Muttiah Muralitharan

Muralitharan inspires
Lanka to emphatic win

GALLE (Sri Lanka), July 23: Sri Lanka crushed South Africa by an innings and 15 runs in three and half days in the first cricket test to take the lead in...more

Doubles victory gives
Belgium 2-1 lead
in Davis qualifier

MESTRE (ITALY), July 23: The Belgian duo of Christophe Rochus and Tom Van Houdt defeated .......more

HC asks Centre, BCCI
to furnish details of
telecast rights

NEW DELHI, July 23: Amidst Income Tax Department swoop on several top cricketers and the .....more

Process of opening sealed
bank lockers begins today

NEW DELHI, July 23: Following "successful" completion of the searches at the premises of top .....more

Week-long Rural Sports Mela held at Bani

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, July 23: A week-long Inter-school Tournament in connection with Rural Sports Mela was held at Bani in Kathua. The tournament was organised by the Department.......more

Khajur helps 33 Bn beat 74 Bn in CRPF Hockey

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, July 23: Three goals by B Khajur helped 33 Bn beat 74 Bn by five goals to one in the ongoing CRPF Inter-Battalion Hockey Tournament being organised by the 50 Bn at Green Field grounds, here today......more

Guru Partap adjudged man of the match
Cantt Star beat Gang Boss to claim IIIrd Jonex Gold Cup
Dhruv Mahajan declared man of the series;
Raj Kumar emerged best bowler

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, July 23: Cantt Cricket Club lifted the IIIrd Jonex Gold Cup Cricket Tournament beating Gang Boss by 29 runs in the final which played at Government High School, Satwari grounds, here this evening........more

Kapil taken off from
school curriculum

NEW DELHI, July 23: Gujarat Government today decided to remove a chapter on former Indian captain Kapil Dev from the Class X curriculum following allegations............more

Muralitharan inspires Lanka to emphatic win

GALLE (Sri Lanka), July 23: Sri Lanka crushed South Africa by an innings and 15 runs in three and half days in the first cricket test to take the lead in the three match series today.

It was South Africa’s first ever loss to Sri Lanka and only their third innings defeat since returning to international cricket.

South Africa’s chief tormentor was off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan who finished with match figures of 13 for 171 - the fourth 10 wicket haul of his career.

Muralitharan’s figures were the best against South Africa since Australian Clarrie Grimmett took 14 for 199 at Adelaide in 1931-32.

South Africa who were dismissed for 238 in the first innings in reply to Sri Lanka’s 522, were all out for 269, 70 minutes before tea.

Man-of-the-match Muralitharan ran through the batting again taking seven for 84.

An eighth wicket stand of 70 between Jonty Rhodes, who top scored with an unbeaten 63, and Nicky Boje only delayed the inevitable.

Muralitharan changed ends and trapped Boje lbw for 35 before wrapping up the innings by bowling Paul Adams and Makhaya Ntini off successive deliveries.

Earlier South Africa, starting the day at 112 for two, slid to 229 for seven at lunch.

Leg-spinner Upul Chandana began the South African collapse when he had Jacques Kallis caught at short fine leg for 40 in the 10th over of the day.

Seven balls later Muralitharan dismissed first innings century maker Darryl Cullinan for 12 when Russel Arnold brought off a brilliant one-handed catch diving across the pitch from silly mid-off.

Lance Klusener and Mark Boucher fell cheaply to Muralitharan before Shaun Pollock helped Jonty Rhodes add 30 for the seventh wicket.

Pollock was caught off bat and pad by Arnold off Muralitharan for 12.

Nicky Boje and Rhodes held out until lunch but by then the writing was very much on the wall.

The second test begins on Sunday in Kandy. (REUTERS)

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka - 522

South Africa 1st innings 238

South Africa 2nd innings

G Kirsten run out 55

N McKenzie c Ranatunga b Chandana 25

J Kallis c Muralitharan b Chandana 40

D Cullinan c Arnold b Muralitharan 12

J Rhodes not out 63

L Klusener c Sangakkara b Muralitharan 4

M Boucher lbw b Muralitharan 7

S Pollock c Arnold b Muralitharan 12

N Boje lbw b Muralitharan 35

P Adams b Muralitharan 2

M Ntini b Muralitharan 0

Extras (b-3, lb-5, nb-6) 14

Total (all out in 92 overs) 269

Fall of wickets: 1-58, 2-112, 3-139, 4-141, 5-153, 6-163, 7-193, 8-263, 9-269, 10-269.

Bowling: Vaas 7-2-18-0, Zoysa 5-2-11-0, Dharmasena 10-1-37-0, Muralitharan 35-5-84-7, Chandana 29-6-88-2, Jayasuriya 5-0-21-0, Arnold 1-0-2-0. (AFP)

Doubles victory gives Belgium 2-1 lead in Davis qualifier

MESTRE (ITALY), July 23: The Belgian duo of Christophe Rochus and Tom Van Houdt defeated Italy’s Diego Nargiso and Andrea Gaudenzi in straight sets yesterday to give Belgium a 2-1 lead in a Davis Cup world group qualifying match.

The Belgians took the doubles, on red clay, 6-4 6-4 6-4 in two hours and 15 minutes to push the Italian team on the brink of relegation to the second-tier European zone.

Today’s singles will decide the nation staying in the world group, the Davis Cup elite group.

The Belgian duo played aggressively, dominating play from the net with winning volleys.

The Belgians also took advantage from erratic play of Italy’s No.1 player Gaudenzi, who dropped his serve once in each set and made a series of unforced errors.

After the match, Italy’s captain Paolo Bertolucci suggested that Gaudenzi might be replaced by reserve player Renzo Furlan in singles against Belgium’s No.1 Filip Dewulf.

"It’s something I’m thinking about, it’s possible that Gaudenzi is replaced," Bertolucci said.

Gaudenzi, 100th in the ATP ranking after being long sidelined by a shoulder injury and still in questionable form, lost in straight sets to Olivier Rochus in Friday’s opening singles.

Davide Sanguinetti, who defeated Dewulf in four hard-fought sets to make the score 1-1, takes on Olivier Rochus in today’s action.

The Belgian pair made decisive breaks in the seventh game of the first set and in the first game of the second.

Rochus dropped the only serve for the Belgians in the fourth game of the third set. By breaking the Italians Twice Rochus and Va Houdt then won the set and the match, giving Belgium an edge before the final day of competition.

Nargiso said "it was a one-sided affair, with the Belgian playing an almost faultless match ... They played better, we did our best."

Bertolucci said Belgium deserved the doubles victory.

"They had a great match, we could have played better returns," the Italian captain said. (AP)

HC asks Centre, BCCI to furnish details of telecast rights

NEW DELHI, July 23: Amidst Income Tax Department swoop on several top cricketers and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) office, the Delhi High Court has asked the Centre and the Board to furnish details on cricket match telecast rights to Prasar Bharati allegedly under the influence of the World Tel.

Justice Manmohan Sarin, who had issued notices to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of Sports, BCCI and Prasar Bharati (PB) earlier on a petition challenging the Board’s right to award telecast contract for five years to PB, gave one more opportunity to the respondents to file their replies on the issue last week.

The deal between BCCI and PB was challenged in a civil writ by a Delhi-based firm, Combine Advertising Company (CAC) and its owner S K Gupta, who alleged that the Board gave the contract in a "secret meeting" on August two last year without calling for international bids.

The petitioner also challenged PB’s giving the contract further to World Tel for one year saying it was "illegal and contrary to public policy".

The High Court has yet to decide an appeal by Prasar Bharati in this case, the petition moved by CAC counsel Shyam Moorjani said. (PTI)

Process of opening sealed bank lockers begins today

NEW DELHI, July 23: Following "successful" completion of the searches at the premises of top cricketers across the country, Income Tax authorities are set to initiate the process of opening the bank lockers sealed during the search operations from tomorrow.

It sources said nearly 60 bank lockers, including 13 in Delhi, 10 in Mumbai, two in Patiala and the rest in other places were sealed during the searches, codenamed "Operation Gentleman" at the premises of people connected with cricketing world.

The sources said that the department, besides opening the lockers to ascertain their contents, would analyse the huge volume of documents and other materials seized from the premises of the players, cricket administrators and bookies.

"We are planning to do it faster", said a top IT official adding that the task of opening the lockers would be completed within a week as a few of the cricketers, whose premises were raided, are out of station and their presence was essential.

While a ‘Panchnaama’ (list of recoveries) will be prepared soon after opening the lockers, valuation of properties completed, they said.

An appraisal report would be prepared by the assessing officer on the basis of this information within 60 days time and a notice served on the assessee to file a "block assessment" for a ten year period 1990-2000.

Meanwhile, former India skipper Mohammad Azharuddin, who is in London, is understood to have conveyed to income tax authorities his intention to return to Hyderabad where his valuables have been sealed.

Azharuddin, who is scheduled to play an one-dayer at oval in London on July 29, may "prepone" his return by a few days, the sources said.

IT officials in Mumbai had earlier said that the Department had unearthed "huge cash transactions in respect of investment in immovable property and evidence of lavish lifestyle" of a former India captain following the search operations launched on cricketers, their relatives, bookies and persons associated with the game.

Documents indicating strong movement of funds and withdrawal of cash for investments in property have been seized during the search operations launched in eight premises in Mumbai, they said.

Besides national coach Kapil Dev, Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja and former ICC chief Jagmohan Dalmiya, raids were carried out by IT along with CBI at the premises of Nikhil Chopra, Navjot Singh Siddhu, Ajay Sharma and BCCI treasurer Kishore Rungta and Azharuddin’s wife Sangeeta Bijlani as well as six bookies in various parts of the country.

Simultaneous raids were conducted at 36 places in Delhi, five in Mumbai, three each in Ahmedabad and Patiala, two in Jaipur and a few others in Hyderabad and Calcutta.

Director General (Investigation) of Income Tax S C Parija said yesterday that the two day searches yielded more clinching evidence of undisclosed income by some of the prominent players and documents than what the department had expected. (PTI)

Week-long Rural Sports Mela held at Bani

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, July 23: A week-long Inter-school Tournament in connection with Rural Sports Mela was held at Bani in Kathua. The tournament was organised by the Department of Youth Services and Sports.

In all, 17 team drawn from as many schools took part in different sports events of Volleyball, Kabaddi, Kho-Kho and Wrestling in the age groups of under-19 and under-14 years. A cultural programme was also held during the mela.

In Kabaddi boys U-19, Higher Secondary School emerged winner beating Government High School. In girls section, High School, Panalag beat Higher Secondary school, Bani in the final.

Kabaddi under-14 year boys title went to Middle School, Bani, who beat Middle School, Kotri Sandroon. In the girls section in the same age group, Girls Middle School, Bani beat Middle School Bani.

In Volleyball boys U-19, High School Panyalag was winner, while Higher Secondary School, Bani remained runners-up. In girls category, Higher Secondary school, Bani remained winners, while High School Panyalag finished second. In U-14 boys Middle School Dulab emerged winners beating Middle school Duggan.

In kho-Kho U-19 Middle School, Chandal was winners nd Middle School Bani runners-up. In Wrestling U-19 year group (52 kg), Changa Shidhre of Higher Secondary School, Bani beat Roshan Lal of High School, Dhaggar.In U-14 year (32 kg), Master Sanjay of Middle School, Doulha beat Master Mahatam Singh of Middle school, Ghutta.

Holi Hut Public School, Bani bagged first position in cultural programme and Bani Public School remained runners-up.

The District Information Officer, Kathua, who was the chief guest in the function gave away prizes to the winners and runners-up teams,besides individual winners.