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Rathore chosen for Khel Ratna Award
Shaun Tait set for debut in key Ashes Test
Federer, Sharapova top US Open seedings
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Agassi ready for one last hurrah
6 players get nod for Pak hockey league
Anil Kumar sets new 100m record
Suresh breaks three national records
Abhijeet becomes India’s youngest IM
Sarang shines
Dhruv
academy beat Playway School
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Rathore chosen for Khel Ratna Award
New Delhi, August 24 Tennis ace Sania Mirza and golfer Jyoti Randhawa, who won an Asian Tour event, are the other high-profile sportspersons who figure in the Arjuna Awards list. The list of award winners conform to the rule book, mainly because of the fact that this year, the Arjuna Awards panel was headed by world champion cueist Geet Sethi and comprised eminent sportspersons while the Dronacharya Awards selection panel was headed by former Olympian Gurbachan Singh Randhawa. Though the selection process was completed on Thursday last, the file was sent for final approval to the Prime Minister’s Office before officially releasing it today. Cricket coach Sunita Sharma of Delhi, who had produced many international and national cricket players, both in the men’s and women’s sections, was chosen for the trainee Dronacharya Award after being rejected twice. Her most famous and recent trainee is stumper Deep Das Gupta of Bengal. No cricketer figures in the Arjuna Awards list and women’s badminton champion Aparna Popat’s claim has yet again been overlooked. The award winners are: Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award: Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore
(shooting) Dronacharya Awards: Arvind Savur (billiards), Sunita Sharma (cricket), Cyrus Poncha
(squash) Arjuna Awards: J.J. Shobha (athletics), Anil Kumar (athletics), Jyoti Randhawa (golf), Deep Ahlawat (equestrian), Deepak Thakur (hockey), Innocent Helen Mary (hockey), Angom Anita Chanu (judo), Sundar Singh (kabaddi), J. Krishnan (rowing), Deepali Deshpande (shooting), Achanta S. Kamal (table tennis), Sania Mirza (tennis), Anuj Kumar (wrestling), Devendra
(athletics-Paralympics) Dhyan Chand Award 2005: Manoj Kumar Kothari (billiards and snooker), Rajinder Singh Jr (hockey), Maruti Dnyanu Mane Patil (wrestling); Maulana Abul Kalam Trophy for Best University: Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar |
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Cancer-afflicted Arjuna awardee needs help
Kolkata, August 24 Jamshed, who was conferred the Arjuna Award in 1978, now lives in abject poverty. To sustain the family, his wife and youngest daughter work as domestic helps, while his only son earns Rs 50 a day as a caddie at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club. The dreaded disease has affected Ali’s throat, almost robbing him of the ability to speak and what one hears is only a mumble. As per a preliminary estimate given by the doctors at the hospital, for a two-month course of chemotherapy, Jamshed needs to shell out Rs 3.53 lakh immediately. “Despite persistent efforts, help has just not been forthcoming. Moreover, for long-term treatment, the money required would be a few lakhs more,” said a well-wisher who spoke to newspersons on Jamshed’s behalf. Jamshed has sought an appointment with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to apprise him of his plight, but is yet to receive a positive response.
— PTI |
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Kiwis thrash Zimbabwe
Bulawayo, August 24 Records appeared meaningless as the Kiwis posted the second highest total in the history of the limited overs game and then bowled out the hosts for 205 in a truncated match at the Queens Sports Club ground. Zimbabwe could draw comfort that they could almost last the distance, thanks largely to former skipper Heath Streak (45). Lou Vincent smashed 172 for his maiden century as New Zealand scored 397 for five in their triangular series match against Zimbabwe today. Put into bat by Zimbabwe, New Zealand racked up the runs in a reduced innings of 44 overs after start of play was delayed by 75 minutes due to a damp pitch. It was New Zealand's highest one-day score and one run short of Sri Lanka's world record set against Kenya. Their previous best was 349 for nine against India in Rajkot in 1999. Vincent's 172, which included 16 fours and nine sixes, was the highest by a New Zealander in a one-dayer, beating Glenn Turner's 171 not out against East Africa in a 60-over match at the 1975 World Cup. He shared an opening stand of 208 with captain Stephen Fleming (93) — the biggest partnership by New Zealand for any wicket. Fleming had also held the previous record of 193 with Nathan Astle against Pakistan in 2001. Zimbabwe squandered a chance to dismiss Fleming for eight in the sixth over when he was dropped by debutant Anthony Ireland at mid-off. Vincent reached his century with a six in the 27th over. Two balls later, Fleming drove a head-high catch to Heath Streak at extra cover. Vincent and Craig McMillan (47) brought up their century stand for the second wicket off just 50 balls but the partnership was ended at 122 when McMillan holed out to Blessing Mahwire at long-off off Andy Blignaut. Blignaut dismissed Vincent in his next over when Prosper Utseya sprinted from the boundary to take a spectacular diving catch. New Zealand went into the final over needing 12 runs to break the world record but their momentum was slowed when Jacob Oram was caught by Brendan Taylor off Mahwire for a first-ball duck. India are the third team in
the series. Scoreboard New Zealand: Vincent c Utseya b Blignaut 172 Fleming c Streak b Ireland 93 McMillan c Mahwire
b Blignaut 47
Cairns c Masakadza b Ireland 14 McCullum not out 51 Oram c Taylor b Mahwire 0 Adams not out 0 Extras:
(b-1 lb-8 nb-3 w-8) 20 Total: (5 wickets, 44 overs) 397 Fall of wickets:
1-204, 2-325, 3-334, 4-380, 5-396. Bowling: Streak 9-0-61-0, Mahwire 7-0-78-1, Blignaut 9-0-96-2, Ireland 7-0-52-2, Ewing 7-0-53-0, Utseya 5-0-48-0. Zimbabwe: Taylor c Styris b Cairns 36 Carlisle b Oram 25 Masakadza c McCullum
b Adams 18 Wishart c McCullum b Cairns 3 Coventry c Mills b Adams 25 Blignaut c Oram
b Vettori 1 Taibu b Vettori 13 Streak b Mills 45 Mahwire c and b Vettori 3 Ewing run out 20 Utseya not out 1 Extras:
(lb-5, w-4, nb-6) 15 Total: (all out in 43 overs) 205 Fall of wickets:
1-62, 2-75, 3-81, 4-111, 5-112, 6-123, 7-141, 8-164, 9-203. Bowling:
Shane Bond 5-2-15-0, Kyle Mills 7-0-23-1, Chris Cairns 9-1-74-2, Jacob Oram 9-0-37-1, Daniel Vettori 8-1-29-3, Andre Adams 5-0-22-2.
— PTI, Reuters |
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Shaun Tait set for debut in key Ashes Test
Nottingham, August 24 Australia head into the fourth Test starting tomorrow with the series still all square at 1-1. But so far, their under-performing specialist batsmen have taken a pounding from England’s pace trio of Stephen Harmison, Andrew Flintoff and Simon Jones, all of whom are capable of bowling at 90mph. In reply, England’s batsmen have been given plenty to think about by the ageless Glenn McGrath and the express speed of Brett Lee. But the tourists’ third seamer has been easy prey, with Jason Gillespie, Tait’s South Australia team-mate and the man he is replacing in the Test team, seeing his three wickets to date cost 100 runs each. Meanwhile, the experienced Michael Kasprowicz was smashed all over Edgbaston by Flintoff when he deputised for the injured McGrath during England’s tense two-run second Test win. As a result, the selectors have decided to give 22-year-old Tait, whose 65 wickets in last season’s Sheffield Shield was the second best haul in the history of Australia’s first-class competition, a shot at the big time. “The ball is swinging around here and it will be even more difficult for anyone to combat him and play him in these conditions,” Australian captain Ricky Ponting told reporters after announcing Tait’s inclusion in the Test side at Trent Bridge here yesterday. Last year, Tait bowled 18 wicketless over for an astonishingly costly 176 runs when playing for English county Durham. But Ponting insisted he had no fears regarding the tyro’s economy rate. “Taity may go for a few runs, but he has that out and out wicket-taking ability. The game the other day (where he took two for 52 in the drawn two-day encounter against Northamptonshire) and his record suggests he will do that.” “If we set the right fields for him and use him and Brett is shorter bursts, then we will be able to cope well.” Ponting added: “We have all been excited at the prospect of him playing at some stage in this Ashes tour, with what he did in Australia last year, and I think we have been pretty impressed with the pace he has bowled at on the tour.” “With a unique action and that out and out striking ability, it is very exciting for his team-mates to be standing in the slips and in the field when he is bowling.” Ponting said he would give Tait, whose Test case had been championed by legendary Australian quick bowler Dennis Lillee, freedom to attack England’s batsmen. “That is the only way he knows. I watched him in the last tour game and he bowled lots of bouncers and yorkers. He knows we want him to run in and bowl fast and try and get wickets for us. That is the way he will be used in this Test match.” — AFP Injury scare for McGrath
NOTTINGHAM: Australia were hit by an injury scare to strike bowler Glenn McGrath just two days before the crucial fourth Ashes Test against England gets underway at Trent Bridge. McGrath experienced pain and discomfort at practice and underwent a scan. “He will continue to be treated and assessed over the next 36 hours by team physiotherapist Errol Alcott ahead of the fourth Test at Trent Bridge,” said a team spokesman. “A further update on McGrath’s fitness will be provided in due course.”
— AFP
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Federer, Sharapova top US Open seedings
New York, August 24 Wimbledon champion Federer, who has won nine titles this year, will return to New York as a strong favourite to defend the US Open crown he won 12 months ago by beating Australian Lleyton Hewitt. The French Open champion Rafael Nadal of Spain was seeded second ahead of Hewitt, while 2003 champion Andy Roddick was seeded fourth and Russia’s Marat
Safin fifth. After becoming the first Russian woman to top the rankings earlier this week, Sharapova was seeded ahead of American Lindsay Davenport yesterday, the runner-up at the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year. Amelie Mauresmo of France was seeded three with Belgium’s Kim Clijsters at number four, one place ahead of defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia. The main draw for the tournament will take
place today. — Reuters |
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Agassi ready for one last hurrah
London, August 24 If, that is, his back can take the strain. Now 35 and suffering from a sciatic nerve problem, the Las Vegan has dropped several hints he will drag his aching limbs off the ATP Tour and retire at the end of the year. “As much as I want to get out there and do the best I can, you will not see me on the court anymore if I’m not 100 per cent,” the eight-time grand slam champion vowed last week. “If I have a little pain in my life, that’s fine. I just don’t want it on the tennis court because I work too hard to get out there and feel helpless.” It seemed doubtful Agassi would make it to Flushing Meadows after he withdrew from Wimbledon in June due to his back condition. By winning the Los Angeles Open and then reaching the final of the Montreal Masters in August, Agassi showed that age and creaking joints have not dulled his lightning reflexes and natural instinct. However, a full two-week, best-of-five-sets grand slam fortnight is a different matter for the American who is using costisone injections to numb the pain. The backing he can expect from the New York crowd will also strengthen him. “The US Open is different,” he said. “Every one is unique to itself. I do look forward to the Open’s personality. It’s a great place to play. “I feel like there’s just a lot of matches I can play on my terms, and certainly the home crowd (helps).” In 1986 on his US Open debut, a 16-year-old Agassi lost in the first round to Briton Jeremy Bates, collecting $ 2,816 to spend on the peroxide streaks in his hair and garish t-shirts that would soon become his trademark. Two decades later all excess hair has been shaved off and Agassi has more important things on which to spend his career earnings of over $ 30 million. |
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6 players get nod for Pak hockey league
New Delhi, August 24 The IHF has thus reciprocated Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) gesture of releasing their top players for India’s Premier Hockey league (PHL), the inaugural edition of which was held in Hyderabad last year. Following the IHF’s go-ahead, captain Dilip Tirkey, goalkeeper Adrian d’Souza, striker Gagan Ajit Singh, drag flicker Sandeep Singh, midfielder Viren Rasquinha and forward Arjun Halappa would leave for Pakistan on September 5, according to sources. The participation of the Indian players was under a cloud after the IHF said it wanted its players to concentrate on preparations for the Champions Trophy tournament to be held in Chennai from
December 8 to 18. “But IHF was duty-bound to send its players since it did not want to upset Pakistan which had sent top players, including Sohail Abbabs for the PHL in Hyderabad,” the sources said. “Also, there was the fear that if Indian players were not released, Pakistan could retaliate by not sending its players for the second edition of PHL,” they added. However, the IHF is yet to take a decision on whether to release Gagan Ajit Singh and Dileep Tirkey for the Dutch League which kicks off on September 28. The duo is very keen to play for the top Dutch club Klien Zwitzerland which also boasts of some of the biggest names of Holland, including penalty corner expert Taeke Taekma. “The Indians would get a handsome remuneration if they get to play in the Dutch League. Talks have not broken down as yet but at the same time nothing is confirmed also,” they said. “The Indian team’s performance in Rabo Trophy has acted as a dampner and the Club is now thinking twice before giving contracts to the Indian players. However, even if the Indians do get a contract to play for the club, they would be spared only for a brief period next year as IHF wants them to concentrate on the Champions Trophy.” As far as the Pakistan Super League is concerned, one Indian player would be included in each of the six teams in the tournament which has been basically designed on the lines of the PHL. The teams have been named Sindh Qalandars, Shan-e-Punjab, Frontier Falcons, Baloch Lions, Northern Cavaliers and Capital Dynamos. The decision over which player would be fielded in which team would be taken by the PHF after taking into account the requirements of the team.
— PTI |
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Anil Kumar sets new 100m record
New Delhi, August 24 He posted a time of 10.30 seconds to better his own record of 10.33 set in Chennai in July, 1999. Anil, getting off the blocks rather slowly, picked up speed after a few metres to charge ahead to push Delhi's Sandeep Sarkaria and H. Jayachandran to the second and third spot, respectively. In the women's 100m, which saw favourites Poonam Tomar and K.M. Greeshma go out with foul starts, Deepti Jose of Kerala bagged the gold with a time of 11.98 seconds. Mandeep Kaur of Punjab and G.D. Gowramma of Tamil Nadu took the silver and bronze, respectively. Olympian K.M. Binu, making a comeback bid, was pushed out of the medal bracket in the men's 400m, which was won by Anil Kumar Rohil of Services with a time of 46.80 seconds. Bhupinder Singh and Satbir Singh took the second and third positions, respectively. Arun D'Souza won the 3000m steeplechase gold while Chetna Solanki won the pole vault gold. |
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Suresh breaks three national records
Kozhikode, August 24 He eclipsed the records in squat, bench press and total. Clearing 230.5 kg in squat to erase the national record held by Uttaranchal’s Rejender Singh, he went on to establish a new record in bench press by lifting 147.5 kg, surpassing his own mark of 145 kg set in Delhi last year. Interestingly, Suresh, cheered by a sizeable local crowd, lifted 145.5 kg in his second attempt, but improved that performance by clearing 147.5 kg in the next. Though Suresh managed to lift only 205 kg in dead lift, that was enough to help him register another record as he tallied a total of 583 kg in the category. K. Veeraswami of Tamil Nadu finished second in the 52 kg category with a total lift of 570 kg (squat 207.5 kg, bench press 110 kg, dead lift 252.5 kg) and Karnataka’s H. Chandrappa came third with 525 kg (200+100+225).
— PTI |
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Abhijeet becomes India’s youngest IM
New Delhi, August 24 The 15-year-old made his fourth IM norm at the Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival that concluded yesterday, but he did not need it when FIDE confirmed his title the same evening. Abhijeet became the first IM from Rajasthan, joining the growing list of Indian International Masters since Manuel Aaron, who became the first IM of the country almost three decades back. Abhijeet became the 44th IM from India. Tania Sachdev also got the confirmation of her Woman Grandmaster title. She became the ninth Woman Grandmaster of the country and the only one from North India. Mary Ann Gomes, representing West Bengal, got her Women International Master title while Kruttika Nadig of Karnataka was also awarded the same title, subject to rating approval, as the Pardubice Open that she played in the Czech Republic last month would be accounted for in the next rating list, to be released in October. |
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Sarang shines
New Delhi, August 24 Sarang totalled 247 kg following his attempts of 108 kg through snatch and 139 kg in clean and jerk, which earned him a silver and a gold, respectively. His effort fetched him the overall gold medal as well. In 56 kg category, T. Raj Shekhar won three bronze medals, one each in overall, snatch and clean and jerk for a third-place finish. He hoisted 202 kg — 91 kg in snatch and 111 kg in clean and jerk. India added two gold, one silver and three bronze medals to their tally today. However, Sunil Suresh Nayak failed in all his attempts in the clean and jerk in the 69 kg section.
— PTI |
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Dhruv
academy beat Playway School Patiala, August 24 For the academy, Rohit Kumar and Amarinder Singh played fine knocks to enable their team to romp home to an easy victory. Brief scores: Playway School: 33 all out (Jatinder Singh 5 for 7, Manpreet Singh 4 for 18). In another league match played at the Budha Dal Public School ground, NICS Cricket Academy beat DAV Public School by 3 wickets. DAV School: 76 all out (Dhruv Gupta 37, Dipasha 13, Prateek Kumar 2 for 24, Bhavish Goyal 1 for 10). NICS Academy: 77 for 7 (Vinay Kumar 18, Bhavish Goyal 31, Harpreet Singh 3 for 15, Dhiraj 1 for 10). In the third match played at the YPS ground, MES Coaching Centre triumphed over YPS by 8 wickets. Brief scores: MES Coaching Centre: 50 for 2 (Simant Singh
16).
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New Delhi, August 24
In video: Sourav Ganguly lauds the Indian
team. (
Nottingham, August 24
