 |
|
| Friday, March 3, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
|
Spaniard shocks Anand
Martina Hingis, Davenport, Seles
sail through |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sri Lanka look for more
recognition WICB
apologises to Richards
|
India collapse on opening day BANGALORE, March 2 (PTI) — India’s brittle batting once again collapsed with hardly a semblance of resistance against a persistent pace attack as South Africa gained the upper hand on the first day of the second and final cricket Test here today. Desperate to halt a four-match losing streak, India won a crucial toss on a wicket tailor-made for spin, but a spineless batting approach saw them scratch around for almost the entire day before being dismissed for 158 in 82.3 overs at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. At close, South Africa were 11 for one wicket in reply in the five overs they faced. Opener Herschelle Gibbs (4) was trapped leg before by Kumble and Gary Kirsten (5 batting) and nightwatchman Nicky Boje (zero batting) were together. Anil Kumble’s unbeaten 36 after coming in at number eight in his home ground was the top-score with skipper Sachin Tendulkar’s 21 the second best as the host batsmen repeated the mistakes of the first Test against a five-man pace attack nicely rotated by visiting skipper Hansie Cronje. Indian hopes of building a big score to pile the pressure on south Africa in their effort to square the series vanished very early as they lost three top order batsmen in the morning and were left gasping at 113 for six at tea. Tendulkar, who is stepping down after this game, became the fifth Indian batsman to reach the milestone of 6000 Test runs, but was frustrated by a tight South African pace attack and fell to a mishit while veteran Mohammed Azharuddin (9) as well as debutant Mohd Kaif (12) failed. The 29-run opening stand raised some hopes of a big total but Jaffer’s dismissal followed by that of Ganguly, who failed to read the line and length of a nippy Shaun Pollock delivery to be trapped plumb in front, put pressure on the hosts. Dravid added 28 runs for the third wicket with Tendulkar, but inner-edged Cronje to Boucher nearing lunch. The 37-year-old Azharuddin, returning to the Indian team after a gap of over seven months to play his 99th Test, hardly looked confident before Donald, who peppered him with short-pitched stuff, ended his agony. Azharuddin, who was rattled by the bowling directed to his rib cage had reached nine runs, when Donald made one rear up awkwardly from just short of good length spot. The batsman fended to offer a straightforward catch to Lance Klusener at gully. He faced 33 balls (38 min, 1x4). Nine runs later, Tendulkar perished to make it 77 for five. The master batsman who had driven Hayward and pulled Pollock for boundaries in the morning, was frustrated as the packed off-side field gave him little freedom to make runs. Tendulkar (120m, 78b, 3x4) fell mispulling Hayward to mid-on where Cronje completed a well-judged catch. His 21 and extras were the second highest in the innings. Nikhil Chopra (4) unsuccessfully tried for quick runs. South Africa suffered an early setback when Kumble, the trumpcard if India are to pull off victory, trapped Herschelle Gibbs leg before at the fag end of the day. Cronje made brilliant bowling changes as practically all the bowlers shared the spoils. None of the bowlers were given a long spell as each one was fresh coming into the attack. The 33-year-old Donald took only one wicket, removing Azharuddin for his 295th test victim, but he showed tremendous control and let go effective short-pitched stuff once in a while to keep the batsmen guessing. But India, who had to blame themselves for their poor approach against pace, had some cheer as Boje turned a few deliveries sharply later in the day. Wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia chipped in with 20 before he fell leg before to Boje, who also had Chopra hitting out to Shaun Pollock at mid-on going for a big shot. The Test threatened to go the same way as the first game, which ended in three days, and India were very much in danger of losing their first home series in 13 years. SCOREBOARD India (1st innings) W. Jaffer c Boucher b Hayward 13 R. Dravid c Boucher b Cronje 17 S. Ganguly lbw b Pollock 1 S. Tendulkar c Cronje b Hayward 21 M. Azharuddin c Klusener b Donald 9 M. Kaif lbw b Kallis 12 N. Mongia lbw b Boje 20 A. Kumble not out 36 N. Chopra c Pollock b Boje 4 M. Kartik run out 0 J. Srinath c Gibbs b Pollock 4 Extras (b-8, lb-8, nb-5) 21 Total (all out in 83.2 overs) 158 Fall of wickets: 1/29, 2/30, 3/58, 4/69, 5/77, 6/104, 7/114, 8/138, 9/139. Bowling: Donald 14-2-31-1, Pollock 17.3-5-26-2, Hayward 15-2-40-2, Cronje 12-6-17-1, Kallis 9-5-18-1, Boje 15-7-10-2. South Africa (Ist innings): G. Kirsten batting 5 H. Gibbs lbw b Kumble 4 N. Boje batting 0 Extras (nb 2) 2 Total (for 1 wkt, 5 overs) 11 Fall of wicket: 1/10. Bowling: Javagal Srinath
2-0-6-0, Anil Kumble 2-14-1, Nikhil Chopra 1-0-1-0. |
Sachin Tendulkar crosses 6000-run mark BANGALORE, March 2 (PTI) — Sachin Tendulkar today added yet another feather to his cap by becoming the fifth Indian batsman to make 6000 Test runs on the opening day of the second cricket Test against South Africa here. The master batsman, who was five runs short of the milestone coming into the match, crossed the mark with a boundary in his 76th Test at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Tendulkar emulated batting legend Sunil Gavaskar (10,122 runs in 125 Tests), Dilip Vengsarkar (6868 - 116), Mohd Azharuddin (6113 - 99) and G.R. Viswanath (6080 - 91). Azharuddin, playing his 99th match here, had made 6113 runs after being dismissed for nine runs in the first innings today. Tendulkar was the second
fastest to cross the mark, in his 76th Test, behind
Gavaskar, who achieved the feat in 67 Tests. |
Spaniard shocks Anand LINARES, March 2 (PTI) — Indian Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand’s campaign received a setback when he suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Spain’s Alexei Shirov in the third round of the Linares Super Grandmasters Chess Tournament here. World number two Anand suffered his first defeat in 11 months even as top seed Gary Kasparov of Russia and his compatriot Vladimir Kramnik maintained their position at the top of the table on two points each after playing out a dull 21-move draw. Playing with white pieces, Anand, who last suffered a defeat against Kramnik in the European Club Cup, opened with his pet king pawn and soon the game took shape in the petroff defence. The players followed the course of the Kasparov versus Shirov game played in the first round till move 18 when Anand introduced a deviation. Anand played the middle game well to penetrate the seventh rank with his rook and then succeeded in grabbing the all-important ‘f7’ pawn. But, Shirov sensing that his chances of counterplay rested in the passed queen bishop pawn, and a subsequent attack against the ‘f2,’ played ‘c3’ on his 29th move. Anand made a positional blunder immediately and was saddled with a passive position thereon. Instead of his 31.Ra2, Anand believed that 31.Ra4 followed by Rc4 and qf4 would have offered good chances. But it was not to be as the resulting position forced the game into a rook and opposite colour bishop endgame where Shirov had material advantage in the shape of a pawn. Further counter-attacking attempts of Anand were thwarted with ease and Shirov went on to score the win after 41 moves. The Petroff defence seems to be the tournament favourite here. In the Kramnik-Kasparov match, the former equalised easily in the opening against Kasparov who, it seems, would revert to queen pawn openings in future games with white pieces. FIDE world champion Alexander Khalifman of Russia held GM Peter Leko of Hungary to a draw with black pieces. Kalifman employed the lillinthal variation of French defence and the game moved between equal and slightly better positions for white for the major part. Khalifman exchanged pieces at regular intervals and sacrificed a pawn in the rook and pawn ending to steer the game to a draw after 39 moves. Standings: 1-2. Kasparov, Kramnik
(2 points each) 3-4. Leko, Shirov (1.5) 5-6. Anand,
Khalifman (1). |
Rafter eager to play in Davis Cup DELRAY BEACH (Florida), March 2 (DPA) — Top seed Patrick Rafter is hoping his shoulder fitness will allow him to play for Australia next month at home when Germany comes down under for an important Davis Cup tie. Rafter, a keen team player, missed his nation’s finale victory in December over France and was unable to play a month ago in Zurich when the Aussies escaped in the first round against Switzerland. But if he’s fit, there should be no holding back the 27-year-old on grass in Adelaide the first weekend in April. “The Davis Cup has always been a big part of my life,” he said after reaching the second round at the $ 350,000 Citrix Championships with a straight-sets scoreline on Tuesday night against Hernan Gumy of Argentina. “It’s one of the first things I schedule each year.” Rafter was yesterday monitoring the state of his right shoulder after making his return to tennis from six months away, a period which included October surgery and three months of rehabilitation and strength training. “I’ll see how I pull up, it’s a match-by-match thing.” Rafter is hoping that he can play for the rest of this month in North America and is entered in singles at Scottsdale, Arizona, and the two elite masters series events in California and Miami. But the former world number one knows his form will have to improve along with his fitness if he is to be competitive. “I had no depth,” he said of his win over Gumy. “I couldn’t penetrate, my judgement was not correct. I was pretty unhappy with my form.” Rafter, 27, will play
today against Markus Hipfl of Austria for a place in
Friday’s quarter-finals. |
Martina Hingis, Davenport, Seles sail through SCOTTSDALE, USA, March 2 (AFP) — World number one Martina Hingis of Switzerland showed no problems after a one-month layoff and breezed into the quarter-finals of the $ 535,000 State Farm Women’s Tennis Classic here. Competing in her first match since capturing the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo last month, Hingis defeated Chanda Rubin of the USA 6-3, 6-3 in a second-round match yesterday. Hingis had a first-round bye. Seventh seed Sandrine Testud of France will be the next opponent for Hingis after downing Amy Frazier of the USA, 7-5, 6-0. Testud lost to Hingis in the Tokyo final. Former world number one Monica Seles, unseeded at a tournament for the first time since 1989, advanced to the second round with a 6-1, 7-6 (9/7) win over Silvija Talaja of Croatia. Seles returned from a broken foot last week and claimed the title at Oklahoma City. Only five weeks after they met in the Australian Open semifinals, second seed Lindsay Davenport beat compatriot Jennifer Capriati 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 in a second-round match. Davenport, now 4-1 against Capriati, is playing in her first event since capturing her third Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Hingis. Japan’s Ai Sugiyama pulled off the day’s upset, ousting French fourth seed Julie Halard-Decugis 6-4, 6-2. Halard-Decugis withdrew from last week’s event in Oklahoma City with an abdominal strain. Third seed Mary Pierce of France advanced easily, stopping Yugoslav qualifier Sandra Nacuk 6-0, 6-1. “It’s encouraging to start a match this way and yet for no reason disappear from the court,” said Seles, who returned with a title in Oklahoma City last week after missing five months with a right stress fracture. “Then to get down 6-3 in the tiebreaker and win the match is just great.” Hingis took a three-week hiatus after a runner-up finish to Davenport in the Australian Open final and a win in the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, where she beat Rubin along the way. The Swiss top seed showed no signs of rust, however, eliminating the unseeded American for the second time in as many WTA tournaments. “We know each other’s game inside out, so it’s more mental,” said Hingis, who raised her career mark to 6-2 over Rubin. “I’ve been winning most of the time, so it’s been easier for me. She’s a great athlete. There were moments when she was at the top of her game and I had to pull out some great shots out there today. “At 6-3 6-3, I think it was more difficult than the score shows.” After capturing the opening set with a key service break in the sixth game, Hingis received a gift in the second set. At 3-3, Rubin committed three double-faults, including one at game point for a 4-3 lead and ran off the next two games to close out the one hour, 23 minute sweep. “I was waiting for that moment to break her,” Hingis said. “I said, OK, thank you.” Hingis will meet another familiar face in Sandrine Testud, who beat American Amy Frazier 7-5 6-0 earlier in the day. Switzerland’s Marc Rosset saw his winning streak come to an end here with a first-round exit from the Copenhagen Open at the hands of Germany’s Tomas Behrend. Rosset had come into this tournament on the back of ATP Tour wins in Marseille and London but had no answer to the unheralded Behrend, who fully deserved his 0-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) triumph yesterday. Rosset had been understandably on the crest of a wave, saying before the tournament that he had come to win — and it looked no idle boast as he romped through the first set without losing a game. But Behrend, who has Brazilian roots, was almost as convincing when he took the second set 6-1 and then prevailed in the deciding tie-break 7-4 thanks to some uncharacteristic errors from the Swiss former Olympic champion. There was better news for another Swiss player George Bastl, who shocked sixth-seeded Swede Mikael Tillstrom 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 in the first round. Italian veteran Gianluca Pozzi, who beat second-seeded Swede Thomas Johansson in the first round, defeated another Scandinavian, Ville Liukko of Finland 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in round two. Unheralded Australian Richard Fromberg knocked out flamboyant countryman Andrew Ilie while top-seeded Aussie star Patrick Rafter rested at the $ 350,000 ATP Citrix Championships here. Fromberg, who made his tennis name on clay courts, dispatched Ilie 6-7 (2/7), 6-1, 6-4 in a second-round match yesterday on a hardcourt surface converted from clay for this season. This event has been won by Aussie players four years in a row, including Ilie in 1998, and the only seed among the top four still in this year’s field is Rafter, who is recovering from shoulder surgery. Rafter, who returned to the game after six months out with a shoulder injury, was reported by his brother to be fine after his opening victory. The two-time US Open champion underwent surgery in October and has been rehabilitating ever since. Rafter said his form would come down to how well the right serving shoulder held up under match pressure. The 27-year-old Queenslander faces Austria’s Markus Hipfl in a quarter-final today. Fifth seed Chris Woodruff booked his place in the last eight by defeating Laurence Tieleman of Italy 6-1, 6-4. Jan-Michael Gambill began play yesterday a round behind after arriving on Tuesday from an event in London. He made up for lost time
as Spaniard Julian Alonso failed to finish, limping off
with a right groin strain to give Gambill a 6-4, 3-0
result. |
Paes storms into last four MUMBAI, March 2 (PTI) — Indian Davis Cup star and top seed Leander Paes stormed into the men’s singles semifinals with an impressive 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 win over unseeded Italian Glorgio Galimberti in the ATP Challenger Tennis Championship here today. In other matches, qualifier Dennis Van Scheppingen of the Netherlands shocked third seeded Tuomas Ketola of Finland 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 in one hour 23 minutes while another qualifier, American Tom Chicoine, was leading 6-3, 5-1 before his unseeded opponent Frenchman Nicolas Coutelot conceded the match due to back problem. In the last quarterfinal match, match unseeded Italian Florian Allgauer sidelined qualifier Boris Borgula of Sovakia 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) in one hour 30 minutes. Paes, ranked 133 in the world, played his heart out. He broke the serve of his Italian rival in the second game and then held his own to 3-0 up. However, the Indian
squandered the advantage when he failed to hold his own
serve in the fifth game. He served poorly in the seventh
game as well to trail 3-4 but recovered in time to break
his opponent in the tenth game and force a tie-break and
then won the next game easily to clinch a last four
berth. |
Mohun Bagan tighten grip CHANDIGARH, March 2 — Former champions Mohun Bagan took another leap in their quest for the title in the National Football League and maintained their position on top of the table at the end of the 18th round yesterday. The 2-0 win achieved through Stephan Abarowei and Dipendu Biswas over debutants Border Security Force at Calcutta on February 29 gave the green and maroon brigade another three points which improved their tally to 38 from 11 victories and five draws. Following Mohun Bagan closely were Goa’s Churchill Brothers, who compounded Dempo’s misery, scoring twice through Rocky Barreto and Oscar Hunda at Margao yesterday. Winners of the inaugural edition JCT Phagwara, however, suffered a reverse, going down to Salgaocar by a solitary goal off a penalty by medio Gbenga Lawal at Margao. This was JCT’s fourth defeat in the league and the second at the hands of the defending champions. Both Salgaocar and JCT now have 30 points. Mahindra and Mahindra, who were held to a goal-less draw by ITI yesterday, occupy the fifth position with 20 points but ITI only recorded a marginal improvement by logging one point. FC Kochin, who edged past State Bank of Travancore 3-2 at Thrissur, jumped to the sixth position with 25 points. New recruits Issac Tondo, Sunday Seah and Noushad struck for the Kochi outfit while Ignatius reduced the margin for the losers. Calcutta’s Tollygunge Agragami and East Bengal who played a goal-less draw at Calcutta yesterday lost their earlier-round positions. BSF and Dempo, who crashed to their 13th and 10th defeats, respectively, continue to be bottom placed and face the grim prospects of relegation. The following are the latest standings of the teams at the end of the 18th round yesterday (read under teams, matches played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, and points):-
|
Sri Lanka look for more recognition RAWALPINDI, March 2 (AFP) — Sri Lanka’s rising cricket stars are now looking for more recognition while Pakistan struggle to solve its woes after a tight finish in the first Test here. Sri Lanka scraped through to a two wicket-win yesterday in the first Test in Rawalpindi to record their 8th win in the last 18 Tests. “The recent showings are an indication that the Sri Lankan team is on the rise and with performance comes recognition,” coach Dav Whatmore said. Sri Lanka attained Test status from the International Cricket Council in 1981 but have not yet been given a full series by England and the West Indies. “The boys have terrific enthusiasm and are keen on winning. The recent wins give us a lot of confidence to go on and take any team,” the Sri Lankan coach said. Sri Lanka beat England in the one-off Test at Oval two years ago and lifted the tri-series cup also involving South Africa. After a lacklustre show in the 1999 World Cup in England, Sanath Jayasuriya’s appointment as captain and the return of Whatmore enabled them to win the home Test series over Australia and triumph in the tri-series with Australia and India. They beat Zimbabwe in the away Test and one-day series in December last year. “As long as the boys play positive cricket I am happy and satisfied and wins give us more confidence for the future,” captain Jayasuriya said. The home team Pakistan, however, are now looking for answers in the wake of recent defeats. Plagued by a lack of continuity in the management and in team affairs their cricket looks in disarray. “Give us some time and just one win. We are not in disarray but facing hard times,” Pakistan Cricket Board’s ad-hoc committee chairman General Tauqir Zia said. Pakistan had four different set-ups in the board and sacked four coaches in 1999. Pakistan lost their last two home series against Australia and Zimbabwe and were whitewashed 3-0 by Steve Waugh’s Australia Down Under in November last year. After being ousted 2-0 in the finals of the tri-series they were defeated 3-0 in the home one-day series by Sri Lanka last month. Now they are looking at the option of hiring a foreign coach or reappointing former captain Javed Miandad. Newspapers reports said Miandad confirmed his availability and was willing to take the job. Miandad fell out with senior players two weeks before the 1999 World Cup but cited family commitments for his quitting. The board also has plans to hire former England player Geoff Boycott or South African Barry Richards. The decision came under flak from former Pakistan players. “They want to replace a 60-year-old Intikhab Alam with a 61-year-old Boycott. The Pakistan team needs a young and modern coach,” said former Test player and coach Haroon Rasheed. Pakistan may also face problems in getting foreign aid after they sacked South African coach Richard Pybus last year. But captain Saeed Anwer says in time Pakistan will be ready to fight. “We are being
tested but I think it’s a matter of time until we
get settled and will be back on the winning track,”
he said. |
Gavaskar, Bedi on ICC panels CALCUTTA, March 2 (PTI) — Legendary opener Sunil Gavaskar and spin wizard Bishan Singh Bedi will be the Indian members on two high-profile panels appointed by International Cricket Council to select three crack teams as part of its ‘Cricket Week’ celebrations from April 2 to 9. A five-member panel, which will select teams for the Asia XI versus Rest of the World XI one-day match in Dhaka on April 8, will comprise former Australian skipper Ian Chappell, former England captain Tony Greig, former Pakistan batsman and skipper Asif Iqbal and South African all-rounder Mike Procter besides Gavaskar. The day-night match will be staged at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. The other panel, comprising nine members, will pick the all time best one-day side, christened ‘Allstar best XI’, ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya said here today. Apart from Bedi, the panel includes Gary Sobers (West Indies), regarded as the greatest all-rounder, Barry Richards (South Africa), Mushtaq Mohammad (Pakistan), Duleep Mendis (Sri Lanka), Neil Harvey (Australia), John Reid (New Zealand), Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe) and illustrious English umpire Dicky Bird. Ex-Indian all-rounder
and TV commentator Ravi Shastri will be the moderator for
both panels, which will hold sitting in Delhi on March 7
to choose the squads. |
WICB apologises to Richards ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, March 2 (Reuters) — Viv Richards received a public apology from the West Indies Cricket Board over its handling of the appointment of Roger Harper as coach. “As the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the West Indies Cricket Board, I regret the manner in which the appointment of the new management team was communicated to Sir Vivian Richards and the other applicants for appointments to the management team,” Steve Camacho said in a statement. Harper’s appointment was made known to Richards by a junior official rather than by Camacho. “I would now like to issue a public apology to Sir Vivian, the other applicants and the people of the region. I would also like to assure those involved and affected that it was not a deliberate attempt to cause embarrassment.” Richards was interim team coach on the disastrous tour of New Zealand when West Indies lost both tests and all five one-day internationals. He applied for the permanent post but was rejected last month after an interview in favour of Harper, who played under Richards in the 1980s. In Richards’s native Antigua the WICB’s offices were attacked by fans and on Tuesday former Test batsman and coach Rohan Kanhai said the handling of Harper’s appointment had been a slap in the face for the former captain. “Due to pressure of time, this (communication) was done in the first instance by telephone and has been confirmed in writing to the other applicants who were not appointed,” Camacho said.
|
Maradona to stay in Cuba until cured BUENOS AIRES, March 2 (AFP) — Argentine footballing legend Diego Maradona has said that he will remain in Cuba until his health problems are resolved. The former World Cup winner has been undergoing treatment in a clinic in Havana for both cocaine addiction and heart problems brought on by his constant use of the drug. “I will not be leaving Cuba until my heart problems are cured and that is going to take time,” Maradona told Buenos Aires radio station “Rivad Avia” yesterday. “When I do leave, it will be with a passion to both work and play football not necessarily as a professional but simply to play and run after a ball,” he added. “I have never let go of my love for football, and even after what has happened to me, I am in contact with the football family, with the possibility of returning to work,”. During the interview
Maradona reiterated his praise for both the country of
Cuba and their doctors saying they were the “best in
the world”. |
Stop bombarding us with mail, Graf tells fans BERLIN, March 2 (AP) — Steffi Graf, swamped by congratulations, posted a message on her website she doesn’t plan to marry fellow tennis star Andre Agassi on her June 14 birthday. “Please be nice and stop bombarding us with mail and faxes”, the message read. “It is an invention of the press to increase their circulation.” German and British media had quoted anonymous friends close to the couple as saying the marriage would take place on that date. “Steffi got so many questions and congratulations that our internet site was overloaded. That’s why she wanted to clear up the matter”, Graf’s manager, Hans Engert, told the German newspaper Bild. The two tennis stars
first began seeing each other after last year’s
French Open in early June, where both won titles. Graf
has since retired and is often seen cheering Agassi from
the stands when he plays. |
Mansher best bet to seal ‘hardship’ quota NEW DELHI, March 2 (PTI) — Ace trap shooter Mansher Singh will be under pressure to produce a medal-winning performance and earn India a “hardship” quota for the Sydney Olympics in the World Cup Shotgun Shooting Championship that gets under way here tomorrow. The 34-year-old Mansher has shown great form winning the national crown with a come-from-behind effort over Anwar Sultan, the lone shooter to have earned India an automatic qualifying berth for the Olympics by clinching silver in the Asian meet in Langkawi, Malaysia in January. Mansher failed to make it to the final by a lone point but was a picture of determination in nailing down his ninth national title and will be keen to continue the same way. U.P. marksman Sultan’s effort earned India an automatic berth for Sydney, but interestingly it does not make his participation a certainty with the national association having the right to send the ‘shooter with the best form’ at the time of the games in September. “If Mansher does well here, it will strengthen our claim for the hardship quota,” chief national coach Sunny Thomas told PTI on the eve of the championship. India have sought entry for four shooters in the Olympics — pistol ace Jaspal Rana, Mansher Singh, woman rifle shooter Anjali Vedpathak and rifle marksman Abhinav Bindra — under the ‘hardship’ category. “The world body will allot these quotas in the next 10 days and if Mansher gives an impressive performance here, one sure berth will be coming our way,” he said. The Shotgun World Cup, which commences with the double trap competition, will feature Olympic and world champions trying to get their rhythm before the Sydney Games. The prestigious event, billed as a final build-up for the Games, will have competition in trap, double trap and skeet for men, women and juniors at the Karni Singh range in Tughlakabad. Though the World Cup does not offer any quota place — being held in the same year as Olympics — seven shooters who have already claimed quota berths have arrived. Trap shooters Silva Manuel, Rebelo Joao, both Portugal, and Columbian Caro Danilo; double-trap marksmen Marini Luca (Italy) and Mazhar Aiman (Egypt); skeet champions Abdullah Al Rashidi (Kuwait) and Khalid Sabet (Egypt) will be among those who will be seen in action during the competition. Hosts India are fielding the biggest contingent of 23 shooters in all, including Mansher, young Zorawar Singh, Manavjit Singh — the Kuala Lumpur 1998 Commonwealth Games trap pairs gold medallist alongwith Mansher Singh. Anwar Sultan’s absence — rested for the event to give him a breather following a sudden slump in form at the nationals — has weakened the Indian team, though much is not at stake here. India’s skeet team comprises Harisimran Singh Sandhu, Harinder Singh Bedi and Rao Inderjit Singh while national champion R.V.S. Rathore, Gaurav Sondhi and Moraad Ali Khan will be competing in double trap. The championship will see top marksmen from Italy, Australia, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates, the world skeet champions, in action. Though much is not expected from the Indian team in double trap and skeet, “our trap team is strong enough” said Sunny Thomas. “Though Anwar is not here, all the three shooters are in good form and they are seasoned enough to face the challenge,” he said. India, who finished a creditable sixth among 30 Asian countries in the Langkawi event where Sultan earned the quota place, has been doing well in international events.
|
FCI
hockey AMRITSAR, March 2 — Maintaining their superiority, North Zone trounced North Eastern Zone 6-1 in the Food Corporation of India Inter-Zonal Hockey Tournament at Guru Nanak Dev University hockey complex here today. In the second match West Zone managed to draw against Headquarters 3-3. In the opening tie, North zoomed into the lead in the first half itself and scored 3 goals. Later in the second half too, North kept attacking and added three more to their tally while North Eastern Zone managed to get past their defence to notch up their only goal to lose 1-6.
|
 |
| 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 | |
