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| Monday, May 15, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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India go down to
Korea 2-3 ‘Even Bradman will
be suspect today’ Bindra to furnish information to CBI today Ex-BCCI official
defends Kapil Ghei finishes 5th;
Dyson lifts title |
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| Piperno to blame
for split: Paes NEW DELHI, May 14 — Breaking his silence, India’s number one tennis player Leander Paes has blamed Mahesh Bhupathi’s coach Enrico Piperno for the split between the two. Wasim puts Pak
in lead Indian women
finish eighth Qayyum for life ban on
Malik, Mushtaq Another record by Ian Thorpe Dharni Dharan
in limelight Punjab Police win basketball title SAI to conduct new
courses at NIS
Gurmeet helps NICS boys win Summer coaching camp Himachal kabaddi squad
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India go down to Korea 2-3 KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 (UNI) — Amidst tension and high drama India went down 2-3 to Korea in the final of the Junior Men’s Asia Cup Hockey Tournament here today. Two goals in as many minutes late in the game by Jung Seong-Tae and Jeon Hong-Kwon shattered Indian hopes of winning the cup for the first time. It was a case of so near yet so far the Indians who took the lead but failed to hold on to it. They also squandered a stroke and several opportunities to let slip the trophy out of their hands. It was stout hearted Bimal Lakra who scored both the goals off strokes but his other colleagues muffed up chances that came their way. At half time the teams were level 1-1. The Indians started with a bang and were awarded a stroke in the 20th minute but Arjun Halappa failed to beat goalkeeper Lee Myung-ho. The Korean custodian dived to his right to superbly foil Arjun’s attempt. Nine minutes later the Indians earned another stroke and this time Bimal Lakra kept his cool and nerves to convert it and go 1-0 up. Stung by this reverse, the Koreans hit back with incisive counter attacks and Indian defence came under severe pressure. The Indians could hold on to their lead only for five minutes as Lee Jung-Seon made a solo effort but was fouled in the circle, leading to a penalty corner. Jung-Seon made no mistake in converting the penalty corner as he beat goalkeeper Devesh Chuhan all ends up (1-1). In the second session too Indians were in the attack mode but could not score because of stout Korean defence and poor finishing. Bipin Fernandez and Arjun held sway at the half line and initiated some good moves. As it looked that the match may go into extra time the Koreans suddenly struck leaving the Indian defenders dazed. With Indians concentrating on the attack the nippy Koreans demolished the rivals’ defence twice which left the pre- tournament favourites rattled and shattered. Five minutes before the final whistle the Indian defence was rendered helpless as Seong-Tae’s shot from the top of the circle flew in and two minutes later Hong-Kwon had the simple task of shooting home from close range. Stunned by the sudden reverse, Indians pushed hard but only managed to reduce the lead through a stroke conversion by Bimal Lakra but it was too little and too late for the Indians. Earlier Suhaimi Ibrahim’s late strike helped host Malaysia pip Japan 2-1 to claim the bronze medal. |
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‘Even Bradman will be suspect today’ MUMBAI, May 13 (PTI) — Former India skipper Kapil Dev has warned that cricket was in danger of becoming a turf for slanging matches between administrators and players that would ultimately lead to the ruination of the game. “What’s happening is not good. We have to care for the game, not our egos,” the Indian coach has been quoted as saying by a cricket website. Kapil Dev, whom former cricket board President Inderjit Singh Bindra has alleged was the player who had offered his then team-mate Manoj Prabhakar a bribe to play poorly during the 1994 one-day tournament in Colombo, wanted the raging controversy to end soon to ensure attention returned to the field. “This episode needs to end fast so that we can get back to the playing ground,” he told “total-cricket.com” website in an interview yesterday. Mr Bindra had named Kapil Dev in a TV interview claiming Prabhakar had given him the information. “In today’s circumstances, even Sir Donald Bradman would be suspect if he was bowled for zero in his last innings,” Kapil, who was on his way to Pune for the 10-day conditioning camp for Asia Cup probables beginning tomorrow, said. The legendary all-rounder said a three-to-six month lay-off from international cricket was the best remedy in the present trying circumstances. “Let’s concentrate on domestic cricket,” he has added. Kapil Dev said he would speak to the players before taking a final decision about going to Dhaka as coach for the May 28 to June 7 Asia Cup, the website said. Cricket board secretary Jaywant Lele has said Kapil Dev has announced he would accompany the team to Dhaka. Kapil Dev said he will sue Mr Bindra for defamation for dragging his name into the raging match-fixing controversy. “I am not going to let I.S. Bindra get away with his allegations, he will be sued for defamation”, reiterated the former Indian captain. Kapil Dev said Mr Bindra’s allegation, without any proof, had caused him irreparable damage and he had no choice but to take legal recourse. “I don’t know why my name was mentioned without evidence,” he told the website and said India should keep away from international cricket till the mess caused by betting and match-fixing controversy was cleared. “I don’t think the players are in the right frame of mind too”, he said. “A dropped catch, a run-out, a poor shot will be seen with doubt and suspicion. This will put enormous pressure on the players”, he was quoted as saying by the website. |
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Bindra to furnish information to CBI today CHANDIGARH, May 14 — Mr Inderjit Singh Bindra, president of the Punjab Cricket Association and a former President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, will present himself before the CBI investigating officer, who is enquiring into the issue of match-fixing and all its ramifications, in New Delhi tomorrow to present “hard and reliable” information on the issue. Mr Bindra will be accompanied by the secretary of the Punjab Cricket Association
(PCA), Mr M.P. Pandove. Both office-bearers were today authorized by the Executive of the association to present the case on behalf of the
PCA. The PCA today held an executive meeting where the members discussed the various ramifications of the issue of match-fixing as also the stand taken by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vis-a-vis the PCA on various other issues. “The PCA will submit 370 to 400 pages of documents to the CBI investigating officer under Sector 154
Cr.P.C. and it is up to the CBI to collect the necessary evidence in the case,” Mr Bindra told newsmen. The PCA brief to the CBI will be split into three parts. In the first part the association will highlight that the major part of the earnings from cricket is not being used for the game since 1996 when the World Cup was conducted in the subcontinent. Instead of an average of 10 per cent to 15 per cent of the earnings going to TV right holders, events managers and commercial vested interests, up to 85 per cent to 90 per cent of the earnings were being taken away by TV right holders, events managers and commercial vested interests leaving just 10 per cent of the earnings for the game . The PCA president will also highlight the mushroom growth of masala matches being played by Indian cricketers. It is being pointed out that the board itself was now officially recognising off-shore cricket being played at places like
Sharjah, Toronto, Singapore, Dhaka, Kenya and Los Angeles. In this connection Mr Bindra had a very interesting observation to make. He said that in the period between 1993 and 1996 India played 70 per cent of their matches at home. However, between 1996 and 1999 only 30 per cent of the matches played by the national squad were played in India. The third issue which the PCA will highlight relates to betting and match-fixing. In this context Mr Bindra maintained that it was Sharjah which was the centre of
match-fixing. The PCA President drew the attention of mediamen to the fact that way back in 1992 he along with Mr Jagmohan
Dalmiya, now the president of the International Cricket Council, had objected to the Indian team playing in
Sharjah. The association will also request the CBI to register a case on all the issues and not restrict its investigation only to match-fixing. It was brought to the notice of the executive today that the BCCI had withheld payment to the tune of about Rs 2 crore to the PCA on account of the infrastructure subsidy (Rs 1 crore), share of TV rights for Test and one-day matches (about Rs 70 lakh) as also the subsidy for holding Ranji Trophy and other domestic matches (Rs 30 lakh). Mr Pandove disclosed that in the minutes of the Chennai working committee
meeting (which were received by the PCA recently) it was minuted that “all subsidy to the PCA will be withheld till the PCA clarified its stand whether the Punjab Cricket Association has written any letter to the Prime Minister’s office regarding TV telecast rights”. Mr Pandove maintained the minutes were a “doctored document” since no discussion was held on the subject at the Chennai meeting and “the discussion was only confined to a stray observation of Mr Dalmiya regarding the letter written by the Punjab Cricket Association,” Mr Pandove has written in a letter sent to the board secretary, Mr
J.Y. Lele. Mr Bindra said the PCA would be taking legal opinion on the issue of the stoppage of subsidies and then take appropriate action to fight the hegemony of the
BCCI. The Punjab Cricket Association will also oppose the BCCI’s move to stop the rotational allotment of international matches. The BCCI is now planning to allot international one-day matches by simple rotation between the 13 one-day centres and the five temporary Test centres. Test matches would continue to rotate between the five permanent Test centres. If this rotation is followed a unit like Punjab might get a match after four or five years. Mr Bindra was of the view that in case the BCCI insists on adopting this system then it should do away with the system of certain states having more than one affiliated unit( on the pattern adopted by other sports federation) as also the units which exist only on paper (like the National Cricket Club which is situated in Calcutta although no cricketing activity takes place there). In any case, Mr Bindra said, the working committee could not change a general body decision taken by the board at an extraordinary general body meeting at Pune in 1992. The PCA had decided to write to the Union Sports Ministry on the issue. While agreeing that he did not want the government to interfere in the working of any sports association, Mr Bindra said the centre must “regulate and police” the working of sports associations as also draw up a framework for the associations to follow and the BCCI’s plea that it did not take a penny from the government as grant was no excuse for the board to behave so arbitrarily. He revealed that this was the stand taken by the PCA at the meeting convened by the Union Sports Minister in New Delhi last month to discuss cricketing matters. The PCA has also taken strong objection to the BCCI not giving dates to the Punjab Cricket Association for holding a golden jubilee tournament on the lines held earlier by the Cricket Association of Bengal although the tournament has been sanctioned by the board. In this connection Mr Pandove has written to the board secretary that the Indian team has no commitment from October 1 to 15 next and therefore Punjab should be permitted to conduct the tournament then. He also talked to Mr Lele on the issue yesterday. Mr Bindra also revealed that his lawyers would reply to Kapil’s notice tomorrow. Kapil has sought an apology and withdrawal of the remarks made by Mr Bindra in a television interview where he had said that the player to offer money to Manoj Prabhakar “to play below potential” was Kapil Dev. |
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Ex-BCCI official defends Kapil VIJAYAWADA, May 14 (UNI) — Board of Control for Cricket in India
(BCCI) former vice-president N. Venkat Rao, coming to the defence of cricket icon Kapil Dev, who has been dragged into
match-fixing scandal by former Test player Manoj Prabhakar, has made a startling revelation that he had recommended to the then BCCI President
I.S. Bindra that Prabhakar be sacked for his “very casual and non-cooperative” attitude towards his team members. In a statement here last night, Mr Rao, manager of the Indian team to New Zealand that participated in the centenary quadrangular series in 1995, accused Mr Bindra of having swept the report under the carpet. Making an introspection, Mr Rao said “had the BCCI authorities taken care of my observations against Manoj Prabhakar soon after Indian team’s tour to New Zealand in 1995, things would have not come to this stage today.” “It really
surprises me as to why the former BCCI President chose to keep my report confidential and did not share with other members of the board,” he added. He was releasing his observations against Prabhakar now because if the present trend was allowed to continue, someone who had grouse against cricket stalwarts like Sunil Gavaskar, G.R. Vishwanath, Krishnamachari Srikkanth, B.S. Bedi, E.A.S. Prasanna, Mohinder Amarnath, Dilip Vengsarkar and Syed Kirmani would use the media to tarnish their image. Moved by Kapil’s interview to the BBC in a choked voice with tears from his eyes, Mr Rao said Kapil had neither played cricket for the sake of money nor even claimed flight charges when he participated in the benefit matches organised by the Andhra cricket association. Mr Rao recalled Kapil Dev’s splendid batting display against Zimbabwe and the outstanding catch he took to dismiss Viv Richards which was the turning point in India’s victory over champions West Indies in the 1983 World Cup final at Lords. Following is the extract of his report to Mr Bindra against
Prabhakar: “All the members conducted themselves very well on and off the field and behaved like true ambassadors of the country. My observations regarding Manoj Prabhakar is that his physical fitness needs to be checked. His attitude towards the members of the team is very casual and non-cooperative. His conduct with the youngsters in the team may cause demoralising effect on the team members and ultimately on their performance. In view of the above stated things, I feel it is better if we do away with him in the larger interest of the team.” |
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Ghei finishes 5th; Dyson lifts title MACAU, May 14 (UNI) — India’s Gaurav Ghei fired superb four under par 67 to take the fifth position with a total of eight under 276 while 22-year-old Rookie professional from England Simon Dyson won the $ 200,000 Macau Open golf here today. Ghei’s compatriot Jyoti Randhawa, who started the tournament with great promise with a first round score of 66, carded four over par 75 in his last round and plummeted to joint 25th place with a total of one over par 285. Chandigarh based Amandeep Johl along with city mate Harmeet Kahlon carded identical two over par 73 last round. Johl ended at joint 14th place aggregating two under 282 and earned a cheque of $ 3000. Kahlon was placed joint 38th on three over par 287 which fetched him a cheque of $ 1360. Ghei, who played consistent golf throughout the tournament, earned $ 8000 for coming fifth while Jyoti Randhawa had to content with $ 1920 for his 25th position. Three other Indians — Vivek Bhandari, Digvijay Singh and Amritinder Singh — ended way down the leader board. Bhandari had a poor last round of seven over par 78 and he totalled eight over par 292. He was placed 55th and earned $ 700. Digvijay shot six over par 77 and totalled nine over par 293 for 59th place. He received $ 600. Amritinder had a one over par 72 and with a tournament score of 12 over par 296 ended at 62nd slot for a prize money of $ 550. Simon Dyson claimed the title and cheque of $ 32,300 with an impressive total of 15 under par 269. |
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Piperno to blame for split: Paes NEW DELHI, May 14 (UNI) — Breaking his silence, India’s number one tennis player Leander Paes has blamed Mahesh Bhupathi’s coach Enrico Piperno for the split between the two. The deadly duo who reached a record four Grand Slam finals in the doubles last year, winning the French Open and Wimbledon titles have decided to part ways on the ATP circuit, splitting the winning combination. Paes says that he will not play again on the ATP tour with Mahesh for the rest of the year, but has not ruled out getting back together in the future. In his first interview since the break-up, Leander told Star News from his Orlando home. “Last year we had one of our best years on the court, and one of the worst years off it. There were many incidents last year when Mahesh and I wanted to terminate our partnership, but we stuck on and played together as a professional team.” An emotionally charged Leander said that the partnership had been struggling for the past one and a half-years. He added that the last five months gave both him and Mahesh time to evaluate the facts, and that was when their partnership broke. He blamed Piperno for the split saying that he had been accused by Piperno of not respecting Mahesh after their win at the French Open last year. Leander said: “Piperno also showed disrespect to my coach Bob Carmichael, while saying that the old man did not help our partnership at all.” He said these small incidents had got magnified and an unhealthy environment had been created for Leander who had to respect Mahesh’s decision to stay with Piperno for the rest of the year
in spite of all this, and yet had to protect and develop his career and personality at the same time. “I have to preserve my self-respect, and I cannot do that under the present arrangement”. The Davis Cup star said there was a lack of trust between him and Mahesh today. “The fact that Mahesh’s coach Enrico Piperno by badmouthing me to Mahesh, my sponsors and my friends created a lack of trust in our friendship between Mahesh and myself, and that is something that eventually got the better of us,” said Leander. Leander said as long as Enrico is with Mahesh, it is impossible for him to play with Mahesh. Since Mahesh has decided to stay with Enrico for this year, it looks unlikely that the deadly duo will play together at least for this year. “I am playing with Jan Simerink at the moment, and we’ve done well in the past two weeks. My aim is to
qualify for the world doubles masters with Simerink, so I am committed to him for the rest of the year.” However, Leander said that he expected to play with Mahesh in the Olympics and the Davis Cup. “Lets see how it goes, maybe we might get together next year. But for now, its all over.” |
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Wasim puts Pak in lead BRIDGETOWN (Barbados), May 14 (AP) — Pakistan, led by a confident century by opener Mohammad Wasim, built a formidable lead of 186 on day two of the four-day, first-class cricket match against West Indies A. The visitors, resuming at 154 for two in reply to 160 by West Indies “A”, were bowled out for 346 to end a rain-shortened day. Wasim, overnight 74, went on to score 111 of 210 balls. The 22-year-old right-hander hit 12 boundaries and was at the crease for five hours, 25 minutes. Wasim shared half century stands with Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi that formed the backbone of Pakistan’s total. Younis Khan made 26 off 67 balls in a third wicket stand of 76 before he drove a catch to cover off off-spinning all-rounder Marlon Samuels. Samuels also accounted for fellow teenager Imran Nazir for six, Daren Ganga clutching a catch at backward point. Afridi replaced Nazir and was soon in typically aggressive mood, lashing five fours and a six off Samuels in 38 off 42 balls. The 20-year-old dominated a fifth wicket partnership of 50 before Mervyn Dillon removed him to a wicket-keeper’s catch. Dillon, in the space of an impressive spell, had Waqar Younis bowled next ball and dismissed Wasim nine runs later to a top-edged pull. |
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Indian women finish eighth NEW DELHI, May 14 (UNI) — Chandigarh teenager Irina Brar finished seventh with an aggregate of 222 but the Indian team’s overall performance was disappointing as they finished eighth in the 22nd Queen Sirikit Cup golf tournament which ended in Taipei (Taiwan) today. Australia, retained
their second day lead to win the cup for the seventh time with Helen Beatty carding six under 66, the best score of the tournament to give her side an aggregate of 426, two strokes less than runners-up Korea. Fifteen-year-old Irina recorded the best aggregate score by any Indian in 22 years of this tournament. Irina’s 222,six over par with 73,75 and 74 proved that she has mettle to perform well even under pressure. According to information received here, India had high hopes of finishing fifth but in the last round Malaysian and Indonesian golfers gave fine display bringing in good scores to dash Indian hopes. Irina’s team-mate Anjali Chopra had last round of 78. She had three-putts which cost her five invaluable strokes. Shalini Malik, with a horrendous nine on the ninth hole, pulled herself to gather to play the next seven holes in par but finished with 84. Scores: 426 Australia, 428 Korea, 442 Japan, 443 Thailand, 445 Chinese Taipei, 446 Indonesia, 448 Malaysia, 452 India, 454 New Zealand, 456 Philippines, 486 Hong Kong. Individual: 211 Helen Beatty (Aus), 212 J.Y.Kim (Kor), 217 S.W. Lim (Kor), Rebecca Stevenson (Aus), 219 H.U.E Shih (Chinese Taipei) N.Koga (Jap), 222 Irina Brar (Ind). |
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Qayyum for life ban on
Malik, Mushtaq LONDON, May 14 (PTI) — Life bans on former Pakistan skipper Salim Malik and leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed have been recommended by Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum, the judge who probed match-fixing allegations in that country, according to a British newspaper report here today. The “Sunday Telegraph” quoted Justice Qayyum as saying that he had recommended such stiff penalty to the two Pakistan stars and indicating that he had recommended action against former captain Wasim Akram also. Asked specifically whether he recommended a life ban for Malik, Justice Qayyum, whose inquiry report submitted in October last year is to be made public, said “that is correct”, according to a report in the daily. Asked “and a life ban for Mushtaq Ahmed, who is involved in the series in the West Indies?”, he said “I can’t say, but the answer isn’t no”. Asked about Wasim Akram, who captained Pakistan in last year’s World Cup, he said: “I can tell you that he has not got off scot-free,” the “Sunday Telegraph” said. |
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Another record by Ian Thorpe SYDNEY, May 14 (AFP) — Ian Thorpe claimed his second world record in as many nights at the Australian Olympic swimming trials here today with the prospect of more in the offing from the Australian teenager described as the swimmer of the century. The 17-year-old teen sensation lowered his own record in a semifinal of the 200 metres freestyle to claim his ninth world record since breaking into big-time swimming at the 1997 Pan Pacific Championships in Fukuoka. Donning his full-length bodysuit, Thorpe shaved 0.31 seconds off his nine-month record with a new time of one minute 45.69 seconds. He had held the previous mark of 1:46.00 at the Pan Pacific Championships here on August 24 last year. |
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Dharni Dharan
in limelight PATIALA, May 14 — Dharni Dharan was the star performer as he won the 100m sprint on the opening day of the two-day World Athletics Day Meet which commenced at NIS track here this evening. The meet which is meant for juniors, saw nearly all the campers attending the junior national camp turn out in good number in their respective events. In the 1000m sprint, Dharni Dharan tactically planned his strategy in a brilliant manner. Slow off the blocks, the stockily built talented sprinter trailed Jaspreet Singh for about 80 odd meters when he decided to step up the
accelerator. Just metres from the finish line he whizzed past a bewildered Jaspreet Singh. Jagpreet Singh seemed to be off colour and had to be contend with the third spot. In the throwing pit it was Amit Tyagi who stole the show heaving the iron ball to a distance of 15.60 metres and in the jumping pit for girls Moname Jigdung crossed the bar placed at a height of 1.56 metres to emerge triumphant. The meet is a two-day affair and a 10-card event. The rest of the events will be held tomorrow evening. The results: 100 m (boys): Dharni Dharan 1, Jaspreet Singh 2, Jagpreet Singh 3. High jump (girls): Moname Jigdung 1, Pankti Lakra 2, Mallika Mondal 3. Shot put (boys): Amit Tyagi 1, Darshan Kumar 2, Ram Vijay Singh
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Punjab Police win
basketball title KAPURTHALA, May 14 — Holders Punjab Police retained the title in men’s section, while Jalandhar clinched it in the women’s section of Punjab Hot Weather Basketball Tournament which concluded here last night. In the action-packed final Punjab Police defeated BSF 73-61. In a see-saw battle, both the teams tied the scores a number of times. It was an exciting trial of strength for the policemen who will be testing their skill in the All-India Police Games, which is scheduled to be held later this month. Punjab Police and BSF adopted half-court man-to-man defence throughout the match. Tall and hefty international Parminder Sr and Sunny of Punjab Police erred in defence repeatedly which enabled Vipal Kumar of BSF to score three points shots many times. At half time BSF lead 40-38. After break, Punjab Police made successful counter-attacks and took a lead of six points. Gagnesh of Punjab Police gave an excellent performance both in offence and defence. After gaining the lead, policemen did not allow their opponents to forge ahead. Gagnesh Kumar and Parminder Jr scored many baskets from outside the restricted area. For Punjab Police-Gagnesh Kumar (28), Parminder Sr (19) and Prithpal Singh (10) were the main scores, while Vipal Kumar (25) and Surjit Singh (14), were the main scores for the losers. In the women’s final Jalandhar took an early lead which was wiped out quickly by Ludhiana but Jalandhar managed a half-time lead of 32-28. Ludhiana’s tall international Mandeep Brar could not establish her form and team was wholly dependent on Kiranjot, who contributed 28 points. Jalandhar won the match 64-57 mainly through Mandeep Khaira, who scored numerous three points shots to lead the team to victory. |
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SAI to conduct new
courses at NIS NEW DELHI, May 14 — The Sports Authority of India (SAI) will soon conduct certificate courses in fencing, rowing, kanoeing and kayaking at NIS Patiala. A source in the SAI here said the courses would be of six-week duration, and those found good will be sent abroad for further training. Meanwhile, at a review meeting of the SAI schemes with Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa at the National Stadium last week, it was decided to have a fresh look at schemes like the National Sports Talent Contest (NSTC) and Army Boys Sports Company, and how to make it more effective. |
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Punjab beat Bengal,
lift football title THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, May 14 (UNI) — Punjab beat West Bengal 6-5 in the final of the 27th All-India Inter-Electricity Sports Control Board Tournament here tonight at the floodlit Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium. The result was achieved through a tie-breaker and sudden death. |
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