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Friday,
January 4, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Aussies
tighten noose around SA
Hike quota
of coloured players: SA chief |
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SA
‘ready to’ forgive Cronje Nash
recalled for one-dayers Merger
of WCAI with BCCI sought BCCI AFFILIATION
Hewitt
falls to chickenpox
Unfancied
Vasco defeat Tollygunge Punjab
face confident Goa Harikrishna
in sole lead School
cricket tourney Hardeep
beats Sandeep
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Aussies tighten noose around SA Sydney, January 3 Martyn showcased his batting virtuosity with four boundaries off reverse sweeps in his innings of 117 as Australia amassed an unbeatable 554 in even time and then tightened the noose around the paralysed Proteas. South Africa were on the run by stumps with Glenn McGrath striking twice and Stuart MacGill coaxing an edge off Jacques Kallis with a legbreak and removing Herschelle Gibbs. The worst nightmares of Shaun Pollock’s team were being realised with legspinners Shane Warne and MacGill bowling in tandem from either end, frightening the batsmen, smothered by a close-in field, with their flight and turn. At stumps on the second day, South Africa were 93 for four with Neil McKenzie (20) and Test debutant Justin Ontong (8) fighting for survival. The Proteas were still 262 runs behind the follow-on target. The Australians have already clinched the series with comprehensive wins in Adelaide and Melbourne, but it’s been 70 years since they’ve swept a series. With three days left on a cracking pitch under a baking sun, Australia’s two demon wrist-spinners are expected to bowl the South Africans out twice to wrap up this disappointing lopsided series for the supposed world championship of Test cricket. Australia last swept a series against South Africa by winning 5-0 in 1931-32 here and the Proteas will have to produce something special to prevent a similar drubbing. South Africa lurched to another dire start with Gary Kirsten out for his fourth successive low score, snapped up by Ricky Ponting at third slip off McGrath for 18. Boeta Dippenaar, out three times to blinding catches this series, had no hard-luck stories this time when he was bowled by McGrath for three. But the wicket of Kallis was the prized one. Gallantly run out for 99 in the second innings of the last Melbourne Test, South Africa’s best-performed batsman was deceived by a MacGill legbreak and feathered a catch to Adam Gilchrist for four. Gibbs was back in the pavilion 20 minutes later when he went to drive MacGill only to get an outside edge to Mark Waugh at slip for 32. His wicket left the South Africans floundering at 77 for four, but McKenzie and Ontong saw out the remaining 37 tense minutes to stumps. South Africa’s major task to save the Test is to negotiate the follow-on target of 354, but at stumps today that looked a forlorn hope.
AFP SCOREBOARD Australia (Ist innings): Langer c McKenzie b Boje 126 Hayden c Kallis b Pollock 105 Ponting run out 14 Waugh c Boucher b Donald 19 Waugh b Pollock 30 Martyn c McKenzie b Boje 117 Gilchrist c Boucher b Kallis 34 Warne b Pollock 37 Lee b Boje 29 MacGill c Henderson b Boje 20 McGrath not out 01 Extras:
(b-4, lb-8, w-1, nb-9) 22 Total: (all out, 144.2 overs) 554 FOW:
1-219, 2-247, 3-253, 4-302, 5-308, 6-356, 7-439, 8-502, 9-542, 10-554. Bowling:
Donald 31-06-119-1, Pollock 37-11-109-3, Kallis 22-01-129-1, Henderson 27-03-112-0, Boje 25.2-06-63-4, Ontong 2-00-10-0 South Africa (Ist innings): Gibbs c M. Waugh b MacGill 32 Kirsten c Ponting b McGrath 18 Dippenaar b McGrath 03 Kallis c Gilchrist b MacGill 04 McKenzie not out 20 Ontong not out 08 Extras:
(lb-7 nb-1) 08 Total: (for four wickets) 93 FOW:
1-37, 2-43, 3-56, 4-77. Bowling: McGrath 12-5-25-2, Lee 6-2-13-0, MacGill 13-5-30-2, Warne 6-2-18-0. |
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Hike quota of coloured players: SA chief Sydney, January 3 Sonn yesterday said he intervened to force selectors to include coloured player Justin Ontong in their team for the third Sydney Test against Australia. “I did intervene on a matter of policy and that right is invested in me as President,” Sonn told reporters here. In the wake of that decision, which is said to have divided the South African team, Sonn went further and said it was time to increase the quota of coloured players. In an interview on Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio at the Sydney Cricket Ground today, Sonn was asked if it was time to raise the quota from two to one. “Yes, oh yes, you are so right,” he replied. South African cricket has a quota for one coloured player, which is met by Cape coloured opener Herschelle Gibbs. There are quotas in place in South African domestic cricket, with each first-class team having to pick three black or coloured players. Next season South African first-class teams will be compelled to pick four as the country’s cricket board redresses the imbalance caused by the former apartheid system. There have previously been attempts to bolster the quota for the national team in the past but they were met by resistance from former captain Hansie Cronje. Ontong is not in the South African team under a quota system but he was propelled to Test level on the back of a policy which states coloured and black players should, where possible, be given opportunities to play for their country. Sonn argued Ontong was originally selected in the tour squad as cover for the lower order batting spots and when No 6 became vacant with the axing of Lance Klusener, it was only right Ontong be given the opportunity. The national selectors originally submitted a team which included Jacques Rudolph and there was the likelihood that the batting order would have been shuffled to play Rudolph at No 3 and move Boeta Dippenaar to No 6. Sonn argued that “shuffling” could be perceived as discriminatory to Ontong. “Shuffling to me amounts to exclusion of a person of colour who has the right to be given the opportunity,” he said.
Howard lauds policy Australian Prime Minister John Howard supported as “laudable” South Africa’s attempts to ensure multiracial representation in its national cricket team. Howard, watching the third Test between South Africa and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, said he was in favour of cricket spreading throughout the entire population of South Africa, and not just among its white inhabitants. “I think the aim of having a team that is reflective of a society is a very laudable aim,” Howard said. “I’m not going to start commenting either way on the basis on which overseas teams that compete against Australia are selected. “But I would clearly come down on the side of wanting to see cricket spread throughout the entire population of South Africa, and not something that is just limited to the white population and narrower proportions of the nonwhite population.”
AFP, AP |
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SA ‘ready to’ forgive Cronje Sydney, January 3 Cronje is serving a life ban imposed 17 months ago by the South African cricket board and endorsed by the game’s governing body, the International Cricket Council, after admitting to taking money to fix matches involving South Africa. A recent appeal by Cronje to overturn the ban was rejected by a South African court. “Who are we to damn people forever?” said Sonn, who once said Cronje was not fit to play beach cricket. “Our board is not god in terms of determining what rehabilitation is sufficient. Hansie deserves to enjoy all the freedom of South African society. He is a child of the United Cricket Board (of South Africa).
AP |
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Nash recalled for one-dayers Auckland, January 3 Nash, who was suspended for abusing an opposing player and an umpire in a provincial match while playing for Auckland against Otago, was named in a 14-man squad for a series also involving hosts Australia and South Africa. The all-rounder missed Auckland’s four-day championship game against Northern Districts last month, as well as two one-day matches on January 1 and 2. Selection of the New Zealand side for the one-day series had been delayed to allow fringe players to impress selectors. Batsman Brendon McCallum and all-rounders Andre Adams and Kyle Mills are named in a New Zealand one-day squad for the first time. Squad: Stephen Fleming (captain), Andre Adams, Shane Bond, Chris Cairns, Chris Harris, Brendon McCallum, Craig McMillan, Kyle Mills, Dion Nash, Adam Parore, Mark Richardson, Scott Styris, Daniel Vettori, Lou Vincent.
Reuters |
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Merger of WCAI with BCCI sought New Delhi, January 3 Ms Eduljee, who is now a national selector representing Railways, felt that the merger of the WCAI with the BCCI would be “most beneficial for women’s cricket”. “The merger will immensely help women’s cricket both financially and administratively”, Eduljee observed. She was confident that the merger would attract more sponsors to women’s cricket. “After the series against the England women’s team, Anuradha Dutt (secretary of the WCAI) and Jagmohan Dalmia (BCCI president) should sit together and work out the modalities of the merger”, Eduljee suggested. Ms Anuradha Dutt, however, explained that opposition within the WCAI was the main reason for the delay in the merger of women’s cricket with the men’s body. “There was no unanimity on the merger issue within the WCAI. We have to first put the proposal in our board, before approaching the BCCI”, Ms Dutt noted. But Ms Dutt said “personally speaking, I am in favour of the merger” between the two cricket boards. I understand that the matter has been referred to a sub-committee by Mr Dalmia”, Ms Dutt said. She said the WCAI has asked for some financial assistance from the BCCI to help in the preparation of the woman’s team for the 2004 World Cup in South Africa. The women’s cricket associations of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and England have already merged with the men’s board, making women’s cricket in these countries much more stronger, both financially and organisationally. Same is the case with the hockey associations in these countries. In India, however, there have been opposition within the WCAI and the Indian Women’s Hockey Association regarding the merger of these bodies with the BCCI and the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), respectively, on the fear that the women would lose their separate identity once they opt to operate under the men’s umbrella, though the women’s soccer body in the country has been any exception, as it has already merged with the All-India Football Federation (AIFF). |
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BCCI AFFILIATION Chandigarh, January 3 In that meeting the board is expected to grant affiliation to the newly created states of Jharkhand, Uttaranchal and Chhattisgarh. The UTCA is hopeful that the board will also consider their case along with the case of the three news states. Indications that the issue of Jharkhand, as also that of Uttaranchal and Chhattisgarh, will be sorted out was given by Mr P.K. Mishra, Chairman of the special committee of the BCCI which is at the moment conducting matches of undivided Bihar. Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar. The efforts of the UTCA to get direct affiliation with the BCCI got a big boost when the board sent a three-member team consisting of Sharad Diwadkar, Sunil Shetty and Shivlal Yadav to examine the cricketing facilities in Chandigarh. The team, deputed by the then President of the BCCI, Dr A.C. Muthiah, reportedly gave a favourable report but then everything changed with the change in guards in the BCCI with Mr Jagmohan Dalmiya taking over as the BCCI President in September last. And it must be remembered that it was during Mr Dalmiya’s tenure as secretary of the BCCI that Chandigarh’s plea for affiliation had come up and he is well acquainted with the issues involved. However, there is major problem as far as affiliation to Chandigarh is concerned. The constitution of the BCCI empowers it to grant affiliation only to states. And it must be remembered that Chandigarh is an union territory and is the capital of two states, Punjab and Haryana, which already enjoy direct affiliation to the BCCI. Therefore, if the BCCI is keen to give affiliation to Chandigarh it must amend its constitution and for that support of two-thirds of the members of the BCCI general body is mandatory. And this well be a stumbling block. Talking of union territories it must be remembered that Goa was granted affiliation to the BCCI only when its status was changed from that of an union territory to that of a full-fledged state. Also, the parent states of Punjab or Haryana are not at the moment backing UTCA’s case. Also the Punjab Cricket Association, as well as well as the Haryana Cricket Association, have district units functioning in Chandigarh and take part in all the activities of the state bodies and the UTCA has made no efforts to
co-opt the office-bearers of these two bodies in an effort to put up a combined plea to the BCCI. The biggest losers in the tussle for affiliation for the UTCA are the cricketers of Chandigarh. While Punjab does have a number of players from Chandigarh playing for the state not only in the Ranji Trophy but also in the various age group tournaments conducted by the BCCI, Haryana does not have a single player from Chandigarh playing either for the state team or in the various age group tournaments. |
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Philippoussis, Martin
to clash in q-final Adelaide January 3 Philippoussis (25) continued his impressive return from knee surgery with a comfortable 6-0, 6-3 victory over Dutch fifth seed Sjeng Schalken, the world No 26. Martin (31) who beat former world No 1 Pete Sampras in the first round, overcame France’s Michael Llodra 7-5, 6-4. Philippoussis, whose ranking has slipped outside the top 100, said he was 10 kg lighter than when he last played in Australia almost two years ago. The big-serving Australian hit 12 aces as he demolished Schalken. GOLD
COAST:
World No 3 Venus Williams faces a possible walkover in Friday’s Australian Women’s Hardcourt Champion-ships semifinals after a straight sets victory in Thursday’s quarterfinals. The American’s scheduled opponent, Russia’s world No 39 Nadia Petrova, overcame a shoulder injury to beat fifth-seeded Italian and world No 14 Silvia Farina-Elia 7-6 (7-4), 7-5 in their quarterfinal. Petrova battled on bravely after dropping the first three games of the second set and receiving court-side treatment on her injured right shoulder. Top seed Williams fired off nine aces as she beat Japan’s eighth seed Ai Sugiyama 6-2, 6-4. AUCKLAND:
Anna Kournikova stayed on track for her first career title after fighting back to beat Switzerland’s Emmanuelle Gagliardi 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 in the quarterfinals of the Auckland Classic. Gagliardi, ranked 69th in the world, came close to clinching the match in the second set with her aggressive approach but the battling Kournikova managed to win through by taking the last two sets. In other quarterfinal matches, Croatia’s Silvija Talaja beat Tatiana Poutchek of Belarus 6-4, 7-5, Israel’s Anna Smashnova demolished Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-2, 6-2 and fifth seed Russian Tatiana Panova upset third-seeded Anne Kremer of Luxembourg 7-6, 7-5.
Reuters |
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Hewitt falls to chickenpox Perth, January 3 Confirmation that Hewitt (20), who was partnering 20-year-old 47th-ranked Alicia Molik, had the illness came only hours after initial tests gave him the all-clear. Hewitt, who rocketed to the top spot in November when he won the Tennis Masters’ Cup in Sydney, is the top seed for the Australian Open in Melbourne. Hewitt helped Australia to a thrilling 2-1 win over Argentina yesterday despite having a fever.
AFP |
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Canas overcomes
Karlovic Chennai, January 3 There is already one awesome server from Croatia although past his prime, Goran Ivanisevic and there is going to be another if what Canas exhibited on the Centre Court at the Chennai ATP 2002 Race quarterfinal battle was any indication. The six-feet Ivo Karlovic, who bulldozed his way into round three outplaying former champion Byron Black, was up by a game against Canas in set one. But with sheer power of his serve, he drew level 4-4, breaking back, after being broken by Canas in game three. He was down 0-40 in the eighth game but caught up 30/40 and deuce and broke Canas with a fine forehand volley. He held serve again in game nine to be up 5-4. The heat was turned on Canas, who has entered the New Champions Race with an awesome reputation jumping from 130th place to 14th in 2001. He showed why he is the rising star. Canas held serve to level 5-5, broke Karlovic in game 11 to be up 6-5 and held serve to wrap up the set 7-5. That was champion stuff. In the second set, however, the six-feet Croat relying too much on his serve made too many unforced errors. Raising his game by a notch, despite not serving with aplomb, Canas survived a 0-1 deficit and broke Karlovic first for a 2-1 lead and twice more to lead 3-2 and 5-2. Karlovic’s nemesis was in game five in which he blew up a 30-0 lead to be broken. He played a superb backhand passing shot but that was not enough to raise his game above his rival’s. Spaniard Alex Calatrava scalped sixth seeded Dominic Hrbaty of Slovakia at 2-6 7-5 6-2 to make it to the quarter-finals late last night.
UNI |
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Unfancied Vasco
defeat Tollygunge Margao, January 3 The Goans went on offensive from the start and controlled the match with short passes from the middle and occasional long passes from the flank to keep the rival guessing. Vasco could have taken an early lead in the third minute when Agnelo Gomes’ shot off a pass from Rui Weis was well collected by a diving Tollygunge keeper Sandip Nandy. However, the visitors’ citadel fell in the seventh minute when Vasco’s Sanjay Parte passed the ball to Satish Minz who in turn relayed the ball to Rui Weis on the right. The latter took a 20-yard rasping left-footer that crushed the nylon rope. Vasco increased the lead in 28th minute. Satish Minz collected a long pass on the right, raced into the box and tried to square the ball to Rui Wies, which was intercepted by defender Bisvanath Mondal. The ball deflected and went back to Satish Minz whose powerful shot from the top of the box left keeper Nandy a mere spectator as the ball dashed against the net. After the change of ends, Satish could have increased the lead but he shot out from close. Vasco, who kept on the early pressure in the second half, could have won by a bigger margin had their strikers utilised the chances that came their way. Twice woodwork came to the rescue of Tollygunge when Peter Rodrigues’ shot hit the post. Keeper Amit Singha Roy who replaced Sandip Nandy in the second half also came to his team’s rescue twice when he denied Agnelo Colaco and Weis from scoring.
PTI |
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Punjab
face confident Goa Jodhpur, January 3 Both teams are well balanced with a blend of good defenders and speedy strikers. Though Punjab have the advantage of having played their first round matches and the quarterfinal league matches here, Goa are expected to nose ahead with their all-round strength. But the Goans are wary of Punjab’s power
game. Goan coach Norbert Gonsalvez, a former India and Salgaocar player, said “we were defensive in the quarterfinal league match against Manipur as we were content with second spot in the group. Also, we wanted Bengal to be our semifinal opponent because Punjab play power game with robust style.” However, the coach quickly brushed aside suggestions that the result of that match was pre-determined.
PTI |
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Harikrishna in
sole lead Hastings (UK), January 3 Harikrishna has 3.5 points and is followed by Kiriakov, GM’s K.
Sasikiran, Joe Gallagher (Switzerland) and Alexei Barsov of Uzbekistan who all have 3 points each. The fifth round action was not devoid of excitement and produced two decisive results amidst hard fought games. Sasikiran drew with GM Mark Hebden without much ado with the black pieces while Barsov was let off the hook by international master Pert Nicholas of England who messed up a winning position to draw after 65 moves. The day’s winners were Gallagher, who outplayed an off-form
IM Irina Krush of the USA and top seed GM Zhang Zhong of China, who scored his first victory in the tournament, against GM Peter Wells of England.
PTI |
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School
cricket tourney Ludhiana, January 3 Giving this information at a press conference here today, Mr P S Chhabra, Secretary General of the SGFI, said that though the formal inauguration will be tomorrow, the matches will start on January 5. The matches will be of 50 overs a side and played on league-cum knockout basis. Two top teams will qualify for the final, slated for January 13. An estimated budget of Rs 32 lakh has been sanctioned for this tournament. Initially Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Malaysia were also scheduled to take part in this tournament but owing to the present situation in this part of the world, these countries decided not to send their teams. The schedule: January 5- India vs Singapore; January 6- Bangladesh vs Nepal; January 7- India vs Nepal; January 8 - Bangladesh vs Singapore; January 9- Rest day; January 10- India vs Bangladesh; January 11- Nepal vs Singapore; January 12- rest day and January 13- Final. Mr R S Sandhu, secretary, Education, Punjab, will inaugurate the tournament on January 4 while Mr N K Arora, Principal Secretary, Punjab, will preside over the prize distribution function on January 13. |
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Hardeep
beats Sandeep Sangrur, January 3 The results: Light wt: Hardeep Singh (Sgr) b Sandeep (Mansa); Sunil (Pta) b Gurdeep Singh (Ldh), Ravinder (Sgr) b Anil (Fgs).
Fly wt: Ramanjit Singh (Sgr) b Gagandeep (Mansa); Arun (Hsp) b Harjit Singh (F’pore); Sarabjit (Sgr) b Lakhwinder (Pta); Saurav (Jal) b Sanchit (Fzr).
Bantam wt: Kailash Kumar (Bth) b Mahesh Kumar (Sgr); Pawan (Sgr) b Shamaher Singh (Kpr); Gurlal (Asr) b Vinod Kumar (FGS); Bir Davinder (STC) b Rajinder Kumar (Kpr).
Feather wt: Amandeep (Bth) b Tajinder Singh (Asr); Gurdeep Singh (Kpr) b Lakhbir Singh (Pta); Manjit Singh (Mkt) b Sikander Singh (FGS).
Light wt: Malkiat Singh (Sgr) b Jatinder Singh (Kpr), Swaranjit (MK) b Parminder Singh (FGS); Harminder Singh (Sgr) b Kartar Singh (Pta); Arun Kumar (Jal) b Chandan (Mansa).
Lt welter wt: Davinder Kumar (Mansa) b Rohit (Kpr); Harmit Singh (Sgr) b Gurdeep (Sgr).
Welter wt: Aman (Hsp) b Mahinder
(Mkt). |
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