I will hang up my gloves after the Olympics: Mary Kom Read more: I will hang up my gloves after the Olympics: Mary Kom

Boxer M C Mary Kom looks back on 2010 and voices her game plan for 2011.

This year saw you creating history, but you also had to settle for bronze at the Asiad...

That's right. I am happy with the bronze but not satisfied with myself.

What went wrong? Did the change of weight (from 46-48 to 51) cause the loss?

No, the change in weight is not to be blamed. I think I played the bout with utmost sincerity which I always do.

And that cost you the gold?

Yes, it did. My opponent was committing fouls and that too very tactfully, something that would escape the referee's eyes. I always try and win on points and that was exactly what I was doing but my opponent was holding me too tight and went on hitting me with her shoulder. So, I tried to do the same but the referee would declare it a foul. I also think since Ren Cancan was a Chinese, she had crowd support. I have taken a lesson from this loss. I am now going to learn how to commit fouls without being caught and go on to win bouts.

What about the sincerity with which you have been playing then?

If I just keep playing on points and eventually lose bouts, then what's the use! If the top names use fouls as a tactic to win, I will have to learn to accept and adopt it. I want to keep winning as long as I am here and I am ready to play up with fouls at the National Games in February next.

You have just got promoted as the Additional Superintendent of Police...

Yes, I am an ASP who does not even know what she is supposed to be doing. I have never been to a police station nor have I worn a uniform. The government has been very sweet and given me the ASP rank. However, having said that, I am happy I can call myself an ASP.

Coming back to boxing, you must be training for the Olympics?

I really want to win gold at the Olympics. It's been my dream. I am training hard and focusing on becoming technically sound to perform well at the London Olympics. Once I have achieved this, I am going to devote my life to bringing up my children and looking after them.

Are you talking about retirement?

Yes, I will hang up my gloves after the Olympics. My kids are three years and four months old now. They have started their playschool from September. But I missed their first day at school as I was in a camp. My husband has been filling up my absence in their lives. I can look upon it as a sacrifice for two more years, but not after that. Soon my children will wear their first school uniforms and I don't want to miss it. Post Olympics, I will devote all my time to my family. I want to see my children grow. Also, I have an academy in Manipur where I train young boys and girls. I want to see some good boxers coming out of my academy and making me proud.

Read more: I will hang up my gloves after the Olympics: Mary Kom - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/boxing/I-will-hang-up-my-gloves-after-the-Olympics-Mary-Kom/articleshow/7177084.cms#ixzz19OpPIDJM

Rajasthan to meet TN, Baroda vs Karnataka in Ranji semis

Giant slayers Rajasthan will meet Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy semifinals at home in Jaipur while last year's runners-up Karnataka will clash with Baroda in the latter's backyard, according to the Cricket Board.

Both the semi finals would be held from January 3-6, 2011.

Rajasthan, in fact, made it to the last four as one of the two qualifiers from the plate division and knocked out 39-time champions and holders Mumbai by virtue of their first innings lead in the quarter-final that ended in a draw on Monday at Jaipur.

If Rajasthan have reached where they are today, credit should go to the three outstation pros -- Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Aakash Chopra and Rashmi Ranjan Parida -- who have guided a young team and instilled self-belief in them that they can beat the best in the business.

Not to forget the kind of defining performances they put up in crunch games. Like Chopra's triple hundred in the Plate Group semi-finals against Maharashtra or Kanitkar's timely century against Mumbai-- they have risen to the occasion.

The bowlers led by Pankaj Singh also performed well within their limitations. The emergence of a fine swing bowler in Deepak Chahar whose unbelievable debut of eight for 10 against Hyderabad will definitely be one of the highlights of this edition.

Tamil Nadu edged out Haryana on net-run-rate after the inconclusive weather-hit quarter-final in which even the first innings of both teams could not be completed at Rohtak.

Karnataka got the better of Madhya Pradesh by five wickets at Indore to book a berth in the semifinals.

In Baroda, Railways fought their heart out but the hosts qualified for the semifinals on the basis of their first innings lead as their quarter-final clash ended in a draw.

The average first innings effort, both in batting and bowling, cost Railways dear as they were always doing the catch up job after that, though their performance improved as the match progressed.

Brief scores:

Madhya Pradesh: 200 and 337 lost to Karnataka: 361 and 180/5 (Amit Verma not out 68, Robin Uthappa 37; TP Sudhindra 2/34).

Railways: 248 & 366/8 dec. drew with Baroda: 416 & 136/3 in 60 overs (C Williams 52*, K Devdhar 55; J P Yadav 1/15).

Mumbai: 252 & 290-1 (AM Rahane 102*, SO Kukreja 100*) drew with Rajasthan: 589 (VA Saxena 143, AL Menaria 121, H Kanitkar 113, A Nayar 7-131).

Haryana: 379/6 dec. in 116 overs (N Saini 150, Sunny Singh 102, S Sam 2-56, R Ashwin 2-76) drew with Tamil Nadu 285/6 in 79 overs (R Sathish 106, Dinesh Karthik 57, S Budhwar 3-70, Joginder Sharma 2-41).
© PTI

England close in on Ashes series victory

England were on the verge of retaining the Ashes after feeble Australian batting left the fourth Melbourne Test at their mercy on Tuesday.

The tourists left the Australians with the huge task of either scoring 415 runs to make England bat again or lasting out eight sessions to secure a draw but the home team showed little fight after their opponents had amassed 513 at the MCG.

Australia were facing probable defeat some time on Wednesday's fourth day with no rain forecast over the last two scheduled days of the match.

At the close, Australia were trailing England by 246 runs at 169 for six with Brad Haddin on 11 and Mitchell Johnson on six.

Tim Bresnan prised open the Australian top order in a mesmerising spell of 3-22 off 14 overs to trigger the slide.

Ricky Ponting's grim struggle for runs ended after 101 minutes when he was bowled by Bresnan for 20.

The Australian skipper got an inside edge onto his stumps to continue a wretched series, having now scored just 113 runs at 16.14 and putting his distinguished 152-Test career in peril ahead of next week's final Test in Sydney.

It has been a fraught match for Ponting. He lost a crucial toss, his side were routed for a first-day 98, he was fined and censured by the match referee for a prolonged argument with the umpires over a disputed referral, and the runs have dried up.

Australia's hopes of saving the Melbourne Test plunged with Ponting's exit and it got worse when their series leading scorer Mike Hussey perished for a duck in Bresnan's next over, snapped up by Ian Bell at short extra cover.

Vice-captain Michael Clarke capped a poor series when he fell to spinner Graeme Swann for 13, playing forward and edging to Andrew Strauss.

Young Steven Smith resisted for 91 minutes before he attempted a pull and was bowled by James Anderson for 38.

Shane Watson, who ran out his opening partner Phillip Hughes, yet again failed to build on a half-century and was out lbw for 54 after not offering a shot to Bresnan.

Watson has passed 50 a total of 17 times in Tests, but only converted two of them into centuries.

Hughes, fighting for his Test career, was the victim of a poorly-judged run by batting partner Watson.

The openers had comfortably taken the score to 53 but inexplicably Watson scurried off for a risky single to cover only for Jonathan Trott to swoop in and effect the run out.

Hughes looked a disconsolate figure as he trudged from the ground after scoring 23 off 30 balls.

Watson has been involved in six run outs in 26 Test innings and has been run out just once.

England were dismissed at lunch with Trott remaining unbeaten on 168 as the team's marathon innings, stretching over 700 minutes and 159.1 overs, finally came to an end.

Trott batted for 468 minutes, faced 345 balls and hit 13 fours in an innings that fortified England's impregnable position.

England, resuming at 444 for five, lost their remaining five wickets in the morning session.

Matt Prior, who was caught off a no-ball when he was on five, chipped a catch to Ponting at mid-on off Peter Siddle for 85.

Siddle then had Bresnan caught behind for four and Ben Hilfenhaus picked up his first wicket with Swann caught behind for 22.

Hilfenhaus bowled Chris Tremlett for four and Siddle wrapped up a big-hearted bowling performance with the wicket of Anderson for one.

Siddle finished with 6-75 off 33.1 overs but Australia lost paceman Ryan Harris with an ankle stress fracture while bowling in the morning session.

Australia will now need to find a bowling replacement for Harris for the Sydney Test.
© AFP