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Wednesday,
May 1, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Pak aim to end drought Barbados safest venue for WI Expert comments Nagamootoo eyes one-day return |
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Sehwag, Yuvraj to attend NCA camp Pitch invaders face £ 1000 fines Capriati: from heroine to villain
3 seeds
crash out Bafana Bafana look to spring surprises Spain hope to exorcise ghost Olonga robbed
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Pak aim to end drought Lahore, April 30 Pakistan have lost to Australia, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and England in their last four series. Though they beat the West Indies 2-0 in a home series in February, the matches were played at the neutral venue of Sharjah because of security concerns. “The morale of the team is sky high,” Pakistan captain Waqar Younis told reporters. “But they are also wary of the fact that New Zealand are used to playing without front-line players and thus know they have to be on the top of their game.” New Zealand arrived in Pakistan without world-class all-rounder Chris Cairns, pace bowlers Shane Bond and Dion Nash and spinner Daniel Vettori. Their problems were compounded when several players went down with stomach problems before top batsman Nathan Astle flew home last week after suffering a right knee ligament injury. Vettori, a left-arm spinner with 130 wickets from 30 Tests, has at least returned to bolster the tourists. “He is a world class spinner,” Younis said. “His inclusion will boost their fire power and I don’t think the Tests will be runaway games for us like in the one-day series.” Pakistan won the just concluded one-dayers 3-0. New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming said his side took heart from the fact that one of New Zealand’s only two victories in Pakistan in seven visits came in Lahore in 1996-97. “It is a big motivation for us that we won at this venue last time,” he said. “But it is a setback losing key players on the tour and before it. Nevertheless, we are prepared as well as we can. “We have been here before and know what to do to compete with Pakistan, who are full strength and playing well. It is a good challenge for us and the younger boys who need to stamp their mark.” Fleming was concerned about the heat, though, with temperatures rising to 38°C and even hotter weather forecast. “We have to manage,” Fleming said. “But it is getting hotter and hotter as compared to the conditions during the one-day matches when the weather was pleasant. I believe the heat is going to be one of the factors in the outcome of the game.” Younis said even his team was not used to such conditions. “We have played in tough conditions but it’s very hot and is something we haven’t experienced before. But that’s part of the learning experience as nowadays cricket is being played round the calendar. “Naturally in these conditions, there is more injury risk but that’s part of the package.” Both captains delayed announcing their teams, but with the wicket expected to be flat and the conditions difficult, both are likely to bank on spinners. Pakistan are expected to leave out pacemen Wasim Akram and Mohammad Sami, who took a hat-trick on his last test here, and field spinners Saqlain Mushtaq and recalled Danish Kaneria, with openers Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik available to help out the specialist slow bowlers.
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Barbados safest venue for WI Barbados, April 30 Port of Spain had a history of producing results and it was confirmed yet again when India beat West Indies by 37 runs in the second Test to record their first win in the Caribbean in 26 years. But Barbados is probably the safest venue for the West Indies, the home team losing only thrice since the first Test played here in 1930. All touring sides have struggled here and India’s own record here is no better. They have escaped defeat just once in the seven matches they have played here. The last of those defeats was an agonising one. Needing just 120 for a win in the fourth innings, India were bundled out for 81. The only Indian team to come out unscathed from the Kensington Oval was the history-making Ajit Wadekar-led side on the 1971 tour when the cocktail of youth and experience, Sunil Gavaskar and Dilip Sardesai, scored a century each and beat back the unnerving home pacemen on a bouncy track. West Indies have won 19 of the 37 matches played here and two of their three defeats have come within a short span of time in the mid-90s when the decline in their standards was all too evident. They lost to England by 208 runs in the 1993-94 series when Alec Stewart hit centuries in both innings and Angus Fraser took eight wickets for 75 runs in the first innings. The very next season, Mark Taylor led Australia made a dent in the fortress with a thumping 10-wicket victory here. The only other victory for a foreign side came way back in 1934-35 when England had registered a four-wicket win. Barbados, only 21 square miles in dimension, has produced cricketers who at one time could take on the world. No less than four of its cricketers have been knighted, led by the three Ws — Frank Worrell, Cylde Walcott and Everton Weekes — and the incomparable Garfield Sobers. Its list of fast bowlers like Malcolm Marshall, Sylvester Clarke, Joel Garner, Charlie Griffith and West Hall, not to speak of the batsmen of the calibre of Desmond Haynes, Gordon Greenidge and Lawrence Rowe evokes a sense of awe and wonder. The conditions at the Kensington Oval have almost always been an ally for the liquid quick West Indian fast bowlers even though off-spinner Lance Gibbs once took eight for 38 and Pakistan’s Hanif Mohammed just about batted for a thousand minutes for his monumental 337.
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Expert comments EVEN though the hosts come to Barbados one down. I’m sure they are aware that they have a very good chance of levelling the series here. The conditions at the Bridgetown will suit the West Indians better than Port-of-Spain or Georgetown since the wicket will be harder and offer more pace and bounce. If the West Indian fast bowlers bowl well, they will definitely get purchase from this wicket. Having said that batsman also will enjoy batting on this wicket as the ball will come upto the bat quite nicely. The West Indians must try and get back to level pegging as soon as possible, and Barbados will probably be their best chance to do that. The Indians will be an upbeat lot with a fine victory at Trinidad. The memories of their last match in Barbados are, however, far from happy. Fortunately for them, not many players from that 80-all-out Test are still in the team, so that scars from that game will plague only a few from this team. However, I’m sure they have heard that this pitch is one of the fastest in the West Indies, and of the exploits of the West Indian fast bowlers over the years. As far as the team selection of the visitors is concerned, the victory notwithstanding, I still do not agree with the strategy of dropping Anil Kumble I would always play both Harbhajan and Kumble in the West Indies. I have heard the argument that Kumble has a very ordinary record away from home. But his overall record is extremely impressive and there is no arguing that he is a dangerous customer. Moreover, Harbhajan is a good bowler, but not a great one as yet. He does need the support of Kumble from all other end. In Trinidad the Indians did pull off a great win, and this may prompt them to keep the winning combination unchanged. But, if you ask me Kumble should play in the rest of the Tests. As far as the West Indians are concerned, the inclusion of Ridley Jacobs in place of Junior Murray was an expected change after the way the latter batted in the first two Tests. The selectors in the West Indies have been chopping and changing the team so often that it looks like they are playing musical chairs. I no longer look for logic or reason behind any of the changes because it would be futile. For example, they picked Murray because he scored four centuries in the Busta Cup. After he scored one run in three innings, they decided to replace him with the man they dropped in the first place — Jacobs. He had been dropped before the series because of lack of form, and has done nothing in the interim to suggest that he is in form. None of this makes any sense to me, and I’ve now reached the stage where I just ride with the tide. One worrying issue that has emerged in this series has been umpiring. It has been very, very ordinary. I have been counting since the start of the first Test and can cite 14 decisions that can at best be termed doubtful. Umpiring has never been a simple job, but some of the errors made here are so basic that anyone with a very rudimentary knowledge of the game can see them. Leg before decisions have been given when the ball has pitched well outside the leg stump and the decision at the end of the last Test concerning Chanderpaul can only be called ridiculous. I can understand the umpires in the middle who make split second decisions getting in wrong, but now on earth can the third umpire get a decision wrong after seeing so many replays and having so much time. Such a decision would suggest he should not be umpiring and should be doing something else instead. Plenty has been said about the Indian captain over the last week, and I too must say that Ganguly’s captaincy in the series so far has not been brilliant. He is not very much in control on field at times and is often guilty of chasing the ball. He also tends to be reactive rather than proactive. A good captain must always be ahead of the game and be in as much control of the situation as is possible. He should also be calm and relaxed so that the rest of the players will also relax. Ganguly tends to be hyperactive, and is often seen having problems with his bowlers. He is gesticulating and arguing with them and this sends all sorts of wrong signals to the team and those who are watching. Tactically too, Ganguly has often been wanting but then the same can be said the West Indian Captain, Carl Hooper, as well.
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Nagamootoo eyes one-day return Port of Spain, April 30 West Indies Cricket Board doctor Terry Ali said: “Nagamootoo should be able to resume training in three weeks’ time... He will be ready for the one-day series.’’ Nagamootoo was a front-seat passenger in a mini-bus which crashed while trying to avoid hitting a cow in Guyana on Friday. He was flown to Trinidad for hospital treatment to a bruised chest, whiplash and cuts to his tongue, right eye and right temple. Nagamootoo played in the first match of the five-Test series, currently being led 1-0 by India after two games. The first of five one-dayers takes place on May 25.
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Sehwag, Yuvraj to attend NCA camp Mumbai, April 30 The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sources here said that the four would attend the camp from May 5. The camp begins on May 1. Sehwag, who has been out of the Indian team after suffering a shoulder injury in the second Test against Zimbabwe in Delhi, is a near certainty to make the squad if he recovers fully from his injury. Meanwhile, the BCCI has reappointed Yashpal Sharma as the India ‘A’ coach for the tour of Sri Lanka beginning on May 9, while S. Haridas from Kerala will be the manager of the squad.
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Pitch invaders face £ 1000 fines London, April 30 ECB events manager Warren Deutrom told Reuters, police commanders at all venues would be instructed to enforce the Public Order Act providing for prosecution and fines. ‘’We want the police to act and the Crown prosecutor to prosecute,’’ he said. Two matches in last season’s triangular series between England, Australia and Pakistan ended in chaos after pitch invasions. Indian cricket authorities yesterday called for increased security for this year’s series between England, Sri Lanka and India. Deutrom said the decision to enforce existing legislation followed talks between the ECB, the government and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). He said a campaign called “Keep off the field” would be launched with posters warning would-be pitch invaders of the consequences of their actions. The same message would be delivered before matches on the public address system and the television replay screen. Longer-term measures will include a co-ordinated security policy for all venues and eliminating walkways or any other potential gathering points. Deutrom said Indian officials were already in England looking at security measures for this year’s four-Test series. England also play a three-test series against Sri Lanka. Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Niranjan Shah yesterday said the board was concerned because of last year’s crowd trouble and security threats to captain Saurav Ganguly and leading batsman Sachin Tendulkar. Last year Pakistani supporters interrupted the opening day-night match against England in Birmingham and caused a steward to be taken to hospital with rib injuries at Headingley. Australia captain Steve Waugh took his side off the field at Trent Bridge after a firecracker exploded near fast bowler Brett Lee. After the series final between Australia and Pakistan at the Lord’s, Australia batsman Michael Bevan was struck on the cheek by a full beer can thrown from the crowd during the presentation ceremony.
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Capriati: from heroine to villain London, April 30 Capriati, who led the Americans to the title in 2001, was dumped for planning a private coaching session with father and coach Stefano - a breach of team rules according to captain Billie Jean King. King’s ‘zero-tolerance’ approach to the Capriati misdemeanour meant the USA were forced to forfeit one singles match before they could replace their star player, and a shock loss for Monica Seles saw the hosts and 17-times champions teetering on the brink of defeat after a dramatic opening day. Austria’s Barbara Schwartz beat Capriati’s replacement Meghann Shaughnessy on Sunday to complete one of the biggest shocks in Federation Cup history and consign the USA to only their second ever opening-round defeat. Where this leaves Capriati is unclear, but it is hard to see how the Australian and French Open champion could return to the Federation Cup fold after such a public - and damaging — clash with her captain. “I don’t think, probably at least as long as I’m captain, that Jennifer would come back now,’’ King said after the humiliating defeat in Charlotte. “I don’t like to assume anything. I’m always very open to start over, but I’m also older and have more history behind me and understand that relationships are the most important in the world, not tennis matches.’’ Capriati, though, has been visibly stung by the sacking. Always a staunch supporter of Federation Cup, she has refused to talk to King since Friday’s shock move. “I offered to speak with her. She didn’t want to,’’ King said. Capriati did issue a statement through her agent Linda Dozoretz and her anguish was only too evident. “I am extremely upset... I am so disappointed by the actions the USTA has taken,’’ she said. “On my own time, following a team practice session, I decided I wanted some additional practice in advance of my first match. “Looking beyond the Federation Cup I am also preparing for some very important tournaments, including the defence of my title at the French Open. “I do not believe I did anything to hurt the team.’’ Although Capriati feels wronged, she will find little support from her erstwhile team mates. “I’d like to ask her, you know, why she didn’t want to follow the team rules and, you know, if it was worth it for her to trade that,’’ Shaughnessy said after her defeat. “The bottom line is that when we came here, there were a set of rules signed on for each player. It was Jennifer’s decision not to follow one of them. “That’s her decision, and that’s fine. But if she’s going to make that decision, she needs to know that there are consequences.’’ Monica Seles also backed the captain. “I just feel the right decision was made,’’ she said. ‘’I mean, it was just, I think — I have my coach here and I understood the rules. The rules were explained to me. I obliged. “We’re all here as a team and we need to focus on our tennis, not the distractions ... It’s just becoming too much. This week is just really difficult for all of us.’’ How Capriati deals with the consequences of her actions will unfurl over the coming weeks. Gregarious and friendly by nature, the stress of her sacking and the villain’s role in which she has now been cast could well end up doing more to damage her French Open chances than a missed training session with her father.
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3 seeds crash out New Delhi, April 30 Interestingly all the three seeds lost to either to a wild carder or to the qualifier. In an all-India affair, qualifier Sandep Kirtane accounted for compatriot Manoj Mahadevana in straight sets. Kirtane yielded no points to Mahadevan in the first set but the 5th seed fought back in the second but the effort came to late as Kirtane managed to win this set to claim the match 6-0,7-5. Wild carder Vishal Punna (India) stunned Hayato Furkawa in straight
sets. The young India conceded only four points to his seeded rivals before emeging easy 6-4,6-0 winner. Qualifier Roy Sichel of Isreal recorded a hard fought three set win over Russian Ivan Syrov. Sichel won the first set easily, conceding only three points but the 7th seed fought back in the second set to claim it in tie breaker to draw parity. However, Sichel outplayed the Russian in the crucial third seed to win the match 6-3,6-7(4).6-2. Top seed Mustafa Ghouse (India) had an easy march to the next round as his German rival Sebastian Niedermayer conceded the match due to injury after leading 5-4 in the first set. Second seed Tomer Suissa (Isreal) had to wage a grim battle to overpower qualifier Serguei Demekhine of Russia in three sets. Suissa lost the first set but staged a fine comeback rally to win the next two and move into the second
round. Suissa won 5-7, 7-6(3),6-4. Third seed Nitin Kirtane had an easy outing against Isreal’s Elad
Stern. The Pune-based Kirtane gave only four points to his rivals before wrapping up the match 6-2,6-2. Eliran
Dooyev, the fourth rankled Isreali, brushed aside qualifier Rohan Gajjar’s challange to make it to the next round. Doovey had a tough time in the first set which he won in tie-breaker but he blanked Rohan in the second to emerge 7-6(3),6-0 winner.
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Bafana Bafana look to spring surprises Johannesburg, April 30 “I cannot divulge my secret to achieve that goal, but a lot of people will be surprised. Underestimate Bafana Bafana (The Boys) at your own peril,” warned Sono, one of the greatest footballers produced by South Africa. The temptation to dismiss the 47-year-old known as the ‘Black Prince’ during a long and illustrious career is strong given that Bafana Bafana have won just once against European opposition, and that was away to minnows Malta. The 1996 African champions have never overcome South American rivals, although a second-string side gave a gritty display when holding Ecuador goal-less in Spain this month. It was easily the best result of a build-up that included a 0-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in Italy, a 4-1 hiding for a virtual full-strength team in Georgia and a 0-0 regional championship draw in Botswana. Still to come are Madagascar in the Indian Ocean city of Durban on May 12, matches against Scotland and Turkey in Hong Kong, and a warm-up with an undisclosed local club in the Japanese city of Ueno. That, at least, is the plan, because with Sono in charge, life is never short of surprises. When Bafana Bafana were paired with Madagascar in the Southern Africa championship, he demanded new opponents, a call that has so far fallen on deaf ears. The larger-than-life coach also came in for domestic media criticism when he skipped the Ecuador match, preferring to watch Paraguay crumble 0-4 to England in Liverpool. Not that criticism is ever going to concern a man who, on hearing that South African club side Orlando Pirates were trailing by two goals in a key match, dashed from his wedding reception to the ground and came on to inspire a famous victory. Although he has never won a trophy as coach of Jomo Cosmos, a Premier Soccer League club he also owns, Sono performed a mini-miracle in guiding Bafana Bafana to the 1998 African Nations Cup final. Put in charge less than two weeks before the tournament and permitted just one warm-up match, his team made a slow start before falling to a couple of early goals from Egypt. When Mozambique-born Carlos Queiroz was fired as coach after South Africa made an uninspiring quarterfinals exit against hosts Mali two months ago in the latest edition of the African event, Sono was a popular replacement. Many South Africans believe his in-your-face approach was desperately needed after the more laidback, professorial style of Queiroz had little impact on a team visibly short of passion. After initially hinting he would ring the changes for the World Cup, Sono seems set to rely heavily on the ‘old guard’, with long-absent defenders Mark Fish and Lucas Radebe poised for comebacks. Fish did not win favour with Queiroz while a succession of lengthy injuries appeared to have ruled Radebe out. However, a recent comeback with Leeds United reserves has raised the hopes of the former Bafana Bafana captain. Sono needs the experienced pair judging by the alarming leaks against Georgia while goalkeeper Hans Vonk is assured of his place and is also a candidate for the captaincy. If Fish and Radebe get the nod, they could be joined by fullbacks Cyril Nzama of Kaizer Chiefs and Jacob Lekgetho of Lokomotiv Moscow at the back in a 4-4-2 system. Sibusiso Zuma of FC Copenhagen and Delron Buckley of German second division side VLF Bochum are strong contenders for the wide berths in midfield while Sono may retain faith in perennial underachiever Quinton Fortune of Manchester United inside them. Who completes the midfield quartet is anyone’s guess. There has been mixed news for Sono in attack with Benn McCarthy of FC Porto showing a welcome return to form, but leading scorer Shaun Bartlett of Charlton Athletic is struggling to overcome an injury.
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Spain hope to exorcise ghost Madrid, April 30 In contrast to the country’s glorious history of achievements at club level, the national side has faired poorly, its best performance at a World Cup being fourth place back in 1950. The statistics tell Spain’s sorry story. In 10 appearances at World Cup finals, Spain have won only 16 of their 40 matches, and in World Cup and European Championship finals since 1978, when they have been ever-present, Spain have only won one of their 11 opening matches. Even Spain’s hosting of the 1982 World Cup, a success in most other respects, is usually recalled at home with mild embarrassment as the team only managed to reach the second round. However, many pundits believe that Spain, guided by former international defender Jose Antonio Camacho, will finally exorcise the ghost of the past. “Spain usually come to the World Cup with high hopes and then fail miserably. Outstanding players such as Raul should put an end to that,” recently commented Brazilian legend Pele. Raul Gonzalez’s success in finding the net is the key to Camacho’s squad faring better than any of his predecessors. “And it’s not such a strange idea that we could actually win the World Cup,” said the Real Madrid striker, who will still be only 24 at the start of the tournament but has already passed his half-century of international appearances and is on course to become Spain’s most prolific goal scorer ever during the course of the finals. He is likely to be accompanied up front by his team-mate Fernando Morientes, who scored twice in France ’98 but was then controversially left out of Spain’s Euro 2000 squad, or Deportivo La Coruna’s Diego Tristan. In recent internationals, Camacho has been toying with a 4-3-3 formation rather than the 4-4-2 tactics which helped Spain cruise undefeated through their qualifying group, and if he employs such methods against group B rivals Paraguay, Slovenia and South Africa, then he may opt to use Juan Carlos Valeron as the third man in the attacking ‘trident’, as it has been dubbed in Spain. Behind the strike force, Camacho has stayed loyal to Lazio’s Gaizka Mendieta, despite his plummeting form since his move to Italy last summer, after he was instrumental in Valencia reaching two successive European Champions League finals. If Camacho decides that Mendieta should be on the bench, as he has been for much of his time in Rome, or push him out to the right, then he has an able replacement in the shape of Valencia’s Ruben Baraja, whose end of-season performances have put him in the frame for a starting role. However, Spanish success will depend as much on what happens in their own penalty area. Valencia’s Santiago Canizares is a world-class goalkeeper but, in front of him, Real Madrid’s Fernando Hierro and Real Mallorca’s Miguel Angel Nadal are decidedly rusty and nowadays tend to turn with the speed of an oil tanker. The dearth of quality young Spanish central defenders has meant that Camacho has had to remain faithful with the pair, who both saw service at the last two World Cup finals. At least Camacho has speed in abundance down the flank. Barcelona’s Carles Puyol has overtaken Real Madrid’s Michel Salgado and Deportivo’s injured Manuel Pablo as the No 1 right wing back, while on the left Juanfran Garcia has started to look comfortable in the position. Nevertheless, nobody appears to be taking anything for granted anymore. “We must keep reminding ourselves that Spain have never achieved anything at the World Cup,” said Spain’s captain Hierro. “To change that we need to take things step-by-step and respect every rival, not start by talking about who we are likely to meet in the later stages.” Spain’s opening match against Slovenia in South Korea on June 2 will give a good indication of whether Hierro’s compatriots have taken his words to heart.
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Olonga robbed London, April 30 The 25-year-old fast bowler was dropping off his girl- friend after a visit to the cinema on April 4 when four men, one wielding a gun and another a knife, confronted them. The miscreants punched his girlfriend and threatened him with his life before driving him 25km out of town in a car which was also stolen that evening, according to a report in The Times. Olonga was later abandoned at the roadside with a cut below a shoulder blade requiring stitches. The thieves left their own car and fled in Olonga’s sponsored 4x4 Nissan, robbing the cricketer of his mobile phone, watch and wallet.
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