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Ganguly: India no longer chokers
Pathan focused on final
Windies recover after Flintoff’s 167 |
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Miandad bowled over by Thackeray
Indian firm to manage Murali Special course for golf teaching professionals Bhupathi-Paes duo makes winning start Wrestlers win 3 gold at Asian meet
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Ganguly: India no longer chokers
Colombo, July 30 India have contested 12 finals under Ganguly’s leadership, lost nine, shared two and won just one, but most of the recent losses have come against world champions Australia. “We have lost to them because they are such a good side. They lift themselves in the big match and we must try to do so on Sunday.” Ganguly conceded Sri Lanka were a tough side in home conditions and would be strengthened further with the return of Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan. “They would be boosted by Vaas and Murali but it isn’t as if we would be playing them for the first time, we know how to tackle them,” he said. “They are good in their own conditions but we have beaten them in the past and can do it again,” said the Indian skipper. Ganguly has been in good form with the bat in this competition, presently lying third with 240 runs behind Shoaib Malik (318) and Sanath Jayasuriya (278). “It’s good to be among the runs but it’s the all-important game on Sunday which counts.” Ganguly was also in splendid control as captain against Sri Lanka in the last Super League game when the hosts seemed to be running away with the match. “It was a close game and I tried to do my best. I can’t say whether my captaincy has spark or not but then it’s also about how lucky you are. Sometimes you click and sometimes you don’t. I generally try to give off my best.” Ganguly expressed a little concern about the wicket at the Premadasa stadium, the venue for the final, saying that it was “very slow” in the last game. The Indian captain once again said the authorities should permit squads of more than 14 players in a one-day tournament of this nature. “When you are playing one match after the other, the team gets affected if one player is injured. That is why there should be more than 14 players in a squad... but the good news is VVS Laxman should be fit for the finals.” — PTI
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Pathan focused on final
Colombo, July 30 Pathan, who has emerged as the highest wicket-taker in this one-day competition so far with 12 wickets from five matches, bowled a tight penultimate over in the crucial match against Sri Lanka which proved instrumental in India’s progress to the final. “To bowl the second-last over and put your team in a good position was a fine performance. But I want to do better in the final,” said the fastest-rising star of Indian cricket. “The final is a big game. You want to put in your best, put that extra effort. At the same time you shouldn’t try much — you need to be relaxed as well.” Pathan took 3 for 34 from his nine overs in that Super League game against Sri Lanka. He bowled the penultimate over, when the hosts needed just 15 runs, and conceded only four runs. The 20-year-old Baroda paceman has put men like Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami, Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan in the shade. He feels this has been because he knows his limitations. “One should experiment less in one-day cricket. If you do it, you are in trouble. Sometimes you don’t have the control. Even when you are confident, you do it only once it a while. There is very little margin. Any slip-up and you are penalised with a wide or a four.” “You don’t get slips and forward short legs in one-day cricket. The best of bowlers don’t get it, so who am I?” Pathan said. No batsman is too big or too small for the youngster. He treats all of them with respect and senses a challenge from each one of them. “Sanath Jayasuriya is a good batsman. But then in one-day cricket, no batsman is easy. I could have bowled more bouncers to Jayasuriya but you are also aware you don’t have to concede too many runs and take wickets as well.” It is rare to see such realism from a quick bowler, a player who is not at all trying to compete with the lightening quick Shoaib Akhtars and Brett Lees of cricket world. “I also want to bowl fast. But I should know my limitations. I should know whether it is helping me and my team. At some stage, I will also need pace besides my swing. But Inshallah, it would come by itself once I become stronger. After all, I am only 19-20.” Such logical approach to his career is also evident when he says he does not approach all wickets in the subcontinent as essentially similar in nature. “All wickets are not the same in the subcontinent. You get flat, good and turning wickets. At present, I am learning how to bowl the subcontinental line. “Most of the time, I rely on what seniors tell me about a wicket. Then when I bowl, it take two or three balls to know how it is going to behave.” Pathan has that rare mix of talent and intellect which allows him never to take anything for granted on a cricket field. “Sometimes you know what length to bowl on a wicket but are unable to do it. When the time is good, everything falls in place. When the time is bad, even good balls don’t get you wickets. I firmly believe a bowler is never bad — sometimes his time is bad.” As his stock rises, Pathan is learning to come to terms with fame and is grateful his fellow fast bowlers are helpful and not jealous of his growing reputation. “You feel happy about fame. But you can’t afford to be swollen-headed. It all comes with a responsibility. You can’t let your focus go away. People like Sachin Tendulkar and other seniors have handled it so well. It depends on how you handle fame.” Among other aspects of Pathan’s cricket, a standout feature is his fearlessness. It was evident when Shoaib Akhtar greeted his arrival with a quick short delivery which had him ducking and hit him nastily on the gloves.
— PTI |
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Laxman bats after a week
Colombo, July 30 With the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka just two days away, the right-hander from Hyderabad played with some extra protection on his injured left knee. To begin with, he was tentative in his shuffling even as coach John Wright kept a close watch on his batting. Later, he appeared to be more comfortable and even jumped out to hit Virender Sehwag, who was bowling his slow turners. Indian vice-captain Rahul Dravid said Laxman should be fit for the final and full squad would be available for the match. Laxman, who has played just two matches on tour because of injury, appears a certainty for Sunday’s title clash. Yesterday, Laxman took part in the stretch-outs as the Indians had taken a day off on Wednesday after their thrilling four-run win over Sri Lanka the previous day. Interestingly, the team management had announced that they would be seeking a replacement for the injured Laxman after their 59-run loss to Pakistan. However, they changed their mind on realising that they would not get a batsman from the next best 14 as India A were in Zimbabwe and a couple of other batsmen were in England.
— UNI |
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Windies recover after Flintoff’s 167
London, July 30 Ramnaresh Sarwan and Brian Lara led the tourists to 184 for two at stumps on the second day after Ashley Giles caught Devon Smith one-handed in the gully and Matthew Hoggard grabbed his second wicket when Chris Gayle was bowled around his legs. Lara (74 not out) came to the crease on 12 for two and looked in ominous form hitting some flashing cover drives while Sarwan (87 not out) was well set for a century after failing in the first Test at Lord's. Flintoff had earlier played with precision and power as he put England into a commanding position. He guided the ball around the ground with care for his fifty before accelerating to a fourth Test hundred, punishing the West Indies pace attack with effortless strokes. In all he hit seven sixes, including three off one Omari Banks over. The first went down the ground to bring up Flintoff's 150, next ball he clubbed another over deep mid wicket and then repeated the feat two balls later. The tall all-rounder was finally undone when Dwayne Bravo trapped him lbw with an excellent slower ball. The 20-year-old Trinidadian ended with four for 76 from 24 overs. Flintoff had some luck, a loose shot on 67 flying just wide of Lara at first slip while Jermaine Lawson spilled a sharp caught-and-bowled chance. Wicketkeeper Geraint Jones also impressed with 74, giving him an average above 50 from eight Test innings. He fell when Corey Collymore found a hint of away movement with a good length ball and induced a nick behind. England's last six batsmen put on 304, more than the top order, with final pair Hoggard and Steve Harmison (31 not out) sharing a 41-run stand. The hosts lead the four-match series 1-0 after a 210-run victory in the first Test at Lord's. Scoreboard England (1st innings): (overnight 313-5) Trescothick c Lara b Bravo 105 Strauss c Jacobs b Lawson 24 Key c Lara b Collins 29 Vaughan c and b Bravo 12 Thorpe c Jacobs b Collymore 61 Flintoff lbw b Bravo 167 Jones c Jacobs b Colleymore 74 Giles c Chanderpaul b Bravo 24 Hoggard not out 15 Anderson b Banks 2 Harmison not out 31 Extras
(lb-6, w-1, nb-15) 22 Total (566-9 decl, 134 overs) 566 Fall of wickets:
1-77, 2-125, 3-150, 4-210, 5-262, 6-432, 7-478, 8-522, 9-525 Bowling:
Collins 18-1-90-1, Collymore 30-6-126-2, Lawson 23-4-111-1, Bravo 24-6-76-4, Banks 27-3-108-1, Sarwan 12-0-49-0 West Indies (1st innings): Gayle b Hoggard 7 Smith c Giles b Hoggard 4 Sarwan not out 87 Lara not out 74 Extras
(b-9 lb-2 nb-1) 12 Total (2 wkts, 40 overs) 184 Fall of wickets:
1-5 2-12 Bowling: Hoggard 8-0-48-2, Harmison 8-0-41-0, Anderson 4-1-18-0, Giles 14-2-45-0, Flintoff 6-0-21-0.
— Reuters
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Miandad bowled over by Thackeray
Mumbai, July 30 The other is the tough-talking leader of a “Hindutava” political party in India who has minced no words while talking of his opposition to any cricketing ties between the two nations when a “proxy war” continues on the border. Today they came face to face in Mumbai. The cricketer whom Indians loved to hate the most for a long time, Javed
Miandad, did what was till today thought to be almost unthinkable. He walked into the tiger’s lair,
“Matoshree”, Mr Bal Thackeray’s residence in suburban Bandra for a “friendly encounter.” At the end, the scoreboard of both may have reflected two different innings, yet, the one meeting point was, “It was really a cordial meet.” Mr Thackeray opened the innings by saying that he was still opposed to the holding of India-Pakistan cricket matches in Mumbai. But he next bowled a “Senaman” (not to be confused with the Chinaman bowled by a left-arm orthodox spinner) when he added that he would reconsider his stand depending on the prevailing situation at any given point of time. The Sena chief told reporters here after his 20-minute ‘match’ with Pakistan’s batting legend that he was not averse to continuing the peace initiatives with the neighbouring country and that the sport would certainly play a role in it. “There is no need for one-way traffic always”, said Mr Thackeray. For some time now, say observers, the Sena supremo has toned down his criticism on this front, especially in the wake of the success of the “friendship series” between the two cricketing rivals in April this year. The former Pakistani captain was accompanied to the venue by former rival captain
Dilip Vengsarkar.
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Indian firm to manage Murali New Delhi, July 30 Muralitharan is currently the joint world record holder for the maximum number of wickets (527) in Test matches, along with Australian spinner Shane
Warne. Several international cricketers, including Steve Waugh, Brett Lee and Ricky Ponting (Australia), Stephen (New Zealand) and Shoaib Akhtar (Pakistan) have underlined the drawing power of world class cricketers for corporate India. Murali is currently associated with the UN team, which is dedicated to eradicating hunger from the under-developed nations. |
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Special course for golf teaching professionals Chandigarh, July 30 To implement this, a coaching committee has been set up headed by Dr Donato Di Ponziano, Deputy Chairman, PGA of Europe, with two members of the IGU, Mr Dilip Thomas and Mr Satish Aparajit, two from the PGA of India, Mr Arvind Khanna and Mr S. Mathur, and two teaching professionals, Mr Jesse Grewal and Mrs Nonita Lal Qureshi. The programme has been initiated this year and in the first year all existing teaching professionals will be classified into three categories — B, C or Apprentice. In the first year there will be no A category professionals. The first course was held in Bangalore in which 48 teaching professionals, including four from Sri Lanka, participated in the programme. Seven were classified as B class teaching professionals, 35 C class and six as Apprentices. Mr Jesse Grewal, Director, Hero Honda CGA Golf Academy, and golf professional at the Chandigarh Golf Club (Class B) and Mr Mahesh Kumar (Class C) of the CGA attended the course. Mr Jesse Grewal was also selected as part of the teaching staff of the Indian National Golf Academy. The Course was also attended by Nonita Lal Qureshi, Karan Bindra, Romit Bose and Vijay Divecha. Mr JS Cheema, Chairman, CGA Hero Honda Golf Academy, stated that both teaching professionals at the academy were classified by the Indian National Golf Academy. Thus this is the first range with fully trained teaching staff.
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Bhupathi-Paes duo makes winning start
New Delhi, July 30 The eighth-seeded Indian pair, playing on the same side of the net for the first time in a tour event in more than two years, registered a convincing 6-3, 6-2 victory in the match played last night, according to information received here. The pair, popularly known as ‘The Indian Express’, would now take on the winner of the tie between top seeded Amerian brothers Bob and Mike Bryan and Jared Palmer (USA)/Pavel Vizner (Czech Republic). Paes and Bhupathi, the former world No 1 pair, who won the French Open and Wimbledon title while reaching all the four Grand Slam finals in 1999, have reunited for the third time as part of their preparations for the Athens Olympic Games
beginning on August 13. — PTI |
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Wrestlers win 3 gold at Asian meet
New Delhi, July 30 The Wrestling Federation of India(WFI) will felicitate the grapplers on their return tomorrow, according to a WFI press note issued here today. The WFI President, Dr M.S. Malik, has complemented the wrestlers for bringing laurels to the country.
— UNI |
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Colombo, July 30
