Thursday, September 9, 1999
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S P O R T | Thursday, September 9, 1999 |
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Powell snatches victory from India SINGAPORE, Sept 8 — Rookie Ricardo Powell exploded brilliantly to notch up his maiden century on a dour murky day to lift the West Indies from an almost certain defeat to a 4-wicket victory against India in the final of the Singapore Challenge trophy triangular cricket series here today. Tendulkar praises Powell SINGAPORE, Sept 8 — Skipper Sachin Tendulkar, the batting maestro who failed today getting out for a nought, heaped praise on West Indian Ricardo Powell for his blazing maiden century that quelled any hopes India had of winning the final match of the Singapore Challenge tournament. |
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 SINGAPORE : West Indies batsman Brain Lara, centre, gets bowled out at the Coca-Cola Singapore Challenge Finals against India on the Singapore Kallang Grounds Wednesday. The jubilant Indian cricket keeper leaping on the left is Rahul Sharad Dravid. Celebrations were short-lived as West Indies went on to win by 4 wickets. — AP/PTI
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Moin to lead Pak in Toronto El
Guerrouj sets 2000m mark Ranatunga,
Warne set to resume rivalry 3
Ludhiana boys enter semis Vijay
grabs lead |
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Powell snatches victory from India SINGAPORE, Sept 8 (PTI) — Rookie Ricardo Powell exploded brilliantly to notch up his maiden century on a dour murky day to lift the West Indies from an almost certain defeat to a 4-wicket victory against India in the final of the Singapore Challenge trophy triangular cricket series here today. Going in to bat with the West Indies at precarious 67-4, Powell, with his sledgehammer shots, struck a splendid 124 off just 93 balls to power his team to 255 for six with 14 balls to spare in reply to India’s 254 for six. Powell, who struck eight huge sixes and also nine fours during his stay, was ably assisted by Nehemiah Perry, who added a patient unbeaten 38, as the duo put on 119 runs for the sixth wicket to take West Indies from 128-5 to the door step of victory. Powell, who came at the fall Jimmy Adams (21) with West Indies struggling against some accurate Indian bowling, added 61 runs with left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul (20) and then opened up in association with Perry as the Indian hopes vanished into thin air in the replayed final at the Kallang Stadium here. Earlier, Rahul Dravid struck a patient unbeaten 103 as India, struggling at 149 for six in 38.2 overs when the match was abandoned yesterday, picked up their game by a couple of notches to post a healthy 254 for six off their allotted 50 overs. With Saurav Ganguly (46) and a promoted Nikhil Chopra, who added a breezy 61 off 60 balls (3x4, 3x6), giving able support, Dravid played the sheet anchor’s role to perfection to rescue India from the setback of losing skipper Sachin Tendulkar for zero and set West Indies a difficult asking rate of 5.10. The bowlers then kept the Indians in the hunt as they went about their task with zeal to reduce the West Indies to 128-5 at the halfway stage before Powell did the damage. Medium-pacer Debashish Mohanty (3/33) and off-spinner Nikhil Chopra (2/43) struck twin blows each as the Indians sent back Sherwin Campbell (1), Ridley Jacobs (20), the dangerous Brian Lara (18) and Jimmy Adams (21) to put the Indians on top. And the 20-year-old Jamaican Powell did the job in superb manner. He started slowly but later played some explosive shots in the square-leg and long on areas. He struck his first six off Chopra in the 19th over and then continued in the same vien, hitting at least a six or a four in each of the next 10 overs he faced. The youngster was most severe on Sunil Joshi, carting the left-arm slow stuff for four sixes and a four.Powell, who was declared both Man of the Match and the Man of the Series, carted two consecutive balls from Saurav Ganguly out of the ground and also hoisted for a six and a near-six off Venkatesh Prasad, who was brought on by Tendulkar in an attempt to get the youngster out. Scoreboard West Indies: Tendulkar praises Powell SINGAPORE, Sept 8 (PTI) — Skipper Sachin Tendulkar, the batting maestro who failed today getting out for a nought, heaped praise on West Indian Ricardo Powell for his blazing maiden century that quelled any hopes India had of winning the final match of the Singapore Challenge tournament. “It was one of the best innings I’ve seen in the recent past,” a sombre-looking Tendulkar said at the presentation ceremony here. “It’s one of the best innings of individual brilliance,” he said. Tendulkar, after losing the second straight tournament in his second stint as captain, was however, philosophical in accepting the defeat. The Indian captain praised Rahul Dravid, who made an unbeaten 103, Nikhil Chopra (61) and Saurav Ganguly (46) for their timely knocks that raised team’s total to a healthy 254, but did not blame anyone for the defeat. “We did well to reach the final, but unfortunately we could not force the win,” Tendulkar said. Tendulkar, who is taking
a break from cricket to get immediate medical advice to
his recurring back problem and skipping the upcoming
Toronto event, wished Orissa medium pacer Debashish
Mohanty more success in the future. |
Moin to lead Pak in Toronto ISLAMABAD, Sept 8 (PTI) — Wicketkeeper Moin Khan was today named skipper of the controversy-ridden Pakistan cricket team and former captain Aamir Sohail makes a come back into the squad for the Toronto one-day series against the West Indies later this month. The 15-member team for the three matches to be played on September 16, 18 and 19 was announced here by Mujeeb-ur Rehman, chairman of the ad-hoc committee of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), along with the selection committee chief Col Naushad Ali after coaching camp lasting more than a week at Lahore’s Quaddafi Stadium. Moin Khan, whose hard-hitting batting was one of the reasons behind Pakistan reaching the final of the World Cup earlier this year, was tipped to take over after the PCB imposed a temporary suspension on World Cup skipper Wasim Akram along with Salim Malik and Ijaz Hmed for their alleged role in match-fixing and betting. Offspinner Saqlain Mushtaq has been named Moin Khan’s deputy while hard-hitting opening batsman Shahid Afridi, who had a disastrous World Cup, was dropped to make way for the controversial Sohail. The team: Moin Khan (capt), Saqlain Mushtaq (vice-capt), Saeed Anwar, Aamir Sohail, Inzamamul Haq, Wajahatullah Wasti, Yousaf Youhanna, Abdul Razzak, Azhar Mahmood, Shoaib Akhtar, Waqar Younis, Mushtaq Ahmed, Hasan Raza, Arshad Khan and Shabbir Ahmed. Speedster Waqar Younis,
who did not play a single match during the World Cup
despite being in the team, also retains his place as did
most of the members of the World Cup team except Akram,
Malik and Ijaz. |
Martin sends Rusedski packing NEW YORK, Sept 8 (AFP) — Todd Martin made an astonishing witching-hour comeback, scoring 20 of the final 21 points and rallying from the brink of defeat to stun Greg Rusedski in a five-set US Open Tennis Championships thriller. The 29-year-old American, who dropped nine games in a row to lose the first two sets, was two points from defeat in the third before recovering for a 5-7, 0-6, 7-6, (7/3), 6-4, 6-4 victory that was among his greatest. “It’s the only one I can remember at this time. It was great,” an exhausted Martin said second after winning. “I went out to a late lunch I guess. I was just fortunate I was able to recover from that.” Minutes later, a semi-conscious Martin received intravenous fluids and was barely able to talk, the recovery having drained him. Martin’s midnight miracle took three hours and one minute and came before barely 2,000 people who lingered on Tuesday long after most who watched Vanus Williams and Martina Hingis book a women’s semifinal date. Seventh seed Martin, who took fluids also on Monday after battling a stomach virus, made 29 winners and only two unforced errors in the last two seats. Ninth seed Rusedski fall apart with 11 fifth set unforced errors. Martin, whose best Grand Slam result was second at the 1994 Australian Open, reached his third Slam quarterfinal of the year after gong so far only once in the past four years. He will try for a semifinal berth against 95th-ranked Dosedel, who played no hardcourt tuneup but reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal with a 6-4, 7-5, 5-7, 7-5 victory over fellow Czech Jiri Novak. Rusedski broke Martin for a 6-5 lead in the first set, the second of nine games in a row won by the British serve-smasher on the day after his 26th birthday. Martin, unshaven and weary, appeared a totally beaten man. Rusedski squandered two break points in the seventh game of the third set that would have put Martin two breaks down, the came within two points of victory on Martin’s serve at 30-30 in the ninth game but failed to capitalise again, setting the stage for his collapse. Martin broke Rusedski to pull even at 5-5, then both held to force the tie-breaker. After winning the third set, Martin smacked a forehand winner on his third break point of the third game of the fourth set and held serve to claim the set, finishing it off with aces of 116 and and 112 mph. Rusedski broke Martin in the fifth set, going up 3-1 when martin sent a forehand into the net. Rusedski held, but Martin had saved his best for last. He held at love, then broke Rusedski in four points with a return winner and three errant forehands by the Briton. Martin again held in four points, then broke Rusedski in four points for a 5-4 lead. The final midnight bell tolled for Rusedski when he double-faulted and Martin hit a winner. Only a Martin double-fault prevented a sweep of the final five games. After a service winner on the final point, Martin raised his hands in the air and yelled, “Yes.” It was his fifth rally from two sets down to win and the smattering of spectators rewarded him with a standing ovation. Martin stole the show from top seed Hingis, who cruised to her fourth consecutive US Open semifinal. Australian Open champion Hingis won the final 12 games to crush Anke Huber 6-2, 6-0. Third seed Williams, seeking her first Grand Slam title, beat Austrian 12th seed Barbara Sehett 6-4, 6-3 to line up a semifinal clash with Hingis on Friday. The other men’s quarterfinal pairing was set with Brazilian fifth seed Kuerten to face France’s Cedric Pioline. Kuerten dodged a bullet when Gwade Magnus Norman became the event’s ninth player lost to an injury, retiring three points into the second set with a strained lower back after dropping the first set 7-6 (7/4). Pioline beat 14th-seeded
German Tommy Hass 6-4, 7-5, 6-3, to make this his best US
Open run since losing the 1993 final to Pete Sampras. |
Survival of the fittest at US Open NEW YORK, Sept 8 (AFP) — Forget your rocket-like servers, fleet-footed shotmakers and Grand Slam champions. This US Open title is going to the last man standing. Injuries have made this year’s own here more of a gruelling endurance test. Seven men have retired after being hurt in matches and two seeds never played due to injuries. Sweden’s Magnus Norman suffered a lower back strain and retired three points into the second set of his match with fifth seed Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil, who considered himself lucky to have advanced. “It’s sad that these things happen,” Kuerten said. “He was playing great, too. He was playing better than me. It was a bit chilly out there. He may be moved the wrong way out here. It was tough.” Norman became the seventh injury retirement during a men’s match, joining reigning champion Pat Rafter of Australia, Frenchmen Fabrice Santoro and Julien Boutter, compatriot Magnus Larsson, Spain’s Carlos Moya and American Jan-Michael Gambill. Among women, Anna Kournikova pulled out before the start with an injury, Jana Novotna lost slowed by ankle pain and Mary Joe Fernandez slipped in rain and hurt her right leg. Add to that the departures of world number one Pete Sampras and 11th seed Mark Philippoussis. Asked for ways to reduce the injury problem, a common theme has been reducing the gruelling global schedule plalyers endure. “It’s too much tennis in the year, no question,” British ninth seed Greg Rusedski said.”I think the less tennis, the better off it’s going to be for the game. And a longer off season, maybe two months off. “Players would be more healthy because you are only susceptible because you are always in a catch up with the way the rating system is going. Less tournaments would be better.” Ukrainian Andrei Medvedev said the switches from clay to grass to hardcourts to indoors are taking their toll over time. “The season is just too hard,” he said. “We’re changing balls. We’re changing surfaces. Everybody is getting injured. Everybody has some problems, even the fittest players.” “It’s not going to change while I’m playing because there is so much money involved. Tennis will go down this way because there is so much of it. Players became like robots. There’s not enough emotions, not enough heart. That’s hurting tennis now. It’s not going to change because money rules everything.” Kuerten had retired against Norman due to exhaustion at Stuttgart in July. “We seem to have a bad influence on each other,” Norman said. “We shouldn’t play each other.” Norman had won 21 of his past 23 matches and taken four ATP crowns this year, matching Sampras for the most of any player. Norman’s titles came at Umag, Orlando, Stuttgart and a week earlier at Long Island. “We had a lot of tournaments before coming here,” Kuerten said. “Magnus won the tournament in Long Island last week. Maybe some players should rest a little bit more. For me, I had a week off. I feel great.” But Norman had no complaints about the grind, even after his first major injury. “I felt very fresh
going into this tournament, into this match. I felt
great,” Norman said. “I think the schedule is
great. I love to play tennis. If there were tournaments
during the whole year I’d play every week.” |
Bhupathi in line for grand double NEW YORK, Sept 8 (PTI) — Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, the showmen on the men’s double tennis tour, cruised into the semifinals of US Open Championships beating Australian qualifiers Ben Ellwood and Michael Tebbutt in straight sets here last night. The world number one pair of Paes and Bhupathi completed a workmanlike 6-3, 6-4 win over the Aussies in 70 minutes to earn a place in the last four stage at Flushing Meadows. The Indians tonight will take on surprise semifinalists Andrei Olhovskiy (Russia) and David Prinosil (Germany) who upset Zimbabwe-Australian tandem of Wayne Black and Sandon Stolle 6-4, 6-2. Meanwhile, Bhupathi kept up his quest for a grand double when he and his partner Ai Sugiyama of Japan reached the mixed doubles semifinals with a come-from-behind win. The second seeded Indo-Japanese pair defeated eighth seeded pair of Mary Pierce (France) and John Laffnie de Jager (South Africa) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. Top seeds Paes and Bhupathi, who made it to their third straight semifinal here, are looking for their third Grand Slam title of the year. The two won the French and Wimbledon titles earlier in the year but lost a titanic five-set duel in the Australian Open final to Pat Rafter and Jonas Bjorkman in January. Their path has been made easier by 11th seeded Canadian-American pair of Sebastian Lareau and Alex O’Brien, who ousted third seeded crack combination of Tood Wodbridge and Mark Woodforde. The Woodies from
Australia were beaten 6-7 (2/7), 7-5, 3-6 by Lareau
O’Brien in a quarterfinal clash yesterday. Lareau
O’Brien pair will take on Jonas Bjorkman
(Sweden)/Byron Black (Zimbabwe), who beat South African
Jeff Coetzee and Brent Haygarth 6-3, 6-3. |
El Guerrouj sets 2000m mark BERLIN, Sept 8 (AFP) — Moroccan star Hicham El Guerrouj broke the 2000 metres world record here yesterday at the IAAF Golden League meeting finishing in a time of 4 minutes 44.79 seconds — beating the old mark set by former Algerian arch-rival Noureddine Morceli by more than three seconds. The 24-year old’s superb performance overshadowed Romania’s Gabriela Szabo and Denmark’s Kenyan born runner Wilson Kipketer achievements as they shared the Golden League $ 1 million bonus after winning the seventh and final races of their respective events, the 5000 metres and 800 metres. El Guerrouj, who won his second successive 1500 metres world title in Sevilla last month, broke the old mark of 4 minutes 47.88 seconds set by Morceli in Paris in July 1995. El Guerrouj now holds the mile, which he broke in Rome this year, 1500 metres and 2000 metres record all previously held by Morceli. The Moroccan, who said yesterday he wanted to break every world record up to 5000 metres, was left on his own for the final 600 metres when Kenyan pacemaker William Tanui dropped out. Despite being left with 55 seconds to break the record on the final lap he eased home to leave Morceli with no world records left to his name and only the Olympic title to defend next year. Kipketer, who narrowly retained the world outdoor title for the third successive time in Sevilla last month, made his break with 250 metres to go breezing past world silver medallist Hezekial Gepeng. Clear into the final straight the 28-year-old had to call on all his reserves to repel the late challenge of young Kenyan pretender Japheth Kimutai, who ended his two years unbeaten run in Zurich last year, to guarantee himself the bonus. Szabo, the world 5,000 metres champion, refused to panic when Telga Loroupe and the Kazakh-born German runner Irina Mikitenko led into the final lap. The 23-year-old, a three-time world indoor 3000 metres world champion, stormed to the lead with 300 metres to go and never looked in danger of being caught as her close friend Zahra Ouaziz of Morocco filled the runner up spot for the umpteenth time this year. Moroccan Ali Czzini ended any worries that the IAAF, the world sport’s governing body, may have had over a long court case when he bettered his personal best by a second to beat Kenyan 3000 metres steeplechaser Bernard Barmasai. The 25-year old Kenyan, who is still the world recordholder, had threatened to go to court after he was barred from sharing in the $ 1 million bonus when he admitted to asking compatriot Christopher Koskei to let him win the Zurich Golden League race. Barmasai, though, may have the last laugh by winning the overall Grand Prix series when the competition climaxes in Munich on Saturday. Maurice Greane, the 100 metres world recordholder, made his decision to opt for the 200 metres pay off as he coasted home to win — making it 12 wins out of 13 over the distance this season. There was a shock for the women’s 200 metres world champion Inger Miller, whose winning margin in Seville had been the greatest in a major 200 metres final since Fanny Blanker Koens in the 1948 Olympics, as she could only finish third behind Bahamians Debbie Ferguson and Gevatheda Fynes. Canada’s Bruny Surin, who took silver in the world championships, dominated the 100 metres as expected after Greene opted for the 200 metres getting a superb start and winning, easing up in 10.07 seconds. Larry Wade, potentially
America’s leading hope to challenge 110 metres
hurdles world champion Colin Jackson for the Olympic
title next year, came with a strong surge to overhaul the
fastest man this year Mark Crear and Cuba’s world
silver medallist Anier Garcia. |
3 Ludhiana boys enter semis SANGRUR, Sept 8 — Ludhiana boys dominated on the second day of Punjab Junior Badminton Championships in progress here. In the girls section all the four seeded players reached the semifinals. Top seed Nazma Parveen was lucky to reach the semifinal. Unseeded Arti Verma of Ropar fully extended Nazma, to three games before losing 9-11, 11-8, 11-5. Second seed Sumit Kalra has an easy victory over Hoshiarpur’s Navneet Kaur 11-2, 11-3. Another Hoshiarpur girl Navpreet also lost tamely to Vidhu of Patiala 5-11, 1-11. Sangrur’s Shehnaz was leading 8-3 against Sandhya of Jalandhar when Sandhya conceded the match because of injury. In the boys section three players of Ludhiana entered the semifinals. They are Dilpreet Singh, Ranbir Singh and Iqbal Singh. Fourth player to reach the semifinal is Narinder Singh of Patiala. Results Boys singles (under-19) Dilpreet Singh (Ldh.) B Ashok Kumar (Ptl.) 15-5, 15-1, Akhtar (Sgr.) B Jaskaran (Jld.) 15-10,15-4, Rohit Kapoor (Jld.) B Kasim (Sgr.) 15-4, 15-8, Ranbir Singh (Ldh.) B Varun Khanna (Ars.) 6-15, 15-6, 15-12, Ikbal Singh (Ldh.) B Ramnik Singh (Jld.) conceded, Touseef Ahmd (Sgr.) B Ikbal Singh (Ptl.) 15-4, 13-5, Varun Gulati (Art.) B Jatinder Singh (Ldh.) 15-10, 15-6, Harinder Singh (Ptl.) B Karandeep Kohli (Jld.) 15-7, 15-7. Boys doubles under-19 Vaibhav & Sandeep (Asr.) B Sanjeev & Nand Lal (Ptl.) 15-8, 15-5, Rohit & Karandeep (Jld.) B Mandeep & Kuldeep (Moga) 15-0, 15-6, Ranbir & Jatinder (Ldh.) B Kasim & Arif (Sgr.) 15-6, 15-6, Ikbal & Ashok (Ptl.) B Ramnik & Jaskaran (Jal.) 9-15, 15-5, 16-4, Varun & Varun (Asr.) B Karambir & Bhunesh (Gsp.) 15-1, 16-6, Kayank & Rapik (Arc.) B Bir Akhtar & Ankit (Sgr.) 7-15, 16-7, 15-9. Girls singles under-19 Nazma Parveen (Ldh.) B Amrit Pal (Ldh.), Arti Verma (Ropar) B Navpreet Kaur (Hsp.), Vidhu Vatrana (Ptl.) B Navdeep Kaur (Moga), Indermeet (Hsp.) B Balbir Kaur (Ldh.), Sandhya Yadav (Jld.) B Punit (Ptl.), Shenan (Sgr.) B Sarabjit Kaur (Asr.), Navneet (Hsp.) B Rajni (Asr.), Samit Kalra (Jld.) B Jaspreet (Ptl.). Boys singles under-19 Dilpreet Singh (Ldh.) B Akhtar (Sgr.) 15-9, 15-3, Ranbir Singh (Ldh.) B Rohit Kapoor (Jld.) 16-6, 15-12, Ikbal Singh (Ldh.) B Tousif Ahmd. (Sgr.) 15-8, 15-12, Harinder Singh (Ptl.) B Varun Gulati (Ams.) 15-8, 15-6, Girls singles under-19 (Q-final) Nazma Parveen (Ldh.) B
Aarti Verma (Ropar) 9-11, 11-8, 11-5,Vidu Vatrana (Ptl.)
B Indermeet (Hsp.) 11-5, 11-1, Shenaz (Sgr.) B Sandhya
Yadav (Jld.) conceded, Sumit Kalra (Jld.) B Navneet Kaur
(Hsp.) 11-2, 11-2. |
Punjab shooting from tomorrow CHANDIGARH, Sept 8 —The 35th Punjab State Shooting Championship in various age groups will be held from September 10 to 12 at Patiali Rao Ranges, Sector 25, Chandigarh, according to Raja K.S. Sidhu, Secretary, Punjab Rifle Shooting Association. Rifle/pistol events for senior men/ women, junior men/women , and sub juniors will be conducted . The competition will be organised in .22 rifle, air rifle, air pistol, centre fire pistol in NR section and air rifle and .22 peep sight rifle in the ISSF category in both men and women groups. Entries close at 12 noon on September 10 with the secretary of the association at the ranges. The Punjab state team
for the IXth GV Mavlankar National Shooting championship
to be held at Ahmedabad( Gujarat) in October will also be
selected during the championship. |
Ranatunga, Warne set to resume rivalry KANDY, Sep 8 (Reuters) — Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne is set to resume his old rivalry with former Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga when the two teams meet for the first of three Tests tomorrow. Warne and Ranatunga, who has been replaced as captain by Sanath Jayasuriya, have had a slanging match both on and off the field which the Australian recently said was “all in good fun”. Warne is expected to form the spin combination with off-spinner Colin Miller, as Australia look to consolidate their position as the top Test cricketing nation after their one-day world champion title was dented by Sri Lanka when they lost the final of a triangular tournament to the hosts last week. Ranatunga lost his job
as captain and was also not included in the one-day side
after the team’s dismal performance at the World
Cup. He is however likely to be retained in the Test side
along with Aravinda de Silva, the former vice-captain. |
Vijay grabs lead NEW DELHI, Sept 8 — The unstoppable Vijay Kumar took charge yet again as he grabbed the lead at the halfway stage of the Rs 7.5 lakh Colour Plus Open, being played at the 6,667-yard, par-70 Madras Gymkhana Course today. Vijay shot a three-under 67 to follow his two-under 68 on the opening day to aggregate five-under 67 to follow his two-under 68 on the opening day to aggregate five-under 135 for two days. That gave him a one-stroke lead over the two Wills Indian Open champions — Feroz Ali of Calcutta and twice winner Ali Sher of Delhi. Feroz returned his second successive two-under 68 card, while Ali Sher fired the day’s best round of four-under 66. In fourth place were Chandigarh’s Gursimran Sethi, last season’s rookie of the year, Kanpur’s Shiv Prakash and veteran Basad Ali of Calcutta at three-under 137. Scores (after 36 holes):
135 Vijay Kumar (68, 67); 136 Feroz Ali (68, 68), Ali
Sher (70, 66); 137 Gursimran Sethi (67, 70), Basad Ali
(70, 67), Shiv Prakash (70, 67); 138 Amritinder Singh
(67, 71); 139 Rohtas Singh (68, 71), Digvijay Singh (70,
69); 140 Harmeet Kahlon (67, 73), Asgar Ali (70, 70),
Ranjit Singh (70, 70); 141 Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia
(72, 69): Amateurs: 142 B Gurunath (69, 73); 152 S
Radhkrishnan (74, 78). |
H
Anil, Gaurav win CHANDIGARH, Sept 8 (BOSR) — Anil and Gaurav easily won their handicap billiards matches by defeating A.S. Banipal and BK Arora at 267-198 and 293-238, respectively, in the YMCA Open Billiards and Snooker Championship at the YMCA, Sector 11 today. In other billiards matches, Rajeev Bhardwaj had to struggle hard to beat Lalit Mohan 208-192. Anil Sharma and Munish Srivastava beat their opponents with ease to win their open billiards matches. Anil whipped Shashi Karan at 335-191, hitting three breaks of above 25 points while Munish played a speedy game in trouncing Gaurav Setia at 507-196. Munish had many breaks of above 30 points and played a neat game with very few errors. In the handicap snooker, Ajay Chandel will play with Bhupinder in the finals. Cricket tourney PATIALA, Sept 8 (FOSR) — The third Maharaja Hira Singh Prize Money Cricket Tournament will be held at Nabha, near here, from September 19 to 26, in which eight top teams from all over the country have confirmed their participation. Several top Duleep and Ranji Trophy cricketers have confirmed their participation in the tournament which carries a winner’s purse of Rs 21,000. The team finishing second will get Rs 11,000. Individual prizes will also be at stake. Entries close with Mr Ashwani Jindal, Bouran Gate, Nabha, on September 11. Ricky to lead AMRITSAR, Sept 8 (FOSR) — Punjab Ranji Trophy player Ravneet Ricky will lead the Amritsar district cricket team in the Punjab Inter-District Katoch Shield Championship. Sarandeep Singh will be his deputy, according to Mr Deepak Chopra, chairman of the selection committee. Munish Sharma, Harvinder Singh, Sanjay Kumar, T.P. Singh, Sandeep Sawal, Tarun Gupta, R.P. Singh, Gagandeep Singh, Chandan Madan, S.P. Singh, Jang Bahadur, Ranjit Rana, Davinder Matto and Varun Mishra are the players. Amritsar will play the first match against MDA on September 10 here. Football trials PHAGWARA, Sept 8 (FOC)
— Trials for selection of probables for preparing
the under-21 Punjab state football team for the National
Football Championship will be held at the local JCT
Stadium on September 10 according to Mr G.S. Virk,
secretary, Punjab Football Association. |
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