Glittering event brings curtains down on Glorious Glasgow 2014, India finish 5th

August 4, 2014

Glorious GlasgowGlasgow, Aug 4: A glittering closing ceremony brought the curtains down on the 20th Commonwealth Games here last night with singer Kylie Minogue being one of styar performers during the gala event.

In presence of British Prime Minister David Cameron, Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex and vice patron of Commonwealth Games Federation, declared the Glasgow 2014 closed as a representative of the head of the Commonwealth to mark the end of the biggest sporting extravaganza Scotland has ever hosted.

"Every four years, these Games bring the spirit of our Commonwealth alive. I called sportsmen and women from all nations and territories of the Commonwealth to come together in four years' time to celebrate the 21st Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast in Australia. Until then, in the name of Commonwealth Games Federation, I proclaimed the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games closed," he said.

Colourful fireworks on a cloudy Glasgow's night skyline to signal the end of 11-day competition among 4929 athletes from 71 countries and territories of the erstwhile British Empire which was opened on July 23.

More than 2,000 volunteers sang and danced to several numbers of Scottish singers in front of a packed crowd who joined the show largely of laser light and sound at the Hampden Park National Stadium at the closing ceremony produced by global specialists of such events Jack Morton Worldwide.

The athletes were ushered in at the beginning of the show and remained at the field for the entire one-and-a-half hour show, many taking part and enjoying the rock concert like atmosphere.

The Indian contingent, led by flag bearer Seema Punia, who won a silver in women's discus throw, took part in the closing ceremony, all of them wearing track suits.

CGF chief Prince Imran described the Glasgow 2014 as the best ever Games.

"Scotland and Glasgow, you have really delivered in every aspect the best Games ever," he said in his brief speech to the applause of the crowd.

"We have seen superb sporting action supported by fantastic organisation. Glasgow you were pure, dead brilliant."

Rhythmic gymnast from Wales, Francesca Jones, who won one gold and five silver, was awarded the David Dixon Award for the best athlete in the Glasgow Games.

CGF chief Prince Imran presented the award to her.

Australian Minogue's performance symbolised the transfer of baton to Australia's Gold Coast, which will host the 21st edition from April 4-15, 2018.

The show, with the theme 'All Back To Ours', opened with Scottish singer and actress Lulu coming out onto the star-shaped stage amid a mass of tents around the National Stadium at hampden Park and belting her famous 'Shout'.

Suddenly the athletes came out of the tents to the amazement of the crowd and Lulu continued with her ‘Shout’ with volunteers joining her.

Glasgow legends ‘Deacon Blue’ took the centre stage belting out their famous song 'Dignity', which tells the story of an ordinary man -- a worker. The workers of Glasgow was given pride of place with 220 of them entering the stadium carrying 'Let Glasgow Flourish' banner while Deacon Blue lead singer Ricky Ross asking the crowd to join him.

A fleet of assorted council vehicles, led by Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, appeared from another gate and Glasgow 2014 mascot Clyde was in one of these vehicles.

Then, Glasgow rock band Prides hit the stage and they sang 'Messiah' to set the scene for thousands of Glasgow 2014 volunteers, known as clyde-siders, gathered around the CGF flag pole, before two pipe bands take their turn to show the more traditional Scottish culture.

In a spectacularly choreographed sequence, the volunteer performers began to clear the field of play and the tents were gradually moved to the side before the festival site was transformed into a huge star around the Star Stage for the dignitaries present to speak according to the protocol.

Representatives of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo entered the stadium playing 'Wi a Hundred Pipers' followed by 'The Bloody Fields of Flanders'.

Lord Kelvin Smith KT, the chairman of the organizing committee, and CGF chief Prince Imran gave their speeches to the Commonwealth.

The CGF flag was lowered by two members of the tri-force military party, accompanied by Robert Burns song ‘Ae Fond Kiss’ sung by Karen Matherson. Seventeen athletes, each representing their country, formed an avenue of national flags down which the CGF flag travelled before it was folded by a tri-force military party.

Glasgow 2014 representatives handed the flag back to the CGF, who entrusted it to the representatives of Gold Coast, the Australian city which will host the Games from April 4-15, 2018.

Then the final moment came with the Earl of Wessex, the third son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip Duke of Edinburg, declaring the 2014 Commonwealth Games closed with a colourful fireworks adorning the cloudy Glasgow sky.

The rock concert-like party continued with Minogue performing on her seven songs one after another, beginning with the 'Look' with a playful love story scene during a typical night out in Glasgow as the backdrop.

Stand-up comedian Des Clarke came out of a tent with Team Scotland's Scotty Dog 'Hamish' and introduced Minogue on the stage. Minogue began with 'Spinning Around' with volunteers and athletes joining the dance party.

After her famous numbers Into the Blue, Love at First Sight, All the Lovers, The Locomotion, Beautiful and Cannot Get out of my head, the mirror balls rising up around the stadium and confetti filling the field and the volunteer performers finding their partners in a slow dance.

The stage was then left for Dougie Maclean, one of Scotland's finest singer-songwriters, to belt out the hugely popular 'Caledonia' before a lone piper blew Robert Burns song 'Auld Lang Syne' from the stadium roof as the final fireworks began. A comet tail firework travelled through the crowd to mark the end of the colourful ceremony.

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Agencies
March 26,2020

Karachi, Mar 26: Pakistan's centrally-contracted cricketers will contribute Rs 5 million to the national government's emergency fund to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ehsan Mani on Wednesday said apart from centrally-contracted players contributing Rs 5 million, the employees in the board, up to the senior manager level, will contribute their one day's salary.

Those employed as general managers or on higher posts will give two days' salary to the fund.

"The PCB will collect all these funds and deposit it to the government's coronavirus fund," he said.

Pakistan has recorded more than 1,000 positive cases of the deadly virus, which has claimed more than 19,000 lives all over the world.

"It is the history of the cricket board that we always stand by the government in difficult times," Mani said.

The PCB has already given its high performances centre in Karachi at the national stadium to be used by paramedical staff working at the special coronavirus hospital set up at the expo centre in the in the city.

Mani said though cricket has been disrupted by the virus outbreak but it was far more important for the nation to stand by the government and also take all precautionary steps during the pandemic.

Pakistan's centrally-contracted players are entitled to monthly salaries ranging from Rs 5 to 12 lakh besides match fee and other earnings.

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News Network
May 15,2020

New Delhi, May 15: Former England skipper David Gower feels Sourav Ganguly has the right "political skills" to lead the ICC one day and he has already displayed that as BCCI president, which is a "far tougher job".

The elegant left-hander is very impressed with Ganguly's leadership abilities and believes that he has what it takes to head the global body in the future.

"One thing I have learnt over the years is that if you are going to run BCCI, you need to be many, many things. Having a reputation like he (Ganguly) has is a very good start, but you need to be a very deft politician.

"You need to have control of a million different things," Gower said ahead of "Q20", a unique chat show for the fans presented by 'GloFans'.

Gower reckons being president of the BCCI is the toughest job imaginable in world cricket.

"And of course, you need to be responsible for a game that is followed by, I mean, should we say a billion people here in India," he said.

"We all know about the immense following for cricket in India. So it is indeed a wonderful thing to behold. Sourav has the toughest task imaginable in charge of BCCI, but so far I would say the signs are very good.

"He has listened, given his own opinion and has pulled strings gently," he said.

Political skills are a must in administration and that's where Gower finds his fellow left-hander ticking all the boxes.

"He is a very, very good man and has those political skills. He has the right attitude and can keep things together and will do good job. And if you do a good job as BCCI chief in the future, who knows?

"But I would actually say the more important job, to be honest, is running BCCI. Being head of ICC is an honour, there is a lot that can be done by ICC, but actually look at the rankings, look at where the power is heading up. BCCI is definitely the bigger job," he said.

On the cricketing front, Gower believes World Test Championship has given the format much-needed context.

"The idea of this World Test Championship has come about for one very simple reason that people are worried about the survival of Tests. Back in the seventies, eighties, I don't think we needed context to be fair.

"Test cricket was very much more obviously the most important format and if there was anything to be judged by, it was the performances in Test matches both as an individual and as a team.

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News Network
January 6,2020

Jan 6: Former India opener Kris Srikkanth on Sunday said he would prefer K L Rahul over Shikhar Dhawan in the T20 World Cup later this year.

Former India opener Kris Srikkanth on Sunday said he would prefer K L Rahul over Shikhar Dhawan in the T20 World Cup later this year.

Dhawan is returning to international cricket after a long gap. During the senior left-handed batsman's absence, Rahul has emerged as one of the top contenders for the opener's slot in limited-overs cricket.

"Runs against SL (Sri Lanka) don't count. If I was chairman of selectors, I won't pick Dhawan in the T20 WC squad. There is no competition between him and Rahul. Only one winner," Srikkanth said on Star Sports.

Before the series, the 34-year-old Dhawan said that he is looking forward to a "new start" in a new year and wants to win the World Cup for India.

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