‘DRS will not be used during India, England series’

The developers and suppliers of Hot Spot have decided not to make their infra-red cameras available for the five ODIs and a lone Twenty20 match in India, the ICC said in a statement.
The Indian cricket board (BCCI) has been a strong opponent of the use of ball tracking technology in DRS but agreed to the ICC’s proposal of a modified version of the technology which allows teams to challenge umpire decisions.
The modified version of DRS, minus the ball tracking technology, was used during India’s recent tour of England and requires mandatory use of infra-red cameras.
However, the BCCI’s newly elected president N. Srinivasan said last month that the board does not wish to use the DRS even in its minimum form after the Hot Spot technology drew flak for inconsistent results during the tour.
“At the time, we were under the impression that Hot Spot was very good. It is not necessary for me to dwell on the accuracy of Hot Spot, it was there for everybody to see,” Srinivasan said.
“The BCCI will, at the next ICC meeting, raise the issue. We want to revisit it because we feel that Hot Spot is insufficient.
“We do not wish to use the DRS in its present form, even in its minimum standard.”
Meanwhile, former India coach Gary Kirsten was surprised at the disappointing show of Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men in the recent tour of England, which saw them lose the world number one Test spot, but said they are good enough to bounce back.
“It has surprised me. The injuries haven’t helped. For me, they’re a good enough cricket team that they can come back. It has been a disappointment. They probably lost a bit of momentum,” Kirsten said.
“It’s been a little bit sad to watch them not play well because there was much anticipation around that series in England. Also with Duncan (Fletcher) coming in as new coach and he’s just been there for a couple of months, he needs to stamp his mark about what he’s going to do. I guess it was always going to be a difficult time upfront,” Kirsten, who is now the coach of South Africa, was quoted as saying by a cricket website.
Kirsten praised England for their performance, saying they were the much better side than India during the English summer.

“England are a quality cricket team. They are well coached, have a good structure, good people, they have stability in their team and are putting India under pressure. I don’t think they’d been put under pressure (by India) in the whole series.”

South African cricketer gets drugs ban

The 26-year-old Van Jaarsveld, who has played two One-day Internationals and three Twenty20 matches for South Africa tested positive for the banned stimulant sibutramine in November after taking weight loss medication prescribed by his doctor.
Sibutramine is a stimulant which, although present in certain medications, is also on WADA’s prohibited list.
Initially, Van Jaarsveld received a reprimand from the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport (SAIDS) after it found that the medication had been taken for legitimate weight loss reasons and not to enhance performance.
But WADA appealed against the decision, resulting in SAIDS handing down the three-month ban.“This is a particularly harsh outcome for Vaughn, given the circumstances of this matter,” SACA’s chief executive Tony Irish said in a statement.
“It seems likely that Vaughn will not be in a position to appeal and so will have to live with this suspension which comes at the worst possible time for him. We, as his player association, will be supporting him through this period.

“The decision does, however, illustrate the dangers for all sports persons unwittingly taking medication, or supplements, which may potentially contain prohibited substances. It has become so important that players and athletes actually check and double check the contents of all medications,” he added.—Reuters

Sehwag fit for opening one-dayer

NEW DELHI:
The 27-year-old suffered back spasms in the third Test defeat in Mumbai and had to bat with a runner on the final day.
India are already without leading batsman Sachin Tendulkar, who has flown to London to undergo shoulder surgery.
Paceman Munaf Patel is expected to be fit despite missing training on Monday with a bruised left heel.
"Virender has done two days of exercises and all the practice," said India skipper Rahul Dravid.
The series gives us a chance to know how we are developing as a one-day side with the World Cup nine months away
"Losing Sachin as a batsman is tough. He also did a great job for us in Pakistan with his bowling."
Sehwag’s recovery will be a relief for India, who lost to England by 212 runs in Mumbai as the Test series was drawn.
He has scored more than 4,000 runs in limited overs internationals and has a strike-rate of over 97 per 100 balls faced.
Dravid expects England to offer tough opposition in the seven-match series, even though they are missing a host of senior players.
"They are a very good side and played very good cricket in the Tests," said Dravid.
"They have impact players like Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen and they are a good fielding side.

"It gives us a good chance to know how we are developing as a one-day side with the World Cup nine months away."

South Africa chase massive target

At stumps on a weather-affected fourth day, South Africa’s openers were battling away at 29-0, and they will have to dig deep to salvage a draw.

Ricky Ponting has been the stand-out performer, with two centuries in the match to be fifth in the all-time list of century-makers in Test cricket.
Ponting hit 103 in the first innings and added 116 in his second knock.
With 30 Test centuries, he has overtaken the legendary Don Bradman, and is just behind Steve Waugh’s Australian record.
Sachin Tendulkar holds the world record, with 35.
Australia began the day in a comfortable position. Already leading the series 1-0, they were 125-1, leading by 227.
In indifferent weather, Ponting and Matthew Hayden both reached lunch with their second-wicket partnership still in tact.
And it was worth 201 when Hayden (102) finally edged a drive off Makhaya Ntini as the two batsmen pushed for quick runs to set up the declaration.
Ponting’s innings ended when he gave a catch to deep square leg to let Adam Gilchrist loose on Andre Nel.
The Aussie wicket-keeper lashed 22 runs off a single Nel over before the innings was declared.

Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers survived five overs before the interval and just 13 balls after tea before the umpires offered them the light.

Afridi to play for All Stars in Hong Kong Sixes

Afridi, who announced a conditional retirement from international cricket, will play for the All Stars team which also includes Sri Lanka`s Sanath Jayasuriya, South African opener Herschelle Gibbs, Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq, Australia fast-bowler Shaun Tait and Ryan ten Doeschate of the Netherlands.
“We are thrilled to have both Jayasuriya and Afridi playing on the same team,” Hong Kong Cricket Association President Shahazada Saleem told cricketworld.com. “They are outstanding cricketers who can demolish any bowling attack and are more than capable bowlers themselves. The fans are in for a treat.”
The All Stars have been drawn with Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Scotland in Group A while defending champions Australia are placed in Group B with England, Bangladesh and Ireland. The third group comprises last year`s losing finalists Pakistan, South Africa, India and Hong Kong.

“We have got a good blend of players from all around the world and I expect the All Stars to be one of the favourites to win the tournament,” said Saleem.

Wasim criticises India team management

“I was expecting to see Aaron play the ODIs. But the Indian team management made a mess by not blooding Aaron in conditions that were tailor-made for the quickie. This raises questions about the communication between the selectors and the team management,” Akram was quoted as saying.
“I would rather blood Aaron in England because the seaming conditions are ideal for him. It will be silly to give Aaron a start on Indian wickets. On placid tracks where he will get little support, two bad matches in the start of his career can destroy him,” said the legendary fast bowler. “In my book, Aaron has a future and India can ill-afford to ruin him because the current pace attack is not in good shape and the future does not look bright,” Akram told a website.
Akram wondered why Aaron was named as replacement for Ishant Sharma only to make him do drinks-carrying duty. “I sometimes wonder why we name replacements! Is it just to fill the numbers or for a purpose? Naming replacements when a frontline player breaks down must be done with a reason. It is foolish to fly in a deserving youngster and then ask him to carry drinks or bowl at the nets. India have done just that with Aaron. The young bowler has been wasted in England. “I had congratulated the Indian selectors when they picked Aaron as Ishant’s replacement. The young boy was the right choice as he had done well on the Emerging Players’ tour in Australia and deserved to be part of the Indian dressing room on a difficult tour of England,” Akram said.

Akram was impressed by the performance of both Parthiv Patel and Ajinkya Rahane who were drafted due to injuries to Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir. Akram said India should learn a lesson from the disappointing show in England that however big a player was, his place should not be made for granted.

Tendulkar says no time to teach children

Speaking in a programme of TV channel, the veteran Batsman said that he had no time to teach his children.

To a query regarding what kept Sachin going even at this stage of his career, he termed boost as the secret of his energy. He maintained that he had passion for cricket since his childhood and because of this he never tired. Sachin added that he would continue playing in future because if one is dedicated to something, one never gets tired of it.

Afridi`s retirement a joke: Akram

Afridi, who announced his retirement after differences with the team management, said that he will not play under the current Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). However, after head coach Waqar Younis` tenure came to end with the conclusion of the Zimbabwe tour, Afridi expressed his desire to make a comeback.
Akram, not amused by Afridi`s comments, said the all-rounder should make up his mind `once and for all`.
“Afridi is making things too complicated for the PCB,” Akram told ESPN. “Cricket is a team game and not an individual sport. You have to treat the interests of the team and the management above your individual preferences.”
This was not the first time Afridi has decided to `resign` from the team. After being appointed Test captain in 2010, the all-rounder quit after just one match, citing lack of form and ability to play the longest format. He also led Pakistan to the semi-final of the 2011 World Cup but was replaced by Misbahul Haq.
Akram said that Afridi needed to put aside his personal interests and play as a professional.

“His retirement has become a joke now. You will have difference with your coaches, chairman and with your colleagues but it should not show in your outlook. At the end of the day you are representing your nation – Pakistan.”

PCB must frame strategy for Sri Lanka tour

Now team must focus on the next assignment which is against Sri Lanka as they will give a run for their money to green shirts. If we closely look at the Zimbabwe series, then we all get close to a conclusion that over all this series victory was largely possible through some individual performances, specially this series belongs to one man, M Hafeez, who has gone from strength to strength and shown all-round performance and turns the tables on Zimbabwe and enabled Pakistan to win specially the ODI series and the two T20s.
A new Hafeez is born in this particular series and has managed to get rid of the tag of inconsistent performer, a serious allegation and a question mark on his abilities, to a great extant with his superb al round consistent performances.
This series also point out the flaws in Misbah`s captaincy, with his defensive approach that could have easily cost Pakistan the Test series against Zimbabwe. If the PCB wants to continue with Misbah as captain then he has to change his approach and must adopt an aggressive strategy for the upcoming series against Sri Lankans. Mistakes like this will not go unpunished against an experienced Lankan side. They will be roaring to go against Pakistan as they have a point to prove.
Bowling always remained as Pakistan`s main weapon, but in Zimbabwe the tourists struggled to make impact. It’s true that Aizaz Cheema, the debutant managed to take eight wickets in the match, but he looks out of sorts and at this age, 32, it will be difficult for him to perform on regular basis. Sri Lanka, England or other top sides will certainly pose grave threat to this weak Pakistani bowling.
PCB top brass must now adopt a more realistic approach to focus on the present and the future of cricket, when no international team is willing to come to Pakistan sighting so-called security concerns then there is no need of wasting national wealth on appointment of a foreign coach. PCB has a luxury in appointing a coach if they look closely around they will find the likes of little master Hanif Muhammad, Javed Miandad, Zaheer Abbas and if the PCB wants to go for a young and energetic person then they can easily go for Rawalpindi Rams coach Sabih Azhar, who has proved his Mattel by guiding different sides to victory stands.
If the PCB continue to waste time on finding a foreign coach then the players will suffer but it will also give a very negative message to local coaches that the management doesn`t recognize their services and they are not capable enough to coach or manage the national side. One thing is sure Pakistan cricket team will not have an easy ride against the Sri Lanka side, luck doesn`t always favours it can run out any time, and the time is not far away, Sri Lanka side can provide the right kind of shock which is required to awake PCB high command from the deep slumber.

Akram calls for more Indo-Pak encounters

Akram who was taking part in a panel discussion along with ex Indian hockey captain Dhanraj Pillay also slammed teammate and fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar for his disparaging comments in his autobiography “Controversially Yours” against top Indian batsmen Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.

Akram, who represented his country in 104 Tests and 356 ODIs between 1985 and 2003, wanted India and Pakistan to engage in sports at all levels.
“We should have regular contests in all sports from the under-16, under 19 levels. India-Pakistan games are pressure games. Once a player knows to handle the pressure in these matches he can play against all other teams,” said the 45-year-old Akram.
Asked about the most memorable moments in his cricket career, Akram, one of the best-ever left-arm fast bowlers in the history of the game, singled out three instances.
“Our World Cup victory in 1992 (under Imran Khan), and the Test series victory over (hosts) India in 1987 (Pakistan`s maiden one) and our wins in India in 1999,” he said.
Pakistan defeated India at Chennai before the hosts avenged the defeat in Delhi in the two-Test rubber. In another Test immediately afterwards in Kolkata, part of the now defunct Asian Test Championship, the visitors vanquished the home team.
Akram singled out the overwhelming loss in the World Cup final of 1999 to Australia, in which he led his country, as his most forgettable moment.
Asked about the top batsmen he had bowled to, the Lahore-born Akram said there were quite a few.
“In the beginning there was (India’s) Sunil Gavaskar.
Later there were Allan Border, Mark Taylor, the Waugh brothers (all Australians) and then (West Indian) Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and England`s Alec Stewart who I found difficult to bowl to,” he said.
Akram also said that over the last four or five years the Pakistan cricket team lacked “a proper role model”.
Akram, a diabetic, said he was at first worried when he was diagnosed with the disease in 1987 but then after a two-month break to take treatment came back and took over 250 wickets each in both Tests and ODIs.

Top Indian court rejects Modi`s plea on inquiry

The petition was heard by Justice JM Panchal and Justice HL Gokhale, who ruled that the mere apprehension of the committee being biased could not be grounds to seek a probe by an independent tribunal.

Modi had filed the petition in September 2010, seeking the removal of his successor Chirayu Amin - who has since been replaced by Rajiv Shukla - and BCCI north zone vice-president Arun Jaitley from the disciplinary committee investigating charges against him.
Modi has repeatedly challenged the composition of the committee but his plea for the recusal of the two members on grounds of bias against him had earlier been rejected by the Bombay High Court.
The BCCI had suspended Modi soon after the conclusion of IPL 2010, and charged him with financial irregularities relating to the bidding process for IPL franchises, the mid-over ad sales and the sale of theatrical rights.

Aleem Dar wants uniform Decision Review System

ISLAMABAD: Aleem Dar, the three-time ICC Umpire of the Year, has said the inconsistent use of the Decision Review System (DRS) affects an umpire's performance and has called for the system to be used uniformly across all international series.
There`s no issue in using technology," Dar was quoted as saying on Tuesday. It`s a good addition to the game but the umpires should stop thinking about it when making a decision. And, instead of being used randomly, the system should be enforced on a permanent basis in all series. It`s not being used in all series and that affects the umpires` performance. I believe inconsistent usage is not good for the game either."Dar's is the latest voice to join the debate over the use of technology. On Australia's recent tour of Sri Lanka, Brad Haddin, Australia's wicketkeeper, said the system should be used consistently by all the international teams or not at all. On the other hand, the BCCI recently announced it was once again opposed to all forms of the DRS after India's tour of England, despite having agreed to a minimum standard at the ICC's annual conference in June.
The ICC also allows teams to opt out of implementing the system altogether for commercial reasons, as is the case with the upcoming Bangladesh-West Indies series, further complicating the issue. Dar also said the ICC's new rules, which went into effect on October 1, have added to the responsibility of the umpires. The amendments to the playing conditions include having two new balls to start an innings, a redefined period of Powerplays and a ban on the use of runners. Confusion over the new rule on runners led to a 28-minute delay during the Faysal Bank T20 Cup final, and Dar said the umpires need to be more vigilant. “I feel my responsibility has increased and we need to be more focussed," Dar added. "The team in the National T20 Championship was allowed a runner because the tournament was played with the previous playing rules. Umpires may face such situations after the rule changes and that's an increased burden.”

Razzaq to lead Pakistan in Hong Kong Super Sixes

KARACHI: All-rounder Abdul Razzaq will lead Pakistan at this month`s Super Sixes in Hong Kong as he attempts to resurrect his career at international level.
The 31-year-old, dropped from the national side since the World Cup in April, will lead a second-string Pakistan team for the Hong Kong event, which will be held from October 28 to 30.
Umar Akmal and Sohail Tanveer -- two more discarded players from the Test squad which faces Sri Lanka later this month -- were also among the seven-member squad.
Ramiz Raja, Hammad Azam, Yasir Shah and Sharjeel Khan are the others.
Pakistan, who finished runners-up to Australia in the Super Sixes last year, are placed in Group C with South Africa, India and Hong Kong.
Australia, England, Bangladesh and Ireland comprise Group B while an All Star team, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Scotland form Group A.
The Hong Kong Sixes was first held in 1992 and is sanctioned by the International Cricket Council. Pakistan won the inaugural event, then again in 1997, 2001 and 2002.

Steven Finn hat-trick helps England beat Hyderabad XI

Finn is looking to force his way into England's ODI side on a regular basis

Steven Finn took a hat-trick as England began their tour of India with a somewhat flattering 56-run victory over a Hyderabad Cricket Association XI.

Finn's first ball went for six but his last sealed his treble as the home side collapsed to 163 all out.
But England also struggled with the bat, recovering from 47-4 and 124-6 as Ravi Bopara's 73 helped them to a competitive total.
England face India in the first of five one-day internationals on Friday.
Before that England have one more warm-up match, against the same opposition, and they will go into it with a number of batsmen keen for time in the middle.
On a slow surface, captain Alastair Cook edged behind off Anwar Ahmed for six before Kevin Pietersen, back in the side having been rested as England beat India 3-0 in the ODI series on home soil, speared a drive straight to mid-on.
When Jonathan Trott was bowled by a Naidu delivery that kept low and Ian Bell fell to Ashish Reddy's first ball England were 47-4 in the 14th over and struggling.

PLAYING THE LONG GAME

Continue reading the main story Finn is among an ever-decreasing number of players who have played more Tests than ODIs. He has taken 50 wickets in 12 Tests but only seven from six ODIs

Bopara, though, led the counter attack with a six off Amol Shinde and he received fleeting support from Jonny Bairstow (15) and Samit Patel (20).
But when the Essex player was seventh man out, England still had only 169 on the board and but for Chris Woakes' unbeaten 46 would have been set for a total short of 200.
Woakes, who came in at number eight, said: "It's nice to bat higher up the order if you can, but anywhere I can slot into this team will be good. My batting is something I've worked on really hard."

Even 219 looked like it would be far from satisfactory when Akshat Reddy hooked Finn's first ball over the rope but he only added one more to his score before being run out as Hyderabad lost wickets at regular intervals.
Arjun Yadav held the innings together with a patient 47 but when Woakes clean bowled two batsmen with successive balls the home side were 99-5.
And although they staged a rally of sorts, Finn returned to mop up the tail in stunning fashion.
The 22-year-old had Shinde caught behind by Bairstow before bowling Kaneshuk Naidu and seeing Ahmed trapped in front of the stumps.
Finn tweeted: "To get a hat-trick was awesome, first time I've ever done it."

Hampshire's Shahid Afridi to face PCB hearing

Afridi announced his retirement from international cricket on Monday

Hampshire's Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi faces a disciplinary hearing at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday, reports BBC Radio Solent.

The PCB suspended Afridi on Tuesday following his criticism of the board.
It has been reported that a legal firm acting on behalf of Afridi has sent the PCB a letter to resolve the situation.
Afridi is unable to play for Hampshire since his registration to the club was removed by the England and Wales Cricket Board on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old was unavailable for Hampshire's opening FL t20 match against Somerset on Wednesday and will not feature in their second match at Surrey.
However, Hampshire are hopeful the situation will be reversed and Afridi will return to action next week

Shahid Afridi cleared to play for Hampshire by PCB

Afridi led Pakistan at the 2011 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka

All-rounder Shahid Afridi is free to play for Hampshire in the FL t20 after the Pakistan Cricket Board reinstated his No Objection Certificate.

Afridi, 31, was set to make his debut for Hampshire in their FL t20 opener against Somerset earlier this month.
But the PCB suspended Afridi following his criticism of the board and the England and Wales Cricket Board then removed his Hampshire registration.
He was also fined 4.5 million rupees (£62,000) by the PCB.
The former Pakistan captain pleaded guilty to a charge of violating the board's code of conduct.
Afridi held a meeting with the PCB on Tuesday and then withdrew a petition he filed against the board in the Sindh High Court on Wednesday, opening the way for his NOC to be reinstated.
His representative Umran Khan had told BBC Radio Solent he was confident that Afridi, who was also poised to play Twenty20 cricket for Hampshire last summer but opted to lead Pakistan in the Test series against Australia instead, would soon be turning out in the county's colours.
"Shahid will be able to play for Hampshire next week," Khan said on Tuesday.
"The meeting between Shahid and Ijaz Butt [PCB chairman] went very well and both parties have come to an amicable agreement.
"I spoke to Giles White [Hampshire manager] and they're very pleased that it's all sorted.
"Shahid is very excited to finally be linking up with Hampshire and get back to doing what he loves, which is playing cricket."
Reigning Twenty20 champions Hampshire are top of the South Group after winning five of their opening six matches.

Olympic medallist Cassie Patten retires from swimming

Patten's Olympic bronze medal in Beijing was the highlight of her career

Olympic bronze medal winning swimmer Cassie Patten has announced her retirement from the sport.

The 24-year-old from Cornwall, who came third in the 2008 Olympic 10km open water race, broke the news via Twitter.
"After a battle with a shoulder injury which is not getting any better, I have made the decision that I'm retiring from swimming," she tweeted.
Patten failed to qualify for the London 2012 10km race after Keri-Anne Payne took gold at the World Championships.
"I want to thank every swimmer I've ever trained with or raced against and every coach for the last 14 years of my life, I've loved swimming," she added.

Patten finished behind Kerri-Anne Payne in the Great Salford Swim in May

"It's been a real struggle since April, but injury happens when you're an athlete," she added.
The Stockport Metro swimmer also made the final of the 800m freestyle at the Beijing games where Rebecca Adlington took gold.
Patten won a silver in the 10km open water swim in the 2007 World Championships.
She took bronze in the 1500m freestyle in this year's British Championships and has previously won medals in the 800m and 400m freestyle and 200m butterfly.
But Payne's victory in the World Championships in Shanghai this summer meant that Patten had to finish in the top 10 in order to also make London 2012.
She finished a disappointing 21st meaning she could not swim in the event at next year's Olympics.

NBA postpones pre-season training and games over lockout

Dirk Nowitzki will hope to defend the NBA title he won with the Dallas Mavericks

The NBA has postponed training camps and cancelled 43 pre-season games following the failure to reach a new collective bargaining agreement.

The 2011-12 season is in jeopardy after owners "locked out" players on 1 July.
The decision was expected after talks on Thursday failed to resolve the deadlock over financial issues.
Deputy commissioner Adam Silver said: "We have regretfully reached the point on the calendar where we are not able to open training camps on time."
No more talks have been scheduled but both sides said they hope to meet again next week.
It is thought that a deal will need to be in place by mid-October if there is to be no impact on the start of the season.

NBA COUNTDOWN

Continue reading the main story The NBA season is due to start on 1 November when 2011 NBA champions Dallas Mavericks play Chicago Bulls

Silver added: "We will make further decisions as warranted."
The league locked out players after the expiration of the old labour agreement.
Owners and players still haven't agreed on the share of revenue given to players - 57% under the previous deal - or the structure of the salary cap.
The last lockout in 1998-99 reduced the season to 50 games from the normal 82.
NFL owners and players came to an agreement in July after a similar "lockout" threatened to affect the start of their season.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the Chicago Bears in the annual NFL game at Wembley next month.

India stripped of right to host Champions Trophy hockey

India, seen here in blue against China at the weekend, are out of the tournament

India will not host this year's men's Champions Trophy because of wrangling over who runs hockey in the country, the sport's world governing body says.

The International Hockey Federation said a new venue for the eight-team championship, due in early December, would be announced soon.
India, which has won eight Olympic hockey golds, will also lose its place in the competition, it said.
The federation rejected the temporary governance structure in place in India.
Correspondents say the row between Hockey India and the Indian Hockey Federation has damaged the game in India in recent years.
"We regret that we have to move the Champions Trophy from India," International Hockey Federation (FIH) president Leandro Negre said in a statement.
"It is difficult for the teams, the organisers and the fans, but we feel that this is the only way to maintain the integrity of our sport."
India's sports ministry had brokered a settlement between the two rival hockey organisations which agreed to form a joint executive board to run the game.
But the FIH rejected the arrangement, saying a country could have only one governing body for a sport.
The Champions Trophy is due due to be held from 3 to 11 December and will feature the world's top-ranked teams, including Australia, England, Spain, Germany, South Korea and the Netherlands.

Technology putting Olympic archers on target for 2012

How technology is helping Great Britain's archers improve their technique

By Nick Hope

To say Great Britain's archers were disappointing at the Beijing Games would be an understatement.
One fourth-place finish at the 2008 Olympics, where they had aimed to bring home two medals, represented a poor return on the near £3m investment, and was followed by an unsavoury internal spat about coaching methods.
Despite this under-performance, and unlike many of the smaller Olympic sports who had their budgets slashed in the build up to London 2012, archery subsequently saw its funding increase by nearly 60%.
And the British camp is now confident that seven English medals, including four golds, from the recent Commonwealth Games (albeit in the absence of the all-conquering Koreans) proves things are back on track.
"It was an excellent haul of medals for England," GB performance manager Barry Eley told BBC Sport.
"With England's archers making up most of the Great Britain's women's Olympic team it was great to see them right up there, as it was with Alison Williamson in the individual event where we hope to do well in London."
So where has this improvement come from?

How to achieve the perfect posture Stand with your feet shoulder width apart at 90 degrees to the target Place one finger above the arrow and two below Shoulders must be in a line with the target Keep the elbow on your aiming arm level with your shoulder as you raise the bow Pull the arrow right back towards your chin Focus your attention on the centre of the target Release cleanly and confidently

Many within the Great Britain camp feel technology has played a pivotal role.
According to Eley, Archery GB invested a "sizeable amount" of their budget in new equipment which helps measure every aspect of an archer's technique.
"We use slow-motion cameras and special mats to analyse posture, balance and body movement, which gives us immediate feedback on optimum body position," said Oliver Logan, biomechanist from the English Institute of Sport.
"The technology also allows us to record the archers and watch them back on the computer frame-by-frame to ensure the bow and arrow set-up is optimised for competition."
Archers take aim from as far back as 70 metres, roughly the length of three tennis courts, at a target measuring just 122cm by 122cm - which from that distance looks no larger than your fingernail.
Of course there is even more to consider than simply aiming at the target.
Once released an arrow does not travel in a straight line but flies on a curved trajectory - rising then falling on its flight path to the target. Pulling the arrow backwards on the bow generates tension on the string - and the greater the tension then the straighter an arrow can potentially travel.
However, it is difficult for even elite archers to consistently achieve this whilst maintaining a steady hand. As such archers will often aim away from the centre to take into account this curved trajectory.

Olympic bronze medallist Alison Williamson explains the basics of archery

It is a calculation and action which becomes further complicated in outdoor events where wind variations make accuracy even more challenging. A few degrees of inaccuracy can result in not only dropping one or two points, but missing the target all together.
The multi-camera setup being used by the GB team detects movement in both the bow and the arrow with frame-by-frame analysis helping archers hone their technique.
"Just the slightest adjustment to one of the settings can make the difference between winning and losing, so this technology has been a really key development," Logan added.
Veteran Leicestershire-born archer Williamson, who won a bronze at the Athens Games in 2004, is bidding to compete at her sixth Olympics in 2012 and is perhaps best placed to judge just how influential these enhancements have been.
"We have benefitted hugely from the developments in technology. It has certainly evolved and the video play-back allows you to view your technique in a way that wasn't possible before."
"The facilities make a big difference. When I began training I had to wait for people [members of the public] to finish before we could practice, we now have our own training centre [in Lilleshall] which is just for our use.
After finishing fourth in the women's individual recurve event in Beijing, Williamson took an 18-month break from major competitions.

©2010 Kalkomey Enterprises, Incorp. The recurve (top) bow uses less technology and is therefore considered more difficult than the compound bow

But she returned earlier this year and the 39-year-old proved that at she still has what it takes at the elite level by claiming two silver medals at this year's Commonwealth Games - only being denied gold in the women's individual event by India's 16-year-old sensation and world number one Deepika Kumar.
"The technology helps, it keeps things fresh and it's certainly good to access it when you need it, but I do think it's important to be self-reliant and be able to read the conditions and your equipment yourself."
"I'm still learning and take something new from every event so hopefully it will all come together and I will do well in 2012."
Williamson's Commonwealth collection aside, it is worth noting that England's other five medals all came in the compound event, which is not part of the Olympic programme.
Nicky Hunt won two gold medals in Delhi and is the current world number one in the women's compound, but she has ruled out a switch to the Olympic class recurve event.
"I've enjoyed a lot of success this year, but to be honest the switch would be difficult and I have probably left it a bit late," she said.
However Hunt is experiencing funding issues in her event.

How competitive archery works Elite events such as the Commonwealth Games or the Olympics use a qualifying day to determine seedings Competitors then go head-to-head - top seed facing bottom etc Archers take aim at least 70 meters away from the target Matches are either best of three or five sets Each set consists of three arrows per archer, with each competitor shooting alternately to add to the intensity The archer with the highest score after three arrows collects two points, with one each for a tie The archer with the highest number of set points after three or five sets, wins If points are level at the end of the allocated number of sets then a single-arrow shoot-off will determine the winner. The archer who shoots closest to the centre advances

Last month she told BBC Radio Suffolk that she needed £1,200 to represent her country at next year's European Indoor Championships in Spain.
Great Britain's Olympic head coach Lloyd Brown says he has tried to tempt her over to the other archery class.
"I've talked to her many times about it because she does have a form that would lend itself to the recurve style, but she's the best at what she does and it's difficult to change, we'll have to see," he said.
At present only Simon Terry, a double Olympic bronze medallist at the 1992 Barcelona Games, Alan Wills and Naomi Folkard are ranked within the world's top 15 recurve archers.
However, UK Sport's commitment to £4.5m of investment through to 2012 has enabled Great Britain to fund six full-time archers on an Olympic programme.
In addition to Williamson, Wills, Folkard and Terry, this includes Charlotte Burgess and Larry Godfrey as well as a further 19 archers who form a part-time development team.
With that and their new technology, Archery GB say they have everything in place to achieve their minimum aim of one Olympic and five Paralympic medals at the London Games.
"Looking forward I think we're in a really good spot right now. With the facilities and the staffing we're ready to move forward with a strong performance in 2012," Lloyd added.

Tokyo
Winning medals at a World Championships would normally be the ambition for anyone.
But for Britain's gymnasts, the priority over the next 10 days in Tokyo is qualifying for London 2012.
For the first time in modern gymnastics, Britain has an excellent chance of sending a full complement of 10 gymnasts to an Olympics.
To do that, the two British teams here - men's and women's - must finish in the top eight after team qualifying at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
Given the British men came through qualifying at last year's Worlds in fourth, and the women fifth, that target is well within reach. But it means thoughts of medals can wait.

Beth Tweddle wins the uneven bars world title in 2010 (UK only)

"We are very clear that our priority is to qualify both of our teams for London at this first opportunity," said performance director Tim Jones.
"From the way our preparations in recent weeks have gone and the quality of the gymnasts, we believe we have every chance of achieving this goal."
At a major gymnastics event, qualifying works by sending your team of six gymnasts in to perform on every piece of apparatus - the British women go on Saturday evening Japanese time (1200 BST), and the men on Monday morning (0315 BST).
Add up the four best scores your gymnasts produce on each piece, and that gives you the team's overall total. The top eight nations' teams go through to the team final - which will be Tuesday for women, Wednesday for men. The scores from qualifying are also used to determine who goes into the individual finals, which run from Thursday to Sunday.
So one qualifying session goes a long way. Places in this year's finals and next year's Olympics rest on those British performances on Saturday and Monday.
If it doesn't happen, all is not lost. Teams who come through qualification in ninth to 16th place must instead go to the Olympic test event, at London's O2 Arena in January next year, and the top four teams there will still make it to the Games.
But that would be far from ideal for the British team. They want to make sure of qualification for the Games now, leaving them the whole winter for gymnasts to recover from Worlds, plan their 2012 campaign and have the maximum time to prepare the very best routines. As outspoken pommel horse star Louis Smith constantly reminds people, you need to have something up your sleeve for the Olympic event to surprise your rivals and the judges.
If you have to haul yourselves to the Olympic test event and qualify via that route, it means an extra "peak" after the months-long process of building up your athlete for a major event, which takes up their time and energy, and that of their coaches.
Far easier to get the job done now and use those months planning for 2012 rather than biting your nails off in worry about just getting there. Unthinkably, if Britain's teams failed to make the top four there, as few as two Brits (a man and a woman) could end up competing at the Games. That scenario is possible, but very unlikely.
You can understand the urgency all this lends to qualifying. However, if Britain come through that successfully, then finals will start to matter again.

Dan Keatings - praying for injury-free return to action (Photo: PA)

Beth Tweddle is the current uneven bars world champion, having nailed her routine - one of the most complex in the world - in Rotterdam last year as Chinese duo He Kexin and Huang Qiushuang both fell.
Those two are both back this year and will be determined to lift a title which, had they stayed on the bars, they had every chance of winning last time. That's what the sport is about, balancing the higher score you get for trickier moves against the risk of messing it up.
One of Tweddle's assets lies in usually striking that balance. As she said after winning the title: "It was theirs to lose and mine to gain. That's what happened."
Tweddle may also be a threat on the floor, a title she won in 2009 before failing to reach the 2010 final (won by Australia's Lauren Mitchell, an overdue world gold for her).
Watch out for GB's Hannah Whelan in the all-around event (all four pieces of apparatus), a final which has been blown wide open by the absence of Russian superstar Aliya Mustafina, who suffered ligament damage at the European Championships earlier this year.
Mustafina reached every final last year and won all-around gold. Russia's leading lights are Youth Olympic champion Viktoria Komova and European champion Anna Dementyeva in her place.
Injury has also hampered the American team. Only two of the US women's squad who travelled here have previous Worlds experience, and both of those - Alicia Sacramone and Aly Raisman - have picked up knocks since arriving, in Sacramone's case to the extent that she can't compete. How the young US team copes, particularly 16-year-old newcomer Jordyn Wieber, will be interesting.
In the men's events, Smith's personality has earned him the poster-boy tag ahead of 2012 but he needs a strong performance here in Tokyo. At the very least, he needs to stay on the horse.
Smith fell from the apparatus at this year's European Championships, as he did at the World Championships in London two years ago. Again, he's trying to balance an incredibly difficult routine against the risk of falling.

Louis Smith falls from the pommel horse at the 2011 Euros (UK only)

"It's the hardest routine in the world and it's what hopefully will set me apart and help me stand out," he recently told the BBC.
If executed perfectly, that routine will win Smith an Olympic gold medal. However, if it only has (say) a 50% success rate, at what point does that become too much of a liability to take to the Games?
Daniel Keatings returns to the World Championships for the first time since winning all-around silver in 2009, following a year out with ligament damage sustained just after becoming the European champion in 2010.
Hearteningly for the British team, Keatings reckons he's in better form than ever. If that proves the case, he and Dan Purvis, a world bronze medallist on the floor from last year, will lend GB an exceptionally strong core.
China, as ever, are the major medal threat across the men's events. Only one of the seven men named in their squad has not previously won at least one world title and he, Guo Weiyang, is the current national all-around champion.
But keep an eye on hosts Japan, too. We're inside the venue where Japanese men won five of the eight Olympic titles available on home turf at the 1964 Games, and the team this year looks as strong.
Star name Kohei Uchimura is looking to make history as the first man to win the all-around title three times in a row. And the Tanaka family should be out in force to see not one but three of their children in action: Kazuhito and Yusuke Tanaka in the men's events, and sister Rie in the women's. Mum and dad were both gymnasts, too.

Wada asks British Olympic Association to review lifetime ban

Page last updated at 18:44 GMT, Friday, 7 October 2011 19:44 UK

  By David Bond
BBC sports editor Merritt's Olympic ban was overturned earlier this week

The World Anti Doping Agency (Wada) has written to the British Olympic Association urging them to review their lifetime ban for drugs cheats, the BBC has learned.

The move comes a day after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) ruled the International Olympic Committee's own rule barring serious doping offenders was unenforceable.
The BOA's so-called anti-doping by-law is under threat following that decision.
On Thursday, the BOA released a letter from Wada which they say endorses their anti-doping rules and, crucially, their lifetime ban by-law.
But David Howman, director general of Wada, told the BBC that his organisation had not in fact approved the lifetime ban. He went on to reveal that Wada had contacted the BOA suggesting they look again at the rule.

Continue reading the main story

They are trying to take a strong approach but it has to be fair and consistent

David Howman Wada director general

He said: "We have not approved their selection policy by-law. The BOA are trying to have a bob both ways. At all times they have said the bye-law is not an anti-doping rule but a selection policy.
"Now they are saying it's an anti-doping rule.
"Our mandate is to report on anti-doping rules. We therefore said we would back their anti-doping rules. But we have always been clear - if it is an extra sanction then it would not be compliant.
"Ultimately it's not up to us to make a decision like this. It's a matter for a court and for them to think about. What we have done as a result of the Cas decision is to write to them.
"They are trying to take a strong approach and I welcome that. But it has to be fair and consistent."
The Wada remarks come after American 400m Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt overturned a ban against competing at the Olympics and will be able to defend his title in London.
The 25-year-old won his case after challenging the IOC's rule 45, which states that anyone banned for a doping offence for six months or more should miss the next Olympics.
Merritt was given a two-year suspension in 2010, later reduced to 21 months, for failing three tests for a banned steroid.

IOC chairman disappointed by CAS rulingBut he argued that the Olympic ban went beyond World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) sanctions of a maximum two-year ban.
The BOA insists the letter sent in March 2008 supports the BOA bye-law because it's anti doping laws include a clause - section 7.4 - which sets out that any person who has committed an anti doping rule violation will be "ineligible" for membership or selection of Team GB.
It will be crucial to their defence of the by-law because CAS ruled the IOC's rule 45 unenforceable because it was not compliant with the WAdA code and was therefore considered a sanction, not an eligibility rule.
The BOA says their rule is different to that because as a national Olympic committee they have the right to choose who they want to compete for Britain - a right confirmed by the IOC's executive board member and London 2012 co-ordination commission chairman Denis Oswald today.
"The autonomy of each National Olympic Committee is to establish their own policy on the eligibility of their athletes," he said, while on the commission's latest inspection visit to London ahead of next year's Games.
"It is not just about doping, it could be about gambling. This is something for the BOA (British Olympic Association) to determine.
"It is in the Olympic Charter that the NOC has the right to establish the rules of eligibility of the athletes.
"We fully understand that the BOA has that rule and has had it for a number of years. It has been challenged but it stands and we respect the right of the BOA."

 

Salim Malik dropped from veterans tour

Malik was banned in 2000 by the Pakistan Cricket Board on the recommendations of a judicial committee that held an inquiry into match-fixing allegations.

However, he was still named in the Pakistan veterans squad leaving for a tour of Sri Lanka later on Friday.

The President of the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association, Fawad Ijaz Khan, said they had hurriedly withdrawn Malik from the party.

"We didn`t know he was still under a ban. We were informed by the President of the Punjab Veterans Cricket Association about this," Ijaz told Reuters.

End.

Hockey selectors seek new coach

There have been 12 coaches for the national side in as many years since KPS Gill took over in 1994. And after a poor sixth place in the Commonwealth Games, it seems that the present coach Rajinder Singh will become the thirteenth coach to be sacked.

Hockey selectors have had enough. Some of them have apparently threatened to quit unless Rajinder is sacked.

Current Vice President of the Indian Hockey Federation, Narinder Batra is using this latest flop show by the team to get even with the man he hates the most, KPS Gill.

"It's not Rajinder or any other coach who should be sacked, but those who've given them that post, that is Gill and Jothikumaran. These so-called selectors only put their stamp of approval to their decisions. They never select a team in a free and fair fashion. That is why Aslam Sher Khan also quit his post last year. I have yet to see a fair selection," said Batra.

Shameful results

India's results in hockey under Rajinder have been shocking. The Azlan Shah Cup was his first assignment, where India finished in fifth place.

A few months later in the eight-nation Rabo Trophy, also called the Mini World Cup, India barely avoided the wooden spoon.

Then came the season-ending Champions Trophy in Chennai, which saw India finishing last and missing out on a place for this year's edition.

India then lost the first three matches at home in the home-and-away series against Pakistan, going on to lose 3-1 overall.

And finally the biggest debacle was a poor sixth place at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games with the team winning just two matches out of five.

"I have never understood how and where Rajinder Jr came from, or what his credentials are. The President and the Secretary choose the coach. There is no panel, no interviews," said Aslam Sher Khan, former national selector.

But the problem seems to be not so much with the coaches or the players, but in the autocratic way the Indian Hockey Federation runs the game.

The next two big events of the year in hockey are September's World Cup in Germany and the all-important Asian Games, where a place in the 2008 Beijing Olympics will be at stake for the team.

Courtesy www.ndtv.com

Warm welcome greets women's hockey team

NEW DELHI: The defending champion having to settle for silver might have been hard to digest but the way in which the Indian women's hockey team played in the Commonwealth Games final against Australia, the medal was worth its weight in gold.

"We played without the services of three key players including skipper Sumrai Tete. But we still matched them for almost the entire match. The future of Indian women's hockey is quite bright," said chief coach M.K. Kaushik.

"Winning a silver is a satisfactory performance considering that Australia is a far better side. We played well and gave a good fight in the final," remarked Tete.

The team's connecting flight from Kuala Lumpur was delayed by more than 90 minutes. And, it took more than an hour to clear the airport formalities.

Crowd delights Tete  

It was almost midnight when Tete led the team out of the airport. "I'm extremely happy to see that so many people came to welcome us despite only winning the silver medal," said Tete.

According to Kaushik, the team paid a price for the injuries to strikers Jyoti Sunita Kullu and Surinder Kaur. Kullu had a hamstring pull while Surinder suffered a cut under the right eye during the second league match.

"Nonetheless, there was no shame in losing to a better side. Australia converted an excellent chance, while we missed four good chances," the coach said.

India was the only team to score against Australia during the entire competition. In the opening league match, India was at drawing 2-2 with Australia before going down 2-4.

"Overall it was a fantastic experience and will help us perform better at the forthcoming World Cup in Madrid and the Asian Games in Doha," Kaushik added.

courtesy paktribune.com

PHF confident of winning medal at London 2012

Qasim, a former Olympian who heads the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), told `Our Sources` in an interview that he is confident that the Greenshirts will finish on the hockey podium in London which will host the Olympics next August.

“My heart tells me that we won`t come home empty-handed from the Olympics this time,” said Qasim, a member of the Pakistan team that won the 1984 Olympic gold in Los Angeles.

“And its not that I don`t have any solid reasons for being so optimistic,” he added.

Over the last ten months, Qasim has seen Pakistan regaining a lot of lost ground.

Last December, Pakistan were finally able to win back the Asian Games title in the Chinese city of Guangzhou. Earlier this year, they reached the final of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia before losing to reigning world champions Australia on a penalty shoot-out.

More recently, a young Pakistani team marched into the final of the inaugural Asian Champions Trophy in Ordos (China) earlier this month before succumbing to old rivals India on a tie-breaker.

“The best thing about our team is that after a long time it is playing like a team,” said Qasim. “There is a lot of hunger, motivation and team spirit among the boys which adds to my confidence ahead of the Olympics.”

Pakistan, three-time Olympic hockey champions, last won an Olympic medal in Barcelona in 1992 when they returned home with a bronze. Since then they have failed to win any Olympic medal as dejected Pakistanis saw their teams returning home empty-handed from Atlanta (1996), Sydney (2000), Athens (2004) and Beijing (2008).

Most critics don’t give Pakistan much chance of winning an Olympic medal in London either and they have a point.

Pakistan’s only realistic chances of winning a medal depend on how good the national hockey team performs in London. Though Pakistan have done well at the Asian level in recent times, their track record against top teams like Australia, Germany and the Netherlands isn’t that impressive.

Earlier this year, they finished last in a four-nation event featuring Germany, England and the Dutch hosts in Amsterdam.

But Qasim remains upbeat. “We only lost in the Amsterdam event because of a series of silly mistakes,” he said. “But since then regular training sessions have been really helpful for the boys and I’m sure that by the time they go to London, they will be a different team altogether.”

When Qasim took over as PHF’s president after the Beijing Games where Pakistan had flopped miserably, one of the weaknesses he noted in the national team was its inability to give its best against top teams.

At that time, Pakistan used to be in an awe of stronger oppositions like Australia and Germany.

“Thankfully, that’s not the case any more,” said Qasim. “Now our boys are not scared of any team and that’s a huge improvement.”

Qasim stressed that Pakistan have, over the years, learnt to create scoring chances even against the best teams.

“Our boys create ample number of chances in most matches,” he said. “The only thing they have to learn now is to enhance their finishing skills. They have to learn to capitalise on those opportunities.”

Qasim is confident that under Dutch coach — Michel van den Heuvel — Pakistan are right on target.

“The training is going really well. In the months before the Olympics we are going to train harder besides playing more and more tough games which is why I’m confident that we will go to London fully prepared.”

In the lead up to the London Games, Pakistan will tour Australia in October, play the Champions Trophy in New Zealand in December before embarking on a pre-Olympic tour of Europe.

Qasim stressed that Pakistan’s sports fans should not lose hope as the hockey team has ‘realistic’ chances of winning a medal in London.

“Our target is to finish among the top-3 teams in London and I’m confident that our team will achieve this goal.”