Ageless Tendulkar breaks the 200-run barrier

EPIC EFFORT:Sachin Tendulkar, who delighted with bold brush strokes of genius on the canvas — the colours celebrating batsmanship, showed he still is an explosive athlete; he still has the eye of the tiger.

Gwalior: His heart larger than frame, Sachin Tendulkar lifted his arms in triumph. At 36, he had become the first man to conjure a double hundred in One-Day Internationals.

The maestro's unbeaten 200 was an epic effort of focus, flair and dare. His passion for the golden Indian crest undiminished, the little big man oozed character after India elected to bat and ran up a mammoth 401 for three — its highest score against South Africa — on a belter at the Roop Singh Stadium.

In the process, he delighted with bold brush strokes of genius on the canvas; the colours celebrated batsmanship. He still is an explosive athlete; he still has the eye of the tiger.

Man-of-the-Match Tendulkar's spirit-lifting effort proved a match-winning one. South Africa wilted under the pressure of a big chase to go down by 153 runs. With a match remaining, India has taken a winning 2-0 lead in the series.

A.B. de Villers, using his feet well, working the ball around and finding the gaps, made a defiant unbeaten 114, but South Africa was in with little chance. To make matters worse for the visitors, the ball kept a shade low under the lights.

Tendulkar's world record double hundred was yet another landmark for the champion in a career of miles and milestones.

Pavilion in Tendulkar's name

The pavilion at the Roop Singh Stadium here will be named after him. A road in the city will also bear the maestro's name shortly.

“I need the good wishes of the people. It is the prayers of the people that have helped me in my career,'' he said.

Tendulkar added, “I do not play for records. I enjoy my cricket and I play with passion. I have done this for 20 years.''

The legend said he had struck a purple patch since the 2007 World Cup.

Asked about his record-breaking double hundred, he said, “I realised I had a chance when I got to 180 with so many overs left.''

On being at 199 at the start of the final over, he said, “I knew I would get my chance in the over. I will remember this innings. But I will not compare it with my other efforts. Each innings is different, the circumstances are different.

“No record is unbreakable. But I would be happy if an Indian breaks my record.'' He gave credit to Dinesh Karthik, Yusuf Pathan and M.S. Dhoni for their efforts. “Yusuf and Dhoni, in particular, played some very big shots.''

Electrifying atmosphere

Earlier, the atmosphere inside the stadium was electrifying as Tendulkar glided paceman Charl Langveldt to squarish third-man off the third ball of the 50th over and scampered for a single for his 200th run.

The crowd erupted, non-striker Dhoni and the South Africans walked up to congratulate the legend, and his teammates in the pavilion were up on their feet.

Soon, Tendulkar, undefeated, walked back to a standing ovation. His monumental double century (200, 147b, 25x4, 3x6) was his 46th ODI century. Opening the innings, he had batted through the 50 overs. Tendulkar's commitment shone through in the manner he ran between the wickets. He also batted through pain.

The hectic brace in the 47th over – third ball – when he worked left-arm paceman Wayne Parnell behind square and completed two enabled him to go past the previous highest ODI score – 194 by Pakistan's Saeed Anwar and Charles Coventry of Zimbabwe.

Tendulkar, his sights set on a historic double century, was restrained in his celebrations, attending to his right hamstring even as Dhoni and Mark Boucher greeted his achievement.

The Indian innings also featured a busy 79 (85b, 4x4, 3x6) of crisp hitting by Dinesh Karthik – he added 194 for the second wicket with Tendulkar. Also a power-packed 23-ball 36 from Yusuf Pathan, in the batting Power Play overs between 35 and 39 South Africa conceded 63, and a brutal 68 not out (35b, 7x4, 4x6) by Dhoni. The Indian captain bludgeoned the South African pacemen with wristy blows of immense power.

The astonishing afternoon, however, belonged to Tendulkar. He was light on his feet and heavy with his shots. His batsmanship does have an ethereal quality about it.

It is also timeless; the ease with which Tendulkar rolls back the years is remarkable.

The maestro's symphony in front of a delirious crowd here had some captivating notes. His mind and body in harmony, Tendulkar cover-drove Parnell to the fence. Nobody moved as the ball struck the boards. The outfield was fast, Tendulkar's timing made it appear quicker.

The feature of his batting has always been his ability to pick the length in a jiffy. He, thus, is decisive as he ventures into a front-foot drive or punches, cuts or pulls off his back-foot.

When Steyn bounced at Tendulkar, he was pulled fiercely. Tendulkar was meeting fire with fire.

All the aspects were in order - a still head, a high left-elbow, and a lovely extension of the willow - as he off-drove Parnell. Tendulkar's batting is underlined by perfect balance.

The maestro's innings was splendidly paced. His 50 consumed 37 balls, 100 came off 90, and 150 off 118. The South Africans ran out of ideas.

SCOREBOARD

India: V. Sehwag c Steyn b Parnell 9 (11b, 1x4), S. Tendulkar (not out) 200 (147b, 25x4, 3x6), D. Karthik c Gibbs b Parnell 79 (85b, 4x4, 3x6), Y. Pathan c de Villiers b van der Merwe 36 (23b, 4x4, 2x6), M.S. Dhoni (not out) 68 (35b, 7x4, 4x6); Extras (lb-3, w-5, nb-1): 9; Total (for three wkts. in 50 overs): 401.

Fall of wickets: 1-25 (Sehwag), 2-219 (Karthik), 3-300 (Pathan).

South Africa bowling: Steyn 10-0-89-0, Parnell 10-0-95-2, van der Merwe 10-0-62-1, Langeveldt 10-0-70-0, Duminy 5-0-38-0, Kallis 5-0-44-0.

South Africa: H. Amla c Nehra b Sreesanth 34 (22b, 7x4), H. Gibbs b Praveen 7 (8b, 1x4), R. van der Merwe c Raina b Sreesanth 12 (11b, 1x4, 1x6), J. Kallis b Nehra 11 (13b, 2x4), A.B. de Villiers (not out) 114 ( 101b, 13x4, 2x6), A. Petersen b Jadeja 9 (16b, 1x4), J.P. Duminy lbw b Pathan 0 (1b), M. Boucher lbw b Pathan 14 (31b, 1x4), W. Parnell b Nehra 18 (43b, 1x4), D. Steyn b Sreesanth 0 (4b), C. Langeveldt c Nehra b Jadeja 12 ( 11b, 3x4); Extras (lb-5, w-8, nb-4): 17; Total (in 42.5 overs): 248.

Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Gibbs), 2-47 (van der Merwe), 3-61 (Amla), 4-83 (Kallis), 5-102 (Petersen), 6-103 (Duminy), 7-134 (Boucher), 8-211 (Parnell), 9-216 (Steyn).

India bowling: Praveen 5-0-31-1, Nehra 8-0-60-2, Sreesanth 7-0-49-3, Jadeja 8.5-0-41-2, Pathan 9-1-37-2, Sehwag 5-0-25-0 .

YSR’s media meet under EC scanner

HYDERABAD: The Election Commission on Tuesday served a notice to Legislature Secretary S. Rajasadaram asking him to explain whether Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy was within the rules by addressing a media conference at the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) office on March 21.
He has been asked to specify the purpose for which the accommodation was given to the CLP so that the EC will be able to ascertain if the Chief Minister by holding the media conference violated election code.
The EC’s action followed a complaint by G. Muddukrishnama Naidu of the Telugu Desam that the Chief Minister had violated the code as the accommodation provided to the Congress party was used politically. It was meant to be used only during Assembly sessions.
Mr. Subba Rao later told reporters that action by the EC would depend on Mr. Rajasadaram’s report.
The EC also served notices to Devulapalli Amar, Chairman, Andhra Pradesh Press Academy, and Dharmavarapu Subrahmanyam, Chairman, Andhra Pradesh State Cultural Council, to respond to the charges that they had violated the code by participating in programmes of private Telugu TV channels that promoted Congress interests. They have been asked to submit written replies by Wednesday. A round-the-clock facility has been launched in the CEO’s office to record the programmes of at least five out of 10 odd private Telugu TV new channels.
In case of complaint of code violation, the CEO will verify the recordings without seeking clippings from the offices of TV channels.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/03/25/stories/2009032560250600.htm

Trouble brewing in Kurupam TDP

VIZIANAGARAM: Trouble brewing in TDP after the reported decision of TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu to allot Araku (ST) Lok Sabha and Kurupam (ST) Assembly seats to the CPI (M), as part of an understanding between partners of the Grand Alliance. Nimmaka Jayaraj, former TDP MLA from Naguru (ST) constituency, is preparing ground to quit the party and join Praja Rajyam.
He already started consultations with the TDP cadre in Gummalakshipuram, Kurupam and Jiyyammavalasa mandals, as the CPI (M) that won Naguru (ST) with the active support of Congress in 2004 has consolidated its position over the years thus posing a threat to the very existence of TDP in the Agency.
Now, with the allotment of Araku (ST) to the CPI (M) the TDP position in Salur (ST), Kurupam (ST) and Parvathipuram (SC) Assembly segments, that form part of the LS, would weaken further, Mr. Jayaraj argues.
“If both the seats were earmarked to the CPI (M) the cadre must have to carry flags of that party instead of TDP for canvassing,” he felt. Mr. Jayaraj, however, would wait till he heard from Mr. Naidu shortly.
His decision to quit the party came as a shock to the CPI (M). The party district secretary M. Krishna Murty rushed to Vanaja, native village of Mr. Jayaraj, and requested him to support the sitting MLA Kolaka Lakshmana Murty.
In the meantime, Mr. Jayaraj has decided to participate in the planned dharna by Adivasi Vikas Parishad at Kurupam on Thursday. The parishad is organising the protest following denial of ticket to a tribal. The AVP is likely to announce a tribal candidate after the dharna.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/03/25/stories/2009032555360500.htm

YSR to launch campaign from Chevella today

HYDERABAD: The stage is set for Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy to kick off his hectic election campaign from Chevella, the mandal headquarters town in Ranga Reddy district, that has come to identify itself with any programme launched by him, on Wednesday.
The five-day first leg of his campaign to be flagged off from Chevella on Wednesday will see him covering Ranga Reddy, Medak, Hyderabad, Mahabubnagar and Warangal districts till March 31.
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president D. Srinivas and other PCC leaders besides Mines and Geology Minister P.Sabitha Indra Reddy, who represents the constituency, will attend.
‘Congress Jaitra Yatra’, as the election campaign is christened will see Dr. Reddy stepping out of his residence at 9.30 a.m. and proceed to garland the statues of former Prime Ministers Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and Babu Jagjivan Ram in the city.
Dr. Reddy will briefly address the party workers at party headquarters, Gandhi Bhavan and proceed to Chevella. To offer prayers
On his way, he will offer prayers at Nampally dargah, Maisamma temple in Rajendranagar, Church at Moinabad and Balaji Temple at Chilkur.
Boarding his air-conditioned bus at Chevella, he will cover a distance of 115 km in Vikarabad, Parigi, Kodangal,Tandur and Zaheerabad Assembly segments on the first day.Padayatra
Chevella has come to occupy pride of place in Dr. Reddy’s heart ever since the successful ‘Prajaprasathanam’ padayatra undertaken by his in 2003 covering 1,600 km for 64 days.
For the next five years, Dr. Reddy has made it a point to launch government programmes in the mandal headquarters considering the place to bring him good omen.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/03/25/stories/2009032560460700.htm

CPI calls for defeat of Congress, BJP

VIZIANAGARAM: Leaders and cadres of Communist Party of India will campaign in rural areas to ensure victory of nominees of the Grand Alliance.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, party district secretary P. Kameswara Rao said that the CPI would not insist on seat but would contest if offered one in the district. Its sole aim is to defeat the Congress and the BJP in all the nine Assemblies and one Parliamentary constituency.
Stating that the Congress manifesto offered nothing new except continuing the “old corrupted schemes” like Jalayagnam, Indiramma, NREGP etc, the CPI leader said that Peddagedda was declared open two years ago but not even a drop of water was released to farmers. There was no action on inquiries conducted into the irregularities in various schemes.
On the injustice meted out to Koppula Velamas in seat allocation, he said that Minister Botcha Satyanarayana used his offices to get ticket for his family members.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/03/25/stories/2009032554080300.htm

“Paul’s promise beats TDP sops”

Whom would people vote if they were to get carried away by sops offered by parties? It will obviously be Praja Shanti Party floated by evangelist-turned-politician K.A. Paul.
According to Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, if such tall promises are to fetch votes, the party will make a killing because of the Rs. One - lakh cash transfer scheme it promises.
“This will beat even the free television and cash transfer announced by the Telugu Desam Party,” he remarked.Scribes’ strategy to cut monotony
Amid the heat of elections, it is not just politicians but journalists too have started using SMS.
Not to run a campaign, but to prevail over their colleagues not to shoot questions at boring media conferences and prolong the session.
With most of the media conferences becoming a routine affair with leaders indulging in verbal attacks on rivals and issues affecting people hardly figuring in the meetings, journalists apparently have decided to beat the politicians at their own game. Breath analysers at polling booths?
A Hyderabad-based NGO has come out with a suggestion to check inducement of voters with liquor on the polling day. “Keep breath analysers handy at every booth,” says Society for Cancer in Oral cavity Prevention through Education (SCOPE).
Breath analyser0s lying idle with the traffic police can be used for examining those suspected to be under the influence of alcohol and other addictives and prevent them from voting.
The NGO wrote to the State Chief Electoral Officer to introduce breath analysers in Hyderabad and Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituencies to begin with.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/03/25/stories/2009032554270400.htm

Praja Rajyam plays ‘social justice’ card

Triangular fight?: Former Minister and TDP nominee for Kovur Nallapareddy Prasanna Kumar Reddy wooing voters in Nellore district as part of his campaign on Thursday.
KOVUR (NELLORE DIST): Tupakula Munemma, the first candidate announced by Praja Rajyam, will enter the fray against sitting MLA and Congress nominee Polamreddy Srinivasulu Reddy as also TDP candidate and former Minister Nallapareddy Prasanna Kumar Reddy in the elections.
Praja Rajyam president Chiranjeevi who was impressed by Munemma’s speech at ‘Mahila Varathi’ programme organised in Hyderabad during October last announced that the party will allot her a ticket in the ensuing elections. Keeping up the promise, the party announced her name in the fifth list on Wednesday.
Kovur, which was under Ongole Parliamentary constituency before delimitation, was a strong bastion for Reddy community and only Reddys represented the constituency since 1962. After delimitation, the constituency has come into Nellore Lok Sabha. Reddy stronghold
Though Kovur is a stronghold for Reddys, Praja Rajyam’s decision to field Munemma, an illiterate belonging to the Yanadi community, in the name of ‘social justice’ sent chills down the spine for Congress and Telugu Desam parties as there were a good number of tribal, BC and minorities’ votes in the segment.
The constituency boasts of the highest electorate of around 2,24,503, in Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore district. Of this, about 25,000 are tribals, 40,000 BCs and close to 15,000 minority and SC voters. But, the Congress, TDP and Praja Rajyam candidates are all upbeat about victory.
While Mr. Prasanna Kumar Reddy opines that dissidents and anti-incumbency will benefit TDP, Mr. Polamreddy says the fight will be between Praja Rajyam and the ruling party. The innovative schemes introduced by the Congress are the party’s strength.
On the other hand, Praja Rajyam is confident that the slogan ‘social justice’ will click at the hustings. Stating that only poor can bring social justice, Munemma (30), an daily wage labourer declares that she will strive for imposing ban on liquor and bring a seachange in the lives of the poor if she wins.Congress hitch
Mr. Prasanna Kumar Reddy who started campaigning way earlier of others in the constituency says the Congress workers and the people are vexed with the local MLA’s behaviour and Telugu Desam has an edge in the segment.
“There are several groups in the Congress in the constituency. The party leaders organised protests for allotting ticket to the sitting MLA and met the Chief Minister urging him to change the candidate.
The dissidence in the Congress will benefit TDP”, said a party worker.
The Congress nominee and MLA said that Praja Rajyam will split the votes of the TDP but sees no threat for the Congress.
The party has a good hold in Bucchireddypalem, Indukuripeta and Kodavaluru mandals, he said.
Locals says that Chiranjeevi is keen on winning in this segment as his father had worked long ago in Kovur and the film actor has childhood association with the region. The party plans to take special interest in Kovur segment, they say.

http://www.thehindu.com/2009/04/03/stories/2009040353010200.htm