Keen contest on the cards

Rural face of Indian cricket; so be it! The Haryanvi cricketer is proud of playing for the State. Three quarterfinal spots in the last three years and the Ranji Trophy semifinal clash with Rajasthan at the Chaudhary Bansi Lal Stadium here from Tuesday places Haryana among the elite teams of domestic circuit. A win here will mean a lot to a bunch of cricketers who hardly get any credit for their wonderful work on the field. FIGHTING UNIT With an encouraging show against Karnataka in the last match, Haryana has come a long way from the team...

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Arthur backs underfire Haddin

Australia coach Mickey Arthur on Tuesday lent support to struggling wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, who he says will surely come out of his lean patch in the third Test against India, starting on Friday. Haddin had dropped Indian opener Gautam Gambhir in the Sydney Test and his wicketkeeping has been below par this series apart from poor form with the bat, prompting many critics to demand for his axing. But Arthur says, Haddin is a good cricketing brain and is an asset for the side. “I still believe in Brad (Haddin). I love his character. I love...

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Wickets fall like nine pins; Harshal wrecks havoc

Rajasthan 89. Haryana 82 for eight. Not a T20 contest but just a day-old Ranji Trophy semifinal on a lively pitch that tested the character and discipline of a batsman. It was just the playing surface that separates good from the ordinary. To call the pitch anything else would be a travesty as bowlers prided in their vocation at the Chaudhary Bansi Lal Stadium here on Tuesday. Haryana won the toss and exploited the conditions,courtesy Harshal...

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Bangladesh cricket CEO passes away

The Bangladesh Cricket Board said chief executive officer Manzur Ahmed has died of a heart attack while asleep in his Dhaka apartment. He was 57. Ahmed’s body was recovered from his room on Monday, the board said, adding Ahmed died overnight. He took over as chief of the BCB in 2010. His funeral prayers were held in a mosque in Dhaka, where several hundred cricket officials and fans gathered. Bangladesh Junior Sports Minister Ahad Ali Sarkar said, “His sudden death is a huge loss to the country’s sports arena.” International Cricket Council...

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Siddle doesn’t think he has got hold on Sachin

Australia’s pace spearhead Peter Siddle doesn’t think he has got a hold on Sachin Tendulkar, in contrary to the claim made by the home’s team’s wicketkeeper Brad Haddin. “The times I’ve bowled to Sachin, I probably have (been fortunate). I’m probably lucky enough I’ve got him two times in Melbourne. But in Sydney a couple of other blokes got him,” Siddle said on Tuesday. “We’re building the pressure and whether it’s against Sachin or against Dravid, or any of their batters, if I can build the pressure and it happens from the other end, we’re...

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Zaheer says there are good vibes and positive signs

Zaheer Khan has had success in the two Tests thus far on tour. But it was off the field that he put on quite the performance on Tuesday. Speaking to the media after India's rigorous, three-hour practice session at the WACA, Zaheer exuded calm assurance and spiky feistiness in equal measure. “This is not the first time we have been in a situation like this,” said the 33-year-old left-armer, referring to the 0-2 deficit. “We have come out of...

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