India eves lose 1-6 to Australia
Monchengladbach (Germany): A lacklustre India start their campaign in the women’s junior hockey World Cup on a disappointing note, losing 1-6 to formidable Australia in a Pool C match here on Saturday. Australia were by far the dominant side and scored through Kathryn Slattery (17th minute), Murphy Allendorf (20th), Madison Fitzpatrick (31st), Brooke Peris (41st, 69th) and Anna Flanagan (46th). Anupa Barla (27th) scored the lone goal for India. India will take on New Zealand in their second pool match tomorrow. The Indians started the match on a bright note and managed to deny the mighty Aussies any early inroads. It took Australia 17 minutes to breach India’s citadel when Slattery scored from a field effort. Australia doubled their lead three minutes later through Allendorf before Anupa Barla pulled one back for the Indians in the 27th minute.
Gul needs a month to recover
Karachi: Pakistan fast bowler Umar Gul will require another four to six weeks to make a complete recovery from his knee surgery. Gul, 29, began the last phase of his rehabilitation program at the national cricket academy on Friday and said he was missing playing for the Pakistan team. “It has been a frustrating time for me and I miss being with the Pakistan team. But right now I am just concentrating on regaining full fitness,” he said. Gul, who is the most seasoned pacer in the present Pakistan team with 163 Test, 161 ODI and 74 T20 international wickets, underwent a knee surgery in May in Australia after complaining of severe pain and swelling in his right knee during the tour to South Africa early in the year. “I would say he requires another four to six weeks before he can get back to bowling,” PCB doctor Dr Sohail Saleem said.
Indian eves lose to Canada
New Delhi: India suffered a close defeat at the hands of Canada in the WSF World Junior Women’s Team Championship, and will now take on New Zealand in the 7-8th position match in Wroclaw, Poland. In the 5th-8th play-off yesterday, Sachika Ingale failed to lift her team to a victory after the clash was finely poised at 1-1 and her own match going down to the wire. Canada’s Chloe Chemtob took Sachika by surprise with her attacking play to take the first two games 11/6 and 11/8. Sachika worked her way back into the match, slowing the tempo to suit her game and reined in her aggression. Sachika’s tactical shift paid rich dividends as she won the next two games to take the match into a decider. In the final game, Sachika, trailing 8-10, played couple of wonderful volleys to save the match points and drew level. But, she followed those two saves with an easy miss on her forehand volley into an open court and a backhand into the tin to lose the game 10-12. Earlier, Harshit Kaur Jawanda gave India a perfect start with a 3-0 win over Canadian number one Hollie Naughton.
Jeev, four Indians make cut
Moscow: Jeev Milkha Singh recovered from a poor front-nine struggle to card an even-par 72 in the third round even as four other Indians made the cut at the Russian Open here. Jeev continued to the best of the lot at two-under for 54 holes, while SSP Chowrasia was a picture of consistency with three identical rounds of even-par 72 each. Gaganjeet Bhullar (74, 73, 69) was also at even-par, while Anirban lahiri shot rounds of 78, 70 and 76. Michael Hoey, a four-time winner on European Tour, was six-under through 14 holes in the third round, but he was four shots clear of the second placed defending champion Alexandre Kaleka (67) and Mathew Nixon, four-under through 15 holes. Kaleka and Nixon were at nine-under. Jeev, who was three-over for front nine, went to three-under on back nine to card 72. Chowrasia and Bhullar were tied 39th and lahiri was lying tied 64th. Shiv Kapur, who made the cut at the British Open last week, was the sole Indian to miss out after rounds of 76 and 76.
U-16 Boys gear up for Afghan
Kathmandu: Riding high on the back of two convincing victories against Sri lanka and Bangladesh in the group stages, India U-16 colts take on Afghanistan in the second semifinal of SAFF U-16 Championship here on Sunday. Going into the knockout clash, what pleases head coach Goutam Ghosh most is not the fact that the boys in blue have pumped in six goals, conceding only one in the two matches they played so far, but the manner in which they tasted success staying true to the principle. “The boys are improving with every game,” Ghosh said. “I said the other day that rectifying the mistakes we committed against Sri lanka is the main aim. In training on the eve of our match against Bangladesh, I stressed on the weaknesses. It was heartening to see the boys not repeating the same errors and playing to the plan perfectly,” he added.
Punjab vs UP in Fed Cup final
New Delhi: Punjab will take on Uttar Pradesh in the final of the Alchemist IHF Federation Cup hockey tournament at the Shivaji Stadium here on Saturday. While UP rode on vice-captain Diwakar Ram’s (22nd, 39th, 42nd minutes) hattrick to beat Karnataka 5-2 in the first semifinal, Punjab spanked Tamil Nadu 5-1 in the second last four match.