Dhawan to debut as India look to seal series in third Test

March 14, 2013

Dhawan_to_debut

Mohali, Mar 14: When the opposition is in total disarray, it's important to drive home the advantage and deliver the knockout punch. Team India, 2-0 up in the four-match series, will be looking to do just that as they take on Australia in the third Test that gets under way on Thursday.

With the Aussies still busy managing the fallout from 'Home-workGate', the time is right for India to hit hard and seal the series.

The Indian team has been quietly watching the drama unfold in the Australian camp, but it is unlikely that skipper Dhoni and his men will take the opposition lightly, no matter how depleted they might be.

"We have to play good cricket even if it is a weakened Australian side. We can't take them lightly. It's important to maintain the momentum," said Shikhar Dhawan, who will be making his debut.

Dhawan's statement outlined the thought process in the Indian dressing room. In the absence of the discarded Virender Sehwag, Dhawan will be partnering Murali Vijay at the top of the order.

India's two-hour practice session on Wednesday, under the watchful eyes of Dhoni and coach Duncan Fletcher, was intense. The only other possible change in the playing XI may pertain to the choice of third spinner - will Harbhajan make way for Pragyan Ojha?

In contrast to the Aussie camp, the camaraderie in the Indian camp was in full view. "We are enjoying ourselves. The team is in good spirits and there is a healthy atmosphere in the dressing room. There are a lot of youngsters in our team who gel really well," said Dhawan, who also confirmed that Cheteshwar Pujara, who was struck on his knee while batting in the nets on Tuesday, had been declared fit to play. "Pujara is fit and ready to play," said Dhawan.

The India No. 3 batted in the nets on Wednesday before taking part in a catching practice session, dispelling doubts about his fitness.

The Aussies, on the other hand, have several issues to deal with. They not only have just 13 players to choose from, but also an injured wicket-keeper to worry about.

Matthew Wade, who twisted his ankle while playing basketball here, is still doubtful and skipper Michael Clarke said that the final XI would be decided only before the toss.

With the track at the PCA stadium likely to assist the fast bowlers early on, Clarke would have liked to play three pacers, but with Pattinson and Johnson suspended, he has no option but to field Starc and Siddle.

INDIA EYE RECORD

If they win at the PCA Stadium in Mohali, India will record three straight Test victories in a series against Australia for the first time.

If the hosts win the Test, or even if it ends in a draw, India will accomplish a hat-trick of series wins over Australia in India, having won 2-0 in 2008-09 and 2010-11.

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News Network
April 8,2020

London, Apr 8: England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler has raised more than 65,000 pound (USD 80,000) to help fight the coronavirus by auctioning off his World Cup final shirt.

Buttler's shirt, which he wore when completing the last-ball run-out that saw England beat New Zealand at Lord's last year, was sold to raise money for specialist heart and lung centres provided by the Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals in London.

Buttler, who earlier in the showpiece match had hit a fifty and batted in the Super Over, put his long-sleeve keeping jersey up for sale on eBay a week ago.

By the time the auction closed on Tuesday, the shirt had attracted 82 bids with the winner paying 65,100 pound.

Buttler, speaking on Monday, said: "It's a very special shirt but I think it takes on extra meaning with it being able to hopefully go to the emergency cause.

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News Network
January 10,2020

Srinagar, Jan 10: Real Kashmir FC made a strong comeback in the second half to play out a 1-1 draw against former champions Punjab FC in their home I-League match here on Friday.

The 'Snow Leopards' equalised in the 62nd minute through Gnohere Krizo in front of a partisan crowd of 8,500 spectators after Makan Chothe had given Punjab FC the lead in the 21st minute at the TRC ground.

After Thursday's draw, Punjab FC is placed third on the table with 10 points from seven games. Real Kashmir FC remained at eighth with six points from five matches. This was Real Kashmir's third home match on the trot.

The match was a story of two halves as the first belonged to the visitors who enjoyed a 62 per cent possession of the ball, whereas the second belonged to the home side.

Both the teams were looking to gain an early advantage and Punjab FC took the lead after 21 minutes.

Confusion inside the Real Kashmir box because of a long ball from Punjab opened up an opportunity for Chothe and he made no mistake as he smashed the ball at the back of the net.

As the fans cheered on, Real Kashmir created a flurry of chances, but none of the home side players could find the back of the net. Punjab was able to hold on to their slender lead heading into the tunnel.

The second half resumed with Real Kashmir pressing high up the field and pressurising Punjab.

In the 56th minute, Real Kashmir playmaker Kallum Higginbotham cut through two defenders on the left side of the box and the ball fell to Mason Robertson, whose shot was too weak to trouble the Punjab goalkeeper.

Soon after, it was Danish Farooq who tried a curler from a distance but his shot did not have enough bend to trouble the Punjab goalkeeper. The home team's effort finally paid off in the 62nd minute.

A miscalculated header by Danilo Augusto fell at the feet of Gnohere Krizo, who was one-on-one with the keeper. He made no mistake in striking the ball into the opponent's goal to score the equaliser.

Real Kashmir was in their groove now, and Kallum came in from the right with a beautiful low cross across the face of the goal but Mason could not get a touch as the chance went begging.

The duo of Kallum and Mason were proving difficult for Punjab to deal with. In the 82nd minute, a beautiful long ball by Kallum found the head of a towering Mason, but the effort went just over the crossbar.

Within a few moments, Punjab again had another nervous moment as Chesterpoul Lyngdoh's cross from the right side hit the arm of Thoiba Singh but the referee turned down an appeal for penalty.

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Agencies
April 25,2020

London, Apr 25: Former Australian cricketer Graeme Watson who was fighting cancer, has died at the age of 75.

Primarily a middle-order batsman and a medium-pace bowler, he featured in five Tests from 1967 to 1972 and two ODIs in 1972, ESPNcricinfo reported.

The all-rounder earned the national call during the 1966-67 tour of Rhodesia and South Africa. Watson slammed a half-century in the first innings of the second Test of the series.

However, the medium-pace bowler was ruled of the next test after suffering an ankle injury. He returned for the fourth Test in Johannesburg where scalped his career-best 2 for 67 but failed to leave a mark with the bat as Kangaroos lost the series.

In 1971-72 he moved to Western Australia and played a major role in their Sheffield-Shield win in 1971-72, 1972-73, and 1974-75 seasons.

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