Zimbabwe win series as Test abandoned FAISALABAD, Dec 21 — Zimbabwe won their first away series after the third and final cricket Test against Pakistan was abandoned as a draw without a ball bowled throughout the five days due to fog.

Kutsenko, Hideki crash out
AHMEDABAD, Dec 21 — Defending champion Vadim Kutsenko of Uzbekistan and eighth seed Kaneko Hideki of Japan crashed out in the first round of the first leg of Bharat Petroleum ATP Tour Challenger Tennis Tournament at the Ageta Courts here today.

Parliament lauds Bangkok winners
NEW DELHI, Dec 21 — Parliament today congratulated the winners of the Indian contingent to the Bangkok Asian Games, particularly the hockey team for winning the gold medal after 32 years.

China salutes Usha, Sikdar
BEIJING, Dec 21 — P.T. Usha at 34 may have lost out in her race against time and age at the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok but China has praised her contribution to athletics.

Punjab Police score big win
JALANDHAR, Dec 21 — Last year's runners up Punjab Police, Jalandhar, defeated Sutlej PSB Academy 7-3 while last year's winners Delhi, Punjab and Sind Bank, beat CRPF 3-1 on the fifth day of the second All-India Ramesh Chander Memorial Farmtrac Cup-98 Hockey Tournament at the Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium, Burlton Park here yesterday.

Inter-varsity boxing results
ROHTAK, Dec 21 — Pugilists from North dominated today on second day of the All India Inter-University Boxing Championship being held at MD University sports complex here.

New Zealand team for second Test
DUNEDIN, (New Zealand), Dec 21 — Swing bowler Simon Doull has been included in a 13-man New Zealand cricket squad for the second test against India starting at the Basin reserve in Wellington on December 26.

Kiwis whip India as "experiment fails"

DUNEDIN, Dec 21 (PTI) — India lost an exhibition day-night match against a full strength New Zealand side by 66 runs despite fighting half-centuries from V.V.S. Laxman (82) and Rahul Dravid (51) as skipper Mohd Azharuddin dubbed the "experiment with red ball under lights not quite good enough".

India, yet to play after their tour game win against Wellington, erred against deciding to bat first in the game called to make up for the first Test which was abandoned after the first three days were lost following inclement weather.

The visitors, who earlier declined to play under lights as they maintained the ball lost its gloss after a few overs, agreed to experiment playing with a red ball under lights.

The home team allowed the first use of the wicket rattled up a massive 304 for six. Opener Mathew Horne contributed 64, skipper Stephan Fleming (73), Graig McMillan made 46 as the Kiwis batsmen enjoyed good batting practice, negotiating the Indian bowlers with ease.

India in reply were restricted to 238 for eight. Navjot Singh Sidhu was run out for 10 with the side score at 18. But the other opener Laxman vindicated the selectors faith in him with a well compiled 82 (5x4, 103 balls). He was well supported by Rahul Dravid (51-62 balls, 5x4, 6x1) and the two put on 112 runs off 132 balls for the second wicket.

Sachin Tendulkar (16) and Saurav Ganguly (8) coming down the order disappointed. Azharuddin (44 not out) thereafter fought a long battle as wickets fell regularly at the other end with the Indians finding it "difficult" to spot the ball.

Ganguly, Nayan Mongia (2), Anil Kumble (6), Javagal Srinath (7) and V. Prasad (2 n.o.) could not reach double figures.

Skipper Azhar attributed India's feeble attempt in the last 15 overs to poor visibility of the ball.

"When I was in, we suddenly lost three or four wickets quickly and it was best to last out the overs than to be bowled out in 40 overs. It became harder to spot the ball towards the end of the innings as far as I am concerned. I have reservations about this experiment".

Azhar also criticised his bowlers for "indisciplined" bowling and the fielders for allowing the Kiwis to run up such a huge total.

"It has been my worry for the last few months. It was no different today. Our bowlers bowled on either side of the wicket and showed no discipline. I think our batsmen gained from this exercise but not the bowlers".

Both the Indian skipper and Fleming were surprised that the wicket played so true after being under covers for three days.

"The ball came on nicely and it was a huge advantage to bat in the first 15 overs", the New Zealand captain admitted.

Fleming while agreeing with Azhar to some extent on the red-ball-under-light experiment, still defended it saying the experiment was still at a nascent stage.

The Kiwi skipper was understandably happy with the way the match went.

"I would say it was a good sparring for both sides. Our bowlers had a good look at their batsmen and our batsmen had a good look at their bowlers. It was a good preparation", he added.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND:
Matt Horne c Laxman b Ganguly 64
Matthew Bell b Gangul b Kumble 27
Stephen Fleming c Prasad b Tendulkar 73
Nathan Astle c Mongia b Prasad 2
Craig McMillan c Kumble b Laxman 46
Adam Parore not out 24
Chris Cairns b Kumble 22
Dion Nash not out 23
Extras (LB-13, NB-9, W-1) 23

Total (for six wicket in 50 overs) 304

Fall of wickets: 1-65, 2-122, 3-133, 4-228, 5-235, 6-264.

Bowling: Javagal Srinath 8-0-55-0, Venkatesh Prasad 8-0-47-1, Robin Singh jr 6-0-39-0, Anil Kumble 10-0-5-2, Saurav Ganguly 8-0-39-1, Sachin Tendulkar 7-0-44-1, V.V.S. Laxman 3-0-17-1.

INDIA:

V.V.S. Laxman c Bell b Cairns 82
N. Sidhu run out 10
R. Dravid c Horne b O'Connor 51
S. Tendulkar c and b Astle 16
M. Azharuddin not out 44
S. Ganguly c Vettori b Nash 8
N. Mongia c Astle b Nash 2
A. Kumble b Allot 6
J. Srinath b O'Connor 7
V. Prasad not out 2
Extras (LB-4, NB-2, W-4) 10

Total (for 8 wkts. 50 overs) 238

Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-130, 3-165, 4-165, 5-192, 6-200, 7-211, 8-222.

Bowling: G. Allot 10-0-49-1, C. Cairns 7-1-29-1, S.B. O'Connor 10-0-43-2, D. Nash 8-0-36-2, D. Vettori 4-0-22-0, N. Astle 10-0-44-1, C. McMillan 1-0-11-0.

Vote selling & match fixing

PARIS, Dec 21 (AFP) — Allegations of bribery, vote selling, drugs and match-fixing, along with lockouts and strikes turned 1998 into the "year of sports sleaze".

A hint of the battering international sports would take came in January when Australian Customs officers in Sydney discovered a Chinese swimmer trying to smuggle 13 vials of human growth hormone into the country for the World Championships in Perth.

When four Chinese swimmers were later sent home after being caught taking the illegal diuretic triamterene, a masking agent for anabolic steroids, the tone for the year had been set.

The battle for the most powerful job in sport, President of FIFA — football’s ruling body — ended in allegations of vote buying.

Claims of cash being handed over on the eve of the election in Paris in June did nothing to enhance the tarnished image of sports politics.

The stunning victory of Sepp Blatter as new FIFA President to replace the retiring Joao Havelange was quickly followed by threats of legal action by anyone who dared claim that supporters of the former Secretary General of FIFA had paid for votes.

The defeated Lennart Johansson, who looked as if he had been hit by a sledgehammer when the count was announced, hinted at wrongdoing but behind-the-scene talks quickly produced a united front and allegations of skullduggery were overtaken by the action on the field as France went on to beat Brazil in the final.

But the host nation’s euphoria was replaced by horror when the Tour De France was wracked by the biggest drugs scandal to hit any sport.

The world’s most famous cycle race found itself fighting for survival.

As the French police staged raid after raid, only 14 of the 21 teams that started the blighted tour remained, dramatically reducing the field of riders.

Italian cyclist Rodolpho Massi of the Casino team, who was wearing the king of the mountains jersey, went out of the race when he was taken for questioning by the police after drugs were found in his room.

Frustrated riders staged strikes as the tour limped towards Paris, race organisers were left trying to salvage something from the wreckage.

The International Olympic Committee, a self-proclaimed paragon of virtue, found itself being rocked to the core in December.

Former International Ski Federation President and IOC member Marc Hodler suddenly declared in Lausanne that IOC members had demanded money from cities bidding for Olympics.

The 80-year-old’s bombshell stunned the IOC leadership, who promptly set up an investigation.

Lurid tales of mysterious agents and IOC members getting tens of thousands of dollars in gifts and cash for their support had cities from Sydney to Atlanta to Nagano proclaiming their innocence.

Games organising committees admitted knowing of approaches but all denied trying to bribe their way to success.

Beijing, who lost the 2000 Games to Sydney, repeated their complaints that there was more than met the eye in their two-vote defeat to the Australian city.

The English Football Association (FA) found itself without a Chief Executive or Chairman when it was claimed two men had tried to buy votes to win England place on FIFA’s Executive Committee. The committee decides who will host the World Cup.

Cricket found itself battling against allegations of sleaze when it was revealed that two of Australia’s cricket icons had been paid by bookmakers to report on the state of the pitch and the weather during Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka four years ago.

The Australian Cricket Board were forced in December to admit they had known about Shane Warne and Mark Waugh, the latter having earlier testified in an enquiry over corruption in Pakistani cricket after he alleged being offered bribes by former Pakistani Captain Salim Malik, taking the money and although they fined them the matter was kept deliberately quiet.

In Asia, match-fixing in football left the Asian Football Confederation reeling. Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia and even South Korea have now been implicated.

Overall decent showing by India in
Asian Games
From N. Ananthanarayanan

BANGKOK, Dec 21 — Bantamweight boxer N.G. Dingko Singh punched his way through a web of official apathy for his moment in the sun and the men’s hockey team completed an emotionally draining triumph after a 32-year wait in India’s overall decent showing in the Asian Games which ended in the Thai capital here yesterday.

Woman middle distance runner Jyotirmoyee Sikdar landed a coveted double to emerge out of the shadows of her illustrious contemporaries and rub shoulders with continental stalwarts while Ashok Shandilya and Geet Sethi were right on cue to snatch a double billiards gold.

The kabaddi team set aside the fracas back home to reiterate their supremacy in the earthy sport to round off India’s tale of success in the last edition of this quadrennial extravaganza this century.

The pioneers of the Asian Games movement, India, picked themselves up after floundering in the last two editions with a haul of seven gold, eleven silver and 17 bronze medals for a tally of 35 which placed them ninth out of 41 countries, 33 of whom climbed the medals ladder.

It compared well against their haul of 4-3-15-22 for the eighth place at the 1994 Hiroshima Games and 1-8-14-23 for 11th place at the 1990 Beijing Games, while, at the same time, revealing how tough it is to maintain their position in the top ten.

While dream scripts were enacted in hockey, boxing and to a large extent in athletics, their golden hopes died in tennis where they could not achieve anything more than a clutch of four bronze medals in the absence of injured spearhead Leander Paes.

Title aspirations in shooting too came to nought when ace marksman and defending centre fire pistol champion Jaspal Rana was left emotionally choked with a silver medal after the sight in his pistol fell off in the final stages of a nerve-wracking shoot-out.

Women weightlifters, barring 63 kg class silver medallist and former world champion Karnam Malleswari, found the competition beyond them after arriving a confident lot.

There were fine performances in some areas without the reward of a medal, but India were still left with much introspection to do as only 12 out of 27 events (22 disciplines) in which they took part provided medals giving credence to the belief that it was a big folly to bring so many passengers to the games.

Twenty-year-old Manipur lad Dingko Singh provided India’s first games gold medal from the ring in 16 years despite the fact that he was not cleared by the government and brought here by the boxing federation on its own.

The Mumbai-based naval boxer overcame tremendous mental strain and showed commendable focus with a commanding display to land the 54 kg gold in spectacular fashion by outboxing Thai favourite and world number three Somtai Wongprates and world number five Timur Tulyakov of Uzbekistan in the semi-final and final and cornering glory.

But the men’s hockey team surpassed all the other excellent showings, triumphing in a tense tie-break to end the reign of South Korea and win only the second Asian Games gold medal for eight-time Olympic champions India.

Given little chance of coming good, the Indians played as one to top their group with an upset win over the Koreans in the league phase.

They then showed it was no flash in the pan, fighting to equalise after falling behind and then holding their own against their supremely fit rivals before stormy petrel Ashish Ballal emerged the hero with two brilliant saves in the tie-break.

The victory march, led from the front by mercurial forward Dhanraj Pillay who top scored with 11 goals, came at the very city which had given them their only previous gold medal in 1966.

The 29-year-old Bengal lass Jyotirmoyee Sikdar performed to her form to land the 800m-1,500m double to write a new chapter in Indian athletics, which by itself sparkled with two gold, six silver and seven bronze medals that gave a healthy look to the country’s medal count.

Sikdar showed her class in winning the 1,500m gold and then picked the 800m title before signing off in style, anchoring the longer relay team to a close silver behind China.

India expectedly claimed two billiards gold medals with world professional champion Geet Sethi and world number eight Ashok Shandilya claiming the doubles gold before Shandilya toppled his higher-ranked team-mate for the individual title.

The kabaddi team, a surefire gold medal bet, almost did not take off for the games due to faction-fighting in the national association.

But once the team was selected from rival camps, it brooked no challenge despite vastly improved efforts from Bangladesh and Japan.

The unsung women’s hockey team came up with a brilliant performance to storm into the final and eventually claim the silver medal behind favourites South Korea, fighting all the way before going down 1-2 in the summit clash.

It was a vast improvement upon the fourth place finish for a team which claimed the gold when the discipline was introduced at the 1982 New Delhi Games and the bronze in the 1986 Seoul edition.

Jaspal Rana fired India’s gold hopes at the Hua Mark range before having to settle for the silver standard despite equalling the Asian Games mark in the centrefire pistol.

The 23-year-old Delhi-based crackshot was inconsolable after his weapon let him down at the crucial juncture.

The men’s trap team with young Zorawar Singh to complement Mansher Singh and Manavjit Singh also picked up a silver which showed that the progress of Indian shooting was on target.

The Indian tennis team led by Mahesh Bhupathi could not pull out enough upsets to seal a gold or two, eventually settling for four bronze medals in the team, singles (Bhupathi and Prahlad Srinath) and mixed doubles (Bhupathi and Nirupama Vaidyanathan).

India landed their first equestrian medal since 1982 when they claimed bronze in the three-day event, but only after much drama as they were left with only two riders out of the mandatory three required to complete the rigorous competition. Their bronze medal was the first since they had won gold 16 years ago in the same event.

The rowers came good with two bronze medals as did lightheavy pugilist Gurcharan Singh. The men’s football team, denied government clearance, failed to make it to the quarter final stage but proved they were no minnows against formidable rivals giving much hope for the future if the lessons gained from this campaign are put to use.

The women’s soccer team, however, was a disastar, beaten out of sight by every opponent to end up last while the men’s volleyball team also ended a disappointing seventh with both the men’s and women’s golfers also failing to subdue the course. — PTI.

Central Zone clinch Duleep Trophy

AURANGABAD, Dec 21 (UNI) — Central Zone today clinched the glittering Duleep Trophy, symbol of zonal supremacy in India, with a thumping 122 run win over 13-time champion West Zone just after lunch on the fifth and the final day of the finals.

It was Central Zone’s fourth and most emphatic win in the Cup’s history. Last year, they were lucky to share with West Zone when rain came to their rescue but during this week of cricket they played several notches higher than their rivals.

West Zone chased a victory target of 267, which even they may not have believed in achieving after their fiasco of 45 for four yesterday. Today, they sank deeper in the mire with 140 for nine at lunch. The end came at 144 with only two balls bowled on resumption.

Central Zone, on winning the toss, had accumulated 344 and then took an iron grip on a sub-standard pitch removing West Zone for 281 for 63 runs lead. The West Zone fought back and got rid of Central only 203 in the second knock, but had almost lost hopes of getting even reasonably near the target when paceman Ashish Zaidi had ripped their heart out yesterday fittingly.

It was Zaidi who claimed the last wicket of Nilesh Kulkarni to finish with 4 for 44. His two partners in demolition act were K. Parida, the off-spinner who took three main wickets today for 43 and Murali Kartik who spoiled his fine second innings show of two for 22 and match bag of seven for 95 by getting involved in dispute with Sairaj Bahutule on the field.

This morning Sitanshu Kotak joined Abhijit Kale and both were together till the first break during which they took the score from 45 to 93.

But their hearts kept skipping the beats as Parida was able to turn the ball square. It was such ball that got Kale’s edge and off the pads landed in the short leg trap. He made 20 and stood his ground for 110 minutes. Kotak left at 109 and at the same score Sairaj Bahutule and Paras Mhambrey made their exits with latter making no contribution.

Kotak on 26 also had a brute ball which flew off his edge into the slips hands. He had negotiated many explosive deliveries during 105 minutes stay and hit two fours. Bahutule indicated that he had played the ball of Kartik after given leg-before for nine. The bowler could not resist passing him. Iqbal Siddique hit two sixes to remain not out at 21.

Scoreboard

Central Zone (1st innings): 344

West Zone (1st innings): 281

Central Zone (2nd innings): 203

West Zone (2nd innings):

W. Jaffer c Mudgul b Pandey 08
S. Dighe b Zaidi 14
J. Paranjpe b Zaidi 18
H. Kanitkar lbw Zaidi 00
A. Kale c Yadav b Parida 20
S. Kotak c Khoda b Parida 26
S. Bahutule lbw Kartik 09
P. Mhambrey c Khurasia b Parida 00
I. Siddique not out 21
A. Kuruvilla lbw Kartik 10
N. Kulkarni lbw Zaidi 04

Extras (3-B, 5-WB, 6-LB): 14

Total: 144

Overs: 72.2

Fall: 1/10, 2/38, 3/38, 4/45, 5/93, 6/109, 7/109, 8/109, 9/124.

Zaidi 14.2-2-44-4, M. Kartik 31-18-22-2, Pandey 12-2-26-1, Parida 15-5-43-3.

Zimbabwe win series as Test abandoned

FAISALABAD, Dec 21 (Reuters) — Zimbabwe won their first away series after the third and final cricket Test against Pakistan was abandoned as a draw without a ball bowled throughout the five days due to fog.

Iqbal Stadium remained enveloped in thick fog for the fifth day running today when umpires Salim Bader and his New Zealand colleague Doug Cowie called off play at 1100 hrs (IST).

The touring side secured the series on the basis of a seven-wicket victory in the first Test at Peshawar. The weather-hit second Test at Lahore also ended in a draw.

Hit by allegations of match-fixing and betting against some leading players, the season will go down as one of the most dismal for the home side which earlier lost a series to Australia for the first time in 39 years.

The problems were compounded when captain Aamir Sohail stayed away from the last two Test matches against Zimbabwe amid charges of lack of support from his colleagues.

Paceman Henry Olonga, who finished with nine wickets in the truncated series, was named Zimbabwe’s best player while middle-order batsman Yousaf Youhanna, with 209 runs including an unbeaten century, won Pakistan’s best player award.

Pakistan captain Moin Khan was disappointed that weather robbed his side from getting back into the Test series.

"We were first denied opportunity in Lahore and now complete wipe out here was the final straw. It has been a huge disappointment for the whole team. We were looking forward to win the Test series but the weather wiped out all our chances".

Zimbabwe captain Alistair Campbell was delighted that Zimbabwe had won their first series abroad but said he was sad the two sides could not play during the past 10 days.

"It is really frustrating that we were not able to provide any cricket to the fans of Faisalabad because of the weather," he said.

"This is certainly a sad end to the series. The boys were looking forward to some competitive cricket but unfortunately this did not happen. But they feel proud of having won the first series abroad."

Kutsenko, Hideki crash out

AHMEDABAD, Dec 21 (PTI) — Defending champion Vadim Kutsenko of Uzbekistan and eighth seed Kaneko Hideki of Japan crashed out in the first round of the first leg of Bharat Petroleum ATP Tour Challenger Tennis Tournament at the Ageta Courts here today.

Eighth seed Kaneko Hideki of Japan fell 2-6, 5-7 to unseeded Okun Noam of Israel while Kutsenko was defeated by D. Tomashevich of Czech 2-6, 6-1, 7-5.

Kutsenko now seeded 21st here is ranked 335 on the ATP list. He could not sustain himself against a fired up Tomashevic who lost the the first set easily at 2-6. But once he found his rhythm and got his first serve going things dramatically changed for him as he easily won the second at 6-1.

The final set was a see-saw battle for supremacy as games went with serve. But the gritty Czech had the last laugh as he pounded out a 7-5 verdict to enter the second round.

Hideko found the going tough against Okun whose fine cross court returns and smashes had a telling effect and lost in little over an hour.

In the other singles matches, Radovan Svetlik of Czech Republic staged a fine rally to outwit Gregory Carraz of France 3-6 6-2 6-2.

Carraz claimed the first set easily at 6-3 but then Svetlik raised his game above a notch than his rival began to call the shots and fully dominated the proceedings in the next two sets winning easily the match with a scoreline of 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

In the other match, sixth seed Oren Motevassel of Israel defeated MaClagan Miles of Great Britain 6-4, 6-1 and fourth seed Oleg Ogorodov of Uzbekistan showed the door to Malcor Olivier of France, seeded ninth, with 6-1, 6-0 verdict.

In the doubles, the Indian pair of Syed Fazaluddin and Vikrant Chadda flattered to deceive as they won the first game 7-6 against the Japanese pair of Kaneko and Takada, but after that they were at the receiving end and literally caved in the next two sets. The Japanese pair won handsomely 6-0, 6-1.

Results: N. Okun b H. Kaneko 6-2, 7-5, A Parmar b N. Welgreen 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 R. Svetlik b G. Carraz 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, D. Motevassel b M. MaClagan 6-1, 6-4, E. Ran b S. Dechaunac 6-4, 1-6, 7-5, D. Tomasevich b V. Kutsenko 2-6, 6-1, 7-5, D. Ogrodov b Malcor 6-1, 6-0.

Doubles: N. Kaneko and M. Takada b S. Fazaluddin and V. Chadda 7-6, 6-0, 6-1.

Parliament lauds Bangkok winners

NEW DELHI, Dec 21 (PTI) — Parliament today congratulated the winners of the Indian contingent to the Bangkok Asian Games, particularly the hockey team for winning the gold medal after 32 years.

Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker P.M. Sayeed in a special gesture responded to plea by former cricketer Chetan Chauhan (BJP), M.A.A. Fatma (RJD) and others to convey the appreciation on behalf of the House.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Lal Khurana said the House also wanted to laud the performance of the kabaddi team besides hockey and other individuals who won medals for the country.

In the Rajya Sabha, Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptulla congratulated winners of the Indian contingent with members demanding better facilities to sportspersons to ensure better performance.

Heptulla said: "On behalf of all members and all political parties, I congratulate all who brought laurels for the country."

Raising the issue through a special mention, BJP member Vijay Kumar Malhotra congratulated the Indian contingent, specially the hockey team for bagging gold medal after 32 years. He also congratulated sprinter Jyotirmoyee Sikdar for winning two gold medals.

Malhotra suggested government raise grant for sports to encourage players.

Leader of the Opposition Manmohan Singh congratulated the winners and said his party shared the joy and pride for the rich haul of medals.

Leader of the House Sikander Bakht suggested better coaching for players so that they could perform still better.

Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi member and Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi expressed profound joy over India bagging the maximum number of medals in Asian Games in recent years and urged private sector to sponsor sports meets.

Md Salim (CPM), Satish Pradhan (Shiv Sena), Sanatan Bisi (JD) and Ish Dutt Yadav (Samajwadi Party) were of the view that better facility to players would help them perform better in various meets.

China salutes Usha, Sikdar

BEIJING, Dec 21 (PTI) — P.T. Usha at 34 may have lost out in her race against time and age at the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok but China has praised her contribution to athletics.

The bowing out of "Indian track legend" Usha due to age and injuries is a sad ending to her 19-year-long career, the official Xinhua news agency said in a tribute to the veteran.

It noted that Usha has won 33 medals, including 18 golds in Asian Games and Asian Championships.

The agency also noted that injury-laden Usha ended her international career on Saturday after Indian officials dropped her in the last minute in its runner-up performance in the women’s 4x100m relay which was won by China.

"I am very disappointed," Xinhua quoted Usha as saying.

It noted that Usha, mother of a child, has won four golds and a silver at the 1986 Asian Games, failed to qualify for the 200m finished sixth in the 400m and missed the 4x100 m relay medal.

Xinhua, in its roundup of the 15-day event, said that Sri Lanka had the most athletics gold of three in South East Asia as Damayanthi Darsha triumphed in the women’s 200 and 400 metres and both Mohd Sulaiman and Jyotirmoyee Sikdar won two gold apiece for Qatar and India, respectively.

"Former Asian legend P.T. Usha, a quadruple gold medallist in the 1986 Asian Games, has a great successor in Sikdar," commented Shan Xiutang, secretary-general of the Chinese Athletics Association, while commenting on Sikdar’s stellar performance in Bangkok by winning the 800m and 1500m events.

Punjab Police score big win
From Our Sports Reporter

JALANDHAR, Dec 21 — Last year's runners up Punjab Police, Jalandhar, defeated Sutlej PSB Academy 7-3 while last year's winners Delhi, Punjab and Sind Bank, beat CRPF 3-1 on the fifth day of the second All-India Ramesh Chander Memorial Farmtrac Cup-98 Hockey Tournament at the Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium, Burlton Park here yesterday. In the another match of the men's section Air-India beat BSF 3-2 while in the women's section Sai Chandigarh XI played a 2-2 draw against PSEB Patiala.

Punjab Police took the lead in the 11th minute through centre-forward Sarbjit Singh Sarpanch. In the 18th minute Sarbjit increased the lead (2-0). Left winger Gursewak Singh of Punjab Police made it 3-0 in the 21st minute. Gursewak scored another goal from the police team in the 25th minute. Sarbjit increased the lead for Punjab Police by scoring an excellent field goal in 31st minute. The police team lead 5-0 in the first-half.

In the second half Sarpanch scored another goal for Punjab Police in the 39th minute and made the score 6-0. In the 43rd minute inside-right Baldeep reduced the margin for Sutlej PSB Academy.

After inside-left Daljeet Dhillon scored the seventh goal for the police team, the academy team scored two goals in the closing minutes of the match. Centre forward Ajit Pal Singh and inside left Pardeep Singh scored one goal each. Ajit Pal Singh was adjusted "man of match."

In the second match of the men's section Air-India, Mumbai , defeated BSF by 3-2. Centre Foward Gagan Ajit Singh of Air-India was declared man of the match. In the third match of the men's section Punjab and Sind Bank beat CRPF by 3-1. Parminder Singh was declared man of the match.

In the women's section PSEB played a 2-2 draw against Sai Chandigarh XI.

Inter-varsity boxing results
From Our Sports Reporter

ROHTAK, Dec 21 — Pugilists from North dominated today on second day of the All India Inter-University Boxing Championship being held at MD University sports complex here. Boxers of the host university emerged victors in majority. Surinder Singh (light flyweight), Jitender Singh (feather weight), Devender Singh Gill (light welter weight), Ram Rattan (welter weight) and Durjai Shastri (light middle weight) of the MD University were among the winners.

Categorywise results:

Light flyweight: Surinder Singh (MDU, Rohtak) b Mandeep (K.U. Kuruk), Rajiv Singh (CCS, Meerut) b Arvind Kumar (C.S.J.M.U. Kanpur) Ravinder Rawat (Garhwal) Univ b Pushpendera (MDSU, Ajmer).

Bantam weight: Manoj Sharma (HPU, Shimla) b Arvind Kumar (Osmania Univ) Ravinder Thakur (Nainital Uni) b Manu Kaushal (HAU, Hisar) Rakesh Kumar (Punjabi Uni) b Jhan S. Dhakar (Jaipur Uni) Mohammed Zahid (Calcutta Uni) b Deepak Mahajan (MDU, Rohtak) Kulwant Phogat (Delhi Uni) b Gagan Upadhyaya (MDSU, Ajmer) A. Manoj (Mumbai Uni) b Pramod Panchal (CCSU, Meerut) Jitender Singh (MDU, Rohtak) b Rajiv Rana (Calcutta Uni) Rajesh Kumar (Nainital Uni) b Maleet Singh (Pbi Uni Patiala) G. Pilani (Madras Uni) b Tek Kumar (MDSU, Ajmer).

Light welter weight: Devender Singh Gill (MDU, Rohtak) b Rajesh Kumar (Bilaspur Uni) Rajpur Rajak (Punjab Uni. Chandigarh) b Bijender Singh (Jhansi University) Rohtas Kumar (K.U. Kuruk) b K. Jeevan (Pune Uni) Parwar Harish (Mumbai Uni) b Sujeet Kumar (BHU Varanasi) Vikram Singh (Pbi Uni Patiala) b Ravinder Panwar (HPU, Shimla).

Welter weight: Ram Rattan (MDU, Rohtak) b Sunil Kumar (HPU, Shimla) Katai Jagdeep (Mumbai Uni) b Ranjit Singh (Jammu Uni) Vikki Shama (Panjab Univ, Chd) b C. Raju (Bangalore Uni) Arvind Singh (Pbi Uni Patiala) b K.M. Yadav (Gorakhpur Uni).

Light middle weight: Duraji Shastri (MDU, Rohtak) b Nishan Dabra (HPU, Shimla) Virender Dangi (PU, Chd) b Mudliar Kiran (Mumbai Uni).

New Zealand team for second Test

DUNEDIN, (New Zealand), Dec 21 (AP) Swing bowler Simon Doull has been included in a 13-man New Zealand cricket squad for the second test against India starting at the Basin reserve in Wellington on December 26.

Doull suffered a right calf strain two days before the first Test, which was abandoned at Carisbrook on Sunday, and replaced in the 12 by Otagd left-armer Shayne D Connor.

The New Zealand squad: Stephen Fleming (captain), Matthew Horne. Matthew Bell, Nathan Astle, Craig McMillan, Adam Parore, Chris Cairns, Dion Nash, Daniel Vettori, Paul Wiseman, Simson Doull, Geoof Allott and Shayne o Connor.

Hockey players to be felicitated
From Our Sports Reporter

HISAR, Dec 21 — The Haryana State Women Hockey Association will felicitate five players of the state who were part of the Indian women hockey team which won silver medal at the Bangkok Asian Games.

The players — skipper Pritam Rani, Kamla Dalal, Sunita, Sandeep and Surender Kaur — would be felicitated during a tournament at the month-end at Agroha in Hisar district, Krishna Sampat Singh, president of the association said here today.

She also congratulated the hockey team for its performance at Bangkok.

Meanwhile, the Haryana State Amateur Athletic Association has also decided to honour athletes Shakti Singh and Anil Kumar who won silver medals in shot put and discuss throw respectively at a function next month, president of the association Abhey Singh Chautala said in a statement here today.

Punjab gym squad
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Dec 21 — The Punjab Gymnastics Association has selected the following gymnasts to represent Punjab in the forthcoming 30th Junior National Gymnastics Championships to he held at Calcutta in the Salt Lake Stadium from December 23 to 27, according to Mr P.S. Virk, Secretary of the association .

The team
Boys:- Madal Lal, Lakhwinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh (Jalandhar), Mohinder Pal, Sandeep Singh (Patiala), Gaurav Sharma (Gurdaspur) and Bhupinder (Amritsar).

Girls:- Samita Sharma, Shallu Attri, Amandeep, Sonika, Geeta (Gurdaspur), Kavita (Patiala) and Kamaljit (Jalandhar).

Rhythmic:- Shvetta, Jasmine and Shakti (Ludhiana).

UT wrestling team
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH , Dec 21 — The Chandigarh Wrestling Association has selected the following wrestling in free and Grecoroman style to represent UT in the Senior National Wrestling Championship to be held at Nasik (Maharashtra) from December 25 to 29, according to Mr PL Paul, Secretary of the association.

Men:

Free style: Rajesh, Jasminder, Ajit, Raj Singh, Nirmal, Sujit Mann Pawan, Pritpal and Kulbir.

Men:- Grecoroman:- Joginder, Surinder, Shershiramder, Jasbir, Mukesh, Sumer, Baljit, Anil, Karambir.

Women: Chetna, Ekta, Vidha, Kulwinder, Taruna, Tapasya.

International wrestler Sujit Mann and Ekta Dhillon will be the captain of the men and women teams, respectively.

Darshan and Mohinder Singh will be the male coaches while Satyawati the female coach. Dr Safari Lal will accompany as manager of the team.

Nabha club triumph
Tribune News Service

PATIALA, Dec 21 — Heera Sports Club, Nabha, defeated Viking Club, Malerkotla by two wickets today in the second Champion Trophy cricket tournament at the Ripudaman College grounds at Nabha, 25 km from here. Former legislator Ramesh Singla was the chief guest on the occasion.

U-16 cricket meet
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Dec 21 — In the Edmund Rice Inter House Cricket Tournament for under 16 years, John's Red won by three wickets against John's Yellow, while John's Green defeated John's Blue by 52 runs.

In the first match, John's Yellow were all out for 108 while John's Red 109 for seven. In the second match, John's Blue were all out for 100 runs in reply to 152 runs of John's Green.

PSEB second
From Our Sport Reporter

PATIALA, Dec 21 — PSEB stood second in the Mahant Sarveshwar Dass Memorial Hockey Tournament which concluded at Rajnangaon (MP) yesterday evening, according to information received here today.

PSEB seeded into the quarterfinals beat Eastern Railway, Calcutta, 3-0 and scrapped past Corps of Signals, Jalandhar, 2-0 in the semi-finals. In the final the Patiala powermen lost to Central Railway, Bombay, 10-2 to clinch the second spot.

Easy for Shastri Club
From Our Sports Reporter

LUDHIANA, Dec 21 — Shastri Club recorded a nine-wicket victory over Ludhiana Colts in the 6th Veera Devi Memorial Cricket Tournament at the Chandigarh Road Focal Point ground here today.

Batting first, Ludhiana Colts scored 125 for 6 in the stipulated 18 overs. Shastri Club achieved the target in 13.2 overs after losing only one wicket.

Brief scores:

Ludhiana Colts 125 for 6 (Shiva 25, Kamal Kishore 37, Ajay 2 for 18). Shastri Club 126 for 1: (Bhuvnesh 33, Jatin 29 n.o., Anil Singla 46 n.o.

In the second match, Malwa Club defeated Sports Club by 59 runs.

Brief scores:

Malwa Club 159 for 5 in 18 overs: (Harjeet 46, Devinder 42, Harpal 39, Aman Seth 2 for 38, Gandhi 2 for 17). Sports Club 100 for 6 in 18 overs: (Aman 28, Harmeet 2 for 14, Jagdev 2 for 11).