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Monday,
September 29, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Jugraj, you asked for it, they got it
Punjab Police, PSB in final |
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Chopra, Yuvraj stake claim
for Test spots Syed Kirmani to head selection committee ONGC retain Atray cricket trophy Paul Tergat shatters world record in marathon
Sunita wins gold
No shift of
venue for Afro-Asian Games
Varun, Sukhman win in
badminton
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Jugraj, you asked for it, they got it Chandigarh, September 28 Coaches Rajinder Singh and Baldev Singh and their boys deserve all appreciation not because they have assured themselves of a berth in the 2006 World Cup hockey tournament in Germany but for giving their injured comrade Jugraj every reason to recover fast and be back on his feet. Gagan Ajit Singh, whom Jugraj has given his headband, upheld the confidence the latter had placed in him, by accounting for one of the four goals India scored in a classy encounter at Kuala Lumpur today. It was the 105th encounter between two neighbours, arch-rivals and giants of world hockey giving India its 34th win against Pakistan. Last time India defeated Pakistan in a title match was in Chennai during the SAF Games. Only 19 encounters between the two nations have ended in draws. India not only avenged the defeat in the earlier pool match but also re-established their continental supremacy defeating both South Korea and Pakistan by an identical 4-2 margin. Last month, India had recorded their biggest-ever win 7-2 against Pakistan but had lost the subsequent bronze medal play-off match 3-4 in the Amsterdam Champions Trophy. Not many critics could predict that India would climax in the final and smudge away gritty Pakistan with two goals in the last two minutes to record a thrilling win. In the absence of dependable Jugraj, the strategy of the coaches to use lanky Kanwalpreet for penalty corners paid dividend and he justified the confidence placed in him by scoring the first goal for the country. Gagan Ajit, Ignace Tirkey and Prabhjot Singh, other scorers for India, had a good tournament throughout. A redeeming feature of India's recent spate of triumphs in international hockey has been their ability to score field goals in the closing minutes of crucial games. The league match against Pakistan in the last Champions Trophy and the semifinal against South Korea are the matches in which India scored more than once each time to emerge victorious. The win also brings to an end the continuous dominance of South Korea on the Asian hockey scene. The Koreans not only monopolised Asian Games but also the Asia Cup. After Pakistan had triumphed in the first three editions of Asia Cup in Karachi (1982), Dhaka (1985) and New Delhi (1989), South Korea took over and won the next two editions at Hiroshima (1994) and Kuala Lumpur (1999). India's track record in Asia Cup has been four silver medals (first four editions) and a bronze in the last edition. The win saves India from playing the World Cup qualifying tournament though they still have to join Pakistan in playing the Olympic qualifying tournament in Madrid in Spain in March-April next year.
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Jugraj flown to Delhi Ludhiana, September 28 The 12-seater Dauphin T2 helicopter of the Sahara Group sent by its CEO, Mr Suboroto Roy, as a goodwill gesture, landed at the Punjab Agricultural University ground today at 11.55 am. The three-member crew included Capt. Vinod Kumar Jaggi, Capt. Chiman Lal Bhasin and an engineer Mr Alvi. The seating arrangements in the helicopter was altered in order to adjust Jugraj’s stretcher so that he would have a comfortable journey. Mr Pradeep Roy, Manager with the Sahara Group at Kolkata who was here for the last two days to make arrangements for the player’s journey to Delhi, also went with Jugraj while Jugraj’s father, Mr Harjinder Singh, and uncle Mr Rachhpal Singh travelled by road. The patient was already there, brought by the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital
ambulance. He was accompanied by his family members and a team of doctors from the DMCH- Dr J L Bassi, Dr Atul Mishra, Dr P L Gautam and Dr Ajay Pal Singh from local civil hospital. The helicopter took off at 12.10 pm. Penalty corner specialist Jugraj Singh was admitted here at the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital on the intervening night of September 2 and 3 following a serious car accident. He sustained multiple fractures in the accident while saving a cycle rickshaw on the outskirts of Jalandhar city on September 2. The player suffered fracture of the upper third of femur, commuted fracture of right elbow and of symphysis pubis. He was successfully operated upon by the team of surgeons led by Dr J L Bassi, Professor and Head of Orthopaedics, DMCH. Before being discharging from the DMCH today in the morning, Jugaraj Singh told this correspondent that he was overwhelmed with the affection and attention that he had received from his fans, city people, the media and the present and former sportspersons who called on him during his stay here and prayed for his speedy recovery. Meanwhile, according to a medical bulletin issued today by the Medical Superintendent of DMCH, Dr Sandeep Puri, the patient’s recovery was speedy, all the stiches had been removed and he was taking solid food for the last two weeks. |
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Punjab Police, PSB in final Chandigarh, September 28 World Cupper Daljit Singh Dhillon, whose elder brother Baljit spearheaded the Indian challenge against Pakistan in the Malaysian capital this evening, was the hero of the Punjab Police victory, scoring a brace as his team pipped Western Railway 3-1 in the second semifinal. The ‘man-of-the-match’ award was just reward for the sturdy Daljit whose brother incidentally set up India’s third goal in India’s incredible victory over Pakistan at Kuala Lumpur a few hours later. Earlier, Punjab and Sind Bank routed 1997 champions Central Reserve Police Force 4-0 to keep alive their hopes of retaining the title in the ‘A’ grade tournament. Playing without six of their top players, including Baljit Singh Dhillon, Gagan Ajit Singh, Kanwalpreet Singh and Tejvir Singh, all members of the Indian team who scripted a golden chapter in India’s hockey history in Malaysia today, and ace drag flicker Jugraj Singh, recuperating in hospital, Punjab Police played a cool and confident game. Western Railway did try to come back into the game in the second half, but the Punjab Police defence withstood the test with fortitude to make the day truly memorable. A penalty corner earned in the fourth minute saw Punjab Police surging ahead as skipper Daljit Singh Dhillon scooped the ball into the net following the push by Gurjant Singh (1-0). A few minutes before the breather, Western Railway had a good chance to equalise when Shivendra Singh tried to capitalise on a defensive lapse but Manpreet Singh under the Punjab Police bar proved unbeatable. The second half saw a transformed Western Railway, following a pep talk by former Olympian Gurbax Singh, hero of India’s bronze medal victory in the 1968 Mexico Olympics, during the interval. One minute after resumption, Shivendra slammed in the equaliser off a penalty corner taken by Harish Timore. But thereafter Punjab Police took over. In the 50th minute, umpire Shakeel Quereshi awarded a penalty stroke to Punjab Police after an infringement by western Railway’s Sunil Kumar in danger zone. Skipper Daljit Dhillon dutifully converted the stroke to make it 2-1. With about ten minutes to go for the long hooter, Gurjant Singh’s neat deflection of a cross from the right corner boosted the Punjab Police tally to 3-1 and thereafter Western Railway were fighting a losing battle. Earlier, Punjab and Sind Bank displaying nerves of steel snuffed out the challenge of CRPF, who had incidentally pipped them in the title clash in 1997. The first goal for the bank men came three minutes before the breather when off a penalty corner, Sandeep Singh despatched a hard hit and the ball landed in after striking the goalkeeper's pads(1-0). The second goal followed two minutes after the interval when outside right Kulwinder Singh capitalised on a cross from the promising Ravi Pal, the livewire of the bank men’s attack from Sansarpur. ith a clear view of the goal, Kulwinder shot home with full confidence (2-0). Midway through the second session, Ravi Pal again set up a brilliant move for Ajit Pal, incidentally adjudged man of the match, who lunged forward to slam the ball into the goalmouth (3-0). Towards the end Ajit Pal, after moving in dangerously, found himself unmarked inside the ‘D’ and his hit from close range was again on target (4-0). CRPF did try to come back into the reckoning, forcing two penalty corners in the dying minutes but Teja Singh under the PSB bar thwarted their designs.
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Chopra, Yuvraj stake claim
for Test spots Visakhapatnam, September 28 Twenty-six year old Delhi opener Chopra scored a grinding 103 not out (264b, 358m, 5x4) while Yuvraj remained unconquered with a flashy 80 (172b, 219m, 7x4, 2x6) as Board President’s XI reached 227 for one as curtains came down on the visitors’ opening fixture at the ACA-VDCA stadium. Play was called off after 9.5 mandatory overs, soon after Chopra completed his hundred, disdainfully despatching Kiwi spinner Paul Wiseman to the midwicket fence. Chopra and Yuvraj Singh stitched together an unbroken 166-run partnership to send clear signals to the national selectors ahead of the Ahmedabad Test beginning on October 8. After the disappointment of the first two days, when heavy rains allowed only 46 minutes of cricket, things looked up with sun breaking through the clouds on the final day. When play resumed today, overnight not out batsman and Board President’s XI skipper Virender Sehwag did not come out to bat due to indisposition. Instead, Shiv Sunder Das, another contender for the opener’s slot walked in. The diminutive batsman from Orissa, however, failed to make use of the opportunity and made an early exit after scoring only 16 runs. New Zelaland now travel to Rajkot where the visitors would play their second and last warm-up game against India ‘A’ before the start of the first Test. Earlier, resuming at the first day’s score of 23 — the second day suffering a complete wash out — the hosts reached 48 without loss at lunch, after the match had a delayed start due to a soggy outfield. Michael Mason bowled to a nagging line and length but failed to unsettle the board batsmen. However, his captain Stephen Fleming quickly realised that the pitch, despite days of rain, would be more helpful to the spinners. He gave long-spells to Vettori and Wiseman, to give them some much needed practice ahead of the Tests. Chopra went for his shots from the outset but the heavy outfield meant boundaries were hard to come-by. As the sun came out, however, the Delhi batsman grew in confidence and hit a number of exquisite shots. Das, however, failed to impress the selectors when he returned to the pavilion in the ninth over after lunch when he was caught brilliantly by wicketkeeper Robbie Hart off pacer Ian Butler, the visitors’ only success of the day. The Test opener tried to glance down the legside but only managed a nick and hart dived full length to his left to bring off a fine catch inches off the ground. Yuvraj took time to settle down but then made his intentions clear with a series of aggressive strokes. He repeatedly stepped out to the spinners and hit the first four of the day smacking left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori to the long off fence. Towards the close of the session, Yuvraj brought on the 100 of the innings in style pulling Wiseman over the ropes into the midwicket stand for the first six of the match, to a thunderous applause from the 2000 strong crowd. He
melted out similar treatment to the left-arm bowler to complete his 50 (123b, 150m, 2x6, 4x4) in a magnificent manner with a six right into the sight screen. In between, Chopra brought up his half century, pushing Wiseman to mid-wicket for an easy single, after 250 minutes’ stay at the crease facing 181 balls.
Scoreboard Board President’s XI (1st inngs): Chopra not out 103 Sehwag (retd) 9 Das c Hart b Butler 16 Yuvraj not out 80 Extras:
(nb-16, w-1, lb-2) 19 Total: (1 wkt, 84.5 overs) 227 Fall of wicket:
1-61 Bowling: Butler 18-6-32-1; Mason 12-4-24-0; Styris 5-3-2-0; Vettori 26-4-85-0; Wiseman 23.5-4-82-0.
— PTI
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Syed Kirmani to head selection committee
Kolkata, September 28 Kirmani’s name was proposed from the South Zone to replace the previous Chairman Brijesh Patel, who is undergoing treatment following a heart surgery. That Patel was not going to continue in the selection committee due to his illness was hinted at yesterday by the Board President Jagmohan Dalmiya when he said that they would think twice before burdening Patel with more responsibilities in view of the state of his health. Patel has already been appointed as Director of the National Cricket Academy. The remaining four members of the selection committee — Kirti Azad (North), Pranab Roy (East), Kiran More (West) and Sanjay Jagdale (Centre), however, retained their posts. Board Secretary S.K. Nair will be the convener. According to board sources, names of Kirmani and Azad were considered for the post of chairman but the balance tilted in favour of ‘Kiri’ because of his greater experience at the international level. Kirmani has to his credit 88 Tests and 49 one-day internationals as against seven Tests and 25 one-dayers played by Azad. Incidentally, both were part of India’s World Cup winning squad in 1983. The National junior selection committee will be headed by Pravin Amre of West Zone. The other members of the junior selection committee elected were Anurag Thakur (North), Ranjib Biswal (East), V Chamundeswarnath (South) and Hyder Ali (Central). Prof R S Shetty would be the convener. The AGM of the board also appointed a number of other committees and re-appointed former opening batsman Sunil Gavaskar as the Chairman of the 10-member technical committee. BCCI withholds
participation KOLKATA: In an apparent bid to put pressure on the International Cricket Council (ICC) to resolve the contract issue, the BCCI today refused to confirm India’s participation in a proposed ICC Super Series in 2005. The AGM of the cricket board, which met here over the last two days, felt that the BCCI should withhold its participation in the Super Series “until such time the controversies surrounding the ICC Development (International) Ltd (IDI) were sorted out,” Board president Jagmohan Dalmiya told newsmen here. He also said it had been decided that India’s participation could not be confirmed till the full terms and conditions of participation were known. The ICC has put forward a proposal for the Super Series that constitutes a Super Test between the World Test champions and the Rest of the World XI and three Super One-day International matches featuring the world one-day champions and the Rest of the World, he said.
— PTI |
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ONGC retain Atray cricket trophy Chandigarh, September 28 Skipper Reetinder Sodhi, who was in superb form throughout the tournament, spearheaded a valiant chase and kept his side in the reckoning till the very last over. But ONGC medium pacer Joginder Sharma kept his cool, putting the ball in right area and thwarting the hopes of the host team of winning the trophy. Frustration was writ large on the face of Sodhi after the last ball was bowled which triggered jubilation in the ONGC camp. Sodhi, who remained unbeaten on 89, however, had the consolation of being adjudged the Man of the Series. In fact, it was the lack of bite in the Punjab bowling attack which proved decisive.
ONGC, batting first, did not find it difficult to negotiate the bowling attack and put up a total which was always going to be difficult under lights. New ball bowler Hardevinder Singh and Sodhi failed to make much impression as the visitors were off to a rollicking start. On a track which did not offer much assistance to pacers and spinners either, Sandeep Sharma and Gagan Khoda helped themselves to brilliant centuries. Sandeep fell after making 104 off 125 deliveries, while
Khoda, who was adjudged the Man of the Match, was equally impressive in notching up 124. Though later order batsman failed to contribute substantially, they maintained a steady run rate as the ONGC amassed imposing 298 for the loss of six wickets in 50 overs. Punjab were kept in the hunt first by impressive 89-ball 72 by diminutive Samrat Sharma after the fall of early wicket of Amandeep. After Samrat's departure, Ravneet Ricky played a 35-run cameo, which included two towering sixes and a four. Sodhi, who was contend to rotate the strike taking singles and twos, took the charge at this stage and played some brilliant shots all round the wicket. Punjab needed 32 runs in the last two overs. Sodhi slammed a six an a four off successive balls in the 49th over bowled by former India off-spinner Sarandeep Singh which produced 16 runs. But in the last over Joginder Sharma kept his nerve and conceded runs in trickles as Punjab fell short by eight runs.
Gagan Khoda was also chosen the Best Batsman, while V R V Singh of Punjab Colts was adjudged the Best Bowler of the tournament. Winners ONGC were awarded Rs 75, 000, while Punjab Cricket Club had to remain content with Rs 50,000.
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Paul Tergat shatters world record in marathon
Berlin, September 28 The Kenyan, twice Olympic silver medallist in the 10,000 metres and second in three of his previous five marathons, was finally able to shake off his reputation of nearly man with the superb run before a crowd of a million spectators. “At last,’’ a breathless Tergat said after crossing the finish line ahead of Sammy Korir of Kenya, a pacemaker who nearly caught Tergat with a late spurt and finished a second behind in 2:04:56.
“I have no words,’’ Tergat said, smiling broadly. Tergat ran the first half in 63.01 — as he had planned — before picking up the pace in the second half with consistent times of about 2:55 minutes per km. “It was a great run,’’ he said after catching his breath. ‘’I have been training to have this result for a long time. I’m very happy to be able to get it.’’ Tergat, who had finished 10 seconds behind Khannouchi at the 2002 London Marathon, came to Berlin intent on breaking the American’s record. The Kenyan’s first win in six marathon starts gave him the third world record of his career, adding to his 10,000 metres track mark of 26.27.85, since broken by Haile Gebrselassie, and his current 59.17 half-marathon record. It was the fifth time a best mark had been set on the fast, flat Berlin circuit and the fourth time in the last five years. Weather conditions were almost ideal at 15°C with no wind and partially overcast skies.
—Reuters |
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Sunita wins gold
Bangalore, September 28 “I was aiming for 4:15 but I am happy with my performance,” Sunita, who is competing for Police, said. She is now looking forward to next month’s Afro-Asian Games at Hyderabad after opting out of the Asian Athletic Championships held in Manila last week. The men’s 100 metres threw up a surprise result as Karnataka’s unheralded Vilas Nilagund came out with a burst of 10.70 seconds to grab the gold, pushing back the challenge of second-placed Piyush Kumar of Railways (10.73) and LIC’s Sandeep Sarkaria (10.76), who finished third. Railways’ Saraswati Saha, as expected, won the women’s 100 metres with a timing of 11.70 seconds, while Kerala’s Greeshma (12.09) and Railways’ Rakhi Saha (12.17) picked up the silver and bronze, respectively. — PTI
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No shift of
venue for Afro-Asian Games Hyderabad, September 28 "I’m categorical in saying that all matches will be held in the city and no discipline would be dropped either", Kalmadi told reporters here today after a two-day review meeting of the various sub-committees. On reports that some football matches would be shifted outside the city, Kalmadi said "we have three football grounds of which two will be selected for the games and the question of any sport moving out does not arise".
— PTI |
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Varun, Sukhman win in
badminton Jalandhar, September 28 In an electrifying encounter, Amritsar’s Navjot had a tough time in defeating Nitin Sethi of Moga 15-6, 10-15, 15-1 in the under-16 boys’ singles. In a pre-quarterfinal match of the girls under-16 section, Lubna of Sangrur rallied to beat Shweta of Sangrur 6-11, 11-9, 13-11. In the pre-quarterfinal of the boys’ singles under-13, Raj Kumar of Ludhiana defeated Sahil Sachdev of Jalandhar 15-3,15-2 while Bob Sharma of Patiala ousted Deepak of Amritsar 15-3, 15-2. Other results: Boys’ singles 16: Ashutosh Prabhakar (Ldh) b Abhisheikh (Nwr) 15-8, 15-11; Aslam (Sgr) b Bharat Nayyar (Nwr) 15-10, 15-4; Anandbudh (Jal)b Jaswinder (Asr)15-6, 15-2. Girls’ singles 16:
Shehar Chadha (Asr) b Sneha (Pta) 11-0, 11-2; Sania (Asr) b Anchal Gupta (Ldh) 11-5, 11-0; Komalpreet (Pta) b Amandeep (Nwr) 11-0, 11-2. Boys’ singles 13:
Anand Tiwari (Ldh)b Gurkanwar (Jal) 15-1, 15-4; Pranav Chopra (Ldh) b Nitin (Asr) 15-4, 15-0; Avish Mukul (Jal) b Janat Joshi (Pta)15-4, 15-0. |
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Visakhapatnam, September 28
