Thursday 9th October, 2008 Australia to target Indian veterans in 1st test BANGALORE, (AP) - delivering outside the off Australia stump, a method which was says his team will target India’s successful on the Indian tour of aging batsmen, including star 2003-04. Ganguly, who , when the India coach Gary Kirsten, a opening match of the four-test former South Africa test opener, series starts Thursday. said his big-name players were Australia will field a rela- ready for the tactic. tively inexperienced team, but “We are very aware of what Ponting said his youthful lineup their plans are and we have will try to make prepared accord- some of their oppo- Likely teams: ingly,” Kirsten never quit, nents look “past AUSTRALIA: Matthew said. “We’ve got their use-by date.” Hayden, , very talented “That’s what Ricky Ponting (cap- batsmen really we’re trying to tain), Michael Clarke, and what we are achieve, to put their , looking for is for a older guys under , Brad few of them to get immense pressure,” Haddin, Cameron into good form he said. “We know if early in the White, Brett Lee, walks away we do that, and , series. “ make little things Australia also . Finally,the announcement came from a green Nagpur. To the VVS Laxman. The face stand out, their INDIA: Virender has concerns whole media over at the time and place of his choosing, world, the real Dada was a mystery. of Indian Cricket is Sehwag, Gautam over its older play- here will just jump when the world was least expecting In an international career that set to change over Gambhir, Rahul ers - including it. It was just another Tuesday in spanned 16 years, with two breaks the next year, but on them, especially Dravid, Sachin opener Matthew Bangalore, a normal, boring after- from which he was never expected to the last has not if they lose an early Tendulkar, Sourav Hayden, who noon in which players are expected recover, no Indian cricketer has gone been heard of any game.” Ganguly, V.V.S returns after to utter insipid nothings at a press through all the gamut of emotions as of the five. India will once Laxman, Mahendra missing the West conference two days before the often and as publicly. A magic trick again rely heavily on Singh Dhoni, Anil Indies series with match. Sourav Ganguly spoke about Last Wednesday,on the day of his is made up of its so called “Fab Kumble (captain), a heel problem - the pitch, the bowlers, the team’s selection for the Australia Test three parts. Four,” made up of strengths and weaknesses, and when series, he had told this correspon- Ganguly made , and a veterans Tendulkar, all mundane questions had been dent: “I don’t know when I’ll quit. It’s his “pledge” in , Ishant attack that is , addressed, he stopped the reporters not an easy decision, but the day is 1996 with a cen- Sharma. untried in India. Sourav Ganguly and for a final declaration. not far away.” tury on Test Brett Lee, V.V.S. Laxman. “This is my last Throughout his career, contro- debut. He took Stuart Clark and Former captain Ganguly, series...Hopefully,I will go out on a versy was Ganguly’s constant com- the “turn” when 36, announced Tuesday he will Mitchell Johnson have never winning note,” he said, hurrying panion. Back in 1992, he was dumped he returned at the retire after the Australia tour, played a test in India, and away before he could be probed fur- from the team, branded as a Maharaj end of 2006 and ther, more emotions running who did not like to carry drinks. In emerged as the and Ponting now wants to put Australia will wait until Thursday through him than his demeanor 2005, he was set aside after coach highest scorer in pressure on the other three. to decide whether or make revealed. Greg Chappell alleged he wrecked South Africa. Australia has outlined its Eighteen days before that, sitting the dressing-room atmosphere by Now, this their debut and fills the slow- strategy to bowl at the batsmen in a coffee shop in Chandigarh — being manipulative. And even in Australia series instead of the usual ploy of bowling spot. where he had come to play the local J 2007, he was accused of putting him- is his final, tri- P Atray tournament to escape the self ahead of the team’s interests by umphant bow rains in Kolkata — he had calmly playing for his bat manufacturer — his “pres- talked about his desire to fight on rather than his country.The theories tige.” after being overlooked for the Irani were eventually proved wrong, but Cup. “I’ll go, but not like this,” he the tag remained attached. had said with a glint in his eyes. After the fourth Test at Nagpur, “This isn’t the way it’s going to end.” his 113th, India’s famed middle-order In his latest moment of crisis — will finally be split after 12 years. Sourav and there have been far too many Reruns of Ganguly’s soft touch out- over the last few years — Ganguly side the off stump will play out on Ganguly was strong, and determined that TV channels, and his aura will keep when he quit, it would be as a mem- rising in proportion as time pass- ber of Team India. es. That’s the joy of retirement: Ganguly has been called many praise lives on, criticism is names but has seldom been fully interred with the bones. understood. Lord Snooty.Prince of Ganguly has now taken the Kolkata. Divisive Force. God on the pressure off himself, and left off side. He twirled his shirt at the retirement roadmap for Lord’s and silently shed tears in his other illustrious col- Jamaica. He scored 144 in bouncy leagues , Sachin , and supposedly ran away Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and

Royal break the ice, outstation teams and International Schools debut by Reemus Fernando teams from the outstations compete those tournaments. Apart from the Nalanda College, two time champi- in the tourney which will be played Annual Limited Overs Big Match ons, Kalutara Vidyalaya, Thurstan Five combined teams from the for three days starting Friday. against S. Thomas’ College, Royal (1995 champions), Richmond, outstations and two international Two time champions Royal College has not taken part in any Isipatana, St. Sebastian’s and schools will compete for the first College return to the Old Wesleyites limited overs matches for the past Moratu Vidyalaya. time while Royal College, Colombo Sixes Cricket tournament after a several years. Group C includes a combined will make a comeback after a lapse of lapse of several years. Royal College, The tourney, sponsored by team from Badulla and several years, when the Old who won the inaugural tournament Ceylon Biscuits Ltd., will include 36 Anuradhapura and school teams Wesleyites organized Inter School from Royal (Panadura), Joseph Vas, Invitational Six-a-Side tournament Wesley, St. Thomas’ (Matale), S. commences at Campbell Park on Wesleyite Sixes from Friday Thomas’ (Mount), Dharmapala Friday. (Pannipitiya) and Royal (Colombo). Combined teams from All eyes will be on defending Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, in 1993, did not take part in the tour- teams. They will compete in four champions Basilica College, Ampara, Jaffna, Nuwara Eliya, nament for several years, after the groups. Ananda and D. S. Ragama, who will compete in Group Badulla and Trinco will compete for school gave up playing the shorter Senanayake are the favourites in D. The other teams in the tough the first time in the tournament that version of the game. Group A which includes Zahira Group D are St. Peter’s, St. has come under a new sponsor this Royal College did not take part in (Colombo), Maris Stella, De Benedict’s, Prince of Wales, Kegalu year. any of the Limited Overs tourna- Mazenod and Maliyadeva Colleges Vidyalaya, St. Joseph’s, Lyceum, Gateway and Lyceum are the two ments, including the Inter School and combined teams from Jaffna, Lumbini and a combined team from international schools who are mak- Under-19 Limited Overs (50 overs) Polonnaruwa and Ampara. Trinco. ing their debut in the tournament. tournament for several years. This Strangely, none of the teams in From the 36 teams, four teams, Although outstation teams have year, when the SLSCA adopted a Group A have ever won the title. namely, Jaffna, Thurstan, St. competed in this tournament, it will Limited Overs tournament for jun- Nuwara Eliya and Gateway will Thomas’ (Matale) and Kegalu be the first time that combined ior age categories (Under-17 and have tough opposition in Group B, Vidyalaya will receive byes to Under-15) Royal College took part in that consists of five time champions advance to the second round.

Thursday 9th October, 2008