| Ganguly back in action against Pakistan |
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Vineet Sharma, 24x7 Updates
In the most anticipated meeting, the Indian selection committee took the most expected decision by including former captain Sourav Ganguly for the Test series to Pakistan. Chairman of the selection committee, Kiran More said that his panel had selected the "best combination possible" for the three-Test series against Pakistan. The selection committee and coach Greg Chappell met in Mumbai on Saturday and deliberated for close to two hours before naming the team for the Test series.
Not surprisingly. After the meeting, More was bombarded with questions. On what basis was Ganguly included in the team? "Ganguly has a lot of experience; he has scored a lot of runs in international cricket. He has the experience we need for a tough tour like Pakistan," More said.
The selection committee chairman also clarified that this time Ganguly was taken as a pure "middle-order batsman" and not as an all-rounder, as the selectors had indicated after selecting him for the first two Tests against Sri Lanka.
According to a selector, present at Saturday’s selection committee meeting in Mumbai, the decision to include Ganguly for the Pakistan tour was not made by the selectors, but the administrators of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. It should be noted that Ganguly had met BCCI president Sharad Pawar in New Delhi earlier this week.
The five selectors, along with BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah, captain Rahul Dravid and coach Greg Chappell, decided on the Test team. Ganguly received just four votes out of seven, but even then he made it to the team, because the BCCI felt that the left-hander’s experience would be vital in Pakistan, said the selector. Ganguly has scored 5,150 runs in 86 Tests and he holds the Indian record for most victories in Tests and one-dayers as captain. Under his captaincy, India won 21 Tests and 76 one-dayers including the series in Pakistan last year.
Chappell, it is learnt, seemed quite upset with the decision, as were a couple of selectors, but they had no say in the matter. It is also learnt that Sachin Tendulkar had backed Ganguly during his meeting with BCCI president Sharad Pawar on Friday. Tendulkar is believed to have told Pawar that the Bengal left-hander deserves a better deal and another chance to prove himself.
A relieved Sourav Ganguly said he was happy to be back in the Indian team." I hope the team will play well in Pakistan,’’ the former captain told reporters, who rushed to his Behala residence to get his reaction after he was selected in the 16-member squad. When asked whether he would open in Tests, he said, ’’I have nothing to say about that now. I am only very happy to be back into the side.’’
Equally happy was the city of Kolkata, where, city streets turned into impromptu dance floors with Ganguly’s fans breaking into jigs. People took out processions and sprinkled gulal at onlookers who did not seem to mind the frenzy given that their favourite Dada was back in the reckoning.
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| Lakers Pay-(a)-ton - Dec 26, 2005 9:9 IST |
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Heat 97 : Lakers 92 When Shaq and Bryant got off to a cold start, at the American Airlines arena the talk of the great duel got more fuel than ever before. But Payton made sure that in the end he had the last laugh. Payton was the man for the Lakers as he tied his season high score of 21 points and was the one who rose to the occasion when Heat were down 92-91. His 3-pointer off O’Neal’s assist with 1:05 left gave them the much needed lead for their second win over the Lakers.
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| Cavaliers Parade The Bulls Out - Dec 24, 2005 4:50 IST |
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Cleveland Cavaliers 108 : Chicago Bulls 100 LeBron James and Damon Jones were the men for Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday as their dunk riot had the Bulls in a spin. James slammed in 37 points for his team and Jones hit three consecutive three pointers for the team when it mattered the most in the final quarter. Zydrunas Ilgauskas contributed 25 points and 11 rebounds in the win.
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| Mt. Kobe Erupts, Dallas Worst Hit - Dec 23, 2005 5:10 IST |
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In one of the worst disasters to hit Dallas in recent times, the Mavericks were left stranded when Mt. Kobe erupted unexpectedly in their game against the Lakers. Kobe had been spewing smoke since the Houston loss on Sunday and 48- hours later he found solace in venting it all out to the unpresuming Mavericks, who were running helter-skelter to escape its wrath.
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| Old is gold, says Team USA - Dec 22, 2005 4:53 IST |
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Old is gold seemed to be the mantra for selecting the US hockey team for the Turin Olympics, Italy this year. Chris Chelios a three time Olympian and Derian Hatcher found their place in the team while surprisingly, the most accomplished American-born defenseman in history and a two-time Norris Trophy winner, Brian Leetch could not make it. The direct implication of such a strategy has been that the much anticipitated American Youth movement has been put on hold.
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| Get Robbed Without A Gun - Dec 18, 2005 17:9 IST |
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Nikolai Valuev is the newest World Boxing Association heavyweight champion. 116-114, 116-113 and 114-114 this was the final verdict of the three judges in favor of the "Beast of the East", the 2.13 meters tall and 147 kg giant Russian much to the disappointment of his opponent, the American holder John Ruiz who made sure that his disappointment over the decision was visible when it was announced.
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| Its Lucky 13 For Biron - Dec 18, 2005 17:9 IST |
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Lemieux has trouble with irregular heart beat again. Martin Biron was the man on Saturday night as he made 30 saves and extended a franchise-record by winning his 13th consecutive start as Buffalo held off Pittsburgh, 4-3. Even though the Penguins changed their coach, Michel Therrien the new man in charge does not have seemed to make a change in their luck as they suffered their fourth consecutive loss and have lost 10 of their previous eleven too. This was their second game under the new coach, who assumed charge just this Thurday.
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| Spanish Matadors And The Queen’s Men To Settle It On The Pitch - Dec 18, 2005 4:43 IST |
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Gunners Go To Spain In Their First Leg Two of the premier English clubs set up appointments with Spanish giants in the upcoming Champions League. Whoever wins will move into the quarterfinals. Chelsea have managed a repeat of last year’s itinerary as they will be face to face again with Barcelona. The other powerhouse vs. powerhouse contest is between Arsenal and Real Madrid. The other tie ups are not less interesting either but these two matches are getting the most attention and speculation on tactics and deployments is already underway. It is THE topic of the day.
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| Hell no ! Says Montgomery To Returning Prize Money - Dec 16, 2005 5:12 IST |
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The recently banned US sprinter Tim Montgomery has declined to return his prize and appearance money to the IAAF as was ordered by the CAS. Montogomery and Gaines were yesterday handed out two year bans in the wake of using performance enhancing substances. The three-member arbitration panel had found "strong, indeed uncontroverted, evidence" for the same.
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| Montgomery, Gaines To Stay In The Blocks For Two Years - Dec 14, 2005 6:15 IST |
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The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), today banned former World 100M champion Tim Montgomery and Chryste Gaines for two years for doping offences related to the BALCO laboratory in California. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency agency had requested four-year suspensions for both sprinter. But the arbitration court, the highest court in sports, cut the penalty in half. The bans come in effect from June 6, 2005 when the CAS began proceedings on the case.
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| Matt Cook(e)s Up A Win For Canucks - Dec 14, 2005 6:15 IST |
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NHL : Canucks 3 Rangers 2 4:31 remaining, teams tied at 2-2 and in comes Matt Cooke to score the winner of a rebound for the Vancouver Canucks, much to the disappointment of the Rangers’ fans.
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