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Ganguly plays his BRISBANE, Dec 7: Sourav Ganguly made the mighty Australians dance to his music with a classy 144 as India gained a psychological edge by taking .............more Salgaocar
outplay MARGAO, Deac 7: After meeting stiff resistance in the barren first half, Salgaocar outplayed Mohammedan Sporting to score a comprehensive 3-0 ..................more Pak
set up another RAWALPINDI (Pakistan), Dec 7: Pakistan completed a clean sweep of the five-match one-day series against New Zealand today with a 49 ................more Ganguly
makes From Ashish Shukla BRISBANE, Dec 7: After letting his bat answer the critics who picked him out as the weak link in India’s batting, skipper Sourav Ganguly chose to be modest in his hour of glory and let go the opportunity to give one back to his............more |
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Jammu makes clean Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 7: Jammu made a clean sweep in the two-day hotchpotch State Athletic championship which concluded today at MA Stadium, here........more JKMSA to host All India Mobike Dirt Track Race Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 7: The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) co-sponsored All India open Mobike Dirt Track Racing competitions, .......more 13th
State Billiards & Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 7: Semi-finals line-up has been drawn in the Junior Billiards in the ongoing 13th State and inter-district ........more Harleen
is best Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 7: Harleen Singh was declared as the best gymnast in Rhythmic after she topped.....more |
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driver’s seat...... Women hockey team gearing up for Asiad ..... |
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Ganguly plays his own music to give India the lead BRISBANE, Dec 7: Sourav Ganguly made the mighty Australians dance to his music with a classy 144 as India gained a psychological edge by taking the first innings lead in the first cricket Test at the Gabba here today. The pre-series Australian ploy of pressurising the Indian captain with the "chin music" completely backfired as Ganguly responded with characteristic grit to notch up his maiden ton against the world champions. At stumps on the penultimate day, India were placed at 362 for six, a lead of 39 runs, with Parthiv Patel on 37 and Ajit Agarkar on 12 at the crease. Ganguly showed no signs of nerves as he unleashed a flurry of strokes to expose the chinks in the Australian bowling armoury after Sachin Tendulkar perished to a shocking decision by umpire Steve Bucknor for a duck, which reduced the visitors to a precarious 62 for three. The Indian captain found ample support from the stylish V V S Laxman (75) as the duo pulled the team out of the pits with a 146-run fourth wicket partnership on a rain-free day. With just one day left, the match seems to be heading for a draw but the Indians not only proved that they were no push-overs but silenced many of their critics who had written them off before the start of the series. Ganguly and laxman came together with India, at 127 for four, staring at another batting collapse. The tourists had just lost Aakash Chopra who displayed lot of guts during his three hour knock of 36. His 65-run association with Ganguly for the fourth wicket was beginning to pull the tourists out of the hole they had dug themselves in when they were reduced for 62 for three in the morning. Chopra, after a 181-minute vigil, snicked Gillespie for a simple catch to Matthew Hayden in the fourth ball after lunch. Sehwag overcame his poor form but not before being dropped on 16 by Damien Martyn in the slip cordon of Nathan Bracken. The right hander punished the Australians for the error with three consecutive boundaries off Andy Bichel in the very next over. But he was out prodding outside the off stump to give Hayden the first of three catches, while also becoming Bracken’s first test scalp. His wicket was followed by the dismissal of vice captain Rahul Dravid whose low edge off Gillespie was smartly taken by Hayden at first slip. Then came the controversial leg before ruling of Sachin Tendulkar for zero to the same bowler. Steve Bucknor’s decision surprised the batsman as well as the bowler, and TV replays showed that the ball pitched outside the off would have gone well above the stumps. Three wickets had fallen in the space of 22 balls for the addition of one run which handed back the advantage to the Australians. Further danger was averted by the Chopra-Ganguly association. Chopra displayed good technique and temperament before a lapse of concentration led to his down fall. Ganguly and Laxman though were in imperious form and exposed the hosts’ bowling which was without its premier strike bowlers Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Shane Warne. The duo dished out some top quality entertainment for the Indian diaspora that had gathered to watch their favourite team down under. Ganguly began by cutting the seamers over the slip cordon and driving the juicy volleys through the covers. Laxman at the other end played some exhilarating cricket. He rocked on the back foot to pull andy bichel to square leg and then punched him through the midwicket. He however saved his best for leg-spinner Stuart MacGill whom he drove against the turn past mid-on twice to leave Australian captain Steve Waugh at his wit’s end. Bichel in particular came in for some rough treatment from both Ganguly and Laxman. The queenslander, bowling on his home ground, turned out to be most expensive bowler with figures of 23-5-118-0. Laxman dispatched Bichel to midwicket to bring up India’s 200 in the 60th over. He pulled part time bowler Simon Katich to notch up his half century which came in 73 balls and included seven fours. Ganguly then swept MacGill for hundred, his 11th in Tests, from 135 balls with the help of 13 hits to the fence. It also marked India’s 250 before the umpires called tea. Laxman fell in the sixth over of the post-tea session, caught by Katich at point while cutting MacGill. His 75-run knock came off 113 balls and contained 11 fours. Meanwhile, Parthiv Patel began to rub salt on Aussies’ wound with his contemptuous cuts and drives off Gillespie, Bichel and MacGill. The hosts did not help their cause when MacGill dropped Ganguly off his own bowling and the Indian captain went on to score five more fours before holing out to Gillespie off the same bowler. His 144 was the highest by an Indian captain down under and the highest by an Indian at the Gabba. His partnership with Patel for the sixth wicket was worth 56 runs. When India went past the Aussie total, it was the first time Steve Waugh’s men were conceding the first innings lead in 13 home Tests. Ajit Agarkar too had his moments to celebrate. After pushing MacGill to mid on to open his account with a hurried single, he raised his bat in acknowledgment. He had broken the sequence of five consecutive ducks on his last visit to Australia. (PTI) SCOREBOARD Australia first innings 323 India first innings (overnight 11-0) A Chopra c Hayden b Gillespie 36 V Sehwag c Hayden b Bracken 45 R Dravid c Hayden b Gillespie 1 S Tendulkar lbw b Gillespie 0 S Ganguly c Gillespie b MacGill 144 Laxman c Katich b MacGill 75 P Patel not out 37 A Agarkar not out 12 Extras (lb-6 w-1 nb-5) 12 Total (for six wickets) 362 Fall of wickets: 1-61 2-62 3-62 4-127 5-273 6-329 Bowling: Gillespie 25-10-45-3 (nb-1), Bracken 23-5-76-1 (w-1), Bichel 23-5-118-0 (nb-3), MacGill 25-4-85-2 (nb-1), Waugh 7-3-16-0, Katich 2-0-16-0. (AGENCIES) |
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Salgaocar outplay Mohammedan Sporting in Football MARGAO, Deac 7: After meeting stiff resistance in the barren first half, Salgaocar outplayed Mohammedan Sporting to score a comprehensive 3-0 win in a National Football League (NFL) match at Nehru Stadium here today. Salgaocar, dominating the match throughout, scored all the goals in the second half through defender Bello Rasaq (59), substitute Samson Singh (77th) and Felix Ibrebru (90th). Mohammedan Sporting, who were pushed on the back foot had a close look at the rival goal only once when an Odafa header in the second half went over off a flag kick taken by Khalid Siddiqui. Salgaocar could have won by a bigger margin had their strikers Felix Lbrebru and Freed Mascarenhas directed their shots on target. Salgaocar, who beat East Bengal earlier, now have six points from their second successive win. Mohammedan Sporting, who have lost both their outings, are still to open their account. Referee Shaji Kurian booked Dharamjit Singh of Salgaocar for indecent behaviour. (PTI) |
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Pak set up another clean sweep on Kiwis RAWALPINDI (Pakistan), Dec 7: Pakistan completed a clean sweep of the five-match one-day series against New Zealand today with a 49 runs-win in the final match. It was the eighth time Pakistan have recorded a clean sweep in a one-day series at home and their second of the home season after a 5-0 defeat of Bangladesh in September. The foundation on Sunday was laid by openers Yasir Hameed (127 not out) and Imran Farhat (107) who put on 197 to set Pakistan on their way to an imposing total of 277 for four. It was a record fourth time in a row the two men had posted century opening partnerships and the stand also beat Pakistan’s previous highest ever against New Zealand of 194. The left-handed Farhat’s maiden one-day century featured 12 fours and a six. Hameed’s runs came from 154 balls, with nine fours and one six. The 21-year-old Farhat, since returning to the Pakistan team after a year on the sidelines, has figured in seven century opening stands in his last nine innings in tests and one-dayers. Although Hamish Marshall scored his third half century of the series (62 not out), the kiwis were never able to chase the target once openers Craig Cumming and Richard Jones struggled to bring up 50 in the first 15 overs. Three unnecessary run-outs in the innings did not help their cause, either. By the time captain Chris Cairns came out to bat in the 36th over his team were struggling on 141 for three and in the last 10 overs they required 118 for an unlikely win. Marshall and Tama Canning (23 not out) restored some pride by adding 49 undefeated runs in the last seven overs. (AGENCIES) |
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Ganguly makes critics eat their words with his bat From Ashish Shukla BRISBANE, Dec 7: After letting his bat answer the critics who picked him out as the weak link in India’s batting, skipper Sourav Ganguly chose to be modest in his hour of glory and let go the opportunity to give one back to his detractors. Ganguly send his critics scurrying for cover with a scintillating 144-run knock on a Gabba wicket which had a fair bit of pace and helped his side avert the danger of losing the first Test against Australia. "I believe in my ability to score runs and that is what I look to do. It happens sometimes that people get after you. But you have to take it in your stride. It is a professional sport so one has to just go ahead," Ganguly told reporters here. Asked what he had to say to his detractors now, he said, "we have a job to do, they have a job to do. So life will go on, the game will go on. I just want to play the game my way." "Frankly too much is made of short-pitched stuff. When you play international cricket you play it all the time. Personally I am happy I could score one of my most special hundreds but looking from the team’s point of view we have scored 350 runs despite just one run coming from our two top batsmen." Ganguly was effusive in his praise for Australian great Greg Chappell and credited him for the marked improvement in his temperament and technique. "He (Chappell) suggested a few mental and technical adjustments and they must have been good for I now have two hundreds from two test matches. I have no hesitation in saying he has made a significant contribution to my batting." Ganguly flew down to Adelaide to get tips from Chappell and has now scored two Test centuries on the Trot, having scored one against New Zealand at home recently. The Indian skipper was relieved that for a change this time around his team were off to a good start in a test series. "It has always been our failing. We lose the first Test and then it becomes difficult to come back in the series. Now we can carry the positives of this Test to the next game." Under Ganguly’s reign, India had lost the first Test of an overseas series in South Africa (Bloomfontein), England (Lord’s) and Sri Lanka (Colombo) but the present game in all probability looks destined for a draw. The biggest positive to come out from the game was Ganguly’s form itself as Australians have made an art of mentally disintegrating the visiting captain. "As I said before the Test, it was challenge for all of us to find out how good we are with our games. What really pleases me is that most of our guys have had a good stay in the middle. Openers (Akash Chopra and Virender Sehwag) looked in good nick while Parthiv (Patel) contribution was significant too. "One can’t miss out on VVS Laxman who batted in glorious fashion and took us past a difficult stage." Ganguly said the start of the innings was very important and it helped that Sehwag and Chopra have different approach to batting. "Both have different approach to batting and they compliment each other very well. As for Sehwag, I have always believed him to be a special player." Ganguly said the century today did not mean he could afford to relax in any way as the next game would start afresh and they would have to remain focused. "It is a great start but it is a challenge for us to do well in the next three Tests." He also brushed aside suggestions that India could make merry only because of a second rate Australian attack saying it was the same attack which had won so convincingly in India. India turned around things dramatically in the Test and dominated the world champions on three of the four days, after beginning the Test poorly on Thursday. "It was not a good start to the game for us after we won the toss. (bowling coach) Bruce Reid had a word with the boys after the first day and obviously it helped because they bowled in the right areas the next day," the skipper said. VVS Laxman, who scored a classy 75, said he was disappointed to have missed out on a ton saying the ball from Stuart MacGill, which claimed his wicket, bounced more than expected. |
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Jammu makes clean sweep in State Athletic meet Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 7: Jammu made a clean sweep in the two-day hotchpotch State Athletic championship which concluded today at MA Stadium, here. The best athlete trophy in men section was shared by Vikram Singh of Jammu and Kashmir with three gold (400, 800 and 1500 mts) and Rajinder Kumar (three gold in Discuss, Shot-put and Javelin. In boys under-17 year category, Kundan Lal of Jammu bagged the best athlete trophy with three gold in 100 mts, 200 mts and 400 mts events. Best athletes in other age groups were Heena Khan and Bandana (U-19 girls), Deepika Gupta and Deepika Sabotra (U-17 girls) and Monika (U-14 girls). Those emerged fastest athletes winning the 100 mts events were Surjeet Singh (men), Bandana Devi (U-19), Pankaj (U-19), Kundan (U-17), Pawan Singh (U-14). In the prize distribution function held this evening, Forest and Environment Minister, Sofi Ghulam Mohi-u-Din was chief guest. Final results of 100 mts race Men: Surjeet Singh, Jammu, Ist; Rajinder Singh, J&K Police, 2nd and Nirmal Singh, Jammu, third. U-19 girls: Bandana Devi, Jammu, Ist; Rehana Rashid, Srinagar, 2nd and Aysha Tariq, Srinagar, third. U-19 boys: Pankaj, Jammu, Ist; Naseeb Ahmed, Kathua, 2nd and Vijay Singh, Jammu, third. U-17 boys: Kundan, Jammu, Ist; Dharminder Singh, Kathua, 2nd and Gurbachan, Jammu, third. U-14 boys: Pawan Singh, Jammu, Ist; Suraj, Jammu, 2nd and Anil Kumar, Kathua, third. |
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JKMSA to host All India Mobike Dirt Track Race Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 7: The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) co-sponsored All India open Mobike Dirt Track Racing competitions, being organised by J&K Motor Sports Association (JKMSA), Jammu, will be held from December 22 to 25 at Mini-Stadium, here. The date for the mega event was announced in a meeting of the JKMSA today. Members present in the meeting also nominated an IPS officer, JP Singh as chairman organising committee and Som Raj Gupta, the organising secretary for smooth conduct of the event. This prestigious motor sports event will be held in two different classes of 180 cc (4 stroke) and 160 cc (two stroke), this was disclosed by Ranjit Singh, president of the Association. He further informed that around 40 competitors are expected to participate in these mobike racing competitions. And, for the first time, riders from Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have already confirmed their entries. The JKMSA general secretary, Vikram Singh told that scrutiny of the event will be held on December 22, followed by the qualifying rounds on December 23. Semi-finals will be held on December 24 and the finals of the event will be held on December 25. Last date for the entries has been fixed on December 15. For more details, competitors can contact Rajan Sharma, Manager Indoor Complex, MA Stadium, here. Mr Vikram said that the competitions will be held under the national competition rules of Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (Chennai) which is affiliated to IOA. Among others who attended the meeting were Umesh Joshi (president ASC), Prabal Sharma (secretary JKMSA), Som Raj Gupta, Raj Kumar (org. secy. ASC) and Rajan Sharma. |
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13th State Billiards
& Snooker Championship Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 7: Semi-finals line-up has been drawn in the Junior Billiards in the ongoing 13th State and inter-district Billiards and Snooker Championships underway at Billiards Hall, M A Stadium, here today. Four cueists, who have made it to the last four stage are Nishant Azad, Kuldeep Gupta, Nikhil Kapahi and Sohail Plassar. Now, in the semi-finals, to be played tomorrow, Nishant will take on Nikhil Kapahi while Kuldeep will face Sohail Plassar. The final will also be played tomorrow at 3 pm. Earlier, in the league matches, Kuldeep topped pool-B emerging winner in all the four engagements. He was followed by Nikhil Kapahi with three wins off four matches. From pool-B, Nishant was the topper with three wins from as many ties while Sohail Plassar finished second with two wins. The Junior Billiards league results Sohail Plassar bt Karan Badyal 179-122; Kuldeep Sharma bt Nikhil Kapahi 218-171; Sohail Plassar bt Rashu 181-169; Sumesh Turki bt Tarun Goswami 324-136; Kuldeep Sharma bt Tarun Goswami 315-116; Nikhil Kapahi bt Tarun Goswami 252-163; Kuldeep Sharma bt Sumesh Turki 237-177; Sumesh got walkover Sahil Sharma; Nishant Azad got walkover Rashu Gupta. |
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Harleen is best Rhythmic gymnast Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 7: Harleen Singh was declared as the best gymnast in Rhythmic after she topped the points tally securing 64.20 points in the Jammu district Gymnastics championship organised by J&K Gymnastics Association, here today. Second place went to Shilpa Gupta with 44.80 points while Seema Mehra (44.10 pts) finished third. In junior girls Artistic, all-round best trophy was bagged by Jasleen Kour. Manpreet Kour and Shuchi Malhotra shared second and third positions respectively. Rahul Mahajan was all-round best among junior boys in Artistic, while Honey Mehra and Gourav Sharma finished second and third respectively. In sub-junior boys Artistic, Mayank Jain (22.50 pts) secured the all-round best title. Sahil Sahi (22 pts) was second and Vikas Bakaya (21.80 pts) all-round third. Sub-junior girls’ all-round best was Tejpal Kour, who was followed by Suneha Kangotra and Roohi Salaria. Individual apparatus finals Senior girls: On Rope: Harleen Singh, Ist; Seema Mehra, 2nd and Shilpa Gupta, third. On Ribbon: Harleen, Ist; Shilpa Gupta, 2nd and Seema Mehra, third. On Ball: Harleen, Ist; Seema, 2nd and Chilpa, third. Aerobics: Senior boys: Kamal Singh, Ist; Atul Sharma, 2nd and Honey Mehra, third. Senior girls: Indeep Kour, Ist; Asmita Prabhakar, 2nd Manmeet Kour, third. Junior boys: Varun Sharma, Ist; Kuldeep Gupta, 2nd and Adnan Beig, third. Junior girls: Vibhuti Wattal, Ist; Palak Gupta, 2nd and Sonia Sharma and Ravia Sagoch shared third place. Kandamby, Lakshita put Lanka-A in driver’s seat MUMBAI, Dec 7: Left hand batsman Tilana Kandamby slammed a lucky 60 off 76 balls and medium pacer Tharanga Lakshita grabbed three wickets for 39 to put Sri Lanka-A in the driver’s seat on the second day of the third Test match against India-A at the Brabourne Stadium here today. The visitors resuming their first innings at 134 for four after bowling out the hosts for a paltry 172, made 226 (all out) off 66 overs taking a crucial 54-run first innings lead, thanks to two good partnerships. Overnight not out batsmen skipper Naveed Nawaz (47 off 83 balls with four fours and a six) and Anushka Polonowita (42 off 79 balls with seven fours) added 67 runs in 19 overs for the fifth wicket and then Kandamby, who was dropped twice, added another 62 runs in 4.3 overs along with Omesh Wijesiriwardene (22 off 41 balls with three fours) for the eighth wicket to give a respectable total. Kandamby, twice got grace of life, after India-A fielders twice failed to catch him. He was first dropped by Gautam Gambhir at point off paceman Amit Bhandari when on one with their total reading 140 for five and then Murali Kartik dropped him at mid-on off Bhandari when on 53. The two vital misses turned the complexion of the match completely before Siddharth Trivedi came back to take three wickets in single over and bowled out the visitors for 226 in 291 minutes. When India-A batted for the second time Lakshita, Lasitha Malinga (2-37) and Wijesiriwardene (2-31) bowled magnificently to restrict the hosts to 206 all out off 62.1 overs in 282 minutes. Needing 153 runs to win and square the series the Lankans had made six for no loss in their second innings. (PTI) Women hockey team gearing up for Asiad BANGALORE, Dec 7: After registering its supermacy in the recently concluded Afro Asian Games (AAG), Indian women hockey team is gearing up to achieve another triumph in the Asiad Cup scheduled to be held in Delhi from January 30 to February 8 next year. The exercise of grooming the 30 probables selected are undergoing coaching under the guidance of former Olympian M K Kaushik at Sports Authority of India (SAI) grounds in the outskirts of the city since December two. Kaushik told UNI that there are seven new faces in the camp and importance was given to overcome the weakness observed during the AAG and physical fitness was given top priority during the camp which would last upto January 10. "Every day the players were made to run 2.5 km in the morning before actual coaching commences." Replying to a question, he said that since SAI has informed about non-availability of the facility as about 80 players of other discipline were arriving before January 10 and if it becomes necessary to move the camp may be shifted to Chandigarh before going to Delhi. "Since new ground has been prepared in Chandigarh it may be good to have second phase of the camp their compared to old ground in Patiala." Following are the list of probables: Helen Mary, Deepika Murthy, Marita Tirkey, S S Nilan, Nisha Singh, Rajni Bala (goal keepers) Suman Bala, Kanti Baa, Nilima Kujur, Binita Tapno, Pushpa Pradhan (full backs), Surajlata Devi (captain), Subhadra Pradhan, Misra Surin, Fulmani Soy, Gurpreet Kaur, Sumrai Tete, Asunta Lakra, Manju (half backs), Sanggai Ibemhal Chanu, Adline Kerketta, Jasjeet Kaur, Annarita Kerketta, Surinder Kaur, Jyoti Sunita Kullu, Pritam Siwach, Dipika, Mamta Kharb, Saba Anjum, Amrita Minj (forwards) Coaches: M K Kaushik, M R Negi (goalkeeping), B S Chauhan, Vasu Thapliyal, Manjit Kaur, Dr Ramesh, Baswaraj (video recorder). (UNI) Ajay Sharma moves court to seek relief NEW DELHI, Dec 7: Buoyed by the partial relief granted by the court to cricketer Ajay Jadeja, his former state-mate Ajay Sharma has also moved court seeking to lift the life ban imposed on him by the BCCI in December 2000 in the wake of match fixing allegations. In his suit, filed in a city court, Sharma has sought to restrain the BCCI from stopping him from participation in cricket matches or other activities being organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Besides wanting to get the board’s December 5, 2000 ban order declared illegal, Sharma through his counsel Manish Sharma and Amit Bhardwaj, also seeks the release of funds amounting to over Rs five lakh that had accrued to him under heads like Provident Fund contribution and match fee. (UNI) India to host Netherlands in hockey series NEW DELHI, Dec 7: India will finally get a chance to lock horns with Olympic hockey champions Netherlands at home in February next year but it will be a three-test affair instead of five as planned earlier. The three Tests would be held in Hyderabad on February 5, 7 and 8, a source in the Indian Hockey Federation told PTI here today. "The dates have been confirmed by the IHF and its Dutch counterpart," he said. It would be the first time in 26 years that India would be hosting the European giants in a one-to-one series. India are scheduled to play in the Azlan Shah Tournament in Malaysia from January 8 to 15 before the all-important Olympic qualifiers in Madrid in March. The series with the Dutch is just the kind of preparation India was keen for in their build-up to the Olympic qualifiers. The Netherlands were originally scheduled to play five Tests in late January but the series had to be put off after the Champions Trophy winners said they were unable to undertake the trip due to "developments relating to team management". The Dutch team was thrown into turmoil after six senior players boycotted their chief coach Joost Bellaart who resigned at the end of October. Bellaart has been replaced by former Australian player and national coach Terry Walsh. (PTI) |
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