Dravid starts NZ tour with a century

7th March-2009: Former India skipper Rahul Dravid began his third tour of New Zealand on a bright note, scoring a dignified 102 for Canterbury Wizards against Central Stags in a NZC first-class match at the Mainpower Oval, Rangiora, here on Thursday.

Given the opportunity to warm up ahead of the first Test at Hamilton on March 18, Dravid struck 13 boundaries during his 226–minute vigil at the wicket.

The 36-year-old right-hander, who fell to medium-pacer Brendon Diamanti, shared a 93-run second wicket partnership with Michael Papps (127).

Incidentally, this was Dravid`s fourth hundred in seven matches since resurrecting his career with a stubborn ton against England at Mohali. He had made hundreds in the Duleep Trophy quarter-finals (against Central Zone in Bangalore) and semi-finals (against North Zone at Rajkot) last month.

However, leg-spinner Amit Mishra disappointed in his maiden outing on Kiwi soil.

Playing in the same match for Central Stags, Mishra failed to impress, conceding as many as 101 runs from his 28 overs, without any purchase.

Elsewhere, stylish middle-order batsman VVS Laxman, playing for Otago Colts, also failed to make a mark against Wellington Firebirds.

Although the wristy Hyderabadi spent 69 minutes at the University of Oval pitch in Dunedin, he just made 20 in Otago`s first innings score of 174.

Laxmipathi Balaji, who made a daring comeback from a crippling back injury, however, got a good feel of New Zealand conditions in the same match.

Operating with the new ball for the Firebirds, the right-arm medium fast bowler bowled 15 overs in the low-scoring match and picked up the wicket of SB Haig.

The other two members of the Indian Test outfit, Dhawal Kulkarni and Murali Vijay, will turn out for Stags and Firebirds respectively in the next round of New Zealand Cricket state championship in Napier from March 13-16.

Brief Scores:

Canterbury Wizzards (1st innings): 388 for 5 (R Dravid 102, M Papps 127, J Myburgh 104, Amit Mishra 28-1-101-0)

Otago Volts (1st innings): 174 all out (VVS Lxman 20, L Balaji 15-4 39-1); Wellington Firebirds (1st Innings): 73 for 4 in 28 overs).

Dalai Lama fears violence could break out any time in volatile Tibet

7th March 2009: Tibet's exiled spiritual leader Dalai Lama has said that he fears violence could break out at any moment in the region, a year after protests against Chinese rule erupted into riots

The Dalai Lama's comments, published on a German newspaper's website on Friday, come days before the 50th anniversary of his flight into exile and a year since a Tibetan crowd burned shops belonging to Han Chinese and Hui Muslims in Lhasa.

Chinese authorities said that 19 people were killed in the initial riots. Tibetan exile groups said scores more were killed and hundreds arrested across the region in a subsequent crackdown by the authorities.

"I am very worried. Many Chinese citizens have armed themselves, and they are ready to shoot. It is a very tense situation. At any moment there could be an explosion of violence," he told.

Chinese officials, including Tibet's Governor Qiangba Puncog, have said that unrest is unlikely and denied boosting security forces ahead of the anniversaries.

Last month sources said that Chinese police had found explosives under a bridge in Tibet. Beijing brands the Dalai Lama a separatist and accuses him of fomenting revolt among Tibetans.

Pak bus hero's brother was a jihadi in J&K

7thMarch-2009 : Pakistani driver Mehar Mohammed Khalil whose quick thinking saved Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore has an altogether different story to tell.

Khalil’s younger brother, Shakil, was a jhadi killed by Indian security forces in Kashmir in anti-militancy operation in 1995, a news report has said.

“In 1995 his younger brother, Shakil, was killed fighting for a jihadi militant group in Kashmir," reports.

According to the report, Khalil welcomed his well wishers in the backdrop of “a photograph of his dead brother, with a Kalashnikov rifle over his shoulder, a camouflage cap on his head and a radio in one hand".

Printed in Urdu across the photograph were the words ‘Mujahid martyred in Kashmir. Died in Udampur, India, August 25, 1995. Codename Abdullah.' the report added.

As he spoke, a relative whisked away the photograph of his dead brother.

"He is also a supporter of Jamaat-e-Islami - the Islamist political party - that wants to impose Sharia across Pakistan and to use the Amy to kick India out of Kashmir", a Report said.

Bureau Report

Suicide Bomber kills 7 Policemen in Pakistan

7th march-2009, A suicide car bomber ordered to stop his vehicle detonated it instead at a road block in northwestern Pakistan on Saturday, killing seven police officers and wounding several others, a senior police official said.

The bombing underscored the challenge facing Pakistan in rooting out Al-Qaida, Taliban and other militants who are based in its northwest and believed involved in assaults on US troops across the border in Afghanistan.

The Saturday morning explosion occurred in an area on the outskirts of the main northwest city of Peshawar, said senior police official Safwat Ghayur.

The police were checking cars coming through from the Khyber tribal region, a part of Pakistan's semiautonomous tribal belt where military forces have staged offensives to stem militant activity. The road block was also close to the rough-and-tumble Dara Adam Khel area, a major bazaar for weapons.

Ghayur, who confirmed the casualties, said it was unclear whether the security forces were the original target, although many suicide bombers have gone after Pakistani police.

Ghayur said the attacker blew up his vehicle after he was signaled to stop.

Pakistan recently claimed victory in an offensive against militants in Bajur, a nearby tribal region where the military and insurgents have been battling since August. Officials also say they are close to flushing out militants in nearby Mohmand tribal area.

But while the US has praised those offensives, saying they have helped reduce violence in neighboring Afghanistan, Pakistan has raised alarm bells in the West by engaging in peace talks with Taliban militants not far away in the northwest's Swat Valley.