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Dhoni willing to quit ODI captaincy DHAKA, Bangladesh (Reuters) - Mahendra Singh Dhoni is willing to step aside as India captain and focus on his own game if it will help the team, the 33-year-old said in the wake of their first-ever one-day series defeat to Bangladesh. The long-serving leader, who will turn 34 next month, gave up the Test captaincy midway the series in Australia in December before retiring from the longer format altogether. And with two humiliating ODI losses in the first two matches of the series against their neighbours, Dhoni was asked if he still enjoyed leading the Indian team. “I am really enjoying my cricket,” Dhoni said after his side’s six-wicket loss at Mirpur on Sunday. “I know this question was coming. I know the media really loves me. “Yes, if it is a justifiable thing that if you remove me and the Indian cricket will start doing really well, and if I am the reason for all the bad that is happening to Indian cricket, definitely I would love to step away and play as a player. “Ultimately you want India to win. It doesn’t matter who is the captain. “I was never really in line to become a captain. It was a job or responsibility for me. I have taken that responsibility. If they want to take it away, I am happy to give it away.” The wicketkeeper-batsman took over the ODI mantle from Rahul Dravid after India’s group-stage exit from the 2007 World Cup in West Indies and is considered the country’s greatest skipper in limited-overs format. He has won a Twenty20 World Cup, the 2011 50-overs World Cup at home and also the Champions Trophy in England, as well as taking India to the top of world Test
Mahendra Singh Dhoni wiling to step aside as India’s ODI captain rankings. “What is more important is to play for the country and contribute to the team and try to keep the dressing room atmosphere good,” said Dhoni, who promoted himself to number four in the batting order on Sunday and made a laboured 47. “So that whenever youngsters are coming in, they can come and perform. That will be the ultimate achievement for me. “Indian cricket had been used to players coming in toned, ready for international cricket. Now it has changed. You have to grind it through. You can’t win every series you play.
Pakistan youngsters impress skipper Misbah
(REUTERS) - Pakistan have even more reason to cheer their first Test victory in Sri Lanka in nine years thanks to impressive performances from the team’s younger players, said captain Misbah-ul-Haq. The visitors fought back from 96-5 down in their first innings to register the win in less than four days after rain had washed out four sessions of the contest on the first two days at the Galle International Stadium. The task of hauling Pakistan out of trouble has usually fallen to Younus Khan, 37, and the 41-year-old Misbah but it was the emerging talents of Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed who led them out of a
Sarfraz Ahmed
precarious position and laid the foundations for the win. Leg-spinner Yasir Shah then ripped through Sri Lanka’s batting in the second innings with career-best figures of 7-76 to complete a 10-wicket victory. “It’s good to have youngsters performing, that actually takes away the pressure from us (Younus and himself),” Misbah told reporters. “This is the future we are building with these youngsters and these players are coming of age now to take the team ahead. “Sarfraz is a key player, Azhar (Ali) is performing in the top, and the way Sarfraz and Asad played it further stamps our faith in them.” Saeed Ajmal has been Pakistan’s main weapon in spin-friendly conditions but the off-spinner has been dropped from the side after insipid performances since returning from a ban for an illegal bowling action. The 29-year-old Yasir, with just eight Tests under his belt, ensured Ajmal was not missed. “It’s just a start for Yasir, look at the way he has performed to step up and become Pakistan’s main bowler and to contribute in Pakistan’s victories,” Misbah said. “So we are getting a good bunch who are grabbing every opportunity and applying themselves as a unit. The batting line-up is now getting mature and performing consistently.” Misbah still felt Yasir has to work harder to become one of the leading spinners in world cricket. “He is giving us a good advantage, especially on these pitches where other spinners are not getting any sort of spin,” Misbah added. “Seven wickets against an opponent who is good against spin is something that speaks a lot. To become one of the greats, I think he still has to improve a lot. “He might be performing well in Asian conditions but there are a lot more Tests ahead of him when he will be abroad, like in England and Australia.”
GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday June 23, 2015
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ANDRE `Stone’ Purlette started out the year 2000 in fine style by knocking out American Louis Gallucci in the first round. Gallucci was counted out at one minute 15 seconds of the opening round by Brian Garry. The fight was held at the Hyatt Regency in Tampa, Florida, USA and was one of three Purlette had for the year. The Guyanese cruiserweight turned professional in December 1992 and had his first fight on American soil on March 26, 1996. Purlette was 22 years old then and needed only two rounds to win by TKO over American Fred Adams. In February 1995 David Fields became Purlette’s eighth knockout victim. While Leon `King Kong’ O’ Neil, Colin Murray and Ivor `Baba’ Simmons all bowed out by the second round, Fields lasted until midway the third round. Purlette suffered his first defeat in the professional ranks on December 4, 2002 after being TKOed by Cuban-American Eliester Castillo in Miami, Florida. The referee was again Brian Garry, and he stopped the contest at two minutes 58 seconds of the fifth round. Purlette last fought in 2009 and has a record of 40 victories in 44 fights. He has boxed 134 rounds and holds a 79 percent knockout average. *********************************** GUYANESE-born USA-based junior middleweight Tony Marshall defeated Jose Hiram Torres on June 23, 1992 at the Knickbocker Arena in Albany, New York. The fight was the 10th for Marshall who had started his professional career the previous year. The winner of the eight-round bout was decided by the judges who gave the Guyanese the unanimous nod. Marshall improved to eight wins and two draws after the victory. He had nine fights in 1992 which included his first defeat. On October 14 he challenged Puerto Rican Julio Flores who at 25 was four years Marshall’s senior. Flores defeated his orthodox opponent by unanimous decision. Marshall then had back-to-back draws. One was to Kenny Ellis (who defeated Pascal David at the Sports Hall in 1993) while the other happened against Willy Wise, who defeated Julio Cesar Chavez in 1999. Marshall made two unsuccessful attempts at the world junior middleweight title and quit the sport in October 2005 after being TKOed by Lenord `Haitian Sensation’ Pierre.
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