Saturday, 31 December 2016

Bindra backs IOA suspension, lauds ministry decision

New Delhi, Dec 31, 2016, PTI

Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra today backed the Sports Ministry's decision to suspend the Indian Olympic Association and called it a "good step" following the sports body's move to honour two scam-tainted administrators.

The IOA named its former presidents Suresh Kalmadi and Abhay Singh Chautala as life presidents on Tuesday, a decision that has been heavily criticised as both are facing allegations of corruption.

As a result, the Vijay Goel-led ministry yesterday suspended the IOA.

"The @Olympics movement and specially the movement in India can no longer hide behind autonomy. It's the age of good governance and ethics," Bindra wrote on his twitter handle.

The 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medallist - India's lone gold medal winner in individual sport at the Games - added, "Change in Indian sport will only happen if mandated. A law is necessary in India. A good step by @IndiaSports & @vijaygoelbjp to suspend IOA."

Cracking the whip, the Sports Ministry yesterday suspended the Olympic body till the time it reverses the decision to make the tainted duo of Kalmadi and Chautala its life presidents.

The government took the firm decision after IOA failed to reply to its showcause notice within the deadline.

Kalmadi spent nine months in jail after allegations, stemming from the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. He was released on bail pending an appeal to Delhi High Court and has denied any wrongdoing.

Chautala is also facing unrelated corruption charges in an ongoing court case. He has also denied the allegations.

Ashwin finish year as No.1 Test bowler and all-rounder

Dubai, Dec 31, 2016, (PTI)

The Indian spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja held on to the top two positions in the ICC Test bowlers rankings, while the national team ended the year as the numero uno side in the latest list issued here.
Ashwin also continued to lead the all-rounders' table with no change among the top five in the list. Hence, Jadeja remained at third spot.

This is just the second time the top two spots in the bowlers' chart is occupied by India players, with the pair emulating left-arm spinner Bishan Singh Bedi and leg-spinner Bhagwath Chandrasekhar, who were ranked one and two in 1974.

In the Test batsmen's ranking, India skipper Virat Kohli has ended the year at second position with Australia's Steve Smith heading the chart.

Pakistan opener Azhar Ali has moved up 10 places to reach a career-high sixth rank, riding on his scores of 205 not out and 43 in the second Test against Australia in Melbourne.

Meanwhile, Team India has ended the year as the No.1 ranked Test side with 120 ranking points, 15 points clear of second placed Australia (105 points).

Will assess IOA's situation: IOC

New Delhi, Dec 31, 2016, (PTI)

The International Olympic Committee today said it will assess the IOA's controversial move to make corruption-tainted Suresh Kalmadi and Abhay Singh Chautala life presidents even as the Indian body decided to approach it on the issue of suspension by the government.
Asked if the IOC plans to take action on IOA for elevating Kalmadi and Chautala as life presidents, IOC Media Relations Manager Michael Noyelle told PTI in a written reply that it will first get in touch with the NOC of India.

"The IOC will be in touch with the NOC of India in due course to assess the situation," the IOC official said.

The IOC headquarters are currently closed for their annual break.

Meanwhile, IOA President N Ramachandran said that he will take up the issue of IOA's suspension with the government after consulting the IOC and Olympic Council of Asia.

Cracking the whip on IOA, the Sports Ministry yesterday suspended the national Olympic body till the time it reverses the decision to make Kalmadi and Chautala its life presidents.

"I am away in New Zealand, on a personal issue relating to my family. I understand that the government has suspended the Indian Olympic Association due to the conferment of the life time presidency to Mr. Suresh Kalmadi and to Mr. Abhay Singh Chautala," Ramachandran said in a statement.

The veteran administrator, who was heading World Squash Federation before taking over as IOA chief in 2014, added, "The IOA is a body that has to function under the guidance and supervision of OCA and IOC. On my return in the New Year I shall discuss this issue with the OCA/IOC after their offices open in the New Year for their guidance and advice, and thereafter take this up with the government to see how this issue can be resolved."

The government took the firm decision to suspend IOA after it failed to reply to its showcause notice within the stipulated December 30 deadline.

Kalmadi spent nine months in jail after allegations, stemming from the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. He was released on bail pending an appeal to Delhi High Court and has denied any wrongdoing.

Chautala is also facing unrelated corruption charges in an ongoing court case. He has also denied the allegations.

Following the suspension, the IOA will cease to enjoy the privileges and prerogatives bestowed on it by the government as the National Olympic Committee (NOC).

PCB to start process of filing compensation claim against BCCI

Karachi, Dec 31, 2016 (PTI)

Pakistan Cricket Board is likely to set the ball rolling to file a compensation claim in the jurisdiction of the UK courts against BCCI for not honouring a MoU signed between the two Boards in 2014 to play bilateral series, according to sources.

An official source in the Board told PTI today that the PCB would first write to the BCCI asking the Indian Board to make it clear whether they want to honour the MoU and play a bilateral series or not.

"Once the PCB gets a clear answer from the BCCI its legal team will then work on moving a claim and case in a London court against the BCCI in which the ICC will also be made party," he said. "The ICC is witness to the signing of the MoU document," the source said.

The source explained that the case would most likely be filed in a London court because the PCB could not seek legal recourse in India and Pakistan for obvious reasons.

The Board of Governors of the PCB yesterday gave approval for adopting legal recourse/channels against the BCCI for not honouring the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two Boards signed in 2014 to play bilateral series.

Shaharyar Khan, who heads the PCB, and Najam Sethi, who heads the executive committee, told the media in Karachi after a meeting of the BOG that the members had given approval for using legal channels to seek compensation for the financial losses suffered by the PCB due to India not honouring the MoU.

The source said that the Board had already asked its financial advisors and legal team to work out the estimated losses suffered by Pakistan due to India not playing bilateral series twice since 2007 which were supposed too be hosted by Pakistan.

"The estimated losses will be worked out on basis of the agreement the PCB has with its broadcaster which states that separate negotiations and contracts will be signed for any Indo-Pak series hosted by Pakistan," the source said.

"The estimated losses are in millions as India has not played with Pakistan in a Test series since 2007."

The PCB had signed a MoU with the BCCI to play six bilateral series between 2015 and 2022.

The source also said that the Future Tours Programme of the PCB included a slot for a series with India in December 2017 and it was being kept vacant in case any development takes place on the part of the BCCI after the filing of the compensation claim.

He said the BOG gave approval for the filing of the case since Sethi made it clear that as chairman of the Board in 2014 he had given Pakistan's support for the Big Three governance system only on condition that the MoU would be honoured by India.

"This will also be a part of the compensation claim case against India with ICC as third party since Pakistan's support for the Big Three was conditional to the MoU being honoured."

The source disclosed that the BOG had told Shaharyar and Sethi that they should go to any extent to resolve the issue of Pakistan and India bilateral series or get compensation and should not worry about the legal expenditures involved in filing cases in the UK courts.

Steely TN eye Mumbai scalp

Jan 01, 2017, Rajkot, PTI

Cricket Ranji Trophy : Surprise package Jharkhand take on Gujarat in the other semifinal clash

A humdinger is in the offing when 41-time champions Mumbai meet a high-on-confidence Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy semifinal here on Sunday.

Both teams go into the key clash following exciting victories in the quarterfinals.
Tamil Nadu thrashed Karnataka at Visakhapatnam with the game wrapped up in two days, while Mumbai dug deep to eke out a 30-run win against Hyderabad on the fifth and final day at Raipur.

Tamil Nadu’s performance under new head coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar has been nothing short of commendable. The way they played against a star-studded Karnataka last week have taken their morale to the next level.

The two-time champions, who last got their hands on the Ranji Trophy 28 years ago, have reached this far without the services of star players Ravichandran Ashwin and Murali Vijay. They outplayed Karnataka, a side that was boosted by the return of Lokesh Rahul and Karun Nair, who had earlier been on national duty.

Mumbai start favourites, simply because of their unmatched record in the competition, but they would have to pull out all stops against their South Indian opponents.

The two sides had also met in the group stage in October when Mumbai pulled off a two-wicket win with the match at Lahli ending within three days.

However, a lot has changed for Mumbai since that game in October. The Lahli game saw their premier pacer Dhawal Kulkarni take 10 wickets but he is now injured alongside regular opener Akhil Herwadkar and Shubham Ranjane.

However, the fitness issues have given a chance to youngsters and a name that attracts instant attention is that of 17-year-old Prtihvi Shaw.

Shaw is best known for his 546 off 330 in a Harris Shield match in November 2013.
Mumbai’s leading run scorer this season has been Shreyas Iyer with 553 runs at an average of 42.53. It has been a mixed run for the top-order batsman and he would be itching to make it count in the all-important semifinal.

The leading wicket-taker has been left-arm spinner Vijay Gohil with 24 wickets at 22.04. He, alongside Abhishek Nayar, secured a tight win against Hyderabad by picking up five-wicket hauls. The defending champions would surely have to up their against Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu’s star performers with the bat have been Kaushik Gandhi and Mukund, with 726 and 689 runs respectively in nine matches.

The revelation has been their three-pronged pace attack comprising Aswin Crist, K Vignesh and T Natarajan, who have a cumulative experience of 38 First-Class games.

Keen contest in the offing
In what promises to be an enticing contest full of interesting sub-plots, Gujarat boasting of Ranji Trophy’s highest run-getter Priyank Panchal will be pitted against Jharkhand that has top wicket-taker Shahbaz Nadeem in their ranks in the semifinal in Nagpur.

While both teams are not exactly traditional heavyweights but they have performed consistently on neutral venues riding on some talented but unheralded name in domestic cricket.

Gujarat has had some powerhouse batting performers like Panchal who has scored more than 1100 runs this season. Not to forget opener Samit Gohil, whose 359 not out was a world record in first class cricket for an opener who carried his bat through.

And above all the ‘towering presence’ of pocket sized dynamo in their skipper Parthiv Patel, who needs less than 400 runs to complete 10,000 runs in first class cricket.
For Jharkhand, a lot will depend on how well left arm spinner Nadeem, who has 50 wickets already this season, bowls on Jamtha track.

Nadeem’ s discipline needs to be complemented by likes of Rahul Shukla.
Jharkhand’s batting depends a lot on young left-hander Ishan Kishan, leading the chart with 719 runs including a 273 against Delhi. His lusty hitting during the fourth innings chase in their quarterfinal tie against Haryana has certainly caught the attention of many.

IOC to assess IOA situation

Jan 01, 2017, New Delhi, PTI

Ramachandran to take up suspension with government

The International Olympic Committee said it will assess the IOA’s controversial move to make corruption-tainted Suresh Kalmadi and Abhay Singh Chautala life presidents even as the Indian body decided to approach it on the issue of suspension by the government.

Asked if the IOC plans to take action against IOA for its decision to elevate Kalmadi and Chautala as life presidents, IOC Media Relations Manager Michael Noyelle told PTI in a written reply that it will first get in touch with the NOC of India.

“The IOC will be in touch with the NOC of India in due course to assess the situation,” the IOC official said.

The IOC headquarters are currently closed for their annual break. Meanwhile, IOA President N Ramachandran said that he will take up the issue of IOA’s suspension with the government after consulting the IOC and Olympic Council of Asia.

Cracking the whip on IOA, the Sports Ministry on Friday suspended the national Olympic body till the time it reverses the decision to make Kalmadi and Chautala its life presidents.

“I am away in New Zealand, on a personal issue relating to my family. I understand that the government has suspended the Indian Olympic Association due to the conferment of life-time presidency to Mr. Suresh Kalmadi and to Mr. Abhay Singh Chautala,” Ramachandran said in a statement.

The veteran administrator, who was heading World Squash Federation before taking over as IOA chief in 2014, added, “The IOA is a body that has to function under the guidance and supervision of OCA and IOC. On my return in the New Year I shall discuss this issue with the OCA/IOC after their offices open in the New Year for their guidance and advice, and thereafter take this up with the government to see how this issue can be resolved.”

The government took the firm decision to suspend IOA after it failed to reply to its showcause notice within the stipulated December 30 deadline.

Kalmadi spent nine months in jail after allegations, stemming from the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. He was released on bail pending an appeal to Delhi High Court and has denied any wrongdoing.

Chautala is also facing unrelated corruption charges in an ongoing court case. He has also denied the allegations.

Following the suspension, the IOA will cease to enjoy the privileges and prerogatives bestowed on it by the government as the National Olympic Committee (NOC).

Bindra lauds Ministry’s ‘bold move’

Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra (in pic) backed the Sports Ministry’s decision to suspend the Indian Olympic Association and called it a “good step” following the sports body’s move to honour two scam-tainted administrators.

As a result, the Vijay Goel-led ministry on Friday suspended the IOA.
“The @Olympics movement and specially the movement in India can no longer hide behind autonomy. It’s the age of good governance and ethics,” Bindra wrote on his twitter handle.

The 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medallist added, “Change in Indian sport will only happen if mandated. A law is necessary in India. A good step by @IndiaSports & @vijaygoelbjp to suspend IOA.”

Myneni to face Youzhny

Jan 01, 2017, Chennai, PTI

Tennis Chennai Open : Local lad Ramanathan handed tough draw

Saketh Myneni was handed a tough draw as he has been pitted against experienced seventh seed Mikhail Youzhny in his singles opening round of the ATP Chennai Open even as local boy Ramkumar Ramanathan drew a yet-to-be-decided qualifier, here on Saturday.

India’s number one player Myneni, ranked 192 in the world, had a good 2016 year as he qualified for the US Open and it would need a herculean effort from him to make a winning start to the new season after being drawn against the world number 57 from Russia.

It will not be a smooth road for Ramanathan since he is set to play two seeded players - Benoit Paire (ranked 47) and Aljaz Bedene (101) — if he gets past the qualifier.

“I had a good off season for 10 days before coming here. Each match at this level would be tough but I will put in my best efforts before my local fans who would be rooting for me like last year,” Ramanathan said.

Myneni looked unfazed when drawn to play Youzhny but conceded he has to be on top of his game to drive past the highly consistent Russian player.

“Yes, it is going to be a big challenge for me. He has been a top player for so many years. I have to bring out my best if I want to make a good start to 2017. I am looking forward to it,” he said.

The defending Asian Games mixed doubles gold medallist and men’s doubles silver medallist is brimming with confidence after a highly successful year. “I was out for two months following a surgery. I had a good off-season and I am ready for 2017.”
In the doubles, India’s top pair of Rohan Bopanna and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan will take on Marcelo Demoliner of Brazil and Croatia’s Nikola Mektic.

The other pair of Purav Raja and Divij Sharan, however, will run into countryman Leander Paes and his Brazilian partner Andre Sa.

Meanwhile, the top four seeds in the tournament, top seed and world number six Marin Cilic, twice winner of the title here, Spaniards Roberto Bautista Agut (ranked 14), Albert Vinolas Roma’s, Martin Klizan (Slovakia) have been granted byes.

Agut said it would be tough to get into the groove in first tournament after the off-season.

“It’s always tough, after not having practised for one or two months. But I’ve been to this tournament on number of times in the past and played my best tennis here,” he said.

Chelsea overcome Stoke

Jan 01, 2017, London, AFP

Football Premier League : Willian's brace help Conte's men register record-equalling win

Willian scored twice as Chelsea claimed a record-equalling 13th consecutive Premier League victory by beating Stoke City 4-2 on Saturday to provisionally move nine points clear at the summit.

Stoke twice hit back to level after falling behind at Stamford Bridge, but Willian's second goal and a late Diego Costa strike saw Chelsea match Arsenal's run of 13 wins within the same season from 2001-02.

Antonio Conte's side pulled nine points clear of second-place Liverpool, who host third-place Manchester City later in the day in an explosive climax to the calendar year.

Manchester United came perilously close to seeing their own winning streak end, only for late goals by star signings Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba to secure a 2-1 home win over Middlesbrough.

It was sixth-place United's fifth straight league win and took them to within a point of fourth-place Arsenal, who host Sam Allardyce's Crystal Palace on New Year's Day.
Chelsea welcomed back N'Golo Kante and Costa from suspension for the visit of Stoke and took a 33rd-minute lead when Gary Cahill headed in a corner from Cesc Fabregas.

Bruno Martins Indi equalised within seconds of kick-off in the second half, slotting in after Peter Crouch nodded down Charlie Adam's free-kick.

After Willian had restored the hosts' lead, lashing in from Eden Hazard's lay-off, Crouch drew Stoke level again in the 64th minute when he tapped in Mame Biram Diouf's cross.

But Willian put Chelsea back in front a minute later and Costa's late strike sealed victory.

United rally

At Old Trafford, United produced a comeback reminiscent of the glory years of the watching Alex Ferguson to continue their recent upturn. But they had to do it the hard way, with Ibrahimovic initially denied an 18th goal of the season in a contentious incident late in the first half.

Leaping to meet Anthony Martial's left-wing cross, the Swede jabbed the ball past goalkeeper Victor Valdes at the near post, only for referee Lee Mason to rule it out.
United's players, and Jose Mourinho, contested the decision, and there was worse to come when Grant Leadbitter drilled Boro in front from Alvaro Negredo's knock-down in the 67th minute.

But Ibrahimovic did get his goal in the 85th minute, tucking in Martial's cross, and barely a minute later Pogba headed in the winner from Juan Mata's cross. Champions Leicester City claimed a much-needed win, beating West Ham United 1-0 courtesy of Islam Slimani's 20th-minute header to climb six points clear of the relegation zone.
Swansea City made a demoralising start to life without sacked manager Bob Bradley, slumping to a 3-0 home defeat against Bournemouth that kept them at the foot of the table.

Goals from Benik Afobe, Ryan Fraser and Josh King gave Bournemouth victory, with first-team coach Alan Curtis taking temporary charge of Swansea.

Andre Gray became the first Burnley player to score a Premier League hat-trick as Sean Dyche's men beat third-bottom Sunderland 4-1.

Gray scored three times in the first 53 minutes at Turf Moor, with Ashley Barnes netting a penalty before Jermain Defoe replied for the visitors.

Matt Phillips and Wales's Euro 2016 star Hal-Robson Kanu scored as West Bromwich Albion came from behind to win 2-1 at Southampton, who had centre-back Virgil van Dijk sent off late on for two bookable offences.

Hunters face Smashers

Jan 01, 2017, Hyderabad, Agencies

Badminton PBL : Sindhu-Marin clash to set the tone for second edition

The stage is set for the Premier Badminton League Season 2 which will kick start at the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, with the local team Hyderabad Hunters opening their campaign against Chennai Smashers.

The opening contest will see two of the best players of the current generation Carolina Marin of the hosts and PV Sindhu of Smashers in action. The match will be one of the highlights of the fortnight-long league.

Hunters, who finished fifth in last year’s edition, have lined-up Olympic champion Marin and a lot will be expected of her after a great year on the international calendar. While her presence will be a huge boost, a lot will also depend on how the trio of Rajiv Ouseph of England and Indian pair of Sameer Verma and B Sai Praneeth perform in the tournament.

Smashers, the semifinalists of the last edition, will be all eager to go the distance this year. The team has instilled their faith on Sindhu and bought her back to lead the team, and going through a purple patch she will be expected to play a huge role in the team’s progress.

Bengaluru Blasters were the bottom-placed team last season and that is one of the main reasons they have a new look squad going into this year’s tournament. With an eye on the trophy, the Blasters have drafted in the Rio Olympics bronze medalist Viktor Axelsen of Denmark to deliver the goods for them in the tournament. Apart from the Dane, their men’s singles department boasts of Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana and India’s Saurabh Verma.

Defending champions Delhi Acers in a bid to win the title for the second time will step on the court with a fairly new-look squad. With the presence of Danish heavyweight Jan O Jorgensen and South Korea’s Son Wan Ho, they will be one of the most dreaded in the tournament as far as the men’s singles matches will be concerned. A lot will depend on how these two perform during the course of the tournament. Jwala Gutta, the ace doubles specialist, will be the key player in the mixed doubles. If she performs to the best of her abilities, it will give Acers a fine chance of retaining the championship.

The runners-up from last edition, Mumbai Rockets’ title hunt will be led by Indian duo of Ajay Jayaram and HS Prannoy and the Korean superstar Sung Ji Hyun.

The semifinalists of last season Awadhe Warriors will be looking to rejuvenate their last year’s form and go a step further in this year’s tournament.

Kohli stamps his class

Madhu Jawali, Dec 31, 2016, DHNS

Looking back Cricket : Test skipper presided over India's rise to the top position with no little help from off-spinner Ashwin

A fan poll by a cricket website overwhelmingly claims that the Indians are the best in the 50-over format, ahead of T20s and Tests in that order. While it might have been the case for the past several years, 2016 comprehensively demolished this trend.

It was a year that belonged to the Virat Kohli-led Indian Test team which not only remained unbeaten in the longest format but also climbed up the charts to affirm its position as the No 1-ranked side in the world. Even as the Lodha Committee and the Supreme Court tightened the screws around BCCI, the performance of the cricket team remarkably remained unaffected in what was one of the most successful years for Indian cricket.

While M S Dhoni’s limited-overs side endured mixed fortunes, the Test unit, which he exited at the start of 2015, grew in strength. The year began with India losing the five-match ODI series 1-4 Down Under before bouncing back in the T20s. India blanked Australia 3-0 to claim their first-ever series win in that country in any format. They returned home and drubbed Sri Lanka 2-1 in the shortest version before going on to win the Asia Cup (T20 format), beating Bangladesh in the final. While a stirring WorldT20 campaign came to a heart-breaking end with the semifinal loss to eventual champions West Indies, the last limited-overs series of the year (against New Zealand) went in India’s favour (3-2).

Whether he was leading the side (in Tests) or not (in limited-overs cricket), Kohli left an indelible mark with the bat. This was the year that saw the impulsive Delhi kid grow into a mature man. He was talked about as much for his batting as for his leadership qualities, making him the poster boy of Indian cricket. A British daily even went to the extent of terming him world cricket’s “biggest star” – a high praise indeed given that the likes of AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle, who both incidentally play in the Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL, are hugely popular across the cricketing world.

The high point of Kohli’s batting was his seamless transition from the shorter formats to the longer version. He batted with positive intent but refrained from taking risks to stack up three Test double hundreds in a single calendar year. Without the lethal bowling of Ravichandran Ashwin, however, Kohli’s feats with the bat would have dwarfed in significance.

Continuing from where he had left in 2015, the off-spinner claimed a bucketful of wickets to emerge India’s biggest match winner. While he was the wrecker-in-chief with the ball in all the three Test series, which translated into 12 Tests, his contributions with the bat gave a new dimension to India’s batting. The right-hander led India’s lower-order batting renaissance, allowing Kohli to play with five bowlers on most occasions. No one deserved the ICC Cricketer of the Year and Test Cricketer of the Year awards more than Ashwin, who also ended the year as the No 1 ranked Test bowler and all-rounder.

Ashwin was the man of the series in India’s 2-0 win over West Indies in the Caribbean which was also their first Test series of the year. India followed it up with a 3-0 rout of New Zealand at home before the 4-0 demolition of England. Ashwin received more than a handy support from his spin partner Ravindra Jadeja, who in fact outshone the Tamil Nadu bowler in the final Test against England.

The win in Chennai, coming as it did in the final two sessions of the Test, typified India’s ability to win matches on fair pitches. The series triumph had more credibility to it, if they ever needed one. What was also more pleasing was the fact pacers played more than their usual bit in wins at home, combining speed with skills required in these conditions.

The year didn’t just belong to the established stars though. It also saw the emergence of new talents. While KL Rahul further enhanced his credentials as a Test batsman, his skills in the shorter version were a revelation. The Karnataka batsman now has international centuries in all three formats, a feat not even Kohli can claim. Off-spinner Jayant Yadav grabbed more headlines for his batting abilities (he notched up a century against England in the Mumbai Test) while another Karnataka batsman Karun Nair announced his arrival in stunning fashion – a triple century against England in the Chennai Test.

In a happy coming together of Kohli and his former captain and mentor at RCB Anil Kumble as head coach of the team, India achieved the high standards in a very short period of time. The performance has only raised expectations for the coming year.

India’s report card

Tests: Played: 12; Won: 9; Drawn: 3.
ODIs: Played: 13; Won: 7; Lost: 6.
T20Is: Played: 21; Won: 15; Lost: 5; No result: 1.

Meanwhile...

Sun rises for Hyderabad

The remarkable turnaround in fortunes of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, who at one stage were on the brink of elimination, was the story of the ninth edition of the IPL. Following a disappointing first half of the tournament, skipper Virat Kohli led from the front with a stupendous show to take his team to the final. Unfortunately for RCB, they once again faltered in the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The David Warner-inspired side was benefited by consistent performances from youngster Mustafizur Rahman and Bhuvneshwar Kumar and they capped off a fine campaign by clinching the title.

Dravid leaves his impression

Under new coach Rahul Dravid, the Indian colts had a memorable year. India came close to lifting the U-19 World Cup in Bangladesh but their fine run ended in a defeat to the West Indies in the final. Despite finishing second, India had lot of positives with Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan emerging as future prospects. The Indians however drew curtains to the year on a high, by lifting the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka. The Abhishek Sharma-captained side defeated the hosts by 34 runs in the final.

Mixed year for women

The Indian women’s team created history by winning their first bilateral series victory over Australia. Mithali Raj’s team exhibited great team work to beat Australia in their den 2-1. Their success in Australia made them a team to watch out for in the World T20 in India but the hosts produced a dismal performance to crash out in the group stages. However, India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by 17 runs in the final to defend their Asia Cup crown and sign off the year on a high. There were positives on the individual front as well with all-rounder Harmanpreet Kaur signing up for Sydney Thunder while opener Smriti Mandhana being roped in by Birsbane Heat for the women’s Big Bash League. Smriti was also the only Indian to make it to the ICC Women’s Team of the Year.
(Compiled by Vivek MV)

Caribbeans flatter to deceive, again

MJ, Dec 31, 2016

Sandwiched between South Africa’s resurgence and Sri Lanka’s revival in the latter half of the year was a familiar tale of West Indies who promised much but delivered much less.

The men from the Caribbean were off to a brilliant start in 2016, winning as many as three world titles in limited-overs cricket. The under-19 boys defeated favourites India to emerge champions in Bangladesh before Darren Sammy and company lifted the men’s WorldT20 trophy for the second time in last three attempts. Just a few hours before Carlos Brathwaite had deposited Ben Stokes for four consecutive sixes in the final over of the final to seal West Indies’ dramatic victory, their women’s team had stunned Australia to pave the way for a rare double at the Eden Gardens.

Three titles in the space of three months was an ideal platform for West Indies to renew their resurrection but the depressing saga of player-administration tussle ensured that their progress remained stagnant. Sammy’s outburst after winning the WorldT20 resulted in his sacking, a fate Darren Bravo also met with later in the year for calling his Board chief Dave Cameron a “big idiot.”

While West Indies failed to build on their gains, Sri Lanka showed some pluck and promise to end the year with huge hopes for the future. Having plumbed the depths after the retirements of their stalwarts like Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan, the islanders whitewashed Australia 3-0 in Tests before blanking Zimbabwe 2-0. While veteran left-arm spinner Rangana Herath remained their pivot, they saw some serious young talent emerge from the hinterland.

Just as the Lankans, South Africa too had slipped into a sort of crisis after a series of defeats that even forced their Board to set up an enquiry committee to look into their repeated failings. Test captaincy changed hands thrice before it finally nestled with Faf du Plessis who led their comeback both at home and away. Having lost to England 1-2 at home, South Africa, in a wonderful turnaround of fortunes, brought Australia to their knees (2-1) in their own den for the third time in a row, the only side to do so after the West Indies in late 1980s and early 90s.

Things appeared to be getting worse for Australia when Pakistan threatened to pull off the mother of all chases. Set a target of 490, Pakistan gave a big freight before folding up for 450 in Brisbane. Pakistan’s remarkable fightback was followed by a dismal show of batting in Melbourne where they crashed to 163 all out to lose by an innings and 18 runs on the final day, handing Australia their second series win of the year. It was a tame end for Pakistan who had risen to No 1 position midway through the year for the first time since the rankings were introduced.

England was another side that suffered a massive meltdown after a largely successful year, especially in Tests. After beating South Africa (away), Sri Lanka (home) and drawing Pakistan (home) and Bangladesh (away), England were humbled 4-0 by India putting Alastair Cook’s captaincy on the line.

A proposal to introduce football-style red cards by the MCC to discipline players for on-field misbehaviour and the universal acceptance of DRS (India finally agreed to use the technology) were the other welcome developments in another eventful year for cricket.

Pacer Mithun hits back at critics

Dec 31, 2016, Bengaluru, DHNS

The differences in Karnataka’s dressing room seem to have spilled over with pacer Abhimanyu Mithun openly rejecting suggestions that he was not completely fit during Karnataka’s Ranji Trophy quarterfinal defeat to Tamil Nadu in Visakhapatnam last week.

In a belated reaction to reports in a section of the media that indicated that the right-arm quick may not have been fit enough to take the load, Mithun posted a message on his Facebook account dismissing the same.

“I am a team player and will do whatever it takes to make the team win,” began the pacer. “I am a fast bowler and injuries can happen anytime. Looking at the grassy wicket I pushed myself more and gave my best because of the score board pressure. We got all out for a paltry score, at end of the day we all made mistake (sic) and that cost us the game,” he reasoned.

Citing physio’s report, Mithun asserted that no one can question his integrity.
“There was a physio's report about my fitness before the game, which declared me fit. So to question my credibility and blame me for the loss is very petty. At the end of the day, we win some and we lose some. All we got to do is learn from our mistakes and make sure they don't happen again. When you can take credit for winning back to back trophies, you also have to take responsibility when your team doesn't perform , instead your (sic) saving yourself. So grow up !!”

Mithun claimed two wickets, one in each innings, at the cost of 50 runs in the quarterfinal on a pitch where fast bowlers ruled the roost.

Happy with progress: Myneni

Dec 31, 2016,Chennai, PTI

Looking back at the year 2016, Indian Davis Cupper Saketh Myneni says he is happy with the progress he has made in the last 8-9 months.

“I have made great progress during the last 8-9 months. I have worked really hard on my fitness over the last two years and it has gradually started to pay off,” says Saketh as he gears up for the Chennai Open, starting here at the SDAT Stadium from January 2.

“I feel good about the way things are going so I am working on the smaller things now. Things that will give my game an edge,” he added.

“I had a great year, starting with the Aussie Open. I had a wonderful hard court season as well. But unfortunately, injuries took a toll by the end of the tour. I have had a good off-season in November and I am eager to make a good start here in Chennai, then the Aussie Open,” he said.

Saketh revealed even before his sensational run through the US Open qualifiers and the eventual fall in the first round in five sets, he has been focussing on getting better at five-setters.

Yuki faces Cecchinato

Meanwhile, Yuki Bhambri and Sasi Kumar Mukund will face tricky opponents when the tournament begins with the qualifying rounds on Saturday.

Yuki found himself pitted against Italy’s Marco Cecchinato while Mukund against Argentina’s Nicolas Kicker. India has a third entry in the form of Prajnesh Gunneswaran, who faces off with Japan’s Hiroki Moriya.

Extend Lodha to all sports, says plea

Dec 31, 2016, Mumbai, PTI

A group of retired sports persons, including Olympians and Test cricketers, have filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court to incorporate the sweeping recommendations of the apex court-appointed Justice Lodha Committee for cricket into all other sports in the country.
The petition, in form of PIL, has been filed in the wake of the Supreme Court passing its final order, after it accepted its specially appointed Justice Lodha Committee’s recommendations for reforms in the BCCI, said a media release issued on the petitioners’ behalf.

“We, 28 former Olympians, Padma Shri, Arjuna Awardees, Dronacharya Awardees, Test Cricketers along with some administrators from sports disciplines in Hockey, Football, Cricket, Athletics, Volleyball, Badminton, Kabaddi, Swimming and Para Olympics have filed this petition in the Supreme Court for the below mentioned reasons and betterment of sports promotion and development in India,” said the release.

The petitioners are Ashok Kumar Dhyan Chand, M K Kaushik, Jwala Gutta, Ashwini Nachappa, Edward Sequeira, G E Sridharan, Reeth Abraham, Gurbax Singh Grewal, Balbir Singh, Fortunato Franco, S S Narayan, Joaquim Carvalho, Vandana Rao, Pravin Thipsay, Bhagyasree Thipsay, Maya Meher, Nisha Millet, Aloysius Edwards, Madhu Yadav, Kirti Azad, Bishen Singh Bedi, Sameer Bahadur, KPS Gill, Ashok Mathur and Virender Kumar.

“It may be observed that some of the recommendations made by the Justice Lodha Committee are already found in the National Sports Code. However, some of the salient and salutary recommendation need to be adopted by the Government of India in the National Sports Code to ensure the smooth, transparent manner which is most beneficial for the development of the sport,” they said.

“It is submitted that like in the game of cricket several oligarchies exist in other sports’ administration which is to the great detriment of the respective sports. Since all the sports associations other than the BCCI fall within the remit of the Central Government, the Sports Ministry of Central Government can pass an order seeking the implementation of some of the recommendations.”

Serena engaged to Reddit founder

Dec 31, 2016, Washington, AFP

Happy times

Tennis superstar Serena Williams has announced she is engaged to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, breaking the news with a poem on her verified Reddit account.
Williams, 35, and Ohanian, 33, did not reveal a wedding date in the postings, listed under the Reddit tag 'isaidyes'.
Williams posted on her account:

"I came home
A little late,
Someone had a bag packed for me,
And a carriage awaited,
Destination: Rome,
To escort me to my very own "charming"
Back to where our stars first collided,
And now it was full circle
At the same table we first met by chance,
This time he made it not by chance
But by choice,
Down on one knee
He said 4 words
And r/isaidyes,"

A reply from his verified account said: "And you made me the happiest man on the planet."

The WTA Tour posted a photo of Williams and Ohanian on Twitter with a message of congratulations.

Excited to play Sindhu: Carolina Marin

Dec 31, 2016, Hyderabad, PTI

Badminton PBL : Need to be alert from start in the 11-point format, says Indian ace

A keen contest is on the cards when world’s top woman shuttler Carolina Marin crosses swords with India’s PV Sindhu in the inaugural match of Premier Badminton League (PBL) between Hyderabad Hunters and Chennai Smashers on Sunday.
Marin, who is currently ranked world number two, and Sindhu, ranked six, are excited about the competition in PBL.

“I feel excited to be here in India. I am playing for the home crowd. I hope so many fans can come and support Hyderabad Hunters. I will try to do my best. It is going to be an exciting game against Sindhu. The score is going to be very different. It’s my first time with this score. So, every point is going to be important. I will try to do my best to win here,” Marin, who plays for Hyderabad Hunters, told reporters here.

Sindhu said one needs to be alert from the start in the 11-point game format adopted for the tournament.

“I will do my best. She (Marin) is part of Hyderabad Hunters. The crowd is going to be there. The scoring system is going to be different. It’s 11 points. From the starting point, we need to be alert and give our best,” Sindhu, who plays for Chennai Smashers, said. “There would not be much time to think in the 11-point game format. So, every point is important. Every team is equally tough. So, it depends on who plays better on that day,” Sindhu said.

Marin and Sindhu famously clashed in the Rio Olympics where Marin won the gold and Sindhu bagged the silver.

Replying to a query, Marin said Sindhu is growing up fast and that she had to give her best whenever she played against the Indian.

“I think she is growing up very fast. She is a good player. Whenever I play against Sindhu, it’s always a tough match,” she said.

Replying to a query, Marin said it was not always the Chinese players who dominate world badminton. “It’s not only China. There are so many countries that now play at the top,” said Marin.

Sindhu, who will be playing for Chennai Smashers, is not disappointed that PBL matches will not be played in Chennai this edition and hopes that there would be support for the team during the matches.

The other top players present on the occasion included World No.2 Jan O Jorgensen from Denmark, who plays for Delhi Acers, India’s Kidambi Srikanth (Awadhe Warriors) and Viktor Axelsen (Bengaluru Blasters). Asked about Saina Nehwal, Srikanth said the star Indian shuttler was fit and ready to play.

Bindra backs IOA suspension, lauds ministry decision

New Delhi, Dec 31, 2016, PTI

Thursday, 29 December 2016

Kohli pips Smith as Cricket Australia's 'ODI Captain of Year'

Melbourne, Dec 27, 2016, (PTI)

Accolades continue to pour in for India's dynamic Test captain Virat Kohli, who was today named skipper of Cricket Australia's ODI team of the year which also featured young yorker speccialist Jasprit Bumrah.
Kohli, who was earlier also picked captain of the ICC's ODI team of the year, was preferred over Australia's very own Steve Smith. Smith was, however, picked in the 'All-Star' team.

"India's skipper played only 10 ODI matches in 2016, but he again underlined his status as one of the best in the 50-over format," CA said in a statement.

"The right-hander scored 45 or more in eight of his 10 innings for the year, notching back-to-back centuries in a run feast against Australia in January and then a magnificent 154 (not out) in a successful pursuit of 289 against New Zealand, more than half of his team's total.

"He now averages an incredible 90.10 in 59 successful run chases for India, and has been out in the middle for the winning runs on 20 occasions," it added.

CA said Bumrah made the cut riding on his consistency.

"India's unorthodox paceman Jasprit Bumrah was a stand-out in 2016, his first year as an international player.

"While nine of his 17 wickets for the year came against Zimbabwe, it was his ability to keep scoring to a minimum that impressed us the most; he conceded more than 40 runs in an innings just once all year and his extraordinary economy rate of 3.63 is easily the best in the world for 2016," the CA stated.

Cricket Australia's ODI Team of Year: Virat Kohli (India, captain), David Warner (Australia), Quinton de Kock (wk) (South Africa), Steve Smith (Australia), Babar Azam (Pakistan), Mitchell Marsh (Australia), Jos Buttler (England), Jasprit Bumrah (India), Imran Tahir (South Africa).

Azhar's ton boosts Pak on rain-hit second day

Dec 28, 2016, Melbourne, AFP

Opener hits unbeaten 139 as Aus pacers struggle

Opening batsman Azhar Ali led the way as Pakistan consolidated their first innings on a rain-hit second day of the second cricket Test against Australia here on Tuesday.
Only 50.3 overs were possible on the day after 50.5 overs were bowled on Monday’s opening day as rain again curtailed play. At the close after rain forced an early finish, the tourists were 310 for six with Azhar providing the foundations.

Azhar was unbeaten on 139 with Mohammad Amir hitting a breezy 28 off 23 balls with six fours trying to lift the scoring rate after the dismissals of Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed.

Azhar, playing in his 56th Test, raised his 12th Test century and third against Australia with two runs behind the wicket to fine leg.

Azhar’s hundred came off 218 balls in 338 minutes and consolidated his position as Pakistan’s leading runscorer this calendar year. At the close Azhar had scored 1089 runs for the fifth highest aggregate for the year.

The last Pakistan opener to carry his bat through a Test innings was Imran Farhat (117 not out) against New Zealand in Napier 2009. It has never been done in Pakistan’s Tests against Australia.

Only Mohsin Khan with scores of 152 and 149 back in 1983 has posted higher scores than Azhar as an opening batsman for Pakistan in Australia.

Shafiq reached 50 before he gave skipper Steve Smith his third catch of the innings ending an 115-run partnership with Azhar.

Jackson Bird got one ball to seam away and Shafiq was forced to play a shot and edged to Smith at second slip for his third wicket.

Shafiq, who scored a fighting 137 in Pakistan’s narrow loss in the first Gabba Test, faced 123 balls for his 18th Test half-century over three hours.

Josh Hazlewood got his reward for his nagging accuracy with the wicket of Sarfraz Ahmed for 10, snapped up by Matt Renshaw at first slip. Hazlewood sent down 26 overs for the miserly figures of two for 33 with 11 maidens. Mitchell Starc had problems with his front landing foot and struggled wicket-less for 77 runs off 23.2 overs.

Light rain sent the players from the field midway through the opening session, before play resumed and was then stopped again just before lunch.

score board

PAKISTAN (I Innings, O/n: 142-4):
Aslam c Smith b Lyon 9
Azhar (batting) 139
Azam c Smith b Hazlewood 23
Younis b Bird 21
Misbah c Maddinson b Bird 11
Shafiq c Smith b Bird 50
Sarfraz c Renshaw b Hazlewood 10
Amir (batting) 28
Extras (B-4, LB-9, W-5, NB-1) 19
Total (for 6 wkts, 101.2 overs) 310
Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-60, 3-111, 4-125, 5-240, 6-268.
Bowling: Starc 23.2-6-77-0, Hazlewood 26-11-33-2, Bird 29-5-91-3, Lyon 17-1-69-1, Smith 3-0-9-0, Maddinson 3-0-18-0.

Portugal top surprise stories of the season

Dec 28, 2016, Reuters

Football : Cristiano Ronaldo was the standout player for club and country while underdogs left telling impressions

Portugal emerged triumphant at Euro 2016 but it was surprise packages Wales and Iceland who supplied the best memories from the tournament in France.
Not many experts chose Fernando Santos' team as likely title winners at the start while punters would hardly have rushed to put money on his side when talisman Cristiano Ronaldo limped off in tears after 25 minutes of the July final against the hosts.

And had anyone asked fans of Swansea City whether Eder, who failed to score in 15 games for the English Premier League side before being farmed out to Lille, was a good bet to grab the winner they might have countered by saying there was more chance of Brexit followed by Donald Trump becoming US President.

But if 2016 taught us anything it is that unlikely characters can shape major events, on and off the football pitch.

Portugal's final triumph came despite only producing one shot on target in 90 minutes plus two more in extra-time, an underwhelming end to a largely forgettable tournament where 22 of the 55 matches were goalless at halftime.

Similarities were drawn between Portugal and the Greece team that chugged to victory 12 years earlier and it was Wales and Iceland, who reached the semifinals and quarterfinals respectively, who really captured the imagination of the Euro 2016 fans.

Iceland's followers entertained everyone with their unique 'Viking Thunder-Clap' celebration.

It was not all good news among the crowds, however, with violence marring the lead-up to Russia's game with England and several other unsavoury outbursts involving other countries.

England manager Roy Hodgson and Belgium coach Marc Wilmots paid with their jobs for failing to get the most out of their talented squads.

Italy's Antonio Conte used Euro 2016 as a springboard, quickly forgetting the disappointment of his team's quarterfinal defeat by Germany to finish the year strongly with English league leaders Chelsea.

Portugal's title success was particularly harsh on the player of the tournament, France forward Antoine Griezmann who produced several mesmerising performances and ended top scorer with six goals in seven games.

Less than two months earlier the same striker also lost out in the Champions League final with Atletico Madrid who went down on penalties to city rivals Real, Ronaldo this time taking centre stage to score the decisive penalty.

Ronaldo went on to bag a third honour in 2016, beating Barcelona rival Lionel Messi to win the Ballon d'Or for a fourth time.

Other winners in 2016 included Leicester City, who overcame odds of 5,000-1 to win their first top-tier title in England while Bayern Munich, Paris St Germain, Barcelona and Juventus were more predictable champions in Europe's other top leagues.

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba left the club at the end of the season to rejoin former team Manchester United for a world record fee of 89.3 million pounds ($111.89 million).

United acquired a new manager in Jose Mourinho while Pep Guardiola took up residence at Manchester City as English football continued to draw the game's top coaching talent.

It also attracted many foreign investors with Chinese businessmen snapping up several clubs as a country not known for its football tradition established a major foothold in an increasingly globalised game.

At home the Chinese Super League emerged as a likely destination for top footballers with around 200 million pounds spent on the likes of Graziano Pelle and Hulk.

According to media reports, Brazilian forward Hulk is earning 340,000 pounds per week, a salary bettered only by Ronaldo and Messi.

Off the field, Gianni Infantino was elected president of soccer's governing body FIFA in place of the disgraced Sepp Blatter.

Infantino promised to "bring football back to FIFA" and also said he wanted to increase the number of teams that take part in the World Cup finals from 32 to 48.

Blues set the pace

Naveen Peter, Dec 28, 2016, DHNS

Looking back Football : Bengaluru FC's dream run in AFC Cup was the highlight for India

There’s no doubt that no football club in India has achieved what Bengaluru FC has managed in their short yet glorious time on the national scene.

Three years since its inception, the club has grown from strength to strength with every passing day – setting new standards and benchmarks. It was no different in 2016, as the JSW-owned team rising above the mediocrity that was Indian football.

In their first year, they won the I-League and in the second, they clinched the Federation Cup. The third year was special for more than one reason.

The Bengaluru side not only managed to pocket their second league title, but also became the first-ever side from India to reach the final of the AFC Cup, the Europa League equivalent for the Asian clubs.

Though they couldn’t crown the season with a magical moment in Doha — the venue of the AFC Cup final — the fact that this side has flourished in what now seems like a graveyard of football clubs (three more clubs shut shop this year) tells you the enormity of the BFC feat.

In an uncertain environment littered with stories of false hopes and a national federation looking helpless on many aspects, Bengaluru have managed to take Indian football into territory unexplored previously by Indian teams.

BFC also generated a sense of pride and optimism around a sport beyond its territory. This was evident when Bengaluru took on Johor Darul Ta’zim in the semifinal second leg of the AFC Cup on October 18. Though the Bengaluru faithful are more than capable of creating an electric atmosphere at their fortress – the Sree Kantreerava Stadium — the semifinal saw a great number of fans from across the country rally behind Bengaluru as they became the first Indian side to reach the final of the tournament.

New coach

The club’s first head coach, Ashley Westwood, should be credited for laying down the blueprint for its philosophy, one which mirrors that of a European club. And this is one of the reasons why when Albert Roca, a former assistant coach at FC Barcelona, took over the reins after the domestic league this season, the transition was so smooth that it helped them reach the final of the AFC Cup.

If Bengaluru’s exploits were the highlights of the Indian football season, a handful of Goans clubs leaving the big stage was the low point of the year, once again proving that nothing in Indian football has a definite future.

While Salgaocar FC and Sporting Clube de Goa were the first clubs this year to pull out of the I-League, blaming the road map adopted by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) as the reason, former champions Dempo SC too joined them stating their inability to float a team in the premier domestic competition.

Two new clubs, Chennai City FC and Minerva Punjab FC, have been added to the I-League which begins next month, but what does the future hold for them when the much discussed merger between I-League and the Indian Super League (ISL) takes place after the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017 is still unknown.

The ISL, meanwhile, entered the third edition, with Atletico de Kolkata emerging champions for the second time, with victory over Kerala Blasters in the final.

For the national team, 2016 was better than the previous year. Though their campaign in the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifiers came to a tame end with a loss to Turkmenistan in March, a win over Laos in the play-off has assured them a place in the qualifiers of the AFC Asian Cup 2019, that gets under way from March, 2017.

And with the federation trusting Stephen Constantine to continue as the head coach, much will be expected of the side when they embark on the journey to book their place in the 2019 event.