 |
|
| Wednesday, March 1, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
|
100 per cent tax deduction on
donations to IOA |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Srinath goes down to Chicoine
|
Younis Khan leads Pak fightback RAWALPINDI, Feb 29 (AFP) — Younis Khan hit a gritty century on his Test debut to lead Pakistan’s fightback on the fourth day of the first cricket Test against Sri Lanka here today. Pakistan’s second innings was finally wrapped up at 390, giving Sri Lanka a victory target of 220. At stumps the visitors were 11 without loss, 209 runs away from victory. Khan, who made 107, was involved in a match-saving ninth wicket record stand of 145 with injured all-rounder Wasim Akram. Akram made an enterprising 79, batting with a runner due to a groin injury. Khan, a 22-year-old from Karachi, played adventurously from the outset and benefited from two chances and two leg before shouts during his 322-minute stay, hitting 12 boundaries. He was finally out when his drive was deflected off silly point fielder to Aravinda de Silva off Muttiah Muralitharan. At 236 for 8, with defeat staring Pakistan in the face, the young Younis Khan found a pugnacious companion in Akram who tried to hit the team out of trouble with a fortune-turning stand and took the match into the last day. Khan became the seventh Pakistani and 66th batsman in Test cricket to hit a ton in his first Test when he took a couple off Pramodaya Wickremasinghe to wide mid-off. He took 294 minutes, faced 224 balls and carted 11 boundaries to pass the century mark. Akram, whose contribution in the match had been a mere 13 deliveries on day one before walking off with injury, hit 10 boundaries during his 195-minute innings lasting 146 balls. Sri Lankan bowlers bowled short and will rue the fielding lapses that allowed the home team to escape defeat. Akram was dismissed with nine overs to go when he was caught at silly point by Mahela Jayawardene off Muralitharan. Khalid Ibadullah, Javed Miandad, Salim Malik, Mohammad Wasim, Ali Naqvi and Azhar Mahmood had previously scored hundreds on debuts for Pakistan. Both Naqvi and Mahmood achieved the record on this same ground in the same Test against South Africa three years ago. Younis completed his maiden half-century in 129 minutes with a hooked boundary off Chaminda Vaas. He was let off at 42 by De Silva in the first slip off Vaas and by Jayawardene at silly point off Muralitharan when on 56. But that did not deter Khan from playing daring hook shots, lofted drives and cuts square of the wicket. Akram reached his sixth Test 50 off 72 balls, spiced with six boundaries. Pakistan’s previous best stand for the ninth wicket against Sri Lanka was 127 put on by Haroon Rasheed and Rashid Khan in the Karachi Test. Resuming at 154-4, Pakistan lost nightwatchman Waqar Younis while still two runs short of avoiding an innings defeat. Vaas took a fine low return catch on his own bowling to dismiss Younis for 8. Vaas struck again with the second new ball when he trapped Moin Khan leg before wicket for 10. SCOREBOARD Pakistan (1st innings): 182 Sri Lanka (1st innings): 353 Pakistan (2nd innings): S. Anwar b Vaas 84 W. Wasti c Wickremasinghe b Zoysa 1 A.Sohail c Jayawardene b Muralitharan 24 I. Haq c sub (Chandana) b Zoysa 20 Y.Youhana c Jayawardene b Muralitharan 18 W. Younis c and b Vaas 8 Y. Khan c De Silva b Muralitharan 107 M. Khan lbw b Vaas 10 A. Razzaq c Kaluwitharana b Zoysa 3 W. Akram c Jayawardene b Muralitharan 79 S. Mushtaq not out 2 Extras (b-4, lb-12, nb-18) 34 Total (all out in 152.1 overs) 390 Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-72, 3-136, 4-148, 5-169, 6-189, 7-224, 8-236, 9-381. Bowling: Vaas 38-7-85-3, Zoysa 26-8-64-3, Wickremasinghe 24-4-76-0, Muralitharan 54.1-14-127-4, Arnold 1-1-0-0, De Silva 6-2-10-0, Jayasuriya 3-0-12-0. Sri Lanka (2nd innings): M. Atapattu batting 6 S. Jayasuriya batting 5 Extras 0 Total (for no loss in 3 overs) 11 Bowling: Younis 2-0-7-0,
Razzaq 1-0-4-0. |
Akram confident of silencing critics RAWALPINDI, Feb 29 (AFP) — Pakistan’s ace pacer Wasim Akram today showed a steely resolve to take the world record for wickets in Test cricket and insisted his performance would silence his detractors. “I have silenced my critics before and I will do it again. They were themselves dragged out of the Tests so they think I will meet the same fate.” “I have a different fate and I am confident that I will set a new record of most wickets in Test cricket,” he said. Former Pakistan cricketers Sarfraz Nawaz, Haroon Rasheed and Taslim Arif on Sunday advised Akram to call it a day gracefully, saying he was no longer a match winner. Akram pulled a groin muscle on the first day of the ongoing Rawalpindi Test and team doctor Riaz Ahmed said he may miss the rest of the series against Sri Lanka. “I have motivated the team to so many successes, we played the final of the World Cup and just a 3-0 blank in Australia can’t spoil the good work,” Akram said. “The people of Pakistan are behind me and they want me to complete the record. I am feeling better because initially we thought it was serious but it is healing quickly,” he said. Akram is 17 wickets away from completing 400 Test wickets and needs another 52 to cross Indian pacer Kapil Dev’s record of 434 wickets in Test cricket. “People have said it before and have targeted me but I have been performing well both as player and as captain,” he said. Akram is the only bowler to take more than 300 wickets in both forms of the game. “I look forward to playing for Pakistan and am geared up to beat the West Indies in the West Indies which we have not achieved in the past,” he said. “Even my diabetic problem is not a hindrance in my playing.” Wasim refuted reports he had withdrawn from Pakistan’s future assignments. “I am taking every match as it comes and as challenge and my target is to get 435 wickets and for that I will continue playing,” he said. Akram did little work during the team’s training session today and said he would bat to save the Test for Pakistan. Pakistan resumed their
second innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka at
154-4, still 17 short of averting an innings defeat. |
Mohun Bagan drub BSF CALCUTTA, Feb 29 (UNI) — Calcutta giants Mohun Bagan moved a step closer to the coveted fourth National Football League title when they drubbed lowly-placed BSF 2-0 in their match at Salt Lake Stadium here today. Nigerian Stephen Abarowei fired the first salvo in the 16th minute while substitute Dipendu Biswas, who came in place of Stephen in the second half, shot home to buttress the lead in the fag end. With this, the star-studded local team continued to top the league table collecting 38 points from 18 matches with 11 victories, five draws and two losses. They have so far scored 23 goals and conceded only eleven. On the other hand, BSF, facing relegation from the NFL were stranded with nine points from 18 matches. Mohun Bagan could have won by a margin of at least five goals had not their frontliners failed miserably in finding their target. Bagan first had an opportunity to score a goal in the 12th minute but Uzbek Igor missed a sitter off a pass from R.P. Singh. However, the team went ahead when Nigerian Stephen scored a goal. His left-footer went home defeating securitymen custodian Bibhas Saha on his right side. The ball came to Stephen from a melee off a flag-kick from Lolendro Singh. The second goal was scored off a beautiful move from Brazilian Jose Barreto who dodged past two defenders and lobbed to Igor. The latter sent a cross to lurking Dipendu Biswas who made no mistake. Igor missed a sitter in the fag end while one of his attempts was foiled by the post in the 86th minute. In what was a totally one-sided affair, BSF goalie Bibhas Saha was the only player who deserved mention for making a couple of good saves. His Bagan counterpart Arpan Dey, however, did not have to face many balls. In the second half Barreto was the matchmaker combining with Igor but the latter failed to capitalise shooting off the mark quite a number of times, including once in the 76th minute, when he shot wide a Barreto advance pass. In the second half, the decision to bring in Dipendu Biswas replacing Stephen paid off as the former’s entry augmented the offence of the team. Salgaocar beat JCT MARGAO (PTI): A 69th minute penalty kick conversion by medio Gbenga Lawal helped Salgaocar down JCT 1-0 in the National Football League here today. Salgaocar had beaten JCT in the away tie by an identical margin. A move on the left saw defender Sanjay Parte relaying the ball to striker Joao Dos Santos, who beat a defender before being brought down in the penalty box by a charging JCT keeper Baljit Singh. Referee Michael Andrews of Kerala awarded the penalty kick. Gbenga Lawal, who took the spot kick, made no mistake beating Baljit to his right. With this win, Salgaocar are tied for the third spot on 30 points with JCT from 17 matches. JCT have played 18 matches, one match more than Salgaocar. The Salgaocar forward line worked like a well oiled machine. Dharmajit and S. Venkatesh, who excelled, played in tandem and kept on probing the rival half but were thwarted by the rival defence, who foiled their moves allowing little space inside the danger zone. Salgacoar who dominated
the first half, could have won by a bigger margin had
their forwards utilised the chances that came their way. |
Germans ‘lack’ fighting ability BERLIN, Feb 29 (AP) — Germany’s national team may lack the talent of past squads, but now the country also faces a problem unthinkable while it was rolling to three World Cup titles. It’s once-feared fighting ability, which tormented countries with more gifted players, has vanished. At least that was the opinion of several former greats, who watched in alarm as the reigning European Champions were outclassed and outhustled by Holland in a 2-1 loss on Wednesday. The match was an important tune-up for the European Championships starting on June 12. “What made me worry is that Holland were in superior condition,” said Matthias Sammer, Europe’s 1996 player-of-the year. “Our problems aren’t just our lack of playing ability or tactical skills, but also in our once pronounced German virtues like willpower and fighting ability.” Former national team star Bernd Schuster, along with 1974 World Cup winners Guenther Netzer and Wolfgang Overath, also blasted the current team after the Holland match. They questioned the country’s chances of defending the European title and even its ability to hang onto its already slipping reputation as a soccer superpower. “We’ve lived too long in the past, and finally have to admit that other nations have left us behind with their playing skills,” said Netzer. “Before this match. I felt good about the Euro,” said Sammer. “I thought that if physical conditioning, team spirit, willpower and a good start come together, anything is possible. Now I’m more sceptical.” What worried the former stars was the German teams, while never having dazzling playing skills, were able to mercilessly exploit other advantage like team discipline and superior physical conditioning to grand out victories. Between 1974 and 1990, the Germans reached three finals in five World Cups. Their tenaciouness and never-say-die spirit helped fuel some legendary comeback victories. But nowadays, they find themselves being outhustled by other teams who are tactically superior while their own supply of talent seems to be drying up. That was clearly the case against Holland, a top favourite to win the European title. “Edgar Davids and Clarence Seedorf almost played German,” said Sammer of the way the two Dutch stars outhustled and outfought their German counterparts. “We have too many fighters and not enough creative players on our team,” said Overath. “But even the fighters may be lacking in the right attitude and the willingness to run for their team-mates.” The Germans, by all accounts, are searching for a fiery leader, a player like Franz Beckenbauer, Sammer or the young Lothar Mattheus, who lead a charge and turn around a match even when the team appears hopelessly outplayed. There were few hopes for the current crop of German players except for 20-year-old Sebastian Deisler. Already a top Bundesliga player for Hertha Berlin, the midfielder turned in a respectable national team debut. He may have stood out because his experienced team-mates looked so dismal against the Dutch players, and he’s long way from running the national team, but Deisler does appear fearless and is gifted with the ball. “I haven’t given up hope, but I hope that Deisler stays free of injuries,” said Sammer. Jens Jeremies, Bayern Munich’s 25-year-old hard-nosed midafielder, and 23-year-old Lars Ricken of Borussia Dortmund also were considered hopes for the Germans in the future. “The rest of the
players out there can’t shape our play,” said
Schuster. |
100 per cent tax deduction on donations to IOA NEW DELHI, Feb 29 (UNI) — In order to develop the infrastructure of sports and games in the country, the Union Budget for 2000-2001 provides for 100 per cent tax deduction on donations to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). The proposed amendment will take effect from April 1, 2001 and apply to assessment year 2001-2002 and subsequent years, Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha said while presenting the Budget. The plan outlay for the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports for the year 2000-2001 is pegged at Rs 215 crore, an increase of Rs 35 crore from the revised estimates of Rs 180 crore in 1999-2000. On the sports side, the focus will be on the schemes of the Sports Authority of India like assistance for creation of sports infrastructure and assistance and supply and installation of synthetic tracks. Welcoming the proposal of 100 per cent tax deduction on donations, IOA president Suresh Kalmadi said this had been a long standing demand of the apex sports body of the country. “So long the focus of the corporate giants has been on games like cricket ... Other games had been relegated to the background.’’ “We are hosting the
first Afro-Asian Games next year and have placed a bid
for 2006 Asian Games. The Budget proposal will boost
sports by attracting substantial corporate
contribution,” Mr Kalmadi said. |
It
won’t be easy for Saurav Ganguly CHANDIGARH, Feb 29 — The opportunity for Saurav Ganguly to lead India could not have come at a less opportune time. Indian cricket is in the dumps, having been overwhelmed in both versions of the game in Australia, and trailing 0-1 in the two-Test series against South Africa at home and it will need an Houdini to reverse the trend when the two teams clash again in Bangalore in the second Test. If South Africa are able to clinch the series, and by current performance there is very little that India can do to stop the all-conquering South Africans, then the visitors will become the first team in 13 years to beat India at home.Of course, the onus for this defeat will fall on Sachin Tendulkar, who is to carry on as captain on the specific request of the national selection committee for these two Tests against the tourists. It is apparent already that Ganguly will not be a “yes man” of the powers who run the Board of Control for Cricket in India. His interview to a television channel on Sunday that the captain should have “more say in team selection” must have already ruffled quite a few feathers. “More say in team selection” was what Sachin Tendulkar had been fighting for ever since he was elevated to the hot seat immediately after India’s miserable showing in the 1999 World Cup in England last summer and now Saurav Ganguly, who was Sachin’s deputy in the tour to Australia, is again taking a similar line vis-a-vis team selection. “Once the 14-member team is selected it should be left to the captain and coach to choose the final 11,” Ganguly is reported to have told the channel. According to the BCCI rules the national selectors select the final playing 11 whenever the Indian team play at home. In case of matches abroad it is the team management consisting of the captain, the vice-captain and the cricket coach who select the playing 11. But one would caution Ganguly from taking such a line on team selection immediately. As someone who is yet to take up the assignment Ganguly has to prove his credentials before he can adopt a tough line on team selection like Sachin did. In fact, some pundits are of the opinion that taking such a tough line on team selection (according to reports Sachin insisted that players like Mohammad Azharuddin and Nayan Mongia had no place in the Indian team) forced Sachin to offer his resignation from the job just prior to the team selection for the first Test against South Africa. It is indeed intriguing why Ganguly has been selected to lead India only in the one-day series against South Africa and the triangular series involving India, South Africa and Pakistan in Sharjah commencing on March 22 and not for the Asia Cup which is scheduled to be played at Dhaka from May 27 to June 5 next. Sachin had been named captain right up to the Asia Cup and it would have been in the fitness of things that Ganguly been given a similar term. But one thing is clear.
In spite of his firm denial, with two former captains
(Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin) in the team
Ganguly might be under additional pressure when leading
the demoralised Indian squad. But then as Ganguly said
India need just one win to turn things around. |
Srinath goes down to Chicoine MUMBAI, Feb 29 (UNI) — Prahalad Srinath was today thrashed by Tom Chicoine of the USA 6-1, 6-2 in the first round of the $ 50,000 Videocon ATP Challenger Tennis Championship here at the Cricket Club of India. Chicoine figures in the top 340 in the world, lately, Srinath had beaten the American in two challenger legs before losing in masters. But today it took the Minnesota-based player just 70 minutes to brush off the challenger. Syed Fazaluddin who had lost tamely yesterday in the first round, lost his doubles match with his French partner C. Kaufmann to the Israeli duo of A. Ram and N. Welgreen in three sets. Syed was lately touted as the doubles hope with Leander Paes in the absence of Mahesh Bhupathi. He had shown signs of justifying it when he won the doubles title in the Ahmedabad leg. Both Srinath and Chicoine won their first service games after going through deuces. Srinath saved two break points to level 1-1. The Indian was serving for the game point in the second service when Chicoine garnered three points to break him. Srinath could not control any of his approach shots. The American also gauged the placements of Srinath’s sliced shots to crush them in time. Srinath was briefly in
the match when in the very next game after dropping his
service, he came on break point but could not control his
running volley. |
Lara retained in training squad ST. JOHN’S, Feb 29 (AFP) — Brian Lara has been named in a 20-man West Indies training squad to prepare for their home series against Zimbabwe and Pakistan.A newspaper report in Lara’s native Trinidad and Tobago had said he was considering taking three months away from the game after resigning from the post of the West Indies captain last week. Lara however, is one of 15 players retained from the ill-starred tour of New Zealand where West Indies lost both Tests and all five limited-overs internationals. He is expected to take part in the training camp which has been switched to Jamaica from March 4 to 12. There are just two new faces to the squad from which the West Indies will pick their final 13 for the two Tests against the Zimbabweans in Trinidad from March 16 to 20, and Jamaica from March 23 to 27. Guyanese leg-spin bowler Mahendra Nagamootoo, whose 31 wickets were the most in this year’s Busta Cup West Indies first-class championship that ended yesterday, is one of them. The other is Leeward Islands batsman Runako Morton, who scored 356 runs at an average of 35.60 in seven Busta Cup matches this season. Long-standing fast bowler Curtly Ambrose, who was omitted from the New Zealand touring party because of poor form and fitness, has been recalled to the side, along with fellow fast bowler Nixon McLean. Since attendance at the camp is mandatory, Wavel Hinds, Runako Morton and Ricardo Powell have been replaced in the West Indies Cricket Board XI side by Barbados captain Philo Wallace, Guyana’s Keith Semple and Trinidad and Tobago’s Denis Rampersad. Squad: Jimmy Adams,
Curtly Ambrose, Sherwin Campbell, Shivnarine Chanderpaul,
Pedro Collins, Mervyn Dillon, Chris Gayle, Adrian
Griffith, Wavel Hinds, Reon King, Ridley Jacobs, Brian
Lara, Nixon McLean, Runako Morton, Mahendra Nagamootoo,
Nehemiah Perry, Ricardo Powell, Dinanath Ramnarine,
Franklyn Rose, Courtney Walsh. |
Sampras to join Davis Cup team LOS ANGELES, Feb 29 (AFP) — Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras will join world No 1 Andre Agassi on the US Davis Cup team after ending a spat with US captain John McEnroe. McEnroe yesterday announced the powerful duo would join forces for the first time in Davis Cup since a 1995 semifinal against Sweden to face the Czech Republic in a second-round tie here from April 7 to 9 on a slow hardcourt surface. “It’s extremely formidable,” McEnroe said of the Agassi-Sampras duo. “I can’t think of a time when it has been more formidable. On paper, we shouldn’t lose. But as I know from the first match, things can happen.” Sampras pulled out of the US first-round tie in Zimbabwe after losing to Agassi in the Australian Open semifinals. The US team struggled to a 3-2 win. McEnroe hinted in Harare he had doubts about whether or not Sampras was hurt. “I contacted him. People know we needed to communicate,” McEnroe told a Press conference. “We expressed our views with each other, shared what we needed to share, and now it’s time to move on. It’s critical the best players play. Now we move on.” McEnroe said time added to the tension of the conversation. “I hope in the future we communicate more quickly with each other,” he said. “As time goes by, things are written, it gets to a stage where it becomes more of a problem. “Any time you have
some friction that has developed, whether it’s real
or not, that initial first couple of minutes is going to
be awkward. We both felt we needed to talk. We both felt
we had been misrepresented. |
Cronje serves a warning BANGALORE, Feb 29 (PTI) — A confident South Africa skipper Hansie Cronje today served a warning to India that they were set to suffer their first home cricket Test series defeat in 13 years as his team were determined to win the second and final Test starting here on Thursday. “We are keen to have a good result in the series”, he told reporters after the team’s practice session here. “We came here in 1996 hoping for a good result but this time around, we know we can really achieve that”. “We have got the confidence and maturity. Everybody will be giving their 100 per cent in the five days”, he said at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. South Africa lost the 1996 series 1-2. India’s last home series defeat came against the Imran Khan-led Pakistan in 1986-87. Cronje felt the pressure was on India since they lost the first Test in Mumbai. “They played the last four Tests but finished on the wrong side of the result”. “They will be keen to turn it around and we will be keen to keep that pressure on”, he said. “We believe in ourselves and have been playing good cricket in the last 18 to 19 months. We have been playing some solid cricket”. Cronje hinted that middle-order batsman Darryl Cullinan, who missed the first Test after failing to recover fully from groin injury, will be playing in the second Test. “Cullinan seems to be moving much better. He is obviously keen to play. He wants to play. And I think we might see him play,” Cronje said. Meanwhile, all-rounder Lance Klusener sprained his ankle towards the end of the practice session today but Cronje hoped that he would come through. Asked about the pitch, he noted that South Africa has not played here before except for 10 overs against Zimbabwe in 1993. “We don’t have previous experience of the pitch, and we will try to assess it once the game starts”. But Cronje said the wicket looks good. “It looks as though in the first couple of days it will be a good wicket and start turning a little bit after that”. Asked about the reported announcement by Managing Director of the United Cricket Board of South Africa Ali Bacher that the South African players would get 7.5 lakh rands (Rs 52 lakh) if they win the Bangalore Test, Cronje said “It’s not just for the India series alone”. “For us, it’s
not about the money. It’s that we came to foreign
conditions and actually playing exceptionally well,”
he said. “Twenty years on, I think we will forget
about the money. It’s the issue of wining the Test
series”. |
DAV Jalandhar lift Nehru hockey title NEW DELHI, Feb 29 (PTI) — DAV College, Jalandhar, capped their dominating run with a 8-1 drubbing of Rourkela Municipal College to win their fourth Nehru Champion Colleges Hockey Tournament title here today. The Jalandhar outfit totally outclassed their opponents in the final at the National Stadium, with Lakhwinder Singh scoring thrice and Rajwinder Singh scoring a brace. The Punjab boys went ahead in the seventh minute when Lakhwinder sounded the board after moving up the left flank in tandem with Tajbir Singh. There was a goal-less lull for some time with play being concentrated mostly in the Rourkela half before DAV won the first of their seven penalty corners in the 20th minute off which the Rourkela defenders effected a goal-line save. Four minutes later DAV won another penalty corner and Harminder’s shot found the mark but was disallowed, the umpire awarding them a stroke for infringement which was duly slotted in by Prabhdeep Singh. Rajwinder then struck his first goal in the 28th minute and Mandeep made it 4-0 via a penalty corner four minutes later. The hapless Rourkela outfits’ woes continued on change of ends with Rajwinder scoring a minute after resumption. Prakash Soreng then found the consolation goal for the Municipal College through a field effort in the 47th minute. But that was the only
flicker of a contest in the match, which DAV put beyond
the Orissa outfit by scoring three more goals through
Lakhwinder (51st, 67th minutes) and skipper Ajit Pal
Singh. |
World Cup shooting from March 3 NEW DELHI, Feb 29 (PTI) — Top shooters, including Olympic and world champions, will be seen in action as around 165 shooters from 26 countries take part in the World Cup Shotgun Championship to be held here from March 3. The prestigious event, held next to the Olympic Games in terms of participation, will have competition in trap, double trap and skeet for men, women and juniors at the Karni Singh range in Tughlakabad. Coming early in the Olympic year and first of many more world cups to follow, many prominent marksmen will be hoping to fine-tune themselves for the Sydney Games in September. Seven shooters who have already qualified for Sydney by winning quota places from select events will be coming. They are Silva Manuel, Rebelo Joao (both Portugal) and Caro Danilo of Columbia in trap, Marini Luca (Italy) and Mazhar Aiman (Egypt) in double trap and Abdullah Al Rashidi (Kuwait) and Khalid Sabet (Egypt) in skeet. India, who last held the
event in 1997, have fielded 23 shooters in all, including
Mansher Singh and Manavjit Singh. |
PSEB overpower J & K Bank JALANDHAR, Feb 29 — Formidable Punjab State Electricity Board Hoshiarpur, overpowered Jammu and Kashmir Bank, Jammu 3-0 in a pool-A match of the second All-India Shri Guru Gobind Singh Football Tournament which commenced at the Guru Gobind Singh Stadium here today. The winners were leading by 1-0 at half time. Earlier Punjab Armed Police Jalandhar defeated New Delhi Blues 1-0. Mr Raghubir Singh, Transport Minister, Punjab inaugurated the tournament. The chief guest also announced a grant of Rs 50,000/- for the organising committee. In the opening match in pool-B the Delhi boys exhibited good speed in the opening minutes. On the other hand the PAP team played with short passes and excelled in coordination. They opened their goal account in the seventh minute when Vijay Paul from the left flank found the target with a slow push near the goal-post. In the second half both the teams continuously attacked the rival territory but could not increase the lead. In the second match last year’s runners-up Punjab State Electricity Board, Hoshiarpur, began their campaign in pool-A on a rousing note as they pipped Jammu and Kashmir Bank, Jammu, by 3-0. In the opening minutes the Jammu team displayed an attacking game but they could not beat the rival defence. On the other hand the PSEB team played a defensive game in the first 25 minutes. PSEB went ahead in the 30th minute through Parminder Singh who scored the goal with lighting speed. The score was 1-0 in favour of PSEB till the half time. After changing ends, both the teams failed to take advantage of opportunities. It was Dalip Kumar of PSEB who scored the second and third goal for their side in the 60th and 84th minutes, respectively. Tomorrow’s fixtures: Jamshedpur Sporting Association v/s Khalsa Sporting Club, Chandigarh and Sporting Club-de-Goa v/s Union Club, Ambala.
|
BCCI plans for summer series KOCHI, Feb 29 (PTI) — The Indian cricket board has plans to organise an international cricket tournament in summer which will help utilise modern cricket stadium in the country to the full. Such a tournament would help make use of the stadiums which had been constructed investing huge funds, said BCCI finance committee chairman S.K. Nair here yesterday. Mr Nair said such a summer fixture would include more day-night matches. According to him, only seven stadiums in the country have the floodlight facility that suffice for hosting an international cricket match. With some adjustments in
the existing floodlights at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
here, Kochi could also be able to host a day-night match,
he said. |
Bagan to appeal against decision CALCUTTA, Feb 29 (PTI) — Mohun Bagan club will appeal to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for condoning the punishment given to them for their “failure” to hold the Asian Club Championship second round tie against Japan’s Jubilo Iwata. “We have not received any official intimation from the AFC so far. But once we receive the letter, we will appeal to them to condone our punishment as we were in no way responsible for the match not being held,” Mohun Bagan general secretary Anjan Mitra said here yesterday in response to reports regarding the punishment. Describing the AFC decision as ‘ex-parte’, Mr Mitra said:”They never asked us to explain our stand before taking the punitive action.” “I am not concerned
with the fine because we are yet to receive the round
match against Muktijoddha Samsad of Bangladesh.” KOCHI, Feb 29 (PTI) — Defending champion P. Gopi Chand of Petroleum Sports Control Board will cross swords with second seeded Abhinn Shyam Gupta (BAI) in a repeat for last year’s men’s singles final in the Senior National Badminton Championship here tomorrow. Top seed Gopi Chand, looking for his fourth straight title here, downed a fighting Siddharth Jain (also PSCB) 15-10 15-10 in under 60 minutes at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium here. In the other semifinal, Abhinn Shyam Gupta, gunning for his maiden title, was stretched by Nikhil Kanetkar (also pscb) before registering an authoritative 14-17 15-2 15-6 win in over 65 minutes. Earlier, in the quarter-final, Gupta encountered stiff resistance from Vijay Lancy before winning 14-17 15-11 15-5 in an evenly contested match. In the women’s
semi-finals, top seed Aparna popat defeated former
national champion P.V.V. Lakshmi (pscb) 11-5 8-11 11-4 to
set up a title clash with Karnataka’s B.R.
Meenakshi, who beat seasoned Manjusha Kanwar (pscb) 6-11
11-6 11-9. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | In Spotlight | 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 119 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail |
