Anirban aims to defend title
New Delhi: Two-time defending champion Anirban lahiri would be eyeing a hat-trick at the Asian Tour’s season-opening $300,000 SAIl-SBI Open which will tee off at the prestigious Delhi Golf Club on Wednesday. The 26-year-old golfer, who beat Thailand’s Prom Meesawat and compatriot Rashid Khan in play-offs in 2012 and 2013 respectively, will have to compete against a stellar field, including former Order of Merit champions Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand. The Indian challenge will be strengthened by the presence of former Asian Tour winners SSP Chowrasia, Digvijay Singh, Rahil Gangjee, Jyoti Randhawa and Himmat Singh Rai. Rashid Khan, the 2013 SAIl-SBI Open runner-up and reigning Rolex Rankings champion on the PGTI, will once again be a force to reckon with on his home course. “I had a good couple of season in the last two years because I had a good start to the season. It is important factor for success. This is the only year that I have played a lot of golf before SAIl open, so in a way I am match fit,” lahiri told reporters.
Selection dilemma for sa
Cape Town: South Africa face a selection dilemma ahead of the decisive third Test against Australia, starting at Newlands Saturday, despite a convincing 231-run second Test win in Port Elizabeth, At least two changes seem likely, and the uncertainty of the selectors about their final eleven was indicated by their naming of a 16-man squad for Cape Town. The groin injury suffered by left-arm fast-medium bowler Wayne Parnell will reopen the debate about whether to pick an all-rounder or a specialist bowler. Ryan Mclaren, ruled out of the Port Elizabeth Test after suffering concussion in the first Test loss at Centurion, was Monday named in the squad for Newlands. Also called up was swing bowler Kyle Abbott, the leading bowler in South Africa’s domestic first-class competition. But if past policy is followed, preference will probably be given to Rory Kleinveldt, who has been in the squad for all three Tests, if South Africa decide to again pick four specialist seam bowlers.
‘Need for private sector in sports’
New Delhi: The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports secretary Ajit M Sharan on Tuesday said there should be a larger role of the private sector in the development of sports in the country. “There is need for channelising more funds for creating sports infrastructure, training of potential sportspersons and in engaging world class coaches,” said Sharan while addressing the CII National Conference on Business of Sports held here. “In this regard, the Sports Ministry will put up in the website the profiles of sports events and sportspersons who could be funded directly by the private sector under the National Sports Development Fund Scheme,” he added.
Pune FC take on Myanmar
Pune: Pune FC will be commencing their maiden AFC Cup campaign against Myanmar’s Nay Pyi Taw FC in a first round encounter at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi, here on Wednesday. The Group H clash is a face-off between two teams, who are playing for the very first time in Asia’s second-level competition. Currently, Pune FC are midway through their league campaign and are confident going into the big game having logged a couple of positive results at home. But coach Mike Snoei was cautious ahead of the game. “The home games in the tournament are very important. We should make the most of it, otherwise we will be under pressure going into the away games,” he said. Stand-in skipper Douhou Pierre echoed the same sentiment.”This is an international game, not just an I-league game. We need to be at our best, especially at home and can’t take the opponents lightly,” said the captain.
Churchill go down to Persipura
Margao: Goa’s Churchill Brothers on Tuesday went down 0-2 to Persipura Jayapura in their opening Group E encounter of AFC Cup at Mandala Stadium in Indonesia. Second galf goals by Boaz Solossa and Yohanes Pahabol ensured the win for the home side and bag three points. The visitors, who managed to go goalless in the first half, succumbed to pressure in the second as their citadel fell in the 49th minute when Solossa slotted home a Yohanes Pahabol cross from the right. The Indonesian team then increased the lead in the 62nd minute through Pahabol, who latched on to a pass from Ronny Beroparay.
FIFA delegation visits Kochi
Kochi: A three-member FIFA delegation headed by Deputy Director of competitions, Inaki Alvarez, on Tuesday visited the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, which has been shortlisted by the All India Football Federation to host the U-17 World Cup in 2017, for preliminary inspection. The two other members of the delegation were Vijay Parthasarthy, FIFA’s competitions manager and Shaji Prabhakaran, FIFA South and Central Asia Development officer. later speaking to reporters, Alvarez said the place has history and tradition of football. “What we have seen so far is very encouraging. It is good to see that there is commitment and passion for football,” he said.
Rooney yearns for more Cl glory
Piraeus: Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has admitted that he will not be satisfied if he finishes his career without lifting the Champions league trophy again. Rooney, who signed a new five-and-a-half-year contract earlier this week, tasted glory in the competition with United in 2008, before finishing on the losing side in the final against Barcelona in 2009 and 2011. United have not looked like potential European champions this season, falling 15 points off the pace in the Premier league and crashing out of both domestic cup competitions, but Rooney says that their objectives remain the same. “You always want to win it,” he said on Monday, on the eve of the first leg of United’s last 16 tie away to Greek champions Olympiakos in Piraeus
Ojha bats for animal rights
Hyderabad: Cricketer Pragyan Ojha on Tuesday joined the list of celebrities who have teamed up with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to voice the cause of cruelty towards animals in zoos. The leftarm spinner locked himself up in a cage with a placard that read: “Try to relate to their fate: say no to zoos” at an event here. “Just the thought of getting locked up in a tiny cage, even for a short time, makes my head spin. Think about the animals who are locked up their entire lives. “Animals don’t belong in cages. They deserve to roam, explore, socialise and enjoy freedom just like us,” a PETA statement said quoting Ojha.