Archive for December, 2010

THE YEAR THAT WAS -2010

December 31st, 2010 by Ravi Matah | Posted in News, Political   Comments Off on THE YEAR THAT WAS -2010

Memories of the year 2010 give us mixed feelings. Though we are a bit disturbed over some of the happenings we are also optimistic on some of the achievements done so far. Agreed we have to struggle with the problems a bit longer but are nothing that cannot be overcome.

Happy New Year 2011

Happy New Year 2011

The best part was that we have excelled in the areas of sports, athletics and Cricket to make us cheerful. The medals tally in the CWG and the Asiad tops the list of this year’s crowning achievements. Sachin Tendulkar’s double ton in an ODI was the best thing that could have happened to India followed by the Opening ceremony of the Common Wealth Games followed by the 101 medals at the CWG games.

In the disappointments India was challenged by the spiraling prices, the 2G scam and the PMs inaction to take the corrupt to task. (more…)

INDIA LEVEL TEST MATCH SERIES

December 29th, 2010 by Ravi Matah | Posted in Sports   Comments Off on INDIA LEVEL TEST MATCH SERIES

South Africa suffered one of their worst ever defeats at the hands of India in Durban on Wednesday. India made amends for the drubbing at Centurion with a sensational 87-run victory against South Africa in a low-scoring second cricket Test to level the three-match series 1-1.

VVS Luxman

VVS Luxman

India had set SA a target of 303, and the Indians put up a disciplined show to dismiss the hosts for 215 after the lunch break. This was their second win in a Test match in South Africa. The 123-run victory in the first Test at Johannesburg in 2006 was their first Test victory there. 

The Indians players jumped in joy and hugged each other after last man Lonwabo Tsotsobe was run out to bring about the moment of glory while coach Gary Kirsten and the other support staff stood up at the dressing room to applaud the players. 

This pitch was indeed bowler friendly and a batsman’s agony. S Sreesanth 3 for 45 runs, Zaheer Khan 3 for 53 runs and Harbhajan Singh  2 for70 runs did the job  for India while Ashwell Prince was the top scorer for the South Africans with an unbeaten 39.  (more…)

GSLV MISSION FAILS

December 26th, 2010 by Ravi Matah | Posted in News   Comments Off on GSLV MISSION FAILS

Sriharikota: It’s a jolt to the Indian Space programme that the GSLV-F06 exploded mid-air minutes after lift-off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 4 pm on Saturday.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) witnessed a failure when India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) blew up shortly after lift-off. This is perhaps the biggest failure for ISRO so far.

GSLV-F06, powered by Russian cryogenic engine, lifted off from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 4:04 PM on Saturday evening after the 29-hour countdown. (more…)

TENDULKAR’ S FIFTY & MORE

December 22nd, 2010 by Ravi Matah | Posted in Sports   Comments Off on TENDULKAR’ S FIFTY & MORE

No one ever thought that this 16 year old lad who hit three sixes in an over off Abdul Qadir on debut in the Karachi Test in 1989, would one day create  records which would be unsurpassable for centuries to come. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar caressed the ball through covers to achieve the milestone of 50 centuries in test Cricket in India’s first test against South Africa at the Centurion Park.  I feel that even our great-grand-children will be talking about Tendulkar’s records while discussing cricket.

Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar

He has 96 centuries in International Cricket and is four short of the coveted century of centuries mark. His appetite for runs is insatiable and he commented on his fiftieth century by saying that it is another number and said that ‘he has dedicated this century to his father as it was his birthday yesterday’.

Even after two decades of being at the pinnacle of international cricket, he still wants to improve his game and is still hungry for runs. This is what keeps him apart from his contemporaries and he is always increasing the gap between him and the next in line  Ricky Ponting. (more…)

PASSING OUT PARADE IMA

December 12th, 2010 by Ravi Matah | Posted in News   Comments Off on PASSING OUT PARADE IMA

It was a misty morning with overcast sky when defence personnel and civilians from different parts of the country gathered at the prestigious Indian Military Academy (IMA) to witness the spectacular passing out parade (POP) at the Chetwood Hall, Dehra Dun on December 11, 2010. Chetwood Hall, IMA

534  Gentlemen Cadets including 4 Gentlemen Cadets from neighbourhood Bhutan passed out at IMA DehraDun.

Amd tight security as many as 534 cadets passed out of thee prestigious Indian Military Acadmey after a two hour parade at the ground outside the Chetwood Hall building. Out of these 518 became the officers of the Indian Army, twelve of them joined the para-military force viz. Assam Rifles. Out of these 102 officers were from Uttar Pradesh, 58 from Uttarakhand and 47 from Haryana. (more…)

INDIA SWEEP ODI SERIES

December 10th, 2010 by Ravi Matah | Posted in Sports   Comments Off on INDIA SWEEP ODI SERIES

Gautam Gambhir lost the toss and New Zealand opted to bat first at the M.A.Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Friday. The Indian bowlers did a magnificient job and bundled out New Zealand for a paltry 103 runs in 27 overs and Parthiv Patel rubbed salt to the  New Zealand wounds by hitting up a half century simultaneously knocking the doors of the selection Commitee reminding them for a place in the World Cup squad. 

Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh

India  have thus white-washed New Zealand in the five match ODI series 5-0. India’s pacers got little swing in the air but that was sufficient for Praveen Kumar and Ashish Nehra to do the initial damage. Bowling stumps to stumps Praveen Kumar managed to send down an out-swinger to get an edge from Martin Guptill. 

New Zealand lost Brendom McCullum also very quickly and at a stage were 14 for the loss of 2 wickets. He was declared out lbw to Nehra who brought one inwards from the off stump on to his pads. 

Ross Taylor also edged the ball with his glove from Ashish Nehra for Parthiv Patel to do the rest. Ashish Nehra got two wickets for 34 runs and Praveen Kumar bagged 1 wicket for 20 runs.  (more…)

COURT SENTENCES TEENAGER

December 10th, 2010 by Ravi Matah | Posted in News   Comments Off on COURT SENTENCES TEENAGER

A teenager who witnessed the stabbing incident of Nitin Garg, was sentenced to 18 months probation by an Australian Court. Garg was killed earlier this year in January and this had strained the relations between India and Australia.

The 16-year-old boy, who has not been named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court to being an accessory to the murder of 21-year-old Garg in Cruickshank Park on January 2, according to The Age.

The court heard Garg was on his way to work at a nearby Hungry Jack’s outlet when the two boys, both aged 15 at the time, noticed him walking past while speaking on his mobile phone.

The prosecution said the accused told his friend “that bloke’s phone looks nice,” which prompted him to allegedly approach Garg and stab him in the abdomen.

Days after Garg’s murder, police interviewed the boy who did not say anything about the incident.

However, later during another interview on April 26, the accused changed his story and told police he and his co-accused were in the Yarraville park on the night of the stabbing.

His co-accused, also a 16-year-old boy, has already been charged with murder and is due to face a committal hearing in February.

Phone records showed Garg tried to ring 000 for help immediately after he was stabbed but the accused yelled at him to “drop the phone” because he was scared he was calling the police.

In April, the boy told a friend’s father “he was going to tell him something he had never told anyone before” and admitted to being present during Garg’s stabbing.

The court heard that the man contacted police with the information.

Court documents reveal he was an accessory after the fact by demanding that Garg dispose of his own mobile phone.
 
The boy then agreed to wear a listening device to record a conversation with his co-accused in which the alleged murderer incriminated himself.

The prosecution described the boy’s co-operation as significant and said that a non-custodial sentence was an option for the court.

Justice Paul Coghlan said the crime was serious but the boy’s undertaking to give evidence against his co-accused meant the probation sentence was warranted.

Coghlan said if the teenager had not pleaded guilty and not agreed to assist the prosecution of his co-accused, the 16-year-old would have spent two years in a youth justice centre.

Ravi Matah

INDIA WIN 4th ODI

December 8th, 2010 by Ravi Matah | Posted in Sports   Comments Off on INDIA WIN 4th ODI

Yusaf Pathan steered India to an improbable victory at Bangalore in their fourth ODI against New Zealand on Tuesday. Gautam Gambhir won the toss and put New Zealand in to bat bat who laid down a huge score of 315 runs. Chasing this mammoth score, India, at one stage were 188 for 5 having lost the top five batsmen. But Yusuf Pathan was was on a different pedestal altogether. He struck with confidence and stamped authority with his each shot. His 97 ball 123 runs were ample proof that Pathan has given a notice to the selection committee for the forthcoming World Cup.Yusuf Pathan  

His century overshadowed a superbly-crafted 98 from James Franklin that had allowed New Zealand to reach a daunting total.

It rained for about an hour and when play resumed again, India needed 113 runs from 14 overs a difficult task which was made easy by Yusuf Pathan.  Yusuf launched a Daniel Vettori delivery into the stands beyond long-on and shot a delivery from Kyle Mills over the roof. 

In the  43rd over Pathan smashed Mills for three fours and slammed a six over midwicket. And when he brought up his maiden hundred with a pulled six, off Andy McKay in the next over, the game was almost over.  (more…)

INDIA WIN ODI SERIES

December 4th, 2010 by Ravi Matah | Posted in Sports   Comments Off on INDIA WIN ODI SERIES

Gautam Gambhir won the toss at Vadodra Cricket Stadium on Saturday and asked New Zealand to make first use of the pitch. But it was Zahir Khan and Munaf Patel who utilised the moist morning conditions. New Zealand could pile up only 224 runs and it was by no stretch of imagination a fighting score.

Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir made the chase look ridiculously easy and maintained his captaincy record also as he produced a Captain’s knock of 126 not out to wipe out the New  Zealand total of 224  runs for 9 wickets with more than ten overs to spare. He cracked his second century on the trot, to power India to a series-clinching nine-wicket victory over New Zealand in the third ODI at Vadodara today.

India  have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match ODI series.

Gambhir, who smashed 16 boundaries with his flicks and drives in the 117 balls he faced, put on 115 runs for the opening wicket with Murali Vijay who made a slow 30 in 50 balls before being run out.

Kohli remained unbeaten on 63 in 70 balls with six fours and two sixes. He also hit the winning runs, a six over long on. (more…)

INDIA WIN SECOND ODI

December 2nd, 2010 by Ravi Matah | Posted in Sports   Comments Off on INDIA WIN SECOND ODI

Gautam Gambhir won the toss and elected to field at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium at Jaipur in the 2nd ODI against New Zealand on Wednesday. India managed to restrict New Zealand to a score of 258 runs for 8 wickets  with Sreesanth doing most of the damage, who took 4 wickets for 47 runs. The bowlers having done their job, Gambhir replied with a chanceless 138* to guide India home. He was ably supported by Virat Kohli who got out at 64 and now has two centuries and a half-century on the trot. 

Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir

This was Gambhir’s first century in almost a year and it was decorated with 18 boundaries to the fence and a six. Gambhir was timing the ball to perfection and was well supported by an in-form Kohli at the other end, India’s hundred was up in the 20th over. 

Earlier, Sreesanth consumed Howe but Williamson and Guptill stood ground to produce a half-century stand and Munaf Patel then removed Williamson. Guptill played very well for his 70 runs but New Zealand did not get a rocking start and so could not reach the desired 300 run target. Ross Taylor was out to a ball which he misread from Yusuf Pathan and later R Ashwin removed Guptill. 

Styris powered his way to a breezy 59 off 56 balls with the help of five fours and a huge six, while Vettori contributed 31 off 32, an innings that included four hits to the fence.  (more…)