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Thursday,
July 4, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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India face stiff challenge Mauresmo upsets Capriati
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Pak’s Ehsan Mani to head ICC
Korea reclaim top spot in Asia PBA in search of tall boys, girls TRIBUNE IMPACT Aplesh, Ram Pal set new meet records
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India face stiff challenge
Chester-le-Street, July 3 The Indians are obviously very high on confidence after victories against England and Sri Lanka in their first two matches. Both the wins came while chasing targets, something which has traditionally been a problematic area for them, and under pressure scenarios. But England sent a warning signal to them with a stunning three-wicket win against Sri Lanka at Leeds yesterday. England scored at more than 7.5 runs an over to pull off one of the best run chases of all times in a rain-shortened match and that would definitely have infused truck loads of confidence in the side. England have also been strengthened by the return of their most successful one-day bowler, Darren Gough, who had missed his team’s first two matches due to injury. Gough picked up three wickets in yesterday’s match and his performance would be vital for England tomorrow. However, unnerved by the task ahead, India were in buoyant mood yesterday and celebrated an early birthday party for Ajit Agarkar and Harbhajan Singh. Agarkar and Harbhajan Singh may have been born on the same day, July 3, 1980 but they must be going through entirely different emotions yesterday. While Agarkar is virtually assured of his place in the side for tomorrow’s match, Harbhajan Singh realises that he might have to sit out once again as India look set to retain their winning combination. The wily off-spinner played in India’s first game against England at Lord’s and went wicketless for 50 runs from his 10 overs. He was replaced by left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra in the second match as India went in with three medium pacers to exploit England’s seamer-friendly conditions. The three medium pacers, Zaheer Khan being the third, did extremely well at The Oval and it is unlikely India would disturb the three-pronged pace attack. Although Anil Kumble, went wicketless in the two matches, according to all available indications the leg-spinner will play in tomorrow’s game ahead of Harbhajan Singh. However, the most refreshing thing to come out of the two matches has been the ability of the Indian batsmen to hold their nerves in pressure situations and anchor their side to victory. In both these chases, Yuvraj Singh played a pivotal role, winning the man of the match award in the first game at Lord’s. In fact, Yuvraj Singh has captured the imagination of the English fans and media with his fine performances. Dinesh Mongia, Mohammad Kaif and Virender Sehwag have also made important contributions to India’s victories, both with the bat and in the field, not to speak of the experienced trio of Saurav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, all of whom have had at least one decent knock each. Dravid has also helped the team’s cause tremendously with his sterling performance in the dual role of a wicketkeeper- batsman. He has so far effected five dismissals, some of which would have done genuine ‘keepers proud, and Ganguly just could not help gushing over his new discovery. More than anything else, the victories in the two matches have given the side a belief in themselves and that belief would be put to test against England tomorrow. The hosts, on their part, would be believing that their defeat to India at Lord’s was just an aberration and looking to continue their winning run in the season. The team performed like a cohesive unit yesterday and, for once, the batsmen did not squander the advantage gained in the initial and middle overs. The most remarkable thing about this English side has been its fielding, with Nasser Hussain leading by example, and it has been in ample evidence in this tournament. Durham is hosting its first day-night match tomorrow, keen to justify its promotion to international ranks alongside England’s more famous venues. Teams (from): India: Saurav Ganguly (captain), Virender Sehwag, Dinesh Mongia, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, VVS Laxman, Ajay Ratra, Ajit Agarkar, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Tinu Yohannan. England: Nasser Hussain (captain), Marcus Trescothick, Nick Knight, Graham Thorpe, Andrew Flintoff, Paul Collingwood, Alec Stewart, Ronnie Irani, Darren Gough, Matthew Hoggard, Ashley Giles, James Kirtley, Jeremy Snape, Alex Tudor, Michael Vaughan. Umpires: Dave Orchard (South Africa) and David Shepherd (England). PTI
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Mauresmo upsets Capriati London, July 3 After being delayed by over five hours by persistent rainfall, Mauresmo wasted little time as she charged towards her first semfinal at the All-England Club. Suffering from a sore shoulder, Capriati received treatment midway through the second set but by then the damage had already been done as Mauresmo was 4-1 up. The
ninth seeded Frenchwoman, who had won only one of her four previous
meetings with the American, dictated play from the baseline and
relentlessly attacked the faltering Capriati serve to clinch a place
in the last four.
Mauresmo will face either second seed Serena Williams or Daniela Hantuchova for a place in the final.
On-again, off-again rain played havoc with the schedule, at forcing a lengthy delay to the start of the day’s programme and three stoppages in play. With play resuming again in late afternoon, Amelie Mauresmo of France won her opening set with Jennifer Capriati 6-3 on centre court. Mauresmo led Capriati 5-2 when rain stopped play in their opening set after they started nearly three hours late. Serena Williams led 1-0 in her quarterfinal with Daniela Hantuchova following their first rain delay on court one. The Capriati-Mauresmo match looked set to begin about 90 minutes after the scheduled midday start (4.30 IST). But minutes after the green tarp was taken off, a light drizzle returned and the court was covered. Also scheduled today the resumption of a fourth-round match between Mark Philippoussis and Richard Krajicek, tied at two sets apiece; top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt’s quarterfinal against Sjeng Schalken, and British hope Tim Henman’s quarterfinal against Andre Sa of Brazil. But the late start meant that some of those matches were unlikely to be played today. Minutes before the scheduled start of play, Christopher Gorringe, chief executive of the All-England Club, tried to be uplifting during a public address announcement. “We have some room for optimism,” he said. “Most of the light rain and drizzle is expected to gradually ease over the next hour or so - before more rain comes in later.” The crowds could only chuckle, but by late afternoon, it was no laughing matter.
AP
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Kiwis force draw, win series
St George’s, July 3 The Kiwis held out for a draw in the second and final Test to win the two-match series 1-0 yesterday, thanks to rain and a match-saving 99 run partnership between Test debutant Scott Styris and wicket-keeper Robbie Hart. New Zealand were 256 for five in their second innings when rain brought play to a close on the fifth and final day to seal the series win on the back of their equally historic 204 run triumph in the first Test in Barbados last week. Styris followed up his first innings century with a crucial innings of 69 not out, coming in when New Zealand had thrown away three wickets in the first hour of play yesterday. The players were on and off the field several times as the hosts tried
desperately to get the last five Kiwi wickets and have a go at winning the match and levelling the series. The final day was frustrating for West Indian captain Carl Hooper, whose spinners snatched New Zealand’s top five wickets on Monday evening and yesterday morning, when all hope seemed lost. West Indies replied to New Zealand’s first innings total of 373 - mainly thanks to Styris’s 107 - with 470, opener Chris Gayle scoring a mammoth 204. Hooper, under fire for electing to field on what has turned out to be a low and slow wicket even by Caribbean standards, had been hoping for a first innings lead of at least 150 but had to settle for 97. Scoreboard New Zealand (1st innings): 373 West Indies 1st innings:
470 New Zealand (2nd innings): Richardson c Jacobs
Vincent b Sarwan 54 Fleming c Lara b Hooper 5 Harris c Sarwan
Astle c Hinds b Hooper 0 Styris not out 69 Hart not out 28 Extras: (nb-5 lb-7) 12 Total: (5 wkts, 131 overs) 256 FoW: 1-117, 2-132, 3-148, 4-148, 5-157. Bowling: Cuffy 10-3-20-0, Collins 17-7-28-0, Sanford 14-3-27-0, Nagamootoo 42-16-75-2, Hooper 34-10-66-2, Gayle 6-2-7-0, Sarwan 6-0-26-1, Chanderpaul 2-2-0-0.
AFP |
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Pak’s Ehsan Mani to head ICC
London, July 3 Mr Mani, who represented Pakistan at the ICC since 1989, was formally installed as Vice-President of the ICC at its annual conference here last week, paving the way for him to succeed Mr Malcolm Gray in 12 months time. He will have a two-year term in office. “I was honoured on behalf of Pakistan cricket to be nominated for this prestigious position and delighted to be formally installed as Malcolm Gray’s successor at last week’s annual conference. “I already enjoy a close working relationship with Mr Malcolm, fellow Directors and Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed and look forward to the next 12 months and the build up to my own term in office,” Mr Mani said last night. Mr Mani, a chartered accountant by profession, became a director of the ICC in 1996 when he took the chair of the ICC finance and marketing committee, a position he held until last week, when the committee was dissolved. Mr Mani has served on a number of the ICC committees, including the chairman’s advisory committee, set up to advise Lord Cowdrey and Sir Clyde Walcott during their tenures. He also worked on the rules review committee and the governance and organisation committee. His paper on the sharing of World Cup revenues between the host and member countries had a major impact on the financial arrangements of the ICC and its members. Mr Mani was also a member of the organising committee for the 1996 ICC World Cup in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and has served on the Asian Cricket Council. He is on the board of a number of UK companies, which include banking and real estate. PTI
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Warm homecoming
for champions
Brasilia, July 3 Showing Brazil’s ability to burst into spontaneous revelry, the scene at the presidential palace in Brasilia rivaled the nation’s yearly Carnival festivities as Brazilians rejoiced yesterday their country’s unprecedented fifth World Cup soccer championship last Sunday in Japan. In front of the palace — where President Fernando Henrique Cardoso embraced the players and gave each of them the National Order of Merit — about 200,000 people thronged the large square after waiting hours under the blistering sun to see their heroes. A further 300,000 people lined the capital’s avenues,
hanging out of trees or bouncing on the back of pickups as the team’s
open trucks crawled from the airport to the palace.
Earlier, as the team’s chartered plane arrived from Japan, four
fighter jets escorted the Boeing into Brasilia’s clear, blue skies,
and then looped about painting “Penta” — Portuguese for “fifth”
— with smoke trails. “This is an incredible party,’’ said
Simone Cristina dos Santos Leite, the mother of player Kaka, as she
waited at the palace for her son to arrive. Doris Xavier, 37, jumped up and down on her car, stuck in traffic
as Brasilia came to a standstill for hours. “It’s like your child
coming home,” she shrieked. Most public workers were given the day
off. The team had been blasted in the national Press before the championship tournament and virtually written off after struggling to qualify. Instead, it returned to the jubilant South American nation as World Cup champions after defeating Germany 2-0 in the final in Yokohama, Japan. Brazil previously won the World Cup in 1958, 1962, 1970 and 1994. “The
players responded and the people gave their response today,’’
coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said yesterday, known as “Big Phil.” During
the team’s slow drive to the palace, captain Cafu, Scolari and star
striker Ronaldo, who scored both goals in Brazil’s victory on
Sunday, took turns raising the World Cup trophy. Another player,
Ronaldinho Gaucho, endlessly beat out Afro-Brazilian rhythms on drums. The
party was set to be repeated later in Brazil’s famous beach city,
Rio de Janeiro, and industrial Sao Paulo. The passion for soccer is a unifying force in this multicultural country, allowing its 170 million people to forget crime, gaping inequalities and poverty for a day. “There
is a union of happiness from this extraordinary victory,’’ said
Sen. Eduardo Suplicy, one of the leaders of the opposition Workers
Party, as he waited outside the palace to see the team. “They give
an example to the whole country, the feeling of being Brazilian is
increased.’’ In the presidential palace, public servants filled
the wide gallery above the ramp usually reserved for visiting foreign
dignitaries as the players arrived. Under Cardoso’s office, a samba
band banged its drums as the players danced and somersaulted on a
podium. “I dreamt that I asked for the signatures of the players,’’
said Ethyenne, 12, who had been allowed into the palace after feeling
ill. “The reality was better than my dream.’’
Reuters |
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Korea reclaim top spot in Asia Seoul, July 3 The feat of becoming the first Asian team to reach the World Cup semifinals catapulted South Korea from 40th to 22nd in the latest rankings of the international governing body. They were two places ahead of World Cup co-hosts Japan who rose from 32nd to 24th position. South Korea were for many years ahead of Japan. But Asia’s other finalists did not fare so well. Saudi Arabia dropped four to 38th and China fell one to 51st. Both teams failed to get past the first stage. As Dutchman Hiddink and the South Korean players received more accolades, the coach said he would go to the Netherlands next week to complete negotiations with PSV Eindhoven about becoming their manager again. Hiddink said he wanted young members of South Korea’s squad to experience top international leagues before the 2004 Olympics in Greece and 2006 World Cup in Germany. “I want to help younger players who will be key members of the squad for 2004 and 2006 to get experience in European leagues,” Hiddink told reporters. The 54-year-old coach, who has become a national hero mobbed in the streets by teenagers, paid tribute to the spirit of the players he trained for just 18 months before the World Cup started last month. “Sometimes I was moved by their performances and the things they did even in training. The way they gave themselves for their team amazed me. “And that is why I don’t want to walk away and say ‘goodbye, we will never meet again’.” Hiddink said Eindhoven, where he has already been coach once, had agreed to release him occasionally to help South Korea. The coach and players were given a tickertape parade yesterday which drew hundreds of thousands of fans onto the streets of Seoul.
AFP
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Zico may be Japan coach
Tokyo, July 3 “The technical committee has been examining several candidates. It is natural that the committee has been negotiating with the person which was mentioned,” Japan Football Association president Shunichiro Okano told reporters when asked about Zico, one of the rumoured candidates. “The committee has sent information of the candidates to me and (vice-president Saburo) Kawabuchi, but it will be decided when we sign the contract and its decision needs approval of the board of directors,” he added.
AFP
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PBA in search of tall boys, girls Chandigarh, July 3 The association has been successful in locating at least six boys who stand more than six feet in their socks and are still below 16 years of age. The concept of looking for tall boys with basic ball sense came probably from the young Canadian team that visited Punjab some months ago. The minimum height of any member of the
visiting team was 6 ft plus. “We have so many tall youngsters, both in Malwa and Majha belts. It is easier to train and groom them into good cagers,” says Mr Rajdeep Singh Gill, president, Punjab Basketball Association. “This is phase II of our programme. In the first phase we took the competitive basketball to rural and remote areas. We organised basketball matches during Shahidi Jor Mela (Fatehgarh Sahib), during Hola Mohalla (Anandpur Sahib), during Maghi (Muktsar) and also during Baisakhi (Talwandi Sabo) celebrations besides organising regular tournaments in Kot Kapura and other places. This had the desired impact and basketball has become a major sport in these areas”. “In response to our first call, we got a good response and we selected six boys for the initial training camp which is being conducted under the supervision of Mr Teja Singh Dhaliwal and Mr B.S. Brar, secretary and joint secretary of the Association,” said Mr Gill. Three other boys, who were also two-metre plus were not selected because their movements and other skills were not up to the mark. Mr Teja Singh Dhaliwal said boys selected for the camp were Yadavinder Singh (15 years, 6’-5”), Jagdeep Singh (15 years, 6’-6”), Sukhdeep Singh (15 years, 6’-4.5”) and Rajan Mehra (16 years, 6’-2.5”) and Sweelpal Singh (15 years, 6’-5”). He said the selection was done scientifically. The selection procedure was designed by Dr S. Subramani, a former national chief coach and Director, NIS (retired). After getting good response to the boys camp, the PBA has now decided to undertake a similar exercise in the girls section by looking for those born on or after January 1, 1986, and are a minimum 5’-7” tall. “Without tall players, you have no place or survival in modern-day basketball. We are trying to get as much input as possible from our friends both in the USA and Canada to make training and coaching as scientific and as modern as possible. We want to make sure of our place at the top on the national basketball scene,” Mr Dhaliwal added. He said the venue of training of all such tall players would be the country’s first indoor basketball stadium at Guru Nanak Dev Sports Complex in Ludhiana. |
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TRIBUNE IMPACT Chandigarh, July 3 Responding to a news item which appeared in the June 25 issue of The Tribune under Trends and Pointers, Mr S.C. Chaudhary has sent a cheque of US $ 100 to Mr Hari Jaisingh, Editor, The Tribune, for onward transmission to Mrs Topo. “How ungrateful and thankless a nation we are ? How forgetful and irresponsible one can be ? How can we be so negligent and naive about our moral obligations to those who brought us proud moments in our lives. “Widow of Noel Topo does not deserve to live in poverty. She does not need our pity and help. It is our appreciation and we owe Noel Topo and his family, our gratitude and our thankfulness. Let us be realistic and do now what we should have done a long time ago. Let us restore their pride and dignity. This is the only way to respond to this heart breaking and awful situation,” wrote Mr Chaudhary. The Tribune is forwarding his cheque to Mrs Biswasi Toppo through the District Magistrate concerned. |
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Aplesh,
Ram Pal set new meet records Chandigarh, July 3 Another record was set up by Ram Pal of Gurgaon in the 2000m. He clocked 6:00.83, erasing his own record of 6:02.35. In the opening event, 800m in under-16 girls, Kumari Renu Joon of Jhajjar clocked 2:34:61, to win gold. Mr M.S. Malik, Director-General of Police Haryana, and President, Wrestling Federation of India, declared the meet open. The results: 800m (girls U-16): Renu Joon (Jhajjar) 1, Sunita (Hisar) 2, Manju (Sonepat) 3. 100m (boys U-16): Bhupender (Panipat) 1, Pawan Kumar (Gurgaon) 2, Navin Sonepat 3. 600m (boys U-14): Manjit (Kaithal) 1, Alok (M.N.S.S. Rai) Pardeep (Jhajjar) 3; 100m (boys U-14): Abhishek (Jind) 1, Bhupinder (Kurukshetra) 2, Abhishek (Rai) 3; Shotput (boys U-14): Naveen Kumar (Rohtak) 1, Rahul (Bhiwani) 2, Amarinder Jeet (Sirsa) 3, 2000m (boys U-16): Rampal (Gurgaon) 1, Pawan Kumar (Bhiwani) 2, Amit (Jind) 3; 100m (girls U-16): Annu (Sonepat) 1, Mukesh Kumari (Jhajjar) 2, Poonam (Hisar) 3, shotput (girls U-16): Aplesh (Hisar) 1, Priyanka (Sirsa) 2, Indu Bala (Bhiwani) 3; 100m (girls U-14): Jagriti (Bhiwani) 1, Punita (Sonepat) 2, Rekha (Bhiwani) 3; long jump, (boys U-14): Vijay (M.N.S.S. Rai) 1, Sunita (Nidani) 2, Sunil (Kaithal) 3; long jump (girls U-16): Poonam (Jhajjar) 1, Annu (Sonepat) 2, Sunitra (Sirsa) 3; long jump (girls U-14): Punita (Sonepat) 1, Parveen (Rohtak) 2, Kirandeep (Sirsa) 3; long jump (boys U-16) 2: Sunil (Bhiwani) 1, Parveen (Panchkula) 2, Vipin Sharma (Bhiwani) 3, shotput (girls U-14): Rinku Rani (Bhiwani) 1, Minakshi (Jhajjar) 2, Sangeeta (Rohtak) 3. |
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