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| Wednesday, March 22, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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India
to bank on batting might JCT
climb to fourth position Salgaocar
keen to maintain lead Corretja
happy to be on victory course Frazier
triumphs Spain
beat Pak in hockey
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| Railway kabaddi meet results JALANDHAR, March 21 —Holders Northern Railway, Delhi, Southern Railway, Eastern Railway and North East Railway in men’s section entered the semi-final of the 49th All India Inter Railway Kabaddi Championship currently underway at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Stadium, Kapurthala.
Prize
distribution function
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India to bank on batting might SHARJAH, March 21 (PTI) — Riding high on the recent 3-2 series victory against South Africa at home, a resurgent India hope to maintain the winning form against struggling contenders South Africa and Pakistan in the triangular limited overs cricket series starting here tomorrow. The South Africans failed against India in the one-day series after blanking the hosts 2-0 in Tests, while Pakistan had a forgettable outing in both Tests and one-dayers against Sri Lanka, their worst performance in recent times at home. The Indians, who seem to have found the magic diagnosis under the leadership of Saurav Ganguly for their various problems in Australia, would hope to exploit the low morale, injuries and other off-the field problems of their rivals —Pakistan’s tryst with another captain in Moin Khan — to claim their first title of the new millennium at the desert venue. India will start their campaign tomorrow against South Africa, who looked on the road to recovery after beating India in the fifth and final one-dayer at Nagpur two days ago and Ganguly will be hoping to make a winning start. Ganguly, vocal and winning, is confident his team can win and improve upon India’s dismal performance in Sharjah where, in the last 16 years, India has won only six titles. The elegant left-hander, who turned around India’s depressing fortunes with the win against Cronje’s men back home, has now won the two series in which he led - the first being the 2-1 triumph against the West Indies in Toronto last year. Ganguly rests his confidence on the recent form of the two rivals and will also be keen to improve his team’s record against these two teams. Against Pakistan, India have won only five of the 22 matches contested at this venue. They are yet to win against South Africa here. What makes Ganguly eye the top prize of $ 100,000 and leave the other two teams to seek the lesser spoils of $ 50,000 and $ 30,000 is the brilliant form of his batsmen in the one-dayers after struggling to find their feet against the rising ball Down Under. The skipper himself is at the forefront of this revival, having made 285 from the last five innings, with Sachin Tendulkar (274 from five), Rahul Dravid (208 from five and Mohammad Azharuddin (112 from four) all rediscovering their touch. This batting might has made light of India’s bowling woes, Javagal Srinath did not seem to have benefited from the break in the first three games and went for over six runs per over in the final two matches against South Africa at home. The other two medium-pacers, Venkatesh Prasad and Ajit Agarkar, were hardly better. But the Indian could take this lameness in stride because Ganguly’s gamble with Tendulkar and Dravid in the bowling department coming good. Indeed with the trio of Azhar-Ajay Jadeja-Robin Singh holding good in the middle order for India, the poor bowling and fielding aspects of the team did not prove debilitating. India today can concede 300-plus total but they can also successfully chase them too, as evident at Kochi where they reached a target of 302. The batting might is amply buttressed with experience. Tendulkar at 9,043 one-day international runs is just 179 runs away from Mohammad Azharuddin’s record of 9,222 runs. Both have over 1500 runs from 33 and 58 matches played at Sharjah. Tendulkar has as many as six hundreds and needs one more to catch up with Saeed Anwar (1784 at 42.47). In comparison, arch rivals Pakistan will be missing the services of key players like opener Saeed Anwar, off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and allrounder Azhar Mahmood. Anwar opted out of the tournament because of a neck injury while Saqlain and Mahmood are currently in London seeking medical advice for an unspecified illness and a back pain respectively. But old war-horse Wasim Akram is in the side due to skipper Moin Khan’s insistence. The injury-plagued classy left-arm paceman has played more matches and taken more wickets than anyone else in Sharjah (103 from 62 games at an average of 19.42) and will be an important cog in their pace attack, which includes tearaway speedster Shoaib Akhtar, the experienced Waqar Younis and rookie Mohammed Akram. Young off-spinner Shoaib Malik is rated by many as a better off-spinner than even Saqlain Mushtaq and he is an excellent bat too. Cronje, in the sunset of his career as captain and batsman, has missed Allan Donald badly from his one-day line-up. His bowlers have proved easy meat to the Indian batsmen in recent times and he knows no score is safe enough for his team. Makhya Ntini’s arrival to boost the bowling may, however, not provide much respite on the batting paradise at Sharjah and Cronje could expect another spell of hard time from the sub-continent’s batsmen. Teams: India: Saurav Ganguly (capt), Rahul Dravid (vice-capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Mohd Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja, Robin Singh, Sunil Joshi, Nikhil Chopra, Javagal Srinath, Saba Karim (wk), Ajit Agarkar, Mohd Kaif, Anil Kumble, S Sriram, Venkatesh Prasad. South Africa:
Hansie Cronje (capt), Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs,
Jacques Kallis, Lance Klusener, Derek Crookes, Mark
Boucher (wk), Shaun Pollock, Henry Williams, Nicky Boje,
Mornantau Hayward, Neil McKenzie, Dale Benkenstein, Steve
Elworthy, Pieter Strydom, Makhya Ntini. |
JCT climb to fourth position LUDHIANA, March 21 — Winners of the inaugural edition, JCT Phagwara edged past Tollygunge Agragami, Calcutta, by a solitary goal to jump to the fourth position with 34 points in the National Football League at Guru Nanak Stadium here today. The all-important goal came a few minutes before lemon time when a free kick by stopper back Deepak Mondal following an infringement on the left was neatly deflected by promising medico Harinder with rival goalkeeper Bivash Ghosh having been caught off guard. The victory propelled JCT two slots higher and only two points separate them from Goa’s Salgaocar Sports club, who are currently placed second. It was clearly JCT’s day as the millmen held complete sway over the proceedings right from the kick-off. In fact, had it not been for a series of close misses, the margin of victory would certainly have been higher. Incidentally this was JCT’s second victory over the Calcutta outfit after they had won the away match by a 2-0 margin. Most of the JCT attacks came from the left flank as Jaswant and Hardip Gill orchestrated several intelligent moves. Jaswant tested the rival custodian in the opening minutes with some power-packed shots and on one occasion his powerful kick struck the horizontal. Striker Hardip Gill also aimed a couple of pile drivers, which, however, were off target. In the 21st minute, Jaswinder, the livewire of the JCT attack made an unsuccessful attempt followed by medico Hardip Saini’s powerful grounder which the goalkeeper managed to save at the cost of a corner. Tollygunge, who remained under pressure for long spells, had an opportunity midway through the first half when Moses N.Oira tried to connect a pass from the right with an artistic volley but he missed the flight of the ball. In the 38th minute, the hard-working Jaswinder after cutting through the Tollygunge defence, put Hardip Gill in possession but Gill, despite having ample time at his disposal, only managed to shoot wide. JCT’s sustained efforts eventually bore fruit in the 40th minute when they earned a free kick following an infringement near the left flank. Stopper-back Deepak Mondal’s kick was deflected into the net by the hard-working Harinder to give his side the lead. JCT’s domination was unabated in the second half as the millmen attacked the rival citadel frequently. A back pass by striker Hardip Gill from the goal-line fell short of the on-rushing Jaswant although Gill did manage to catch a rival defender on the wrong foot. Later, Jaswinder attempted a well-directed shot goalwards while falling down inside the box but Tollygunge custodian Ghosh managed to punch the ball away. This was followed by another attempt by Hardi Gill which also proved abortive. Wingback Daljit Singh also made a brave attempt by racing down the left flank and floating the ball dangerously but Ghosh made a timely collection in his second attempt. Midway through the second half, a Sukhdev clearance saw the ball travelling to midfielder Rampal but the latter’s grounder was slightly off the mark. Nine minutes from the long whistle, Tollygunge nearly got the equaliser when a highlob by Jayanta Sen saw the ball striking the bar before JCT custodian Baljit Singh made a clearance at the cost of a flag kick. The Tollygunge citadel had a narrow escape in the 88th minute when goalkeeper Bivash Ghosh was clearly beaten by Hardip Gill’s chip but luckily, Nilanjan Guha, standing on the goalline, deflected the ball away. In the dying minutes, Jayanta Sen of Tollygunge once again despatched a dangerous lob but the ball sailed over the bar and the Calcutta outfit eventually resigned to their fate, conceding their seventh defeat in the league. JCT will now meet
Churchill brothers at Margao on March 25 while Tollygunge
will clash with Mohun Bagan the following day at Calcutta
in their concluding ties. |
Salgaocar keen to maintain lead MARGAO, March 21 (UNI) — A keen tussle is on cards for the second spot as title holders Salgaocar (Goa) and their state mate professional league champions Churchill Brothers clash in a crucial penultimate round match of the fourth edition Coca Cola National Football League to be played at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, here tomorrow. As Calcutta giant Mohun Bagan had already emerged champions with 44 points with still two matches in hand, second-placed Salgaocar with 36 points would certainly be going all out to maintain their lead and full three points will help them to confirm their second place in the high profile league. Churchill Brothers, who lost to Salgaocar by solitary goal in the first leg is breathing down their neck with 35 points and placed third followed by Mumbai’s Mahindra and Mahindra with 33 points and JCT and FC Kochi with 31 points each. Both the teams will be missing their two key players tomorrow. Salgoacar’s dependable defender Franky Barreto has been booked with two yellow cards and medio S. Venkatesh had a hamstrung injury while Churchill Brothers medio Mykola and defender Anthony Mathew will be sitting out as they have received two yellow cards. Salgoacar suffered a setback losing to FC Kochi by 0-2 in their last away match, but the mood in their camp is quite upbeat having won six matches on the home ground out of the nine played in the second leg, four in a row against JCT, SBT, ITI and Dempo and two against East Bengal and BSF and drew against Tollygung Aggragami but lost to Mohun Bagan and Kochi. Salgoacar conceded 11 goals and scored 21 goals posting 10 wins, six draws and four defeats from 20 outings. They could win tomorrow’s match if they combine form and determination they displayed during the last matches but cannot afford to be complacent. Churchill Brothers placed third on the league table with 35 points one point less than Salgoacar will try to avenge their defeat and hope to bounce back from the stunning 1-2 defeat they suffered on March 12 against ITI. Bagan eager to complete formalities CALCUTTA: Calcutta giant Mohun Bagan, which has virtually annexed the title of the 4th Coca Cola National Football League, is keen to complete the formalities with a victory against their traditional rival East Bengal when they meet at Salt Lake Stadium here tomorrow. Bagan, winner of the 1998 edition, have a tally of 44 points from 20 matches, much ahead of their immediate rivals last year champion Salgaocar and Churchill Brothers. Besides tomorrow’s clash of titans, Bagan would meet in their last encounter Tollygunge Agragami, also from Calcutta, on March 26. Of the 20 matches, Bagan won 13, drew 5, lost two scored 31 goals and conceded 14 goals. East Bengal, last year
runner up, fared badly in this edition tally 26 points
from 20 matches and were in the seventh position behind
FC Kochin. |
Corretja happy to be on victory course INDIAN WELLS, (California), March 21 (DPA) — A few months of concentrated training after an illness which wrecked the entire last season have thrust Spain’s Alex Corretja back into the ranks of the tennis elite. The amiable Barcelona right-hander goes into this week’s start of the Tennis Masters series in Miami carrying the trophy from a similar tournament in California, where he lifted the tenth title of his career 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 over Thomas Enqvist. He stands sixth in the chase for year-end world number 1 honours as well after his first title in 16 months since he won the 1998 ATP Tour World Championships. For Corretja, one of the truly nice guys of the game, the Sunday victory in exactly two hours against the Swede was nectar — with his health and fitness back, anything now seems possible. “The best thing about tennis is to find yourself happy on the court,’’ said the smiling 25-year-old. “I found that this week (as he beat seeds Enqvist, Swede Magnus Norman and Australian Patrick Rafter on the way to the trophy).’’ Corretja was plagued last season by a mystery virus which sapped his strength and contributed to his three losses in finals during the year. After taking a late autumn golf holiday in sunny Malaga, Spain with friends, the player re-dedicated himself to hard work starting in December. “I changed my physical trainer, continued with my coach. We made a good plan to see if I can get back to the top,” said the former world number 3. “This win means a lot to me. The best for me is realising that I can be a good player again.” His early 2000 results was mixed: a January semi-final in Sydney and a quarter-final in Scotsdale, balanced by a horrendous second round defeat to Lleyton Hewitt at the Australian open. Corretja, who grew up on clay in the tennis hotbed of Barcelona, has shown through his last two titles — his previous came on indoor carpet at the 1998 season final in Germany — that he has evolved into a true all-court threat. He will now be included among the favourites in Miami, second in the nine-event masters series which replace the former super-9 series. Corretja said the construction several years ago in Barcelona of several outdoor hardcourt had helped him and the so-called “Spanish Armada” band of players to develop their skills on the north American surface. “It has helped us a lot,” he said. “In Barcelona two or three weeks ago, we were all practising there. Because we all play a lot from the baseline, you get a lot of rhythm. “When you get to the tournament, you are ready to go. It’s good, you can adapt your game to a serve-and-volley or hardcourt player. We’re proud that we have some hardcourts, they help us play some good tournaments.” The Spanish winner now owns a 3-2 record against Enqvist, who was hampered after winning a nearly three-hour semi-final the day earlier over holder Mark Philippoussis and who was suffering from pain his his left leg. Corretja also credits the close-knit group of Spanish pros with providing each other with support out on the road. “Once you go out on the court, you are a professional. But once you finish, you can always be his friend again,” he said. The trophy-holder admitted that at his lowest 1999 ebb, he found it sometimes tough to keep going. “But once you win a big tournament, you always think you can win another. The most important thing is to believe in yourself. If you did it once or twice, why can’t you do it again.” “The difficult part is all of the efforts you have to go through, practise, go to sleep, have pasta every night, stretch before the match, stretch after the match, do the massage.” “But it’s nice
to be here as champion. I have to say that,” he
said. |
Frazier triumphs CHESTER, March 21 (AP) — Joe Frazier watched his daughter win for the second time in a boxing ring. Next, she planned to stand by his side in court. Jacqui Frazier-Lyde, a Philadelphia lawyer, stopped rookie Annie Brooks 21 seconds into the third round on Sunday. Today, Frazier-Lyde was scheduled to assist in closing arguments in her father’s federal lawsuit accusing police in her hometown of using excessive force when they arrested him on drunken driving charges. The former heavyweight champion was acquitted in September 1998. ‘‘We hope justice will be done,’’ Frazier-Lyde said. No sooner had Frazier-Lyde disposed of Brooks than her attention turned to Laila Ali, the 21-year-old daughter of Muhammad Ali who also won her second pro bout in the same ring on November 10. Promoters are predicting the pair will meet in October to commemorate the 25th anniversary of their famous fathers’ third fight, the Thrilla in Manila won by Ali when Frazier didn’t come out for the 15th round. ‘‘We’re
working on it,’’ promoter Lou Fugazy said.
‘‘We’re going to do it.’’ |
Spain beat Pak in hockey OSAKA, March 21 (AFP) — Spain ran circles around Pakistan’s defence do win the final of the Olympic Fiehd Hockey Qualifying Tournament 3-2 here yesterday. Spain, silver-medallist at the Atlanta Games four years ago, put their rivals under pressure with a 2-0 lead in the first-half. Pakistan’s ace penalty corner specialist Sohail Abbas scored both his team’s goals to emerge the leading scorer in the tournament with 13, three more than second-placed Jorge Lombi of Argentina. But Pakistan suffered a
setback when Imran Yousuf missed a penalty stroke in the
22nd minute as his scoop to the right was saved by
goalkeeper Ramon Jufresa. |
Railway kabaddi meet results JALANDHAR, March 21 —Holders Northern Railway, Delhi, Southern Railway, Eastern Railway and North East Railway in men’s section entered the semi-final of the 49th All India Inter Railway Kabaddi Championship currently underway at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Stadium, Kapurthala. Northern Railway, Delhi, will clash with North East Railway and Southern Railway will play against Eastern Railway in the semi-finals. In first quarterfinal, Northern Railway defeated South Eastern Railway by 52-53. In second quarterfinal Southern Railway defeated ICF by 46-39. In the third quarterfinal match, Eastern Railway defeated South Central Railway, Secunderabad, by 39-33 to reserve berth in the last four. The winners were leading by 16-15 till the half time. In the last quarterfinal, North East Railway defeated Western Railway by 32-25. The winners were leading by 17-9 till half time. In women’s version
last years runners-up Western Railway Mumbai team
defeated Southern Railways 33-32. |
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