Aussies jittery of losing world champ crown: Harbhajan

SYDNEY, Feb 27: Harbhajan Singh reckons that Matthew Hayden’s stinging verbal attack at him stems from the frustration of realising that the Australians were "no longer the undisputed champions" and that India was the only team giving them a run for their money.

"Maybe, they realise that they no longer are the undisputed champions of the world. Maybe, they feel the crown is slipping. Otherwise, why a cricket veteran would ask a 19-year-old (Ishant Sharma) to join him in a ring?," he said in reaction to the latest provocation by Hayden.

Hayden called Harbhajan an "obnoxious little weed" and invited Ishant Sharma "into a ring" to sort out issues in an interview to ‘Brisbane radio’ yesterday.

He also had a frontal attack on Harbhajan saying, that "his record speaks for itself in cricket... That’s why he has been charged more than anyone else who’s ever played in the history of cricket..."

Harbhajan, who seemed to have read the personal attack by Hayden in entirety, said he preferred to keep himself in control instead of enjoining the matter with the belligerent Aussie opener.

"I don’t want it to be a slanging match," Harbhajan said adding that he didn’t want to open a pandora’s box for a lot that the Australians have said this summer would then come tumbling out.

"But you only need to speak to international cricketers and international teams to know in what opinion they hold Hayden," he said looking at the broadside as just "one more instance of what our hosts have been up to all this summer.

The visiting Indian team feel all along they have been "provoked" by the Australians and a written complaint with the match referee Jeff Crowe after the Sydney game earlier this week was in response to it.

Harbhajan was also surprised at the Australian opener’s statement which said that Indians were complaining "because they are losing every game they are playing".

"Really, you think so? I would have thought we are the only ones who have got the Australians on the run this summer," he said.

Cricket Australia (CA) held an emergency meeting in Melbourne this morning to discuss if Hayden had breached rules as the board has the authority to stop its contracted player from commenting on television, radio or print if it feels that it is not in good taste about an opposition players or board.

The word from ca on its meeting though is awaited.

Besides Hayden getting embroiled with Harbhajan and Ishant, there was another specific incident of Ricky Ponting having a go at Harbhajan during the game between the two teams in Adelaide on February 17.

Apparently, Ponting kept having a go at Harbhajan in Adelaide, asking him "to show what he had got" in the middle.

Harbhajan, on his part, had then cheekily remarked: "mate, whatever I have shown in the middle has been better than yours’ in the series so far."

It appeared to have stung the Australian captain who asked Harbhajan to "f... Off" after the latter was dismissed. A departing Harbhajan, on hearing so, stopped and turned round only to see ponting disappear among celebrating Aussies.

"They do it so well," Harbhajan said grudgingly "they keep the back to you when they have something nasty to say to the opponent." (PTI)

India beat NZ to reach Under-19 World Cup final

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27: India survived a late scare to beat New Zealand by three wickets to book a berth for the title clash of the Under-19 Cricket World Cup here today.

In a thrilling rain-curtailed semifinal, the Kiwis rode on middle order bat Corey Anderson’s 68-ball 70 to score a modest 205 for eight in 50 overs after electing to bat.

However, the target become slightly stiffer for the Indians after it was reset at 180 in 43 overs due to rain interruption.

Opener Sreevats Goswami (51 off 76 balls) and captain Virat Kohli (43 off 53 balls) played sensible knocks to lay the foundation for India’s win, which was achieved in 41.3 overs at the expense of seven wickets.

Even though India’s firebrand pacer Pradeep Sangwan could not taste success today, other bowlers stuck to their task to check the New Zealanders from scoring freely and take wickets at regular intervals.

New ball bowler Ajitesh Argal provided the early breakthrough to India as he claimed opener George Worker (3).

Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja breached Michael Guptill-Bunce’s (11) defence to apply further brakes on the slow scoring rate of the New Zealanders.

Ken Williamson (37) and Fraser Colson (32) then consolidated the New Zealand innings by putting up a vital 57-run partnership for the third wicket.

Indian skipper Kohli took up the responsibility and rolled his arm with his medium pace to remove both the set batsmen, who were threatening to build a bigger stand.

That, however, was not the end of the Kiwi resistance as Corey Anderson blasted 70 runs, including six boundaries and four sixes, in no time to take his team to a respectable total.

Anderson gathered 58 runs for the seventh wicket with M Bracewell (17 not out) before falling to Tanmay Srivastava in the 49th over.

Kohli (2/27), S Kaul (2/43) and Srivastava (2/46) were the main wicket-takers for India.

During the run chase, India lost two of its reliable batsmen — Taruwar Kohli (10) and Srivastava (13) — cheaply, but wicketkeeper-batsman Goswami and Virat Kohli steadied the boat by adding 84 runs for the third wicket.

Both Goswami and Virat Kohli hit five boundaries each in their knocks.

Goswami was castled by Kiwi bowling spearhead Tim Southee, while Virat Kohli was caught by Williamson off George Worker.

The Indians were cruising to victory with 11 required off 21 balls with five wickets in hand. But suddenly, the Kiwis piled pressure and were able to notch up two quick wickets to provide a few jittery moments for their rivals.

But, middle order batsman Saurabh Tiwary (29 not out off 41 balls) held his nerve to see the Indians through.

Southee was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers with figures of 4 for 29.

Virat Kohli was adjudged the player of the match for his all-round performance.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 205 for 8 in 50 overs (Corey Anderson 70, K Williamson 37, Fraser Colson 32; Virat Kohli 2/27, Siddarth Kaul 2/43, T Srivastava 2/46)

India 191 for 7 in 41.3 overs (Sreevats Goswami 51, Virat Kohli 43; T Southee 4/ 29). (PTI)

Hayden let off with only a reprimand

SYDNEY, Feb 27: Australian opener Matthew Hayden was today let off lightly by the Australian Cricket Board with only a reprimand for calling Harbhajan Singh an "obnoxious little weed", a remark which drew widespread ire in India.

The 36-year-old Hayden, who has been actively involved in the on-field altercations with the Indians during their ill-tempered tour, got away with a rather light punishment after being charged for breaching the CA’s code of behaviour.

The ruling came after a two-and-a-half hour disciplinary hearing before a code of conduct commissioner appointed by the CA from its panel.

Hayden had breached CA’s code of behaviour by making offensive remarks against Harbhajan in a radio interview.

The burly Australian cricketer was charged under Rule 9 of the CA code of behaviour, which prohibits detrimental public comment.

"Rule guidelines prohibit public denigration of other players against whom they have or will play," according to the CA.

Hayden’s radio interview evoked sharp reaction in India with fans and former officials expressing anger at the Australian opener uncharitable remarks.

Hayden had also challenged young paceman Ishant Sharma to a boxing bout during the interview to ‘Brisbane Radio’ yesterday.

The cricket board has the authority to stop its contracted player from commenting on television, radio or print if it feels that it is not in good taste about an opposition players or board.

"A Cricket Australia code of conduct commission hearing has upheld a charge that Hayden has breached the CA code of behaviour Rule 9, relating to detrimental public comment," said a CA release issued after the hearing.

"Code of conduct commissioner ron beazley issued a reprimand of Hayden as penalty for the breach," it added.

There was intense speculation earlier in the day that Hayden could be fined for his outburst against the Indian spinner.(PTI)

Sania advances to meet Jankovic in second round

DUBAI, Feb 27: Sania Mirza played some gritty tennis to power her way into the second round of the USD 1,500,000 Dubai tennis championships here.

Sania pulled off a 7-6(5) 6-2 win over Russian qualifier Vera Dushevina in the wta tier II tournament late last night.

The 32nd ranked India will next challenge fourth seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia on centre court.

In a difficult opening set, which was stretched to a tie-breaker, Sania broke Vera twice but the advantage was neutralised as the Russian exploited her chances well late in the set.

The two ladies fought tooth and nail in the tie-breaker. As Sania came back from 2-4 to draw parity at 4-all and eventually pocketed the set to go 1-0 up.

Sania broke Vera thrice in the second set also compelled her to make unforced errors.

The Hyderabad girl said the second set was also a close affair than the scoreline suggested.

"The first set had its close moments and some lucky breaks on the sidelines had Vera in problems. The second was closer than what it looked," she said after the match in on-court interview.

Sania, however, refused that she would be under pressure against Jankovic at their centre court showdown.

"I haven’t played Jelena for a long time and it will be a no pressure game tomorrow," she asserted. (PTI)