys adversity of spin
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'Rockstar’ Jadeja must start rocking
BCCI, CA officials in Hyderabad to review security
Bird flies back to Oz for scan
India takes outright lead at top in ODI ranking
Pak urged to revamp after humiliation in SA
Santosh Trophy: Punjab pip West Bengal 4-3
AIBA approves IABF’s amended constitution
Beckham makes PSG debut in 2-0 win over Marseille
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Oz turn and twist into the mouth of defeat
Chennai, February 25 Clarke glared at the red, worn track in suspicion, as if an invisible hand had grabbed the ball off the ground and hurled it, with speed, towards his stump. Outside the Australian dressing room, the team’s video analyst looked flabbergasted; Michael Wade, the wicketkeeper, stared at the TV monitor with mouth agape, as if he’d seen a ghost. What Ashwin did with that ball — and indeed, what the more modestly gifted Ravindra Jadeja too did with on occasion — had been beyond the wildest dreams of Australia’s sole specialist spinner, Nathan Lyon, who gave away 215 runs in his 47 overs. Before the Test match, Lyon had confessed that he could not bowl the doosra — “I have tried it before and it has not worked for me,” he had said. A plain vanilla off-spinner wasn’t going to trouble India, even on this dangerous turner. But India’s spinners bowled spells that spelt danger. Australia, thus, suffered horribly today, the fourth day of the first Test match. Suffering, everyone knew, was their lot after Mahendra Singh Dhoni cut their bowling to ribbons yesterday, converting a losing hand into a winning one. The ease of his batting and run-gathering, though, raised the hope of an Australian resistance. No one thought that, on a wicket on which Dhoni and the tail added 166 runs for the last two wickets, Australia would struggle to take the match to the fifth day. Australia needed to score 192 runs to make India bat for the second time; an hour before the scheduled close of play, they were reduced to 175 for nine, in 66 overs. That they managed to avoid an innings defeat, and to ensure the fifth day’s play, was entirely due to the skill and bravery of Moises Henriques, who made the second half-century of his debut Test. He and Lyon survived 18.1 overs which India bowled in the last hour. They’ve added 57 for the last wicket; the team is 40 runs ahead; the prospect of rain is 10 percent — consequently, the prospect of defeat is 200 percent. After India finished with a lead of 192, lasting an hour today to add 57 runs in 13.3 overs — India opened their bowling with their two off-spinners, Ashwin and Harbhajan Singh. Dhoni didn’t need someone to even take the shine off the ball. Right from the first over, it was clear that India’s spin, vastly superior to Australia’s, would be mortally dangerous, would freeze the inexperienced visitors. The third ball of Ashwin’s opening over was edged by Shane Watson —opening in the place of the gastroenteritis-hit David Warner — to his pad but it didn’t carry to short leg; the last ball of the second over, from Harbhajan, turned right across Dhoni and was collected by Virender Sehwag at first slip. Clearly, it was just a question of time before wickets crumbled; clearly, Ashwin was again going to play a significant hand. Watson, after some stolidity, hit a six and a four, but perished playing the forward-defensive off the last ball before lunch, and Ed Cowan was trapped LBW for 32 after some resistance. The fall of Phil Hughes, by Ravindra Jadeja, was spine-chilling -- the ball reared up from good length kissed his glove on its way too Sehwag. The Indians had formed a ring around the batsmen, throwing men in catching positions, leaving the boundaries unprotected. Clarke, dropped on 0 by Kohli at leg slip off Ashwin, attack back with a six and four in the same over. Warner, stirred, followed suit and the two added 36 runs at four an over. But Warner was beaten by Harbhajan, who also got Wade when the batsman slogged across the line and exposed his stumps. The killer blow was that ball by Ashwin to Clarke. Henriques deserves praise for his brave, skillful knock; he also acknowledged that he’s been quite fortunate. He knows that against the Indian spin, the Australian batsmen are marked men on this wicket — any moment, a ball could arrive with his name on it. It could shoot to his pad an inch off the ground, it could leap at his throat — from the same spot. He said today that he’d fight on, keep hoping. He spoke this words, but his manner betrayed his lack of belief in them. MS Dhoni breaks Sachin's record
MS Dhoni surpassed Sachin Tendulkar's record of highest individual Test score by an Indian captain en route his majestic 224 in first Test. Dhoni, who reached his maiden double century yesterday went past Tendulkar's 217 scored against New Zealand in 1999-00 at Ahmedabad. Dhoni reached the feat in the 144th over when he first hit a flat six off Nathan Lyon to reach 217 and then took a single to surpass Tendulkar's score. The India captain however fell eight runs short of equalling Andy Flower's highest individual score by a skipper — 232 against India. Highest scores by Indian captains 224 MSD vs Aus (Chennai) 217 Sachin vs New Zealand, 205 Gavaskar vs WI. Scoreboard Australia 1st Inngs: 380 all out India 1st Inngs: 572 all out Vijay b Pattinson 10 Shewag b Pattinson 2 Pujara b Pattinson 44 Tendulkar b Lyon 81 Kohli c Starc b Lyon 107 Dhoni c Wade b Pattinson 224 Jadeja b Pattinson 1 6 Ashwin b Lyon 3 Harbhajan b Henriques 11 Bhuvneshwar c Clarke b Siddle 38 Ishant not out 4 Extras: 32 Total: (all out in 154.3 ov) 572 Fall of wickets: 1/11, 2/12, 3/105, 4/196, 5/324, 6/365, 7/373, 8/406, 9/546 Bowling Starc 25-3-75-0 Pattinson 30-6-96-5 Siddle 24.3-5-66-1 Lyon 47-1-215-3 Hendriues 17-4-48-1 Clarke 8-2-25-0 Warner 3-0-19-0 Australia 2nd inngs Cowan lbw b Ashwin 32 Watson c Sehwag b Ashwin 17 Warner lbw b Harbhajan 23 Hughesc Sehwag b Jadeja 0 Clarke lbw b Ashwin 31 Wade b Harbhajan 8 Henriques batting 75 Siddle b Jadeja 2 Pattinson c Sehwag b Ashwin 11 Starc c Tendulkar b Ashwin 8 Lyon batting 8 Extras: 17 Total: (9 wkts in 84 ovs) 232 Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-64, 3-65, 4-101, 5-121, 6-131, 7-137, 8-161, 9-175 Bowling Ashwin 28-4-90-5 Harbhajan 27-6-55-2 Jadeja 26-5-68-2 Sharma 3-1-2-0
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Henriques enjoys adversity of spin
Australia, on the other hand, bowled 58 from their spinners — the specialist Nathan Lyon (47) aided by part-timers Michael Clark (8) and David Warner (3). They went into this match with four pace bowlers, trusting their strength, pace bowling. Maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing — their best spinner proved completely inadequate against India. The presence of another specialist spinner, who would clearly be second best to Lyon, would have been weakened their bowling further. Moises Henriques was today asked if the team has been regretting its decision of picking up only one spinner for this match, perhaps considering a two-spinner attack for the second Test. “I am not sure. I have no idea,” he said. “Obviously, I spent most of the time on the field, for 60 overs or so. I think that will get assessed at the end of this Test match, and that is not up to me.” Ironically, if a second specialist spinner had been picked up for this Test, Henriques could well have been excluded from the XI. He said the quality of the Indian spinners had left Australia in a very difficult place. “The Indians have quality spin bowlers… It became difficult when they hit the rough there and the balls were jumping,” he said. “The ball that Phil Hughes got, and then Shane Watson got… I think they popped up and the batsmen really could not do much. If you get out to ball like that, then you know you cannot really do anything about it.” The ball that got Michael Clark, turning practically square, perhaps 18 inches from outside off stump, left the team stunned too. “I was up at the other end then… When you are put in such tracks, I knew those things are going to happen,” he said. “Clarke said to us before we went out to bat that we’d got to play according to the conditions. And if you get a ball like that, you cannot do anything really. There is nothing that Michael could have done with such ball.” Henriques didn’t have any complaint against the pitch, though. Nine years ago in Mumbai, after the Indians had won a Test in three days, Australian captain Ricky Ponting had complained that such tracks didn’t belong to Test cricket. Henriques had an entirely different view -- he said it was enjoyable to play in such challenging, diverse conditions. “I think it is terrific that as cricketers we get to go to different nations and play in different conditions,” he said. “It is so different to wickets that we get in Australia. It is so enjoyable and even if it hit your glove, it is still enjoyable. It is just good fun, even if it is very frustrating when you get out — very frustrating, but you have to enjoy. That is the difference. I think it is a terrific day that cricket being such a world game that has so many different tough conditions.” Is it possible that Henriques found success in his debut Test — 143 runs already —because he actually believe this, relishes such challenges? |
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'Rockstar’ Jadeja must start rocking
Jadeja has not had a happy time with the bat, though. He has batted at the No. 7 spot, not a position he’s accustomed to batting in for his Ranji team, Saurashtra. He’s played only one Test before, in which too he played only one innings, at No. 7. Seeing his somewhat scratchy display against England in Nagpur and now here, it’s inconceivable that he should bat at No. 6, the position occupied by captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Dhoni has made 99 and 224 in his last two innings at No. 6. Jadeja has made 28 unconvincing runs from 76 balls at No. 7. There is no case for sending Jadeja before Dhoni. For Saurashtra, Jadeja is the Garry Sobers of the XI. This season he scored the highest number of runs for his team (794) and is second only to Cheteshwar Pujara in the batting averages; he’s taken the joint highest number of wickets (24) and is second in the bowling averages too, behind Vishal Joshi. Why has he looked so brittle in Test cricket? Is it pressure? “Every time you play for India, pressure is there,” Jadeja said today. “I had played 45 balls in the first innings, I was set, and there was that period of 15-20 minutes. If I’d got through that, I’d have got runs more easily. But I was a bit nervous, because the shots I was playing, I was not getting the runs off them.” At that point, he shouldered his arms to an innocuous delivery bowled by James Pattinson. That was a fatal mistake, for the ball was delivered from around the stumps and was angled in -- it didn’t have to do anything special to make its way to his stumps. “I left that ball and it hit the stumps… I should have played more carefully at that time,” Jadeja rued his error of judgment. “I can’t say there was pressure, but I wasn’t getting runs, so I was looking for runs.” With the ball, Jadeja has looked more assured in his two Test matches, picking up seven wickets in all. He said he’s been focusing on getting his line right in the two innings, and that he must add variety to his bowling. “As I play more matches, I’ll learn more from the other players, from seeing different wickets,” he said. “I’ll discuss with my teammates, coaches, what I need to do to add variations to my bowling.” Jadeja has been the rockstar of domestic cricket, and he’s got the trappings of a star -- he sports bling, bowls wearing shades, owns horses, a farmhouse and fast bikes. He owns a good game, too, but it’s only good for him to dominate in domestic cricket. Dhoni rates him very highly, but Jadeja hasn’t presented evidence that he’s the answer to India’s prayers for an allrounder. To do that, he must raise his game several notches. |
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BCCI, CA officials in Hyderabad to review security
Hyderabad, February 25 Security has been beefed up in the wake of last Thursday's terror attacks in the city, which has been rocked by serial blasts. Senior board officials along with the security head of Cricket Australia assessed the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, the venue for the match, though Hyderabad Cricket Association secretary M V Sridhar called it a routine affair. Ratnakar Shetty, the BCCI general manager - cricket development, came from Mumbai for the meeting. The HCA official said Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy "assured them of full security". "He said he would not compromise on anything. He assured us full support," Sridhar told reporters. He also added that if the Australians have any specific demands, the host association will consider them. Terror struck the city killing 12 people and injuring 84 others last Thursday evening when two powerful near simultaneous blasts ripped through a crowded area close to a cluster of bus stands in Dilsukhnagar area. The blasts triggered by Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) tied to two took place in the peak hour at two sites 100 metres apart outside a roadside eatery near Konark and Venkatadiri theatres in the area located on the Hyderabad-Vijaywada national highway in Cyberabad police limits. Eight people were killed in the first blast that took place at 6.58pm near Konark theatre and three in the second that followed three minutes later.
— PTI |
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Bird flies back to Oz for scan
“If the scans come back clear, then he will return to India to take up his place with the squad," he added, according to a Cricket Australia release. The 26-year-old has taken 11 wickets from two Tests since making his debut against Sri Lanka in Melbourne last December. Bird earned an Australia A call-up for the 2012 tour of England and then won a place in the national squad for the Boxing Day Test against Sri Lanka later the same year after starting the 2012-13 Sheffield Shield season in excellent form again. Bird had only bowled 10 overs out in the middle, and Siddle a few more. Both have been economical, though wickets have been hard to come by.
— PTI |
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India takes outright lead at top in ODI ranking
Dubai, February 25 England, however, retained their number two spot and now leads third-ranked Australia by just one ratings point and fourth-ranked South Africa by five ratings points with just 100 days to go to the start of ICC Champions Trophy. With India and Australia not scheduled to play any ODIs before the April cut-off date of ICC ODI Championship Table, South Africa is the only side that can push India and England down the order when it takes on Pakistan in a five-match series from 10 March. The batting table is still headed by South Africa's Hashim Amla, followed by his captain AB de Villiers in second place and India's Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni retaining the third and fourth place respectively. Suresh Raina has lost one place to be at the 12th spot. In the ICC Player Rankings for ODI bowlers, R. Ashwin has improved one spot to share the 13th spot with two others, while Ravindra Jadeja is still at the number nine position of the table, which is still headed by Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal. The rankings for all-rounders is headed by Mohammad
Hafeez. — PTI |
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Pak urged to revamp after humiliation in SA
Karachi, February 25 Former captain Aamir Sohail said Pakistan went into the series unprepared for the demands of the longest form of the game. "It was predicted," Sohail said. "South Africa were well equipped while we are not doing things needed (for Test cricket) and are paying the price." Pakistan's batsmen struggled on the bouncy pitches against a hostile pace attack led by Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander, who shared 35 wickets between them in the series. The tourists were shot out for their lowest Test score, 49, in the first Test at Johannesburg, going on to lose by 211 runs. They staged something of a fightback at Cape Town, posting 328 before a second-innings collapse condemned them to another defeat. No Pakistani batsman had an answer to the pace, movement and hostility of the South African attack, with only Asad Shafiq and veteran Younis Khan managing centuries. Opener Mohammad Hafeez flopped, with just 43 runs in six innings. Sohail, also a former chief selector, said Pakistan needed to take measures at the grassroots level.
— AFP |
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I can become No. 1 again, says Federer
Dubai, February 25 The 31-year-old top-ranking record-holder is only planning to play 14 tournaments this year, even dropping his home town tournament in Basel and the Miami tournament which has sometimes been described as the biggest outside the four Grand Slams. Federer, who is now world number two, is already more than 4000 ranking points behind the leader Novak Djokovic, whose total is 40 percent more than the Swiss legend. This means that the chances of the sport's greatest legend adding to his record total of 302 weeks at the top would appear to be significantly reduced. But Federer immediately contested that. "It's definitely realistic if I'm playing great, but I need to play absolutely great," he said, before expressing his doubts. "I can play great, but will I be allowed to? Time will tell. My big focus is on making sure that every tournament I enter I am perfectly prepared. I am hopeful I will get enough matches but if not my schedule can be changed. "I need to make sure I have enough time off, so that when 2014 comes I am in a position with options which I almost wasn't this year to a degree." This is a reference to the options which will be open to him in 10 months time according to ATP Tour rules. These reduce a player's mandatory commitments to Masters events by one tournament for each of the following milestones - 600 career matches, 12 years' service, and 31 years of age. But because Federer will have achieved all three, he will be able to skip as many as he wishes without penalty. For this and other reasons Federer also insists he can extend his all-time record of 17 Grand Slam tournament titles. "I strongly believe I have more Slams in me," he said. "Which Slam do I favour - does Wimbledon over-weigh the rest? Maybe, but looking back there have been amazing moments with each Slam. "It depends how long I play. But I don't want to be depending on that. I am trying to be smart with my schedule. I am practising more. "Your prime is 23 to 27 or 28 so for me it's very challenging - and exciting. I need to make the right decisions. I have family and not many guys have that." Federer was even more adamant that retirement was not close. "I want to give myself the best chance to play as long as I can. Maybe then it will become clear that it is time to stop. You know things change very quickly, and you have to be ready and open about it. "But I would like to give myself the chance to play for many years to come. I am happy with the way my body is. I am healthy and happy to be playing. And as for the number one ranking and Grand Slams are still really important to me. — AFP |
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Venus Williams returns to top 20
Venus, 32, climbed to 20th spot, despite not winning more points, as Germany's Julia Goerges dropped to 24th. In other movements, former world no.1 Jelena Jankovic, of Serbia, rose three places to 21st after winning the Bogota Open on Sunday — her first victory since 2010 and the 13th of her career. In the top 10, Czech player Petra Kvitova jumped one place to seventh after her victory in Dubai against Italy's Sara Errani, who dropped to eighth. Jankovic ends nearly 3-year drought
Jelena Jankovic ended a nearly three-year drought Sunday, defeating Paula Ormaechea of Argentina 6-1, 6-2 to capture the title at the Copa Claro Colsanitas. It was Jankovic's 13th WTA title, and her first since she won the 2010 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif. Jankovic, a former No. 1 from Serbia, is now 13-16 in WTA finals. Ormaechea's best WTA result before this weekend was a quarters finish in Bogotá last year.
— AFP |
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Jaipreet, Kainaat lead challenge
Chandigarh, February 25 Jaipreet, who plays off a handicap of seven and recently won the Sardar Wazir Singh Memorial trophy, the Ladies State Championship 2013 as well as the Harinder Sandhu Memorial 2013 said, "I have been playing well this season and am looking forward to teeing it up tomorrow." Meanwhile, another youngster, Kainaat was busy getting in some last minute practice on the course today. She will be joined by Vasundhara Thiara, Gursimar Badwal and Amandeep Drall, part of the young brigade representing the Chandigarh Golf Club ladies section. While the oldest competitor is 77-year-old Pali Sukerchakia, the youngest is Puneet Bajwa, who is just nine-years-old and will play in the sub-junior category. "A part of the Ladies Golfing Tour, the Punjab Open Ladies Golf Championship is basically a nurturing ground for upcoming young golfers and for older lady golfers. Players with handicaps of 14 and under get to play the national amateur circuit which is run by the Indian Golf Union. However there are no separate categories there and single handicap golfers take on silver division players which means they often don't get past the first round. Therefore the golf tour is very crucial in finding young talent and helping them get better so they can play the national tour," said Pauline. "This is where young amateurs can develop their skills and gain competitive experience," she added. The Ladies Golfing Tour also hosts tournaments in Delhi, Noida, Mumbai and Kolkotta. All the ladies of the city are looking forward to competing on home soil though the championship is truly Punjab Open attracting golfers from Amritsar, Ludhiana and Kapurthala apart from Delhi, Noida, DLF, Mumbai, Kolkotta and Jaipur. "It is always fun to play competitive golf and I am looking forward to playing on my home course," said Dimple Minocha, a strong contender in her category. The first two days of the tournament will be played according to a stroke play format, while an alternate shot two ball competition will be played on February 28, the final day. Bhupinder Hooda will inaugurate the tournament and the ceremonial tee off will be performed by the President, Chandigarh Gold Club GS Sandhu. |
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Golfing grandmother a tough competitor
“I started playing at 70," she says. “I woke up on my seventieth birthday and saw a golf set lying in my room and it took me completely by surprise. The set was a gift from my husband and my grand daughters and a perfect incentive to take up the game,” she adds. “However, I had tried my hand at the game earlier but found it too slow. Now I am completely converted and hooked to the game.” A regular golfer, she is the grandmother of one of the leading young amateur golfers of the country, Meher Atwal. Asked if she gets a chance to play golf with her grand daughters often enough, she says, "I do when I am in Delhi as they are based there. Meher has gone to study in the US but my younger grand daughter Seher was supposed to play the Punjab Open but could not come due to her school exams." And unlike most other lady golfers whose husbands play the game as well, she plays in the afternoon so she can spend time with her husband in the morning. "I usually play in the afternoon, after I have enjoyed a relaxed lunch with my husband. Then he goes off to rest and I do not feel guilty about stepping out and spending two hours on the course with my golfing buddies," she says, after which she sometimes rushes back to have tea with him. While most parents encourage their children to take up sport, hers is a wonderful story of two grand daughters who encouraged their grandmother to take up a sport they are so good at. "I thoroughly enjoy playing the game and there is nothing else I would rather do," she says. Pali has her eyes set firmly on the Super Seniors trophy. "Of course I will give it my best shot. It is wonderful just to be playing but it is also nice to take home some trophies." |
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Santosh Trophy: Punjab pip West Bengal 4-3
Kollam, February 25 West Bengal made a stupendous come back as they reduced the margin when Jagannath Sana (66th), Dibendu Biswas (76th) scored quickly in the second half. For Punjab, the fourth goal came again from the boots of Prem Kumar in the 79th minute. Though Bengal fought relentlessly thereafter, they could score only one goal in the last minute of the game through Nabin Hela. In the second quarterfinal in the same group, Karnataka beat Manipur 3-1. Karnataka was ahead 2-0 at the end of the first half of the game. The scorers for them were Stephen (3rd minute) and Rajesh (10th minute). Captain Mmeino scored the lone goal for Manipur in the 63rd minute of play, while Amoes T found the third goal for the winners in the 83rd minute. Earlier, Riding on twin strikes from Vikas, Haryana beat Jammu and Kashmir 3-1 in a Group C match here on Sunday to keep their semifinal hopes alive in the Santhosh Trophy. The striker scored in the 30th and 44th minutes, before partner Vivek added a third on 84 minutes, to ensure three points for his team even as Jammu and Kashmir bowed out of the championship. JK had drawn level at 1-1 in the 33rd minute through Rohit Kumar. Vikas also won the Man of the Match prize. n another match, host Kerala defeated U.P. By 3-2. First goal was hit by Usman P in the 14th minute. The goal came off in a penalty. The second goal in the match was hit by Kannan.R (17th), and third goal for Kerala was hit by Shibinlal (26th). UP`s first goal came during first half injury time by Biru Yadav and the second goal came in the second half injury time and was hit by Vikas Kaira. In the C group, Kerala is leading by 6 points.
— PTI |
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AIBA approves IABF’s amended constitution
New Delhi, February 25 AIBA had provisionally suspended the IABF last year, citing the International Olympic Committee's ban on the Indian Olympic Association and "possible manipulation" in its elections. The governing body had asked the IABF to amend its constitution to make it compliant with the AIBA Statute as one of the pre-requisites for the lifting of suspension. The AIBA wanted us to drop the word amateur because we have incorporated the provisions for professional boxing as well. We have also incorporated the age and tenure limitation guidelines which should satisfy the ministry as well," said Bhandari. The IABF was also suspended by the Sports Ministry, which wants it told hold a re-election. "We are not averse to a re-election but we have given a point by point reply to the ministry's objections. They should tell us, what is it that we have done wrong," he said. The nominated post of Chairman, which is currently occupied by former IABF President Abhay Singh Chautala, has also been removed from the amended constitution. "We want the suspension to be revoked at least from the Ministry's side now. We have adhered to the sports code and have incorporated changes as suggested to us. Because this is what was discussed at our last meeting with the Ministry officials. Now they should keep their word after going through the constitution," he added. Asked whether AIBA is insisting on a re-election, Bhandari said, "They have not conveyed this demand. If they ask anything in writing, we will respond accordingly." Meanwhile, the invitation for participation in the Asian Junior Championships for men, scheduled from March 10 in Philippines, has also arrived.
— PTI |
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Michael Clarke, Australia’s captain and best batsman, could scarcely believe his eyes — the third ball of the 50th over, bowled by Ravichandran Ashwin, pitched well outside off stump and as Clarke shaped to cut it, turned square and hit his back pad in front of off stump.
Chennai, February 25
Chennai, February 25
Chennai, February 25
Paris, February 25
Chandigarh, February 25