Onus on young guns

Onus on young guns

Third ODI at the Motera • India face SA without half a dozen key players • Chance for the Proteas to earn some pride back

AHMEDABAD, Feb 26: The series as well as the number two spot in ICC rankings in their grasp, India would aim for a rare clean sweep while South Africa have nothing but pride to play for in their third and final One-dayer on Saturday.

The home team will be without more than half a dozen key players in the dead rubber, some missing from action from the start of the series and others — including champion batsman Sachin Tendulkar — skipping the tie.

Tendulkar, in particular, will be missed after his awe-inspiring and phenomenal knock of 200 not out at Gwalior that shattered the Proteas dreams of winning a One-day series in India for the first time ever.

The batting great has obtained a break to recharge his batteries for the upcoming Indian Premier League after becoming the first player in the nearly four-decade-old One-day game to make a double ton at the international level with his unbeaten innings which came off just 147 balls.

Second One Day International against the Proteas at Gwalior

Second One Day International against the Proteas at Gwalior

Gwalior, Feb 23: After escaping with a narrow win in Jaipur, India would aim to plug their bowling loopholes and seal the three-match series to retain the number two spot in ICC rankings when they take on South Africa in the second ODI here tomorrow.

The Indian batsmen are in good nick but the worrying factor for the hosts is the bowling department as they leaked too many runs in the series opener and received an unexpected bashing at the hands of tail-enders Dale Steyn and Wayne Parnell in Jaipur.

What looked like a one-sided contest in India’s favour at one stage became an edge-of-the-seat thriller as the host bowlers let go their grip over the match with their wayward line. India, though, managed to pull it off by just a run, the closest of victory margins.

Gagan wins third gold, Jung breaks record

Gagan wins third gold, Jung breaks record

NEW DELHI, Feb 22: Gagan Narang added a third gold to his tally, while Samaresh Jung clinched his second as Indian shooters continued to reign supreme shattering three meet records at the Karni Singh range on the fifth day of the Commonwealth Championships here today.

India’s overall medal tally stood at 26 (13 gold, eight silver and five bronze), way ahead of second-placed England, which has won 15 medals so far — three gold, seven silver and five bronze. Australia occupied the third spot with 10 medals.

Jung, who clinched 10m Air Pistol team gold yesterday, was bang on in the individual event as well and after equalling the meet record for the qualifying score, he went on to beat the championship record for the final score.

Dhoni pulls up his bowlers for mediocre show against SA tail

JAIPUR: Clearly not happy with the performance of his bowlers in India's one-run victory over South Africa in the first One-dayer in Jaipur, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Sunday said he had not expected his best bowlers to get the pasting from the visiting tailenders.

"So many runs needed by their (SA) tailenders and you don't expect your best bowlers to concede so many runs (at the death). The bowlers need to do better in remaining matches," Dhoni said after the cliffhanger of a contest.

"In the initial overs (of South African innings) also the bowlers could have done better," he added.

He praised all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja for his fine performance with the bat and ball.

"Virender Sehwag could not bowl and we were short of a bowler. But Yusuf Pathan bowled well and Ravindra Jadeja all the difference today. He bowled and batted well," said Dhoni.

He also felt that his batsmen got the starts but failed to convert them into big scores.

"Most of batsmen got the starts but failed to convert them except for Suresh Raina, Sehwag and (Dinesh) Karthik. We thought we would crossed 300 but we could not," he said.

Dhoni said South Africa are capable of bouncing back into the series and his side will have to keep the winning momentum going.

"Both are good sides and they can bounce back. But it will be a very good and tightly contested series," said the home team captain.

Man of the match Ravindra Jadeja said he stuck to the basics while bowling and it paid off.

"I was not thinking of trying anything new. I was just trying to concentrate to stick to the basics and bowl stump to stump and no loose balls," said the youngster who scored a 20-ball 22 and took 2/29 from his 10 overs.

Asked how he focused on his game after he was recently penalised by the Indian Premier League, he said, "I was trying to focus on cricket. I was concentrating to Duleep Trophy and this ODI series."

Accuracy paid off: Jadeja

JAIPUR: Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja said bowling accurately paid him rich dividends in Sunday's thrilling One-dayer against South Africa in Jaipur.

After contributing 22 brisk runs with the bat, Jadeja played a stellar role with the ball as well, claiming two South African wickets conceding just 29 runs in his accurate 10 overs to help India win by one run.

"Since I was bowling in the Powerplays, the idea was to keep it stump-to-stump. There was no question of giving width to the South Africans. I decided not to bowl too much outside the off-stump. They were going great guns, so we could not afford to gift them easy runs," said the all-rounder who was adjudged Man of the Match for his sparkling performance.

"There was not much turn in the track, so I thought I would bowl to their pads. I thought even if I don't get the wickets, I would not concede runs since containing was also important at that stage," the Saurashtra player explained.

Jadeja conceded the team was worried when Wayne Parnell and Dale Steyn took South Africa close to a win, needing just 10 runs off the last over sent down by Praveen Kumar.

"PK (Praveen) Bhai sent down a good over and Sachin Tendulkar then saved one run when he dived to stop that boundary. Otherwise, it would have been a tie or we would have even lost," he said.

Jadeja said even though bowlers like S Sreesanth went for some runs initially, they made amends in the end.

"I think all the bowlers did well today. Some conceded runs early but then came back in the middle overs and everything was fine in the end," he said.

Asked if he struggled with dew problem, Jadeja said, "Not really. I came out early to bowl and the ball was not wet yet. I think other spinners bowled well when it was not easy gripping the ball."

The youngster, who has been banned from the Indian Premier League for allegedly sounding out franchisees outside his Rajasthan Royals team, remained tightlipped when asked if he expected mercy from the IPL authorities.

"I don't want to talk about that. I came here with my concentration only on this ODI series," he said.

We were unlucky but showed character: Kallis

JAIPUR: Smarting from the narrow one-run defeat against India, South African captain Jacques Kallis said his side simply did not have the winner's luck even though they managed to show their character in Sunday's humdinger in Jaipur.

"After the Kolkata Test, here too we came close before losing the match. This is heart-breaking but I think we have showed our never-say-die attitude. Wayne (Parnell) and Dale (Steyn) played unbelievably good to get that close," he said.

"Luck was not in our side. Things could have been different had the boundary (which was referred to TV umpire after Sachin Tendulkar cut short to save one run) been given. But it was third umpire's call and not ours. We have got to accept it and get on.

"We simply did not have luck. You saw a (Charl) Langeveldt delivery hitting the stump and going for a four (without dislodging the bail) and you know we didn't have luck," he said with a wry smile.

Insisting 299 was gettable, Kallis said, "We thought so. I think we did well to restrict them to 298 when, at one stage, they looked like getting 320-330. We came back well and took vital wickets. I think it was a good effort by the bowlers," said Kallis, who led from the front both with the bat and the ball.

Showering praise on Parnell, whose 47-ball 49 nearly won the match for South Africa, Kallis said, "He is a talented cricketer and would take a lot from today's match. He would learn from his experience of playing in the sub-continent and has got a bright future ahead of him."

Kallis was irritated with the final over confusions and made no bones of the fact.

"We thought that was a four. We didn't know what was happening and when learnt it was not a boundary, sent the message. The scoreboard confused us as well," he said.

On the decision to keep back Hashim Amla, South Africa's run-machine in the recent Test series against India, Kallis said, "He is not part of the original ODI squad for whatever reasons. But most guys will get a chance in the series and he is in good form."

Virender Sehwag develops sore back

JAIPUR: Star opener Virender Sehwag has developed a sore back even though it is unlikely to affect his participation in the second One-dayer against South Africa in Gwalior on Wednesday.

"Sehwag has a sore back and he underwent a scan yesterday. But it doesn't look serious enough to render him unavailable for the Gwalior match," a team official said.

Sehwag batted in last night's humdinger against South Africa which India clinched by a wafer-thin one-run margin in the final delivery.

Sehwag scored a brisk 46 before he got out and he could not fill in the part-timer's role during South Africa's chase because of the sore back.

Sehwag left the field during South Africa's innings and was replaced by Mumbai all-rounder Abhishek Nayyar.

1st ODI: Depleted India snatch dramatic win over South Africa

JAIPUR: India overcame the absence of four top stars to beat South Africa by one run in a thrilling One-Day International on Sunday and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Wayne Parnell was run out off the final delivery, attempting a second run that would have tied the match, to leave the Proteas on 297 all out in reply to India's 298/9.

The tourists were tottering at 225/8 in the 43rd over when the ninth-wicket pair of Parnell and Dale Steyn swung the day-night match around by adding 65 off 38 balls.

South Africa, needing 26 off the final 12 deliveries, smashed 16 runs in the penultimate over of Ashish Nehra that included a six each by Parnell and Steyn.

With nine runs required from five deliveries, seamer Praveen Kumar bowled Steyn and conceded just seven more off the next four to hand India a thrilling win.

Parnell hit a defiant 49 off 47 balls and Steyn plundered an 18-ball 35, but the pair failed to take the tourists across the line at the Sawai Man Singh stadium in Jaipur.

Earlier, Suresh Raina top-scored with 58 off 63 balls and Virender Sehwag hammered a typically aggressive 46 off 37 balls as the hosts piled up 298/9 after being sent in to bat.

South Africa's stand-in captain Jacques Kallis starred for the tourists with both bat and ball, claiming 3-29 from seven overs with his medium-pace bowling before making a fluent 89.

The veteran all-rounder hit six fours and a six before being eighth out, bowled by Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, 11 runs short of his 17th One-day century.

India took the field in the series opener without bowling spearheads Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh, and frontline batsmen Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh.

Harbhajan was given permission to miss the first two matches due to his sister's wedding, while the other three were injured.

Kallis led South Africa in the absence of Graeme Smith, who opted out of the One-dayers with a finger injury sustained during the Test series, which ended 1-1 last week.

When India batted, Sehwag and Dinesh Karthik (44) put on 79 for the second wicket in 75 balls after veteran Sachin Tendulkar was run out for four in the second over of the match.

Sehwag, who hit two audacious sixes over the third man and cover region, was unlucky to be run out when a Karthik drive was deflected to the non-striker's wicket by bowler Charl Langeveldt.

South Africa made a flying start as Herschelle Gibbs (27) and Loots Bosman (29) put on 58 for the first wicket off just 8.4 overs.

South Africa, who were 134/3 at one stage, lost three middle-order wickets for 27 runs to slip to 161/6 by the 35th over.

The second match will be played in Gwalior on Wednesday and the third in Ahmedabad on Saturday.

Australia’s reign as No. 1 Test team ends

Australia’s reign as No. 1 Test team ends

Kolkata, Feb 18: India ended Australia’s seven-year run at the top of the Test rankings as they will finish as the numero uno Test team this year (2009-10) after their emphatic victory against South Africa at Eden Gardens here on Thursday. India beat South Africa by an innings and 57 runs to level the series 1-1 and also retain the No.1 position in the Test rankings. It is the first time India have topped the table at the annual cut-off date (April 1) since the rankings were introduced in June 2003. It has been a steady climb by the Indian team as they were ranked sixth in 2004. They were placed third in 2005 and 2006 and finished second last year. India are at 124 ratings points while South Africa stayed second with 120 points. (IANS)

Yuvraj to miss, Harbhajan uncertain for ODI series

Yuvraj to miss, Harbhajan uncertain for ODI series

Kolkata, Feb 15: With injured middle-order batsman Yuvraj Singh ruled out and offie Harbhajan Singh reportedly seeking a break for a family commitment, a few youngsters could make the cut as the national selectors choose a 15-member squad Tuesday for the three-match one-day series against South Africa beginning Feb 21.

Yuvraj, who missed the Test series against South Africa, is yet to recover from the ligament tear in his wrist which he sustained during the Bangladesh tour, sources in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said.

Either Abhishek Nair or Yusuf Pathan is likely to replace Yuvraj.

Opener Gautam Gambhir also injured his left forearm while batting on day two of the ongoing second Test between the two sides.

However, though there was swelling as also bruises, an x-ray did not show any bone damage.

Stage set for State Premier League

Sports reporter
GUWAHATI, Feb 3: The second Airtel Assam State Premier League Football Championship is all set to kick start at Sivasagar and Tezpur simultaneously on February 10.

The Bharti Airtel-sponsored championship will witness 10 teams to compete in two groups. At Sivasagar OIL FC, Assam Police Blues of Guwahati, FCI SC of Guwahati, PHE Silchar, Gauhati Town Club will contest each other while at Tezpur Assam Rifles, ASEB of Guwahati, 9th AP Bn of Nagaon, Salbagan Sports Club and Green Valley SC of Guwahati will meet each other in league phase.

After the preliminary rounds top two teams will qualify for the knock-out semifinals. The semifinals and the final will be played here. The semifinals will be played on February 22 and 23 while the final has been slated for February 25.

At Sivasagar FCI will take on PHE Silchar in the opening match while at Tezpur ASEB will lock horns with 9th AP Bn in the inaugural encounter.

Rameez calls for major overhaul of Pak cricket after pathetic Oz tour debacle

Islamabad, Feb.2 (ANI): In view of Pakistan's horrendous tour Down Under, former captain Rameez Raja has called for an overhaul of the national cricket team.

"The way I see it, you need to carry out a comprehensive surgery to set things right because the team performed very poorly in Australia. It is time to think long-term and on modern lines in Pakistan cricket. Because in Australia we never looked like winning at any stage," Raja said.

Raja also criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for its unprofessional way of handling issues.

He blasted PCB chief Ijaz Butt, in particular, for issuing 'unnecessary' statements.

"Obviously, that would have affected the performances of the captain and his team. They could have avoided it until after the tour," The Dawn quoted Raja, as saying.

It may be noted that Butt had said that a younger captain would replace Mohammad Yousuf after the Australia series.

Butt also spoke about the need of making changes in the team and inducting fresh blood. (ANI)

Gibson to take over as West Indies coach

St John''s (Antigua), Feb 2 (PTI) Former right-arm pacer Ottis Gibson will take over as West Indies coach for the home series against Zimbabwe starting with the lone Twenty20 match on February 28 in Port of Spain. In an interview to CBC Radio, the West Indies Cricket Board chief executive Ernest Hilaire has confirmed that Gibson has left his job as England''s bowling coach to take up the assignment with the national team, which has been lying vacant after John Dyson''s sacking last year.

"Ottis will begin his appointment from the start of the home series against Zimbabwe. I think we need to take Ottis'' appointment in stride.

He will be the head coach of the WICB, and not just head coach of the senior team. He will have responsibility for coaching right across all of our representative cricket teams," Hilaire said.

"This will give him an opportunity to stamp a particular style of coaching a West Indies way across all the teams. This is really important because by the time our players reach the senior team, they should be the finished article, and they really ought to be focusing mainly on their strategy, tactics, how they win games, and being able to execute," he said.

But for the time being interim coach David Williams will be in charge of the West Indies team for the forthcoming ODI tour of Australia, starting next week before becoming Gibson''s assistant.

Gayle calls for better player protection

Canberra (Australia), Feb.2 (ANI): West Indian captain Chris Gayle has asked for improved security during his team's match against the Prime Minister's XI at the Manuka Oval here on Thursday.

He warned Canberra spectators that the entire West Indies team would confront any one jumping over the fence during the match.

Gayle's reaction came days after a 37-year-old man roughed up Pakistan cricketer Khalid Latif at the WACA Ground.

It was the second time a spectator had evaded security and gained access to the field and while Latif was not seriously injured, the incidents prompted calls for tighter protection at international games.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting said he would have considered taking his team off the field if one of his players had been targeted.

But Gayle simply joked the West Indies would take matters into their own hands when asked how he would react if one of his teammates was tackled.

"I don't know what would happen at the time [if a West Indies player was hit], maybe we would all just jump on [the spectator]," Gayle laughed.

He added: "Hopefully security can be a bit tighter now and the game can go on in one piece."

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam believes batsman Latif was lucky to escape a serious injury while Australian bowler Clint McKay voiced his disgust at the unsavoury episode.

Gayle will lead his West Indies side against the PM's XI in the capital before they begin their one-day international series against Australia.

The laid-back skipper was unperturbed by the incident, but conceded player safety was a concern for the tourists. (ANI)

Ponting predicted success for Harris at international level a year ago

Melbourne, Feb 2 (ANI): Skipper Ricky Ponting had tipped a year ago that the latest bowling discovery Ryan Harris will excel after an eight-season first-class apprenticeship with South Australia and the Bulls

"I'm not surprised by it. When we first saw him 12 months ago everyone could see that he had great talent to bowl decent pace and swing the new ball," he said.

Harris took 3-44 in Sunday night's eventful one-day clash in Perth to secure the Man of the Series honours in Australia's 5-0 hammering of Pakistan.

Harris's determination to prove that he would be no one-hit wonder at international level spurred him to take 13 wickets at 8.15 in just three games.

"It's going to be hard to ignore what he's done isn't it - 13 wickets in three games, a pretty low economy rate and early wickets in every one of those games as well," FOX Sports quoted Ponting, as saying.

Harris is now firmly in the frame for Australia's tour of New Zealand and for another series win against Chris Gayle's West Indies outfit.

Rested players, left-armer Doug Bollinger and all-rounder Shane Watson, will return to Ponting's line-up leaving selectors with a nice, though welcome dilemma.

"Ryan's taken the first wicket in the last three games for us. So it's hard to ignore those sort of performances but once we get everyone back fit and healthy, the selectors are going to have some tough decisions to make," Ponting said. (ANI)

Vettori only favours on field control

Wellington, Feb.2 (ANI): New Zealand cricket captain Daniel Vettori says his domain is on the cricket field and he won't be running the team on a day-to-day basis.

Rejecting talk of player power within the Black Caps, the NZPA quoted Vettori as saying: "On the field is my domain and the manager and coaches look after everything else."

Vettori believed the position he held was similar to that of Australian skipper Ricky Ponting and South African counterpart Graeme Smith.

"It doesn't differ apart from the fact that my selection role is official," he said.

The New Zealand team head into the opening match of Bangladesh's tour, a Twenty20 clash in Hamilton on Wednesday night, with selector Mark Greatbatch as new coach. (ANI)

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