Former Test cricketer Surti dead

January 13, 2013

Former_Test_cricketer_Surti_dead

Mumbai, Jan 13: Former Indian test cricketer Rusi Framroze Surti died here today in a local hospital following a brief illness.

The Australia-based cricketer, who was on a holiday here, died at the Jaslok hospital where he had been admitted a few days ago following a 'stroke', according to his former Test and Gujarat teammate Nari Contractor.

"The stroke affected his brain and he died today. His two sons are here," added the former Indian captain who was in the playing eleven when Surti made his Test debut against Pakistan in December, 1960 at the Brabourne Stadium here.

Incidentally the player, who was a brilliant fielder too, played his 26th and final Test also at the same venue – Cricket Club of India – against Bill Lawry's Australian team in November, 1969.

Surti was an integral part of the team led by the late Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi during the 1960s and toured West Indies under Contractor in 1962. Contractor was hit on the skull by fast bowler Charlie Griffith on the tour which ended his Test career.

He notched up 1263 runs at an average of 28.70, with 99 against New Zealand at Auckland in 1968-69 being his highest score. He scored nine half-centuries and bagged 42 wickets. He also took 26 catches.

His most impressive all-round display took place on the 1967-68 tour of Australia, where he scored two half centuries and also bagged three wickets in both the innings with his left arm medium pace bowling in the Brisbane Test.

He scored 367 runs and grabbed 15 wickets in the four test matches in the series. He also scored 321 runs in four Tests against New Zealand – this being the most productive phase of his international career.

But he could not replicate the success on Australia and New Zealand's return tour to India and lost his place to Eknath Solkar in the team.

He could bowl both medium pace and spin, a style he adopted from West Indian great Gary Sobers.

In other first class cricket, Surti played for Gujarat and Rajasthan in Ranji Trophy, besides turning out for Queensland in the Australian domestic cricket after he migrated to the Kangaroo land.

He amassed 8066 runs with a highest of 246 not out in 160 first class games in which he struck six hundreds.

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Agencies
January 9,2020

Jeddah, Jan 9: Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde criticised the new Supercopa format and said that "football has become a business and as a business it looks for income".

"The bottom line is football has become a business and as a business it looks for income. That's the reason we are all here," Goal.com quoted Valverde as saying ahead of Barca's semi-final against Atletico.

"It's a completely different format to what we're used to. It was always the first title and the opener of the season and to me, that seemed fine," he added.

The Supercopa was traditionally a two-legged affair played between the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey at the beginning of the season, but following last term's one-off meeting between Barca and Sevilla in Tangier, Morocco, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) went ahead with a full revamp.

Instead of just two teams being involved, the Supercopa has been expanded to also include the runners-up from La Liga and the Copa - meaning Barca and Valencia are joined by Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. It is also set to be hosted in Saudi Arabia for the next three editions.

"It's been changed and let's see, it will be judged once it has happened. It's interesting, with four good teams, but from a sporting point of view, I'm not sure," Valverde said.

"We must bear in mind that the football we are involved in is an industry, sources of income are sought and in the same way that there are special connotations in this country, there are also in Morocco, where we played last year," he added.

Barcelona will face Atletico Madrid in the semifinal of the Supercopa at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah on January 10.

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News Network
May 11,2020

Karachi, May 11: Pakistan might play more Test matches during their tour of England if it goes ahead as scheduled in July after the West Indies pulled out of an assignment there in June owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Pakistan Cricket Board and the England and Wales Cricket Board officials are due to have a video conference on May 18 to discuss how they should proceed with the tour given the situation because of the pandemic.

"At present we have to play three Tests and three T20 internationals but the number of Tests could be increased and the tour could start a bit early in July," a PCB source said.

The source said that the ECB could offer to organise a four or five Test series against Pakistan if the West Indies tour didn’t go ahead.

Issues that are likely to be discussed in the May 18 meet are a quarantine period for Pakistani players when they arrive in England in July and limiting the venues for the matches and playing before empty stadiums.

PCB CEO Wasim Khan confirmed the video conference but said so far, the ECB has not spoken to them on increasing the number of matches on the tour which is scheduled between July and September.

"Things will be clear after the meeting but whatever decision we take we will consult our captains and head coaches before giving any confirmation," Khan said.

The PCB has so far kept mum on the chances of the series taking place in England because of the COVID-19 situation.

But with the British government due to announce measures to ease the lockdown in the country, it appears Pakistan could be touring on schedule.

Some former players have, however, asked the PCB to tread on the side of caution.

"If the West Indies have decided to postpone their series in June because of safety reasons and because of the situation then the PCB should also be very careful before taking up any offer from the ECB," a former captain said.

The West Indies Cricket Board said its players have to be convinced of their safety for it to commit to the assignment, which "is not possible in June."

"...we will continue our discussions with the ECB and other Internationals Boards on trying to find new dates," it said in a recent press release.

"We will only travel to England to play the series if our players can be assured that it is safe to do so," it added.

Pakistan is also scheduled to play an ODI series against Ireland while in UK but that series could be rescheduled and also be held in England.

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Agencies
May 25,2020

Chandigarh, May 25: Legendary former hockey player Balbir Singh Senior died in a private hospital on Monday, his family said.

He was 96 years old. His condition was critical for nearly a fortnight.

He was undergoing treatment at Fortis Mohali and was in a "semi-comatose condition".

He was hospitalised on May 8 with high fever and breathing trouble. His COVID-19 test came negative.

Balbir was part of the Indian teams that won gold at the 1948 London Olympics, Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956. His record for most individual goals scored in an Olympic men's hockey final remains unbeaten.

Balbir had set this record when he scored five goals in India's 6-1 win over Netherlands in the gold medal match of the 1952 Games.

He was the head coach of the Indian team for the 1975 men's World Cup, which India won and the 1971 men's World Cup, where India earned a bronze medal. He was also conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri in 1957.

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