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| Monday, January 24, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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Aussies
snatch 15-run victory
Agassi, Sampras enter last 8 |
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Kamlesh adjudged best athlete
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Aussies snatch 15-run victory MELBOURNE, Jan 23 (PTI) — Australia did winless India a huge favour by inflicting a 15-run defeat on Pakistan with seven balls to spare in a thrilling one-day triseries cricket tournament tie here tonight. The World Cup champions hit up a challenging 260 for nine wickets on electing to bat and then came back brilliantly in the final stages to rattle Pakistan, coasting along nicely till the final 10 overs, and bowled them out for 245 in 48.5 overs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Australia’s fifth win from six games lifted them to full 10 points but more importantly kept India, languishing at the bottom of the table after four straight defeats, in the reckoning for the final with their last four matches left. Pakistan, who would have qualified for the final against Australia if they had won, were left with six points from three wins and as many defeats. India play both their rivals twice each in the final stages of the tournament and have the simple task of winning all the matches to oust Pakistan and make it to the summit stage. Pakistan, who fought back to check Australia’s progress, looked well set to win as Ijaz Ahmed cracked 85 off 104 balls and raised a rapid 61 runs for the fifth wicket with Moin Khan in exactly 11-overs. But medium pacer Shane Lee superbly stepped into the big gap left in the bowling due to pace spearhead Glenn McGrath’s absence by inflicting vital blows, including the prize wicket of Ijaz Ahmed, to finish with a match-winning haul of 37 for four. Pakistan needed a run-a-ball 60 with six wickets in hand as Ijaz Ahmed (85 - 104 b, 6 x 4, 1 x 6) and Moin Khan with excellent running between the wickets and chancy shot-making brought the Aussie attack under pressure. But a 20-minute interruption due to rain with Pakistan at 197 for four in 39.1 overs seemed to galvanise the hosts as Shane Lee, whose bowling was impeccable throughout, bowled Ijaz off an inside edge. Young paceman Brett Lee (2/48) put the game on even keel when he trapped Moin Khan (33 off 36 balls) plumb in front of the wicket in the very next over and then leg spinner Stuart MacGill (1/48 off 10 overs) kept both the dangerous Abdur Razzaq and Azhar Mehmood relatively quiet. The leg spinner bowled Mehmood round his legs attempting to sweep and Razzaq was run out to a stunning pick and direct hit at the non-striker’s end by point fielder Ricky Ponting to leave Pakistan at 238 for eight wickets. Wasim Akram stood as the last chance for Pakistan. The tall left-hander hoisted MacGill over midwicket for a big six but with Pakistan needing a stiff 16 runs from two overs, Shane Lee forced him to sky to Mark Waugh at deep mid-off to end the fight. Earlier, left-hander Michael Bevan made his second successive half-century, scoring 83 off 101 balls, and raised identical 66-run stands with Ricky Ponting (53 - 64 b) and Andrew Symonds (35 - 36 b) for the third and fourth wickets. But Australia, looking good to make over 300 runs after reaching 188 for three in the 36th over, lost quick wickets as Pakistan bowlers fought back impressively. Australia M Waugh c Moin b Razzaq 20 Gilchrist c Youhanna b Akram 13 Ponting lbw b Afridi 53 Bevan c Moin b Afridi 83 Symonds c Moin b Shoaib 35 S Waugh c Akram b Shoaib 6 S Lee run out 17 Martyn not out 12 Fleming st Moin b Saqlain 10 B Lee st Moin b Saqlain 1 MacGill not out 0 Extras (lb-3, nb-3, w-4) 10 Total (for 9 wkts, 50 overs) 260 Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-56, 3-122, 4-188, 5-203, 6-234, 7-235, 8-253, 9-255 Bowling: Akram 10-1-42-1, Shoaib 9-1-49-2, Razzaq 8-0-42-1, Mahmood 6-0-34-0, Saqlain 8-0-45-2, Afridi 9-0-45-2. Pakistan Anwar c Martyn b B Lee 11 Afridi run out 45 Ijaz b S Lee 85 Inzamam c and b S Lee 5 Youhanna c S Lee b M Waugh 12 Moin lbw b B Lee 33 Razzaq run out 12 Azhar b MacGill 5 Akram c M Waugh b S Lee 14 Saqlain b S Lee 2 Shoaib not out 0 Extras: (b6, lb8, nb1, w6) 21 Total (all out in 48.5 overs) 245 Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-88, 3-108, 4-140, 5-201, 6-215, 7-226, 8-238, 9-245 Bowling: Fleming 9-0-44-0, B Lee 10-0-48-2, MacGill 10-1-48-1, S Lee 8.5-0-37-4, Symonds 5-0-26-0, M Waugh 6-0-28-1. Standings in the triangular limited-overs series between Australia, Pakistan and India after Australia beat Pakistan by 15 runs today.
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Agassi, Sampras enter last 8 MELBOURNE, Jan 23 (Reuters) — Americans Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras are on course for a semifinal clash of the Titans at the Australian Open after impressive fourth-round victories at Melbourne Park today. World No. 1 Agassi dropped his first set of the tournament as he swerved past local hero Mark Philippoussis, while Sampras, seeded three after a difficult 1999, also took four sets to down Czech Slava Dosedel. The big upset of the women’s draw came from Japan’s Ai Sugiyama, who beat former champion Mary Pierce 7-5, 6-4 with a superb counter-punching display. “It’s great. This is the first time I’ve reached the quarterfinals,” said Sugiyama, after the best Japanese showing at a Grand Slam since Kimiko Date made the semifinals of Wimbledon in 1996. Former teen queen Jennifer Capriati reached her first Australian Open quarterfinal in seven years by beating Switzerland’s Patty Schnyder, while Anna Kournikova fell victim to her fourth-round jinx, losing 6-4, 6-3 to second seed Lindsay Davenport. Hicham Arazi took the Moroccan flag on a victory tour of Melbourne Park after beating Frenchman Nicolas Escude. He was joined by compatriot Younes el Aynaoui, who won his delayed third-round match against Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero. Arazi is the only male player yet to drop a set in the tournament. Tennessee journeyman Chris Woodruff ousted Britain’s Tim Henman, beating the 11th seed 7-5, 1-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in an error-strewn marathon on a windy outside showcourt. Woodruff’s victory takes him to his first quarterfinal in 12 Grand Slam outings. His next opponent, Sampras, has already won 12 Grand Slam singles titles and is hoping to leave Melbourne with a record 13th. On Sampras’s performances over the past week, that has not looked too likely. He was forced to recover from a two-sets-to-love deficit against Zimbabwean qualifier Wayne Black in the third round and has complained bitterly about the super-fast conditions in Melbourne. Today, Sampras was back firing again as he saw off Dosedel 6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1. “Maybe that match woke me up a touch. I realised my game wasn’t quite where I wanted it to be,” he said of his third-round scare. Agassi was at his opportunistic best against Davis Cup hero Philippoussis, keeping him virtually pinned to the baseline as he built up his points against the big-hitting Australian. “The problem that Mark can run into against a player like me is that he has to hit two or three good shots to win a point,” Agassi said. “If he commits to just exploding on every ball the stage is set for him to live or die by it and I’m experienced enough to make some headaches for him.” “I went out there and I executed, I played well and took a good step.” The last time Capriati made the quarterfinals in Melbourne was in 1993. She was just 16, with a shiny new Olympic gold medal and a virtually unlimited potential. Later that year came her fall from grace but the American, now 23, confirmed her return to the top flight on Sunday with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 win over the talented Schnyder. Joining her will be another losing quarterfinalist from the 1993 Australian Open. France’s Julie Halard-Decugis was leading Jana Kandarr 6-1, 3-0 when the German retired hurt. The mercurial Halard will next meet world No. 2 Davenport, who was typically efficient as she downed Kournikova 6-4, 6-3. “I think that was the first match when I felt I can win this tournament,” Davenport said. Davenport started off strongly, breaking Kournikova’s serve twice and dropping only one point as she raced to a 3-0 lead in the first set. But the Russian 11th seed found her range and made a match of it, grabbing one service break back and bravely pushing Wimbledon champion Davenport around the court. Under pressure, however, Kournikova was never a real threat. Although the pair
exchanged service breaks early in the third set,
Davenport’s consistency was the key — she
converted five of nine break- points while Kournikova
managed only two of 12. |
Dramatic 9-wkt win for England BLOEMFONTEIN, Jan 23 (Reuters) — A record opening partnership between captain Nasser Hussain and Nick Knight swept England to a crushing nine-wicket win over South Africa in their one-day international today. England passed South Africa’s mediocre total of 184 in the 40th over, finishing on 185 for one. Fast bowler Darren Gough, the man-of-the-match, laid the foundation for England’s victory with a haul of four for 29 and then Hussain and Knight finished the home side off with a stand of 165. Scoreboard South Africa: Kirsten c Read b Gough 1 Gibbs lbw b Caddick 9 Kallis b Gough 57 Benkenstein b Gough 2 Cronje c Read b Gough 2 Boucher c Gough b White 11 Strydom c Caddick b Ealham 34 Klusener c Caddick b Hick 27 Pollock not out 19 Boje c Adams b White 2 Terbrugge b White 5 Extras (b-4 lb-5 nb-2 w-4) 15 Total (all out, 49.5 overs) 184 Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-18, 3-21, 4-23, 5-53, 6-122, 7-137, 8-172, 9-176. Bowling: Gough 10-1-29-4 (nb-1 w-3), Caddick 10-1-23-1 (w-1), White 8.5-0-45-3 (nb-1), Swann 5-0-24-0, Ealham 10-1-22-1, Hick 6-0-32-1. England: Hussain c Gibbs b Boje 85 Knight not out 71 Hick not out 12 Extras (lb-10 nb-1 w-6) 17 Total (for 1 wicket, 39.3 overs) 185 Fall of wicket: 1-165. Bowling: Pollock
8-2-22-0, Terbrugge 6-1-23-0 (w-1), Kallis 4-0-34-0
(w-1), Boje 10-1-47-1 (w-1), Strydom 2-0-7-0, Klusener
5-0-25-0 (nb-1 w-3), Cronje 4.3-0-17-0. |
Serena — a reluctant participant? MELBOURNE, Jan 23 (DPA) — Playing all four Grand Slams almost seems a bit like too much hard work for Serena Williams. The third-seed at the Australian Open came close to skipping the first major of the season, ruled as she is by her father’s iconoclastic view that life in professional tennis can somehow be switched on and off like a light. Williams (18) has taken up the study of fashion at home in Florida, and it looked in recent weeks that the designer side of life would take precedence over the tennis interest. Third seed Williams, never one to reveal more than she has to, grudgingly addressed her decision at the mid-way point of the Australian fortnight. “I really wasn’t feeling that I was going to come,’’ she said. I’m kind of tired of talking about this. I just changed my mind. I thought that if I didn’t come, my ranking would slip. So I thought maybe I would come.’’ With her father’s prediction that his daughters would fight for world No 1 status while handily dispatching all who stand in their way, a long way from reality, Williams still seems almost reluctant to commit to all four of the year’s majors. “I’m here,’’ she said of her Melbourne presence, trying to cut off that line of questioning. “I’m really jaded talking about this.’’ She admitted — though without much enthusiasm — that she is likely to front up for the rest of the slams. “I always want to do well in the French, and it’s always my dream to do well at Wimbledon and of course, the US Open, so I’m there.’’ Williams only arrived Down Under three days before Monday’s start and has moved effortlessly through the draw so far to reach the fourth round. Her highest-ranked opponent was No 10 Belgian Sabine Appelmans. If she manages to win her next match against Russian Elena Likhovtseva, seeded 16th, on-form Martina Hingis, the holder and top seed will be more than happy to try and take her out in the semifinals in hopes of achieving a fourth straight singles title while earning revenge for a loss in September’s US Open final. Williams had not played a tournament since October, partly by design and partly due to injury. Her father Richard, who developed his daughters Venus and Serena into tennis players as a way of escaping life in a grim Californian inner city neighbourhood, has imposed some unorthodox attitudes on his sporting progeny. For one thing, they rarely play at the same event, reportedly so as not to have to face each other. That scenario did not work last year, when elder sister Venus beat Serena for the title at in Miami. Serena denied she programmes her schedule in concert with anyone. “We usually do our own schedules separately. Usually, we go wherever we want.’’ She said her schedule after Australia will consist of one tournament in Paris, flying back to Florida while Venus comes over the next week to compete in Hanover, Germany. She would only say the pair should play in Miami in March while failing to commit to the major outdoor event at Indian Wells, California. Williams tries to fall back on her commitments at the fashion school which she has tried to attend since last autumn as reason for such a fractured tournament schedule. “I’m taking only one class and it’s on Monday. I won’t be taking anything next semester (the northern spring). I’ll be overseas for the (spring) clay court tournament so there just won’t be any time.’’ Meanwhile, the serious professionals like Hingis and world No 2 Lindsay Davenport just keep doing what they do best — competing year-round and dominating the computer rankings. Williams seems to understand what it takes to try and reach the top, but her dedication to that task seems to waver, judging from her on-again, off-again playing calendar. “It takes a lot of work,’’ she said. “You can’t do it for a week, you’ve got to be consistent with it.’’
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Agarkar still not fully fit: Kapil ADELAIDE, Jan 23 (PTI) — Hopes of injured Ajit Agarkar recovering in time to play in India’s last four one-day cricket triseries matches have been belied with team coach Kapil Dev announcing that the wiry medium-pacer has not fully recovered from his hamstring strain. “He is only 85 per cent fit,” Kapil Dev said and added that he would not risk the bowler unless he was 100 per cent fit. The 23-year-old Agarkar, who has a history of constant breakdowns, suffered a hamstring strain while batting on January 12 against Australia at Melbourne, missed two games but was expected to recover for the remaining matches. But the Australian physio Andrew Leipus informed the team management that Agarkar will definitely not be fit for the back to back games against Pakistan and Australia to be played here on January 25 and 26. Kapil Dev refused to comment on the decision of the national selectors not to accede to the team management’s request for sending T. Kumaran as a replacement. “We had asked for a replacement and suggested to send across Kumaran since he has a bit of experience of these conditions during the Test series,” he said. Kumaran did not figure in any of the Tests and played only in two side matches before being sent back at the end of the Test series. Debasish Mohanty, the other seamer in the squad, had his first major outing in the lost encounter against Pakistan at Hobart on January 21 claiming two for 76. Indian hopes of making it to the best-of-three finals against Australia is very slim and they can come into any sort of reckoning only if they win all the remaining games. They have no points after losing the first four ties. “We can only make requests. The decision rests with them,” Kapil Dev said about the BCCI turning down the request for sending Kumaran Down Under. The coach expressed surprise over Ajay Jadeja playing domestic matches while the team sorely missed his batting and fielding in the ongoing triseries. “I am taken aback by the news. That’s all I would say. As far as I know when we left India (in the third week of November), Ajay was injured. But now I am told he is playing domestic competition,” he said. Jadeja was originally
picked for the tour, but was ruled out with a right
shoulder injury he suffered during the one-day series
against New Zealand at home. |
Bagan scrape past Salgaocar MARGAO, Jan 23 (PTI) — A late resurgence and a goal in the 83rd minute helped Mohan Bagan edge past defending champions Salgaocar by a lone goal in the National Football League here today and tie in points with table toppers Churchill brothers. Remires Baretto set himself free from the tight marking and sent down a firm shot into the net. Baretto had the ball after Salgaocar keeper Juje Siddhi blocked a Samuel Omollo header from inside the box off a free-kick taken by substitute Basudeb Mondal. Baretto, who was well policed by defender Robertro Fernandes till the goal was scored, could have made the issue safer three minutes later but the ball sailed over the bar. Salgaocar enjoyed territorial advantage throughout the match and had a few scoring chances. In the 42nd minute, Habib Adekunle shot to the post following a move with Roque Pereira and Dharamjit Singh. With the win, their fifth from 10 matches, Bagan are now tied at 19 points with Churchill but placed second due to inferior goal difference. The Calcutta outfit will play their next match, their last in the first phase, against city rivals Tollygunge Agragami on January 29. Today’s was Salgaocar’s second defeat, both at home, and they remained on 16 points from 10 matches. They will now play Mahindras in Mumbai on January 28. In the very first minute, the ball missed the Bagn post narrowly after Gbenga Lawal’s shot from top of the box defelected off Alvito D’ Cunha and caught ‘keeper Sandip Nandy on the wrong foot. Nine minutes latter, hardworking Dharamajit Singh’s try sailed over the bar off a pass from striker Jao Dos Santos. Salgaocar dictated terms in the midfield and had the best chance in the 42nd minute when Habib’s shot hit the post and rebounded to play. Bagan made a counter move three minutes later. Debjit Ghosh from the middle sent a pass to James Singh and the latter’s forward pass found Baretto in the box but Siddi charged out in time to prevent Baretto from taking the shot. Both the teams made three chances each after change of ends, but as the defenders gave nothing away, the match looked set for a draw till the goal came. SBT down BSF THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A lone goal by striker Abdul Hakkim enabled State Bank of Travancore, down Border Security Force (BSF), Jalandhar, and gain fullpoints in the Fourth National Football League here this evening. After a barren first half, SBT controlled proceedings and Abdul Hakkim capitalised with a header on a fine move by substitute Asif Saheer, connecting a loose ball from right flank. BSF captain and custodian Bibhas Saha was shown the yellow card by referee S.M.Balu for purposely delaying the ball. Gurmit Singh also got the yellow for foul play. After 10 matches, SBT is in eighth place with 11 points from three wins and two draws. BSF are at the bottom of the 12-team league with four points from one win and one draw. In their last matches in
the 11-round first phase, SBT will go to Goa to meet
Dempo while BSF take on Indian Telephone Industries in
Bangalore on January 28. |
Anna sets off flurry of speculation MELBOURNE, Jan 23 (AP) — Whenever Anna Kournikova sits in the stands to watch a men’s match, it sets off a flurry of speculation about her love life. Yesterday, she watched fourth-seeded Nicolas Keifer move into the fourth round with a victory over Morocco’s Karim Alami. The wily German said later: “We are sweethearts.” Then he added: “It’s not true. My real girlfriend will be upset if you write that. Anna’s just a friend and we might play mixed doubles together one day.” Kournikova has twice watched Australia’s Mark Philippoussis on centre court, but both say they are just friends. She often watched Ecuador’s Nicolas Lapentti on his way to the semifinal of last year’s Australian Open. The Russian said her coach had advised her to watch the men’s game and pick up some ideas. Sitting out easy for Rafter Injured Patrick Rafter, who was No. 1 in the world for a week last year, says sitting out the Australian Open is easier than he expected. “The first week of a Grand Slam is always sensational and I have loved sitting back as a spectator,” the Australian wrote in a column in the Sunday Herald Sun of Melbourne. “To be honest, I did not expect to enjoy being on the sidelines with the Open going on, but I have been surprised by how much I have been able to get into it without missing it,” he said. Rafter won the US Open in 1997 and 1998 but has never made it past the fourth round in the Australian Open singles. He won the doubles title in Melbourne last year with Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden. Rafter has been sidelined since withdrawing from last year’s US Open and is still recuperating from surgery to his right shoulder. Double duty for Hewitt Australian Lleyton Hewitt not only has 13 consecutive singles victories, but has also been in demand on the doubles circuit. The 18-year-old was paired with compatriot Sandon Stolle in the men’s doubles, although they were bundled out in the third round today by Zimbabwe’s Wayne Black and Australian Andrew Kratzmann. Hewitt later withdrew from his scheduled mixed doubles first-round match, where he was set to partner younger sister Jaslyn Hewitt, against Australian Michael Hill and Corina Morariu of the USA. Earlier in the tournament, Hewitt said his sister would never forgive him if he didn’t fulfil his family commitments in the mixed doubles but the demands of the singles draw forced him to withdraw. Kandarr’s run ends In the women’s draw, no other player had spent as much time on court as Jana Kandarr in the last 10 days. The German, who was taken to three sets in each of the first three rounds and has saved nine match points, had played 181 games, including qualifying, going into the fourth round. But her run ended today,
when she retired with a left hamstring injury when
trailing ninth seeded Julie Halard-Decugis 6-1, 3-0. |
Kamlesh adjudged best athlete FATEHABAD, Jan23 — The second annual athletic meet of the Government College for Women, Fatehabad, was organised here in which more than 50 girls competed in various races; throws, jumps and gymnastic events. Kamlesh of BAI was declared the best athlete of the college for the session 1999-2000. The result of various events: 100m race: 1 Kamlesh, 2 Sharda, 3 Asha Rani; 200m race: 1 Kamlesh, 2 Sharda, 3 Asha Rani; 400m race: 1 Kamlesh, 2 Sharda, 3 Asha Rani; Slot cycle race; 1 Vandana, 2 Raj Kumari, 3 Raj Bala; Fast cycle race: 1 Saroj, 2 Kamlesh, 3 Seetal; Chati race; 1 Shushila, 2 Saroj, 3 Chandravati; Shot put: 1 Paramjit, 2 Kulwant, 3 Chandravati; Javelin throw: 1 Kamlesh, 2 Sarabjit, 3 Chandravati; Discus throw: 1 Raj Kumari, 2 Kamlesh, 3 Chandravati; Long jump: 1 Kamlesh, 2
Kulwant, 3 Sharda; High jump: 1 Kamlesh, 2 Suman Lata, 3
Poonam. |
Jitender in semis; Sanjit ousted TEEJEON CITY (South Korea), Jan 23 (PTI) — Middleweight pugilist Jitender Kumar kept alive Indian hopes for more Olympic qualifying berths by waltzing into the semifinals of the fifth Seoul Cup and second Asian Olympic Qualifying Boxing Tournament here today. The 23-year-old Commonwealth Games silver medallist opened his campaign here with an emphatic 13-5 points verdict over Baurzan of Kazakhstan after gaining a bye into the quarterfinal stage. But India, who clinched their first berth for the September Sydney Games through lightheavy Gurcharan Singh yesterday, suffered another setback when lightwelter hope Sanjit Kumar Singh went down to Thai pugilist Pongsak in a narrow 7-10 points verdict. India can look forward to two more qualifying berths besides that of Gurcharan with Jitender and lightfly Suresh Singh still in the reckoning. The 23-year-old Jitender Kumar took on his strong Uzbek rival with the crowd rooting for Baurzhan. But unperturbed by this, the Railway boxer came out aggressively in the very first round and used the right cross and his long reach to fine effect. Jitender landed a powerful right on the Uzbek’s chin and moved away to avoid the counter and led 3-1 after the first round. Baurzhan twice caught up with his rival in the next two rounds, once rocking Jitender with a powerful right hook on his jaw which resulted in a mandatory count. But Jitender, who lost in the first qualifying event at Tashkent in October last year in controversial circumstances, smartly recovered to extend the lead to 11-5 at the end of the third round. Though the tall Indian seemed to be tiring in the final two rounds, he maintained his guard to ward off his opponent and pull off the handy 13-5 victory. In tomorrow’s semifinal, Jitender will take on Batbujan of Mongolia and a win will gain him the Olympic berth. Sanjit Singh, the Manipur-born boxer, made for his lack of experience with guts and determination against Pongsak. The Indian, adopting a south paw’s stance, exhibited his firepower but his seasoned Thai rival, trailing 1-3 after the first round, bounced back. The next two rounds saw the two level at 4-4 and 5-5 but Pongsak landed a few fine combinations in the last two rounds as he went all out to clinch the fight. The crowd became restive
after the controversial decision against Jin Seok Bai,
but things were eventually brought under control. |
Jeev slips to joint 17th JOHANNESBURG, Jan 23 (PTI) — Ace Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh shot a three-under-par 69 but slipped one place down to joint 17th going into the final round of the $1 million South African Open here. The 28-year-old Chandigarh-based pro, who shot 70 and 71 in the first two rounds, fired a fine 69, but could not improve upon his position and was tied with five others on six-under 210 at the Randpark Golf Course here yesterday. Overnight joint leader South Africa’s Darren Finchardt warded off a stiff challenge from compatriot Des Terblanche to take sole lead at the end of the third round. Fichardt (68, 67) was overtaken by Terblanche at one stage but picked up birdies at the 15th and 18th for a five-under 67 and an aggregate of 14-under 202. Terblanche, who shot a superb 65 after returning cards of 66 and 72 in the first two rounds, was a stroke behind with another overnight leader England’s Paul Eales a further shot behind on 204 after a 69. Three strokes further
back at 207 were seven players including Retif Goosen,
winner of the 1995 edition who carded a 68, first-round
leader Wallie Coetsee (65, 71, 71) and England’s
John Mellor, who smashed the course record with a
brilliant nine-under 63. |
Russian coach wins Pune Marathon PUNE, Jan 23 (PTI) — Fedor Ryjoy of Russia held off a spirited Bhairav Singh of the Indian Railways to win the 15th Pune International Marathon today. Margaret Kaburu Nyanngoso, a 25-year-old Kenyan housewife running her first international race, won the Women’s Half Marathon in one hour, 18 minutes and 10 seconds. Fedor covered the 42.195-km distance in two hours, 25 minutes and 17 seconds to bag the Rs 1 lakh first prize. Singh took second spot and Peter De Votch of Belgium came third. The 39-year-old athletics coach from Moscow trailed Singh for most of the race and broke away only at the 40-km mark. Once in front, he did not let go the lead till he breasted the tape at the finishing line at the Nehru Stadium. Singh, a 27-year-old ticket collector with Western Railway, had to brave bleeding toes as a result of his heavy shoes towards the end. Results: Men’s Full Marathon (42.5 km): Fedor Ryjov (Russia 2 hrs 25 min 17 sec), Bhairav Singh Lone (Western Railway 2 hrs 26 min 32 sec), Peter De’votch (Belgium 2 hrs 28 min 18 sec), HA Chinnappa (SSCB 2 hrs 29 min 28 sec), Bharat Singh (SSCB 2 hrs 29 min 45 sec), Kumar Bura (Maharashtra 2 hrs 31 min 10 sec). Women’s Half
Marathon (21 km): Margaret Kaburu Nyanngoso (Kenya 1 hr
18 min 10 sec), Camilla Benjaminsson (Sweden 1 hr 19 min
17 sec), Satya Bhama (Railways 1 hr 22 min 19 sec),
Sarita Marbade (Maharashtra 1 hr 22 min 25 sec), Vidya
Deoghare (Maharashtra 1 hr 27 min 07 sec), Mallia
Chandrakanti (Srilanka 1 hr 28 min 27 sec). |
Anand outplays Korchnoi WIJK ANN ZEE, Jan 23 (PTI) — World number two Viswanathan Anand of India crushed veteran Viktor Korchnoi of Switzerland in just 19 moves to inch half a point closer to top-placed Gary Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik in the sixth round of the Corus Super Grandmasters Chess Tournament here. The Indian played brilliantly with white pieces to outwit Korchnoi and maintain his joint second position at four points with Hungarian Peter Leko here yesterday. Top seed Kasparov and No 3 Kramnik of Russia continued to head the table with 4.5 points but their sixth-round draws against England’s Nigel Short and Dutchman Jan Timman, respectively, saw the margin reduced to half-a-point. Anand took full advantage of the white pieces and made mincemeat of Korchnoi’s off-beat variation in French defence. Korchnoi, who had lost to Anatoly Karpov in the world championship summit clash in the late 70s, deployed his forces in different direction but after the 13th move began to lose coordination. Anand got a firm grip in the centre by placing his knight on the e5 square which also helped him gain space advantage. Under pressure, Korchnoi went for a pawn on the king side after both players had castled on the opposite wings to obtain an elusive counterplay. But Anand played an excellent 16. re2 move and initiated a dangerous king side attack with his well-placed pieces, forcing Korchnoi to resign on the 19th move when his position was just beginning to fall apart. World number one Kasparov was lucky to escape from the jaws of defeat as Short missed a simple winning continuation. In a sicilian defence game, Short, who with Kasparov set up the Pofessional Chess Association (PCA) in 1993 as a rival to world chess body FIDE and also fought for the PCA world title, opted for the closed setup, a line not so common in elite circles, and Kasparov gained easy equality in the middle game. However, Kasparov, who beat Short to win the PCA title, pressed hard for victory and sacrificed in an exchange for two pawns. Short seized the opportunity and gained the initiative by exchanging pieces at regular intervals. On the 25th move, Short made the decisive error by not playing rd1 which would have ensured an easy victory. Results (sixth round): N Short (Eng) 3.0 drew with G Kasparov (Rus) 4.5 J Timman (Ned) 3.0 drew with V Kramnik (Rus) 4.5 V Anand (Ind) 4.0 b V Korchnoi (Swz) 2.5 P Nikolic (Bih) 2.5 lost to P Leko (Hun) 4.0 J Piket (Ned) 3.5 drew with M Adams (Eng) 3.0 A Morozevich (Rus) 3.5 bt L Van Wely (Ned) 1.0 S Lputian (Arm) 1.5 b J
Polgar (Hun) 2.0. |
Rishi, Ganesh qualify CHENNAI, Jan 23 (PTI) — Rishi Sridhar and S Ganesh of India have qualified to play in the main draw of the ITF Futures Tennis Championship, starting here tomorrow. In their final qualifying round matches, Sridhar fought it out against Indonesia’s Sebastian Dacosta for a 6-2 7-5 win, while Ganesh got the better of R Watanapong of Thailand 6-1 7-6(6).
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