Injured Muralitharan to go home

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka suffered a major blow to its World Twenty20 campaign when veteran off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was sidelined with a groin injury, officials said on Monday.

Muralitharan, 38, who is also the team's vice-captain, was injured during Friday's opening match against New Zealand in Guyana, which Sri Lanka lost by two wickets.

“Clinical tests revealed a grade one strain of his right adductor muscle,” team physiotherapist Tommy Simsek said in a statement — AFP

Zaheer enjoying mentor's role

St Lucia: When he made his international debut, he was a tearaway fast bowler, raring to hit the deck to extract pace and bounce.

Ten years on, Zaheer Khan has emerged successful, matured, intelligent seamer who uses the conditions to the hilt to get maximum results.

Along the way, he has shouldered the responsibility of spearheading the Indian attack and mentoring young fast bowlers. But Zaheer is enjoying every moment of his responsibility.

“I am at a stage in my career where more responsibilities keep me motivated. It is very important for one to enjoy the pressure of spearheading the attack and playing at the highest level,” said Zaheer.

He is happy to mentor young fast bowlers in the national team, reflected in Ishant Sharma's success in Australia (2007).

“My role as senior pacer has not changed. It is always good to have youngsters coming along and share some of your experience and at the same time learn a few things from them.

“Learning never stops,” said the 31-year-old, who has 488 international wickets under his belt, including 11 in the Twenty20 format.

Quick learner

Zaheer has always been a quick learner, though former India coach John Wright might have loathed his diffidence when he had just about broken into the national team in 2000.

“In the Twenty20 format the first six overs are very crucial where the batsmen are looking to score off every ball. The pressure is always on the batters to hit the ball right from the start. That is the reason captains are eager to try out new things.” — PTI

The adverse impact of the IPL on kids

Kids and parents are mesmerized by the fantastic display of the stars in IPL

Either shut all the coaching courses at the NCA or ban T20 for teenagers

The BCCI has to act quickly before the rot of T20 makes the base of the game brittle, writes Makarand Waingankar

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It's summer and all roads lead to the nearest maidan to enjoy a game of cricket. Those who can afford enrol themselves in cricket academies. Others play with tennis balls but what is worrying is the adverse impact of the IPL on kids.

One of the prestigious clubs in Mumbai organized a T20 tournament for under-14 and 16 teams took part. Before the tournament, coaches of these teams were getting boys to practice fancy shots and the boys, even while in the ‘Q' at the bus stand, were seen practicing those shots while returning home.

A genuine 10-year-old Prithvi Shaw, who leads his under-14 team and scores hundreds at will, says playing T20 sharpens one's cricketing IQ! Credit to him for an equally sharp answer, but a boy who even Tendulkar feels is a genius may be lost to the game if he and other under-14s play T20.

Business module

To the mushroomed coaches and their academies, T20 helps them generate more funds in fewer days to get more boys to play. For them it's a business module. Enjoyment and entertainment are the keys for everyone playing in the tournament.

Some excited parents urge the media to propagate IPL for teenagers also. Reason? More money in fewer days for the kids, who will get more time to study. Amazing logic.

Kids and parents are mesmerized by the fantastic display of the stars in IPL and possibly dream that their kids hit the jackpot. Why prepare for a three-day tournament where money is less, is what they feel.

This scene is in contrast to what the NCA has been wanting to do. For most of the year the faculties of the NCA tour various associations to conduct coaching courses. None of the level courses talk about T20 coaching. Yet, quite a few qualified coaches in order to attract boys for their camps have devised methods that help kids hone skills required for T20.

There are two ways of looking at the problem. Either shut all the coaching courses at the NCA or ban T20 for teenagers. A teenager participating in T20 shouldn't be considered for the State if at all the BCCI is serious about the problem.

It took years of systematic hard work for the Tendulkars, Dravids, Gangulys, Kumbles and others to reach the top and maintain the level of consistency at the international level for more than a decade. It's because they worked on the basics of the game they could sustain the pressure and perform. That is their success formula. But sadly, neither the coaches nor the teenagers are able to understand this.

The Lalit Modi saga will continue. But the BCCI has to act quickly before the rot of T20 makes the base of the game brittle. Cheerleaders and late night parties are not the only factors that detracts the teenagers but the plethora of T20 tournaments can easily change the mental make up of young players.

Watson stars in Australia's big win

S. Dinakar

Pakistan pays heavily for its fielding lapses; five wickets fall in one over

Gros Islet (St. Lucia): Australia's comprehensive 34-run win over holder Pakistan at the Beausejour Stadium here on Sunday reflected its firepower. This Australian team can make a serious bid for the title.

First, Shane Watson — adjudged Man of the Match for his 49-ball 81— and David Hussey (53 from 29 deliveries) launched into the Pakistani bowling to propel the score to a daunting 191 after skipper Michael Clarke won the toss.

Then, the hostile trio of blistering pace — Shaun Tait, Dirk Nannes and Mitchell Johnson — made things very hot for the men in the middle.

These are strike bowlers who attack the batsmen even in the shortest form of the game. Tait and Nannes picked three wickets each and Johnson scalped two. Pakistan was dismissed for 157 in this Group ‘A' clash.

Despite a fighting 41 from Misbah-ul-Haq and a typically entertaining 33 from Shahid Afridi, Pakistan was never in the hunt. While the Aussie attack was on target, the swift fielders held to the catches.

Sensational

Earlier, left-arm paceman Mohammed Aamer sent down a sensational last over. The Australians, wickets in hand, went for runs in the final over and Aamer lifted his bowling.

He scalped three and the precision in his bowling produced two run-outs. Incredibly, the final over was a five-wicket maiden.

Brad Haddin was held at third man by Mohammad Sami off the first ball. With his second delivery, Aamer yorked Mitchell Johnson. On a hat-trick, he denied Steven Smith's flashing blade with a full length delivery outside off and 'keeper Kamran Akmal beat Michael Hussey's bid to get to the striker's end.

Then, Nannes attempted a bye after Aamer flummoxed him with a yorker length ball outside off. Akmal, standing closer to the stumps and giving lesser time for the batsmen to cross over, was on the mark again to run out Steven Smith. Australia had lost four wickets in as many deliveries.

Then, it was Shaun Tait's turn to miss one. Wisely, the batsmen did not set out for a run. With his final delivery, though, Aamer castled Tait with his line and cut. It was an extraordinary last over in a Twenty20 game.

Despite Aamer's heroics, the innings was dominated by Australia.

Brutal attack

Watson whipped up a powerful innings of substance. This right-handed all-rounder, a brutal striker of the ball, launched into the Pakistan spinners.

The Pakistanis missed an opportunity early —Watson was on 11 when Misbah-ul-Haq put him down at mid-wicket off Hafeez — and paid the price.

Watson appeared set for an hundred when offie Saeed Ajmal, the pick of the Pakistani spinners, prised him out with a quicker delivery.

The aggressive David Warner promised much before miscuing a pull off Mohammed Sami. Australia appeared in some bother when skipper Michael Clarke, attempting a cut off Hafeez, was castled.

Batting with panache

David Hussey (53) batted with panache though to support Watson. The partnership took the game away from Pakistan.

Once again, Pakistan suffered after David Hussey — the batsman was put down at long-off off Sami — was given a reprieve. The batsman waded into Sami in a dramatic 16th over, responding with four sixes. A sledge-hammer straight hit stood out among Hussey's meaty blows.

Australia: D. Warner c U. Akmal b Sami 26 (18b, 4x4, 1x6), S. Watson lbw b Ajmal 81 (49b, 7x4, 4x6), M. Clarke b Hafeez 2 (3b), D. Hussey c Alam b Ajmal 53 (29b, 2x4, 5x6), M. Hussey (run out) 17 (8b, 1x4, 1x6), C. White c Alam b Ajmal 9 (7b), B. Haddin c Sami b Aamer 1 (2b), M. Johnson b Aamer 0 (1b), S. Smith (run out) 0 (1b), D. Nannes (not out) 0 (1b), S. Tait b Aamer 0 (2b), Extras (w-1, nb-1) 2, Total (in 20 overs): 191.

Fall of wickets: 1-54, 2-64, 3-162, 4-164, 5-181, 6-191, 7-191, 8-191, 9-191.

Pakistan bowling: Aamer 4-1-23-3, Hafeez 4-0-47-1, Sami 4-0-54-1, Afridi 4-0-33-0, Ajmal 4-0-34-3.

Pakistan: K. Akmal c Smith b Nannes 0 (1b), S. Butt c D. Hussey b Tait 15 (10b, 3x4), M. Hafeez c M. Hussey b Johnson 12 (14b, 3x4), U. Akmal c M. Hussey b Smith 18 (14b, 1x6), Misbah c Clarke b Nannes 41 (31b, 1x4, 2x6), S. Afridi b Tait 33 (24b, 3x4, 1x6), A. Razzaq c Warner b Nannes 1 (2b), F. Alam c Clarke b Johnson 16 (11b, 1x4, 1x6), M. Aamer c Smith b D. Hussey 2 (3b), M. Sami (not out) 5 (5b), S. Ajmal b Tait 4 (6b), Extras (lb-1, w-8, nb-1) 10, Total (in 20 overs): 157.

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-28, 3-34, 4-70, 5-117, 6-120, 7-132, 8-146, 9-151.

Australia bowling: Nannes 4-0-41-3, Tait 4-0-20-3, Johnson 4-0-21-2, Watson 3-0-24-0, D. Hussey 2-0-12-1, Clarke 1-0-14-0, Smith 2-0-24-1 .

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Oz wary of Pakistan backlash