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Slip, stumble and a big fall
Sri Lanka dig in after Pak score 451
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Sledge, insult,
abuse... it’s all fair in gentleman’s game
Athletes eyeing Fed Cup for place in Asiad squad
Comeback men a boost for Indian team
pga championship
Honeymoon over, Novak made to work for win
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Slip, stumble and a big fall
A 12-minute, surreal sequence of madness, in which India lost four wickets this morning, has made defeat the most likeliest result for India in the fourth Test match. This morning, after Mahendra Singh Dhoni decided to bat first after winning the toss, Sunil Gavaskar said that it was a “very bold decision by Dhoni”. It was possibly the only decision Dhoni could have taken, and it was probably a decision that had been made before today; the wicket was bald and brown and grassless, and it was clear that there would be no devil in it. However, this morning, Dhoni just might have been tempted by the morning rain, the moisture in the air, to reconsider the decision to bat first. England, after all, have James Anderson, possibly the most skilful swing bowler in the world. In the event, after a half-hour delay, Dhoni did win the toss and India did bat first. For 12 minutes, India survived. India got to eight, courtesy two doubles by Gautam Gambhir — playing his first Test since Nagpur 2012 — and four byes. Then Stuart Broad struck — and the way Gambhir perished did not surprise anyone. Gambhir pushed hard at one that he may have expected to swing fully onto his bat, but it took the outside edge of his bat and flew straight to Joe Root at gully. In the next over, the second ball of Anderson’s third over got Murali Vijay — that ball was a beauty, and it would have got almost any batsman. The line and length were perfect — just short of a length, angled in on the off-stump, it swung away. Vijay had to play at it, there was no other way — then it snaked away, kissing the edge of Vijay’s bat. Vijay, who had left the highest number of balls in this series, was left aghast — this ball was almost impossible to survive. Alastair Cook was able to place four slips and a gully to attack the batsmen – but by emptying the outfield, he was also placing temptation before the Indian batsmen, inviting them to push and drive outside off. Virat Kohli — who had been working at his outside-offstump defence yesterday afternoon — was tempted into indiscretion two balls after Vijay’s exit. It was the outswinger again, but not unplayable; Kohli could have dead-batted it right to his feet; instead, he pushed at it with an open bat-face. Edged and taken. India 8 for 3. The biggest blow was to come yet — Cheteshwar Pujara made an even bigger mistake when he pushed at a ball he could well have left alone. With a cloud cover overhead, with six men waiting behind the stumps, it was a fatal error — batsmen of Pujara’s temperament and ability are not expected to err thus. India 8/4, and in real danger of falling below their low of 42, which they made in England 40 years ago. Dhoni and Ajinkya Rahane then added 54 for the fifth wicket; Rahane, who’s emerged as a dependable lower-order batsmen over the last few Tests, would forever regret his dismissal. Having seen off the dangerous Anderson and Broad, Rahane threw it away when he edged Chris Jordan to the slips. Dhoni went for his shots, hitting 15 fours in his 71. The conditions, the line and length of the bowlers, made Dhoni go for his runs square of the wicket — all his 15 fours were hit square off the wicket, 13 on the offside, two on the legside. India had six ducks in their innings — if you start a Test that way, it can never end well for you. A score of 152 didn't intimidate England unduly, who raced to 113 for 3 by the close of day's play. After prising out Alastair Cook and Sam Robson rather quickly, India picked up Gary Ballance at the fag end of the day. Scoreboard India England
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Sri Lanka dig in after Pak score 451
Galle, August 7 Sri Lanka off-spinner Dilruwan Perera took the last five Pakistan wickets as the tourists were finally dismissed for 451 in their first innings, anchored by a magnificent 177 from Younis Khan. The 36-year-old had dealt Perera some harsh treatment in the morning session but the spinner delivered some retribution by dismissing him in the fifth over after lunch. Younis advanced down the pitch but could only lob an easy catch to Kithuruwan Vithanage at short mid-wicket. Sarfraz Ahmed (55) was next to fall trying to attack Perera, the right hander's smash through the leg side going straight to silly mid-on fielder Angelo Mathews. That left the tourists on 388-7 with Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman taking Pakistan past 400 before Perera struck again to remove Ajmal for 12 after he flicked a ball to Mahela Jayawardene at leg slip. Rehman became the fourth Pakistani to record a half century in the innings with an entertaining knock featuring six fours and a six before he fell for 50, attempting one shot too many as Kumar Sangakkara took a catch at long off. Perera then ended the innings when Jayawardene held onto another smart catch as Junaid Khan attempted a sweep and the ball grazed his glove. Perera finished with figures of 5-137 as the hosts fought back after a frustrating morning session. Brief scores: Pakistan 451 (Younis 177, Shafiq 75, Perera 5/137); Sri Lanka 99 for 1: (Silva 38 batting, Sanga 36 batting). — Reuters
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Sledge, insult,
abuse... it’s all fair in gentleman’s game
Manchester, August 7 To play “aggressive but fair’ cricket means that you can rain the worst possible personal abuse on a player on the cricket field, call his wife and parents and progeny all sorts of names, perhaps even shove him, and get away with it. That is the upshot of the recent hearing in the case involving Ravindra Jadeja and James Anderson, in which the England fast bowler was alleged to have abused and pushed Jadeja during the first Test match in Nottingham. Gordon Lewis, the judicial commissioner of the hearing, noted in his report that umpire Bruce Oxenford had heard some nasty words used during the first Test match at Nottingham, where the push-shove incident allegedly occurred. “I heard Anderson use foul and abusive language to Dhoni. In particular I heard Anderson say ‘you're a f***ing fat c***’ to Dhoni,” Oxenford told Lewis. Lewis notes that “it seems to have been in breach of article 2.1.4 in that it was language that was obscene, offensive and insulting”. Yet, nothing was done. Anderson, who’s acquired quite a reputation for being abusive on the field, got away. English media describes Anderson as quite a Jekyll-Hyde character — quiet and soft-spoken off the field, quite a devil on the field, a sledger who can shame a sailor with his vocabulary. Former international umpire John Holder, who officiated in 11 Test matches, said he’d have had none of it. “The only thing to do is to ban players for bad language,” Holder told this writer today. “I recently got two players banned in the Lancashire leagues for using the ‘f’ word after being given out. That’s exactly what needs to be done at the international level. Why should personal abuse be acceptable?” Anderson is one of the worst offenders in the game. His anger and invective rains equally in domestic and international cricket. Holder, who no longer umpires in first class cricket, cites one recent instance when the ugly side of Jimmy’s character got the better of him. “Jimmy went completely over the top with the verbals,” says Holder. “He was playing for Lancashire against Yorkshire, and he constantly abused Adam Lyth. He was fielding at gully and he went like mad at Lyth. And he got away with it!” “That’s totally, totally unacceptable,” says Holder. He’s aghast that though Lewis was satisfied that physical contact occurred between Jadeja and Anderson, no punishment was handed out. “I am satisfied that personal contact did occur between Anderson and Jadeja but the extent and force of that contact is unknown,” notes Lewis in his verdict. Former Indian captain Rahul Dravid said that the message from the incident, and the subsequent hearing, is that “abuse is OK”. “We all know from Bruce Oxenford's report what Jimmy has said, the words that he's used,” Dravid said today. “That is on the report and no one is denying the fact that there was that kind of abuse… England is claiming that Jadeja turned, so we must bring that into the equation as well. But at the end of all of this, we have seen no punishments handed out.” This, says Holder, is because officials wish to keep the image of cricket as lily-pure. “That’s nonsense,’ he says. “We need officials who make sure bad behaviour, bad language are p8unished.” Alastair Cook, the English captain, was asked yesterday if he thought Anderson needed to “sew his lips a bit”. No, said Cook. “Of course there are little bits where he might have overstepped the mark throughout his career but you’d rather be on that line than too passive,” Cook said. “He needs that for his bowling and the way he bowled, especially at Southampton, was incredible,” the captain said. “You have to get yourself in that right mental state to perform and you do that when you need it most, which is obviously in the middle. That’s when it’s important and that’s why he has that slightly split personality.” Holder hopes that change would come in the aftermath of this incident — so that the ugly cricketers made to keep their mouth shut.
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‘Incheon will be my last Asiad’
New Delhi, August 7 Double Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar has announced that he will no longer be available to spearhead India’s challenge at the next Commonwealth Games and Asian Games in 2018 after competing in his last CWG at Glasgow. Sushil said the forthcoming Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, from September 19 to October 4 would mark his last appearance at the quadrennial event, where he was yet to win a gold medal after taking a bronze at the 2006 Doha Games. Sushil, however, informed that he would make a last-ditch effort to win the elusive Olympic gold at the Rio Games in 2016, after which, he would take a call on his career. “Yes, you can say that Glasgow was my last CWG and Incheon would be my last Asian Games. I have achieved a lot of success in these two events and I believe that young wrestlers should also get a chance to represent the nation,” Sushil told The Tribune. “I have always set small targets for myself. I had practised hard for the CWG gold and now I am preparing for the Asian Games gold. But, my ultimate target is to win the yellow metal at the Rio Olympics. I follow a simple mantra that one should compete in international events till the time he has the strength in his body and remains injury-free. Hopefully, I also stay injury-free and give my best at the Rio Games,” the 31-year-old grappler from Baprola said. Asian Games gold has been a feat that has eluded Sushil so far. The spotlight would again be on him to fetch India a medal at the Games as he remains country’s best hope at a much tougher wrestling competition in the freestyle category. He missed the last Asiad in 2010 in Guangzhou due to injury. “Everyone’s blessings are with me. I am confident of bringing gold from the Asian Games. My preparation is going good,” he said. Sushil will be fighting it out in a new weight category (70kg) at the Asian Games after competing in 74kg at the Glasgow Games. He would again move to the 74kg category for the 2016 Rio Games. “I would compete in 70kg at the Asian Games. It’s difficult to adjust to the new weight category every time, but I am up for the challenge. At present, my weight is less than 74kg. During CWG practice sessions, I used to train with fellow grapplers who compete in higher weight categories,” he said. Sushil said he would like to participate in the forthcoming World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from September 8 to 14 despite Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) deciding to field two separate teams for the World Championships and Asian Games. “I have come to know that WFI has decided to send a ‘B’ team to the World Championships, but I would personally like to compete in the tournament. I will speak to the WFI president in this regard. The World Championships is a big tournament and the kind of experience you get there, no other tournament offers you the same level of competition. I believe every wrestler should participate in the World Championships and use that experience in other international tournaments. My World Championships gold in 2010 boosted the profile of wrestling in the country,” he said.
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Athletes eyeing Fed Cup for place in Asiad squad
Patiala, August 7 The championships will be a highly competitive affair as almost all of the top athletes are expected to show up — it is mandatory for all athletes to participate in the Federation Cup in order to be eligible for selection for the Asian Games. Punjab Athletics Association (PAA) President, Satvir Singh, said that after many years, Punjab would be hosting a major athletics championship. “We hope it will give a boost to athletics in the state. I hope the event will witness many new records and brilliant performances,” he said. PAA Secretary KPS Brar informed that international technical officials would be officiating in some of the events to make the tournament as fair as possible. Arpinder, Navjeet want better support from Govt
Even though Punjab is full of talented players, the State Government is not doing its bit to nurture and promote the talent because of which the players are slowly moving to other states. The government should focus on providing better facilities, suitable jobs and cash incentives so that players can further improve their performances, said Arpinder Singh, Glasgow CWG bronze medalist in triple jump. Discuss thrower Navjeet Kaur
Dhillon, 19, who became only the second Indian to grab a medal at the IAAF World Junior Championships after setting a new personal best to clinch a bronze, said that no player wanted to move to another state for a job but without suitable jobs, they were left with no other option. So, it was important that the government should acknowledge the efforts of the sportspersons, they added. About the Federation Cup National Championships, Arpinder said that the tournament had played a big role in his career and he hoped that the young athletes from Punjab would make their mark in Patiala this time. |
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Kapil Dev, Ajit Pal to head awards committees
New Delhi, August 7 According to ministry sources, Kapil was the unanimous choice to be the chairperson of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards committee. Hockey legend Ajit Pal, the captain of the 1975 World Cup-winning team, will head the Dronacharya Awards committee. The other members of the Khel Ratna and Arjuna awards committee are Jaspal Rana (shooting), Kunjarani Devi (weightlifting), Anupam Gulati (sports commentator), Vijay Lokpally (sports journalist), Lovleen Nigam (news presenter, AIR), Onkar Kedia (joint secretary, sports), Jiji Thomson (DG, Sports Authority of India), VK Mahendroo (Head of Sports, ONGC), Anju Bobby George (athletics) and Lalrinsanga (archery). Droncharya awards committee comprises Monalise Mehta (table tennis), Bhuvneshwari Kumari (squash), Ibomcha Singh (boxing), Sharda Ugra (sports journalist), Manoj Yadav (secretary, All India Police Sports Control Board), RD Singh, Jiji Thomson, Onkar Kedia, Sushil Doshi (commentator) and Shyam Rao (volleyball). It has been learnt that Dronacharya award committee will hold its first meeting on August 11, while the Khel Ratna and Arjuna awards committee will meet the next day in the capital. Glasgow Commonwealth Games bronze medallist PV Sindhu has been recommended for the Khel Ratna award this year. Tennis player Somdev Devvarman, Punjab golfer Jeev Milkha Singh, Discus throwers Krishna Poonia and Vikas Gowda and Para-athlete Devendra Jhajaria are the other nominees. Pistol shooters Heena Sidhu and Gurpreet Singh are among the nominees for Arjuna awards.
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Comeback men a boost for Indian team
Chandigarh, August 7
Not many would have bet against Australia, whose unwavering and unabashed thirst for goals has earned them the reputation of being the deadliest team in the recent past. And everyone expected the world champions to come out at their attacking best. But oddly it wasn’t so. The Aussies started slow. Maybe, they were a bit overconfident that the goals would eventually come. And the goals always come; when Australia play, goals are imminent — they scored six goals in the World Cup final. But, maybe, they were a bit cautious of the Indian team which had come through after a surprisingly fiery performance against New Zealand in the semifinal. Having faced a tough fight from the Indians in the pool match, the defending champions didn’t want an unpleasant surprise. And, understandably, the occasion warranted such an approach. Australia, who played a different (younger) team from the World Cup, were organized in defence but reserved in attack. They controlled the game by slowing it down to a pace which was unsettling for the Indians. India on their part did not play like worthy challengers. Everything they had done right in the previous matches, they forgot, which showed their inconsistency. It made the final a miserable affair. But Australia didn’t mind. And the Indians shouldn’t be too disappointed. The hockey event at the CWG isn’t the most competitive of tournaments but it did show that the team is on the right track towards a medal at the Asian Games. Experience in attack
In the modern game, the role of the forwards is not limited to scoring goals. Their contribution in defence is an equally important part of a team’s strategy. Forwards are the first line of defence and their positioning — to block through passes and deny free space to the opposition — is an essential factor in defending well. At the World Cup in The Hague, the young forwards not only failed with their offensive duties but also with the defensive duties. Failing to keep possession at crucial moments was another aspect that let India down at the World Cup. The late goal against Belgium was conceded after a forward was dispossessed at the halfway line. At the Commonealth Games, though, it was a different scenario upfront. Along with Ramandeep Singh and Nikkin Thimmaiah, who had to return from The Hague due to injuries, two experienced forwards made a comeback after a long absence — Gurwinder Chandi and Danish Mujtaba. With them, the stability at the front returned. Thimmaiah brought a shot of sheer pace along with his knack for getting into good positions. Ramandeep, who had been touted as the next potentially great playmaker for India after the Asia Cup last year, showed great understanding with his fellow strikers. He was also the most successful in front of goal among all the forwards, showing a keen sense for scoring goals. His deflection-equaliser against New Zealand was one of the best goals of the tournament. The linkmen
At the World Cup, there was a disconnect between the midfield and the forward-line. Sunil, who is a natural winger, tried to play the linkman but failed. Because the forwards were losing the ball too often, the Indian defence was susceptible to counter-attacks. Therefore, attacking midfielders such as Sardar Singh, Dharamvir Singh, Manpreet Singh and Gurbaj Singh were too busy helping out in defence and were wary going forward. Chandi and Mujtaba, though still lacking match fitness and temperament, proved most beneficial for the team at the CWG. The two received the ball in their own half, releasing the pressure on the defence from the high press of teams like Australia, and linked up with the other forwards. The cohesive play, with a prominence of short return-passing, helped retain possession and enabled midfielders Gurbaj and Dharamvir to drive forward through overlapping runs. Even defenders Birendra Lakra, Rupinderpal Singh and VR Raghunath felt comfortable enough to move forward, sometimes even up to the opposition’s striking circle. With more men going forward, the team got more control in the midfield — dominating possession, winning the fifty-fifty balls and intercepting the dangerous passes. It was a big factor in the team’s win over New Zealand. But the performance in the final showed that India still lack the consistency needed to win big tournaments like the Asian Games. |
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American Todd in early tie for lead as Tiger toils
Louisville (USA), August 7 Woods, watched by huge galleries after teeing off from the 10th in a high-profile grouping with former champions Phil Mickelson and Padraig Harrington, looked rusty as he bogeyed the 11th and 14th to slip five strokes off the pace. Having pronounced himself pain-free on Wednesday after suffering a back scare on Sunday, Woods missed the green to the right at the par-three 11th, then chipped 13 feet past the cup before failing to make the par putt coming back. The American’s tee shot at the par-three 14th sailed way left and again he failed to get up and down for par, but he then picked up an unlikely birdie at the par-four 16th when he holed out from 34 yards. That left him at one over for the round, four behind Todd, Japan's Hideki Matsuyama and Mikko Ilonen of Finland. Journeyman Todd mixed four birdies and a lone bogey in his first seven holes before reaching the turn in three-under 32. — Reuters
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Honeymoon over, Novak made to work for win
Toronto, August 7 “Well, it’s a first and last time I hope I’m getting married, and of course it is different circumstances that I’m in,” laughed Djokovic, who was married after claiming his seventh grand slam title at Wimbledon. “But it’s been many years already that I have been on the professional tour and with the same team of people around me who are experts in their fields ... and they are making sure I’m in the right frame of mind and in the right zone.” Since losing in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, Djokovic had reached at least the semifinals in all seven tournaments since, winning at Indian Wells, Miami, Rome and on the grass at Wimbledon where he reclaimed the top ranking. But Monfils looked determined to end that run breaking Djokovic twice in the opening set and sweeping the last four games for a 1-0 lead. Monfils continued to press Djokovic in the second and in two consecutive service games was within two points of ending his winless drought against the Serb. In the third, the Frenchman again went up a break but Djokovic would immediately break back forcing the set to a tie-break which he easily won. Andy Murray, twice a winner of the Canadian crown, got his North American hard court campaign off to a much smoother start with a 6-2 6-2 win over Nick Kyrgios. Order restored
Montreal: Fourth seed Maria Sharapova rallied for a 4-6 6-3 6-1 second-round win over Spain’s Garbine Muguruza while Serena Williams destroyed former US Open champion Samantha Stosur as order and power was restored to the Rogers Cup in Montreal on Wednesday. A day after Eugenie Bouchard suffered a surprise opening-match loss, the event enjoyed a return to normalcy. World No. 1 Williams then joined Sharapova with a 6-0 6-2 thrashing of Stosur in a touch under an hour. — Reuters |
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A 12-minute, surreal sequence of madness, in which India lost four wickets this morning, has made defeat the most likeliest result for India in the fourth Test match.
Manchester, August 7
Around 800 athletes will fight for the top honours during the Federation Cup National Athletics Championships that will be held at
NIS, Patiala, from August 16 to 19. The event holds more relevance considering that it will also serve as the selection trial for the Asian Games to be held at
Incheon, Korea.
Playing his first match as a married man, Djokovic, a three-time winner in Canada, needed two hours, 41 minutes and a third set tie-break to subdue the Frenchman and extend his perfect record over the feisty Monfils to 10-0.
“Well, it’s a first and last time I hope I’m getting married, and of course it is different circumstances that I’m in,” laughed
Djokovic.
Gambhir c Root b Broad 4 
Vijay c Cook b Anderson 0 
Kohli c Cook b Anderson 0 
Pujara c Jordan b Broad 0 
Rahane c Bell b Jordan 24 
