BRISBANE, Jan 10 : India failed to keep their nerves intact at the fag end of a valiant defence of their low total as arch rivals Pakistan registered a two wicket victory off the very last delivery in an absolutely thrilling league tie in the one-day Tri-series Cricket Tournament here tonight....more

Todd Martin

Adidas International
Martin shines with
opening-round victory

SYDNEY, Jan 10: American Todd Martin, his dream of competing in the Sydney...more

Shane Warne

Warne faces month’s
lay-off because of injury

BRISBANE, Jan 10: Australian leg spinner Shane Warne could miss the remainder....more

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 10: The gold winners Ice Hockey team of Jammu and Kashmir was today felicitated on their return..........more

J&K Police XI to meet Jammu XI in opening tie
23rd Indira Gold
Cup Hockey tourney
begins today

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 10: Twentythird All India Indira Gandhi Gold Cup Hockey Tournament will begin at the newly laid Astroturf at K K Hakhu Hockey Stadium, here tomorrow.....more

Belt grading test held

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 10: United Taekwon-do Sports Federation organised belt grading test at Lawrance Public School, here today......more

Physical Education
Teachers form new body

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 10: All J&K Unemployed Physical Education Teachers Association in a meeting held under......more

Bhopal students to
have two adventure
courses in Jammu

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 10: The Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports is organising two adventure.....more

Tri-series Cricket tourney
India lose dramatic clash to Pak

BRISBANE, Jan 10 : India failed to keep their nerves intact at the fag end of a valiant defence of their low total as arch rivals Pakistan registered a two wicket victory off the very last delivery in an absolutely thrilling league tie in the one-day Tri-series Cricket Tournament here tonight.

India, bowled out for 195 in 48.5 overs, had a vice-like grip on the match after reducing their arch-rivals to 153 for eight wickets but failed to prise out the last two wickets as Pakistan, docked one over for slow bowling, reached 196 for eight wickets in exactly 49 overs at the gabba.

The nerve-wracking final over bowled by paceman Venkatesh Prasad saw Pakistan requiring six runs after defiant knocks by Saqlain Mushtaq and Waqar Younis helped their team bounce back, but the nervous Indians conceded an overthrow and wide to leave their rivals needing two runs from as many balls.

A single off the penultimate ball helped Pakistan tie the scores and with the batsmen taking off for a winning bye, new wicketkeeper Sameer Dighe failed to hit the stumps at the batsman’s end and Sachin Tendulkar’s desperate throw at the non-striker’s end also was wide.

Pakistan, who beat Australia last night by 45 runs at the same venue, scored their second straight victory riding on their tail-enders while India were left to rue their inability to complete the job after a superb effort by their pacemen, led by Javagal Srinath’s four-wicket haul, brought them on the verge of a thrilling win.

Saqlain Mushtaq, who also played a crucial knock yesterday, struck an unbeaten 27.

The low-scoring match for the second successive day saw India manage to compile their modest score only due to invaluable half-centuries by left-handers Saurav Ganguly (61) and Robin Singh.

The duo withstood another fine pace effort by their rivals led by the controversial Shoaib Akhtar, who finished with another three-wicket haul, giving away just 19 runs in eight overs, and their 66-run fifth wicket stand lifted India to a fighting total.

The charged-up Indian bowlers led by Srinath fought back brilliantly to leave Pakistan at a seemingly hopeless 71 for six after claiming the entire top-order quite cheaply.

Srinath struck decisive blows by removing both openers Shahid Afridi (0) and Saeed Anwar (24) and Ajit Agarkar, who bowled a superb early spell along with Venkatesh Prasad to tie down the Pakistan batsmen, claimed Ijaz Ahmed and Inzamam-ul Haq cheaply to lift Indian spirits.

Srinath also got rid of the dangerous Moin Khan (3), whose full-blooded pull was converted into a stunning, reflex catch by Rahul Dravid at short squareleg, and Tendulkar’s attacking field placements placed India right on top.

But 24-year-old middle-order batsman Yousuf Youhana launched a gritty fightback for Pakistan with a breezy 63 off 83 balls and a crucial 49-run seventh-wicket partnership with skipper Wasim Akram (24).

India, who have an impeccable record against Pakistan in Australia, having won three of the four matches played down under with one tie abandoned, began to feel the pressure as the partnership between man of the match Youhana and Akram began to grow.

Ganguly eventually had Akram chopping the ball onto his stumps to make it 120 for seven and Srinath returned to claim the vital wicket of Youhana to leave the innings at 153 for 8 to raise hopes of a near-certain Indian victory.

Srinath completely foxed Youhana (63 - 83 b, 7 x 4) with a slow, widish delivery which he edged and Dighe moved in front of a vacant second slip region to pouch the catch.

But Indian bowlers once again showed signs of nerves as Saqlain Mushtaq (27 n.o - 52 b, 1 x 4, 1 x 6) hit Srinath for a mighty straight six to relieve pressure after Prasad and Kumble had reduced the run flow to a trickle.

Pakistan were left requiring 40 runs in the last five overs, but Saqlain’s attack saw Srinath concede 10 runs in the 45th over and with Younis also keeping his cool to rotate the strike, the match seemed to slowly slip out of India’s grasp.

The 43-run ninth-wicket stand came in only 37 balls as Indian fielders could not really take some of the shots hit by Saqlain in the air.

In the dramatic finish, Prasad looked for an action stumping coming in to deliver the final ball but Saqlain was well in. Younis was beaten by the ball, but the batsmen went for the bye and both dighe and Tendulkar failed to produce direct hits at either end that would have enforced a tie.

In the next tie, India meet Australia at Melbourne on Wednesday. (PTI)

Adidas International
Martin shines with opening-round victory

SYDNEY, Jan 10: American Todd Martin, his dream of competing in the Sydney Olympics still burning strong, went through a possible dress rehearsal for the big event, scoring a first-round victory today at the 810,000-dollar Adidas International.

The third seed won a battle of 1999 grand slam finalists over Andrei Medvedev, defeating the Ukranian 6-1, 6-7 (1-7), 6-3 at the new centre court venue which will be used for the Olympic Games in just over nine months.

"I’d have felt better if it was nine months from now, there was a podium up there and I was standing on it," joked the 29-year-old. "But it’s exciting to be in a position to possibly qualify for the team."

Holder Martin, world number eight and third seed, was - like Medvedev - a grand slam finals victim last year against Andre Agassi (Medvedev lost at the French Open, Martin the US).

Trailing in the wake of world number one compatriot Agassi and number three Pete Sampras in the computer rankings on the ATP tour, Martin will have to queue up to qualify for the American Olympic squad.

But the rangy right-hander has been heartened by the recent declarations by Sampras that the games would not be a top priority for him this season.

"I heard that and turned a couple of cartwheels and somersaults," he said. "If that’s the case, it makes it a lot easier for me to qualify."

"I hate playing for a ranking and worrying about a ranking, but after wimbledon (early July) I’ll be very concerned about what my ranking is."

"I hope it’s high enough for me to qualify and come down in September."

The Sydney event is serving as an official test bed for the games. Construction cranes still dot the site 15 kilometres west of Central Sydney but the majority of stadiums on the former abattoir and toxic dump site are up and have reached the final construction stage.

"I’m sure that if I do qualify, this week will serve as good experience," said Martin. "Those of us who were here will be even more condident in September."

Martin said he got off to a patchy start in his opening effort of the year on court.

"I didn’t feel consistent," he said. "In the second set, his level picked up and I found myself in a tie breaker.

"But I’m excited to play. I’ve almost gotten to the point where I don’t think about winning or losing. If you set yourself a goal of playing well, you can often have a chance to achieve it."

Top seed Gustavo Kuerten suffered a loss in his first 2000 outing, going out to court-wise Spanish veteran Francisco Clavet 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

Kuerten, ranked fifth in the world and a former French Open champion, came up short in a struggle on rebound ace that lasted for nearly two hours.

World number 38 Clavet, at 31 the oldest man inside the ranking top 50 on the ATP tour, concluded the upset after Kuerten saved two match points.

On his third winning chance, Clavet came good, profiting as Kuerten hit a return wide to go out at Hamebush Bay, site of the September Olympic tennis event.

"It was difficult, it was first match," said Kuerten. "I had a lot of time off not playing at all."

"It was difficult to play my best. I had hoped to play well and get some more matches in."

But he added: "I’ll be playing some doubles this week which will help me prepare for the Australian Open (starting Monday)."

Seventh seed Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia advanced easily in bright summer sunshine over Kevin Ullyett of Zimbabwe 6-1, 7-5. Frenchman Arnaud Clement ousted Argentine Mariano Zabaleta 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Romanian Adrian Voinea knocked out eighth seed Vince Spadea, handing the frustrated American a 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 loss.

Austrian Stefan Koubek followed up on his Hopman Cup experience from last week in Perth, beating French Open semi-finalist Fernando Meligeni of Brazil 7-6 (7-4), 6-1.

On the women’s side of the draw, last year’s Australian Open finalist Amelie Mauresmo, seeded sixth, needed three sets to finally hold off Ai Sugiyama of Japan 7-6 (7-2), 0-6, 7-6 (7-5).

Belgian dominique Van Roost defeated Paola Suarez of Argentina 6-2, 6-2, while Olga Barbanschikova of Belarus made it a day of disappointment for Germany’s Anke Huber, winning their opening-round contest 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

Russian Elena Likhovtseva needed to go the distance before controlling Sandra Nacuk of Yugoslavia 6-7 (7-9), 7-6 (7-5), 6-2.

Tomorrow, women’s top seed Martina Hingis, beaten in the title match last year by Lindsay Davenport, is scheduled to go into action, playing Barbanschikova. (DPA)

Warne faces month’s lay-off because of injury

BRISBANE, Jan 10: Australian leg spinner Shane Warne could miss the remainder of the triangular limited overs series with Pakistan and India after tearing a muscle in his side.

Warne injured himself while bowling in Sunday’s 45-run defeat by Pakistan in Brisbane and was told today he could be out of action for a month.

Warne was diagnosed with a "mild to moderate" tear on his left side after seeing a specialist.

The injury is expected to take between two and four weeks to heal but warne said he would not take any unnecessary risks by coming back too early.

"It’s obviously disappointing but I won’t rush back until it’s right because there’s a lot of cricket coming up," Warne said.

"I’ve had injuries before and I’ve come back well from those and i hope this time will be no different." (REUTERS)

Gold winner J&K Ice Hockey team felicitated

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 10: The gold winners Ice Hockey team of Jammu and Kashmir was today felicitated on their return from Shimla in a function organised by the J&K State Sports Council, here today.

J&K has retained the title beating Himachal Pradesh in the final by 6-1 in the three-day Second National Winter Games, which held at Shimla. It may be recalled that Jammu and Kashmir had won the first championship which was held at Gulmarg.

Those who were present in the felicitation function included the Sports Minister, Mr Surjit Singh Slathia, Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr T Namgyal, Director General, Youth Services and Sport, Mr A K Suri and Secretary, State Sports Council, Sheikh Fazal Ahmed.