Team spirit, fitness top priorities: Kaushik

NEW DELHI, July 29 (PTI) — New chief national hockey coach Maharaj Kishan Kaushik today said ensuring "everybody played as a team" and improving overall fitness of players were his top priorities to pull the Indian team back into winning ways.

The 43-year-old Olympian, who has replaced Vasudevan Baskaran for the top job, expressed confidence he could mould the team to give off a good performance at the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games in September.

"I feel I can do it. I don’t feel much pressure though time is short and most of our main rivals like Australia and South Africa have already started playing matches and are in a much better state of preparation," Kaushik told PTI today.

The former India right winger, who is in his second stint with the men’s team after serving as assistant coach from 1989 to 1991 during M.P. Ganesh’s tenure, was not worried Indian Hockey Federation had appointed him only till the December Bangkok Asian Games.

"It all depends on my performance. IHF earlier had given longer tenures to certain coaches which might not have worked. Though I do feel a longer period will be more beneficial to a coach," Kaushik added.

On the controversy surrounding seniors like Dhanraj Pillay, Mukesh Kumar and Sabu Varkey, whom Baskaran in his report has recommended be discarded from the team, Kaushik said he had an open mind on the issue.

"With the immediate job (Commonwealth Games) in mind, I will depend on the seniors. Time is short. If they are fit, play sincerely and are not a liability, they should be in," he said.

Kaushik, however, said he would definitely take inputs from reports submitted by Baskaran and Cedric D’Souza, after the 1996 Atlanta Olympics where India finished a poor eighth.

Asked for his observations on India’s pathetic ninth place finish in the recent Utrecht World Cup, Kaushik said some of the players did not look fit to play at that level "though given fitness certificate by the team doctor".

"The team should definitely be fitter and I will work to bring fitness to a certain level," he added.

He admitted "no contradictions should be there," when asked why coaches hardly discussed things openly before embarking on major trips but highlighted the same issues —like the fitness of some players before the Utrecht campaign — once performance was poor.

Asked whether it was appropriate to make reports given by coaches public, Kaushik said such suggestions "should be kept confidential. If it comes to the press it has a negative effect".

One of India’s shortcomings was that the deception which was used to make up for pace and robustness was now missing.

Kaushik, whose career extended from 1975 to the first Asia Cup in Karachi in 1983 said "We learnt these things from our seniors at the school and college level, but the sport is not very active at educational institutions these days."

The big margin of India’s defeats in the World Cup clearly pointed to physical and tactical shortcomings and these have to be corrected before the Kuala Lumpur games, he said.

On exposure trips, which have always been a double-edged weapon for Indian hockey teams in the past, Kaushik felt only those trips which are beneficial should be taken up adding that he did not see India going on any such tours at least till the Commonwealth Games.

"There should be enough time to correct the mistakes. If these tours are too close to competition, with players running the risk of injury, we will be better off not taking them up."

Kaushik met IHF president KPS Gill here yesterday and discussed his programme with him.

He felt no more players will be added to the camp at the SAI South Centre in Bangalore, with already 55 probables having been named.

To the list of 51 announced in Chennai last week, the four names added yesterday were those of Brojen Singh, Ravinder Singh, Y.S. Rawat and Shahid Akhtar.

Varghese Koshy wins crown

MADURAI, July 29 (PTI) — Former Asian zonal joint winner IM Varghese Koshy (ONGC) emerged champion in the 35th FIDE rated Sri Mappillai Vinayagar Open Chess Tournament here today.

In the ninth and final round, he agreed for a short six move draw against Araind Sastry of Karnataka to log 7.5 points and finish at the top.

IM R.B. Ramesh (IOC) outwitted seasoned three-time winner M.B. Muralidharan of Kerala in the final round to also total 7.5 points but Koshy was declared winner on account of a better progressive score of 41.5 points for a winner's purse of Rs 7,500.

Ramesh, who had a tiebreak score of 38 points, took Rs 5,000 for finishing second.

The top board game between Koshy and Aravind Sastry ended in a tame draw. Koshy, assured of the title, accepted his opponent's draw offer after six moves.

But a battle royale was witnessed in the game between Ramesh an Muralidharan. Ramesh played a strong and dynamic game to break open Muralidharan's pelican defence, with white pieces. Ramesh improved his position move by move and opted for an endgame at the right moment. He proved his skill and knowledge in a rook ending to register victory.

N. Sanjay (Karnataka) inflicted a decisive defeat over IM norm holder and former national under-25 champion G.B. Prakash (Indian Bank) in a game lasting 48 moves.

Sanjay punished Prakash's Dutch defence by going all out for a central attack. He exerted full pressure at the centre, forcing black to lose a pawn up, enabling him to score a full point and tally seven points.

In a tie-break for the third spot, Aravind Sastry, with a progressive of 36 points relegated Sanjay to fourth spot. Important results of ninth and final round: Arvaind Sastry (7) drew with V. Koshy (7.5), N. Sanjay (7) bt G.B. Prakash (6.5), R.B. Ramesh (7.5) bt M.B. Muralidharan (6), K. Haridass (6.5) drew with R. Poundraj (6.5), A.L. Kashi (6) lost to IWM Anupama Gokhale (6.5), T.K. Chandrasekar (6.5) bt K. Gunasekar (6), K. Chakravarthy (5.5) lost to R. Muruga Cheran (6.5), C. Praveen Kumar (6.5) bt R.N. Krishnan (5.5), D. Prabakaran (6.5) bt Vinay Kumar (5.5), Laxmi Narasimhan (6.5) bt S. Ravi Chandran (5.5), N. Venkatraman (5) lost to S. Paul Arokiaraj (6), J. Deepan Chakravarthy (5) lost to A.V.K. Venkat (6).

Zagallo says he is proud, not bitter

SAO PAULO, July 29 (Reuters) — Mario Zagallo, the outgoing coach of Brazil’s national soccer team, has said he was not bitter about being fired and spoke proudly of his record.

"I’m not walking away distraught. I’ve been with the team for five World Cup finals, with four victories and one runners-up place. I’m very proud," Zagallo said in a telephone interview yesterday.

Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) President Ricardo Texeira fired Zagallo together with the rest of the national team’s management staff on Monday, saying the time was ripe for a change.

Texeira praised Zagallo’s efforts during the World Cup in France where the Brazilians played some exceptional football until suffering a stinging 3-0 defeat to hosts France in the final.

"The management staff’s work during the World Cup was excellent. But now we are going to build a new team that will begin working with their mind set on the 2002 World Cup," Texeira told reporters.

Zagallo maintained he was proud of his team’s performance in the final against France but said a nervous fit suffered by star striker Ronaldo shortly before the match had punctured the rest of the team’s confidence.

"If I could change one thing, it would be what happened to Ronaldo. But I stand behind the team doctors, who carried on their jobs very well," Zagallo said.

He said it was clear something had gone awry if one compared Brazil’s performance in the games leading up to the final to the team’s lacklustre performance against the French.

Deeply religious, he maintained a prickly relationship with the Press, who together with many soccer fans despaired at his choices for some of the team’s key positions and scorned him for his seeming stubborn loyalty to several of the older members of the team.

Nonetheless, few could argue with the credentials of the 66-year-old.

As a player in 1958 and 1962 he was part of the Brazilian team that brought home the World Cup.

In 1970 and 1994, when Brazil won their third and fourth World Cups in Mexico and the USA, he was a member of the coaching staff.

France ’98 offered him the chance of a fifth World Cup winners’ medal but it was not to be. Faced with a fiercely determined French side, the Brazilians were a colourless shadow of their normal selves and meekly surrendered the chance of a record fifth title.

On their return home, the players received a muted welcome but Zagallo was furiously jeered by the fans.

Zagallo declined to speculate over who the CBF would pick to replace him and would not say whether he would consider coaching a local Brazilian team.

"Perhaps I will work for a soccer club. But really I don’t know," Zagallo said.

Laver recovering from stroke

LOS ANGELES, July 29 (Reuters) — Australian tennis great Rod Laver was doing well yesterday after suffering a stroke the day before, and doctors said they expect a dramatic improvement in his condition over the next few months.

Dr Neil Martin, a neurosurgeon and director of the University of California at Los Angeles stroke centre, said the 59-year-old Laver had suffered partial loss of movement in his right hand, arm and leg.

But, briefing reporters on the steps of the UCLA Medical Centre where Laver was being treated in the intensive care unit, Martin said: "it is impossible at this time to say whether he is going to have a 100 per cent recovery. But I expect a dramatic improvement in his condition over the next few months."

Martin added there was no question that Laver’s "splendid physical condition" would aid in his recovery.

Earlier, hospital spokeswoman Lois Fletcher, said Laver’s medical status had been downgraded from critical, or life-threatening, to serious.

Martin said Laver, the only player ever to win two Grand Slams, sweeping all four major tennis championships in both 1962 and 1969, first started to feel the warning signs of a stroke while recording an interview on Monday with the sports cable television network ESPN on the century’s greatest athletes.

The ESPN interviewer took Laver to the hospital, the doctor added. At no time during his ordeal did the tennis great lose consciousness.

Martin said he did not expect Laver to suffer a second stroke, but his patient was nevertheless being carefully monitored.

Laver’s brother, Trevor, told Reuters from his home in Queensland, Australia, that Laver remained conscious after the stroke, but had lost the use of his right side.

Trevor Laver said: "He hasn’t lost consciousness at all. He lost the use on his right-hand side, but it has started to come back again. He was apparently joking with the people who put him in hospital, so he was still conscious; that’s the main thing."

Laver won 11 grand slam singles titles in all, one fewer than countryman Roy Emerson’s record total.

The left-hander won four Wimbledons, three Australian Opens, two US Opens and two French Opens in singles. He also won nine Grand Slam doubles titles.

Laver won 47 pro singles titles and played for Australia in the Davis Cup.

Carlos Moya sent packing

UMAG (Croatia), July 29 (AP) — Top-seeded Carlos Moya of Spain was ousted yesterday in the first round of the Croatia Open by a player ranked no 99 in the world.

Paul Haarhuis of The Netherlands defeated the French Open champion 5-7, 6-4, 6-1. The second set was 3-3 before Haarhuis won nine of the final 11 games against Moya, the 1996 Croatia Open champion.

Earlier in the day, defending champ and second-seeded Felix Mantilla of Spain moved to the second round by defeating Lars Burgsmuller of Germany, 6-3, 6-3.

Also advancing were third-seeded Karol Kucera of Slovakia and fourth-seeded Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil. Kucera ousted Sergi Bruguera, 6-4, 6-0 and Kuerten downed Marc-Kevin Goellner of Germany, 6-0, 7-6 (7-3).

PALO ALTO California, (Reuters): Two former elite players, Mary Joe Fernandez and Jennifer Capriati, had opposite results in their comeback quests AT the T Classic Women's Tennis Tournament on Tuesday.

Fernandez, who has played in only two events this year and has fallen to 24th in the rankings, won her first-round tussle with Chanda Rubin 6-4, 6-4 but Capriati, who had to qualify for the tournament, lost 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to unseeded American Corina Morariu.

Fernandez controlled the match from the baseline against a opponent who has had a difficult time recovering from a hand injury she suffered two years ago.

The 26-year-old Fernandez empathises with the 55th ranked Rubin because she had many ailments herself in the last couple of years, including a wrist injury that required surgery in January.

"It feels great to be playing again," said Fernandez, who is in her 13th year on the tour. "It was very frustrating being out that long watching everybody compete from the sidelines."

A two-time Grand slam finalist who was once ranked fourth in the world, Fernandez said even though she is currently playing at 60 per cent of her ability. She still has enough fire to attempt one more ascent at the top of the charts.

Fernandez will get a severe test in her next match when she faces fourth seed Stefi Graf, whom she has never beaten in 14 matches.

Capriati was up a break in the third set against Morariu, the 36th-ranked daughter of Romanian immigrants to the USA.

But the 20-year-old Morariu's all-cout attack proved to be too much for Capriati, whose powerful groundstrokes flew out of the court at crucial moments.

"I still think I'm pretty young and have a lot of years left to get back up to the top," the 22-year-old Capriati said "I'm pretty close to getting a big win. I just need more matches and to get in better shape."

Morariu, who watched Capriati play at Grand Slams growing up, said she wasn't awed facing her.

"I just took her as any other opponent and focused on my game," she said. "It's still a big win, though.

Morariu will play third seed Venus Willians tomorrow.

Stewart's captaincy mix of style

NOTTINGHAM, July 29 (Reuters) — England skipper Alec Stewart is developing a style of captaincy that combines the best elements of his predecessor Mike Atherton and his South African opposite number Hansie Cronje, according to England coach David Lloyd.

Lloyd made it his duty to ask Stewart what he would like done differently when he took over from Atherton at the beginning of this season, and says the answer came as a relief.

"He said ‘nothing’, he told me he was happy with the set-up as others had it," Lloyd said after England’s eight-wicket win in the fourth Test at Trent Bridge on Monday.

"Alec and Mike have always got along well, and they share similar views on the game. But that is not to say that Alec is not his own man. There are elements of Mike’s leadership but he is also rapidly developing his own style," Lloyd said.

Rousing team talks are already said to have made a difference to the England team’s performance and Stewart has made few, if any, tactical mistakes in the field in his first four Tests as full time captain.

Indeed, his brave decision to put South Africa in to bat at Trent Bridge was criticised by most of the British media only for England to win against all odds.

It was the ninth time an England captain had asked South African opposition to bat first but the first time a win had resulted since Lord Hawke’s triumph at Newlands, Cape Town, in 1896.

"He’s never been afraid to speak his mind or have the courage of his convictions. We all agreed that it was a bowling day last Thursday, but it was his decision and he would have taken it alone if he had to," Lloyd said.

"His team talks aren’t about magic. No one can produce results out of words."

"He stresses the obvious things in a positive way and is very encouraging to everybody."

As to the future, the England coach sees no problem with Stewart’s age, 36, and ironically he believes that 28-year-old Cronje has set an example that Stewart will do well to follow.

"He has a strong, powerful leadership style. What he says goes, although he’s always willing to listen. He really is a true captain, a natural leader. And I think Alec is rapidly becoming the same thing."

While Stewart’s confidence will undoubtedly have been boosted by Monday’s win, he knows it will count for nothing if England don’t match expectations in the Fifth-Test series decider at Headingley.

"Headingley is what people will remember us for," Stewart said. "If we win there then we will have something to be proud of. If we don’t then Trent Bridge will just be another one-off."

London (AP): In the euphoria of the stunning eight-wicket victory over South Africa, England and Wales Cricket Board Chairman Lord Maclaurin summed up the mood by saying England’s win would lift the "whole country’s spirits".

He was right.

Ticket sellers for the fifth and deciding Test at Headingley next week were besieged on Tuesday by fans desperate to get a seat for one of the five days.

On Monday, politicians interrupted question time in the house of commons to congratulate the England cricket team on its stirring win.

Until now, the nation’s cricketers had taken a backseat to the World Cup, Wimbledon, the British Open golf and the seemingly unbeatable South African opposition.

England secured a draw in the first Test of the series but was comprehensively outplayed by South Africa in the second Test at Lord’s, losing by 10 wickets.

In the third Test at Old Trafford, the home side just managed to avoid suffering the same fate when the last two batsmen saw out the final overs of the fifth day to salvage a draw.

But in the fourth Test former skipper Michael Atherton’s 98 not out and Angus Fraser’s inspirational bowling after he was almost omitted from the team gave the fans something to cheer about with the series level at 1-1.

"Resurgent England win over critics" was the back page headline of The Times newspaper yesterday.

The Times said the win was all English fans needed to renew interest in the national game.

Underdogs triumph in Natwest q-finals

LONDON, July 29 (Reuters) — The underdogs had their day in the 60-over Natwest Trophy with three of the four quarterfinals producing upsets yesterday.

Surrey, Middlesex and Warwickshire, strongly fancied to win their ties, were all heavily beaten by Derbyshire, Hampshire and Leicestershire.

Only Lancashire justified their position as favourites in beating Nottinghamshire at Old Trafford.

Warwickshire, last season’s beaten finalists, staggered to 36 for seven against Leicestershire and were dismissed for just 98 runs.

Left-arm paceman Alan Mullally, who was called into England’s 13 last week for the fourth Test against South Africa but did not play, did much of the damage by taking five for 18 in his 12 overs.

All-rounder Chris Lewis, left out of England’s provisional squad of 37 for next year’s World Cup, weighed in with three for 25.

Mullally’s victims included West Indies captain Brian Lara whose miserable season continued when he was caught at the wicket for 14.

Leicestershire knocked off the runs for the loss of two wickets, Lara’s fellow-Trinidadian Phil Simmons making the winning hit.

The county championship leaders Surrey were outplayed at The Oval by Derbyshire, who beat them by five wickets.

Surrey were restricted to 217 for seven, with Test batsmen Mark Butcher (eight) and Alec Stewart (three) both failing.

Australian opener Michael Slater made 82 in an opening stand of 162 with Kim Barnett as the visitors eased home with five overs to spare.

Slater’s compatriot Justin Langer found little support as Middlesex lost to unfancied Hampshire at Lord’s by 144 runs.

Langer top scored with 57, but the home side managed no more than 151 all out.

Lancashire were always on course for their target of 250 to beat Nottinghamshire, for whom Australian-born opener Jason Gallian scored 83 against his former county.

Former England captain Michael Atherton continued a good week by scoring 76, the day after seeing his country to victory over South Africa.

Pakistan’s Wasim Akram struck the winning runs in making a unbeaten 37.

The semifinals take place in two weeks’ time.

Results of Natwest Trophy quarterfinal matches yesterday:

At Leicester: Leicestershire beat Warwickshire by eight wickets. Warwickshire 98 all out in 36 overs (A. Mullaly 5-18, C. Lewis 3-25). Leicestershire 102-2 in 36.2 overs.

At Lord’s: Hampshire beat Middlesex by 144 runs. Hampshire 295-5 in 60 overs (A. Aymes 73 not out, G. White 69). Middlesex 151 all out in 42. 4 overs (J. Langer 57).

At Old Trafford: Lancashire beat Nottinghamshire by six wickets. Nottinghamshire 249-9 in 60 overs (J. Gallian 83; G. Chapple 5-5 7). Lancashire 255-4 in 55.5 overs (M. Atherton 76).

At The Oval: Derbyshire beat Surrey by five wickets. Surrey 217-7 in 60 overs. Derbyshire 218-5 in 54.5 overs (M. Slater 82, K. Barnett 60).

Joga Singh scores a hat-trick
by Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, July 29 — Centre forward Joga Singh displayed a superb stick work scoring seven goals, including a hat-trick and helped Punjab "A" to outplay Himachal Pradesh "B" by 11-1 and qualify for the semifinal of the second Independence Gold Cup Sub-Junior Regional Hockey Tournament for boys (under-14 years) being held at the Sector 42 Hockey Stadium here today.

Himachal Pradesh's centre forward Pawan Kumar soon after the start took the ball from the 25 yard area, dodged one of the Punjab's defenders and passed the ball on to his team-mate inside left Pulkit Sharma who beat Punjab's custodian Mandeep Singh to make one-nil in favour of the Himachal Pradesh.

After trailing by a goal, Punjab players got three penalty corners but could not avail of any. Ultimately, in the ninth minute Manbir Singh collected a pass near the 25-yard area and rolled the ball toward his team-mate centre forward Joga Singh inside the goal area, who did not miss and restored parity.

Two minute later, Punjab boys got their fourth penalty corner which was converted by outside left Baltej Singh (2-1) while in the 13th minute, centre forward Joga Singh got a pass inside the rival "D" who beat rival of goalkeeper Vinod and made it 3-1. Punjab boys got two penalty strokes in 19th and 32nd minutes which were converted by centre forward Joga Singh and Jarnail Singh (5-1).

Only umpires can abandon ties: ICC
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 29 —The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided that henceforth umpires and not match referees will have the sole authority to abandon matches , according to information available here.

The ICC members are of the view that the umpires , specially those on the panel of the council , should show more consistency. This issue was discussed at length by the captains of the nine Test playing countries who met at the captains' summit in mid-May in London.

Apparently, the captains also spoke about the need for "better communication"between the players and the match referees. The role of the match referees have also been privately criticised by many international players.However, no captain who attended the meeting in London spoke of any "confrontation" with the matches referees whose interpretation on matters of cricket have differed from situation to situation.

The ICC, while appreciating the plain speaking by the captains, has also taken note of the misgivings in different quarters over the umpiring and response of the match referees to different situations. For example certain captains spoke on the issue of "dissent" and "disappointment". While for the former matches referees have been told to tackle with a firm hand for the latter only an apology is sufficient.

In most cases it is the batsman who gets booked for "dissent" while the members of the fielding side, specially the bowler, gets away by saying that he was only "disappointed". Therefore, the captains suggested that some way must be found to make the action of the match referees more balanced.Of course all captains agreed that no guilty player should be pardoned.

The following is the match referees panel for 1998-99.

Australia : Peter Burge, Barry Jarman; England: Mike Denness, Raman Subba Row, Alan Smith; India: Hanumant Singh, Gundappa Vishwanath; New Zealand: Graham Dowling, John Reid; Pakistan: Javed Burki, Talat Ali; South Africa: Peter Van der Merwe, Ebrahim Issacs; Sri Lanka: Ranjan Madugalle, Sidath Wettimuny;West Indles: Cammie Smith, Jackie Hendricks; Zimbabwe: Justice Ahmed Ebrahim, Howard Gardiner.

Umpires ' panel for 1998-99

Australia: Darrell Hair; England: Mervyn Kitchen, George Sharp, David Shephered, Peter Willey; India: Srinivas Venkatraghavan, V.K. Ramaswamy; New Zealand: Doug Cowie, Steve Dunne, Pakistan: Javed Akhtar, Salim Badar; South Africa: Rudi Koertzen, Dave Orchard; Sri Lanka: K.T. Francis, Peter Manuel; West Indies: Steve Bucknor, Edward Nicols; ; Zimbabwe: Ian Robinson, Russell Tiffin.