Jhansi, July 8 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Hockey defeated Hockey Haryana and Hockey Chandigarh beat Uttar Pradesh Hockey to clinch the title in the women’s and men’s competitions respectively on Day 8 of the 2nd Hockey India Junior Women’s and Men’s North Zone Championship 2024 here on Monday. Among the day’s other results, Hockey Chandigarh secured third place in the women’s tournament while Hockey Punjab bagged third place among the men’s teams.

In a closely fought final for the women’s title, hosts Uttar Pradesh Hockey secured a thrilling 2-1 victory over Hockey Haryana to emerge as champions.

Hockey Haryana broke the deadlock and took the lead when Shashi Khasa (37’), the tournament’s top-scorer, found the back of the net. The equaliser evaded Uttar Pradesh for most of the second half before Rashmi Patel (58’) scored in the match’s dying embers. Minutes later, Purnima Yadav (60’) scored again for Uttar Pradesh Hockey to complete an emphatic victory.

Hockey Chandigarh emerged as the men’s champions following a 2-1 triumph against Uttar Pradesh Hockey in a grueling fixture. Ashu Maurya (14’) gave Uttar Pradesh the lead towards the end of the first quarter.

However, Hockey Chandigarh bounced back in the second quarter riding on the efforts of Rajveer Singh (26’). As the game looked set up for a shootout, Gurjeet Singh (55’) delivered a late winner for Hockey Chandigarh.

Chandigarh women claim third place

In the women’s battle for third place, Hockey Chandigarh defeated Delhi Hockey 4-0. Pooja (11’, 34) gave Hockey Chandigarh the early lead and doubled it soon after half-time. Vedangi Vyas (42’) scored in the third quarter before Tamanna (49’) further widened the gap with another field goal.

Punjab beat Haryana for third place

In the men’s battle for third place, Hockey Punjab defeated Hockey Haryana 6-1. Om Rajnesh Saini (24’) and Lovenoor Singh (29’) scored for Punjab in the second quarter before Vinay (30’) pulled one back for Hockey Haryana. Following a goalless third quarter.

Hockey Punjab took control in the final minutes of the match with goals from Abhishek Gorkhi (48’), Charanjeet Singh (55’, 56’) and Ajaypal Singh (60’).

–IANS

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London, July 8 (IANS) Surrey duo of fast bowler Gus Atkinson and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith will make their Test debuts in England’s first Test against the West Indies at Lord’s on July 10, which is the final match for retiring veteran fast-bowler James Anderson.

Atkinson has played nine ODIs and three T20Is, for England and was a part of the Ben Stokes-led squad for the Test tour of India earlier this year but did not feature in a single game. Overall, he has picked 59 wickets in 19 first-class matches.

On the other hand, Smith, who averages 40 in first-class cricket, played two ODIs for England against Ireland last year and is now all set to play his first Test in a fresh-looking playing XI after being selected ahead of Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes for the West Indies series.

Shoaib Bashir, the 20-year-old off-spinner from Somerset, will make his first home Test appearance after playing three matches on the tour of India and picking 17 wickets earlier this year. His selection made ahead of left-arm spinner Jack Leach has also been made possible by captain Stokes back to taking all-rounder duties.

Chris Woakes, who took a break from the game following the demise of his father, completes the rest of England’s bowling attack, marking his return to Tests for the first time since last summer’s Ashes series against Australia.

Harry Brook also returns to the playing eleven and will bat at No.5 after missing the tour of India to be with his ill grandmother Pauline, who later passed away in March. But all the focus will be on Anderson’s farewell from international cricket at a venue where he debuted in Tests against Zimbabwe in May 2003.

England playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir and James Anderson.

–IANS

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Johannesburg, July 8 (IANS) South Africa batter Tristan Stubbs is all set to bat at No.3 in the upcoming Test series against the West Indies, confirmed head coach Shukri Conrad. Stubbs has been a regular in white-ball cricket for South Africa but will now get a chance to cement himself in the Test side through the series against West Indies to be played at Trinidad and Guyana from August 7-19.

“Tristan will bat at No.3 for us…that’s how highly I rate him. Aiden (Markram) and Tony (de Zorzi) will open and Temba (Bavuma) and Bedders (David Bedingham) will be at four and five. Technically Tristan is one of the best around. He’s a helluva player, the type of player I want at the top of the order.”

“He’s the type of cricketer I want at the top of the order, he’s got all the makings of a top-class No.3 batter. I certainly wouldn’t be giving someone something to do that they aren’t capable of. I’m not hanging him out to dry. Technically he is one of the best around. It’s unfair that people see him as just a white-ball player.”

“I know it’s a different format, but if you look at the way he commanded his space during the World Cup, he has imprinted himself on games. We have eight Tests, he’ll get a really good run. I have to keep an eye on the future with this Test squad and he is definitely part of that future,” said Conrad to reporters.

Speaking about giving a call-up to batter Matthew Breetzke, who has a first-class average of 37 and is coming off a domestic season where he averaged 46 in first-class cricket, Conrad said, “Matt’s done really well domestically in the last couple of years. He can open the batting and play anywhere in the top order.”

“We have eight Tests to give ourselves the best chance at (qualifying for the final of the World Test Championships) and we probably need to win seven. But every Test series will be challenging. The West Indies are a different kettle of fish in their own country,” he concluded.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 8 (IANS) London Olympics bronze medallist shooter Gagan Narang has been elevated as the Chef-de-Mission (CDM) of the Indian contingent for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, starting on July 26. Initially tasked with overseeing India’s operations at the shooting range — which will be far from the main venues, Narang has been named as a replacement for boxing legend MC Mary Kom, who had relinquished the opportunity due to some personal reasons.

Narang won a bronze medal in the 10m Air Rifle event in London in 2012. Last year, he was one of the senior officials of the Indian contingent at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Shiva Keshavan, India’s first-ever representative at the Winter Olympics, is the Deputy Chef-de-Mission of the contingent.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has also announced P.V Sindhu as the female flag-bearer alongside Achanta Sharath Kamal during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris on July 26.

IOA President Dr. P.T Usha on Monday said the 41-year-old Narang’s elevation from Deputy Chef-de-Mission’s position was an automatic choice in the wake of Mary Kom’s withdrawal.

“I was looking for an Olympic medalist to lead our contingent and my young colleague is an apt replacement for Mary Kom,” Usha was quoted as saying in a release on Monday.

“I am also delighted to announce that India’s only woman to win two Olympic medals, PV Sindhu, as the female Flag-bearer alongside Table Tennis ace A.

Sharath Kamal in the opening ceremony,” Dr. Usha said. “I am confident that our athletes are well prepared to deliver the best results for India in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The IOA had initially announced Mary Kom as the CDM and Gagan Narang, a member of the executive committee of the IOA, as the deputy CDM while naming Sharath Kamal as the flag-bearer.

A few days after the announcement, Mary Kom expressed her inability to take up the responsibility. The IOA seemed to have mulled on a replacement for many days before deciding to promote Narang to the post.

The Chef-de-Misson is the overall leader of the Indian contingent at the Olympics.

–IANS

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London, July 8 (IANS) England all-rounder Moeen Ali said this week at the Lord’s is all about celebrating the career of veteran fast-bowler James Anderson ahead of his last Test against the West Indies on July 10, adding that the cricketing world will never see another player like him.

Anderson is the leading wicket-taker among fast bowlers in the history of Test cricket with 700 scalps in 187 matches, a feat he reached during the Dharamshala Test against India earlier this year. His international career will end against the West Indies at Lord’s, coincidentally the same venue where he made his Test debut against Zimbabwe in May 2003.

“This week at the Lord’s is about celebrating his massive achievements with the ball. New guys will step up, but there is no point talking about who will fill Jimmy’s boots because they will never be. Quite simply, 700 Test wickets with one game to go, there cannot be another Jimmy, especially the way the sport is going.”

“It is a massive shame it has to end because, even now, coming up to 42, he can still bowl as well as he ever has. Just look at that seven-wicket haul for Lancashire last week. If he played for the whole summer, he would get a load more wickets,” wrote Moeen in his column for The Guardian on Monday.

Moeen also went on to talk about how he considered himself lucky to be sharing the same dressing room with Anderson when playing Test cricket for England.

“There were times during my Test career, sitting in the dressing room reflecting on things quietly when I almost could not believe how lucky I was to be in the same England team as Jimmy Anderson. He really is a once-in-a-generation cricketer and, in my mind, the greatest seam bowler of all time.”

“Jimmy always had this reputation for being grumpy and as a newcomer, who had watched him on the television growing up, I was a little bit intimidated before we met; not scared but a bit unsure what he would be like. But right from day one, even having played with so many players by this stage and been so close with Graeme Swann, who I had come into the side for, he was really good with me.”

Moeen signed off by expressing happiness over Anderson remaining with the Test side as the fast-bowling mentor after his retirement Test at Lord’s. “Then you remember he is England’s record wicket-taker in ODI cricket (269). Jimmy was a serious white-ball bowler but that decision by Eoin Morgan to move on in 2015 meant he could focus solely on Test cricket.”

“Even though he has always worked seriously hard at his game, there was a period in his thirties where he would barely bowl in the nets before a Test because he knew exactly what he was doing by this stage. Both aspects contributed to his incredible longevity.”

“It would be silly if English cricket let that knowledge go to waste and it is good Jimmy will mentor the Test bowlers for the rest of the summer, even after this last match at Lord’s. Who knows, perhaps it won’t be his last. As someone who has retired from Test cricket more than once, my advice would be never say never.”

–IANS

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