Irked Kaushik not keen
to continue
MUMBAI, Dec 23 — M.K. Kaushik, coach of the victorious Indian men’s hockey squad, on his return here after the Bangkok Asian Games today said he was not keen to continue with his job even if he was offered an extension by the Indian Hockey Federation.

Pillay sets sights on Sydney Olympics
MUMBAI, Dec 23 — Firebrand Indian men’s hockey captain Dhandraj Pillay is eyeing the 2000 Sydney World cup after which he may call it a day to his chequered career.

India to take Pak in opener MUMBAI, Dec 23 — India would clash with arch-rivals Pakistan at home in the opening match of the inaugural Asian Cricket Test Championship from February 14 to 18, 1999.

4 in fray for Golf Club presidentship
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — Four candidates are in the fray for the post of President of the Chandigarh Golf Club election for which will be held on December 26.

Jadeja fighting against time
WELLINGTON, Dec 23 — Indian vice-captain Ajay Jadeja is fighting against time to be fit for the second cricket Test against New Zealand at Basin Reserve starting on Saturday.

‘Most valued performance’ award for Sikdar
NEW DELHI, Dec 23 — Jyotirmoyee Sikdar, who won two gold medals and a silver for India at the 13th Asian Games at Bangkok, was tonight awarded the Samsung ‘most valued performance’ award.

SAARC golf from January 8
NEW DELHI, Dec 23 — Six countries, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and the hosts India, will participate in the first SAARC Golf Championship at Bangalore from January 8 to 10, according to Mr S.K. Misra, patron-in-chief of the tournament, here today.

Srinath enters q-finals
AHMEDABAD, Dec 23 — The lone Indian survivor and wild card entrant Prahlad Srinath posted a fluent 6-4 6-3 win over seventh seeded Motomura Goichi of Japan to move into the quarter-finals in the first leg of the Bharat Petroleum ATP Challenger Tennis Championship here today.

Gokhale leads
HYDERABAD, Dec 23 — Chandrasekhar Gokhale of Indian Airlines (IA) with 8 points shot into lead, defeating J. Ramakrishna of Andhra Pradesh at the end of 9th round of the 3rd GTB-FIDE rated All-India Open Chess Championship here today.

MDU boxers dominate
ROHTAK, Dec 23 — Semifinalists were spotted today on the fourth day of the All-India Inter University Boxing Championship being held at MDU Sports Complex here as the host university boxers dominated the proceedings. Seven out of the ten MDU boxers, who entered the ring today, qualified for the semifinals.

Warne, Waugh to give evidence on Jan 8

MELBOURNE, Dec 23 (AFP) — Australian Test stars Shane Warne and Mark Waugh will give evidence to a Pakistan judicial inquiry into bribery allegations here next month, just days before a domestic probe into illegal betting activities.

Australian Cricket Board (ACB) chief executive Malcolm Speed said today the Lahore-based court would sit in Melbourne on January 8. It will question Waugh, Warne and former chairman Alan Crompton.

The court wanted to hear from Warne and Waugh after they admitted contact with an Indian bookmaker during Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka in 1994.

The pair, who say former Pakistan captain Salim Malik tried to bribe them to throw a match, revealed earlier this month that they took $ 11,000 from a bookmaker for information about the weather and state of the pitch.

Crompton was team manager at the time.

The Australian players were fined by the ACB soon after they took the money but the board kept the incident secret, sparking claims of a cover-up.

Neither Waugh nor Warne had been keen on returning to Pakistan to give further evidence.

Speed also announced that an Australian inquiry into effect of the gambling on cricket would begin on January 12, although preliminary interviews will start on January 4.

The probe, to be headed by Queensland lawyer Rob O’Regan, will last for three weeks with the report made public at the end of February. O’Regan said the inquiry would be held in private as that was the best way to achieve results.

The ACB made the move after another Australian Test batsman, Ricky Ponting, dropped for the upcoming fourth Ashes Test against England, said last week a Sydney bookmaker offered him money a year ago for information about pitch conditions.

Former Australian Test player Dean Jones has also spoken of refusing to deal with a bookmaker on the subcontinent in 1992. Jones has already stated his desire to give testimony to the ACB inquiry.

Two other former test players, Australian Greg Mathews and New Zealander Danny Morrison, were also approached by bookmakers.

O’Regan said he wanted to interview all Australian cricketers since 1992 and also former ACB officials about any involvement with gambling.

While his inquiry has no power to force anyone to give evidence, O’Regan said he expected cooperation because former cricketers risked a tarnished image if they did not agree to interviews. His investigation will begin as cricket’s international hierarchy finally tackles the previously taboo topic of gambling.

The O’Regan inquiry should be one of three probes into cricket’s most vexed issue, with International Cricket Council likely to launch its own inquiry into gambling on cricket at a meeting in Christchurch next month.

Irked Kaushik not keen to continue

MUMBAI, Dec 23 (PTI) — M.K. Kaushik, coach of the victorious Indian men’s hockey squad, on his return here after the Bangkok Asian Games today said he was not keen to continue with his job even if he was offered an extension by the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF).

"It would be difficult for me to do the job any more. Personal problems can be sacrificed for national good. But proper planning has to be gone through. I find it difficult to continue with the job", the former Olympian said.

"I had given some plans which they (IHF officials) have not implemented. A lot of things have been promised but not delivered", Kaushik, a former winger, told reporters.

Kaushik, who said his term ended with the Asian Games, said he would submit a report on the tournament and his suggestions on what should be done in the run up to the 2000 Olympics, for which India have qualified with the Bangkok triumph, to the IHF.

"I can only give suggestions. They have to implement them. In two years’ time we can do a wonderful job if players are looked after and things are planned properly. But the federation should come forward to carry out the plans", he said.

He said he was very happy with the result at the Asian Games. "We could have won the final (against South Korea) in normal time itself. It was great to win the gold after 32 years. It was teamwork which did the job. We have improved in our penalty-corners. We scored field goals as well and it was very satisfying," he said.

Kaushik insisted that there was no question of large-scale retirements from the team in the run-up to Sydney because of the age factor working against some players.

"There is no question of retirement. The boys are playing well", he said.

Asked whether there should be changes to the 5-3-2 pattern adopted in Bangkok when playing European sides like world and Olympic champions Holland, Germany or Australia, Kaushik felt the team should vary its tactics according to the opponents.

Asked why the players fell back on the defensive in the sudden-death extra-time against Korea in the final, Kaushik pointed out that the players were defensive only in the first half and later went on the attack when he impressed upon them that defence was not the solution.

His deputy and ex-international goalkeeper Mir Ranjan Negi revealed that the think tank’s decision to stick with first-choice custodian Ashish Ballal for the "strokes" duel with Korea paid rich dividends as he blocked two "strokes".

"It was a hunch. I told Kaushik that Ballal was seeing the ball very well and can be asked to do the job in the tie-breaker. He said go ahead and ask him. We all knew (AB) Subbiah’s prowess in stopping penalty-strokes.

"I asked Ballal whether he was prepared to continue his work and he said if I had confidence in him then he had no problem", Negi said.

Negi, who was pilloried for India’s heavy loss to Pakistan in the 1982 Asiad final at Delhi, said the triumph in Bangkok was particularly sweet for him, his family and close friends.

Pillay sets sights on Sydney Olympics

MUMBAI, Dec 23 (PTI) — Firebrand Indian men’s hockey captain Dhandraj Pillay is eyeing the 2000 Sydney World cup after which he may call it a day to his chequered career.

Pillay, all fire and brimstone at the delay caused at the Mumbai airport in his team members getting their accommodation after the Bangkok Asian games contingent landed here last night, spoke to reporters later in a relaxed manner at the hotel where the 124-strong main contingent was put up.

Pillay, who has had an up-and-down career ever since his debut almost a decade ago, was upset at the lack of recognition the hockey team got on its arrival here after ending a 32-year gold medal drought in Asian Games at Bangkok.

He was particularly miffed that no staff from the Indian Airlines, which they flew on the return journey from Bangkok, was present to receive the contingent despite knowing the flight was diverted to Mumbai from its original destination Delhi because of the fog in the capital.

Later setting aside the problems faced by him and others, Pillay said the team was so thrilled by its triumph on beating holders South Korea 5-3 for the gold that the members’ joy knew no bounds.

"We are all so happy, every member of the team, the two coaches and manager. I cannot tell you in words the celebration which took place in Bangkok after our victory. The Indo-Thai Chamber of Commerce felicitated us. This is a morale-boosting win for the players", he said and added that his focus now is the Sydney Olympics.

"I will see how much we can encash (in terms of improving the team's world standings) from this win", Pillay, often the scourge of only the rival defence but also Indian hockey's offcialdom, said.

"the win is also a morale-booster for Indian hockey. This gold medal should bring in more multinational sponsors into the game", the mercurial frontliner — who scored 11goals in Bangkok — said.

Pillay said that though he had scored a few more goals at the 1990 Beijing Asiad, his Bangkok show in terms of goals notched was among his very best in international hockey.

In this context, the Pune-born Mahindra player pointed out that his five-year stint in the French league (1993-97) had helped him improve his fitness and finding the target.

The Indian skipper was all praise for his team members and pointed out that it won all the matches.

Asked how they would have fared had Pakistan were the opponents in the final, Pillay said. "We were ready for any team whether it be Pakistan, Korea, Malaysia or Japan. We played to a plan against each team and it succeeded.

About the substitutions, Pillay said all the players played exceedingly well. Looking forward to Sydney Olympics two years hence, for which the team has already qualified by virtue of its triumph in Bangkok, he said India should play tournaments against European teams.

The Indian team received one lakh bahts (approx Rs 1.25 lakh) from a well-wisher in Bangkok, he said.

India to take Pak in opener

MUMBAI, Dec 23 (PTI) — India would clash with arch-rivals Pakistan at home in the opening match of the inaugural Asian Cricket Test Championship from February 14 to 18, 1999.

India would proceed to Sri Lanka later to line up against the emerald islanders in the second match of the four-match series from February 24 to March 1.

Sri Lanka and Pakistan would meet on the latter’s soil in the third match of the series from March 5 to 9, according to the itinerary finalised by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) at Delhi on December 15.

The final of the tournament is to be held from March 13 to 17 in Bangladesh, a press release from the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) present headquarters in Colombo stated today.

It was also decided to hold the Pepsi Asia Cup one-day international tournament at Dhaka from April 25-May 20 prior to the World Cup to be held in England, the release added.

The following committees were also appointed for the purpose of the Asian Test championship.

Technical committee: Sunil Gavaskar (Board of Control for Cricket in India), Majid Khan (Pakistan Cricket Board) and Ashantha De Mel (Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka).

Finance and marketing committee: Esan Mani (PCB), Dhammik Ranatunga (BCCSL) and NY Lele (BCCI).

The ACC is confident that the unique Asian Test championship will eventually turn out to be a forerunner for the proposed world Test championship.

It was unanimously agreed at the meeting in Delhi by the respective presidents of Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan Cricket Boards that the ACC should take the initiative and implement the idea of a Test championship in the region and set the trend in motion for a world Test championship.

It has been the firm opinion of the BCCSL that there should be a fair and equal distribution of Test matches between the nine Test playing countries. The BCCSL has been agitating for this at every forum available to it and has been instrumental in mooting the idea of a world Test championship.

Even though all members of the International Cricket Council (ICC) have, in principle, accepted the concept of a world Test championship, the likelihood of such a tournament taking place in the near future is remote because of various logistic and practical difficulties, including the commitments of the teams involved, the release added.

BCCSL’s Thilanga Sumathipala, Saliya Ahangama and Nuski Mohamed are the president, secretary and treasurer of the ACC.

ICC may scrap five-Test series

SYDNEY, Dec 23 (AFP) — Five-Test series could be a thing of past if the International Cricket Council (ICC) recommendations are accepted by the world’s cricket playing nations.

The ICC has commissioned the New Zealand Cricket Board to come up with a proposal for a Test Match World Championship run over a four or five-year period, The Sydney Daily Telegraph said yesterday.

It involves each of the nine Test playing nations competing in four series, two at home and two overseas, each year.

Each series would be no shorter than two tests and all countries would play each other over the four or five-year period, the paper says.

If Australia complies, for example, it would have to reduce its traditional five test series against the West Indies and England to four and play two Tests against a lower ranked nation such as Zimbabwe or Sri Lanka.

Australia and England have been playing five or six Tests series since 1897, but England’s poor form has seen them drop to seventh in the ranking order of Test playing nations in the past decade.

All but one of the last 13 Ashes has been decided before the last Test and although Australia is almost certain to oppose the changes there were strong arguments for a more equitable schedule, the paper says.

The proposal will be discussed at length at an ICC meeting in Christchurch in January.

Asiad squad stages dharna

MUMBAI, Dec 23 (PTI) — The Indian contingent from the Bangkok Asian Games, including the men’s hockey team which struck gold after 32 years, staged a sit-in dharna at the airport here late last night as they were made to wait for three-and-a-half hours before the Indian Airlines personnel could arrange for their accommodation.

The team had arrived here unscheduled from Calcutta as the Calcutta-Delhi flight was diverted here because of dense fog in the capital.

The 124-strong contingent — including men’s and women’s hockey squads, the athletes barring double gold medallist Jyotirmoyee Sikdar, who had alighted at Calcutta and some billiards players — underwent a torrid time with the airlines people late in coming to their rescue.

The harried IA personnel managed to find accommodation at a nearby five star hotel at 1.30 a.m., long after the flight had landed at 10 p.m.

A visibly angry Dhanraj Pillay, the hockey team captain, took out his ire on the newsmen and TV crew, waiting outside for nearly four hours. Later, he apologised to the reporters at the hotel explaining the "callous" attitude of the IA officials towards the contingent had led to his outburst.

"I feel angry and sorry and I will not forget this throughout my life".

Pillay said, "It was a chartered flight and we were told that we were going to stay in transit. When we received our transit card, we were told to wait for some time. But nothing was done for the next two hours."

"We have won the gold after 32 years and this is the way we are treated. In our team, there are as many as seven Indian Airlines players," he said.

Deputy Chef De Mission and parliamentarian Ajay Kumar Sarnaik also blamed Indian Airlines for the messup despite getting the information around 10 p.m. last night that the flight has been diverted to Mumbai.

Sarnaik said they had even offered to pay for their stay to the airlines to get things moving faster.

Hockey team coach M.K. Kaushik wondered whether the same sort of reception would have awaited had the cricket team landed. "We do well, win a gold after such a long time and things are as usual," he lamented.

Mander was more diplomatic. "I wish things could have been organised better. Though I know it was an unscheduled landing" was all he would say.

The athletes, barring Sikdar who had received a tumultuous welcome at Calcutta, had to wearily trudge their way to the hotel bus and were in no mood to talk to the reporters.

The track and field team had won two gold, six silver and seven bronze medals out of the Indian tally of 35 at Bangkok.

Rosa Kutty, who took silver behind Sikdar in the women’s 800m in a memorable 1-2, said she never expected to finish second.

About the narrow miss in the women’s 4x400m relay, the veteran Kerala-born and Bangalore-based runner said the Chinese overtook at the last moment to deny the Indians a gold.

Sikdar, Dingko Singh felicitated
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — Mr Rajdeep Singh Gill, president, Punjab Basketball Association, has congratulated J. Sikdar, Dingko Singh and members of Indian hockey teams, both men and women, for their excellent performance during the recently-concluded Asian Games at Bangkok.

Mr Gill said that men's hockey team has done the country proud by winning the prestigious gold after defeating three-times champions, South Korea, twice during the Asian games. The win in hockey is "historic and very encouraging. At last India is back on winning ways and one hopes that Indian hockey would continue its winning streak to regain its lost supremacy in world hockey."

Mr Gill said that J. Sikdar and Dingko Singh did the country proud with superb "individual performances." They deserve all compliments for doing such an excellent job.

Mr Gill said that because of growing competition and toughness of opponents, it was exceedingly difficult for an underdog to finish winner in a rigorous competition like Asian Games where world giants of sports — China and Japan — are the major competitors followed by Korea.

Mr Gill also congratulated the Indian Hockey Federation, the All-India Women's Hockey Federation and the Amateur Athletic Federation of India for excellent show by their athletes during the Asian Games.

Meanwhile, Mr Surinder N. Vohra, secretary, Chandigarh Hockey Association, in a letter to the IHF chief, Mr K.P.S. Gill, has cautioned him against allowing the Bangkok triumph to go the head of the players and coaches alike. "Instead they must start with right earnest preparations for the 2000 Olympic Games. The players deserved to be honoured but not at the cost of their training and further preparations. All the players and coaches should be suitably honoured and awarded," Mr Vohra added.

These felicitations apart, Mr Nripjit Singh Bedi, a former international spiker, has expressed his deep concern at poor performance of India in the volleyball competition of the Asian Games. He questioned the wisdom of the Volleyball Federation of India in utilising the services of a foreign coach at a huge cost with the performance deteriorating from fifth to seventh position. "I would have got India better position than what they got with a foreign coach," he said.

Mr Bedi, who represented BSF, Punjab and India in volleyball for a number of years, congratulated J. Sikdar and Indian hockey teams, both men and women, for their excellent showing at Bangkok.

4 in fray for Golf Club presidentship
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — Four candidates are in the fray for the post of President of the Chandigarh Golf Club election for which will be held on December 26.

For the 11 other members of the club's managing committee there are 30 candidates in the field.

The Captain of the course, the Honorary Secretary, Treasurer and other committee chairman are not elected directly but selected by the managing committee from among its members.

Enthusiasm is high in the club. Unlike other clubs the development maintenance and improvement of the golf club is a highly specialised field requiring expert knowledge of turf management and drainage. Regular golfers lay stress on a perfectly manicured course and hence attach great importance to having office-bearers who can work towards this end.

According to the practice in this club each presidential candidate approaches the election with a slate of his candidates. Mr Tejveer Singh Sibia (Gogi) is contesting with a slate of 11 candidates consisting largely of the previous year's managing committee members. Lt-Gen Harwant Singh is fielding a slate of 10 candidates, Mr K.S. Sidhu (Raja) has a slate of nine candidates and Dr J.S. Chadha is fighting the presidential candidate without a slate of candidates.

Jadeja fighting against time

WELLINGTON, Dec 23 (AP) — Indian vice-captain Ajay Jadeja is fighting against time to be fit for the second cricket Test against New Zealand at Basin Reserve starting on Saturday.

Jadeja, who will open the batting with Navjot Sidhu, sprained his right ankle before the abandoned first Test in Dunedin and hasn’t trained since.

India’s net training today was delayed by six hours when the team arrived at the ground for a morning session but found the practice wickets were too wet.

"It is disappointing, but there is little we could do", lamented coach Aunshuman Gaekwad. "We were hoping to go through a full session today. But it doesn’t look like it".

Jadeja was ruled out of the first Test after he damaged his ankle during a friendly game of soccer.

"It wasn’t a serious injury," manager Saif Drabu said. "He will be alright for the second Test."

Jadeja didn’t train with the rest of the team this morning as it held a light fitness and fielding session.

"To be honest, I don’t know, I will have to see how I go in the nets," Jadeja told the Associated Press as he hobbled around, watching his teammates.

The team has banned physiotherapist Andrew Kokinos and the team doctor Ravindra Chadha from speaking to the media.

Jadeja is also up against the form the Venkat Laxman. The third opener on tour.

Laxman, a right hander, hit a fluent 82 in the 66-run defeat at the hands of a New Zealand XI in an exhibition one-dayer early this week.

"To be frank, we are looking at playing the best team. We don’t go by names. We will have to see who plays well. Laxman has played well and definitely has the edge over Jadeja," Gaekwad said.

Also trying to be fit in time for the second Test is New Zealand swing bowler Simon Doull.

Doull’s injury-prone career took a new twist when he injured his right calf muscle in Dunedin.

His previous upper body injuries had restricted his career to 24 Tests since his debut in November, 1992.

Doull said it was too early to say what his chances of playing were, but said he would not push himself if there was the prospect of further injury.

‘Most valued performance’ award for Sikdar

NEW DELHI, Dec 23 (PTI) — Jyotirmoyee Sikdar, who won two gold medals and a silver for India at the 13th Asian Games at Bangkok, was tonight awarded the Samsung ‘most valued performance’ award.

Sikdar was chosen for the award for being a multiple gold medallist, for displaying consistency in performance and for her fighting spirit.

The 29-year-old athlete was presented the award by M.S. Yu, president and CEO of Samsung India, at a felicitation function for Indian medal winners at the Asiad organised by the company, which sponsored the Indian contingent to Bangkok.

Sikdar emerged as the first multiple gold medallist for India since 1986 by winning gold medals in the 1500 metres and 800 m and anchoring the women’s 4x400m relay team to a silver.

A special Samsung award was given to 20-year-old boxer Dingko Singh, who beat world cup silver medallist Sontaya Wongprates and Goodwill Games champion and world number five Timur Tulyakov to win India its first boxing gold in 16 years.

SAARC golf from January 8
From Our Sports Reporter

NEW DELHI, Dec 23 — Six countries, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and the hosts India, will participate in the first SAARC Golf Championship at Bangalore from January 8 to 10, according to Mr S.K. Misra, patron-in-chief of the tournament, here today.

A three-member team from each country will play two rounds each after which two top teams will be engaged in head-to-head match over 18 holes to decide the winners and runners-up.

The format combines the stroke play as in major international competitions and then match play in the final round.

"The SAARC championship has been initiated to further interaction harmony and cooperation through sports in the region", said Misra.

The SAARC Friendship Cup will also be held concurrently. It will be played among countries which have not been able to make to the final round.

The championship, sponsored by the BPCL, is being held under the aegis of the official golf unions, including Indian Golf Union (IGU). It will be managed by the IMG.

Srinath enters q-finals

AHMEDABAD, Dec 23 (PTI) — The lone Indian survivor and wild card entrant Prahlad Srinath posted a fluent 6-4 6-3 win over seventh seeded Motomura Goichi of Japan to move into the quarter-finals in the first leg of the Bharat Petroleum ATP Challenger Tennis Championship here today.

The others who won their pre-quarter-final matches were Masuda Kentaro of Japan along with Dmitri Tomashevic and Oleg Ogorodov, both of Uzbekistan, followed by Oren Motevassel, Eyal Ran and Ofer Sela, all three from Israel, and Dupius Anthony of France.

Prahlad took some time to find his rhythm, but once he had taken an early lead, there was no looking back. He easily managed to pin down his rival to the baseline.

The first set saw Motomura stage a valiant fight, but the Indian just proved to be better, posting an easy win at 6-3.

Eyal Ran, who has had good run here earlier, won the first set easily at 6-2 against Julien Boutter of France, but found the going tough in the second set as the Frenchman staged a fine comeback. However, the more experienced ran had the last laugh winning the set at 7-6 (0).

Ofer Sela made short work of Alexandre Strambini in over an hour, winning his match 6-2, 6-3. Oren Motevassel subdued British-born Indian Arvind Parmar 6-3, 6-4 in 75 minutes.

The only match that went to the full distance was between Tomasevic and Noam Okun of Israel. Naom won the first set at 6-2 and raised hopes of victory but the gritty Uzbeki changed the pace of his game to post an easy 6-2, 6-2 win.

Gokhale leads

HYDERABAD, Dec 23 (PTI) — Chandrasekhar Gokhale of Indian Airlines (IA) with 8 points shot into lead, defeating J. Ramakrishna of Andhra Pradesh at the end of 9th round of the 3rd GTB-FIDE rated All-India Open Chess Championship here today.

On the top board, Ramakrishna with black pieces played nimzo Indian defence against Gokhale’s queen pawn opening. At initial stages, Gokhale maintained a slight edge and on 15th move tabled turned in Ramakrishna’s favour. But in time trouble Ramakrishna blundered a piece and resigned on 40th move.

In another important encounter between N.K. Mishra and international master Lanka Ravi of NLC, the former, playing with white pieces employed torre attack. Ravi easily equalised and due to inferior play by his rival obtained an advantage. However, the game got neutralised on the 28th move when heavy exchange took place. They agreed to a draw two moves later.

Results: C.S. Gokhale 8 b J. Ramakrishna 7.5; N.K. Mishra 7.5 drew with Lanka Ravi 7; Sriram Jha 7.5 b Rahul Shetty 6.5; Jayant Suresh Gokhale 7 drew with P.D.S. Girinath 7; S. Vijayalakshmi 7.5 b Gurupreetpal Singh 6.5; R.K. Mishra 7 drew with Ravi Bhave 7; Preetam Sharma 7.5 b D.S. Sharma 6; K. Murugan 6.5 drew with Dilip Das 6.5; P. Mitrakanth 7 b Murnalini Kunte 6; Amardeep Bartakke 6.5 drew with Vishal Sareen 6.5; Sandeep Chanda 6.5 drew with R. Balasubramaniam 6.5; Saritha Reddy 7 b S.K. Sinha 6; J. Venkataramana 6.5 drew with Goswami Vedant 6.5; K. Visweswaran 7 b M.R. Venkatesh 6; K.V.S. Sudhakar 6 lost to Roy Choudhry 7; P. Lakshminarasimha 6 lost to T.S. Ravi 6.5; Wajih Nassir 6 drew with C.S.K. Rathore 6.

MDU boxers dominate
From Our Sports Reporter

ROHTAK, Dec 23 — Semifinalists were spotted today on the fourth day of the All-India Inter University Boxing Championship being held at MDU Sports Complex here as the host university boxers dominated the proceedings. Seven out of the ten MDU boxers, who entered the ring today, qualified for the semifinals.

Categorywise results:

Light fly weight: Surinder Singh (MDU) b D. Durga Prasad (Osmania) Ajay Kimta (Nagpur) b H. Sikander (Utkal) Mehra Mawana (GND varsity) b Ranbir Singh (Garhwal) Anand Kumar (PU Chd) b Parmender Singh (Jhansi Uni).

Light weight: Subodh Kumar (MDU) b Manoj Kumar (Delhi Uni) (disqualified) Jagdip Singh (PU Chd) b Harish Budhwana (Jaipur) Arun Kumar (Jamia) b Sohan Lal (HPU Shimla) Naveen Kumar (Allahabad) b Suresh Choudhary (Nagpur).

Walter weight: Ram Rattan (MDU) b Tiral Reddy (Kakatia) Vikky Sharma (PU Chd.) b Bhisham Singh (Meerut) Arvind Singh (Pbi. Patiala) b Sunil Kumar (Utkal) Param Jit Singh (GND varsity) b Ganesh Swami (Udaipur).

Middle weight: K. Gopi (Andhra) b Pawan Kumar (Jammu) K. Sunder (Madras) b Jaswinder Singh (HPU Shimla) Balbir Singh (Pbi. Uni Patiala) b Purkhail Singh (Mumbai) Darshan Singh (Delhi Uni) b Dalbir Singh (MDU).

Heavy weight: Vikram Gautam (MDU) b Sunil Dahiya (Kuk) Aqeen Safwan (Osmania) b Baljit Singh (PU Chd.) Jai Parkash Yadav (Mumbai) b Shwetank Pathak (Jaipur) Bhagwant Singh (Pbi. Uni. Patiala) b L. Hari Prasad (Kakatia).

Bantom weight: Satnam Singh (GND varsity) b Vinay Singh (Bilaspur) Mohammad Zahid (Calcutta) b Kailash Chander (Jodhpur Uni) Kulwant Phogat (Delhi) b Mahavir Singh (Jamia) Ravinder Singh (Nainital) b Rupesh Kumar (Allahabad Univ).

Flyweight: Ranjit Singh (Pbi. Uni) b Riazuddin (Raipur Uni) M.A. Baqi (Osmania) b Abul Hassan (Calcutta) Naveen Abood (Delhi) b Puran Mal (HAU Hisar) (Walkover) Jadhav Vikas (Pune) b Sherani (Bhopal).

Feather weight: Jitender Singh (MDU) b Manoj Pawar (Delhi) B. Giridhar (Osmania) b Rajesh Kumar (Nainital) Vikram Tyagi (Kuk) b Jasbir Singh (GND varsity) M. Sanjeeva Rao (Kakatia) b Anand Chauhan (MLSU).

Light welter weight: Devender Gill (MDU) b R.V. Naryana (Madras) Brijesh Kumar (Allahabad) b Khemraj (Jabalpur) Vikram S. (Pbi. Uni) b Dushyant Kumar (Meerut) Rohtash Kumar (Kuk) b Naresh Kumar (Delhi).

Light middle weight: Durjai Shastri (MDU) b Dharmender (HAU) Mohmmad Ali (Udaipur) b M.G. Nityanter (Madras) (retired) Anuj Chauhan (Kuk) b V. Dangi (PU Chd.) Jagbir Singh (Pbi Patiala) b V. Sriniwas (Osmania).

Light heavy weight: Vinod Kumar (MDU) b Ajit Pal Singh (GND varsity) Paramjit Singh (Pbi Patiala) b Ashok Chauhan (HPU Shimla).

Super heavy weight: Rajinder Singh (Meerut) b Balkar Singh (Pbi Patiala) Parminder (Kuk) b Hitesh Kumar (MDU) (walkover).

U-16 cricket meet

CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 (BOSR) — John's Red and John's Green will meet in the final of the under-16 Edmund Rice Inter House Cricket Tournament being played here at the St. John's High School, Sector 26, today. In the matches played today, John's Red defeated John's Blue by three runs while John's Green won by 48 runs against John's Yellow.

Shooting ball meet

CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 (BOSR)— Charandeep Singh Memorial Shooting Ball Tournament will be organised at SAS Nagar from December 27. Entries close with Mr R.K. Loomba, (phone 221655) by 8.30 a.m. on the tournament day.

DAVC-10 in final

CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 (BOSR) — DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh, entered the final of the Panjab University Inter College Tennis Tournament being played here at the PU campus grounds today.

Results: DAV College, Chandigarh, b Government College, Sector 11, Chandigarh, 3-0. (Vivek by Vikas, 1-6, 6-2, 6-4, Birbal b Lovepreet, 6-0, 6-0. Birbal & Sarbirender b Rohit & Vikas, 6-1, 6-2.

Sunder adjudged best

CHANDIGARH, 23 (BOSR) — Sunder Singh of Powerhouse, Gym, Bhadson (Patiala), was adjudged the best body builder in 60-65 kg category on the concluding day of the Open Classic Body Building Championship held at Patiala last evening. Sunder Singh had earlier won the Junior Open Punjab Body Building Championship.

Badminton meet

PATIALA, Dec 23 (FOSR) — The Patiala District Badminton Championship will be held from December 25 to 27 at Nabha under the organisation of the Nabha Badminton Club, Nabha. Entries close on December 24 with Mr Ved Gupta, Organising Secretary, Nabha, and Mr Anil Gupta, Badminton coach, Patiala.

St Aloysius win trophy

CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 (BOSR) — St Aloysius School, Jabalpur, bagged the first CBSE National Football Tournament which concluded here today at DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, Chandigarh.

In the final played today, St Aloysius School got the better of Ansar School, Perumpilavu (Kerala), by 3-1.

Rahul of St Aloysius opened the account with a goal in 8th minute of the game, followed by Vikrant in 20th minute and the third goal came in 35th minute when Shabbir Ismail scored a fine goal for his side. Ansar school had the consolation of reducing the margin by one goal when Hemant scored a goal in 45th minute of the match.

The third place went to Bokaro Senior Secondary School, Bokaro, who defeated the lone local contender SD Public School, Sector 32.

Atul, Akshay win

CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 (BOSR) — Atul Sharma and Akshey won their respective matches, in Snooker on the second day of the Haryana State Billiards & Snooker Championship today. Atul had to wage a grim battle against B. Khurana and former won in five frames, the scores being, 33-55, 51-32, 55-50, 45-80, 55-49. In the second Snooker match, Akshey faced little resistance from Raghav Baweja before winning at 47-22, 43-33, 35-45, 45-30.

In the Billiards section, Deepak Goel easily defeated Ravi Baweja at 400-267 while Lalit subdued BK Arora at 310-170.

Football trials

CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 (BOSR) — Chandigarh Football Association will conduct field trials to select 25 probables to represent Chandigarh in the Junior National Football Championship for the BC Roy trophy, to be held at Manipur from January 17 next year. The trials will be conducted at Football Stadium, Sector 17, on December 24 at 2.30 pm and players born on or after January 1, 1980, are eligible to take part. The participants must bring their original birth certificate, according to Mr Rakesh Bakshi, Secretary of the association.

Punjab TT team

JALANDHAR, Dec 23 (FOSR)— The following players have been selected by the Punjab Table Tennis Association for participation in the 60th Junior National and Inter-State Table Tennis Championships to be held at Jalandhar from December 25.

Boys Bakul Aggarwal, Munish Bhardwaj, DJ Sney, Sumit Bahri, Vikas. Tarun Khamiza and Tilakraj.

Girls Shikha Gahi, Parminder Kaur, Shally Dhawan, Nitika, Gurvinder Kaur, Nancy and Pinky.

Coaches - Rakesh Kaushal and Mrs Narjinder Kaur.

Managers - Madan Chopra and P.K. Hoffla.