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| Tuesday, April 11, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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Cronje proclaims innocence |
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Prabhakar says facts have been
twisted
Karthikeyan forced to withdraw
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DURBAN, April 10 (Reuters) — South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje has emphatically proclaimed his innocence on match-fixing charges. Cronje and team-mates Herschelle Gibbs, Nicky Boje and Pieter Strydom were charged by Indian police on Friday with match-fixing during a limited overs series South Africa played in India last month. “I want to make it 100 per cent clear that I deny ever receiving any sum of money during the one-day international series in India,’’ Cronje said at a news conference here last evening. “I want to make it clear that I never spoke to any member of the team about throwing a game. “I’ve never received any sum of money for any match that I’ve been involved in, and I’ve never approached any of the players and asked them if they wanted to fix a game. “The only way to clear my name is to speak to the players and to check my bank account.’’ Asked what his first reaction to the charges was, Cronje said: “I was stunned and I told (United Cricket Board of South Africa Managing Director Ali) Bacher ‘it’s absolute rubbish’.’’ Cronje, whose team lost 3-2 to India in the five-match series, said the allegations had affected him on a personal level. Of course I’ve been hurt by this. “I’ve tried to go back in time and think about that (third one-day) match they talk about in Delhi, and about the meetings I had and the people I spoke to. You’re trying to make sense of all this and it hasn’t made any sense to me at all, the South African skipper said.’’ Gibbs and Boje were also at the news conference, and both took a similar line to Cronje. “I support the captain 100 per cent,’’ Gibbs said. “We weren’t approached by anybody and Hansie didn’t speak to us.’’ “Hansie has never spoken to us about throwing a game and nobody has ever approached us,’’ Boje said. Among the allegations levelled against Cronje is that he was given a mobile phone by bookmaker Sanjiv Chawla with which to communicate with Chawla. Indian police said it taped conversations between Cronje and Chawla, and is touting the recordings as evidence. “I took two mobile phones to India,’’ Cronje said. “One was my personal phone and I also got one off our manager as mine was out of order after I dropped it.’’ UCBSA acting president Percy Sonn, an advocate, said Cronje would not return to India to stand trial. “We have no treaties with India,’’ Mr Sonn said. “For us to recognise any warrant our country requires the basis of the warrant to be disclosed. “We would not expect any of our nationals to comply with something unless it goes through our system. The protocols have not been followed.’’ Mr Sonn said the matter had reached governmental level, with the South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs in discussion with their Indian counterparts. “It’s now an International matter,’’ Mr Sonn said. “The Indian police are an agency of the Indian Government. If they do certain things which affect any of our nationals — or national assets as the South African team is – then obviously it’s something for our own government to handle. “It’s not the Indian cricket board who approached us with anything. It’s not a cricket matter, it’s something for the governments to work out.’’ All four of the players charged were among eleven South Africans who were due in India in two weeks’ time to play a series of matches which formed part of the activities of five Indian beneficiaries. However, Mr Sonn said the South Africans would no longer be going. “We are not going to expose our own people to intimidation and discomfort,’’ Mr Sonn said. “That’s not why we play cricket.’’ Asked if the UCBSA would hold their own investigation into the controversy, Mr Sonn said: “Why should we institute an inquiry, especially as they don’t want to surrender the tape to enable it to be assessed for veracity?’’ Dr Bacher also spoke of
the Indian authorities’ reluctance to release the
tape recordings for scrutiny. |
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DURBAN, April 10 (Reuters) — Australian captain Steve Waugh lent his embattled South Africa opposite number Hansie Cronje support over the match-fixing controversy yesterday. Waugh’s team is here to play South Africa in three one-day matches, which are sure to be overshadowed by match-fixing charges brought by Indian police against Cronje and team mates Herschelle Gibbs, Nicky Boje and Pieter Strydom. The Australian skipper gave Cronje a glowing character reference in response to a reporter’s question at a news conference after the touring team’s arrival. “I really enjoy playing against him and he seems to bring the best out in my cricket”, Waugh said. “We’ve had some good battles over the years. We’ve got a good respect for each other and we’re pretty good friends. “I respect him as a player and a captain and I enjoy playing against a guy who always gives 100 per cent. He’s always there trying and you feel good once you get the better of that type of player out in the middle”. Waugh also felt the series against the South Africans would be a worthy Test for his World Cup-winning team. “Our team as a unit has really got stronger,” Waugh said. “We haven’t had too many changes, and we are definitely playing better cricket than 12 months ago. “But South Africa are the supreme Tese for us. They probably think they’re the number one side in one-day cricket and we probably think we’re number one. “They’ve had a
great one-day record over the last three of four years,
and this might Steve Bernard said. “It would be
improper for either the Australian team management or the
player to comment on the match-fixing controversy.” |
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CALCUTTA, April 10 (PTI) — More than two years ago before the sensational match-fixing case involving South African skipper Hansie Cronje took the cricketing world by storm, the police in adjoining Howrah district had come across the name Kalra in a betting syndicate but are not sure whether it was the same Rajesh Kalra who has been arrested in Delhi in the current episode. Police said following the arrest of a leading member of a betting syndicate in Howrah in September, 1997, Kalra’s name had been found in a print out of the computer seized from the syndicate’s king-pin. Kalra’s name again figured in the telephone index of a bookie arrested in Howrah in November 1998 during a Mini World Cup match in Dhaka. “However, we do not know whether this Kalra and the Rajesh Kalra nabbed by the Delhi police after the recent developments are one and the same person,” the sources said. A top police officer who was monitoring the case then said police had stumbled across the names of a number of bookies from Mumbai and Delhi on both occasions. “We informed Mumbai police immediately about these bookies who were conducting large scale betting operations. But Mumbai police neither encouraged nor discouraged us,” he said. He said they had no clue about the involvement of any Indian cricketer during the investigation. “We are prepared to extend wholehearted cooperation to Delhi police in the ongoing investigation, if they so desire,” the officer said. Howrah police, in one of the first cricket betting cases in September 1997, had arrested the kingpin along with three of his associates from their hideout while they were conducting operations. Acting on a tip-off, the police had raided the hideout and seized cash, cellphones, telephones, computers and other incriminating documents which had a list of their associates in Mumbai and Delhi. All the four had been chargesheeted. Betting operations have
since surfaced on a number of occasions in the
metropolis, particularly during the high-profile World
Cup in England during May-June 1999 when more than 50
bookies were arrested. |
SA players unlikely for benefit ties DURBAN, April 10 (PTI) — South African cricketers, including Hansie Cronje, are unlikely to travel to India later this month for a scheduled series of benefit ties in the wake of the sensational match-fixing case allegedly involving their skipper and four team-mates. “With all the allegations now against Cronje and other players, it is most unlikely that Cronje will be going to India,” Mr Bronwyn Wilkinson, media liaison officer for the United Cricket Board (UCB), told PTI. Cronje, named in a case of alleged match-fixing during last month’s one-day series in India along-with Herschelle Gibbs, Nicky Boje, Pieter Strydom and Henry Williams, was scheduled to lead a side to India to play in six benefit matches from April 24 to May 3. Mr Wilkinson said the UCB was not involved in organising the tour. A Cronje XI was scheduled to take on a Sachin Tendulkar XI in matches at Mohali (two), Hyderabad, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Mumbai. UCB Managing Director Ali Bacher last night said the board would recommend to the players not to travel to India in the immediate future considering the developments Meanwhile, Indian High Commissioner to South Africa, Harsh Bhasin, was expected to hold talks with Foreign Office officials late today. A senior High Commission official denied that Cronje’s telephone was tapped. “The police who were investigating someone else came upon this conversation between Cronje and a businessman,” he said. He rejected claims in the South African media that the Indian police was targeting its cricketers because the Proteas had broken India’s 13-year unbeaten Test series record at home. The match-fixing row has caused a wide debate with radio, television and newspapers giving the story top billing. Cronje’s denial at a Press conference yesterday was headline news in all the television and radio news bulletins and the main story in newspapers this morning. The Johannesburg-based “Beeld” newspaper said in a front page article that India must provide proof, while the Durban based “Mercury” newspaper said in a front page lead story “Nothing to hide, says Cronje”. It also carried another front page story headlined “Match-fixing claim another blow to cricket”. In most newspapers and
audio reports, South African cricket officials express
anger at claims that Cronje and other players’
phones were tapped. |
Tendulkar biggest hurdle for TN MUMBAI, April 10 (PTI) — The Sachin Tendulkar factor seems to be the biggest stumbling block in front of Tamil Nadu when they take on 33-time winners Mumbai in a high-profile five-day Ranji Trophy cricket semifinal commencing at the Wankhede Stadium here tomorrow. The world’s premier batsman has shed the burdens of captaincy even at the domestic level for the remainder of the season to focus entirely on his main job, batting. How concentrated and dedicated he is in his endeavour to guide his team to another title triumph was evident in his request to the powers-that-be to put off the match by a couple of days so as to be available for the first knock-out match for Mumbai after turning out for Asia XI against the Rest of the World XI in the one-day festival tie at Dhaka on April 8. Tendulkar’s presence has immensely boosted the home side’s hopes of avenging their outright defeat at the hands of the visitors, the only time the southern outfit have gone past Mumbai in 14 previous outings, when the two teams last locked horns in the southern Tamil Nadu town of Tirunelveli in 1996. Mumbai’s superb record against Tamil Nadu, of nine outright wins and four first innings leads, looks set to be improved upon unless the visitors’ bowlers can come up with the answer on how to dismiss Tendulkar, who has not been in good form at the international level of late, cheaply. The home team’s hopes, however, have suffered a bit by the death of Vinod Kambli’s mother here last night which has put a question mark over the availability of the stylish left-hander for the important tie. “We will know whether Kambli will be playing in the match by this evening”, Mumbai Cricket Association joint secretary, Ratnakar Shetty, informed reporters. The absence of Kambli would be a big blow as he has been in very good touch this season - by taking his fine run in the Duleep and Deodhar trophies into the national championship. In case the brilliant left-hander is unable to play, then another southpaw - opener Amit Pagnis - would get a chance to launch the innings with Wasim Jaffer. If Kambli is available, then Jaffer and skipper Sameer Dighe are to open the innings. With Jatin Paranjpee and Amol Muzumdar, too, in good touch, Mumbai’s batting looks strong enough in familiar conditions against the Tamil Nadu attack which has no outstanding bowler to speak about, including skipper Robin Singh. Tamil Nadu’s strength, for a change, seems to be its depth in batting which is running down to nine or ten which is essential to face a varied attack like Mumbai’s which has helped the hosts win all their four Super League ties -against Karnataka, Delhi, Bengal and Rajasthan. Left-handed opener Sridharan Sriram is in great form at the domestic level, having pitchforked his way into the Indian one-day squad against South Africa at home and in the subsequent one-day tri-series in Sharjah on the strength of his knock of 288 against Uttar Pradesh in the Super League. Sriram has already crossed 1,000 runs for the season and has a good chance of overtaking Karnataka batsman Vijay Bharadwaj’s record of 1463 runs set up last season if he comes up with a good display against Mumbai here. Also in good touch in the Tamil Nadu ranks throughout the season is middle-order batsman Sridharan Sharath, a left hander, who too slammed a double ton against up. Sadagopan Ramesh is seemingly fit again, as was shown by his half century knock against Punjab in the quarter-finals, and is an important cog in the line-up which also has in-form batsmen like J Madanagopal, Hemang Badani and Robin himself to prop up the middle order. They will face a severe test of skills from the Mumbai attack in which veteran Abey Kuruvilla has once again cemented his place with good hauls in the Super League stage. Ajit Agarkar would lead
the pace attack with support from Kuruvilla and Santosh
Saxena. |
Prabhakar says facts have been twisted MUMBAI, April 10 (UNI) — Former Indian all-rounded Manoj Prabhakar today stated that “facts have been twisted” in his recent conversation on a website in which he had reportedly said that Mohammed Azharuddin and Ajit Wadekar were involved in match-fixing. In an “clarification” given to www.wahindia.com, he stated that he is “miffed” with the media for “adding fuel to fire in my running battle” with former Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin. “It is a complete misrepresentation of facts that I named Azharuddin and Wadekar in connection with match-fixing. I only referred to them when the conversation focused on the time when I was offered $ 25,000 to under-achieve in a Singer Cup game in Colombo in 1994,” he said. Prabhakar further said: “I will not deny anything I have said. How can I deny anything that is record? All I am saying is that the people have arrived at their own conclusions. I hope people, including Azhar, will listen to the whole conversation or read the complete transcript of the conversation before they accuse me of pointing fingers at anybody,” he said. BANGALORE (PTI): Azharuddin today said he was not contemplating filing a defamation suit against Manoj Prabhakar who had reportedly levelled match-fixing allegations against him, reiterating he had full faith in the Indian cricket board (BCCI). “I won’t be filing anything personally. I have complete faith in the board. We will wait and see,” Azharuddin told reporters here, a day after he said he would consult the BCCI and his lawyers before reacting to Prabhakar’s charges. “I vouch for
everything I had told the media yesterday and there are
no developments,” he said. |
Srinath pulls out of Ranji semifinal BANGALORE, April 10 (UNI) — Karnataka suffered a major blow with ace speedster Javagal Srinath pulling out of the semifinal of the Ranji Trophy for which the Mohammed Azharuddin- led Hyderabad start as favourites. The tie gets underway at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here tomorrow. The withdrawal of Srinath due to a groin injury came as a rude shock to the Karnataka team as they are already without the services of leg spinner Anil Kumble and star batsman Rahul Dravid, both of whom will be playing in the English county. Though both coach B. Raghunath and captain B.K. Venkatesh Prasad tried to play down Srinath’s withdrawal, it evident that they are worried as the wicket has green top and is expected to assist the speedsters. “The boys are in good frame of mind and are used to playing without star players. They will come up with good performances,’’ the two confidently said. Hyderabad coach Arshad Ayub said two good matches should lead them to the title. After the initial league matches, they have been playing with the full side. The return of in-form Mohammed Azharuddin has bolstered the batting. Meanwhile, curator Kasturirangan said the strip was a good one and would assist the speedsters as it had a green top. It might start turning after the third day. The pitch has not been watered for the past three days and it was dry, he added. The former Test cricketer said Hyderabad’s morale was good and quite high after their victory against Uttar Pradesh in the quarterfinals. Hyderabad bounced back into the game after conceding the first innings lead and won comfortably in the end. Karnataka, who got a bye into the last four by virtue of being defending champions, have a better record against Hyderabad winning 12 of the 54 encounters between them. Hyderabad have won seven times with 32 of them ending in a draw and two without the result. Karnataka, aiming for a hat-trick of titles this time, had defeated Hyderabad in the previous two semifinals in 1995-96 and 1997-98. In the previous 24 semifinal outings, Karnataka have won 11 times and the last time they lost was to Delhi in 1986-87. Arshad Ayub said their batting was strong and the return of former Indian skipper Azharuddin, who made a successful comeback into the Indian side, would put in extra confidence in the team. The stylish right hand batsman was in good form and he had cracked a century against South Africa in the second innings on return at the same venue. VVS Laxman was also among the runs and Nanda Kishore was in good nick. If three or four players chip in with useful scores, the team will definitely do well. He indicated that the team would be going into the match with five specialist bowlers. Though the wicket was expected to assist the speedsters, the visitors were likely to go into the match with three spinners in veteran Kanwlajit Singh, Test discard Venkatapathy Raju and Shivaji Yadav. The medium pace will be in the hands of N.P. Singh and Parfth Satwalkar. Arshad Ayub agreed that the absence of Rahul Dravid was an advantage to their side. “He is a good player, who can play long innings. His presence, would have definitely helped Karnataka. “But you never know. Somebody might play that role. We have to be cautious”, he added. He indicated that he would prefer Riaz Shaik as the wicket keeper instead of more experienced Youvaraj Singh. Riaz has been playing in the past two or three matches and has been doing well. On playing, Arjun Yadav, a decision will be taken later. Hyderabad are likely to leave out Raghuram, Vinay Kumar, Fiaz Ahmed and Daniel Manohar from the 16-member side. Karnataka have brought
in Anand Yalvigi in place of Srinath and K.N. Ramesh has
been included as the 15th man. However, both of them are
unlikely to play. |
Vijay Singh wins Masters crown AUGUSTA (USA), April 10 (AFP) — Fiji’s Vijay Singh overcame two back-nine mistakes with magnificent putts to win the 64th Masters here yesterday, capturing his second major golf title. A birdie on the 18th hole gave Singh a final-round three-under par 69 and a 72-hole score of 10-under par 278, three shots better than runner-up Ernie Els of South Africa and four ahead of Americans Loren Roberts and David Duval. “Winning it, I can’t believe it,” Singh said. “It’s unbelievable. It hasn’t sunk in yet. It’s going to take some time.” Singh won $ 828,000 at the $ 4.6 million event, the year’s first major tournament, and the green jacket symbolic of triumph at Augusta National Golf Club. “It feels great,” he said. “It’s the greatest feeling I have had for a long, long time. I can’t describe it. Wearing the green jacket feels wonderful. I just love the colour of green.” Singh, 37, won his first major crown at the 1998 PGA Championship and could be in line for another in June at the US Open. That event will be at Pebble Beach, where Singh finished second to Tiger Woods at a February PGA event. Two-time US Open champion EIs settled second, his best Masters finish. His bogey-free 68 was the day’s low round, but his birdies at par-5 8th, 13th and 15th were matched by Singh. “I don’t remember playing this well at Augusta ever,” Els said. “Coming in 16, 17 and 18 I was trying to push hard. I knew I had to birdie but I couldn’t get it on line. It wasn’t to be for me this week. Maybe next year.” Two strokes ahead of Duval with eight holes to go, Singh blundered entering amen corner by going for a difficult pin over water at the par-4 11th and saw his ball splash into the pond guarding the green, leading to a bogey and one-shot lead. Singh also found a bunker at the par-3 12th but salvaged a par and then saw Duval send his approach at the par-5 13th into Rae’s Creek. When Duval took a bogey, Singh birdied and his three-shot edge was back for the first time since the second hole. Els, hoping this was his lucky day after a friend won 2 million dollars in the South African lottery, birdied the par-5 15th to move within two of Singh and hit to 12 feet on the par-3 16th. As the cheer echo died down, Singh responded on the 15th fairway with a magnificent approach and birdied to reclaim his three-stroke margin. Singh blew a six-foot par putt at the par-3 16th to keep Els and final pair partner Duval two shots back, but would not choke away a championship. “The key was hitting my second shot onto the green at 18,” he said. “Once I hit the green, I knew I could two-putt from there. That was pretty special.” Duval, a 28-year-old American who has never won a major and has not captured any title in the past 12 months, was one stroke back before sending his second into Rae’s Creek. A birdie at 15th kept him in contention late but he missed on an approach trying to set up a birdie chance, swinging his club in anger after the shot, and finished with a bogey. Singh and Duval were among eight who ended round three yesterday due to an earlier storm. Duval missed a birdie putt on the early trip to 17 while Singh hit a 15-foot putt to save par and keep his three-stroke edge into round four. Duval sank birdies on the sixth, eighth and 10th holes to briefly match Singh for the lead. But each time, and from similar lengths, Singh topped him to reclaim sole possession of the lead, which he kept the entire back nine. Roberts, dubbed “Boss of the Moss” for his putting prowess, opened with a 45-foot birdie and finished the front nine with back-to-back birdies, the latter curling off a sidehill from 25 feet. Bogeys at the 10th and 11th dimmed his dream of becoming at 44 the oldest first-time major winner since PGA winner Jerry Barber in 1961. He answered with birdies at the 13th and 14th but pared in and never produced a serious threat. World number one Tiger
Woods began six strokes behind Singh, took a run at the
lead, but settled for fifth at 284, one stroke ahead of
Tom Lehman and two ahead of Davis Love, Phil Mickelson
and Paraguay’s Carlos Franco. |
Punjab hold TN in Santosh Trophy THRISSUR, April 10 (PTI) — Six-time champions Punjab survived a barrage of attacks from a fighting Tamil Nadu in the last minutes and did well to hold to a 1-1 draw in their opening quarter-final league in group ‘Y’ of the Santosh Trophy National Football Championship here today. Tamil Nadu forged ahead in the 79th minute through Sabir Pasha. Punjab striker Sukhjit Singh saved the day for his team when he headed home the equaliser. The match was evenly contested with the Punjab men showing enough speed while the Tamil Nadu players matched them quite competently. However, much was expected off from the Punjab men after their good display in the tie against Indian Railways in the pre-quarterfinals at Chalakudy, which they won by a brace of goals. Tamil Nadu on the other hand were rather subdued in the beginning, but came into their own in the second session in which they gave the strong Punjab defence manned by Rajesh Kumar and Balwinder Singh several anxious moments. However, credit must be given to the Tamil Nadu custodian Felix Edward, who had done extremely well under the bar with brilliant saves on a number of occasions. Tamil Nadu were a completely transformed side in the second session as they tore apart the strong Punjab defence that gave enough room for the Tamil Nadu strikers Sabir Pasha and Muthu. However, they missed the chances inside the box either driving over the bar or wide off the mark. Tamil Nadu would have been in the lead midway through the second when Punjab defender Rajesh Kumar in haste headed on to his goal post, but the ball flew over the bar. The resultant flag-kick by Muthu into the centre was headed by Pasha, but the ball sailed over the cross-piece. However, Tamil Nadu got their dividend in the 79th minute when Pasha who had earlier messed up a couple of chances, took full advantage off a brilliant long through pass by Muthu from the centre. The nippy striker Pasha sped menacingly through the centre dodged past a host of defenders before banging to the right of custodian Baljit Singh. Unnerved by the reverse,
the experienced Punjab men went all out for the equaliser
and their hardworking striker Sukhjit Singh came to their
rescue when he headed home a corner kick by substitute
Harvinder Singh in the injury time which helped them to
share the points. |
Devinder,
Satnam best athletes BATHINDA, April 10 — Head Office lifted the overall trophy in the 35th annual Punjab State Electricity Board Sports Meet which concluded here late last evening. The Head Office zone players got 35 points while North Zone got the second position with 27 points. The third position went to West Zone players who could collect only 21 points. Devinder Singh, who showed his supremacy on the track on all three days winning the 10,000 metres, 1500 metres and emerged winner in other events was declared the best player of the championship. Satnam Kaur of North Zone was declared the best woman athlete of the championship. Results: hockey: West Zone won the first prize in hockey defeating Border Zone by 2-0. Football: North Zone lifted the medal defeating South Zone 3-0. In volleyball South Zone defeated Head Office. Vikram of Border Zone won the 100 metres covering the distance in 11.23 seconds. With timing of 11.24 seconds and 11.26 seconds Kushwinder Singh of Head Office and Sukhjinder Singh of North Zone got the second and third positions respectively. Devinder Singh of West Zone took 35.35 minutes to achieve the first position in 10,000 metres while Ramesh Chander of North Zone, who came second and Preetam Singh of Border Zone, who came third in this event took 35.42 minutes and 37.04 minutes to cover the same distance. In 4x100 metres Head Office won the first position while Border Zone stood second North Zone came third. In triple jump, Harjinder Singh (Border Zone) stood first, Kushwinder Singh (Head Office) second and Gurmail Singh (South Zone) got the third position. In discus throw, Gurcharan Singh of Central Zone won the first position. Pawan Saini of South Zone and Balbir Singh of North Zone came second and third respectively. In hammer throw, Bahal Singh of Central Zone came first while M.S. Bajwa stood second. In javelin throw (women) North Zone emerged winner while Border Zone came second. The third position went to Central Zone team, In 4x100 (women), Head
Office got the first position while South Zone finished
runners-up.West Zone came third. |
Haryana
wrestling results KURUKSHETRA, April 10 — Two-day Haryana State 17th Wrestling Championship concluded at the premises of Daronacharya Statium here yesterday evening. Haryana State Transport Minister Ashok Kumar Arora gave away prizes to the winners. On this occasion Mr Arora announced a grant of 50,000 to the district Olympic association for the promotion of sports while a prize of Rs 31,000 each was given to Sonika Kaliraman, Manju, Sunita and Joginder Singh who represented India in the Cadet Wrestling Championship held in Poland last year. The results: Men section: 42 kg: Anand (Rohtak) 1, Mandeep (Nidani) 2, Jitender (Nidani) 3; 50 kg: Devender (Panipat) 1, Sunil (Sonipat)2, Ravinder (Bhawani) 3; 62 kg: Asheesh (Sonipat) 1, Kripaal (Yamunanagar) 2, Phool Kumar (Sonipat) 3; 63 kg: Rajesh (Sonipat) 1, Anil (Jhajjar) 2, Dinesh (Bhiwani) 3; 76 kg: Pardeep (Sonipat) 1, Lokesh (Jhajjar) 2, Kanwar Singh (Bhiwani) 3; 85 kg: Sanjay (Sonipat) 1, Mandeep (Jhajjar) 2, Ramesh (Jind) 3. Women: 38 kg: Rachna
Shekhawat (Hisar) 1, Archna (Fatehabad) 2, Laxmi
(Bhiwani) 3; 46 kg: Veena (Bhiwani) 1, Beena (Fatehabad)
2, Pooja (Hisar) 3, 56 kg: Deepika Jakhar (Hisar) 1, Neha
(Kurukshetra) 2, Poonam Sharma (Bhiwani) 3; 70 kg: Sonika
Kaliraman (Hisar) 1, Poonam (Bhiwani) 2, Sukhvinder Kaur
(Faridabad) 3. |
Karthikeyan forced to withdraw CHENNAI, April 10 (PTI) — Narain Karthikeyan’s hopes of adding to his points tally in the British Formula 3 championship yesterday suffered a setback when he was forced to withdraw in the 14th lap due to a technical snag. Starting fifth on the grid on a cold and wet circuit, Karthikeyan got off to a blistering start, passing three cars at the first Cleuveaux corner. He maintained second position till the 14th lap when the front wheel brakes locked, presumably due to overheating, resulting in his car going off the track and into the gravel. However, Karthikeyan escaped unhurt, according to a press release from his sponsors. Antonio Pizzonia of Manor Motorsport clinched top spot at the race. Narain’s Stewart Racing teammate Tomas Schekter was second, while Michael Bentwood of Great Britain finished third. Narain is now in joint fourth place with Milos Pavlovic and Michael Bentwood with 12 points.
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National
policy for veterans ‘needed’ BADAL (Muktsar), April 10 — The former Union Minister, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, said that Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) would press the Central Government for formulating a national policy for the care and rehabilitation of those players who had participated in the national and international level sports competition. Mr Badal while addressing a press conference here last evening said that former players, who had played for the country in the national and international level competitions should be taken care of in all respects. He added that SAD would
urge the Union Sports Minister, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa,
to pass a Bill in the Parliament for formulating the
rehabilitation policy for the veteran sportspersons.
Newcombe laughs off Brazil claims SYDNEY, April 10 (AFP) — Australian captain John Newcombe today laughed off Brazil’s claim that they would “beat Australia easily” in their Davis Cup tennis semi-final in Brisbane in July. Brazil coach Ricardo Acioly made the boast after his team beat the Slovak Republic 3-2 in a tense quarter-final in Rio de Janeiro marred by unsavoury crowd behaviour.
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Suman
non-playing captain CHANDIGARH April 10 — Suman Kapur, secretary, Haryana Tennis Association, has been nominated as the non-playing captain for the under-14 World Youth Cup tennis meet to be held at Bangkok (Thailand) from May 1 this year as per information received by the HTA from the All-India Tennis Association (AITA). Earlier also Suman
Kapur, a member of the executive committee of the AITA,
had represented India in various international meets. |
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