Big score for Shikhar is just round the corner: Moody

B D Narayankar reports

Bangalore, May 3 (PTI) Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Tom Moody is hopeful that it's just a matter of time before we get a big knock from skipper Shikhar Dhawan.

"That big knock is just round the corner. He has got close on a couple of occasions where he has got good starts and he just has not capitalised on those good starts," he told reporters on the eve of the IPL match tomorrow.

Dhawan, along with a number of big Indian players, have not quite hit their straps, Moody added.

About local lad KL Rahul, Moody said he is an exciting young prospect.

"There is a reason that we have given him an opportunity at the top of the order and that's because we back him. We think he is a good enough player to bat No 3 or No 4. And he has shown throughout from the start of the tournament," he said.

Replying to a query, Moody said they wouldn't ask Aaron Finch and David Warner to open.

"We are pretty comfortable with the batting order as it stands, whether Warner goes No 3 or No 4," he said.

"Moving too many parts around in that top order creates uncertainty and also creates that inconsistency ... We also feel David (Warner) is probably more of an adaptable player, he has shown that, to bat at No 3 or No 4," Moody said.

Shikhar is at his very best at the top of the order and Finch is one of the in-form openers of the competition and want him to continue, Moody said.

Asked why big names have not performed, Moody said the conditions were tough in UAE - the wickets were slow. "I think the conditions were pretty tough, to be honest with you. The wickets were quite slow, so it restricted those free-flowing batsmen to particularly in those early overs to really capitalise," he said.

Moody said Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith standout
opening pair in the tournament so far.
     "Smith and McCullum ... They really have been the only
standout opening pair that have been able to grab the
tournament by the scruff of the neck in the first six overs,"
he said.
     The team is sitting sort of mid-range in the table
knowing that they have got everything to play for along with
many other teams, Modi said.
     There are only two teams - CSK and KXIP - that have
played to their potential and that’s reflected in the table.
     "There’s only two teams that have really played to their
potential and that’s reflected in the table," he said.
     Moody said there are big names in all eight franchises,
and to single out Hyderabad for not performing is incorrect
because they were on par with RCB points-wise.
     "I think there are big names in all eight franchises, so
to single us out is I think incorrect because the team we are
playing tomorrow have got equal names and I think that is the
beauty of the IPL this year and it is the beauty of the way
the auction was run this year with regard to challenging
franchises to pick strategically," he added.
     Asked about challenges on returning to India after
playing in UAE under different conditions, Moody said he did
not see it as such, instead he saw an opportunity for players
to show their skills and adapt.
     "I don't see it as a challenge. I think that it is more
of an opportunity for players to show their skills and adapt
and that’s what T20 cricket is about," he said.
     "What I will be asking our players is to adapt quickly to
what might well be a slightly quicker wicket here and maybe
conditions where the ball will swing around a little bit where
we didn't have those conditions in the UAE," he said.
     Moody also said it takes a couple of days just to get
adjusted with the travel workload. 

Ktk govt to ask GMR to withdraw objections on Bidar airport

B D Narayankar reports

 Bangalore, Apr 24 (PTI) Karnataka Infrastructure Minister
Roshan Baig today said he would be holding talks with the GMR
Group during his visit to Delhi on April 29 to ask them to
withdraw their objection to operation of facilities available
at Bidar airport.
        "I will try to convince them to lift their objections
against operation of facilities available at Bidar airport,"
he told reporters here.
        The GMR Group had objected to the operation of facilities
at Bidar airport in northern tip of Karnataka citing distance
factor from Hyderabad Airport, Baig said.
        He also said the state government was ready to hand over
maintenance and operation of Bidar Civilian Airport facilities
to the GMR Group, which operates Rajiv Gandhi International
Airport in Hyderabad. "We are ready to hand over maintenance
and operation of Bidar Airport facilities to them," he said.
        He also said he would meet officials of the Civil Aviation
Department, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and
Defence Ministry in this regard and also on the issue of
improving air connectivity across the state.
        The terminal building at Bidar airport is ready and the
government had obtained the clearance from the Civil Aviation
Department and the Defence Ministry had cleared the proposal
to use the runway and other facilities at the Indian Air Force
station on the outskirts of Bidar, Baig said.
        Similarly, government has initiated the process to acquire
84 acres of additional land to expand Mysore airport to tap
the city's tourism potential and attract investment, Baig
said.
        The government has asked the National Highways Authority
of India (NHAI) to start upgradation works of a stretch of NH
212 next to the workable airport sparing chunk of land needed
for the airport expansion, Baig said.
        The Airport Authority of India, which has reserved funds
for expansion of the airport, had reportedly made it clear to
the government that it will not take up works to expand the
airport until Mysore-Nanjangud stretch is realigned.
        He also said the dream of air connectivity for citizens
of Gulbarga will be fulfilled soon as the bickering amongst
the partners of the joint venture company Regional Airport
Holdings International (Rahi) and IL&FS, had been solved. "Now
IL&FS has agreed to complete the project."
        One of the partners had initiated legal action against the
other for refusing to participate in board meetings since
February 2012, thereby blocking all attempts to raise the much
needed capital to complete the project, Baig said.
        Rahi was granted the lead role to develop, finance and
build the Gulbarga airport through a government order on
February 18, 2010.

No CBI probe into killing of youth by anti-naxal force: Karnataka Home Minister K J George

B D Narayankar reports
       
Bangalore, Apr 22 (PTI) Karnataka Home Minister K J George
today refused to pay heed to the demand for a CBI probe into
the killing of a youth by Anti-Naxal Force personnel at a
checkpost near Sringeri in Chikmagalur district, even as a
section of his partymen insisted on probe by the central probe
agency.
        "The CID is competent to investigate the incident and the
government would take appropriate action once the probe report
is submitted," he told reporters here.
        The Anti-Naxal Force personnel allegedly had shot dead
Kabeer at Tanikodu check-post on Sringeri–Karkala Road on
April 19. The police, however, had clarified that the ANF
officials mistook him for a Maoist.
        George said he has told the CID officials to expedite the
preliminary report and they have assured him that they would
submit it in the next two to three days.
        The Karnataka Muslim Federation, led by Information
Minister Roshan Baig and veteran Congress leader Janardhan
Poojary have urged Siddaramaiah to hand over the investigation
to CBI.
        George said there is nothing wrong in Poojary demanding a
CBI enquiry into the matter, but he could only decide after
the submission of the preliminary report.
        "Moreover, I am only a recommending authority. The
decision to hand over any case to the CBI rests on the Chief
Minister," he contended.
        He also argued that handing over the case to CBI would
demoralise his department, however, he was not against taking
such a step.
        On several occasions in the past the government has given
some cases to CBI, George said.


        To a query, George said the final report on Mallikarjun
Bande encounter case would be submitted to the government in
the next 10 days.
        "I had placed a preliminary report in the Assembly. Now I
am waiting for the ballistic and IT report on reconstruction
of sequence of crime. They have told me that they would submit
these two reports in next 10 days," he said.
        Bande, known for daredevilry in dealing with criminals,
along with another policeman, was injured in the shootout with
alleged criminal Munna Darbar, who was also shot dead, on
January 8.
        Bande died of bullet wounds on Januray 14 at a hospital in
Hyderabad where he was shifted from Gulbarga on January 9
after he sustained head injuries and had been kept on
ventilator.