SYDNEY, Oct 20: Rodney Marsh has warned Australia’s selectors not to drop the Waugh twins Steve .........more

Hooper ashamed
by team’s performance

CHENNAI, Oct 20: Unable to digest the second straight defeat, West Indies captain Carl Hooper today said his team had put up a shameful performance in the first two matches and slammed the batsmen for their poor show. .........more

India wrap up series
with 8-wkt victory

CHENNAI, Oct 20: India clinched their first series victory against West Indies in 23 ......more

Repeated mistakes cost Windies another test
India-West Indies Series

By Michael Holding

Another Test Match ends and the status quo remains, the West Indies capitulate ........more

State Billiards, Snooker meet takes off

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 20: Keeping in mind the coming December nationals in Jammu, the young cueists have launched their campaign with a bit more confidence on the inaugural day of the 12th Jammu and Kashmir Billiards and Snooker ..........more

Jatinder (Jr), Vikas (Sr)
bag Mr Jammu titles

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 20: Jatinder Singh adjudged Mr Jammu in the junior (U-21) group, while Vikas Jamwal has retained the coveted title in senior category .........more

Rural sports meet held
at Hiranagar

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

KATHUA, Oct 20: Women and Rural Sports competition for the Hiranagar block were held at sports stadium Hiranagar, here wherein more than eight educational institutions, apart from local clubs,............more

Anand, Yuhua retain World Chess titles ....

Agarkar recalled for third test ....

Marsh warns Australia not to drop Waughs

SYDNEY, Oct 20: Rodney Marsh has warned Australia’s selectors not to drop the Waugh twins Steve and Mark before the Ashes series with England, saying it could give the tourists a massive psychological advantage.

The former Australian test wicket keeper, now working as the director of the English Cricket Academy, said Australia would be flirting with disaster if they dropped their two most experienced campaigners.

"I’m sure England would love to think that neither of them were in the side," Marsh told the Sunday Telegraph.

"If ever England wanted a psychological advantage, you would hand it to them on a plate if you left out the two Waughs."

Australia have beaten England in the last seven Ashes series and are strong favourites to make it eight in a row when the series begins in Brisbane on November 7.

The Waughs have been the cornerstone of Australia’s recent domination of the Ashes, but are under pressure to retain their places in the team.

The pair, now 37, were dropped from the Australian limited-overs team earlier this year and have struggled to make runs in the current test series against Pakistan.

But Marsh, who retired in 1984 along with Dennis Lillee and Greg Chappell, said the Waughs deserved to be kept in the side. He said both would know the right time to retire.

"They have been fantastic contributors for Australia, so I would think they’ll know the time," he said. (AGENCIES)

Hooper ashamed by team’s performance

CHENNAI, Oct 20: Unable to digest the second straight defeat, West Indies captain Carl Hooper today said his team had put up a shameful performance in the first two matches and slammed the batsmen for their poor show.

"It’s a shame for a national side. It’s disappointing," a frustrated Hooper said after West Indies were inflicted their second defeat in the three-match series inside four days.

"There are no excuses. There was no problem with the wicket. We have played on tougher wickets in India," the skipper said.

With India having clinched the series, West Indies have only pride to play for in the third and final test starting in Kolkata on October 30.

"Its a test and we will turn up," said Hooper.

Wearing a contrastingly jubilant look despite suffering an injury after colliding with Anil Kumble in the field, Indian captain Sourav Ganguly said victory was especially sweet as it left him just one step away from Mohammad Azharuddin’s record of 14 test wins.

"We played very well as a team. Everybody contributed to the victory and that is important," said Ganguly.

He praised his bowlers’ performance on the "flat wicket". "The spinners are expected to do well on such a track. But the fast bowlers - Javagal Srinath and Zaheer Khan bowled beautifully.

"Srinath is playing after coming back to test cricket. He will get even better soon. Harbhajan Singh is also a match-winner," he said.

Ganguly said once they lost the toss, "our key was not to give away too many runs. We knew if we could keep it tight we could win the match.

"Consistency is important. We knew it is important to continue to do well and maintain the winning run till the World Cup in february next year," he said. "Our focus is on New Zealand tour and the World Cup".

The Indian skipper also picked out the young wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel for special praise. "He has really come good. He did throw away his bat in the first innings but he is very young and he will get much better."

Ganguly sought to play down his controversial dismissal here in the first innings as well as in Mumbai saying "that’s the way it goes. With so much crowd and noise around the umpires cannot always be correct."

"We have got to make use of technology. It was used on a trial basis in Champions Trophy in Colombo. I hope it comes to test cricket as well," he said.

Stating that once they had conceded 150 odd runs the match was always going to be difficult, Hooper also blamed the fielding lapses. "We have dropped as many as 12 catches in two matches."

West Indies coach Roger Harper said the team failed to grab the opportunities that came its way. "No doubt the spinners will try to dominate but the bastmen have to stay at the wicket".

Man-of-the-match Harbhajan Singh said he had become more mature from the last time that he had played at this venue. "I am more confident and I think I can take wickets on any surface".

Asked how he would rate today’s victory, Harbhajan said, "a win is a win. Whether you win at home or away. No doubt West Indies are without Brian Lara. But they still have good players like Carl Hooper and Shivnarine Chanderpaul." (PTI)

India wrap up series with 8-wkt victory

CHENNAI, Oct 20: India clinched their first series victory against West Indies in 23 years when they registered a comfortable eight-wicket win in the second test here today to take a wining 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Chasing just 81 runs for victory after West Indies were bundled out for 229 in their second innings, India reached the target in 21.1 overs to win the second consecutive match inside four days.

Coming on the heels of a record innings and 112-run win in the first test in Mumbai, the victory today was just the second instance when India had defeated West Indies in back to back test matches. It was also only the third series victory for India against the West Indies in the 17 they have played so far, the previous two coming in 1970-71 in West Indies and in 1978-79 at home.

The victory was never in doubt once West Indies failed to set a decent target for the home team but West Indian skipper Carl Hooper managed to claim two consolation wickets by dismissing opening batsmen Virender Sehwag (33) and Sanjay Bangar (20). Sachin Tendulkar, who remained unbeaten on 16 in the company of Rahul Dravid on six, hit off the winning runs when he took a three against Gareth Breese.

Slight drizzle threatened to delay India’s celebrations but the two teams continued to play and the home team, which had gained a 149-run first innings lead, finished the match midway into the second session.

West Indies resistance, which looked impressive yesterday, collapsed the moment overnight batsman and top-scorer Ramnaresh Sarwan was dismissed by Zaheer Khan this morning.

Resuming at their overnight 186 for four, West Indies progressed to 208 before Zaheer Khan struck in his very first over of the day. Sarwan, who had batted with a lot of determination, was rendered helpless by a delivery that kept low and straightened after pitching and was trapped plumb in front of the wicket.

Sarwan, who batted for five hours for his 78-run knock hitting four fours and two sixes, wore a dejected look as he walked back to pavilion after missing yet another opportunity to complete his maiden test century.

That triggered an all too familiar collapse as West Indies lost their remaining five wickets for just 21 runs. Harbhajan Singh claimed three wickets in five balls to finish with four wickets for 79 runs. He dismissed Ryan Hinds and Gareth Breese with the first two balls of his over before trapping Mervyn Dillon Leg Before Wicket on the fifth delivery in a controversial decision.

Harbhajan Singh, who had taken three wickets in the first innings apart from making a cameo 37, was declared the man of the match. The off-spinner is the top wicket-taker in this calendar year, having taken 53 wickets from 10 tests.

But Harbhajan Singh was not the only one to hog the limelight. Zaheer Khan chipped in with three wickets this morning to make an equally important contribution.

West Indian innings folded 46 minutes before lunch with Zaheer Khan uprooting the off-stump of Jermaine Lawson.

The Indians were 28 without loss at lunch with Virender Sehwag batting on 15 and Sanjay Bangar on 10. Sehwag, celebrating his 24th birthday, hit a 30-ball 33 which included a huge six off Gareth Breese.

Like in the first innings, Dillon and Pedro Collins were impressive in the short spells they bowled but it was Hooper who brought some smiles on the faces of his teammates.

Sehwag was the first one to go, deceived by the flight of Hooper’s delivery to be stumped by Ridley Jacobs when the total was 50. Bangar followed him 11 runs later, caught by Chris Gayle in the slips.

Tendulkar and Dravid, who was dropped off the first ball he faced, then took India to their target without any further hiccup.

The victory was the 13th for Sourav Ganguly as captain, just one away from Mohammad Azharuddin’s record of 14. Ganguly was injured today in the field when he collided with Anil Kumble as they both went for a catch of Pedro Collins at deep mid-wicket.

Ganguly had to be carried off in a stretcher and was later diagnosed to be suffering from lower back injury. Doctors said it would have been difficult for him to bat in the Indian second innings today but his services were not required. He was expected to be fit for the third test starting in Kolkata on October 30. (PTI)

Repeated mistakes cost Windies another test
India-West Indies Series

By Michael Holding

Another Test Match ends and the status quo remains, the West Indies capitulate once again on foreign soil. After the experiences of the first Test in Mumbai, the West Indies should have been better mentally prepared for the battle in Chennai than they seemed to be. Mumbai was hard work batting against the Indian spinners on a substandard test pitch and it was on the cards that the pitch in Chennai was at least going to be of a similar nature since India dominated the opposition so much in the first test.

In fact it was worse but the West Indies had an ideal opportunity to turn that totally in their favour. Having won the toss and elected to bat, the onus was on the batsmen to get a score of 300 and beyond, which surely was well within their means batting on the best part of the pitch. That they palpably failed to do so was due mainly to the fact that they failed to learn from the Bombay experience. Life is about learning from your experiences and the experiences of others. It was the best time to bat on the first day of the test but the ball was still turning and bouncing awkwardly so added application was still paramount.

In Mumbai, a number of the West Indies batsmen got out to Harbahjan Singh trying to play against the spin without getting close enough to the pitch of the ball and smothering whatever turn there was, it was a repeat performance here. Both he and Anil Kumble were allowed to bowl the line and the length that they wanted to bowl, no one tried to use their feet to get to the pitch and hence force them to think a bit more and ultimately force them to alter their length or line. There seemed to be a change of plan in the second innings when the batsmen were forced by the circumstances of the game to be a bit more positive and attacking with their stroke play and it certainly seemed to be rattling both the bowlers and their captain.

But alas, when it seemed as if the West Indies were against all odds battling their way back into the test, the tide changed again. India had been pushed back to the point where the onus was on defence rather than attack, with the negative field placing of six fielders on the legside and the negative tactic of bowling outside legstump to the left handed Hinds but obviously Ganguly and Harbahjan knew that those negative tactics would work positively for them.

Hinds after being totally in command and the partnership with Sarwan looking to put the West Indies firmly back on top, virtually handed back to India the initiative, with the same old mistake of playing against the spin, towards leg, without covering the turn. The end result was obvious, it was just a matter of when and which fielder would take the spooned up catch, it just happened to be the captain himself which gave him even more joy than the usual fall of a wicket would supply. Hinds, like his opening partner Gayle, hadn’t learnt from previous failures as that was Gayle’s method of dismissal in the first inning but the story doesn’t end there.

Wavell’s namesake Ryan, got out in a similar manner later down the order, after trying the shot on more than one occasion previously without success and being apparently warned by his then partner Sarwan how dangerous a tactic it could be.

The West Indies chairman of selectors, Sir Vivian Richards is here traveling with the team and I have heard him say on more than one occasion that to be successful as a batsman, it is extremely necessary to assess early in your innings and sometimes even before you get to the crease by watching the play, exactly what shots are the high percentage shots for scoring runs on the prepared surface. It would seem as if he needs to have a long chat with his batsmen to emphasize that point, for although he has retired now for over a decade, the basics of the game have not changed. (TCM)

State Billiards, Snooker meet takes off

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 20: Keeping in mind the coming December nationals in Jammu, the young cueists have launched their campaign with a bit more confidence on the inaugural day of the 12th Jammu and Kashmir Billiards and Snooker Championship that began at Billiards hall, M A Stadium, here this afternoon.

Though, opening day’s first round of junior Snooker matches could not give much fight, yet the organisers were expecting tough matches ahead among promising players from Jammu and Srinagar.

Last year, cueists from Srinagar had taken away winners and runners-up trophies in Junior Snooker. Since title holder Umar Himayun has now become senior, he has been replaced by his runners-up Umar Jaan at the top position.

In presence of promising and quite confident Jammu cueists, Kuldeep Chowdhary and Nishant Azad, it will not be an easy task for Umar Jaan and Owais Ahmed, another upcoming player from Srinagar, who finished fourth last.

Earlier, in the first day junior Snooker matches, Manik Basotra beat Abhishek in straight frames 70-34, 45-21; Sunil Gupta beat Fayaz Gohar 46-15, 59-47; Rajan Gupta beat Mitesh Mahajan 60-5, 64-31; Tarun Singla beat Nikhil Sharma 60-21, 60-25; Neeraj Sharma beat Amit Gandotra 46-13, 56-43; Pallav Gupta beat Almiyat 53-52, 54-24; Vikas beat Karan Anand 70-50, 34-43, 67-19; Ichuk Chowdhary beat Aditya Mahajan 51-4, 59-21 and Sidharth Mahajan beat Akhil Sharma 81-21, 29-73, 59-32.

Rakesh Sharma, Surjit Singh and Shanker Dass were makers in opening day matches.

Talking to EXCELSIOR, general secretary of the J&K Billiards and Snooker Association, Sanjeev Gupta said, "to prepare and select a promising team for the coming nationals, scheduled for December this year in Jammu, we have decided to hold league matches among the semi-finalists after competing previous knockout round in both Billiards and Snooker in all the age groups".

"We are confident of making a good final selection out of the available talent at the end of the State Championship, who would definitely create troubles for the guests after clearing their pools. Top three players in each group will be part of the final J&K team", informed Sanjeev.