By Javagal Srinath

The Indian spinners bowled as well as they could have on the final day of the Test. I am sure quite a few Indian fans would...........more

Bouncy track awaits
players at Mohali

MOHALI, Oct 13: The wicket for the second and final cricket Test between India and New Zealand, starting here on Thursday, is expected to generate "good bounce", the curator of the pitch said today..............more

Bichel seals
Australia Test win

MELBOURNE, Oct 13: Andy Bichel clinched victory by an innings and 175 runs for Australia by taking the final Zimbabwe wicket before lunch on the fifth day of the first Test in Perth today..........more

Indians, Kiwis reach
Chandigarh

CHANDIGARH, Oct 13: Six members of the Indian squad and the New Zealand team arrived here today ahead of the second and final cricket Test match that begins on October 16 at the PCA Stadium in Mohali..........more

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 13: In an exciting Black ball game, young Gurdev Singh defeated Gautam Thappa 3-2 to reach the pre-quarterfinals......more

Kathua, Udhampur
win opening matches
in eves Volleyball

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 13: Degree College, Kathua and Women College, Udhampur won opening day matches in the inter-college...........more

Manu Gupte honoured for
achievements in sports

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 13: Manu Gupte, a bachelor of Engineering student, has been honoured for his outstanding achievements......more

Ashwani of HSS Arnia
wins Long Jump gold

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 13: Ashwani of Higher Secondary School, Arnia bagged first position in boys under-19.....more

Vinay named Jt Secy of Boxing Asso......

Lawrence students wish Tarun best of luck in World Skating meet.....

Distt Athletic meet from October 17.....

Bowlers did the best they could on flat track

By Javagal Srinath

The Indian spinners bowled as well as they could have on the final day of the Test. I am sure quite a few Indian fans would be disappointed India could not carry on to win the Test after getting the first six wickets quickly but there was absolutely nothing in the wicket.

As for Zaheer Khan, he is truly now India’s strike bowler. His first spell was devastating. He has embraced the responsibility with open arms. I am keen to see more of him in future. As the match progressed, it was evident he was trying for the reverse swing.

You can’t find fault with Laxmipathy Balaji as well. It was heartening to see a young bowler toil so hard on that surface. His line and length got better with every spell. It is only real to say he is coming to terms with international cricket. It’s hard but he has the right attitude to succeed.

Indeed, this is the right time to congratulate Anil Kumble on his 350th wickets in Test. It is a tremendous milestone. He bowled as well as he has ever done. He did everything which was expected of him.

You can’t fault the Indians on the timing of declaration as well. Sourav Ganguly declared it at the right time — you can’t give your opponents less than 350 in the fourth innings on Indian wickets. If you do it, you are taking a huge risk.

But if there is one thing which I thought should have done better was Zaheer’s bowling in New Zealand’s second innings. I thought he didn’t bowl as many overs as he should have on the last day.

India’s batting, however, is running as well as it has ever at home.

Dravid showed the way and VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly were too keen to build on it. Home batting must now be the biggest worry for New Zealand. They also know it is the tail which bailed them out in this Test. In a way they were lucky to face Indian spinners on such a bland pitch.

New Zealand must regroup quickly for the second Test which starts after two days. It was Rahul Dravid’s test all the way. Nothing much has changed in his style of batting from the last decade which is only true to say he is a born technician. It was true when he made a chanceless 82 on his debut against Pune in the Ranji Trophy in 1991.

It is true today when he has taken a double hundred and a near-hundred off the New Zealand attack in the first Test.

His basic principle is the occupation of the crease and he is a firm believer of "bowlers-earning-wickets-rather-than batsmen-gifting-it-away" adage.

Having raised the progress bar consistently, he is the most sought after cricketer even in English County circuit with offers from several countries to lead the side as well.

Though in Tests he still sticks to his tested methods, his batting in one-dayers has changed with time and circumstances.

As a team the responsibilities are divided on each batsman. Likewise, Dravid’s role too is well-defined. He too, like everybody else, knows what to do at any stage of the game.

It is (A) if an early wicket were to fall, Rahul is up the order to steady the ship.

(B) Rotate the strike so well so as to give maximum strike to the attacking batsmen.

(C) If he is at number six, it is imperative to play the last precious overs and not expose much of the tail.

In essence it is to Marshall the batting resources in a way the best interests of the team are served. He has also mastered the cut shot on the balls bowled at the off-stump which otherwise is a dot ball. If I have to caution him on one thing, it is on his wicket-keeping. In my opinion he should not do it and on a long tour he could be prone to injuries.

Coming from one of the best schools in Bangalore, his education has really complimented his cricket that has made him a role model for others. He is very well-read and has excellent communication skills and has played a bigger role than any other deputy would have to his side.

It was mind over matter for him at Motera. Even though the wicket was easy-paced, it was a herculean effort to stay at the wicket for close to 10 hours. Truly, ‘the wall’ is standing tall for the country.

I’ve known him for as long as I can remember. We’ve spent a lot of time together. He loves chocolates and shakes and is an avid reader of books, mostly autobiographies and sports-related subjects. He is also very well-informed on current affairs. In music, he has a good taste for english pop.

His fitness routine is exemplary. He is the most hard-working guy in the side. His day starts at 6 am every day with a metabolic run followed by intense meditation for almost 30 minutes, a bit of shadow practice on match days. Lot of his time is spent in the gym as well. He has always been high on the weekly fitness points system with maximum number of session put in through in gym and aerobic and anaerobic work.

Extremely careful with the calories, he is always high on sports nutrition food packets. Unlike a few of us, he didn’t have problem in his food habits for he has been a non-vegetarian for as long as I know.

He doesn’t have any superstitions but then if he had, he wouldn’t tell me!

I have also not seen him lose his temper for he has that uncanny skill to keep his frustrations to himself. He hates to get out though and you could see the restlessness in him till he gets his act together in the next outing.

On tours, he is not big on shopping. He doesn’t seek out big brand names. His values are high but simple. He loves to go to movies on tour and Prasad (Venkatesh) was his perfect partner when it came to watching flicks. They’ve gone to the extent of watching two movies on the same day!

I am so happy for his well-deserved success and reached for phone no sooner he had achieved the double hundred on the first day.

He has also played his part in picking smart catches off me at forward short leg. I remember two such efforts in particular. Once was a blinder to dismiss Craig McMillan in the Wellington Test of 1988-99 series and another when he caught Moin Khan in Australia in the Triangular series of 2000-2001. Both were outstanding picks and well-planned. Somehow, he is now reluctant to take that position any more.(PTI)

Bouncy track awaits players at Mohali

MOHALI, Oct 13: The wicket for the second and final cricket Test between India and New Zealand, starting here on Thursday, is expected to generate "good bounce", the curator of the pitch said today.

"We have worked hard to prepare this wicket. It should offer good assistance to seamers, especially during early hours of the game on all days," chief curator of Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) and a member of BCCI’s grounds and pitches committee, Daljit Singh told reporters here.

"Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble should also love bowling on it on the third and fourth day. Overall, we have tried to keep something for the bowlers as well as the batsmen and let’s hope it works the way it is intended."

Singh said unlike the first Test, which ended in a tame draw, the pitch here could help in getting a result.

"The weather here is a lot cooler and the humidity levels are down. We have tried different mixtures of soil to prepare the wicket. The results were evident in the last Test encounter between India and England which was over in little under four days," Singh said.

He said that both Indian coach John Wright and New Zealand’s Ashley Ross have expressed satisfaction at the ground condition.

"They said the ground looked simply world class."

Singh also tried to defend the curator of the motera pitch, which was held responsible by Indian captain Sourav Ganguly for his side’s failure to force a win in the first Test.

"Every curator tries to do a best job. But it also depends on the soil and climate and other factors." (PTI)

Bichel seals Australia Test win

MELBOURNE, Oct 13: Andy Bichel clinched victory by an innings and 175 runs for Australia by taking the final Zimbabwe wicket before lunch on the fifth day of the first Test in Perth today.

Zimbabwe, aided by a 74-minute rain delay yesterday, had reached 272 for nine at the close of the fourth day.

Captain Heath Streak and tailender Ray Price further frustrated Australia with a 74-run partnership for the last wicket today.

Spinner Price, playing in his 13th test, made a career-best 36 before he was caught by a diving Steve Waugh at mid-off from the bowling of Bichel as Zimbabwe were finally bowled out for 321 in the second innings.

Streak, who batted for four and a half hours and hit his ninth half-century, was unbeaten on 71 including 10 fours.

Zimbabwe were skittled out for 239 in their first innings in reply to Australia’s huge 735 for six, led by Matthew Hayden’s world record 380.

The second match in the two-Test series is in Sydney starting on Friday.

Seamer Bichel (four for 63) and part-time spinner Darren Lehmann (three for 61) captured seven wickets between them while express paceman Brett Lee took one for 96 from 35 overs.

The fiery Lee will need to lift his performance in Sydney in the absence of Glenn McGrath, who had ankle surgery last week, and Jason Gillespie, who injured a side muscle during the first Test.

Indians, Kiwis reach Chandigarh

CHANDIGARH, Oct 13: Six members of the Indian squad and the New Zealand team arrived here today ahead of the second and final cricket Test match that begins on October 16 at the PCA Stadium in Mohali.

Accompanying the Indian players was chief of BCCI’s selection committee Syed Kirmani, who said Punjab lad Yuvraj Singh might be included in the playing XI for this test.

The six Indian players, who arrived here are Yuvraj Singh, V V S Laxman, Parthiv Patel, Akash Chopra, Lakshmipathy Balaji and Sairaj Bahutule. The rest of the team is expected tonight or tomorrow morning.

India had last played the black caps in a Test at Mohali in the 1999-2000 season. The match had then ended in a draw. (UNI)

District Billiards & Snooker Championships
Gurdev beats Gautam in a close Black ball game

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 13: In an exciting Black ball game, young Gurdev Singh defeated Gautam Thappa 3-2 to reach the pre-quarterfinals of senior Snooker in the ongoing Jammu District Billiards and Snooker Championship here today.

Down by two frames, Gurdev fought back and made good come back leveling the score 2-2. In the fifth and deciding frame, it was again a neck to neck fight and the frame reached upto a stage where only a Black ball had to decide the winner. And, ultimately a fluke came in the way of Gurdev and he succeeded in pocketing the Black and won the frame to reach the pre-quarterfinals stage with a 3-2 win. The score: 51-54, 43-50, 52-43, 52-30, 49-45.

Besides Gurdev, Sumesh Turki, Nishant Azad, Sourabh Sharma, Kuldeep Sharma, Jaideep Manocha, Ankit Khajuria and Pallav Gupta have made it into the pre-quarters stage.

Meanwhile, among other promising cueists who made a good start today in the second round were Lokesh Sharma and Ajay Pal Singh.

The detailed results

Senior Snooker: Lokesh Sharma bt Deepak Puri 3-0 (73-15, 50-15, 43-17); Nishant Azad bt Param Pal Singh 3-1 (61-11, 62-44, 43-67, 71-35); Gurdev Singh bt Gautam Thappa 3-2 (51-54, 43-50,52-43, 52-30, 49-45); Viraj Malhotra got walkover Ishan Sharma; Rashu bt Zohaib Choudhary 3-0 (56-48, 65-29, 50-33); Jaideep Manocha bt Ashok Raphel 3-0 (42-27, 49-45,75-26); Ankit Khajuria bt Gagan Gupta 3-1 (22-46, 42-16, 65-34, 64-43); Pallav Gupta bt Akhil Sharma 3-1 (30-47, 61-31, 63-44, 74-40); Kuldeep Sharma bt Parul Sharma 3-0 (70-19, 52-28, 78-70); Ajay Pal Singh bt Amit Raina 3-1 (89-32, 74-24, 16-54, 47-39).