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Saturday,
April 28, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Indian men
beat Nigeria; women finish 35th Bharati:
no question of playing Pakistan Squad
has allround depth: Hooper |
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Bangladesh
254 all out in first innings Shoaib
Akhtar’s throwing action an ‘illusion’ Punjab
spiker plays truant from volleyball camp |
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Bindra
to lead squad Bhutia
‘did not deserve’ red card NIS
equipment for Shimla camp Gopichand
ranked fifth Suman
Puri maintains lead Anti-graft
team to reach Lanka today Tulpule
clinches ITF title ONGC
lifts crown
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Indian men beat Nigeria; women finish 35th Osaka, April 27 It was sweet revenge for the Indian men’s team which had lost to the same rivals in the final of the just-concluded Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships in New Delhi. Nigerian Segun Toriola won both his matches but failed to see his country through to the next playoff on account of an inspired performance by their rivals. Toriola seized the initiative for Nigeria when he defeated soumyadeep
Roy 21-14, 21-12 in the first singles. Chetan Baboor drew India level when he comprehensively beat a subdued Monday Merotohum 21-13, 21-12. S. Raman gave India a 2-1 lead when he defeated Sao Ayemojuba 21-11, 21-14. Nigeria sprang back into contention when Toriola crushed Baboor 21-15, 21-10. In the crucial fifth singles match, Roy conceded the second game 17-21 to Monday but fought back to finally win the tie for India 22-20, 17-21, 21-19. Earlier, in the women’s team event, India pulverised Australia 3-0 to finish 35th. India never gave
Australia a chance in the tie as its top players Poulami Ghatak, M.S. Mythili and Mouma Das scored
convincing victories. National champion Ghatak gave India the initial lead when she beat Tammy Gough 21-14, 22-20. India was 2-0 up with Das sending May Cho packing 24-22, 21-17. Mythili then won the tie for India defeating Peri Campbell-Innes 21-14, 21-13. North Korea;s 3-1 victory over their southern neighbours in the world championship semifinals did as much to highlight Korean unity as it did cross-border rivalry. The two countries had initially planned to field
a unified team after a visit earlier this year to North Korea by South Korea’s Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sports. But North Korea backed out of the plan in March, citing difficulties reaching agreement over the issue. The chance for ping pong diplomacy was not lost of ethnic Koreans resident in Japan, who have flocked to the world championships with banners calling for a unified peninsula and chanted simple “Ko-er-a. Favourites and defending champions Cina ended Japan’s dream of reaching the finals, crushing the host nation 3-0. Japan’s An Konishi put up a valiant fight but had no answer to the attacking play of Zhang Vining, ranked third in the world, who won 21-21, 21-15, 21-10. Number one Wang Nan, aiming with her team-mates for a fifth straight world title and 14th overall, made short work of Japan’s Yoshie Takada in a 21-14,21-14 triumph. Li Ju, ranked second, used her lethal topspin to complete a comfortable victory. China will play North Korea in the final tomorrow. South Korea and Belgiummen booked themselves semifinal places in a day of high drama which saw players — and the scenery — flying around the courts. But there was heartbreak for France, who lost out on a guaranteed medal when the Koreans edged one of the matches of the tournament in the very last game. None fought harder for a French victory than their number one Christophe Legout, who thrilled spectators with a series of athletic diving shots of the sort more associated with the young Boris Becker at Wimbledon. Legout’s verve saw him past world No 9 Kim Taek-Soo in his first match, but even his leaping and lunging could not save the team in the final match against Korea’s Oh Sang-Eun. Afterwards Legout said the French had been trying particularly hard because it was the last world championship at which their closely-bonded squad — the so-called “musketeers” — would all be playing. “We wanted to win a medal as it was the last world championships for the team,” said Legout, at 27 the youngest Frenchman on court by four years. Belgium’s Jean-Michel Saive went one better than Legout in athleticism, demolishing a scoreboard as he stampeded to the edge of court to retrieve a smash from Italy’s Yang Min. Retrieve it he did, as well as a further four increasingly venomous smashes to the delight of the crowd, although the fifth proved too much. “That is the way I play, I never give up on a point,” Saive said afterwards, adding that he was hopeful the International Table Tennis Federation would not send a bill for the scoreboard. Saive’s heroics — he won both his matches — inspired the Belgians, who had never before even made it into the last four..
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Bharati: no question of playing Pakistan New Delhi, April 27 “The Sports ministry is only a nodal ministry and we have only conveyed to the BCCI the decision of the External Affairs Ministry not to play cricket matches with Pakistan”, Ms Bharati told Ram Jethmalani during question hour. Replying to supplementaries, she made it clear that the sport bodies wanting to organise matches with only
commercial motive in mind and not in conformity with government policies, would be discouraged. Terming Sharjah, Singapore and Toronto as “irregular” cricket venues, the minister said there was no change in government’s policy of not playing cricket matches with Pakistan. She said although the government was keen in promoting other games, besides cricket and had even allocated more funds for these games, “cricket remained the natural attraction for the youth in the country”. Uma Bharati proposed introduction of a code of conduct and bringing sports under concurrent list to free it from political and other interference and promote games in the country. She said her ministry was confronted with the problem of political interference in sports and the code of conduct was aimed at removing such irritants. On concerns expressed by Ram Jethmalani over inadequate preparation for the Afro-Asian Games to be held in India, she said the games would be held from November 3 and a meeting had already been held by her ministry to prepare for the games. Of the total Rs 70 crore expenditure for the games, the Central Government would allocate Rs 35 crore and the Indian Olympic Association Rs 20 crore. The rest would be generated internally, she said. Meanwhile, Uma Bharati will head the all powerful steering committee to overlook the
preparations of the inaugural Afro-Asian Games. |
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Squad has allround depth: Hooper Kingston, April 26 “The Test win has given the players confidence, even though one-day cricket is a totally different game,” said West Indian captain Carl Hooper. Hooper, who claimed there were no fitness worries surrounding his squad, said that for the first time in his experience the current West Indies one-day squad had versatile players who gave the side allround depth. “For the very first time we have got guys among our top five batsmen who can bowl,” he said. For both teams the series will be part of a build-up to the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. “We have a lot of young guys in the squad and the selectors will be starting to earmark those they think might make it to the World Cup,” said Hooper. Hooper, who had a disappointing Test series with the bat, against South Africa, one of the top one-day teams in the world, would provide a good gauge of the ability of the West Indies to become a serious World Cup contender. South African captain Shaun Pollock said he expected the bulk of his current squad to be contenders for World Cup places. Pollock admitted his side had suffered a blow with the withdrawal through injury of left-arm spinner Nicky Boje, whose replacement, Goolam Bodi, was himself injured the day before he was to join the squad. It leaves the South Africans short of proven one-day spinners and could provide an opportunity for uncapped Justin Ontong to make his mark at international level. The 21-year-old, bowling a mixture of legspin and offspin, bowled tidily in a warm-up match against Jamaica on Wednesday and batted confidently. Ontong enhances an already strong fielding side. Pollock said his team were determined to finish their tour on a high note by winning the one-day series as well as the Test series. “There is a bit of fatigue,” he admitted. “It has been a long season and a long tour, but the end is in sight and there is a nice break ahead. The guys are motivated and want to finish the season well.” South Africa could be without fast bowler Allan Donald, who left the field during the final Test with a recurrence of a long-term left heel injury. But Pollock said he expected Donald to play an important role in the series, whether or not he played on tomorrow. “The heel has been bothering him but he only has to bowl 10 overs in a one-day game so I expect him to play a part for the team.” Allrounder Jacques Kallis is also doubtful after hurting his right big toe while batting on the final day of the Test on Monday. Teams (from): West Indies:
Carl Hooper (capt), Chris Gayle, Leon Garrick, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Brian Lara, Ricardo Powell, Wavell Hinds, Marlon Samuels, Ridley Jacobs, Neil McGarrell, Mervyn Dillon, Cameron Cuffy, Kerry Jeremy and Nixon McLean. South Africa:
Shaun Pollock (capt), Mark Boucher, Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Boeta Dippenaar, Neil McKenzie, Jonty Rhodes, Lance Klusener, Justin Kemp, Justin Ontong, Allan Donald, Roger Telemachus, Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel, Paul Adams.
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Bangladesh 254 all out in first innings Harare, April 27 Stuart Carlisle was 21 not out with Alistair Campbell on 22 in reply to Bangladesh’s first innings of 254. Guy Whitall scored 59 in two hours, off 103 balls and including four fours, before being run out by Mohammed Sharif from mid-off. It ended an opening stand of 90 shared with dion Ebrahim, who made 39. Bangladesh took lunch on 253 for seven, but were all out 11 balls into the afternoon session. Akram Khan and Enamul Hoque had added 46 runs for the eighth wicket when Akram Khan, on 44, edged the third ball after lunch, bowled by fast bowler Heath Streak, to Alistair Campbell at first slip. Mohammad Sharif nicked his sixth delivery, from Brighton Watambwa, to Stuart Carlisle at second slip, and two balls later Manjural Islam also edged a catch to Carlisle. Both batsmen failed to score. Streak finished with figures of four for 38, while left-arm spinner Ray Price took four for 71. The other Bangladesh wicket to fall on Friday went down in the sixth over of the morning when Mushfiqur Rahman edged an away swinger from streak and was caught by wicketkeeper Andy Flower for two. Scoreboard Bangladesh (1st innings):
(overnight 198-6) Omar c Blignaut b Streak 1 M. Hossain c Carlisle b Price 71 Al-Shariar c G. Flower b Streak 11 A.Islam c Campbell b Price 12 H. Bashar st A. Flower b Price 64 A. Khan c Campbell b Blignaut 44 N. Rahman lbw b Price 16 M. Rahman c A. Flower b Streak 2 E. Hoque not out 20 M. Sharif c Carlisle b Watambwa 0 M. Islam c Campbell b Watambwa 0 Extras (lb-8 nb-2 w-3):
13 Total (all out): 254 Fall of wickets:
1-1, 2-23, 3-48, 4-162, 5-171, 6-196, 7-207, 8-253, 9-254. Bowling:
Blignaut 28-7-67-1, Streak 29-11-38-3, Watambwa 14.5-3-48-2, Nkala 19-11-22-0, Price 30-9-71-4. Zimbabwe (1st innings): Whittall run out (Sharif) 59 Ebrahim c A. Khan b N. Rahman 39 Carlisle not out 21 Campbell not out 22 Extras:
(lb-3) 3 Total: (for two wickets) 144 Fall of wickets:
1-90 2-104 Bowling: M. Islam 15-4-38-0, M. Sharif 9-2-33-0, E. Hoque 20-5-38-0, M. Rahman 4-0-13-0, N. Rahman 10-4-19-1.
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Shoaib Akhtar’s throwing
action an ‘illusion’ Perth, April 27 Tests conducted by human movements experts at the University of Western Australia showed that Akhtar had a unique physical abnormality that creates the illusion that his bowling action is illegal, said Mr Daryl Foster, one of the experts involved in rectifying the bowlers’ action here. “We’re very convinced that Akhtar’s bowling action is OK,” Mr Foster told AP. “When he first came, we analysed the action and decided that he had unique physical characteristics — that he had hyper-mobility — in both his shoulder and elbow joints. This leads to a certain perception or illusion, that looks like he may be throwing.” The rules of cricket dictate that a bowler must not bend the bowling arm at the pinnacle of the delivery arch. Foster said Akhtar’s apparent breach is directly related to his physical abnormality, and therefore, can’t be considered illegal. Mr Foster led a similar study on Sri Lankan offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who was cleared of throwing after being cited by umpires for chucking on three occasions. He said Akhtar was ordered to bowl constantly at top pace to erase speculation that he could alter his action to pass the tests and then revert to an illegal action during match conditions. Akhtar bowled almost every delivery at 150 kph or faster during the studies. “It’s not possible for a bowler to bowl close to 150 kph with one action and then switch action to avoid scrutiny,” Mr Foster said. Akhtar was sidelined briefly in 1999 after being cited over his bowling action when New Zealand match referee John Reid reported him during a Pakistan versus Australia Test match in Perth. Mr Foster said umpires were right to ask questions about Akhtar’s unusual arm action. “The three-dimensional analysis using two and four cameras in two separate tests proved conclusively that his physical abnormality was the cause of his arm going into hyper-extension — which he can’t avoid — and that’s where the illusion is that he’s throwing,” he said. Mr Foster said he suggested subtle changes to Akhtar’s style but only to make him a better bowler, not to mask his action from the scrutiny of umpires. “We saw many things in the first 3d analysis of his action that needed attention,” he said. “He agreed that he needed to make these changes if he was to avoid injury and lengthen his longevity in the game. Mr Foster, who has rejected an offer to take up the vacant Pakistan coaching position, said he would tour England with the Pakistan team as a cricket consultant. “I know how unforgiving the British Press can be. So I will accept the offer to go and see Shoaib through some traumatic times and help the other bowlers in the squad.
AP |
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Punjab spiker plays truant from volleyball camp New Delhi, April 27 Sridharan is learnt to have requested the Volleyball Federation of India (VFI) to draft a few more setters into the camp, in the absence of quality setters among the present lot. The 24 players, currently attending the coaching camp, are: Sunil Kumar (Chandigarh), Jeskanwal Singh, Inderjeet Singh and Harjeet Singh (Punjab), Surjit Singh and Darshan Singh (Haryana), Mithilesh Singh, Balwan Singh and Mukesh Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Jitender Singh (Madhya Pradesh), Sushil Kumar (Rajasthan), Raghuvir Singh, Vinod S.V.K. Ansar, V.R. Rajeev, Suresh Babu and Shijo Thomas (Kerala), Vikash Thomar (Delhi), Sushil Kumar (Rajasthan), Ratish and Dinesh Singh (Bihar), Suraj Singh and Kiran Kumar Reddy (Andhra Pradesh) and M.N. Vikram (Karnataka). Coaches: G.E. Sridharan, M.H. Kumara and M.T. Samuel. Though the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has cleared the volleyball team’s participation in the Asian Qualification Tournament for the World Junior (men) Volleyball Championship at Islamabad from May 10 to 19, the Pakistan Embassy in Delhi has not yet processed the visa applications of the team, though the team is scheduled to leave for Islamabad on May 8. India will be slapped with a one-year ban, and a fine of $20,000, if they fail to make it to the Islamabad tournament, and Pakistan may face a similar penalty if they deny India permission to play in the tournament. Nine teams, including India, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Iran, Pakistan, Korea and Australia, are slated to play in Islamabad. The coming months will be very hectic for the Indian spikers as they would be playing in many tournaments, including the 11th Asian Senior Men’s Championship at Chang Wong City in South Korea from September 9 to 16, and the Asian Qualification Championship for the World Cup in Doha (Qatar). India will be pitted against Taipei, Japan and Qatar at Doha. For the Asian championship, India have been placed in group B, along with China and Qatar, while other teams who would be competing are Korea, Kazakhastan and Saudi Arabia (group A), Australia, Taipei and the UAE (group C), Japan, Iran, Uzbekistan and Hong Kong (group D). India play China in the opening match on September 9. India had finished ninth in the 10th edition of the championship in Iran in 1999. The possibility of the National Super League being held has receded, as there are no takers for the event after Baroda pulled out of the fray, following the devastating earthquake in Gujarat in January. The preliminary league matches were held in Delhi and Renukoot, and six teams in the men’s section, and four in the women’s section, had qualified for the Super League. The departmental nationals will be held in Khammam in Andhra Pradesh from May 1 to 6. |
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Bindra to
lead squad Chandigarh, April 27 The team was selected after trials held at Phillaur, Punjab, early this month. The International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) Rifle and Pistol World Cup will be held at Milan( Italy) from May 28 to June 4 while Munich (Germany) event is from June 4 to 11. The team will assemble at Delhi on May 22 for a pre-world cup camp prior to their departure. The team: Men: Air rifle: Abhinav Bindra, Ashok K. Shahi, Neeraj Kumar; free rifle position: AP Subbiah; pistol: Jaspal Rana, Ved Prakash Pilaniya, Samresh Jung, Mahavir Singh and Umesh Chandra. Women: air rifle: Anjali Vedpathak, Kuheli Gangulee, Suma S. Shirur, Anuja Tee and Meena Kumari; air pistol: Sonia Rana, Shilpi Singh, Saroja Kumari and Shweta Chaudhary. Coaches: Prof Sunny Thomas, D. Lingam, T.S. Dhillon and Randhir Singh;
armourer: D.K. Shukla. |
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Bhutia ‘did not deserve’ red card Dubai, April 27 Bhutia was given marching orders in the 54th minute by the Malaysian referee for his second yellow card (bookable) offence reducing India to 10 men for the rest of the match. The tourists eventually lost to the hosts by a solitary goal. Talking to reporters after the match, the Indian coach said: “Things were going on well as we had planned, at least up to the end of the first session. But everything collapsed in a moment when the referee showed the red card to Bhutia. In my opinion, our player did not deserve to be sent off’”. “We knew that the UAE team was very strong and we had planned our strategy on the basis of relevant information available with us about the rival camp,” said Singh adding that his team played very well during the first 20 minutes. However,
Singh said, “there is no need for India to be despondent as our team’s hopes (of qualifying for the next round) are still alive,”. UAE coach Henry Michel of France expressed happiness after his boys defeated India to avenge of their away loss to the visitors by a similar margin in Bangalore earlier this month.
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NIS equipment for Shimla camp Patiala, April 27 The camp at Shimla, which commenced on April 16, is being held in preparation for the World Boxing Championships scheduled to be held at Belfast (Ireland) from June 1 to 11. Chief coach G.S. Sandu has already taken vital boxing equipment to the camp with him. A team of sports scientists has just returned from Shimla after providing necessary scientific back up to the pugilists. NIS sources reveal that these visits would be a regular feature as the camp is to run till the end of June. Senior NIS nutrition expert S.K. Goswami has also visited the venue of the camp along with General Theory and Methodics of Training (GTMT) experts. Shimla is the home town of Rajesh Bhandari, Secretary of the IABF. The SAI also has a regular centre at Shilaru, where the annual summer sub-junior camp will be held from May 1. The six boxers attending the camp are Harpal Singh, Jitendra Kumar, Ramanand, Mohammad Ali Qamar, Narender Rana and Parveen Kumar. Sydney Olympians N.G. Dingko Singh and Gurcharan Singh are yet to report at the camp. Bantamweight pugilist Dingko has been virtually ruled out of the world championships due to a nagging hand injury while Gurcharan Singh has absented himself without assigning any reason. |
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Gopichand
ranked fifth Chandigarh, April 27 |
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Suman Puri maintains lead Patiala, April 27 Suman Puri, a regular on the domestic circuit, remained unchallenged for the second successive day as he managed to notch up an eight-stroke lead over Balwant Singh. Suman floundered a bit initially as he dropped a shot on the seventh hole but promptly fired a birdie on the par four eighth hole to gather his lost stroke and never looked back. Balwant Singh, playing well in patches, carded a six over par 78 and finished with an aggregate of 151 to retain the second spot. The battle for supermacy in category `B’, meant for golfers having a handicap ranging between 6 to 12, hotted up with both T.P.S Gurum and Amit Kumar aggregating 158 to finish a joint first. Four other golfers were tied at the second spot with an aggregate of 160. In the ladies section, Dalbir Sahi conquered the sweltering heat and her opponents to aggregate 194, followed by Bhupinder Kaur and Harinder Sandhu, both of whom totalled 195. |
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Anti-graft team to reach Lanka today London, April 27 Sir Paul Condon, chief of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit will join senior investigator Jeff Rees and Support Manager Bob Smalley during the three-day stay in the island country, an ICC spokesman told PTI here today. The team will meet cricket officials, ministers and players as well as Desmond Fernando, Sri Lanka’s special anti-corruption investigator. “Specifically, the team will be focusing on allegations made against Sri Lankan players in the Indian CBI report on cricket malpractice,” the spokesman said. |
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Tulpule clinches ITF title Pune, April 27 Tulpule, who had beaten top seed Sai Jayalakshmi in the semi-finals, looked shaky initially and lost her serve in the very first game of the match. On the other hand Archana got her touch from start and played within her limits. Archana concentrated on playing long rallies from the baseline and waited for opportunities. Both players held on to their serves after the first game and Archana took the first set 6-4. After losing her serve in the first game of the second set, Tulpule changed her game plan and started to attack the net more often. The move paid off as Tulpule broke Archana in the second and the sixth games to level the set score.
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ONGC lifts crown New Delhi, April 27 Brief Scores: ONGC: 266\9 (Radhey Shyam Gupta 34, Rizwan Shamshad 76, Mithun Minhas 46, Mohd. Saif 39, Dodda Ganesh 2\32, Vineet Jain 3\52, Subhash Chaudhary 2\33). Indian Airlines: 258 (Arun Kumar 25, Yuvraj Singh 29, Shafiq Khan 42, Nikhil Chopra 25, Yogender Negi 39, Dodda Ganesh 48, Amit Bhandari 4\50, Sandeep Sharma 3\33, Amit Sharma 2\59). |
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