PUNE, Oct 26: Yere Goud brightened up an otherwise dull day with a well-crafted century as the ..........more

Younis retained
Pakistan captain
for Zimbabwe tour

ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: Ignoring the team’s disastrous showing under him in recent times, Pakistan’s ........more

Fit Sourav dreams of a
ton at Eden Gardens

KOLKATA, Oct 26: A completely fit Indian cricket captain Saurav Ganguly today said it was his ........more

Ticket sales pick
up for third Test

KOLKATA, Oct 26: The ticket sales having picked up, the organisers were expecting a turnout of ........more

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 26: Satyankar Gupta of Acharya Shrichandra College of Medical Sciences (ASCOMS) has set a new record of hitting the fastest 50 followed by century........more

Inter-college competitions
PG Deptts lift
Chess Trophy

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 26: The team of Post Graduate (PG) Departments of University of Jammu lifted the Inter-college Chess trophy beating Government.........more

Amit, Sourav win to enter
second round of Sr Snooker

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 26: Amit Abrol and Sourav Sharma were among six senior queists who entered the second round of the Snooker in the 12th State Billiards ........more

Paragliding pre-World Cup starts off in Kangra....

Junior boys beat girls in practice Cricket match ....

Asif retained skipper of J&K U-19 squad....

Goud slams ton as match ends in a draw

PUNE, Oct 26: Yere Goud brightened up an otherwise dull day with a well-crafted century as the three-day match between West Indies and Ranji Trophy champions Railways expectedly ended in a tame draw here today.

Yere Goud cracked a fine 107 before railways were all out for 402 in their first innings, 47 runs behind West Indies score of 449 for eight declared.

In the seven overs bowled before play was called off half an hour before the scheduled time, West Indies knocked off 35 runs without any loss in their second innings.

After Shreyas Khanolkar’s whirlwind knock of 102 yesterday, it was the turn of yere goud to show his batting prowess today. Yere Goud, who had an excellent season last year, faced 213 balls and hit 12 boundaries during his 278 minute stay at the crease before being the ninth man out.

Yere Goud held the Railways innings together after Cameron Cuffy had forced them on the backfoot with three quick wickets in the morning session. He stitched small but useful partnerships with nearly all the lower order batsmen to enable the team cross the 400-run mark.

Railways resumed at their overnight 179 for one and could add just 87 runs in the morning session which saw Cuffy dismiss Murali Kartik, Tejinderpal Singh and Jacob Martin in a fine spell of eight overs.

Kartik, who rode on his luck to remain unbeaten on 72, failed to add anything to his score today and was clean bowled by the second ball from Cuffy this morning. His overnight partner Tejinderpal Singh progressed from two to 21 before being trapped Leg Before Wicket by Cuffy.

Tejinderpal Singh faced 31 balls in 42 minutes and hit three fours.

Yere Goud, who was on three when Tejinderpal Singh got out, had to see his partners desert him at regular intervals after that but he stood his ground firm and easily negotiated the West Indian attack.

Railways also lost Jacob Martin before lunch interval when they were placed at 266 for four. Martin played a rash shot and was caught by Wavell Hinds at short covers off Cuffy after scoring five runs.

Railways regained their momentum after the lunch break and stepped up the gas with Yere Goud doing the bulk of the scoring. Between lunch and tea, Railways added 104 runs to their total and Yere Goud progressed from 34 to 89.

During this time, he lost three more partners - skipper Abhay Sharma (13), Raja Ali (16) and J P Yadav (15) failing to convert their starts into big knocks.

Yere Goud was a picture of confidence as he drove and cut with ease. He was particularly impressive against Cuffy who was the pick of the West Indian bowlers today finishing with figures of four for 84.

He reached his century shortly after the tea interval before becoming first of the two victims of leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo. Yere goud was caught by wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs at the team score of 400.

Railways innings ended thereafter with Kulamani Parida being clean bowled by Nagamootoo for two runs.

West Indies gained a 47-run first innings lead but with just about an hour left in the day’s play, it was only of an academic interest.

Just seven mandatory overs were bowled in the second innings when play was called off about half an hour ahead of schedule. Wavell Hinds remained unbeaten on 22 with four fours while Chris Gayle was not out on nine.

The West Indies now move to kolkata for the third test starting on October 30. The tourists have already lost the three-match series after being thrashed in Mumbai and Chennai and will play for pride in Kolkata.

The test series will be followed by a seven-match one-day series. (PTI)

Younis retained Pakistan captain for Zimbabwe tour

ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: Ignoring the team’s disastrous showing under him in recent times, Pakistan’s selectors today retained Waqar Younis as captain of the national team for the tour of Zimbabwe next month while also recalling a number of senior players.

Separate teams were announced for test and one-day series in Lahore with younis appointed to lead both.

Inzamam-ul Haq and Yousuf Youhana return to the national squad after missing the 3-0 thrashing by the Australians in the relocated test series in Colombo and Sharjah due to injury.

But former captain and star all-rounder Wasim Akram has been named only in the 16-member one-day team.

Chief selector Wasim Bari said the teams were a judicious mix of experience and youth and the best possible combination was selected for the two-test and five one-day international series in Zimbabwe, the first leg of Pakistan’s African Safari.

Pakistan are scheduled to visit South Africa after Zimbabwe before playing in the World Cup in those two countries. The squads for the series in South Africa will be announced later.

Younis had earlier been named Pakistan’s captain till the 2003 World Cup but the team’s poor performance in the last few months had raised fears that he might be replaced. (PTI)

Fit Sourav dreams of a ton at Eden Gardens

KOLKATA, Oct 26: A completely fit Indian cricket captain Saurav Ganguly today said it was his dream to score a test hundred at the Eden Gardens.

Speaking at an award giving and felicitation ceremony organised by ICICI Bank and a local vernacular sports magazine ‘Khela’, Saurav said, "it was my dream to score a test century at the Eden Gardens. If I can get it here, it will make my life."

Talking about the Eden pitch which has been recently relaid, Sourav said, "Eden pitch has always been a good track for test cricket. It should not behave differently."

Justifying the relaying of tracks, he said "it will certainly work."

Asked about his backache, he suffered during a collision with Anil Kumble while taking a catch at the Chennai test, Sourav said, "it is absolutely fine".

He heaped praise on the gold medal winning atheletes at the recently concluded Busan Asian Games Saraswati Saha and Soma Biswas. Saraswati won the gold in the 200 metres while soma won it in the 4x400 event. Soma won a silver at the Heptathalon.

He said cricket was a privileged sport in India but these athletes had made it to the top facing several adversaries and obstacles and that is what makes their victory extra special. He summed up the achievement of the two sprinters in a word "fantastic".

Besides Soma and Saraswati, who were feliciated by Sourav Ganguly with silver plaques, legendary Indian footballer P K Banerjee presented a silver plaque to footballer Jose Rameirez Baretto.

Bengal Ranji coach Sambaran Banerjee and veteran cricketer Gopal Bose felicitated the captain for his phenomenal achievement.

P K Banerjee raised the pitch by a few notches, justifying Sourav’s doffing his shirt at the balcony of the lords as an emotional outburst of an extremely patriotic Indian. (UNI)

Ticket sales pick up for third Test

KOLKATA, Oct 26: The ticket sales having picked up, the organisers were expecting a turnout of 70,000 during the third and final cricket test between India and West Indies beginning at the Eden Gardens here from October 30.

"The sales have so far been encouraging,’’ Cricket Association of Bengal treasurer Amitava Banerjee Taid that season tickets of Rs 400 and Rs 500 denominations were much in demand, while the tickets priced at Rs 1000 were selling in bits and pieces.

When pointed out that the queues outside the ticket counters were comparatively shorter than on earlier occasions, he said that was bound to be, in view of India having already clinched the series by taking a 2-0 lead.

"The sales have really picked up since yesterday", he said, adding "any other centre would have cut a very sorry figure. But this being Kolkata, and the game being cricket, there will still be around 70,000 thousand spectators."

The stadium has a capacity of 90,000. (PTI)

Inter-College Cricket
Satyanker hits fastest ton in ASCOMS’s 4-wkt victory

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 26: Satyankar Gupta of Acharya Shrichandra College of Medical Sciences (ASCOMS) has set a new record of hitting the fastest 50 followed by century in the Inter-college Tournament, thereby helping his team beat Degree College, Udhampur by four wickets at University of Jammu grounds, here today.

Satyankar, who last year scored 157 runs against the winners MAM College in the semi-finals, today took only 18 deliveries to complete his half-century mark. After completing his 50, Satyanaker continued thrashing the Udhampur College bowlers and made 134 runs off 60 balls studded with five sixes and 23 boundaries.

Earlier, batting first after winning the toss, Degree College, Udhampur set a target of 229 runs in the stipulated 40 overs for the loss of eight wickets, which, in reply, ASCOMS chased in 29 overs, losing six wickets making 234 runs. Last delivery of the 29th over added five runs to the total of ASCOMS when bowler bowled wide and man standing behind the wickets could not collect the ball.

Arun Sharma and Bhupresh played brilliant innings for Udhampur College contributing 58 (off 40 balls, 1x6, 10x4) and 53 (off 33 balls, 3x6, 3x4) respectively. Nitin and Sandeep Katoch added 25 and 19 runs respectively. Extras contributed 22 runs to the score.

From ASCOMS, Adil claimed three wickets for 39 runs in five overs, while Nassir took two. Imran, Shahid and Samiullah shared one each.

Later, needing a run-rate of over five runs per over, ASCOMS attained the goal in 29 overs by losing six wickets.

Satyankar Gupta’s century guided ASCOMS to easy win in just 29 overs. Samiullah too batted well and contributed quick 40 (off 37 balls, 2x6, 2x4) runs to the score. Shahid made valuable 26 runs, facing 18 deliveries including five fours.

Balwant was most successful bowler who clinched four wickets for 33 runs in five overs. Sumit and Sandeep Katoch shared one each.

Now, in the quarter-finals, ASCOMS will meet Degree College Poonch.