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| Sehwag’s ton gives India the edge in 2nd Test CHENNAI, Oct 15: Virender Sehwag marked his return to form with a belligerent century as India rode on their luck to gain a vital first innings lead in the second cricket Test against Australia here today..................more Warne
becomes CHENNAI, Oct 15: Australian leg spinner Shane Warne became the world’s highest wicket-taker in Test cricket when he surpassed Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan’s tally of 532 in the second Test against India here today..........more Ponting
may miss entire SYDNEY, Oct 15: Though cricket Australia maintains that Ricky Ponting has been ruled out only for the third Test against hosts India, the injured Aussie skipper might well miss the entire series— according to media reports.................more Lanka
selection chief hits COLOMBO (Sri Lanka), Oct 15: Sri Lanka’s Chairman of selectors Asantha De Mel has publicly criticised skipper Marvan Atapattu and his team management...more |
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Jammu district billiard, snooker
meets begin Tarun, Manik, Sahil win close contests Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 15: The 15th Jammu district open billiards and snooker championships were declared open by the member State Sports Council and president of the...........more JKSRTC
lifts Amin Excelsior Sports Correspondent SRINAGAR, Oct 15: Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) clinched the final of Mohammad........more Inter-school
Athletic Excelsior Sports Correspondent KATHUA, Oct 15: Inter-school athletic meet of district Kathua in both boys and girls.............more PG
Deptts XI Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 15: The combined side of Post Graduate Departments of University of Jammu....more |
Sehwag’s ton gives India the edge in 2nd Test CHENNAI, Oct 15: Virender Sehwag marked his return to form with a belligerent century as India rode on their luck to gain a vital first innings lead in the second cricket Test against Australia here today. The 25-year-old Sehwag, under enormous pressure to deliver after a string of failures, cracked his seventh Test century with a knock of 155 as the hosts put themselves in a comfortable position by taking a lead of 56 runs by the end of the second day’s play. Sehwag accounted for more than half the runs scored by the Indians on a bouncy track at the M A Chidambaram Stadium as the home team reached 291 for six in their first innings on an eventful day which also saw Shane Warne breaking his spin rival Muttiah Muralitharan’s world record of highest Test wickets. Mohammad Kaif (34) and Parthiv Patel (27) were at the crease at stumps and the home team’s quest for a series levelling victory could hinge on the contribution of the late order batsmen. The normally agile Australians were guilty of dropping as many as four catches to let the hosts off the hook. After losing four middle order wickets for 55 runs, Kaif and Patel stemmed the slide by batting cautiously and putting on an unfinished 58-run seventh wicket partnership. Kaif gave a good account of himself on Test recall after three years while Patel once again proved to be a thorn in the opposition’s skin with his cheeky innings. Overall, the Indians showed more application and better planning in their batting than they did at Bangalore. No one personified the new found fighting spirit of the team more than Sehwag who was solid in defence and destructive in attack. His knock came off 221 balls during 356-minute stay at the wicket and included 21 fours. With a cloud cover adding to the humidity, the Aussies had a tough day at office although they did manage to peg back India to some extent. Michael Kasprowicz showed yet again his mastery of the craft of bowling with old ball while Jason Gillespie made the second new ball almost unplayable. Warne returned figures of 3-95 but the bowler would concede that Sehwag enjoyed the upper hand in their duel. The visitors were on the defensive for most part but it was their catching which was the biggest let down. Skipper Sourav Ganguly (9) got two ‘lives’ when he was caught off a no ball by Kasprowicz and then Gilchrist dropped a low catch off the same bowler but he failed to make most of those. Later a Kaif edge went abegging in the slip cordon, the bowler to suffer being Warne, but most punishing was the reprieve Warne gave to patel towards the end of the day when Gillespie was bowling his heart out to break the partnership. The day undoubtedly belonged to Sehwag whose knock swung the momentum in India’s favour. He showed great deal of concentration as India made a cautious start in the morning. He began to play his shots after reaching the 50-run mark but he needed the blessings of lady luck to regain his destructive form. A miscued drive off Warne fell in no man’s land and a top edge off Glenn McGrath fell just short of Simon Katich at cover. And as he went after Darren Lehmann after crossing the three-figure mark, he missed a reverse sweep and Gilchrist took a tumbling catch. Umpire David Shepherd turned down the appeal and Sehwag pointed to his left arm but tv replays showed a very faint touch off the glove. Resuming at 28 for one, India made a sedate but determined start with Sehwag and Irfan Pathan keen to see off the opening spell of McGrath and Jason Gillespie. The first half hour saw only six runs being added to the total before the batsmen went after Warne. The leg spinner dismissed Pathan (14) for his 533rd Test scalp but that was all he had to show for the day. Pathan, who had cracked his maiden half century in the Bangalore Test, played his nightwatchman role to perfection before he edged Warne to Matthew Hayden at first slip. The dismissal saw the leg spinner move past Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan (532) in the highest wicket-takers’ list. But Sehwag at the other end was solid in his defence and meddled the ball well and what unveiled was a rivetting contest between the world record holder and India’s first triple centurion. Sehwag emerged victor as he swept Warne with precision through square leg twice in an over. He reached his hundred with a cover drive off Lehmann, his 15th boundary, off 147 balls. Sehwag then shifted gears with an inside out shot off the left-arm spinner before whacking him to midwicket twice in the next over. Rahul Dravid (26) was a calmer influence at the other end until he played on to his stumps off Kasprowicz. Then followed a brief collapse when Ganguly was caught behind and VVS Laxman was undone by a gillespie delivery that kept low. Sehwag tried to hit out of trouble but his pull off Warne found Clarke in the deep for the 23-year old’s first Test catch. Four wickets had fallen for 55 runs as India slumped to 233 for six. They were still two runs behind when Patel joined Kaif. The two, however, prevented further damage as they guarded the fort for more than an hour and helped India go into the third day with a psychological advantage. (PTI) SCOREBOARD Australia 1st innings: 235 India 1st innings: Yuvraj Singh c Gilchrist b Warne 8 V Sehwag c Clarke b Warne 155 I Pathan c Hayden b Warne 14 R Dravid b Kasprowicz 26 S Ganguly c Gilchrist b Gillespie 9 VVS Laxman b Gillespie 4 Mohd Kaif batting 34 P Patel batting 27 Extras (b-6, lb-1, w-2, nb-5) 14 Total (for 6 wkts in 100 overs) 291 Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-83, 3-178, 4-203, 5-213, 6-233. Bowling: McGrath 20-3-63-0; Gillespie 27-7-55-2; Warne 29-3-95-3; Kasprowicz 19-4-45-1, Lehmann 5-0-26-0. (PTI) |
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Warne becomes highest wicket taker CHENNAI, Oct 15: Australian leg spinner Shane Warne became the world’s highest wicket-taker in Test cricket when he surpassed Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan’s tally of 532 in the second Test against India here today. The 35-year-old bowler achieved the feat when he dismissed nightwatchman Irfan Pathan in the pre-lunch session on the second day of the match at the M A Chidamabaram Stadium. His teammates rushed to congratulate the champion spinner who raised his hands to the cheering crowd which included a sizeable number of Australian supporters as well. Warne reached the milestone in his 114th Test, 12 years after he made the debut against India at Sydney. The bowler was tantalisingly close to the mark in the first Test in bangalore itself, but had to undergo an agonising wait for the two wickets he needed to surpass his Lankan rival. He equalled the record yesterday when he dismissed Yuvraj Singh in the last over of the day. It has been a remarkable comeback by Warne who served a one-year ban for drug abuse and had to return home in humiliation before the start of the World Cup in South Africa in 2003. But he returned to the game with a bang and became the first ever spinner to cross the magical mark of 500 in March last in Sri Lanka, setting off a race between him and Muralitharan. While the Lankan off spinner went on to beat Courtney Walsh’s record of 519 soon, Warne caught up with him on 527, only to yield ground again. Warne, named as one of the five Wisden cricketers of the 20th century, has taken five wickets in an innings 27 times with the maximum of seven coming against England and six each against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It is an interesting coincidence that Warne took his record breaking wicket in India against whom he claimed his maiden scalp, Ravi Shastri, in the first Test at Sydney in 1991-92. It was another matter that he was dropped after that match as he finished with just that wicket of Shastri. Ironically, Warne has not been that successful against India as he had taken only 36 wickets from seven Tests against them. Warne, who has retired from one-day cricket, has taken 291 wickets from 193 matches in the shorter version of the game. Milestones in Warne’s career.
500th wicket: 108th match: Tilakaratne (Sri Lanka) first Test at Galle, 2003-04. (PTI) |
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Ponting may miss entire series against India SYDNEY, Oct 15: Though cricket Australia maintains that Ricky Ponting has been ruled out only for the third Test against hosts India, the injured Aussie skipper might well miss the entire series— according to media reports. Sydney Morning Herald reports that after X-rays and discussions with his specialist, Ponting had revealed that his fractured thumb had still not healed sufficiently even though he was hopeful of playing in the fourth and final Test in Mumbai from November 3. Ponting has been spotted wearing a protective guard all the time and though he was doing aerobic exercises, the Aussie captain has not hit a ball since breaking the thumb on September 21, according to the report. The daily also quotes Cricket Australia (CA) selectors chairman Trevor Hohns as saying that Ponting would not play in the last test if there were any risk to his thumb. "We want to make sure he’s 100 per cent fit before picking him, so we’ll have a better idea about his chances for the fourth Test after his medical assessment next week," Hohns said. After having new X-Ray reports and discussing the matter with the specialist, ponting said,"calcification has started around the bone but it’s not anywhere near good enough yet ... I’ve got no strength in it whatsoever." "I was told that after about three weeks it should be getting to a point where I could probably start doing some batting again but I put a batting glove on over at the specialist’s today and I took my bat, and picked that up as well, and I can’t really hold onto the bat just yet." Ponting, however, exuded confidence and said,"I’ll be going back early next week. I should be right to play the fourth Test match." He also admitted that his return in the side would make the task difficult for the selectors. "Someone is always going to be unlucky to be left out. You’ve got guys like Brett lee over there now who’s not playing for Australia, he’s unlucky. And there’s going to be an unlucky batsmen when I come back," he said. "I’ve got to get back first, that’s the thing I’m worried about the most at the moment," he added. (UNI) |
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Lanka selection chief hits out at team management COLOMBO (Sri Lanka), Oct 15: Sri Lanka’s Chairman of selectors Asantha De Mel has publicly criticised skipper Marvan Atapattu and his team management. De Mel believes the team management, which has the final say on selection while on tour, is holding back the development of the team by not picking youngsters. In an interview with the state-run daily news, De Mel says the selectors axed middle order batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan to force the team management to experiment. "It has come to a stage that the selection committee felt that we had to reduce some of the options in order to get the team management to play them," De Mel is quoted as saying. "We send the youngsters saying that we are going to groom them, but they are never given a chance to play on the tour. They come back and by the next tour they are left out." Ex-paceman De Mel was appointed earlier in the year to head a seven-man government-appointed selection committee. Sri Lanka played in Lahore yesterday, where they lost a one-dayer to Pakistan by six wickets in what was effectively a dress rehearsal of the three-nation tournament final to be played on Saturday. (AGENCIES) |
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Jammu district
billiard, snooker meets begin Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 15: The 15th Jammu district open billiards and snooker championships were declared open by the member State Sports Council and president of the J&K Billiards and Snooker Association, Siddharth Sharma. In the inaugural day junior snooker matches, Sunil Gupta, Amardeep Singh and Rahul Gupta had easy sails to the next round while Tarun Goswami, Manik Basotra and Sahil Arora underwent tough contests before they emerged winners. Sumesh Turki is the defending champion in junior snooker while Kuldeep Sharma is a second seed cueist. Earlier, speaking to the participants, who are near 50 in number, chief guest gave stress on fair play, especially by the juniors and asked the senior players to guide those new comers who are taking part in the championship for the first time. Prominent among others present on the opening day were Ajay Sharma, Rajan Sharma, Kamal Rohmetra and Sunil Sharma. Sheetal Gandotra is organising secretary of the championships. Opening day results: Tarun Goswami beat Varun Gupta 48-35, 33-24; Sunil Gupta beat Prathdeep Singh 61-33, 75-21; Tarun Singla got walkover Gaurav Sharma; Mukesh Kapahi beat Sahil Aggarwal 47-38, 53-17; Amardeep Singh beat Prince Khajuria 64-9, 57-43; Manik Basotra beat Balbir Singh 53-39, 33-49, 50-33; Rahul Gupta beat Ishan Gupta 64-25, 75-6; Sahil Arora beat Almiyat Ahmed 53-58, 59-46, 57-50. |
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JKSRTC lifts Amin Memorial Hockey tourney Excelsior Sports Correspondent SRINAGAR, Oct 15: Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) clinched the final of Mohammad Amin Memorial Hockey tournament trophy played at Bakshi Stadium here today. The tournament was organized by Jammu and Kashmir Hockey Association and sponsored by the Jammu and Kashmir Bank Limited. Minister of State for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Sardar Manjeet Singh was the chief guest on the occasion. In all 14 teams participated in the tournament which started from September 1. Earlier, semi-finals were played between JKSRTC versus Deshmesh Club Budgam and Muniver Club, Anantnag versus Behramshah Club, Anantnag. The teams of JKSRTC and Behramshah Club, Anantnag reached the final, which was played today in which JKSRTC was declared winner by securing 8-2 goals. The Minister while addressing said that despite deficiency of infrastructure the teams showed extra gesture and team spirit in the match and hoped that these players will bring laurel in the state and national competitions. He said government would make all out efforts to provide basic infrastructure to the budding players. Responding to the demand of Muniver Club, Anantnag, the Minister said that sports council would provide funds for development of ground subject to the provision of land by locals. He said the matter would be taken up with the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for reservation of jobs for the budding players. Later, the Minister distributed trophies among the winner and runners up teams and consolation prizes to the participants. The Minister also distributed trophies among the winner and runner up Guru Hargobind Singh Hockey championship played at Polo Ground. Secretary Sports Council, Manoj Pant, senior officers of Youth Services and Sports Department and sport lovers were present on the occasion. |
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Inter-school Athletic meet begins Excelsior Sports Correspondent KATHUA, Oct 15: Inter-school athletic meet of district Kathua in both boys and girls sections in two age groups of under-17 and under-19 year started today at sports stadium, here. Detailed results: U-17 Girls: Long Jump: Madhu Bala, HS Janglote, Ist; Anu Chouhan, GHSS Kathua, 2nd and Kapta Devi, HSS Budhi, third. Shot Put: Mazida, GHS Ghagwal, Ist; Preeti Devi, GHS Hiranagar, 2nd and Razida, HS Kharota,third. Under-19 Girls: Long Jump: Veena Kumar, HSS Hiranagar, Ist; Ranjana Devi, HS Chhan Rorian, 2nd and Bubby Bala, GHS Parole, third. Shot Put: Kamlesh Kumari, HSS Budhi, Ist; Surekha Devi, HSS Chack Kana, 2nd and Pooja Devi, HSS Hiranagar, third. 100 mts: Anita Devi, GHS Parole, Ist; Monika Khajuria, HSS Hiranagar, 2nd and Reena Rajput, HSS Parole, third. 200 mts: Pooja Rani, HSS Kathua, Ist; Manju Bala, HS Parole, 2nd and Reeta Devi, HSS Parole, third Under-17 boys: Long Jump: Ajay Kumar, HSS Ramkote, Ist; Chandan Sharma, HSS Kathua, 2nd and Jugal Kishore, HSS Plassi, third. |
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PG Deptts XI enters cricket final Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 15: The combined side of Post Graduate Departments of University of Jammu today entered into the final of inter-college cricket tournament beating Government College for Women (GCW), Parade by four wickets at University ground, here. Earlier, GCW Parade won the toss and decided to bat first. They made 120 runs losing all their wickets in 39.5 overs of the 40 overs match, which, in reply, PG XI chased in 38.4 overs with four wickets in hand. Divya was top scorer with 28 runs while Aparna and Meenu contributed 18 runs each. From PG XI, Alvine and Manju were main bowlers who shared four wickets each. Gurpreet and Satika took one each. Batting second, PG XI, reached the target of 121 runs for the loss of six wickets sparing eight balls of their innings. Manju Bala was highest scorer with 31 runs while Gurpreet made unbeaten 20. Alvine and Shakti shared 17 runs each. Divya and Meenu bagged three wickets each for Parage College. Now, the final, PG XI will take on GCW Gandhi Nagar on Monday. GCW Gandhi Nagar reached the final without playing even a single match, thanks to walkovers. MAM, Science College in men Kho-Kho final JAMMU: Government MAM College and GGM Science College today entered into the final of inter-college kho-kho (men) competitions being played at University ground, here. In the first semi-final, MAM College outplayed Degree College, Udhampur by one turn and seven points. Later, in the second semi-final, Science College downed PG Departments by one turn and four points. The final will be played tomorrow at 11.30 am. Commerce College enters final of Basketball, Tennis JAMMU: Government SPMR College of Commerce defeated MAM College in the semi-finals of inter-college basketball competitions today to reach the final. In another first round match of the pool-B, GGM Science College got walkover ASCOMS to sailed into the next round. In the meantime, Commerce College today outplayed Degree College Udhampur 2-0 to rech the Lawn Tennis final. In first singles, Mohit Gupta beat Vikram Sharma 6-1, 6-2 and Parijat Bakshi beat Neerav Kohli 6-4, 6-0 in other singles. Cash prizes for best players in U-15 cricket Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 15: On the initiative of Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Players Association (JKCPA), a sports lover, Rakesh Charak has announced a cash prize of Rs 5,000 for the crickters in under-15 age group in the upcoming season. The prize money of Rs 2500 each will be given away to the maxium wicket taker and highest scoring batsman of the J&K under-15 team. The man, who has come forward to boost the moral of budding cricketers, Rakesh Charak, is a proprietor of Anmol Cable Communications, Greater Kailash, here. In a statement issued here, JKCPA vice-president and spokesman, Ranjeet Kalra has said that more such initiaitives, like that of Mr Charak, by the prominent citizens and sports lovers of the state are needed to boost moral the talented junior cricketers. The JKCPA president, Vivek Sharma, general secretary, Ravi Dogra, joint secretary, Sandeep Singh and treasurer, Arvind Sharma have expressed gratitute to Rakesh Charak for his generosity. CM’s Golf Cup concludes at Gulmarg Excelsior Sports Correspondent SRINAGAR, Oct 15: Measures are underway to develop Jammu and Kashmir as an all season tourist destination and the achievements of this goal would go a long way to supplement the socio-economic profile of the people who are subservient to tourist influx. This was stated by the Minister for Tourism, Housing and Urban Development, Ghulam Hassan Mir while addressing concluding function of Chief Minister’s Golf Cup-2004 held at picturesque and one of the highest green golf course Gulmarg yesterday. The Golf Cup which was T-off by Director General of Police, Gopal Sharma early in the morning was organised by Gulmarg Development Authority. The Kashmir Golf Club emerged winners while Gulmarg Development Authority Golf Team was declared runners up. Mir awarded the winners team with the trophy while as best golfers and participants were awarded individual prizes. The local horse and ponnywallas demonstrated horse and ponny race which was an added attraction of the event witnessed by golf lovers, visiting tourists and locals. DURBAN, Oct 15: The recent poor performances by the South African cricket team has found its first casualty in coach Eric Simons who resigned from his post today, hardly a month before the side is to undertake a two-Test tour of India. United Cricket Board of South Africa spokesman Gerald De Kock said in a telephone interview from Johannesburg that a statement to this effect would be made soon. "Watch the space. We will be making a statement soon sometime," he said. Simons is understood to have taken the decision after intense pressure from various quarters, including the media, following the national team’s thrashing in Sri Lanka and in the ICC Champions Trophy tournament in London recently. Officials and players have been spoken to and names of three Australians — Steve Waugh, Geoff Marsh and Tom Moody —are at the top of the list as possible replacements. Captain Graeme Smith was quoted as saying that he would not mind an Australian taking over as the coach on a permanent basis. "At this stage I’m just looking for the best for the team, be it a South African, an englishman or an Australian," he said. Although De Kock did not divulge any other information, it is understood that on an ad hoc basis former Test player Ray Jennings could be hired to replace simons just for the Indian tour. It is also speculated that former manager Goolam Rajah will be recalled to replace Tim Selby for the Indian tour. Convenor of selectors, Omar Henry, is also expected to be a casualty and could be demoted to being a selector. (PTI) |
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