CHENNAI, Jan 31: Players who perform well in the Challenger Cricket Series and the two three-day fixtures against the visiting Australians too have a chance of making it to the Indian test team, coach John Wright said today........more

India-Australia one
dayer proposed in
aid of quake victims

NEW DELHI, Jan 31: The Cricket Board has received a proposal for organising an additional one-day tie between India and the visiting Australian team to collect funds for the earthquake victims in Gujarat.........more

Sri Lanka wins
opening one-dayer

NAPIER, NEW ZEALAND, Jan 31: Eric Upashantha and offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan took nine wickets between them.........more

Rafter camp considers a
shave to combat cramp

MELBOURNE, Jan 31: Australia’s long-haired tennis ace Patrick Rafter may consider shaving his........more

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 31: It was a BSF day, as both Jammu and Kashmir Frontiers emerged victories and found berth......more

Challengers Cup Cricket Tourney begins
Cantt Club beat NCC Gurah Slathia to win opening tie

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 31: Cantt Cricket Club outplayed Narender Cricket Club, Gurah Slathia by 19 runs......more

Distt Kho-Kho Champ held

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 31: Two-day Jammu District Kho-Kho Championship organised by the Jammu and Kashmir......more

Coaching camp for
women cricketers
from today

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 31: Jammu and Kashmir Women Cricket Association is holding a ten-day.......more

Secretary, State Sports Council, Sheikh Fazal Ahmed giving away winners trophy to SAI Club at Jammu on Wednesday.

Players who do well in Challenger Series
will be considered: Wright

CHENNAI, Jan 31: Players who perform well in the Challenger Cricket Series and the two three-day fixtures against the visiting Australians too have a chance of making it to the Indian test team, coach John Wright said today.

Apart from the probables, who have been selected for the five-day camp here from February 6, others who perform well in the Hero Honda Challenger Series (February 12-15) could get into the Indian team, he told reporters here.

"We all know that Anil Kumble will not be fit for the series. Now we have to think of the talents available and pick the best for the coming matches, as the series against the Australians is a challenging one," he said.

"Myself and captain Saurav Ganguly held discussions with Chandu Borde, chairman, selection committee, on this subject (on Kumble being not available). Seven spinners have been given to us and the best ones will be in the final team," he said. On the duration of the camp, Wright said "even camps of shorter duration help players to be together and work out plans and strategies. In fact, we might have another camp after the Challenger Series is over, before we play the Aussies in the first test in Mumbai from March 6."

Asked to comment on the presence of a leg spinner among the probables, Wright said ‘it is the job of the selection committee to decide as to who should be in the team’.

Wright, who had watched Indians during the Zimbabwe tour to India last November, said "there has been a lot of improvement in fielding. But, they have to show accuracy and consistency in that department, especially against the strong Australian team".

He said the accent during the camp would be on fielding and sharpening the players skills to achieve the best results.

As for the domestic matches (Duleep Trophy) that he had watched during the last fortnight, Wright said "both batsmen and bowlers were at their best on helpful pitches". (PTI)

NEW DELHI, Jan 31: The Cricket Board has received a proposal for organising an additional one-day tie between India and the visiting Australian team to collect funds for the earthquake victims in Gujarat.

In a letter to Board President A C Muthiah today, its Vice-President C K Khanna said the proceeds from the match, in the form of sponsorship, TV rights money, sale of tickets and advertising, could be donated to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.

"Since it is for a noble cause, the Australian Cricket Board would not refuse to allow their team to participate in the match", he said.

Khanna said a special committee of the Board formed for this purpose could organise the match at any venue in the country.

Khanna, who is also a Vice-President of the Delhi and District Cricket Association, said his association would be happy to organise the match if it is allotted to DDCA.

According to a report from Sydney, Australian captain Steve Waugh, who is known to work for social causes, had agreed to play in an exhibition match.

The venue, yet to be decided, could be either in India or in Australia, the report had added. (PTI)

Sri Lanka wins opening one-dayer

NAPIER, NEW ZEALAND, Jan 31: Eric Upashantha and offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan took nine wickets between them to lead Sri Lanka to a 61-run win over New Zealand in the first of five limited-overs cricket matches here today.

New Zealand, chasing 214 to win at McLean Park, could only muster 152, their second lowest completed innings against Sri Lanka.

New Zealand’s batting lineup had no answer to the accurate spin bowling of Muralitharan, who took five wickets - his fifth in one-dayers - when he bowled chris martin for a duck to end the innings in the 43rd over.

Muralitharan took man-of-the-match honors with his five for 30 off 7.5 overs.

Upashantha recorded career-best figures of four for 37.

Needing to score at 4.26 runs per over to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series, only some dogged resistance from Chris Harris carried New Zealand past the 116 they scored at Moratuwa, New Zealand in 1983-84, their lowest score in 40 previous matches.

Harris was unbeaten on 39 off 78 balls.

New Zealand has only one victory to show from its last nine limited-overs matches - the win came against Zimbabwe in Wellington earlier this month, although they went on to lose that series 2-1.

The second match will be played on Saturday in Wellington. (AP)

Rafter camp considers a shave to combat cramp

MELBOURNE, Jan 31: Australia’s long-haired tennis ace Patrick Rafter may consider shaving his head and wearing lighter clothing to alleviate cramping problems.

"Whether pat has his hair cut shorter and shaves the beard is his decision," his brother and manager Steve Rafter was quoted as saying in the Herald Sun newspaper today.

"There is the possibility that pat already has the intention of having his hair cut. It’s a sensible idea and I’m sure if that helps the situation, he will follow on medical advice."

Rafter, 28, winner of two US Opens and a finalist at Wimbledon last year, was beaten by eventual champion Andre Agassi in an enthralling five-set Australian Open semifinal played in stifling humidity at Melbourne Park last Thursday.

The super-fit serve-volleyer led two sets to one when his legs began tightening up so badly that he could hardly run during the last two sets, allowing Agassi to easily win the match.

The same thing happened to rafter during last month’s Davis Cup final loss in Spain and he said he wanted medical help to stop him sweating so much.

Steve Rafter said he would talk to his brother’s clothing sponsor about a change in fabric.

"I don’t know what sort of material is in Pat’s clothing but it certainly looked heavy and sweat-drenched," Steve Rafter said.

"The most important thing now is to get the result of the medical tests."

Australia, led by world top-ten players rafter and Lleyton Hewitt, play ecuador in a first-round tie in Perth, Western Australia, from February nine to 11. (REUTERS)

Sadiq Memorial Football Tourney
BSF Jammu, Kashmir sail into quarter-finals

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 31: It was a BSF day, as both Jammu and Kashmir Frontiers emerged victories and found berth in the quarter-finals of the VIII Sadiq Memorial Football Tournament being held here today.

In the first match, BSF, Jammu Frontier downed the fighting Jammu and Kashmir Police by a golden goal in the extra time. While as in the second match, BSF, Kashmir outplayed Iqbal Club by a solitary goal.

Playing the promising BSF, J&K Police missed two early goals in the third and 20th minutes of the match, which haunted them throughout the game and cost them a defeat in the extra time. Charanjeet Singh scored the golden goal after getting good cross-in pass from Kuldeep Singh in the 12th minute.

When contacted Police coach, Shafi Nari said, "the team played well, but they played upper ball which gave them little chance to break the tall defence line of BSF men. Furthermore, they committed two early mistakes, which should not have happened. Any way, the boys, most of whom are young, played well and held them in the stipulated time".

In the second match, BSF, Srinagar outplayed fighting Iqbal Club by a solitary goal. The only goal came in the 45th minute through R N Sinkha, who hit a strong drive from the top of the box.

However, Iqbal Club got two chances to equalise in the dying minutes, but they failed to convert them into a goal on both the occasions.

Today’s matches were officiated by Nazir, Muzaffar, Latif, Nissar and Basharth.

Meanwhile, the two left out local clubs of Young Hero and Young Star will fight each other for the quarterfinal berth. And in the quarter-final the winner will take on defending champion Jammu and Kashmir Bank.

Commenting on the tomorrow’s fight, Young Star secretary, Ajay Sharma said that both the side has equal chance of a win, but who so ever will take the early lead can have the better prospects of a victory. Whereas, Young Hero secretary, Shiv Paul Sharma said that both these clubs are local and know each other’s game well, so taking early lead is immaterial.