S P O R T | Sunday, February 14, 1999 |
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weather n
spotlight today's calendar |
Anwar,
Wasti unlucky to miss centuries Crucial
ties for Bagan, Churchill Bros |
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Salgaocar
get past ITI Punjab
contingent reaches Imphal
Huge
162-run victory for Australia Maharashtra
start as favourites Iran,
China soccer players banned SA
take on Kiwis in opener today Punjab
take on Hyderabad today |
Anwar, Wasti unlucky to miss centuries KOCHI, Feb 13 (PTI) Pakistan opener Saeed Anwar struck an aggressive 99, youngster Wajatullah Wastis made a patient 88 and Board Presidents XI leg-spinner K.N. Ananthpadmanabhan bagged five for 80 to share the final days honours in the three-day match which ended on a tame draw here today. Stylish Anwar, who went through a bad patch in the just concluded two-Test series, signalled his return to form with a solid knock that contained nine fours and three sixes. Youngster Wasti, taking advantage of a life, scored 88 with the help of nine fours and a mighty six off 203 balls. Play was called off when Board XI were 22 for two in the second knock with Gagan Khoda (4) and Mohd Kaif (8) at the crease. Anwar and Wasti were on rampage during their 139-run second wicket stand as the left-handed opener returned to form only to spoil it all when in a sudden rush of blood, he tried to loft leg spinner Ananthpadmanabhan over midwicket holing out to Mohd Kaif near the fence. Kaif dived forward and brought off a spectacular catch, inches off the ground. Wasti then compiled another fruitful partnership for the third wicket with Yusuf Youhana (35) realising 71 runs. Youhana, also got a repreive on seven, grassed by substitute Reetindher Singh Sodhi off Ananthpadmanabhan with the Pakistan total at 192 for two. Youhana celebrated the life by clouting the bowler for a mighty six over long-on to bring up the teams 200. Youhana left caught by Board skipper Kanitkar at cover off medium pacer Lakshmi Ratan Shukla. Keralas Ranji captain and leg spinner Ananthpadmanabhan was the only Board XI bowler who commanded some respect from the Pak batsmen and returned with an impressive analysis of 23-3-80-5. Pakistan, who were sitting pretty at 245 for 3 at the tea break, lost wickets thereafter at regular intervals as Ananthpadmanabhan, who was able to get some purchase from the wicket, teased and tormented the visitors none too confident middle order. Inzamam-ul-Haq failed to read a turning ball from the leggie and fended it into the safe hands of Shiv Sunder Das at silly point and four runs later the spinner struck again by having Azhar Mahmood (3) edging into the hands of Kaif at silly point. Moin Khan, who batted fluently in the first innings, scored 28 runs with the help of four boundaries and a mighty six before he was sent packing by Anathpadmanabhan, Das taking a catch, again at silly point. Pakistan declared their second innings with total reading 295 for seven after four mandatory overs had been bowled. With no possibility of a result, the young board team began their second essay through openers Das and Gagan Khoda, but received a jolt when they lost two quick wickets with total at 12. Paceman Shoaib Akhtar claimed both after going wicketless in the first innings. Das (8) was first to go
edging Akhtar to the second slip where Inzamam did not
make any mistake. J.P. Yadav was clean bowled on the next
ball as Akhtar earned himself a chance of hattrick. Mohd
Kaif played out the first ball he faced and defended his
stumps denying any more success for Pak bowlers. |
Crucial ties for Bagan, Churchill Bros MARGAO, Feb 13 (PTI) Defending champions Mohun Bagan would make an all out effort to take full points against a depleted Dempo of Goa in their crucial and last group-A encounter in the National Football League at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, here tomorrow. Three top teams each from group-A and B will qualify for the super league, to be played in Goa and Calcutta. JCT Phagwara with 16 points are leading group-A followed by Churchill Brothers of Goa and Bagan (14 points each). The top three positions in group A will be known tomorrow when all the top four teams - JCT, Churchill, Bagan and Tollygunge (13 points) - play their last league games. Both Bagan and Dempo have drawn their earlier tie 1-1 in Calcutta and judging on the current form, the Calcuttans appear to be the more balanced and impressive side. Though Bagan have a few injury problems with Soumitro Chakraborty sure to miss tomorrows match due to an ankle injury. They would also not be able to field Bassim Yonan (red card) and defender Satyabrata Bhowmick (two yellow cards). Bagan defence is sound in the hands of Sammy Omollo, Biswanath Mondol, Lolendro Singh and Reazul Mustafa and Hemanta Dora under the bar has shown good temperament, anticipation so far. Their Nigerian forward Chima Okerie, though not fully fit, will be the danger man upfront. For Dempo, who are out of contention for the next stage, a win will help salvage some lost pride. Dempo coach T.K. Chatunny would have to look for a good replacement for half-fit Francis Silveira. Martin Uzor who played as makeshift forward failed to deliver the goods. Dempo defence would be strengthened by the inclusion of Stanly Colaco who missed the last match due to two yellow cards. Bagan coach P.K. Bannerjee said the team would go all out for a win as they require a win to qualify for the next stage. "Though Dempo are not playing well, we will not underestimate them as they are capable of turning the tables if they strike form," he added. MUMBAI: Churchill Brothers, Goa, will have to win their last group-A league match here tomorrow against local outfit Air-India to qualify for the super league of the National Football Championship. Churchill Brothers and Calcutta giants Mohun Bagan are in the joint-second position with 14 points each from nine matches behind JCT on 16 points from nine outings. Calcuttas new professional side Tollygunge, who too have one more match to play, have 13 points to their credit from nine matches. However, Tollygunge will be playing group toppers JCT in their last match while Churchill are up against a disjointed Air-India, who are at the bottom of the table, and hence stand a better chance of making it to the super league. Three teams from each group make it to the super league. The local outfit are sure of being relegated even if they beat the Goan team and are placed hopelessly at the bottom of the table. Churchill custodian Edward Ansha, who has had a good tournament so far, should prove to be one of the key players for his teams success. The defence consists of Rock Periera, Anthony Mathew, Usman Hussain and Anthony Periera. The mid-field is made up of Mahesh Singh, Mario Soares and Akeel Ansari with the two forwards being Jose Martin and Ghana import Philip. All the players in the Goan team are fit, according to their team manager. Air-India will have a tough time to cope with Churchills forwards and their goalkeeper Shyam Sawant has been found wanting in their earlier encounters. Their defence too looks suspect with Henry Picardo, Subir Sinha and Ajay Acharya all performing below par so far. They have Osbern
DSouza, Khalid Jamil, Khambiton Singh and Dennis
George in the mid-field while their forward line consists
of Anthony Fernandes, Godfre Pereira and Abbas Ali Rizvi. |
Polo player
Sidhu dies in mishap CHANDIGARH, Feb 13 Internationally famed polo player, Lt Col Sukhjit Singh Sidhu is no more. He met with an accident on the Patiala Rajpura road while returning to his unit after attending to official work in Patiala, on the night intervening February 9 and 10. Sunny to his friends and team players, he had the distinction of representing the country abroad and his regiment in the country. He was commissioned in the Army Service Corps on June 9, 1979, from the Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun. He was an alumnus of Yadvindra Public School, Patiala. A respected figure on the equestrian circuit in the country , Col Sidhu during 19 years of his career won laurels for the country and his team. He captained the polo teams of the NDA and the IMA. As a cadet his team were the joint winners of the junior championship trophy which was presented by General Kumaramangalam in 1978 and as captain of the team, he received the Thimmaya Cup from the then Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen O.P. Malhotra the same year. In March 1996, he played in Werribee Park, Melbourne, Australia, against the Victoria team comprising of the famous Jullan Appleby of England and Rod Gutridge of Zimbabwe. He was also a key member of the Indian Army team along with five other players for the Sudan Cup against the British Army team in August 1992. He was also a member of the army team to the USA in 1996 and played against top teams of the world at various fixtures. He belongs to a family of soldiers and his father, Col Lakha Singh, VSM, is a distinguished officer of the erstwhile Patiala state forces and retired from the Kumaon Regiment. He leaves behind his wife and two children, a daughter aged eight and a four-and-half-a-year old son. Lt Col B.S. Sekhon,
general secretary of the Indian Ex Services League,
Punjab and Chandigarh, said his death was an irreparable
loss not only to his family but also to the country. |
Huge 162-run victory for Australia MELBOURNE,Feb 13 (AFP) England's four-month cricket tour of Australia ended in humiliating defeat here today as Australia surged to a massive 162-run victory in the second final match to win the triangular one-day series. Australia, captained by Shane Warne in the absence of injured Steve Waugh, ensured there would not be a third final tomorrow when they skittled Alec Stewarts men for a paltry 110 in reply to the home teams 272 for five off 50 overs. England, who also lost the Ashes Test series 3-1 last month, never recovered from a horror start in which they buckled to 13 for four in the fourth over. In an anti-climax before a below-par mcg Crowd of 20,413, Australia cruised to their 12th victory in the home triangular series since the launching of the tournament 20 years ago. It was Englands
second heaviest one-day rout, only failing by two runs to
eclipse their worst loss, a 164-run mauling in the West
Indies five years ago. Australias win was a triumph for acting skipper Shane Warne who led the side intuitively in the absence of Waugh, who was earlier this week installed as Australias new permanent skipper following the retirement of Mark Taylor. It was a depressing end to
an ardous four-month tour for England, who return home
next week empty-handed after Australia successfully
defended the Ashes for the fifth time as well as winning
the one day trophy for the fifth time in six years. |
Maharashtra
start as favourites PATIALA, Feb 13 Railways take on heavyweights Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy super league group 'C' encounter at the DCW sports Stadium here tomorrow. The Maharashtra boys under the leadership of old warhorse Surendera Bhave are a relaxed lot and are in good frame of mind duo to fine performance against Delhi in their previous super league fixture at Pune. Maharashtra had stretched Delhi to the wire before taking five points after getting in sight of an outright victory. The match climaxed on the last day when, for an outright win and consequently a maximum of 8 points, Delhi needed 10 wickets while Maharashtra chased a substantial 383 on a fourth innings pitch. While Delhi got rid of just 2 batsmen, Maharashtra took a shot at the target and nearly achieved its scoring 339 for 2 when the match was called off in the mandatory overs with S. Sugwekar scoring a rapidfire 131 and H. Kiniker a determined 129. The visitors will be looking towards both these batsmen as also Abhijit Kale, who also scored a ton against Delhi, to bolster their total. Their attack will be spearheaded by medium pacer Sachin Nair who had a dream debut against Delhi taking five wickets in its first innings on a wicket ideally suited for batsmen. Their confidence may not be misplaced, yet Maharashtra manager Shyam Oaks was circumspect in assessing their talent available with him. Railways are hamstrung by the absence of left arm spinner Murli Karthik who is doing duty for Board President's XI against Pakistan at Kochi. In Karthik's absence the onus will be on all rounder Sanjay Banger. Both the teams will decide
about the playing eleven in the morning. |
Punjab
contingent reaches Imphal CHANDIGARH, Feb 13 The Punjab contingent comprising sportspersons of archery, boxing, cycling, equestrian, fencing, judo and kabaddi with 67 men and 18 women were the first to arrive at Imphal, (Manipur), on February 10 to participate in the National Games scheduled to commence on February 14 according to information available here yesterday. The players were received at the games village by the Minister for Housing of the Government of Manipur who hosted a special dinner for them soon after their arrival. The sportspersons were feeling jubilant and enthusiastic on their warm and friendly reception received by them from the host state, whose officials were present at Dimapur and Imphal. The next three batches of the Punjab contingent left Delhi/Chandigarh on February 9 and 10 on route to Imphal for the games. The organising committee of the National Games is giving finishing touches to all the preparatory work concerned with the games and the entire city of Imphal is being brushed up to receive all the participants and delegates for the mega event. Twentynine states and union territories, including Punjab, are participating in the games. The total number of participants has reached the 5000 mark so far and it is expected to exceed that number of days. Competitions are being
held in 27 sports disciplines over a period of 10 days,
commencing on February 15, 1999 after the inauguration of
the games by the President of India on February 14. |
Iran, China soccer players banned KUALA LUMPUR Feb 13 AFP The Asian Football Confederation yesterday banned Iranian international Mohamad Ali Karimi and Chinas Hao Haidong for one year. Karimi was also fined $ 3,000 for assaulting a referee at last months Dunhill Cup, while Hao, who has been linked to a move to England, was fined $2,000 for spitting at a linesman at the Asian Games in December. The AFC disciplinary committee said after a meeting the bans would take effect immediately. Karimi was one of two Iranians sent off halfway through a Dunhill Cup match against Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh city. Iranian players protested after Ali Ansarian was dismissed for his second yellow card. They surrounded referee Toru Kamikawa of Japan. Karimi pulled Kamikawas shirt and kicked him in the shins. Karimi, 21, had been watched by European scouts when he scored Irans second goal in their 2-0 defeat of Kuwait in the asian games final in December. But the Iranian federation told him to stay put for a year at least. The ban will be a major blow to his hopes of European stardom as he cannot even play in his own league. The AFC executive committee also endorsed disciplinary committees one year ban on Chinese striker Hao for spitting at a linesman at the Asian Games in Bangkok. Chinas English
coach, Bob Houghton, was fined $ 2,000 for misconduct
towards a linesman and the match co-ordinator during the
Asian Games. |
SA take on Kiwis in opener today DUNEDIN, Feb 13 (AP) Talented allrounders Chris Cairns and Shaun Pollock are set to be pivotal figures in South Africa's cricket tour of New Zealand but both are playing down the significance of the confrontation. The pair will square off, fitness permitting, for the first of nine contests in the opening one-dayer at Carisbrook here tomorrow. Cairns finished the one-day series against India with a blistering century in Christchurch last month, Pollock was an influential figure in South Africa's recent demolition of the West Indies. Yet the red-haired Pollock is not setting up the series as a personal shootout with his New Zealand rival. "People like to put labels on that sort of stuff and create contests," Pollock said. "If it ends up being a battle between the two of us that's the way it'll be, but I'm not worried about that at this stage". Cairns shares Pollock's philosophy on the showdown. "I'm very much of the same thinking the team is the thing that comes first, "he said," People are going to draw comparisons and that sort of thing will happen throughout the series". New Zealand's one-day record against South Africa is reasonably good. Since its return to international cricket in 1991-92, South Africa has played 12 one-dayers against New Zealand, with another one, at Adelaide in 1993-94, abandoned. Of the 12, New Zealand have won five, including both matches between the countries in New Zealand. Teams for tomorrow's match. New Zealand, Didn Nash (captain), Nathan Astle, Matt Horne, Craig McMillan, Roger Twose, Chris Cairns, Chris Harris, Adam Parore, Gavin Larsen, Daniel Vettori, Simon Doull, Geoff Allott (one to be omitted). South Africa: Hansie
Cronje (captain), Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques
Kallis, Darryl Cullinan, Jonty Rhodes, Dale Benkenstein,
Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener, Mary Boucher, Pat Symcox,
Allan Donald, Paul Adams, Steve Elworthy, Nicky Boje
(four to be omitted). |
Punjab take on Hyderabad today HYDERABAD, Feb 13 (PTI) Hyderabad will take on Punjab in the four-day group "C" Ranji super-league cricket match which gets underway at the Gymkhana grounds here tomorrow. The visitors from north, who bagged three points in a rain affected match against Rajasthan, have a strong batting line-up with and skipper Vikram Rathore leading the challenge. However, the availablity of stalwart Navjot Sidhu is doubtful. Punjab coach Manjit Singh said "the wicket was a slow turner track and after going through the practice "we may decide our playing eleven. The non-arrival of Sidhu, who is expected late tonight is the other reasons for the delay in declaring the playing eleven". "Reetender Singh Sodhi, who is playing for Presidents XI against Pakistan at Kochi, will miss this match. However, even without these two batsmen, our strength lies in our batting", said Manjit Singh. In the tie against Rajasthan, barring skipper Vikram Rathore (76), Dinesh Mongia (52) and Sidhu (42) the other batsmen failed. Wicket-keeper batsman Harminder Singh Jugnu is one of the players to be watched in this match as he has the capacity to lend able support to the middle order. Interestingly, the Punjab team consists mostly of under-19 players who were in the city during their Cooch-Behar Trophy last December. Hyderabad coach M.L. Jaisimha was all praise for his boys for their effort against Andhra and Goa. "The victory against Andhra has really given them much needed impetus to be in contention in the Ranji league", he said. However, Jaisimha was worried about the teams combined practice which they could not do for quite a few days before this important match. He was, however, confident and hopeful that his boys would put up a good show against Punjab. Teams: Hyderabad: S.L. Venkatpathy Raju (captain), Arvind Shetty, Daniel Manohar, M.V. Sridhar, Vanka Pratap, Nanda Kishore, D. Vijay Kumar, Youraj Singh (wk), Narendrapal Singh, Kanwaljit Singh, Shivaji Yadav, R. Sridhar, Noel David, Vishnuvardharn, Mohinuddin. Punjab: Vikram Rathore (captian), Navjot Sidhu, Reetender Sodhi, Pankaj Dharmani, Dinesh Mongia, Harminder Singh Jugnu (wk), Sandeep Sharma, Sarandeep Singh, Navdeep Singh, Bharat Bhusan, Sandeep Sawal, Sanjay Sharma, Harman Harry, Youraj Singh.
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Gold
medallist facing starvation ROHTAK, Feb 13 Mr Joginder Pal Singh, a prominent land lord of Samar Gopalpur village and four-time gold medallist in inter-university in boxing, is today on the verge of starvation. He owns 60 acres of land of which 54 acres have been rendered un-cultivable for the past over three years due to water-logging. This has resulted in the depletion of his income and is now unable to re-pay the bank loan raised in February 1995 for the purchase of agricultural implements. The lending bank had announced to auction his 77 kanal 11 marla agricultural land on December 1, 1998, to recover the loan amounting to Rs 80,000. However, the auction was postponed till April next on the intervention of the revenue officials. Although the loan amount is re-payable in nine years, the bank declared his account as "bad account" and initiated steps to recover the loan amount with interest. Mr Joginder Pal Singh is also a qualified boxing coach from NIS, Patiala, but he did not join government service because of the large land-holdings held by the family. The land during those days was very fertile and Joginder Pal Singh earned the title of progressive farmer. But his miseries started with the devastating floods of 1995 that inundated Rohtak and its adjoining districts. His house in the village, too, was damaged. For the huge losses suffered by the hapless farmer, he was paid a compensation of only Rs 32,171 by the government. He has repeatedly approached the Deputy Commissioner to pay him compensation after conducting a proper girdawri of the loss but all his pleas have fallen on deaf ears. Since 1995, he could not
sow any crop due to water-logging. The government has no
scheme to pay compensation to the farmers who suffer
losses due to water-logging. A senior revenue official
told TNS that besides Mr Joginder Pal Singh, there were
hundreds of farmers in Rohtak and Jhajjar districts who
had become 'landless' due to water-logging. He suggested
that the government should declare such land as
"waste-land" so that it could spend money to
reclaim such land and provide relief to the farmers. |
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Chandigarh secure second position CHANDIGARH, Feb 13 (BOSR) Chandigarh secured second position in the women team championship in the just-concluded 7th National Trampoline Championship at Surat (Gujarat) where twenty men teams and twelve women teams took part, according to Mr DS Cheema, secretary of the Trampoline Federation of India. UT judo team CHANDIGARH, Feb 13 (BOSR) Chandigarh Olympic Association selected the judo players to represent the UT in the National Games to be held at Imphal from February 14, in trials held on February 11 at the Panjab University Gymnasium Hall, in the presence of Director, Sports cum Deputy Commissioner, Mr R.K. Rao. Mens team comprises of Mukesh, Vikram Solanki, Jonny Kumar, Yashpal Solanki, Rakesh Kumar, and Jagbir Singh and womens team comprises of Bharti Bogra, Rashmi, Jaspal Kaur, Sonia Kanwar, Ravinder Deep Kaur, Naresh Nandel and Babita Negi. |
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