Sehwag remains second in ICC Test rankings

DUBAI: Dashing opener Virender Sehwag is the highest-ranked Indian batsman at the second spot in the latest ICC Test rankings issued on Sunday.

ICC Test Batting Rankings 
ICC Test Bowling Rankings
ICC Test All-Rounder Rankings 

Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara leads the batting table with Michael Clarke of Australia on the third spot.

In the bowling list, Pakistan's fast bowler Mohammad Amir has rocketed to a career-best 17th after playing a leading role in his side's four-wicket victory over England in The Oval Test which concluded on Saturday.

Man of the match Amir took 1-49 and 5-52 in the Test and was awarded with a jump of 14 places in the rankings, which puts him just behind Paul Harris of South Africa and makes him the thirdPakistan fast bowler in the top 20.

For England, off-spinner Graeme Swann has moved up one place to regain his second position on the bowling chart.

Swann, who had match figures of 7-118, had first climbed to second position in March this year after the first Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong.

In the Rankings for batsmen, Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf, Umar Akmal and Azhar Ali, and England's Alastair Cook and Matt Prior all rose up the rankings.

Yousuf, who scored 56 and 33, has climbed two places to 14th position with India's Gautam Gambhir firmly within his sights. Umar has jumped six places to share 41st position with Australia's Phillip Hughes and Azhar has vaulted 28 places to 55th spot.

There is no change in the top five of the Reliance Mobile ICC Player rankings for Test all-rounders with Jacques Kallis of South Africa leading the field.

Meanwhile, England's four-wicket defeat has ended its chances of moving ahead of fourth-placed Australia in the ICC Test Championship.

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DAMBULLA: India's cricketers are not known for upholding high standards of professionalism when it comes to media commitments. But even going by the usual, what transpired at the Rangiri International Stadium after one of their worst ODI defeats would constitute as peculiar.

The team kept the media waiting for one-and-a-half hours at the mandatory post-match press conference, opting instead for a game of soccer, although it is compulsory for either the captain or any other team member to turn up for a briefing after the presentation ceremony which follows a match.

Counterpart Sangakkara had finished his bit and frantic calls from Sri Lanka Cricket's (SLC) media manager, who conducts the post-match proceedings, were treated dismissively. India's shambolic performance ensured the match got over at 7.15 pm, and eventually Dhoni turned up at 8.45 pm, ten minutes after the international print media had got tired of waiting and walked out.

Sangakkara, incidentally, came in at 7.42 pm, immediately after the presentation.

In between, everyone from the ICC to the BCCI was contacted. Indian team manager Ranjeeb Biswal, who was also playing soccer as a goalkeeper, told media persons over phone at about 8.20 pm: "We have time till 10.15 pm (when the match was supposed to be over officially). Dhoni will be there in five minutes."

An ICC spokesman clarified: "In ICC events, it is compulsory for the losing captain to turn up for these briefings first, immediately after the presentation ceremony. In other series, it's an agreement between the host board and the participating board."

Hassled SLC members clarified there was an understanding that the post-match briefing would be got over within half-an-hour of the presentation, adding: "Dhoni said he wanted to play soccer, so we sent Sangakkara. There are no hard and fast rules, and it's more a reflection of the team's attitude," said an SLC member.

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Sri Lankan Thissara Perera (second right) celebrates with his teammates after he dismissed unseen Indian Ishant Sharma during the fifth ODI of the tri-series in Dambulla. (AFP Photo)

DAMBULLA (Sri Lanka): A spineless India crashed to their biggest ODI defeat in terms of balls remaining as Sri Lanka stormed into the final of the tri-series with a resounding eight wicket victory on Sunday.

Scorecard | Match in Pics 

Thisara Perera produced a devastating spell of seam bowling to record his maiden five-wicket haul and play a big role in Sri Lanka's comprehensive victory.

The 21-year-old Perera (5/28) ripped through the Indian middle order with a fine exhibition of swing bowling to skittle out the visitors for a paltry 103 in just 33.4 overs, their third lowest total against the Sri Lankans, in what turned out to be a totally lop-sided contest.

The fired-up Sri Lankans rattled up the required runs of 104 in just 15.1 overs to gain a bonus point and become the first team to move into the final.

Tillakaratne Dilshan (35) and Mahela Jayawardene (33) virtually toyed with the Indian bowlers as they plundered runs at will to set up the chase brilliantly.

Paceman Ishant Sharma dismissed both the openers Dilshan and Jayawardene in two consecutive deliveries but it came too late in the day as the islanders overhauled the target with 209 balls to spare.

Till now, India's biggest defeat in terms of balls remaining was 174 against Australia at Sydney in 1981. In that match, India had scored 63 and Australia responded with 64 for one.

It was an abject surrender by the lacklustre Indians who were outplayed in all departments of the game.

The hosts completed their league engagements with 11 points and India will have to now win their last match against New Zealand on Wednesday to secure a berth in the final. New Zealand have seven points and India five points.

Pacemen Lasith Malinga (2/21) and Nuwan Kulasekara (2/31) also chipped in with wickets to compound India's misery on a day when nothing seemed to go right for Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men.

Only Yuvraj Singh provided a semblance of resistance with a gritty 38 as the the Indian batsmen succumbed tamely on what appeared to be a spongy two-paced track at the Rangiri Dambulla International stadium.

Yuvraj was a victim of a dubious leg before decision and there were a couple of dodgy decisions during the Indian innings but that was no excuse for the pathetic display.

After the furore of the no-ball incident in the past few days, the Sri Lankans seemed all charged up for the must-win game and Dhoni's decision to bat first after winning the toss completely backfired.

The Indians never really recovered from a poor start as wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals with the hosts exploiting the overcast conditions well.

Paceman Kulasekara struck the first blow by getting rid of dangerman Virender Sehwag, who was stranded on 99 in the last match after Suraj Randiv deliberately bowled a no- ball to spark off a major controversy.

Sehwag was trapped leg before wicket to Kulasekara's sharp inswinger and umpire Kumar Dharmasena had no hesitation in giving him out. The Indian opener was not too happy with the decision as he walked back to the pavillion.

Dinesh Karthik, who has struggled to find form right through the series, was the next man to be dismissed with Kulasekara doing the damage again.

Karthik edged the ball to captain and wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara who was standing close to the stumps to prevent the batsman from walking down and negating the swing.

With India struggling at 26 for two, Rohit Sharma and Yuvraj Singh tried to steady the innings by playing cautiously against the Sri Lankan speedsters who bowled a disciplined line and length.

Rohit Sharma, who has also been struggling to find form, could not hang around for long, asAngelo Mathews plotted his dismissal with a gem of an inswinger which trapped the batsman plumb in front of the wicket.

Soon Suresh Raina joined him in the pavilion as he fell prey to Perera and the Indians were in the doldrums at a precarious 61 for four in the 18th over.

Perera struck again a few overs later by removing Dhoni who edged the ball to Sangakkara behind the stumps. The ball held its line enough to get the edge and Sangakkara made no mistake.

Perera then removed Ravindra Jadeja for a nine-ball duck and dismissed Praveen Kumar in the very first ball with Tharanga latching on to a simple catch at mid-off.

Yuvraj, who returned to the team after being laid low by a mild dengue, was the only batsmen who seemed comfortable in the middle as wickets kept falling at the other end.

Running out of partners, the stylish left hander picked up Perera for special treatment clobbering him for a boundary and a six to take India close to the hundred-run mark.

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LONDON: The England and Wales Cricket Board(ECB) is planning to ban English cricketers from social networking sites such as Twitter andFacebook while on national duty.

"England's cricketers are facing a ban from social networking websites Twitter and Facebook," a 'Daily Mail' report said on Sunday.

England players such as Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Kevin Pietersen and Steven Finn have been very active on social networking site Twitter.com and share nearly 150,000 followers among them.

Although the cricketers consider it as a harmless diversion, this of-field activity has not gone down well with the team management, which fears that the players may slip dressing room secrets to the public.

"The England management, supported by captain Andrew Strauss, seem determined to write a clause in the new ECB contracts for 2010-11 banning players from tweeting while on England duty," the report said.

The England team management was left red-faced when former under-19 captain Azeem Rafiq was found guilty of injudicious messaging after he called coach John Abrahams a 'useless ******' in one of his tweets on being axed from the side against Sri Lanka.

He was soon fined and banned for one month from all cricket.

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LONDON: A tournament for declaring the world's best team in Test cricket may finally become reality. The International cricket Council will decide on a two-yearly tournament-like world Test championship - as opposed to the current rolling format - at a meeting of chief executives of cricket boards at Cape Town next month.

England in the summer of 2013 is among the leading candidates to host the inaugural competition.

ICC spokesperson Colin Gibson said more details would be revealed after the mid-September meeting. If the championship is held in England, the final will be at Lord's.

The world Test championship is intended to breathe new life into the traditional format and maintain it as the ultimate battle for supremacy. But its marketing and the quantum of prize money, which needs to be much higher than in a World Cup or World Twenty20, will be crucial to attract public and players' interest.

How high a Test championship can be pitched will depend on revenues derived by ICC from broadcasting and commercial partners. A source said cricket bosses are looking at Tata Motors'Jaguar - now experiencing record sales - as a potential partner. This UK-based Indian-owned company has been sponsoring TV coverage of this season's Test cricket in England on Sky Sport.

A five-member committee, which includes BCCI secretary N Srinivasan, will submit its recommendation next month to the chief executives, who are then expected to arrive at their choices.

The matter will, therefore, have to be ratified by the ICC's board, before it's cast in stone. The committee is said to have debated whether the top four teams or the top eight teams should constitute the actual play-off. Martin Crowe, former New Zealand captain, has publicly favoured the latter, although he is not a member of the empowered committee.

Either way, there will be a cut-off point several months before the actual contest to determine the final participants. There is a possibility that up to six days will be allotted to a world Test championship match to ensure an outcome in the final and knock-out phase.

At present, India lead the Test rankings, with South Africa second, Sri Lanka third and Australiafourth.

Federer beats Fish for Cincinnati title

MASON: Roger Federer ended his mini-vacation with another Masters title, winning the Cincinnati championship by beating Mardy Fish 6-7 (5), 7-6 (1), 6-4 in the final on Sunday.

A well-rested Federer was barely on the court all week because his opponents got hurt and his game was so good.

For the first time, the world's second-ranked player was pushed to the limit. Fish kept it as close as could be, dropping the final set after the match's only service break.

Federer ended a streak of three straight losses in tournament finals, winning his first Masters event since Cincinnati last year. His 63rd career title tied Bjorn Borg for fifth place in the Open Era. Pete Sampras is fourth at 64, and Jimmy Connors holds the record with 109.

It took him 2 hours, 40 minutes to close it out -- an eternity compared to how the rest of the week had gone.

Credit Fish for making him sweat one out. The American had surgery on his left knee last September, then set about rebuilding his body. He changed his diet, lost 30 pounds and gained a lot of speed on the court.

This Fish can fly. His agility allowed him to extend points and keep up with Federer, who was clearly fresher. Federer lost to Andy Murray in the title match at Toronto last Sunday, came to town and got a mini-break. He was on court for only 28 minutes in his opening match before Denis Istomin hurt his ankle. Federer didn't even have to leave the locker room to advance a day later. Philipp Kohlschreiber dropped out because of a sore shoulder.

Federer sailed through his next two matches, winning each in two tidy sets. Fish provided his first real test.

The 28-year-old American is on the best stretch of his career, going 17-2 since July with titles atNewport and Atlanta. He'd won five in a row against top-10 opponents, gaining confidence with each upset.

Three games into the title match, Federer knew this one wouldn't be easy.

With Fish serving, the third game dragged on for 13 minutes -- nearly half as long as Federer's opening match -- and 24 points. Fish fought off a pair of break points before holding serve with an ace.

Fish's serve had been at its best all week. He'd served 70 aces and had won 85 percent of the points off his first serve, the best in the tournament. He struggled with it early but hung in there, extending the opening set to the place where he's been best -- a tiebreaker.

Fish is 18-5 in tiebreakers this season, showing a lot of confidence when it comes down to a few pressure points. Federer got up 5-4 in the tiebreaker and was serving the next two points with a chance to close it out.

Instead, Fish hit an overhead winner and Federer dumped a backhand into the net. Fish then finished it off with a 126 mph serve.

It was the first set that Federer lost during his brief week on court. It lasted 70 minutes -- as long as Federer's semifinal match on Saturday night.

The second set was even tighter, with Federer fighting off the only break point. He was more aggressive in this tiebreaker, coming to the net to take control, then closing it out with a 122 mph ace.

Federer got the only service break of the match to go ahead 5-4 in the final set.

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For long, boxers from India were dismissed simply as street-fighters equipped with haymakers, who led with one's chin and left the ring with a mouse on their face.

Boxing: CWG Medals won by India 

With the 2002 gold at the Manchester Commonwealth Games along with a silver and a bronze, India made an attempt to erase the tag of being slow learners of the 'Sweet Science.' But that was not to be. They fell flat on their face again with sub-par performances over the next couple of years including the exit of four boxers in the first round at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

While that was a punch in the gut, the Athens Olympics is still regarded as the rite of passage and 2004 the watershed year in the annals of Indian boxing. The Indians took the beating to heart and learnt a lesson: the usual upper-cuts and hooks gave way to long-range boxing and computer-friendly punches.

"I noticed in Athens that there was no shortage of hard work. We were not fighting clever, that's all," said PK Murlidharan Raja, secretary of IBF, adding, "A judge can get suspended for giving wrong decisions. Therefore, all judges mostly give points on clear straight single punches. Cuban boxers learnt about it early. We were still hooking and swinging wildly to score points."

There was a meeting right after the Athens disaster where 30-odd coaches from across India met and argued on the urgent need to teach their wards the art of straight punches. They even introduced a system at the sub-junior tournaments whereby boxers could be penalized for using the upper-cut and the hook. This helped in fast-tracking the learning process for the junior as well as at the senior level. The result was immediate. Few months later in 2006, pugilists produced their best-ever show by winning the Commonwealth Boxing Championships highlighted by a four-gold haul. They followed it up with five medals at the Melbourne CWG. But the biggest of them all was the corker from Vijender at the Beijing Olympics.

Thus, this time at the Delhi Games, the hosts will field an upbeat and raring-to-go bunch which will target more than five medals from 10 weight categories.

The task, though, is exacting. For one, since most of Indian boxers in the probables list are right-handed as opposed to participants of other countries, who are either ambidextrous or southpaws. When a right-handed boxer charges a leftie, he has to manipulate his technique altogether otherwise he keeps hitting the opposition's guard and scores no points. Secondly, nowadays boxers try to take an early lead and close their guards thereafter. It's essential to know how to pierce it. Indians have trained with these two motives for the last two years. The Games will give them the yield.

Indians boxers have been backed by good preparation, a luxury for most Indian sportspersons. Besides, in combat sports, the horde of madly cheering fans can make champions out of lesser mortals. Vijender, Suronjoy, Nanao & Co. will have plenty of crowd support. They now have to pull the punches.

NUMBER GAME 
Core Probables 44
Coaches 07
Foreign Coach 01
Supporting Staff 04
Number of camps/Days 10/552 Days
International Exposure Trips 15
Medals expectations 6 to 7 

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Atwal becomes first Indian to win on PGA Tour

See photo

GREENSBORO: Arjun Atwal won the Wyndham Championship by one stroke Sunday, becoming the first Monday qualifier to win on the PGA Tour in 24 years.

Atwal, who led or shared the lead after each of the first three rounds, shot a 67 in the final round. He finished at 20-under 260 and earned $918,000.

He's the first Indian-born player to win on tour and the first to win both the qualifier and the tournament that follows since Fred Wadsworth at the 1986 Southern Open.

David Toms (64) was 19 under. John Mallinger and Michael Sim both shot 62s and were joined by John Rollins (65) and Justin Leonard (65) at 18 under.

For a few dizzying moments late in a low-scoring day, seven players shared the lead at 18 under.

Atwal, who carried a three-stroke lead into the final round, was at 19 under for most of the day but bogeyed the par-3 No. 12 a few minutes before Lucas Glover bogeyed 14 and Toms, Rollins and Leonard all birdied No. 16.

Atwal reclaimed the lead with a birdie on No. 14, Leonard birdied No. 17 and Toms birdied No. 18 to join them at 19 under. Leonard dropped back a stroke after running into trouble on 18, while Atwal still had three holes to play -- giving him more than enough chances to settle things himself.

Atwal made his move on the par-3 No. 16, plopping his tee shot 6 feet from the flagstick and sinking his birdie putt to move to 20 under. He followed that with consecutive pars, sinking a 7-foot putt on No. 18 before dropping his putter and extending his arms upward in jubilation after closing out his first tour victory.

Glover (67) finished at 17 under, and Webb Simpson (63), Chris Riley (64), Scott Piercy (68) and second-round co-leader Brandt Snedeker (69) were one stroke behind him.

Atwal, who has won on the European, Asian and Nationwide tours, certainly has been through plenty during the past few years.

The player perhaps best known for his practice rounds with Tiger Woods is ineligible for the playoffs and lost his tour card last month because he was too low on the money list when his minor medical exemption ran out. That came after he returned too soon following weightlifting injuries to both shoulders.

Three years ago, a driver trying to race him down an Orlando street died in a crash. Atwal was cleared of any wrongdoing, although the yearlong investigation took an emotional toll.

Glover made five consecutive birdies, sinking four putts from 14 feet or beyond during that stretch, to catch Atwal, then briefly claimed the lead for himself with a birdie on No. 9 that put him at 20 under. That didn't last long: He sent his drive on No. 10 into the rough and three-putted for bogey, and slipped out of contention after he was 3 over on the back nine.

The Wyndham marked the last chance for players to pick up points for the playoffs that begin next week in New Jersey.

Michael Letzig, who arrived at Sedgefield at No. 125 on the points list, finished 14 under to solidify his spot in The Barclays.

"The goal is to give myself another tournament to play,'' he said. "I'm in, so (I'll) see what happens."

Pressure doesn't affect me: Saina Nehwal

HYDERABAD: It is redemption time for Saina Nehwal as the World Badminton Championshipskick off in Paris on Monday. A few weeks back, she was the toast of the nation after achieving a rare hat-trick of titles.

The country celebrated the dominance of an Indian shuttler after a long time and she was justly rewarded with the Rajiv Khel Ratna.

As Saina gears up to perform on the biggest stage of the world, the expectations of Indian fans are sky high. If she manages to hang on to her red hot form, the world number two has it in her to grab the top honours.

Ever confident about her chances, Saina made light about the pressure of expectations. "It's natural that people expect me to win the title. But I am not thinking about it now. My focus is the on the first match I play on Tuesday. I never let pressure affect me. As long as you focus on the match you play there would be no pressure. I agree it is very tough but I am not worried because I am well prepared," Saina said.

The Hyderabadi girl will face Hsiao Huan Chen of Chinese Taipei in her first match on Tuesday. Though Saina enjoys a 2-0 record over Hsiao, she believes the latter is capable of causing an upset.

"I found her to be a very tough player. I struggled a lot to beat her and I know she'll be determined to avenge the loss. At this stage there's very little to separate between the players and we need to give the best always," Saina said.

Saina faces a major hurdle in the quarters against world No. 6 Shixian Wang of China. Though Saina never faced her in big events, Shixian is a player who had defeated even world No. 1 Wang Yihan. "I know she's a great player and that match will be as good as a final. If I can beat her I stand a good chance in the tournament," Saina said.

India's top men's singles player Chetan Anand opens against Yong Zhao Ashton Chen of Singapore. Ranked 15th in the world Anand should easily get past 107th ranked Chen. Anand can easily make it to the third round.

Apart from the mixed doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Valiyaveetil Diju, the other Indian doubles teams don't hold much promise. Jwala and Diju,
who reached the quarters at the Worlds last year are capable of going all the way this time.

Whoever breaks my records should be an Indian: Tendulkar

COLOMBO: Sachin Tendulkar has looked a driven man throughout this tour. He has trained intensely, played aggressive mentor to the juniors after the defeat in Galle, scored his fifth double-hundred to help India avoid possible defeat at the SSC, and is now going to get his 169th Test cap: the most ever, past Steve Waugh's formidable record.

Most men conquer a milestone and sap, but Tendulkar's greatness is that he has conquered so many and yet retained a meticulous, student-like approach to the game's processes.

Even after so many years of top-flight cricket, he is still the perfectionist, still finicky about getting the little things right. He has even asked for the sightscreen at one end of the P Sara Oval to be increased in height, because he was finding it difficult to sight the angled deliveries from taller bowlers. A lesser batsman would have thought twice before complaining. Coming from Tendulkar, the groundsmen have no option but to quickly comply.

On match eve, a philosophic Tendulkar suddenly indulged a desire to speak, leading to an impromptu chat under a blazing sun. It was a rare occasion when Tendulkar played life coach.Excerpts: 

On whether anybody can break his records: Records are meant to be broken. All I can say is, whoever breaks my records should be an Indian.

On the journey: It has gone by quicker than I expected. You just need to enjoy it, it's a cycle. You are not always on top. The simple formula I have followed is, whenever I have gone through phases, I have worked harder. I try and spend all my energy in something I want to get better at.

On his preparations: I'm not saying cricket is simple, but everything around it, if you keep simple, it becomes relatively easy. I have used the huge support I have had over the years as a factor to motivate me, to go out and live up to the expectations I have of myself. For that, the pre-match preparation is extremely important. My preparation was always there. I'm really proud of that. Results are not in your hands, the way you prepare is. In that department, I have not failed.

On playing the most Tests: Obviously you need an x number of years, an x number of Tests. It has taken me 20-plus years and I'm really pleased. In the last few years we've played a reasonable amount of Test cricket. At one stage, in the early 1990s, we hardly got any Tests.

On how he has managed to retain the intensity: Over the years the love for cricket has remained the same. If at all, it has only increased with time. Passion also kept increasing. Whether it is a match or practice, I still enjoy it. I don't take it as a burden. It is God's gift that my life's passion is also my work. I enjoy every moment. I got a chance 20 years ago, and since then I've been living a dream.

His message to the new generation: It's important to dream, and to chase your dreams. Be sincere and honest. Dreams do come true.

Mount 169 

Tendulkar will create history, once again, when he walks out play the third Test against Lanka on Tuesday - It will be would be his 169th Test, more than anyone has played. Here's the list of players with most Test appearances (top 15)

Sachin Tendulkar 168 (1989-present) 

Steve Waugh 168 (1985-2004) 

Alan Border 156 (1978-1994) 

Ricky Ponting 146 (1995-present) 

Shane Warne 145 (1992-2007) 

Rahul Dravid 141 (1996-present) 

Jacques Kallis 140 (1995-present) 

Mark Boucher 134 (1997-present) 

M Muralitharan 133 (1992-2010) 

Alec Stewart 133 (1990-2003) 

Anil Kumble 132 (1990-2008) 

Courtney Walsh 132 (1984-2001) 

Kapil Dev 131 (1978-1994) 

Brian Lara 131 (1990-2006) 

Mark Waugh 128 (1991-2002) 

Besides 168 Tests, Tendulkar has also played 442 ODIs, 103 first class matches, 87 List A ties (limited overs first class games) and 41 T20 matches (including one T20 international)

Tendulkar made his first class debut on December 11, 1988, scoring a 100 vs Gujarat to become youngest Indian to score century on first class debut

Tendulkar has missed 14 Tests during his long career

Suresh Raina, India's latest Test debutant, was not even three when Tendulkar made his debut, against Pakistan on November 15, 1989

With just one more hundred, Tendulkar will become the first to post 10 tons against Lanka, and the first to record 10 or more against two nations. Tendulkar already has 10 centuries against Australia

Tendulkar becomes most-capped Test player

COLOMBO: Milestone man Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday became the most-capped Test cricketer in the world after taking field for his 169th match, the third and final of the ongoing series against Sri Lanka.

Leading Test appearances | In Pics: Sachin Tendulkar's double centuries 

The 37-year-old champion batsman, who holds almost every batting record, overtook retired former Australian captain Steve Waugh with whom he was tied at 168 matches after the second Test at SSC.

Tendulkar, who has been around for two decades now, has also played 442 one-day internationals, just a couple of matches less than Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya's record of 444.

Tendulkar has scored 13,742 runs in 168 Tests at an average of 56.08, notching up 48 hundreds and 55 half-centuries in the process.

He has 17,598 runs, including 46 centuries, in his 442 one-dayers. The Mumbaikar also holds the distinction of being the first batsman to score a double hundred in ODIs.

But despite these astonishing feats, Tendulkar remains hungry for more runs and after getting his fifth Test double hundred in the second Test against Sri Lanka, the diminutive batsman urged critics to stop talking about his age. 

Sport ministry issues show cause notice to Hockey India and IHF

NEW DELHI: In a new twist to the drama surrounding the national game, sports ministry sought clarifications from both Hockey India and Indian Hockey Federation on how they propose to meet the governments' guidelines to run the sport in the country.

The sports ministry on Monday issued show-cause notices to both HI and IHF, asking the two bodies to clarify as to how they meet the guidelines of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and the government.

In its show-cause notice to HI, the ministry asked it to explain before Thursday's election as to why the government should not de-recognise it in the wake of the federation's declaration before Delhi High Court that it is a private body.

While in another notice to IHF, the ministry gave the KPS Gill-led body 14 days time to explain as to how it proposes to meet the FIH as well as government's guidelines if it wishes to run the sport in the country.

In the notice issued to HI president Vidya Stokes and secretary general Narinder Batra, joint-secretary in the ministry Injeti Srinivas said if the national federation fails to provide a satisfactory answer before its polls, the government's provisional recognition to HI will be automatically withdrawn.

"The Ministry of Sports (MoYAS) has carefully studied the orders passed by the Delhi High Courts and the Supreme Court of India and has noted that HI is holding its elections as a private body on the basis of its own set of rules and bye-laws," Srinivas said in the notice.

"In view of the private body status of the HI being accepted by the Honourable Supreme Court, you are hereby called upon to explain before the date of elections as to why the provisional recognition granted to HI by the MoYAS, shall not be withdrawn with immediate effect," the notice said.

"Failure to furnish a satisfactory reply within the time limit stated above will automatically result in withdrawal of recognition to HI as a National Sports Federation for hockey in India," it added.

The notice also states that HI had accepted before the Delhi High Court that it was not contesting with erstwhile Indian Hockey Federation to run the sport in the country.

"The HI has declared itself to be a private body before the Delhi High Court and that it was not contesting the status of IHF as the sole NSF for hockey in India," it said.

Meanwhile, in a separate notice to IHF president KPS Gill, the ministry said, "In view of the Delhi High Court order it has become incumbent upon the MoYAS to seek the co-operation of IHF and others in finding the way out of the present impasse in the management of hockey in India.

"In view of the above, you are called upon to explain within 14 days as to how you propose to meet the requirements of FIH of having a unified body for both men and women at the national level so as to obtain FIH's membership and be able to discharge all the responsibilities of a recognised NSF, including representing India in international competition recognised by FIH," the notice read.

"You are also called upon to confirm your acceptance to comply with the government guidelines for recognition of NSFs, including the latest order regarding the limits on age and tenure of office bearers. In the event of not responding to this notice within the time limit, it shall be deemed that you have nothing to state on this matter," the notice added.

Incidentally, the much-awaited HI elections were postponed for the fourth time on July 28 after the Delhi and Bombay High Courts stayed the poll process.

While the Delhi High Court had stayed the polls following the failure of the Central government to clarify its legal position regarding HI and IHF, the Bombay High Court did the same on a petition filed by the Maharashtra Hockey Association.

HI, however, moved the Supreme Court against the orders and managed to vacate the stays on July 30 and obtain a green signal from the apex court to hold its elections.

Armed with the Supreme Court ruling, HI also announced that it will hold its elections, on Thursday.

The FIH had threatened to bar India from participating in international tournaments, including women World Cup in Rosario, Argentina later this month, if a democratically elected federation was not put in place by July 31.

Delhi Games in crisis as clock runs down

NEW DELHI: The Commonwealth Games in New Delhi have been plunged into crisis just two months before the opening ceremony by allegations of corruption, shoddy workmanship and delays in handing over venues.

Monday should have witnessed the final handover -- already twice delayed -- of the venues to the event directors, but four are still under construction and others are the focus of a row over sub-standard work.

The Games, which India had hoped would be a showcase for its emergence as a global economic power, are scheduled to begin on October 3.

The charges of rampant corruption and concerns over the ballooning cost have drowned out increasingly desperate-sounding assurances from top Indian officials, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, that preparations are on track.

An Indian anti-corruption body last week reported it had found a host of problems with construction work, including use of poor quality materials and dubious contracts.

The chief technical examiner from the Central Vigilance Commission inspected 15 sites around the national capital and found a number of irregularities and suspect practices by contractors and public bodies.

The Times of India said all construction quality certificates inspected so far had turned out to be fake or "suspect."

Indian media also reported that the British government had raised questions about suspect sums being transferred from the organising committee to a British-based firm.

The reports prompted the chairman of the Games organising committee, Suresh Kalmadi, to address a hurried press conference where he slammed the media for conducting a "prejudiced campaign".

"I wish to state that we have nothing to hide and I stand before you with clear conscience and complete conviction," Kalmadi said.

"We believe in total transparency. The campaign is very demoralising for athletes and officials who have been working day and night for many years now to make the Games a success.

"The need of the hour is to get on with the Games and be united to make this happen. Let not corruption be the only highlight. There are many positive things to write and talk about."

Media coverage has become increasingly negative as the games approach.

The India Today news magazine dubbed the event the "Shame Games" while a recent editorial in The Times of India said it was "in danger of becoming an exhibition of ineptitude and incompetence."

The event involving 71 nations is already the costliest Commonwealth Games in history, with an infrastructure and organising budget of two billion dollars. Unofficial estimates say the cost will be at least three times that amount.

The desperate race to get everything finished in time has been hampered by heavy monsoon rains that have turned worksites across the city into mudbaths and even flooded some of the main venues.

Games Federation chief executive Mike Hooper said Monday he was concerned about the Central Vigilance Commission's report and made it clear that the organisers would refuse to take over suspect venues.

"We will not accept the handover of any venue if appropriate documents are not there attesting that the venues are fit for the purpose," Hooper said.

Opposition parties have seized on the corruption allegations to condemn the government's handling of preparations for the Games.

Police had to use water cannon on Monday to disperse opposition activists who marched to parliament with banners bearing slogans including: "Is it Commonwealth Games or the Loot of the Common Man?"

Other Commonwealth nations have expressed concerns about the situation, although Perry Crosswhite, the chief executive of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association, said he suspected political motives at play.

"It looks like the parties and the government there are having a go at each other and no doubt everybody has got their little axe to grind," Crosswhite said on Monday.

"These things tend to happen before these types of events -- the blame game happens.