Olympic medallists Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt are expected to take part in a protest march in support of wrestling, which has been dropped from the Olympic Games after 2016, to be held here tomorrow.
     The "Save Olympic Wrestling" march will start from the Ram Leela Ground and end at Jantar Mantar.
     One of the organisers and international wrestler, Naveen Singh Suhag said Sushil and Yogeshwar have confirmed their participation in the march.
     "Sushil and Yogeshwar told me they would participate. Other wrestlers, coaches, Arjuna Awardees and supporters of the game will also participate tomorrow," he said.
     "Other sportspersons are also taking part as show of solidarity to wrestling. Akhil Kumar is also likely to participate," he added.
     "There has been no official gathering and protest by Indian sports fraternity after the dropping of wrestling from Olympic Games, so we are organising the protest march," Suhag said.
     The executive council of the International 

Protest march in support of wrestling to be held tomorrow

PTI Automatic

India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin termed his delivery to dismiss Steven Smith as a more "satisfying one" compared to the one that helped him get rid of Mitchell Johnson on the opening day of the fourth and final Test against Australia here today.
     "I believe getting Smith out was more satisfying. In case of Johnson, it was an error of judgement on his part that helped me get his wicket," Ashwin, who had best figures of 4-40 on the day, answered to one of the four questions that were asked to him.
     To a query about how different the Kotla strip was in comparison to the Chepauk pitch, he answered with his now customary swagger.
     "That's red soil and this is black soil!" adding: "It's always evident that on black soil the ball doesn't bounce as much as on the red soil."
     Asked about the assistance one got from the wicket today, he replied, "If there are spots on the wicket, then one shouldn't get carried away as margin of error is very less. One shouldn't try too many 

Smith's wicket was more satisfying: Ashwin

Robin Uthappa was today included in the Karnataka cricket squad for the knockout phase of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy to be held in Ranchi from March 25 to 31.
     Uthappa replaces Kaunain Abbas, who had sparkled in the University T20 Championship.
     Left-arm orthodox spinner K P Appanna and right-arm medium H S Sharath have not been considered due to injury.
     Karnataka team: R Vinay Kumar (captain), Stuart Binny (vice-captain), Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Mayank Agarwal, K L Rahul, Karun Nair, C M Gautam, Amit Verma, Abhimanyu Mithun, S L Akshay, Ronit More, K Gowtham, Kunal Kapoor, J Suchith.
     Support staff: J Arunkumar (Batting Coach), Mansur Ali Khan (Bowling Coach), Shravan (Physio), Vivek Ramakrishna (Trainer), Santosh (Video Analyst) and Sanjay Desai (Manager).

Uthappa in Karnataka squad for Syed Mushtaq Ali knockouts

In order to provide first aid cover for spectators watching the fourth Test between India and Australia, Urgent Care Centre, a pre-hospital care medical centre, has become the official healthcare partner for the match at the Feroz Shah Kotla here.
     The major objective of this partnership is to provide a time sensitive, safe, secure, orderly and efficient medical coverage for spectators throughout the match.
     Pervez Ahmed, chairman & managing director, Urgent Care, said, "Urgent Care Centres provides bridging the gap by providing walk in on the spot emergency care at a very reasonable cost. Our endeavour is to provide world class healthcare services to our patients.
     "We feel proud to be associated with this test match series as their on-ground Healthcare Partner. We look forward to assist all medical facilities to the spectators."
     In order to help spectators and volunteers who suffer from injuries and other medical problems during a match, Urgent Care is offering ...

Kotla crowd to get efficient medical coverage

In a first of its kind, the three-day Asia Oceania Davis Cup tie between India and Indonesia will be played under lights from April 5 to 7 at the KSLTA Tennis Stadium here.
     The decision to hold the matches in the afternoon was to ensure larger participation of public in the event, All India Tennis Association (AITA) joint secretary and Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) secretary C S Sunder Raju said.
     "We have taken a special permission from the International Tennis Federation to stage the matches late in the day, so as to provide fans a chance to come and watch all the ties leisurely," Raju said.
     On April 5, the first tie would start at 3 pm followed by the second singles and the doubles match on April 6 will begin at 5 pm, he said.
     The reverse singles on the third and final day, will be played from 3 pm, Raju said.
     "We expect the ties on all three days stretch beyond dusk and we have adequate lighting system, as per ITF specification, in place ..

India-Indonesia Davis Cup tie to be played under lights

Former captain Anil Kumble is impressed by the Indian team's performance against the visiting Australians in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy and is looking forward to a clean sweep in the four-Test series.
     "It will be a great thing. To beat Australia, forget Australia, let alone any Test series to win 4-0 is something very special. So India has an opportunity to achieve that. And it is great to see everyone doing really well at the moment. I am looking forward to a 4-0 victory," Kumble said here.
     India are leading the four-match rubber 3-0, with the final game commencing today at Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla ground.
     The former leg-spinner lavished praise on Delhi opener Shikhar Dhawan, who notched up the fastest-ever Test century on debut in the third Test in Mohali.
     "He played brilliantly. It is unfortunate that he is not playing in this game, (in his) hometown (because of injury). I really watched that (Mohali innings).... Fantastic batting."
     "To go out there 

Kumble looking forward to clean sweep by India

The Cricket Board is unlikely to agree to the proposal to change the format of the Vijay Hazare Trophy one-day tournament on the lines of the revamped Ranji Trophy because of logistical issues, former India captain Anil Kumble indicated today.
     "Logistics, I think, will still be a serious issue. I think we will let it remain as it is," Kumble told reporters after chairing the technical committee meeting of the BCCI here today.
     The proposal of playing the Vijay Hazare Trophy One-day matches on the lines of the Ranji Trophy in three groups leading to the knockout stage was received at the Ranji captains and coaches conclave held here on March 5.
    During the conclave some teams had also requested for neutral venues during the knockout stages of Ranji Trophy, and the former leg-spinner said that rather than making venues neutral, specific venues would be short-listed.
     "More than the neutral venues, what has been recommended is the suggested venues. There will be a list of 

Hazare Trophy unlikely to be played in Ranji format: Kumble

After making Michael Clarke his 'bunny', left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja today accounted for stand-in captain Shane Watson in the fourth Test, showing his special liking for Australian skippers.
     Jadeja got Clarke out in five out of the six innings so far and with Watson's scalp in his kitty, he now has an Australian skipper out six times in seven innings in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
     Watson was stumped by Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni off Jadeja in the post-lunch session.
     Jadeja had made Clarke dance to his tunes in the first three Tests where the Australian skipper was bowled twice, stumped twice and caught once off his own bowling.
     Clarke has missed out on the fourth and final Test which commenced here today due to a back injury.
     Jadeja has so far scalped 17 wickets in the series with best bowling figures of three for 33.

Jadeja's special liking for Aussie skippers

Mahindra Racing finished their pre-season testing at Jerez, Spain on a good note with its two new riders recording the sixth and 16th fastest timing respectively out of 33 participating riders in the Moto3 class.
     The Indian outfit's two new riders -- Portugal's Miguel Oliveira and Spaniard Efr Vquez -- ended the three-and-a-half days testing on a positive mood, adding to their solid performances at the previous tests in Valencia and Jerez in February.
     The riders have completed a combined total of 2,427 trouble-free kilometres at Jerez, venue for the third round of this year's MotoGP World Championship. The bikes will now be packed up and shipped directly to Qatar for the season-opening race on April 7.
     "I am very satisfied with the package we have put together since last season in terms of the riders, team and bike," explained Mahindra Racing CEO Mufaddal Choonia.
     "Everything has gelled well and we are achieving the targets we set after some very hard work from all 

Mahindra Racing ends pre-season testing on positive note

Australia were 231 for eight at stumps on the opening day of the fourth and final cricket Test against India here today.
     Brief scores:
     Australia: 231 for eight in 98 overs (Peter Siddle 47 not out, Steven Smith 46, Phil Hughes 45, Ed Cowan 38; Ravichandran Ashwin 4/40, Ravindra Jadeja 2/34, Ishant Sharma 2/35).

Australia 231/8 at stumps on Day 1

Having re-established their hegemony in the familiar environs of home with three successive Test wins against Australia, India should strive to once again become a force to reckon with in the alien conditions abroad, feels former captain Sourav Ganguly.
     Observing that teams like England and South Africa perform well both at home and abroad, Ganguly hoped India would also become strong enough in all conditions.
     "England does well home and away. England won here when they came to India. South Africa does well. Sri Lanka does well. So, we will have to wait and see. It is too early to say. We want India to do well (at) home and away. That's very important for us.
     "That's what we have done in the last 10 and 11 years. Hopefully, we will become a team which is once again doing well home and overseas. As I said, it is a young team which needed a little bit of time. But that's what we want our team to be," Ganguly said.
     Ganguly said a 4-0 whitewash of Australia in the ...

Not just at home, Ganguly wants India to do well overseas

Churchill Brothers technical director Subhash Bhowmick today made it clear that hosts ONGC will be no pushovers when the two sides meet in the 21st round of I-League at the Ambedkar Stadium tomorrow.
     "There is many a slip between the cup and lip. I have always maintained that in the top-tier competition no team can be taken lightly. Moreover, ONGC have been very good at home and they have the players who have the potential to turn it around against big teams," Bhowmick said.
     "We cannot take it easy as we are top of the table. We have to put our best foot forward," he told www.The-aiff.Com on the eve of the match.
     Churchill are at the top of the heap with 42 points from 19 matches, and have played a game less than second-placed East Bengal who have 40 in their kitty from 20 matches.
     But Bhowmick is not keen to read too much into the statistics tilting in their favour.
     "I reiterate there can always be a slip between the cup and the lip. The I-League is the most .

Can't take ONGC lightly tomorrow: Subash Bhowmick

Former India captain Brahmanand Shankhwalker today strongly opposed I-League clubs suggestion that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) should do away with the relegation system for the next four years to get Indian football back on track.
     "I think if there is no relegation system, there will be no challenge," the Arjuna awardee goalkeeper told PTI.
     A senior administrator of Sesa Goa, Brahmanand is in the steel city with the Sesa Football Academy (Sesa Goa) which is currently taking part in the sixth Under-20 I-league tournament here.
     "The personal and mental challenge of players to face rival teams would be dead, if AIFF did not implement the three-year safety net (relegation system) to new (corporate) clubs or the existing clubs playing I-league," said Brahmanand, who led the Indian team from 1983 to 1986.
     "We should organise more and more tournaments in the age group of Under-12 to Under-16. Efforts should be made to rope in corporate houses to bear the ...

Brahmanand favours relegation system in I-League

The Sports Ministry has decided to constitute a 12-member Working Group for re-drafting the National Sports Development Bill, which was initially drafted in 2011, in a bid to bring about transparency and good governance in the federations.
     The government feels further consultations are required with the stake-holders on the provisions of the bill.
     To facilitate the holding of such consultations and prepare a revised draft of the bill, as well as draft rules to be formulated under the bill, it has been decided to establish a group under the chairmanship of Justice Mukul Mudgal.
     The committee will be submitting the draft bill by May 31 and draft rules by August 31.
     The group will be examining the existing draft bill from both sports governance and legal angles and fine-tune/revise the same with the purpose of making it more precise and succinct.
     It will also recommend draft model rules to be framed under the bill and examine the requirement for a separate model .

Sports Ministry constitutes Working Group for drafting bill

The son of Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) Director, Mayank Bajpai, has been accused of interfering in the affairs of the association despite not being a member of the body.
     Five days back, when the Allahabad High Court had sent its appointee for inspection of the Green Park stadium in Kanpur, Mayank was guiding the official even though he doesn't hold any position in the UPCA.
     "I did not get any formal letter that said Mayank will overlook the inspection by the High Court. There should have been a UPCA office bearer to oversee the visit," Anil Banodha, the deputy director of UPCA, said.
     Earlier some of the UPCA officials had alleged Mayank's father, Jyoti Bajpai, of promoting his son to a position equivalent to his.
     Sources in the body say that since Jyoti has not been keeping well, he has been trying to pave a way for his businessman son to manage the affairs of the cricket body.

Son of UPCA director accused of interference

Mayank Agarwal and Lokesh Rahul scored an unbeaten half century each to power Karnataka to a nine-wicket win over Andhra Pradesh in their last South Zone league match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy here today.
     Agarwal (75 not out off 60 balls) and Rahul (60 not out off 48 balls) shared unbroken 135 runs for the second wicket to help Karnataka chased down the 131-run target with 11 balls to spare.
     Karnataka, however, lost opener Manish Pandey for nought in the very first over of their innings.
     But Agarwal and Rahul took up the gauntlet and ensured an easy win for Karnataka, who finished at 136 for six.
     Agarwal struck nine boundaries during his unbeaten knock while Rahul clobbered three fours and two sixes.
     Andhra employed six bowlers, but none could trouble the Agarwal-Rahul duo with Syed Shahabuddin picking up the lone Karnataka wicket to fall in the form of Manish Pandey.
     Earlier, sent into bat, Andhra lost wickets at regular intervals to be bowled ..

Karnataka register easy win over Andhra

A two-day anti-corruption workshop, which concluded here today, held discussions regarding the challenges the game of cricket is facing and how to combat the menace of corruption.
     Coordinated by the ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, the workshop was attended by the heads of eight of the 10 domestic anti-corruption units of the full members and the ACSU's Chairman Sir Ronnie Flanangan at the ICC Headquarters.
     "There was great awareness amongst the group about the challenges the game is facing and different perspectives were shared on how to combat the menace of corruption," ICC ACSU's General Manager Yogendra Pal Singh.
     "With the commitment and positive approach shown by the participants, I am confident that cricket as a whole is heading in the right direction in our fight against corruption.
     "The sport of cricket collectively has a zero-tolerance towards corruption and we will do everything we can to protect the integrity of our great sport," he added.
     ...

Anti-Corruption workshop concludes in Dubai

Australia suffered a familiar batting collapse as they were reduced to 153 for seven at tea on the first day of the fourth and final cricket Test against India here today.
     After Ishant Sharma provided a couple of breakthroughs in the opening session, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja ripped through Australia's middle-order. The bowlers were also helped by some atrocious shot selection on the part of the Aussie batsmen.
     While Ashwin had figures of three for 33 in 22 overs, Jadeja was equally effective as he took 2 for 17 in 13 overs.
     From a relatively secure 94 for two at lunch, the visitors looked in a tearing hurry as they paid dearly for their indiscretion, losing wickets in a heap.
     Credit should also be given to India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for rotating his bowlers successfully. He frequently changed the ends from which each one of them operated, thereby making life difficult for the batsmen.
     Ed Cowan (37) did all the hardwork surviving the ...

Spinners reduce Australia to 153 for seven at tea

National-level volleyball player Arunima Sinha, who had lost her right leg after being thrown off a moving train in Barielly two years ago, is all geared up to climb the world's highest peak -- the Mt Everest.
     Arunima, who now uses an artificial limb, will be accompanied by Sushen Mahto in the expedition to climb the highest peak of the world, announced Sajiv Paul, Vice-President (Corporate Services) of Tata Steel, who flagged off the expedition to Mt Everest here today.
     Both the mountaineers were present on the occasion.
     They will be leaving here for Delhi tomorrow and start the trekking in Island peak for acclimatisation before setting out for the base camp, Paul said.
     They are likely to begin the expedition in the second week of May, he said.
     Recollecting the incident, Arunima, a resident of Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, said she was pushed out of the general compartment of Padmawati Express for resisting a chain-snatching attempt by some hoodlums, while 

Arunima geared up to climb Mt Everest

Australia were 157 for seven at tea on the opening day of the fourth and final cricket Test against India here today.
     Brief scores:
     Australia: 153 for seven in 67 overs (Phil Hughes 45, Ed Cowan 38; Ravichandran Ashwin 3/33, Ravindra Jadeja 2/17).

Australia 153 for seven at tea on Day 1

Allrounder Shane Watson, who has been named Australia's stand-in skipper today, said that leading the national team is like a dream come true and admitted he was mentally preparing for the job as soon as he landed here for the fourth and final Test.
     "It's really a dream come true to be asked to captain your country," Watson said.
     After Michael Clarke was ruled out of the ongoing Test with a back spasm, Watson became the 44th Test captain of Australia.
     "It's obviously very disappointing that Michael hasn't come up, his batting and leadership will certainly be sorely missed, but I'm looking forward to the challenge and responsibility over the next five days," Watson told ESPN cricinfo.
     "Michael and Mickey talked to me about it when I first arrived back in India (from Sydney) so I knew it was always going to be touch and go with Michael to be at good fitness and able to play," the Queenslander said.
     "I mentally started preparing from there knowing I could have ...

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