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| Wednesday, May 31, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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Heavy
rain halts India-B’desh tie
Ajay Sharma has links with
bookies: CBI |
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| Ronaldo hopes to play by year-end RIO DE JANEIRO, May 30 — Injured Brazil international Ronaldo is aiming to play again by the end of the year. “The doctors have said I could be back eight months after the operation and that is what I am aiming for,” he told a news conference. Sampras’
exit hardly shocking
Anu, Vaneet win TT meet
|
Heavy rain
halts India-B’desh tie DHAKA, May 30 (PTI) — Indian bowlers were struggling to contain Bangladesh batsmen when a torrential downpour halted their league tie in the Asia Cup cricket tournament today with the match slated to continue tomorrow, originally a rest day. India began well in their opening game as they pushed Bangladesh, who opted to bat first on a featherbed of a pitch, on the defensive, but Habibul Bashar (45 batting) and skipper Aminul Islam (32 batting) helped Bangladesh reach 98 for two in 25.2 overs at the Bangabandhu Stadium when heavy rain came down. Rookie paceman T.Kumaran struck early blows removing both the openers Shahriar Hossain (11) and Javed Omar, who stood out with a career-best unbeaten score in their nine-wicket defeat to holders Sri Lanka last night. Omar was the first to go, bowled for just one run going for a mighty heave to a well pitched up delivery before the bowler with a whippy action had Hossain holing out to Sunil Joshi at wide mid-on. However, Bashar and Islam raised an unbeaten 68-run third wicket stand as the Indian slow bowlers, including leg-spinner Anil Kumble, toiled to come on top of the two batsmen. India also suffered a casualty when wicketkeeper Saba Karim had to be helped out of the field after he was struck smack on his face by a viciously bouncing Kumble delivery in the 18th over. The game began in thickly overcast conditions and the organisers switched on the floodlights as the light began fading quickly. The organisers found the water-logged ground not fit for play and announced play would be resumed and finished tomorrow, if weather permitted. Islam promptly chose to take first strike, but Kumaran’s twin strikes left the hosts in trouble. However, Habibul Bashar, along with his skipper, played some resounding shots to keep the scoreboard moving. Bashar, dismissed for just two runs against Sri Lanka, came good and had scored 45 off 73 balls with three fours and a magnificent straight six off left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi. Islam, who had also perished without reaching double figures yesterday, settled down to give Bashar company. Scoreboard Bangladesh: Hossain c Joshi b Kumaran 11 Omar b Kumaran 1 Habibul Bashar batting 45 Aminul Islam batting 32 Extras (lb 3, w 1, nb 5) 9 Total (for two wickets in 25.2 overs) 98 Fall of wickets: 1/2, 2/30. Bowling: Agarkar
5-2-9-0, Kumaran 6-0-22-2, Ganguly 3-0-17-0, Kumble
5-0-18-0, Joshi 5-0-22-0, Badani 1-0-6-0, Robin Singh
0.2-0-1-0. |
|
ST JOHN’s, May 29 (Reuters) — West Indies survived a Pakistan bowling onslaught to win the final Test, and with it the series, by one wicket on an enthralling, tension packed fifth day today. West Indies still needed 19 runs when they lost their ninth wicket but last man Courtney Walsh, who has one of the worst batting records in Test cricket, and captain Jimmy Adams hung on grimly to reach their target of 216. Pakistan, inspired by paceman Wasim Akram who took six wickets in first innings and five in the second, twice thought they had won the match and their first series in the Caribbean. They claimed Courtney Walsh had edged a Wasim Akram delivery to Moin Khan with the score on 200 and missed a glorious runout chance, when both batsman were caught at the same end, with the score on 203. Captain Jimmy Adams, unbeaten on 48 off 212 balls, was the West Indies hero, batting through the day as wickets fell at the other end and doing everything possible to shield the tailenders from the strike. West Indies seemed to have a straightforward task as they resumed on 144 for four but superb Pakistani bowling, led by the irrepressible Akram, put them under pressure. Akram, who bowled Wavell Hinds for 63 with the last ball on Sunday, made a crucial breakthrough for Pakistan when he trapped Ramnaresh Sarwan lbw for six to leave West Indies on 161 for five. They made another breakthrough when Ridley Jacobs, who survived several loud appeals, was run out for nought by a throw from Yousuf Youhana at short fine leg with 169 on the board. Franklyn Rose followed for four when he smashed a delivery from Mushtaq Ahmed into the hands of Akram at long on, leaving West Indies 177 for seven and still needing 39 for victory. Curtly Ambrose, batting in what could be his last Test match on his own ground, was lbw to Saqlain Mushtaq for eight off the last ball before lunch. Walsh, unbeaten on four, and Adams survived 73 minutes at the crease as they steered West Indies to victory. A fascinating finish to an evenly balanced series, which saw the first two Tests drawn, was set up on Sunday when Pakistan were bowled out for 219 just after lunch on Sunday to set the West Indies 216 for victory. Wasim Akram, who demolished the West Indies first innings with six for 61, quickly dismissed West Indies openers Adrian Griffith and Sherwin Campbell with the score on 31, then made it 144 for four when he bowled Wavell Hinds for 63 with Sunday’s final ball. SCOREBOARD Pakistan (first innings): 269 West Indies (first innings): 273 Pakistan (second innings): 219 West Indies (second innings): Campbell c Youhana b Akram 6 Griffith c Younis b Akram 23 Hinds b Wasim Akram 63 Chanderpaul lbw Razzaq 31 Adams not out 48 Sarwan lbw Akram 6 Jacobs run out 5 Rose c Akram b Mushtaq 4 Ambrose lbw Saqlain 8 King b Wasim Akram 0 Walsh not out 4 Extras (b-8 lb-7 nb-3) 18 Total (for nine wickets, 91 overs) 216 Fall of wickets: 1-16 2-31 3-84 4-144 5-161 6-169 7-177 8-194 9-197. Bowling: Wasim Akram 30-12-49-5 (nb2), Waqar Younis 11-0-39-0, Mushtaq Ahmed 17-3-61-1, Abdur Razzaq 11-3-14-0 (nb1), Saqlain Mushtaq 22-7-38-1.
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Ajay Sharma has links with bookies: CBI NEW DELHI, May 30 (UNI) — The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is understood to have gathered sufficient evidence to indicate former India player Ajay Sharma’s complicity in match-fixing and betting through his close connections with country’s bookies. The proof against Ajay Sharma are, understood to be, enough to enable the agency to proceed against him. He is the only cricketer against whom the investigating team has been able to collect certain evidence to link his direct involvement in match-fixing. “The investigation so far indicate that Ajay has close links with certain top bookies and his involvement in match-fixing is also likely,” the sources told UNI today. Ajay Sharma is at present in England doing duty for the Padiham Cricket Club. He is likely to be examined on his return to India, the sources said. The bureau is investigating charges of match-fixing, betting and other malpractice against Indian cricketers, coaches and administrators. The probe was handed over to the agency by the government in April end and the preliminary inquiry (PE) was recorded on May 2. Earlier, the sources had said the investigation has thrown up the name of a former Delhi captain for being involved in the malpractice. They, however, did not identify who the cricketer was. The premier investigating agency has come across certain telephone numbers, of land lines and various cellphones, used by the cricketer and are examining the destinations of the calls. "Ajay Sharma is an important link, and we will shortly be questioning him,” the sources said. Ajay Sharma’s questioning is also important as certain allegations of his close association with bookies have been made. It is also understood to be known that some of the cricketers and officials who have been questioned by the premier investigating agency so far have also indicated towards his complicity in the malpractice. Ajay Sharma’s contract with the club in London is slated to end in September. But the bureau did not disclose whether it would make efforts to get him here for examination earlier than that. A videotape produced by tehelka.com with help from Manoj Prabhakar, the man responsible for bringing match-fixing scandal in India to the fore, had shown former wicketkeeper Kiran More, cricketer-turned-commentator Ravi Shastri, his wife Ritu and a Lucknow-based chit-fund operator taking Ajay Sharma’s name as a key figure in the match-fixing scandal. Shastri had alleged that the former Delhi captain was present on certain destinations abroad during Indian team’s visit even though he was not part of the team. Citing an instance, Shastri said during a tour to Sri Lanka, Ajay Sharma boarded the same aircraft by which the Indian team travelled and when questioned, the former Delhi middle-order bat did not give any reason for his presence there. In the videotape, Kiran
More said he failed to understand why Ajay Sharma was
retained in the team for a whole one year after a poor
performance overseas. |
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NEW DELHI, May 30 (PTI) — Mystery over the “missing tapes”, allegedly containing conversation between some cricketers and bookies, deepened as the Mumbai crime branch has denied possessing anything of this sort to the CBI even as a senior police officer admitted having the record of the conversation during the 1997 Titan Cup. The tapes were sought by the CBI, which is probing the match fixing allegations, but according to Mumbai crime branch sources, the police communicated to the probe agency that they were not having any tapes. However, the reply was a surprise to the CBI as the then Additional Commissioner of Police (north-west zone) in Mumbai Mr Rakesh Maria, had said in a secretly filmed conversation for a website that Mumbai police was in possession of tapes of a conversation between some bookies. When asked what happened
to the tapes, Mr Maria said: “It is here. It is
match-fixing.” Maria also confirmed that the voices
had come clearly in these tapes. However, he regretted
that the case was not followed up professionally.
“One did not believe it... ki yeh ho sakta hai (that
it can happen). And that’s probably the mistake that
we made, that I rushed into it like a cricketer more than
as a police officer, ki nahi ho sakta (this cannot be
happening).” |
CBI examines bookies in Mumbai NEW DELHI, May 30 (PTI) — The CBI has examined some bookies in Mumbai in connection with the match-fixing scandal, agency sources said here today. The sources said the bookies were identified during the investigations carried out by various other agencies including Delhi police. The agency’s special crime branch unit in the metropolis examined these bookies and recorded their statements, the sources said. The agency managed to find out names of some bookies and their chain which is alleged to be operating from Mumbai, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi. Delhi police sources have said some top bookies from Mumbai were involved in the scandal and police was zeroing in on them. It is believed that the name of former Indian cricketer, who is at present abroad, has surfaced during such investigations, the sources said. They said the agency was gathering more evidence before making a move to question the Delhi batsman. Meanwhile, the agency has received a communication from Mumbai police that it was not in possession of taped conversation relating to the scandal as mentioned in the media. The agency, meanwhile, has begun examining the transcripts available on a website of players and other board officials and video taped secretly by former cricketer Manoj Prabhakar, the sources said here. The transcripts of noted cricket commentator Narottum Puri, former Indian cricket team manager Ajit Wadekar, master batsman of yesteryears Sunil Gavaskar, former cricketers Navjot Singh Sidhu and Kiran More and senior Maharashtra police officer Rakesh Maria were being examined by the agency, the sources said. Referring to the
deposition of former allrounder Manoj Prabhakar before
the agency, the sources said the agency was probing all
aspects. |
Match-fixing row turns into streetfight NEW DELHI, May 30 (IANS) — Any lingering notion that cricket is still a gentleman’s game seems to have been put to rest with the media slugfest between Kapil Dev and Manoj Prabhakar which has reduced the match-fixing row to the level of a no-holds-barred street brawl. A debate is now under way over the ethics of the two gladiators, who have made it clear that they intend to fight it out until only one is left standing. Prabhakar fired the latest volley on Saturday when he unveiled an explosive video, ‘Fallen Heroes — The Inside Story of a Nation Betrayed,’ in which he played undercover cop by secretly filming conversations he had with cricketers and cricket administrators on match-fixing. “I would be annoyed if somebody did this to me on the sly,” former cricket captain Mansur Ali Khan ‘Tiger’ Pataudi told IANS in New Delhi. It was up to Prabhakar to judge whether what he did was “legal, ethical or morally correct,” Pataudi said. Former Test batsman Arun Lal told IANS in Calcutta that Prabhakar’s tactic was “definitely unethical,” but “in some cases such means can be justifiable. Whether this is one such case or not, that is for the people to decide.” Prabhakar said after unveiling the video that he knew he would be “friendless in cricket after this.” The former allrounder, who has alleged that Kapil offered him a Rs. 2.5 million bribe to under-perform in a one-day match years ago, added, “I have not done all this because I am against a particular person...I owed it to the game.” Prabhakar said he had to “get into the muck to clean it.” Whatever be the motives, Prabhakar’s attempt at muck-raking journalism exposed him immediately to charges of unfair play, not that he is a stranger to such allegations. Ethical questions apart, he risks being sued for defamation, breach of trust and invasion of privacy of the individuals he interviewed. Former allrounder Ravi Shastri said he was disappointed that a fellow cricketer came to him “wired up” and Prashant Vaidya, another ex-team-mate Prabhakar has named as a witness to Kapil’s alleged bribe offer, screamed that he had been betrayed. The video showed cricketers, administrators, a police commissioner and a former tax official engaged in mud-slinging. No concrete proof of Prabhakar’s charge against Kapil emerged, but ‘Fallen Heroes’ was an illuminating testimony to the depths cricket has sunk. The video, produced by Internet portal firm tehelka.com, was unveiled days after Prabhakar and Kapil held separate Press conferences in which they traded charges and counter-charges. In a display of machismo, Kapil had threatened to give Prabhakar “one tight slap” if they came face to face and said he had decided to play hard in the manner he played his cricket. Some of his utterances could have come from the script of a B-grade Bollywood action film. Prabhakar, not the most popular man around, said he had helped make the video to vindicate his allegation of match-fixing. In the war of words between Kapil and Prabhakar, it is the image of cricket that is feeling the heat. “I am not interested in what a cricketer is doing or is saying about the other. My main concern is the game. Today, I am worried about people talking more about match-fixing than the game. It is the game which is suffering ultimately and nobody is thinking about it,” lamented Pataudi. Former Test batsman Ashok Malhotra said, “This (the tape) has proved that the system is rotten to the core. I don’t know what to say. This is shocking to say the least.” Veteran Test cricketer
Pankaj Roy is aghast. “This is so shameful. I
don’t know what to say,” said Roy, adding he
doubted if cricket could still be called the
gentleman’s game. |
|
PARIS, May 30 (Reuters) — It was a new stadium but the same old result as Pete Sampras made another early exit from the French Open, surrendering in five sets to Australia’s Mark Philippoussis. While it was only the second time in 11 visits to Roland Garros that Sampras had been bundled out in the opening round, his early departure was not a shock — his poor results on clay in the build-up to Paris offered hints of an upset. Yet it was a dejected Sampras who walked away from the rebuilt court central knowing he had squandered another opportunity at claiming the only Grand Slam title to elude him. “I turn 29 this year, the years are going,” said Sampras, following the 4-6 7-5 7-6 4-6 8-6 defeat. “I see myself playing this game for a lot of years but certainly every year the French goes by and I don’t win here, it’s one opportunity missed.” “I’ll be back next year and every year that I’m playing this game.” “You want to at least get yourself into contention and the last couple of years I haven’t even made the second week.” The dominant tennis player of the last decade — with 12 Grand Slam and 62 tournament titles to his credit — Sampras has never found his comfort zone on the Parisian clay. Despite a season interrupted by a string of injuries, Sampras arrived in Paris talking confidently of collecting a record 13th major crown. His best performance at Roland Garros had come in 1996 when he reached the semifinals, having played only two clay court matches in the build-up — losing both. But two days of rain and cool temperatures combined with blustery winds yesterday to make an already difficult task even tougher. “I certainly haven’t had the breaks in this event over the years,” said Sampras, who had performed only marginally better in the previous two years, faltering in the second round. “I’m disappointed, down on myself.” “I felt like my game was there today. But it will be frustrating flying home tomorrow. It’s unfortunate that I’m out.” “There’s never been a question in my mind that I can’t play well here. One year hopefully I’ll get those breaks.” In recent years the fates have not been kind to Sampras and appeared against the American even before the first serve was struck, when he was drawn against hard-hitting Philippousis in the opening round. The Australian, with his booming serve on target, kept the pressure on Sampras throughout the match, pounding 23 aces past the American. “You know it’s
a tough draw to play Mark in the first round but
that’s the way the draw goes,” said Sampras,
who will now turn his attention to Wimbledon. “It
was a very close match and could have gone either way. |
Hockey
coaching camp in June CHANDIGARH, May 30 — Host state Punjab is marching ahead with its preparation for the 2000 National Games. This was announced here today by Mr M.S. Bhullar, Chairman of the Punjab Contingent Preparatory Committee. He said all details relating to the conduct of coaching camps for preparation of the state contingent for the National Games had been finalised in consultation with the State Sports Associations concerned. The first phase of the coaching camp would start in June in eight sports disciplines — archery, athletics, badminton, cycling, golf, hockey (women), kabaddi and rowing. Camps in other games would be conducted later keeping in view various domestic tournaments in which the state teams will have to participate. In fact coaching-cum-competitive exposure is being given to the teams so as to reach peak form near the National Games. Since Punjab is hosting the National Games after a lapse of over four decades, it is aiming to top the medals tally. Therefore, the coaching camps have been planned in a more systematic and methodical manner, Mr Bhullar disclosed. He added that while in the preliminary camp, which would a sort of conditioning camp, all the prospective sportspersons had been enrolled to attend, the process of elimination would commence from the subsequent camps and in the final camp only the actual participants with permissible reserves would undergo intensive training under the expert coaching and guidance of the best available coaches in the state. Efforts were also being made to obtain the services of experts from outside the state as well in certain games, where the state’s expertise was lacking. In this connection, Mr Bhullar mentioned that Olympians and former-internationals in the state had volunteered to visit the camps and give their valuable advice and guidance. Such an assurance had been given by the them to the Punjab Chief Minister recently. Their presence at the camps would encourage and boost the morale of the campers. While thanking the state government for extending financial and other assistance in the shape of equipment and coaches for the coaching camps, Mr Bhullar requested the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to sanction enhanced diet allowance for the campers and also honour the medallists who brought laurels to the state in the last National Games held in Manipur. Mr Bhullar stated that while Punjab secured second position in the overall medal tally in the first National Games held in Delhi in 1985, they were relegated to the fifth position in the two subsequent games held in Kerala (1987) and Maharashtra (1994) but regained the second position in the next games held in Karnataka (1997). However, in the last National Games held in Manipur last year, Punjab could not retain the position although the state won a record number of medals. They finished behind Manipur and Kerala. The National Games are
scheduled to be held from November 18 to 29 in Ludhiana,
Jalandhar, Patiala, Anandpur Sahib and the state capital
Chandigarh. |
Anu,
Vaneet win TT meet JALANDHAR, May 30 — The final day proved to be a day of upsets in the first Punjab Ranking Table Tennis Championship which concluded here at Hans Raj Stadium complex. In the women’s singles Anu of Jalandhar caused a major upset in the semifinal defeating top-seeded Shikha Ghai of Amritsar in straight games 22-20, 21-15. In the final of the women’s singles, Anu then outclassed second-seeded Rajni Gupta of P and T in a one-sided match 21-15, 24-22. In the men’s section fourth-seeded Vaneet Chopra of State Bank of Patiala caused a major upset thrashing current Punjab champion and top-seeded Ravi Chandran of NIS Patiala in straight games 21-17, 21-19, 21-18. In the final he overcame Vikramdhitya of PSEB 18-21, 21-19, 21-18, 21-14. Final results: Women’s singles (quarter final): Shikha Ghai (Asr) b Navdeep (Asr) 21-19, 21-18; Anu (Jal) b Samriti (Asr) 21-15, 21-14; Rajni Gupta (Asr) b Rajni Verma (Jal) 18-21, 22-20, 21-19; Mandakni (Asr) b Ravneet (Ropar) 21-19, 21-18; Semifinals: Anu (Jal) b Shikha Ghai (Asr) 22-20, 21-15; Rajni Gupta (Asr) b Mandakni (Asr) 21-13, 21-14; final: Anu (Jal) b Rajni Gupta (Asr) 21-15, 24-22. Men’s singles (quarterfinal): Ravi Chandran (NIS) b Ajay Thukral (Custom) 19-21, 21-19, 20-22, 24-22, 21-19; Vaneet Chopra (SBOP) b Dhiraj Arora (Asr) 21-18, 21-17, 26-21, 21-15; Janak Raj (PSEB) b Munish Bhardwaj (Jal) 21-15, 18-21, 21-19, 20-22, 22-20; Vikramadhitya (PSEB) b Vikas Sharma 21-13, 21-19, 21-15; semifinals: Vaneet Chopra (SBOP) b Ravi Chandran (NIS) 21-17, 21-19, 21-19; Vikramadhitya (PSEB) b Janak Raj (PSEB) 18-21, 21-18, 21-19, 22-20; final: Vaneet Chopra (SBOP) b Vikramadhitya (PSEB) 18-21, 21-19, 21-18. Junior girls (U-17): semifinal: Meenakshi (Jal) b Hardeep (Jal) 21-15, 21-16; Rishu (Jal) b Reetika (Ropar) 21-17, 21-18; Final: Rishu (Jal) b Meenakshi (Jal) 22-20, 22-20. Junior Boys (U-17) final: Sumit Bahrai (Jal) b Rohit Mahajan (Asr) Sub-junior boys (U-14) semifinals: Ratish (Asr) b Robin Singh (Pta); Randeep (Pta) b Chander Shekhar; final: Randeep (Pta) b Ratish (Asr); sub-junior girls (U-14) final: Manisha (Pta) b Reetika (Rpr) Cadet girls (U-12) semifinals: Saloni Kaushal (Jal) b Jaswinder Kaur (Ropar) 21-14, 21-17; Reetu (Jal) b Ankita (Pta) 21-14, 21-14; finals: Saloni Kaushal (Jal) b Reetu (Jal) 21-14, 21-16. Cadet boys (U-12)
semifinals: Kamaljit (Pta) b Kamal (Asr) 21-14, 21-14;
Manish Saini (Pta) b Rohit (Asr) 21-13, 21-10; finals:
Munish Saini (Pta) b Kamaljit (Pta) 21-18, 22-20. |
Ronaldo hopes to play by year-end RIO DE JANEIRO, May 30 (Reuters) — Injured Brazil international Ronaldo is aiming to play again by the end of the year. “The doctors have said I could be back eight months after the operation and that is what I am aiming for,” he told a news conference. Ronaldo tore the tendon in his right knee in an attempted comeback match for serie A side Inter Milan on April 12. It was his first game since sustaining a similar injury six months earlier. Responding to a battery of questions about his recovery programme yesterday, Ronaldo said: “I have to admit that I was really down for about two weeks after suffering the injury.” “I was asking myself whether I might have been at fault in some way.” But he insisted he had never questioned his future in the game. “everyone faces problems in their life or their careers but it is knowing how to overcome them that holds the key to real greatness.” Ronaldo, who underwent surgery in Paris last month, said he was aiming for complete rest during his three months in Brazil and was looking forward to spending a lot of time with his baby son Ronald. The only break from this routine will be monthly visits to France for specialist treatment. “All I need now is the patience to allow myself to recover in my own time,” said Ronaldo. He said his doctors were
pleased with the beginning of the healing process after
the operation. He is undergoing daily physiotherapy. |
Isha
beats Karishma NEW DELHI, May 30 — Isha Lakhani maintained her good work to join the top three seeds in the semifinal line-up of the ITF Women’s Masters Tennis Tournament at the Delhi Tennis Association courts here today. Isha Lakhani, who had scalped fourth-seeded Shalini Thakur yesterday, was in irrepressible form as she breezed past Karishma Patel 6-0, 6-3 while top seed Sonal Phadke took the measure of Srichanya Thiyagarajan 6-0, 6-4. It looked like a cakewalk for Phadke, but Srichanya showed more aggression in the second set, to slightly delay the inevitable. Phadke meets Lakhani in what looks like an interesting semifinal clash. Like Phadke,
second-seeded Megha Vakharia too had to encounter some
unexpected resistance from Yamini Thaukkaindi before
triumphing 6-0,6-4 while Archana Venkataraman played
steady tennis to outsmart Radhika Mandke 6-4, 6-1. |
Surinder
Vohra dead CHANDIGARH, May 30 — The doyen of Chandigarh hockey, Mr Surinder N. Vohra, is no more. He died within15 minutes of his admission to the PGI this morning as he had been on dialysis for the past six months. He was 77. Mr Surinder Vohra, who had been virtually single-handedly running the Chandigarh Hockey Association, was its secretary for more than two decades. Besides, he was also a vice-president of the Chandigarh Olympic Association. Mr Surinder Vohra was also a member of the previous general house of the Chandigarh Sports Council. It was he who initiated the idea of starting Rock Rovers Club, one of the oldest hockey clubs of the region. Most of the top players of northern India, including players like Surjit Singh, Ajit Pal Singh, Baldev Singh, Sukhvir Grewal, Pargat Singh, Gurdishpal Singh, Hardeep Singh Grewal, Jagdeep Singh Gill, Devinder Singh Benepal, Jagtar Singh, Col Raminder Singh, Narinder Sodhi, Devinder Kumar, Sukhbir Gill and several others, have played for Rock Rovers at one time or the other. It was Mr Vohra who pioneered the idea of starting the All-India Gurmit Memorial Hockey Tournament to commemorate the memory of one of the alumnus of Rock Rovers. This tournament has grown in its stature and repute and has become grade I tournament which features top teams of the country. The tournament has already completed its silver jubilee. His ill health notwithstanding, Mr Vohra was physically present on the playfield. Some weeks back he rang up this correspondent to inform him about the death of the mother of an international hockey umpire, Harbans Singh, at Faridkot. A close associate of Dr Dharam Singh (Olympian), Dr B.L. Gupta (of Panjab University), and Mr Tarlochan Singh Bawa, Mr Vohra had a big team of volunteers who stood by him and helped him in carrying out all activities of both the Chandigarh Hockey Association, Rock Rovers Club and the All-India Gurmit Hockey Tournament. Prominent members of this committee besides the two veteran Olympians are Mr Sodhi (father of Narinder Sodhi), Mr B.M. Singh, besides some youngsters, including Mr Rajinder Gandhi and Mr Satinder Sharma and players like Puran Singh and Surjit Singh. He always drew his big support from his family, including his younger brother, a former international hockey umpire, Yash Vohra, and son, Anil Vohra. Besides, he always depended on Gurdishpal Singh, Sukhvir Singh Grewal, “pandits” of Chandigarh hockey, coach Jasbir Singh and a few others for taking Chandigarh to the national and international map with a record number of talented youngsters. As the news of his death
spread, there was a gloom in sports circles in general
and hockey circles in particular. He was cremated in the
evening. A large number of hockey players, officials and
others joined the funeral procession. |
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