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| Tuesday,
October 3, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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India clash with
minnows Kenya IT ‘appraisal report’
next month 73 athletes, 48 officials for one bronze New powers rise in gymnastics Fortune awaits Thai
boxing champ |
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South African probe
hearing delayed
Chinese media
hails success Henry’s goal sinks United Cairns back in squad Bad weather cause of defeat: Ramandeep Punjab Police, PSB in title clash
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India clash with minnows Kenya NAIROBI, Oct 2 (Reuters) — Shane Warne will be the most famous of a number of the world’s top players missing when all 10 Test-playing nations plus Kenya compete in the ICC knock-out trophy which begins tomorrow. A knee injury has robbed the world champions of leg spinner Warne’s many talents. Other absentees, including banned former South African captain Hansie Cronje, have been linked to allegations of match-fixing. Despite Warne’s absence, Australia, with a formidable limited overs pedigree, will start as favourites. They have a bye to the quarter-finals where they are likely to face India. India, who meet host nation Kenya in the tournament’s opening match, will be without two former captains in Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja. They have been questioned by federal investigators following a match-fixing scandal triggered last April when Delhi police accused Cronje of corruption. India captain Sourav Ganguly said the tournament was a chance for the world to look at cricket for the right reasons. “We had a directive from the board to leave players out so we’ve done that,” he said. “Nothing is bigger than the game. No individual is bigger than the game.” Pakistan, beaten by Australia in the 1999 World Cup final, and South Africa are fancied to do well and England, in buoyant mood after a successful summer in which they beat both West Indies and Zimbabwe, have in captain Nasser Hussain’s words “turned a corner”. They will be without opener Nick Knight and left-arm pace bowler Alan Mullally, both injured, but will be looking to hard-hitting opener Marcus Trescothick to continue the exciting form he showed during his first taste of international cricket in the summer. West Indies, with just five of the 17 players who toured England in their squad, will be something of an unknown quantity. Their new faces are batsman Azemul Haniff, all-rounder Marlon Samuels and pace bowlers Kerry Jeremy and Colin Stuart. West Indies face a difficult opening match against 1996 World Cup winners Sri Lanka on Wednesday. |
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IT ‘appraisal report’ next month NEW DELHI, Oct 2 (PTI) — Income Tax authorities hope to complete by next month their “appraisal report” on the raids carried out at the official and residential premises of leading cricketers, administrators and bookies in July last. Highly-placed IT sources said the report was being compiled after recording statements from all those raided during the nation-wide swoop on July 20. The sources said several top cricketers and bookies were questioned by the IT officials and all of them were being confronted with the documents seized from their residences. They said after the completion of the report, individual notices would be sent to persons to file in their block returns to the authorities. The players, administrators and bookies would also be given time to reply to the notices sent by the IT department. The sources said after these players and other persons submit their reply to the IT department, the taxmen would prepare the final assessment report and ask them to pay tax at the rate of 60 per cent of their undisclosed income. However, if any of the players or administrators still do not disclose all the income, a penalty of 100 to 300 per cent can be levied besides recommending them for prosecution, the sources said. The sources claimed that several cricket players had not filed the Income Tax returns for some years while one former Test cricketer had not filed a single tax return so far. The IT sources said the cricket players would have to explain all “unusual deposits and withdrawals” from their bank accounts. Besides this, the players would have to explain every expenditure made in foreign countries in purchase of costly items. |
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73 athletes, 48 officials for one bronze SYDNEY, Oct 2 — Ethiopia, one of the developing countries of Africa, sent a squad of 31 athletes to the first Olympic Games of the new millennium and returned home with 10 medals. Accompanying the Ethiopian athletes were 17 officials. India, on the other hand, sent 73 athletes and 48 officials to the Games and returned home with a bronze medal. The overall figures said that there were 11,116 athletes and 7,978 officials accompanying them to the Games meaning thereby that on an average there were nearly two officials for every three athletes in the Olympic Games. Though the ratio of athletes to officials in case of India was higher than the average, yet what has raised many an eyebrow in sports circles, both at home and here, are a very large army of Indian officials who were in Sydney at public expense. Whether their jaunts to Sydney were directly financed by the federal or state governments or their public sector undertakings or may be academically or publically debatable but the immediate cause of concern back home would be the net performance of the country at the Olympic Games . Let us talk about officials financed by the Union Government. These included a delegation of the Union Ministry of Sports, including some senior functionaries of the Sports Authority of India. Then many states and union territories also fully or partially sponsored trips of their senior sports functionaries to the Games. Chandigarh and Haryana figure in the list which sent some officials to the Games. From Haryana, the list of delegates to the games reportedly financed by the state Olympic association or the State Sports Associations was eight. Hockey was one sport which saw many connected with the administration of the game in the country in Sydney. Besides the IHF President, Mr KPS Gill; Secretary-General, Mr K. Jothikumaran; Treasurer, Mr J. Tyagi of Meerut; besides Mr Krishan Mack, Mr Subramanium and Mr Satish Sharma — all IHF officials based in New Delhi — were also there in Sydney. Then presidents of eight state hockey associations, including Punjab and Chandigarh, were also in Sydney. Some of the former international hockey players, including Dr Vace Paes, Mr Gurbux Singh, Mr Surinder Singh Sodhi and Mr Jude Felix were also present at Sydney. Pargat Singh was there as a member of the Executive Board of the Federation of International Hockey. Looking at the total number of officials present at Sydney, it must be more than 200. Fortyeight officials accompanied the Indian contingent and stayed in the Olympic village. Others stayed outside. How many of these officials will submit their reports to the Union Government, respective state governments, the state Olympic associations or the state sports associations remains to be seen. The past experience shows that either no reports are submitted or even if these are submitted, they are very superficial and hollow and have no meaningful substance in them. |
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SYDNEY, Oct 2 (AFP) — Andreea Raducan became a gold-medal sacrifice to Olympic doping control in a display of foolishness that became the defining moment of gymnastics at the Sydney games. The Romanian teen’s pixie-like charm, Svetlana Khorkina’s beauty and grace under pressure and the all-around skill of six-medal winner Alexei Nemov were overshadowed by Raducan being the first Olympic gymnastics doping positive. Raducan tested positive for pseudo-ephedrine she ingested when given a cold remedy by a team doctor. He was banished from the 2002 Winter Games and 2004 Athens Olympics. For taking faulty advice, Raducan lost her young life’s dream. She would have been the first Romanian gymnast to win Olympic all-around gold since her idol Nadia Comaneci captured the hearts of the world and a perfect 10 in 1976 at Montreal. The honor instead went to Simona Amanar. And the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dashed her hoped of a successful appeal, finally settling the matter on Thursday. Raducan was allowed to keep her team gold and vault silver medals, small consolation as her 17th birthday looms on Saturday with her greatest gift stolen. “It’s just dreadful,” Australian gymnastics federation chief executive Jane Allen said. “She’s totally in the hands of her team officials and doctor and there’s been some horrible, horrible, mistake and now her whole success and career has just gone down a hole”. There was glory and tragedy in gymnastics competition as well. Russia’s Khorkina, who at 17 posed topless in Playboy, repeated 1999 falls that cost Russia team gold and herself the all-around lead. This time, the spills came in her speciality, the uneven bars, where she owned Olympic and world titles. It was discovered in the all-around event that the vaulting horse was 2 cm too low, which Khorkina blamed for her landing on her knees in all-around, depressing her before her uneven bars fall. But Khorkina, a darling of the Olympic’s American internet set, found golden redemption by defending her uneven bars crown. Russia’s Nemov captured the men’s all-around crown on his way to being the top medal winner for the second Olympics in a row. Nemov also won gold on the horizontal bar, silver on floor exercise and bronzes in team, pommel horse and parallel bars. “Thank God it turned out like this”, Nemov said. “I would have been happy with one gold medal. But this is great. We’re going to have a banquet and I’m going to drink as much champagne as I can”. The most heartbreaking men’s tale was that of Ivan Ivankov. The 24-year-old from Belarus missed the 1996 Olympics with an achilles tendon tear two weeks before the Atlanta games. He stumbled landing the first tumbling run of his Olympic debut and went on to struggle through qualifying, be a disappointment in all-around and leave without a medal after posing in gold body paint on a Sports Illustrated cover. The only Olympic tribute he received was from his friend Nemov. “I’m very proud, very lucky, I have a friend like that, “Nemov said. “He has not broken down. He has performed to the end, no matter what. I was sad he went away without a medal. He deserved a medal. He was just plain unlucky. I know that it was his life’s dream”. China’s medal total of seven was far behind Russia and Romania, but it included the nation’s first team gold medal in any sport for the men and individual gold for Li Xiaopeng on parallel bars and Liu Xuan on the balance beam. “As far as the gymnastics team is concerned, this is our best performance at the Olympics, “Liu said. “We were up to the challenge. I believe that next generation of gymnasts will be even better”. That’s because a new group is coming to replace veterans like Liu (21), and athletes are being taught how to handle the pressure of performing at the Olympics. “Chinese athletes have trained for all the difficulties we might face and we were well prepared mentally for all the events we might face at the Olympics”, Liu said. “All our team has performed well”. Other nations made breakthroughs at Sydney. Latvia’s Igors Vihrovs won floor gold for his nation’s first gymnastics medal. Gervasio Deferr won the vault for Spain’s first gymnastics medal. South Korea’s Lee Joo-Hyung took silver on parallel bars and bronze on the horizontal bar and served notice his nation can be a threat as well. “The fact I didn’t win, I feel disappointed”, Lee said. “But I have no regrets. I have my best performance. This time Korea, for the first time, maybe could have won a gold medal in gymnastics. Maybe at the next Olympics, someone else can have that achievement”. |
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Fortune awaits Thai
boxing champ SYDNEY, Oct 2 (AFP) — Wijan Ponlid will receive more than half million US dollars to ensure he boxes on to Athens after his gold medal triumph for Thailand at the Olympics here yesterday. The 24-year-old policeman from Suhkhothai became Thailand’s new sporting hero with his emphatic 19-12 points victory over world champion Bulat Jumadilov of Kazakhstan in the flyweight final. It was Thailand’s second gold medal in Olympic boxing following featherweight Somluck Kamsing’s euphoric victory at Atlanta four years ago. And just as Thai supporters feted Somluck in Atlanta for winning Thailand’s first Olympic gold in 44 years, they were just as ecstatic, waving their national flags and chanting his name, as Wijan was acclaimed the champion. In a victory that will make Wijan a wealthy national hero as much as it did for Somluck, Wijan held aloft a framed photo of King Bhumibol in the ring with the red, white and blue Thai flag draped around his shoulders. Thailand’s Sports Minister Jurin Laksanawisit, watching the fight here, said Wijan was expected to receive 20 million baht (around half million US dollars) from the government and private and boxing sources. |
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South African probe hearing delayed CAPE TOWN, Oct 2 (AFP) — The King Commission inquiry into corruption in South African cricket, due to resume today, was postponed to allow the state prosecutor to sift through evidence obtained in India, an official said. State prosecutor Shamila Batohi was due to have talks in Cape Town today aimed at setting a date for the resumption of the inquiry, commission secretary John Bacon said. Mr Bacon said it was hoped the hearings would resume next week but conceded that logistical problems could lead to a further delay of about a week. Ms Batohi was due to arrive in Capte Town today and spend the week sifting evidence and planning the second session of the commission, established after allegations of match-fixing against axed captain Hansie Cronje. Ms Batohi returned to South Africa on September 23 after a week-long visit to India where she tried to acquire tapes of conversations allegedly linking Cronje to a bookmaker. She and investigator Geoff Edwards met with officials of India’s Central Bureau of Investigations who are probing match-fixing charges against some of India’s cricketing stars. But they came up against legal hurdles in their bid to obtain the full tapes of conversations between Cronje and London-based Sanjeev Chawla. Ms Batohi has not revealed what she obtained in India. The first hearings of the King Commission in June led to a confession by Cronje that he had taken money from bookmakers several times during his five-year captaincy of the South African team. He also involved fellow national players Herschelle Gibbs and Henry Williams in a conspiracy to under-perform in a one-day international in Nagpur, India, in March. Gibbs and Williams were both suspended from international cricket for six months and fined by the United Cricket Board of South Africa. |
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Sampras ties
knot with Wilson LOS ANGELES, Oct 2 (AP) — Tennis champion Pete Sampras, a longtime singles specialist, is now playing the doubles game. Sampras married actress Brigette Wilson at his Beverly Hills home on Saturday. The couple got engaged on May 29 after Sampras was beaten in the first round of the French Open. The 26-year-old bride walked down the aisle in a Vera Wang gown and over $ 400,000 worth of diamond jewellery, according to a statement from the Diamond Information Centre, publicists for Fred Leighton, the jeweller who provided the jewellery. Wilson was Miss Teen USA in 1990. Her film credits include “Last Action Hero”, in which she played Arnold Schwarzenegger’s daughter, the teen scream flick “I Know What You Did Last Summer” and “Billy Madison”. She also appeared on the soap opera “Santa Barbara”. |
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PALERMO (Italy), Oct 2 (AFP) — Belgium’s 104th world-ranked Olivier Rochus won the ATP tournament beating Italian Diego
Nargiso, 246th in the world, in two sets 7-6 (16/14), 6-1. The 19-year-old
Nargiso, a doubles specialist, started well, leading 3-1 before 19-year-old Rochus fought back to 5-3 though Nargiso levelled at 5-5. Rochus finally won the 15-minute tie-break 16-14. “I knew whoever won the first set would win the match. I was unlucky as Rochus was saved by the net twice, but he didn’t steal this victory,” said a sporting
Nargiso. In the second set, the Belgian really found his best return of service and hit his own serves to a good length to easily win 6-1. “I was a bit tense at first but I loosened up and played rather well. Nargiso often had me in difficulties but today I really had my return of serve nailed down,” said
Rochus. LUXEMBOURG: Jennifer Capriati of the USA beat Bulgaria’s Magdalena Maleeva 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 to win the $ 170,000 WTA event here on Monday. Third seed Capriati started nervously and although she had cramp towards the end of the match managed to beat the seventh seed in nearly an hour and a half’s
play. Capriati made the most of the elimination of top seed Nathalie Tauziat of France in the first round and Russia’s second seed Anna Kournikova in the semifinals. It was Capriati’s first tour victory of the year and eighth WTA tour win, not including her 1992 Olympic singles title. TOKYO:
The 1999 US Open junior champion Lina Krasnoroutskaya got off to a winning start by beating Rita Grande of Italy at the $535,000 Princess Cup tennis tournament here on Monday. The 16-year-old Russian high school student, the youngest player here, fired an array of service return winners to chalk up a 4-0 lead on her way to a 6-3, 6-4 victory. “I’m very happy, because it was my first match I won since
june, so I’m through the first round,” said Krasnoroutskaya, whose double-fisted angled backhand shots were a basis of her 68-minute
victory. Krasnoroutskaya, also the winner of the 1999 Italian Open junior title, made a debut in a main draw on the WTA Tour in September last year at Luxembourg, where she reached the semifinals. This season, she reached the second round twice and third round once, while losing in the first round in the other six events where she made a main draw. In the second round, Krasnoroutskaya will play either Jelena Dokic of Australia, eighth seed, or Meghann Shaughnessy of the USA. American fifth seed Amy Frazier powered past Fabiola Zuluaga of Colombia 6-2, 6-1, while Angeles Montolio of Spain edged past American Lilia Osterloh 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (11/9) to set up a meeting with Frazier. |
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Media slams Susanthika after bombshell COLOMBO, Oct 2 (AFP) — Sri Lanka’s state-run media today slammed the island’s controversial Olympic medal-winning sprinter Susanthika Jayasinghe accusing her of trying to disown her motherland. The government-controlled Daily News said Jayasinghe had been talking out of turn at a press conference which the paper said had been called “to fete the gold medallist Marion Jones.” The government-run paper said Jayasinghe had reportedly said: “Find me another country.” “If she is disowning her native land now, after winning a bronze medal as a Sri Lankan, then why did she wrap the Sri Lankan flag round her body and dance around the Sydney arena in jubilation,” she said. The front page comment came a day after privately-run newspapers here carried remarks from Jayasinghe accusing Sri Lanka’s Sports Minister of trying to force her to have sex with him. For the first time since a sexual scandal broke out after Jayasinghe won silver in the 1997 Athens world championships, she named the minister as being her “sexual tormentor,” press reports said yesterday. There has been no reaction from the sports ministry or the government to the allegations, which until Jayasinghe’s latest public remark were disguised as innuendo. “It was trouble for me, including doping and sexual harassment after I won the world championship in 1997,” she was quoted as saying in the local Sunday Times. The minister ... the big guy... he wants sex with me, but I refused. I have a husband”. The remarks came as Sports Minister S B Dissanayake issued a congratulatory message to Jayasinghe and the government announced a scholarship for her for further athletic training. The Sunday Times launched a scathing attack on Sri Lanka’s sports ministry for the way it had mistreated Jayasinghe in the run up to the Olympics and demoralised her with statements that she would never do well. The Times said Sri Lanka’s chef-de-mission had tried to disqualify Jayasinghe just before the event and the paper called for tough disciplinary aciton against him. “This official should be censured forthwith for his utterances obviously propelled by a burning desire to stooge the VIPs who have persecuted Susanthika Jayasinghe,” the Times said. Jayasinghe’s political bombshell came ahead of key parliamentary elections on October 10. The private Sunday Island newspaper supported Jayasinghe while slamming the government. “Though memories may be short, all the people have not forgotten those insults heaped on Susanthika not so long ago like that infamous remark by a political VIP (in the present government) who likened her to black African male,” the Sunday Island said. “The intent (of the VIP) was to insult although the question that naturally arises is what is wrong in being a black African,” the Island said. The Sunday Times predicated that there may not be a repeat of the victory lap between Sports Minister S B Dissanayake and the athlete following her silver medal victory in 1997. Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake criticised Jayasinghe for sporting a “yellow ribbon” symbolising a campaign at home to demand a free and fair election at the October 10 parliamentary polls. He said at a public rally in the southern town of Hambantota that she could have beaten Marion Jones to the gold if she had not worn the band. “What is the Prime Minister’s problem about the yellow ribbons,” asked the Sunday Island newspaper. “It is merely a statement by committed people that they want a proper election.” Jayasinghe’s bronze in the women’s 200 metres goes down in history books here as the country’s first Olympic medal since Duncan White won silver in the 400 metre men’s hurdles at the 1948 London games. |
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Chinese media
hails success BEIJING, Oct 2 (AFP) — As China’s athletes returned from their best showing yet in the Olympic Games, the official media on Monday hailed their record harvest of medals as inspiration for Beijing’s bid to host the 2008 games. “The Motherland is proud of you,” chirped the Communist party organ, the People’s Daily, in a front page editorial that deemed China’s record 28 golds, 16 silvers and 15 bronzes “a generous gift for (October 1) national day and a strong testimony for a vigorous China.” At the just completed Sydney games, China made its largest haul yet of the golds and other medals, coming in behind the USA and Russia and just ahead of hosts Australia. The talk on Beijing streets and in bars and restaurants was all of the success of China’s Olympic team, while taxi drivers and shop assistants eagerly engaged foreigners over the triumphs of their Olympians. “Who would ever have thought that we would have won so many gold medals and nearly surpassed Russia,” one taxi driver exclaimed. Flags with Beijing’s 2008 games logo were carried by thousands of Chinese flocking to the city center during the ongoing seven-day holiday. |
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LONDON, Oct 2 (AFP) — French international Thierry Henry’s wonder-strike on the half-hour gave Arsenal a 1-0 victory over champions Manchester United at Highbury — the Old Trafford club’s first defeat of the season. Manchester United’s loss yesterday means Leicester stay top of the premiership after they battled to earn a 0-0 draw at Sunderland — their sixth clean sheet this season. Leicester top the table on 16 points, with Manchester United a point behind after eight games of the campaign. Elsewhere strugglers Chelsea dented Liverpool’s title challenge with a convincing 3-0 home win. Just after the half-hour Henry fired Arsenal ahead with a quite sensational strike following a free-kick for a foul on Freddy Ljungberg which brought David Beckham a booking. Silvinho touched the free-kick to Gilles Grimandi, who spotted Henry on the edge of the box. The striker swivelled and shot in one superb fluid movement and lofted the ball over French Euro 2000 colleague Fabien Barthez into the far corner of the net. Barthez then nearly handed Arsenal a second goal, belting the ball against the body of Nwankwo Kanu who was hopefully pursuing a back-pass to the keeper. Luckily for Manchester United the ball bounced to safety. But Henry was beginning to frighten Manchester United with his electric pace and he flashed past Dennis Irwin to set up Silvinho whose precise low cross looked a certainty for Dennis Bergkamp only for the Dutchman to scuff his shot wide through a crowd of players. Manchester United’s attacks had lost their earlier purpose and Tony Adams and Martin Keown were heading away hopeful crosses. After Irwin desperately wrestled Henry down at the other end Barthez was fully extended to push away Silvinho’s curling free-kick before Manchester United finally mounted a more meaningful threat through Cole who hit a 20-yard drive with plenty of power but saw it spiral over Seaman’s crossbar. A scintillating move nearly put Manchester United back on terms two minutes into the second half. Andy Cole got the better of Adams and slipped the ball to Teddy Sheringham who in turn set up Ryan Giggs for a rasping drive which Arsenal keeper David Seaman stretched to save. At Stamford Bridge Chelsea broke the deadlock after 10 minutes thanks to an error by Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld. The Dutch, under pressure from Chelsea captain Dennis Wise, attempted to punch clear an Gianfranco Zola’s inswinging corner but failed. A minute later Chelsea unlocked the Liverpool defence to increase their lead. After a jinking run by Zola, Icelandic international Eidur Gudjohnsen found plenty of space on the right wing before laying the ball off for strike partner Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink who slotted his fourth goal of the season. Michael Owen almost hauled Liverpool back into the game after 20 minutes but his shot was palmed away by Chelsea goalkeeper Ed de Goey. Chelsea dominated the closing stages of the first half and almost added a third through Hasselbaink but his stooping header from Graeme Le Saux’s left-wing cross sailed over Westerveld’s crossbar. But German international Dietmar Hamman came closer just before the interval but his rasping shot flew inches wide of De Goey’s left upright. |
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WELLINGTON, Oct 2 (Reuters) —
All-rounder Chris Cairns has been named in the New Zealand squad for the icc trophy Knock-Out tournament in Kenya starting tomorrow. A knee injury forced Cairns out of the one-day series against Zimbabwe, won by the home team 2-1 after Cairns helped New Zealand to a 2-0 win in the Test series. Fellow all-rounder Dion Nash has been sent home for assessment and treatment of an injured back. Left-arm pace bowler Geoff Allott and wicketkeeper/batsman Chris Nevin return to the squad after missing the Zimbabwe one-day series with injuries. New Zealand squad: Stephen Fleming (captain), Chris Cairns, Craig Spearman, Chris Nevin, Nathan Astle, Roger Twose, Craig McMillan, Adam Parore, Chris Harris, Scott Styris, Glen Sulzberger, Paul Wiseman, Geoff Allott, Shayne O’Connor. |
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Bad
weather cause of defeat: Ramandeep LUDHIANA, Oct 2 — “Inhospitable weather was the main reason for India losing the crucial match and a medal in hockey at Sydney Olympics” Ramandeep Singh, captain of the Indian team, said on his return from Sydney here today. He was of the view that the Indian team was very strong, but the players were not used to playing in rainy weather. India lost to Poland as the match was played when it was raining, he added. He also attributed the defeat to biased umpiring. Ramandeep lamented that the umpiring was biased especially in the matches versus South Korea and Poland. The players of South Korea and Poland tried to physically upset rhythm of the Indian players. But the umpires did not caution them. “There was no specific strategy to be defensive at the last moments of the match against Great Britain. We lost the match because we could not hold the ball in the last moments,” he stated. On being asked about his future plans, he said: “I am not sure weather I will play in the next Olympics or not”. However, he said, he would play in the forthcoming National Games. Ramandeep further stated: “I need some time to come out of depression and then I will decided about my future”. |
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Punjab Police, PSB in title clash CHANDIGARH, Oct 2 — A battle royale is on the cards as arch rivals Punjab Police and Punjab and Sind Bank lock horns in the final of the 30th SN Vohra All-India Gurmit Memorial Hockey Tournament at the Sector 18 hockey stadium here tomorrow. In the semifinals played today, both Punjab and Sind Bank and Punjab Police chalked out identical 2-1 wins over Border Security Force and Rail Coach Factory, respectively, to set up the title clash in the prestigious grade 'A' tournament . The victories today were certainly not cakewalks for the finalists who were made to struggle by the rivals. The finalists, in
fact, were in arrears early on and had to mobilise all their resources to wipe out the deficits and then emerge on top towards the end. BSF, who finished runners-up last year, did put up a brave fight. After a series of unsuccessful raids, the security men from Jalandhar took the lead four minutes from the breather when M.Tirkey capitalised on a penalty corner to shoot home. Punjab and Sind Bank missed the services of playmaker Baljit Singh Saini who did duty in the Sydney Olympics. However, in his absence former Olympian Sanjeev Kumar took the bulk of the load and inspired his team to yet another victory after scoring the match winner in the quarterfinal against Central Industrial Security Force yesterday. The equaliser for the bank men came a minute before the breather when they were awarded a penalty corner. Following the
hit, a goalmouth melee ensued and taking advantage of the prevailing confusion,Parminder
shot home. The BSF players seemed agitated and even staged a walkout protesting against the decision as they felt that the ball had not been stopped properly following the short corner. However, better sense prevailed and the match resumed after a brief interruption. In the second half, Punjab and Sind Bank clinched the issue when they were awarded another penalty corner. Following Sanjeev's push, Tejbir shot home to make it 2-1.In the dying
minutes, the two sides got a couple of opportunities to score but the moves proved abortive. The second semifinal saw Punjab Police going into arrears in the 19th minute when M. Ekka's unsuccessful bid was followed up by Satwant's stunning hit which sailed into the goalmouth leaving the Punjab Police custodian perplexed. Punjab Police also missed the services of experienced midfielder Ramandeep Singh and star forward Baljit Singh Dhillon who played for India in the Sydney Olympics. Nevertheless, Baljit's brother Daljit spearheaded the attack with former Olympian Jagdev Singh providing the back-up support. The equaliser for Punjab Police came in the 32nd minute when, following a short corner
hit, the ball struck a rival defender's body which led to the award of a penalty stroke. Daljit Dhillon cooly placed the ball in the net to restore parity. The second half witnessed a spate of penalty corners which all went
waste. In the 59th minute RCF's M. Ekka missed a sitter when a through pass caught him unawares although he was in a one-to-one
situation with the goalkeeper. Eventually, with only one minute to go for the final
hooter, a move by Daljit Dhillon culminated in Kulbir's successful attempt when he made full use of a melee to place the ball in the net (2-1). The final will be played at 3p.m. tomorrow. |
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