|
|
| India to
take on Aussies in one-day today Home side has psychological advantage, Srinath may play BANGALORE, Mar 24: Indian pace spearhead Javagal Srinath is likely to make a comeback to......more Aussies will go all BANGALORE, Mar 24: Australian coach John Buchanan today did a turn-around on Shane Warne ......more SYDNEY, Mar 24: Australian speedster Jason Gillespie, who bent his back to generate searing pace .....more Muralitharan COLOMBO, Mar 24: Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan, man-of-the-match in yesterday’s .....more |
|
Kangaroos
pondering at Test series loss Sydney, Mar 24 : Australian cricketers are still looking for the answers to what went wrong as they .........more Venus sails, injured MIAMI, Mar 24: Showing no sign of the right knee Tendinitis that forced her to forfeit a semifinal........more Pakistan bat out WELLINGTON, Mar 24: Pakistan secured a draw in their tour match against Wellington today after .......more Salehar team bags Dogra Regiment Volleyball trophy Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Mar 24: As part of the Sadbhavana projects initiated under the aegis of Tiger Division, the Dogra Regiment organised Volleyball Championship in the border area of Arnia in tehsil Bishnah......more |
 |
|
India to take on Aussies in one-day
today BANGALORE, Mar 24: Indian pace spearhead Javagal Srinath is likely to make a comeback to limited overs cricket with captain Saurav Ganguly today hinting that the speedster would play in the opening one-day match against Australia here tomorrow. Ganguly told reporters here that Srinath, who has not played a one-day game after the 1999 World Cup in England, was fit and likely to play the day-night encounter tomorrow. The skipper said India had a ‘decent’ bowling attack and Harbhajan Singh had given a new edge to it. He said India enjoyed a psychological edge after their stunning victory in the test series and expressed confidence of winning it too. But he also sounded a note of caution saying limited-overs cricket was a different ball-game and India had not played a one-day game in six months. " The test series is over....It’s past... Australians are a pretty good one-day side...We have not played one-day game in the last six months. " We are confident but it’s a new game. We have to start from scratch. One-day is a different ball game", he said. Dismissing suggestions that pressure of captaincy was taking a toll on his batting, Ganguly said he was simply undergoing a bad patch and it was only a matter of time before he struck form again. "Different people have different pressure. As new comer has pressure to retain his place in the team.... Myself, Sachin (Tendulkar) and Rahul (Dravid) have pressure to keep up our reputation... People have certain expectations from us," he said. Ganguly said the absence of Jason Gillespie, who returns after the test series, will make things easier for Indian batsmen. "We now have only (Glenn) McGrath (to deal with)," he said. Coach John Wright said the inclusion of some new players in the one-day side would obviously affect the batting order that was followed in the tests but he did not believe it would be effected at the top meaning the stylish V V S Laxman could bat at number three slot in the one-dayers too. Wright was all praise for Laxman who became the highest scorer for India in the test series with an aggregate of 503 runs. Wright felt the Hyderabad batsman played ace Aussie leg-spinner Shane Warne better than anyone else in the world. (PTI) |
|
Aussies will go all out to win one-day series: Buchanan BANGALORE, Mar 24: Australian coach John Buchanan today did a turn-around on Shane Warne dismissing suggestions that the ace leg-spinner was physically and mentally tired after the test series. Buchanan, who went on record questioning Warne’s fitness ahead of the third and final test in Chennai inviting contradiction from skipper Steve Waugh, said Warne was preparing for the one-day series. "In fact, he (Warne) is being considered for the one-day series," Buchanan told reporters here ahead of the first one-day match against India tomorrow. Asked about the strategy against Harbhajan Singh, their nemesis in the test series, in the one-dayers, Buchanan quipped, "we will use the bat." The coach said the Australians were very positive about the one-day series and would go all out to win it. "It’s a new series. We would like to win. We are looking forward to the series," he said. "Our strategy is simple. We are trying to win more (one day) games than India," Buchanan said. (PTI) |
|
|
SYDNEY, Mar 24: Australian speedster Jason Gillespie, who bent his back to generate searing pace on the dead Indian tracks to capture 13 wickets in the recently concluded test series, will also return home with the other test match players — Colin Miller, Michael Slater and Justin Langer. According to an Australian cricket board media release issued here today Gillespie’s physical condition was reviewed after the series and given the fact he came into the tour following a lengthy lay-off with injury, the tour management felt it was both in his and Australian cricket’s best interests for him to return home and rest. "I’ve pulled up a bit sore after the Test series and the team medical staff are taking a very cautious approach with me given that I came into the tour with very little cricket in January, before we arrived in India," Gillespie said. "I don’t believe I’ve got any serious problems and I could have played, but Errol (current team physio Errol Alcott) and (incoming physio) Patrick Farhart have decided on a safety first approach to make sure I’m alright for the Ashes tour," Gillespie said. "I’m missing more cricket and that’s upsetting, particularly as I’m feeling good about my form. But there is a positive side about this and it’s that the powers that be are looking out for my best interests and I’m really grateful for that," Gillespie added. (PTI) |
|
Muralitharan punished for dissent COLOMBO, Mar 24: Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan, man-of-the-match in yesterday’s opening limited overs game against England, was fined 65 percent of his match fee and given a suspended sentence for showing dissent at an umpiring decision, a newspaper said today. ICC match referee, Hanumant Singh of India, imposed the fee but suspended the sentence, which would cover two one-day internationals and one test match, for six months, said the Island, an Independent English language newspaper. Sri lanka won by five wickets. Muralitharan captured four wickets, skittling England for 143 in 48.5 overs after stand-in captain Graham Thorpe won the toss and decided to bat. The current one-day series was preceded by a controversy-dogged test series. England’s Graeme Hick was given a suspended one-match ban for expressing dissent after the opening game in Galle. Four Sri Lankan fielders were fined for excessive appealing in the first test. Sri Lankan captain Jayasuriya was given a four-match suspended ban for dissent in Kandy, while England opener Michael Atherton and Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara were reprimanded for a heated on-field exchange. (AP) |
|
Kangaroos pondering at Test series loss Sydney, Mar 24 : Australian cricketers are still looking for the answers to what went wrong as they come to terms with the unexpected series loss to India. Nobody is grudging India’s sensational win and, in fact,the Australian players and public have been fullsome in theirpraise. But the team’s defeat has give rise to questions. The view here is that the series has been lost mainly dueto the inability of Australian batsmen to handle the viciousoff-spin of Harbhajan Singh who would hardly have been intheir thoughts when they set out for India. Take the case of Ricky Ponting who "has been put throughthe wringer - or more accurately he has been stuck on the spincycle - of Indian cricket", in the words of an Australianjournalist touring with the team. Ponting finished the test series with 17 runs at anaverage of 3.4 despite a reputation for handling spin bowlingquite well. Ponting now suggests that the Australian players shouldwatch videos of Sachin Tendulkar batting against good spinbowling. " We realised watching him against our spinners thathe doesn’t lunge at the ball. He waits for the ball ratherthan going out at it," he says. Ponting was out five times to Harbhajan and says that hisfirst dismissal in the first test in Mumbai probably played onhis mind throughout the series. He faced only one ball ofmedium pace in the entire series because by the time he cameto bat Harbhajan was in full flight. "The action he was putting on the ball was pretty amazingand he was very consistent in making us play at the ball,"said Ponting. While the Australians have great pride in their team evenafter the defeat, questions are being asked about the longterm future of ace leg-spinner Shane Warne and batsman MarkWaugh. Warne took ten wickets in the series, each wicket costinghim more than 50 runs, the second time this has happened tohim in India. But skipper Steve Waugh is standing by him. Despite scores of 70 and 55 in the final test, MarkWaugh’s average remained under 30. This is seen here as analarming decline.(PTI) |
|
Venus sails, injured Safin stumbles at the Ericsson Open MIAMI, Mar 24: Showing no sign of the right knee Tendinitis that forced her to forfeit a semifinal showdown against sister Serena last week at Indian Wells, Venus Williams waltzed through a 6-2, 6-0 second round thumping of Miriam Oremans of the Netherlands at the Ericsson. It took the third-seeded Williams, the 1999 champion, a scant 53-minutes to dispose of Oremans yesterday in what amounted to little more than a brief workout on the stadium court. "I felt a lot better," Williams said, referring to last week’s Tendinitis flare-up. "Fortunately, I didn’t have to run too hard or run too fast. "I’m happy to be competing here because it’s one of my favorite tournaments." Despite suffering from a rib cage injury that also has caused pain in both of his hips, men’s second seed Marat Safin tried gamely to play through the pain in his second round encounter with Juan Balcells of Spain. But the Russian U.S. Open champion, who sustained the injury last month during the Dubai semifinals, eventually fell to the 68th-ranked Balcells 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. Safin was a first-round loser at Indian wells last week when the injury made him an easy mark for Thomas Johansson. With his mobility severely hampered and his usually fearsome serve never exceeding 161 kph Safin was unable to pull out a win despite playing Balcells even through the first six games of the third set. "I will go back to europe, try to get some treatment because it cannot go on like this because I cannot serve," said Safin. "You cannot play against these guys without a serve. "It’s not my game. It is difficult for me to build a point because I don’t have free points." Safin said even if he had pulled out the match it likely would have been a wasted effort. "If I would win today I can’t play tomorrow," he said honestly. "I’m very happy being in Miami. At least I can spend some time on the beach, not on the tennis court." Briton Tim Henman became another seeded casualty when the ninth seed succumbed to his own inconsistent play in losing to Frenchman Fabrice Santoro 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-3. After taking the first set, Henman fell apart in the second set tiebreaker and never really recovered. After double-faulting away the second set tie-break, Henman was level with Santoro at 3-3 in the third set, but lost his next two service games to surrender the match. Seventh-seeded Australian Lleyton Hewitt fared much better with a 6-3, 6-3 dismantling of Jacobo Diaz of Spain in another second-round clash, while up-and-coming American Andy Roddick also played an excellent match to send 1998 champion Marcelo Rios packing, 6-4, 6-1. "I’m already focused on the next person," said Roddick. That next person could be Pete Sampras if the 13-time Grand Slam winner and last week’s Indian wells runner-up gets past German Nicolas Kiefer in the second round. The 26th-ranked Rios has had difficulty returning to the form that led him to the top ranking in 1998 since undergoing groin surgery on both legs at the end of 1999, and Roddick was able to break the Chilean’s serve four times. Rios had scored the first service break of the match in the fifth game to go ahead early. But Roddick broke back three games later he took control of the 52-minute encounter. "It’s the biggest win for me so far, for sure," Roddick said. On the women’s side eighth seed Nathalie Tauziat of France, 10th-seeded German Anke Huber, 14th seed Justine Henin of Belgium and 15th-seeded American Amy Frazier all won second round matches. Although Williams said she considered not playing this event because of the reoccurrence of the Tendinitis in her knee, she said she felt fine while playing Oremans. "I stayed off the leg," Williams said of her time since skipping the Indian Wells semifinal, a move that angered fans who were looking forward to the sister showdown. The reigning wimbledon and U.S. Open champion, who is in search of her first title of 2001, raced to a 5-0 lead in the first set before Oremans won the next two games. That proved to be an aberration as Williams swept the second set. "I’m not really off my game, which I’m happy about. I didn’t practice too much. I feel pretty confident." (REUTERS) |
|
Pakistan bat out final day for draw WELLINGTON, Mar 24: Pakistan secured a draw in their tour match against Wellington today after batting through the final day, erasing a first innings deficit of 168 on their way to a score of 340-7 before play was called off. When stumps were pulled at 4.35 p.m., Pakistan were 172 runs ahead of Wellington’s first innings total of 343-8 declared, with no prospect of the home side collecting the required runs. Ijaz Ahmed was not out 22 and Arshad Khan 19. Apart from the middle session when they lost four wickets, Pakistan batted positively, led by some big hitting from Imran Farhat (34), Humayan Farhat (74) and more classical innings from Faisal Iqbal (82) and Misbah-Ul-Haq (51). Wellington’s leading light was left-arm spinner Mark Jefferson, who finished with four for 84 and could ensure that leg-spinner Brooke Walker plays in the third test in Hamilton starting on Tuesday. It was the first time on the tour that Pakistan have faced a bowler turning the ball away from them toward slips - apart from their own Mushtaq Ahmed in the nets - and Jefferson caused them some trouble. (REUTERS) |
|
Salehar team bags Dogra Regiment Volleyball trophy Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Mar 24: As part of the Sadbhavana projects initiated under the aegis of Tiger Division, the Dogra Regiment organised Volleyball Championship in the border area of Arnia in tehsil Bishnah. In the final of the championship, Salehar team outplayed local Army team to take away the running trophy. In all, 12 teams including local clubs, Border Security Force (BSF) and from Army took part in this fortnight local championship at Higher Secondary School, Arnia. It was to encourage sports activities in the rural areas, particularly in the border villages. Besides this, the competitions were also organised to select potential sportsmen for enrollment in the Army. The response from the villagers was very encouraging and their all-out cooperation and support to the Army unit further enhanced the spirit behind the game. A handout issued here today further informed that similar competitions will be held in other border villages of the State to involve the locals with the forces guarding their borders for getting them close to each other. |
|
| home | state | national | business | editorial | advertisement | sports |
