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SYDNEY, Aug 15:Sir Donald Bradman was first impressed by Sachin Tendulkar while watching a ............more

Wasim sets sights
on 2003 World Cup

KARACHI, Aug 15: Pakistan’s leading test wicket-taker Wasim Akram does not believe his .........more

Sri Lanka dominate
on the second day

GALLE, Aug 15: India were at the receiving end of a Sri Lanka on the second day of the first cricket ........more

Bradman must have
observed Tendulkar’s
game keenly: Borde

PUNE, Aug 15: The chairman of the Cricket Board’s selection committee Chandu Borde today.........more

By Sanjeev Sharma

JAMMU, Aug 15: In the present scenario of factionalism leading to the lack of competitions and initiative to promote..........more

Challenger Club beats
JCC by seven wkts
in Cricket

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 15: Challenger Cricket Club registered a fine seven wickets victory over Josh Cricket Club in the 3rd Major Ajay Singh Jasrotia ..........more

Army Public School
holds prize
distribution function

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Aug 15: Army Public School, junior wing, organised the prize distribution and investiture ceremony here today. Principal of the APS was the chief guest......more

Bradman never missed Tendulkar innings
in last five years

SYDNEY, Aug 15: Sir Donald Bradman was first impressed by Sachin Tendulkar while watching a one-day game against Australia in the 1996 World Cup and never missed a chance to see an innings from the Indian maestro after that, the book ‘Bradman’s Best’ reveals.

"Australia won (that match) but not before a stunning 90 from Tendulkar that captured the Don’s attention," the book, which chronicles each of the 12 members of the `Dream Team’ selected by Bradman, says in the chapter `The Star of India’.

The book, authored by Roland Perry which has seen just half a day in the shops, has already become a best-seller with a strong response reported from buyers.

"He was most taken in by Tendulkar’s technique, compactness and his shot production and had asked his wife to have a look at the Indian as he felt that Tendulkar played like he had. Jessie agreed that they appeared similar.

"Bradman never missed a chance to see Tendulkar from then until the end of the 1999 three-match test series in Australia," the book says.

"Bradman ranked Brian Lara and Tendulkar as the best bats in the world and found it difficult to judge who was better. He thought that Tendulkar had a very sound defence while Lara was marginally more aggressive and took more risks.

"By 2000, he held to the view that they were the best in world cricket, but that Tendulkar just pipped Lara as the world’s number one," it says.

Perry adds that by mid-1998, after watching Tendulkar destroy Australia in tests and one-day games in India, Bradman ranked him with Barry Richards, Arthur Morris and Gary Sobers.

"Not long after that series against Australia, Tendulkar received the invitation of a lifetime to join Shane Warne in meeting Bradman at his Kensington park home in Adelaide on his 90th birthday (August 27, 1998). Tendulkar was honoured to be told by Bradman that he was today’s best batsman. They discussed gary sobers, whom Bradman had long regarded as the best cricketer of all time," the book reads.

On their meeting Perry writes, "Tendulkar asked Bradman how he prepared himself before a big match. Bradman replied that when he was in Adelaide he would go to his job as a sharebroker for several hours before going to the ground.

"Sometimes he would even toss the coin still wearing his suit. After the game he would return to the office for several more hours. When he was playing games away from Adelaide, he would go for a long walk before and after the match."

"After the meeting Bradman told Perry how impressed he was with Tendulkar and how he expected him to go on to even greater achievements. With a little luck, he will have another decade at the top, the Don told Perry."(PTI)

Wasim sets sights on 2003 World Cup

KARACHI, Aug 15: Pakistan’s leading test wicket-taker Wasim Akram does not believe his international career is over and still hopes to play in the 2003 World Cup.

"I have set my sights on playing the next World Cup in South Africa," the 35-year-old Wasim told Reuters from Lahore today.

The former Pakistan captain has not been invited to a training camp in Karachi ahead of the Asian Test Championship match against Bangladesh in Multan on August 29.

But Wasim is expected to feature in a trial match on August 17 to prove his form and fitness to Pakistan selectors.

"I have no problems about proving my fitness to anyone, although it is disappointing not to be automatically invited for the camp," Wasim said.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Lt General Tauqir Zia and chief selector Wasim Bari have said the team to play Bangladesh would be decided after the trial matches.

"I believe I am fit and good enough for international competition. I still have set my mind on surpassing Sir Richard Hadlee’s 431 and Kapil Dev’s 434 test wickets," Wasim said.

"I have always maintained that the day I feel I am not justifying my place in the team, I will retire."

Wasim has 414 wickets in 102 tests since making his debut as an 18-year-old in 1984. He is also the highest ever wicket-taker in limited overs cricket with 440 victims in 319 matches.

But he had a disappointing tour to England this year, taking just five wickets in two tests.

"I am 35 now and may have lost my pace a bit, but I still have penetration and the ability to beat the bat," he said.

"I have had a few bad series as a bowler, but who doesn’t? and I don’t think I have bowled badly even in England, it is just a matter of taking wickets, which will happen soon," he added. (REUTERS)

Sri Lanka dominate on the second day

GALLE, Aug 15: India were at the receiving end of a Sri Lanka on the second day of the first cricket test match here today which saw the hosts in a commanding position, having taken a 77-run first innings lead with seven wickets remaining.

India could add just 24 runs to their overnight 163 for five before being bundled out for 187 midway through the morning session. The nemesis for the Indians was Dilhara Fernando who bowled a Fiery Spell and claimed three of the four wickets to fall today - Javagal Srinath was retired hurt - for a five-wicket haul.

Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya then blasted a brilliant century to put his team right on top. The Indian bowling was wayward and gave the Sri Lankan batsmen a lot of room to play their shots.

The hosts had reached 264 for three when stumps were drawn after two balls of the 73rd over of the innings with the batsmen appealing for bad light. Kumar Sangakkara was unbeaten on 54 while Russel Arnold was batting on 19.

The day saw a contrasting display by the two sides with Sri Lanka dominating throughout. The Indian batsmen struggled against the pace of Fernando and Chamida Vaas who generated a lot of pace and bounce from the pitch. Fernando was particularly dangerous, and surprised the batsmen on quite a few occasions with his well-directed bouncers.

However, when the Sri Lankans came out to bat, the bowlers could hardly trouble them. Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad, coming back to the national team after a long gap, were wayward initially. They bowled short and wide and Jayasuriya was very quick to pounce on them and despatch them for boundaries.

The Sri Lankan captain hit three fours in Prasad’s four overs that set the tone for the acceleration of scoring. The hosts scored at around four runs an over, again in sharp contrast to the Indians whose run rate was under two.

In fact, Jayasuriya batted as if he was playing in a limited-overs game, not hesitating to go over the top and punishing every loose delivery.

He got able support from his opening partner Marvan Atapattu, who too looked solid, though not as flamboyant.

The Indian bowlers had nothing to show for in the first hour of the Sri Lankan innings and all of them were taken to task by the Sri Lankans.

Sri Lanka, who were 44 without loss at lunch, raised 117 runs in 28 overs during the second session with Jayasuriya doing bulk of the scoring. The only consolation for India during this session was that Harbhajan Singh had been able to dismiss Atapattu, caught by Hemang Badani at silly point, for 33.

The loss of wicket did nothing to dampen the spirits of the home team though, with one-down batsman Sangakkara getting into the groove quickly. Jayasuriya was on a song and he duly completed his eighth test hundred, third against India, off just 105 balls.

It was a dominating knock by the captain who smashed 16 fours and a six, off Srinath, before he was out for 111, made of 138 balls. The credit for the wicket went to Zaheer Khan who produced a gem of a ball which bounced a lot, came in sharply, touched the bat of Jayasuriya and flew to the first slip where Rahul Dravid held on to a good catch.

Jayasuriya, whose average against India is almost double of his overall test average, had done his job though, building a solid foundation for the later batsmen to capitalise on.

And the other batsmen obliged, all of them coming up with useful contributions.

Mahela Jayawardene started attacking right from the word go and scored a quickfire 28 off 30 balls including four boundaries before going for a drive off a widish delivery from Srinath and edging it to Sameer Dighe. The third wicket stand between Jayawardene and Sangakkara yielded 40 runs.

Sangakkara, who was slightly subdued during the presence of Jayasuriya and Jayawardene, came into his own towards the end of the day and produced some delightful strokes. New man Russel Arnold joined him in the leather hunt and the two once Again pushed up the scoring.

Sangakkara reached his fifth half-century in test cricket with a boundary and was going great guns when the stumps were drawn. Arnold too had hit three fours in his 19 and was looking good.

Earlier, the latter half of the Indian innings caved in without putting up a fight. Saurav Ganguly and Sameer Dighe actually looked good in the morning when they resumed from the overnight 163 for five.

Ganguly, who took his time to settle down yesterday, was playing confidently and timing the ball well. However, when disaster struck, he was left totally helpless. He did his best to get out of the way of a sharply rising delivery but the ball appeared to have kissed his gloves and Sangakkara leapt high in air to take a good catch.

Ganguly, who made 15, was disappointed with the decision even as television replays remained inconclusive whether the ball had touched his gloves or his shoulders as he claimed.

The Skipper’s dismissal triggered a collapse with the other batsmen falling in a heap. Srinath was struck hard on his right hand by a Fernando delivery and he had to retire hurt after that over.

Harbhajan Singh drove Fernando through the covers for a boundary but that was all he had to offer as the bowler struck back to uproot his leg-stump.

Dighe then became the third Indian to fall to the combination of Fernando and Sangakkara. He ducked a bouncer but the ball took the edge of his raised bat and landed into the safe hands of the wicketkeeper, India losing their eighth wicket at 185.

Muthiah Muralitharan then completed the last rites when he bowled Prasad off his third ball. (PTI)

India 1st innings: 187

Sri Lanka 1st innings:

M Atapattu c Badani b Harbhajan Singh 33

S Jayasuriya c Dravid b Zaheer Khan 111

K Sangakkara batting 54

M Jayawardene c Dighe b Srinath 28

R Arnold batting 19

Extras (lb-3, w-5, nb-11) 19

Total (3 wickets, 72.2 overs) 264

Fall of wickets: 1-101, 2-171, 3-211.

Bowling: Srinath 17-2-82-1, Prasad 12.2-4-51-0, Zaheer Khan 16-1-62-1, Harbhajan Singh 27-8-66-1. (PTI)

Bradman must have observed Tendulkar’s
game keenly: Borde

PUNE, Aug 15: The chairman of the Cricket Board’s selection committee Chandu Borde today expressed happiness over inclusion of Sachin Tendulkar in the "dream team" of cricket legend Sir Donald Bradman in a recently published book `Bradman’s Best’.

"Bradman must have observed Tendulkar’s game keenly to include him in his dream World XI", Borde told PTI.

"Bradman was a very keen student of the game and knew very well who is good and who is not. He generally did not make comments easily. His opinion definitely carries weight", Borde said.

So when Bradman had named Tendulkar in his "Dream Team" definitely there must be something which must have convinced him, he added.

On the reported statement of Sunil Gavaskar that the list attributed to Bradman was fake, Borde said "it was the opinion of Gavaskar. Every one is free to have his opinion on such issues". (PTI)

Future of handball in J&K bleak

By Sanjeev Sharma

JAMMU, Aug 15: In the present scenario of factionalism leading to the lack of competitions and initiative to promote the game, the future of once famous and medal winning game of handball in Jammu and Kashmir seems bleak.

The only body working for the welfare of this game, Jammu and Kashmir Handball Association, has become the victim of factionalism and disputes with the funding body-State Sports Council-leading to total halt to the ‘healthy’ domestic competitions for the last more than two years.

It has become a matter of concern for those who are associated with the game that what plagued the once most popular game of the State which has won maximum number of medals and produced most of the international players for Jammu and Kashmir.

Since its inception in Jammu and Kashmir in 1973, the game could not get the required infrastructure and remained limited to the city of Jammu all the times, even as, its state president held the top position in the Handball Federation of India and the Indian Olympic Association.

The height of the non-seriousness was that the ‘so called’ promoters of the game held first ever competitions in the Mini and Sub-junior levels only recently, that too on the directions of the State Sports Council, which has made it mandatory to hold domestic activities prior to the national participation.

Due to the internal bickering and strained relations with the only funding body of State Sports Council, the J&K Handball Association could not field its team in the last Federation Cup Handball Tournament. However, both Association and Council remained busy in leveling changes and counter charges thus denying the players of their right to participation in the prestigious Federation Cup.

The internal dispute has taken so ugly shape that recently a group of young girls had to explain their tale of woes to the press. They were alleging that junior players are being taken for the national competitions at their cost, the reason being that they had participated in an open tournament at Udhampur.

Crisis has further deepened as for as the selection is concerned. The insiders say that for the forthcoming under-12 year national competitions, the Association has already fixed selection quota for Srinagar, Udhampur and Kathua making it difficult for selection committee to decide the final team.

Due to the infighting between the two groups for the supremacy in the association, a complete batch of budding players has been spoiled. And a case between the two groups of Handball Association is still pending in the court of law.

Talking to EXCELSIOR, Sanjeev Singh Jamwal, who was part of the Indian team which won gold medal in the Youth Commonwealth Games held in Bangladesh in 1995, said, "a complete batch of seven to eight most promising players of the State has been spoiled due to the dictatorial attitude of the office bearers of the association". He said that CRPF players were taken for most of the national competitions at the cost of State players, thus causing them the loss which cannot be coped-up. The worst effected are Bachan Dogra, who attended three India camps and upcoming Chandan Singh Chouhan and Kartar Dogra (silver medalist in Youth Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi in 1992), he explained.

With little hope in sight, these players have maintained their routine and are still practicing daily at Mini Stadium, Parade.