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Olympic bid to
cost over Rs 100 crore
Gordon may talk to Indians before Test Stung, PCB offers job to Akram
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Punjab score 372 for 4 against J&K Patiala, November 20 A fluent century on debut by Sunny Sohal (132) enabled Punjab to cruise to a comfortable 372 for 4 against minnows Jammu and Kashmir on day one of a league match of the North Zone Inter-State Cricket Tournament (u-17) which commenced at the Dhruv Pandove Stadium here today.
Women’s boxing:
4 Indians in semis
Jeev Milkha takes lead
Big win for Punjab Police
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Olympic bid to cost over Rs 100 crore New Delhi, November 20 Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Vikram Verma and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi had announced, in separate functions, that India would bid for the Olympic Games, after New Delhi clinched the bid for the 2010 Commonwealth Games at Jamaica on November 13. While Mr Verma said India might bid for the 2020 Olympic Games, Mr Kalmadi advanced it by four years, saying that India was planning to bid for the 2016 Olympic Games. The source said even if India fork out over Rs 100 crore to bid for the Olympic Games, India cannot hope to bag the 2016 Games on a platter, as the logistics involved just would not favour India. Athens would be hosting the 2004 Olympics while China has been allotted the 2008 Games. England, France (Paris) and Madrid are the major contenders for the 2012 Olympic Games, the bid for which will be finalised at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Congress, slated to be held in Singapore in 2005. England is reported to have earmarked £ 150 million to bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. Yet, it may not be a smooth sailing for it as Paris and Madrid are sparing no effort either to bag the games. Madrid's case is supported by former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch. And for the 2016 Games, the USA, who pumps in the bulk of the money to the IOC coffers, would be a definite contender. India will have an outside chance of bidding for the 2016 Games only if the USA pulls out of the fray, or is disfavoured by the IOC due to its controversial international policies. The source pointed out that even if the USA does not bid for the 2016 Games, it is unlikely that India would be considered for the Olympics as there is no precedent to quote that the games were allotted to the same continent on alternate turn, as China would be hosting the 2008 Games. So, the most sensible option for India would be to bid for the 2020 Games, but for that too, the groundwork has to be prepared from now onwards, and preparing the groundwork alone would cost a fortune. The source wondered whether India have that kind of money to splurge, though he conceded that when a country is allotted the Olympic Games, the doors would be opened for immense business and other opportunities to the hosts. |
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Bribery charge rocks Indian cricket
New Delhi, November 20 “The player had offered to pay money to a couple of selectors for a place in the India ‘A’ team,” Prof Ratnakar Shetty, joint secretary of the board told PTI over the telephone. However, Mr Shetty refused to divulge either the identity of the player or the selectors to whom the offer was made. Mr Shetty would be submitting a report on the matter to BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya so that appropriate action is taken. “I can assure you that stern action will be taken against the player,” Mr Shetty said. Mr Shetty said the player had not been picked in the team. Mr Dalmiya could not be contacted but his office in Kolkata said the board was not in a position to give its reaction as it was yet to get an official report from the selectors concerned. “Once we get an official report, appropriate action will be taken,” a BCCI official told PTI. But TV channels took the name of Abhijit Kale, a Maharashtra middle-order batsman and a prolific scorer in the domestic circuit, as having allegedly offered Rs 10 lakh each to two of the five national selectors, a charge which he strongly denied. Calling it totally false, Kale said "I don't know how my name is being dragged into this. The allegations are wrong."
— PTI |
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Gordon may talk to Indians before Test
Kolkata, November 20 Talking to UNI here today, Gordon said, “There is a distinct possibility of me having a session with the Indian side touring Australia.” “Though details of the fixture are yet to be worked out, if I sit with the Indian squad it will be ahead of their first Test on December 4.” He also expressed satisfaction at working with the Indian side, calling them a very “keen and receptive side.” India play four Tests in Australia, beginning in Brisbane, followed by Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. Earlier in the day, Gordon had a detailed meeting with BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya about developing and formulating a programme for the junior cricketers. Asked about the meeting, the South African said, “It went off really well. However, the details will be available only next year when I submit my report.” — UNI
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Stung, PCB offers job to Akram
Islamabad, November 20 Although Akram decided to quit international cricket in May, he was not approached by the Pakistan Cricket Board for any job in the country's cricket establishment till now despite the bowler having expressed the willingness to be able to contribute to the game. Apparently stung by the recent speculation over Akram taking up a consultant's job with the Indian cricket team, the PCB said late last night it was open to appointing Akram as their bowling coach. "Certainly we want Akram with us, he was a great bowler and an all-rounder and we would like to offer him a job to assist the PCB in the development of our fast bowling department," PCB Chairman Tauqir Zia told reporters in Lahore, according to a report by the official APP news agency. Zia said it was time that the former Pakistan skipper "contributed and served Pakistan cricket". The PCB would like to acquire the services of Akram rather than see him serve the neighbours, Zia said adding that much depended on the former captain for eventually he would have to decide whether he wanted to be associated with Indian cricket or Pakistan cricket. "But I think it is time (for Akram) to return something to your country which owes it from you as you earned fame and everything... They are the greats of Pakistan and they must consider what their country demands from them and they should serve their country rather than serving abroad."
— PTI |
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Punjab score 372 for 4 against J&K Patiala, November 20 Sunny Sohal, who hit 23 boundaries in his memorable knock, was involved in a 149-run first wicket partnership with Ravinder Singh (62). Once the later was out, Sunny put on 74 runs for the second wicket with Gurkirat Singh (74) and this partnership virtually took the game away from the visitors. The leg weary J&K fielders may not find the going easy on the morrow as free scoring Amritsar southpaw Munish Bhatia is slated to come in next. Brief scores: Punjab (1st innings) 372 for 4 (Sunny Sohal 132, Ravinder Singh 62, Gurkirat Singh 74, Sumit Sharma 60, Ian Dev Singh 2 for 47). |
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IWHF felicitates hockey team New Delhi, November 20 At an impressive function organised at the India International Centre here today, each player of the winning team, the two coaches and the manager, were presented memento by Indian Olympic Association (IOA) secretary-general Randhir Singh. The function was also attended by several hockey Olympians, former member of the International Olympic Committee Ashwani Kumar, IWHF secretary Amrit Bose and senior member Dr Sudershan Pathak. Mrs Stokes said the Indian girls' title wins in the last Commonwealth Games at Manchester and now in the Afro-Asian Games were remarkable achievements as the girls have yet again proved that "nothing is impossible". She thanked the Indian Railways for patronising women's hockey in the country as almost all the players of the Indian squad are employed with the Railways. Mrs Stokes also complimented coaches M K Kaushik and M R Negi for putting the girls through the right drills to shape them as champion stuff. The Indian girls would now gear up for the Asia Cup to be held in January and for the junior under-21 Asia Cup, both in 2004. These will be the qualifying tournaments for the World Cup. Mrs Stokes said the next coaching camp would begin in Bangalore on December 2, and would continue till the girls leave for the Asia Cup, to be held from January 30 to February 8. She said the federation was
desperatively looking for sponsorship so that the girls could be given a better deal. Mr Randhir Singh disclosed that in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, all the top teams of the Commonwealth would play, instead of limiting the number to 6-8 teams, as had been the practice during the previous games. The players honoured were: Suraj Lata Devi (captain), Samurai Tete, Helen Mary, Jyothi Sunita Kullu, Surinder Kaur, Suman Bala, Sanghai Chanu, Kanti Ba, Gurpreet Kaur, Maseeru Soi, Puspa Pradhan, Arlene Kerketta, Anaritha Kerketta, Subradha Pradhan, Deepika Murthi and Chandresh Kaur, coaches M K Kaushik and M R Negi and manager Manjit Kaur. |
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Women’s boxing: 4 Indians in semis Hisar, November 20 In the 50-kg category, Meena Kumari defeated Jan Kumari of Sri Lanka to advance to the medal round. The Sri Lankan struggled to counter the strong punches from the Indian and lost in a referee stopped contest
(RSC) verdict. India scored a similar RSC win the 48-kg class when Kanak Durga eliminated Chou Hsui Chen of Taipei. In the 57-kg category, Aswathy defeated S Karunarjne of Sri Lanka with another RSC verdict. The fourth Indian boxer to advance to the semifinal was Asha Rani who battered Sri Lanka's M Susanjhi in the 60-kg class. Two other Indians went out in the quarterfinals in the 70 and 86-kg class. In the 70-kg class, K Kaur lost to K M Choi Ok while Renu lost to China's Wang Yanan in the 86-kg class.
— PTI |
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Uruguay manage
to hold Brazil London, November 20 Peru held Ecuador to a 0-0 draw while Ghana beat Somalia 2-0 and 7-0 on aggregate. In Asian qualifying, Turkmenistan crushed Afghanistan 11-0 in the first leg of the series. In Curitiba, Brazil, Kaka and Ronaldo gave World Cup champion Brazil a 2-0 lead in the first half, but Diego Forlan netted two goals in the second half before Gilberto Silva scored an own-goal to give Uruguay the lead in the 78th minute. Brazil have eight points from four matches, one behind Paraguay with nine. Uruguay are in fourth place with seven points, the same as Argentina.
—AP
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New Delhi, November 20 Asian PGA Tour regulars Amandeep Johl and Arjun Singh were in contention for lead with a score of five-under apiece after 12 holes when heavy fog stopped play ahead of scheduled close, according to information received here. As many as 16 matches were unfinished. Thai Thammanoon Srirot was trailing Jeev by a solitary stroke. Jeev who has been facing a topsy-turvy form this season has to win a title on the APGA Tour to keep his card. Jeev registered his first birdie on the sixth before signing off with consecutive birdies on the closing holes of his front nine. The 31-year-old pro fired an eagle on the par-5 13th while making birdies on the 14th and added one more birdie on the finishing hole which saw Jeev make it to the top of the leaderboard. Amandeep Johl meanwhile made a hat-trick of birdies beginning from the 12th to be three-under for the first nine. Beginning with a birdie on his return journey, the Chandigarh-based made one more on the 13th before he was forced to take shelter at the club house. Arjun Singh also kept his card clean thus far. After a birdie on the third, he made successive birdies on the sixth and seventh and 10th and 11th to tie with Amandeep Johl. Among the other Indians in fray, Harmeet Kahlon and Vijay Kumar were tied for the 24th spot with a total of one-under 71each while Amritinder Singh was in joint 58th position after a round of four-over 76. — UNI
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New Delhi, November 20 Indian stars Gagan Ajit Singh, Baljit Singh Dhillon and Tejbir Singh shone in Punjab Police’s 4-2 win over the Jalandhar side at the Shivaji stadium. In other matches of the day, Deepak Thakur’s brace brought Indian Oil a 3-1 win over Railways while Surinder Kundu’s goal in the dying moments gave Air India 1-0 victory over BSF, Jalandhar. Punjab Police, the defending champions, took the lead when Gagan Ajit scored a field goal in the 16th minute. But 12 minutes later Avtaar Singh made it 1-1. Punjab Police scored once more in the first half through Dhillon in the 33rd minute and twice in the second half — through Tejbir (45th) and Sarabjit Singh (53rd) — to take a 4-1 lead. EME’s Rajinder Singh slammed home in the 64th minute to reduce the margin. Thakur played a big role in Indian Oil’s win over Railways. The Indian forward scored once in each half — in the 15th and 42nd minute — and Rajpal Singh sounded the boards in the 44th minute in the side’s win. For the losers Iqbal Singh’s field goal in the 40th minute was the only consolation. — PTI
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New Delhi, November 20
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