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Ban on Akhtar will DUBAI, Jan 4: The ban imposed on Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar...more
BANGALORE, Jan 4: World number one doubles tennis player Mahesh...more
Innings defeat for SYDNEY, Jan 4: Opener V V S Laxman’s glorious 167 for his maiden test....more |
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CRPF Inter-Bn Athletics Meet 136 Bn leading ahead with 73 pts Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 4: Host 136 Bn is leading ahead with unbeatable 73 points on the second day of the CRPF Inter-Bn Athletics Meet being held at Group Centre, Bantalab, here today........more Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 4: Badminton Players’ Welfare Club has clarified that the name of Pt Durga Dass was wrongly included in the list of veteran players of the millennium, who were honoured in a function held on January 1 at Indoor Complex, MA Stadium, here today.....more Hiranagar
Club wins Excelsior Sports Correspondent KATHUA, Jan 4: Hiranagar Cricket Club bagged the Surinder Memorial Cricket tournament beating the NCC, Gurah Slathia in final by 53 runs .....more 20-day
Zorawar cycle Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 4: Major General P K Chhiber, GOC of an Infantry division today flagged off 20-day long Zorawar Cycle expedition, here. The expedition is being organised by the Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles......more Indians have only SYDNEY, Jan 4: Australian captain Steve Waugh said India only had themselves to....more |
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Ban on Akhtar will adversely affect DUBAI, Jan 4: The ban imposed on Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar is unfair and will adversely affect the morale of the team in the tri-nation one-day tournament in Australia, according to Pakistan’s chief selector Salahuddin Ahmad. "Shoaib’s suspension is unfair... Many top veteran cricketers, including Javed Miandad, have come out in support of Shoaib. There is nothing wrong with his action", he said. Mr Ahmad said Shoaib was a frontline bowler in the Pakistani attack and his absence would definitely be felt in the three-nation tournament with India and Australia later this month. "Shoaib’s absence will definitely affect the morale of the team, particularly because of the controversial manner in which he has been removed" The Pakistani selector’s remarks in an interview to Jeddah-based Arab news came Amid Shoaib’s assertion that he was the best bowler in the world and that if he was a "chucker", so was every second bowler in international cricket. Mr Ahmad was of the opinion that Shoaib’s case was mishandled by the Pakistani cricket authorities. "Pakistan should have fully backed Shoaib and fought his case like Sri Lankans did for Muralitharan. Because of Sri Lanka’s firm stand, Muralitharan is still playing international cricket". He said the bogey of "chucking" was always raised by the Australians whenever a team was due to tour that country. "Shoaib bowled during the World Cup in front of the best umpires from all over the world and against all top international teams. Why no one found fault with his action at that time,’’ he asked. Mr Ahmad felt sorry for Shoaib while describing him as the most talented fast bowler in contemporary cricket. "It is really sad that Shoaib has suffered this setback, especially since he has signed a lucrative contract with English County Nottinghamshire". Asked whether Shoaib would be able to make a comeback, he said "it is too late for Shoaib to make any change in his bowling action but if the objection is against the odd delivery, then that can be rectified with the help of an expert and Shoaib can definitely make a comeback." He was hopeful of pakistan doing well in the three-nation series. "We have sent two spinners because we found that pace bowlers and seamers could not contain the Austrlians. I would also like to point out that most Australian wickets are no longer like those of the olden days when Lillee and Thompson struck terror." He said young Shoaib Malik was almost a replica of off spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and the duo could prove to be a winning combination for Pakistan. (UNI) |
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BANGALORE, Jan 4: World number one doubles tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi, who is recovering from a right shoulder injury, today said be would be fit and back into the game by May. With a sling on his right shoulder after a surgery he underwent in New York late last month, Bhupathi told reporters I will be more fit, since I have four months to work out and the sling will be removed in another ten days. I am planning to start practicising. Bhupathi said he would be in a different role at Chennai Gold Flake Open, where he is on an assignment for a sports channel. Sydney Olympics is a long way but before that US Open is a good goal to aim at. When once I am out of the injury, I will have to sit with Leander Paes and work out the itinerary and decide when we can start playing together, said Bhupathi. He said the injury had certainly come at a bad time. The singles ranking had taken a back seat and I have missed challengers, Gold Flake etc, he said. Bhout Leander’s new double partner, he said they are favourties and good pair they have done well in the past. Regarding trainer Bob Carmichael, Bhupathi said my singles ranking has gone down I will have to rethink and when the situation comes I will tie up with him again. I have spoken to him about the happennings. He said Donald Rose, a doctor in New York, operated on me and I am looking for a physical trainer and when it comes through, the schedule will be on. He said he sustained the injury a couple of weeks before the world championships. (PTI) |
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Innings defeat for India despite Laxman’s classy ton SYDNEY, Jan 4: Opener V V S Laxman’s glorious 167 for his maiden test hundred went in vain as India crashed to an embarrassing innings and 141-run defeat against Australia in the third and final cricket test with two full days to spare as the hosts completed a 3-0 series sweep here today. The Indian batting once again cut a sorry figure and was terminated for 261 in the second innings after Australia rode on left-hander Justin Langer’s (223) maiden double century to amass 552 for five declared and leave the visitors to fight a losing battle to reach 402 to avert an innings defeat. The 25-year-old Laxman was the only saving grace as he finally clicked and played brilliant shots all over the ground and dominated young pace sensation Brett Lee and leg spinner Shane Warne in a racy knock studded with 27 fours and a five. But the tall opener, who took off courageously after being struck by fast bowler Glenn McGrath on his helmet grille at the outset, got little support from the other end and once skipper Sachin Tendulkar fell for a rare failure, the writing was on the wall. Laxman was all elegance in a stay of 255 minutes facing 198 balls as he stole the thunder from Langer and Ricky Ponting, who cracked an unbeaten 141, to reduce the deficit and raise hopes of pushing the match into the fourth day. But he fell to a tired-looking shot at the fag end of the day and the Indian defeat was hastened - innings closed at the fall of the ninth wicket - as middle-order Vijay Bharadwaj could not bat due to back problem. Fast bowler Glenn McGrath, who was an epitome of control on a wicket which held no terrors, captured five for 55 for a superb match haul of 10 for 103 to be named man of the match as the Aussies clinched their seventh straight test win. India, facing an uphill task as Australia resumed at 331 for four this morning in reply to India’s measly 150, were sent on a leather hunt as 29-year-old Langer (223 - 355 b, 523 m, 30x4) and the aggressive Ricky Ponting (141 no - 183 b, 262 m, 17x4, 1x6) piled up 190 runs for the fifth wicket. It required the genius of Tendulkar to finally evict Langer - who had survived several close calls yesterday - but Australia showed no let up in their rapid scoring to leave India with a virtually impossible task of making 402 runs to avoid innings defeat. The indian innings was once again rocked early as McGrath dismissed makeshift opener M S K Prasad (3) and Rahul Dravid (0) before Damien Fleming claimed the prized scalp of Tendulkar for just four to leave the innings in disarray. But Laxman, who is not included for the coming one-day series, reminded the selectors of his value by playing superb shots on both sides of the wicket to keep the innings alive. He first added 68 runs with left-hander Saurav Ganguly (25) and then dominated an 89-run partnership with Anil Kumble and also reached his maiden test century smashing Brett Lee for two consecutive fours and a single in one over. Laxman, who drove impeccably square of the wicket and ondrove and flicked with elan, reached his 100 in only 114 balls with the help of 16 fours and a five in just under two and a half hours. For once, the Indian batsmen did not go into a defensive shell as Laxman led the way. He rocked back to pull and was all timing as he drove on either side of the wicket. Tendulkar, who has been battling the Aussie attack on his own, fell early as he uppishly drove a Fleming delivery into the hands of Justin Langer at extra cover. Ganguly was not too convincing and McGrath, going round the wicket to cramp him for space, found immediate success as Mark Waugh took a regulation, low catch at second slip. Fellow left-hander Hrishikesh Kanitkar (8) was also not upto the task and it was left to Kumble (15), who gave fine support to the fluent Laxman to cut down the margin of defeat and push the match into the fourth day. The Aussies seemed a frustrated lot as no breakthrough was coming as McGrath came on to bowl the last over of the day. But kumble fell trying to drive a widish ball and Ajit Agarkar was gone two balls later for his fifth successive duck, following four first ball dismissals. The dismissal of Agarkar, who equalled the dubious world record of five consecutive zeros held by Bob Holland, led the umpires to extend play by half an hour in a quest for result as the light was good. Laxman looked visibly tired after notching up India’s highest score in this highly forgettable series, behind Tendulkar’s 116 at Melbourne in the second test. (PTI) |
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CRPF
Inter-Bn Athletics Meet Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 4: Host 136 Bn is leading ahead with unbeatable 73 points on the second day of the CRPF Inter-Bn Athletics Meet being held at Group Centre, Bantalab, here today. The 33 Bn is trailing with 35 points at the second place, while the third position is occupied by the 83 Bn with 33 points at the end of the second day events. Other four Battalions which have made it into the medals tally included 16 Bn (20 pts), 41 Bn (19 pts), 68 Bn (19 pts) and 34 Bn with 17 points. Whereas, teams from 8, 39, 50, 74 Battalions and Group Centre, Bantalab, Jammu have yet to open their account. In today’s competitions, the Pole Vault gold went in favour of Constable Rajender Kumar of 83 Bn. Constable G Appakuttan of 68 Bn and Constable Rajesh Kumar of 34 Bn finished second and third respectively in the same event. Constable Ravinder Kumar of 35 Bn bagged gold in 100 meters hurdle race, while Bilal Ahmed of 136 Bn and Constable P Subash of 68 Bn finished second and third respectively. In Hammer Throw, Constable Bilal Ahmed of 136 Bn got first position, followed by Head Constable B C Paul of 33 Bn. Third place went to Constable Ram Kumar of 16 Bn. The Athletics meet will be concluded on January 6. |
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20-day Zorawar cycle expedition begins Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 4: Major General P K Chhiber, GOC of an Infantry division today flagged off 20-day long Zorawar Cycle expedition, here. The expedition is being organised by the Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles. The 20-member expedition team is led by Lieutenant Uday Samyal, while other participants included one JCO and ten other ranks. The expedition has been organised on the eve of 25th Raising anniversary of the Battalion. During the course of the expedition, the team besides passing through district Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur will also visit village Kot-Kalhoor, the birth place of General Zorawar Singh. They will pay homage to the legendary General, who is the founder father of the Regiment at village Kot-Kalhoor. In addition to fostering the spirit of adventure among the participants, the expedition aims at fraternisation with the local populace and ex-servicemen enroute. The expedition will cover a distance of approximately 650 kms, through the mountainous Dauladhar ranges. |
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Indians have only themselves to blame, says Waugh SYDNEY, Jan 4: Australian captain Steve Waugh said India only had themselves to blame after crashing to a 3-0 series loss with an innings defeat in the third and final test at the Sydney cricket ground today. The Australian captain dealt swiftly with that suggestions India’s players had been hard done by the umpires and said their defeat had more to do with their own approach than by any decision that went against them. "I would have to say they were pretty negative from the start," Waugh said. "But it’s not easy to be positive when you haven’t got such a good away record, that’s hard to change." "I can understand a little bit of their thinking, they probably wanted to start off with a good performance in Adelaide which didn’t happen. "After that their confidence was down and once we get on top of a side we are hard to stop." A number of Indian commentators have blamed India’s loss on a rash of debatable decisions which have gone against them. Leading the list of complaints are the decisions that went in favour of Australia’s third test double-century maker Justin Langer as well as three dubious rulings that went against Indian captain Sachin Tendulkar. The most controversial decision involving Tendulkar was in the first test in Adelaide when he was given out Leg Before Wicket without scoring as he ducked into a Glenn McGrath bouncer that struck him on the shoulder. They also pointed an accusing finger at the International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee, Sri Lanka’s Ranjan Madugalle, who imposed a fine and a one-match suspended sentence against Indian medium-pacer Venkatesh Prasad but let off McGrath after he gave Tendulkar a "send-off" in Sydney. Tendulkar refused to enter into the debate over the umpiring standards when quizzed at the post-game press conference on today, only to say that he was disappointed by his team’s performance. Only two Indian players, Tendulkar and Venkat Laxman averaged over 30 with the bat while Ajit Agarkar and Venkatesh Prasad were the only bowlers to take 10 or more wickets. "It’s been a tough tour for the bowlers and the batters," Tendulkar said. "It’s an altogether different ball game when you play in Australia compared to India. "But there are quite a lot of things we have learnt on this tour and they should help to broaden our knowledge." Waugh said the only real injustice of the three tests was that Tendulkar was chosen as the player of the series. The Indian captain scored 278 runs at an average of 46.33 while Ricky Ponting made 375 at 125 and McGrath took 18 wickets at 13.72. "I’m not surprised because it always happens to us," Waugh said. (REUTERS) |
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