COLOMBO, Aug 2: Sri Lanka’s cricket chiefs are planning to shift some matches of the upcoming tri-series against India and South Africa to the central town of Dambulla, officials said on Wednesday. .......more

Wright favours
Ganguly’s selection

DUBAI, Aug 2: Amid speculation of a comeback by Sourav Ganguly to the Indian team, former coach John Wright has said the record of the former captain made a case for his inclusion in the one-day side. The ex-New Zealand skipper, currently in the eye of a storm ........more

Cricket proves welcome
distraction from bloodshed

COLOMBO, Aug 2: As the bloody ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka escalates, people in the island nation are turning to their top-flight cricket team to provide a balm for the misery. ....more

Basketball probables named for sub-junior nationals

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 2: Jammu and Kashmir Basketball Association has selected the probables for taking part in the 33rd Sub-...more

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 2: Manisha and Payal clinched mini girls doubles title outplaying Prabhjot and Keeratpreet in straight sets 15-5, 15-4 in the Akhil Mahajan memorial ......more

Volleyball tourney begins

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Aug 2: The District Development Commissioner, Kupwara inaugurated the boys under 14 state level volleyball championship at High School, Nutnussa Kupwara today. The championship is being organized by the Youth ...........more

Sumit, Aditi share Junior
(U-19) state chess titles

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 2: Sumit Grover and Aditi Sharma shared the junior (under-19) boys and girls .........more

Kashmir Mugul-XI clinches
DP Dhar football trophy

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Aug 2: Under the 24th D.P. Dhar Football Championship final match was played between Court Road-XI and Kashmir Mugul-XI here at Bakshi Stadium today, which was won by Kashmir ........more

Wright favours Ganguly’s selection

DUBAI, Aug 2: Amid speculation of a comeback by Sourav Ganguly to the Indian team, former coach John Wright has said the record of the former captain made a case for his inclusion in the one-day side.

The ex-New Zealand skipper, currently in the eye of a storm over his just-published book ‘Indian Summers’, has also emphasised that he enjoyed a "steady" relationship with the Bengal batsman and there were no differences between them.

Asked in an interview, which appeared in ‘Gulf News’ today, if he felt Ganguly still had a chance to make a comeback to the national team, he said: "I believe he is a great cricketer with more than 15,000 international runs and one who has given Indian cricket a certain direction.

"It will be great if he can make it."

On his relationship with Ganguly, Wright said, "see, we had worked for more than four-and-a-half years and I believe we had a steady relationship.

"We are in a position where if he (Sourav) comes to Christchurch, he can think of having dinner at my residence while I can think of the same when I am in Kolkata. And I think that sums up the relationship!"

Were there any differences between him and Ganguly? ‘

"Definitely not. There may have been the odd difference of opinions, but when you are working towards the same goal, such differences can be easily sorted out. I feel we had done the job quite well." (PTI)

Cricket proves welcome distraction from bloodshed

COLOMBO, Aug 2: As the bloody ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka escalates, people in the island nation are turning to their top-flight cricket team to provide a balm for the misery.

When Sri Lankan troops and Tamil Tiger rebels were locked in the bloodiest ground battle since 2002 on Monday, the nation’s cricketers were cheering some 4,000 home fans in the capital with a resounding victory over South Africa.

The massive first Test win by an innings and 153 runs also featured a world-record stand of 624 between skipper Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, further boosting morale at the Serene Sinhalese Sports Club.

"What else do we have except cricket?" asked Colombo resident Rohan Wijesekera. "Prices are going over the roof, the economy is in a shambles, the tourists have dried up."

"Thank God, we still have our cricket."

Cricket and the war in the North-East have co-existed side by side for decades with the country’s favourite sport thriving despite the killings and bombings that have become a way of life here.

More than 60,000 people have been killed in the three-decade-old Tamil separatist conflict, but that appears to have had little effect on the cricket.

The 1996 World Cup, which Sri Lanka won on the sub-continent, was almost scuppered when a powerful bomb in downtown Colombo, blamed on the Tigers, killed 91 and injured 1,400 a few days before the tournament.

Australia and the West Indies declined to play their matches in Colombo, prompting the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to issue an extraordinary statement that the tournament should go ahead since it did not target sportspersons.

Sri Lanka hosted two other World Cup games and then travelled to India and Pakistan under captain Arjuna Ranatunga to secure their greatest cricket triumph - a win over Australia in the final.

Sri Lanka’s leading bowler Muttiah Muralitharan, a Tamil, is regarded as a legend by his countrymen. Team-mate Russel Arnold is a Christian Tamil, as is the nation’s under-19 captain Angelo Matthews. All play happily alongside their majority Sinhalese teammates.

"Our cricketers are Sri Lanka’s flag-bearers around the world," said veteran cricket writer Saadi Thawfeeq. "They ensure we are not remembered only for the violence."

The Tamil Union Club ground, as the Oval was known then, was burnt down during anti-Tamil riots in July, 1983 and most of the cricket memorabilia destroyed. (AGENCIES)

Basketball probables named for sub-junior nationals

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 2: Jammu and Kashmir Basketball Association has selected the probables for taking part in the 33rd Sub-junior National (boys and girls) Basketball Championship to be held at Netaji Subash Indoor Stadium, Kolkata from August 28 to September three.

These selected probables will undergo a coaching camp under the supervision of coaches from J&K State Sports Council at M A Stadium, here from August four, a handout issued here today said.

Selected probables: Boys: Rishab Banotra, Mohit Singh, Karanjeet Singh, Harshjyot Singh, Paramveer Singh, Karthik Das, Aryan Gupta, Aakash Mahajan, Ashish Magotra, Karan Kumar, Anoop Khajuria, Sahil Bakshi, Akshay Kachroo and Bharatjit. Girls: Shivani Gupta, Monica Zutshi, Steffy Kundal, Guneet, Naveela Naz, Chandni Salathia, Sonali Khajuria, Shikha Jamwal, Utkarsha Saraf, Diksha Nehru, Prinika Kaul, Ayushi Sharma, Navsheen Zutshi and Ananta Ganjoo.

Manisha-Payal pair wins mini girls doubles final

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 2: Manisha and Payal clinched mini girls doubles title outplaying Prabhjot and Keeratpreet in straight sets 15-5, 15-4 in the Akhil Mahajan memorial badminton tournament underway at indoor complex, MA Stadium, here today.

In mini-boys singles, Aman and Shantul have reached the final. In the semi-final, Aman outplayed Chander 15-2, 15-10 while Shantul beat D S Shubham 15-9, 15-11.

Meanwhile, in sub-junior girls singles, Manisha today qualified for the final trouncing Deepakshi in close straight sets 11-9, 11-8. In sub-junior boys singles, Abhishek defeated Abhijeet 15-11, 15-13 to reach the final.

Diksha and Akanksha have entered into the final of junior girls singles. In the semi-finals played today, Diksha got walkover Deepakshi while Akanksha defeated Kanika 11-9, 11-6. In junior boys singles, Gagandeep beat Hitesh in equal straight sets 15-7, 15-7. In junior boys doubles semi-finals, Hitesh and Ishan beat Gagandeep and Abhijeet 15-7, 15-11 while Sahil and Maninder downed Lokesh and Nikhil 5-15, 15-2, 15-2.

In men’s doubles quarterfinals, Manan Gupta and Ravinder Verma beat Sahil and Atul Verma 17-14, 9-15, 17-14 and Rahul and Avnish Sharma beat Raju and Raju Chawla 15-10, 15-5.

The pair of Som Raj and Balbir Singh has qualified for the final of veteran’s doubles beating Sethi and Sabarwal 15-12, 15-6. In the veteran singles, Som Raj and Balbir have made it into the final. Earlier, in the semi-finals, Som Raj beat Surinder Gupta 15-6, 15-4 and Balbir outplayed Baktawar 15-6, 15-9.

Volleyball tourney begins

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Aug 2: The District Development Commissioner, Kupwara inaugurated the boys under 14 state level volleyball championship at High School, Nutnussa Kupwara today. The championship is being organized by the Youth Services and Sports Department in which 13 teams of the state are participating.

Speaking on the occasion, the District Development Commissioner appreciated the sports department for organizing such a mega tournament in the district, which will help in fostering sports culture in the district. He said that sports activities create discipline, mutual trust brotherhood patience and patriotism among the students, who are the future of the state.

Seven matches were played on the opening day in which Baramulla, Doda, Pulwama, Anantnag, Budgam, Rajouri and Poonch emerged winners.

Meanwhile, the 3-day long under 17 boys state level volleyball championship was inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, Baseer Ahmad Khan at Degree College Baramulla today. Teams of twelve districts of the state are participating in this championship.

In his address, the Deputy Commissioner hailed the efforts of the organizing committee for organizing this championship which, he said, would inculcate discipline, and spirit of brotherhood and mutual trust among the players. He said extra-curricular activities would go a long way in developing overall personality of the sports persons and enables them to face the arduous situation bravely.

Sumit, Aditi share Junior (U-19) state chess titles

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 2: Sumit Grover and Aditi Sharma shared the junior (under-19) boys and girls state chess championships which were organized by All J&K Chess Association and sponsored by Geetanjli Industries at Luthra College, here today.

Ritwan Sountra remained runners-up after he held Sumit to a draw in the final round today. Since both finished with equal points, the winner was decided by blitz (five minute each) game. Agrim Pandotra and Amit secured three points each. However, Agrim was declared third because he had beaten Amit in the earlier round.

Whereas in girls section only two participants turned-up and subsequently Aditi, after she defeated Aakanksha Sharma, was declared winner.

Being the winners and runners-up Sumit and Ritwan in boys group and Aditi and Aakanksha in girls have been selected to represent J&K in the forthcoming junior national chess championship to be held at New Delhi from August 23 to August 30, informed president of the Association, Atul Kumar.

The results of final round: Ritwan Sountra drew Sumit Grover; Agrim Pandotra bt Sarvesh Langer; Amit Kumar bt Varun Sharma; Abhay Sudan bt Neeraj; Sandeep Singh Saini bt Dheeraj Slathia.

Kashmir Mugul-XI clinches DP Dhar football trophy

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Aug 2: Under the 24th D.P. Dhar Football Championship final match was played between Court Road-XI and Kashmir Mugul-XI here at Bakshi Stadium today, which was won by Kashmir Mugul-XI defeating Court Road-XI 1-0.

In all 20 teams of the valley participated in the championship, which was organized by the Kashmir Sports Srinagar.

The Minister for Agriculture Abdul Aziz Zargar who was the chief guest on the occasion was introduced with the players of both the teams by organizing Secretary of Kashmir Sports.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Minister called upon the youth to take active part in extra-curricular activities besides achieving excellence in academics. He asked the sports authorities to gear up the department for providing all possible facilities with regard to sports fields, equipment and coaching facilities.

Stressing for making the saying a truth that healthy body occupies a healthy mind, the minister advised to take part in health building activities. Later the minister distributed trophies and awards among the meritorious and talented sportsmen of the event including Nazir Ahmad Mir.