Daily Excelsior.........sports

India eyeing win after Tendulkar, Irfan heroics

DHAKA, Dec 12: Sachin Tendulkar struck a career-best 248 and Irfan Pathan picked his second five-wicket haul of the match to put India on the threshold of a crushing win against a hapless Bangaldesh in the first cricket Test here today. Left-arm seamer Pathan ripped through the top order to leave Bangladesh reeling on 170 for eight in their second innings on the third day, the hosts .......more

Zaheer makes new
world record

DHAKA, Dec 12: Zaheer Khan’s 75 runs against Bangladesh in the first Test at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here today is a new world record for the highest individual score for a number 10 batsman in an innings in Test cricket. ..........more

Dhaka best wicket I have bowled on in Asia: Pathan

DHAKA, Dec 12: After claiming his first 10-wicket haul in the first cricket Test against Bangladesh, Irfan Pathan today said the Bangabandhu National Stadium wicket is the best he had bowled on . ..........more

Spain outplay Holland
to lift Champions Trophy

LAHORE, Dec 12: Olympics semi-finalists Spain came up with an exhibition of class and aggression to deny defending Champions Holland their third title in row, registering a 4-2 win at the 26th Champions Trophy ............more

Kamal, Kuldeep, Nishant, Sumesh emerge champions
*Sawhney assures assistance to Billiards and Snooker Association

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 12: The four titles in the 14th State and inter-district billiards and snooker championships were shared by Kamal Rohmetra, Kuldeep Sharma, Nishant Azad and Sumesh Turki in the well attended valedictory ..........more

Mega sports event for women tomorrow

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 12: Jammu and Kashmir State Sports Council in collaboration with Department of Youth Services and Sports (DYSS) is hosting, for the first time, national sports festival for women at different venues here from December 14. .........more

BJCC wins Pt. Trilochan Dutt cricket tourney

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 12: Baba Jitto Cricket Club won the Pt. Trilochan Dutt memorial cricket tournament beating Suryavanshi Cricket Club (SCC) in the final played today in Bishnah, near here.........more

6 Pakistani players injured in road accident

CHANDIGARH, Dec 12: Six Pakistani badminton players were today injured when . .......more

India eyeing win after Tendulkar, Irfan heroics

Left-arm seamer Pathan ripped through the top order to leave Bangladesh reeling on 170 for eight in their second innings on the third day, the hosts still needing 172 runs to avoid the ignominy of an innings defeat.

Pathan’s effort came on the back of a record tenth wicket partnership between Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan which enabled India to post a mammoth 526 in the first innings.

While Tendulkar remained unbeaten on 248, Zaheer (75) claimed a world record for scoring the maximum number of runs as the number eleven batsman.

At stumps, the hosts were 170 for eight with Manjural Islam’s maiden unbeaten 50 allowing them to live another day. Tapash Baisya was the other not out batsman on 17.

Faced with a huge first innings deficit of 342 runs, Bangladesh buckled under pressure as they lost their top five batsmen for less than 50 runs for the second time in the match.

Pathan, who had grabbed his first ever five-wicket haul on the opening day, blew away the top order with his lethal swing bowling to claim five for 31 and his first 10-wicket haul ever.

Opening batsman Nafis Iqbal struck a defiant 54 that lifted Bangladesh from 36 for five but Anil Kumble (2/42) and Harbhajan Singh (1/44) sliced through the lower order.

The platform for victory was set up by Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan who added 133 runs for the last wicket, which bettered the previous Indian record of 109 between Ghulam Ahmed and Hemu Adhikari against Pakistan at Delhi in 1952-53.

Tendulkar, who registered a record equalling 34th test hundred yesterday, converted it to his personal best of 248 but it was the number eleven Zaheer who stole the show with his world record knock.

Zaheer’s hurricane knock, that lasted 115 balls and was studded with eight fours and two sixes, was the highest for any batsman playing at that position.

The previous best for a number eleven batsman was 68 not out by Richard Collinge of New Zealand at Auckland in 1972-73.

Zaheer survived a close leg before decision and also earned a reprieve on seven when Mohammad Rafique at cover allowed a simple skier slip through his fingers.

The 25-year old Baroda player made the most of it as he hoisted the left arm spin of Rafique twice over midwicket. His use of the long handle was also effective against the medium pacers whom he dispatched to all area of the park with disdain.

Bangladesh once again failed to lift their fielding standards. After grassing three catches of Tendulkar, they gave the record breaking batsman one more life by messing up a simple run out chance when he was on 192.

Earlier, resuming at 348 for seven, the overnight pair of Tendulkar and Anil Kumble were little troubled by the Bangladesh seamers.

The same set of bowlers, who had bowled with vigour at the start of Indian innings yesterday, lacked the spring in the foot steps as runs kept flowing freely.

There was a comedy of errors when Tendulkar and Kumble were stranded in the middle of the pitch while attempting a second run. The former escaped as wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud failed to gather the throw from squareleg.

And when he whipped the bails, not only the batsman was home but Kumble too was running towards the same end. Mashud’s throw to the non-striker’s end was wide and the close decision was referred to the third umpire who gave the benefit of doubt to Kumble.

It was Mashrafe Mortaza, the 21-year old right arm pacer, who finally gave the team the breakthrough.

Kumble, after being beaten repeatedly outside the off, dragged a full length delivery on to his stumps, his one run consuming 32 minutes and 16 balls.

Tendulkar then brought up his fourth Test double ton, as also India’s 400, with a swept four to midwicket off left arm spinner Mohammad Rafique.

The star batsman’s 248 not out contained 35 fours and came off 552 minutes and 379 balls.

Pathan, who had picked 5-45 in the hosts’ first innings, then blasted the Bangladesh top order.

The left-arm pacer struck in the very third ball of the innings when he trapped Javed Omar (4) plumb in front.

He then delivered a double blow in his fourth over to remove captain Habibul Bashar and Rajin Saleh in the space of four balls.

Bashar, Bangladesh’s most successful and only batsman with more than 2000 runs, succumbed to the short delivery for the second time in the match when he pulled Pathan straight to Zaheer Khan at fine leg.

Pathan then claimed one more leg before victim when he rapped Rajin Saleh on the pads for zero.

The Baroda pacemen also removed the dangerous Mohammad Ashraful with another searing inswinger before wicketkeeper batsman Khaled Mashud drove at a full length delivery and edged it to Dinesh Kaarthick. (PTI)

SCOREBOARD

Bangladesh 1st innings: 184

India 1st innings:

G Gambhir run out 35

V Sehwag lbw b Baisya 13

R Dravid b Mortaza 0

S Tendulkar not out 248

S Ganguly b Baisya 71

VVS Laxman lbw b Rafique 32

D Kaarthick c Mortaza b Rahman 25

I Pathan c Rahman b Rafique 5

A Kumble b Mortaza 1

Harbhajan c Bashar b Rahman 8

Zhheer Khan c Mashud b Ashraful 75

Extras (b 2, lb 11) 13

Total (all out, 136.4 overs) 526

Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-24, 3-68, 4-232, 5-291, 6-339, 7-348, 8-368, 9-393.

Bowling: Tapash Baisya 29-4-114-2, Mashrafe Mortaza 31-8-125-2, Mushfiqur Rahman 24-4-104-2, Mohammad Rafique 40-9-113-2, Manjural Islam Rana 12-1-55-0, Mohammad Ashraful 0.4-0-2-1.

Bangladesh 2nd innings:

J Omar lbw b Pathan 4

N Iqbal lbw b Kumble 54

H Bashar c Zaheer b Pathan 12

R Saleh lbw b Pathan 0

M Ashraful lbw b Pathan 0

K Mashud c Kaarthick b Pathan 5

M Islam batting 50

M Rahman c Dravid b Harbhajan 6

M Rafique c Sehwag b Kumble 11

T Baisya batting 17

Extras (lb-5, w-2, nb-4) 11

Total (for 8 wkts in 48 overs) 170

Fall of Wickets: 1-4, 2-24, 3-24, 4-24, 5-36, 6-100, 7-117, 8-133.

Bowling: Irfan Pathan 12-5-31-5, Zaheer Khan 11-2-48-0, Anil Kumble 13-4-42-2, Harbhajan Singh 12-3-44-1. (PTI)

Dhaka best wicket I have bowled on in Asia: Pathan

"We were getting more assistance from the wicket. In Pakistan also we were getting more help and swing.

"It is a bit different here, the ball swings more here than in India. I think this is the best wicket I had played on in Asia," Pathan said after grabbing 5-31 in Bangladesh’s second innings.

Pathan claimed his first ever five wicket haul on the first day, and his second innings fireworks left the hosts on the brink of defeat at 170 for eight, needing another 172 runs to make India bat again.

The 21-year-old left-arm seamer said he would rate his second five-for better than the first since it came under tougher conditions.

"In the first innings, the wicket was damp whereas it is generally difficult to get swing in the afternoon. And I was bowling with a bit more pace but not that much swing," he said.

"I think I bowled a lot better in the second innings than the first. So I rate it better than the first," Pathan said.

He said it was not a conscious decision to bowl from an english umpire’s end (Jeremy Lloyd) who tend to give more leg before decisions.

"It wasn’t like that. I was bowling with the wind in the first innings. In the second there was no wind, so I thought I would try this end."

Pathan said he did not expect the second quintet to come within 24 hours of the first one.

"It’s a great feeling for me. To get first five wickets and then ten wickets. You need one five-wicket haul to get it started. I didn’t know it is going to happen so quickly."

Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar was on the defensive when quizzed about his third consecutive dismissal via a pull shot.

"It is a habitual shot for me. It is just that I couldn’t connect all the three times," he said.

Bashar, the home team’s most successful batsman with more than 2000 career runs, fell to the leg side trap in both the innings when his pull shot found the fielder behind the leg.

He was also out to such a shot against the West Indies when the two teams played last.

"I was also coming back from an injury, after missing the two Tests against New Zealand," he said. (PTI)

Spain outplay Holland to lift Champions Trophy

Contrary to expectation, the Holland team went off steam while Spain came up with rare aggression and attacking game that simply left the 20,000-odd spectators spellbound.

This was a skillful display of attack and creative hockey by Spain without giving much of chance to the Holland team.

Spain had a complete domination of the match and played some stunning aggressive hockey in the second half.

Spain drew first blood in the 18th minute of the match through Rodrigo Garza’s penalty corner and managed to hold on to the lead till the end of the first half. At half time, Spain led 1-0.

The second half saw Holland putting up some early fight as Taeka Taekama drew parity for his team through a penalty corner conversion, scoring his sixth goal of the tournament in the 42nd minute of the match 1-1.

Spain gained lead once again when Santiago Freixa, who was voted the FIH young player of the year, converted another penalty corner 2-1.

Victor solo increased Spain’s lead through a nice field goal in the 57th minute of the match 3-1 while Holland’s Karel Klaver scored his seventh goal to become the highest scorer of the tournament to reduce the margin (3-2) three minutes later.

Pak beat India to

claim bronze medal

LAHORE: India’s hopes of a podium finish came crashing down after they suffered a 3-2 defeat against Pakistan in a tension-filled playoff match for the bronze medal in the Champions Trophy hockey tournament here today.

The loss also dashed India’s hopes matching their best-ever finish in the elite six-nation event which had come in 1982 at Amstelveen, Holland.

Sandeep Singh’s two goals did not prove enough for the eight-time Olympic champions as the hosts cruised through, riding on strikes by Sohail Abbas (4th minute), Rehan Butt (28th) and Mudassar Ali Khan (65th).

The engrossing battle saw the home side finding the net twice to bounce back into the match after the Indians stunned the local supporters with a second minute goal.

Pakistan enjoyed ball possession in the first minute but a defensive lapse gave an unexpected penalty corner to the Indians which was converted by Sandeep Singh with a drag flick.

But India’s joy was short-lived as Pakistan bounced back just two minutes later with Sohail Abbas adding to his world record tally.

Adrian D’souza, who was fielded by coach Gerhard Rach after the goalkeeper recovered completely from the hamstring injury he had suffered two days back, had no clue to Abbas’ rasping shot that drew parity.

With both the teams making frantic efforts to take control of the proceedings, the game saw some end to end hockey but neither side was able to find the back of the net despite coming close to scoring on a number of occasions.

Between 18th to 20th minute of match, India made three attempts at the Pakistan post through Ignace Tirkey, Sandeep Michael and Arjun Halappa, but each time they were denied by goalkeeper Salman Akbar.

Then it was the turn of Pakistan to intensify pressure on their rivals and in the process, they earned three more penalty corners.

D’souza however charged out early every time Abbas took the shot, thus denying the Pakistanis the chance to take the lead.

The Pakistanis, however, did not have to wait for long to put another goal against their name as Rehan Butt ended his scoring drought by putting Pakistan in lead with a stunning field goal.

Pakistan appeared a much improved side in the second half with some purposeful play even though India battled hard to level the scores.

The hosts swelled the lead further when they scored from a variation from their seventh penalty corner. After Abbas came up with a carpet shot, Mudassar Ali deflected in with a deft touch to send the big crowd in a frenzy.

The two goal deficit frustrated the Indians who tried very hard to reduce the margin and were successful in their endeavour when Sandeep Singh converted the side’s fourth penalty corner. However, their efforts to get the equaliser were thwarted by a determined opposition. (AGENCIES)

Kamal, Kuldeep, Nishant, Sumesh emerge champions
*Sawhney assures assistance to Billiards and Snooker Association

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

Sports Minister not only gave away the winners and runners-up trophies but also assured financial assistance from constituency development fund to the J&K Billiards and Snooker Association in upgradation of the playing facilities. At the same time he asked the Association to provide a chance of playing in the Billiards hall to those school and college students who otherwise cannot afford to play the game.

Sawhney was happy to watch juniors like Kuldeep beating Kamal in the senior snooker final. "Victory of a junior over top cueist like Kamal shows that association is making efforts in grooming the youngsters in the game", he said.

Earlier, in the senior Billiards final, Kamal Rohmetra defeated Nishant Azad by a margin of 101 points with final score on board 474-373 in two hours match.

However, in senior Snooker final, Kuldeep outplayed Kamal 4-1 to be come new Snooker state champion. Losing the opening frame 32-96 to Kamal, Kuldeep clinched the following four consecutive frames to clinch the victory. The score: 32-96, 62-42, 67-46, 63-37, 61-31.

In junior group, Nishant and Sumesh Turki shared the winners trophies. In Snooker final, Sumesh outplayed Kuldeep 4-2 while in billiards, Nishant overpowered Kuldeep 477-447.

Earlier, in his welcome address, president, J&K Billiards and Snooker Association, Siddharth Sharma briefed the chief guest about over a fortnight long championships. He had all praise for the organising secretary, Abhimanyu Arora and his team of markers, Surjeet Singh, Rakesh Sharma and Shanker Dass in successful conduct of the meet.

He further said that in all, 64 players from Srinagar and Jammu took part in four different events held during this championship. It will be out of this championship that State team will be selected for the forthcoming nationals to be held in Mumbai at the end of this month, he mentioned.

Besides, Secretary, State Sports Council Manoj Pant, prominent among others present were K K Khosa, former association president, Ajit Singh Wazir and Rajan Sharma, officers of the Sports Council, Ajay Sharma, Sheetal Gandotra and Prem Choudhary of J&K Indian Style Wrestling Association.