India calms terror fears over hockey World Cup

India calms terror fears over hockey World Cup

New Delhi, Feb 17: India on Wednesday allayed security apprehensions of New Zealand and Australian hockey teams maintaining that it was pulling out all stops for the forthcoming World Cup in the wake of terror threats issued to foreign teams during the 12-team quadrennial event. The renewed assurance comes after New Zealand’s hockey team, which earlier planned to continue with its trip to the February 28-March 13 Hockey World Cup in New Delhi despite an Al Qaeda threat against sports events in India, appeared to be having second thoughts on Wednesday.

The team is in Australia’s Perth city to play two practice matches Wednesday and Friday, and will then decide if it will travel to India as per schedule for the World Cup that begins February 28, the New Zealand Herald reported. As for the Australian team, its players say they ready to play, but Hockey Australia says it is awaiting the result of a new security assessment in view of the terror threat. Assuring security to sportspersons visiting India for the Hockey World Cup and the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament that starts March 12, Home Minister P Chidambaram stressed that militants would not be allowed to dictate terms. “All security would be provided to players. No one would be allowed to dictate terms to us,” Chidambaram said at a press conference in Jammu after reviewing the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

We can wrap up the match in 50 overs, says Kirsten

We can wrap up the match in 50 overs, says Kirsten

Kolkata, Feb 17: Indian cricket coach Gary Kirsten believes his bowlers can wrap up the remaining seven South Africa wickets in another 50 overs on the last day of the second Test on Thursday to level the Test series. A major part of the fourth day was lost due to rain and more showers are forecast on the fifth and final day Thursday. South Africa, battling to save the Test, are 115/3 trailing by 232 runs on the first innings. Asked how many overs his team would need to bowl out South Africa, Kirsten said: “As many as we can get. Hopefully, we will need only forty or fifty but it’s very difficult as you know with the weather. We’ve played very good cricket right through the Test match. We are in a good position and we’d like to close it out, and we'll give it our best shot in the amount of time we have.”

Symonds, Chappell say India safe for foreign players

STAFF WRITER 15:34 HRS IST

Melbourne, Feb 18 (PTI) Greg Chappell and Andrew Symonds may have had bitter-sweet relationship with the Indian fans but the Australian duo today said cricketers should not have any safety concerns about playing in India.

At a time when terror threats and the recent blasts in Pune have the foreign cricketers apprehensive about playing in the third edition of the Indian Premier League, Symonds said he would turn up for the Deccan Chargers with no fear at all.

"I haven't heard a great deal as yet but India is one of those countries I've never felt intimidated, even when the crowd gets a bit uppity," said Symonds, who was taunted by the Indian fans during Australia's 2007 tour of the country.

Symonds said he felt safer in India than in South Africa where Deccan Chargers won IPL II last year.

India retain No. 1 rankings, assured of ICC prize money

STAFF WRITER 17:40 HRS IST

Dubai, Feb 18 (PTI) India today retained their number one status in Test cricket after the thrilling victory over South Africa in Kolkata, which also entitles them to USD 175,000 given to the team that tops the chart at the annual cut-off date.

With this victory, Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men also ended Australia's seven-year run of finishing on top spot at the annual cut-off date.

Consequentially, India will retain the ICC Championships mace which they won after beating Sri Lanka 2-0 in the home series in December last year, besides pocketing the USD 175,000 prize money which is presented to the side that reaches the April 1 cut-off date in top spot.

India was in serious danger of losing its top spot after South Africa won the Nagpur Test last week and then bad weather yesterday allowed only 31 overs of play on the penultimate day of the second Test.

2nd Test: India beat SA to level series, retain No 1 spot

Tapan Mohanta

Kolkata, Feb 18 (PTI) India just about managed to thwart a stubborn resistance from South Africa's Hashim Amla and the tailenders to clinch a series-levelling innings and 57 runs victory in the final cricket Test to retain their status as the number one Test team here today.

The hosts, who needed to pick up the remaining seven wickets to draw the series 1-1, were made to wait till the very fag end of a dramatic fifth day's play for their moment of glory with Hashim Amla nearly carrying the proteas to safety with a defiant unbeaten 123.

Resuming at 115 for three after conceding a mammoth 347-run first innings lead, the South Africans were all out for 290 with just 15 minutes remaining on a nail-biting last day.

Paes returns in Davis Cup squad, Sanam replaces Yuki

STAFF WRITER 18:46 HRS IST

New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) Leander Paes made a return while Yuki Bhambri was left out of a five-member Indian squad picked today for the Davis Cup World Group first round tie against Russia in Moscow from March 5-7.

Sanam Singh was included in the squad announced by the selection committee of All India Tennis Association (AITA).

The three other players in the squad are Mahesh Bhupathi, Rohan Bopanna and Somdev Devvarman.

S P Misra will be the non-playing captain while Nandan Bal will be the coach.

India had beaten South Africa 4-1 in the play-off in Johannesburg in September last year to advance to the World Group for the first time since 1998.

The Squad: Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, Rohan Bopanna, Somdev Devvarman, Sanam Singh.

Team Captain: S P Misra

Coach: Nandan Bal.