Windies gear up to face New Zealand
CHRISTCHURCH, Nov 30 — Once the most feared of cricket tourists, the West Indies are preparing to open their campaign here aware that New Zealand’s much maligned Black Caps are beginning to realise their long-promised form.

Top shooters for national meet
CHANDIGARH, Nov 30 —The 43rd National Shooting Championships in rifle/pistol events (ISSF rules) will be held under the aegis of the Punjab Police Academy and Punjab Rifle Shooting Association at Phillaur from December 5 to 14, according to Raja K.S. Sidhu, secretary of the Punjab Rifle Shooting Association.

HARARE : Zimbabwean batsman Guy Whittal watches anxiously as Sri Lankan fielders make an unsuccessful attempt to catch him out on the last day of the test match at the Harare Sports Club on Tuesday. Sri Lanka won the match by 6 wickets giving them a one-nil lead in the series. — AP/PTI

Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe HARARE, Nov 30 — Sri Lanka won the second cricket Test here by seven wickets today but not before Zimbabwe made them pay a heavy price in lost second innings wickets. Needing only 35 runs for victory, four Sri Lanka batsmen were dismissed before they completed what should have been a formality and at one stage the tourists were 19-4, with Gary Brent taking 3-21.

India hold Bangladesh
ABU DHABI, Nov 30 — India have come from behind twice to hold Bangladesh to a 2-2 draw in their last outing in the Asia Cup group three qualifiers as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) blanked Sri Lanka 6-0.

Kabaddi excluded from Asiad
NEW DELHI, Nov 30 — India was robbed of a certain Asian Games gold medal as the 2002 Pusan Games organising committee has excluded kabaddi from the competition list in which India has been champion since it’s introduction in 1990 Beijing Games.

Paes triumphs LUCKNOW, Nov 30 — Leander Paes defeated Dennis Van Scheppingen of the Netherlands 7-6 (8-6) and 6-4 in straight sets on the second day of the BPL-ATP Challenger Tennis Championship at the Oudh Gymkhana court here today.

Indian Act Leander Paes autographs at Gymkhana ground — PTI ground Leander to focus on singles

Badminton title for Gopi Chand
BANGALORE, Nov 30 — Indian national champion P. Gopi Chand has won the Scottish International Badminton Championship at Edinburgh with a comfortable 15-8, 15-10 victory over compatriot Sidharth Jain in the final.

Madras University lift basketball title
PATIALA, Nov 30 — Madras University, Chennai, outclassed GND University, Amritsar, 59-58 in a tension-packed final to lift the title in the All-India Inter-University Women’s Basketball Championships which concluded at the Punjabi University Indoor basketball courts here today.

• Jalandhar eves to the fore
• DFA Ambala lose
• Hockey squad

Mohun Bagan, JCT in last four

NEW DELHI, Nov 30 (PTI) — Former champions JCT, Phagwara outclassed Bhutan XI 3-0 while IFA Shield winners Mohun Bagan struggled to beat Army XI by a solitary goal as the two clinched the two remaining semifinal spots in the Durand Cup Football Tournament here today.

Hardeep Saini struck in the 45th and 55th minutes of the group A quarterfinal clash and substitute Jaswant Singh completed the tally in the 67th minute to give JCT a comfortable victory at the Ambedkar Stadium here.

JCT take on favourites East Bengal in the first semifinal tomorrow while Bagan will face Rovers Cup winners Salgaocar Club, Goa, in the second on Thursday.

Forward Abdul Khalique headed in a fine goal in the 36th minute off a superb cross by right half James Singh for Bagan in a lacklustre group D encounter in which both teams earned a number of chances but failed to convert.

The Bagan team, who won the IFA Shield on Friday, were sluggish and clearly out of sorts playing the third match in five days. But the former champions had enough resources even on an off day to quell the challenge of the Army men.

JCT, who have won the prestigious tournament five times, controlled the match throughout and could have won by a bigger margin but their forwards missed chances galore.

JCT’s comfortable victory over Bhutan XI ended the slender hopes of holders Mahindra and Mahindra, hoping for an upset victory for the Bhutanese team after they were beaten 2-1 by the millmen in their league match.

Despite playing without three key players — defender Daljit Singh, Deepak Mondal and Mahesh Gawli — doing duty for India in the Asian Cup qualifiers at Abu Dhabi, JCT went on the offensive from the whistle.

They could have gone 2-0 ahead in the 10th minute itself but two good efforts by Jaswant Singh and outside-left Sukhjit Singh were saved by Bhutan goalkeeper Teshring Chopel.

Chopel also pushed out long range shots from Harjinder Singh and Hardeep Saini in the next two minutes as the JCT forwards rode roughshod over the Bhutanese.

The Bhutanese players gained in confidence and managed to launch a couple of attacks after the 20th minute and came close when left back Thinlay Phuntsho was set up by Dinesh Chhetri in the 22nd minute, but some good work by defender Balkar Singh saved JCT.

Saini then missed what was probably the easiest chance of the match. After beating the offside trap in 25th minute, Saini dodged past the Bhutan ‘keeper, but his shot from a narrow angle went wide. He, however, did not make the same mistake in the first half injury time and after beating the offside trap, slotted in a grounder into the left corner of the goal.

The Phagwara outfit continued to hold sway after the breather and Saini capitalised on a faulty clearance by right back Sonam Norbu to put JCT 2-0 ahead.

With the team looking in control, Saini was substituted in a surprise move, but Jaswant Singh, who came in his place, continued the good work and scored the third goal off a Jaswinder Singh pass in the 67th minute.

Asia Cup soccer

India hold Bangladesh

ABU DHABI, Nov 30 (UNI) — India have come from behind twice to hold Bangladesh to a 2-2 draw in their last outing in the Asia Cup group three qualifiers as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) blanked Sri Lanka 6-0.

Last night’s result helped India finish third in the tournament behind Uzbekistan, who qualified for the Asia Cup finals in Lebanon in October 2000, and the UAE.

Skipper Mohammed Alfaz put Bangladesh into the lead in the 19th minute when he received the ball inside the box, rounded past two Indian defenders and sent a powerful shot that went straight into the right hand corner.

But six minutes later, Indian skipper I.M. Vijayan restored parity when he received the ball outside the penalty area and sent a rocket-like volley that beat the Bangladesh goalkeeper.

The two teams were tied 1-1 at half-time.

Four minutes after the breather, Alfaz was again on the mark to make it 2-1 for Bangladesh. But the lead was again short-lived as a minute later, Alberto restored parity for India in a mix-up in the goalmouth.

India could have won the match had they not squandered a fine chance two minutes into the injury time.

In the other match, the hosts UAE played without any pressure and did not let go of any opportunity to score against Sri Lanka.

Faud Khalil was the first to score for his team when he received a pass from Adil Matter in the 28th minute to send the ball home.

Full back Bashir Saeed added another goal to their tally six minutes before the breather.

Mohammed Ibrahim scored the third goal two minutes into injury time of the first session. Sri Lanka did create some openings but failed to score.

In the 63rd minute, Adil Mattar was brought down inside the box and Fahd Ali made no mistake to make it 4-0.

Mohammed Ibrahim hit his second goal and the team’s fifth when he cashed in on an excellent pass from Gharib Harib. Mohammed Omer completed Sri Lanka’s rout nine minutes before the match ended.

Paes triumphs

LUCKNOW, Nov 30 (UNI) — Leander Paes defeated Dennis Van Scheppingen of the Netherlands 7-6 (8-6) and 6-4 in straight sets on the second day of the BPL-ATP Challenger Tennis Championship at the Oudh Gymkhana court here today.

In the other singles matches top seed Barry Cowan of Great Britain defeated Heiko Bollich 6-0, 6-2 while Tomas Anzari of Czech Republic went down fighting to Satoshi Iwabuchi of Japan 7-6 (7-5), 1-6, 4-6.

In the doubles matches P. Srichaphan and K. Pless defeated Syed Fazaluddin and Prahlad Srinath 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) and M. Ghouse and Vishal Uppal defeated Sunil Kumar and Akshay Vishal Rao 6-4, 6-4.

In first set of the Paes-Scheppingen match, Paes was trailing 2-4, when Scheppingen broke his service in the fifth game at 40-40 after a deuce for four times Scheppingin then retained his service to take 4-2 lead.

Paes also broke Scheppingin’s service in the eighth game when Scheppingin made a double fault to level the score 4-4. Both retained their two services to level the score 6-6.

In the tie-breaker Paes took 5-0 lead but due to faulty return and outside shots Paes lost six points in a row to give Scheppingen 5-6 lead. Afterwards he fought gallantly to win the tie breaker and first set 7-6 (8-6).

In the second set the score was level at 3-3. In the seventh game he broke the service of Scheppingen 0-40 and retained his service to take 5-3 lead. He won the second set at 6-4 and the match at 7-6 (8-6), 6-4.

Paes made nine aces in the first set and one in the second against five and one by Scheppingin. Scheppingen made five double faults against one by Paes.

In his match against Satoshi Iwabuchi (Japan), Tomas Anzari (Czech), went down fighting after winning the first set at 7-6 (7-5) Anzari lost next two sets at 1-6, 4-6.

Leander to focus on singles

LUCKNOW, Nov 30 (PTI) — Indian tennis ace Leander Paes has said he would focus more on singles play though doubles would continue to be his “bread and butter.”

“I have sacrificed a lot to be a champion in the doubles, including my singles ranking. I have achieved the slot in the doubles and I am beginning to wonder whether doubles is that important to me,” Paes, who is here to play in the ATP challenger event, told reporters yesterday.

Repeating what he had said a few days ago in Delhi, the Indian Davis Cup star said though he wanted to concentrate more on singles, he would like to stamp his authority in doubles by winning the Olympic gold at Sydney next year.

Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe

HARARE, Nov 30 (AFP) — Sri Lanka won the second cricket Test here by seven wickets today but not before Zimbabwe made them pay a heavy price in lost second innings wickets.

Needing only 35 runs for victory, four Sri Lanka batsmen were dismissed before they completed what should have been a formality and at one stage the tourists were 19-4, with Gary Brent taking 3-21.

They actually scored 38, Romesh Kaluwitharana rounding out the match with a boundary.

The tourists now have an unbeatable 1-0 lead in the series with one match to play before the teams go into a series of five one-day internationals. It was their sixth Test win over Zimbabwe and they have not yet lost to the Africans.

The final day began with Zimbabwe on 235-6 needing a further 23 to make Sri Lanka bat again. Andy Flower and Guy Whittall, 71 and 57 overnight respectively, dug their heels in with great effect, using up two hours of an extended morning session before Flower was caught by Atapattu for 129.

But when the Zimbabwe captain left, caught by Marvan Atapattu off Sanath Jayasuriya, the tail collapsed. Jayasuriya’s four wickets to mop up the Zimbabweans took him only 15 balls and he finished with 4-40, his best bowling performance in Tests.

Flower’s century included eight fours and he faced 304 balls. It was a study in determination and resilience. He and Whittall put on 125 for the seventh wicket, causing some minor pangs of anxiety in the Sri Lanka camp.

But once Flower was out they knew it was all over.

The third and final Test begins here on Saturday.

SCOREBOARD

Zimbabwe (first innings) 174

(A. Flower 74 M. Zoysa 3-22)

Sri Lanka (first innings) 432

(T. Dilshan 163 not out, M. Jayawardena 91)

Zimbabwe (second innings) (overnight 235-6)

G Flower c Kaluwitharana b Muralitharan 13

T Gripper c Arnold b Vaas 4

M Goodwin run out (Dilshan) 48

E Matambanadzo run out (De Saram) 0

N Johnson c Atapattu b Zoysa 14

A Flower c Atapattu b Jayasuriya 129

A Campbell lbw b Muralatharan 5

G Whittall not out 53

G Brent lbw b Jayasuriya 0

B Strang c Jayawardena b Jayasuriya 3

H Olonga lbw b Jayasuriya 0

Extras: (b-3 lb-15 nb-5) 23

Total: 292

Fall of wickets: 1/5, 2/28, 3/28, 4/51, 5/152, 6/159, 7/284, 8/284, 9-292.

Bowling: Vaas 35-7-78-1 (nb-1) Zoysa 11-2-24-1 Wickramasinghe 28-10-51-0 (nb-1) Muralitharan 43-15-71-2 (nb-3) Jayasuriya 12.4-3-40-4 Arnold 1-0-3-0 Jayawardena 4-2-7-0.

Sri Lanka (2nd innings):

M. Atapattu run out 6

S. Jayasuriya c Gripper b Brent 7

R. Arnold c Flower b Brent 1

M. Jayawardena not out 6

T.M. Dilshan lbw b Brent 0

R. Kaluwitharan not out 14

Extras: (1lb, 1nb, 2w) 4

Total: (for 4 wkts) 38

Fall: 1-10, 2-15, 3-19, 4-20

Bowling: Olonga 5-1-14-0, Brent 7.2-3-21-3, Strang 3-1-2-0.

Shoaib’s action kicks up row

SYDNEY, Nov 30 (PTI) — World’s fastest bowler Shoaib Akhtar of Pakistan is under threat of being ruled out of the tri-nation cricket series against India and Australia in January with his “suspect action” being reported to the games’ governing body, International Cricket Council.

Pakistan’s test-series tour of Australia has ended in a heartbreak for Shoaib Akhtar, who has come under chucking allegations and possible review of his action by an ICC panel.

A videotape will be sent to ICC this week containing footage of the Rawalpindi Express’ bowling in all three Test against Australia along with an official request that Shoaib’s action be reviewed.

It could not be immediately confirmed whether the report was compiled by an Australian or overseas umpire or match referee John Reid, a New Zealander who is on the nine-man ICC committee.

Meanwhile, international umpire for the second and third Tests, Peter Willey, has returned to England.

The Australian umpire for the third Test at Perth, Darrell Hair, was standing in his first Test of the summer.

Hair caused a major controversy during the 1995-96 season when he called Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.

As match referee in the series, it is Reid’s job to forward the report and tape to London.

Information surrounding the report has been kept under wraps because of the highly sensitive nature of the problem.

It is ICC’s policy that all investigations arising from official requests to review a bowlers action are conducted in secrecy. Once an official complaint is received by the ICC, it is expected the committee will act speedily to finalise the matter.

If Shoaib’s sling-shot action needs major refinement, there is a chance he may be stood down from international cricket. The area of concern is Shoaib’s effort which was clocked at a frightening 154 kmh this summer.

There is no query about Shoaib’s routine delivery. But when he strains to bowl a bouncer his action opens up as his body falls away slightly.

The focus of the investigation will be on whether Shoaib’s elbow straightens at this point, which the laws of cricket do not allow.

Umpires and match referees had no problem with Shoaib’s action during the World Cup in June but he subsequently spent three months on the sidelines with a shoulder problem.

There is a school of thought that since sustaining the shoulder injury Shoaib’s action has opened up as he subconsciously tries to protect the hurt part of his body.

Umpires have found it difficult to assess the bonafides of Shoaib’s action because his slinging delivery is a blur and he wears elbow-length sleeves which confuses the matter further.

While Shoaib has publicly lambasted accusations that his action is suspect, privately he has been concerned enough to have it checked by several coaches in the nets.

The first cloud over Shoaib’s action appeared after the first week of the Australian tour when Perth umpire convener Ric Evans sent a video of his action to the ACB but the board claimed it had no jurisdiction.

Windies gear up to face New Zealand

CHRISTCHURCH, Nov 30 (AFP) — Once the most feared of cricket tourists, the West Indies are preparing to open their campaign here aware that New Zealand’s much maligned Black Caps are beginning to realise their long-promised form.

The West Indians have a good bowling line-up, led by Courtney Walsh on the verge of becoming the world’s most successful Test Bowler, but they have less than impressive batting line up, given to regular collapses.

Their problem is disguised by the presence of captain Brian Lara, one of the best batsman in the world today, after India’s Sachin Tendulkar.

But Lara has already rated 1999 as his worst season yet.

The Black Caps are re-adjusting to home conditions after a rugged Indian tour where they lost the-Test rubber 1-0 and the one-day series 3-2, but where new stars emerged and the team became battle-hardened.

The unusually early international start here sees the West Indians play two Tests and five one-day internationals over the Christmas-New Year period.

Its marketing success in part rests on fast bowler Walsh who is 12 wickets away from becoming Test cricket’s most successful bowler.

Walsh, with 423 wickets, has ahead of him India’s Kapil Dev on 434 wickets and New Zealand’s Richard Hadlee on 431 and they are both retired.

Hadlee said that on a two-Test tour Walsh might find it difficult to get the record in New Zealand, but there was “a sniff of a chance” given his record here.

Hamilton, scene of the first Test, can aid fast bowlers while Wellington’s Basin Reserve for the second Test has even more pace and bounce than it did in 1995 when Walsh took 13 wickets over two innings for 55 runs.

“Some grounds have the right feel,” Hadlee wrote in the Sunday Star-Times. “You can’t wait to get back on them.

“Having spearheaded the Windies attack in their last two Test campaigns earlier this year against South Africa and Australia, he knows the record can be a reality.”

Walsh did not play county cricket for Gloucestershire this last season and he says that gave him the impetus to stay in the international arena.

“I would have been satisfied with 400 but I have the chance of getting past two great bowlers, Sir Richard Hadlee and Kapil Dev”.

Now 36-year-old Walsh suggests that even if he does not get the record here, he was ready to tour England next year.

Supporting Walsh is Franklyn Rose who was last year tossed out of the team during the South African tour for going on tour unfit, for disobeying the coach, the late Malcolm Marshall, and not paying his hotel bills.

“All I can say now is that I’ve learned from my mistakes,” “Rose said here.

“And that I’m positively sure it won’t happen again”.

Lee raring to meet Indians

SYDNEY, Nov 30 (PTI) — Brett Lee, rated by most here as the fastest bowler in the world, will be let loose on the Indians when New South Wales meet the tourists in a four-day game here on Thursday.

Lee was disappointed at being left out of the final eleven for Australia against Pakistan in the Perth Test last week.

It was a close call which went in favour of Michael Kasprowicz, the Queensland bowler justifying it by claiming seven wickets in the match.

New South Wales have also assured an 18-year-old cricketer of rare promise, Michael Clarke, a place in the team.

Clarke, vice-captain of the Australian under-19s, has been chosen in the NSW side without Test stars Steve and Mark Waugh, Glenn McGrath and Michael Slater. He scored a Test century against England early this year.

Another new fast bowler Jamie Heath has also been included as the NSW promise to give its promising young players every chance to establish themselves in the team.

The Indians arrived from Brisbane by a morning flight today and had a light session of exercise at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, Australia’s captain Steve Waugh hurled the gauntlet at Indian maestro Sachin Tendulkar today claiming McGrath fancies his chances against him.

Waugh made it clear that his now inspired side would line up his Indian counterpart for special attention for the three-Test series starting at Adelaide on December 10.

“We’ve got to have a plan to work on him,” said Waugh before leaving Perth where his side completed a 3-0 whitewash against Pakistan.

The Australians believe if they can make the ball lift just short of a length around the offstump then Tendulkar will edge behind or to the slips trying to force off the backfoot.

He is certain to be tested with plenty of short deliveries aimed at the body. Indeed, this plan has worked occasionally in one-day matches with a hard ball when Tendulkar is opening the batting.

But only occasionally, since the Australians to this day talk in awe about Tendulkar’s two smashing hundreds at the SCG and Perth on the 1991-92 tour.

Mark Taylor rates Tendulkar as the most destructive batsman of his time.

Waugh confesses he’ll go all right out here. “I’ll be very surprised if he doesn’t score runs.”

He remembered Tendulkar’s last nine one-day innings against Australia which contained four centuries and three half centuries, including an 80 and then three hundreds in his last four innings.

The plan obviously does not include spin and Shane Warne, for the master leg-spinner himself admits the Indians are best players of spin in the world.

So, it is McGrath the Australians are relying upon to break Tendulkar’s morale.

Tendulkar dominated Australia’s most recent series against India in India early last year, scoring 446 runs at 111.5 with two centuries but McGrath did not tour because of injury and was badly missed.

Though Tendulkar might not remember so, McGrath did play against him in the one-off Test at Ferozeshah Kotla in 1996.

He is in line to become the fourth Indian batsman to complete 1,000 Tests runs against the Aussies. Sunil Gavaskar (1550 from 20 Tests) leads the list followed by Dilip Vengsarkar (1304 from 24) and Gundappa Viswanath (1538 from 18).

Waugh believes Rahul Dravid is just as big a danger as Tendulkar. “He’s got a really good technique and an excellent temperament, so we certainly don’t want to get carried away with one player. If we relax and get too carried away by how we played against Pakistan we’ll certainly get into trouble against India,” said Waugh.

Kabaddi excluded from Asiad

NEW DELHI, Nov 30 (PTI) — India was robbed of a certain Asian Games gold medal as the 2002 Pusan Games organising committee has excluded kabaddi from the competition list in which India has been champion since it’s introduction in 1990 Beijing Games. “The PAGOC have excluded kabaddi from the competitions and we have put up a strong objection to their move,” Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi said.

The Pusan committee last week made representation at the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) meet in Kuwait and announced that kabaddi would not feature in the schedule.

“We strongly objected to it and have the support of Pakistan and Bangladesh,” Kalmadi told reporters after IOA’s annual general body and executive committee meeting here yesterday.

Badminton title for Gopi Chand

BANGALORE, Nov 30 (PTI) — Indian national champion P. Gopi Chand has won the Scottish International Badminton Championship at Edinburgh with a comfortable 15-8, 15-10 victory over compatriot Sidharth Jain in the final.

The top-seeded Gopi Chand stepped up the pace in both the games after being tied with the unseeded Jain at eight-all to outclass his opponent and win, a Badminton Association of India (BAI) press note said here today.

Jain seemed a wee-bit tired from his exhausting semifinal match against Pontus Jantti of Finland, a former top 20 player, which he had won 15-13, 15-13.

Gopi Chand, along with Jain, Nikhil Kanetkar and B.R. Meenakshi, will return to India on December 2 to participate in the December 4-7 Asian Satellite Tournament in Hyderabad.

In the women’s singles final, top-seeded Japanese Ida Takako scored an easy win over a Chinese rival in straight games, the note said.

Top shooters for national meet
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 30 —The 43rd National Shooting Championships in rifle/pistol events (ISSF rules) will be held under the aegis of the Punjab Police Academy and Punjab Rifle Shooting Association at Phillaur from December 5 to 14, according to Raja K.S. Sidhu, secretary of the Punjab Rifle Shooting Association.

Shooters (male and female) of national and international fame will vie for top honours in the first nationals according to International Sports Shooters Federation (ISSF) rules.

This year the National Rifle Association of India has segregated the national rules (NR) events which will now be held as the All-India G V Mavlankar National Championships .

The shooters having the minimum qualifying score of 90 per cent among seniors and 80 per cent among juniors are eligible to compete in the competitions.Therefore, tough competitions are expected during the 10-day meet.

Jaspal Rana, Ved Prakash, C Palangappa, A.P. Subbiah and Ashok Pandit among men and Suma Dixit, Kuhali Gangulee, Anjali Ved Prakash and Roopa Unnikrishnan among women are expected to be among the top participants.

The Punjab team challenge will be spearheaded by young international Abhinav Bindra and Jaspreet Dhaliwal. Prominent among the men shooters to be seen in action will be T.S. Dhillon, Santokh Singh, N.S. Bhogal, D.S. Padda, Jasraman Grewal, Gursimran Bhullar,Karan Sandhu, G.S. Garcha, A.S. Chabbra, Suman Pratap Aulakh, H.S. Jakhar and Jasneet Bhullar. Amongst women S.K. Dhillon is expected to do well.

The trap/skeet edition of the National Shooting Championships will be held in New Delhi.

Madras University lift basketball title
From Our Sports Reporter

PATIALA, Nov 30 — Madras University, Chennai, outclassed GND University, Amritsar, 59-58 in a tension-packed final to lift the title in the All-India Inter-University Women’s Basketball Championships which concluded at the Punjabi University Indoor basketball courts here today.

From the moment Shymla sunk in first basketball, there was no looking back for the Madras eves. Even before the start of the final there was an air of confidence in the Madras University camp as they had managed to scrapepast GND varsity in a closely fought league encounter held earlier during the meet.

For GND varsity, Mandeep Khaira was the fulcrum around which her team rotated. But once she was bottled up by the tall Vidya, there was a discernible lack of authority in the Amritsar University moves.

Even though the GND varsity girls lost this cliff hanger with a vociferous crowd behind them, they were not disgraced. The script of the final might have been entirely different had the hard-working and diminutive Sushma not missed a three pointer.

The Madras eves were leading 32-20 at the breather.

Midway in the second half Mandeep Khaira and Sushma struck a purple patch to put GND varsity in the reckoning once again. Towards the fag and of the match, the Madras team enjoyed a comfortable lead and became a bit complacent as they repeatedly tried to freeze the ball to slow down the pace of the game. It was here that the GND varsity eves regrouped themselves and reduced the margin but it was only that far that they managed to go as they went down fighting 58-59 to let Madras University steal the limelight and also clinch the title.

In the match for the third and fourth spots MG University, Kotayyam dethroned last year’s holders Panjab University, Chandigarh, 53-36 in a match which lacked excitement and failed to rise to the level of an intense contest.

Scores: Final: Madras University 59 (Vidya 20, Shaymla 13 beat GND University, Amritsar 58 (Sushma 17, Sarbjit 16)

Scores for third and fourth spots: MG University, Kottayam 53 (Ambili 27, Somini 8, Sangeetha 8) beat Panjab University, Chandigarh, 36 (Mandeep Brar 18, Gurminder 5)

DFA Ambala lose
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, Nov 30 — Delhi Vidyut Board defeated DFA Ambala by 6-5 in the opening match via the tie-breaker in the 33rd All India Ballarpur Industries Football Tournament organised by Shree Gopal Club here today.

The match between National Club, Dehra Dun, and Bilt, Yamunanagar, could not be decided even after extra time and the tie-breaker. Ultimately golden goal rule was applied in which National Club emerged winner by 2-1. The scorers from Dehra Dun team were Sunil and Nitin Kumar Saini, while Devinder Kumar scored for the losers. Mr Chiranjiv Singh, Deputy General Manager, Ballarpur and organiser of the tournament informed that teams from all over the country had been invited to the tournament. Final match will be played on December 6. The winners will be awarded cash prize of Rs 10,000 while the runners-up will get Rs 5,000.

Jalandhar eves to the fore
From Our Sports Reporter

LUDHIANA, Nov 30 — Jalandhar girls were to the fore as Sapinder Kaur (u-20), Prabhjot Kaur (u-18) and Chandan Bhargava (u-16) were adjudged the best athletes in the 76th Punjab State Junior Athletic Championship organised jointly by the District Amateur Athletic Association, Ludhiana and NRI Sabha (Punjab) which concluded at the Guru Nanak Stadium here today.

In the boys section, Jorawar Singh of Fatehgarh Sahib was declared the best athlete in the under-20 years category. In the under-18 category, this honour was shared by Joginder Singh of Fatehgarh Sahib and Gurbir Singh of Ludhiana while Varinder Singh from Jalandhar was named the best athlete in the under-16 category.

Jalandhar district garnered 82 points to clinch the team championship in the girls under-18 category and collected 71 points in the under-20 section to bag the team championship while in the under-18 category Amritsar girls secured 33 points to win the team championship.

In the boys section, hosts Ludhiana scored 48 points to grab the team championship in the under-20 years category while Amritsar district with 28 points in the under-18 group and Jalandhar district with 27 points in the under-16 category won the team championships.

Mr Manoranjan Kalia, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, gave away the prizes.

Today’s results: 4x400 m relay (boys u-18), 1 — Faridkot 3.35.84 secs, 2 — Amritsar 3.37.20, 3 — Ludhiana 3.4.+3.42.13 1500 m boys u-18: 1 — Joginder Paul Singh (Ftg) 4.8.82 secs, 2 — Arvinder Singh (Jal) 4.10.40, 3 — Bua Singh (Ldh) 4.11.91, 100-m (Boys u-18) — 1 — Gurbir Singh (Ldh) 10.80 secs, 2 — Jaspreet Singh (Asr) 10.89, 3 — Lakhvir Singh (Rpr) 11.38 200 m (girls u-18) — 1 — Manjeet Kaur (Jal) 26.31 secs, 2 — Rupinder Kaur (Ldh) 27.75, 3 — Harpal Kaur (Fdr) 27.81 1500 m (girls u-18) — 1 — Tajinder Kaur (Jal) 4.47.52 secs, 2 — Naginder Kaur (Asr) 4.48.16, 3 — Gurjeet Kaur (Jal) 800 m (girls u-18) — 1 — Tajinder Kaur (Jal) 2.15.23, 2 — Gurkirat Kaur (Jal) 2.20.22.

Discus throw (girls u-20) — 1 — Narinder Kaur (Jal) 34.84 m, 2 — Baljinder Kaur (Rpr) 32.10, 3 — Rajvinder Kaur (Jal) 31.84 100 m (boys u-16) — A — Satinder Pal Singh (Bth) 2 — Hitesh Jerath (Hsr) 3 — Harcharan Singh (Ldh) 100 m (girls u-18) 1 — Manjeet Kaur (Jal), 2 — Prabhjot Kaur (Jal) 3 — Harpal Kaur (Fdr).

10000 m (boys u-20) 1 — Amarjit Singh (Jal) 2 — Sanjeev Kumar (Hsr), 3 — Jasvir Singh (Ldh), 100 m (boys u-20) — 1 — Zorawar Singh (Ftg), 2 — Jaspreet Singh (Ptl), 3 — Sukhjinder Singh (Ldh).

200 m (boys u-20: 1 — Zorwar Singh (Ftg), 2 — Manjinder Singh (Ldh), 3 — Maha Singh (Sng), 1500 m (boys u-20) — 1 — Parmik Singh (Ptl), 2 — Kashmir Singh (Ldh), 3 — Satish Kumar (Hsr), 200 m (girls u-20) — 1 — Sagardeep Kaur (Ldh), 2 — Amandeep Kaur (Jal), 3 — Akhwinder Kaur (Ldh), 1500 m (girls u-20) — 1 — Paramjit Kaur (Ldh), 2 — Jaswinder Kaur (Jal), 3 — Anu Saini (Jal), 4x400 m relay (girls u-20) — 1 — Ludhiana, 2 — Jalandhar, 3 — Patiala 3000 m (girls u-20) — 1 — Amarjit Kaur (Ldh), 2 — Jawinder Kaur (Jal), 3 — Poonam Sood (Jal).

Hockey squad
From Our Sports Reporter

LUDHIANA, Nov 30 — Lakhwinder Singh of Ludhiana has been named captain of the Punjab circle postal hockey team for the 13th All-India Postal Hockey Tournament to be held at Bhopal from December 1 to 5.

Other members of the team are: Amanpreet, Satinderjit, Gurdeep, Avtar Singh, Gursatinder Singh, Sanjay Kumar, Rajinder, Dharampal, Kuldeep, Nirmal, Balwinder Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Yadvinder Singh and Kulwant Singh.

Manager: Mohinder Singh and coach: Manmohan Mishra.

Ravneet excels

AMRITSAR, Nov 30 (FOSR)— All round show by Ravneet Ricky, who claimed five wickets and scored 45 runs, helped the local DAV College to beat Doaba College by three wickets in the GND University Inter-College Cricket Tournament here today.

Doaba College were able to score 152 runs before being all out. DAV College achieved the target with three wickets intact.

For the winners Aman Randev remained not out on 28. Vineet Sharma took four wickets for 32 runs, while Pankaj Kalia claimed 2 for 27.

B’ball trials

PATIALA, Nov 30 (FOSR) — Trials to select the Patiala district basketball teams (men and women) will be held at the local polo grounds here on December 2 at 3 pm, according to Mr GS Chahal, president of the Patiala District Basketball Association.

The selected teams will take part in the senior Punjab State Basketball Championships which are scheduled to be held at Dhanaula, near Sangrur, from December 4 to 7.

FCI Ludhiana record win

LUDHIANA, Nov 30 (FOSR) — Vishal Kapoor (47 not out) and Ashwani (2 for 32) enabled FCI Ludhiana, to outplay Gurdaspur by six wickets in the All-India FCI Inter-District Cricket Tournament at the Punjab Agricultural University ground here today.

Batting first, FCI Gurdaspur were all out for 117 runs. FCI Ludhiana achieved the target after losing only four wickets.

Brief scores: FCI Gurdaspur 117 all out (Vishal Sharma 38, Ashwani Kumar 2 for 32).

FCI Ludhiana: 118 for 4 (Vishal Kapoor 47 not out, Sukhbir Singh 16, Romesh 16, Brijmohan 3 for 46).