Thursday, December 23, 1999
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S P O R T | Thursday, December 23, 1999 |
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East Bengal have edge on JCT CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — Punjab’s premier outfit JCT Phagwara will seek to make the most of the home conditions when they take on an upbeat East Bengal in a key contest of the National Football League at Guru Nanak Stadium, Ludhiana, tomorrow. Archana, Rashmi bow out LUCKNOW, Dec 22 — The top four seeded players today comfortably won their matches in the ITF Women’s Circuit Tennis Championship at the grass courts of the Oudh Gymkhana Club here. Team’s selection for tri-series on Dec 30 MUMBAI, Dec 22 — The national selectors will meet here on December 30 to decide on the changes to be made in the Indian team for the limited overs tri-series which is to follow the three-Test series against Australia, the cricket board announced today. |
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Kapil Dev wants bouncy wicket Agassi,
Steffi Graf mesmerised tennis buffs ‘Make’
Nayan Mongia’s medical report public
Kiwis call up Sinclair Gymnastics
meet from today India
awarded Grand Prix meet PSB
meet Railways in semis Amir
Singh to lead v’ball team Vizzy
Trophy from February 2 Sunil
Kumar gets wild card Malik
chief of hockey body |
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East Bengal have edge on JCT CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — Punjab’s premier outfit JCT Phagwara will seek to make the most of the home conditions when they take on an upbeat East Bengal in a key contest of the National Football League at Guru Nanak Stadium, Ludhiana, tomorrow. With four points from three ties, JCT are currently placed sixth on the table while East Bengal are at the fourth spot with six points from two victories against ITI and BSF. Both teams made a disappointing start in the league. While JCT lost the lung opener to Salgaocar at New Delhi on December 9, fancied East Bengal were shocked by underdogs Tollygunge Agragami at Calcutta two days later. However, East Bengal made amends with two consecutive victories but JCT, who shocked Mohun Bagan 2-1 in their second match, later dropped crucial points against Dempo after playing a goal-less draw. On paper, East Bengal have an edge on JCT. With as many as five players who did duty in the Asia Cup qualifiers at Abu Dhabi, East Bengal boast of one of the most formidable line-ups. Besides talented players like Prasanto Dora and Gopal Das under the bar, Falguni Dutta, Rattan Singh and Chanchal Bhattacharya in the defence; and Carlton Chapman, Dipankar Roy, Ranjan Dey, Rennedy Singh and Tushar Rakshit in the midfield, East Bengal's attacking line is one of the best in the country. Strikers Bijen Singh and Raman Vijayan are a fearsome duo who can crack the best of defences on their day. In addition East Bengal, as per norms set by the All-India Football Federation, have recruited a couple of foreigners, including Ghanian Jackson Egygpong, Emanuel Opoku, Willie Brown and Sulley Mussah. While Ghanians Jackson and Mussah are defenders, Emanuel Opoku and Willie Brown bolster the midfield and attack. For the crucial tie tomorrow, defender Chanchal Bhattacharya and medio Dipankar Roy are expected to be back in the squad. While Chanchal served a two-match suspension, Dipankar missed the previous match against BSF for earning a yellow card against ITI on December 15. However, star midfielder Tushar Rakshit, who was adjudged the best player in the Durand Cup, is a doubtful starter as he is yet to recover from a bout of fever. Similarly Mussah is also out of action following a leg injury. For JCT, the biggest worry is the attack. A good striker can tilt the balance in tight situations and JCT lack players who can match the calibre of Vijayan and Bijen Singh. Nevertheless, the Hardip trio of Sangha, Saini and Gill do strike an effective combination and in fact a lot depends on how Sangha and Saini shape up upfront to lend support to the attack spearheaded by Sukhjit and Hardip Gill. Substitute Surjit also shows promise when it is most needed. JCT's defence is ably manned by stopper back Deepak Mondal and wing back Daljit Singh. Prabhjot Singh, formerly of TFA, who played as right wing back in the previous match against Dempo is also a player to watch in the coming days. On the whole, the match
is set for a needle finish given the fighting qualities
of the two teams. The kick-off is at 2.30 p.m. |
Archana, Rashmi bow out LUCKNOW, Dec 22 (UNI) — The top four seeded players today comfortably won their matches in the ITF Women’s Circuit Tennis Championship at the grass courts of the Oudh Gymkhana Club here. India’s Venkataraman sisters — 8th seed Archana and Arthi — were eliminated along with Nikita Bhardwaj, Rashmi Chakravarty and Manohar Geeta. Top seed Katarina Daskovic of Yugoslavia smartly outclassed Arthi in straight sets at 6-0, 6-1. Arthi was no match to Daskovik’s serves and shots. Talking to reporters at the end of the tie she said she enjoyed playing at the grass courts despite being a clay court player. She also hoped to be here the next time. She was planning to practise for few months before the Australian Open. Arthi’s sister Archana went down to Slovakian Uska Vesenjak 6-1, 6-3 at the centre court. Another Indian girl Rashmi Chakravarty bowed down to Russian Maria Kondratieva at 7-5, 6-3. Third seed Sai Jayaram Jayalakshmi beat Germany’s Catherine Turinsky 6-2, 6-3. In the first set Jayalakshmi did not face any problem with Catherine but in the second set she gave a tough challenge. After the tie Jayalakshmi said the seventh game of the second set was crucial for her, the opponent’s shots and passes were slow and it was very difficult to face them. Her next outing would be with Sheetal Gautham who beat Nikita Bhardwaj at 6-1, 6-4. Jayalakshmi said Sheetal was a good player and it was not easy to play against her. The condition of club courts was better now and she would definitely be here next time. Fourth seed Po Ka Tong
of Hong Kong moved ahead beating Antonia Matic of Crqotia
6-3, 6-2. |
Agassi, Steffi Graf mesmerised tennis buffs PARIS, Dec 22 (AFP) — For all the talk, in the women’s game in particular, of hard-hitting young guns about to inherit the tennis earth, the two names on everyone’s lips in 1999 were two of the oldest racket-swingers in town: Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf. There were tears from both as Agassi roared back to complete a remarkable period having finished 1997 ranked 122 in the world to end the millennium at the top of the tree. Graf, too, had a rollercoaster time as she forced herself back into the fray despite months of injury troubles and took the French Open before bowing out of top competition after going down in the Wimbledon final. What made the pair’s achievements all the more piquant — and gave the media many a field day — was the fact that the duo became a tandem on a personal level. Happiness in their private lives appeared to galvanise both and Agassi in particular was on fire in Grand Slam terms with wins at Roland Garros and the US Open. The Garros win sent the shaven-headed star into the history books as he became the first man to win all the slams on different surfaces. Ending the year as world number one allowed him to achieve one of his few remaining sporting ambitions. It was all the culmination of a career which began when, aged just four, Agassi hit with such tennis greats as Bjorn Borg, Ilie Nastase and Harold Soloman before going on to become a teenage prodigy of Nick Bollettieri. The 29-year-old had won his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 1992, and took the Australian Open and the US Open twice before he finally triumphed on the slow red clay of Roland Garros. He then duly won again back in the USA, beating another US star in the shape of Todd Martin 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 6-2. Yet it was at Roland Garros where his career reached its apotheosis with an enthralling five-set win over another comeback kid — unseeded Ukrainian Andrei Medvedev. Agassi found himself two sets behind before the realisation dawned that he was letting himself down on the threshold of his greatest feat. He roared back to win 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 and become only the fifth man in history to complete his Grand Slam set after Donald Budge, Fred Perry, Roy Emerson and Rod Laver. “It almost feels like it had nothing to do with me — like it was sheer destiny,” said Agassi, who had only twice previously won a five-setter after losing the first two sets. “I know this will change my life for ever. This was the greatest thing I could ever do.” The 30-year-old German was presented with the medal of the Olympic Order by International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch for her contribution to sport. “It was not easy to take this decision (to quit) but the competition had become too difficult for me,” said Graf, who was joined in retirement by compatriot and triple Wimbledon champ Boris Becker. While Agassi and Graf dominated the headlines for much of the year, they were by no means alone when it came to the serious business of stacking up the silverware. And although he had to concede the year-end honours to Agassi, Sampras still managed to retain the Indian sign over the Las Vegan as he won their crunch duels not only in Wimbledon at an Independence Day shootout but also in the year-ending ATP Tour world championship. Sampras’ Wimbledon triumph handed him his 12th Grand Slam title — tying the record held by Australian Emerson. Sampras, undisputed grasscourt king with six Wimbledon titles, later didn’t just beat Agassi at Hanover — he thrashed him 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 to win the $ 3.6-million event for the fifth time in a decade, tying Ivan Lendl’s record. He had already eclipsed the latter’s record for total weeks at number one in reaching his 271st week at the top after Wimbledon. In future the race for the top will cover the Calendar year and players, who will start the year with zero points, will accumulate points from 18 events. Injury-blighted years
have increasingly become the fate of top players with
Sampras one of the worst-afflicted while Australian Pat
Rafter, who missed the chance to claim a US Open
hattrick, is already doubtful for next month’s
Australian Open as he recovers from shoulder surgery. |
Team’s selection for tri-series on Dec 30 MUMBAI, Dec 22 (PTI) — The national selectors will meet here on December 30 to decide on the changes to be made in the Indian team for the limited overs tri-series which is to follow the three-Test series against Australia, the cricket board announced today. The Carlton and United Triangular series featuring India, Pakistan and the hosts is to be held from January 9 to February 13 with each team facing the other five times in the round-robin phase leading upto the best-of-three finals. Pakistan and Australia will kick-off the series with their clash at Brisbane’s Gabba on January 9 followed by the tie between India and Pakistan at the same venue the next day. The selectors are expected to make a few changes by bringing in limited overs specialists like Robin Singh and Ajay Jadeja into the squad though there is a big question mark over the latter’s selection following the medical report that his injured shoulder needed surgery. The board has put the ball squarely in the selectors’ court over choice of Jadeja though it is expected that the medical report of South African specialist Mark Fergusson would be tabled at the meeting by secretary Jaywant Lele who is to convene it. Dr Fergusson, who was consulted by Jadeja at Johannesburg, had said in his report that the ex-Haryana stalwart could not play for India without an operation to his injured shoulder and recuperation for at least six weeks thereafter. “Even physiotherapy will not help him in his recovery without surgery”, Fergusson has opined according to board sources. The topic was discussed in “any other matter” of the agenda at the board’s working committee meeting in Chennai on December 19. A member of the board’s all-powerful committee had demanded in the meeting that it should take a decision on Jadeja. Lele had told reporters in Chennai that the board will send the doctor’s report to the five selectors and leave it to them to decide whether Jadeja should be picked or not for the tri-series in the light of the medical report. The star one-day
middle-order batsman had suffered a tear in his right
shoulder during the third one-dayer of the five-match
home series against New Zealand at Gwalior last month
which ruled him out of the first part of the Australian
tour comprising Tests and a few other four-day ties. |
Warne again gets nightmare MELBOURNE, Dec 22 (PTI) — Till now it was Sachin Tendulkar alone who gave Australian leg spinner Shane Warne nightmares. Now the star leg spinner is having another bout of sleepless nights after dropping the catch which would have given teammate Damien Fleming a second Test hat-trick in the first Test against India. “It was a nightmare,” Warne said. Asked to relive the moment, of dropping a head-high chance from the slashing blade of Javagal Srinath, Warne said: “He nicked it, I dropped it, disappointing, yeah”. “You want a nick to come to you every ball, but on a hat-trick ball there is that extra little bit of pressure (you are) saying `well, hit it to someone else just in case I drop it.’ I suppose (it was) a bit of a nightmare,” the blonde leggie was quoted by local media as saying. The star spinner is, however, looking forward to some thing to cheer him up when he takes the field at his home ground in Melbourne for the second Test. Warne, who needs seven more wickets to overhaul Dennis Lillee’s record of 355 Test wickets, said he was looking forward to a beer with the great fast bowler when he got the required number of wickets. “Whenever it happens will be great. You don’t play for records but whenever they are there right in front of you, you give yourself a bit of a pat on the back and say well done. “Overall it has
been a fantastic career so far and, touch wood, it can
keep going for a few years yet and there is still a bit
of spin left in the fingers and shoulder,” Warne
said. |
Kapil Dev wants bouncy wicket MELBOURNE, Dec 22 (PTI) — A 285-run Adelaide Test drubbing notwithstanding, India is looking forward to a bouncy Melbourne wicket to give its bowlers a fair chance to unsettle Australian batsmen when the second cricket Test gets underway here on boxing day. “I want to tell you all I want is a bouncy wicket,” coach Kapil Dev said with complete seriousness when queried on how India would cope with the bouncy track laid at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). “I would be disappointed if it is not bouncy,” Kapil Dev said leaving the Australian media persons surprised. “Give us a bouncy wicket any day. With the kind of bowlers we have, India’s best chances rest only if our bowlers get some help from the track,” he said. Kapil Dev was, however, not unmindful of his batsmen who also will have some tough going against Glenn McGrath and Co. “Our batsmen on this tour have not got some big runs... They are due to make them here,” said a confident Kapil Dev. Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid put together just 200 runs between themselves in the Adelaide Test though all three are currently averaging 50-plus in their illustrious career. Kapil Dev said he felt it won’t be long before they would start producing goods. “Maybe here, at the MCG.” The coach himself has fond memories of the MCG, most notably of the 1981-82 Test when he bowled India to victory after the host had been given a meagre target of 170-plus. He was injured, took injections in his thigh, and took five wickets. Kapil Dev says it was the day when he became a complete medium-fast swing bowler. After setting up the nets today, Kapil Dev himself went for an arthroscophy work on his right knee. “I wanted to get it done in Sydney, but since the conditions are good here and the stay is long I have arranged a doctor and decided to go ahead”. Kapil Dev said the two-three knee operations he has had to go through during his long Test career, have taken a heavy toll on his right knee. “It keeps flaring up from time to time,” he said. “But I want to be fit and bowl at the nets”. While the Aussies have announced fast bowling sensation Brett Lee’s name in their 12 for the second Test, Kapil Dev was not willing to show his cards. In all likelihood, V.V.S. Laxman will open the innings with S. Ramesh and Maharashtra all-rounder Hrishikesh Kanitkar has also been tipped to get his Test cap and a number six place in the batting order. With bare minimum pace bowlers in the side, there is not much of choice and M.S.K. Prasad is fit, so the team more or less selects itself. The Indian team had a rigorous work-out at the MCG but as has been the practice on this tour, it started the day with a game of volleyball. Skipper Tendulkar supervised the nets in Kapil Dev’s absence and was busy offering advice and suggestions to the batsmen. He had a long chat with Laxman, who is the designated opener for the second Test. Tendulkar showed no signs of back problem and was doing fine at the nets. The skipper took rest from the four-day tour match against Tasmania in Hobart giving rise to speculations that he was having back trouble again. In Adelaide, he just had a word with doctors who had treated his back in August. “The doctors asked him to continue with the exercise regimen they prescribed for him,” said physio Andrew Leipus. Meanwhile, team manager Mahendra Bhargava today sent the fitness report on M.S.K. Prasad to the board. The team management is not sending a report of the doctor though. “Physio’s
(Leipus) confirmation on M.S.K.’s fitness should be
enough,” Bhargava said. |
‘Make’ Nayan Mongia’s
medical report public CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — What was the exact nature of the injury sustained by Nayan Mongia, during the World Cup in England in May/June this year? The exact nature of Mongia’s injury assumes importance due to the fact that a lot of questions are currently being asked by certain sections of the media who are closely examining the line of treatment given to the wicketkeeper by the team’s doctor-cum-physio in England. At that time the team doctor was Dr Ravinder Chadha. It is now learnt that on the completion of the World Cup he had submitted a full medical report on the fitness or otherwise of all members of the team. It is a different matter that this report was not placed in front of the Working Committee meeting of the BCCI by the Secretary of the board, Mr J.Y. Lele, leading to a lot of conjectures and misinformation in the media, both in India and as well as in Australia. The board Secretary, who is known to put his foot into his mouth every time he opens it, should, in the fairness of things, make Dr Chadha’s report public so that one can know the line of treatment adopted by Dr Chadha while treating Mongia’s injury. According to Dr Chadha, who spoke to TNS here today, Mongia sustained an injury on his left hand while playing against Kenya in the World Cup at Bristol on May 23 last. After being hit by a ball “ice-pack was given initially and compression bandage was put on”, Dr Chadha’s report to the BCCI Secretary says. Subsequently, Mongia was taken to hospital where an X-ray examination was done. “It was found that there was no injury to the bone. He was put on anti-inflammatory medicines and ultra-sonic massage was started after 24 hours,” the report says. Dr Chadha had also attached a copy of the report of the doctor at the hospital in his report to the board. “He (Mongia) was shown to an orthopaedic specialist at Taunton on May 25 who advised to continue the same treatment.” Again on May 29 at Edgbaston he was again shown to an orthopaedic specialist as he was feeling discomfort while keeping wickets but was advised to continue the same treatment along with hot fomentation, Dr Chadha said in his report. Dr Chadha revealed that at Edgbaston the team coach, Anshuman Gaekwad, had asked Mongia whether he could continue playing, failing which the team management would seek a replacement as per World Cup rules. But Mongia told the team coach that he was fit enough to continue playing. On June 4 after India’s match against Australia at the Oval he was given an injection of Xylocaine (a local anaesthesia) at the site of the pain by a British specialist present at the venue of the match. This injection decreased his pain. India’s next match was at Nottingham against New Zealand. Here prior to the match Mongia was hit on the left hand (his injured hand) by a Sachin Tendulkar delivery during nets. In spite of all this Mongia brought off the “best catch of the tournament’ in the match against Pakistan on June 8, which could not have been possible if his injury was not under control, according to Dr Chadha, who himself has played a lot of cricket. “ During the whole period Mongia was given protective padding/tape on the injured hand while playing during the matches and practice session. As he complained of pain after the match, he was advised to get the X-ray done after returning to India,” Dr Chadha’s report concludes. Dr Chadha said that at no time was Mongia administered cortisone injection, as reported in certain sections of the media. Dr Chadha (who was associated with the Indian team for over two years) revealed that at times the team management does continue with injured players in the interest of the team. He cited the cases of Debashish Mohanty and Rajesh Chauhan who had been fielded in home matches in spite of being injured. But in these cases the decision was taken by the cricket coach and not by him. Dr Chadha was of the
opinion that the team doctor should be allowed to speak
to the media as the team coach or captain were not
generally familiar with medical terms and the exact
nature of the injury sustained by a particular player. By
speaking directly to the press the team doctor “can
clear all confusion and misunderstanding”. However,
as per rules of the BCCI it is only the captain and the
cricket manager who are empowered to speak to the media.
And this, according to Dr Chadha, has led to the current
confusion regarding Nayan Mongia. |
ICC objects to Shoaib’s action Karachi, Dec 22 (ANI) — The Pakistan Cricket Board has admitted receiving a letter and a 20-minute video film from the International Cricket Council on fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar’s bowling action.The ICC has raised objections to the bowling action of the Pakistan’s fast bowler. “We received a video and a letter from ICC manager of cricket operations Clive Hitchcock on Tuesday,” PCB secretary Shafqat Rana said. The ICC has referred Akhtar’s case to its nine-man advisory panel which will discuss the issue on December 30. Akhtar’s bowling action was questioned by match referee John Reid during the three-Test series between Australia and Pakistan last month. John Reid’s report on Akhtar’s bowling has been supported by umpire Darrel Hair and Peter Willey. “The report by the match referee has made it clear that not every delivery is affected, but all three officials were concerned about the strengthening of Akhtar’s arm immediately before a bouncer or an express fast delivery,” Mr Hitchcock said in the letter. In reply to a question,
Mr Rana denied withdrawing Akhtar from the 14-man squad
for the Australian tri-nation limited overs series
beginning on January 8. “The legality of
Akhtar’s bowling action has been challenged but the
ICC has not told us to withdraw from the squad,” he
added. |
Kiwis call up Sinclair WELLINGTON, Dec 22 (Reuters) New Zealand today offered batsman Mathew Sinclair his Test debut against the West Indies in the second Test beginning on December 26. Sinclair, (24) was
called up to debut in the Boxing Day Test in Wellington
to replace the injured Matthew Horne. Horne’s finger
was broken by a delivery from West Indies fast bowler
Franklyn Rose on New Zealand’s way to a nine-wicket
win in the first Test in Hamilton yesterday. New Zealand
lead the two test series 1-0. |
Gymnastics meet from today PATIALA, Dec 22 — The stage is set for the South Central Asian Gymnastics Championships at the local polo grounds tomorrow. Gymnasts of Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India have already been practising here for the past couple of days. Renowned gymnasts of Uzbekistan have also arrived. Among them are Valiev Alidair, who participated in the Atlanta Olympics. He also won a bronze in the World Championships in China in October this year. The Uzbek squad also includes six women gymnasts, including the 12-year-old Nazigul Almatova, who is the junior national champion of Uzbekistan. The Indian contingent has been practising at the NIS here for nearly a month under the watchful eyes of coaches Kulwinder Singh and Sameer Dev. Their confidence stems from the fact that since the Uzbek will be fielding only two gymnasts in the men’s section, they may have a go for the overall trophy. Uzbek Olympian Valiev
Alidair said the vaulting horse event was his forte and
if everything goes off well, he may even try for the
perfect 10 score. The championships will witness four
events in the women’s section — uneven bars,
balancing beam, floor exercises and vaulting horse, while
in the men’s section there are six events —
floor exercises, pummel horse, horizontal bars, parallel
bars, vaulting horse and Roman rings. |
India awarded Grand Prix meet NEW DELHI, Dec 22 (PTI) — The International Amateur Athletic Federation has awarded India a Grand Prix meet which will be held here on September 7 next year. The level II meet, the first in the country to be held a week before Sydney Olympics Games athletics competitions, will be a major event for Indians in their tune up for the showcase event of the new millennium, according to Amateur Athletics Federation of India president Suresh Kalmadi here today. The Indian athletes will also take part in international meets in May-June 2000, including one at Kiev, Ukraine, in their build up for the Asian Track and Field Meet, to be held from August 2 to 5 at Jakarta and the Olympic Games, he said. Besides the Grand Prix meet, the AAFI will conduct 12 competitions for senior athletes in two phases of five and seven each, according to the calendar for the new season released today. The federation will
organise six circuit meets — three of them of
international level, starting with an international
circuit meet at Hisar, Haryana, on February 15. |
PSB meet Railways in semis JALANDHAR, Dec 22 — Former runners-up Punjab and Sind Bank, Delhi, will square off with Indian Railways while Bharat Petroleum will cross swords with Indian Airlines, Delhi in the semifinals of the Ramesh Chander Memorial All-India Hockey Tournament here. In pool-A (men’s section), Punjab and Sind Bank topped the table with 10 points from four matches, whereas Indian Airlines and Karnataka XI earned five points each from four outings but on the better goal average Indian Airlines, managed to book the semis berth.In pool-B, Bharat Petroleum and Indian Railways qualified for the semifinals with nine and six points, respectively, from three outings in the league. The first match today was played in the men’s section between Punjab State Electricity Board and Karnataka-XI which ended in a draw. PSEB scored in the 12th minute off the first penalty corner through Narain Singh.In the second half, PSEB became slow. The Karnataka team found the equaliser in the 63rd minute when Arjun Allappa converted the third penalty corner.In the second match (women’s section) holders Haryana-XI outplayed Steel Authority of India Limited 5-0. The Haryana girls
displayed fast hockey. They forged ahead in the sixth
minute through Rekha Rani who scored a brilliant goal
with an angular hit. For Haryana, the star was Surinder
Kaur. Her brace clinched the issue in favour of
Haryana-XI. On resumption the Haryana team scored through
Jasjeet Kaur and Rajwinder Kaur.In the third match
(men’s section) star-studded Indian Airlines failed
to impress. The first goal was scored by Sukh Amrit Pal
Singh for SAIL while for Indian Airlines Mohammed Arif
made levelled the score. |
Amir Singh to lead
v’ball team CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — Amir Singh of Haryana will be the captain of the Indian volleyball team which will take part in the 6th Rashid International Volleyball tournament going to be held at Dubai from December 27 to January 2 next year, according to Mr Vijay Pal Singh, vice-president of the Volleyball Federation of India. The team was selected on the basis of a rigorous coaching camp held at NIS, Patiala, for the past more than one month. The team will leave for Dubai on December 25. It may be recalled that India had always excelled at the Dubai meet previously and emerged winner except last year when they lost to Ukraine in the final. Amir hailing from Haryana had captained the Indian team in the SAF games also. The eight top teams, including Cuba, Tunisia, Australia, Pakistan and India, will vie for top honours in this seven-day meet. Mr Vijay Pal Singh said the VFI had earlier identified 60 talented players all over the country who will have extensive training at various SAI centres with the efforts of the President, Mr BS Adityan, and secretary, Mr Raj Kumar . The team: Amir Singh
(captain) — Haryana; Toby Joseph, MS Rajesh, Tulsi
Reddy and Harun Khan (all Indian Overseas Bank), Ravi
Kant Reddy (AP), Ashish Arora (MP Police), Abhijit
Bhattacharya (ONGC), Manoj Kumar (Punjab), Sunil Kumar
(Railways), Y. Subba Rao (ONGC), Tom Joseph (Kerala).
Jagir Singh — coach, Chander Singh — asstt.
coach. |
Vizzy Trophy from February 2 NEW DELHI, Dec 21 (UNI)— Osmania University, Hyderabad, will host the Vizzy Trophy Cricket Tournament from February 2 to 9 next year. The decision to allot this tournament to Osmania University was taken by the Vizzy Trophy Committee which met here under the chairmanship of Mr C.K. Khanna. Mr Khanna said the conduct of the tournament would cost the committee Rs 7 lakh. He said the meeting had recommended to the working committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that the TA/DA of the players taking part in the Vizzy Trophy be increased. Mr Khanna was hopeful that the BCCI would approve the budget for the tournament. He also said that Dr
S.S. Sareen and Vineet Kumar of Delhi have been appointed
Vizzy Trophy selectors. |
Sunil Kumar gets wild card CHENNAI, Dec 22 (PTI) — National hard court tennis champion Sunil Kumar has been given a wild card entry into the Gold Flake ATP Tour Open Tennis Championship commencing here on January 3. “Sunil Kumar deserves a chance on the big stage after his superlative performance in the Indian National Hard Court Championship in October last in New Delhi. He gets an opportunity to play alongside Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Carlos Moya and Cedric Pioline,” ATP Tour Tournament director Sheila Maniam said in a release here today. On his being given the wild card, the teenager from Punjab said: “I am delighted at the opportunity of playing in the Gold Flake open main draw’. His coach Kanwaljit
Singh said the tournament would provide good exposure to
Sunil and expressed confidence that his ward would do
well. |
Malik chief of hockey body CHANDIGARH, Dec 21 (UNI) — Mr M.S. Malik was unanimously re-elected president of the Haryana State Hockey Association (Men) at its general body meeting held at Bhiwani. Maharaj Kumar Kaushik, who was chief coach of the gold medal winning Indian Hockey team in the Bangkok Asian Games, was among three vice-presidents elected. The other vice-presidents are Bhiwani district police chief Laik Ram and Sirsa district police chief K.K.Mishra. Mr B.S. Nandal was elected secretary of the association while renowned hockey player Sanjeev Kumar of Shahbad-Markanda and Mr Krishan Saini were elected joint secretaries with Raj Pal Singh as member. The meeting decided to
hold state hockey championship at Sirsa in the second
week of January next year. |
H
Panjab University record win LUDHIANA, Dec 22 (FOSR) — In a ding-dong battle, last year’s runners-up Panjab University, Chandigarh, prevailed over Punjabi University, Patiala, 4-3 in the second Prithipal Singh Memorial Punjab State Inter-Varsity Hockey Tournament for men at the Astro Turf hockey stadium of Punjab Agricultural University here today. Chandigarh boys went into an early lead (6th minute) when their full back Manmohan Singh converted a penalty corner. Six minutes later Patiala lads neutralised the lead through outside right Hardip Singh. Centre-forward Virinder Singh of Punjabi University, Patiala, put his side ahead in the 17th minute. Full back Manmohan Singh again struck in the 26th minute to level the score 2-2. After the lemon break, both the sides exhibited fast hockey. The Patiala outfit again surged ahead in the 43rd minute when centre-forward Virinder Singh found the target to make it 3-2. Stunned by this reverse, Chandigarh boys weaved some good moves. The equaliser came in the 49th minute when inside left Navdeep Singh sounded the board (3-all). Chandigarh front line showed better coordination than their rivals. Ranjeet Singh had the lion’s share in making repeated forays into Punjabi University’s territory but on two occasions he missed the target by inches. Nine minutes before the long whistle, Chandigarh’s inside right Karamjit Singh scored the much-needed goal to resolve the issue 4-3. Tomorrow’s fixtures: PAU, Ludhiana vs Panjab University, Chandigarh — 1 p.m. GND University, Amritsar, vs Punjabi University, Patiala — 2.30 pm PU football title for Garhshankar college CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 (BOSR) — MCM DAV College for Women, Chandigarh, bagged the Panjab University Inter-College Hockey Championship for women here today. Khalsa College for women, Ludhiana, secured the second position while Khalsa College for Women, Sidhwan Khurd and Government College for Girls, Sector 42, finished third and fourth respectively. In the Panjab University Inter College Football ‘B’ division ( men) tournament also being played at the PU grounds today, BAM Khalsa College , Garhshankar, won the title while GTB National College, Dakha secured the second position. Titles for Nagpal CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 (BOSR) — Manan Nagpal clinched two titles both in junior billiards and snooker event here in the Haryana State Billiards and Snooker Championship in progress at the YMCA Complex, Sector 11 today. Manan outplayed Raghav Baweja in billiards at 581-385 and Aman in snooker at 30-65, 65-22, 71-21, 60-3, by hitting breaks of 30, 26, 28 in three frames. Earlier, Deepak Goel captured the open snooker title beating Manan Nagpal in his last open snooker semifinals match at 16-71, 57-30, 49-41 , 58-48. Today Lalit created a
flutter when he upset Anil Sharma 401-358 in the
semifinals of open billiards. |
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