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| Saturday, February 12, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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Kambli
fashions Seniors’ win
Overjoyed Akhtar welcomes decision
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Kafelnikov beaten; Philippoussis
wins
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Kambli fashions Seniors’ win AHMEDABAD, Feb 11 (PTI) — India Seniors downed a fighting India ‘B’ with a fair sprinkling of junior World Cup winning members, by six wickets with 1.5 overs to spare in their concluding league match to enter the final of Challenger Trophy tournament here tonight. But the seniors needed to stretch every sinew to get the better of the India ‘B’ team, led by Ajay Jadeja after the latter rattled up a challenging total of 274 for 8 in their allotted 50 overs. The seniors were forced to maintain a cracking runrate of upwards of five an over from the start, reshuffle the batting order by promoting Sunil Joshi to one-drop position as pinch-hitter in order to achieve the objective. Yesterday, India Seniors had defeated India ‘A’ by 52 runs. Opener V V S Laxman struck a well-made 53 off 69 balls with six fours and skipper Rahul Dravid made a fine 66 (85b) with the help of four boundaries. Dravid also put on a vital stand of 92 runs at a fast clip with Vinod Kambli, who made an attacking unbeaten 78 (86b) including four hits to the fence. India Seniors finally ended up with a tally of 275 for 4 wickets after being set an asking rate of 5.5 by India ‘B’. Robin Singh, who cracked a hard-hitting 26 off 25 balls remained unbeaten at the close. Earlier, India ‘B’s total was built around an excellent knock of 90 runs by junior India captain Mohd Kaif and his partnership of 48 with opener Nikhil Haldipur (50) for the second wicket. Kaif then shared a 115-run third-wicket stand with Jadeja, who slammed 53 off 54 balls with two sixes and as many fours. The India ‘B’ innings started on a fine note with Yadav and Haldipur averaging nearly five and over in the first ten overs before Kumble put the skids on the rate in his first spell. Haldipur slammed medium-pacer Harvinder Sodhi for four fours in his third over which prompted India Seniors’ skipper Rahul Dravid to press Kumble into the attack in the 8th over itself. The ace leggie struck immediately sending back Yadav with a fastish ball which the batsman tried to pull injudiciously and was bowled. But Kaif stepped in and set about negotiating Kumble and the other two spinners Sunil Joshi and Chopra with calm assurance in the company of Nikhil Haldipur (50). After the dismissal of Haldipur, who once picked Robin Singh neatly off his toes to hit him over mid-wicket for a six, Kaif and Jadeja put on a fine stand with good running between the wickets. Kaif showed good sense in playing the ball into the vacant areas while Jadeja was his usual efficient self as he nudged the ball into the gaps. Jadeja, who struck Joshi and Kumble once each over the straight field for sixes, fell to Chopra’s faster ball which he spooned to short extra cover off the leading edge. Jadeja left at 215 and India ‘B’ lost its way. Chopra, in his second spell, added Devendra Bundela’s wicket to his kitty to make India ‘B’ 239 for four and then junior India players Yuvraj Singh, Reetinder Sodhi, Ajay Ratra and Kaif himself fell in the slog phase. Kaif holed out to Chopra at long-off off the first ball of the 49th over bowled by Robin Singh after Yuveraj had been sent back by Prasad in the previous one. Ratra was dismissed by Robin Singh in the same over while Dodda Ganesh was run out in the last over before India ‘B’ ended at 273 for 8, setting India Seniors an asking rate of 5.48 to win and enter the final. Tomorrow, India ‘B’ play against India ‘A’ in the final league match. SCOREBOARD INDIA ‘B’: J.P. Yadav b kumble 26 Haldipur st Dighe b Chopra 50 Kaif c Chopra b Singh 90 Jadeja c Dravid b Chopra 53 Bundela lbw Chopra 12 Yuveraj Singh c Kumble b Prasad 06 Sodhi not out 11 Ratra st Dighe b Singh 00 Ganesh run out 03 Mohanty not out 1 Extras (w-7, nb-3, b-5, lb-6) 21 Total 274 Fall of wickets: 1/52, 2/100, 3/215, 4/239, 5/246, 6/255, 7/256, 8/272. Bowling: V. Prasad 10-0-52-1 (w-5, nb-2), H. Sodhi 5-0-37-0 (w-1, nb-1), A. Kumble 10-0-57-1, R. Singh 5-0-22-2, S. Joshi 10-0-48-0, N. Chopra 10-0-47-3 (w-1). India Seniors: Das c Bundela b Mohanty 12 Laxman c Yuveraj b Sodhi 53 Joshi c and b Sodhi 16 Dravid b Dave 66 Kambli not out 78 Robin not out 26 Extras (1b-7, w-10, nb-7) 24 Total (for 4 wkts. 48.1 overs) 275 Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-53, 3-119, 4-211. Bowling: Mohanty 10-1-31-1, D Ganesh 9.1-0-69-0, R.S. Sodhi 10-0-58-2, Yadav 6-0-39-0, Dave 6-0-31-1, Yuveraj 2-0-12-0, Kaif 2-0-9-0, Jadeja 2-0-19-0.
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Mahindras trounce JCT 3-0 LUDHIANA, Feb 11 — Playing attacking football, Mahindra and Mahindra Mumbai, trounced JCT Phagwara by three goals to nil in a key second-phase contest of the National Football League at Guru Nanak Stadium here today. Jordanian striker Bassam Khatib’s brace dashed the hopes of the mill men after forward Manjit Singh gave Mahindras an early lead with the match only five minutes old. JCT, too, had their chances but wayward shooting coupled with bad luck denied them a chance to share honours with the Mumbai outfit, who have been on a dream run in the decisive phase of the league after a lacklustre start early on. The victory against JCT was incidentally the second one for Mahindras after they had won the home match 2-1 at Mumbai last month. For JCT, this was the third defeat in the NFL, after they had lost the opening tie against Salgaocar by a solitary goal at New Delhi on December 9. With today’s win, Mahindras have further consolidated their position accumulating 24 points from six victories and six draws while JCT’s tally remains unchanged at 21 points. Mahindras made the most of the slippery ground conditions as JCT, who are not accustomed to playing under such circumstances, struggled to find their rhythm. Mahindras stunned the JCT camp with an early strike in the fifth minute when striker Bassam Khatib set up a fine move for Manjit Singh who capitalised on the wide gap to shoot into the net with goalkeeper Baljit stranded at the other end. Seven minutes later, Mahindras were again on target when off a combined move, which caught the JCT defence off guard, Bassam Khatib shot home with relative ease, leaving the rivals stunned. Thereafter, JCT hit back with a series of raids and in the 18th minute medio Ram Pal’s cross from the right corner saw striker Jaswinder attempting an artistic right footer, which, however, was off the mark. Thereafter, star midfielder Hardip Saini, burdened by the absence of Hardip Sangha, despatched a powerful grounder off striker Hardip Gill which missed the target narrowly. Defender Ranjit Singh’s lob for Jaswinder also proved unsuccessful as his header sailed out. In the 27th minute, JCT were unlucky as a combined move by striker Hardip Gill and Jaswinder beat the defence and goalkeeper. With the ball rolling towards an empty goal, custodian Virender Singh in a last-ditch effort lunged to his right to effect a goal-line save. A few minutes before half time, Mahindras again had a narrow escape as a fine lob by Ranjit saw Jaswinder attempting a header but Virender Singh managed to collect the ball. In the second half, Hardip Saini and Jaswinder launched a counter-attack for JCT but Mahindras’ stopper back Christopher made a timely clearance. In the 55th minute, Mahindras were awarded a penalty when striker Manjit Singh was brought down inside the box. The award of the spot kick drew a sharp reaction from the JCT camp and Mr Ashwani Thapar, a club official, along with former international G S Parmar later expressed their displeasure over the decision, terming it as unjust. Nevertheless, Bassam Khatib converted the spot kick to compound the mill men’s misery. JCT later fought back valiantly to reduce the margin but in vain. An aerial duel inside the Mahindras box was followed by an unsuccessful Sukhjit attempt which goalkeeper Virender thwarted at the cost of a flag kick and later Jaswinder’s header missed the target narrowly. Hardip Gill’s diagnol pass for Sukhjit also went abegging as the latter failed to connect. JCT had a lucky escape
at the fag end when Bassam Khatib sent a defence
splitting pass for Ramesh Rajak whose angular shot left
goalkeeper Baljit Singh stranded at the other end but
stopper back Kuldip Singh made a goal-line clearance to
prevent further damage. |
Overjoyed Akhtar welcomes decision KARACHI, Feb 11 (AFP) — Pakistan pace demon Shoaib Akhtar welcomed the International Cricket Council ruling that has left him free to terrify top batsman once more - and said he was looking forward to getting a good night’s sleep. “I am overjoyed. I was banned wrongly but I am thankful to the Almighty and will get my sleep back,” Akhtar told AFP. The ICC, in a landmark decision, announced yesterday it had revoked the powers of its advisory panel to ban bowlers with suspect actions. “I have lost my sleep although from inside I was convinced that I would play in Test cricket again,” he said. “I knew I would be back to thrill the crowds the world over. I play for my country and to entertain the crowds.” The 24-year-old Akhtar, dubbed the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ for his blistering bowling generally regarded as the world’s fastest, was banned on December 30 after match referee John Reid of New Zealand found he had a suspect action. Akhtar was allowed to play in the tri-series in Australia last month. “I was under Darryl Foster in the Australian academy in Perth and improved my action. Legendary Australian pacer Dennis Lillee said there is no problem with my action,” he added. Akhtar is now hoping to develop as a better bowler with Nottinghamshir in the coming county cricket season. “I look forward to playing in England and take this as a challenge. I will talk to the board officials to give me a break from Pakistan’s assignments in Dhaka and Sri Lanka so I can play a full season.” The speedster hit the limelight during last year’s World Cup in England when he was tipped to become the first bowler to cross the 100-mile barrier with his thunderbolts. Subsequently Akhtar was signed by the English county for a record contract last year but the ban and Pakistan’s assignment coinciding with the English season threatened his stint in county cricket. Nottinghamshire’s
acquisition of Akhtar’s services has sparked a surge
in interest at the county side, with big increases in
membership since his signing. |
Akram eyes Kapil’s world record KARACHI, Feb 11 (AFP) — Outgoing skipper Wasim Akram said he has set his sights on Kapil Dev’s world Test cricket wickets record after announcing his decision to step down as Pakistan captain yesterday. The 33-year-old all-rounder said he wanted to shed the pressure of captaincy to concentrate on overhauling Kapil Dev’s tally of 434 Test wickets. Akram’s all-time wicket haul is 383. “I have had enough of it, the pressures of captaincy and its time now I give more time to my son and my family.” “I want to concentrate on the world record of most wickets in Test cricket,” he told AFP. “I think I can better his record as well as Courtney Walsh’s.” West Indian paceman Walsh is only 11 shy of Kapil Dev’s tally. Akram is the only bowler to have taken 400 wickets in one-day internationals. “I think as a player I can perform with a relaxed frame of mind and it is now time to develop a new captain with the eyes set on the 2003 World Cup,” he said, speaking for the first time since returning from his country’s losing tour of Australia. “I can’t rule out myself from the 2003 World Cup but it’s too early to say. If my body allows me I can,” he said. “My decision has no negative points nor I am physically drained or ill,” Akram said, refuting claims that diabetes had affected his health. “I have been playing with diabetes for two to three years and have performed well, so there is nothing in it,” he said. Pakistan were blanked 0-3 in the Test series against Australia and similarly whitewashed in the best of three tri-series final. “There is no doubt that Australia is the best side in the world. They are mentally tough and confident.” “They are an
amazing fielding side, have deep batting and effective
bowling and successive wins increase their morale. |
ICC approves portable pitches for Tests WELLINGTON, Feb 11 (AFP) — Cricket’s governing body has given its blessings to the use of portable pitches for Tests, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said today. The International Cricket Council (ICC) approved portable pitches following a trial cricket game between New Zealand and the West Indies in Christchurch late last year. “This will give us tremendous flexibility in setting out international programmes as cricket in the major stadia in New Zealand so often comes into conflict with rugby, particularly in October and February-March,” said NZC Chief Executive Chris Doig. “The ICC recognises that there are difficulties in getting a suitable playing surface in many parts of the world and while the concept of portable pitches is not yet widespread, there is considerable interest in how it can be used.” The NZC first came up with the idea of portable pitches four years ago and was given substantial development funding by the government’s sports funding agency, the Hillary commission. It has since been working on the development with the Christchurch-based Portable Pitches World Wide and the New Zealand Sports Turf Institute. “There were a few minor performance problems which were worked on during the off-season and this season’s trial with the max game was so successful that the West Indians didn’t realise they were playing on a portable surface,” NZC operations manager John Reid said. The portable pitch is
grown in a special tray off-site and is lifted by crane
on to the playing area where it replaces another tray of
normal playing-surface turf. |
One-day cricket goes indoors SINGAPORE, Feb 11 (AFP) — One-day international cricket will be played indoors for the first time when Australia host South Africa in mid-August. This was decided by the International Cricket Council (ICC) executive board at its two-day meeting which ended in Singapore yesterday. Announcing the decision, ICC President Jagmohan Dalmiya said the board approved an application by the Australian Cricket Board to hold three one-day internationals against the South Africans at the new Colonial Stadium in Melbourne. The stadium is equipped with a retractable roof and the matches will be played with the roof closed, whatever the weather. Mr Dalmiya explained that the only reservation the ICC had was with regard to balls hitting the roof. “We have recommended to the Australians that if the ball does hit the 38-metre high roof, it should be declared a dead ball and bowled again. But the final decision in this regard will be taken by Australia,” he said. New Zealand’s application to organise indoor cricket from next season was also approved at the meeting. This is the first time
that the ICC has decided to take international cricket
indoors. |
Kochi pip Mohan Bagan 1-0 CALCUTTA, Feb 11 (UNI) — Favourites Mohun Bagan received a massive jolt in the race for the league title when they lost to F.C.Kochi 0-1 in their home match at Salt Lake Stadium here today. The all important goal was beautifully netted by nippy striker I.M.Vijayan in the 20th minute of the first half. Vijayan indeed did justice to his nomination as best ‘footballer of the country’ for 1999 by the All India Football Federation and found the target with a fine lob from an acute angle following a flag kick by Tejinder Singh which eluded Bagan keeper Sandip Nandy and went to the Kochi striker. The defeat slid Bagan to second slot with 28 points from 14 matches while it propelled Churchill Brothers of Goa to the top as Churchill have thus far collected 30 points from 14 outings. With this win F.C.Kochi, which was among the lower rungs of the league table, improved their position by collecting 18 points in 13 games. The two Kochin stoppers — Mahesh Gowli and Jo Paul Ancheri — were outstanding. The former, in particular, was superb, policing Bagan’s redoubtable Brazilian Jose Ramirez Barreto into submission. Kochin could have increased the margin in the 47th minute, but for Bagan goalkeeper Sandip Nandy who dived to the feet of Liberian Issac Tondo and prevented a certain goal. As Kochin withdrew into a defensive shell, Bagan stepped up the pressure and in the 61st minute Barreto failed to connect a Dushit cross centre. Bagan’s Nigerian recruit Stephen Abarowei also missed a couple of chances in the second half. In the 63rd minute, Abarowei’s header from close was spectacularly saved by Kochin custodian Sunday Seah. Ten minutes later, the Nigerian was again in the limelight, as he unleashed a lob which beat Seah but Gowli came from nowhere an made a goal line clearance. Tollygunge triumph Manaksia Tollygunge Agragami returned to their victory trail in the National Football League campaign when they drubbed Indian Telephone Industries (ITI), Bangalore, 4-2 in their third return leg fixture here at Rabindra Sarobar stadium today. The winners were 0-2 down at the breather. While striker Sashthi Duley, right winger Seriki Abdul Lateer, right back Isiaka Awoyemi and substitute striker Moses N. Oira scored once each for the home team, right winger R.C.Prakash scored a brace for the visitors. Thus, Manaksia
Tollygunge took sweet revenge of their defeat against the
telephonemen in the away match during the first leg in
which the former lost 0-2. Tollygunge thus far tallied a
total of 19 points from 14 matches. ITI, however, earned
11 points from 14 encounters. |
Kafelnikov beaten; Philippoussis wins MARSEILLE, Feb 11 (AP) — Russian Yevgeni Kafelnikov, the top seed, was hustled out of the $ 500,000 Marseille Open, being beaten by Croatia’s Ivan Ljubicic 7-6 (7-5), 6-3. The 20 year-old Ljubicic, from Zagreb, said he liked playing Kafelnikov. “When I play the Russians, whether it’s Kafelnikov or Safin, I find them easy to play,” Ljubicic said. “Kafel’s game suits me. I beat him 6-1, 6-2, in our only other meeting in Monte Carlo last year.” Ljubicic also gave credit to his fellow-countryman Goran Ivanisevic for his upset victory. “Goran inspires me. It’s great to see him getting back on his game, “Ljubicic said yesterday.” I like to find myself on the same tournament as him.... We cheer each other on.” Ivanisevic has already qualified for the quarterfinals where he is slated to meet Switzerland’s Marc Rosset. Rosset knocked out eighth seed Arnaud Clement of France 6-4, 7-5 in the second round to gain the shot at Ivanisevic. Another seed to fall was Thomas Johansson from Sweden. The eighth seed was downed 6-3, 6-3 by Swiss hope Roger Federer. Federer will next play Ljubicic in the quarter-finals. Andreas Vinciguerra from Sweden, one of only five teenage players to finish in the top-100 last year, put out Jacobo Diaz from Spain 7-6 (5), 6-2, and will meet fourth seed Sebastien Grosjean in the quarterfinals. Grosjean ground out a fatiguing win over qualifier and fellow-Frenchman Lionel Roux 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, and is only one of two seeds to survive to the last eight. The other seed still standing is title-holder and sixth seed Fabrice Santoro from France who kept his hopes alive by coming through 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 against left-hander Jan Siemerink from the Netherlands. Santoro will test his double-handed skills against fellow-Frenchman Thierry Guardiola in the quarterfinals. Guardiola ousted Slovak Jan Kroslak 6-3, 6-3 yesterday. SAN JOSE (Reuters): Two-time Sybase Open Champion and fourth seed Michael Chang got a strong measure of revenge when he beat Cecil Mamiit 6-2, 6-3 on Thursday to enter the quarterfinals. Second seed and defending champion Mark Philippoussis also advanced to the quarterfinals, with a sound 6-3 6-4 defeat of Ronald Agenor. Mamiit was able to out-slug his idol here last year but this time the 27-year-old Chang was in charge. Playing his down-the-line forehand and deceptively attacking the net at key moments, Chang out-hit, out-ran and out-thought his 24-year-old foe. Mamiit, a 1999 Pan Am Games silver medalist, added that the anticipation of playing his sometime practice partner again in front of a large San Jose Arena crowd was too difficult. Chang — who is entering his 14th year on the tour — noted that he is now closer to the end of his career than his beginning, but Mamiit refused to believe it. “That seems like a bluff,’’ he said. “He seems like the old Michael to me.’’ Chang, the one-time world No. 2, has struggled since badly injuring his knee two years ago. Against Mamiit, he felt for the first time since his injury that he may be regaining the two steps he lost. However, he added that he is still trying to find his top form. Chang will play Swede Mikael Tillstrom in quarterfinals. Tillstrom was a 4-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 winner over Armenia’s Sargis Sargsian. Playing in his first ATP tournament of the year, Swedish veteran Magnus Larsson worked his way into the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Australia’s Mark Woodforde. In a sloppy match between two old-school players, Larsson was able to keep the net-rushing Woodforde pinned to the baseline late in the contest and frequently out-slugged him from the forehand side. Philippoussis will face American Justin Gimelstob, who beat Czech Tomas Zib 6-4, 7-6, (7-4). Philippoussis beat Gimelstob in a difficult three-setter last year. “He’s a tough player, a big guy,’’ Philippoussis said. “I expect a good match.’’ DUBAI (AFP): Third seed Nicolas Lapentti slumped to a surprise second round defeat at the Dubai open, losing 6-4, 6-3 to Spain’s Juan Carlos Ferrero. There was also defeat
for seventh-seeded Moroccan Hicham Arazi, who was beaten
6-4, 1-6, 6-0 by Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic on
Thursday, but defending champion and No. 8 seed Jerome
Golmard of France edged past Romania’s Andrei Pavel
3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3). |
‘To knock Laila out my goal’ LAS VEGAS, Feb 11 (AP) — First there was Laila Ali. Then Jacqui Frazier-Lyde made her debut. Now Freeda Foreman wants a piece of the action. What’s next, a female Rumble in the Jungle? “Oh yeah, that was the fight with Ali and Frazier, wasn’t it?” Freeda Foreman said yesterday. Actually, it was Ali and George Foreman, Freeda’s father, in the 1974 fight in Zaire that became one of the most famous heavyweight fights of the era. But you might forgive Freeda Foreman she didn’t know the nickname of her father’s most devastating loss. She wasn’t born until three years later, when ‘Big George’ was doing more preaching than fighting. Freeda does know what sells, though, and that’s why the 23-year-old is following in the footsteps of both her father and the daughters of Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali. “My goal is to change history and knock Laila out,” she said. “It’s not revenge, but the opportunity is there for me.” It’s an opportunity that her father doesn’t exactly embrace. “He flat out doesn’t like it,” Freeda Foreman said. “But I do have his love and support. That’s what counts.” The third oldest of Foreman’s 10 children — five girls and five boys - Freeda Foreman was working as a customer relations clerk for United Parcel Service in greenville, South Carolina, only a month ago. She had heard of Laila Ali’s entry into boxing. And then Jacqui Frazier-Lyde decided to enter the ring, making her debut this week with Ali’s daughter at ringside. Ali and Frazier-Lyde are friends. And Foreman and Frazier-Lyde talk on the phone all the time. “After I spoke to Jacqui about it, I said ‘I want to get in on this,”’ Foreman said. “That’s our love, that’s all we talk about. I just wish I would have done it earlier.” The single mother of a four-year-old, Foreman turned in her notice and quit UPS. She hooked up with promoter Dan Goossen of America Presents and plans to begin training under Goossen’s brother Larry today in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Her first fight will be on April 1 at the Regent in Las Vegas on a card that features Olympians Chris Byrd and Lawrence Clay-Bey. “This is a dream of mine and I know positively it can come true,” said the soft-spoken foreman. “As long as the demand is there, I’ll be there. I want to let women know there are no limitations.” Foreman has no opponent for her first fight, which will likely be in the super middleweight or light heavyweight range. She is 180 centimetres and weighs 81 kg, but intends to drop to 72 kg by the fight. With most of the
successful women boxers in the lighter weights, though,
her future revolves around two specific opponents - the
daughters of her father’s famous opponents. |
Xavier-Prakash duo lifts title CALCUTTA, Feb 11 (UNI) — The unseeded Indian duo of Benzamine Xavier and Arun Prakash won the boys’ doubles title when they beat compatriots Kamala Kannan and P Ravishankar 7-6 (7-5) and 6-2 in a one way final of the ITF Junior World Ranking Tennis Tournament here today. Pride of place in the girls’ doubles went to the Chinese pair of Shuai Peng and Xie Yan Ze who took little time to dispose of the challenge from the Uzbek-Kyrgyz combination of A Shoupak and A Kalsareeva forcing another straight set victory. The Chinese duo won 6-3 and 6-0. In the first set of the boys doubles, both pairs began evenly and retained their respective services to take the set to tie break. In the tie-breaker, Kannan and Ravishankar initially led 4-2. But never-say-die Arun and Xavier collected the next four points to snatch a 6-4 lead. After squandering a set point, Arun and Xavier won the first set 7-6 (7-5). The second set saw Arun and Xavier taking control of the game from the beginning and broke Kannan and Ravishankar once each while holding all their serves to clinch the issue by winning the second set 6-2. In the first set of the girls doubles final, the top-seeded pair of Peng and Xie Yan raced to a 4-0 lead and thereafter held their serves to win the first set 6-3. The Chinese duo improved their performance in the second set and won it 6-0.
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Davis Cup captaincy not easy: McEnroe BOCA RATON (Florida), Feb 11 (Reuters) — After a nerve-wracking but successful debut as US Davis Cup captain last weekend in Zimbabwe, John McEnroe discovered that the dream job he campaigned for isn’t as easy as it looked. Forced into playing a last-minute makeshift team when both Pete Sampras and Todd Martin were sidelined, McEnroe was 2-1 down in the Davis Cup first round by Saturday evening. On Sunday, an inspired Andre Agassi won his singles match despite being ill, and then Chris Woodruff redeemed himself from a terrible loss on Friday against Byron Black to win the fifth and decisive match against Wayne Black. The weekend eventually ended with the Americans securing a 3-2 victory over Zimbabwe, but it was a nail-biter for three days running. “This is definitely more tricky than I expected,’’ said McEnroe, speaking from his New York city apartment, with his 10-month-old daughter crying in the background. “On Saturday night, I felt like I may have the shortest tenure in Davis Cup history. “The tension you feel, you’re second-guessing yourself. Did you do the right thing? Have you said the right thing? It’s quite an emotional thing.’’ The 40-year-old McEnroe, who led the USA to five Davis Cup championships as a player, confessed he was stunned to find his dream team of Agassi, Sampras, Martin and Alex O’Brien fall apart when Sampras and Martin pulled out, Sampras with a hip flexor injury and Martin with a viral infection. “I was taken aback,” McEnroe said. “I went like frozen for a period of time. “I have to do a better job making sure that I’m more prepared in the event that something happens.’’ Following the US Victory, Wayne Black was quoted as saying McEnroe, known for temperamental tirades during his playing career, behaved inappropriately during the tie. McEnroe bristled when asked about Black’s comments. “If they think what I did was gamesmanship, they have a pretty misconceived notion of what that really is,’’ he said. “As far as I was concerned, I held back, held back to a great degree, when I saw these guys were going around with chips on their shoulder.’’ In an interview on Wednesday afternoon, Woodruff admitted he was disturbed at how the Zimbabweans tried to unnerve him during his Davis Cup debut. McEnroe concurred with Woodruff’s assessment. “To be perfectly honest, the way the players on the other team, particularly Wayne and Byron, behaved, they should have a reality check of what really happened out there. They did everything possible in their power to try to throw off my players and try to win.’’ Woodruff, who would be a candidate for any good sportsmanship award and would probably feel an obligation to tell all if McEnroe had misbehaved, insisted his captain was a model of decorum. “I thought John did an outstanding job, and obviously, he’s a great competitor,’’ Woodruff said. “You know, he’s going to compete and do whatever it takes to win, and I didn’t see anything that was outside the lines of that.’’ With the first Davis Cup hurdle as captain over, McEnroe now faces the tough task of picking a quarterfinal team to square off against the Czech Republic on April 7 to 9 in Los Angeles. McEnroe is torn between wanting to field the best players possible and staying loyal to the team that, under great hardship, travelled to Zimbabwe, a squad he believes would handily defeat the Czechs. “I feel like
it’s my decision, but there’s
pressure,’’ said McEnroe. “You feel bad
for people like Chris who literally saved the day for us.
At the same time, I hope that Chris Woodruff respects me
enough to know that I’m going to do what I hope is
best for the Davis Cup and the whole team.’’ |
Injury looks minor, says Agassi SAN JOSE (California), Feb 11(Reuters) — World No 1 Andre Agassi has said that the back injury that caused him to pull out of the $ 375,000 Sybase Open appears to be minor. “It’s not good,” said Agassi. “But there’s nothing tremendously wrong that rest probably won’t cure.” The popular American tennis star said that he first strained his lower back in his dramatic five-set semifinal victory over Pete Sampras at the Australian Open 11 days ago and further aggravated it playing Davis Cup against Zimbabwe last weekend. “In Zimbabwe, the court was forcing me to play with more spin and the ball was torquing more,” he said. “Then I got ill, I got dehydrated, I wasn’t sleeping or eating well. I got spasms which made it tremendously worse.” The 29-year-old
Australian Open champion added that in his straight-sets
victory over Byron Black on Sunday in Zimbabwe, he was
praying the match would end as soon as possible. |
Cameroon, Nigeria cruise into final ACCRA, Feb 11 (Reuters) — Cameroon and Nigeria, two of African soccer’s most entertaining teams, cruised through their Nations’ Cup semifinals yesterday to set up an intriguing finale to the tournament. Cameroon overcame Tunisia 3-0 in a match that produced the ultimate clash of styles, Italy-based Patrick Mboma getting on the scoresheet twice in Accra as the Indomitable Lions swept aside the rank outsiders in the second half. Co-hosts Nigeria beat South Africa 2-0, playing in front of a packed 60,000 crowd in Lagos after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) backed down from their threat to make them play in an empty stadium. The Super Eagles opened their box of tricks in the second half after Tijani Babangida scored in the first and 34th minutes to leave the Bafana Bafana down and out in Lagos before half-time. Nigeria and Cameroon meet in Lagos on Sunday, while the losers contest the third-place match in Accra on Saturday. The Accra match brought the attacking, skilful style of the Indomitable Lions face to face with the dour north Africans, whose inherently rigid style has been made even more defensive by the influence of Italian coach Francesco Scoglio. Scoglio’s disciplined tactics had helped take Tunisia’s limited squad further than expected, with the help of two 1-0 wins, a goal-less draw and a 4-2 defeat by Nigeria. Tunisia, beaten finalists in 1996, had the better of the first half hour, surprisingly taking the game to their opponents and carving out several clearcut chances which they were unable to convert. They paid the price in the 49th minute when Mboma, who scorned several chances in previous games, fired Cameroon in front after the Tunisia defence failed to clear a long throw by Pierre Wome. In the final 10 minutes the Cagliari striker set up the second for Real Madrid’s Samuel Eto’O then scored the third as both he and Eto’O took their tallies in the tournament to three. “This was a tactical duel between two teams whose coaches come from different schools of thinking,” said Cameroon coach Pierre Lechantre. Cameroon returned the to final after a 12-year absence, having taken part in three successive finals between 1984 and 1988 when they won two and lost won. Scoglio said: “We lost the match in the first half because we missed too many chances.” In Lagos, Ajax striker Babangida gave Nigeria a dream start, scoring in less than one minute with a run and shot from the edge of the penalty area. He then side-footed home a second half an hour later, allowing Nigeria to relax and play some classy soccer for the remainder of the match. South Africa, winners at home in 1996 and runners-up in Burkina Faso two years ago, created several chances mid-way through the second half but wasted them all. Nigeria fans were allowed to watch their side’s triumph despite the pitch invasion which halted their team’s quarterfinal against Senegal for 10 minutes in the same stadium on Monday. After crowd threw bottles on to the pitch during a group match against Congo, the CAF had warned that Nigeria could play behind closed doors if there was further trouble. However, they let the co-hosts off with a small fine. Nigeria effectively
reached their second consecutive final. After beating
Zambia to win in 1994 they refused to play in South
Africa two years later and were banned as a punishment
from taking part in Burkina Faso. |
East Bengal look to claim full points MARGAO, Feb 11 (PTI) — A demoralised East Bengal will be looking to garner full points and change their fortunes when they meet bottom-placed Dempo here tomorrow in a return match of the National Football League. Nothing has gone right for East Bengal from the start of the league. They have won three matches, drawn five and lost five to be placed ninth with 14 points. The strong contenders, who were hit by injuries to their key players Suley Musah, Amit Das and Raman Vijayan in the beginning of the league, will be without striker Bijen Singh and Renedy Singh, tomorrow. Bijen is suffering from a knee injury while Renedy is nursing a back injury.
|
Arjun Atwal leads KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 (Reuters) — India’s Arjun Atwal took a one shot lead in the Malaysian Open today as Bernhard Langer fought to stay in the tournament. Atwal’s two-under-par 70 for a total of 135 took him ahead of South African Nico Van Rensburg, round in a sparkling seven-under 65. Langer improved to a 71 and avoided the cut with his level par 144. The German complained of the humidity and difficult playing conditions on the Templer Park Course. “It was really hot and humid out there this morning — just look at my shirt,” he said. Denmark’s Steen
Tinning (70), China’s Zhang Lian-Wei (71) and
Ireland’s Padraig Harrington (69) shared third place
on 137. |
Judo
squads HISAR, Feb 11 — Internationals Satish Kumar and Renu Chanda, both from Hisar, will lead the men and women teams of Haryana in the Senior National Judo Championship to be held at Chandigarh from February 13 to 16, according to Mr Sumer Singh Nandal, general secretary of Haryana State Judo Association here today. The other team members are: Men: Kuldeep Saini (56 kg), Jasvir Singh (60 kg), Mukash Kumar (66 kg), Karambir (73 kg), Devender Singh (81 kg), Satish (90 kg), Praveen Kumar (100 kg) and Satish Kumar (open). They are all from Hisar. Women: Promila (Panchkula-44 kg), Neelam-(Sirsa- 48 kg), Renu (Hisar-52 kg), Neelam Punia (Sonepat -63 kg), Seema (Sirsa -70 kg), Sangeeta (Sonepat-over 70 kg), and Komal (Sonepat-open weight). Mr Om Prakash Bishnoi of
Sirsa and Mr Jagat Singh of Haryana Police will accompany
the team as coaches. |
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