Sports News And Tidbits [Archive]

Sanguine Sridhar

17th April 2007, 04:46 PM

FIFA urges India to look beyond cricket

FIFA president Sepp Blatter urged cricket-mad India to embrace football and lift the sport's infrastructure in order to compete with other nations in the region.
"We are here not to fight against an established sport," Blatter told reporters on his first official visit to India, during which he will also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"I admire the game called cricket and I don't want to change the most established sport in your country now," he said.

"But I always campaign for football because in this game there is no difference between caste, culture and creed, or rich and poor. It is the fascination of this game that attracts people all over the world."

Blatter said FIFA had special plans to improve football in India, who are currently ranked 165th in the world and 34th in Asia in the sport.

But he urged the country's football administrators to work harder to match world standards.

"The Indian dream of reaching top international levels can be realised through the work done by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with support from the government and corporate houses," he said.

"But it is only if you help yourself that heaven will help you. As Confucius said: 'If your brother asks for a fish, don't give him the same, instead teach him how to catch it'."

Blatter said football's future lay in Asia, since Europe was "saturated for foreign players and coaches."

"Good coaches will come to India if a good technical and administrative infrastructure is in place," he said.

Blatter also dismissed India's chances of hosting a World Cup in the near future.

"I wonder when India will have the infrastructure to host even age-group tournaments, let alone the World Cup," he said.

"The time to start is now. I want to wake up the sleeping giant that is India."

Asian Football Confederation chief Mohammed bin Hammam of Qatar, who is accompanying Blatter on the three-day trip, was highly critical of the AIFF which is headed by federal minister Priyaranjan Das Munshi.

"With the existing structure, don't think of progress even in the next 100 years," Hammam said.

Bhaichung Bhutia, the only Indian to play professional football in England - he spent three years with third-division Bury - blamed a lack of planning for the current state of the sport.

"We have no infrastructure at all at the grassroots level," he said recently. "There is no system in this country to encourage young boys to play football. There is no professionalism."

sivank

18th April 2007, 01:03 AM

Very nice idea from Sepp Blatter. The way how they marketed football in china they should try it also in India. Vast potential is there.

Sanguine Sridhar

20th April 2007, 09:01 PM

Indian One Day Team to Bangladesh

Rahul Dravid (captain), Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa :evil: , Virender Sehwag :evil: , Dinesh Karthick, M S Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Munaf Patel, Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth, Piyush Chawla, R P Singh, Ramesh Powar, Dinesh Mongia, Manoj Tewary

Indian Test Team to Bangladesh

Rahul Dravid (captain), Wasim Jaffer, Sachin Tendulkar, V V S Laxman, M S Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Karthick, Sreesanth, Zaheer Khan, V R V Singh, Munaf Patel, Anil Kumble, Ramesh Powar, Rajesh Powar

thimuru

20th April 2007, 09:26 PM

goutham gambir ...ivana edhuku eduthainga!

top edge vaangiye pazhaka pattavan

Nerd

20th April 2007, 09:28 PM

What ?? where is sachin ???????

thimuru

20th April 2007, 09:33 PM

What ?? where is sachin ???????

only in test squad!

one-day squad-la dravid-uku enna vela

Nerd

20th April 2007, 09:36 PM

What ?? where is sachin ???????

only in test squad!

ithellAm romba overu.. ithukku dhAn appovE singam ODI lerunthu retire aayirukkalAm :cry:

thimuru

21st April 2007, 12:19 AM

nerd...they termed it as rest!

P_R

21st April 2007, 10:21 PM

nerd...they termed it as rest! nambittOm.
They have 'rested' Ganguly ? The only guy who has been performing in the last few matches.

ithukku dhAn appovE singam ODI lerunthu retire aayirukkalAm :-( The WC was the last straw, now I have turned apostate.

I thought the whole bunch: Sachin,Sourav, Kumble would quit after a better WC. EllAm pOcchu :-(

ajithfederer

23rd April 2007, 08:52 PM

sachin rested :cry2:

aanaa

30th April 2007, 01:52 AM

have to introduce our
sadu kudu / kilithaddu
and capture CUPs

Sanguine Sridhar

15th May 2007, 11:16 AM

Sehwag asked to curb his aggression

Chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar has asked struggling opening batsman Virender Sehwag to curb his attacking instincts and focus on consistency.
"He can't seem to control his exuberance. If he hits four fours in an over, he wants to hit a fifth one," Vengsarkar said on Monday.

"As one of the seniors in the team, he should be able to play longer innings." Sehwag failed to build on starts of 30 and 21 in the first two one-day internationals in Bangladesh last week which India won to take an unassailable lead in the three-match series.

The final one-dayer is on Tuesday.

"I'm disappointed with his performance," Vengsarkar told Hindustan Times newspaper.

"He has so much talent. But he's wasting it."

A fierce striker of the ball, the 28-year-old Delhi batsman made a name as a destructive batsman, but a prolonged slump in form has led to him being dropped from the Test team for the two-match series in Bangladesh starting from May 18.

Sanguine Sridhar

15th May 2007, 11:18 AM

Moody quits as Sri Lanka coach

Former Australia Test player Tom Moody has accepted a deal to coach Western Australia after rejecting an offer to remain in charge of Sri Lanka.

Moody coached Sri Lanka to the final of this year's World Cup but turned the offer of a renewed contract to return home to Australia.

"I am extremely proud of my involvement with WA cricket as a player and the success we enjoyed as a team throughout the 1980s and 1990s," Moody said in a statement released by the Western Australia Cricket Association on Monday.

"I am looking forward to working with former team mates such as Graeme Wood and Justin Langer, two men I was able to share the thrill of winning Sheffield Shield and domestic one-day titles with."

Interestingly, WACA also chose the occasion to announce its partnership with Indian industrialist Vikas Rambal and the Rambal family, who will be its first coach sponsor.

Moody brings with him Trevor Penney, who has been appointed assistant coach after two years in a similar role with Sri Lanka. WACA Chief Executive Officer Graeme Wood said securing the services of Moody and Penney was a major coup for cricket in WA.

"This is one of the most significant appointments that the Association has ever made. We have been able to secure an internationally-respected mentor with an impeccable record and in the prime of his coaching career to take the Retravision Warriors forward," Wood said.

"Tom is a legend of WA cricket and has led the state to domestic first-class and one-day titles. He brings a wealth of coaching experience after his success with Sri Lanka and Worcestershire, and will command instant respect from the Retravision Warriors squad," he said.

Wood also thanked the Rambal family and said, "It is also a measure of Tom's standing in the cricket community that the highly-regarded Rambal family would come on board with the WACA as the first coach sponsor we've had."

Vikas Rambal said his family was delighted to be involved in the landmark sponsorship with the WACA. "I believe every cricket lover in Western Australia will be delighted at the news that the Warriors will have the talents of such a sought after, international coach to steer them to success in the coming years," Rambal said.

Sanguine Sridhar

15th May 2007, 11:20 AM

Chess:

Sasikiran hangs on to joint 3rd place

A cautious Krishnan Sasikiran played it safe and split the point with former European champion Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu to hang on to joint-third place after the fifth round in the third Mtel Masters International Chess tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria.

After a debacle against Veselin Topalov in the previous round, this was sort of a recovery by Sasikiran, the lowest ranked player in the category-20 super tournament.

At the half-way stage of this six-player double round-robin tournament, twice world junior champion Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan remained in sole lead with 3.5 points after signing the peace pact with Michael Adams of England, who is in sole second spot on three points after a desired result.

Sasikiran and Nisipeanu maintained their overnight status on 2.5 points while Topalov, who drew with tail-ender Gata Kamsky of the United States, is in fifth position on two points.

With five rounds still to come, Topalov, generally known to fire towards the end, is in fifth spot on two points while Kamsky, who is yet to win a game, languishes at the bottom on 1.5 points.

Nisipeanu's attempts to confuse Sasikiran by going for an irregular opening came a cropper as the Indian equalised with his black pieces in quick time in copy-book style.

The Romanian decided to go for a balanced position in the middle game itself with some regulation exchanges and Sasikiran complied to get an easy half point with the slightly unfavourable colour in the game. For the record, the game was drawn vide repetition on move 27.I

Mamedyarov, meanwhile, employed the Taimanov Sicilian and Adams went for known theoretical manoeuvres leading to a dynamically balanced position. The Englishman went for complications but Mamedyarov gave a professional display to keep white pieces at bay.

They traded pieces at regular intervals and the ensuing endgame was just level. The longest game of the day lasted 64 moves.

Topalov tried to make headway but did not succeed against a resolute Kamsky in the Queen's Indian defence game where the Bulgarian played white. A few pieces changed hands in the opening itself and while the game was heading towards level territories, Kamsky did not allow Topalov to gain any ground.

The players arrived at a rook and pawns endgame and soon the truce was signed in 43 moves.

Results (Round 5): Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (Rom, 2.5) drew with Krishnan Sasikiran (Ind, 2.5); Veselin Topalov (Bul, 2) drew with Gata Kamsky (USA, 1.5); Michael Adams (Eng, 3) drew with Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Aze, 3.5).

Moves (Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu v/s Krishnan Sasikiran):

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Na3 a6 4. Nxc4 b5 5. Ne3 Bb7 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Nbd7 8. O-O e6 9. b3 c5 10. Bb2 Be7 11. Qc2 O-O 12. Rfd1 Qb6 13. Rac1 Rac8 14. Qb1 Rfd8 15. Qa1 Ne8 16. d4 Ndf6 17. Ba3 Ne4 18. dxc5 Nxc5 19. Bb2 Bf6 20. Ne1 Bxg2 21. Kxg2 h6 22. Nf3 Ne4 23. Rxc8 Rxc8 24. Rc1 Rd8 25. Rd1 Rc8 26. Rc1 Rd8 27. Rd1 game drawn.

Sanguine Sridhar

15th May 2007, 11:30 AM

'Sachin can easily play for another few years'

Aminul Islam will always be remembered as Bangladesh's first Test centurion. He attained the milestone in their first Test, against India in November 2000.

Famously referred to as 'Bulbul', the 39-year-old played 39 One Day Internationals and 13 Tests between 1998 and 2002. He was captain of Bangladesh in the 1999 World Cup and led the team to that historic victory over Pakistan, which he believes is the country's "greatest moment in cricket".

Even Islam was amazed by Bangladesh's recent giant-killing run at the 2007 World Cup, but he believes the team deserved the success for the hard work it put in.

"If for some luck, we could have gone all the way to the semis; may be next time."

He was disappointed not to find his hero, Sachin Tendulkar, in the one-day squad for the ongoing series.

"Why didn't you bring Sachin and Sourav [Ganguly]?, he asked. We want to see them play."

Islam, who is into coaching nowadays, spoke with Special Correspondent Harish Kotian on eve of the second one-day international in Dhaka.

Bangladesh seems to have done well recently against India, having won two of the last four matches before this series. You also did well against India, remembering that famous century of yours in Bangladesh's first ever Test against India. Is there is extra motivation for you guys when it comes to playing India?

I think India is one of the top teams in the world and Bangladesh has always been a follower of Indian cricket. India has had so many stars like Sachin [Tendulkar], Sourav [Ganguly], Rahul [Dravid], [Javagal] Srinath, Anil Kumble and others, though it has never affected us in a match.

Bangladesh has been lucky in a way that it has always played some good cricket against India. One of the reasons for it, I think, is because both the countries have similar type of wickets and in most of the home matches we have done well against India.

It was Bangladesh's first ever Test match. How was the general mood in the dressing room?

India had a bowling side in Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan and Ajit Agarkar for that match. Bangladesh had never played a Test before so we had no idea what Test cricket was.

So I just thought of keeping on batting. I was a bit slow at the start of my innings but one good thing I did was concentration and good shot selection. I also remember that when I was 90 my partner at the other end, Khaled Mashud, told me in Bangla 'Bulbul bhai, you are close to your hundred', so then I remembered an innings from my friend in India, Pravin Amre, who scored a century in his debut Test match in Durban [in 1992].

So I was thinking that Amre had got a century in his first Test match, so even I could get a hundred in my first Test match.

Also, another memorable thing on that day was that when I completed my hundred, my hero Sachin Tendulkar came up to me, shook my hand and congratulated me. I can never forget that moment.

Your hero, Sachin Tendulkar, has come under a lot of flak recently. After a poor showing in the World Cup, there have been calls for him to retire. Do you also believe that the master batsman is past his prime?

I think Sachin has already finished his best. He is already 34 and he has got all the experience with him, scoring so many hundreds and thousands of runs in international cricket. So with the experience that he has got, if he can keep himself fit, I think he can play for another few years easily.

He can still produce match-winning performances because he has got so much experience.

I still enjoy him batting. I also enjoy Brian Lara's batting, but he now has retired. But Sachin is Sachin and he is a great player.

Sanguine Sridhar

15th May 2007, 09:44 PM

Boxing

Pugilists return with four medals from Turkey

Indian pugilists put up a commendable show against tough competition from countries like Cuba and Russia to bag a silver and four bronze medals at the Ahmat Comert Cup International Boxing Championship, held from May 8 to 14, in Istanbul, Turkey.

While the men's team -- fielded for the first time in the event -- clinched two bronze, the women proved one better, returning with a silver and two bronze.

Olympian Diwakar Prasad (57kg) and Sanjay Kolte (48kg) bagged bronze medals in a high class field of 19 other teams, including the likes of Cuba, Russia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

Mandakini Chanu was the star for the women's team, bagging a silver in the 48kg category after a close final.

"I beat the European champion en route to the final, which was a very even contest. I lost narrowly but I am happy with my performance, because I was competing for the first time in this tournament," Chanu said.

The other medallists from the women's team were Renu and Aswathi Mol, who claimed bronze in the 75kg and 70kg categories respectively.

"Since it is an invitational event, we thought the competition would be manageable but we were surprised to see that all the 19 teams had fielded their best. But, overall, I am very happy with my bronze medal performance," Diwakar said.

"Ours was a mixed team comprising first-timers as well as experienced boxers and I am very pleased with their performance," women's chief coach Mahavir Singh said.

Nerd

23rd May 2007, 01:22 AM

Ex-India cricketer held with cocaine
ibnlive.com | Posted May 22, 2007 at 22:19 | Updated May 22, 2007 at 23:53

New Delhi: Former Indian Test cricketer turned television commentator Maninder Singh has been arrested for possessing cocaine at his residence in the Capital on Tuesday.

The narcotics department of the Delhi Police arrested Maninder with 1.5 grams of cocaine from his Preet Vihar residence on Tuesday night after the police got a tip-off. He was being questioned by police.

A suspected drug peddler, identified as Sayam Siddique, who was with Maninder when the police raided his house, was also arrested.

Former left-arm spinner Maninder Singh, who made his India debut at the age of 17 against Pakistan in 1982-83, played 35 Tests and 59 one-day internationals for the country.

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act makes a distinction between possession for personal consumption and trafficking, the punishment for the former being limited to between six months and one year only.

The onus is on the accused to establish that the drug in question was meant for personal consumption and not for sale or distribution.

More than 3 grams of cocaine classifies a person as peddler. A peddler gets more than 10 years jail. Below 3 grams only classifies the person as a user.

-----------------------------

:omg: He was a mainstream umpire as well for first class matches

Sanguine Sridhar

25th May 2007, 10:20 PM

Adidas drags Nike, BCCI, Tendulkar to MRTPC

Sports goods maker Adidas dragged its rival Nike and the Board of Control for Cricket in India to the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission over use of Sachin Tendulkar's images for endorsements when he is not playing for the country.

Accepting Adidas's petition, an MRTPC bench, headed by Justice O P Dwivedi, issued notices to Nike India, the BCCI, Tendulkar and his business managing firm Iconix, asking them to file replies within three weeks. It also asked Adidas to file a rejoinder within two weeks from the receipt of replies.

During the proceedings, Adidas alleged that Nike was violating its exclusive personal endorsement agreement with Tendulkar by using his name for promoting its products.

Adidas also argued that the BCCI granted Nike only sponsorship and licensing rights and trademarks of the batsman only while playing for the country.

Nike had won the five-year sponsorship rights for the Indian cricket team in 2005, outbidding Reebok and Adidas.

"Sachin Tendulkar is our brand ambassador since 1997 and ... [this] is in public perception not only in India but globally too... What is the basis of their right," Adidas counsel Shailendra K Kapoor said.

"Nike tried to indicate that Sachin's brand name was with them, which is an unfair trade practice by them. We are the exclusive owner of that brand name globally," he said, urging the Commission to restrain Nike from "deceiving public".

However, declining any immediate relief to Adidas, the MRTPC Bench said: "When you have waited for six months, then wait for one more month."

The matter was then posted for hearing in July.

Kapoor said Adidas had sent Nike evidence of its exclusive endorsement rights with the cricket star, including a letter written by Tendulkar. He also produced a Nike sports T-shirt before the commission bearing his name and number on its reverse.

In the letter, Tendulkar confirmed he has an exclusive deal with Adidas, and Nike has no right to use his name in individual capacity. The cricket star has also stated that Adidas's loss would also be his personal loss.

"Personal endorsement right was never subject to Nike's contract with the BCCI for sponsorship of Indian cricket squad... for that they would have to deal with the cricketers independently... This was also never denied by Nike," Adidas's counsel contended, seeking compensation from its rival.

Adidas, however, added that the company has not assessed the quantum of financial damages caused by Nike.

On being asked by the bench what was Nike and BCCI's stand on the notices issued, Adidas said they did not reply.

"Instead, Nike asked us to disclose the agreement with Sachin and all financial details of that. How can we publicly show all the financial deals.

"Nike behaved as if it was running a trial and passing orders on us. They even do not recognise Tendulkar's right with Iconix (his brand manager)," the company said, adding it was also a trademark violation case.

The counsel contended that Tendulkar and Iconix are only performa respondents and made party to the case to state before the commission that the former has exclusive personal endorsement rights with Adidas.

The BCCI has a five-year contract with Nike for the team's on-field clothing. Nike had won the sponsorship rights for the Indian cricket team in 2005 with a bid of Rs 199.66 crore, beating Reebok, whose bid stood at Rs 119.48 crore, and Adidas, who bid Rs 127.50 crore.

Anoushka

30th May 2007, 06:42 PM

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ireland/content/current/story/296355.html

The three-match one-day series between India and South Africa due to take place in Belfast at the end of June is in doubt after the broadcast deal between Zee TV and the Indian board reportedly ran into difficulties.

Sanguine Sridhar

12th June 2007, 09:31 PM

ada pongappa! :sigh2:

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2007/jun/12woolmer.htm

rockydeva

21st June 2007, 03:53 PM

Sridhar Sports thread kulla varavE mudiyala...

pEsama COFFEE CORNER POLA.. inga oru SPORTS CORNER arambichudu.. Generala sports pathi discuss panna...

illana marubhadi oru CONTEST arambichudu.. :lol:

btw

wrs the gift for YORKER-07

Sanguine Sridhar

21st June 2007, 07:26 PM

RD ennoda friendship-ey oru periya gift thaane...! :cry:

Sanguine Sridhar

16th July 2007, 11:58 AM

Brazil win Copa America

Brazil produced a ruthlessly efficient performance to beat old rivals Argentina 3-0 on Sunday and win the Copa America for the second time in a row.

Despite starting as outsiders, Brazil stung Argentina with a fourth-minute goal from Julio Baptista; then Argentina captain Roberto Ayala, making his 115th appearance, put through his own goal before half-time.

Daniel Alves added a third as Argentina coach Alfio Basile, who won the 1991 and 1993 tournaments in a previous stint with the team, lost a Copa America match for the first time in 19 outings.

With playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme anonymous, Argentina could not find their previously flowing football and were muscled out by the powerful Brazilians, who committed 37 fouls.

It was a bitter pill for Argentina, who lost on penalties to the same opponents in the 2004 final and were facing a Brazil team without Kaka [Images] and Ronaldinho [Images], who asked to be rested from the tournament.

It was also their third successive defeat against Brazil by a three-goal margin, Brazil having won 4-1 in the Confederations Cup final in 2005 and 3-0 in a friendly last year.

Brazil coach Dunga, on the other hand, celebrated his first title only 11 months after taking over following last year's World Cup quarter-final defeat to France [Images].

"We came here to rescue the self-esteem of the Brazilian supporter, the worker who leaves home early in the morning and comes back at late night and whose only satisfaction is when Brazil wins," he said.

He warned that Ronaldinho and Kaka would both have to fight to regain their places.

"Obviously, the player who comes is ahead of the player who doesn't," he said. "If a player comes and does well, how can I take him out of the team?"

TROPICAL SUN

Argentina coach Alfio Basile refused to talk to reporters.

His side had scored 16 goals in five games before the final while Brazil lost to Mexico in the group stage and needed a penalty shootout to beat Uruguay in the semi-finals.

Argentina were also attempting to end a 14-year title drought stretching back to their 1993 Copa America title under Basile.

With the temperature at kickoff time around 32 Celsius and the tropical sun still burning, a cagey opening had been expected but instead Brazil snatched a quick lead.

A long crossfield ball by Elano found Julio Baptista on the left and, as Ayala held off, the player known as 'the Beast' advanced menacingly and unleashed a shot into the top right hand corner.

Riquelme rifled a shot against the post five minutes later and forced a brilliant save from Brazil goalkeeper Doni.

SYSTEMATIC FOULING

But Argentina's usual flowing game was interrupted by systematic Brazilian fouling, while their defence was always shaky.

Maicon nearly added a second in the 17th minute when Roberto Abbondanzieri fumbled his low shot and the same player forced Javier Zanetti to clear off the line one minute later.

Five minutes before halftime, Daniel Alves, who replaced the injured Elano, produced a dangerous inswinging cross from the right and Ayala turned the ball into his own net.

Brazil continued to frustrate Argentina after halftime as goalkeeper Doni and Gilberto were both booked for time-wasting.

Brazil produced the killer punch as Vagner Love broke down the left and fed Daniel Alves, who scored with a clinical shot into the bottom right-hand corner.

sgokulprathap

21st July 2007, 03:35 PM

Sachin Tendulkar went past Steve Waugh's tally of 10927 test runs to become the third highest run-getter in test history after Brian Lara (11953) and Allan Border (11174) on the second day of the first test against England at Lord's here Friday.
:clap:

Sanguine Sridhar

25th July 2007, 11:05 AM

Lord's sightscreen is a problem, says Dhoni

Things at Lord's, the spiritual home of cricket, are not so perfect after all.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni , India's saviour in the first Test, has said "a problem with the sightscreen" led to his dismissal in the first innings and he was lucky enough to stay unbeaten in the second and see India through.

"There was a problem with the sightscreen at the pavilion end. I could not see the ball on three occasions, and on all those occasions, I played the same shot," Dhoni said.

"In the first innings I got out, but in the second innings it went for four," the wicketkeeper-batsman said after the match.

He said the problem was that due to the shorter sightscreen the ball was difficult to spot in the similar coloured background.

"The sightscreen is small but the background is also maroonish and the ball mixes up with the colour," he said.

"There is also the clothing of the spectators. During the first innings, it was also bright (because of the sun)."

Dhoni hit 76 not out which, in captain Rahul Dravid's words, "got India out of jail" against England on Monday.

His uncharacteristically subdued knock helped India hang in until the rains arrived to keep them unconquered at 282 for nine while chasing a target of 380 on the fifth and final day.

Dhoni said his match-saving innings showed how far he has come from being a slam-bang batsman to one who plays "according to situation".

Sanguine Sridhar

28th July 2007, 10:18 PM

Angry Dravid slams TV channel

India captain Rahul Dravid came down heavily on an Indian television channel on Friday and asked them to verify the facts before running stories.

The channel in question was Times Now and Dravid was angry after the channel ran a story with regards to the Twenty20 World Cup selection, where Dravid along with Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly were left out.

According to Times Now on Tuesday, it was the Board of Control for Cricket in India that told the India captain to opt out and also convey the message to Ganguly and Tendulkar.

But it went on to add that Dravid did not consult Tendulkar and Ganguly before agreeing to the board's call.

The Indian captain got into a heated argument with the reporter in the lobby of the team hotel in Nottingham.

"I have played over 100 Tests. Sachin and Sourav have played more than 100 Tests. Do you think I can take such a decision without asking them? This is just crazy," Dravid said.

"Why didn't you guys confirm the story with me before airing it?" he stressed.

He stressed that no such thing happened and the decision to opt out of the Twenty20 World Cup was taken in consultation with Tendulkar and Ganguly.

"If they say anything different from what I have said now, I will quit international cricket tomorrow," he declared.

"You can say I cannot bat, I cannot captain, I don't know how to field, I will not say a thing, because that is your job. But you can't just distort facts like this and produce a story," a fuming Dravid said.

However, the channel maintained its stand, saying that the story has not been made up or fabricated.

National selection committee chief Dilip Vengsarkar had also confirmed earlier this month that Dravid called him from Hove, where the touring Indian team was playing Sussex in a tour match, to say that the three senior players were opting out of the tournament, to be held in South Africa from September 11 to 24.

"I got a call from Rahul today morning who said on behalf of all the three players that they were opting out of the Twenty20 World Cup," Vengsarkar had said.

But, Ganguly, speaking to the channel before the start of the first Test at Lord's, expressed his disappointment on missing out of the Twenty20 World Cup.

"Obviously, it was tempting to participate and I was eager for the inaugural Twenty20 Championship. It is sad to opt out of any form of cricket," Times Now had quoted the left-hander as saying.

"It was a difficult decision but Rahul and Sachin had already said 'no'. I had a word with Rahul and he said it will be right to sit out," he added.

The television channel went on to say that Tendulkar too was eager to participate in the tournament 'but when the decision was made, he expressed his disapproval by not talking to Dravid at the nets session at Sussex.'

The final squad for the championship will be named on August 7.

Sanguine Sridhar

28th July 2007, 10:20 PM

Sachin has a lot to give to India, says Giles

England spinner Ashley Giles on Friday stressed that even though Sachin Tendulkar's batting prowess has faded a bit in the last few years, he still has a lot to offer to Indian cricket.

"Sachin might never play as well as he has done in the past but that certainly doesn't make him a bad player. He still has a lot to give to Indian cricket," Giles told rediff.com in Nottingham on Friday.

Giles is widely remembered for his tactics of bowling outside the leg stump to Tendulkar, which the master batsman found it hard to counter.

Tendulkar had a good run during India's tour of England in 2002, having scored 401 runs in 4 matches.

Giles says it would be lethal to write off the veteran batsman, even though he is not at his best, as he is still capable of producing match-winning knocks.

"It's difficult for me to say because I have just seen him bat twice at Lord's. I think it is easy to make swift judgments on one game. But he could easily get some big runs here and take India towards winning the Test match," added Giles, a key member of England's Ashes winning squad two years back.

Giles, who is recuperating from a hip discomfort, also believes that the experienced Indian middle order cannot be taken lightly even though they are struggling at the moment. Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid , Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman failed to deliver in the first Test at Lord's as India managed to escape with a draw.

"I think it's always easy to underestimate the quality of the players that Indians have in their middle order," the left-arm spinner said.

The 34-year-old is impressed with the way the young England attack countered the experienced Indian batting line-up.

"Their seam bowlers bowled very well (at Lord's) led by James Anderson. It is good to see young guys putting their hands up and coming to the party if you like," he said.

Giles has no regrets losing his place in the team to Monty Panesar [Images], who has become a huge rage in England since making his international debut last year.

"Monty has done very well all year. The way the wicket looks at the moment he might not have a big part in this Test match. But you can never write him off because he has taken wickets in all conditions," Giles said

Sanguine Sridhar

9th August 2007, 09:28 AM

Dhoni to lead 20/20 team

http://ia.rediff.com/cricket/2007/aug/07teams.htm

Sanguine Sridhar

6th September 2007, 03:36 PM

Srilankan first-class player Dhanuka Pathirana scored 277 of 72 balls in a 20/20 match in Lancashire's Saddleworth League to steer his Austerlands side to 366/2 and an easy win over Droylsden.

Dhanuka Pathirana - 277(72 balls ; 29 * 6 ; 18 * 4)

:shock: :shock: :shock:

littlemaster1982

6th September 2007, 04:01 PM

50 over-la oru team adikkara score-ai 72 ball-a adichurukkan :shock: :shock: :shock:

Sanguine Sridhar

9th September 2007, 09:12 AM

Afridi instigated me: Akhtar

http://ia.rediff.com/cricket/2007/sep/08akhtar.htm

Sanguine Sridhar

9th September 2007, 09:14 AM

Afridi denies provoking Akhtar

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2007/sep/08afridi.htm

littlemaster1982

9th September 2007, 09:15 AM

This guy has a serious attitude problem. This is not the first time he is in the headlines for wrong reasons.

But, I think PCB will let him go this time too :roll:

ajithfederer

22nd November 2007, 08:06 PM

http://espnstar.com/epl/newsdetails.cmd?id=7015400

England aren't qualified for Euro 2008 8-)

Sanguine Sridhar

12th December 2007, 08:39 AM

Match-fixing: Boje denies charges

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtvcricket/cricketstory.aspx?id=SPOEN20070035590

Sanguine Sridhar

13th December 2007, 07:46 AM

Tiger wins Player of the Year award

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/showsports.aspx?id=SPOEN20070035649&ch=12/12/2007%209:51:00%20AM

Sanguine Sridhar

15th December 2007, 07:12 AM

IPL announces payment details

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtvcricket/cricketstory.aspx?id=SPOEN20070035937&site=ndtv

Shane Warne - USD 400,000
Glenn McGrath - USD 350,000
Stephen Fleming - USD 350,000
Mohammad Yousuf - USD 330,000
Shoaib Malik - USD 300,000
Shahid Afridi - USD 250,000
Mutthiah Muralitharan - USD 250,000
Sanath Jayasuriya - USD 250,000
Kumar Sangakkara - USD 250,000
Mahela Jayawardene - USD 250,00
Mohammad Asif - USD 225,000
Younus Khan - USD 225,000
Daniel Vettori - USD 225,000
Shoaib Akhtar - USD 225,000
Jacques Kallis - USD 200,000
Shaun Pollock - USD 200,000
Albie Morkel - USD 200,000
Shivnarine Chanderpaul - USD 175,000
Justin Langer - USD 175,000
AB De Villiers - USD 175,000
Herschell Gibbs - USD 225,000
Graeme Smith - USD 225,000
Chaminda Vaas - USD 175,00
Makahaya Ntini - USD 175,000
Ashwell Prince - USD 150,000
Nuwan Zoysa - USD 100,000
Selectors TA/DA Doubled

Sanguine Sridhar

15th December 2007, 12:56 PM

Day-Night Test matches to threaten red balls

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtvcricket/cricketstory.aspx?id=SPOEN20070035922

Sanguine Sridhar

17th December 2007, 08:09 PM

Narain creates history

http://www.rediff.com/sports/2007/dec/16narain.htm

:clap:

mgb

17th December 2007, 08:14 PM

Narain creates history

http://www.rediff.com/sports/2007/dec/16narain.htm

:clap:way to go karthi :clap:

Sanguine Sridhar

22nd December 2007, 09:33 AM

http://specials.rediff.com/yearend/2007/dec/20yrcricketers1.htm

Rediff Top 5 Indian Cricketers of the year 2007

Ramakrishna

2nd February 2008, 10:35 PM

[tscii:b262aaef8c]Eggs and abuse hurled at Murali and officials

Cricinfo staff

February 2, 2008

The troubled times of Muttiah Muralitharan in Australia continue with another disturbing incident © AFP

Members of the Sri Lankan camp in Australia for the CB series were the target of verbal abuse and had eggs thrown at them on Thursday night in Hobart. Muttiah Muralitharan and a team selector were part of a group walking from a restaurant to the team hotel and the selector was hit on the back by an egg. As a result, the Sri Lankan board has asked Cricket Australia (CA) to tighten security around the team.

"Muralitharan, along with one of the selectors and the team masseur, were walking on the street in Hobart when suddenly from nowhere a car passed them and the guy starts abusing," a source close to the team confirmed to Cricinfo.

"He then came back a few more times and repeated this and suddenly he started throwing eggs in their direction. One landed on the back of the selector. The team management has lodged a protest with the cops but fortunately nothing untoward happened on the ground."

It is not clear whether Muralitharan was the target of the attack, though Sri Lanka's manager, Sriyan Samararatne, suggested it was unlikely, arguing it was dark and that the car was travelling at too great a speed for recognition.

"I don't know the exact motive. I doubt whether they recognised Murali but unfortunately he was there," Samararatne told the Fox Sports website. "We told Cricket Australia about it and they were very upset." Samararatne added also that nothing untoward had occurred when Sri Lanka played a Test in Hobart last November.

Muralitharan's presence is bound to complicate matters. The spinner, who is the world's leading Test wicket-taker, has had a difficult time in Australia in the past. His action was no-balled early in his career in 1995-96, since when crowds have often heckled him at various venues. The reaction was so hostile Muralitharan refused to tour Australia in 2004, but he returned for Sri Lanka's series last November when the heckling seemed to have eased off.

K Mathivanan, the SLC secretary, said the board had informed CA about the matter and had asked for security for the team to be enhanced. "We have drawn the attention of Cricket Australia to this incident yesterday. They have already given the team security. But we have asked the authorities whether this can be beefed up further," Mathivanan told PTI.

[/tscii:b262aaef8c]

sriranga

9th February 2008, 08:08 PM

I was going thru bradman's stats in cricinfo.
Aussies send their 9, 10 & 11 in the first innings to bat at 1, 2 & 3 in the second innings.

http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/match/62678.html

anoops

11th February 2008, 07:20 AM

THIS IS ODD :roll:

No shuttlecocks! India cancel national camp

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India have scrapped a training camp for this month's Thomas and Uber Cup qualifiers because of a lack of shuttlecocks, badminton officials said on Thursday.

The federation sent home over 30 players due to start training on Thursday, blaming the state-run Sports Authority of India (SAI) for not supplying the stock or allowing them to import.

The qualifiers are due to be staged in Vietnamese capital Ho Chi Minh from February 19-24. India, who qualified for the Thomas Cup finals last time, are in Group C with Japan and Pakistan.

"It is a very lackadaisical attitude," Badminton Association of India (BAI) president V.K.Verma told Reuters on Thursday. "They're supposed to provide shuttles, but are doing the game a great disfavour.

"We can't have our 30 best shuttlers, juniors and seniors, twiddling their thumbs with only five tournaments left to qualify for the Olympics."

Verma said the state agency had not even done the initial paperwork on a request forwarded six weeks ago.

The SAI chief Ratan Watal told the Times of India that supplies would be made soon and that bird flu in China were hindering imports.

littlemaster1982

21st February 2008, 09:02 PM

Came across this in Orkut. Damn hilarious :rotfl:

Bomber" Wells, a spin bowler and great character, played for Glocuestershire and Nottinghamshire. He used to bat at No.11 since one couldn't bat any lower. Of him, they used to paraphrase Compton's famous words describing an equally inept runner.

"When he shouts 'YES' for a run, it is merely the basis for further negotiations!" Incidentally, Compton was no better. John Warr said, of Compton "He was the only person who would call you for a run and wish you luck at the same time."

Anyway, when Wells played for Gloucs, he had an equally horrendous runner as the No.10. During a county match, horror of horrors... both got injured. *Both* opted for runners when it was their turn to bat. Bomber played a ball on the off, called for a run, forgot he had a runner and ran himself. Ditto at the other end. In the melee, someone decided that a second run was on. Now we had *all four* running. Due to the confusion and constant shouts of "YES" "NO", eventually, *all* of them ran to the same end. Note - at this point in time, the entire ground is rolling on the floor laughing their behinds out. One of the fielders - brave lad - stops laughing for a minute, picks the ball and throws down the wicket at the other end.

Umpire Alec Skelding looks very seriously at the four and calmly informs them "One of you buggers is out. I don't know which. *You* decide and inform the bloody scorers!"

mgb

21st February 2008, 09:23 PM

:rotfl:

Ramakrishna

21st February 2008, 10:37 PM

:rotfl2: :rotfl: :lol:

Sanguine Sridhar

21st February 2008, 11:01 PM

Umpire Alec Skelding looks very seriously at the four and calmly informs them "One of you buggers is out. I don't know which. *You* decide and inform the bloody scorers!"

Ultimate :rotfl:

littlemaster1982

7th April 2008, 01:57 AM

"In a country where there is such a huge debate on young (read youth) and experience it feels great to get an award with the word 'young' before it."

Sourav Ganguly on receiving the young achiever's award from the chamber of commerce in Kolkata

ajithfederer

7th April 2008, 02:09 AM

:rotfl: :lol: :lol: :rotfl2:

Came across this in Orkut. Damn hilarious :rotfl:

Bomber" Wells, a spin bowler and great character, played for Glocuestershire and Nottinghamshire. He used to bat at No.11 since one couldn't bat any lower. Of him, they used to paraphrase Compton's famous words describing an equally inept runner.

"When he shouts 'YES' for a run, it is merely the basis for further negotiations!" Incidentally, Compton was no better. John Warr said, of Compton "He was the only person who would call you for a run and wish you luck at the same time."

Anyway, when Wells played for Gloucs, he had an equally horrendous runner as the No.10. During a county match, horror of horrors... both got injured. *Both* opted for runners when it was their turn to bat. Bomber played a ball on the off, called for a run, forgot he had a runner and ran himself. Ditto at the other end. In the melee, someone decided that a second run was on. Now we had *all four* running. Due to the confusion and constant shouts of "YES" "NO", eventually, *all* of them ran to the same end. Note - at this point in time, the entire ground is rolling on the floor laughing their behinds out. One of the fielders - brave lad - stops laughing for a minute, picks the ball and throws down the wicket at the other end.

Umpire Alec Skelding looks very seriously at the four and calmly informs them "One of you buggers is out. I don't know which. *You* decide and inform the bloody scorers!"

Ramakrishna

7th April 2008, 12:38 PM

itha evalo thadava padichaalum sirippu varuthu :rotfl:

:rotfl: :lol: :lol: :rotfl2:

Came across this in Orkut. Damn hilarious :rotfl:

Bomber" Wells, a spin bowler and great character, played for Glocuestershire and Nottinghamshire. He used to bat at No.11 since one couldn't bat any lower. Of him, they used to paraphrase Compton's famous words describing an equally inept runner.

"When he shouts 'YES' for a run, it is merely the basis for further negotiations!" Incidentally, Compton was no better. John Warr said, of Compton "He was the only person who would call you for a run and wish you luck at the same time."

Anyway, when Wells played for Gloucs, he had an equally horrendous runner as the No.10. During a county match, horror of horrors... both got injured. *Both* opted for runners when it was their turn to bat. Bomber played a ball on the off, called for a run, forgot he had a runner and ran himself. Ditto at the other end. In the melee, someone decided that a second run was on. Now we had *all four* running. Due to the confusion and constant shouts of "YES" "NO", eventually, *all* of them ran to the same end. Note - at this point in time, the entire ground is rolling on the floor laughing their behinds out. One of the fielders - brave lad - stops laughing for a minute, picks the ball and throws down the wicket at the other end.

Umpire Alec Skelding looks very seriously at the four and calmly informs them "One of you buggers is out. I don't know which. *You* decide and inform the bloody scorers!"

wrap07

9th April 2008, 01:40 PM

littlemaster1982

6th May 2008, 10:40 PM

Cricinfo (http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/350101.html?CMP=OTC-RSS)

Singapore batsman hits Twenty20 double hundred

May 5, 2008

A batsman in Singapore has scored what is believed to be the first Twenty20 double hundred, bludgeoning a remarkable 219 from 56 balls in a club match.

Sagar Kulkarni, 28, hit 18 sixes and 23 fours in his in Marina Club's 368 for 3. His partner for much of his innings was Mulewa Dharmichand, who made 89 off 44 deliveries. "Sagar's most amazing shot was a six over extra-cover which went out of the Kallang ground into the netball courts," Dharmichand said.

"I'm known for ones and twos in regular cricket but I can play shots all around too but even I was shocked by the way I batted," Kulkarni told the Asian Cricket Council. "It's a great feeling and never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be able to achieve this feat, especially when nobody in world cricket has done it."

:shock: :shock: :shock:

CEDYBLUE

26th May 2008, 01:10 PM

Kalyasi

27th May 2008, 05:34 PM

Sanguine Sridhar

25th June 2008, 10:02 AM

Unruly crowd upsets Ponting

http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/wivaus/content/current/story/356159.html

Sanguine Sridhar

2nd July 2008, 09:31 AM

My life is under threat from my own son: Gony's mother

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2008/jul/01gony.htm

Sanguine Sridhar

3rd July 2008, 10:00 AM

Lee up there with Holding, Marshall: Richards

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2008/jul/02lee.htm

Sanguine Sridhar

15th July 2008, 09:14 AM

England 'disappointed' by India itinerary

http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/india/content/current/story/361036.html

Proposed itinerary

November 6, 2008 England arrive in Mumbai
November 9 One-day warm-up match, Mumbai
November 11 One-day warm-up match, Mumbai
November 14 1st ODI v India, Rajkot
November 17 2nd ODI v India, Indore
November 20 3rd ODI v India, Kanpur
November 23 4th ODI v India, Jamshedpur
November 26 5th ODI v India, Cuttack
November 29 6th ODI v India, Guwahati
December 2 7th ODI v India, Delhi
December 5-7 Three-day warm-up match, Baroda
December 11-15 1st Test v India, Ahmedabad
December 19-23 2nd Test v India, CCI Mumbai

Sanguine Sridhar

16th July 2008, 09:20 AM

Asif suspended by Pakistan board

http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/ipl/content/current/story/361192.html

littlemaster1982

25th August 2008, 12:26 AM

Champions Trophy postponed until October 2009

The ICC has postponed the Champions Trophy, which was due to begin in Pakistan in 19 days' time, to October 2009, after five of the eight participating nations confirmed during a teleconference on Sunday that they would not send their teams for the event due to security concerns.

South Africa had on Saturday pulled out of the tournament, which was originally scheduled to be held from Sept 12-28 in Karachi and Lahore, and the ICC was informed on Sunday that Australia, England, New Zealand and West Indies, too, would not be participating.

The ICC will now meet in September to finalise a window for the tournament in 2009 and, while Pakistan will be given "first preference" to host it, a decision on the venue may be taken only after a security assessment of the country is done around February, after the India tour.

Sources who attended the ICC's teleconference said there was the option of the tournament being relocated to Sri Lanka, the official alternate venue, but India and Pakistan remained adamant against a change.

India, the sources said, were not willing to sacrifice Pakistan. The Sri Lankans too didn't press their case, as they supported the Pakistan view that a venue change could not be made on security grounds. The meeting was held in an amicable atmosphere because most of the issues had been thrashed out among the members beforehand, rendering the final discussions a mere formality.

"There was unanimity in the decision to postpone the event until October next year," David Morgan, the ICC president, told Sky Sports. "India is very influential but so is Giles Clarke (ECB chief executive), Australia, New Zealand - they all bring their influence to bear.

"The vote was totally in favour of the postponement until October next year. And India were quite influential in persuading some other nations that that was the right course of action."

The ICC have appeased Pakistan, at least for the time being, in choosing not to cancel the competition entirely but postponing it until October next year. Morgan, though, was insistent that "appeasement was not part of the meeting at all".

"The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have been extremely reasonable about the whole subject, (it has been very clear) they have worked jolly hard to try to give comfort to the member boards, and the eight teams that are touring, that it would be safe and secure," Morgan said. "Unfortunately, five of the participating nations found it impossible to send their team to Pakistan because of safety concerns."

Though the postponement means there will be a rare 33 days without international cricket this year, the schedule for 2009 promises to be every bit as packed - besides, the next edition of the Champions Trophy is coming up in 2010. "Every cricketing year is a busy one," Morgan said. "We're more aware of it in the UK because of the Ashes, the World Twenty20 and the one-day series against Australia, but it is no busier a year than any other.

"There will certainly be more security assessments. We're going to meet around the table in 3 or 4 weeks in Dubai to discuss the mechanisms of the postponement. There are numerous things to be discussed and we're planning on meeting in the middle of September to discuss the consequences of the decision."

Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, added: "Every one of our members wishes to ensure the ICC Champions Trophy is a world-class event and the prospect of relocating it at short notice in order to make sure it was played this year would not allow that criterion to be fulfilled."

Shafqat Naghmi, the PCB's chief operating officer, said that postponing the tournament was the only option in light of boycott threats. "Cricket is not going to die here, it's just that we are going through a difficult phase," Naghmi said. "We would have lost the hosting rights had the Champions Trophy been relocated [to Sri Lanka].

"With four of the eight teams threatening to pull out, "it made little sense to organize a four-team competition," he said.

Giles Clarke, the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), said his board supported the ICC decision and had last week "explained their reservations and security concerns about staging the tournament in the aftermath of the resignation of the Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf last Monday."

Cricinfo (http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/iccct2008/content/current/story/366099.html)

wrap07

31st August 2008, 10:55 PM

newindpress..

Under-recognised boxers search greener pastures

31 Aug 2008 03:53:00 PM IST

If there’s magic in boxing, it’s the magic of fighting battles beyond endurance, beyond cracked ribs, ruptured kidneys and detached retinas. It’s the magic of risking everything for a dream that nobody sees but you. So philosophised Eddie ‘Scrap Iron’ Dupris (played by Morgan Freeman) in the Oscar-winning Million Dollar Baby.

This is no longer the scenario in professional boxing. It is now the magic of money and fame that draws boxers. Underpaid and under-recognised as boxing is in India, many talented boxers have sought the dicey pastures of professional boxing in the USA and England.Gurcharan Singh,who is settled in California, is a classic example.

After his agonising quarterfinal loss to Andri Fedtchouk at the 2000 Sydney Olympics,Gurcharan was left in the lurch

Leading the final round 11-10, Gurcharan was only five seconds away from entering the semifinal and ensuring a bronze in the 81-kg category. But the Ukranian fought back and tied the bout 12-12.

The jury resorted to countback and the scores of three judges were averaged after striking off the scores of the judges who gave the highest and lowest points and Andri won the bout 60-42.

Only a lukewarm welcome awaited Gurcharan back home.His employers, Services,withdrew a promotion they had promised him while he waited for months to obtain a telephone connection to his house. Disgruntled, he embraced professional boxing in the USA and disappeared without a trace. It was only after a few months that his friends informed his employers and the media that Gurcharan was in the USA.

Similar was 1994 World Cup bronze medallist Venkatesh Devarajan’s fate. According to Devarajan, the Indian Boxing Federation was indifferent to his needs and refused to send him to Cuba for a training stint despite his insistent pleas. So he vanished from the Atlanta Olympics camp and went to England. “Even after I had bagged a bronze in the World Cup, the government was reluctant to support me financially. To make ends meet, I pursued professional boxing in England for a few months,” recollecs Devarajan. Upset at developments, national boxing coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu blasted the attitude of the boxers

“They are not only hurting themselves, but also betraying the country which spends so much money to train them. They don’t know what they are getting into.They have absolutely no idea about the demands of professional boxing.Mentally, they are not tough enough to deal with it,” is what he said

Sandhu’s judgment was spot-on.For, only a few Indian pugilists like Dharmender Yadav and Gurcharan have flourished in this exceedingly competitive and demanding world of professional boxing. Gurcharan, especially, has been quite successful in his switch-over and has made a small fortune too. He has an enviable 18-0 record, including 10 knockouts, in the heavyweight segment this season.Managed by Dennis Hobson, he earns close to $20,000 a bout

All the same,many talented boxers who have ventured into the professional circuit like Devender Thapa, Lakha Singh and Raj Kumar Sangwan have fallen by the wayside. “Professional boxing is an altogether different ball game.Amateur boxing is a bout while the latter is a fight. You need raw energy, power, stamina and mental toughness to succeed.Amateur boxing is more scientific; there are only four rounds and it is about getting points,” points out Olympian Devarajan

Now that Indian boxers have excelled at the Beijing Olympics, the federation should promote boxing and support boxers in a better way

Otherwise, more boxers will seek the rings of professional boxing. After all, money matters

directhit

3rd September 2008, 08:15 AM

Symonds mulls quitting cricket
http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2008/sep/01sym.htm

Symonds told to seek psychological help
http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2008/sep/02symonds.htm :shock:

wrap07

15th September 2008, 07:51 PM

http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/15/stories/2008091556501900.htm

Saina Nehwal scripts a historic win

Principal Correspondent

Becomes first Indian woman to win two GP singles titles

DREAM COME TRUE: Saina Nehwal’s title win in Taiwan, close on the heels of her quarterfinal appearance at the Beijing Games, is further proof of her talent and augurs well for her future.

HYDERABAD: Saina Nehwal, ranked World No. 14, became the first-ever Indian woman shuttler to win two Grand Prix singles titles when she won the $1,70,000 Yonex Chinese Taipei Grand Prix Gold badminton championship in Taiwan on Sunday, according to information received here.

“It was one of my most memorable days. It is a dream come true for me. Coming so close to the quarterfinal appearance in the recent Beijing Olympics, it gives me extra pleasure,” said a delighted Saina in a chat with The Hindu from Taiwan immediately after recording a 21-8, 21-19 win in the final against Li Ya Lydia Cheah of Malaysia.

For someone who after winning the 2006 Phillipines Open had a lacklustre showing in the international circuit till the creditable performance at the Beijing Olympics, Saina believes that this title should prove to her critics that her Olympics performance was no flash in the pan.
Simple strategy

Reflecting on her win on Sunday the 18-year-old said that she had a simple strategy for the final. “I was not too worried about the occasion. My strategy was to play to my potential and let things happen,” she said. “The first game was much easier. But, in the second game the familiar problem of drift because of blowers inside the stadium was there. That was the reason I had to struggle a bit and trailed 5-11, 10-15,” she added.

“But importantly I moved into top gear when it mattered the most and that is most satisfying. The doubts over my ability to come up with big points should have been put to rest with this victory,” said Saina.

The two-time National champion, having come of age thanks to the recent exposure trips and training stints abroad, feels that her quarterfinal win against Thai Porntip Buranaprasertsuk was decisive. “Though I was up against a player ranked World No. 42, given her potential to get the better of the best in the business, that victory lifted my confidence level and made me believe that I can win the title here,” said Saina.
Great feeling

“It is always a great feeling to be the first to win a title of this magnitude. And, I hope this will just be the beginning in my long pursuit to win an Olympic medal,” she said. She will now leave for Tokyo for the Japanese Open and then from there for the China Open championships.

Pullela Gopi Chand said that it was a tough final and gave full credit to Saina. “This should be a major morale booster for her,” he said. “There is no doubt that she really playing in a different level. Maybe, the best phase of her career so far. All that she needs now is to remain focussed and just go out there and play her normal game.”

A delighted Harvir Singh, who spoke to his daughter Saina immediately after her victory, felt vindicated about his belief in her.

“I know how much struggle we had to undergo over the years. But, thankfully the results are coming in now which should only spur Saina to aim higher,” he said.

wrap07

25th September 2008, 10:42 AM

http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/25/stories/2008092561721300.htm

Kapil Dev begins a new innings

NEW DELHI: Veteran cricketer Kapil Dev was decorated with the rank of honorary Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army at a colourful ceremony at Army headquarters here on Wednesday. The honour was conferred on him by the Army Chief, General Deepak Kapoor.

Speaking on the occasion, Kapil Dev said: “It is truly a proud moment for me. I will try to do my best in the second innings. Whatever instructions are given to me by my bosses I will try to fulfil them. It is the duty of every citizen to strengthen his or her country.” Kapil, who led the victorious World Cup cricket team in 1983, donned the army uniform as he is now part of the 150 Territorial Army (Infantry) battalion of the Punjab Regiment.

While Kapil will not take part in the training of the Territorial Army, he will act as a “brand ambassador” for the armed forces.

:D :clap:

directhit

26th September 2008, 09:24 AM

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2008/sep/25kris.htm

Srikkanth most certain to be head of selection committee

crajkumar_be

26th September 2008, 12:19 PM

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2008/sep/25kris.htm

Srikkanth most certain to be head of selection committee

:redjump:
1. No more of his commentary
2. Potentially good for Thamizhagam

directhit

26th September 2008, 12:26 PM

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2008/sep/25kris.htm

Srikkanth most certain to be head of selection committee

:redjump:
1. No more of his commentary
2. Potentially good for Thamizhagam :lol:

Kalyasi

26th September 2008, 01:14 PM

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2008/sep/25kris.htm

Srikkanth most certain to be head of selection committee

:redjump:
1. No more of his commentary
2. Potentially good for Thamizhagam :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sanguine Sridhar

22nd November 2008, 08:01 PM

Joshna wins Super Satellite crown

http://www.rediff.com/sports/2008/nov/21joshna-wins-super-satellite-crown.htm

steveaustin

2nd December 2008, 10:41 AM

[tscii:e3b0e5c1bf]Warne doubts Dada’s leadership qualities :banghead:

Melbourne, Dec. 1: Shane Warne has good things to say for almost all the top-100 cricketers of his choice in his book but could not camouflage his dislike for former India captain Sourav Ganguly in whom he found neither the hallmarks of a great batsman nor an extraordinary leader. “Sourav Ganguly might not be my cup of tea as a bloke, but what he did for Indian cricket has to be respected,” he said justifying the Indian’s inclusion in his book Shane Warne’s Century.

“He is a feisty sort of character, not short of self-confidence or unaware of his standing in Indian life. He is regarded over there, especially around his teeming home city of Calcutta, as one of the greatest ever Indian captains. They won more games under him than anybody else, so I guess the statistics back that up. Personally, I am not so sure. I think he had some outstanding players and solid characters in the team. Do you need to be a great leader to win games with Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble in the ranks. Tactically, he was not among the best leaders I came up against, and his management skills left a bit to be desired.”

Warne felt Ganguly was not outstanding as a batsman and said even minnows Bangladesh tried to encash on his vulnerability to short-pitched bowling. “I think that every bowling attack in the world, even Bangladesh, has tried to get him with the short ball or has placed a couple of gullies for those left-handed slashes that he likes,” he said adding, “Maybe his strength is in one-day cricket, where there are strict rules on the use of bouncers... He can also play some glorious looking drives with perfect timing, like most of the Indian batsmen. But he did have the knack of rubbing up opponents the wrong way without seeming to try very hard.”

Source: Deccan Chronicle

Last week he said that he never feared Sachin. Now he is turning to Ganguly.

Shame Shame Warne. :evil: [/tscii:e3b0e5c1bf]

HonestRaj

6th December 2008, 09:25 PM

Dhoni's security to be upgraded :)

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2008/dec/06dhoni-security-upgraded.htm

Sourav

6th December 2008, 09:29 PM

Dhoni thread-la post panna DH remba santhosha paduvaaru... :lol:

HonestRaj

16th December 2008, 04:25 PM

[tscii:a84b894f56]Pakistan is the only one of cricket's nine test-playing nations which will end 2008 without playing a test match.

It was scheduled to play three home-tests in March before Australia canceled its tour due to security reservations. September's Champions Trophy limited-overs tournament was also postponed until next year after four leading teams — South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and England — expressed concerns over security.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/12/16/sports/CRI-Pakistan-India.php
[/tscii:a84b894f56]

HonestRaj

17th December 2008, 11:22 AM

Q. Following on from last week's question about the late Paul Hibbert, is Adam Parore's 96 against India in 1994 the highest individual score in a one-day international without a boundary? asked Sayontan Sinha from the United States

A. That's a nice, simple one: yes, Adam Parore's 96 for New Zealand against India in Baroda (now Vadodara) in 1994-95 is indeed the highest known ODI score not to include a boundary (there are some early matches for which we don't have full details, but it is highly unlikely that there has been a higher boundary-less score). Parore faced 138 balls during his innings, and put on 181 with his captain, Ken Rutherford, whose 108 included 13 fours.

http://content-eap.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/382335.html

Sachin scored century in this match for India's win.

scorecard:

http://content-eap.cricinfo.com/india/engine/match/65999.html

ajaybaskar

24th December 2008, 11:06 AM

Sri Lanka's interim board dissolved, Ranatunga sacked
Sa'adi Thawfeeq

December 23, 2008

Controversies during Ranatunga's tenure

April: Media manager Samantha Algama is sacked and replaced by former SSC cricketer Shane Fernando.
- A five-match ODI series against Pakistan is arranged which clashes with the inaugural IPL.
- Criticises IPL by comparing Twenty20 cricket to 'instant noodles'.
July-August - Antagonises Indian board by inviting banned Sri Lankan ICL players to the podium for award ceremony during Sri Lanka-India Test and ODI series.
- Hashan Tillakaratne, who was appointed by Ranatunga as manager of the national team, is replaced two days into the job by the sports minister.
September Signs MoU with ECB to send Sri Lanka team to England in April-May 2009. The tour clashes directly with second IPL tournament. Series fails to materialise after sports minister intervenes on IPL-contracted players' request.
- Indian board says it will provide cash-strapped SLC US$70m over a 10-year period but is concerned at 'totally unjustified' hostility of Sri Lankan management. At an IPL meeting in Bangkok, Indian delegation reportedly says there will be no deal as long as Ranatunga is chairman.
October: Interim Committee fails to take decision on Badureliya CC relegation/promotion incident. Issue drags on for five weeks before it is finally resolved by the Sports Council.
December: Sixteen SLC employees who are dismissed by Ranatunga appeal to the President and sports minister, who overrules the sackings as the decision was taken without consulting him.
- Sports minister dissolves Interim Committee.

Sri Lanka's sports minister Gamini Lokuge has dissolved the interim administration of Sri Lanka Cricket, headed by Arjuna Ranatunga, saying the situation at SLC demanded an immediate change.

The sports secretary, S Liyanagama, will oversee the SLC administration until a decision is taken - within the next week, Lokuge said - on whether to call for elections or to appoint another interim administration.

"Arjuna Ranatunga has not been cooperating with the company or the players," Lokuge was quoted as saying by PTI. "We tried to sort it out but could not and he has been removed."

The immediate issue was the sacking of 16 SLC employees by Ranatunga last week. At the time, SLC officials explained the decision by saying those sacked were holding positions no longer required by the organisation. However, the decision was apparently taken without informing the minister, directly contravening his order that he be consulted on every move.

Rantunga accepted the minister's decision and said he did not want to comment on the issue. "I only wanted to make the SLC a clean place and serve cricketers," Ranatunga told Sri Lanka's Daily News. "I did not go there to do any politics."

Ranatunga, appointed to the post in January 2008 after Jayantha Dharmadasa decided to step down, has had a controversial tenure. Perhaps his most controversial decision was negotiating a tour of England that would overlap with the second season of the IPL, to which many of the players are contracted. Ranatunga said his cash-strapped board badly needed the US$2 million which the ECB was offering as guarantee money for the tour. After a protracted tussle, the tour was eventually called off with West Indies slotted in to replace Sri Lanka.

Ranatunga has been a vocal critic of the IPL, once comparing it once to instant noodles, and antagonised the Indian board by stating that India lost the first Test to Sri Lanka in July because they played too much Twenty20 cricket. He also sought tighter control for the national board over player contracts with the IPL.

In September, the SLC broke ranks with the official cricketing establishment by deciding to allow five cricketers and an umpire who had signed up for the unauthorised ICL to play domestic cricket.

Ranatunga met Sri Lanka president Mahinda Rajapakse on Tuesday and it was widely speculated that he would be given a ministerial post.

directhit

9th January 2009, 08:10 AM

Double-sided bat to debut

Most reverse-sweeps still come off the front of the bat - Andrew Symonds' version of the stroke being an exception - but batsmen could soon have the option of using the back of their blade :o. A double-sided bat will be trialled during two Australian domestic Twenty20 games this week.

David Warner, the New South Wales batsman who has just signed up for the IPL, will use the bat against South Australia at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday and Victoria's Aiden Blizzard will test it against Western Australia at the MCG on Thursday. Warner had a hit with the new-style bat in the SCG nets on Sunday and he said he didn't think it would significantly change the game.

"Generally when I'm playing the reverse I'm swapping hands, and now I don't really have to so it's going to be better. It gives you a couple of extra seconds," Warner told the Age. "If people think it's going to be an advantage to batsmen, I have to disagree.

"The person who is using the timber is in control, so I just see it as another shot for other people to try as well. Everyone is trying it these days, especially in Twenty20, so why not have the back of the bat flat as well? It makes it easier, but it's not a real advantage. You've still got to play the shot."

Sanguine Sridhar

13th January 2009, 05:07 PM

India to tour Sri Lanka next month

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2009/jan/13india-to-tour-sri-lanka-in-february.htm

Sanguine Sridhar

19th January 2009, 09:47 AM

What keeps Sreesanth motivated?

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2009/jan/17what-keeps-sreesanth-motivated.ht

From setting inspirational songs as his mobile ringtone to wearing I-Never-Give-Up T-shirts, pacer S Sreesanth [Images] has come up with unique methods to keep himself motivated as he waits for a recall to the Indian cricket team.
The flamboyant pacer has declared himself fit after recovering from a back injury but with the Indian pace bowling attack doing well with Zaheer Khan [Images] and Ishant Sharma [Images] at the helm, the Kerala [Images] bowler may have to wait a while before getting a recall.

And in a bid to keep his motivation intact, Sreesanth has turned to some unconventional ways.

"The ringtones of my cell phones keep me going, especially the title song of Rocky 5 and the other by A R Rehman 'yeh jo des hai tera' from the movie Swades [Images]. Actually, this song keeps telling me 'come on Sreesanth, you have to work hard and make a comeback, keep working hard'," Sreesanth told ESPN-STAR Sports.

"My business manager got T-shirts for me from Mumbai [Images] with messages on them. The one that I have now reads 'I never give up. That is the mantra for me, I dont want to give up ever, just keep fighting," he added.

The bowler also got the backing of former Sri Lanka [Images] captain Arjuna Ranatunga, who feels bringing him back into the attack would lend variety to Indian bowling.

"Zaheer Khan is a left-armer, Ishant Sharma is a bowler who hits the deck and if Irfan Pathan [Images] is not in top form then I think the Indian think tank should contemplate having Sreesanth for the Sri Lankan tour," Ranatunga said, referring to the upcoming five-match one-day series between India and Sri Lanka.

"He has a wonderful out-swinger which can be handy with the new ball. On top of that, he bowls well with the old ball with his reverse swing and yorkers. I know he is making a comeback but if at all he has to make a comeback, it can be now," he added.

The Indian selection committee meets on Sunday to pick the squad for Sri Lanka where the team will also play a Twenty20 [Images] game.

Sreesanth has declared himself fit for selection and is raring to go.

"I am completely fit and hopefully I can make my comeback sooner than later, may be with the Sri Lankan trip itself," he said.

The 25-year-old bowler last played for India against South Africa [Images] in Kanpur but following a back injury he has been out of action.

"Thanks to the National Cricket Academy staff Dav Whatmore, Paul Chapman and Paul Close and others that I am able to make a comeback to the game. Now, let's see if I am able to take the next step," he said

:rotfl2:

Sanguine Sridhar

29th January 2009, 10:23 AM

Jaffer CEAT Cricketer of the Year

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2009/jan/27jaffer-named-ceat-cricketer-of-the-year.htm

Sanguine Sridhar

12th February 2009, 11:53 AM

Schedule: ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup 2009

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/schedulet20wc.html

app_engine

21st February 2009, 12:16 AM

http://dinamalar.com/fpnnews.asp?News_id=3065&cls=row4

Kapil serving on honorary capacity in the Indian military!

app_engine

21st February 2009, 12:27 AM

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ivwA7EmgqpccNJphEDEdKy15xSEQ

Azhar in politics.

Sanguine Sridhar

24th March 2009, 05:34 PM

India, South Africa to play tri-series in Zimbabwe

http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2009/mar/23/india-sa-to-play-tri-series-in-zimbabwe.htm

"Immediately after the conclusion of ICC [Images] Twenty20 [Images] World Cup, the Indian team will be leaving for West Indies [Images] to play four ODIs after which the team will tour Zimbabwe for a tri-series involving India, Zimbabwe and South Africa," the statement said.

4 ODI mattum aaduradhukku edhukku WI poraanuva? :x

P_R

24th March 2009, 05:41 PM

Test match viLayAduna ivanunga latchiyarththukku izhukku vandhurungaLA ?

littlemaster1982

24th March 2009, 05:56 PM

Thalaivar innum West Indies-la mattumdhan century adikkala. So this is a good chance :redjump:

Sanguine Sridhar

29th March 2009, 03:12 PM

Lord's could host first day-night Test in May 2010

http://content.cricinfo.com/england/content/current/story/397240.html

The change in playing conditions could prompt a change in the players' traditional white kit and the red ball, which will not be easily visible under the floodlights. The ICC cricket committee will discuss the matter when it meets this May. "As this would involve a change to the standard Test playing conditions and the clothing and equipment regulations for Test cricket, it would require our proper consent and the ECB have not approached us yet for any such approval," Dave Richardson, the ICC general manager, told the newspaper

Chumma-ve irruka maatanungala! :lol2:

P_R

29th March 2009, 05:12 PM

Chumma-ve irruka maatanungala! :lol2:
Exactly :x

crajkumar_be

29th March 2009, 06:20 PM

PR,
Something has to be done about the extremely annoying sissy nags like "bad light", "bad weather" and sh!te... edhavadhu seyya vendirukke Arjun

Plum

30th March 2009, 06:40 PM

http://dinamalar.com/fpnnews.asp?News_id=3065&cls=row4

Kapil serving on honorary capacity in the Indian military!
Kizhinjidhu, inime Lalit Modi IPL india-la nadathina maadhiri dhaan! Indian Army-ai inime avar eppadi sekkkorittyku koopida mudiyum?

littlemaster1982

17th April 2009, 07:22 AM

MS Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh skip Padma Awards Function (http://www.breakingnewsonline.net/2009/04/ms-dhoni-and-harbhajan-singh-skip-padma.html)

Breaking News! In a shocking development, Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and ace spinner Harbhjan Singh skipped the Padma Awards function at the Rashtrapati Bhavan yesterday. Dhoni and Harbhajan were supposed to receive the Padma Shri awards. According to reports in a section of media, they were busy in shooting Ads. Veteran sportspersons like Aslam Sher Khan has criticised Dhoni and Harbhajan for "disregarding" the dignity of Padma Awards.

The first batch of awardees were presented with the Padma Awards on March 31. The final batch of awardees included MS Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh. They neither turned up for the event nor informed anyone about their unavailability.

It is not immediately known why they preferred to skip the Padma Awards, which is being given by none other than the President of India at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. They haven't yet issued any statement to explain the absence.
___________________________________

Idhu unmaiya :roll:

Raikkonen

4th May 2009, 01:26 PM

Manny Pacquiao KO's Ricky Hatton...

So easy... :cry: just two rounds..

5th June 2009, 12:35 PM

List of players and officials offered amnesty by the BCCI

June 2, 2009

Listed below are the players who've severed ties with the ICL, and have been offered amnesty by the BCCI. Their names are listed under the states they represent. Further down is the list of officials and support staff

Tamilnadu: Hemang Badani, V Devendran, G Vignesh, Syed Mohammed, R Jesuraj, S Sriram, R Sathish, K Martin Sanjeev, T Kumaran, S Vasanth Saravanan, J Hariesh, D Tamilkumaran, C Hemant Kumar

Jharkhand: Rajiv Kumar

Baroda: Kiran Powar, Rakesh Patel

Bengal: Shiv Sagar Singh, Abhiskek Jhunjhunwala, Subhomoy Das, Sayed Akhlakh Ahamad, Rohan Gavaskar, Subhjit Paul, Deep Dasgupta

Mumbai: Robin Morris, Nikhil Mandale

Railways: Shreyas Khanolkar, Tejinder Pal Singh, P Vivek, J P Yadav, Baburao Yadav, Avinash Yadav

Maharashtra: Suyesh Burkul, Dheeraj Jadhav, Raviraj Patil, Pushkaraj Joshi, Anupam Sanklecha, Ranjeet Khirid

Delhi: Abhinav Bali, Kunal Lal

Jammu and Kashmir: Abid Nabi, Dhruv Mahajan

Madhya Pradesh: T Sudhindra, Mohnish Mishra, Abbas Ali, Sachin Dholpure, Shridhar Iyer, Abhishek Tamrakar, Bhima Rao

Assam: Syed Zakaria Zuffri, Parviz Aziz, Abu Nechim Ahmed, Sujay Tarafder, Pritam Das

Punjab: Dinesh Mongia, Reetinder Sodhi, Karanveer Singh, Harpreet Singh, Sumit Kalia, Love Ablish, Rajesh Sharma, Sarabjeet Singh, Ishan Malhotra, Bipul Sharma, Amit Uniyal

Karnataka: Stuart Binny

Hyderabad: Abdul Azeem Khan, Alfred Absolom, Ibrahim Khaleel, Indra Shekar Reddy, P S Niranjan, Anirudh Singh, Shashank Nag, Ambati Rayudu

Andhra Pradesh: Syed Shahbuddin

Haryana: Gaurav Gupta

Uttar Pradesh: Avinash Yadav, Shalabh Srivastava, Ali Murtaza, Ali Hamid Zaidi

Coaches and Mentors: Sandeep Patil, E A S Prasanna, Madan Lal, Rajesh Kamath, Karsan Ghavri, Pranab Roy, Ashok Malhotra, Rajesh Chauhan, Balwinder Sandhu, Bharath Reddy, Ajit Wadekar

Others Kiran Padhiyar (Video Analyst), K Martin Sanjeev, A T Rajamani Prabhu, Dr Dinesh Vaghela (Umpire), Atul Wassan, A Burrows (Umpire), Suhas Pawar (Trainer), Rajesh Mundhva (Umpire), Chezhian (Umpire), V Satish (Umpire) and S Shyam Sundar

Raikkonen

18th August 2009, 07:31 AM

Ussain Bolt has set a new world record for 100M (9:58) :shock: :clap: :bow:

what's even more incredible is that the 2nd fastest time by Tyson Gay (9:71) is one of the fastest times of ALL time and THE fastest time by any US 100M runners..

Just incredible..

directhit

18th August 2009, 07:43 AM

:clap: :clap: he shud have got this in last year olympics itself :P

Sanguine Sridhar

18th August 2009, 02:22 PM

ICC betraying cricket to protect India's interest: Hadlee

http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2009/aug/18/icc-betraying-cricket-to-protect-india-hadlee.htm

"We are in grave danger of having the decision makers betraying the game of cricket," said Hadlee during a nationwide tour to promote his latest book 'Changing Pace' which summarises his last nine years of cricket research, thought and experience.

"We all know now that Asia, and more particularly India, have a more powerful say (at ICC level) because they generate that much more a higher percentage of revenue, which other countries benefit from.

"So, who protects the game? The decision makers on the ICC have to try and control it so that all the games can co-exist and live together," he was quoted as saying by the Herald Sun.

If one format of the game like Twenty20 consumes the game as much as it is doing now -- and potentially in the future -- it is destroying the game of cricket as a total concept."

Sanguine Sridhar

27th August 2009, 05:25 PM

ICC and PCB resolve 2011 World Cup dispute

http://www.cricinfo.com/wc2011/content/current/story/422421.html

adi panijutaanunga :lol2:

P_R

22nd September 2009, 11:23 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwACTeLjh6I :lol:

Plum

30th September 2009, 09:59 PM

What an interview! (http://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/cricket/article129490.ece)

I got him [Border] out ... I was walking to the changeroom at lunchtime and I saw this security bloke walking past with a gatt (pistol). I asked him for it and he said, 'What do you want to do with it?' I said, 'I want to shoot an Aussie.'"

Assuring the astounded guard that he wasn't seriously contemplating shooting anybody, he persuaded him to take out the bullets and give him the weapon.

McMillan then walked into the Australian dressing room, waving it around. The sight of the armed McMillan caused the startled Australians to scarper.

I'd have loved to see the Aussies' face captured on camera!

19thmay

2nd October 2009, 04:05 PM

Johnson and Gambhir scoop top awards

http://www.cricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/current/story/427665.html

Dar is Umpire of the Year
Dhoni leads Test Team of Year
Dhoni leads World ODI Team of the Year
Dhoni named ODI Player of the Year
Dilshan wins Twenty20 award
Gambhir is Test player of the year
Johnson is ICC Cricketer of the Year
New Zealand win Spirit of Cricket award
Porterfield named Associate Player of the Year
Siddle named ICC Emerging Player of the Year
Taylor named Women's Player of the Year

ajaybaskar

3rd October 2009, 10:13 PM

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/How-4-year-old-boy-mastered-Miracle-speech-in-?urn=nhl,193765

19thmay

23rd November 2009, 06:07 PM

'Greed is killing the game' - Botham

http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/435382.html

Do you agree with MCC that Test cricket could be dying?

It didn't look like it was dying this summer with the Ashes, did it? They are playing too much Twenty20 right now. We have just had a Twenty20 World Cup and within a year we're going to have another in the Caribbean. It is greed, greed, greed. That is what will kill the game, the greed of the authorities. Twenty20 has its place but not on the international stage. It is a domestic and franchise sport. I don't want to see the best players in the world standing there and slogging. Twenty20 is bastardising the game.

19thmay

29th November 2009, 12:46 PM

Murali may quit before 2011 World Cup

http://www.cricinfo.com/indvsl2009/content/current/story/437258.html

"I am 37 years old and I can't bowl as much as those days because I get tired after 15-16 overs. But I will try and play a little bit of one-day cricket - that's only 10 overs to bowl. If I find everything is not going well I might retire from both forms of the game before the World Cup," Murali said. "Everything depends on how much my body can take. In Test cricket it's a little bit harder because I have always been a threat to other sides [but] at the moment it's not looking like that because others are playing me well. I think I made the right decision to retire from Test cricket at the end of the West Indies series next year.

littlemaster1982

3rd December 2009, 12:15 PM

From Cricinfo,

A fanciful story from Michael Henderson on Don. Absolute Gem . "I think I have a beauty. It was told to me by the great Australian batsman, Dean Jones, who positively swore on the head of his daughter it happened, and I have since been told that Merv Hughes also confirms its truth.

The scene is set at a Test match between Australia and the West Indies at Adelaide Oval back in February 1989. These were the days when the Windies were the greatest power the cricketing world had ever seen, the days when they used to select 11 fast bowlers in the team and a 12th man who was a fast bowler just to be on the safe side.

And it was into just such a furnace that the young bowler Mervyn Hughes walked - with bat in hand. Figuring fortune favoured the brave, Hughes wielded the willow like an axeman his axe, and somehow - after snicking fortutiously, connecting full-bloodedly, and missing entirely - he finished the day's play at 72 not out.

The tradition in Test cricket is that the batting side take a few beers into the fielding side's dressing-room afterwards, but not on this evening. Instead, Merv took an ice-box full of bottles, so keen was he to give the men of the Windies the full blow-by-blow account of every run he'd made. So it was that half an hour later, Jones - who himself had contributed 216 - and Hughes and several other Australian players were in the Windies dressing-room, when a sudden hush fell upon the gathering.

They looked to the door and there was Sir Donald Bradman himself, being ushered into the room by several South Australian cricket officials. The Don had expressed a desire to meet this mighty team, and now here he was.

For the next 15 minutes or so, the great man was introduced to the visiting players, with each West Indian standing up well before Sir Donald got to their position on the bench. Then, when their time came, they warmly shook his hand and had a few words.

This all proceeded splendidly until Sir Donald got to the last man on the bench, Patrick Patterson - the fastest bowler in the world at that time. So the story goes, not only did Patterson not stand, he simply squinted quizzically up at the octogenarian. Finally, after some 30 seconds of awkward silence, Patterson stood up, all two metres of pure whip-cord steel of him, and looked down at the diminutive Don.

"You, Don Bradman!?!" he snorted. "You, Don Bradman?!?! I kill you,mun! I bowl at you, I kill you! I split you in two!"

In reply, Sir Donald, with his hands on his hips, gazed squarely back at Patterson and calmly retorted: "You couldn't even get Merv out. You'd have no chance against me, mate!"

Raikkonen

3rd December 2009, 10:50 PM

how to spoil your name and image in a single week - by tiger the woods.

vanchi

6th December 2009, 09:16 PM

daily oru news varum pola. clubku vera use irukkunu maram purinchikittruparu :lol2: :lol:

Raikkonen

8th December 2009, 08:16 AM

Naloru meni.. pozuthoru figaru.. avar per tiger alla.. :lol:

his mistresses count is increasing every single day. now he's being linked with an adult movie star.. :shock:

i never liked him before, but this is certainly a massive blow/embarassment for a guy who is idolized by lot of kids in the world.

Plum

25th December 2009, 01:09 PM

An interesting story on how BCCI discovered its Golden Goose (http://community.dreamcricket.com/community/blogs/not_cricket/archive/2009/12/13/how-the-bcci-got-its-mojo.aspx)

19thmay

1st January 2010, 08:06 PM

Twenty20 will 'finish' Pakistan cricket - Mohammad Yousuf

"It [batting failures] used to happen before but now because of Twenty20 cricket no player knows how to stay at the wicket anymore," Yousuf told Cricinfo. "Batsmen are finding it very difficult. I know the format has money, players get it and boards do but if Pakistan hypes up Twenty20 too much, Test and ODI cricket will really go down."

"Twenty20 is easy for Pakistanis because they know how to hit, nobody knows how to defend. Until players do not play with discipline and play ball to ball and leave balls they are supposed to we will struggle in ODIs, let alone Tests. If you see a ball, hit it because you have to score. But if you are going to slog all the time what is the point? I could have hit jumping out but unless you get a ball to hit what is the point? That is the point of Test cricket. It is necessary that Pakistanis, the media, the board, the fans realise that we play as little Twenty20 as possible.

"One domestic tournament is enough and a World Cup apart from that, but my belief is that you have to reduce Twenty20 heavily. They shouldn't play it in club cricket - even there you play 20 overs, not 40-over matches. I only have 2-3 years left in my career but I worry Twenty20 will finish Pakistan's cricket."
http://www.cricinfo.com/ausvpak09/content/current/story/441839.html

apparam edhuku ivaru mudhal-la ICL-ku ponaaru? :?

app_engine

16th January 2010, 05:52 PM

http://sports.in.msn.com/othersports/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3538095

Frustrated Abhinav Bindra contemplating to quit...

app_engine

18th January 2010, 11:48 PM

http://sports.in.msn.com/cricket/indbantest/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3554385

Gov officials drop Bindra for not attending trials in India.

pulavar

3rd March 2010, 04:37 AM

http://www.cricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/current/story/450524.html

sathya_1979

11th May 2010, 10:10 PM

http://sports.rediff.com/report/2010/may/11/viswanathan-anand-wins-world-chess-title-topalov.htm

Congratulations Anand :D :clap:

leosimha

13th May 2010, 03:48 PM

Viswanathan Anand does it again for India... :) :D congrats...

leosimha

13th May 2010, 03:49 PM

The Man with the Maruti 800

http://in.news.yahoo.com/256/20100513/1691/top-the-man-with-the-maruti800_1.html

sathya_1979

27th June 2010, 04:27 PM

Congrats Saina Nehwal, win more titles and make India proud :clap:
http://sports.rediff.com/report/2010/jun/27/saina-nehwal-wins-indonesia-open-super-series-crown.htm

Dinesh84

27th June 2010, 06:22 PM

Congrats Saina Nehwal, win more titles and make India proud :clap:
http://sports.rediff.com/report/2010/jun/27/saina-nehwal-wins-indonesia-open-super-series-crown.htm :clap: :clap: Saina.. u are a gold medal prospect for India 8-)

sivank

6th August 2010, 10:53 PM

[tscii:92cac315d2]Very intersting article by Harsha

Gavaskar v Sehwag
What if two greats of Indian cricket were to bat together? One thing is for sure: they'd do things their way
Harsha Bhogle
August 6, 2010

Comments: 54 | Login via | Text size: A | A

Sunil Gavaskar: old-school beauty © PA Photos
Enlarge
Related Links
Players/Officials: Sunil Gavaskar | Virender Sehwag
Teams: India
I know it isn't possible, but what the hell, we think about it all the time. We try and compare players from different generations, and while that is not just unfair but impossible to do, I have been spending a lot of time (an advantage of being on one flight too many) thinking of what it would be to watch Sunil Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag, the two Indian opening batsmen at either end of my cricket-watching interval, bat together.

For starters, both would enjoy it. Gavaskar has always said that his bread-and-butter shot was the single, and he could take it almost as a ticket to the show at the other end. And Sehwag could see the powerful cocoon Gavaskar built around himself, so single-minded was he in constructing an innings.

But even more fascinating would be to see the difference in style. Gavaskar was the classical old-school batsman, body right behind the line of the ball, bat straight as a well-constructed wall (Rahul Dravid was version 2.0). One of the great joys of watching cricket for us was to see Gavaskar up on his toes, eyes like an assassin's, never wavering from the object of attention, meeting with his bat a ball projected at his throat, letting it dribble meekly down its face, now devoid of any potency, and fall dead by his toes. Gavaskar played some of the most attractive shots you will see - the straight drive was for posterity - but the way he neutralised the venom of a bouncer defined him for me.

To Gavaskar, and indeed to many of his generation, the wicket was a citadel that could not be breached. It had to be protected like a family heirloom. When you were sure it was safe, you played the bold shot. But you were not encouraged to hit in the air, and if you were stumped by a yard trying to hit a six when on 99, you were probably made to stand in a corner.

But when Sehwag does it, it doesn't evoke howls of protest. Sehwag is the warrior who must conquer many lands and only then return home for a meal. If he cannot attack, if the bowler's offering is so compact that shot-making is not an option, only then will he defend. There are no heirlooms any more. If you lose a BlackBerry, you buy another. Or if you think blue looks cool, you buy another. Occasionally in trying to spear the opponent you leave a flank open and pay for it, but that is just one of the hurdles of doing a job.

And so Sehwag, such a product of this generation, must play beside the line rather than classically behind it. The feet provide support to the body but don't have a huge role to play in shot-making. You let the ball draw alongside and then, with the space you now possess, you either slice it to bits or smite it to the boundary. It is an altogether more violent form of batting. If Sehwag got behind the line of the ball, like he sometimes does when it is too straight, he wouldn't have the space or the freedom to play his way.

The Gavaskar approach was maddening to a bowler. Robin Jackman once told me of how Gavaskar didn't let him see the off stump for an entire spell. "He made me bowl where he wanted me to bowl rather than where I wanted to bowl," he said. The Sehwag approach is to put fear in a bowler's mind. "He must know when he is running in that if he bowls a bad ball, Sehwag will hit it for four," he once said. Just as a bowler can induce a tense batsman to play a bad shot, so too can Sehwag force an uncertain bowler to bowl a bad ball.

With Sehwag you have fear and hope, with Gavaskar it was like hitting your head on a rock at the sheer futility of bowling. Gavaskar would never have got stumped on 99, and he wouldn't have tried to hit a six on 195 either. Two different styles you could not hope to see in a lifetime. But at the corresponding points in their career (79 Tests each), a mere 88 runs separate them. The difference in batting average is but 0.68.

Eventually, therefore, it is about doing things as you know best; as two brilliant cricketers 30 years apart have shown.[/tscii:92cac315d2]

Dinesh84

10th August 2010, 12:58 PM

Saina Nehwal: India's badminton star and 'new woman'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-10725584

Dinesh84

10th August 2010, 01:04 PM

Alleged Commonwealth Games corruption: Kalmadi defends himself in a letter to MPs (http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/alleged-commonwealth-games-corruption-kalmadi-defends-himself-in-a-letter-to-mps-43287?cp) :banghead:

will the games happen on schedule? :roll:

ajaybaskar

8th October 2010, 01:22 PM

Got this in orkut..

Entire indian team: unnala engala madhire batting,bowling,fielding,wicketkeeping,running edhachum onnadhu panna mudiyima

Ravindra jadeja: Cricketers kum enakum avalo dhan vidhyasama?

Sudarsh

13th October 2010, 08:19 PM

[tscii:95483db13d]India v Australia, 2nd Test, Bangalore, 5th day

Pujara sets up seven-wicket triumph for India

India 495 and 207 for 3 (Pujara 72, Tendulkar 53*) beat Australia 478 and 223 (Ponting 72, Zaheer 3-41, Ojha 3-57) by 7 wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Cheteshwar Pujara played with the confidence of a veteran in setting up India's win © AFP
Enlarge
Related Links
Analysis : A boy with a clear mind and crisp shots
News : Ponting rues batting lapses
Analysis : Pujara's classy fourth-innings act
Bulletin : India on top, but Ponting keeps Australia alive
Players/Officials: Cheteshwar Pujara | Sachin Tendulkar
Matches: India v Australia at Bangalore
Series/Tournaments: Australia tour of India [Sep-Oct 2010]
Teams: Australia | India
Cheteshwar Pujara has not been part of India's rise to the No. 1 Test ranking but he could help determine how long they stay there, after his outstanding 72 on debut set up a seven-wicket win. Guided in the end by Sachin Tendulkar, the hosts cruised to their target of 207 to confirm the 2-0 series triumph, while Australia slid to fifth of the ICC rankings for the first time, courtesy of another toothless bowling display.

When Virender Sehwag fell early in the chase, the match seemed to be heading for similar drama to the final day in Mohali, where the wounded 114-Test veteran VVS Laxman dragged his side over the line. That there was no similarly tense finish was due to the work of Pujara, who was in his first Test but showed the kind of confidence expected from an old hand.

Unexpectedly promoted to No. 3 following a first-innings effort that lasted three balls, Pujara betrayed no nerves and drove his third delivery handsomely to the cover boundary off Mitchell Johnson. The introduction of Nathan Hauritz brought out the best in Pujara, who used his feet brilliantly to the spinner and drove him through the gaps in a field that an apoplectic Shane Warne felt the need to tweet about from the opposite hemisphere.

There were some strange decisions from Ricky Ponting, not the least of which was the early elimination of all slips fielders for the fast men when Australia needed to put the pressure on India by taking wickets. And after Ben Hilfenhaus had Sehwag caught behind in the third over with a terrific ball that bounced sharply and jagged away, Pujara and M Vijay settled in for a lengthy partnership.

Their 72-run stand ended when Vijay was trapped lbw by Shane Watson for 37, the victim of a good delivery that angled in and seamed away. All that did was bring the first-innings double-centurion Tendulkar to the crease, and by the time Hauritz had his revenge on Pujara with a delivery that drifted past the edge and took off stump, India were only 61 runs from their goal.

Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, who was demoted to No. 5 to accommodate Pujara, had little trouble completing the task and Tendulkar's 53 not out - which included the winning runs paddle-swept fine against Hauritz - was a fitting finale to his magical series. The challenge for India's selectors now is to work out how to reward Pujara, who won his opportunity only because of Laxman's back injury.

It's a happy problem to have; Australia's issues are not so pleasant. Apart from losing all the Tests in a series for the first time in nearly 30 years, they will now enter the Ashes on the back of three consecutive defeats, a run that no Australian side has endured since West Indies were at their peak in 1988-89.

They have also dropped below England in the Test rankings, which is an abstract concept but one that will frustrate Ponting's men as they aim to regain the urn. A more concrete measure of the side's current state could be seen in the disappointing form of several key players.

Australia must also be concerned by the performances of several key players. It has been a difficult tour for Hauritz and that continued on the final day, when he was caressed out of the attack by Pujara before wincing at consecutive sixes slog-swept over long-on by Tendulkar. The Ashes will be a different challenge, but England's batsmen will certainly have taken note of his lack of penetration.

Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey have had a tour they'd rather forget, while Marcus North's ongoing pattern suggests he'll be due for a century by about the third Ashes Test in Perth. And then there was Johnson, who worked hard at times on the trip but by the last day was sending Tim Paine diving on both sides of the wicket.

That Johnson and his fast-bowling colleagues did not trouble the Indians with swing was not exactly surprising, but Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth had proven earlier in the morning that movement was available. They mastered reverse-swing to collect the final three Australian wickets while limiting the tailenders to 21 runs in the morning.

Johnson lost his off stump leaving a Zaheer ball that jagged sharply back in, Hilfenhaus was mesmerised by the swing and was bowled for a duck, and Peter George fended a catch behind to end Australia's innings on 223. The total was always going to be tough to defend, and so it proved.

So, India have confirmed their status as No. 1 - not that they were in danger of losing it. Now for Pujara to lock in his place at No. 3.[/tscii:95483db13d]

Sudarsh

13th October 2010, 08:21 PM

WHY IS THERE NO CELEBRATION IN INDIA DEFEATING AUS TODAI HERE :shock:

Sudarsh

13th October 2010, 08:27 PM

when is the new ipl starting?

19thmay

2nd January 2011, 08:16 AM

Yuvraj in British newspaper's 'top 10 egos'

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/yuvraj-in-british-newspapers-top-10-egos/20110101.htm

hamid

25th January 2011, 07:07 PM

Laxman awarded Padma Shri :clap: :thumbsup:

Well deserved candidate to receive the award.

Plum

17th February 2011, 03:28 PM

[ulr=http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5973996/Users/Rajendra/G-Cricket.pdf] The last bastion of tests in India is...guess which city?
[/url]
News that will gladden feyar's heart:

the answer, at least in India, the game’s biggest market, is no. 55% of people surveyed across 10 cities said they prefer the 50-over game, while 32% chose the shortest version of the game. (In Chennai, home to the IPL champion Chennai Super Kings, a whopping 60% chose Tests as their favourite format. Only 3% picked T20s).

BCCI, bettter reserve a test in each series to Chennai.

ajaybaskar

17th February 2011, 06:05 PM

At the same time, Chepauk is full whenever an IPL match is played. :-)

baroque

20th March 2011, 02:01 AM

dig

check it out..

http://apps.facebook.com/allrounderz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUCImOuDEnU

end

vinatha

satissh_r

6th July 2011, 09:35 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_Ej5Ks-YnA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wladimir_Klitschko_vs._David_Haye

Not a boxing fan and never knew these two before but I saw this video in Twitter. Haye seems to have done a lot of talking before the match and came up with a lame excuse of his toe being fractured and he only competed for his fan's sake. Klitschko's video is the ultimate insult though!

venkkiram

12th August 2011, 08:08 AM

Saina Nehwal stormed into the women's singles quarter-finals at the World Badminton Championships at the Wembley Arena, in London on Thursday.
The world No 6 Indian ace was leading 21-3, 13-5 when her opponent, Pui Yin Yi of Hong Kong, seeded 14th, retired from the third round match.

http://www.gallerysportszone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Saina-Nehwal-Performance.jpg

முன்னேறிச் செல்ல வாழ்த்துக்கள்!

app_engine

17th September 2011, 01:23 AM

Azhar's son died in an accident (http://www.dinamani.com/edition/Story.aspx?SectionName=India&artid=477983&SectionID=130&MainSectionID=130&SEO=&Title=%E0%AE%85%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8 1%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%80%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D%20%E0%AE%AE% E0%AE%95%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D%20%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%B0%E0 %AE%A3%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D)

ஆந்திர மாநில முதல்வர் கிரண்குமார் ரெட்டி அமைச்சர்களுடன் மருத்துவமனைக்குச் சென்று அயாஸýதீனின் உடலுக்கு அஞ்சலி செலுத்தினார். பி.காம் பட்டதாரியான அயாஸýதீன், தன் தந்தை அசாருதீனைப் போலவே கிரிக்கெட் வீரராவார்.

app_engine

23rd September 2011, 01:19 AM

Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi is no more (http://www.bbc.co.uk/tamil/sport/2011/09/110922_pataudi.shtml)

Tiger, h/o "sapnE ki rAni", dies at 70 :-(

http://wscdn.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/assets/images/2011/09/22/110922134852_pataudi_304x171_bbc_nocredit.jpg

Arvind Srinivasan

5th February 2012, 01:19 PM

Dont know where to post this.....but this is dreadful news....
http://http://cricketnext.in.com/news/yuvraj-singh-diagnosed-with-cancer-reports/63604-13.html
hopefully god is with yuvraj

19thmay

13th March 2012, 12:20 PM

As I was reading about Pradheep Mathew, one of my cricket fanatic friend suggested to check this

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/31760.html

Bapu Nadkarni

Batsmen faced with the problem of playing Bapu Nadkarni's left-arm spin had two scoring options to choose from: nil and negligible. Nadkarni was one of the game's most noted economist ever - he gave away just 1.67 runs per over over in his Test career. In the 1960-61 series against Pakistan, he returned figures of 32-24-23-0 at Kanpur followed by 34-24-24-1 at Delhi. He crowned that with Test cricket's finest display of quantity-control bowling, with 21 successive maidens in his 32-27-5-0 against England at Madras in 1964. His legendary parsimony and precision were the result of untiring research and development in the nets - he would bowl endlessly at a coin placed on a good length.

21 successive maidens :shock: and his economy rate 1.67 in 41 test matches wow... He also picked 88 wickets.

1138

P_R

13th March 2012, 01:28 PM

andha kaala quiz question ivar :lol2:

he would bowl endlessly at a coin placed on a good length. :bow:

KlamRoyA

17th June 2012, 04:29 PM

Flash news :

Saina Nehwal wins Indonesia Open Super Series badminton tournament in Jakarta.

congrats Saina for 4th consecutive Indonesia open title...

V r proud of U... :notworthy:

raagadevan

24th July 2012, 02:07 AM

"Asiad medallist labours at brick kiln"

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/off-the-field/Asiad-medallist-labours-at-brick-kiln/articleshow/15112611.cms

raagadevan

18th August 2012, 07:30 PM

"Don’t meddle with us"

http://www.thehindu.com/arts/magazine/article3779021.ece

yoyisohuni

30th August 2012, 10:22 AM

[imghttp://economictimes.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-15958350,width-400,height-300,resizemode-4/rajiv-gandhi-khel-ratna-and-arjuna-award-2012-recepients.jpg[/img]

yoyisohuni

30th August 2012, 10:30 AM

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/node-gallery-display/Award5.jpg

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-15958249,width-400,height-300,resizemode-4/president-honors-deepa-malik-with-arjuna-award-2012.jpg

http://wikinewstime.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Vijay-Kumar-Yogeshwar-Dutt-Khel-Ratna-Award-2012.jpg

SoftSword

20th September 2012, 04:17 PM

any news about hockey league here?
IPL team owners are interested in buying the hockey teams and india cements is one of them...

definitely a big move to promote our national game... :thumbsup:

satissh_r

20th September 2012, 05:15 PM

any news about hockey league here?
IPL team owners are interested in buying the hockey teams and india cements is one of them...

definitely a big move to promote our national game... :thumbsup:

Field hockey solringala?

SoftSword

20th September 2012, 05:20 PM

Hockey India League aims to get votes of fans

With star India midfielder Sardar Singh and five-time FIH Player of the Year Jamie Dwyer as brand ambassadors, the upcoming Hockey India League (HIL) plans to capture the imagination of fans in its inaugural edition starting early next year.

With the backing of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), and a window in the calendar, the league expects to feature the best of Indian and foreign talent.

Hockey India hopes to bring the feel-good factor back into the game after the team finished 12th at the London Olympics.

"This is one of the steps we have taken to improve the standard of hockey in the country. We did poorly at the Olympics and we are looking into the causes," Hockey India secretary general Narinder Batra said at the launch of the tournament logo and introduction of the brand ambassadors.

"We also plan to have bilateral series with top sides like Australia, Germany and the Netherlands. There is also an All India University League on the anvil."

Batra said he had a clear objective about where he wants to see the Indian team over the next few years.

"I want the team to be in the top eight in world rankings in 2013, top six in 2014 and the top four in 2016. If we reach that level, with a bit of luck we can be on the Olympic podium in Rio."

The HIL is loosely based on the lines of the Indian Premier League and will have six franchises, the owners of four of which have been announced. Rajeev Shukla and Arun Jaitley, who are associated with the twenty20 cricket league, are on the HIL advisory board.

Sardar agreed that the upcoming league was a step in the right direction for Indian hockey. "Playing with the top foreign players will only improve the performance of the local players. The more experience we have of playing with and against the best players in the world, the more confidence we will get, which can only be helpful," Sardar, who was included in the FIH All-Star XI in 2010 and 2011, said.

Dwyer used to turn out in the Premier Hockey League and said that playing in India is a unique thrill. "I played here before and it is great for a hockey player. There are great crowds and great following for the sport. It will also be beneficial for Indian hockey as the players will learn a lot in a tournament like this," the Australian legend said.

Each franchise will have a roster of 24 players - 14 Indian and 10 foreign. At any given time, a team cannot field more than five foreign players. Contracts have already been signed with 90 Indian players and 14 from Pakistan.

There is a players' auction expected to be held sometime in October. The technical aspects of the tournament will be taken care of by the FIH, and Indian umpires will officiate in matches alongside foreign ones.

There will be a panel of coaches for the tournament and present India coach Michael Nobbs has the option of aligning with any particular franchise. There will be a full complement of other coaching and support staff for all the teams, Batra said.

Shukla said they have learnt from the financial problems some of the IPL franchises have faced, and had taken steps to ensure that the HIL franchises sustain their interest.

"The licence fee is much less than that in the IPL. We are not putting too much burden on the franchises to ensure that the financial model remains viable over time," he said.

Jaypee Group, owners of the Punjab franchise, said they would raise a world-class team and provide the best coaches and facilities. "We will raise a world-class team and arrange best of coaching and other facilities for our players so that they could be trained to lift the HIL Trophy," the group said in a release.

//indiatoday

iqojoxifidoc

23rd November 2012, 07:20 PM

மும்பையில் நடக்கும் இங்கிலாந்து அணிக்கு எதிரான இரண்டாவது கிரிக்கெட் டெஸ்ட் போட்டியின் முதல் இன்னிங்சில், முன்னணி வீரர்கள் விரைவில் ஆட்டமிழந்த போதும், இளம் வீரர் புஜாரா சிறப்பாக விளையாடி 248 பந்துகளில் சதமடித்தார். முதல் டெஸ்ட்டில் புஜாரா இரட்டை சதமடித்தது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது. http://http://www.dinamalar.com/News_Detail.asp?Id=591621

iqojoxifidoc

25th November 2012, 08:08 AM

1;India beat Pak; register 1st win in Lanco series

2;A lot of hard work remains to win the Test: Swann

3;Cook, Pietersen keep the Indians at bay

4;A lot of hard work remains to win the Test: Swann

hockey

India lose 3-4 to Australia, out of Lanco series final

others

Jeev overcomes news of ailing mother to equal course record

tennis
Wild card for Somdev Devvarman

foot-ball

Arsenal signs new Emirates sponsorship deal
athletics
Bolt named World Athlete of the Year
Usain Bol

Slideshow

http://http://www.thehindu.com/sport/

raagadevan

4th December 2012, 07:13 PM

International Olympic Committee suspends India (?)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/others/International-Olympic-Committee-suspends-India/articleshow/17478889.cms

raagadevan

5th December 2012, 02:39 AM

Suspended by International Olympic Committee, India faces ban from Olympics

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/others/Suspended-by-International-Olympic-Committee-India-faces-ban-from-Olympics/articleshow/17484320.cms

raagadevan

20th December 2012, 09:14 AM

Row erupts as Saina Nehwal quits at match-point

It took her a few years; but now she has become one of India's "proud" and spoiled "elites" in sports!!! What a shame!

"Someone had booked her tickets from Hyderabad for Wednesday afternoon. If she did not want to play due to whatever reason, why did she come to Lucknow at all?"

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/badminton/Row-erupts-as-Saina-Nehwal-quits-at-match-point/articleshow/17684058.cms

yoyisohuni

8th March 2013, 08:07 PM

Vijender, the former world number one, who gave India its first Olympic medal in boxing in 2008, has denied that he knew the alleged NRI drug peddler.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/vijender-singh-drug-net-punjab-police-anoop-singh-kahlon-heroin/1/257073.html

19thmay

21st May 2013, 04:58 PM

Per sollum Pillai

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Il_Bula

Ilikena Lasarusa Talebulamainavaleniveivakabulaimainakulalakebalau - His name literally means "returned alive from Nankula hospital at Lakeba island in the Lau group" :lol2:

Rbee

14th June 2013, 09:30 PM

Gatlin pipped Bolt in a 100m race recently. Beast did not take part in the race. Don't know whats Beast upto these days after clocking world's second best time for a 100m dash.
Meantime Gatlin is basking in reflected glory . His days are numbered.

raagadevan

5th August 2013, 12:13 AM

India wins historic bronze at junior women hockey World Cup

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/349083/india-win-historic-bronze-junior.html

Brianengab

5th August 2013, 10:08 AM

Congrats to Ravindra Jadeja for the Rank-1 spot in latest ODI Bowling ranking. :clap:
Achieved after 17 yrs (1996-No.1 Kumble) by another Indian...:)

19thmay

5th August 2013, 01:46 PM

Seriously :clap: for his hardwork! But he seems to under perform when Dhoni is not leading him, for instance this Zim tour.

19thmay

5th August 2013, 02:05 PM

When everyone supported DRS, BCCI rejected and now there seems to be some compromise when the world started to believe that DRS is not clean.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/658665.html

BCCI :lol2:

raagadevan

9th August 2013, 08:31 PM

P.V. Sindhu beats Shixian Wang to storm into world badminton semis after Saina Nehwal and P. Kashyap fail

"Rising shuttler P V Sindhu on Friday created history by becoming the first Indian woman singles player to ensure a medal at the World Badminton Championships"

http://sports.ndtv.com/othersports/badminton/212111-pv-sindhu-beats-shixian-wang-to-storm-into-world-badminton-semis-after-saina-kashyap-fail

raagadevan

10th August 2013, 03:21 AM

Meteoric rise of a true performer

http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/meteoric-rise-of-a-true-performer/article5007673.ece?homepage=true

Rbee

11th August 2013, 10:36 PM

Mens 100m world championsip:
Good lineup. Blake out due to injury. Gay and Powell out because of drug scandals.

1. Bolt
2. Drug cheat Gatlin
3. Drug cheat rodgers

or
1. Bolt
2. Drug cheat Gatlin
3. Ashmeade/Carter/Bailey-Cole (All Jamaicans)

Bailey-Cole has a poor start. If he gets a start like Powell he is a serious medal prospect.

Rbee

12th August 2013, 10:48 PM

Women 100m today. Shelly is my eternal fav for the event. But Blessing looks very good . Can't rule out English Gardner either

1. Shelly/Blessing
2. Blessing/ English
3. English/Stewart

Dinesh84

14th August 2013, 02:07 PM

Yelena Isinbayeva :bow:

Rbee

15th August 2013, 09:22 PM

Women's 200m semifinal. Just saw Ahoure. I like her. First sprinter from africa to get a medal in 100m. You go girl :-D. Waiting to watch my other favs Felix , Blessing and Shelly

Rbee

17th August 2013, 07:01 PM

Kiprotich leading the marathon pack.

Men's 200m today. No beast means no one to challenge Bolt. Gemili ran terrifically yesterday. Expecting him to shatter the British record.

1. Bolt
2. Weir
3. Gemili/Ashmeade

19thmay

17th October 2013, 11:51 AM

Agarkar retires from all cricket

http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/current/story/679933.html

Owner of quickest 50 ODI wickets, consecutive 7? ducks - a sumaar moonji kumar

VinodKumar's

17th October 2013, 01:04 PM

Agarkar retires from all cricket

http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/current/story/679933.html

Owner of quickest 50 ODI wickets, consecutive 7? ducks - a sumaar moonji kumar
Cetury at Lords ???

19thmay

17th October 2013, 01:31 PM

Yes thats right! But powerplay illadha kaalathulaye batsman ivaroda 10 overs-a thaan powerplay-va use pannipaanga... his line and length :banghead:
Having said that ippavumey appdi thaan iruku.... all Kumars are treated as fast bowlers, cha!

Russellyhd

22nd January 2014, 03:30 PM

Since ther s no thread for the ongoing series, posting here..

NZ 271/7(42) | Ind 277/9(41.3)
NZ won by 15 runs (D/L method)

It s medical miracle :banghead:

Russellyhd

11th February 2014, 03:48 PM

http://www.dinamalar.com/news_detail.asp?id=914139

ரெய்னா, இஷாந்த் நீக்கம் - யுவராஜ்க்கு வாய்ப்பு

பெங்களூரு : டுவென்டி-20 உலககோப்பை கிரிக்கெட் மற்றும் ஆசிய கோப்பை கிரிக்கெட் போட்டிகளில் விளையாடுவதற்கான இந்திய அணி பெங்களூருவில் இன்று அறிவிக்கப்பட்டது. இதில் இஷாந்த் சர்மா இரண்டு போட்டிகளிலுமே நீக்கப்பட்டுள்ளார். ஆசிய கோப்பை அணியில் இருந்து சுரேஷ் ரெய்னா நீக்கப்பட்டுள்ளார். அதேசமயம் டுவென்டி-20 உலககோப்பை கிரிக்கெட் அணியில் யுவராஜ் சிங் சேர்க்கப்பட்டுள்ளார்.

ஆசிய கோப்பை இந்திய அணி விபரம் வருமாறு : தோனி(கேப்டன்), ஷிகர் தவான், ஹோக்லி, ரோகித் சர்மா, புஜாரா, அம்பதி ராயுடு, ரஹானே, ஜடேஜா, அஸ்வின், புவனேஸ்வர் குமார், முகமது சமி, வருண் ஆரோன், பின்னி, அமித் மிஸ்ரா, ஈஸ்வர் பாண்டே.

டுவென்டி-20 உலககோப்பை அணி விபரம் வருமாறு : தோனி(கேப்டன்), ஷிகர் தவான், ஹோக்லி, ரோகித் சர்மா, யுவராஜ் சிங், ரஹானே, ஜடேஜா, அஸ்வின், புவனேஸ்வர் குமார், முகமது சமி, வருண் ஆரோன், பின்னி, அமித் மிஸ்ரா, ஈஸ்வர் பாண்டே, மொகித் சர்மா.

Russellyhd

4th March 2014, 11:03 AM

கிரிக்கெட் ; ஸ்மித் ஓய்வு அறிவிப்பு

ஜோகன்ஸ்பெர்க்: தென் ஆப்ரிக்காவின் பிரபல கிரிக்கெட் வீரர் ஸ்மித் சர்வதேச கிரிக்கெட் போட்டிகளில் இருந்து ஓய்வு பெறுவதாக அறிவித்துள்ளார். அனைத்து போட்டிகளில் இருந்தும் ஓய்வு பெறப்போவதாக கூறி உள்ள அவர், தனது உடல் நிலை மற்றும் குடும்ப சூழ்நிலை காரணமாக இந்த முடிவை எடுத்துள்ளதாக தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

Russellyhd

4th March 2014, 02:54 PM

விளையாட்டுச் செய்தித் துளிகள்...

§ மேற்கு வங்க மாநிலம் சிலிகுரியில் நடைபெற்று வரும் 68-வது சந்தோஷ் டிராபி கால்பந்து போட்டி யில் தமிழக அணி 3-2 என்ற கோல் கணக்கில் பஞ்சாபை தோற்கடித்து அரையிறுதிக்கு முன்னேறியது. தமிழக வீரர் ரீகன் ஹாட்ரிக் கோல் அடித்தார். மேற்கு வங்கம்-ரயில்வே அணிகளுக்கு இடையிலான மற்றொரு ஆட்டம் 1-1 என்ற கோல் கணக்கில் டிராவில் முடிந்தது.

§ ஆசிய கோப்பை கிரிக்கெட் போட்டியில் திங்கள்கிழமை நடைபெற்ற ஆட்டத்தில் இலங்கை அணி 129 ரன்கள் வித்தியாசத்தில் ஆப்கானிஸ்தானை தோற்கடித்து இறுதிச் சுற்றுக்கு முன்னேறியது. முதலில் பேட் செய்த இலங்கை அணி 6 விக்கெட் இழப்புக்கு 253 ரன்கள் எடுத்தது. பின்னர் ஆடிய ஆப்கானிஸ்தான் 124 ரன்களில் சுருண்டது.

§ ஆசிய கோப்பை கிரிக்கெட் போட்டியில் இன்று நடைபெறும் ஆட்டத்தில் வங்கதேசத்தை சந்திக்கிறது பாகிஸ்தான்.

§ ஜெர்மனியின் முல்ஹெய்ம் அன்டெர் ரூர் நகரில் நடைபெற்ற ஜெர்மன் ஓபன் பாட்மிண்டன் போட்டியில் இந்தியாவின் அரவிந்த் பட் சாம்பியன் பட்டம் வென்றார். :clap:

§ ஆடவர் இரட்டையர் தரவரிசையில் இந்தியாவின் ரோஹன் போபண்ணா 4 இடங்கள் முன்னேற்றம் கண்டு 12-வது இடத்தைப் பிடித்தார். லியாண்டர் பயஸ் தொடர்ந்து 10-வது இடத்தில் உள்ளார். :clap:

§ உத்தரப்பிரதேச தலைநகர் லக்னெளவில் நடைபெற்று வரும் ஹாக்கி இந்தியா சீனியர் ஆடவர் ஹாக்கி சாம்பியன்ஷிப் போட்டியில் பெங்கால் 5-0 என்ற கோல் கணக்கில் மிசோரமை தோற்கடித்து தொடர்ச்சியாக 2-வது வெற்றியைப் பதிவு செய்தது.

Russellyhd

11th March 2014, 04:36 PM

விளையாட்டுச் செய்தித் துளிகள்...

# அமெரிக்காவின் இன்டியன் வெல்ஸ் நகரில் நடைபெற்று வரும் இன்டியன்வெல்ஸ் ஓபன் டென்னிஸ் போட்டியில் இந்தியாவின் லியாண்டர் பயஸ்-செக்.குடியரசின் ரடேக் ஸ்டெபானெக் ஜோடி காலிறுதிக்கு முன்னேறியது. காலிறுதிக்கு முந்தைய சுற்றில் 7-6 (6), 3-6, 10-5 என்ற செட் கணக்கில் போலந்தின் ஜெர்ஸி ஜானோவிச்-ஜெர்மனியின் பிலிப் கோல்ஸ்கிரைபரை தோற்கடித்த பயஸ் ஜோடி, அடுத்ததாக இஸ்ரேலின் ஜொனாதன் எர்லிச்-பிரான்ஸின் ரிச்சர்ட் காஸ்கட் ஜோடியை சந்திக்கிறது.

# 7-வது ஐபிஎல் கிரிக்கெட் போட்டியில் விளையாடவுள்ள ராஜஸ்தான் ராயல்ஸ் அணிக்கு ஆஸ்திரேலிய ஆல்ரவுண்டர் ஷேன் வாட்சன் கேப்டனாக நியமிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளார். கடந்த ஐபிஎல் போட்டியில் அந்த அணியின் கேப்டனாக இருந்த ராகுல் திராவிட், ஆலோசகராக நியமிக்கப்பட்டிருக்கிறார்.

# மேற்கிந்தியத் தீவுகளின் பர்படாஸில் நடைபெற்ற முதலா வது டி20 கிரிக்கெட் போட்டியில் மேற்கிந்தியத் தீவுகள் அணி 27 ரன்கள் வித்தியாசத்தில் இங்கிலாந்தைத் தோற் கடித்தது. மே.இ.தீவுகள் வீரர் சாமு வேல்ஸ் 46 பந்துகளில் 1 சிக்ஸர், 10 பவுண்டரிகளுடன் ஆட்டமிழக்காமல் 69 ரன்கள் குவித்து ஆட்டநாயகன் விருதைத் தட்டிச் சென்றார்.

# இன்டியன்வெல்ஸ் டென்னிஸ் போட்டியின் ஒற்றையர் போட்டி யில் உலகின் 5-ம் நிலை வீரரான தாமஸ் பெர்டிச் 6-4, 2-6, 4-6 என்ற செட் கணக்கில் ஸ்பெயினின் பெளதிஸ்டா அகட்டிடம் தோல்வி கண்டார்.

# 2014 உலகக் கோப்பை கால் பந்து போட்டியை நடத்துவது பிரேசிலுக்கு கிடைத்த மிகப் பெரிய வாய்ப்பு. இந்தப் போட்டி மறக்க முடியாத ஒன்றாக இருக்கும் என நம்புகிறேன் என்று பிரேசில் முன்னாள் கால்பந்து வீரர் பீலே தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.