IPL final shifted from Wankhede to D Y Patil stadium

MUMBAI, May 11: The Indian Premier League organizers have shifted the June 1 final from the originally scheduled Wankhede stadium in south Mumbai to the D Y Patil stadium in Navi Mumbai for a variety of reasons, cricket board sources said today.

"The final has been shifted and will now be held at D Y Patil stadium. One of the main reasons is that the TV production crew is not happy with the makeshift arrangements at the Wankhede stadium which has already been taken up for renovation and there is space constraint for keeping their equipment," the sources said.

The arrangements for the TV production crew includes temporary location of their vast paraphernalia adjacent to the makeshift restaurant located just behind the Garware stadium stands, the sources added.

Another reason is that the D Y Patil stadium can hold 55,000 spectators as compared to 40,000 by Wankhede, which increases the revenue of the home team owners — Reliance Industries.

But the decision has not yet been communicated to the franchise owners of Mumbai Indians, the home team, by the IPL authorities who make the final call though the team owners have a say on the matter, said a spokesperson of the franchisee.

"There have been talks about one of the semifinals or the final being shifted to D Y Patil, but we have not heard anything officially on the matter," he said.

The shift of the venue for the summit contest of the 44-day Twenty20 tournament is the second alteration made by the IPL authorities after the announcement of the schedule of the tournament and, in some ways, compensates for the shifting of two league stage matches from D Y Patil stadium to Wankhede.

The May 14 and 16 home ties of Mumbai Indians, against Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders and slated to be held in the Navi Mumbai venue, are to be held at the Wankhede stadium instead of the originally scheduled D Y Patil stadium.

Reasons given when these matches were shifted included the reluctance of the teams to travel long distances from their hotel in central Mumbai to D Y Patil stadium and the lack of proper practice wickets at the Navi Mumbai venue. (PTI)

Djokovic, Wawrinka last men standing in Rome

ROME, May 11: Novak Djokovic and Stanislas Wawrinka will emerge from all the fallen and broken bodies around them to contest the Rome Masters series final.

In a season when the ATP has repeatedly come under fire for its scheduling of the clay court season, in particular, the Serbian third seed and Swiss number two have found themselves left as the only men standing in the Italian capital today.

The last three matches have all been decided by retirements leaving the victors well rested and the spectators more than just frustrated.

Wawrinka spent only about 20 minutes on court in his semi-final before American sixth seed Andy Roddick succumbed to a back problem with the score at 3-0 in the first set.

Djokovic played for a bit longer but he was 6-0, 1-0 up on Radek Stepanek, who the previous day had eliminated world number one Roger Federer, when the Czech decided he was too weak to continue.

That came only about 18 hours after Djokovic’s quarter-final had been cut short, with him leading 6-1, 1-0, after Spaniard Nicolas Almagro decided his wrist was too painful to continue.

Some fans had paid up to 235 euros for a centre-court seat to watch the semi-finals. They saw only 10 one-sided games.

Just as Rafael Nadal had launched into the ATP, and in particular President Etienne De Villiers, for the schedule this year, Djokovic complained following his match.

In his last two matches he played only 15 games and will feel well rested today.

"We are all trying to make this sport more popular and better, we’re all working for the good of the sport," he said.

"Especially the players at the top and the ones who are playing a lot of matches are not happy with the schedule this year.

"That’s certainly a task to talk about because of the really tight schedule of the masters series events.

"I’m not criticising anybody but it’s just very important to take care of the players because you don’t want to have these kind of situations at big events, the players retiring in the semi-finals and the quarter-finals after one set."

Roddick, who had a long hard match against Tommy Robredo on Friday night before feeling a problem in his back, agreed with Djokovic that something needs to be done.

"I think it’s been a concern for a long time about maybe the lack of an off-season," he said.

"But this isn’t new, this isn’t new that it’s a packed schedule. I don’t think we’re reinventing the wheel by saying that there’s a lot of injuries."

The final sees the third seed and Australian Open champion take on a player who will break into the world’s top 10 for the first time next week.

Wawrinka will jump from 24 in the world to at least 10th after reaching his first ever masters series final, and that after knocking out three seeds, with eighth seed James Blake and 16th seed Andy Murray also among his victims before Roddick (6).

Djokovic will retake the lead in the champions race from Nadal at the end of the week ahead of the next week’s Hamburg Masters, where Federer is the defending champion. (AGENCIES)

Champion Ivanovic crashes out of German Open

BERLIN, May 11: Defending champion Ana Ivanovic of Serbia crashed out of the German Open at the semi-final stage after a straight sets defeat to Elena Dementieva.

Dementieva, whom Ivanovic has never beaten in their four contests, now faces giantkilling compatriot Dinara Safina in an all-Russia final.

After losing the first set 6-2, Ivanovic had few answers to Dementieva’s impressive start but the 20-year-old Serb rallied and fought back in the second, only for the Russian to pull away with a 7-5 win yesterday.

Dementieva said: "it’s going to be amazing to have a Russian final, I haven’t played her (Safina) for a long time. I am really looking forward to it."

She added: "I enjoyed the semi-final, ana is a great player and I really gave my best today. It is never easy playing against her, but I was really focused and I worked hard for every single point."

Ivanovic said she was pleased to have made it the semi-finals during her first tournament on clay this season.

"Playing the first time on clay is difficult, so I am happy that I came through to the semis, because I had a tough week with one late game and one to continue earlier today.

"I need to be more patient — I rushed my opportunities, and though I was ahead, I could not benefit from it."

And Ivanovic, ranked second on the WTA rankings, said world number one Justine Henin faces a stiff challenge to retain her Roland Garros title after pulling out of next week’s WTA tournament in Rome with fatigue.

"There are many good players who play better at the moment than Justine - so it is difficult to tell," said Ivanovic with Roland Garros starting on May 26. She is in a tough position now as she is feeling a lot of pressure."

Having claimed the scalps of world number one Justine Henin on Thursday and Serena Williams on Friday, Safina booked her place in Sunday’s final with a straight sets win over teenager Victoria Azarenka.

The Russian secured a 6-4, 6-1 win over the 18-year-old Belarrussian, who struggled with injury in the second set.

Azarenka, who knocked out seeds Anna Chadvetadze and Alona Bondarenko on the way to the semi-final, looked very strong early on with some superb shots to the base-line.

But her game fell apart in the second set as her frustration got the better of her.

After smashing her racquet on the ground and briefly letting the tears flow, Azarenka started limping heavily and was barely able to complete the match, allowing Safina to wrap up victory.

Safina had the heart to praise the teenager, who will break into the wta top 20 rankings next week after her performance in Berlin.

"She really played well and there was plenty of pressure from her returns," said Safina. "I hung in there, she was cramping up in the second set which was unlucky for her."

And having lost on her last two tier I final appearances, Safina says she is determined to make it third time lucky.

"It is going to be a big match for me and, yes, I believe that the third time it will be my lucky time." (AGENCIES)

Ponting asks Aussies to switch
from IPL to Windies test series

MELBOURNE, May 11: Fresh from his arrival from the Indian Premier League, Australia captain Ricky Ponting now wants his countrymen to switch from the cash-rich Twenty20 tournament to their national team’s test series against the West Indies starting May 22.

With a battle for TV ratings expected between IPL and the test series in the coming days, Ponting has urged the Australians to watch their current stars than the retired greats in the IPL which is being shown on free-to-air and in a similar time slot.

"I’d like to think that most people in Australia will be watching their national team represent their country over a couple of the other guys — retired guys most of them now —representing an Indian franchise," Ponting was quoted as saying by ‘The Daily Telegraph’.

"I know if I was sitting back in my lounge room, being the cricket traditionalist I am, I would certainly be watching test cricket over the IPL," said Ponting who had an ordinary outing in the cash-rich tournament playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Ponting said the Carribean tour would be ideal to escape the strain of a turbulant Australian summer against India, which was marred by on-field clashes and crowd flare-ups.

"Everything to do with last summer is long behind us now, it’s up to all of us to move on and get on with things and trying to find ways of making myself a better player and the team a better team," Ponting said.

He said the challenge of leading a ‘fresh’ Australian team had given him the confidence and determination to arrest his own rare batting slump.

"Last year for me was a little bit different than what I’ve been used to for the last 6-7 years. It was one of those years where I had a few high moments but the majority of it were pretty low scores.

"What I’ve prided myself on the last few years is that consistency, that was missing last year so it’s up to me to get that back starting in the Carribean." (PTI)

Selection trials tomorrow

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, May 11: The J&K Skate Ball Association would conduct selection trials on May 13 at Shiva Roller Skating Institute, Peer-kho.

The trials will be held to select the State team for the forthcoming National Skate Ball Championship slated to be held at Bhilwara, Rajasthan from May 17 to 19.

NIIT Bari-Brahmana organises Painting competition

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, May 11: The Bari Brahmana centre of NIIT organised a panting competition here today. Students from Government Higher Secondary Schools-Bishnah, Suchaini, Ramgarh, Vijaypur, Ramgarh, Smailpur, Guru Gobind School, Kunjwani, Dashmesh Academy, Bishnah, and R K Model school took part in the competition.

Sarthak Manhas of Delhi Public School was adjudged the best artist, and received a cash prize of Rs 1,000 alongwith a gift voucher worth Rs 1,500.

Rahul Singh (Army School, Kaluchak) and Bandana Sharma of GHSS, Bishnah had to be content with second and third place respectively.

Jagpal Singh Bandral and Surpal Singh Slathia were the judges in the competition.

Col Prem Singh, Director, NIIT Bari-Brahmana centre said the objective of conducting the painting competition was was to encourage and nurture the creative talent of local youth.

Later, Ashwani Kumar, MLA Bishnah honoured the participants. Devinder Kaur, Principal, GHSS Bishnah was also present on the occasion.

JGKCC enters final of Summer Cup

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, May 11: Jammu Gym Khana Cricket Club (JGKCC) prevailed over Surinder Cricket Club (SCC) by 20 runs to enter into the final of the ongoing Summer Cup Cricket Tournament being played at MAM College Ground today.

Batting first, JGKCC made 145 runs in the allotted 20 overs with Bandeep (26), Ashish (24) and Deepak (23) were the notable contributors in the first semifinal.

For SCC, Mintu and Vijay grabbed three wickets apiece.

Chasing 146 to win, SCC skittled out for 125 runs.

Rajesh and Sanjay played fighting knocks of 46 and 19 runs respectively while Provin chipped in with useful 17.

For JGKCC, Ashish was the pick of the bowlers with three scalps while Hemish and Satwant snared two wickets each. Ashish was adjudged man of the match.

The umpires in the match were Rajesh and Raju. The scorer was Deepak.

J&K team excel in NZ Tennis Ball cricket tourney

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, May 11: J&K men and women teams have qualified for the final of the ongoing North Zone Tennis Ball cricket championship.

In the men section, J&K got the better of Haryana by 45 runs. J&K won the toss and opted to bat first. They accumulated 69 runs in the allotted overs.

Mudassir Abbas remained unbeaten on 39. In reply, Haryana bowled out for 25 runs.

J&K Skipper Narottam Singh was the most successful bowler with five scalps.

In the women section, J&K trounced Himachal Pradesh 72 runs. Batting first J&K made 107 runs riding on a fine 46-run knock by Saima.

In reply, Himachal Pradesh was perished for paltry 35 runs.

Indians to bank on home support in SAIL Open

NEW DELHI, May 10: A tough draw makes the ATP challenger series’ SAIL Open a formidable proposition for the Indians but the local favourites would bank on home advantage to notch up some valuable ranking points on offer in the USD 50,000 tennis tournament starting tomorrow.

One of the best bets for India in the tournament would be Rohan Bopanna, who comes back after recovering from a knee injury that he carried through the Davis Cup win over Japan last month.

Bopanna, however, has a tough match on hand as he has been pitted against fourth seed Go Soeda of Japan in the first round of the tournament that will see the winner take home USD 7,200 besides gaining 55 ATP ranking points.

Soeda was a part of the Japanese team that lost to India in the Davis Cup last month where he was beaten by Prakash Amritraj in the second singles of the tie.

However, Soeda’s atp ranking of 132 gives him an edge over the 303rd-placed Bopanna.

The US-based Prakash Amritraj, meanwhile, is drawn against seventh seed American Brendon Evans.

None of the Indians could get seedings, which were topped by Chinese Taipei’s Yen-Huan Ku, ranked 90th in the ATP charts.

Another Indian comeback man Harsh Mankad, who sat through India’s Davis Cup win over Japan, has been given a wildcard entry and he takes on french thomas oger.

Oger is ranked close to 400 places above mankad at 276th in the ATP rankings.

Another Indian wildcard Ashutosh Singh also has tough opener at hand as he takes on eighth seeded Russian Alexandre Kudryavtsev.

Teen sensation Yuki Bhambri, who led the country to the world group play off of the junior Davis Cup, has also been given a wildcard and he will be up against Australian Adam Feeney, who is ranked 274th — close to 1000 places above the Indian.

The other prominent contenders in the tournament include Pakistani number one Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, seeded sixth and drawn against American of Indian origin Rajeev Ram.

World number 129 Dane Kristian Pless has been seeded third and he plays German Alex Satschko. (PTI)

Rao’s blitzkrieg goes in vain, chargers lose again

HYDERABAD, May 11: Venugopal Rao’s unbeaten 42-ball 71 went in vain as Deccan Chargers slumped to their seventh successive defeat, going down to Kolkata Knight Riders by 23 runs in their Indian Premier League match here today.

Opting to bat first, the Knight Riders rode on captain Sourav Ganguly’s stroke-filled 91 and David Hussey’s late assault to amass 204 for the loss of four wickets in their quota of 20 overs.

In reply, the Chargers led by Rao’s blitzkrieg — studded with four boundaries and a half a dozen sixes — could manage 181 for seven.

After their pathetic fielding allowed the Knight Riders to cross the 200-run mark, the Chargers lost wickets at regular intervals while trying to overhaul the massive target.

Openers Adam Gilchrist (24) and Herschelle Gibbs (4) fell to rookie pacer Ashoke Dinda, while Umar Gul claimed D Ravi Teja (10).

Ganguly then dealt another blow to the host side by scalping New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris to reduce the Chargers to 63 for 4.

Rohit Sharma and Rao stabilised the innings to add 32 runs for the fifth wicket. But before the pair could take the hosts to the safety zone, Dinda struck again to effect the departure of Rohit (33 off 24 balls, 3x4s, 2x6s).

Ganguly then drew the life out of Chargers’ challenge by scripting the dismissal of Sanjay Bangar (9).

However, an unperturbed Rao took the attack to the Knight Riders’ camp and plundered the visiting bowlers all over the park.

But Rao ran out of partners and could only witness his side suffer another loss.

Earlier, Ganguly won the toss and decided to bat first but Salman Butt’s exit in the first over pegged back the visitors.

Ganguly joined hands with Aakash Chopra (24) and forged a 69-run stand to steady the ship before he and Hussey tore apart the Deccan attack en route to a 102-run stand for the third wicket.

Ganguly’s 91 came off 57 balls and was studded with 11 hits to the fence besides five sixes.

Hussey remained unbeaten after a 29-ball knock that included four boundaries, besides three sixes.

Laxmi Ratan Shukla was not out on 14 off just three balls as the Knight Riders went past the 200-run mark.

Playing his second match of the tournament, Butt (4) drove Chaminda Vaas for a four but perished soon edging him behind. The hosts, however, had to wait another 10 overs before another wicket fell and it was poor judgment that saw Chopra returning to the hut after being run out.

Ganguly looked good for his maiden Twenty20 century but trying to up the ante, he went for a hook only to see RP Singh take a low catch at fine leg off P Vijaykumar.

Tatenda Taibu (9) lived dangerously and threw his bat at anything and everything before Ravi Teja took a full-blooded drive off RP Singh to cut short his stay.

The win has taken the Knight Riders’ points tally to eight from eight matches, while the Deccan Chargers are way down in the table with four points from their nine matches. (PTI)

Diwakar brace brings first win for India

IPOH, May 11: Riding on two goals by Diwakar Ram, India made a fine rally from one goal deficit to outclass lowly Canada 3-1 and keep themselves in contention in the Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament here today.

India dominated the proceedings getting nine penalty corners as against two by their opponents but trailed 0-1 at the breather only to bounce back strongly in the second session with their forwards for once showing the bite in their attack.

India could have scored more but for the Canadian goalkeeper Mike Mahoot bringing out some fine saves under the bar.

Canada took the lead in the ninth minute from their second penalty corner with Wayne Fernandez’s firm push sailing high into the net at the left side of Indian goalkeeper Adrian D’Souza.

India equalised in the 45th minute with Diwakar Ram converting a penalty stroke which was awarded after SV Sunil’s goal-bound push following India’s fourth penalty corner hit a Canadian defender.

Young Diwakar, replacing Sandeep who was hit on his right leg by a powerful penalty corner shot, sent the Canadian goalkeeper on the wrong foot.

Nineteen-year-old Diwakar scored again in the 51st minute to put India ahead from their seventh penalty corner with a fine low push and the agile Canadian goalkeeper dived full length to his right but failed to stop the ball from finding the cage.

Two minutes later, India had a two-goal cushion from a combined team effort. Captain Sardara Singh’s free hit touched the stick of SV Sunil and rolled towards Shivendra Singh who gently tapped the ball into the open goal to give his side their first win from three matches. (PTI)