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| Wednesday, June 21, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Ali
Bacher to step down?
Belgian challenge ends at first
hurdle |
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Harneet shocks top seed
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CAPE TOWN, June 20 (PTI) — On the eve of the cross-examination of Hansie Cronje, who has announced his withdrawal from representative cricket having admitted to accepting bribes, there is speculation that the country’s cricket chief, Dr Ali Bacher, may also step down. The cross-examination of the disgraced South African captain, originally scheduled to be done today, was put off by a day with the postponement of the proceedings of the King Commission of Inquiry into cricket match-fixing to tomorrow. The postponement was to allow the high court here to decide whether the proceedings should be open to the electronic media. The application, moved by national broadcaster SABC and a private TV station E-TV, argued that it was the constitutional right of South Africans to know the truth about cricket match-fixing. They said the print media did not reach millions of South Africans in the rural areas of the country. So far only the testimony of the cricket chief, Dr Ali Bacher, and Cronje have been televised live and broadcast on radio. In his cross-examination now scheduled to begin tomorrow, Cronje is expected to be questioned about various aspects of his testimony including his allegation that former Indian skipper Mohammed Azharuddin had introduced him to a bookmaker during a tour to India in 1996. Azharuddin rejected the allegations as “rubbish” and said he would sue Cronje for defamation. Meanwhile, speculation here is that Dr Bacher may step down from his post as the United Cricket Board Managing Director within the next few months in view of all the pressures he has come under in the match-fixing saga. This is the view of one of the country’s top cricket commentators, Mr Gerald de Kock, who was interviewed on national radio today. Mr De Kock was asked about Dr Bacher’s future in the light of the allegations against him that he had fixed a match during the rebel tours by a West Indies team to South Africa in the early eighties. He has also been sharply criticised by India for claiming during his testimony to the King Commission that the match between India and Pakistan in last year’s World Cup in England was fixed. Mr De Kock said Dr Bacher had been in the game for a long time but recently he had come under a great deal of pressure following disclosures in March that Cronje had been involved in match-fixing. Mr De Kock believed that Dr Bacher might not remain to oversee South Africa hosting the World Cup in 2003. Dr Bacher has not responded to the speculations, so far. Cronje and his failures continue to be a topic for debate and discussion in this country where he was regarded as sporting icon. The country feels let down by him but there are voices pleading compassion for him. Columnist Mark Smit wrote in the ‘Business Day’ of Johannesburg: “Here was this kid from Bloemfontein, educated in the carefully controlled quadrangles of Grey College and rounded off on the equally cloistered campuses of Free State University”. With the fanatical adulation of his fans, the admiration of the entire cricket world and the fawning compliance of the United Cricket Board, Smit said: “It was inevitable he became arrogant. He began to think he was all-powerful”. “When he tried to keep his conscience and his paymasters happy, taking money for promised deeds he would not perform, he found he could not get away with it and the pressure grew to breaking point,” the columnist said. “It is so easy for so many to get on to the pulput and make high-minded judgements, but does it help?” Smit asked and went on “this hypocrisy has done little more than goad those with a glimmering of sympathy for Cronje’s plight to come to his defence”. He said much still had to come out of the King Commission, much might still be revealed of Cronje’s wrongdoing but, at this stage, “instinct says that will not happen — that he will be shown to be a naive, often arrogant boy who got mixed up in a game he could not control”. “Instinct says here is a man not thoroughly rotten, merely human like the rest of us and exposed to greater temptations than any of us could imagine.” “Now he feels desperate, ashamed and contrite — unlike many of us.” Asking for leniency for the disgraced captain, Smit argued that Cronje could make a contribution. He could be sent out to do community service for five years — coaching poor kids in the townships without payment. He could be banned from earning income from cricket and cricket-related activities for a period of time. “After that,
however, he should be allowed to return to society and
make a contribution to the game he graced for so long,
before he disgraced it,” Smit added. |
Belgian challenge ends at first hurdle BRUSSELS, June 20 (AFP) — Hakan Sukur struck both goals as Turkey reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2000 with a 2-0 win over Belgium that eliminated the co-hosts at the first hurdle. If Sukur was the hero of the night then Belgium goalkeeper Filip De Wilde proved the villain by giving Sukur his first goal and then being sent off in the closing stages for a wild challenge on Turkey’s Arif Erdem. In the other group B match Italy defeated Sweden 2-1 to remain 100 per cent and ensure Sweden finished bottom of the group. But while Dino Zoff’s men deservedly win the pool with a likely meeting with England in the quarter-finals, Turkey will face Portugal in the last eight — the first time the country traditionally regarded as the gateway between Europe and Asia has made it to the second phase of a major competition. The 2-1 defeat by Italy had seen Okan Buruk score their first goal at this level while the dull 0-0 draw with Sweden had seen the Turks win their first point. Yesterday’s triumph was their first victory, earning Turkey a place in the latter stages and coming just a month after Galatasaray won the UEFA Cup, the first triumph at European level for a Turkish club. Turkey coach Mustafa Denizli was jubilant. “There is not much I can say about a victory like this. All Turks must recognise this first success for our country,” said Denizli in an apparent dig at the critics who have berated him during Euro 2000.” “Now we are playing in the quarter-finals against Portugal who have been the best team in this tournament so far and we must see what we can put right.” Sukur, who has agreed to join Inter Milan from Galatasaray after the tournament, was the architect of the victory with two pieces of predatory finishing. The first came in injury time at the end of the first period with De Wilde being the culprit. Turkey punted an aimless looking ball into the Belgian area but ‘Red Devils’ skipper Lorenzo Staelens and De Wilde hesitated. Sukur was decisive, however, and nipped in ahead of the goalkeeper and watched his header cross the line to give Turkey an interval lead. It was an awful clanger from De Wilde who also presented Sweden’s Johan Mjallby with a goal in the tournament’s opening match with an even more spectacular bungle. His second was another classic striker’s goal for a player known in Istanbul as the ‘Bull of the Bosphorus’. Suat Kaya sprung the Belgian offside trap and squared the ball to Sukur whose close-range shot soared into the roof of the net. The goal was greeted by silence from the Belgian fans but jubilation by a sizeable Turkish contingent in the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels. Another rush of blood from De Wilde also proved costly to the Belgians when a rash sortie from his box allowed Arif Erdem to get round him with De Wilde crudely fouling the player. A red card from Austrian referee Gunter Benko, who had replaced injured Dane Kim Milton Nielsen, was inevitable and Eric Deflandre took over in the Belgian goal. A stricken Arif was carried off on a stretcher. Disappointed Belgium coach Robert Waseige lamented: “It’s a pity but the results show we weren’t able to qualify. “However, we played some good football and we were a little unlucky but you have to accept it as the results show. It’s difficult to take though.” “My feelings were positive in the early stages and thought that we could win.” “Four players weren’t 100 per cent fit but we needed an early goal and then conceded a silly goal in injury time (in the first half). “One man could have been our hero tonight but (Emile) Mpenza missed the chances and De Wilde made a silly error.” Meanwhile, at Eindhoven Alessandro Del Piero scored a superb winner as they beat Sweden 2-1 to complete a hat-trick of wins in group B at Euro 2000. Italy had already qualified for the quarter-finals, but Del Piero’s strike for what was a reserve side kept up Italy’s 100 per cent record after wins over Turkey and Belgium, and also dumped the Swedes out of the competition. Zoff had made eight changes to the 11 who beat Belgium — retaining only goalkeeper Francesco Toldo, skipper Paolo Maldini and fellow defender Mark Iuliano. Maldini, meanwhile picked up a left knee injury and had to leave shortly before half-time. The extent of the injury was not immediately known. But although the performance was not up to their earlier mark, Italy stuck to their successful formula at Euro 2000 by soaking up pressure and then producing two clinical finishes to kill off the encounter at the Philips Stadion. Inter Milan midfielder Luigi Di Biagio opened the scoring with a header six minutes from the break, but striker Henrik Larsson replied for Sweden with a well-taken equaliser in the 77th minute. “It was important for us to win this match,” said Zoff. “We have remained in the winning habit. It’s good for morale and confidence. Now we are in the quarter-finals.” His Swedish counterpart
Tommy Soderberg blamed failings earlier in the tournament
for his side’s failure to progress. |
Win greeted with muted joy ISTANBUL, June 20 (Reuters) — Somewhat surprised to find their team in the final eight of European football, Turkey’s response to victory over Belgium has been muted in comparison to the euphoria sparked by Galatasaray’s UEFA Cup success. Newspapers today naturally hailed the 2-0 win over Euro 2000 co-host’s Belgium as a historic step that took Turkish players to the quarterfinals of a European Championships for the first time. “A historical victory”, blared the front-page banner headline in the Milliyet newspaper. ‘We have put our signature on the biggest victory in history. With Hakan Sukur’s two goals, we opened the door to the quarterfinals.” In Belgium, the post-match revelry was marred by violence. Local youths described by witnesses as Turkish fans attacked a restaurant used by English fans, hurling paving stones through windows and injuring some customers. Tension has simmered between the two groups since two Leeds United fans were stabbed to death by Galatasaray fans in April. But the streets of the political capital Ankara and footballing capital Istanbul were quiet after yesterday night’s match, with only isolated groups of revellers celebrating for TV cameras in search of wider scenes of jubilation. Those same streets and squares were heaving last month when Istanbul side Galatasaray played their way to a UEFA Cup victory. The national team has struggled to draw support in a country where club loyalties are stronger and more passionate. An early loss against Italy and a dire draw with Sweden were hardly likely to excite viewers back in Turkey. Newspapers had attacked coach Mustafa Denizli for his team selection, blamed the referee for the loss against Italy and set the scene for an early exit from the tournament. Such lack of confidence has clearly scarred Turkey’s training camp. “After the first two matches we were the target of unjustified criticism... before the Turkish people I now declare those who did this as pitiless traitors to their country,” newspapers quoted striker Hakan Sukur as saying. Denizli too enjoyed proving the critics wrong. “Those who criticised the team and myself forgot we had an open return ticket home,” he said. Galatasaray’s Sukur scored both goals in the defeat of Belgium, the first time a host nation has been eliminated in the group stage of the competition. It was the first time Turkey has beaten Belgium in the five matches they have played in the last 43 years. The Turkish Football
Federation is now considering increasing its $3 million
bonus for the team for reaching the quarterfinals. |
Slovenia in race for last 8 berth ARNHEM, July 20 (AFP) — Euro 2000 outsiders Norway and Slovenia have punched above their weight at Euro 2000, and both enter their final group C match here today with chances of qualifying. Yugoslavia and Spain, who play at the same time in Bruges, Belgium can also both reach the quarter-finals in a pool which might take a mathematician to work it out. Slovenia’s only hope is for them to beat Norway and for Yugoslavia to beat Spain. Spain will go through if they beat Yugoslavia, a draw would be good enough if Norway lose to Slovenia, but a loss would mean they exit from the competition. Yugoslavia need a point to ensure qualification and a draw would be good enough for Norway as long as Spain do not beat Yugoslavia. Norway coach Nils Johan Semb and Slovenian opposite number Srecko Katanec will not be sitting around with pads and pencils working out the possibilities. Winning is the best option for both teams playing in this European Championship finals for the first time. Norway’s injured Henning Berg will miss the match while several other players picked up knocks in the bruising battle with Yugoslavia in Liege, Belgium on Sunday. Slovenia’s skipper Darko Milanic will be suspended for the match after picking up two yellow cards. Star player Zlatko Zahovic may be joint top scorer in Euro 2000 with three goals but he was not a happy man after the Spain debacle. “I am disappointed,” said Zahovic. “We were as good as Spain. Sometimes we are lacking in concentration but we are not used to playing against the big teams”. “But I do not care about being top of the goalscorers standings. The important thing is the team. I am only thinking about Euro 2000 and we will see afterwards about my future”. Slovenia looked set to cause a shock upset in their opening match against neighbours Yugoslavia when they led 3-0 with two goals from Zahovic and another by Miran Pavlin. Yugoslavia hit back to amazingly score three goals in seven minutes - two from Savo Milosevic and another by Ljubinko Drulovic, leaving Slovenia to hang on for the draw in a nerve-jangling final quarter-hour. In Slovenia’s other game in Amsterdam on Sunday, a fourth-minute strike from Raul gave Spain, who would have been eliminated if they had lost this match with the smallest country ever to play at this level, the perfect start. After 58 minutes Zahovic squared the match with his third goal of the tournament. But just two minutes later Joseba Etxeberria hit back for Spain with what proved to be the winning goal after good work by Gaizka Mendieta. Norway got their campaign on track with an impressive 1-0 opening win against Spain in Rotterdam, Netherlands, yesterday with a score from Steffen Iversen midway through second half. They lost by the same score to Yugoslavia in Liege, Belgium on Sunday, however, when Milosevic, tournament joint top-scorer with Zahovic, scored in the eighth minute. This is Slovenia’s
first appearance in a major football finals since they
broke away from Yugoslavia in the turmoil of the early
1990’s. |
India to play at Sharjah: Lele DUBAI, June 20 (UNI) — The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that the Indian team will participate in a triangular one-day series in Sharjah in October, setting at rest doubts about its participation in all tournaments at neutral venues. Gulf News quoted BCCI secretary J.Y. Lele as saying that there was no danger to the Sharjah tournament. “we will be going to Sharjah... In fact, we have already signed a contract with them confirming our participation in the tournament,” he told the newspaper. Doubts over whether India would take part in the Sharjah tournament from October 20 to 27, also featuring Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, arose after they pulled out of the three-nation Singapore tourney and turned down an invitation to play in a tournament in Dubai in September. India have also rejected an offer from the England and Wales Cricket Board to play a three-match series in England in September. However, India have so far not pulled out of the Sahara Cup matches against Pakistan in Toronto during September though there were doubts whether the Indian government would sanction the tour, the daily said. There has also been pressure on the BCCI not to take part in off-shore tourney’s organised by non-Test playing countries. The newspaper said it was also understood that with the CBI conducting an indepth investigation into the match-fixing scandal, the BCCI did not want to put forward any proposal to the government for permission for tours abroad. Meanwhile, Mr Lele was
also quoted as saying that the board would not take a
decision immediately on whether Indian team coach Kapil
Dev and Azharuddin, who have been alleged to be involved
in match-fixing, should step down from the team. |
Mankad rallies to beat Sikanov NEW DELHI, June 20 — Second-seeded Harsh Mankad showed remarkable fighting ability as he pulled himself back from one set and 2-4 games down to pip Alexendre Sikanov of Russia 1-6,7-6 (7-5),6-3 in two hours and 38 minutes in a first round match of the $ 6250 third leg ITF Men’s Satellite Tennis Circuit at the Delhi Tennis Association courts here today. In a tie full of breaks, Harsh Mankad was simply overtaken by his Russian rival in the first set, as after holding his serve in the first game, his play cracked up and he could not get into his groove despite making a determined effort. Mankad continued to flounder in the second set too, as he was broken in the fourth and sixth games, and Sikanov led 4-2, despite dropping his own serve in the third game. When he was slipping into the abyss, Mankad gathered his forces to hit back, and with some solid returns and down the line winners, he broke his Russian opponent in the seventh and 11th games to take the fight into tie-breaker as he himself was broken yet again in the 12th game. In the tie-breaker, Mankad held his nerves, and serves, to emerge triumphant. The third set was as error-prone as the first two, but this time, the Russian was far too erratic. Though Mankad broke Sikanov in the second game to lead 2-0, the Indian youngster could not hold serve in the third game, as he committed two double faults. But he broke back in the fourth, and again forced the Russian to part with his serve in the sixth game to take a decisive 5-1 lead, and though Mankad was broken in the seventh game, he had by then ensured his victory. In another battle of
wits, wild card Vikrant Chadha and Kedar Shah slugged it
out for two hours and 39 minutes before the latter
coasted to victory at 6-4, 6-7 (6-8), 7-6. Another wild
card, Kamala Kannan too gave Mustafa Ghouse a run for his
money as he engaged Ghouse for two hours before bowing
out at 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 2-6. Ghouse, after losing the
first set, was down 2-4 in the second, but he hit back,
and saved three match points to level the score at 5-5,
and thereafter, did not back. |
India jrs thrash Pakistan JAMSHEDPUR, June 20 (PTI) - A determined India exploited a sloppy defence to spank Pakistan 6-0 in their inaugural group-4 league match of the ninth Asian Junior (under-16) Football Championship at the JRD Sports Complex here today. The Indian forwards pierced through the rival defence with ease to begin their campaign in style in what turned out to be a totally one-sided affair. Striker Rahim Navi fired in two goals while TFA-recruit Malswam Tulunga, Captain Amjad Ali Khan, Khan Abdul Rouf, Zaiful Houzel chipped in with a goal each to complete the tally. The hosts turned on the heat from the word go as they launched a series of raids from both the flanks to take the lead as early as the 10th minute of the contest. Forward Malswam Tulunga put the home team in the lead as he gently tapped the ball in from close range following a measured pass from Avinash Thapa with none of the Pakistani defenders in position. India consolidated their position five minutes later with the hard-working Rahim Navi finding the target with a brilliant field goal much to the delight of the spectators. Leading 2-0 at the interval, India attacked with renewed vigour in the second session to keep the pressure on their hapless opponents who found it difficult to match their superior rivals in speed and skills. India scored the third goal shortly after the break when Captain Amjad Ali Khan converted a penalty without much fuss. The penalty was awarded after Pakistani defender Mohammed Arif brought down India’s Zuram Chanagaroum. Five minutes later, forward Khan Abdul Rouf brought the spotlight on himself by producing a lovely field goal to give the home team a comfortable 4-0 lead. A curling freekick by
Zaiful Houzel gave the hosts the fifth goal in the 13th
minute of the second half while Rahim Navi struck his
second goal 15 minutes before the long whistle to provide
the finishing touch to the rout. India dominated the
proceedings right through and could have won by a much
bigger margin had their forwards not frittered away a few
gilt-edged opportunities. |
Harneet shocks top seed CHANDIGARH, June 20 — Unseeded Harneet Singh of Chandigarh created a flutter when he shocked top seed Somdeep Appineni of Andhra Pradesh in a pre-quarterfinal match in the under-14 boys section, while fourth seed Neha Singh of Chandigarh was beaten by Parul Goswami of Delhi in straight sets in the under-14 girls section on the second day of the AITA junior tennis tournament being played here at CLTA Courts, Sector 10. However Neha had the consolation of winning her other pre-quarterfinal tie in the under-16 section, where she got the better of Spandena of Andhra Pradesh in straight sets. In the boys under-14 Section, second seed Keshav Narsimhan was upset by unseeded Rupesh Roy of West Bengal. City led Tushar Liberhan went down fighting to Rishi Behl of Maharashtra in an under-16. Results (pre-quarterfinals): U-16: (girls) — Priyanka Parekh (WB) b Mallika Malhotra (Chd) 6-2, 6-1; Parul Goswami (Dli) b Anjani Kant (Dli) 6-4, 6-2; Oormila Ram (AP) b Aeshita Dwivedi (Dli) 6-1 6-1, 6-2; Neha Singh (Chd) b Spandena (AP) 6-1, 6-3; P. Megha (AP) b K. Pooja (AP) 6-3; Sanna Bhambri (Dli) b Sanya Judge (Chd) 6-1, 6-0; Ankita Bhambri (Dli) b Bhavani Trimurthi (Dli) 6-0, 6-1; Kartika Bhat (Mah) b Sandri Gangotri (AP) 6-3, 0-6, 6-4. Boys: Dhrub Kumar (WB) b S.Kishore (TN) 6-3, 6-2; Chhatwinder (TN) b P.Vikas (AP) 6-3, 6-4, 6-1; Anshuman Dutta (Asm) b Wrik Ganguly (Dli) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2; Saurabh Kohli (Mah) b Somdev Verma (TN) 1-6, 6-0, 6-2; Kshitij Swivedi (dli) b Indera Kumar (MP) 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4; Nehal (Mah) b Varun Walia (TN) 7-6(7), 7-6(4). U-14: Girls: Saana Bhambri (Dli) b Hiragi Mukhi 6-0, 6-1; Naina Karsolia (UP) b Divya Vijay 6-3, 6-3; Kartiki Bhat (Mah) b Bhavani (Dli) 6-1, 6-0; K.Pooja b P. Megha (AP) 7-5, 6-2; Oormila Ram (AP) b Simmer Kaur (Chd) 6-4, 6-2; Parul Goswami (Dli) b Neha Singh (Chd) 6-4, 6-2; Sandri Gangotri (AP) b Anjani Kant (Dli) 6-0, 6-4; Ankita Bhambri (Dli) b Shubhneet Sandhu (Pb) 6-0, 6-2. Boys- Harneet Singh (Chd) b Somdeep Appineni (AP) 6-1, 6-1; Anshuman Dutta (Asm) b Sanam K. Singh (Chd) 6-1, 6-2; Yuvraj Chaudhary (Chd) b S.Bose (WB) 6-2, 6-3; Ajay Selvaraj (TN) b J.Vishnu 6-4, 6-0; Tushar Liberhan (Chd) b K. Arjun 6-3, 6-3; M. Vinod (TN) b Jitin Bishnoi (Har) 6-3, 7-5; Ardaman Sidhu (Chd) b Sumit Prakash 6-0, 6-1; Rupesh Roy (WB) b K. Narsimhan (Mah) 6-1, 6-7 (6), 7-6(9).
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Cabinet’s
nod
for holding Asiad NEW DELHI, June 20 — The Union Cabinet today approved the holding of the XVth Asian Games in New Delhi in 2006 if the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) succeeds in getting the bid. The government also decided to issue the letter of guarantee to (i) support the bid of New Delhi to hold the games, (ii) free entry to delegates of all participating countries, and (iii) that the games will be organised in accordance with the fundamental principles, objectives, rules and regulations of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). The government also approved in principle to bear the expenditure necessary after taking into account the money expected to be generated from the games for setting up of infrastructure, purchase of equipment, conduct of the games, and construction of an “Asian Games village”. India had hosted the
inaugural Asian Games in New Delhi in 1951 in which 11
countries had taken part. The games lasted eight days.
India’s second turn to host the games came after a
long wait of 31 years in 1982 in which 33 countries
participated in 23 disciplines. |
Grapplers
selected HISAR, June 20 —
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has selected 26
grapplers, including eight women, to represent India in
the World Junior (Greco-Roman, freestyle and women)
Wrestling Championship to be held in Nantes, France from
July 2 to 9, according to a spokesman of the WFI here
yesterday. |
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