Sikh student attacked in Australia, Turban removed

In yet another attack on Indians here, a Sikh was punched in his head by a group of Australians who also removed his turban while he was sleeping at a bus stop in Melbourne.

Police said they are investigating the "unprovoked" bashing of the 22-year-old Indian youth who was punched in the head and had his turban removed as he slept at a bus stop yesterday.

However, the name and other details of the Indian man has not yet been known.

"The Yarraville man was asleep at a stop near Epping railway station in Cooper Street about 12.45 am on Sunday when a bus pulled into the depot and five males, believed to be believed 17 and 19 approached him," The Age reported.

Two of the five youths allegedly bashed the Indian man, while their three companions are believed to have tried to stop the assault, the report said, adding that the 60-year-bus driver and a passenger also tried to stop the attack. The five youths managed to escape from the scene.

"The victim suffered injuries to his mouth but did not need medical attention," The Age reported. Police have appealed for any witness in connection with the incident.

This is the latest among a series of racially- motivated attacks on Indians and students from the community.

Around 30 Indian students were attacked in various cities from June to August.

Last month, an Indian student was attacked with a "plank of wood or a baseball bat" by two men which left him with 20 stitches in his head.

The 28-year-old student was attacked by the men after he got down from a bus at Keilor Plains train station.

In September, three Indians were "brutally bashed" by a group of around 70 youth while playing here. Advertisement

Primary school in Australia bans hugging

A primary school in Australia has put a ban on hugging and other display of affection on its senior grade pupils saying it can set "bad example" to younger students and adversely affect them.

Students of the Largs Bay Primary School, aged between six and seven, have been adviced not to hug their friends stating it would set a "bad example" to younger students, Herald Sun reported today.

Upset over the move, many parents said the school should act only if the display of affection was inappropriate, rather than a blanket ban for all of the children.

They said the school's deputy principal and counsellor had told the students of the ban after an outbreak of hugging when friends were reunited after the holidays.

"I don't want my child to go to a school in which displays of affection lead to punishment," a mother said. After complaints from parents, the school has issued a statement defending their policy of banning hugging and other display of affection for "boyfriends or girlfriends" in the senior grade.

"Hugging is not banned (between friends) at Largs Bay Primary School, but we do discourage displays of affection in the schoolyard among students in years 6 and 7 who have a boyfriend or girlfriend at the school," Principal Julie Gail said, adding we want our older students to set a strong example for younger students at the school. Advertisement

Tendulkar is amazing: Ponting

Only the third batsman to amass 12,000 runs in one-day cricket, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting says he is chasing the benchmarks set by veteran Indian Sachin Tendulkar.

Ponting, after scoring a match-winning unbeaten 111against England on Saturday to take Australia to its second successive Champions Trophy final, paid tribute to Tendulkar, who is completing 20 years in international cricket this November.

“The number of innings of his I have been able to sit back and watch, I think he is an amazing player. Look at his stats and records and it’s quite incredible for someone to have stayed in the game for 20 years,” Ponting said.
Benchmarks to chase

“He has set benchmarks for guys like me to chase and get as close as we can. If I had to last 20 years, I would probably be batting in a wheelchair,” he quipped.

Ponting is the first Australian and the third overall, after Tendulkar and Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya, to score 12,000 runs in one-dayers. Tendulkar and Ponting, in fact, are the two biggest achievers in batting in contemporary cricket.

Tendulkar has played 159 Tests and scored 12,773 runs with 42 centuries and 53 half-centuries at an average of 54.58 runs. In one-dayers, he has turned out in 430 matches and scored 16,903 runs with 44 hundreds and 91 fifties, averaging 44.48.

Ponting, on the other hand has played 136 Tests and scored 11,345 runs with 38 centuries and 48 half-centuries, averaging 55.88. In one-dayers, he has turned out in 323 matches, scored 12,043 runs and hit 28 centuries and 70 fifties, averaging 43.32.

Both Tendulkar and Ponting no longer play Twenty20 internationals for their countries.

“It is a nice achievement but I had no idea before the game how many runs I had scored. I hit runs for my country and when my career is over I can reflect on the successes,” Ponting said.

After Saturday’s win, Ponting lauded the younger members of his team for contributing to the side’s unbeaten run in the ongoing event.
Peaking at right time

“We have made it to the final with relatively young guys. Michael Clarke is missing and so is Nathan Bracken. We are peaking at the right time for the final,” said Ponting, who shared a 252-run stand with Shane Watson (136).

For the last five years, Australia has won everything the ICC has put on stake except for the Twenty20 World Cup.

Ponting said he takes pride in the side’s performance. “The key I think is the mix we bring of youth and experience. When senior guys take responsibility, it allows younger guys to learn and find their feet at the international level,” he said.

“We are playing at a level which would win us the big games. We look to play the best cricket when it matters,” Ponting added.
Admiration

Ponting’s own form has won him all-around admiration and the right-hander credited it to the brief break he took after the Ashes debacle this summer. “I took 10-12 days break after the England tour and since I have returned, I feel I am batting really well. I am able to achieve a lot of control in the middle.”

Ponting rated the wicket used in Friday’s game as the best by far in this tournament.

Man-of-the-Match Watson, meanwhile, praised his skipper for the role he played in the middle.

“Ricky helped me a lot. In the middle period, when I was finding my feet against slower bowlers, his presence was very useful,” he said.

“Previously, I used to get overawed in big games. I am happy now that I was able to put together a big effort today, especially with the bat,” he added. Advertisement

Swine flu Scare for Australian cricketers

suffered some tense moments after it was discovered that one of the Australian reporters, staying in the same London hotel, might have been suffering from swine flu.

News Limited reporter Ben Dorries fell ill during the second Ashes Test in Lord's and a doctor suggested that he might be suffering from swine flu.

Accordingly, the journalist has been asked to stay away from the players and stay put in London, while the cricketers reached here for their tour match against Northamptonshire.

"Australian team medical staff have asked that Ben quarantine himself away from the Australian team and other cricketing media for the next three days," Cricket Australia said in a statement.

"These measures are being taken as a precautionary step.

There is no indication that anybody associated with the Australian team has the same symptoms," it assured. Advertisement