Courtney Walsh

Walsh remains tight-lipped on retirement date

PORT OF SPAIN, Mar 21: Veteran West Indies paceman Courtney Walsh kept the cricket world guessing over his retirement date after his six-wicket ....more

Final test poised for
a thrilling finish

CHENNAI, Mar 21: Australian cricketers, who came to India five weeks ago as world beaters, were .......more

Australians will have to
grab early wkts: M Waugh

CHENNAI, Mar 21: Dashing Australian batsman Mark Waugh today said his side would have to grab.....more

Hayden asked to
stay back for
one-dayers

CHENNAI, Mar 21: Australia’s most successful batsman in the current test series, Matthew.....more

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 21: To give away prizes to the winners and runners-up teams and individuals of last year’s sports meet.........more

BSF beat Jammu
Sports-A to reach
Football semis

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 21: The Border Security Force (BSF) today qualified for the semi-finals of the ongoing Ist Wazir Masih......more

Railwaymen outplay IT
XI to find berth in semis

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 21: Railways today defeated Income Tax XI by six wickets to find berth in the semi-finals of the ongoing cricket .......more

Laxmi Club to hold
cricket tourney next month

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 21: Laxmi Cricket Club, in its executive committee held here, has decided to hold Gurdeep Singh Memorial Cricket.....more

Walsh remains tight-lipped on retirement date

PORT OF SPAIN, Mar 21: Veteran West Indies paceman Courtney Walsh kept the cricket world guessing over his retirement date after his six-wicket haul in the second test against South Africa yesterday.

Walsh, first to the 500 test wickets milestone on Monday, has not said when he plans to end his illustrious career —although he has been widely tipped to call it a day after the fifth test in his Jamaica home in April.

He hinted his last appearance could be closer after the fourth day when he said: "I don’t know if this is my last test in the series but it is my last test in Trinidad."

The 38-year-old said his latest performance proved that cricketers could carry on longer than many people believed.

He said former greats Viv Richards and Clive Lloyd had encouraged him to play as long as he could.

"I think those two guys know something about the game and people in the Caribbean have a tendency to write you off when you get to a certain age. But it proves that once you look after yourself, you can go a bit longer."

Walsh, who carried the West Indian attack with Curtly Ambrose until his retirement last year, said the team’s younger bowlers still needed more experience.

"We have a lot of youngsters around and they still need experience so I’m happy to be out on the pitch competing."

Walsh said he had not slept much since making history on Monday.

"I’m hoping to get some tonight, it’s now sinking in. I was keyed up and tense yesterday but I was more relaxed today and I’m happy I was able to get a five-wicket haul here.

"We still have a test match to win but I think come tomorrow when the game is finished it might get a little bit emotional, but I hope we have a victory to celebrate."

West Indies need precisely 200 to win on the final day with nine wickets in hand.

"I’m hoping we can take a disciplined approach tomorrow and get those runs," Walsh said. (REUTERS)

Final test poised for a thrilling finish

CHENNAI, Mar 21: Australian cricketers, who came to India five weeks ago as world beaters, were engaged in grim battle to prevent a humiliating series defeat after another pulsating day’s cricket in the third test here today.

Sensational off-spinner Harbhajan Singh tore into the heart of the mighty Aussie batting line-up to leave the visitor’s struggling at 241 for seven in their second innings at close of the fourth day’s play in the tie-breaker match.

The 20-year-old tormented some of the world’s best batsmen as he grabbed yet another five-wicket haul to leave Australia with a lead of 131 with three wickets standing. He has a record 29 wickets in the series so far.

Skipper Steve Waugh, whose dream run is now gravely threatened, will have to put in an extra-ordinary effort in the company of tailenders on the final day tomorrow to save the series, tied 1-1 after India’s great win in Kolkata.

Yet, the Indians will have to take nothing for granted —a lead in the region of 200 could give the formidable Australian bowling line-up a chance to have a go at them on a wicket that would turn more on the final day of the enthralling series.

The Australians were off to a flier in their second knock after India’s last wicket pair of Sairaj Bahutule and Nilesh Kulkarni frustrated their bowling attack for 45 minutes this morning.

Bahutule and Kulkarni added 21 runs to the ovenight total of 480 for nine as the Indian innings ended at 501 - a lead of 110 over Australia’s first innings score of 391.

Bahutule did the bulk of scoring adding 17 runs to his yesterday’s 4 including a four and a six off miller to remain unbeaten on 21. Kulkarni made 4 before he was adjudged leg before wicket to Miller.

Australian openers Matthew Hayden and Michael Slater took the fight to the Indian camp with some fluent hitting. Hayden who compiled his career-best 203 in the first innings, was looking to cut lose once again.

But Kulkarni effected the breakthrough for India by having him caught brilliantly by Zaheer Khan when the batsman mistimed a sweep shot. Hayden made 35 and Australia lost their first wicket at 82.

Harbhajan got into the act soon after trapping wicket keeper batsman Adam Gilchrist, who has had a horror run after the match-winning century at Mumbai, leg before wicket to reduce the visitors to 84-2. This was the third successive lbw dismissal of Gilchrist.

The wily spinner struck again in his next over to dismiss Slater who edged delivery that spun away to be caught superbly by V V S Laxman in the slips. Slater made 48 with the help of four fours and two sixes.

Mark Waugh and Justin Langer then wiped out the deficit when Langer hit a six off Kulkarni. But he could not last long and was dismissed when Australia were just 31 runs ahead of Indian total. Langer was caught by Laxman off Bahutule for 21.

It was left to the Waugh twins to stabilise the Aussie innings which was dangerously heading towards a collapse.

Mark Waugh was in his element driving and lofting the bowlers and added 57-runs for the fifth wicket with his brother before Harbhajan broke the 23-over old partnership.

Mark Waugh flicked a turning ball and Dravid took a diving catch at leg slip in his second attempt to dismiss the batsman for 57.

Harbhajan scalped Rickey Ponting for the five time in this series when he was caught by Dravid for 11. Harbhajan has bowled 28 deliveries to Ponting in this series, conceding 11 runs, and has dimisssed him on all occasions.

Steve Waugh played another of his gritty innings, simply refusing to buckle down against three pronged spin onslaught. Though he was lucky to be let-off by Laxman in slips when at two, he stuck to his guns from one side ensuring Australia bat on the fifth day too.

He added 30 runs for the seventh wicket with Shane Warne, who was out to the last ball of the day. Warne applied negative tactics offering his pad more often than the bat in an attempt to see through the day.

In the last over, he successfully padded four of the first five deliveries before being caught plumb off the last as India completed the fourth day on a highly satisfactory note and in anticipation of an incredible series win. (PTI)

Australia 1st innings 391

India 1st innings

S S Das lbw b McGrath 84

S Ramesh c Ponting b Warne 61

V V S Laxman c M Waugh b McGrath 65

S Tendulkar c Gilchrist b Gillespie 126

S Ganguly c Gilchrist b McGrath 22

R Dravid c Gilchrist b Gillespie 81

S Dighe lbw b Warne 4

S Bhatule not out 21

Z Khan c and b Miller 4

H Singh c M Waugh b Miller 2

N Kulkarni lbw b Miller 4

Extras: (b-19, lb-2, nb-5, w-1) 27

Total (all out in 164 overs) 501

Fall of wickets: 1-123, 2-211, 3-237, 4-284, 5-45

Bowling: McGrath 36-16-75-3, Gillespie 35-11-88-2, Miller 46-6-160-3, Warne 42-7-140-2, Ponting 2-1-2-0, M Waugh 3-0-8-0, Hayden 1-0-7-0.

Australia 2nd innings:

M Hayden c Zaheer b Kulkarni 35

M Slater c Laxman b Harbhajan 48

A Gilchrist lbw b Harbhajan 1

J Langer c Laxman b Bahatule 21

M Waugh c Dravid b Harbhajan 57

S Saugh batting 43

R Ponting c Dravid b Harbhajan 11

S Warne lbw b Harbhajan 11

Extras (b-4, 1b-6, nb-4) 14

Total (for 7 wkts, 80 overs) 241

Fall of wickets: 1-82, 2-84, 3-93, 4-141, 5-193, 6-211, 7/241

Bowling: Khan 4-0-13-0, Ganguly 1-0-8-0, Harbhajan Singh 33-13-82-5, Kulkarni 21-6-53-1, Tendulkar 12-0-43-0, Bahatule 9-0-32-1. (PTI)

Australians will have to grab early wkts: M Waugh

CHENNAI, Mar 21: Dashing Australian batsman Mark Waugh today said his side would have to grab some wickets early tomorrow if they wished to nullify India’s advantage in the pulsating series-deciding third and final cricket match.

"The situation here today was definitely advantageous to India. If we grab some early wickets tomorrow, the game could change. However, we would have liked to put on about 60 to 70 more runs today," he told reporters.

Complimenting Harbhajan Singh for his five-wicket haul, he said the young spinner had consistently bowled to a good line. Apart from Harbhajan, none of the other Indian bowlers really looked that dangerous. Even Tendulkar was turning the ball less. "Harbhajan is up there with the best."

Asked if the Australians would target any particular Indian batsman, he said they would concentrate on dismissing all batsmen. "When there is pressure, you have to stop the other side (from) getting runs."

On the pitch, he said it had remained hard and firm. "It is the same as the first day - placid," he said.

On his dismissal, he felt Dravid had taken a brilliant catch. "That’s just the way it goes. I give full credit to the fielder", he said. (PTI)

Hayden asked to stay back for one-dayers

CHENNAI, Mar 21: Australia’s most successful batsman in the current test series, Matthew Hayden has been included in its one-day squad as the 15th member owing to his tremendous run in India.

Hayden, who was to return to Australia after the test series, has been asked to stay back for the five-match one-day series starting in Bangalore on Sunday.

Hayden has so far amassed 521 runs, including a double-century and a hundred, in five innings, a record for an Australian in a three-match series, and has been able to tackle the spinners with ease.

Media manager of the Australian team Brian Murgatroyd today said Hayden had been retained in the side because of his brilliant form and the fact that he has adapted himself to Indian conditions.

Australia had announced a 14-member one-day squad replacing five players, including Hayden, who played in the tests. Michael Bevan, Andrew Symonds, Ian Harvey, Darren Lehman and Nathan Bracken feature in the side for the one-dayers while Michael Slater, Justin Langer, Colin Miller and Michael Kasprowicz will fly back to Australia after the test series.

Squad: Steve Waugh (Capt), Adam Gilchrist, Mark Waugh, Matthew Hayden, Andrew Symonds, Ricky Ponting, Darren Lehmann, Damienn Martyn, Michael Bevan, Nathan Bracken, Damien Fleming, Ian Harvey, Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie. (PTI)

CGEWCC organises prize distribution function

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 21: To give away prizes to the winners and runners-up teams and individuals of last year’s sports meet, the Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committee (CGEWCC) organised a colourful prize distribution function cum cultural programme at RRL auditorium, here today.

The function was presided over by Mr R P Singh, Accountant General, J&K, while, Sheikh Fazal Ahmed, Secretary, State Sports Council, was guest of honour.

In his inaugural address, Mr Singh, who is also chairman of CGEWCC, stressed upon the Government employees working in different Central Government Departments to serve the State with more zeal and wished the CGEWCC to become more effective in the days to come. Later, he gave away prizes to the winners of various events.

Earlier, Dr Naresh Kumar, secretary, CGEWCC welcomed the distinguished gathering, besides the participants. It was followed by the cultural programme presented by the artists of Radio Kashmir Jammu.

Superintending Archaeologist, ASI, Mr B R Mani, who was also incharge of the sports meet, gave away memento to the guest of honour, Sheikh Fazal Ahmed. Vote of thanks was presented by Mr R L Koul, secretary, regional sports board.

In Cricket, the winners trophy went in favour of Controller of Defence Accounts (CDA), who beat Regional Research Laboratory (RRL) in the final. The winners team: Ashok Dutta, Rakesh Koul, Ajay Bhatti, Pardeep bali, Shyam Sunder, J K Bakshi, Ajay Sharma, Sanjay, Shakti Singh, Rajinder Sadhu, Vinay Kumar and Daljeet Singh. RLL team: Nirmal Singh, Benjamin, Samar Singh, Jasbir Singh, Rajesh Sachdev, Surjeet Singh, Inderjeet Singh, Vishal Mengi, Pushp Rattan, B K Chandan, Rajinder and Rama Shanker.

Volleyball trophy was bagged by MES beating AG’s Office in the final. MES team included: Jasbir Singh, Karnail Singh, Ganesh Dutt, Bawa Ram, Vicky, Mangat Ram, Pardeep Kumar, Padam Nabhan. AG Office side included: Manohar Sethi, Satish Kumar, Raj Kumar, Romesh Lal, Gurdev Raj, Madan Lal, Sher Singh and Swarn Singh.

Badminton: B S Jamwal (ASI) beat Arvind Dogra (AG) in singles final. In team event, CDA emerged winner beating Survey of India in the final. CDA team: Rajinder Sadhu, Pardeep Bali. SoI team: Dushyant Sharma and Desh Kumar Sharma.

Table Tennis: Arun Thakur (AG) winner and Ajay Billoria (AG) runners-up in Men singles. Reeta Wangnoo (AG) winner and Pinki Labroo (AG) runners-up in women singles. In team event: AG Office beat CDA to take away winners trophy. AG: Arun Thakur, Ajay Billoria and Arvind Dogra. CDA: Pardeep Bali, Rajinder Sadhu and Rakesh Koul.

Carom: Vikram Abrol (RLL) winner and Viney Gupta (RRL) runners-up in singles. Doubles: Vikram Abrol and Rajinder Sharma (RRL) winners and Viney Gupta and R K Wali (RRL), runners-up.

Chess: S P Sharma (NSS) beat Jyoti Kumar (NSSO) in final.