Atwal tied 22nd, Jeev misses cut at Texas Open

Published Sun, May 16 10 10:36 AM

San Antonio (Texas), May 16 (PTI) Arjun Atwal returned a subdued even-par 70 to slip to tied 22nd but it was curtains for Jeev Milkha Singh as he missed the cut despite an improved show in the second round of the Valero Texas Open golf tournament here. Atwal''s two-day total stands at three-under 141 after he found a birdie and a bogey in the second round, which was suspended by a day due to bad weather. After remaining even-par in a blemishfree front-nine, Atwal found his first and only birdie of the day on the 10th hole. But a bogey on the 13th left him even-par for the round. In contrast, Jeev, who fell short of the cutline by just a stroke, endured an eventful day. Jeev struck two birdies against one dropped shot in the front nine to make the turn one-under. The back-nine turned out to be a disappointing one as he stumbled to two bogeys and a double bogey against just one birdie to drop out of contention. At the top, it was a four-way tie for the lead with Matt Jones (71), Brett Wetterich (68), Jimmy Walker (67) and James Nitties (67) having totals of seven-under 137 after two rounds.

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Atwal 22nd, Jeev misses cut

Published>Sun, May 16 10 09:46 AM

San Antonio (US), May 16 (IANS) Arjun Atwal had a sedate day with just one birdie and one bogey, both on back nine to finish with a 72 that saw him drop from tied seventh to tied 22nd at the end of 36 holes in the Valero Texas Open Saturday.

A late bogey on 16th saw Jeev Milkha Singh miss the cut by one shot in the rain-hit event, which will see 36 holes Sunday. Jeev was three-under with an eagle on par-5 12th and then found the bogey on 16th to miss the cut.

Jeev earlier had birdies on second, sixth and 11th and bogeys on fourth and tenth.

Atwal had a birdie on 10th and bogey on 13th.

Jimmy Walker and James Nitties got on a roll, and the soaked Valero Texas Open course dried out. Walker and Nitties shot 5-under 67s Saturday for a share of the lead at 7 under with Brett Wetterich (68) and Matt Jones (71) at TPC San Antonio, where the Oaks Course soaked up a drenching that will make for a 36-hole finish Sunday.

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Australia seek treble as England bid to end wait

Published>Sun, May 16 10 09:08 AM

Australia seek a world title treble while England will be chasing a first global one-day trophy when the old enemies meet in Sunday's Twenty20 World Cup final in Barbados.

Australia already own the titles in the 50-over World Cup and the Champions Trophy but England have failed to land a prize in the 35 years since the International Cricket Council began global one-day events.

An exciting tournament will end at the Kensington Oval with the two best teams meeting in a fixture given added spice by the ancient rivalry between Australia and England.

While Australia have dominated the Twenty20 throughout, they will face an England team that has looked more together, focused and talented than any they have assembled in recent years.

However, as skipper Paul Collingwood has frequently noted, that progress will count for little if they return home from the Caribbean empty-handed again.

"We haven't won anything yet -- that's the thing. We've got to a final but it means nothing until we win a World Cup," he told reporters. "Until we do that we're going to keep our feet on the ground."

Collingwood hinted he would field the same team that comfortably beat Sri Lanka in their semi-final on Thursday.

That will mean a first taste of Australian pace bowling for young openers Craig Kieswetter and Michael Lumb.

POSITIVE APPROACH

The pair have kick-started England's innings well throughout the tournament and despite the threat posed by the pace of Shaun Tait and Dirk Nannes, Collingwood said he would not ask his openers to change their positive approach.

"We've got a plan of action against every team and right the way through the tournament we have been very aggressive and I don't want to change our mindset going into the final," said the captain.

"The guys are going to go out with confidence and belief and keep doing the things they have been doing well throughout this tournament."

Australia have looked the most powerful outfit in the event although they needed a rescue act from Mike Hussey, who struck a brilliant 60 in 24 balls, to get past Pakistan in Friday's semi-final.

Michael Clarke's men will be favourites largely due to their strength in depth and experience in big matches.

Clarke, though, said the form book counted for little in the compressed action of Twenty20.

"People would have thought we were the favourites on Friday and we nearly got beaten," he said. "The fact is that we've got two wonderful cricket teams who've played fantastic Twenty20 cricket throughout this tournament.

"We have come a long way in this form of the game. But we didn't come here to make the final, we came here to win the final.

"There's no doubt we'd be much happier leaving Barbados with that one last trophy we don't have just yet," added Clarke.

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Experience gives Aussies advantage says Clarke

Published>Sun, May 16 10 08:46 AM

Australia captain Michael Clarke believes his team's superior big match experience will give them a "huge advantage" in Sunday's Twenty20 World Cup final against England.

Seven of the likely Australian starting line-up have featured in a World Cup or Champions Trophy final while England skipper Paul Collingwood is the only from his team to have played such a game -- back in 2004.

"The guys who have taken part in big cricket matches -- it doesn't necessarily have to be a final -- have a huge advantage," said Clarke.

"There were probably guys in our squad that were picked not only because they are great Twenty20 players but have experience as well, World Cup experience, big test match experience.

"Having a few senior players around will help the youngsters control their emotions."

The four Australians without final experience are 20-year-old leg spinner Steve Smith, left-arm pace bowler Dirk Nannes and Twenty20 specialists Dave Warner and David Hussey.

The other big difference between the two line-ups is that England's features three South African-born players and an Irishman in their top five batsmen.

Collingwood is the only player born in England in that top order, a dominance by foreign born players that would be hard to imagine for an Australian team.

"Never say never," said Clarke with a grin when asked if such a scenario would be possible.

"I haven't seen it yet in my career, though. But if you asked the guys playing in that England team if they're proud to be a part of that side I'm certain they'd say yes.

"Kevin Pietersen's got the Lions tattooed on his arms, so he's obviously very proud of playing for England.

"Every single player in that England team will come out and try their best, as will we," said the Australia skipper.

Australia reached the final thanks to an astonishing comeback against Pakistan in St. Lucia on Friday and Clarke said rather than put that game aside, he wanted his team to remember what it showed about them.

AMAZING GAMES

"I don't think I want the guys to forget that. I think that memory will stick in my mind for the rest of my career. It's one of the most amazing games of cricket I've been involved in," he said.

"I think we need to understand and accept that game's gone. But just keep in the back of your mind that what we showed the other day could happen out here as well."

Mike Hussey hit 60 off 24 balls as Australia hit 23 off the last over to win their semi-final against Pakistan in dramatic style, having looked out of the game.

"In our minds, we need to be very confident that we're never out of the game, we always have a chance," he said.

"There will certainly be tough times in the game tomorrow. We're going to be under pressure, not be getting as many wickets as we'd like or as many runs off a certain over or certain bowler.

"But the acceptance is that, with our team, we can chase whatever total, or bowl a team out for what we need," he said.

Clarke said though that he was under no illusions that his team would need to be at their very best against England.

"England are a very good team, they have shown that in this tournament they have beaten a lot of good teams and will be tough to beat tomorrow," he said.

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Crop of good hope

Published>Sun, May 16 10 05:48 AM

A new set of players gets ready to don the India blazer, fingers crossed, as their big chance comes calling. Adityaand Devendra Pandey look at the two upcoming tours that will fuel the dreams of more hopefuls

IT'S a 15-minute autorickshaw ride from Jaidev Unadkat's house to the city market, but it takes him a few extra in the evening rush. The threewheeler snakes and slides its way through the bustling Porbandar traffic, just in time for Unadkat's appointment with Solanki's, the local tailors.

The measuring tape is out almost immediately, shaping up the length, breadth and girth of the Saurashtra cricketer. Not much is said in between, but the tailor realises the significance of the moment. He is told that the measurements marked at the back of his receipt book will soon result in a navy blue blazer?with an India A logo sewn on the breast pocket.

In January, Unadkat had his first coat stitched for the under-19World Cup. Just four months later, the India A jacket is on its way. For the 19-year-old cricketer, the rise has been rapid, almost exponential.

"My aim was to find a place in Saurashtra's Ranji squad for the next season; India A wasn't even in the scheme of things," Unadkat says. "But the selectors are performance-oriented these days. Things have moved at such a rapid pace that I'm already there."

Just like with Unadkat, things are changing at a rapid pace in Indian cricket.

Quick change of guard

The two tours?the national team going Zimbabwe and the India A side to England ? scheduled for the coming month will witness the fierce speed with which the generations change hands.

First, Suresh Raina?an IndiaAregular till not too long ago ? will lead a new-look Team India in the absence of most senior members. Though that is a temporary move lasting only the length of the tour, the selectors have shown faith in a talented set of youngsters who could eventually re-format the national side.

The other bold move has been the restructuring of the India A team. In an attempt to fast-track plenty of careers into the big league and form a reserve pool for national selection, the tried and tested fringe players have been given the boot, while players ? mostly youngsters ? have been given the nod based on performance rather than perceived ability.

Regulars like Parthiv Patel, Irfan Pathan, R P Singh, Mohammad Kaif and Munaf Patel, who used to find a refuge with the A side, have been overlooked.

From the last India A match, played back in October 2008, three have graduated to the senior team, while only two names have been repeated. Raina, Murali Vijay and Ashok Dinda are now key members of the national team's Zimbabwe tour, while Wriddhiman Saha and Cheteshwar Pujara are India A's current deputy and captain, respectively.

At 21, Pujara is seen as the next big hope. Rocking the domestic scene with two triple centuries in his debut season, Pujara put Saurashtra back on the cricketing map. With an insatiable hunger for runs and an ability to spend long hours at the crease, the batsman's grooming for Test cricket recently rose by another notch.

"I have been in the reckoning for a while, so I am pleased to get the India A call-up," he says. "But to be selected as captain is an even better feeling."

The suddenness, though, doesn't affect Pujara. "There is always immense pressure to perform, and whether you play for India A in England or domestic cricket in India, it's the same," he says.

"The aim is to enjoy it when they come. It (England tour as skipper) will be challenging because I haven't been assigned a task like this before. It's a big opportunity."

Although the runs have flown thick and fast off his blade in Indian conditions, Pujara says the real challenge lies in alien settings. "I have been consistent on the domestic circuit for the last three seasons but the test lies ahead. The conditions will be a stark contrast to what we have here, and so will be the bowling attack. Scoring well in England will boost my confidence. The key is to adjust quickly and play my natural game."

Age on their side

Like Pujara, Abhinav Mukund's domestic scores have been closely followed by the selectors. But the long backlog of players on the fringe forced the Tamil Nadu opener to wait for his India A opportunity, until this sudden revamp.

"My under-19 World Cup batch was an extremely talented bunch," Mukund, 20, says. "Players like Virat (Kohli) and (Ravindra) Jadeja were bound to get into the Indian team quickly. The others, like (Manish) Pandey, (Saurabh) Tiwary and I, had to wait longer. But with runs under our belt, it was bound to happen."

Have the youngsters entered at the cost of some of the senior peripheral players? "I don't think so," Mukund says.

"Players who are past 25 or 26 have not been ignored; they are already established cricketers and some of them have

already made their Test debut. The selectors view this squad as the future generation. I'm happy age is on my side." While the likes of Mukund and Pujara had the attention of the selectors because of consistent performances on the domestic circuit, others have shot to fame through the IPL. One such cricketer is Naman Ojha. A sterling IPL III season by the Madhya Pradesh wicketkeeper forced the selectors to take notice, and Naman now finds himself as the back-up to Dinesh Karthik in the national team.

However, he realises it will take more than just 377 runs for a franchise side to seal his India spot on a permanent basis.

"Playing for India is not a joke. The situation is simple?thosewhodo well will stay; those who don't will go home," Naman says. "Sheer dedication got us here.

It's time to repay the selectors' faith."

The big reshuffle

While some familiar Team India names now form the core of the India A side, many who made their bones in the lower category, such as Naman, will go to Zimbabwe in national colours.

Naman will now rub shoulders with his surname-sake Pragyan Ojha. Having spent the better part of last year in and out of the national team, Pragyan believes opportunities like these come rarely. He says these are two of the most important tours in recent past.

"We will get to gauge how the youngsters perform at the biggest stage," he says. "Personally, a good show will help me cement my place."

The cement though was never laid for a few players, who now return from the oblivion. Having warmed TeamIndia benches on separate tours, Dhaval Kulkarni, Sudeep Tyagi, Manoj Tiwary, Abhimanyu Mithun and Wriddhiman Saha lace the India A side, while Pankaj Singh returns to the senior team after two years. It may seem like a demotion after having found space in the Indian dressing room but with one Test and five ODIs between the six of them, it is yet another chance to prove their mettle.

None of those ODIs belong to Mithun, while one belongs to Tiwary? who never played again after his miserable debut against Australia in 2007.

Back from the oblivion

"Opportunity has come knocking again and I'm sure there will be pressure on me to perform. I keep reminding myself that I'm just a step away from the senior side. I'm eager to make a comeback ? it's time to start afresh," Tiwary says, with a slightly tragic drone in his voice.

Mithun, though, breaks the self-pity mould. Despite being dropped from the Indian side without a single appearance, the Karnataka fast bowler, who scalped 46 wickets in his debut Ranji season, feels it was for a good cause. "Being dropped from the Indian team was the best thing that happened to me because I learned the difference between the domestic and international levels," he says.

So how does he plan to get better this time around? "I'm going to Australia on the Border-Gavaskar scholarship. My stint there will also help me understand foreign conditions better," Mithun says.

But compared to some others, such as Kulkarni and Pankaj, Tiwary will feel blessed. The only time Kulkarni stepped on the field during India's tour of New Zealand in 2009 was with a couple of water bottles. Ditto for Pankaj, but on the tour to Australia.

"Nothing substantial has happened after I was dropped without a game," the Mumbai fast bowler says. "I even started missing the cut for the Board President's XI. This is a small opening, and if I do well, there is a bright future." Pankaj is more philosophical: "People used to ask me why I was dropped without being given a game. Back then, I didn't have an answer. Now I can tell them with pride that I'm back. It will be an honour to wear the team jacket again."

For the wide-eyed hopefuls, the measurements for the blazers will change as their young frames fill out with age. But what they would hope to retain is the stitch on the breast pocket with the national cricket emblem.

JUST A STEP AWAY

On the long ladder to the national team, a stint with India A is the final step. A look at a few of the fast-tracked careers.

ROBIN UTHAPPA (2006): On his India A debut, the Karnataka opener scores 116 against Netherlands A, destroying their bowling attack in the EurAsia Series in Abu Dhabi. In the next game against Pakistan A, he hammers 52.

A few weeks later, he gets 86 on his ODI debut against England in Indore.

MS DHONI (2004): The world gets its first glimpse of Dhoni's savagery when he rips apart Kenya and Pakistan A in Nairobi. His scores read 70, 120, 119* and 78. Three months later, the senior Pakistan team are at the receiving end in Vishakapatnam, when Dhoni, in his second ODI, becomes the top-scorer for an Indian wicketkeeper with 148.

AAVISHKAR SALVI (2003): With an action notoriously similar to Glenn Mc- Grath, Salvi scalps two back-to-back five-wicket hauls against Guyana and Jamaica in March 2003. A couple of months later he debuts for India. Salvi is unable to recreate the same magic, though, as he plays only four ODIs.

AJIT AGARKAR (1998): The pacer sends shock waves through Pakistan as he picks up half-a-dozen wickets in an innings twice, and another five-for. He also gets a 109 against Peshawar in March 1998, in the same game as his 6/75. A week later, the Mumbai bowler makes his debut against Australia. He then goes on to become the fastest to snare 50 wickets in ODIs.

VINOD KAMBLI (1993): Although Kambli had already made it to the ODI team in 1991, a stint with the India A side at the SAARC quadrangular series gave him the required impetus to receive his first Test call. The stylish southpaw made both Pakistan A and Sri Lanka A pay at Dhaka, before doing the same to the England and Zimbabwe Test sides with back-to-back double centuries in his first three Tests.

THE USUAL SUSPECTS

With the selectors shining the spotlight on the youth, the regulars have been left out in the cold.

The tried and tested may yet make a return to the A side, but their inconsistency has been punished. A look at players who have dominated India A over the last decade

MUNAF PATEL

Fast, tall and lethal was how Munaf was described during his India A days. A regular bowler in the side between 2004 and 2006, Munaf featured in almost all India A games played during the period.

However, the Baroda pacer never featured since, although he toggled in and out of the Indian team. India A continued to host and tour games until 2008, without the pacer.

RP SINGH

Before the left-arm seamer?known in the domestic circuit for his immaculate swing?burst onto the international scene against Zimbabwe in 2005, he had played one India A game. After that, the Uttar Pradesh bowler featured in 10 of 11 matches that the A side played in 2006, before disappearing from the scene altogether.

PARTHIV PATEL

The most regular feature of the India A side, the Gujarat wicket-keeper had played almost all India A matches since 2006. Parthiv's constant run in the A side also directly coincided with a certain MS Dhoni in the national team. With Dinesh Karthik being preferred over Parthiv as the reserve stumper, India A had been Patel's lone solace until the IPL.

MOHAMMAD KAIF

Although he made his A debut back in 1998, Kaif had given Parthiv Patel company almost step-instep since 2006. The face of the India A side since falling out of favour with the national team the same year?he hasn't played an ODI or a Test since '06?the Kaif wall had stood sturdy in the A side all the way until the last A game in 2008.

IRFAN PATHAN

The fall of Irfan Pathan has been a tragic one. Once considered the future of the Indian pace attack, Irfan had been a part of the A side since his form spiralled out of control. Although comebacks to the senior team were frequent in the beginning, the rate dropped quite drastically over the years.

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Federer, Nadal line up dream final in Madrid

Published>Sun, May 16 10 04:46 AM

Madrid, May 16 (DPA) Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will renew their rivalry a year after their last meeting as both played through in three sets Saturday into an all-star final at the Madrid Masters.

Top seed Federer, who paved the way to a 2009 French Open title by beating Nadal in Madrid three weeks previously, could line up to repeat history after defeating Spain's hustling David Ferrer 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.

Federer won a dozen of the last 16 points as he beat Ferrer for the 10th time without a loss in little more than two hours, striking 38 winners and finishing with his eighth ace on the only match point.

'I thought I served really well tonight,' Federer said. David is one of the best returners in the game - he fought like crazy. I was worried.'

Nadal rallied 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over compatriot Nicolas Almagro and is poised - with a finals victory - to return to second in the world on the ATP rankings list behind Federer, replacing Serb Novak Djokovic.

Nadal stands one victory away from a record 18th career trophy at a Masters 1000 event, with Andre Agassi on 17 and Federer at 16.

Nadal leads Federer 9-2 on clay but believes his rival is in the driving seat for the early evening final, which will conflict with a key Spanish football match.

'He's playing really well, and conditions here are perfect for him,' Nadal said. 'He can win a lot of free points with serve and forehand. This court is perfect for him. He is the favourite here, for sure.'

Federer is looking to earn his second title of the year after the Australian Open and prime his clay campaign for a trophy defence starting May 23 at Roland Garros.

'It's very strange that we have not played in a year,' Federer said.

'I'm really looking forward to playing Rafa again. It's exciting for tennis that we can face off again. I was hoping something like this would happen in Madrid. I feel my game is coming together. I'm looking forward to the final a lot.'

Nadal dropped his first set of the week against the 35th-ranked Almagro, but calmly responded by putting his game back together to take the victory.

'The match was very close to getting away from me in the second set,' Nadal said. 'My serve was terrible in that first set, very strange.'

'Getting into another final is a huge joy,' he said. 'It's been a long spring on clay and being in this final is a dream for me. Whatever happens tomorrow, this has been very good. Never in my wildest dreams could I have thought of winning two Masters 1000s and getting to the final of a third.'

The 23-year-old is a perfect 14-0 on clay for 2010 after his victory, which included 16 winners and six service breaks of Almagro, whose unforced error count mounted to 37, mainly in the last two sets.

In women's play, Venus Williams will face Aravane Rezai after the French player advanced in 24 minutes when Czech Lucie Safarova quit with a hamstring problem after losing the first set 6-1 in 24 minutes.

Safarova won just six points out of 16 in her abbreviated loss, a day after ousting 14th seed Nadia Petrova.

Williams turned in a ruthless performance to reach her first clay final of the European spring 6-3, 6-0 over outclassed Israeli Shahar Peer.

The American fourth seed - set to become second in the world Monday behind her sister Serena - now stands 5-0 without the loss of a set against the world number 22 Peer, who never stood a chance in the hammering.

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Chelsea win dramatic Cup final to seal Double

Published>Sun, May 16 10 12:26 AM

Chelsea overcame a resilient Portsmouth side, who made a mockery of their pre-match billing as lambs to the slaughter, to win a dramatic FA Cup final 1-0 and clinch their first League and Cup Double on Saturday.

Didier Drogba maintained his remarkable knack of scoring at Wembley Stadium with the winner from a 59th minute free-kick after Chelsea had hit the woodwork five times in the first half while Frank Lampard missed a late penalty.

In an astonishing match of twists and turns, Portsmouth's Kevin-Prince Boateng, who had scored from the spot in the semi-final at Wembley, saw his 56th minute penalty saved.

The triumph gave Chelsea a second straight FA Cup final victory, after they beat Everton last season, and was a third success in four seasons for the west London side.

It was Chelsea's sixth FA Cup triumph and fifth in 13 years as they became the seventh English club to win the double and the first team since Arsenal in 2003 to retain the trophy.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, who has won the Double in his first season in England, told reporters afterwards: "Its a fantastic victory for me, I am very happy.

FANTASTIC SEASON

"We won't do anything special to celebrate, I will follow my players and my friends. Wine, sure, champagne. It is right to have a celebration, the team had a fantastic season."

"It has never happened in my career to hit the bar or post five times in one half... and we didn't start too well in the second half but I was not worried because we were in control of the game and had chances to score."

Portsmouth manager Avram Grant said: "It was a very difficult season. It is a season I will not forget. I have won a lot of games in my life, trophies and everything, but this was unbelievable. We always played against the odds."

In the first final between the champions and the bottom team in the top flight, Chelsea dominated the first half but were thwarted on five occasions when Drogba (twice), Frank Lampard, Salomon Kalou and John Terry all hit the bar or post.

Despite the pressure on their team, Portsmouth's incredibly vociferous fans made the greater noise inside the sun-drenched stadium and stayed to applaud their players even after defeat.

The match only turned Chelsea's way when Boateng's penalty, awarded after Chelsea's Brazilian substitute Juliano Belletti brought down Aruna Dindane, was saved by Petr Cech's legs.

Drogba fired home a 25-metre free-kick three minutes later that went in off the inside of a post to maintain his record of scoring in all of the six competitive matches he has played for Chelsea at Wembley -- three semi-finals and three FA Cup finals.

Lampard fired wide from the spot in the 88th after Michael Brown clattered into him but Chelsea had already just about done enough to become the seventh club in English history to win the Double, the 11th time the feat has been achieved.

OVERWHELMING FAVOURITES

Chelsea were quoted at 5-1 on to beat Portsmouth who are in administration, have debts of 138 million pounds ($201.2 million) and finished bottom of the Premier League.

Some pundits had predicted a record FA Cup final victory following Chelsea's 8-0 trouncing of Wigan Athletic when they clinched the league title at Stamford Bridge last Sunday.

But Portsmouth, many of whose players may have been playing their last match for the south-coast club because of the financial problems and relegation, weathered the storm and at times dominated Chelsea for possession and passing.

However, the Londoners had only one first half scare with Cech producing a reflex save to deny Frederic Piquionne.

Pompey's first close shave came after 14 minutes when Lampard shot against the outside of David James's left-hand post with a 25-metre drive.

Kalou was guilty of one of the most blatant misses in any Cup final after 27 minutes when he shinned an Ashley Cole cross against the bar in front of an open goal from four metres.

Chelsea captain Terry and Drogba, twice, also hit the woodwork before halftime.

The Ivory Coast striker, who will lead his country at this year's World Cup finals, showed his utter frustration by smacking the post with his hand.

Chelsea had four other chances in the opening period but needed a stunning reflex save from Cech to keep out an instinctive close-range effort from Piquionne after 22 minutes.

Portsmouth had the brighter start in the second period but there was an air of inevitably about the outcome once Boateng saw his penalty saved and Drogba scored.

The icing on the cake for Chelsea's England defender Ashley Cole was a place in the record books as he climbed the steps to the Royal Box and collected his sixth FA Cup winners' medal.

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