Thrilling victory for England

LONDON, July 2 (AFP) — In one of the closest finishes Lord’s the 100th Test match at ended with victory for England who beat West Indies by two wickets to level the five-match series at one apiece here yesterday.

Dominic Cork was England’s hero. Having earlier taken four for 72 in the West Indies first innings on his Test recall his unbeaten 33 off 49 balls including one six and four fours steered England to a memorable victory in the gathering gloom with three lights on the scoreboard.

The Derbyshire captain, playing his first Test since November 1998, was made ‘man of the match’ by England great Ian Botham.

Darren Gough, demonstrating a sound forward defensive stroke, was four not out. The home side finished on 191 for eight having just managed to reach their victory target of 188.

It was England’s narrowest margin of victory, disregarding the controversial innings forfeit match at Centurion last winter, since they beat South Africa by two wickets at Durban in 1948.

The match swung decisively England’s way in the 62nd over when cork took a dozen off Frankly Rose including one magnificent pulled six in to the Grandstand to leave them 16 short of victory.

He finished the match in style with a four through point off Courtney Walsh, who bowled magnificently for innings figures of 23.5-5-74-6, his best against England.

No less impressive was Curtly Ambrose who could have had an equally superb return had luck been on his side. He had to settle for 22-11-22-1, a testament to his relentless accuracy.

In between the blazing strokes both Cork and Gough dropped the ball into vacant areas on the legside for well run singles as they inched closer to victory.

Earlier the West Indies had swung the game back in their favour. In the fourth over after tea Walsh had a double-wicket maiden including the prized scalp of Michael Atherton who was playing another of his anchorman innings.

The match turned decisively in the 62nd over when Cork took a dozen off Franklyn Rose, including a handsome six pulled into the grand stand.

After the close, England captain Alec Stewart said: “It was a game of swings and roundabouts. They looked like winning but then Cork and Gough got us over the line.

“The fightback started last (Friday) night. We could have let them get 600 but that would have been the series.

“Andrew Caddick led the fightback but I thought Vaughan and Atherton’s 40s at the start of the day were vital.

Graeme Hick, already dropped on 15 by Shivnarine Chanderpaul at third slip off Ambrose, failed to add to his score before edging Walsh straight to Brian Lara at first slip.

Two balls later the 45th over, the fourth after tea turned really nasty for England - Atherton was lbw on the backfoot.

His typically disciplined 45 off 143 balls made in 212 minutes and featuring six fours had put England in sight of a rare Lord’s triumph - in the previous 10 years they had won here on just four occasions.

But Stewart’s side, 109 for two at tea, were now 120 for 4.

Taking the reins in place of injured successor Nasser Hussain, Stewart was now at the crease.

After missing with a wild cut against Rose, next ball Stewart went up onto one leg and pulled him in front of square for four.

Then two balls later he repeated the dose scoring his 1,000th run as England captain.

But just when he seemed set to take charge he was lbw for 18 to one that kept low from Walsh. It was the 21st time in all Walsh had taken five wickets in an innings, the fifth time against England.

Craig White then survived a concerted appeal for a catch at first slip by Lara although when it was referred to the third umpire the replay clearly showed the ball had bounced in front of the former West Indies captain.

Not that it was much of a reprieve. To his third ball White was given out caught behind for nought. England were now 140 for six, 48 runs short of victory, the balance swinging in the tourists favour.

SCORE BOARD

Indies 1st innings: 267

England (Ist innings): 134

West Indies (2nd innings): 54

England (2nd innings):

M. Atherton lbw b Walsh 45

M. Ramprakash b Walsh 2

M. Vaughan c Jacobs

b Walsh 41

G. Hick c Lara b Walsh 15

A. Stewart lbw b Walsh 18

N. Knight c Jacobs b Rose 2

White c Jacobs b Walsh 0

D. Cork not out 33

A. Caddick lbw b Ambrose 7

D. Gough not out 4

Extras: (b-3, lb-8, w-1, nb-12) 24

Total: (for eight wickets) 191

Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-95, 3-119, 4-120, 5-140, 6-140, 7-149, 8-160

Bowling: Ambrose 22-11-22-1, Walsh 23.5-74-6, Rose 16-3-67-1, King 8-2-17-0. 

France have winners’ mentality

ROTTERDAM, July 2 (Reuters) — Once a bunch of romantics famous for losing heroic battles, France have developed into a merciless winning machine.

Reaching the Euro 2000 final two years after their World Cup triumph and four years after making the Euro 96 semifinals makes them the most successful team over a four-year period since the formidable West German side of the 1970s.

Franz Beckenbauer and his men won the European title in 1972, lifted the World Cup in 1974 and played the final of the European Championship two years later.

For years France envied the Germans, their ability to win against the odds but the way the French shrugged off stiff challenges from Spain and Portugal in their last two games proved they now have similar attributes.

At stake in the showdown against Italy is a historic double as they would become the first reigning world champions to clinch the European crown.

Until their 3-0 victory over Brazil in the World Cup final, their epic semifinal against West Germany at the 1982 World Cup in Spain was regarded their greatest moment in footballing history.

Now only victory will do.

“Winning is part of the culture of this team,” said French coach Roger Lemerre. “They will never be satisfied with a defeat.”

The French team of the 1980s, whose inspiration was Michel Platini, won the European title in 1984 and reached World Cup semifinals in both 1982 and 1986.

The team was a delight to watch but it contained little more than an outstanding collection of midfield wizards.

Today’s side is much more complete.

“We have everything,” said Zinedine Zidane, now wearing the number 10 shirt which Platini once graced. “We are strong at the back, in midfield and upfront.”

Goalkeeper Fabien Barthez has become something of a talisman and the awesome back four of Lilian Thuram, Laurent Blanc, Marcel Desailly and Bixente Lizarazu have never lost in the 25 matches they have played together.

In the midfield Zidane is an artist with no rivals when it comes to ball control, skills and vision and alongside him are workaholic ball winners in Didier Deschamps, Emmanuel Petit and Patrick Vieira who complement him perfectly.

There is plenty of fire power up front now that Thierry Henry has matured into a world class striker while Nicolas Anelka’s speed has become a defender’s nightmare.

“We have several forwards with great qualities, which is something we didn’t have at the World Cup,” Zidane said.

Lemerre is naturally full of praise for his remarkable generation of players but he modestly acknowledges most of the credit should go to Aime Jacquet, whom he replaced as head coach after the World Cup.

“I have inherited a great team surrounded by an excellent atmosphere,” he said. “That enabled me to work very peacefully.”

France disappeared in the group stage of the 1992 European Championship and failed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup before Jacquet took over.

He resisted media pressure to pick stars Eric Cantona and David Ginola, instead building his team around players who had a mentality of playing for top European clubs.

Soon a group was born, accepting Jacquet’s belief that great things come from hard work and sharing his taste for Italy’s style of playing.

“We have acquired the tactical culture of the Italians while retaining that little bit of French flair and I think that’s what makes us so strong’’ said striker Christophe Dugarry.

Lemerre, who said he was “fascinated’’ by the team when he was Jacquet’s assistant, changed very little.

“We’re like a group of kids having fun,’’ said Barthez, looking forward to the wild party that will inevitably take place if France go all the way.

“That’s what we came here for,’’ said Petit. “Simply being in the final is not good enough.”

Hingis, Sanchez look to end US supremacy

LONDON, July 2 (AFP) — Swiss top seed Martina Hingis and Spain’s Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario will be looking to bring an end to US supremacy at Wimbledon this week as Uncle Sam threatens total domination in the women’s singles at the All-England Club.

The pair will have their work cut out with no less than eight Americans making it through to the last 16.

The stars and stripes are flying high in honour of defending champion Lindsay Davenport, who is on course to retain her title after ousting Paola Suarez of Argentina 6-4 6-2 in round three yesterday.

“My form has not been as great as last year and I have been fighting it for the first days but everything is starting to click now,” said Davenport, who needed three sets to get past Russia’s Elena Likhovtseva in her previous match.

On that occasion she was 3-0 down in the decider.

She now meets former teenage prodigy and compatriot Jennifer Capriati who triumphed over Yayuk Basuki of Indonesia 7-6 (7/4) 6-0 - despite being annoyed that her match was interrupted by noise from the Scots Guards band playing at the Champions Parade on centre court.

“They could choose another time to do that thing,” said the angry 24-year-old who reached the fourth round here at the age of 14 and who was a semi-finalist a year later.

The star-spangled banner was also held aloft by the Williams sisters Venus and Serena as the US barrage continued.

Fifth seed Venus Williams joined her eighth-seeded sister Serena in the fourth round after a 6-0 7-6 (7/4) win over Nathalie Dechy of France.

Venus could face top seed Hingis in the quarters if she can first oust Belgium’s Sabine Appelmans.

Sixth seed Monica Seles, looking for the only grand slam singles crown to elude her grasp, was too strong for French redhead Sarah Pitkowski, winning 6-0 6-3 to book her passage.

“Winning wimbledon would be unbelievable,” said a hopeful Seles. “You can’t really put that into words.

“But I’m in the fourth round and I have such a long way to go that all I’m doing right now is focusing on my next match.”

Naturalised American Seles, beaten finalist here in 1992, now takes on Spain’s battling Sanchez-Vicario, twice a finalist at the All England Club.

The Spaniard saw off Sandra Nacuk of Yugoslavia 3-6 7-6 (7/5) 6-2.

Sanchez-Vicario is undaunted by the task ahead.

“I look forward to playing Monica,” said the confident 28-year-old, who lost finals here in 1995 and 1996.

“I have nothing to lose. I have confidence.

“But I have to start well, you know, since the beginning with her, otherwise she doesn’t give you many chances.

“With Monica I will also need to be more aggressive. It could go either way.”

Their long rivalry goes back 11 years yet the pair have never met on grass.

Seles, with nine Grand Slam titles under her belt, leads Sanchez-Vicario 18-3 in career meetings.

But Sanchez-Vicario, who last beat Seles in the 1998 French Open final is ready to do battle.

“It’s going to be a tough match,” she said. “It’s probably going to be back-court tennis. It’s going to be close.”

The fourth round will see a second US-Spanish match-up as Lilia Osterloh takes on Magui Serna.

Osterloh beat Austria’s Patricia Wartusch 4-6 6-2 8-6 while Serna came past Miriam Oremans of the Netherlands 4-6 6-4 6-4.

The Ohio-born 22-year-old, ranked 77th in the world, failed to get beyond the first round in her two previous outings.

Agassi, Henman sail through

LONDON, July 2 (AFP) — Wimbledon witnessed a US invasion yesterday as six-times champ Pete Sampras remained on course for a seventh men’s singles crown and women’s title-holder Lindsay Davenport likewise reached the last 16.

Sampras, targeting a record 13th Grand Slam singles title, beat fellow American Justin Gimelstob 2-6 6-4 6-2 6-2 in 2hr 7min to book a meeting with Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden.

And Davenport was similarly untroubled as she hammered Paola Suarez of Argentina 6-4 6-2 to book a showdown with compatriot Jennifer Capriati.

In all, eight US women have reached the fourth round.

Sampras was joined by second seed and last year’s final victim Andre Agassi, who swamped Frenchman Jerome Golmard 6-3 6-3 6-4.

Britain’s Tim Henman, semifinalist in each of the past two years, kept the Union Jack flying alongside the stars and Stripes as he stormed past Moroccan Hicham Arazi 6-3 6-3 6-3 to woo the Centre Court crowd.

The British favourite will now play Australian Mark Philippoussis, who needed five hours and one minute to stagger past Dutchman Sjeng Schalken 4-6 6-3 6-7 (7/9) 7-6 (7/4) 20-18 in the second longest match ever here - and the longest played in one day at Wimbledon.

The longest in Championship history was 5hr 12min between Americans Pancho Gonzales and Charlie Pasarell in 1969 -before the introduction of tie-breaks — but that was played over two days due to rain.

Aside from his slow start Sampras was not unduly hampered by the inflamed shin tendon suffered on Wednesday which had left his continued participation in the tournament in some doubt until rain on Friday gave him an extra night off.

Sampras said the prolonged break had made all the difference.

Fourth seed Gustavo Kuerten earlier failed in his quest to become the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win the Wimbledon and French Open singles crowns in the same year when he lost to German discovery Alexander Popp.

Wimbledon debutant Popp (23), and ranked just 161 in the world ahead of the event, shocked Brazil’s Kuerten 7-6 (8/6) 6-2 6-1 as Kuerten, who had to call the trainer midway through the match to treat a thigh injury and who had a bad cold, became the 10th men’s seed to fall.

“This is probably the nicest day of my life,” grinned Popp, whose father is German and mother English, enabling him to hold passports from both nations. He now faces Marc Rosset of Switzerland.

The form book did not lie completely in tatters as Australian 12th seed Pat Rafter beat Rainer Schuttler of Germany 6-2 7-6 (7/2) 6-3.

The Queenslander will next meet Thomas Johansson, who won an all-Swedish encounter with Magnus Gustafsson 6-7 (3/7) 7-6 (7/1) 6-4 5-7 6-3.

Among the women the Americans were already enjoying a field day even before second seed Davenport had ousted Suarez — self-described as introverted, crazy and honest. Those qualities weren’t enough to see off Davenport.

“I felt like I was timing the ball a lot better than in the first two matches,” said Davenport.

“The last two or three days it’s clicked a little bit better,” added Davenport, who came here after a back injury hastened her departure from the opening round of the French Open.

Next opponent Capriati earlier beat Yayuk Basuki of Indonesia 7-6 (7/4) 6-0.

The US barrage continued when fifth seed Venus Williams joined her eighth-seeded sister Serena in the fourth round after a 6-0 7-6 (7/4) win over Nathalie Dechy of France.

Venus could face top seed Martina Hingis in the quarters if she can first oust Belgium’s Sabine Appelmans.

Sixth seed Monica Seles, looking for the only Grand Slam singles crown to elude her grasp, was too strong for French redhead Sarah Pitkowski, winning 6-0 6-3.

Naturalised American Seles, beaten finalist here in 1992, now takes on old Spanish rival Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, twice a finalist at the All-England Club and who saw off Sandra Nacuk of Yugoslavia 3-6 7-6 (7/5) 6-2.

The fourth round will see a second US-Spanish match-up as Lilia Osterloh takes on Magui Serna. Australian teenager Jelena Dokic, a quarter-finalist here on her debut 12 months ago after shocking Hingis in the opening round, beat Brie Rippner of the USA 6-2 6-1 and she will play another US hope Kristina Brandi, who put out Russian Anastasia Myskina 4-6 6-3 6-1.

Bhupathi-Martina pair bows out

LONDON, July 2 (PTI) — India’s Mahesh Bhupathi and American Martina Navratilova were ousted in the first round of Wimbledon mixed doubles event when they went down to Jan Siemerink and Miriam Oremans in three sets yesterday.

The Indo-US pair lost 4-6 7-6 (7-5) (16-18) in a rain-interrupted match on centre court. The match had been suspended on Friday night with the Dutch duo leading 9-8 in the final set.

When the match resumed, Bhupathi and Navratilova twice had an opportunity to break Siemerink’s serve. He faced four break points at 14-14 and saved another three at 16-16 before Bhupathi lost his own serve at love to concede the match.

Bhupathi had earlier combined with David Prinosil of Germany to beat Swedish pair of Fredrik Bergh and Peter Nyborg 6-4 7-6 (8-6) 4-6 7-6 (13-11) in the second round of the men’s doubles event.

Bhupathi, the lone Indian at the all England Club, lost in first round of the singles event to Stephane Huet of France earlier this week.

It’s hellish out there at Wimbledon

LONDON, July 2 (AFP) — Hell hath no fury like, er, a tennis tournament scorned.

Parents from hell, hellish weather, injuries galore, allegations of racism and a hellish time for seeds, who have been bundled out by the half dozen in the opening week.

That’s been the exotic menu at Wimbledon so far.

The tournament got off on the wrong foot when Spanish pair Alex Corretja and Albert Costa withdrew after a row over their non-seeding and by the end of the opening day the rain had organisers scurrying to put the covers on.

Seven men’s seeds and seven women’s seeds went out in the opening two rounds, French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten bit the dust yesterday and defending men’s champion Pete Sampras has faced a battle to overcome a shin injury to stay on course for a seventh title.

Defending women’s champion Lindsay Davenport, who came into the event with a back problem, then joined Monica Seles in complaining the season is too long and is responsible for a shoal of injuries.

The parent from hell title has gone so far to Damir Dokic, father of Aussie prodigy Jelena Dokic, last year’s semi-finalist.

Mr Damir Dokic was warned on Friday he could be banned from the event after breaking a reporter’s mobile phone on Thursday before the police escorted him from the premises, although no action was taken.

French star Anne-Gaelle Sidot was then embroiled in a row over racism following allegations by black US teenager Alexandra Stevenson that she had made racist commments about the American, who further alleged another French player, Amelie Cocheteux, had racially abused her at another tournament earlier this year.

Another parent in the headlines alongside Dokic was Stephenson’s mother Samantha, who aside from also having an altercation with Sidot was among mothers banned from the dressing room under new regulations introduced this year.

Tournament authorities have banned mothers from the women players’ dressing rooms at the All-England Club after a series of complaints that they were trying to “psych out” opponents in the dressing room before matches.

It was almost hellish for 1992 men’s singles champion Andre Agassi on Friday when he went to the brink of defeat, surviving two match points in his second-round marathon against fellow American Todd Martin.

But the Las Vegan showman survived and having seen off Jerome Golmard of France with little ado yesterday he now wants to give last year’s conqueror Sampras hell in the final in a week’s time.

For Andre, that would be just heaven though.

CBI seeks record of ex-captain’s phone

NEW DELHI, July 2 (PTI) — The CBI has sought detailed records of a mobile phone used by a former Indian captain even as former physiotherapist of the cricket team, Ali Irani, denied his conversation with former all-rounder Manoj Prabhakar.

Agency sources said the sleuths of Special Crime Branch had sought details of a mobile phone used by a former cricket captain to ascertain allegations made by some bookies.

The sources said the details would provide some assistance in the probe into the match-fixing controversy as the CBI has already identified phone numbers of certain “well-to-do bookies” operating in the country.

Meanwhile Irani, who was questioned by the CBI for over three hours in connection with the match fixing scandal yesterday, has unequivocally denied his conversation with Prabhakar, the sources said.

Irani’s deposition was necessitated following his conversation with Prabhakar about match fixing in cricket which was filmed by the latter clandestinely.

The former physiotherapist before recording his statement with the CBI had sought the video tapes from the website which is displaying it.

The sources said Irani replied satisfactory to all the questions by the sleuths of crime branch.

Irani had reportedly said in the video-taped conversation with Prabhakar that further pursuance of the match-fixing scandal would create a political uproar in the country.

Prabhakar had submitted these video tapes to the CBI on May 27 following which the agency has been summoning people shot in the tapes to find out if they corroborated their “taped conversations”.

The CBI has so far questioned Ajit Wadekar and Navjot Singh Sidhu twice besides Nayan Mongia, Mohammad Azharuddin and Prashant Vaidya.

However, all the four have denied authenticity of the taped conversation and Vaidya went ahead to say that the tapes had been “doctored”.

It may be mentioned that suspended Additional Commissioner of Income Tax Vishva Bandhu Gupta has filed an FIR against the website, displaying the tapes, alleging that the “video tapes had been doctored” with somebody else’s words put in his mouth.

The agency sources said summoning of cricket icon Kapil Dev was possible only after someone corroborated the conversation made on the Prabhakar’s video tapes.

The agency would shortly examine other cricketers like former skippers Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri, the sources said.

Meanwhile, Income Tax department was midway in looking into records and returns of leading cricketers and officials of the BCCI whose names have surfaced during the ongoing controversey of match-fixing in cricket.

It sources said returns and records of three players hailing from Northern region, two from Mumbai, one from Hyderabad and a BCCI official from Calcutta were being scrutinised by the IT officials.

They said the list of players and officials was prepared mostly on the basis of media reports containing allegations against them for either being involved in match-fixing or doing favours in award of telecast rights.

The sources confirmed that they had been “sounded” by the CBI orally on these issues but said any such action as search and raids could be undertaken only after the investigating agency approached them with a formal request.

However, the sources said IT would not be sharing information about the returns with the CBI till approached formally and added that the information of IT returns was to be kept secret as per the law.

In a related development, the Enforcement Directorate was looking for Mukesh Gupta to record his statement in connection with the alleged FERA violations.

The move follows submission of a report by a Deputy Director of ED saying Gupta’s was a fit case for questioning.

Gupta surfaced suddenly on Wednesday last before the CBI and his father K.M. Lall Gupta claims that he was unaware of his son’s whereabouts and had come to know through media about his deposition before the CBI.

His counsel Vineet Malhotra also said that Gupta had so far not contacted him for any legal help.

Beckham wants to captain England

LONDON, July 2 (AFP) — England and Manchester United midfielder David Beckham claims it would be his “ultimate dream” to captain England.

The performances of the midfielder were one of the few bright spots for England at Euro 2000, where Kevin Keegan’s side failed to reach the quarter-finals.

Beckham told the Sunday Mirror: “Just being part of the England set-up and playing for my country is an achievement to me. But given the chance of course I would love to captain my country.”

“I have a great deal of pride when I pull on an England shirt, but to captain my country would be the ultimate dream for me.”

Beckham, who has been hounded on away grounds after his sending-off against Argentina in France 1998, added: “I have always harboured dreams of captaining the team I play for, be that Manchester United or England. I can think of no greater honour.”

Pak team to play in Punjab
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, July 2 — ‘’It will be a homecoming for me since my forefathers used to live in Hoshiarpur district. I plan to visit Hoshiarpur on July 6’’, said Chaudhary Muhammad Ismail, the grand old man of circle kabaddi in Pakistan. The visiting Pakistan kabaddi team is in India on an invitation by the Amateur Circle Kabaddi Federation of India for taking part in a five-match series with India organised by the Haryana Olympic Association.

The Indian team clinched the series 3-2. India won at Panchkula, Gurgaon and Jind by 53-58, 50-43 and 53-43 respectively. Pakistan won at Charkhi Dadri and Chautala by 55-43 and 55-45 margins respectively.

Ismail appreciated the efforts made by the HOA for the smooth conduct of the matches which he hoped would usher in a new era in circle kabaddi in Haryana and India. He said at Charkhi Dadri and Jind, crowds of over 30,000 patiently waited for the match to begin. People started entering the stadium three hours prior to the actual start,” he revealed.

Ismail was thankful to Mr J.P. Sharma, secretary of the ACKFI, with whose initiative the team was able to accept the invitation. Now Punjab has also decided to provide them with state guest facility like Haryana by organising four matches in different parts of state.

According to Ismail kabaddi was very popular in Pakistan, especially in Faislabad and Sheikhupura. The Asian kabaddi championship will also be held in India at the end of this year.

The Pakistan team members have not been able to do any shopping due to the busy schedule but now they plan to buy woollens during their visit to Ludhiana on July 4.

Ismail is satisfied with the food being served to the boys. More matches at the school level in kabaddi and hockey between India and Pakistan would be of immense benefit, feels Ismail. Costs travelling betweeen two countries are reseaonable. Travelling expenses from Chandigarh to Bangalore would probably be more than what they were from Chandigarh to Faisalabad, he said.

Meanwhile, the ACKFI will organise various circle kabaddi matches to be played between both the teams in Punjab. The first match will be played at Shivalik Public School, SAS Nagar on July 3; second at Ludhiana on July 4, third at Hoshiarpur on July 6 and the last at Dhariwal (Gurdaspur) on July 7.

Pak hockey team to begin preparations

KARACHI, July 2 (AFP) — Pakistan’s hockey team is due to start its final preparations for Sydney when its Olympic training camp begins tomorrow despite a leadership vacuum in the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), officials said.

“The boys are geared up and will leave no stone unturned to do their best at the Sydney Olympics,” team manager Islahuddin said.

“We are scheduled to play a three-match series in Australia prior to the Olympics and will overcome all our shortcomings in the camp,” he said, adding that 36 players were in the squad.

Pakistan’s pool includes defending Olympic champions the Netherlands, besides Germany, Canada, Great Britain and Poland.

“We are in a tough pool but it all depends on how you fare in the tough matches,” Islahuddin said.

Pakistani hockey was shaken this month when the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) sacked PHF president Arif Abbasi for alleged mismanagement and federation secretary Manzoor Atif quit amid differences with Mr Abbasi.

In another major blow to the team’s chances in Sydney, coach Hanif Khan quit saying he could not work amid the PHF turmoil.

But Islahuddin said the crisis was “history” and now the team was focused on regaining its position as one of the best sides in the world.

25 hurt as B’desh fans turn violent

DHAKA, July 2 (AFP) — At least 25 people were injured after celebrations to mark Bangladesh’s entry into the exclusive Test cricket club turned violent at Dhaka’s Bangabandhu National Stadium, police and reports said yesterday.

Six policemen were among the 25 injured, the police said.

The violence erupted when police used batons after fans hurled bottles and stones, while a group of youths scaled a barbed wire fence to enter the stadium field as the country’s three leading bands entertained some 50,000 people with popular songs last night, the Daily Star newspaper reported.

The violence spread outside the stadium as crowds trying to enter the stadium scuffled with police. The gates were finally opened to allow them in to avoid any major violence, reports said.

The concert was suspended for 45 minutes as angry fans complained about the faulty sound system, but gradually the situation calmed down and the show went on late into the night. Organisers Bangladesh Cricket Board and Pepsi could not be reached for comment.

This South Asian country has been overwhelmed with sporting enthusiasm since the country began celebrations after becoming the newest member of the Test cricket club.

Bangladesh, which was granted test status by the International Cricket Council on June 26 in London, joins England, Australia, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, West Indies, South Africa and Zimbabwe in the exclusive club.

Mini Elizebeth to lead
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, July 2 — A 12-member Indian women’s volleyball team led by Mini Elizebeth of Railways has been selected by the Volleyball Federation of India which will take part in the Princess Cup International Volleyball Tournament to be held from July 3 to 9 at Bangkok (Thailand), according to Mr Vijay Pal Singh, vice- president of the VFI. The women’s team was selected during the coaching camp held at NIS, Patiala. The team was imparted intensive training in the camp.

The Indian junior boys are already attending a coaching camp at Patiala for the Asian Junior volleyball championships to be held at Teheran (Iran) next month.

The women’s team is: Mini Elizebeth, Geeta Raju, Mithu Roy, Siji Kurian, Bini Thomas, Sumanpreet Kaur, M. Sunitha, Vaishali P.( all Railways); Gayathri R & S. Sujatha( TN); P. Radhika (AP) and Ghisa Thomas (Kerala).

Standbyes — Hemlatha Urshal (Rlys) and Minimol VS(Kerala).

Mr Vidya Sagar Sharma of SAI will be chief coach while Ms Swapna Chatterjee of West Bengal will be the assistant coach. Rajen Bora of Assam will accompany the team as manager.

Pak win Test series

KANDY (Sri Lanka), July 2 (Reuters) — Pakistan won their three-Test series against Sri Lanka 2-0 today after rain made play impossible on the last day of the final Test.

Sri Lanka were 467 for five in their first innings when the umpires announced the draw after nearly three full days of play were lost to sharp showers and wet ground conditions.

Only 15 minutes of play was possible on the third day on Friday after rain washed out the first two sessions. On the first day play was delayed until after lunch due to rain.

Sri Lanka, already two down in the series, had looked good as their batting turned around after early dismal showing.

Captain Sanath Jayasuriya ended his nearly two-year century drought by hitting 188 to become only the third Sri Lanka batsman to have scored more than 3,000 runs.

His opening partner Marvan Atapattu remained unbeaten on 207, managing to hit his third Test double century in the 15 minutes of play possible on Friday.

SAI to open hockey centre
From Our Sports Reporter

NEW DELHI, July 2 — The Sports Authority of India (SAI) will open a Centre of Excellence for Women’s Hockey in Chandigarh, for which selection trials will be held on July 13 and 14 at the SAI Centre.

According to Indian Women’s Hockey Federation secretary Mrs Amrit Bose, SAI has made arrangements for the players coming for trials to be picked up from the railway station.Players are required to intimate their travel schedule to the regional director, SAI, Netaji Subhash Northern Centre, Hockey Stadium, Sector 42, Chandigarh. (Tele: 0172-605671. Fax: 0172-665739).

The centre will have 40 seats and the players eligible for selection should be in the 13-22 age group with national\international participation as achievements. Mrs Bose said the selected players would be provided free schooling\college education in Chandigarh, free uniform, special coaching\training, free medical help\insurance and competition exposure.

Asian school soccer at Bangkok
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, July 2 — The Asian Schools Football Championship for under 18 boys will be held from August 1 to 18 at Bangkok (Thailand), according to Mr C.L. Negi president, School Games Federation of India. Twelve member countries will vie for top honour in this meet, including Japan, Korea, China, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Phillipines, Nepal, Hong Kong and Macau. India last played host to this meet in 1977 in Bihar and won the bronze medal. Last year the championship could not be held.

Trials to select the 18-member Indian School football team will be held at Panipat and letters in this regard have been sent to the affliated units concerned. They have been asked to send the best five players for trials. The participants should not be born later than January 1, 1982.

2nd Arjuna awardee from Kapurthala
From Our Sports Reporter

KAPURTHALA, July 2 — Kapurthala got another feather in its cap when its resident Sajjan Singh Cheema, an international basketball player, was awarded Arjuna Award for his outstanding contribution in the field of basketball.

Cheema hails from a family of peasants in Dabolian village near the town which has produced Balkar Singh Cheema and Kuldeep Singh Cheema, all international basketball players.

Cheema is the second basketball player from Kapurthala, who has been awarded Arjuna Award in basketball. Earlier, Anil Punj of this town was awarded Arjuna Award. Cheema is serving as a DSP in Punjab Police.

REGIONAL SPORT BRIEFS

HP Govt to promote sports
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, July 2 — Mr Parveen Sharma, Minister of State for Youth Welfare and Sports, today asked both factions of the Himachal Vikas Congress to unite for their own benefit. He said the BJP was for unity in the party. He said the BJP should not be blamed for the division of the HVC in the state.

The endeavour of the BJP Government in the state was to promote sports in a big way and to prepare local youth for national and international competitions, the minister added.

Talking to mediapersons here today, the minister said the state government had appointed 40 NIS-trained coaches in various disciplines in various schools and colleges of the state to search for hidden talent.

The government would honour outstanding sportspersons and provide them job.

BDCA win cricket tourney
From Our Sports Reporter

Patiala,  July 2 — Budha Dal Cricket Academy, Patiala, carved out a six-wicket win over Cricket coaching centre, Khanna, to win the second summer holiday cricket tournament, which concluded here today.

Brief scores: Cricket CC 133 all out (Ricky Verma 33, Amrish Goyal 28, Ravi Deep Singh 14, Vikrant Makkar 3 for 21, Arshdeep 4 for 23); BDCA 134 for 4 (Sumit Gupta 28, Akashdeep 28, Vikrant Makkar 31 n.o., Sunil 2 for 23).

Powerlifting championships

The fourth Punjab State Bench Press Powerlifting Championships will be held at Virk village, near Phagwara,on July 7, according to Mr S.P. Singh, Honorary Secretary of the Punjab powerlifting association. The championships will also act as trials to select the Punjab team, which will take part in the National bench press powerlifting championships, slated to be held in Mumbai on July 15 and 16. The titles of the most powerful man and woman will also be decided during the state championships.