Dearns in top netball post

EXPERIENCED sportswoman and administrator Tanya Dearns started as the new Cairns Netball Association Operations Manager yesterday.

Dearns takes over from Kym McPhee-Smith, who was in the role for nine years.

Dearns comes to Cairns from New Zealand, Japan and Scotland.

She played both netball and basketball at a national level, playing professional basketball in 1987 in the Australian WNBL for the Nunawading Spectres in Melbourne under coach Tom Maher and then playing netball for the New Zealand Silver Ferns between 1989-1999.

Since 2013 she has held elite level coaching roles with the WBOP Magic and Central Pulse netball teams in the then ANZ Championships. She was most recently the Head Coach of the UWS Sirens in the UK Super League. VIRAT Kohli’s sledge protege Cheteshwar Pujara says India won’t change its aggressive mindset or panic at bowling woes during 70 years without series success in Australia.

Pujara wasn’t chirpy in the field until “learning the tricks of sledging” through skipper Kohli and continually baiting David Warner on the subcontinent last year.

India won’t go looking for on-field conflict but won’t shy away from it.

“When it comes to Indian cricket we will play a brand of cricket we have been playing. Sledging ... I can’t say what happens when we start off playing the first Test but one thing we are assured of is playing competitive cricket,” said 30-year-old Pujara.

“If it happens it happens but we are not very much focused on it, we want to win the Test and series.”

The Cricket Australia XI kept the tourists in the field for 151 overs in amassing 544 at the SCG last week with South Australian keeper-batsman Harry Nielsen making a ton.

Indian players were given the option of resting yesterday and Pujara said they “got enough practice” in Sydney.

India is chasing a maiden series win in Australia to validate its ICC No.1 ranking.

“I don’t think there is any pressure as a batting unit, most of our batters are experienced enough,” said Pujara. Unai Emery’s Arsenal are now 19 matches unbeaten in all competitions after their thrilling 4-2 EPL victory against Tottenham lifted them to fourth place, above fierce rivals Spurs on goal difference. Chelsea recovered from the disappointment of losing their first match of the Premier League season to Spurs last week to beat Fulham 2-0 and climb to third in the table while Liverpool scored a late winner to down Everton 1-0 in the Mersyside derby.