JAIPUR, Nov 15: The South Africans got a taste of what lay in store for them in India with the Board President’s XI toying with their pedestrian bowling on the second day of the three-day cricket tour match here today.........more

Ranji Trophy
Depleted Delhi eye
outright win at home

NEW DELHI, Nov 15: Having seen fortunes swing dangerously in their ‘elite group A’ Ranji Trophy opener against Gujarat at Ahmedabad and finally somehow snatching two points from the jaws of defeat, Delhi are keen for an outright win in their home-tie versus Andhra Pradesh in the second round match starting here tomorrow...........more

Id prayers for
Sourav Ganguly

KOLKATA, Nov 15: All India Minority Forum today prayed for the Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly’s return to the national cricket team on the holy occasion. .......more

ICC suspends
ban on Saurav

LONDON, Nov 15: In a major relief for Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, the International Cricket Council today held back its two-test ban on him and said he could.....more

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 15: Sumit Khajuria, an ace climber of Jammu and Kashmir, has successfully completed Method of Instruction (MOI) mountaineering course conducted............more

Volleyball Club Mela claims
district volleyball trophy

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

KATHUA, Nov 15: Volleyball Club Mela today lifted the district volleyball trophy beating Volleyball Club Gurah Mundian 3-1 (27-17, 22-25, 25-17, 25-19) in the final played at Government High...........more

Aryan Club wins by 2 wkts

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 15: Aryan Cricket Club (ACC), in a replayed match played today in the 3rd round of qualifying cricket tournament........more

Pt Trilochan Dutt memorial
cricket from November 21

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 15: Youth Welfare Society (NGO) is organising Pt Trilochan Dutt memorial cricket tournament from November 21 at Shikandpur Kothey.....more

Board President’s XI make amends, canter to 320 for 5

JAIPUR, Nov 15: The South Africans got a taste of what lay in store for them in India with the Board President’s XI toying with their pedestrian bowling on the second day of the three-day cricket tour match here today.

Dinesh Mongia led the President’s batting with an unbeaten century while Mahendra Singh Dhoni brought the crowd to its feet with a cavalier innings of 39 with six fours and a six. At close, the hosts were 320 for five, a lead of 94, with mongia batting on 135 and Hemang Badani on 49 not out. Except for the failure of Dheeraj Jadhav and Sadagopan Ramesh, other batsmen showed a positive spirit today as they put the South African bowling to the sword. Gautam Gambhir (26) was fluent on both sides of the wicket in the morning before Venugopala Rao (29) teased the spinners with his wristy flicks in the afternoon. For Graeme Smith, the day’s proceedings portended tough days ahead in the subcontinent as his slow bowlers failed to make any kind of impact. Justin Ontong, a top order batsman who is also expected to be the frontline spinner in the series, toiled hard for figures of 19-1-100-1. His last four overs cost 32 runs as Mongia and Badani struck eight fours off him. Smith, who had said before the match that he considered his off spin to be good enough to take wickets, rolled his arm for six overs and went wicketless. It was curious then that the visitors chose to leave out for the match Robin Peterson, the lone specialist spinner in the squad.

Mongia, who has not played for India, since featuring in the World Cup squad last year, did himself a huge favour with his batting. He cut out the extravagant shots and focussed on playing shots to his strength.

The Punjab left-hander was involved in three partnerships with Rao, Dhoni and Badani as the President’s team piled runs at a brisk pace.

After adding 56 runs with Rao for the fourth wicket that lifted the team from a precarious 61 for three, Mongia stitched a 91-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Dhoni before sharing an unbroken 112-run stand with Badani. Rao waged a brief battle with Ontong, lunging forward to drive him through the cover and flicking from outside the off in a fashion that reminded of VVS Laxman. The lazy elegance however brought the downfall of Andhra batsman after he had got his eye in. His 29 came off 67 balls with four fours. Dhoni was on the roll from the moment he came to the crease. A cut to the point boundary was his first four. When smith brought himself on, he welcomed him with a towering six over the sightscreen.

The wicketkeeper batsman, who was impressive on the India ‘A" tour this season, too fell after being well set as he underedged Ontong to be caught behind. Dhoni’s 39 came off 62 balls with six fours and a six. (PTI)

Ranji Trophy
Depleted Delhi eye outright win at home

NEW DELHI, Nov 15: Having seen fortunes swing dangerously in their ‘elite group A’ Ranji Trophy opener against Gujarat at Ahmedabad and finally somehow snatching two points from the jaws of defeat, Delhi are keen for an outright win in their home-tie versus Andhra Pradesh in the second round match starting here tomorrow.

Andhra had secured a first inning lead versus Madhya Pradesh gaining two points, in their last tie at Indore.

Andhra Pradesh, meanwhile, will miss 22-year all-rounder Y Venugopal Rao, who made an aggregate of 200 runs at a like average in the recent MP tie. His spin bowling and his batting has stood ap in great stead over the last couple of seasons.

While Delhi players skipper Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and left-arm paceman Ashish Nehra have been selected in the national team for the Test series against Australia, paceman Amit Bhandari is doing duty for the Board President’s XI versus the touring South Africans at Jaipur.

Delhi dominated the first three days of their group ‘A’ league tie against Gujarat at Ahmedabad but a sudden batting collapse on the final day almost proved fatal before the last wicket pair held on to give their team two points for the first innings lead.

***

Bengal ready for

Railways’ challenge

NEW DELHI: Sourav Ganguly is unlikely to play against Railways in Bengal’s Ranji Trophy elite group ‘A’ match starting here tomorrow but his availability notwithstanding, the visitors are confident of putting it across the home side in the contest at the Karnail Singh Stadium.

Ganguly, who was yesterday suspended for two Tests by the International Cricket Council and would miss the series against South Africa, is still in Kolkata and his availability for the match would be known only later tonight.

"As of now he is not in our plan of things. We would be talking to him tonight to know whether he wants to play tomorrow," said bengal coach Karsan Ghavri.

Ghavri, a former India player, said Ganguly’s absence would not affect the team’s performance as it was on a high after claiming four points from the win against formidable Karnataka in the opening tie.

"We have been playing all these years without Ganguly. He is a great player and an inspiration for the entire team. His presence would be a morale booster to youngsters," Ghavri said.

"But the players are quite confident after the win against Karnataka. But we are not taking our opponents lightly as they have made it to the final a number of times in recent years."

Ghavri was pleasantly surprised by the track which wore a green look as against its dust bowl reputation.

***

Depleted Mumbai

favourites against MP

MUMBAI:In spite of a depleted bowling attack, hosts and reigning champions Mumbai begin as firm favourites against Madhya Pradesh in their elite division group a Ranji Trophy tie starting at the Wankhede Stadium here tomorrow.

The home team are without the services of captain Sairaj Bahutule and Ramesh Powar, both very useful lower order batsmen and key spin bowlers, and injured medium-pacer Avishkar Salvi.

But the presence of Ajit Agarkar, who has been named the vice-captain, gives the Vinod Kambli-led Mumbai the extra edge in pace bowling on a wicket that should help the medium pacers at least initially.

Agarkar, who was chosen in the 15-member Indian squad for the Platinum Jubilee tie against Pakistan at Kolkata but failed to make it to the playing eleven, is the man Mumbai would be hoping for to lead the attack from the front.

He is expected to be supported by fellow medium-pacers Swapnil Hazare and Usman Maulvi while the hosts are placing their entire spin hopes on lanky left-arm orthodox slow bowler Nilesh Kulkarni.

Mumbai’s batting, with the opening duo of Wasim Jaffer and Vinayak Mane running into form with centuries in their drawn opening tie against Railways at Delhi, looks pretty strong for the MP attack which would rely a lot on veteran leg spinner Narendra Hirwani to give it the extra sharpness.

Mumbai, a little disappointed at gathering only two points against Railways, are aiming for the maximum points from this tie against a relatively weak opponent.

****

UP will take on TN

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh skipper Jyoti Yadav, who scored a brilliant century in the second innings against Punjab at Mohali recently, is confident of his performing well against Tamil Nadu in the ‘elite group b’ Ranji Trophy match here at the K D Singh Babu Stadium from tomorrow.

It will be an opportunity for the hosts to earn maximum points with this match which would boost the morale of the team.

Jyoti said the team was capable of performing its best and certainly would take advantage of playing at home ground. Moreover, Suresh Raina’s inclusion in the team would increase the batting strength of the side. Mohd Kaif, who was doing the duty for the Indian team, would be the only notable absentee for the host team.

For the visiting Tamil Nadu team, it would miss the services of their stars Hemang Badani and opener Sadagopan Ramesh, selected for the Board President’s XI to play against South Africa. They have been replaced by Arjun Sanathy and Sunil Viswanathan.

The TN team have had an advantage of having five points which included a bonus point which they won against Hyderabad in the opening match.

The UP skipper has an added advantage of the assistance of former state team skipper Gyanendra Pandey, who in the 1995 tie against the then holders Mumbai at their home ground outplayed them in the semi finals, however, in the final they lost to Karnataka.

The match would be officiated by S C Sharma of Mumbai and H S Shekhon of Punjab. (AGENCIES)

Id prayers for Sourav Ganguly

KOLKATA, Nov 15: All India Minority Forum today prayed for the Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly’s return to the national cricket team on the holy occasion of Id-ul-Fitr, reiterating the unifying character of the gentleman’s game.

"We think the action against Sourav was illegal and he should be brought back to the team and allowed to play. It is a motivated action," AIMF president Idris Ali said at a discussion on communal harmony organised on the occasion of Id. Congress leader Somen Mitra participated in the discussion and said the arrest of the Kanchi Sankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi was in accordance with the law of the land and had nothing to do with politics.’’(UNI)

ICC suspends ban on Saurav

LONDON, Nov 15: In a major relief for Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, the International Cricket Council today held back its two-test ban on him and said he could play international cricket till a judgement is given on a possible appeal by the Indian cricket board against the punishment.

The Indian cricket board welcomed ICC’s decision to suspend the ban on Ganguly and said it would make a formal appeal "immediately" against the punitive action against him.

The ICC in a press release said if the BCCI makes a formal appeal to it against the two-Test ban it would ask a member of its code of conduct commission to examine it and decide it in seven days.

"He (Ganguly) is permitted to play international cricket pending the outcome of the appeal," the ICC said.

The world cricket governing body said it had received a notice from the Indian cricket board stating its intention to appeal against the suspension of Ganguly from two Tests.

"Should the BCCI proceed with the appeal, the ICC will appoint a member of the ICC code of conduct commission to hear the case. The ICC code of conduct commission member will have seven days to hear and determine the appeal," it said

Ganguly was found guilty by ICC match referee Clive Lloyd of the charge of slow over-rate by India against Pakistan in the BCCI platinum jubilee one-day international match in Kolkata on Saturday.

The ICC said it is forwarding additional details on the findings of Lloyd to the BCCI and will await further details from the BCCI on the grounds of any appeal.

Reacting to ICC’s suspension of the ban on Ganguly, BCCI president Ranbir Singh Mahendra told PTI in Jaipur that "it’s good news" and the board would "immediately" make a formal appeal against the ban on the Indian skipper.

Board secretary S K Nair told PTI in Thiruvananthapuram that "BCCI has put in a request seeking that the official communication on suspension of Sourav Ganguly be sent so that they can prefer an appeal to ICC," he said. (PTI)

Jammu boy attends MOI course

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 15: Sumit Khajuria, an ace climber of Jammu and Kashmir, has successfully completed Method of Instruction (MOI) mountaineering course conducted by Directorate of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali recently.

In this 28-day long advance course, which was conducted only once in a year, a total of 25 climbers including a girl from various states of the country attended.

The course was conducted at Bakerthach in the Beas Kund area at a height of about 12000 ft. Training in the art and craft of snow and rock climbing, jummaring, rescue and casualty evacuation, night navigation, night survival in a jungle and snowy conditions etc was imparted to the candidates.

The climax of the course was, however, a night stay in the open snow followed by stay in an Igloo the next day. Trainees also evacuated a group of about 40 trekkers of K V Chandigarh, who were stuck up in the area due to a very heavy snowfall.

Sumit Khajuria, according to a handout issued by Mountaineering Association of J&K, is an experienced climber who has already scaled some formidable peaks including Chow Chow Kang Nelda (20674 f) Stock Kangri (20186 ft), Gulap Kangri and a number of lesser known but difficult peaks.

Sumit was sponsored for the prestigious course by the J&K State Sports Council.