India outwit Lanka, storm into final

MIRPUR, Jan 10 (PTI): Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir toyed with the Sri Lankan attack as India stormed into the final of the cricket tri-series after crushing the islanders by eight wickets in a lopsided match here today.

The Indian bowlers did a neat job, skittling out Sri Lanka for a meagre 213 in 46.1 overs before their batting colleagues took over, guiding the team to 214 for two for a facile win that came with 17.2 overs to spare.

Gautam Gambhir (71 off 86 balls) and Dinesh Karthik (48 off 40 balls) gave India a flying start before Virat Kohli came up with a breezy unbeaten 71 off just 68 balls to complete the formality.

Irrespective of the outcome of their final group match against Bangladesh tomorrow, India will meet Sri Lanka in Wednesday’sfinal.

India outwit Lanka, storm into final

MIRPUR, Jan 10 (PTI): Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir toyed with the Sri Lankan attack as India stormed into the final of the cricket tri-series after crushing the islanders by eight wickets in a lopsided match here today.

The Indian bowlers did a neat job, skittling out Sri Lanka for a meagre 213 in 46.1 overs before their batting colleagues took over, guiding the team to 214 for two for a facile win that came with 17.2 overs to spare.

Gautam Gambhir (71 off 86 balls) and Dinesh Karthik (48 off 40 balls) gave India a flying start before Virat Kohli came up with a breezy unbeaten 71 off just 68 balls to complete the formality.

Donald Indian coach?

NEW DELHI, Jan 6: Allan Donald could well be Indian cricket team’s next bowling coach with the BCCI showing interest in the retired South African pacer.

Donald said he had an informal discussion with a cricket board official during the Champions League in October — where the former pacer was part of the commentary team — and he was told that the process might take some time.

“Yes, I had an informal chat during Champions League Twenty20 with an Indian board official,” the former pacer said. “I would be interested to talk to the BCCI regarding the bowling coach job that is currently vacant and I’m keen (on the job),” he said.

Donald, who is waiting for the BCCI to formally approach him for the job, said he was told in October that the process might take some time. After India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that chief coach Gary Kirsten was overburdened and the team was missing a bowling coach, BCCI is expected to complete the process before South Africa arrive here next month for a series featuring three One-dayers and two Test matches. Fellow South African Shaun Pollock is also being tipped as a possible candidate, having coached the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League where the former Protea captain worked with Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh. Pollock, however, refused to comment on it. India remains without a bowling coach since the BCCI sacked Venkatesh Prasad — along with fielding coach Robin Singh — in October after the team’s poor performance in the Twenty20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy. Since his 2003 retirement, Donald had a short stint as England’s bowling coach in 2007 before he spent a year with Warwickshire as the head coach there. (PTI)

Jolted India take on Bangladesh

MIRPUR, Jan 6: Jolted out of their comfort zone after last night’s defeat against Sri Lanka, India will hope to be back to their winning ways when they take on Bangladesh in their second outing of the ODI tri-series on Thursday.

The Indians men came here high on confidence after their Test and ODI series win over Sri Lanka but their five-wicket loss against the islanders, who were without some key players, has not only dented their pride but also shattered their hopes of becoming the top ranked one day team for the time being.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men will now have to go back to the drawing board and sort out their batting and bowling woes, besides praying that they don’t end up on the receiving end of the dew factor.

The loss meant that India do not have any chance of becoming world number one in ICC ODI rankings at least till the end of the tri-series as they needed to win all their matches here to achieve the feat.

Sachin, Ishant back to Test squad

CHENNAI, Jan 5: Struggling paceman Ishant Sharma was on Tuesday recalled to India’s 16-member Test squad for the two-match series against Bangladesh starting from January 17 in Chittagong.

Ishant, the gangling Delhi speedster who has been struggling to find his rhythm of late, gets another opportunity to prove his worth with the national selectors reposing faith in him.

Tamil Nadu middle-order batsman S Badrinath, who featured in India’s squad which played the last Test against Sri Lanka at home, has been dropped from the team announced by BCCI secretary N Srinivasan after a brief meeting of the selection committee.

The selectors barely took 15 minutes to finalise the squad, to be led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, which expectedly had no major surprises.

Sachin Tendulkar, who was rested from the ongoing ODI tri-series, will return to action for the two Tests to be held in Chittagong (January 17 to 21) and Mirpur (January 24 to 28).

Uttar Pradesh paceman Sudeep Tyagi also made his way into the team which has four specialist pacers with Zaheer Khan being the spearhead.

As expected, veterans like Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, regarded as Test specialists, found a place in the side.

Tamil Nadu opener Murali Vijay has also been included as a reserve opener with Virender Sehwag and Delhi teammate Gautam Gambhir being the regulars.

The middle-order has the ever-reliable Dravid, Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh and skipper Dhoni, making it a solid line-up.

Harbhajan Singh, the gutsy off-spinner, will shoulder the spin bowling responsibility along with leg-spinner Amit Mishra and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha.

Dinesh Karthik has been included as the second wicketkeeper.

The Squad: MS Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, S Sreesanth, Amit Mishra, Pragyan Ojha, Ishant Sharma, Murali Vijay, Dinesh Karthik, Sudeep Tyagi. (PTI)

Leander Paes has shown a ravenous appetite for excellence

Mumbai: The name Leander Paes conjures up images of the dusky man stretching his every sinew on the tennis court -- flinging to get to the ball, scampering to retrieve tricky returns, ever ready to test his vocal chords in triumphant moments. The amazing part is how he does not let that perception change. He can still be seen fighting it out on the circuit -- be it on the testing professional doubles circuit or the prestigious Davis Cup.

Nadal’s Wimbledon victory voted sporting moment of the decade

LONDON, Jan 1 (Agencies): Spaniard Rafael’s Nadal’s epic victory over Roger Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon’s men’s final has been voted by readers of The Telegraph as the sporting moment of the decade.

Nadal’s power and poise finally got the better of Federer in a seven-hour epic

The readers’ poll was a close-run thing.

Taking 17 per cent of the votes, Nadal/Federer edged Liverpool’s ‘Miracle of Istanbul’ (15 per cent) into second place, with Arsenal’s ‘Invincible’ season of 2003-04 coming third with 13 per cent.

We’ve come through a transition: Anderson

CAPE TOWN, Jan 1: Fast bowler James Anderson has described the Test win against South Africa at Kingsmead in Durban as one of the best Test wins he has been involved with, and believes that the current England squad reflects the present generation.

In an article for The Mirror , Anderson said: “I can't remember being a part of such a clinical performance. We’ve had great wins like that at home, but the fact we’ve done it in South Africa’s backyard really makes it special because Test wins on tour do not come easy.”

“It really feels now that this is the team of our generation, like we’ve come through a transition and have a group of players that can move onwards and upwards together. We were talking about it the other day that when Cookie played his first Test in Nagpur nearly all the guys here were in single figures for caps or low teens. But now, if you look down the list, everyone has played 40-odd, 50-odd Tests. We've got a fair bit of experience, but we’re still quite young and should be around for a long while yet to keep improving,” he adds.

We need bowling and fielding coaches: Dhoni

MUMBAI, Jan 1: Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Friday said the team is missing bowling and fielding coaches, resulting in an increased workload for chief coach Gary Kirsten.

Talking to reporters on the eve of the team's departure for the tri-series in Bangladesh, Dhoni said Kirsten had his plate full and the team was indeed missing bowling and fielding coaches.

“To some extent, it does (affect the team). You need specialist coach to get the best out of the players. Gary looks after so many things. He has all those team meetings, talking to batsmen, bowlers and then working out strategies. He has a lot on his plate,” Dhoni said.

“It does help to have specialist bowling and fielding coaches for the bowlers and fielders. But that’s the way it and it’s now an administrative issue,” he said.

Torres is best striker in world: Gerrard

Torres is best striker in world: Gerrard

London, Dec 30: Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard has termed the club’s ace player Fernando Torres as the best striker in the world. Torres hit a 93rd-minute winner for his 50th Kop league goal in a new Liverpool record of just 72 games. “Everyone knows that when Fernando is on form he is the best in the world, the best bar none. He can score goals like this one, goals out of nothing even after he has experienced a quiet game. That’s what makes him so special. This is a massive result for us, a huge win. It could spark the run that drives us into the top four,” Gerrard said. Torres escaped the Villa defence just once but that was all he needed as he finished lethally from 12 yards, The Sun reports. “This will help our confidence so much,” Torres said. Liverpool were second-best at snowy Villa Park but victory moved them to within four points of the last Champions League place. (Agencies)

Kotla pitch unfit for international matches, says Harbhajan

Kotla pitch unfit for international matches, says Harbhajan

JALANDHAR, Dec 30: Endorsing his India teammate Gautam Gambhir’s view that the Ferozeshah Kotla pitch was not suitable for international matches, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on Wednesday said practice games should have been held on the wicket before the One-dayer against Sri Lanka.

Asked his comments on the pitch fiasco which led to the abandonment of the India-Sri Lanka fifth ODI on Sunday, Harbhajan said there was something wrong with the Kotla surface and it could have been dangerous for even Indian players if the home side had batted first.

Kotla ODI should have continued: Daljit Singh

Kotla ODI should have continued: Daljit

NEW DELHI, Dec 29: The Kotla pitch was by no means an unplayable surface and the fifth and final cricket One-dayer between India and Sri Lanka should have proceeded, according to former BCCI Pitches and Grounds Committee chairman Daljit Singh.

The Kotla pitch fiasco, which saw the ODI being called off after 23.3 overs due to a dangerous playing surface, had a direct bearing on the Daljit-led five-member committee which was sacked by the BCCI immediately after the incident.

But Daljit said he was amazed to see the match being abandoned, especially after Sri Lanka were already in the middle of their innings.

I do not want to be a one-hit wonder: Adlington

LONDON, Dec 27: Britain’s double Olympic swimming gold medallist Rebecca Adlington says she is determined to raise her game in 2010 after a slump in form following her Beijing triumphs.

“Beijing may turn out to be the best week of my entire life but I’d hate to think that everything went downhill from the age of 19,” she told the Mail on Sunday newspaper.

“I don’t want to be a one-hit wonder. I’m always going to remember 2009. I’ll always recall how it felt not to perform. “I’ll never forget those feelings. And I’m never going to let it happen again,” she added. Adlington won the 400 and 800 metre freestyle golds in Beijing in 2008 but came only third in the 400 and fourth in the 800 at the world championships in Rome in July.

The Briton had earlier spoken out against the latest, now-banned, bodysuits as “technological doping” and had refused to wear them.

“We’ll never know what difference the swimsuits made in Rome,” she said on Sunday. “What I do know is that I swam the 800 metres three seconds slower than in the previous year.

Final ODI abandoned

Delhi ground may be banned

NEW DELHI, Dec 27: The Ferozeshah Kotla stood disgraced on Sunday after the fifth and final India-Sri Lanka One-dayer was abandoned because of a dangerous pitch, which not only brought about an embarrassing end to the series but also put a question mark over its stature as an international venue.

The game was abandoned after 23.3 overs, leading to unruly scenes in the packed galleries with incensed spectators hurling water bottles and chair covers and damaging the stands to bring about a shameful end to the five-match series which India won by 3-1 margin.

The relaid track at Ferozeshah Kotla was a virtual minefield as the Sri Lankan batsmen, unlucky to be asked to bat first, fended for life as odd balls reared up alarmingly. The Sri Lankan innings was into its 24th over when Thilina Kandamby complained to the on-field umpires, which led to a mid-field conference involving Match Referee Alan Hurst, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his Lankan counterpart Kumar Sangakkara, coaches from both sides Gary Kirsten and Trevor Bayliss and the man in the eye of storm, Kotla curator Vijay Bahadur Mishra.

Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) officials, including its vice-president and former Test player Chetan Chauhan, offered another strip to Hurst but the match could not be saved.

Today’s incident was uncannily similar to the December 25, 1997 India-Sri Lanka ODI in Nehru Stadium, Indore which was called off after just three overs and the fiasco invited a brief suspension for the venue.

Sanath Jasuriya, who scored 31 on Sunday, is the only player to feature in both the games.

Rashid, Bajaj move ahead

Kolkata, Dec 25: Rashid Khan and Rahul Bajaj stayed on course for a final-round showdown with both of them winning their quarter-final ties at the LG Goodricke Eastern India Amateur Golf Championship at the par-72 Royal Calcutta Golf Club here today. Rashid won his tie against Karan Vasudeva 4 and 2, while Rahul Bajaj defeated Pawan Kumar 4 and 3. In the showdown between the Kolkata boys, Samaresh Sardar emerged victorious over Mohd. Sanjib to set up a semifinal clash against Rashid while Raja Sardar prevailed over SK Pappu to progress to the last four stage. Earlier in the day, it looked like an upset was on the cards as Karan Vasudeva, still seeking his maiden win on the LG Amateur Tour, dominated the early stages of the match against Rashid. The lower-ranked Vasudeva went three up after just eight holes and seemed in control close to the halfway stage. (PTI)

It’s great to win series at Eden: Sehwag

Kolkata, Dec 25: A jubilant Indian stand-in captain Virender Sehwag on Thursday night praised Virat Kohli and other youngsters in the team and said he was happy to finish the series in Kolkata.

“This team has lot of bench-strength. We did not have Yuvraj Singh and M S Dhoni in the team. It’s a good sign for India that the youngsters are playing well. Virat Kohli proved his worth,” he said after India successfully chased an imposing Sri Lankan total of 315/6 to win with seven wickets and 11 balls in hand at the Eden Gardens.

“We wanted to finish the game in Kolkata because here we had a good wicket to bat on. We don’t know what kind of wicket we will get in Delhi,” Sehwag said after clinching the five match series against Sri lanka.

Sehwag, who led the team at Cuttack and Kolkata following the two match ban slapped on regular captain M S Dhoni for slow over rate, said now the team will not be under any pressure in the fifth and last match in Delhi.

He added that faced with such a huge total, the Indian did not want to lose wickets.

Shane Bond retires from Test cricket

WELLINGTON: Dynamic but injury-prone New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond announced his retirement from Test cricket on Wednesday, saying his body was no longer up to the rigours of the five-day game.

"It's been a tough call, because Test cricket remains the ultimate form of the game, but I'm comfortable I've made the right choice," the 34-year-old said.

Bond's latest comeback in the Test series against Pakistan ended after the first Test -- in which he took eight wickets
-- when an abdominal muscle tear ruled him out of the remaining two matches.

"I've worked really hard to get back to Test match fitness -- it's what I've been working towards for the past two years -- and I feel I gave as much as I could," Bond said.

"But looking back, so many of my injuries have come during Test cricket.

"Unfortunately my body just won't let me continue to play at that level, given the workload and demands of Test cricket."

Bond played only 18 Tests after his debut in 2001 because of a series of injuries and his involvement last year in the rebel Indian Cricket League.

But his pace and swing brought him 87 Test wickets at the impressive average of 22.09. He took five wickets in an innings on five occasions, the most recent against Pakistan in Dunedin last month after his two-year Test absence.

Bond said he remained committed to playing one-day internationals for New Zealand.

"This way I hope I've got a better chance of continuing to play. I hope I'll be able to continue to contribute to the team and to New Zealand cricket fans for a while yet."

He is aiming to rejoin New Zealand for the limited-overs matches against Australia, which start with two Twenty20 internationals in late February.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan said he understood Bond's decision.

"Of course we're disappointed that he won't be part of the Test line-up, but New Zealand Cricket supports his decision to focus on limited-overs cricket and hopes that this decision will prolong his international career," he said.

"He remains one of the best fast bowlers in the international game and we're delighted that he's doing all he can to keep playing."

TOI

Federer and Serena named ITF World Champs

PARIS: Roger Federer has been named International Tennis Federation (ITF) champion for the fifth time with Serena Williams taking the women's award for the second time.

They will receive their awards at the annual ITF World Champions Dinner on June 1 in Paris, during the French Open.

Federer had an outstanding year regaining the world No.1 ranking from Rafael Nadal after completing a career Grand Slam at Roland Garros with victory over Robin Soderling in the final.

He went on to surpass Pete Sampras by winning his 15th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon after a memorable final contest against Andy Roddick.

Federer was also runner-up at the Australian Open, where he lost in five sets to Nadal, and the US Open, where he also went down in five sets to Juan Martin del Potro, and helped his country retain its World Group status in Davis Cup.

"It is an honour for me to be named ITF World Champion for a fifth time. It was an incredible year for me both on and off the court," the 28-year-old Swiss star said.

"To win my first Roland Garros title, break the all-time Grand Slam record and regain the No. 1 ranking is amazing. It means a lot to me to finish the year again at the top."

Serena Williams becomes the women's World Champion for the first time since 2002 after producing her best performances at the biggest events.

The 28-year-old American captured two Grand Slam titles, at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, to improve her collection to 11 majors.

She went on to win the season-ending WTA Championships in Doha, sealing the No.1 ranking in the last event of the year.

Serena also took the doubles year award with sister Venus after taking their career total to ten Grand Slam titles. In so doing she joins Lindsay Davenport and Martina Hingis as the only players to become singles and doubles world champions in the same year.

American twins Bob and Mike Bryan were named as the men's doubles World Champions for the sixth time in seven years.

TOI

Schumacher to make F1 comeback with Mercedes

BERLIN: Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher said Wednesday he has signed a three-year deal to return to Formula One racing with Mercedes Michael Schumacher's factfile


Having retired in 2006, Schumacher, who turns 41 on January 3, will reportedly be paid seven million euros ($9.9 million) to be on the grid when the new season starts with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 14.

"After a three-year break, I have all the energy again that I was lacking," Schumacher told a teleconference with reporters after signing the contract late Tuesday.

"We are talking about a three-year deal. It's not just a one-off thing. We are talking about continuation."


Schumacher had been due to make a remarkable return last season for Ferrari -- for whom he acted as a consultant after retiring -- as a replacement for the injured Felipe Massa but was unable to because of a neck injury.

But the German said Wednesday the pain was behind him.

"My neck is no longer a problem," Schumacher said. "Over the summer it was too soon after the accident. Now everything has healed."

The pilot will return to Formula One having won 91 of his 250 Grand Prix races and started in Pole Position 68 times.

His presence on the grid will electrify the hugely popular sport as he goes up against the likes of reigning champion Jenson Button, 2008 winner Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari-bound Fernando Alonso, all men much younger than he.

Said Hamilton: "It's great to have Michael back in Formula One.

"He is a legend, a really nice guy, and I am happy for him he has again got an opportunity to do the best job in the world - race in Formula One.

"I used to watch Michael race when I was in the junior categories, and I always hoped I would be in Formula One while he was still around.

"I'm now really looking forward to seeing him on the track and back at the top.

Schumacher will be linking up with Mercedes's team principal Ross Brawn, who was the brains behind all of his world titles.

The German won the first of his World Drivers' Championship titles at Benetton in 1994 and was successful with the Italian team again in the 1995 season.

In 1996, he transferred to Ferrari where he proved virtually unbeatable between 2000 and 2004, winning five further world titles. There will be huge interest in the impact Schumacher and Brawn will have now for Mercedes.

It will be 1239 days after Schumacher's last Formula One race in Sao Paulo at the Brazilian Grand Prix in October 2006 and he joins Mercedes in an all-German racing team after compatriot Nico Rosberg, 24, signed up last month.

Schumacher's signature is a major coup for Mercedes, who raced under the Brawn GP banner last season, and a blow to his former stable.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo admitted last week he is distraught at the prospect of losing Schumacher to a rival team.

Di Montezemolo started working with Schumacher in 1996, when the German joined the Italian constructor from Benetton.

It was the Italian who first suggested to Schumacher he stand in for the injured Massa after the Brazilian's horrific crash at the Hungarian Grand Prix in July.

"It was me that rekindled his desire to race after Massa was injured in Hungary," the Ferrari chief had said.

Di Montezemolo admits he would have liked to see Schumacher back in a Ferrari but with Massa and Alonso already on their books for next season he simply could not offer the German a drive.

It remains to be seen how the German can cope with the inevitable march of Father Time, but his famous dedication to fitness and healthy living means that at 41 he has lost little of his punch.

Former world champion Niki Lauda for one believes that he could deliver.

"He can win again," said the Austrian, who himself twice made comebacks to win the world title. "He has more potential that all his younger rivals."

TOI

Vettori joins Queensland Bulls for T20 Big Bash

TAFF WRITER 15:18 HRS IST

Melbourne, Dec 23 (PTI) New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori today joined Queensland Bulls as its "guest player" for the 2009-10 KFC Twenty20 'Big Bash' competition.

Vettori today agreed to a short, two-match stint with the Bulls as their overseas player and will make his Queensland debut in the January 13 game against New South Wales at Homebush.

Vettori will also be available for the January 19 preliminary final, should Queensland finish either second or third.

It also means that Vettori could be available for the Champions League as well, should the Bulls qualify by finishing in the top two of the Big Bash tournament.

Bulls coach Trevor Barsby welcomed Vettori recruitment and said the Kiwi's experience would stand them in good stead.