Presentation Convent celebrates Annual Sports Day............

Kirsten helps Sehwag find his touch .........

Zaheer, Yuvraj, RP bag inaugural Cricinfo award

NEW DELHI, Jan 30: Zaheer Khan, Yuvraj Singh and RP Singh were among the six cricketers who were named winners of the inaugural Cricinfo awards for their outstanding performance in three different formats of the game.

Apart from the Indian trio, Sri Lanka duo of Kumar Sangakkara and Lasith Malinga and Australia’s retiring hero Adam Gilchrist were also the winners.

The winners were selected by a jury comprising Geoffrey Boycott, Ian Chappell, Daryll Cullinan, Tony Greig, Michael Holding, David Lloyd, Sanjay Manjrekar, Ramiz Raja and Ravi Shastri.

Sangakkara won the Test batting prize for his 192 against Australia in Hobart, while Zaheer bagged the Test bowling award for his 5 for 75 in the second Test against England at Trent Bridge.

"It was a really gritty performance by Zaheer Khan, and the Indians will thank him for the memorable victory at Trent Bridge, and that allowed India to go on and win an exciting series," Boycott said.

Fellow jury member Ramiz echoed the same view and said, "what was eye catching about the spell was the use of the crease and the angle that he developed to remain on top of the opposition. It was a masterclass from Zaheer Khan and he richly deserves the award."

Gilchrist won the one-day batting title for his 149 in the World Cup final against Sri Lanka, while Malinga got the bowler’s award for claiming four wickets in as many balls against South Africa in the World Cup.

Both the Twenty20 batsman and bowler’s awards went to Indian players.

Yuvraj took the batting honour for his destructive 70 off 30 balls against Australia in the semi-final even though the tournament would probably be known as one in which he clobbered Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over.

Left-arm seamer RP Singh won the Twenty20 bowler’s award for his decisive 4 for 13 against the hosts in the World Cup in South Africa.

"Cricket awards are commonplace, but to us at Cricinfo they are a logical and inevitable extension of what we are about," Sambit Bal, Editor of Cricinfo said.

List of winners: Test batting - Kumar Sangakkara (SL): 192, Australia v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Hobart Test bowling - Zaheer Khan (Ind): 5 for 75, England v India, 2nd Test, Trent Bridge ODI batting - Adam Gilchrist (Aus): 149, Australia v Sri Lanka, World Cup final, Barbados ODI bowling - Lasith Malinga (SL): 4 for 54, Sri Lanka v South Africa, World Cup, Guyana Twenty20 batting - Yuvraj Singh (Ind): 70, India v Australia, World Twenty20 semi-final, Durban Twenty20 bowling - RP Singh (Ind): 4 for 13, India v South Africa, World Twenty20, Durban. (PTI)

‘PCB could be in trouble if players approach court’

KARACHI, Jan 30: The Attorney General of Pakistan, Justice (Retd) Malik Qayyum has warned the Pakistan Cricket Board that it could face problems if the players banned for appearing in the rebel Indian Cricket League approach the court on the matter.

The board has banned former captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Abdul Razzaq, Imran Farhat, Taufiq Umar, Shabbir Ahmed and Azhar Mahmood from playing domestic cricket after they returned after participating in the inaugural ICL tournament in India last month.

Except for Inzamam and Azhar all the other four players have been active on the domestic circuit and are employed in departments and banks on the basis of their cricketing abilities.

The players say if the ban on playing domestic cricket continues they could lose their jobs.

Qayyum who as a judge of the Lahore high court headed the famous inquiry into match fixing in Pakistan cricket eight years ago said the players would be justified in approaching the court.

"The ban on them is not justified in legal terms. The board is basically stopping them from earning their livelihood which is the right of any Pakistani citizen," he said. (PTI)

Axed Ganguly returns home

KOLKATA, Jan 30: Dropped from the tri-series in Australia, Sourav Ganguly today returned home after completion of the Test series.

The senior cricketer, however, refused to speak to the large contingent of media persons at the NSCBI airport here. "I have nothing to say," Ganguly said much to the disappointment of the waiting journalists.

Ganguly, who was recei-ved by his maternal uncle at the airport, drove straight for home. (PTI)

Jammu wins State Tennis Ball Cricket tourney

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 30: Jammu got the better of Budgam by 4 wickets with a ball to spare in the final to clinch 5th State Tennis Ball Cricket Tournament which concluded at Green Fields, Gandhi Nagar today.

Batting first after winning the toss, Budgam accumulated 56 runs in the allotted eight overs.

Abbas was the top scorer with 18 runs. For Jammu, Akash Chopra and Narotam Singh grabbed three and two wickets respectively.

Jammu romped home by scoring the required 57 runs in 7.5 overs.

Narotam played a match winning knock of 29 runs.

In women section, districts Jammu and Srinagar were declared joint winners in a breathtaking contest.

Jammu eves after receiving early jolts managed to post challenging 49 runs in the allotted eight overs with Payal top scored with 14 runs off 11 balls.

For Srinagar, Ravinder Kour took two wickets. In reply, Srinagar also scored 49 runs in eight overs.

Kousar was the notable contributor with 10 runs.

Mudassir Abbas of district Budgam for his excellent all round performance earned him the man of the series.

Pramod Jain, Principal Secretary, Technical and Higher Education was the chief guest on the occasion.

The tournament was organised by J&K Tennis Ball Cricket Association.

Sa Ma Pa organises musical
programme at KC Public School

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 30: Sopori Academy of Music and Performing arts (Sa Ma Pa) today performed its 2nd performance of Music at KC Public School here today.

The programme was followed by an interactive session with the students of the school.

Prof Kailash Mehra was the chief guest on the occasion.

Arti Choudhary, Director, KC Public School and Zorawar Singh, principal were also present.

Ragini Rainu, sufi and classical singer alongwith Zunain Halim Khan who was accompanied by Pradeep Sarkar enthralled the audience with their majestic performance.

Abhey Kumar Sopori, who is organising SA MA PA also addressed the gathering saying that Sa Ma Pa is committed to the Indian Classical, Sufi and Folk Music of J&K.

Semifinal lineup drawn in Football tourney

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 30: The semifinal lineup has been drawn in the ongoing Inter Collegiate Football Tournament being played at Jammu University Ground.

MAM College will take on GGM Science College in the first semifinal while SPMR College of Commerce to lock horns against PG Arts in the second semifinal.

Earlier, PG Arts trounced DC Poonch by 5-1 goals with Sanjeev scored as many as three goals followed Rinchan (2).

Mohan Lal scored the lone goal for DC Poonch.

In the second match, Commerce College got walko-ver.

Prof Lokesh Verma, Director, Physical Education was the chief guest in today’s match. Dr Gopal Gupta, Prof Vidya Sagar, Dr Farooq Ahmed, Dr T H Shah, Dr Brij Baloria, Romesh Sharma, Ramesh Magotra, Mandeep Singh, Pankaj Sharma, Raj Kumar and P D Singh were also present.

Cross Country competitions were also begun today with Pritam Kumar (PG Deptt) finished first followed by Mumtaz Khan (MAM College) and Gafoor (Commerce College) who stood second and third respectively.

JKHA registers emphatic win

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 30: Jammu and Kashmir Hockey Association (JKHA, juniors) thrashed Zorawar Club by 7-0 goals in the ongoing Ashwani Kapoor Memorial Hockey Tournament at K K Hakku Stadium today.

JKHA had the maximum possession of the ball as they dominated the proceedings right from the word go.

Gurjeet Singh opened the account in the 3rd minute with a fine field goal followed by Sikander Pal Singh who scored the second goal in the 8th minute.

JKHA then surged to a 3-0 lead through Vikram Singh in the 33rd minute.

The second half was no different from the first as Zorawar Club had their backs to the wall who remained clueless against JKHA strikers brilliance.

JKHA continued their march as they added four more goals in their kitty.

Two of them were scored by Gurjeet Singh in the 43rd and 45th minutes while Sikander Singh and Sukhwinder Singh scored in the 38th and 58th minutes respectively.

The officials in the match were D Singh, Jagjit Singh and Harvinder Pal Singh.

The tournament has been organised by JKHA.

President Cup to resume from Feb 1

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 30: The President Cup Cricket Tournament organised by Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKHA) would resume from February 1 with Jammu Cricket Club (JCC) will take on Friends Cricket Club (FCC) at GGM Science College Hostel Ground, said Suneet Sharma, joint secretary, JKCA.

He further said the fresh dates for conducting the matches have also been issued by the association.

Presentation Convent celebrates Annual Sports Day

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 30: Presentation Convent Senior Secondary School celebrated its Annual Sports Day in the school premises here today.

Lt Gen Anoop Singh Jamwal was the chief guest on the occasion who declared open the meet.

Besides various races and drills events in 100, 200 and 400mts were also held.

The Sports Day concluded with yearly prize distribution ceremony.

Sr Phyllis, Principal of the school presented the vote of thanks.

Kirsten helps Sehwag find his touch

ADELAIDE, Jan 30: Virender Sehwag is back to where he belongs and he can thanks new coach Gary Kirsten for mapping his route of return.

Sehwag won back his test spot with a remarkable 151 in Adelaide and is now one of the first names Indian team would tick in for their forthcoming Twenty20 and one-day tri-series in Australia.

Sehwag came to Australia on reputation rather than on form and it was not until his century against ACT XI in Canberra, between the second and third Test, that he was offered a lifeline to resurrect his test career in Perth.

Kirsten, due to take over as coach of the team in march, arrived as a consultant in Perth and being an opener himself, set about reigniting the career of one of India’s most explosive batsmen ever.

Sehwag offered India a positive start in both the innings at Perth but his scores of 29 and 43 did not make for a thumping return. His first innings dismissal in Adelaide, cutting close to his body and being caught at first slip, made Kirsten seek him out for a special session in preparation for the rest of the match.

In this lengthy nets of a few hours, Kirsten asked Sehwag to take an off-stump guard and leave everything which was bowled to him on and around that area. It ostensibly was an attempt to make Sehwag leave out a few shots which he can’t resist outside the off-stump.

The second advice was to completely leave out the upper cut — even though it makes for a pleasing, exciting sight to see the ball soar over the slips and sometimes even the third man — for it leaves too much room for errors.

Sehwag was asked to keep his bat perpendicular, allowing his quick hand-eye co-ordination to meet the ball with straight bat and leave out errors such as playing across, as it happened in the second innings of the Perth Test, being bowled by Stuart Clark.

Interestingly, Kirsten offered Sehwag a little challenge of trying to last 150 balls each time he visits to the crease. The more Sehwag stays at the wicket, more the chances of him scoring runs in spurts and a surge of confidence that rubs off on his fellow mates in the dressing room.

All this worked out brilliantly for Sehwag and India as the visitors were able to salvage a draw after some anxious moments on the final afternoon.

Sehwag’s innings was remarkable for a few other reasons as well. He has scored in excess of 150 runs in the last nine Test centuries that he has been able to raise against his name. His Adelaide effort, 151 off 236 balls, is one of his slowest ever! so much so for all those who were gushing over his slice of 100 runs out of the 128 which India had put on the final morning of the Adelaide Test.

With Yuvraj struggling with his knee and Dhoni yet to inspire confidence, also the uncertainty of how India’s young talents would cope in the den of the world champions, Sehwag’s return to form, as well as the dazzling brilliance of Sachin Tendulkar, give India their best chance in the rest of the series. (PTI)

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