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| Ljungberg gives Sweden 1-0 win over Paraguay BERLIN, June 16: Sweden midfielder Freddie Ljungberg grabbed a priceless late goal to grab a 1-0 Group B win that eliminated Paraguay at the World Cup.....more Argentina
move into GELSENKIRCHEN, June 16: Argentina moved straight into cruise control at the World Cup today, pasting Serbia & Montenegro 6-0 with an awesome ........more India paid
price for By Michael Holding I would have thought it hurts India when it is not winning Tests abroad. But if it was so, they would have picked five bowlers for this Test. They have taken two steps backwards from the ......more Munaf,
Singh to share ST. KITTS, June 16: A combination of poor form and injuries might have weakened India’s bowling attack but two newcomers — Munaf Patel and VRV Singh — have risen to the occasion during ......more |
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YHAI nominates Ashok to its national committee Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, June 16: Chairman of Udhampur unit of Youth Hostel Association of India (YHAI), Ashok Kumar has been .....more J&K
wins junior Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, June 16: Jammu and Kashmir junior team clinched the championship trophy ......more Youngest
Agrim among Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, June 16: Youngest participant, Agrim Pandotra was among three leaders with two points each on the second .......more Forest XI
blanks Regal Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, June 16: Forest XI today blanked Regal Sports 3-0 to enter into the quarterfinals of the ongoing 9th Police Martyrs’ ....more |
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India paid price for dumping five-bowler theory By Michael Holding I would have thought it hurts India when it is not winning Tests abroad. But if it was so, they would have picked five bowlers for this Test. They have taken two steps backwards from the days in Pakistan when the five-bowler theory was heralded with much fanfare. Now against a weaker bowling attack, they have chosen to strengthen their batting at the cost of bowling. It doesn’t make sense. Irfan Pathan was reintroduced but he is jaded. Both Munaf Patel and V R V Singh were okay but a judgment must wait since they have just embarked on an arduous journey. I saw merit in Sehwag’s effort but Kumble was, well just Kumble. He is a strong individual, a tough cricketer, mentally and physically. He bowled 70 overs in this Test which is not too unusual from a cricketer who came out to bowl with a broken jaw in Antigua the last time he pitched in for his team in 2002. Still, India is on the rise and these issues are minor when you look at the travails which have engulfed the home team. I am not too critical of the batting for the trinity of Sarwan, Lara and Chanderpaul are good enough to make most international sides. They are only inconsistent which, I guess, still does not help the situation. It would be easy to judge West Indian batsmen harshly on their technique since so many batsmen have been given out LBW in this series. Sometimes the batsmen have not appeared in the same league while confronting Kumble and at other times, the Indian medium-pacers too have looked in business. But I maintain these guys have made runs against all-comers. These were the men who showed their worth while chasing down 418 runs against Australia not very long ago. I would not call them short of class. Bowling, in contrast, is in a trough and over 1,100 runs conceded in two innings makes any argument in its defence pointless. I fear West Indies could end up having a new attack in every Test that is played in this series. It takes time to build combinations and it cannot be produced at the drop of a hat. West Indies would stumble from one set to another in desperation and would be lucky if anything worthwhile is thrown up. The number of players tried in the West Indies cricket set up in recent years is no laughing matter. Indian batsmen must lick their lips in anticipation at least for St. Kitts as Sabina Park in Jamaica interests bowlers. It brings me back to my original argument that India does not need an extra batsman. Dhonis, Pathans and Kumbles are handy presence low in the order. If it means sacrificing a V V S Laxman or a Yuvraj Singh to respond to team’s call, so be it. We all have heard about horses for courses. I have no doubt India would not carry with their foolhardy ways in the next Test. Three centuries in the game in St. Lucia is reason enough for them to shift attention to the area which is holding up their charge. Rahul Dravid and Mohammad Kaif played fine hands but the one from Sehwag was sumptuous. The batting aficionados must have loved what Sehwag and Brian Lara produced at the start and end of this Test. Lara stamped his presence on the game with a decisive innings. He saved the day for his team and it made sense for him to come at the number three spot. The best batsman of the team must take the one-drop position for it is pivotal and prepares the pitch for the rest. If your best man is lower in the order, the ones preceding him can tend to relax. It even works if the best man was to fail at the number three spot. The ones who follow him would then respond to the responsibility. (PTI) |
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Munaf, Singh to share bulk of workload ST. KITTS, June 16: A combination of poor form and injuries might have weakened India’s bowling attack but two newcomers — Munaf Patel and VRV Singh — have risen to the occasion during the current tour of the Caribbean. India’s bowling resources have been effectively reduced to four as two of the four medium-pacers and at least one of the three spinners is not going to be of much use in the remaining fortnight of a gripping series in which Indians have twice been turned away from the gate of victory. Irfan Pathan, dropped for the first Test at Antigua, showed little signs of regaining his form at St. Lucia, and there is no news yet about S Sreesanth’s bruised heel that kept him out of the second Test. In the scenario, Patel and VRV Singh will share the bulk of the workload with that wily old fox, Anil Kumble. The duo has worked well in combination, showing remarkable intelligence for someone so young and bowling in conditions alien to home. Both have been told by the team management that they can sacrifice the pace if need be but there should be no compromising with the line and length they are required to bowl. They have thus chosen to slow up in their run-up and bowl in areas which coach Greg Chappell describes as the kind which "shouldn’t allow the batsman to come too forward or go too back." They are making batsmen play all the time and with eight Leg-Before-Wicket dismissals in the first two tests, the West Indians will not like to play across the line any more in the third Test beginning here after an eight-day break on June 22. It has also allowed captain Rahul Dravid the luxury to set the field he wants without worrying if too many runs are leaking in too many areas. Ian Frazer, assistant to coach Chappell, still cannot help talking about the tripper from Patel in the first innings of the second Test which claimed Ramnaresh Sarwan Leg Before Wicket first ball up. "He is bowling in good areas but it isn’t as if he can’t let go a really quick one from time to time," said Frazer. VRV Singh too gets praise from the higher-ups even as Chappell stresses that discipline is an ongoing process. "We would have played VRV in India if he was not injured," remarks Chappell. The quality of these two youngsters has not missed the attention of West Indian captain Brian Lara either. "They bowled in good areas throughout the first two Tests. They bowled in good channels in st. Lucia and perhaps there is a lesson in it for our right-arm pacers on how to bowl on these wickets," Lara had said after the conclusion of the second Test in St. Lucia on Wednesday. These two have prospered in the presence of Kumble at the other end for the master leg-spinner has shown remarkable stamina and will in the first two Tests. Kumble always appears in business when he is hitting batsmen on their pads — a sight he has evoked all too often in this series. Openers Chris Gayle and Daren Ganga in particular have found themselves crease-strapped against the master technician. With Virender Sehwag making the likes of Dwayne Bravo run away from the sight of seeing him at the top of his run-up, Indian bowlers have begun to get the measure of West Indian batting. (PTI) YHAI nominates Ashok to its national committee Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, June 16: Chairman of Udhampur unit of Youth Hostel Association of India (YHAI), Ashok Kumar has been nominated to the national committee of the YHAI, New Delhi. He has been given the new assignments in recognition of his services for a period of three years. Ashok’s name was included in the committee on the recommendation of the State Council. When contacted on telephone, Ashok, who is also holding the important position of District Youth Services and Sports Officer with Department of Youth Services and Sports, said, " the YHAI J&K has planned to add one youth hostel at district level. In addition, two hostels at the capital cities of the state are also being established under the programme, license Youth Hostel launched by IYHF world wide to create more bedded accommodation for trekkers and travelers." |
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J&K wins junior national Wallyball title Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, June 16: Jammu and Kashmir junior team clinched the championship trophy in its maiden participation in the National Wallyball Championship, which was held at Nanded in Maharashtra recently. In the final, J&K defeated the host Maharashtra 4-1 in the best of five game 25-23, 25-20, 19-25, 27-25. The champion team was comprised of Anil Sharma, Ramneek Singh, Sachin, Ritesh Verma, Gagandeep Singh and Irfan. Earlier, before the departure of the team, a coaching camp was organized under the guidance of Amarjeet Singh at Green Field ground, here, which was followed by a demonstration game at the same venue. On their return, the team was exposed to the media persons in a press briefing organized by the J&K State Wally Ball Association. Speaking to the newsmen, president of the Association, Avtar Singh Khalsa said, " in the inaugural edition of the junior championship, there were 11 participating states of Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra (A&B teams), Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh and by virtue of a balanced side J&K emerged the winner in the final." Before the junior championship, J&K took part in the Ist senior Wallyball championship and finished at fourth position, he informed. General secretary of the Association, Sarabjeet Singh disclosed that the Association has already initiated the process of taking the game to other parts of the State and to accomplish the goal district units are being set-up. Among others present were treasurer, Harmanan Singh, Rajinder Singh (Baramullah) and coach, Amarjeet Singh. Wallyball (known in some places as rebound volleyball) is a fast-paced sport that was invented by Joe Garcia in 1979. The word "Wallyball" is a combination of "wall" and "volleyball". Indeed, Wallyball is very similar to volleyball. However, Wallyball is played indoors, and that is what makes it most popular in the Midwest and Eastern United States, where cold winter weather drives people indoors. |
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