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Sania keeps Indian hopes alive
Jeevan, Vivek in last eight
Battle-hardened Pakistan ready
for India
Talks on Ahmedabad positive: Shukla
BCCI to be flexible in finalising venues
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Miandad to drag Pakistan board to court
India Seniors win by 8 wickets
Aussies in ODI Super Series
ULFA threat looms over National Games
IOC forms panel for Commonwealth Games
Women’s netball in 2010 Games
Waugh to raise funds for tsunami-hit
Harikrishna joint third after loss
Around the world in record time
Jamia Millia, St Joseph’s in semis
Ajit Pal Singh
honoured
Salgaocar draw
with Churchill
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Sania keeps Indian hopes alive
Hyderabad, February 8 The 18-year-old Indian, fresh from her historic run in the Australian Open, thrashed her opponent 6-2, 7-5 in the first round to lift the spirits of home fans after Shikha Uberoi crashed out. After demolishing Delia in the first set, the local favourite ran into stiff resistance in the second set before prevailing over the Romanian. Shikha’s singles campaign ended on a disappointing note as she lost to Hungary’s Melinda Czink in the first round. Shikha started strongly by taking the lead in the opener, but Czink rallied superbly to win 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2. Former world number four Jelena Dokic of Serbia crashed out in the first round while top seed Na Li and last year's finalist Maria Kirilenko advanced to the next round. Clearly hampered by a thigh injury, Dokic went down to Italy's Mara Santangelo 6-7 (2-7) 3-6. Chinese girl Li, world number 56, easily defeated Marie-Gayanay Mikalian of Switzerland 6-3 6-3 and Russia's Kirilenko whipped Bahia Mouthassine of Morocco 6-3 6-1 to move into the second round. — PTI
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Jeevan, Vivek in last eight
Chandigarh, February 8 In girls’ section, Indian girls could not march ahead and only a few could survive in the second round of the event. Christian Hodel of Romania, seeded 13th, caused an upset by defeating seventh seed and 206th ranked Ayrton Wibowo of Indonesia in straight seets 6-4, 7-5. Top seed Jeevan exhibited brilliant crosscourt and down-the-line shots to bewilder Ned Boone of Great Britain. Boone did excel with his serve and powerful shots in the first set, but Jeevan played a better game and won in tie- breaker 7-6. Having taken the lead, Jeevan mounted pressure and broke Boone in the second and fourth games to take a 3-1 lead and never looked back as he raced to a 6-2 triumph. Vivek Shokeen, the winner of the Delhi leg of ITF last week, also displayed his brilliant form and ousted lucky loser Agnel Gladwin Peter in straight sets 6-4, 6-1. Kinshuk Sharma of Chandigarh put up a spirited show against sixth seed and 201st ranked Vaja Uzakov. In the first set, Kinshuk was down 2-5. Supported by the local crowd, Kinshuk rallied to level the score 5-5 and then 6-6. Kinshuk lost in the tie-breaker 7-3. In the second set, Kinshuk could not match his agile opponent and lost easily. Navinder Pal Singh of Patiala was ousted. In the girls’ section, Indian girls Poojashre Venkatesh, Inayat Khosla, Shweta
Kakhandki, Asha Nandakumar, Akshita Raj, Varsha Sheoran and Sandri Gangotri made their exit in the first round. Top seed Sandhya
Nagaraj, third seed Madura Ranganathan and qualifier Parija Maloo moved into the second round with straight-set victories. In the match between Khatsko Iryna of Ukraine and Justina Derungs of Switzerland, the latter played a better game, but pain in her stomach forced her to quit the match in the second set. Girls’ singles
(Ist round): Andrei Laurqa Loana (Rom) b Dy Denise (Phi) 6-7 (7), 6-3, 7-5, Parija Maloo (Ind) b Davin Suzelle (Nam) 6-2, 6-4, Else Potgieter
(RSA) b Poojashree Venkatesh (Ind) 6-3, 6-4, Khatsko Iryna (RKR) b Justina Derungs (Switzerland) 6-3, 2-0 (conceded), Goele Lemmens
(Bel) b Inayat Khosla (Ind) 7-6 (5), 6-2, Dilyara Saidkhodjaeva (Uzb) b Shweta Kakhandki (Ind) 6-1, 6-1, Daria Bykodarova
(Rus) b Akshita Raj (Ind) 6-4, 6-2, Ofelya Poghosyan (Arm) b Varsha Shivshankar (Ind) 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4, Martina Lautenschlager
(Swit) 6-7 (4), 6-1, Mariya Malkhasyan (Uzb) b Mariya Kovaleva (Kaz) 6-1, 6-1,Amina Rakhim
(Kaz) b Penpom Chantawannop (Thailand) 6-4, 6-4, Yulla Parasyuk (Rus) b Sandri Gangothri (Ind) 6-4, 7-6 (7), Palkina Xeniya
(Kgz) 6-1, 6-4. Boys’ singles (2nd round): Jeevan M. Nedunchezhiyan (Ind) b Ned Boone (GBR) 7-6 (6), 6-2, Vivek Shokeen (Ind) b Agnel Gladwin Peter (Ind) 6-4, 6-1, Christian Hodel (Rom) b Ayrton Wibowo (Indonesia) 6-4, 7-5, Aidil Faisal (Indonesia) b Nithyaesh Natraj (Ind) 6-2, 6-0, Agung Bagus Dewantoro (Indonesia) b Neil Rajpal (Canada) 6-0, 6-2, Vaja Uzakov (Uzb) b Kinshuk Sharma (Ind) 7-6 (3), 6-0, Stas
(Zhuravski (Rus) b Navinder Pal Singh (Ind) 6-2, 6-2, Xiao-Peng Lai (Hong Kong) b Hoshiba Youshimasa (Japan) 6-1, 6-3. |
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Battle-hardened Pakistan ready for India
Karachi, February 8 "We have learnt a lot from the tour of Australia which will help us in more ways than one when we tour India," Inzamam told reporters here after the team's return from a long and disappointing Australian tour. Pakistan were swept 3-0 in the three-Test series by the Aussies but they managed to win three one-day internationals in the triseries to make it to the best-of-three finals which they lost 2-0. The Pakistan team will leave for India on February 25, their first tour since 1999, for a three-Test and five-match one-day series. Woolmer said if the players did not repeat the mistakes they made in Australia, they could do well against India. "I hope the players will capitalise on what they have learnt in Australia and if they do not repeat the mistakes they committed in Australia, they can always do well. I think that overall the Australian tour was an interesting one because it gave us a chance to pick men from out of the boys." Inzamam stressed on the need for his bowling line-up to fire against the strong batting of India. "We need a strong bowling lineup and I hope that all our injured bowlers regain their fitness to help us in India. We know India is a tough team in their den because they have a strong batting lineup and they catch their opposition through their spinners," he said. Pakistan have been struggling in the bowling department with questions marks on the fitness and form of strike bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami. Pacemen Shabbir Ahmed and Umar Gul have already been ruled out because of injuries while Saqlain Mushtaq is still on crutches after undergoing surgery on his knees. Defending his team's poor performance in Australia, Inzamam said the conditions in Australia were tough and most of his players were new to the conditions. "You must take into account that 12 of our players were new to those conditions. Three to four players have come to the fore and have matured on this tour." Woolmer also expected his team to fare better on Indian pitches. "India will be a difficult and different tour but the pitches in India will be easier for us as compared to those in Australia. Indian pitches would definitely be different and there will be no pitch like Perth in India and our batsmen would be more at ease (although) I know there will be a lot of spin to play," Woolmer said. Before coming down to Pakistan last year, India had undertaken a successful tour of Australia where they drew the four-Test series 1-1. But Woolmer, a South Africa-born Englishman, was hardly impressed with this background. "India came to Pakistan in 2004 battle hardened enough from their tour of Australia two months before. But mind you, we faced a fully equipped Australian side with Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne both of whom missed the Test series against India -- that made a huge difference." Woolmer is under fire for not helping Pakistan win a series since taking over from Javed Miandad in June last year. But he showed no signs of tension or pressure. "My mother always told me that once you are in difficult situation, you take all the difficulties as a challenge the next time you face them and come out better," he said. "From the lessons we learnt in Australia, we can make rapid progress in the near future. When they tour Pakistan in the next couple of years, we can beat them if we put up our best."
— PTI |
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Talks on Ahmedabad positive: Shukla
Islamabad, February 8 “We have held positive talks. I am hopeful that Pakistan will play at Ahemdabad,” BCCI Vice-President Rajiv Shukla told PTI over phone from Lahore where he has come to attend the wedding of former Pakistan Prime Minister Shujat Hussain’s son. Shukla also said Hussain had assured him to take up the issue with President Pervez Musharraf, who happens to be the Patron-in-Chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board. Pakistan has expressed reservations over playing in Ahmedabad, which witnesses communal riots in 2002. Ahmedabad has been proposed as one of the venues for the three-Test series between the arch-rivals starting next month.
— PTI |
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BCCI to be flexible in finalising venues
New Delhi, February 8 Mr Nair said the BCCI would try to "accommodate" the concerns of the visiting team while finalising the itinerary for the three Tests and five one-dayers that the two teams are scheduled to play. "We have to keep our options open to thrash out the issue at the earliest. Pakistan have objected to Ahmedabad due to security reasons but we have no alternative venue in mind yet," he said. But the BCCI Secretary said he was confident of the stalemate being resolved amicably. "I am sure it will be sorted out soon and we will be in a position to draw up the fixtures at the Board's Working Committee meeting in Delhi on February 17."
— PTI |
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Miandad to drag Pakistan board to court
Islamabad, February 8 "My lawyer had sent the Board a notice few weeks back in which he had asked them to properly explain the reasons behind my contract's termination prematurely (in June). The Board first asked for some time and then finally sent its reply but my lawyer is not satisfied with their explanation," the former skipper was quoted as saying in 'The News'. "Basically, my lawyer had sent them the notice because he wanted an explanation from PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan for some of the statements he had made on my removal as coach and the premature termination of my coaching contract. "They have now said in their reply that the home-series loss to India was the primary reason for removing me as coach and appointing Bob Woolmer," he said. PCB ended Miandad's contract as the Pakistan team coach in June after a humiliating loss to India in the Test as well as one-day series at home and appointed Englishman Bob Woolmer in his place. The Board released Miandad, although he had 11 months of a two-year contract remaining, after he turned down an offer to be the chief coach at the National Cricket Academy for the above period and asked for compensation. Miandad said his lawyers were not satisfied with the PCB's reply and felt that the termination of his contract was not proper. "They (PCB) have also made other explanations that do not satisfy my lawyer and he is now planning to file a suit against PCB shortly as he feels the circumstances in which they have terminated my contract is not proper." Peeved by the stated reason, Miandad asked whether the Board would take similar action against other coaches under whom the team had not performed since June. "Would the Board now also take similar action against other coaches after the team's continued poor performances since June."
— PTI |
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India Seniors win by 8 wickets
Mumbai, February 8 The India ‘B’ innings belonged to Laxman, who once again demonstrated why he should be in the Indian one-day team, with a silken knock that had all his usual timing and poise. He joined Gautam Gambhir at the crease after skipper Virender Sehwag’s dismissal. Coming back after a long injury lay-off, Balaji bowled much better today and in patches looked menacing to return with figures of four for 66. Ranadeep Bose, who came into the team in place of Gagandeep Singh, also proved effective in his first match in the big league, taking two for 55. Scoreboard India B Gambhir b Bose 19 Sehwag c Yuvraj b Balaji 9 Laxman run out 67 Sriram b Ganguly 52 Gavaskar c Patel b Ganguly 14 Rayudu c Ganguly b Bose 45 Patel c Patel b Balaji 7 Joginder b Kumble 1 Powar c Dhoni b Balaji 30 Nehra c Dhoni b Balaji 14 Bhandari not out 0 Extras: (lb-5, w-10, nb-2) 17 Total: (all out, 50 overs) 275 Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-55, 3-151, 4-161, 5-178, 6-199, 7-222, 8-228, 9-269. Bowling: Balaji 10-1-66-4, Bose 10-0-51-2, Kumble 10-0-49-1, Ganguly 7-0-36-2, Powar 10-0-55-0, V. Rao 3-0-13-0. India Seniors Dhawan b Bhandari 126 Dhoni not out 102 Ganguly c Rayudu b Bhandari 27 Rao not out 7 Extras (lb-5, w-5, nb-6) 16 Total (2 wkts, 46.4 overs) 278 Fall of wickets: 1-246, 2-255. Bowling: Nehra 8-0-49-0, Bhandari 10-0-45-2, Joginder 6-0-63-0, Sriram 0.1-0-2-0, Powar 7.5-0-53-0, Gavaskar 2-0-19-0, Sehwag 10-2-27-0, Laxman 2.4-0-15-0. — PTI, UNI
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Aussies in ODI Super Series
LONDON: Australia have confirmed their participation in the ICC Super Series one-day matches in Melbourne in October 2005 with a thumping victory over Pakistan in the tri-series final.
The world champions, who won the best-of-three finals 2-0 on Sunday, took their rating points tally to 137 and second-placed New Zealand had no chance to overhaul them before the April 1, 2005, deadline, the ICC said in a press note here. The ICC Super Series would pitch the best team in the world against an ICC World XI in three-one day matches and one Super Test. This also meant that Australia would take on the ICC World XI in both forms of the game, having secured their Test berth with a series win over Pakistan last month.
— PTI
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ULFA threat looms over National Games
Guwahati, February 8 Although the state government has not visibly reacted to the development, they have silently stepped up security in and around the National Games construction sites in the outskirts of Guwahati city. Assam is racing against time to host the National Games towards the end of the year, spending nearly Rs 300 crore, but most probably it will not be able to hold it before the spring of next year with about 50 per cent of construction still left. Work is, however, in progress round-the-clock. The official sources of the Assam government informed that they would be ignoring the National Games boycott call of the ULFA. “Why should we react. People of Assam will react because National Games is the pride of Assam,” the sources said. The CPM Central Committee member Hemen Das felt that the Congress Government in the state headed by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had no moral right to continue in power if it failed to hold National Games on time. This was the first time since independence that Assam got the opportunity to host the National Games. Manipur was the first state to organise National Games in the NE. Mr Das’s observation came in the wake of the ULFA’s call to boycott the National Games. Meanwhile, the boycott call by ULFA evoked mixed reaction in sports circles in the state. The Assam Olympic Association (AOA), host of the meet, feels that the games must be organised irrespective of the ULFA threat. Talking to newsmen here today AOA secretary Mukut Medhi said, “The situation is almost similar to what was in Manipur. But the National Games in Imphal turned out to be one of the finest ever. So there is no way that the people of Assam will give up.” Stressing the need for an united move on this issue, Mr Medhi also urged ULFA to withdraw the ban, as successful holding of National Games would help the state to have better sports facilities for future generations. Former Olympian Dipanker Bhattacharyya said he was eagerly waiting for the National Games. “It will not only help us prepare sports infrastructure in the state for budding talent, but also bring mass awareness on the importance of sports among people of the state,” he said. ULFA’s boycott call came close on the heels of the fresh initiative by Jnanpith Award winner author Indira Goswami to bring ULFA and the Centre on the negotiating table. Informed sources in the government, particularly the lobby opposed to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in the Congress, disclosed that it was a ploy on part of the state government to bail it out of the embarrassment as the preparations for the National Games were far from being satisfactory. Another section, close to Chief Minister, argued that ULFA gave the boycott call only to put pressure on the Centre for holding talks by taking into account its core issue, sovereignty, during the proposed discussions as initiated by Indira Goswami.
— UNI |
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IOC forms panel for Commonwealth Games
New Delhi, February 8 The Executive Board will be headed by IOA president Suresh Kalmadi while secretary-general Randhir Singh will be the vice-chairman. Mr Rajiv Shrivastava has been named the secretary-general of the Commonwealth Games Secretariat. Mr Michael Fennel, after an inspection of the facilities and venues for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, had expressed his reservations on many aspects, including the IOA’s inability to constitute the organising committee. Mr Michael, along with his vice-chairman Tunku Imran and chief executive Mike Hooper have also been included in the Board. Former Indian Amateur Boxing Federation president A.K. Matto has been named the treasurer while Archery Association of India president Vijay Kumar Malhotra is another representative of the IOA in the Board. The other members in the Board are Navin Jindal, MP, joint secretary in the Union Ministry of Sports S. Krishnan, Delhi Chief Secretary S. Raghunathan, Principal Secretary to the Urban Development Ministry O.P. Kelkar, Weightlifting Federation of India president H.J. Dora, National Rifle Association of India president Digvijay Singh, Swimming Federation of India secretary V.D. Nanawati and Athletics Association of India secretary Lalit Bhanot. Michael, along with Kalmadi and Randhir Singh, addressed a press conference and he yet again emphasised the need for India to speed up the work for the Games, by creating, updating and modernising the facilities to rise upto the organisational standard of the Commonwealth Games stature. The Commonwealth Games would be a joint effort of the Central Government, the IOA, the Delhi Government, the Lt. Governor of Delhi, the Delhi Development Authority, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the New Delhi Municipal Committee and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. |
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Women’s netball in 2010 Games
New Delhi, February 8 “Netball (women), lawn bowls and rugby sevens (men) are compulsory sports,” Commonwealth Games Federation Chairman Michael Fennel told top Indian Olympic Association officials. When Archery Association of India president V.K. Malhotra pointed out that the three sports were almost unknown in India, without any affiliated federations, Fennel said, “lawn bowls is extremely popular in other member countries. Rugby is one of the leading contenders to get into Olympics and was a big success (at the last Games) on TV.” Two other sports which would be obligatory as per Article 22 of the CGF Constitution were athletics and swimming. The Games would consist of a minimum of 10 sports and a maximum of 15, according to the Constitution. Fennel said if India wanted to include tennis and archery, the sports committee would have to make a recommendation before being cleared by the executive committee. IOA secretary general Randhir Singh said there were also recommendations from federations to include sports like basketball, canoeing, kayaking and rowing.
— PTI |
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Waugh to raise funds for tsunami-hit
Kolkata, February 8 The former Australian captain, whose charity works for the children of lepers on the city’s outskirts are well known, will be in Kolkata tomorrow on a two-day visit to raise funds for the tsunami victims in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Waugh has donated Rs 10 lakh for the cause and will be here to raise more funds for the hundreds of destitutes, the tsunami has left in its wake. Stating this, Calcutta Foundation chairperson Shamlu Dudeja said, “Steve’s heart is in social work. He has an enormous amount of compassion and love for the poor and the
destitutes, the homeless and the blind and people whom society had discarded.” “So it is only normal that Steve responded with such eagerness to come back to the city he had loved so very much and that had loved him so dearly for the cause of the tsunami victims,” Ms Dudeja said. She revealed that Steve would deliver a lecture as a management guru on leadership qualities on February 10. After this, he would auction five of his bats and some memorabilia, besides the collection dresses of Ritu Beri and Sabyasachi Mukherjee. Ms Dudeja also said Steve would set up a house for blind girls in the city, taking forward his charity works at Udayan in
Barrackpore, where he supported the children of lepers and constructed houses for them. — UNI |
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Harikrishna joint third after loss
Bermuda, February 8 The first-ever loss in the event proved costly for Harikrishna, who was in joint lead after the seventh round, as he slipped to joint third spot with 4 points after 8 rounds. Gelfand moved in to the sole lead for the first time with 5 points and was now followed by Cuban GM Lenier Dominiguez on 4.5. With just two rounds remaining in the category-17 double round-robin tournament, Harikrishna and Giovani Vescovi of Brazil were next in line while Ukraine’s Andrei Volokitin stood fifth on 3.5 after pushing Bartlomiej Macieja of Poland (3) back to the bottom of the standings on a decisive day yesterday. For once, the predictable draws in the event took a back seat and cashing in most was Gelfand who won a chanceless encounter against Harikrishna.
— PTI |
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Around the world in record time
Falmouth, February 8 “It has been an absolutely unbelievable voyage, both physically and mentally,” an exhausted MacArthur said from her trimaran after crossing the finishing line off north-western France yesterday. “It will take some time to recover.” Her time of 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds shaved more than 32 hours off the previous world record set by Frenchman Francis Joyon, who smashed the previous mark by 21 days in what had been described as the perfect sail. — UNI |
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Jamia Millia, St Joseph’s in semis
New Delhi, February 8 Jamia Millia required only a draw against Khalsa College to make the grade, and they hit back twice to achieve the objective. Rajinder Singh put Khalsa in the lead in the 13th minute when he scored off a penalty corner while Pramod Kumar Singh equalised for Jamia Millia in the 23rd minute. Sunder Singh regained the lead for Khalsa seven minutes into the second half, but eight minutes later, Bharat neutralised the score (2-2) for Jamia. Khalsa once again forged ahead when Bikramjit Singh scored a field goal. Yet again, Jamia succeeded in equalising when Pramod Kumar completed his brace, four minutes before full time (3-3). In the second match, St Joseph’s led 2-0, with Ashok and Vivek Aiyappa finding the mark, but Ranchi struck two goals in the last three minutes before half time to level the score 2-2. Three minutes after resumption, Varun Chinappa slotted home the match-winner for Jamia Millia (3-2). Jamia would take on Faculty, of Humanity and Social Science, Varanasi, in the first semifinal tomorrow, followed by the second semifinal clash between DAV College, Jalandhar, and St Joseph’s. |
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Ajit Pal Singh
honoured
Ludhiana, February 8 The Surjit Singh Randhawa Award was given to Ajit Pal Singh, captain of the Indian hockey team which won the World Cup in 1975. The Harjit Bajakhana Award was given to kabaddi player Jagtar Singh Dhanola while Channa Alamgir received the Promoter of Sports Amarjit Singh Grewal Award. Today,
an exhibition kabaddi match was organised between Norway XI and India
XI, in which the former romped home victorious 42-29. In hockey (boys),
Namdhari XI and Ludhiana were declared joint winners and in the girls’
section, Haryana XI beat Dhanoa Academy to lift the title. In basketball
(boys), Baba Lodhiana Academy beat Gurdaspur and in the girls’
section, Ludhiana beat Kapurthala. In volleyball (smashing), Ludhiana
eves got the better of Amritsar and in the boys’ section, Fatehgarh
Sahib beat Amargarh. In kabaddi (open-one village), Burj Hari Singh
defeated Jaipura 12-6. |
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Salgaocar
draw with Churchill
Margao, February 8 Churchill Brothers’ goal came from Marcos Pereira in the fifth minute, while Salgaocar’s equaliser came in the 57th minute through Felix
Ibrebru. With this match, Churchill Brothers increased their tally to two points, while Salgaocar took their tally to seven points from six matches.
— UNI
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Friedel retires Women’s football Archers return |
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