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Hameed, Shoaib spur Pak to easy win
Chandana shines as Lanka rout UAE
Stiffer challenge awaits India
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BCCI panel meeting crammed with issues The working committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will meet in New Delhi on July 18 and 19 to deliberate on a variety of issues, including the much-delayed but contentious central contract system for the players.
Deadline set for Zimbabwe rebels
India outplay Britain 2-0 India to play hockey series
against Ireland Mexicans eye another prize scalp Bhutia signs for East Bengal
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Hameed, Shoaib spur Pak to easy win
Colombo, July 17 Hameed paced his innings brilliantly to record his third one-day century, a 123-ball 102, against a modest Bangladeshi bowling attack as Pakistan posted 257 for six in their allotted 50 overs at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground. Tearaway fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar then put to rest all speculation about his fitness by producing a devastating spell to claim three for 28 as Bangladesh folded up for 181 in 45.2 overs. Mohammad Sami (2-30) and Shoaib Malik (2-41) shared the spoils.
Javed Omar waged a lone battle for Bangladesh, scoring 62 off 86 balls before he was controversially ruled run out while television replays showed that Shoaib Malik had disturbed the bails before collecting the ball. Middle order batsman Alok Kapali’s 28 off 27 balls provided the late sparks but the required rate by then had climbed beyond manageable levels to seven an over. Omar and Mohammad Ashraful (12) provided a fairly brisk start to the Bangladeshi innings, adding 48 in 10 overs but Sami’s double blow took the wind out of their sails. Sami had Ashraful caught behind and then trapped captain Habibul Bashar plumb in front in the space of seven balls. Bangladesh never really recovered from the twin blows although the last two pairs added 31 runs and delayed the inevitable for about 10 overs. Electing to bat, Pakistan were provided a steady start by the 26-year-old Hameed and Imran Farhat (28) who put on 86 runs before paceman Abdur Razzak provided the breakthrough for Bangladesh by removing Farhat. The Bangladeshis, who have assured themselves a berth in the Super League stage with a 116-run victory over Hong Kong yesterday, got another wicket almost immediately when Shoaib Malik, promoted to the number three position, was run out for three. But thereafter, the Asian minnows ran into a formidable wall of Hameed and Inzamam-ul Haq, who added 109 runs for the third wicket. Haq was the dominant partner as he did the bulk of the scoring with a 66-ball 58 which included four fours and two sixes, both off left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique. But the two perished in quick succession, with none of the other batsmen being able to really accelerate the pace of scoring in the slog overs. Vice-captain Yousuf Youhana (29 not out) ensured the defending champions went past the 250-mark in their first match in the six-nation tournament. Bangladeshi bowlers did reasonably well to stem the run flow in the slog overs.
Scoreboard Pakistan Hameed c Rahman b Mahmud 102 Farhat lbw Razzaq 28 Malik run out 3 Haq st Mashud b Razzaq 59 Youhana not out 29 Younis Khan b Baisya 19 Razzaq c and b Rafique 5 Moin not out 3 Extras
(lb3, w6) 9 Total (for 6 wkts, 50 overs) 257 Fall of wickets:
1-86, 2-91, 3-200, 4-200, 5-241, 6-248 Bowling: Baisya 10-0-59-1, Rahman 10-1-50-0, Razzaq 10-1-37-2, Mahmud 10-0-56-1, Rafique 10-0-52-1. Bangladesh Omar run out 62 Ashraful c Moin b Sami 12 Bashar lbw Sami 2 Saleh c and b Malik 16 Kapali c Hameed b Farhat 28 Rahman lbw Akhtar 2 Mashud b Akhtar 8 Rafique c Hameed b Kaneria 18 Mahmud c Razzaq b Akhtar 0 Baisya b Shoaib Malik 11 Razzaq not out 1 Extras
(lb-10, nb-5, w-6) 21 Total (all out in 45.2 overs) 181 Fall of wickets:
1-48, 2-52, 3-97, 4-114, 5-118, 6-136, 7-148, 8-150, 9-178. Bowling:
Akhtar 10-1-28-3, Sami 8-0-30-2, Razzaq 6-0-27-0, Kaneria 8.2-1-27-1, Malik 10-0-41-2, Farhat 3-0-18-1.
— PTI |
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Chandana shines as Lanka rout UAE Dambulla, July 17 After an indifferent batting performance saw them being dismissed for a modest 239, the Sri Lankan bowlers skittled out UAE for 123 in 47.5 overs in the day-night encounter at the Rangiri Stadium. Chandana, whose cameo 21 off 24 balls was instrumental in the hosts going past the 200-mark, grabbed four for 22 to help the islanders avoid any major embarrassment in the six-nation tournament. Avishka Gunawardene’s well-paced 73 off 89 balls was pivotal to the Sri Lankan innings while record-breaking off-spinner Muthiah Muralitharan marked his return to international cricket with figures of three for 21. Scoreboard Sri Lanka Jayanta b Maqsood 18 Jayasuriya lbw Abbas 21 Gunawardene c Sangakkara lbw Zia 17 Jayawardene run out 26 Dilshan b Khurram Khan 6 Kandambi c Maqsood Chandana b Abbas 21 Zoysa c Zia b Arshad Ali 21 Muralitharan b Khurram Khan 3 Malinga not out 5 Extras:
(b-10, lb-4, w-10) 24 Total: (all out in 50 overs) 239 Fall of wickets:
1-39, 2-41, 3-105, 4-143, 5-151, 6-161, 7-190, 8-213, 9-222, 10-239 Bowling:
Abbas 10-0-35-2, Saeed 2-0-15-0, Maqsood 7-0-60-1, Zia 10-0-44-1, Tauqir 10-1-34-0, Khurram 10-1-32-4, Arshad Ali 1-0-05-1. United Arab Emirates Rai b Chandana 39 Ali lbw Zoysa 7 Usman c Sangakkara b Zoysa 0 Alam c sub b Chandana 12 Maqsood c Chandana b Murali 13 Khan b Malinga 8 Ali c and b Murali 0 Saeed c Chandana b Murali 0 Tauqir c Dilshan b Chandana 6 Asad Abbas b Chandana 12 Zia not out 2 Extras
(w-14, lb-4, nb-3,b-3) 24 Total (all out, 47.5 overs) 123 Fall of wickets:
1-14, 2-14, 3-43, 4-71, 5-91, 6-93, 7-98, 8-99, 9-113. Bowling:
Zoysa 8-3-11-2, Malinga 10-2-39-1, Dilshan 9-1-22-0, Murali 10-3-21-3, Chandana 9.5-3-22-4, Jayantha 1-0-1-0.
— PTI
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Stiffer challenge awaits India Dambulla, July 17 Barring vice-captain Rahul Dravid, who anchored the Indians to a comfortable 116-run victory over minnows UAE in their opening match with a 93-ball 104 yesterday, most of the other top batsmen appeared bit rusty after the three-month break. Although the scrappy batting show was understandable considering it was their first competitive outing after the trip to Pakistan, Sourav Ganguly and his men have to pull up their socks against the Lankans who have the advantage of playing at home. The day-night encounter at the picturesque Rangiri International Stadium could turn out to be a fascinating contest between the formidable Indian batting line-up and joint world record holder Muttiah Muralitharan who will relish to bowl on this slow track. Though the Indians were not really tested in the opening match against debutants UAE, captain Ganguly has exhorted his players to get into rhythm early to keep themselves on track for regaining the Asia Cup after a gap of six years. “They bowled well in the first 15 overs. In fact, we did not bat well. But it is understandable as it was the first match after the break and things will get better,” Ganguly said. “We got a bit rusty. I hope we play better against Sri Lanka,” the Indian captain said. The Indians were expected to retain the same team that did duty against UAE, which means off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, returning to the squad after a seven-month injury-induced break, would be again confined to the dressing room. The win against UAE has virtually assured India of a place in the Super League but the four-time title holders will be keen to top the group by putting it across the hosts. The two top teams from each group will qualify for the Super League stage. Sri Lankan captain Marvan Atapattu was quite optimistic about his team’s chances in the six-nation tournament, saying his players had the potential to win the title. “We have two very strong opponents in Pakistan and India. But if we play to our potential in home conditions, we will certainly win,” Atapattu said. The islanders have a major injury worry with star performer Sanath Jayasuriya down with a side strain. Although the former captain was expected to take the field, he may not be in a position to bowl which was bound to affect the composition of the side. The slow nature of the track at the Rangiri stadium should provide some assistance to the spinners as was evident in the first game yesterday. Hours of play (IST): 2.15 p.m. to 5.45 p.m.; 6.15 p.m. till close of play. — PTI
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Rahul must not keep wickets The Cricket Board’s decision to implement the Players’ Contract system has been further delayed and only players and the Board know the reasons behind it. But as usual, some people in the cricketing fraternity are trying to give a twist to the whole issue by saying that bickering among the players is the reason behind the delay. But, then, any further injunction against the Players’ Contract system will definitely mislead the cricket-loving public. They, too, may start believing that there are differences among the players. It will not only be insidious and destructive for Indian cricket, but will also give rise to speculations and encourage those opinionated voices. As of now, the relationship between the Cricket Board and the players in India is solely regulated by the selectors. It’s not always the same in other cricket playing countries where cricketers have the option to draw lines either through the players associations or the state and the country they have professional contracts with. Although, the entire exercise to bring in the Players’ Contract system was no doubt initiated by some of the senior members, it’s now the Board’s responsibility to integrate the matters seamlessly into the current system. Some uncertainties may crop up in the initial stages, but things will gradually normalise in due course of time. While the preferred course is to reason with the junior players, it sometimes becomes necessary for the Board to tell the new players that they cannot be equal on every term. At the same time, while the concept that a few senior players are above everything may not be completely true, one cannot easily ignore the hard work and the sustained performance given by the seniors for a long time. To quantify and compare the efforts put in by Sachin or Anil over the last 15 years with someone who has played just two years on equal terms defies all logic. If need be, the policy makers should use minimum force to lay down the rules if required. After all, the juniors not only look up to the seniors but they also do respect the experience and attitude of the seniors. The same juniors will grow in stature and become seniors in due course of time. The tournament opener was yet another warm-up tie for the Indians. In the ap esbeome so impiighty tg line up once again proved too much for UAE. Rahul Dravid started from where exactly he had left in Pakistan. It appears that the break in between has had no affect whatsoever on Rahul and he should be pleased to be amongst the runs. Skipper Ganguly made a cautious start to get to spend some time in the middle. It was apparent to see the tiresome efforts of Rahul behind the stumps just after he got his hundred. This team is flirting dangerously in making Rahul keep wickets. It will very soon pay a heavy price for this. I am afraid that such a practice will either see a sloppy work by Rahul behind the stumps at the crucial stage of an important match or will stress him to the limit to see a drop in his batting performance. I wonder whether it is really worth taking the risk of making Rahul perform both duties. Lots of cricket is in the pipeline and by any stretch of imagination it’s unfair for the team management to ask him to keep wickets all through out. The new jewels of Indian fast bowling, Irfan Pathan and Balaji bowled with vigour and maturity. It’s always good to watch the batsmen getting pushed on the back foot. Zaheer, still struggling for rhythm, appeared desperate enough to hit the right line and length. It’s definitely a sign of improvement.
—PTI |
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BCCI panel meeting crammed with issues New Delhi, July 17 The contract system, that would ensure a fixed remuneration for the players over a period of 12 months, has been hanging fire for the past two years. There are serious differences on the quantum of annual retainership to be given to various categories of players under the grading of A, B and C. Two years ago, the BCCI had worked out a formula under which the “A-I” grade players were to be given Rs 75 lakh, A grade players Rs 60 lakh, B grade players Rs 30 lakh and C grade players Rs 15 lakh. But a section of the players and officials contested the “big disparity” in the quantum of amount to be given to the star players and others. As a result, the move to introduce A-I grade was shelved, and the whole process got delayed. The BCCI working committee meeting is expected to go into the matter threadbare, and work out an acceptable formula so that no heartburn is created among the players. The working committee is also expected to finalise the itinerary of the coming winter tours to India by the Australian and South African cricket teams. Though Delhi was entitled to host one of the four Test matches against Australia, the ongoing stadium work at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground has ruled out the possibility of the Capital hosting any Test or one-day international, neither against Australia nor South Africa. The working committee will also discuss the report of the BCCI technical committee, headed by former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, which had suggested a level playing field for all teams in the Ranji Trophy championship, by doing away with the toss, which will give “equal opportunity” to both the host as well as the visiting teams. But the most interesting aspect of the working committee meeting will be that it will be attended by International Cricket Council (ICC) President Ehsan Mani and ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed. In fact, the ICC top brass will have an “interactive session” with the media ahead of their meeting with BCCI officials tomorrow. |
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Deadline set for Zimbabwe rebels London, July 17 Following a meeting yesterday in London with ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed, Venturas told AFP: “We’ve been given until Wednesday 5 pm to make a decision about arbitration. “I’ll be recommending we go for it. But I don’t know yet what they (the players) are going to say about it.” On Wednesday the ZCU agreed to the ICC’s offer to set up a three-man tribunal, sitting in Zimbabwe, in a bid to end the crisis that has plagued Zimbabwe cricket for several months. One member would be nominated by the ZCU, the other by the players, and the third, the chairman, by these two people. In April the ZCU sacked then Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak after the fast bowler, now at English county Warwickshire, accused the board of making some team selections based on race rather than merit.
— AFP |
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Jones finishes last in heat
Sacramento (USA), July 17 Torri Edwards, who faces a doping hearing on Monday, had the fastest women’s 200m time and Mickey Grimes, who reportedly tested positive for a banned substance, won a first-round 200m heat at the doping-overshadowed meet. Reigning Olympic 200m champion Jones, being investigated for possible doping violations, was fifth and last in her quarter-final heat in 22.93 seconds, but 10th fastest overall among 19 women who raced for 18 spots. Jones improved on the 23.02 she ran at Mt SAC in April in her only prior 200m this year. But Jones had been short in long jump qualifying only to leap 7.11m in the final, indicating she might have more speed for later rounds. Crawford set the men’s 200m qualifying pace with the fastest time in the world this year, winning his heat in 19.88. The prior 2004 best was 19.93 by Jamaica’s Usian Bolt on April 11 in Bermuda. “It felt pretty good,” Crawford said. “It’s just a prelim. I’ve still got three more rounds to go.”
— AFP |
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Dusseldorf, July 17 The Indian team management took a bold decision to field the youngsters, most of whom had played for the country in the Junior Asia Cup. The youngsters lived up to the expectations and gave their rivals a run for their money. The winners who scored once in each half through Sandeep Singh and Adam Sinclair, should have won by a much higher margin but for missed chances. The Indians, who have been displaying indifferent form in recent weeks, played an attacking game throughout and recorded their first win over Britain after a gap of 12 years. Sandeep Singh put India ahead five minutes before the breather when he converted a penalty corner with a superb drag flick (1-0). On a slippery and over-watered turf the Indians managed to settle down though they took time but their rivals were found struggling throughout. Britain made some forays into the Indian citadel but they never looked threatening. The Indians earned three penalty corners-all in the first half — while their rivals could force only one. Dhanraj Pillay and Baljit Singh Dhillon were also used to lend teeth to the attack and the Indian forwards looked dangerous but muffed the target. Gagan Ajit, Prabhjot and Deepak Thakur then kept the pressure on with the help of Pillay and Dhillon in between and British defence caved in for the second time in the 50th minute when Adam scored a stunning goal. — UNI
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India to play
hockey series against Ireland New Delhi, July 17 The Ireland team will travel to Germany for the series following an invitation from India, who are currently playing a four-nation tournament in Dusseldorf, according to Irish team manager Steven Hiles. “This was a last-minute invite from India and not part of our original international programme, but when we investigated the feasibility in terms of logistics and finance, it was simply too good an opportunity to turn down,” Hiles was quoted as saying on the FIH website.
— PTI |
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Mexicans eye another prize scalp
Piura (Peru), July 17 Mexico coach Ricardo Lavolpe has promised his team will take the initiative as they bid to extend a unbeaten run against the world champions stretching back six matches to 1999. “We’re going to try and attack, not just close up at the back and hand the initiative to them,” said the former Argentina goalkeeper. Brazil have to make a 2,000-km trip north to Piura for the match as they pay the price for Wednesday’s shock 1-2 loss to Paraguay. The stunning defeat against opponents fielding their under-23 team in preparation for next month’s Athens Olympics cost them top place in Group C and earned them the customary barrage of criticism back home. Brazil will at least be happy to play at sea level rather than at 2,300 metres’ altitude in the Andean city of Arequipa, where their first stage matches took place. “By not feeling the effects of the altitude, I think all players will develop their game better and the ball won’t move as fast as it’s been moving here,’’ said Brazil midfielder Renato. Mexico have beaten Brazil four times and drawn twice since Brazil’s last win at the 1999 Copa America, although the world champions have fielded weakened or under-23 teams in some of those games. Carlos Alberto Parreira’s team have rested top players such as Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka and Roberto Carlos for the Copa but are still considered serious title contenders. Meanwhile, Paraguay will take Brazil’s place against Uruguay in the southern city of Tacna after pipping them for first place in Group C. However, their young team might find the Uruguayans too experienced and wily tomorrow. Hosts Peru face Argentina in Chiclayo and this time will try not to gift their opponents a two-goal lead as they did in their first stage matches against Bolivia and Colombia. Peru fought back to draw 2-2 each time but are unlikely to be let off the hook by Argentina. This time, Peru will be without suspended striker Jefferson Farfan and captain Claudio Pizarro, who is out of the tournament with a head injury.
— Reuters |
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Bhutia signs for East Bengal “I signed for East Bengal for a period of six months, after which I will be a free player,” Bhutia said at the Indian Football Association office here. The Sikkimese, who is also the Indian captain, said he would play the derby clash against arch-rivals Mohun Bagan in the Kolkata league match tomorrow and also go with the team for the foreign club tournament being organised by Premier League outfit Leicester City in the UK later this month. “I will also go for trial in Cyprus. I have talked to the East Bengal officials in this regard,” he said.
— PTI |
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In video: Azhar all set to start a new innings!
Kolkata, July 17
