Ind vs Pak: Pakistan elect to bat against India

India-Pakistan matches are traditionally a battle between India's batting and our bowling. And I think we have the ammunition to put them under pressure," Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq said. (AFP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and decided to bat in their last Asia Cup league match against arch-rivals India at Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

Scorecard | Asia Cup Points Table | Asia Cup Stats | Asia Cup Schedule

India made one change in their playing eleven, replacing injured Ravindra Jadeja with Yusuf Pathan, while Pakistan brought Wahab Riaz in place of Sarfraz Ahmed.

For Team India, it was supposed to be a stage rehearsal for the final, but not anymore. A defeat against Bangladesh has come as a shock for MS Dhoni and his boys and now they are up against a resurgent Pakistan looking for revenge.

Pakistan have already secured a berth in the final with victories over Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and will be under less pressure unlike the Indians.

It's the Pakistan bowling attack that is making them look formidable in this tournament. Umar Gul is the spearhead with some decent back-up in the form of Aizaz Cheema, who won the Man of the Match award against Sri Lanka.

The Indians, on the other hand, have to quickly sort out their bowling woes as any mistake could see the team bowing out of the tournament.

The teams have met in two crucial encounters in the last two years (World Cup semifinal in 2011 and Asia Cup in 2010), and India have triumphed on both occasions. But this time, Pakistan hold the aces.

Teams:

India: Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Praveen Kumar, Ashok Dinda.

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Umar Akmal (wk), Hammad Azam, Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Aizaz Cheema, Wahab Riaz

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Sachin Tendulkar is Mr India, a true national hero: Ranatunga

An outsized group of students celebrate the 100th century of Sachin Tendulkar at Everwin Matriculation School, Kolathur in Chennai on Friday. (TOI Photo)

KOLKATA: In a career spanning 18 years, Arjuna Ranatunga had spotted and nurtured many precocious talents. He has also seen many gifted young cricketers losing their way in international cricket, but by his own admission, the former Sri Lanka captain has not seen a more complete cricketer than Sachin Tendulkar.

Special: Sachin hits 100th ton | In Pics: The Making Of A Master

Sri Lanka's only World Cup winning captain spoke to TOI about what makes the Little Master the toast of the cricketing fraternity. Excerpts:

What were your impressions about Sachin when you first watched him bat?

I first played against Sachin in 1990 in a one-off Test at Mohali, exactly one year after he had made his Test debut in Pakistan. He made just 11, but did look the part. However, by the time we next played India in Sri Lanka in 1993, he had already matured as a batsman and was already a star.

Is he the most talented kid you have seen?

It is not about talent alone. It is what you do with it that counts. I would say that Vinod Kambli was perhaps as talented as Sachin when they started off. It is Sachin's commitment and dedication to the game that has seen him scale unprecedented heights, while Kambli, sadly, lost his way.

What would you say is Sachin's biggest quality?

He has never lost focus and let anything else interfere with his cricket. Every time he goes out to bat, he has looked to improve as a player. In spite of being the game's biggest star, he has never put self before the game itself. In an era when cricket is big business, he continues to put his country before cash. In my book, he is 'Mr India', a true national hero.

As a rival captain did you spot any weaknesses in Sachin's batting and exploited it?

Of course, whenever we spotted one, we would plan our line of attack accordingly. Sometimes we were successful, but Sachin's biggest quality is that he rarely made the same mistake twice. So we would have to start all over again!

Do Sachin's batting figures truly tell the whole story?

Numbers alone never tell the whole story. Let's not forget that Sachin was on top of his game in an era when the pitches the world over were more bowler-friendly and the quality of bowling was really world class. Pakistan had the two 'Ws', South Africa had Allan Donald and Fanie de Villers, the Aussies had Mc-Dermott, McGrath and Warne, the West Indies had Ambrose and Walsh and we had Murali and Vaas. The fact that Sachin dominated all attacks and mastered conditions all over the globe, makes him the champion he is.

Are comparisons with Don Bradman fair?

It is not fair to compare players from different eras. All I can say is that he is by far the best player I have seen or played against, and I hope for the sake of Test cricket he carries on for a few more years.

Do you see his record of one hundred 100s ever be broken?

I am sure he will get quite a few more. I think his record is safe because in spite of so much cricket being played these days, I don't see any player worldwide who has the passion and dedication that has gone into the making of the great man. Players like him come along once in a lifetime. I doubt whether we will see someone half as good as him in our lifetime.

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It was my toughest hundred, I am relieved: Sachin Tendulkar Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/it-is-my-toughest-international-ton-sachin-tendulkar/1/178228.html

 

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It took Sachin Tendulkar over a year and 30-odd innings to become the first batsman in the cricket history to score a century of international centuries. Facing all round pressure from his critics and fans alike, the Master Blaster is a relieved man now after his most awaited century came in Bangladesh on Friday.

A day after his 100th international ton, Tendulkar spoke to Headlines Today. He had no hesitation in admitting that despite his century came against hosts Bangladesh, considered comparatively a weak team, it was the toughest of his 100 tons. He also slammed his critics who had only negative opinions.

EXCERPTS:
Q. You must have had a good night's sleep after many months. You mentioned how it was your toughest ton?
I have to admit I am relieved now. When I got my 99th hundred against South Africa in World Cup, no one spoke about my 100th hundred. The focus was on the World Cup. As soon as the World Cup was over, the focus shifted to my 100th hundred.
I went to England. Everyone said I want to get my 100th hundred at Lord's. I wish I could do that at will. Scoring hundreds is not easy. It doesn't come as and when you want. You have to go out there. All the things should click. It is a process. I have experienced that even after scoring 99 hundreds.
The 100th hundred was not that easy. Possibly, the toughest one.

Q. What does this mean for you personally? You don't play for records but 100 tons must be surely special.
It is special. I did not start playing cricket to break records. I started playing because I love playing... dream was to play for India. While living that dream, many records have been broken. It is not about breaking records. It is about enjoyment factor and the way I want to play cricket for India. That is the most important.

Q. You lived your greatest dream last April. But then luck seemed to have deserted you. Oval, Mumbai, Sydney, you were batting well, came so close, yet remained so far from the milestone.
I was batting well. Last year, there have been patches where I have really-really batted well. Possibly, one of the best in my life. But there were patches where I ran out of luck. It is just those moments where you need breakthroughs. I was unfortunate on those occasions. Luck was not on my side, I felt. Sometimes you don't bat well, but you still end up scoring runs. That is something which happens to all the players. It just teaches you more in life. It just teaches you to be humble.

Q. While you have been consistently performing, the dry spell of tons had given critics firepower to say plenty.
Well, there are certain critics who I respect. Certain I don't. Certain ones only have negative opinions. They are standing in the queue first to make a negative statement. But I don't receive their messages when I am congratulated or applauded. So, it doesn't matter. People you care about are the ones I respect. There are certain guys I don't respect.

Q. You take greatest pride in team triumphs. Disappointed your century did not convert into a win for India?
Yes, I am disappointed. We scored 290 runs. At the same time they batted well, handled the pressure very well. Not always you are going to win. There are times when, just to give you an example, Australia scored 434 and still lost. The opposition also turns up at the venue to win. Credit to Bangladesh.
There are ups and downs in the tournament. The tournament is not over yet.

Q. Next do or die game against Pakistan. Special emotions?
It is a big game. India-Pakistan is always a big game. People look forward to that. So do the players. It will be an important game for us, more than Pakistan. Hope we do well.

Q. Cricketers tend to be superstitious. This new hairstyle is bringing you good luck?
(Laughs) No, not really. I think it is my batting. I have not changed my hairstyle for a long time. Managed to score 99 hundreds. So I don't think hairstyle would do all those things. But it is good to have some change.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/it-is-my-toughest-international-ton-sachin-tendulkar/1/178228.html

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Ind vs Aus: India lose Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid cheaply on Day 1

Ben Hilfenhaus of Australia (right) celebrates after taking the wicket of Virender Sehwag of India during the first day of the third Test at the WACA in Perth. (Reuters Photo)

NEW DELHI: India suffered another blow when Australian paceman Peter Siddle struck in his first over to remove Rahul Dravid on the first day of the third Test at the WACA ground in Perth.

Scorecard

Dravid attempted to flick full length delivery off his pads, probably beaten up by the pace and the ball ricochets off his pads to the stumps. Dravid made nine off 35 balls with the help of a boundary.

Dravid added 28 runs for the second wicket with Gautam Gambhir after losing Virender Sehwag early.

India's opening woes continued as the visitors lost Sehwag for a duck in the fourth over of the opening day.

Ben Hilfenhaus struck early when dangerous Sehwag looked to play to the offside that took an outside edge to Ricky Ponting at slip as India dealt an early blow.

Earlier, Australian skipper Michael Clarke won the toss and elected to bowl in the third Test of the four-match series.

Both Australia and India go with four quicks in the match. Pacer Vinay Kumar came in place of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for India whereas for the hosts Mitchell Starc replace spinner Nathan Lyon.

Australia hold a 2-0 lead in the four-Test series after convincing wins in Melbourne and Sydney.
India must win both remaining Tests to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar will again chase his elusive 100th international century, in just his third Test at the venue, where he scored a 114 on his first tour of Australia in 1992.

Tendulkar has been stranded on 99 Test and one-day international centuries since March when he scored 111 against South Africa in the World Cup.

Friday's match got under way under clear skies and in warm conditions, but there was some rain forecast for the coming days as a cyclone edges down the WA coast.

Teams:

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (c), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virat Kohli, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Vinay Kumar.

Australia: Michael Clarke (c), David Warner, Ed Cowan, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin, Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus, Ryan Harris, Mitchel Starc.

Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and Kumara Dharmasena ( Sri Lanka).

Third umpire: Paul Reiffel (Australia).

Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka)

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Rahul Dravid rubbishes Australian media reports, says no rift in Team India

Indian veteran batsman Rahul Dravid refuted Australia media reports that there is any rift in the team and said spirit is high ahead of the third Test at Perth. (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Indian veteran batsman Rahul Dravid refuted Australian media reports that there is any rift in the team and said spirit is high ahead of the third Test at Perth.

An article in Australian newspaper Herald Sun says, "Virender Sehwag is the man polarizing opinions in the Indian rooms." The paper quotes Australian pacer Ryan Harris as saying that the "Indians were fighting among themselves" and the team does not have unity.

According to the article there is a division in the team on who should captain the Indian team. According to the report, some players are in favour of Sehwag as captain while a section wants Mahendra Singh Dhoni to continue as skipper.

If players are to be believed, the atmosphere inside the dressing room is not as it is being made out in the media, particularly Australian, but the spirit after two big losses is certainly low. They feel that one good performance on the field could help the team turn the corner.

Celebrating his 39th birthday on Wednesday, India's batting mainstay Dravid also said the green Perth pitch will be a great challenge for Indian batsmen in a do-or-die third Test.

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Dravid credits career revival to Tendulkar

Rahul Dravid said he drew inspiration for his revival from Sachin Tendulkar, who himself had fought off the trying times with grit. (Reuters Photo)

MELBOURNE: Rahul Dravid feared end of his career due to slump in form at one stage but drew inspiration from fellow Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar's fighting spirit to not only revive his career but also emerge as the leading Test run scorer this season.

Dravid revealed that he felt like it was all over for him due to prolonged lean patch and that he put too much pressure on himself during that period, worrying what would be the best time to call it quits.

But changed his approach by observing how Tendulkar had come out of a similar tough period.

"I thought I had played my last Test match in Australia. If you have been someone who has contributed a lot for your team over the years, then to get the feeling that the team is carrying you is something that is not easy to get used to ... It was a difficult period for me," Dravid said in an interview with 'Sydney Morning Herald', recalling how he felt at the end of India's last tour Down Under about four years ago

Dravid then had equally bad tour against the Australia at home and against England but he was not dropped from the side and finally he succeeded in regaining his touch.

The prolific scorer said he drew inspiration for his revival from Tendulkar, who himself had fought off the trying times with grit.

"He went through a tough period and he came out of that. That was an inspiration to me. Being in the same dressing room as him, he was having a golden run while I was going through one of my worst times.

"You think if he can do it - admittedly, he is a much better player, a greater player - but he didn't stress himself about outside stuff, he didn't answer too many questions about retirement, he just got on with the business of scoring runs ...

"I got too caught up in worrying about, what is the right time [to finish], what is the wrong time, is this my last tour, is it not my last tour, rather than just playing. It doesn't matter in the end when you finish. I think over the past year, year and a half, I've just played the game, and when the time comes, it comes," Dravid said.

Dravid, three weeks short of his 39th birthday, said with age a player's batting style changes but an ageing cricketer could still make valuable contribution to the team.

"It (age) does change things, there's no doubt about it. You're a different player than you were as a 24-year-old or a 30-year-old. I think actually it is about recognising that, yes, you do change, as a person, as a player

"Will you be the same player as you were at 28? Maybe not. Can you still be effective and play a role for your side? Probably, yes. A lot of people get hung up on looking at a player in what they think is his prime, and they think he should play like that all the time; it will never happen. You might play the odd innings like that again but even Viv Richards was not the same player when he finished," he said.

Dravid said a player should continue playing the game and even favoured coming out of retirement, just the way legendary Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe did.

"I was reading what Ian Thorpe said when he came out of retirement and somebody asked him about his legacy: 'What are you doing to your legacy by coming back and coming eighth in a race?' And he said, 'I can sacrifice my legacy for the love of the sport," Dravid said.

"That makes sense. It's pure, he [Thorpe] still enjoys swimming and he enjoys competing. He's not concerned about his legacy, he's concerned about what actually made him play the game in the first place, which is that love of the game, the desire to compete and play. And that will go at some stage. That probably should be the decision," he said.

Talking about his batting style, he said he cannot be as aggressive as Indian opener Virender Sehwag and is happy with the way he plays.

"I'm never going to be a Sehwag. That's not me, but when I'm playing well and things are flowing for me, my scoring rate does improve. I feel in good position, I feel balanced, I am able to get fully forward, get fully back. I create more opportunities to score runs.

"Then when I struggle, I can get into my shell and get really tight. Part of my nature is to fight through things. A lot of guys will hit their way out of trouble but my defence mechanism, my fallback, is to fight through the difficult times," he said.

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Akkunji and six others banned for doping

Doping row: Six athletes banned for 1 year by NADA

See photo

NEW DELHI: Seven top Indian athletes, including Asian Games double gold-medallist Ashwini Akkunji, were on Friday handed bans for flunking dope tests earlier this year, virtually ending their chances of participating in the London Olympics next year.

The seven athletes include six quartermilers - Mandeep Kaur, Sini Jose, Mary Tiana Thomas, Priyanka Pawar, Jauna Murmu and Akkunji - and long jumper Harikrishanan Muraleedharan - who flunked dope tests for banned steroids. The athletes were not present when the decision was announced at the National Anti-Doping Agency headquarters.

While the six women athletes have been banned for a year, Muraleedharan has been slapped with a two-year ban.

All of them can appeal against the bans to NADA appellate panel but their lawyers said they would assess the judgement before taking a decision on that.

NADA panel head Dinesh Dayal announced a reduced penalty period as the athletes were not found guilty of intentionally taking the banned substances.

The maximum suspension stands at two years for first-time violators.

"We find all the seven athletes guilty of doping violations under clause 2.1 of Anti-doping Rule. The date of suspension begins from today and any period under provisional suspension shall be credited in their penalty period which is one year," he told reporters.

"We did not find any significant fault on the part of these athletes on how the banned substance entered their bodies and they will get reduced penalty under clause 10.5.2 NADA rule. Two athletes - Mary Tiana Thomas and Jauna Murmu - were tested twice in May and June and they cannot be held guilty on two counts," he added.

In the submissions by NADA, it was found that foreign coach Yuri Ogorodnik was responsible for giving the banned substance to the athletes.

"In fact the defense taken by the athletes is an admission of the facts that their coach had given them the nutritional supplement and that there were Prohibited Substances in the nutritional supplement, Ginseng Kinapi Pil being administered by the coach," the NADA order read.

"It is the case of NADA that the admission of the athlete that they had taken supplement under the instructions of the coach does not absolve them of the legal obligations as enumerated in Article 2.1 and 2.1.1 & 2.1.2 of the Rules," the order further stated.

Akkunji, who won a gold in 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay in the Asian Games, will not be able to participate in the London Olympics as she will have to serve ban period upto July 3, 2012 as she was handed provisional suspension on July 4 this year.

A top Athletics Federation of India official said that Olympic qualification period ends on July 2 and the last qualifying event is scheduled for June 29 and 30, 2012.

"The last qualifying event is on June 29 and 30 and qualification period ends on July 2. They also will need a reinstatement test after their ban period is over which under IAAF will have to be thrice," the official said.

But the banned women athletes have a slim chance of making it to London if their replacements manage to qualify for the Games as the final say on who represents India in the event rests with the AFI.

NADA director general Rahul Bhatnagar said that under its rules, there will be only one reinstatement test.

"We will follow NADA rules and we will have only one test which can be done the next day after their ban period is over. The results should come within 48 hours," he said.

Mandeep, one of the members of the women's 4x400m relay quartet who won gold in Asian Games, was provisionally suspended on June 23 along with Murmu.

Jose, also a member of the quartet, and Mary Tiana Thomas were suspended on June 30. Priyanka Pawar was suspended along with Akkunji on July 4.

Meanwhile, the representative of the athletes, Anish Dayal, hailed the decision of the disciplinary committee, saying the stand vindicates their position.

"This reasoning by the disciplinary panel is pretty much in our favour. We are very happy prima facie. This order is definitely a vindication of the stand, which the girls were taking all through, that they were not at the fault," Dayal said.

He added that the NADA panel had confirmed that the athletes did not commit any intentional violation.

"The anti-doping disciplinary panel has found that period of ineligibility stands reduced because athletes have been found to have no significant fault or negligence," he revealed.

"The panel also found that contamination in their body was as a result of the pills given by the coach and those pills were found contaminated by the tests which were carried out by the NDTL (National Doping Test Laboratory)," he added.

Dayal said that since the athletes had to work at the behest of the SAI appointed coach they were not in a position to prevent themselves.

"As the coach was appointed by the SAI, athletes have no significant fault and they could not have prevented themselves from taking the pills.

"So under the NADA rules they have reduced the ineligibility period to one year starting from the date of the order but they have also given the benefit of the period of the provisional suspension. So for each girl it is largely from June-July 2011 till date. It means that they get six months of additional sentence," Dayal informed

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'Aussie cricket crisis' declared after New Zealand defeat

SYDNEY: Australia reacted with a wave of panic on Tuesday after falling to a first home Test defeat to New Zealand in more than a quarter of a century with a series against India just two weeks away.

"Aussie cricket crisis", "Black Monday", the "Lowest of the Low", "The Flat Empire" were the headlines adorning the back pages of the country's newspapers above pictures of celebrating New Zealand and forlorn Australian cricketers.

"Once the kings of world cricket, Australia are no longer capable of putting away eighth-ranked New Zealand and ... they are in disarray heading into the series against India," read the back page of Sydney's Daily Telegraph.

The thrilling drama of the conclusion to the Hobart Test, which New Zealand won by seven runs, was largely forgotten as critics lined up to take pot shots at the team.

Opener Phil Hughes, who was out in almost identical fashion in all four innings of the series against the Black Caps making just 41 runs, was the most pilloried but experienced batsmen Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey were also lambasted for failures.

"The time has come for change," Richard Hinds wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald. "Most pertinently, the time when a couple of much-loved veterans, Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey, could nominate their retirement dates has passed."

Former coach Bob Simpson led calls for the recall of Simon Katich, who controversially lost his central contract with Cricket Australia in June despite being one of his country's best Test performers over the previous three years.

The 36-year-old opener, however, told the Telegraph he thought his Test career was probably over.

"I pretty much know they've made their decision, there is nothing much else that has happened," said Katich, who was reprimanded last week for comments suggesting captain Michael Clarke had been behind the loss of his contract.

As after the Ashes humiliation against England last year, the whole system of Australian cricket came in for considerable scrutiny.

Many commentators, as Clarke did on Monday, pointed to the fact that the struggling batsmen would have only Australia's new Twenty20 competition in which to find their form before the first of four Test against India begins on Dec. 26.

India, who play their first tour match in Canberra on Thursday, have never won a Test series in Australia but arrived ranked second in the world with their hosts still languishing in fourth place.

Patrick Smith suggested the country's cricketers had displayed a "soft centre" in Hobart rather than the grit and determination that marked the wearers of the baggy green caps during the heyday of Australian cricket.

"A side supposedly intoxicated with the grisly Australian culture does not lose to an earnest but ordinary Kiwi side," he wrote in the Australian.

"This Australian side is neither technically sound nor stern of character. It might be enthusiastic but any fourth XI side can boast such a common quality."

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New Zealand celebrates rare win over Australia

WELLINGTON: New Zealand celebrated "an early Christmas" Tuesday with front-page media praise for a rare cricket victory over Australia and disbelief that chief wicket taker Doug Bracewell was not man of the match.

"Ho Ho Hobart, Christmas cheer for Black Caps", trumpeted The Press, the New Zealand Herald hailed "Doug the destroyer, six of the best" and the Dominion Post described Bracewell as the "Wizard of Oz".

The New Zealand Black Caps had been largely written off by their own fans following their nine-wicket thrashing in the first Test which extended a 26-year winless run in Australia.

But the dramatic seven-run win in the second Test in Hobart to level the series spun the sentiment around.

Captain Ross Taylor's remark that the historic win "was for the New Zealand public an early Christmas present" was pounced on by the media as the victory slogan.

"Christmas cheer for Black Caps," said The Press as Radio New Zealand rated the drought-breaking win as "one of the most remarkable" in New Zealand's cricket history".

Bracewell struck when New Zealand were on the ropes with Australia only requiring 82 runs with eight wickets in hand to take the match.

Three wickets in 15 balls to remove Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey on his way to match figures of 6-40 thrust the 21-year-old speedster into the limelight in only his third Test.

The Press hailed him as a "budding superstar" and the Dominion Post said the match turned on Bracewell's "magical spell" to secure New Zealand's first triumph in Australia since 1985 when Richard Hadlee was in his prime.

"The result doesn't suddenly make New Zealand world beaters. But it does show what is possible with skill, perseverance and heart," wrote Herald columnist David Leggat.

But the celebrations carried criticism that match-winner Bracewell was overlooked as man-of-the-match in favour of Australian century-maker David Warner.

The award was decided by a public phone-in vote instead if the traditional selection by a panel of experts and 60 percent voted for Warner.

"That's just ridiculous," tweeted former Black Iain O'Brien comparing a century for the losing side against a six-wicket bag for the winning team.

Another former international Andre Adams added a touch of sarcasm with his tweet saying he supposed "Doug's spell of 6-26 off 9 didn't have any impact".

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I didn't want to be a figurehead: Kumble

Former Indian captain Anil Kumble comes out after attending BCCI meeting in New Delhi. Kumble tendered his resignation from the chairmanship of NCA. (PTI Photo)

BANGALORE: Cricket babudom's latest victim is former India captain Anil Kumble. At a time when there's a serious call for more sportsmen to be involved in sports administration, Kumble resigned from his post as NCA chairman during a BCCI Working Committee meeting in Delhi on Monday.

A series of allegations, which included a possible conflict of interest thanks to the multiple hats he wore, hadn't led him to call it a day. In fact he had insisted then that it is not in his nature to run away from a problem. But when his vision for a new-look National Cricket Academy (NCA), which would go beyond being a rehabilitation center as it seems to be now, was repeatedly put on the backburner, Kumble realized his time was up.

"I had a three-year vision for the NCA but when that didn't seem to find an alignment with the other members (of the NCA as well as the BCCI), I decided to move on," Kumble told TOI.

The resignation was reportedly accepted promptly and Punjab's MP Pandove appointed caretaker chairman. The NCA itself had met in Chennai on Sunday, a meeting chaired by Kumble. "I didn't want to be a mere figurehead, that's not how I work," added Kumble.

Soon after he took over the Bangalore-based NCA in 2010, Kumble had made a presentation to the BCCI top brass where he had laid out his vision for the academy in the years to come. At that time itself there were murmurs that the BCCI didn't quite agree with what he had to say. "I am not saying whatever I propose be accepted. But if nothing is going to be done, then I might as well as move on," said Kumble, who is presently the president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, a honorary post, and the mentor of IPL side Royal Challengers Bangalore, a paid job.

Kumble is also director of a player management firm named Tenvic, which has in its fold players like Vinay Kumar, S Arvind and CM Gautam, two promising Karnataka cricketers. It is this that was cited as a possible clash of conflict and the reason for his resignation but Kumble made clear those allegations had nothing to do with the resignation.

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Ishant has some technical issues, says Ian Bishop

Indian seamer Ishant Sharma picks up the ball during Team India's practice session at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai. (AFP Photo)

MUMBAI: Wankhede witnessed a humdinger that will go down in record books as one of the closest Test matches ever played. West Indies played smartly to deny India a 3-0 clean sweep on the final day of the third Test.

TOI caught up with former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop for a ringside view of the thrilling final day's play. Excerpts...

How would you sum up the final day?

It was an enthralling last day's play. The pitch came to life unexpectedly but West Indies continued to show problems in their batting. Three times in this series the batting collapsed. So, that has been an ongoing problem. They will be happy with the performance of the bowlers and happier, perhaps, not to lose the Test match. But they have to cope with the inexperience in the batting.

Do you feel Shivnarine Chanderpaul could have made a difference in this game?

That was possible in theory. Someone like Chanderpaul is always going to be an asset to any side. This was a sort of pitch that he would have enjoyed batting on. But West Indies batted well in the first innings without Chanderpaul. And they have to continue doing it on both innings of a Test match. There are still some technical issues with one or two players. The way the wickets fell today was disappointing.

Darren Bravo has been phenomenal in this series cracking two hundreds. Your thoughts on his matured batting...

He's an exceptional player in this West Indies team. He has an analytical mind, has a range of strokes and he has the focus to do well. He wants to leave a legacy of being a great player and I have no doubt that Darren will shape into a great West Indian batsman.

Do you feel this young team has it in them to carry the great West Indian legacy?

I think they understand the legacy that is left by the Marshalls, the Lloyds, the Greenidges... They are a young team and they have to respect that and create their own legacy. They have to do things in a fashion that suits their talent. You won't have four great fast bowlers again. So, whatever attack they have, they got to work on that. Kraigg Brathwaite, for example, occupies the crease and he can't be a Greenidge. So, he has to play in his own fashion. Darren Bravo talks about looking up to Lara, but he doesn't pattern himself on Lara. So, he's trying to form his own legacy and I am sure the comparisons will stop coming after a point and Bravo won't be seen as Brian Lara.

How would you describe Darren Sammy's leadership qualities?

He's a learning captain, a team man. But he has to improve his batting. His bowling, I think, has been above expectations in my view. He's a good fielder...

What are the points India should carry from this game for the tour Down Under?

The Indian top-order has to improve. Some of the players have to be little patient. I am sure India will bat well. Guys like Virat Kohli have to get bigger runs. The bowlers have a lot of learning to do. The spinners have been good on slow and low pitches. But we won't know how good they are unless they play in Australian conditions. It will be interesting to see how Ashwin and Ojha perform there. But the key will be how soon Zaheer Khan comes to manage the bowling. India definitely need a leading seamer.

Ishant Sharma could pick only five wickets in the Test series. What's stopping him?

There's a slight technical issue with Ishant. He's a good bowler but I think that sometimes his left shoulder opens up a touch and falls away too much leaving him with not enough pace behind each delivery. His accuracy is not so bad. I just feel he has to be a touch more upright when he bowls and that will help him utilise the bounce. My only concern with him is purely with the left shoulder dropping. He doesn't always get the wrist behind the ball. He gets over 140 kph, but I guess once he does that he will hit that pace more consistently.

Your thoughts on debutants Yadav and Aaron...

Both guys have a lot of potential. And I think India should just allow them to grow. They hit 140 kph but just in one morning they won't turn into great fast bowlers. There has to be a process because they will find it harder on Australian pitches against batsmen who like to play pace and bounce. It's very important that both of them continue to fine tune their skills. But one of the great things about them is that they can do something with the ball. And I think they will continue to learn to attack. India should give them a couple of years to perform well.

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Ponting vows to fight for his place in Australian team

Ponting has not scored a Test century since January last year. (AP Photo)

MELBOURNE: Under pressure to retire following his prolonged lean patch, veteran batsman Ricky Ponting has vowed to fight for his place in the Australian Test team ahead of the upcoming series against New Zealand.

Ponting is coming off a lean 24 months with the bat, averaging just 14 in his 13 innings before scoring a crucial 62 against South Africa in Johannesburg this week.

"Of course (I want to keep playing). I really enjoy it and always have," Ponting said after arriving home from South Africa.

"It's a great team to be a part of at the moment. I want to be around and hopefully be able to have some sort of impact on the way the team plays If I keep doing my job, then hopefully I keep getting picked," he added.

The former skipper has not scored a Test century since January last year but his gritty knock in Australia's record-breaking chase in the second Test in Johannesburg convinced the 37-year-old he deserves his spot.

"When you know that you can contribute to wins that's what it's all about I guess. I felt I had a part to play in the second game," Ponting, who is considered Australia's greatest batsman after Don Bradman, was quoted as saying by 'The Age'.

Test captain Michael Clarke backed Ponting to keep his spot, saying he still has a lot to offer to Australian cricket if he can build on his most recent innings.

"If I thought that Ricky Ponting or Mitchell Johnson couldn't perform at this level, I wouldn't be supporting them as I have done," Clarke said.

"I've been watching Ricky bat in the nets -- I know he's in good nick. Under pressure the other night, he did that but the reality is that he needs to perform better than he has done of late to stay in the team."

Ponting was pleased to hear he had the support of the skipper.

"It's nice to know the guys that you go into battle with every week are looking out for you," he said.

Former India coach Greg Chappell, who was recently sacked as Cricket Australia selector after a reported fall out with the senior players, believes that Ponting should be retained until the regeneration of the Australian team is further advanced.

"I don't want to see him retire. I think he's an important cog in the regeneration of the Australian side," said Chappell.

"You don't discard champions lightly, they're hard to find, and when you've got one who's still committed and keen to play his part in Australian cricket I'd be giving him a bit more time yet," he said.

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Akmal, Misbah guide Pakistan to 4-1 series win

Pakistan's Umar Akmal and Saeed Ajmal celebrate after victory on the fifth and final one-day international against Sri Lanka at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. (AFP Photo)

ABU DHABI: Skipper Misbah-ul Haq and Umar Akmal hit half centuries to help Pakistan upstage Sri Lanka by three wickets in the fifth and final day-night international at Abu Dhabi Stadium on Wednesday.

Scorecard

Misbah hit an attractive 66 while Akmal finished on an unbeaten 61 to help Pakistan made light work of the Sri Lankan total of 218/9 as they reached home in 47.2 overs to take the five-match series 4-1.

The victory, which followed a 1-0 win in the three-Test series, lifted Pakistan to fifth in the International Cricket Council's one-day rankings.

Misbah added 62 for the third wicket with Younis Khan (34) after Pakistan lost openers Mohammad Hafeez (14) and Asad Shafiq (26) in a shaky start.

Even when leg-spinner Jeevan Mendis removed Younis and Shoaib Malik -- both trapped leg-before -- off successive deliveries, Misbah and Akmal made sure Pakistan finished on the winning side.

Misbah, who hit five fours during his 99-ball knock, found an able ally in Akmal, who helped his skipper add 84 for the fifth wicket before the Pakistan skipper miscued a reverse sweep off Mendis, who finished with 3-36.

Akmal, who hit eight boundaries during his fiery 60-ball knock, made sure Pakistan did not lose track by hitting the winning boudary.

Misbah said every player did his best to achieve the series win.

"Everything went well for us," said Misbah, under whom Pakistan have won nine one-days, losing just one. "Credit goes to every player as they wanted to do well."

Dilshan blamed poor batting for the slump.

"We batted poorly throughout the series and that's why we lost," said Dilshan, under whom Sri Lanka have lost three one-day series. "I am disappointed and we didn't do well in batting either."

Earlier, Kumar Sangakkara scored 78 and Angelo Mathews made 61 during their innings-repairing fifth-wicket stand of 118 before Sri Lanka faltered, with only a late-order batting fightback helping them to a competitive total.

Sri Lanka were reduced to 46-4 after they decided to bat under overcast conditions that the Pakistani seam attack took full advantage of, grabbing four early wickets by the 11th over.

Paceman Sohail Tanvir, who took 4-34, had opener Upul Tharanga (three) and Dinesh Chandimal (seven) in his first spell, while Umar Gul accounted for Sri Lankan skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan (12) -- all three caught behind the wicket.

First change Junaid Khan dismissed Chamara Silva (one) to leave the fight to Sangakkara and Mathews, who slowly built the innings against some quality pace and spin bowling.

Sangakkara hit eight boundaries during his 99-ball knock -- his 67th one-day half-century -- before he miscalculated a drive off spinner Mohammad Hafeez and was caught at extra cover by Misbah-ul Haq.

Mathews, who hit two boundaries and two sixes off 101 balls, was bowled round his legs by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.

Thisara Perera (25) added 34 runs for the eighth wicket with Seekkuge Prasanna, who made eight not out.

Pakistan, who won the first, third and fourth matches in the series, rested opener Imran Farhat, Aizaz Cheema and Sarfraz Ahmed to bring in Tanvir, Khan and Shafiq.

Sri Lanka were forced to bring in Silva for Mahela Jayawardene, who returned home due to a knee injury.

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15-year-old Omprakash grabs eight-wicket haul

MUMBAI: He's always answering questions with a lowered gaze, but the way fifteen-year-old Omprakash Jaiswal is playing his cricket these days, there seems to be only one direction he's headed - up. Turning out for IES VN Sule Guruji (English), the off-spinner almost single handedly bowled out opposition Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan Vidyalaya when he picked up 8-17 in an innings to hand his school a second victory in as many Harris Shield Elite Division games at the Cross Maidan on Wednesday.

The son of a groundsman from Matunga, cricket was always waiting to happen to Omprakash but it was his performances over the years in various tournaments that ensured the sport never stayed just a hobby. While his eight wickets on Wednesday is definite cause for celebration, Omprakash's selection in the state U-16 team a week ago is the real high. "My showing in the Shatkar Trophy earned me a call up to the state team and there couldn't be a better moment for someone like me," says Omprakash who trains at Amre Cricket Clinic.

Adding to the joy of the call up was the news that Omprakash would be captaining the team in their first game against Saurashtra to be played in December. "I was captain of the Solkar XI team for the Trophy and I'm pleased that my leading of the team impressed those who decided to hand me the responsibility for the state team as well," he says.

Staying in a small dwelling at the DPC Grounds in Matunga where his father toils with a roller and water pipe all day, Omprakash says the support from home has been tremendous. "My mother stays at our village in Uttar Pradesh while I live with my father and elder brother (Pankaj), who too plays cricket which means advice is always a shout away," he says.

Omprakash missed his school's first Harris Shield game as he was playing the Shatkar Trophy and his performance on Wednesday only shows how vital he is to his team's fortunes. Bowling out their opponents for 104 in the first innings, IES piled on 443 where Pranav Kela slammed 126 before bowling out SRV for a paltry 40 in their second essay. "This year nothing less than the Harris Shield Trophy will do. We want it really bad and will do everything to get it," says Omprakash. How's eight wickets in an innings for a start!

Brief Scores:
Lilavatibai Podar (SC) 1st Inn: 121 (Dhrumil Matkar 62; Kruthik Hangavadi 3-28 runs, Shams Mulani 3-49) 2nd Inn. 186 (Nishant Williams 43, Angad Singh 40, Dhrumil Matkar 45; Shams Mulani 4-47 runs) vs Don Bosco (Matunga) 1st Inn:124 (Nishant Williams 3-47, Dhrumil Matkar 5-32)

IES New English (Bandra) 1st Inn: 96 (Salman Khan 5-17, Prithiv Shaw 3-16) 2nd Inn. Siddharth Tahagirdar 77; Azim Shaikh 4-24) Lost to Springfield Rizvi (Bandra)1st Inn: 297 (Siddharth Singh 74, Azim Shaikh 60; Atish Nair 4-114 runs, Shridhar Patil 3-45)

Oxford Public School (Kandivali) 1st Inn: 85 (Pranav Juvekar 3-9) Meet Belose 58; Akash Mishra 4-39) Lost to Swami Vivekanand Int. 1st Inn: 385 (Karan Monish 48, Maulik Mehta 76, Mayur Naik 55, Brijesh Rathod 44 n.o.; Sagar Badhe 5-118 runs, Meet Belose 4-118).

Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan Vidyalaya (Malad) 1st Inn:104 (Herambh Parab 3-25, Shreyas Kemkar 3- 24) 2nd Inn: 40 (Omprakash Jaiswal 8-17) Lost to IES VN Sule Guruji Eng. Med. (Dadar) 1st Inn: 443 all out Kela Pranav 126, Kemkar Shreyas 89, Bhojane Yash 54 ; Shashank Jain 4-128 runs)

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Pingpong diplomacy comes to Qatar

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — In a 21st century spin on pingpong diplomacy, North and South Korea and India and Pakistan paired up in a one-day table tennis tournament on Tuesday aimed at promoting peace between rival nations.

Other teams include Russia-United States, China-Qatar and France-Japan for the doubles event sponsored by the Monaco-based Peace and Sport.

Iran was initially included among the 10 teams but withdrew without explanation.

On the men's side, North Korea's Kim Hyok Bong and South Korea's Ryu Seung-min beat Yiyong Fan of the United States and Russia's Grigory Vlasov 3-0 to win the final. American Lily Zhang and Anna Tikhomirova of Russia beat Kim Kyung-ah of South Korea and Kim Hye Song of North Korea 3-2 in the women's final.

Host Qatar has been targeting sport to showcase its global aspirations. The Gulf nation has successfully bid for football's 2022 World Cup and will make a new Olympics bid.

Ian Marshall, a spokesman for the International Table Tennis Federation, said the tournament had already reaped dividends as the North and South Koreans spent the past two days together, including at a welcome dinner on Monday.

"They met Monday morning and met with local children," Marshall said. "They talked to each other and were the very best of friends which is what we are trying to achieve here."

The tournament also fits into Qatar's efforts to raise its diplomatic profile. It already has hosted talks to ease conflicts in Lebanon and Sudan's Darfur region, and is leading Arab League efforts to end the bloodshed in Syria.

Now, it hopes table tennis can ease tensions between some of the world's greatest rivals.

India and Pakistan have come close to war several times, especially over the disputed Kashmir region. In the tournament, Sadia Falak Sher of Pakistan and India's Poulomi Ghatak lost to China's Cao Zhen and Ai Mohamed of Qatar in the quarterfinals. But for Ghatak, losing made little difference.

"We played great together, we played in synchrony and it was a pleasure," Ghatak said. "It was for me a lifetime experience that I will never forget. It is a question of peace and love. All countries need to understand cooperation and we will live in a better world."

The two Koreas have been in a technical state of war since the 1950s and territorial disputes still flare, such as the deadly artillery attack on a front-line island a year ago Wednesday. Meanwhile, relations between Pakistan and America have soured over U.S. drone attacks and the secret mission that killed Osama bin Laden.

And then there are lingering suspicions between the U.S. and China over the latter's growing economic clout.

Relations between the two world powers have improved markedly, though, from 40 years ago when "pingpong diplomacy" was first employed. It was then that nine Americans played against their much stronger rivals on Chinese soil — an event that helped usher in improved relations.

"This event may mark a new era for pingpong diplomacy, or in today's lingo pingpong Diplomacy version 2.0," ITTF President Adham Sharara said. "It has always been my dream that our sport is used in peace initiatives bringing together representatives from different countries and have them play together side by side in an atmosphere of peace and understanding."

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FIFA's Blatter calls racism row 'closed'

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — FIFA president Sepp Blatter reckons he has apologized enough for his recent comments on racism that triggered a furor and considers the matter "closed."

Blatter expressed regret last week for the uproar caused by his claim that racial incidents between players on the field could be settled by a handshake at the end of a game.

"I can only say this item for me is closed," Blatter told a news conference at the Asian Football Confederation's headquarters in Malaysia on Wednesday. "There is no tolerance (of) racism.

"I have been interpreted as such and I have made my apologies. I cannot say anything more."

Blatter was responding to a question about his next move after Neil Warnock, manager of Premier League club Queens Park Rangers, suggested last week that black players around the world should boycott their next international matches in a show of protest against Blatter.

"There is no discrimination in my feelings, there is no racism, nothing at all," Blatter said. "This matter for me is over. We go forward. There is zero tolerance (for) racism, zero tolerance (for) discrimination in all activities in the field of play and outside the field."

Blatter insisted he was not surprised by the British media's strong criticism of him and calls for him to stand down as head of football's world governing body, but added that he was "very much hurt by these comments because it touched me in my conscience and my determination to go against racism."
The 75-year-old Swiss, who was re-elected to a four-year term in June, last week ruled out leaving his post amid the latest controversy.

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Maligned Aussie trio may get their 'Gabba' chance after making runs in S. Africa

Sydney, Nov.23 (ANI): Maligned Australian cricketers Ricky Ponting, Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson may get another opportunity to display their skills in the first Test against New Zealand to be played at the "Gabba" in Brisbane, after scoring runs when it counted in the just concluded Johannesburg Test against South Africa.

ough their respective innings may not be emphatic and career-saving ones, the fact that Ponting, who scored a battling 62, Haddin (55), and Johnson, a match-winning 40 runs, should be able to convince the selectors to give them another chance.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Ponting's prospects are aided by injuries to Shaun Marsh and Shane Watson.

The paper says that a "major shake-up of the Australian order is unlikely given their courageous two-wicket win at the Wanderers".

"I have little doubt that if Ricky stays he'll still add a lot," says Jamie Cox, a recently deposed Australian selector and Ponting's former Tasmanian teammate.

He added: "He hasn't had a great time of it lately but he will score runs in our conditions. All I'm hearing around the team is he's now providing a significant influence around what is a pretty young group. During my time as a selector, and I knew this before I took that role on, Ricky was one of the best watchers of people I think I've met. He had a terrific understanding and a very personal understanding of exactly where all of his team were at, whether he was captain or not. That's the sort of stuff he does instinctively."

"I imagine today they're (Ponting, Haddin and Johnson) feeling OK about life, whereas a week ago, they were probably all feeling pretty flat," Cox says of the Australian trio.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith also offered some parting support to Ponting after the two-Test series ended drawn in Johannesburg.

"I'm not too sure what is in Australia or what the set-up is, but I know playing against a Ricky Ponting is always a daunting task," Smith said.

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Bravo century takes West Indies to 378-3 at lunch

MUMBAI, India (AP) — Darren Bravo completed a second successive century as the West Indies moved to 378-3 at lunch on Wednesday's second day of the third and final test against India at the Wankhede Stadium.

The stylish left-hander was unbeaten on 105 at the break with Kieran Powell the other not out batsman on 38 as the West Indies strengthened its position after resuming the day at 267-2.

Bravo, who also scored 136 in the second innings of the second test, reached his century with a square-drive off Ravichandran Ashwin. He struck 12 fours off 169 deliveries.

He started the day confidently as he dispatched pace bowler Varun Aaron first two deliveries of the morning to the fence. The first went past mid off and the second straight down the ground.

Bravo, a cousin of former West Indies great Brian Lara, with whom he is often compared, continued an impressive test career that has seen him score three centuries in 13 tests.

Kirk Edwards scored 21 runs in the morning session, including three fours, before a lovely away-going delivery from pace bowler Ishant Sharma brought an end to his attractive innings within sight of a century as he edged the ball to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Edwards scored 86, striking 13 fours off 165 balls and batted for 208 minutes.
The third-wicket partnership between Edwards and Bravo was worth 164 runs and came off 269 deliveries.
India's bowlers, hoping to complete a 3-0 whitewash in the series, struggled on a perfect batting strip for a second successive day.

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The Rare photos of Adolf Hitler

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ఫిక్సింగ్ చేయకుంటే చంపేస్తాం, బెదిరింపులు: మోడి

'లలిత్ మోడి' ఇండియన్ క్రికెట్ చరిత్రలో 'ఐపిఎల్'కి సువర్ణ అద్యయనం పలికిన వ్యక్తి. అదే ఐపిఎల్ ద్వారా ఆరోపణలను ఎదుర్కొంటున్న వ్యక్తి. ప్రస్తుతం క్రికెట్లో ఎక్కువ మంది చర్చించుకుంటున్న భూతం ఫిక్సింగ్. అందుకు కారణం ఇటీవలే లండన్ కొర్టు పాకిస్దానీ ఆటగాళ్లు ఫిక్సింగ్ ఆరోపణలు పాల్పడ్డారంటూ వారిపై తీర్పునిచ్చిన సంగతి తెలిసిందే. దాంతో చాలా మంది ఫిక్సింగ్ ఆరోపణలు ఎప్పటి నుండి మొదలయ్యాయి అంటూ మరోసారి వాటి స్మృతులను నెమర వేసుకుంటుండగా, లలిత్ మోడి కూడా తన జ్ఞాపకాలను మీడియాతో నెమర వేసుకున్నారు.

ఈ సందర్బంలో మాజీ ఐపిఎల్ చైర్మన్ లలిత్ మోడి మాట్లాడుతూ ఐపీఎల్‌లో ఫిక్సింగ్‌ను తిరస్కరించినందుకు అండర్‌వరల్డ్ మాఫియా తనపై మూడు సార్లు హత్యా ప్రయత్నం చేశారని ఆరోపించారు. ‘ఇండియన్ ప్రీమియర్ లీగ్‌లో ఫిక్సింగ్‌కు పాల్పడాలని మాఫియా నుంచి నాకు బెదిరింపు కాల్స్ వచ్చాయి. నేను కాదన్నందుకు బుకీలు, మాఫియా వాళ్లు నన్ను చంపాలని చూశారని మోడి ఓ టెలివిజన్ చానెల్‌కు ఇచ్చిన ఇంటర్వ్యూ లో పేర్కొన్నారు. మొదటిసారి 2009లో తన ఇంట్లో ఉన్నప్పుడు, దక్షిణాఫ్రికాలో మరోసారి, థాయ్‌లాండ్‌లో మూడోసారి తనపై హత్యాయత్నాలు జరిగాయని ఆయన తెలిపారు. ఈ ఘటనలపై అప్పుడు సెంట్రల్‌ ఏజెన్సీస్‌కు తెలిపానన్నాడు.

‘పాకిస్థాన్ నుంచి కూడా నాకు బెదిరింపు కాల్స్ వచ్చాయి. గత వారం కూడా అలాంటి ఫోన్ కాలే వచ్చింది. దీనిపై స్కాట్లాండ్ యార్డ్ పోలీసుకు ఫిర్యాదు చేశాను’ అని మోడి చెప్పారు. తనపై జరిగిన హత్యా ప్రయత్నాల గురించి ముంబై పోలీసులతో పాటు, సెంట్రల్ ఏజెన్సీలకూ తెలుసని, వాళ్లు తగిన భద్రత ఏర్పాట్లు చేశారని మోడి వివరించారు. మంగళవారం లండన్ కోర్టు పాకిస్థాన్ క్రికెటర్లు సల్మాన్ భట్, మహ్మద్ ఆసిఫ్ దోషులని తీర్పిచ్చిన మరుసటి రోజే మోడి ఈ వ్యాఖ్యలు చేయడం ప్రాధాన్యం సంతరించుకున్నాయి.

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