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| Tuesday, August 15, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Ramesh upsets Persson
Gill hopes India will top pool NEW DELHI, Aug 14 — India vs Australia for the hockey gold at the Sydney Olympics? If Australian High Commissioner Rob Laurie’s wishes come true then the hosts will win the gold. “I wish all the best for India for the silver”, he said at a reception hosted by the High Commission for the Sydney-bound Indian hockey team. Stage set for indoor cricket |
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 4th US Tour victory for MediateGRAND BLANC (USA), Aug 14 — Rocco Mediate stood on the practice putting green on Tuesday wondering what on earth had happened to his putting stroke. Twenty-five birdies later he captured his fourth U.S. Tour victory in the $ 2.7 million Buick Open. He claimed the $ 486,000 winner’s check yesterday by coming from two shots back with three holes to play to eclipse Chris Perry, who had led throughout a dramatic final round. Biggest squad for Asian meet Serena dumps Davenport
Charlesworth’s tips for winning hockey gold IT raid: BCCI denies any knowledge BANGALORE, Aug 14 — Pankaj Advani and Manan Chandra scored easy wins over their opponents to continue the Indian domination in the World Under-21 Snooker Championship here today. Chelsea overpower Manchester United Violence against women
‘part of Tyson’s nature’ Naimur Rahman is new Bangladesh skipper India, Bangladesh to hold
soccer tourney Afghanistan to miss Olympics Tension over Sydney berths
grips women weightlifters
HOA to award Olympic gold
medallists
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Ramesh upsets Persson AMSTERDAM, Aug 14 (PTI) — International Master R.B. Ramesh employed a new idea from the white side of the modern defence to shock GM Hillarp Persson of Sweden and stayed in joint lead with three points, after the third round of the Lost Boys International Open Chess Tournament here. Ramesh kept his slate clean and also inspired P. Konguvel and T.S. Ravi to clinch full points, but IM V. Saravanan was down to his second straight loss after when he spoiled his better position against Leer Salvesen. Konguvel and Ravi are both on two points each. In the other upset of the day, lowly-rated Nep defeated Grandmaster Nijboer of the Netherlands with the black pieces. With his new idea Ramesh obtained a slightly better position from the start. He then used his ‘e’ pawn to create weaknesses on the black’s kingside. Hillarp entered a pawn down rook and pawn endgame hoping to neutralise the onslaught. Ramesh played the difficult endgame with great precision to win the game in 58 moves to move in joint lead along with five others. In an interesting battle, Konguvel defeated Konings from the white side of the sicilian pelikan variation. Konguvel played a novelty quite early and won a pawn on the queenside. Though there were opposite coloured bishops on the board, Konguvel managed to create a mating net around the black king and won a second pawn. Unable to find a defence Konings resigned on the 39th move to let Konguvel move to two points. Saravanan again spoiled a better position to suffer second defeat against Leer Salvesen. Facing the English opening Saravanan played energetically to get a commanding position. He then sacrificed an exchange for a pair of menacing bishops and a pawn. But he blundered in accute time shortage to lose the game in 37 moves. IM-elect T.S. Ravi scored his second succesive win beating Soderberg. Ravi played the alapin variation against Soderberg sicilian defence and saddled his opponent with a weak pawn on ‘d6’ square. He then proceeded systematically to mount pressure on the weak pawn and finally won it. His opponent lost a piece but got two pawns in the bargain in the endgame. Ravi played with precision to win the game without much trouble. Former junior national champion Sunderarajan Kidambi was involved in a nerve racking battle against lowly-rated Blokhuis of the Netherlands. Though Kidambi got a better position from the black side of the closed sicilian defence, he left his king in the center far too long to allow his opponent a sacrificial attack. Kidambi was a whole rook up at one point but his king was too exposed. Kidambi bailed out with perpetual checks to draw the game in 53 moves and moved to 1.5 points. Important results: 1. GM Milov (3) beat GM Schehachev (2); 2. R. Schmartz (2) lost to GM Paul van der Sterren (3); 3. GM Epishin (2) lost to Meiyers (3); 4. IM R.B. Ramesh (3) beat GM Hillarp Persson (2) 5. GM Nijboer (2) lost to Nep (3); 6. Leer-Salvesen (2) beat IM V. Saravanan (1); 7. T.S. Ravi (2) beat Soderberg (1); 8. Blokhuis (1.5) Drew with Kidambi (1.5); 9. IM Konguvel (2) beat Konings (1). |
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Gill hopes India will top pool NEW DELHI, Aug 14 (UNI) — India vs Australia for the hockey gold at the Sydney Olympics? If Australian High Commissioner Rob Laurie’s wishes come true then the hosts will win the gold. “I wish all the best for India for the silver”, he said at a reception hosted by the High Commission for the Sydney-bound Indian hockey team. In a quick repartee to that, Indian Hockey Federation (ihf) president k.p.s. gill said: “Sydney suits us...we will be happy to come back with the gold and be felicitated by your excellency, once more”. Mr Laurie praised India’s hockey tradition and said people in his country look up to the Indian style hockey. “I am sure you will do credit to your country (India). Australia and India are in same pool but I believe we can still play in the final. I wish you all the best for silver” . Gill, however, hoped that India will top the pool and Australia comes second so that the hosts get chance to make it to the final and where we (India) will win . Later talking to newsmen national coach Vasudevan Bhaskaran asserted that India has a chance to win a medal in this Olympics. “The boys are in fine nick, we know our rivals and also know our own weaknesses, if the boys maintain the form and the confidence which have displayed so far I see no reason why we should not win the medal in the olympics”, Bhaskaran said. He said: “I hope we will not repeat the mistakes which we made in the Los Anglese, Seoul, Barcelona and Atlanta Olympics. If we are able to stick to our plans and play according to prepared script I am very sure of a medal”. Bhaskaran said the Indian team has no penalty corner experts and the success rate of these experts cannot be expected from Dilip Tirkey. Asked if the team is risking injuries by leaving a month early, he said: “We are leaving early so that we can acclimitise ourselves to the conditions in Australia and this risk has to be taken.” Bhaskaran said that the final team would be selected in Australia from among the 22 probables leaving here on August 17. “The team will play two full-length matches with Canada and England and short duration matches with Holland and some local Australian teams,” the coach said. “The friendly encounters with England and Canada will be played in Sydney while other matches will be played at Murwillinbah near Brisbane,” he said. Bhaskaran said that Argentina, which made it to the Olympics after South Africa pulled out at the last moment, would put its best foot forward as they have nothing to lose so the team would have to be very careful. Captain-designate of the team Ramandeep Singh said that last time in Atlanta: “We underestimated Argentina and paid the price but this time we all take everyone seriously.” Singh said the team has shown remarkable improvement in all deparments of the game, specially counter-attacks, and it would definitely be among the medals this time. |
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Stage set for indoor cricket MELBOURNE, Aug 14 (AFP) — The unprecedented playing conditions at Colonial Stadium received support from the Australian and South African cricket teams here today, despite some misgivings over the venue. While the riskiest feature of this week’s historic one-day series — the drop-in pitch — already appears a success, the patchy and damp outfield, the bowlers’ run-ups and the lighting had the players wary. The two teams had their first training sessions at the ground today ahead of the one-day series on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. These will be the first official cricket matches played indoors and South African captain Shaun Pollock was impressed. Speaking after a nets session on the practice wickets specially-laid yesterday, he said: “They (deliveries) were coming on beautifully, I presume it will be pretty similar to the middle so there should be a lot of runs scored.” “It’s going to be a good one-day wicket, it’s probably got more pace than what we’ve played on in Sri Lanka.” South Africa arrived in Australia last week after a 1-1 result from a three-Test tour of Sri Lanka. The roof was closed today as the South Africans batted and the Australians inspected the centre wicket, allowing the players to gain a feel for this week’s playing conditions. Spinner Shane Warne described it as “sensational”, but he and other bowlers in the Australian team inspected a patch of grass at one end of the wicket. The South Africans are aware of Australian Football League players’ concerns during this year about the stadium surface and cricketers this week are likely to use moulded soles to ensure solid footing. Australian batsman Michael Bevan said the players would also need to adapt to the lighting, which is spread around the grandstands rather than the towers used at other grounds such as the Melbourne Cricket Ground. “The lights are a bit different....so that will be something we’ll have to get used to,” Bevan said. “The wicket is the main concern for a batsman and it’s quite good.” Adelaide Oval curator Les Burdett, commissioned to oversee the growth of the two pitches being used at Colonial Stadium, is pleased with the result of the $ 250,000 project after the centre strip was installed last Saturday. The practice wicket, which was cut in half to allow two nets to be used, was designated the centre wicket when the two pitches were laid in April near the Victorian rural town of Seymour. But Burdett changed the two over and the centre wicket was installed only one day after the AFL semi-final between Hawthorn and Geelong. |
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Biggest squad for Asian meet NEW DELHI, Aug 14 (PTI) — Amateur Athletic Federation of India (AAFI) yesterday announced the biggest ever squad for the Asian Track and Field Championships to be held in Jakarta from August 28 to 31 with 24 men and 22 women being named for the last major event before the Sydney Olympic Games. Promising K.M. Binu, silver medallist at the last Junior Asian Championship, shot-putter Shakti Singh, sprinter Anil Kumar, quartermiler Paramjit Singh, distance runner Gulab Chand, K.M. Beenamol, thrower Neelam J. Singh are among the 46-member squad bound for the Indonesian capital. “We want to give as much exposure possible to our athletes, and Asian Track and Field Meet is a right event,” AAFI president Suresh Kalmadi said here yesterday. The AAFI president said the junior athletics programme had paid rich dividends with as many as 19 national records being broken in this season. “Also we have few athletes who are in the top 20 of the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) rankings on the basis of their current performance,” he said. The athletes for Jakarta event were selected from those who participated in the AAFI’s second phase of competition held at various south centres. After coming back without any gold medal from the last championships held in Fukuoka (Japan), India are hoping for a better show. The Indian team, which will participate in 33 events out of total 43, will leave on August 25 from Bangalore. The team: Men: 100m: Anil Kumar, Rajiv Balakrishnan; 200m: Anil Kumar, Ajay Raj Singh; 400m: Paramjit Singh, P. Ramachandran; 800m: K.M. Binu; 1500m: Bahadur Prasad, Gulab Chand; 5000m: Gulab Chand, N. Gojen Singh; 10000m: Gulab Chand, N. Gojen Singh; 20 km walk: Gurdev Singh; Long jump: Sanjay Kumar Rai; Discus throw: Anil Kumar, Hirdaya Nand; Javelin throw: Jagdish Bhisnoi; Hammer throw: Pramod Tiwari; Shot Put: Shakti Singh, Bahadur Singh; 4x100m Relay: Anil Kumar, Rajiv Balakrishnan, c T. Durai, Ajay Raj Singh, Piyush, Anand Menezes; 4x400m relay: Paramjeet Singh, P. Ramachandran, Lijo David, Jata Shankar, Manoj Lal K.J, Anil Kumar Rohil. Women: 100m: Rachita Mistry, Saraswati Dey; 200m: Rachita Mistry, Vineeta Tripathi; 400m: K.M. Beenamol, Manjuma Kuriakose; 800m: Geeta Manral, Rosa Kutty; 1500m: Geeta Manral; 5000m: Aruna Devi, Pushpa Devi; 10000m: Aruna Devi, Pushpa Devi; 100m Hurdles: Anuradha Biswal; High jump, Triple jump: Bobby Aloysius; Long jump: J.J. Pramila, Soma Biswas; Discus throw: Neelam J. Singh, Harwant Kaur; Javelin throw: Gurmeet Kaur; Hammer throw: Jabeshwari Devi, Hardeep Kaur; Shot put: Harwant Kaur; 4x100m relay: Rachita Mistry, Saraswati, Vineeta Tripathi, Anuradha Biswal, Pandeshwari V, Vijay Lakshmi; 4x400m relay: K.M. Beenamol, Manjuma Kuriakose, Paramjeet Kaur, Jincy Philips, Soma Biswas, Rosa Kutty. Heptathlon: Pramilla G.G. Soma Biswas. |
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4th US Tour victory for Mediate GRAND BLANC (USA), Aug 14 (Reuters) — Rocco Mediate stood on the practice putting green on Tuesday wondering what on earth had happened to his putting stroke. Twenty-five birdies later he captured his fourth U.S. Tour victory in the $ 2.7 million Buick Open. He claimed the $ 486,000 winner’s check yesterday by coming from two shots back with three holes to play to eclipse Chris Perry, who had led throughout a dramatic final round. Mediate birdied the 16th and 18th holes, while his rival failed to take the tournament into overtime when he missed from seven feet on the last green. Mediate scored a closing 66 for a 20-under-par 268 — his lowest four-round score — while Perry did not put a foot wrong until he drove into the rough from the final tee, failed to reach the green and sent his chip sliding seven feet past the target. If he did make another mistake, it was failing to birdie the par-5 16th where Mediate hit two blistering drivers onto the green to set up a two-putt birdie before crunching a 9-iron approach 12 feet beyond the flag for his winning three. “I was putting just awful at the beginning of the week,’’ admitted the 37-year-old Florida-based professional, who uses a broomstick putter. “My caddie told me to believe in myself and, apart from the first round, I sank everything”. “Chris and I had 13 birdies between us and it’s a pity more people didn’t see it.’’ Once again, Tiger Woods was the main attraction and he negotiated the Warwick Hills course in 68 in his final competitive round before he attempts to win a third successive major title in the U.S. PGA championship at Valhalla in Louisville, Kentucky, on Thursday. Woods appeared content to coast into a share of 11th place on 275 although he did have one anxious moment when he jarred his wrist on a tree root while hitting his second shot onto the green at the long 13th. “It hurt quite a bit but it will be OK,’’ Woods said before jetting back to his orlando base. “It would have been nice to have shot a lower round but I feel good with the progress I have made this week. My game feels like it is coming into shape and peaking at the right time. Although my scores didn’t reflect it, each day I got better and better.’’ Perry’s chief goal was to record a second success following his win in the 1998 BC Open and he could barely conceal his disappointment. He said: “We both played great, either of us could have won. He just made one more putt than I did.’’ Hal Sutton, with a 68, briefly challenged when he eagled the seventh hole and he finished third on 271, two strokes ahead of Phil Mickelson (68) and Woody Austin (70), who led the first two rounds. |
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Serena dumps Davenport LOS ANGELES, Aug 14 (AFP) — Reigning US Open champion Serena Williams rallied to defeat second-ranked Lindsay Davenport for the fifth time in a row and extend the Williams family title streak to four consecutive events here yesterday. Williams defeated her US Olympic team-mate 4-6 6-4 7-6 (7/1) to capture the $87,000 top prize at the WTA Los Angeles open in her first hardcourt tune-up to defence of her Grand Slam crown. Older sister Venus Williams won her past three events, capturing her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon after ousting Serena in the semi-finals, then taking titles at Stanford and San Diego, California, while serena was off. Serena Williams captured her seventh career title and second of the year following a February triumph at Hannover, Germany. She rose to 25-6 overall and 20-4 on hardcourts this season by winning the $535,000 event. |
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First trophy of year for Enqvist MASON (USA), Aug 14 (Reuters) — Seventh-seeded Thomas Enqvist of Sweden won his first trophy of the year with a 7-6, (7-5), 6-4 victory over 15th-seeded Tim Henman of Britain at the Tennis Masters Series-Cincinnati. Armed with a winning passing shot that neutralised the serve-and-volley style of Henman during the one hour, 48 minute match, Enqvist yesterday became the first Swede since Stefan Edberg in 1990 to take the Cincinnati Trophy. On the seven occasions that Enqvist faced break points, he came up with breathtaking shots to escape unscathed. “I didn’t lose serve once and when you don’t lose your service game in a final like this you should be happy,” said Enqvist, who earned $ 400,000 for this 17th career title. “When he had break points and it was important points, I came up with the good shots.” “That was what I did really well today.” Despite the loss in the final — his seventh consecutive final loss since winning a fourth career title at Basle in 1998 — Henman considered the week a major success. Feeling comfortable with his game all week, Henman lost his serve only four times in six matches played en route to collecting the $ 211,000 finalist check. |
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Charlesworth’s tips for winning hockey gold Ric Charlesworth is considered to be a guru in hockey circles around the world, first as a player and captain of the Australian team and then as coach of the all conquering Australian women’s hockey team. The man who is doctor, former parliamentarian and three times Australian coach of the year, has a few tips for the Indian hockey team and the rest of the teams as well. He says winning a hockey medal at an Olympics requires a team effort for an extended period. “To win a medal in hockey at the Olympics, you have to compete over two weeks over 13 or 14 days in eight matches,” he says. “It’s not like you dive in the pool and swim for two minutes and it’s all over. It doesn’t work like that.” He said Olympic gold will come only after two weeks of gruelling competition and reputations will count for nothing in September. “During the Olympic hockey competition there will probably be some disappointing outcomes, and it’s how you can come back from that two days later that is important,” Charlesworth says. “That’s the sort of contest that you’re in and there’s no certainty about how you’re going to react, but you have to do all of the preparation and hope that you cover all the bases beforehand.” No Olympic selection comes easily but one of the toughest sporting teams to crack is the 16 for the Australian women’s hockey team — gold medallists at Atlanta and world champions. The hockeyroos should start favourites to win again in September, despite a rare poor showing in the Champions Trophy in Holland earlier this year, where the team failed to even make the final managing only a bronze medal. It was an uncharacteristic performance which prompted claims that veteran coach Charlesworth was deliberately keeping his best players off the pitch to keep his Olympic opponents guessing. Charlesworth admits he hasn’t had his best side on the pitch yet, instead giving all 25 squad members a chance to make the final 16. “I’ve always said I don’t think we’ll get the whole thing together until we actually start to play in Sydney,” he says. Medal tally
A study, presented at an Eastern Sociological Society meeting in Baltimore recently, shows that although Americans won 101 medals at the Atlanta Games, far more than any other country, they should really have done much better, given their huge population and resources and given that they were competing 9on home soil. The author of the study, Mr Henry Bain, a Maryland sociologist and researcher, analysed the Atlanta results using a handicapping system which took into account how big and affluent each country was, whether it had a home-ground advantage and whether Communist sports-factory methods were, or had been, used. The adjustment for population and affluence was based on each country’s gross domestic product, and the home-ground advantage at the Olympics was calculated at two-thirds of the nation’s medal count on foreign soil. The “Communist handicap” was applied not only to countries under Communist control but also to countries which got rid of their Communist regimes 10 years or more ago. Mr Bain noted that at Atlanta almost all such countries won more medals on average than non-Communist countries with similar GDPs. The handicap amounted to half the proportion of extra medals which Communist countries won on an average at the 1988 Olympics, the last Games before Communism’s collapse in Russia and eastern Europe. When these adjustments were made, a very different medals table emerged. By winning 41 medals the Australians outperformed all other nations at Atlanta after allowance is made for population, wealth and other factors. Australia, whose 41 medals earned it fifth place at Atlanta, went to No. 1 with 50 medals, while the USA, which was No. 1 at Atlanta, dropped to 11th place with 27 medals. Three other countries made big advances: Cuba, ninth at Atlanta with 25 medals, rose to third place; Kenya, 24th at Atlanta with eight medals, rose to sixth place; and Jamaica, 29th with six medals, rose to seventh. Russia was placed second, China fourth and Germany fifth. Mr Bain said the Americans would find it hard to finish on top of the medals table in Sydney. “My data shows that the transfer of this home-ground advantage from USA to Australia will give the Aussies a good chance to win most medals this summer - that is, actual medals, without any handicapping. Germany and Russia, and perhaps China, also seem likely to be contenders for the top ranking, along with the USA.” His paper argued that a disappointing showing by American athletes in Sydney had implications for the rest of the world. “The state of a nation’s morale can have an important effect on the behaviour of its government,” he wrote. “A nationwide wave of embarrassment over the results at Sydney might produce some unfortunate US behaviour in the international arena.” He pointed to the fact that Operation Desert Storm in the Middle East, which resulted in a surge of patriotism throughout the US, came one year after the disappointing 1988 Seoul Games, where the Americans finished third in the medals count behind the Soviet Union and East Germany. Mr Bain blamed the failure of Americans to perform as well as they should have at Atlanta on “the deplorable physical shape” of American youth, who year by year are watching more TV, growing fatter and playing less sport. He doubted if this trend could be turned around in the foreseeable future and argued the best short-term solution was to make it possible for more Afro-Americans, who already comprise 29 per cent of American medal-winners, more than twice their proportion of the population, to compete in more Olympic sports, including swimming, rowing and equestrian. “Americans can improve their medal count by granting black children and youth the same resources and opportunities as their white competitors in all sports and in life,” Mr Bain said. — PMG |
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IT raid: BCCI denies any knowledge MUMBAI, Aug 14 (UNI) — The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today denied knowledge of an income tax (IT) raid on one of its former presidents here yesterday. However, IT Department source confirmed that there was a search conducted at the person’s residence but added that so far no incriminating documents or undeclared money had been found. The department has been raiding cricketers, bookies and officials after the betting scandal, involving South African cricketer Hansie Cronje, broke out. The raids have embarrassed the likes of Kapil Dev, Mohammed Azharuddin, Jagmohan Dalmiya, Ajay Jadeja, N Sidhu, Nayan Mongia and others. Only two former BCCI presidents live in South Mumbai — Raj Singh Dungarpur and Purshottam Rungta. Singh is semi-retired and lives most of the time in London where he has a flat. He comes from the royal family of Dungarpur in Rajasthan and even his worst critics will vouch for his clean character and his passion for cricket. Cricketers will not hesitate in announcing that he is clean as a whistle though as an administrator he may have erred, but purely on cricketing matters. A BCCI spokesman said if among cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar have won the admiration of tax authorities due to their honest declaration, then among administrators Singh should be top of the list. Rungta, unfortunately, cannot be put on the same level as even when he was a treasurer there were allegations about his dealings with BCCI money. Former secretary A.W. Kanmadikar, who was appointed to inquire into the allegation that Rungta put BCCI money in badla vyaj and, after making a silent killing, returned the money to BCCI coffers, even today claims that there was some truth in it. Rungta then tendered his resignation. Significantly, his son Kishore Rungta’s house in Rajasthan was raided but so far nothing has suggested his involvement in any irregularities. |
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Raid de Himalaya
from Sept 30 CHANDIGARH, Aug 14 — The second Raid de Himalaya, an event open to cars, jeeps, bikes and even trucks, will run on a marathon cross-country rally format making it the longest and the toughest motorsport event in the country.
Sponsored by Maruti Udyog Ltd and supported by the Government of Himachal Pradesh through the Department of Youth Services and Sports, Tourism and the Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports at Manali the “Raid de Himalaya 2000” as going to cover a distance of 2500 km of the toughest high mountain terrain in both Lahaul and Spiti as well as Ladakh. The event is being run at heights in excess of 17000 ft and the nuts and bolts of this high altitude motoring adventure are being looked after by the Himalayan Motosport Association. Some foreign participation is also expected, mainly in the motorcycle section. The Raid de Himalaya 2000 runs from September 30 to October 7. The event will traverse the famous Jalori, Rohtang, Kunzum and Baralacha passes. At least four other lesser known but equally difficult passes, too, will fall on the course as the Raid proceeds to Korzok on the banks of the Tso Moriri Lake in Ladakh. The Tso Moriri Lake as 26 km long and almost 6 km wide at Korzok, where the raid will halt for the night at a tented camp. |
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IWHF names 31 probables CHANDIGARH, Aug 14 — The Indian Women’s Hockey Federation has announced 31 probables for the month-long coaching camp in preparation for the 2002 Asian Games. The camp will begin at NIS, Patiala on August 25. The probables are: goalkeepers — T. Chanu, Helen Hary, Suman Deswal (all Rlys), Amandeep Kaur (Pb); full-backs — M.Tirkey, Amandeep Kaur (both Rlys), Kanti Bala (Bihar), Kulwinder and Suman (Pb); half-backs — Sunita Dalal, Suraj Lata, S.Tete and Sita Gussain (all Rlys), Masir Surn (Bihar), Harmanpreet (Pb), Rajni, Neelam (UP); forwards — S.Chanu and Rakpi Devi (Rlys), Neha Singh (UP), Pritam Rani (Rlys), Sangeeta Kadiyan (Dli), Priya (Air-India), Poonam Chauhan (Gujarat), Roohi Dhillon (Chandigarh), Shahina, Kamla Dalal and Paulima (Rlys), Rajwinder Kaur (Pb), Jyoti and Manorama (both Rlys). |
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Pankaj, Manan record wins BANGALORE, Aug 14 (PTI) — Pankaj Advani and Manan Chandra scored easy wins over their opponents to continue the Indian domination in the World Under-21 Snooker Championship here today. Both players recorded their second wins in the league. Manan overcame Mohd Al Sada of Qatar 4-0 (56-35, 68-26, 113-05, 74-14). The winner lacked concentration and was unable to get good breaks. However, he managed a break of 74 in the third frame, where he cleared with the black. Pankaj Advani disposed of Malaysian opponent Khor Tat Siong 4-1. Advani won the first three frames 84-0, 58-33, 82-0, recording the highest break of 73 in the first session in the first frame. Though he dropped the fourth frame 51-61, he picked up the next at 65-57. |
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Chelsea overpower Manchester United LONDON, Aug 14 (AFP) — Dutchmen Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Mario Melchiot were on target for Chelsea as they beat Manchester United 2-0 in the Charity Shield here yesterday. To make matters worse for English Premiership holders United, their captain Roy Keane was sent-off for a late tackle on Gustavo Poyet in the final club match to be staged at Wembley before it is demolished. Haselbaink, Chelsea’s record 15 million pound (22.5m dollars) signing from Atletico Madrid had already gone close before he beat Fabien Barthez after 22 minutes with a deflected shot to give the FA cup holders a deserved lead. Then, with 17 minutes left, full-back Melchiot struck to score his first goal for Chelsea. Gianfranco Zola got the nod ahead of Tore Andre Flo and the Italian was soon causing United problems on the left. United’s best chance in the opening minutes came when David Beckham hit a free-kick against the Chelsea wall from 25 yards after Frank Leboeuf had barged over Teddy Sheringham. Hasselbaink created a fine opening for Mario Stanic in the ninth minute when he played him in behind the United defence on the right only for the Croatian to fire wide when he should have at least hit the target. The match was not exactly being played in a charitable spirit and referee Mike Riley had to calm things down after Poyet clashed with Keane and Roberto Di Matteo got involved. Chelsea then spurned two excellent chances to take the lead on 15 minutes. First, Stanic Headed wide at the back post after Zola had turned Gary Neville and put in a great cross from left. Then seconds later Poyet played in Hasselbaink with a lovely ball over the top and the Dutch international held off Mickael Silvestre only to screw his shot wide of Barthez’s goal. United made the first change on 19 minutes when Silvestre came off injured to be replaced by Stam, who is still building up his match fitness. Stam’s first meaningful contribution was to deflect Hasselbaink’s shot past Barthez for the opening goal on 22 minutes. Poyet played the former Leeds striker clear on the right and his shot came off the covering Stam and beat Barthez. Barthez was having a busy afternoon and he had to come off his line sharply to beat Stanic to a Zola pass. Leboeuf was somewhat fortunate to escape a booking when he accidentally caught Ryan Giggs high with his studs. Beckham then played Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in on the left, but the angle was too acute and the Norwegian could only pull the ball back into the side netting. Chelsea were continuing to cut through United’s fragile defence almost at will and Di Matteo poked the ball wide after he had done well to hold off Stam. United pressed for an equaliser and Solskjaer released Sheringham with a nice pass only for the impressive Melchiot to stop him with a fine blocking tackle. Denis Irwin almost scored an own goal when he knocked the ball past Barthez as he attempted to tidy up. But the left-back, whose testimonial is on Wednesday, recovered to clear the danger. United nearly snatched an equaliser before half-time when Scholes controlled Beckham’s pass on his chest and knocked the ball just wide. Scholes went close again at the start of the second half, Marcel Desailly could only clear Beckham’s curling free-kick to the England midfielder on the edge of the area and his drive was deflected off Melchiot for a corner. Melchiot was outstanding operating down the right for Chelsea and on 53 minutes he raided forward to test Barthez with a drive, which the goalkeeper saved at the second attempt. The game was in danger of boiling over again after Keane reacted badly to a challenge from Hasselbaink and Wise tripped Giggs. Riley tried to restore order but an aggrieved Keane carried out his own retribution in the 62nd minute when he left his studs in the back of Poyet’s ankle after the ball had gone. Riley produced the red card and Keane trudged off for an early bath for the seventh time in his United career. Melchiot capped a fine individual performance when he fired past Barthez in the 72nd minute with a left-footed effort from the edge of the area that gave the France goalkeeper no chance. |
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Violence against women ‘part of Tyson’s nature’ KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 (AFP) — Violence against women is part of boxer Mike Tyson’s nature and should not be a reason to stop him fighting in Malaysia, a female minister was today quoted as saying. International Trade Minister Rafidah Aziz, quoted by the Star newspaper, said the women’s wing of the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), would not protest against the planned bout. Over the weekend the women’s wing of the largest Chinese political party announced plans to protest at the staging of the fight next January 20. Rafidah, who heads the UMNO women’s wing, said Tyson was not a political figure. “He is only coming here for a boxing match and anybody is free to go and see the match,” she said. She said allowing Tyson to visit was not tantamount to idolising him. “Being violent against women was Tyson’s nature and women should just avoid going to the event if they did not like him,” she was quoted as saying. The women’s wing of the Malaysian Chinese Association has written to the organisers Promote Classic Sun. Bud. to urge them to look for a better role model, its chief Wg Yen Yen said. “We will not condone such a person who is violent,” Wg was quoted as saying by the Sunday Star. “We are not against sport out we are against bringing in someone who does not have a good attitude.” Other women’s groups in Malaysia have also expressed concern, saying that inviting a convicted rapist will send a wrong message about violence against women. But the government says the event will boost tourism and airing in foreign exchange. Sports Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said Tyson was free to come as promoters had met his ministry’s guidelines for the event. Promoters say the former heavyweight world champion will fight on January 20 but his opponent will only be named in November. |
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Naimur Rahman is new Bangladesh skipper DHAKA, Aug 14 (PTI) — Allrounder Naimur Rahman has been named new skipper of the Bangladesh cricket team for the upcoming ICC Knock-out World Cup in Kenya later this year, Bangladesh Cricket Board
(BCB) officials said today. The decision to relieve Aminul Islam from captaincy was taken at a BCB meeting late last night, senior BCB official, Ahmed Sajjadul Alam told PTI here. “He
(Rahman) is an intelligent cricketer, a gutsy fighter and has all the qualities of a captain. We want to build a new team around him,” national selector Raquibul Hassan said. Middle order batsman and an off-spinner,
Rahman, 25, will also lead the side during the team’s tour of Zimbabwe at the fag end of the year. The decision to relieve Aminul Islam from captaincy was unanimous, Mr Hassan said, “as most of the members of BCB and the selection committee came to the conclusion that the duty has proved a burden for the middle-order batsman”. While Islam has been retained in the 26-member squad, Khaled
Masud, the veteran wicket-keeper has been promoted as the vice-captain. The notable omission among the probables is Khaled
Mahmud. The experienced allrounder and vice-captain has been overlooked following his poor showing during the recent Asia Cup. |
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India, Bangladesh to hold soccer tourney CALCUTTA, Aug 14 (PTI) — India and Bangladesh will hold a joint football tournament involving top three clubs of each country from next year. All-India Football Federation (AIFF), president Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi said here yesterday.
The new tourney, to be christened ‘Ganga Padma Cup’ when played in India and ‘Padma Ganga Cup’ when hosted in Bangladesh, would be organised every alternate year, he said. Stating that the new tournament was aimed at improving the standard of the game in the subcontinent, he said, India also backed Bangladesh’s successful bid for hosting the next SAAF Cup in Dhaka.
Afghanistan to miss Olympics SYDNEY, Aug 14 (DPA) — Afghanistan will miss its first summer Olympic Games since 1936, organisers in Sydney said today.
Afghanistan was suspended from the Olympic movement last year after the International Olympic Committee ruled that its national Olympic committee could not function under the Taliban regime. Afghanistan had hoped to send all-male team of wrestlers and weightlifters but permission was denied by the IOC.
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Tension over Sydney
berths grips women weightlifters PATIALA Aug 14 — Tension, suspense and confusion have gripped the three women weightlifters preparing for the Sydney Olympics at the National Institute of Sports
[NIS] here, with a couple of days remaining for the final selection.
The three lifters in the fray for two slots are Kunjarani
Devi, Karnam Malleswari and Sanamacha Chanu. The element of uncertainty clouding the Olympics preparations will fade away if the International Weightlifting Federation allots a second wild card, for which the campers, coaches, officials and fans are praying for day and night. One berth for the Olympics was secured via automatic qualification, while the federation chipped in with a wild card, making it two berths. This means that out of the three lifters training here, only two will be selected. If the second wild card lands in India’s lap,for which the IOA has written to the federation, the final selection committee meeting, slated to be held on August 20, for all practical purposes, will be rendered irrelevant, as all the three lifters will gain automatic selection. To further confuse matters, the foreign coach,
L.Taranenko, has recommended to the Indian Weightlifting Federation [IWF] that K.Malleswari should compete in the 69 kg class. If selected, K.Malleswari will compete in this category for the first time. In the 1999 Athens World Meet and the Osaka Asian Meet held in May this year, Malleswari competed in the 63 kg class. In the Bangkok Asian Games, she won a bronze medal in the same class. Sources say if the two-time world champion K. Malleswari competes in the 63 kg category, she will be a sure medal prospect at the Olympics. Sources add that the IWF think tank missed out on the development of Chen
Jui-Lien of Chinese Tapei, a favourite for the gold at Sydney, being suspended recently from international competitions for two years due to the use of anabolic
steroids. L.Taranenko has written to the IWF for shifting K.Malleswari’s weight category to a higher class a couple of weeks ago. Chief coach and Dronacharya awardee P.S.Sandhu supported the idea of the foreign coach, but admitted that for a competition like the Olympics, countries start their preparations four years in advance. Sources say the chief coach has just given a’ superficial nod to the foreign coach’s proposal of shifting Malleswari to compete in a higher class. “ We cannot take such important decisions at the last minute,” the chief coach said. Sources add that apart from creating unnecessary confusion at this stage, the foreign coach’s idea is bound to backfire. Among all the three lifters, 32-year-old Kunjarani Devi is the most experienced, with 52 international medals under her belt. Kunjarani Devi bounced back into contention, for the Olympics, after a knee surgery in 1997. She was the only lifter who won a silver medal in the clean and jerk in the Athens world meet and is confident of adding upto at least 10 kg to her total in the Olympics. If cleared for Sydney, 21-year-old Sanamachu Chanu will compete in the 53 kg class. Right now, everybody is eyeing the wild card. If that happens there will be no heartbreaks for any of the three lifters when the selectors meet on August 20. If the wild card eludes the Indians, the selectors may find themselves being caught in a tricky situation.
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HOA to award Olympic gold
medallists AMBALA Aug 14 — The Haryana Olympic Association will award Rs 25 lakh other than the Rs 1 crore announced by the state government to players belonging to Haryana who will get a gold medal in the Olympic games commencing next month. It was announced by Mr Abhay Chautala, President, Haryana Olympic Association, today while addressing swimmers on the concluding day of the Haryana Swimming Championship at the War Memorial Stadium in Ambala cantonment. Mr Chautala said that the Haryana Government would boost sports activities in the state. He said teams participating in different games would be encouraged by various boards and corporations. The Secretary-General of association, Mr M.S.
Malik, said the Haryana Olympic Association had planned a policy for the development of sports in Haryana which would be announced soon. The government would also establish a sports academy. |
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