As the Asian Tour celebrates its 10th anniversary, a new wave of exciting and talented youngsters are taking their place on the centrestage.
     Anirban Lahiri set the trend with a win at the SAIL-SBI Open and that was immediately followed by Gaganjeet Bhullar coming in second at the Avantha Masters and then Thailand's Kiradech Aphinbarnrat grabbed the Maybank Malaysian open last week.
     There is a whole bunch of Indians in the field. Apart from Lahiri and Bhullar, there are other winners like S S P Chowrasia, Himmat Rai, Digvijay Singh, Jyoti Randhawa, Shiv Kapur, C Muniyappa besides young Rashid Khan and Sujjan Singh.
     Lahiri, one of the numerous Indians in the field in Chaingmai this week, said, "It is a great field and it is nice to have some of these top guys playing with us. We had a few strong weeks. We are all up for it and looking forward to rubbing shoulders and beating these guys."
     On the course, he added, "It is a fantastic golf course. I didn't know what to ..

Lahiri, Bhullar confident as Asian Tour supremo sings praises

PTI Automatic

Birthday boy Unmukt Chand's brilliant century went in-vain as minnows Kerala thrashed Delhi by six wickets in a Super League (Group A) match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament here today.
     Put into bat at the Emerald Heights ground, Delhi made a commendable 195 for four with Unmukt making a brilliant 105 off only 67 balls with 12 boundaries and four sixes. In reply, Kerala knocked off the runs in 18 overs as Rohan Prem (92, 51 balls) and Sachin Baby (48, 19 balls) created a mayhem smashing 83 runs in only 6.2 overs.
     Pacers Vikas Tokas (1/46 in 4 overs) and Parvinder Awana (1/36 in 4 overs) along with left-arm spinner Varun Sood (0/39 in 3 overs) were handed out the maximum punishment.
     The absence of crafty Rajat Bhatia, whose slower deliveries are the most effective in this format did harm Delhi's cause.
     Prem hit nine fours and three sixes while Baby, who will be playing for Rajasthan Royals in IPL, hit seven fours and two huge sixes.
     On his 20th birthday, .

Kerala stun Delhi despite Unmukt century in Mushtaq Ali T20

India's fastest bowler Umesh Yadav is fit and raring to unleash his thunderbolts again but he wants to be careful about the workload his body can take during the sixth edition of Indian Premier League.
     "I have been bowling in the nets for a month now and I have fully recovered from my lower-back injury. I will be available from the first match for Delhi Daredevils. But considering the number of matches and the amount of travel involved, I need to be careful about the workload and will speak to the coaches regarding that," the Vidarbha paceman told PTI during an interaction from Indore.
     Umesh, whose last competitive game was a Test match against England at Motera, will make a comeback for Vidarbha tomorrow in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 game against Odisha.
     "This will be my first competitive game in four months. Irrespective of the amount of effort you put in at the nets, there is no substitute to match-practice. Tomorrow, I will get an idea about how I am shaping up. I am .

I will be judicious in choosing IPL matches: Umesh Yadav

Faced with the looming threat on the safety of Sri Lankan players taking part in the upcoming Indian Premier League, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has sought government's advise on the cricketers who are scheduled to play in Chennai.
     Nishantha Ranatunga, the SLC secretary said that they have sought the External Affairs Ministry's advise and hence, the players would be given suggestions depending on the MEA instructions.
     About 13 Sri Lankan players have signed up to play for different franchises in the sixth edition of the IPL. Opening bowler Nuwan Kulasekera and the rookie off spinner Akila Dhananjaya are a part of the Chennai Super Kings side.
     The Island nationals including Buddhist monks and some Sri Lanka linked property have come under attack in the recent weeks in Chennai leading to the UN rights body resolution against Lankans.
     Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa, who had previously objected to Sri Lankan military personnel being trained in the State, stands 

Sri Lanka Cricket awaits government advise

Barely a week before its inauguration, the participation of top Sri Lankan players in the high-profile IPL was today thrown into jeopardy after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa refused to host them in view of the prevailing anti-Sinhalese sentiments in the state.
     Jayalalithaa wrote a letter to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh making it clear that IPL matches would be permitted in the state only if there were no Sri Lankan players, umpires,
officials or support staff in these matches.
     The development has now virtually ruled out the participation of Sri Lankan players in the IPL matches in Chennai even as top BCCI officials discussed the issue to find a compromise solution.
     Although the BCCI or the IPL Governing Council have not made any official statement, it is learnt that the IPL franchises would be advised to bench their Sri Lankan players for the matches in Chennai.
     Altogether 13 Sri Lankan players, two of whom are captains of their respective teams, are .

Participation of Lankan players in doubt for Chennai matches

The Indian Premier League matches scheduled to be held in the city on May 4 and 6, could either be shifted or rescheduled owing to Assembly elections in Karnataka.
     "The matches on May 4 and 6 will be either shifted or rescheduled owing to Assembly elections in Karnataka. We will arrive at a decision in a couple of days," a KSCA official said.
     The Karnataka Assembly election is scheduled on May 5 and counting of votes will take place on May 8.
     The KSCA held a meeting after Bangalore Police Commissioner Jotiprakash Mirji expressed his inability to provide security to the IPL matches due to elections, the official said.
     "It will not be possible for us to provide security for the matches as our officers would be deployed for elections," Mirji told reporters here.
     Kings XI Punjab and Sunrisers Hyderabad are scheduled to play their away matches against Royal Challengers Bangalore on May 4 and 6, respectively.

IPL matches on May 4, 6 likely to be shifted out of Bangalore

Australian captain Michael Clarke was today ruled out of IPL, starting next week, as he has been advised to take rest for at least seven weeks under the rehabilitation programme for his chronic back injury.
     Clarke, who was bought by Pune Warriors for USD 4,00,000 in the IPL auctions early this year, underwent scans for his back and hamstring problems soon after he arrived home from India where his side suffered a humiliating 0-4 Test series whitewash.
     Cricket Australia Chief Medical Officer Justin Paoloni said that Clarke would need at least 7-10 weeks rest as part of rehabilitation programme for the degenerative disc problem that has afflicted him since 17 years of age.
     Clarke missed the fourth and final Test against India in New Delhi, which Australia lost inside three days.
     "Michael Clarke had scans that confirmed his current lower back injury is an exacerbation of previous issues he has had with his spine. Michael is having intensive rehabilitation for both his 

Clarke ruled out of IPL

India will have to settle for the third spot behind England in the ICC Test team rankings after the latter managed to salvage a draw in the final Test against New Zealand in Auckland today.
     India not only needed to win the Delhi Test but also had to hope for a New Zealand victory in the Auckland Test.
     India could have earned USD 350,000 if New Zealand won the series 1-0, as they would have finished second in the rankings table at the cut-off date of April 1.
     India, for finishing third, will now have to settle for USD 250,000 while Australia will bag USD 150,000 for being fourth.
     India, for their 4-0 whitewash of the Australians, gained seven ranking points to finish the season on 112. While England lost four points after all their three Tests against the Kiwis ended in a draw.
     South Africa, with 128 points, have already sealed its position as the number-one ranked Test side at the cut-off date and have been assured of a reward of USD 450,000.

India to finish third in ICC Test rankings

Michael Clarke could be offered a pay cheque of as big as USD two million to lead Pune Warrior in the soon-to-start Indian Premier League even as according to Cricket Australia the skipper cannot return to action for at least seven weeks.
     Clarke could get only his base price of USD 400,000 by Pune Warriors at the auction in February which means that he is being offered five times more to play in the T20 league.
     Clarke had missed the fourth Test in New Delhi and rushed back to country to get scans on his sore back.
     A report in the 'Australian' said that Clarke was being pressured to captain the Pune Warriors - a move that would see his pay skyrocket.
     "A senior IPL source told The Australian he could be offered as much as USD 2 million to take the job," the newspaper reported.
     However, Cricket Australia Chief Medical Officer Justin Paoloni said Clarke's scans confirmed that his current lower back injury is an exacerbation of previous issues he has had with his ..

Two million IPL carrot for Clarke but he remains doubtful

Mickey Arthur today defended his decision to suspend four players on count of discipline ahead of Mohali Test, saying it was a right step in the direction of becoming world number one again.
     Arthur and skipper Michael Clarke had decided to suspend Shane Watson, James Pattinson, Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Johnson when they failed to submit a presentation on how to improve their and team's performance.
     "Hopefully this is the foundation for something good. We could have gone and just carried on and we would have been third in the world comfortably. We don't accept that. We want to get ourselves to No.1 in the world and give ourselves the best possible opportunity to do that," Arthur said after arriving here from a disastrous India tour.
     "We've put some stuff in place that we think can get that team there over the next 24 months," he said.
     Arthur also dismissed suggestions that there was a rift within the team, saying the theory was mere an imagination of media and ...

Arthur defends suspension of four players

Sania Mirza kept the Indian hopes alive by progressing to the women's doubles quarter-finals even as country's challenge ended in the men's doubles with the defeat of Rohan Bopanna and his partner Rajeev Ram in the second round of ATP-WTA Sony Open, here
     Sania and her American partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands overcame a fighting pair of Jarmila Gajdosova and Sabine Lisicki 6-1 3-6 10-7 in the second round.
     They will now fight it out with Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci for a place in the semifinals.
     In the men's doubles second round, unseeded Bopanna and Ram were knocked out by formidable second-seeded pair of Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez 6-4 7-6(5).
     Somdev Devvarman was floored by world number one Novak Djokovic in the men's singles while Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi had exited from the doubles after suffering second-round defeats with their respective partners.

Sania-Bethanie in quarters, Bopanna-Ram out of Miami event

Despite Australia suffering a humiliating 0-4 Test series whitewash against India, coach Mickey Aurthur is unlikely to be sacked as Cricket Australia has backed him to continue at the job though the Board termed the team performance as "unacceptable".
     CA Chief Executive James Sutherland said the team management, including Arthur and national selector John Inverarity, retain the Board's support.
     Arthur, who took charge as coach in November 2011, has a contract until the end of the next World Cup, to be held in Australia and New Zealand in 2015, but has been under pressure after presiding over the country's heaviest defeat in a series in 34 years.
     "Like the fans and the players, we all are disappointed with our performances in India. We always knew the conditions would be uniquely tough and we went to India with a team that is young and relatively inexperienced by current international cricket comparison," Sutherland said.
     "But it is not acceptable to either ...

Arthur unlikely to be sacked after India debacle; CA backs him

Thilanga Sumathipala, the front-runner to become the head of Sri Lanka Cricket has been disqualified to contest the election next month.
     Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said the nomination of Sumathipala, a former President, has been rejected.
     Objections were raised against his nomination over his links to sporting bookies and media institutions.
     Sumathipala's nomination violates section 15-1 of the national sports associations regulations as stipulated in the sports law, sports ministry said.
     Aluthgamage had appointed a three-member committee to probe the eligibility of Sumathipala, a ruling party Member of Parliament, to head the cricket administration.
     Sports ministry sources said that the nominations of the other two contenders, the incumbent Upali Dharmadasa and Sumith Perera, are also likely to be rejected.
     SLC's executive committee will make a decision on ways to proceed with the election if all the three nominations for the SLC's chair ...

Sumathipala out of Sri Lanka Cricket presidency race

Ranchi is set to host the Asian Athletics Championships in July after the Tamil Nadu government cancelled the prestigious event, earlier scheduled to be held in Chennai, on political grounds.
     Tamil Nadu Government had last month scrapped the July 3-7 Championships on the ground that it cannot host Sri Lankan athletes and since then, the Athletics Federation of India has been searching for a venue.
     AFI President Adille Sumariwala told PTI that he expects the Jharkhand Government to take a decision on hosting the event tomorrow.
     "I am hopeful that the Jharkhand government will give the go ahead by tomorrow or next few days. Financial part, accommodation and infrastructure -- all these aspects are falling into their places," said Sumariwala, now in Ranchi to take stock of the situation.
     Jharkhand is under the President's Rule and a five-member committee, which also has a sports secretary in it, has been constituted to look into the different aspects of finding out the 

Ranchi set to host Asian Athletics Championships

Team India maintained their top position in the latest ICC ODI ranking list with 119 points followed by England and Australia.
     According to the fresh list issued today, India is closely followed by England on 117 points and Australia are third on 116 points.
     Since India top the table as per cut-off date, they will receive the shield and will collect a cheque of USD 175,000, while England will receive USD 75,000 for finishing second.
     Rising star Virat Kohli and India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni maintained their third and fourth rank in the list with 812 and 784 points respectively.
     The other two Indian players in the top-20 list are Suresh Raina on 12th spot and discarded Gautam Gambhir who has gained three places to 15th.
     South African batsmen AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla are first and second on the list.
     In the ODI bowlers' list, left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja moved two slots up the order to grab the seventh place with 663 points. The table is ...

India maintain ODI top spot, Kohli, Dhoni remain in top-10

Australia's Simon Helmot has been named as the assistant coach of the new IPL franchise, Hyderabad Sunrisers, for the upcoming edition of the Twenty20 league.
     Sunrisers have also appointed Jade Roberts as their trainer, Theo Kapakoulakis as physio and Sankapani the team manager apart from Helmot.
     The 41-year-old Helmot is the coach of Victoria Bushrangers in the Ryobi One-Day Cup, Australia's domestic one-day competition, and of Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League.
     He began his coaching career at the age of 25 and also coached the Australia 'A' side which toured India in 2008.
     Former Pakistan fast bowler Waqar Younis had already been named as the bowling consultant by Sunrisers.
     Australia's Tom Moody is the head coach of the team while Kris Srikkanth and VVS Laxman are the team mentors.
     Some of the star players in the franchise include South Africa's Dale Steyn and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara.

Helmot appointed as assistant coach by Sunrisers

Recuperating from a back problem, Australia skipper Michael Clarke kept his "fingers crossed" as far as participation in the upcoming IPL is concerned, and said he would "do as I'm told" by the medical staff in deciding whether or not to play in the cash-rich T20 league.
     "I'd be silly to make that decision (on the IPL) right now, I think I need to wait on the results, listen to the experts and then make a plan from there," Clarke said on landing here from India, where his team was whitewashed in the four-match Test series.
     "I'll have scans this week and spend plenty of time with the physio, fingers crossed it turns out okay. Sitting down for 12 hours has made it a little bit stiff, but I'm really confident that I'm in good hands with my physio here in Sydney."
     Clarke said he has "hurt his hamstring throughout the Australian summer and it has just lingered on".
     "I haven't had the opportunity to get that 100 per cent fit due to how much cricket we've had."
     ...

Keeping my fingers crossed as far as IPL is concerned: Clarke

The third and final leg of the Indian Grand Prix, scheduled to be held here on April 13, has been postponed due to clash of dates with the Annual General Body Meeting of the Athletics Federation of India here.
     The AGM of the AFI, which will be held here on April 13 and 14, will elect the president, secretary and treasurer of the federation, besides taking decisions on some other major issues.
     The venues of the first and second legs of the Indian GP have also been shifted from Panchkula and Ludhiana to Patiala respectively though the dates -- March 31 and April 6 -- have been kept unchanged.
     Both the events will now be held at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports in Patiala.
     Delhi was also to host the 17th Federation Cup Senior Athletics Championships from April 23 to 26. But the championships will now be held at NIS Patiala on the same dates.
     The elections to the posts of president, secretary and treasurer of the AFI are being held after the Sports ..

Delhi leg of Indian Grand Prix athletics postponed

Mohun Bagan had some unlikely 'supporters' during their I-League match against Pailan Arrows at the Kalyani Stadium yesterday: around half a dozen poisonous snakes.
     The snakes were seen on the field after Mohun Bagan's 3-2 win and fortunately the snakes were put aside by the local authorities before it could cause a panic.
     "We had no idea about it yesterday. But I saw it the news. It sounds scary though. Thank God, we were safe," Mohun Bagan mid-fielder Denson Devadas said.
     Blame it on the searing heat, about 10-15 snakes had emerged out of their pits as they roamed around freely near the dressing room staircase and on the field before the creatures were caught and put aside.
     "This is a snake infested area. So you can say that it's us who have taken over their place! They are out in the open because it's too hot," Kalyani Municipality Chairman P K Sur gave a ridiculous explanation.
     I-League CEO Sunando Dhar said,"We have instructed the authorities to take ...

I-League stadium becomes Snakes' Paradise

Arunima Sinha, who lost her left leg two years ago after being thrown off a moving train, says cricketer Yuvraj Singh has inspired her to make an attempt to scale the highest peak in the world -- the Mount Everest.
     The fateful train journey ruined the career of a budding volleyball player who wanted to represent India. But, the steely resolve of the 26-year-old girl from Uttar Pradesh could not diminish her interest in sport.
     This time, though, its mountaineering.
     "The four months I spent at the AIIMS were like a bad dream. I have moved on. I have lot of unfulfilled dreams, out of which one is to climb the Everest. Hopefully, I will be able to achieve this feat," Arunima said, adding that she had decided to climb the mountain when she was still being treated at the hospital.
     On an artificial limb now, Arunima says she has drawn inspiration from Yuvraj Singh, besides her family members.
     "When I was training for this expedition, I used to think if Yuvraj Singh ..

Yuvraj has inspired to climb Everest: Arunima

Mumbai Indians kicked off their Indian Premier League training camp today at the Wankhede Stadium under the watchful eyes of chief coach John Wright, chief mentor Anil Kumble and assistant coach Robin Singh.
     Seven players -- including members of the triumphant Mumbai Ranji squad Dhawal Kulkarni, Aditya Tare, Sushant Marathe and Suryakumar Yadav -- attended the first day's session, a team spokesperson said.
     "The others are expected to join the camp as and when they are free from their domestic duties," the spokesperson added.
     MI will be led by former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting in the T20 tournament, commencing on April 3 this season.
     The IPL franchise is starting its campaign against Royal Challengers in Bangalore on April 4.
     MI's first home game is scheduled for April 9 against Delhi Daredevils after their second away game against former champions Chennai Super Kings on April 6.

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