South Africa beat India by 10 wickets in second Test and win series 1-0 to hand Kallis perfect farewell gift

December 31, 2013

South_Africa_beat

Durban, Dec 31: They didn’t use any sobriquets. But they made a telling statement by donning jerseys, the back of which read: ‘THE ONLY PLAYER TO SCORE 10,000 RUNS AND TAKE 200 WICKETS IN TEST CRICKET’. Enough said. Then, they gave him a lap of honour — partly on the shoulders of Graeme Smith and Morne Morkel, largely on foot. A jolly good fan even offered him a can of beer.

He took a big gulp. Then, he thanked everyone from his parents to coaches to teammates to girlfriends. Enough done? Nah, he deserved a grander party. Nevertheless, it was the perfect send-off for the perfect team man.

Yes, South Africa galloped to a 10-wicket victory on the final day of the second and deciding Test at Kingsmead. Yes, Dale Steyn was adjudged Man of the Match for his match haul of 9/147. Yes, MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja played awful shots to hasten the completion of the perfect script. Yes, Ajinkya Rahane stood out with an elegant 96 to become India’s find of the tour. Yes, India didn’t register a single win on this tour. Yes, Dhoni and Duncan Fletcher presided over the team’s ninth straight overseas loss.

But the day, much like the Test match, belonged to Jacques Henry Kallis. If not for his fighting 115 in the first innings, India would have left these shores with a commendable 0-0 scoreline against the world’s No. 1 team. But it wasn’t to be. After the humdinger in Johannesburg, where the Proteas came within eight runs of forcing a historic win, came the delight in Durban. Let’s face it: the better team won.

Going into the fifth day, India had three options: bat, bat and bat. But they lasted no more than 50 overs. For the record, the visitors were bowled out for 223 in the second session, thereby setting South Africa a 59-run target. Forty-eight minutes is all it took Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen to seal the deal.

Earlier, resuming at 68/2, India lost Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara, two of their most dependable batsmen on this tour, within the space of 15 deliveries. In fact, Kohli was adjudged caught behind off Steyn on the very first ball of the day. If not for India’s hatred for DRS, Kohli would have stayed on and, perhaps, played a match-saving knock. It wasn’t to be. By the way, replays showed that the ball had brushed his sleeve on its way to AB de Villiers.

DRS or no DRS, Pujara was a goner. It was a peach of a delivery from Steyn: fast, furious and full.

It seamed away just a little bit, beat Pujara’s dead bat and that was that. Suddenly, India were 71/4. Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane did survive the test of fire; in fact, they even added 33 runs. But all this while, Steyn kept telling Sharma some hard truths. “I have more runs than you in this series,” the pacer sledged. He went on, “You have done nothing in your career.” Sharma retorted: “Let’s see how you bowl in India.”

A lapse in concentration saw Sharma lose his wicket to a Vernon Philander delivery that came back in. Plumb. Out. He was gone for 25. His total for the series: 45. Steyn scored 44 in this Test alone.

India could have still saved the game. But MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja threw it away. At 154/7, an innings defeat was a possibility. But Rahane proved he was made of steel. India went into the lunch break at 173/7, only seven ahead.

After the break, Rahane farmed the strike on most occasions. He showed that he has matured as a batsman as he brought forth the quality that had turned VVS Laxman into a legend — ability to bat with the tail-enders. He kept the South African bowlers sweating it out even an hour after lunch.

Rahane also hit some delicious straight drives. A meaty cut off Philander fetched him six, but with Zaheer Khan becoming Peterson’s fourth victim of the innings and Ishant Sharma giving Steyn his 350th Test wicket, Rahane attempted a slog against Philander, he lost his leg stump for 96.

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News Network
June 22,2020

New Delhi, Jun 22: Claiming to be saddled with faulty equipment from China, the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) on Monday called for a boycott of sports apparatus made in that country after the violent face-off in eastern Ladakh killed 20 Army personnel last week.

The IWLF ordered four weightlifting sets, comprising barbells and weight plates, from Chinese company 'ZKC' last year. The body said that the equipment turned out to be faulty and the weightlifters are no longer using them.

"We should boycott all Chinese equipment. The Indian Weightlifting Federation has taken the decision that it will not use any equipment made in China," IWLF secretary general Sahdev Yadav said.

The IWLF, in a letter, has informed the Sports Authority of India (SAI) about its decision to stop using any equipment made in China.

"In a letter to SAI we have written that IWLF won't be using the Chinese equipment," he said.

"In future also we will not use made in china sets. We will use sets made by Indian origin companies or any other company but not from China," Yadav added.

National coach Vijay Sharma revealed that the plates were found to be sub-standard when the lifters started training again earlier this month following the easing of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.

"The sets were spoilt. We can't use them now," Sharma said.

"All the weightlifters in the camp are against China. They have stopped using Chinese apps like Tik Tok. Even while ordering things online, they check where the product has been manufactured," he added.

Asked why the sets were even ordered, Sharma said they had no option as the equipment from China is to be used in the Tokyo Olympics and lifters needed to be familiar with it.

"We had ordered four sets from China for Olympic training a year ago. Now, since we have resumed training post the lockdown we haven't used them. All the lifters are against the use of Chinese equipment," he said.

He said equipment was ordered from China for the first time.

"We don't order equipment from China as the quality is very bad. This was the first time we got it."

The weightlifters are currently training with equipment made in Sweden.

"Post the lockdown we started training on sets from Swedish company 'ELICKO'. SAI has issued 10 sets for us. The main training takes place with those. Maximum international competitions have sets from ELICKO," Sharma said.

Yadav also said that there are ready alternatives to Chinese equipment.

"We have a lot of alternatives. We already have good Indian sets and we also have equipment from Sweden. We will use that, why should we use Chinese?" Yadav said.

Calls to boycott China-made goods erupted across India after the Galwan valley clash last Monday. It was the most violent face-off between the troops from the two countries in more than four decades.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has said it is open to boycotting Chinese products in the wake of the incident.

The BCCI will also review IPL's sponsorship deals, including the title deal with Chinese mobile manufacturing company Vivo later this week.

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News Network
January 22,2020

New Delhi, Jan 22: The pitches in New Zealand have become a lot more batting-friendly over the years, says iconic former batsman Sachin Tendulkar, insisting that India have the “ammunition” to trouble the sprightly hosts during the upcoming series.

Tendulkar, who has been on a record five New Zealand tours since 1990, feels that from seaming tracks during his early trips years, the tracks became high-scoring hard ones during his last tour back in 2009.

“Of late, the Tests in New Zealand have been high scoring and surfaces have changed,” Tendulkar told PTI during an exclusive interview.

India will play five T20 Internationals, three ODIs and two Tests during the tour starting with the shortest format on January 24.

From 2002, when India played ODIs and Tests on green tops, to 2009, when India won only their second Test series in 32 years, Tendulkar has seen it all in New Zealand.

“I remember when we played in 2009, the Hamilton pitch was different compared to other pitches. Other pitches got harder (Wellington and Napier) but not Hamilton. It remained soft.

“But Napier became hard with passage of time (where Gautam Gambhir scored an epic match-saving 12-hour hundred in 2009). So, from my first tour (in 1990 till 2009), I realised pitches got harder with passage of time,” Tendulkar said.

Tendulkar is confident that the Indian bowling attack, spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah, has the ammunition to put New Zealand in trouble.

“We have a good bowling attack with quality fast bowlers as well as spinners. I believe we have the ammunition to compete in New Zealand.”

However, in Wellington, Tendulkar wants the team to be well-prepared to counter the breeze factor.

“Wellington, I have played and it makes a huge difference if you are bowling with the wind or against the wind. The batsman needs to be judicious in the choice of which end he wants to attack, it is very important,” he said.

Tendulkar said he would prefer spinners to bowl against the breeze.

“...the seamers bowling against the strong breeze need to be smart. So I would prefer that if there is strong breeze, let the spinner bowl from that end and from the opposite end, the fast bowler bowls with the breeze behind him,” he said.

The maestro is confident that Rohit Sharma's white ball experience will hold him in good stead in the Tests as well, an assignment that has been kept for the last leg of the trip, which begins with five T20 Internationals from January 24.

“The challenge would be to go out and open in different conditions. I think Rohit had opened in New Zealand in ODIs and has been there quite a few times, he knows the conditions well. Eventually, Test cricket is Test cricket,” he said.

“But all depends on surfaces that they provide. If they provide green tops, then it's a challenge.”

There is no Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Deepak Chahar in limited-overs series but Tendulkar is not ready to press the panic button.

“Injuries are part and parcel of the game when you play and push your body to the limits.

“When you play for your country you need to give your best and while you give your best, you can get injured. That's okay,” he concluded.

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News Network
July 16,2020

Bhubaneswar: Jul 16: The Department of Sports and Youth Services, Government of Odisha on Thursday revealed that ace sprinter Dutee Chand has been given Rs 4.09 crore since 2015 and also appointed as Group-A officer in the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) currently drawing a gross salary of Rs 84,604 per month.

On Wednesday, Dutee clarified that she wants to sell her luxury car because she is unable to bear its maintenance cost and it will also aid her training for Tokyo Olympics.

The 24-year-old believes after selling her car she can use that money for training amid the shortage of money due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

"Rs 3 crore as financial incentive for medals won at Asian Games 2018. Rs 30 Lakhs for training and financial support during 2015-19. Rs 50 Lakhs for training support for Tokyo Olympics (Released In two instalments on 02/08/2019 and 27/12/2019," the statement read.

"The State government appointed Dutee Chand as Group-A level officer in Odisha Mining Corporation (A Gold Category PSU). She is currently drawing Gross salary of Rs 84,604 (June 2020 Salary) per month. She is not required to come to office so that she is able to concentrate full-time on training. Accordingly, since her appointment in OMC, no official work has been allotted to Chand," it added.

The state government further provided details of the financial support provided by the OMC for her training.

"OMC provided Rs 29 Lakhs to Dutee Chand for Training and financial incentives. The total financial support provided to Dutee Chand from State government/OMC is 4.09 crores(after 2015)," the statement read.

"The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), Government of India may also be providing adequate support for the athlete based on performance," it added.

Earlier, Dutee said she is facing a shortage of funds due to the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics to the next year and is planning to sell her car to meet the expense of her training.

"Training is going quite good so far, I have been training here in Bhuvneshwar. Earlier, there was no problem related to funds for training as Tokyo Olympics were coming up and our state government conferred me, but because of coronavirus the Olympics were postponed and I had spent the money which was given to me by the sponsors. Now, I need money for training, I need new sponsors but because of coronavirus I am finding it difficult to find them. Now I have decided to sell my car to arrange funds," Dutee had said.

Dutee, who has been recently nominated for the Arjuna Award 2020, said COVID-19 had impacted heavily on sports and sponsors are not willing to support her at this time.

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