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Friday,
May 16, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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‘A shot in the arm for Windies team’ It won’t happen again, says McGrath WFI skips meet to avoid embarrassment Temporary accreditation for SAI lab likely Juventus move into final |
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Hewitt, Kuerten enter third round Lakhani falters Athletic squad selection Top stars for snooker meet Chandigarh move into semis Outright victory for Ludhiana Amandeep fashions
YPS win
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‘A shot in the arm for Windies team’ St John’s, Antigua, May 15 A young and inexperienced West Indies side made the highest-ever fourth innings winning total to beat Australia by three wickets in the final Test of a four-match series on Tuesday, avoiding an unprecedented home whitewash. “3-mendous’’ read the headline in the Barbados Daily Nation, which also ran a photograph of West Indies players kissing the pitch at the Antigua Recreation Ground after the home side achieved the 418 needed for victory. “Miracles do happen in test cricket,’’ the newspaper continued. “And lower order batsmen Omari Banks and Vasbert Drakes had the magic touch at the Antigua Recreation Ground yesterday morning as the West Indies created history.’’ Drakes made 27 and 20-year-old Banks, in only his second Test, a battling 47. Meanwhile the Jamaica Observer, which also quoted former West Indian players, described the victory as “fantastic, brilliant and amazing”. “(It was) one of the best matches I have ever witnessed,’’ said Courtney Walsh, the world record holder for Test wickets with 519. “With so many inexperienced players in the side, to inflict such a defeat on Australia is really a tremendous achievement.’’ he added. Jackie Hendricks, a West Indies wicketkeeper of the 1960s and president of the Jamaica Cricket Board, said the future of West Indies cricket looked bright. “It was a tremendous shot in the arm for the West Indies team and I expect this to boost their confidence,’’ he added. “Let’s hope they grow from strength to strength.” Chairman of selectors Viv Richards, one of the greatest of all West Indies Test batsmen, described the victory as a ‘’tremendous effort’’ in the Trinidad Express. “A lot came expecting to see a whitewash, I just think it was a tremendous effort to (avoid it and) achieve a record doing it,’’ said Richards. ‘’I think it is a team that can do well in the future.” The Antigua Sun focused on the jubilant scene at the ground after Drakes cut a four to backward point off costly leg-spinner Stuart MacGill for West Indies to reach the historic victory target. “Even at a distance...the screams of delight filtered the air as Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Vasbert Drakes continued to give the Australians hell on the pitch,’’ wrote Sandra Henry in the Antigua Sun. “It appeared like every man, woman and child who is West Indian found it extremely important to get down to the Rec grounds. “By the time I left the cricket grounds, the crowd had barely moved,’’ she added, before going on to describe the spectators who took part in an impromptu disco while music blared out from loudspeaker systems.
Reuters |
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It won’t happen again, says McGrath Sydney, May 15 The premier Australian fast bowler was widely condemned for his mid-pitch rant at Sarwan during the fourth Test in Antigua, won by the West Indies on Tuesday by three wickets to avoid a series whitewash. McGrath said he had overstepped the mark with his foul-mouthed tirade at Sarwan as the Windies were charging toward their record victory. The images of McGrath finger-pointing and screaming at Sarwan over something he apparently said prompted Australian Cricket Board chief executive James Sutherland to tell captain Steve Waugh to rein in his players’ emotions. “I’ve felt pretty terrible so I don’t want to feel way again,” McGrath told Australian Associated Press in the West Indies today. “It’s not something that just happens and then that’s finished. It’s something that I do go on thinking about. I have worried about it quite a bit over the last few days. “It has affected me. I feel like I am more quiet than I normally am. I would like to have a time machine and change the things I haven’t been happy with. “I just have to keep working at it. The way to do that is to not put myself in that situation. If you don’t work on something you might as well give the game away.” McGrath has been involved in several on-field incidents during his international cricket career, but he admits to being taken aback by the fall-out of the Sarwan incident. He said he was surprised by the amount of publicity the clash generated in Australia. McGrath, 33, said he was not making excuses for his behaviour after losing his temper with Sarwan. AAP reported that McGrath had made a lewd taunt to which Sarwan replied with a routine sledge suggesting McGrath ask his wife the answer. McGrath’s furious response may have been down to heightened sensitivity because his wife, Jane, recently began treatment for cancer. “He was batting very well to say the least. I could sit here and make plenty of excuses but it still doesn’t justify why it happened,” McGrath said. “I guess I just got a bit frustrated. “Playing for my country still means a lot to me, I play with a lot of passion, sometimes I try not to cross the line too often but occasionally, the other day I got quite frustrated. “It’s something that I have worked on quite a bit, especially since becoming a father. I am a little bit disappointed in myself that I did do it.” McGrath and Sarwan have apologised to each other and both teams were on good terms when they shared the same flight to Jamaica from Antigua yesterday to prepare for Saturday’s one-day series opener. The confrontations during the Antiguan Test, including a face-to-face clash between rival captains Steve Waugh and Brian Lara on the second day, raised questions about Australia’s ability to control its emotions in tight matches. McGrath admitted his outburst had not done Australia any good in the cricket world but he did not believe the world champions could be labelled sore losers.
AFP |
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WFI skips meet to avoid embarrassment New Delhi, May 15 “Some of our best lifters have tested positive and so we are afraid that despite our best efforts if some one tests positive it will be a big shame,” said an informed source in the Weightlifting Federation of India. In the National Junior Championships held in Chennai in January this year, 23 weightlifters including Commonwealth gold medallist Shailja Pujari, had tested positive. “Dogged by all these positive tests, we have not sent any entry,” the source said confirming that India deliberately missed the deadline for making an entry. The preliminary entry forms for the Mexico Championship were to be submitted before March 31 and date for the final entry passed on May 10. The World Juniors, results of which will go into the Athens Olympics qualification ranking lists, will be held from May 29 to June 7 at Hermosillo, Mexico. “The thinking in the federation is that we should first set the house in order before leaving the shores to compete abroad. “The executive committee meeting of the newly elected Weighlifting Federation of India will be held soon and will take stock of the situation,” the source added. The source also said that none of the Indian weightlifters, who returned with a bagful of medals, were dope tested at the recent Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in the Kingdom of Tonga. “None of our lifters were tested in Tonga. But before they left to compete every one was tested and then only cleared.”
PTI |
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Temporary accreditation for SAI lab likely Patiala, May 15 According to SAI sources, temporary accreditation will be accorded by the IOC and that too for the duration of the games slated to be held at Hyderabad in later this year. This temporary accreditation had become imperative as the IOC can grant permanent accreditation only after the laboratory completes a long drawn out procedure in which certain complex issues will have to be addressed by SAI. Once the games are over, the accreditation will automatically expire. Right now, the lab, which started testing way back in 1991, is in the process of seeking the ISO-17025 certification which is mandatory for IOC and World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) accreditation. Once the process of seeking the ISO certification is over, the laboratory will have to undergo WADA ‘Proficiency Testing Programme’ for a minimum period of one year, which is also is a pre-requisite for seeking permanent accreditation from the IOC. At present, the lab has no legal sanctity and dope tests conducted there, at the best, are a deterrent. Meanwhile, some senior athletic coaches attached with the senior national athletic camp being held at the NIS here, are of the firm view that it was high time that SAI lab was granted permanently accreditation. |
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Juventus move into final Turin, May 15 Goals by David Trezeguet, Alessandro del Piero and Czech star Pavel Nedved saw off Real, who scored through a late effort by Zinedine Zidane. However, had Real’s Portuguese international Luis Figo scored with a penalty midway through the second-half it would have been they who would have progressed to the final at Old Trafford on May 28 where they will meet AC Milan. The one downside for Juventus was the booking of Nedved, meaning he will miss the final - it was on this ground 13 years ago that England’s inspiration Paul Gascoigne was booked ruling him out of the World Cup semifinal against the then West Germany. Like Gazza, Nedved was virtually inconsolable at the final whistle, sobbing freely. Suspensions robbed Juventus coach Marcello Lippi of Mark Iuliano and Ciro Ferrara, so Uruguayan hardman Paolo Montero and Croat Igor Tudor were paired together at the heart of the defence. Spanish international forward Raul began his first match for Real since having an appendix operation early last month, while Ronaldo, still not 100 per cent fit after suffering a calf strain in the first leg, started on the bench. Real were the first to threaten when a trademark Roberto Carlos free-kick from 30 yards bent around the wall and swerved a yard wide of Gianluigi Buffon’s left-hand post. Juventus went straight down the other end and went equally close as Del Piero’s right-foot curler sailed narrowly over Iker Casillas’ crossbar. Three minutes later Trezeguet scored to send the home fans delirious. Nedved broke free on the right wing and delivered an inviting high ball into the box aimed for Del Piero. The 28-year-old Italy international outjumped his marker at the back post to nod the ball down for Trezeguet, who took advantage of Casillas’ hesitation to poke the ball home from six yards. Real responded well and should have drawn level in the 21st minute. Figo’s deflected shot fell nicely into the path of Guti, who like everyone else on the pitch thought he was offside. The linesman, however, kept his flag down as the ball had been deflected into his path by a Juventus leg, but the Real midfielder’s shot lacked conviction and Buffon saved comfortably. A touch of magic from Del Piero doubled Juventus’ advantage two minutes before half-time. Closely marked by Fernando Hierro and Michel Salgado, Del Piero worked the ball on to his right foot and rather than look for the curler into the far corner, he drove a low shot which beat Casillas at near post. Ronaldo was introduced shortly after the interval and won a penalty for the visitors in the 65th minute when Montero brought him crashing down in the box. But Figo’s spot-kick was poorly struck and Buffon palmed the ball away with ease to rescue the Italians.
AFP |
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Hewitt, Kuerten enter third round Hamburg, May 15 Rafael Nadal, a left-handed qualifier, stunned the former No. 1 in the world 7-5. 6-4. Nadal, 10 years younger than Moya and his protege, also comes from Mallorca. He used a big forehand and a steady serve to beat his role model. Hewitt began his clay-court season late on Tuesday and needed nearly 2 1/2 hours to overcome German wild card Markus Hantschk. Fighting back from a 0-5 deficit, Hewitt saved four set points in the opening set against Clement and then squandered one of his own, before the Frenchman won the tiebreaker. Hewitt romped to a 5-0 lead in the second, only to see Clement win the next four games. The Australian served out the set to even the score. Clement led 3-1 in the third, but Hewitt broke back to make it 3-3 and the Frenchman had two break points at 4-4. On the first, he hit a smash way long and high. On his second, however, he sent a clever crosscourt forehand winner and went up 5-4, with a chance to serve out the match. But Hewitt pounced on Clement’s serve from the start and broke back, letting out a huge yell and pumping his fists. Clement missed his first chance to send the match into a tiebreaker. With Hewitt on the ground after lounging for a passing shot, Clement hit a forehand long when all he had to do was to put the ball back into court. Hewitt, however, hit the net on the next point after chasing a drop volley. The Frenchman led 3-1 and 5-3 in the tiebreaker but it was Hewitt who had the first match point, and wasted it with a wide forehand. On his second, there was a long rally until Hewitt fired a deep forehand down the line. Clement got to it but sent it back long. Costa, the fifth-seeded Spaniard who will be defending his French Open title beginning May 26 in Paris, went out against Olivier Rochus of Belgium, who rallied for a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) victory. At 2-2 in the third set, Costa had his right ankle taped and appeared to be hobbling on several occasions. Costa lost to Nadal in Monte Carlo last month. Third-seeded defending champion Roger Federer beat Sargis Sargsian 6-1, 6-1 and Gustavo Kuerten rolled into the third round with a 7-5, 6-0 victory over Nikolay Davydenko. But fourth-seeded Andy Roddick was upset 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 by Augustin Calleri of Argentina. The 11th-seeded Brazilian, once the top-ranked player on clay, hasn’t won a title on the surface in 22 months. He is still uncertain of his game after undergoing a hip operation in February 2002. “I have to keep playing my game, to feel that my shots are getting there,” Kuerten said. “I have to raise my confidence and belief in my head.” A three-time French Open winner, Kuerten won the Hamburg tournament in 2000, one of his 13 titles on clay. Fernando Gonzalez, the No. 15 seed from Chile, routed last week’s Italian Open champion Felix Mantilla of Spain 6-2, 6-1. Tim Henman of Britain overcame 10th-seeded Sebastien Grosjean of France 6-0, 3-6, 6-2 in a match twice suspended by rain. Grosjean played through a left-thigh injury. No 8 David Nalbandian of Argentina, last year’s Wimbledon runner-up, beat Anthony Dupuis of France 5-7, 6-3, 6-3.
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Seles eliminated Rome, May 15 The 10th-seeded American pulled out of her second round match with Russia’s Dinara Petrova yesterday at the $1.3 million Italian Open. Seles lost the first set 3-6 and was down 1-4 in the second when she signalled on the changeover that she had had enough. “I tried, but I can’t run to the level I need to if I want to win a match,” she said. “There’s just no need to make it worse.” Seles missed several events earlier this year due to the injury in her left foot. Seles, as most players who come to Foro Italico, was using the Italian tournament as a clay-court
tune-up for the French Open, which begins May 26 in Paris. AP |
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Lakhani falters New Delhi, May 15 In a quarter-final match, Lakhani put a valiant fight before bowing down to sixth-seeded teen sensation Ankita
Bhambri. In a match that went for two hours Bhambri triumphed 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Archana Venkataraman continued her great run to demolish Korean teenager Jung Yoon Shin 6-0, 6-2. In another one-sided encounter fifth seed Shruti Dhawan blew off wild carder Madura Ranganathan 6-0, 6-0 in no time delivering a loud warning to
Bhambri. She will take on Bhambri in semi-final. In another straight set demolition, third seed Liza Periera outwitted Kamini Murugaboopathy 7-6, 7-5 to book a semis clash with the top-seeded
Venkatraman. UNI |
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Athletic squad selection New Delhi, May 15 After announcing the postponement the first national circuit meet, slated for Sunday here, Amateur Athletic Federation of India (AAFI) secretary Lalit Bhanot today said “the team for the Grand Prix on May 28 will be picked in another five to seven days based on the performance in the camp and last year’s rankings till December 24.” “At present 40 athletes are in the camp,” Bhanot said.
PTI |
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Top stars for snooker meet Chandigarh, May 15 According to Alok Kumar, India’s top snooker and billiards star and the main force behind the tournament, ‘‘the basic objective of holding this event is to generate enthusiasm and interest in snooker and pool among the youth, especially in this part of the country. It will also inspire the young and upcoming players from Punjab and give them an opportunity to study the style and techniques of these world class players and further improve their own game. India’s top stars are participating in the tournament. The include Geet Sethi (seven times world billiards champion); Ashok Shandliya (world billiards champions); Devendra Joshi (Asian billiards champion); Yasin Merchant (Asian Games
medallist and former Asian snooker champion); Pankaj Advani (young sensation and national champion); and Rafat Habib (Asian Games gold medallist). Sixteen players from Punjab and Chandigarh will also take part in the tournament and they include local heroes like Ashish Dhanda, Joy Mehra, Sanjeev Bhalla, Sandeep Duggal, Deepak Goyal and Manish Srivastva. The tournament will be played on a knockout basis. The tournament will be inaugurated on May 24 by Ms Gurkanwal Kaur, MLA of Jalandhar cantonment. Mr C. Kapoor, secretary of the Billiards and Snooker Federation of India, will be the tournament director. |
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Chandigarh move into semis Patiala, May 15 Chandigarh collected 5 points from the drawn contest while the host’s could garner only three. Resuming from their overnight score of 40 for one, the Chandigarh batsmen went on rampage and ended the day scoring 243 for 5. The star turn was performed by middle order batsman Gurkirit Singh who scored an impressive 71. He was ably assisted by Rajan Gaud who scored a sedate 59 while opener Vijay Kumar, who scored a half century in his teams first essay, scored 25. The hosts were outplayed in all departments of the game and their performance in this match has left much to be desired. On the contrary, the Chandigarh youngsters put up a commanding performance on all three days of the match. For the hosts, the match proved to be a mismatch, and they virtually lost grip on the proceedings on the first day itself when they allowed the visitors to score 284 in their stipulated 90 overs. On the last day today, the Patiala youngster’s had nothing to play for but they surely had a chance to redeem some pride, which they badly failed to. Scores: Chandigarh (1st innings):
284 Patiala (1st innings): 175 all out Chandigarh (2nd innings):
243 for 5 ( Gurkirit Singh 71, Rajan Gaud 59, Vijay 25, Prikshit Virdi 1 for 43, Sarabjit Singh 1 for 59) |
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Outright victory for Ludhiana Ludhiana, May 15 On the third and final day of the match today,
requiring 352 runs for a win, Minor Districts began their second innings with 69 for 1 on the board. They were sailing smoothly and posted 196 for 4 at lunch with two fruitful partnerships. First, Sumit (55) and Ajay (74) shared a valuable
partnership of 93 runs for the second wicket followed by a 64-run between Ajay and Harvinder (19) for third wicket. Then, Ludhiana’s Yogesh came into his true colours to upset the visitors’ calculations. He grabbed four wickets to take his match tally to nine. From the other end, Rattan Bricher bowled a consistent line and length to capture four wickets. Minor Districts’ reply ended at 236 in 69.1 overs. Brief scores: Ludhiana (Ist
innings): 267 all out Minor Districts (Ist innings): 123 all out Ludhiana (IInd
innings): 207 for 3 declared Minor Districts (IInd innings): 236 all out ( Prashant 15, Sumit 55, Ajay 74, Harvinder 19, Deepak Gatta 23 n.o, Rahul 12, Rattan Bricher 4 for 41, Yogesh Kumar 4 for 73 and Sakun Verma 2 for 29). |
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Amandeep fashions YPS win Patiala, May 15 The YPS were off to a bad start as they lost opener Rahul Bansal cheaply. However, Amandeep Singh, who scored 49 in the previous match against NICS XI, began to build the innings. He combined well with Raj Kanwar and the duo added 63 runs for the second wicket. Amandeep’s 63 contained nine hits to the fence and, like in the previous match, he was responsible for his team notching up a comfortable total of 156 for 3 in the stipulated 20 overs. In reply, MES lost six wickets with just 35 runs on the board. Amandeep Singh marshalled his limited bowling resources beautifully and juggled his bowlers regularly in an attempt to unnerve the batsmen. For the losers, only Sidharth played with some determination and scored 17. Brief scores:
YPS: 156 for 3 in 20 overs (Amandeep Singh 63, Raj Kanwar 44, Robin 23, Shubam Gupta 1 for 16, Sidharth 1 for 26, Abhijit 1 for 22);
MES Cricket Club: 69 for 9 in 20 overs
(Sidharth 17, Parminder 10, Ashish 2 for 17, Vikram 2 for 8, Ranbir 1 for 10, Gaurav 1 for 10). |
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Turin, May 15
