Three Monkeys of Gandhiji ... must watch

What is it signifying??

Can not see India losing……………
Can not hear the audience outburst against the team……………
Can not speak in front of media about the causes of defeat. …………………..

Cops dock Yuvraj Singh for drunken brawl

Asian News International
Gurgaon (New Delhi), December 13, 2006

Police in Gurgaon have received a complaint against all-rounder cricketer Yuvraj Singh for being involved in a drunken brawl at a birthday party in Gurgaon on Tuesday night.

Singh was attending the birthday party of Yuvraj Mahajan, with whom he had an argument. According to Mahajan’s mother, Neelam, a journalist, both were involved in a drunken squabble.

Bollywood actress Kim Sharma accompanied Yuvraj Singh to the party.

Yuvraj Mahajan has been admitted to a hospital after the incident.

Yuvraj Singh is being questioned at his residence in Gurgaon by the police.

Kapil Dev slams Greg Chappell

Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Watch the interview on December 10, 2006

(To watch the full interview, tune in to ‘Frankly Speaking ‘this Sunday (December 10 at 02:30 pm and 08:30 pm, only on TIMES NOW Weekend)

Former Indian captain Kapil Dev has launched a scathing attack on Greg Chappell's coaching style and Rahul Dravid's inability to take independent decisions.

Kapil Dev's tongue-lashing is bound to focus attention more closely on the manner in which Team India is being led and managed at a time when it is underperforming.

Kapil’s scorching comments were made during the course of an exclusive interview to TIMES NOW’s editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami in the programme ‘Frankly Speaking. Here is an excerpt:

“There’s too much about Greg Chappell”

K: I think as a cricketer, too many shuffles and too much experimenting is happening. Again, I'm not with them, and I don't know, but... I feel in our system too much experimenting doesn't really work, because we haven't come to that age when we are ready to take experimentation and say, ok, so what, we can still win with other boys.

A: But isn't that the only option before Greg Chappell, that he's got to get the mix right?
K: What is Greg Chappell? He is a manager managing the boys.

A: But he is the coach of the Indian team.
K: So? We didn't have a coach, and we also played cricket. It’s the captain. If the captain doesn't want to take the responsibility then the manager will take it. When you're bowling, making changes in the field, it's not Greg Chappell who’s saying put a slip, put a fielder on mid-on or mid-off, no. It is entirely captain and vice captain and the team that have to work together.

But...I think we are talking too much about Greg Chappell, Greg Cappell, Greg Chappell. For what? He is a good, experienced man who has come out to help our country. Very nice. But I think the boys have to work together. And his is the guiding force there, to say ‘Ok I will give you the confidence’, if somebody's morale is down, then Greg Chappell comes out and does that. But Greg Chappell is not going to play for Sachin, or Rahul. The players have to play themselves.

A: You said, there's 'over-coaching going on right now'.
K: Frankly, let's ask ourselves: Who gets coaching? Does Sachin need coaching? No. Does Rahul need coaching? No. They need a little adjustment which anybody sitting out can do.

A: You were coach at one point of time.
K: I managed the players, my job is to lift the team and motivate them from outside. That's what the manager/coach's job is.

A: So would you tell Rahul Dravid, ‘don't let Greg Chappell advise you too much about the tactics of the game’?
K: No - I think it's a mix and match, you can't say don't do this or that. Whatever is good for the team, do that.

A: But what's your hunch. Kapil Dev I really want you to be frank today. Do you think Rahul Dravid should assert himself more a little as a captain?
K: Definitely, definitely.

A: Vis-à-vis Greg Chappell as well?
K: It doesn't matter where Greg Chappell is. 80% is Rahul Dravid. I’d say to him, You are a captain. You have to stand up and start taking a call, not pushing anyone in front. You're good enough and we respect you, I think you are great, the cricket you played in the last ten years - I think nobody's better than you. So you have to take a call ... and take Greg Chappell with you .

Greg Chappell - or Sunil Gavaskar or Ravi Shastri, Dilip vengsarkar or Mohinder Amarnath - we can all only guide you. But it's up to you to make the kill.

A: Are we being too tough on Greg Chappell? There have been these views, that he's only trying to get the Indian team out of this defeatist mindset. Do you think the Indian team has a defeatist mindset, or has suffered from it in the past?
K: It has. I think you need to motivate, that is what a Greg Chappell requires to do - tell them, 'No boys, you don’t think like this, think like that.' Because our thinking can be a little down, from which we have to lift ourselves - because our culture is like that.

A: Why is that so? Rudy Webster, he's a psychiatrist who was brought in by Greg Chappell, he said 'India's problem is in the head'.
K: So let us handle it ourselves. Who is Rudy Webster? What does he know about our culture? When this type of people come out and talk about my country... We know ourselves. Does he know in 5,000 years how we have lived? It's a different culture, you can't change anybody overnight.

A: Does Kapil Dev have a problem with a foreigner coming and advising the team?
K: No, I love them....

(To watch the full interview, tune in to ‘Frankly Speaking ‘this Sunday (December 10 at 02:30 pm and 08:30 pm, only on TIMES NOW Weekend)

Sidhu sentenced to 3 years in prison for murder case

CNN-IBN

December 06, 2006 at 15:47

Since Sidhu's sentence has been suspended, he won't be immediately arrested.

New Delhi: BJP leader and former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu was on Wednesday sentenced to three years in prison for a 1988 murder case.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court, which found him guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder on December 2, has also slapped a fine of Rs one lakh.

However, the ex-cricketer will not be arrested immediately as his sentence has been suspended till January 31.

He can now appeal in a higher court and also contest elections.

Sidhu and his friend Rupinder Singh Sandhu allegedly beat up one Gurnam Singh in Patiala on December 27, 1988. Gurnam later died.

Sandhu has said that the duo will approach the Supreme Court in case of an adverse verdict.

“Even we feel sorry for the family of victim. The matter is now sub judice. After the sentence is declared, we'll approach the SC,” he said.

The High Court had on December 2 overturned a lower court’s 1999 order acquitting Sidhu in the death.

Sidhu resigned from Parliament after the verdict, but has hinted that he would remain in politics and campaign during the Punjab Assembly elections in February.

The ex-cricketer received a candlelight welcome on Tuesday evening when he arrived in Chandigarh for hearing the quantum of sentence.

Accompanied by BJP leader and former law minister Arun Jaitley, Sidhu arrived in the city from New Delhi by the Shatabdi Express.

Over 500 youth and BJP activists, carrying candles, welcomed him as he alighted from the train.

Sidhu briefly addressed them before being driven away. He also thanked the BJP top brass for supporting him.

“I thank the senior leaders like Prakash Singh Badal and Jaitley. Their blessings will help me. I am thankful to them,” he said.

Students take out procession in support of Sidhu, would launch an SMS campaign

Monday, December 04, 2006

Source: IANS

Chandigarh: Over 100 students took out a silent candlelight procession in the city to support cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was convicted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday for causing the death of a person in a road rage case.

The youths, who took out the procession at the city's famous landmark - Sukhna Lake, said they would launch an SMS campaign to garner support for Sidhu on Monday.

"He has been successful as a cricketer and now as a politician. We need clean people like him. The Patiala incident was an unintentional aberration and he should not be treated like a criminal for that," said Ajmer Singh.

Others in the procession said Sidhu had displayed rare character by immediately resigning from his Lok Sabha seat after his conviction by the High Court.

Sidhu had on Saturday resigned as Lok Sabha MP.

The High Court here will commence hearing on Wednesday for announcing the quantum of his sentence.

Sidhu has been charged of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and could face up to 10 years in prison.

Supporters of Sidhu in Punjab's cities of Amritsar, Jalandhar and Patiala also prayed for him.

Indo-Asian News Service

Sidhu held guilty of causing death, awaits sentence

ibnlive.com

December 01, 2006

Sidhu has been found guilty of causing the death of Patiala resident Gurman Singh.

New Delhi: BJP MP and former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu was on Friday found guilty of causing a man’s death in 1988 during a fight with him over parking in Patiala.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court overturned a lower court’s 1999 order acquitting Sidhu in the death of Patiala resident Gurman Singh and found him guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Sidhu, MP from Amritsar, and his friend Rupinder Singh Sandhu on December 27, 1988 allegedly beat up Gurman who later died of a heart attack. The court will announce Sidhu’s punishment on Wednesday, December 6.

Section 304 of PIC, carries a maximum prison term of 10 years
Sidhu has been convicted under Section 304 of IPC, which carries a maximum prison term of 10 years. Public prosecutor Vinod Ghai said he would ask for the maximum punishment.

Sidhu said he was "not bothered about the quantum of punishment and other technicalities" since he would be moving the Supreme Court. "I am more concerned about morality and ethics," said Sidhu, who was in Parliament when the High Court order came.

The Punjab government’s complaint of December 27, 1988 alleged that Sidhu and Sandhu beat up Gurnam in Sheranwala Gate Bazaar after dragging him out of his car.

The fight began over a parking spot outside the State Bank of Patiala branch, where Sidhu was employed. Sidhu has always claimed that the incident was an accident and he had no intention of harming Gurnam.

Sidhu and Sandhu were alleged to have fled from the spot at the Sheranwala Gate with the keys of Singh's car. The Patiala sessions court dismissed the case on September 22, 1999 on the ground that the “case against the accused has not been established beyond doubt” and there was a delay in lodging the case.

News covered by bbc.co.uk

Cricket: Mohammad Kaif's house attacked by protesters

PTI

ALLAHABAD, Nov 27: A group of people, claiming to be supporters of the Lok Janshakti Party, on Monday vandalised the house of cricketer Mohammad Kaif after his poor show in the ongoing One-day series against South Africa.

Kaif scored 8 and 10 in the two One-dayers against South Africa who drubbed India in both the matches, leading to strong criticism back home.

"A number of them tried to storm the house, broke some electric bulbs and plastered the name plate with mud," police said.

"They also raised slogans against BCCI Chief Sharad Pawar for persisting with Greg Chappell as the coach of the Indian team and burnt their effigies," they added.

Police said the protesters, who appeared to be well-known to some TV channel reporters, were persuaded not to go inside Kaif's house but only to burn the effigies.

They were chased away by the police party which arrived on the spot.

Nobody except servants were present at Kaif's house during the protest as his parents live in their ancestral house in another part of the city.

Fickleness of public perception of its local heroes is evident from the fact that people had twice last year protested against non-inclusion of Kaif in the Indian team and burnt effigies of the captain and selectors.

Srinath match referee for SL-NZ series

November 20, 2006 20:14 IST, Rediff.com

Former Team India spearhead Javagal Srinath was named Match Referee for Sri Lanka's two-Test and five-ODI tour of New Zealand, beginning next month.

Srinath, a member of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees, will officiate in the Tests in Christchurch (December 7-11) and Wellington (December 15-19).

ICC Umpire of the Year Simon Taufel and Brian Jerling of the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires have been appointed to stand in both those Tests.

Steve Davis of the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires will stand in each of the five ODIs that will take place between December 28 and January 9. The host board will appoint the other for each match.

Meanwhile, the ICC has also announced umpire and match referee appointments for upcoming Test and ODI series in South Africa and Bangladesh.

Ranjan Madugalle, chief referee on the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees, will oversee Zimbabwe's tour of Bangladesh, beginning on November 30.

Suresh Shastri and Nadeem Ghauri of the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires will stand in the five-match ODI series between the two teams.

Video: Give the cup and buzz off mate..., Aussies to BCCI Chief Pawar

Video provided by Apnatube.com

Video: Cricket Romance - Zaheer Khan Fan

Cricket 'Red Card' may control racism

ANI

SYDNEY, Nov 19: The International Cricket Council (ICC) is seriously considering the option of introducing FIFA-style rules in the gentleman's game to prevent racism from taking root.

According to the Herald Sun , Britain's Sports Minister Richard Caborn has called on the ICC to consider tougher action against players and spectators indulging in racist comments against their opponents or visiting teams.

Caborn said that he is likely to take up the issue with his Australian counterpart, Senator Rod Kemp.

"Authorities have to be at war on this," Caborn said from India where he is leading a British sports business delegation.

"I'm going to be talking to my counterpart in Australia, we've got a little difficulty down there."

"It's an issue for the ICC to deal with, just like FIFA's done in football. In football we've been reasonably successful. "We've tackled it in the United Kingdom through a big campaign that implores people to show a red card to racism," Caborn said.

Cricket Australia on Saturday tried to play down the significance of taunts directed at English spinner Monty Panesar.

"It's very much alleged; certainly we haven't had any official complaint or anything from the English team," Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland said.

"There's no place for racism or racist taunts at our matches. What we were talking about before were racist comments - I don't think there's too much racist about that - but clearly it's something that's going to be monitored closely," he added.

Thirteen-year-olds rake up 721 runs in 40 overs!

Times News Network

HYDERABAD, Nov 15: Move over Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli, one of your long-standing school records has just been tossed away. B Manoj Kumar and Md Shaibaz Tumbi blazed a trail of mind-boggling world records in an extraordinary display of batsmanship during an inter-school match in Secunderabad on Thursday.

The two 13-year-olds slammed triple centuries en route to posting an unimaginable 721 in 40 overs. While Manoj cracked an unbeaten 320 off 127 balls, Tumbi pummeled 324 off 116 balls during their opening partnership, which featured 103 boundaries.

The run riot unleashed by the St Peter's High School students has resulted in the highest total, highest partnership and highest margin of victory in any form of limited-overs cricket at any level, according to former BCCI statistician Mohandas Menon.

Sidelights to the unusual Hyderabad Cricket Association under-13 inter-school encounter were the 77 extras that the hapless St Philips High School lads gave away. It included 57 wides and three no-balls, which meant that Manoj and Tumbi had the luxury of an extra 10 overs to blaze away.

Strangely, not a single six was struck. Probably, it had to do with the huge Parade ground. Stunned by the onslaught, the St Philips' batsmen did not have the stomach to put up a fight and were bowled out for a paltry 21. St Peter's emerged winners by a record 700-run margin.

The last One-day record was of 630-5 in 45 overs set by United Cricket Club against Bay Area in a league match in California. Tendulkar and Kambli had struck up partnership of 664 for the third wicket in February 1988.

Cricket: Rude ‘nudge’ shows Aussies poor winners too

Buzz off mate: The Australians push BCCI chief Sharad Pawar

Times News Network

Mumbai: They are supposed to be aggressive, even rude, on the field. On Sunday, after winning their maiden Champions Trophy in Mumbai, Australia showed they are not exactly polite off it too.
To begin with, as the closing ceremony drew to a close, Ricky Ponting waved his fingers at BCCI president Sharad Pawar, signalling him to come and hand over the winners’ trophy. It may or may not have been in jest but Pawar had the decency to just laugh and ask Ponting to step forward instead to complete the formalities.
But the story didn’t end there. As the Aussies celebrated exuberantly, the stage was set for the victory photograph.
However, even as the players were taking positions for the cameras, Damien Martyn tapped at Pawar – who happened to be standing there – and literally pushed him out of the stage. Pawar walked away quietly, not showing any hurt or anger.
The rude ‘nudge’, not surprisingly, didn’t go unnoticed. India’s cricket darling Sachin Tendulkar was the first to term it as an unpleasant thing.
“It was totally uncalled for. I didn’t really watch the proceedings as I was travelling, but from what I heard (from others), it was an unpleasant experience,’’ he told reporters, on the sides of a promotional event here on Monday.
“Firstly, it should not have happened. It’s important to show respect to the elders, especially to someone who is so dear to the cricketers. To someone who is involved with cricket. Such incidents should be avoided,’’ he added.
Pretty soon it all burst out in the open. Former cricketers and officials were quick to attack the ‘haughty’ Australians. Former Test wicketkeeper and recent chairman of selectors Kiran More demanded “an apology from the Australian captain.’’ But he was quick to make light of it too. “It must have happened by mistake since it was the first time they won the Champions Trophy.’’
Former India opener Anshuman Gaekwad was more precise, saying, “the Aussies shouldn’t have behaved in such a manner.’’
BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah made light of the issue saying, “I also saw it yesterday. But after watching the video footage today, I feel it was unintentional.’’Shah, however, didn’t fail to hit out. “Anyway, you know how players are on the cricket field. They seem to leave their good senses behind.’’He went on to blame the organisers (ICC) for the incident. “How would Saab (Pawar) know somebody is standing behind.’’
In fact, the real gaffe was emcee Rameez Raja forgetting to announce the trophy handing over process. If he had been alert enough, this wouldn’t have happened.

Shoaib's lifestyle warranted harsh ban, says Alam

PTI, Islamabad, November 4, 2006

Former Test captain Intikhab Alam, who was a member of the Pakistan Cricket Board's Drug Tribunal, has justified the harsh two-year ban on fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, saying his fast lifestyle warranted such a punishment.

"If people read our statement they will understand. He drinks alcohol, has an active sex life and has been part of anti-doping awareness programmes," Alam said.

"He has been around for the last 10 years and the written statement that his spokesman gave about him taking dietary supplements and not consulting a doctor, shows he was negligent," he was quoted as saying in the media.

The 64-year-old former batsman said the three-member tribunal, headed by barrister Shahid Hamid, had no doubts about their decision announced on Wednesday.

"We did not have any doubts in our minds about what we have announced. The players were not able to convince us of their innocence. It was absolutely crystal clear," he said.

Shoaib has been banned for two years while young fast bowler Mohammad Asif for one for testing positive for banned steroid nandrolone in a dope test conducted by the PCB before the ongoing Champions Trophy.

Alam said "the players admitted themselves that they had been taking dietary supplements. They are both adults and players have to be responsible for their own actions. Somtimes you have to take these decisions. We have done a good job," he said.