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| Saturday, December 9, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Zimbabwe triumph in nail-biting finish Chopra,
Das dropped Sachin Tendulkar plays a shot during the third one-day match against Zimbabwe in Jodhpur on Friday. — Reuters photo Giles restricts Pakistan Further probe will reveal more: Irani |
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Anand gets ready to meet Khalifman We paid the price for fame: Becker Randhawa, Johl share 4th spot LPGA Tour announces rich schedule Railways, CRPF win; PSB hold Indian Oil Netherlands ‘team of
the year’ Vanita wins in 1500 m Sports festival concludes Punjab cops in semis Unemployment
allowance sought
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Zimbabwe triumph in nail-biting finish JODHPUR, Dec 8 (UNI) — Zimbabwe beat India by the barest of margins, one wicket and with just one ball to spare, in the tantalisingly close third one-dayer of the Pepsi series here at the Barkatullah Stadium today. Needing 284 to win in 50 overs, Zimbabwe’s number eleven Henry Olonga lifted Indian pacer Ajit Agarkar for a single over the mid on the penultimate delivery of the match to give a win to his team amidst some tense scenes. Zimbabwe now trail the series 1-2 with two more matches still to be played. Even though the visitors were chasing an imposing Indian total of 283 for eight, built around opener Sachin Tendulkar’s 27th ODI century and
tailender Zaheer Khan’s last-over heroics in which he smote Olonga for four sixers, they never lost any hope despite the fall of three early wickets. Zimbabwe owed their win to the Flower brothers, Andy and Grant, who added 158 runs for the fourth wicket. Later, skipper Heath Streak and Mluleki Nkala used the long handle to good effect and caught the complacent Indians off-guard. Andy Flower, who has been having a wonderful time with the bat in the series, top scored with a fine 77 while Grant made 70. Streak’s 23 and Nkala’s 36 only hastened India’s end. Zimbabwe needed just three runs to win off the final over sent down by Agarkar. Agarkar bowled two dot balls before an overthrow helped Nkala get two runs and tie the scores. A ball later, he was run out by wicketkeeper Vijay Dahiya. The next ball, Agarkar clean bowled newcomer Bryan Strang and with only a run needed in two balls, Indian skipper Saurav Ganguly brought all his fielders in the 30-yard circle to put pressure on Olonga but the Zimbabwean was upto it, hitting Agarkar for the winning run. Grant Flower, who was also the best of the Zimbabwean bowlers, getting three for 43, was declared the Man of the Match. For the Indians, Venkatesh Prasad picked up three but was expensive, giving away 61 runs. Earlier, Tendulkar hit 15 fours and two towering sixes in a magnificient display of strokeplay as he single-handedly steered India out of the mid-over crisis. Tendulkar scored 146 before his miscued flick off Zimbabwean skipper Heath Streak ended straight into the fine-leg fielder Mluleki Nkala’s hands. Zaheer, coming in at the fall of Tendulkar’s wicket, the eighth of the innings, used the long handle to amazing effect and hit four sixes, three of them off consecutive deliveries, in the last over of the innings bowled by Zimbabwe pacer Henry Olonga. That over produced as many as 26 runs as India picked up 56 runs in the final five overs. Tendulkar and Zaheer’s efforts were the shining grace in an otherwise complacent Indian batting effort but India’s total was always going to be difficult for Zimbabwe to chase on a wicket which was progressively becoming slower and slower, not facilitating stroke play in the latter part of the day. Soon after skipper Saurav Ganguly, who won the toss and elected to bat first, fell cheaply in the morning, Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid flayed the Zimbabwe attack, adding 114 runs for the second wicket in quick time. This left the Zimbabweans confused and they didn’t know where to bowl to the rampaging Indians. Dravid played the waiting game as Tendulkar punished the Zimbabwean attack. Tendulkar, who scored two successive hundreds in the Test series, reached his half century in just 37 balls and had hit seven fours and two sixes, one each of pacers Trevis Friend and Henry Olonga till then. India raced to 102 for one in the first 15 overs and at that time, it looked as if it was going to be an easy outing for their batsmen. Dravid scored 30 before he was caught at short fine leg by Gavin Rennie off the bowling of left-arm spinner Grant Flower. After his departure, Indian wickets fell in a heap as the young trio of Yuvraj Singh, Hemang Badani and Reetinder Sodhi gifted away their wickets, helping Zimbabwe claw their way back in to the game. The Indian scoring rate was also dipping but Tendulkar and allrounder Sunil Joshi hit some lusty blows to help India get out of the mess. Tendulkar first got to his century and then launched an assualt on the Zimbabwe bowling, upping the Indian run rate. Joshi too showed his aggressive intents right at the beginning and hit two boundaries and a huge straight-driven six to score a run-a-ball 25 before he was stumped by Andy Flower off his brother Grant. A tiring Tendulkar too fell soon but tailenders Agarkar and Zaheer hit slogged amazingly in the last few overs. The Indian total swelled as Zaheer kept hitting Olonga into the stands. Fittingly, he sent the last ball of the innings in to the stands over the long on. Scoreboard: India: Tendulkar c Nkala b Streak 146 Dravid c Rennie b G. Flower 30 Y. Singh c and b G. Flower 5 Badani run out 1 Sodhi c G. Flower b Strang 4 Joshi st A. Flower b G. Flower 25 Dahiya b Streak 3 Agarkar not out 13 Khan not out 32 Extras: (b-1, lb-8, w-10)19 Total (for 8 wkts, 50 overs) 283 Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-136, 3-148, 4-149, 5-163, 6-220, 7-227, 8-235 Bowling: Friend 7-0-33-0, Strang 10-0-40-2, Olonga 4-0-53-0, Streak 8-0-50-2, Nkala 10-0-44-0, G. Flower 10-0-43-3, Rennie 1-0-11-0. Zimbabwe: Campbell c Dahiya b Zaheer 24 Whittall c Badani b Prasad 6 Carlisle c Dahiya b Prasad 12 A. Flower c Dahiya b Tendulkar77 G. Flower c Yuvraj b Prasad 70 Rennie run out 0 Streak c Yuvraj b Joshi 23 Nkala run out 36 Strang not out 6 Friend b Agarkar 0 Olonga not out 1 Extras: (b-5, lb-7, w-13, nb-4) 29 Total: (for 9 wkts, 49.5 overs) 284 Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-32, 3-52, 4-210, 5-211, 6-214, 7-258, 8-283, 9-283 Bowling: Zaheer 10-1-45-1, Prasad 10-1-61-3, Agarkar 9.5-1-45-1, Joshi 10-0-58-1, Sodhi 2-0-11-0, Tendulkar 6-0-35-1, Ganguly 2-0-17-0. |
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Bowlers let us down, says Ganguly JODHPUR, Dec 8 (PTI) — Skipper Saurav Ganguly today blamed “poor bowling” for Indian team’s defeat in a nail-biting finish to the third one-day international against Zimbabwe and commended Flower brothers Andy and Grant saying “they took the match away from us.” “After putting up a fairly big total, we thought we had them on the backfoot. But we bowled pretty badly to hand over the initiative,” Ganguly said in his post-match comments. The Indian captain was all praise for the Flower brothers who put on 158 runs for the fourth wicket after the tourists were slumped to 52 for three. “They (Andy and Grant) took the match away from us,” said Ganguly. “Having reduced them to 52 for three, we thought it was our match but bowlers let us down,” said a dejected Ganguly. Mluleki Nkala, who hammered 36 runs before being run out, also came in for special mention from Ganguly who said the knock “shifted the balance towards Zimbabweans.” Ganguly said Indian would bounce back in the remaining two games. Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak attributed his side’s victory to the feats of Flowers brothers and opener Alistair Campbell. Streak said Flower brothers’ partnership provided anchorage to their innings and it was opener Alistair Campbell (24) “who got us off to a flying start”. “After we were three wickets down, Andy and Grant built up the innings and at the end everyone chipped in,” Streak said adding it was the contribution of Grant Flower, who claimed three wickets in Indian innings, in the morning which also weighed in. “Despite a poor start, Grant put us back in the game. I hope we all keep going in the same vein in the remaining series. “It’s been a while,” Streak said of the win over India. “Boys showed spirit and stamina in overhauling the big Indian total.” |
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Chopra, Das dropped
JODHPUR, Dec 8 (PTI) — Nikhil Chopra, who is yet to be investigated by cricket board’s watchdog K. Madhavan in connection with the betting and match-fixing scandal, has been dropped from the Indian team for the remaining two one-day internationals at Kanpur and Rajkot. Orissa’s Shiv Sunder Das, who batted with character in the Test series, but was not considered for the three one-dayers, has also been left out of the 14-member team announced today. Delhi’s middle-order batsman and useful off-spinner Virender Sehwag came in place of Das while seasoned Ashish Kapoor replaced Chopra in the only two changes made in the Indian team. Team: Saurav Ganguly (capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Hemang Badani, S. Sriram, Reetinder Singh Sodhi, Vijay Dahiya, Virender Sehwag, Sunil Joshi, Zaheer Khan Ajit Agarkar, Venkatesh Prasad, Ashish
Kapoor. |
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Giles restricts Pakistan KARACHI, Dec 8 (Reuters) — Captain Nasser Hussain enjoyed a welcome change of luck as England progressed to 79 for one at the close of the second day in reply to Pakistan’s 405 in the third and final test today. Slow left-armer Ashley Giles undid Pakistan in the morning session with four wickets and finished with four for 94 off a marathon 35 overs. Paceman Darren Gough was rewarded for his hard work on a placid track with three for 82 as Pakistan added a disappointing 113 to their overnight 292 for three on the second day. Inzamam-ul-Haq, 123 not out overnight, finished with 142 and Yousuf Youhana (104 overnight) was out for 117 after the two added 259 for the fourth wicket. Hussain, victim of two dubious dismissal decisions in the drawn second Test in Faisalabad, survived a good chance of a catch after edging a delivery from leg-spinner Danish Kaneria between wicketkeeper Moin Khan and first slip Saeed Anwar. Hussain progressed to 13 not out after the scare while second wicket partner Mike Atherton reached 43. They had put on 50. Marcus Trescothick was Pakistan’s first victim as England began their reply on the second day. The opener was snapped up by Imran Nazir off paceman Waqar Younis for 13. The first two Tests were drawn. Scoreboard: Pakistan
(Ist) innings: (overnight 292-3) Anwar lbw b Gough 8 Nazir c Giles b Trescothick 20 Elahi b Caddick 28 Inzamam c Trescothick b White 142 Youhana c & b Giles 117 Razzaq c Hussain b Giles 21 Moin c Hick b Giles 13 Afridi b Giles 10 Saqlain b Gough 16 Waqar b Gough 17 Kaneria not out 0 Extras: (b-3 lb-3 nb-7) 13 Total: (139.4 overs) 405 Fall of wickets: 1-8 2-44 3-64 4-323 5-325 6-340 7-359 8-374 9-402 Bowling: Gough 27.4-5-82-3 (nb3), Caddick 23-1-76-1 (nb2), Trescothick 14-1-34-1 (nb2), White 22-3-64-1, Salisbury 18-3-49-0, Giles 35-7-94-4. England (Ist) innings: Atherton not out 43 Trescothick c Nazir b Waqar 13 Hussain not out 13 Extras: (lb-1 nb-9) 10 Total: (for one wicket, 34 overs) 79 Fall of wicket: 1-29 Bowling (to date): Waqar Younis 8-1-17-1, Abdur Razzaq 6-2-12-0 (nb2), Shahid Afridi 1-0-2-0, Saqlain Mushtaq 10-1-29-0 (nb7), Danish Kaneria 9-5-18-0. |
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Further probe will reveal more: Irani MUMBAI, Dec 8 (PTI) — Banned Indian cricket team Physio Ali Irani has said that he fixed muscles and joints and not matches and if CBI further pursued its investigation it would be able to nail more people as guilty. “The more CBI investigates the betting and match-fixing scandal, the more dirt they will find,” Irani told PTI here. He said he was not happy with Madhavan’s report to the cricket board (BCCI) as the report at the end just said the CBI version was correct and there was nothing new there. “If it is (report) right and if they have a conscience, then many more will be found guilty and for that to happen they should continue investigating,” he added. “Maybe I was blamed because I was nice to everybody. That my services were sought by the board for 10 years only proves that I was good at my job,” Irani said. “I fixed muscles and joints, not cricket matches and this ban (five years) does not concern me as I left the team in 1997 and I am through with cricket for now,” Irani added. “I see nearly 200 patients everyday and I have no time to think about anything. My patients, including many sportsmen and stars, have been my strength. I have no intentions of going to the court to challenge the verdict as I prefer going to ‘janata’ (people’s) court,” he said. “Let me place the facts before the people and let them judge my case because now the people are under the impression that each time a match was fixed, Dr Ali Irani was the go between which is not true. I will definitely appeal to the board as the board is still the parent body,” he added. |
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Anand gets ready to meet Khalifman NEW DELHI, Dec 8 (UNI) — Alexander Khalifman opines that this is not the kind of a quarter-final pairing he would have hoped for. But now that he will be staring across the board at Viswanathan Anand, the top seed and home favourite, he has little choice. “It is the ideal qaurter-final pairing, but since that the way the draw was made, I have to accept it. I met (Peter) Leko rather early and now Anand in the quarters,” said Khalifman, who faces the Indian superstar in the quarter-final tomorrow. Anand finished his third successive match within the two regulation games. Of the eight players left in the quarter finals, he is the only one who has not gone into the tie-breaker even once. That’s something that has earned him a rest day before each of the matches. And he has indeed looked relaxed. His wife, Aruna, for whom Delhi is like a second home — she studied here — said: “He has been relaxed. Fortunately the media has not persisted with interview requests and put pressure. On rest days, he just relaxes, reads and prepares for a while.” Anand has chosen to stay away from the venue and is staying in a different hotel. The reasons are obvious — he wants to concentrate and win his first official world title. He has won a World Cup earlier this in Shenyang, but that is not quite like the World Championships. He is also the current World Blitz Cup champion, having won in January in Pole Bartlomiej Maciejas home town, Warsaw. So the World Championships will be a kind of a final crowning for one of the finest players of our times. Meanwhile, Khalifman is not the kind of a player who gives up easily. He is determined to hang onto a world title for which he had to fight tooth and nail in Las Vegas last year. And for a full year after that he had to fight against the rest of the chess fraternity to recognise him as the world champion. To some extent he has managed to gain a lot of respect and though there are any number of players higher rated than him, Khalifman has now earned the reputation of being gouth fighter. On Thursday evening, he displayed remarkable sense of humour despite just coming off another nerve-wrecking round in his quest to defend the world title that means so much to him. He was composed and smiling. And asked if he had any special strategy for Anand in the fifth round, he raised his eyebrows, grinned hugely before answering, “Am I expected to answer that?” That had the whole media corps in splits. “I am happy to have finished the (the fourth round) match early,” he said after beating Rafael Leitao of Brazil. Khalifman won the 59-move game from an English opening but not before battling it out for more than six hours. Khalifman was happy to have a day off before taking on Anand, to who he had lost in the 1997-98 World Championships. Last year Anand did not play. “If I had to face Vishy after another long day at the tie-breaker like the one against (Peter) Leko, it would be tough,” he said. But the sporty Khalifman admitted he had a poor track record against Anand. On his head-to-head against Anand, he had a one-word answer, “Bad.” But he quickly added, “but, I was bad against Leko, too. Here something else happened,” he said referring to his win. This year Khalifman has drawn just once in four games against the Indian. On being reminded how he almost eliminated Anand in the first World Championships in Groningen, Khalifman said: “Oh yes, I like remembering that.” But what he would not like being reminded is how he let off Anand in a simple rook ending which was winning for him. He gave the Indian a draw and then lost in the tie-breaker. Anand went on to win the qualifiers, but then lost to a fresh Anatoly Karpov, who had been seeded directly into the title round, in what was surely one of the biggest injustices of a world championships. On Anand, Khalifman added, “He is well prepared. He is in great form and I quite tired. He is a great player.” Surely, a sporting champion like him is something that chess could do with. But remember India also needs a world champion badly. And there is no present Anand would like more than a world title for his 30th birthday, which falls next week. |
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We paid the price for fame: Becker BERLIN, Dec 8 (Reuters) — Boris Becker has blamed the pressure of being rich and famous for his separation from his wife Barbara after seven years of marriage. “On one hand my wife lived by my side like a queen,’’ the three times Wimbledon champion told Today’s Bild newspaper. “That was fascinating for her, but on the other hand that feeling could be oppressive, suffocating and even overwhelming. “My face is famous all over the world, and hers became that too. To live with that and cope with it is very hard. “That’s why I have no reproach to make to Barbara. I can only show her respect for having managed it so well for such a long time.’’ The couple’s separation was still front page news in many German dailies today, two days after it was announced. The media are focusing their attention on a 26-year-old hiphop artist, Aabrina Setlur, the daughter of an Indian banker and nurse, as the possible reason for the Beckers’ split. But Becker insisted there were no third parties involved. “If another man or another woman were the reason for this separation then our relationship would have been of little value, if not in vain,’’ he said. “But to expect that my wife will enter a monastery and I will become a monk would be going too far.’’ The Beckers married in December 1993 and were regarded by many as Germany’s dream couple. Barbara Becker, who is black, had become one of the country’s most admired women. The 33-year-old Becker, who has embarked on a successful career in sports marketing since retiring from competitive tennis, said the couple’s two boys would live with their mother and repeated there was no question of a divorce. “When you have two children, it’s not that easy,’’ he said. “A separation from a person you love so much is no cloak and dagger operation ...It is a long, painful process. In our case it became more and more clear and evident. In the end we had to come to a split.’’ Becker said he would continue to live in Munich but he did not know where his wife and children would live. All four would spend Christmas together, he added. |
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Randhawa, Johl share 4th spot SINGAPORE, Dec 8 (UNI) —India’s Jyoti Randhawa was the biggest mover, blitzing the island course with the day’s best of eight-under-par 64 to move up to tied fourth place on 136 alongside compatriot Amandeep Johl, overnight leader Boonchu Ruangkit of Thailand and local hope Mardan Mamat in the $ 400,000 Singapore Open here today. South African Hendrik Buhrmann, playing from rough to green, opened a three-shot halfway lead after carding his second successive six-under-par 66. The other Indian making the cut which was applied at 144 were Arjun Atwal, Indrajit Bhalotia and Vivek Bhandari. Amit Dube, Amritinder Singh, Digvijay Singh, Uttam Singh Mundy and Kanwar Sekhon failed to make to the third day of golf. While Randhawa blazed the field, Atwal played a two under 70 for an aggregate of 168 and the ninth position while Bhalotia was in the 50th spot with 143, after a par round today. Bhandari just about made the cut with a four under 68, making up for a poor first round score of 76. Randhawa, fourth on the Davidoff Tour Order of Merit, kept up his charge for the prized Asia’s number one crown with a superb 64, which was an improvement of eight strokes from yesterday’s lacklustre 72. He credited his coach, Kel Llewellyn, for the change in fortunes. “This is the first time that Kel has had a look at my game under the pressures of a tournament. We worked at the range after yesterday’s round and he got me to finish my swing with a little more aggression, as I was trying to steer the shots yesterday. We sorted that out and then, “bingo”, a 64! It has put me right back in the chase. I’d like to dedicate this round to Kel,” said a delighted Randhawa, who is four off the pace. The talented Randhawa, winner of the Indian Open in March, had an impressive seven birdies, an eagle two, which was recorded at the short par four first hole when he drove the green, and one lone bogey. His longest putt was from 20 feet at the 13th hole. Leading second round scores- 132: Hendrik Buhrmann (RSA) 66-66 135: Ahmad Bateman (USA) 68-67, Ted Purdy (USA) 67-68; 136: Jyoti Randhawa (IND) 72-64, Amandeep Johl (IND) 68-68, Mardan Mamat (Sin) 67-69, Boonchu Ruangkit (Tha) 65-71; 137: Charlie Wi (Kor) 69-68; 138: Simon Yates (Sco) 72-66, Mo Joong-kyung (Kor) 71-67, Pablo Del Olmo (Mex) 70-68, Lam Chih Bing (Sin) 70-68, Danny Zarate (Phi) 69-69, Ross Bain (Sco) 68-70, Arjun Atwal (IND) 68-70, John Kernohan (USA) 67-71. |
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LPGA Tour
announces rich schedule DAYTONA BEACH (Florida), Dec 8 (AFP) — The LPGA Tour has announced its 2001 schedule, which includes four new events and features the largest total purse in LPGA history. There will be a record $ 42 million up for grabs in the 40 events on next year’s schedule, which comprises of 37 official events and three unofficial tournaments. Of the 23 events that announced purse increases, the largest increases took place at the Evian Masters, which raised its purse 300,000 dollars to 2.1 million dollars and the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship, which upped its purse 300,000 dollars to 1.2 million dollars. There will be 19 tournaments offering more than 1 million dollars in prize money, up from 12 in 2000. The season will kick off on January 12 with one of the four new events on the slate, the LPGA.com Classic at Orlando, Florida. |
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Railways, CRPF win; PSB hold Indian Oil JAMMU, Dec 8 (UNI) — Riding on the opportunistic 53rd-minute goal by Anup Tirkey, former champions Railways opened their campaign on a winning note as they downed last year’s runners-up Tamil Nadu 1-0 in the 60th Senior National Hockey Championship here today. In other matches of the day, Central Reserve Police Force
(CRPF) downed fighting Karnataka 2-1, Punjab and Sind Bank played a 2-2 draw against Indian Oil, while Air-India managed to get past Hyderabad 2-1. This temple city, hosting the nationals after a gap of a decade, turned out to be unlucky for Tamil Nadu, who dominated the game but failed to make use of the chances that came their way. Tamil Nadu earned four penalty corners as against two by Railways but all were muffed. There was nothing much in the match as both the teams adopted defensive tactics. The two teams tried to
exploit each other’s weakness and here the railmen succeeded as Amar Tirkey
capitalised on the defensive lapse and shot home (1-0). Railways successfully defended their slender lead for the next 17 minutes,though Tamil Nadu went all out on the offensive for equaliser but failed to score. In a star-studded clash, Punjab and Sind Bank shared points as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Indian Oil. Both the teams, with several Olympians and internationals in their ranks, displayed an attacking game and the lead changed twice but ultimately the match ended in a deadlock. Mr Bankmen had the upperhand most of the time, and they controlled the ball but time and again they muffed chances. It was international Deepak Thakur who put the oil men in the lead when the match was just four minutes old. He intercepted a long cross and caught the bank defenders unawares to send the ball in the cage (1-0). Taken aback by this sudden
reverse, the bank men launched a counter offensive but failed to hit the target. It took
PSB 25 minutes to draw parity, when Kanwal Preet Singh shot home off a penalty corner (1-1). Though the bank men dominated the
proceedings and earned six penalty corners, Indian Oil again found chinks in the bank defence in the 62nd minute when Kamlesh Kumar latched on to long cross and sent the ball into the cage much to the surprise of the bank team. However, a minute later a lightning counter attack produced the sixth penalty corner for the bank side and this time international Baljit Singh Chandi found the target much to the relief of his team-mates. Kishore Kumar struck once in each half as fancied Air India (Mumbai), with several internationals in their
ranks, made heavy weather of their 2-1 win over Hyderabad. The Mumbai team, who had more ball control, could not capitalise on the chances that came their way. They earned five penalty corners but could convert only one while Hyderabad failed to get any. Kishore Kumar put Air-India ahead in the 18th minute when he found the target following a penalty corner. The lead, however, lasted barely 10 minutes as L.Ramesh scored the equaliser for Hyderabad. Thirteen minutes into the second half, Air-India managed to achieve a breakthrough off Kishore Kumar as Hyderabad defence fell (2-1) and after that Air-India defended the lead till the end. On a day, which saw closely contested matches, crpf waged a grim battle to down Karnataka 2-1 after being held 1-1 at half time. This match had all the
ingredients of a thriller as both the teams battled it out for supremacy. There was very little to differentiate between the two sides as both had almost equal number of chances. Crpf earned six and Karnataka five penalty corners. But only one was converted. Veteran Tanveer Jamal gave crpf the lead when he scored off a penalty corner. The securitymen held on to the lead till the 24th minute but at the stroke of half time Mandanna took advantage of the security lapse to send the ball into the cage and draw level for Karnataka. After a furious 19-minute battle crpf again captured the Karnataka citadel and this time it was J. Topno who hit the target (2-1). Crpf after that crowded their defence and foiled all their rival’s move for
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Netherlands ‘team of
the year’ GENEVA, Dec 8 (Reuters) — The Netherlands were named the ‘team of the year’ by FIFA, soccer’s ruling body, today. The Dutch were knocked out of the European Championship by Italy in the semifinals but FIFA said their overall performance during 2000 earned them the award ahead of Honduras. Apart from the defeat by Italy — after a penalty shoot-out — the Dutch lost only one other of their 14 games this year, a World Cup qualifier against Portugal in October. Brazil were named ‘team of the year’ from 1994 to 1999. Nigeria won the award for the most improved team of the year after rising to 30th place in the rankings. The following are teams of the year by confederation: Asia — Japan; South America — Colombia; Africa — Nigeria; CONCACAF — Honduras; Oceania — Australia; Europe — Netherlands. |
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Vanita wins in 1500 m HAMIRPUR, Dec 8 — Vanita Thakur, All-India inter-university cross-country champion, today won the 1500 m race at the HP University Inter-College Athletic Meet which started here. She clocked 4.46.87 minutes. Jyoti Panwar of Dharamsala College came second and Leela of Post-Sport-Graduate College, Shimla, won the third position, with timing of 5.18 and 5.42, respectively. Nearly 400 boys and girls from 54 colleges of the state are taking part in this three-day championship. Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman, HP Education Minister, declared the meet open. Mrs Urmila Thakur, HP Parliamentary Secretary, presided over the function. The Principal of the college, Dr Narendra Awasthy, and president of the college PTA, Mr Chander Shekhar Sharma, also addressed the students. Anil Sharma of Government College, Hamirpur, stood first in 200 m while Anup of Hamirpur College and Akshya of Dharamsala College got the second and third positions respectively. The following are the results: (Men) Hammer throw: Dalip Singh (Sarswatinagar) 1, Alok Giri (Sundernagar) 2 and Nand Lal (Saraswatinagar) 3. High jump: Sunil Kant (Kangra) 1, Jaswant Singh (Sarkaghat) 2, Karam Jit (Hamirpur) 3. Shot put: Jagdeep Singh (Daulatpur) 1, Nishant (Sarswatinagar) 2 and Dalip Singh (Saraswatinagar) 3. Women’s 200m: Poonam (Dharamsala) 1, Shreshtha (Dharamsala) 2 and Geeta (Shimla) 3. High jump: Aruna Sharma (RKMV) 1, Poonam Dogra (Dharamsala) 2 and Reena Kumari (Sarkaghat) 3. Shot-put: Anita (RKMV) 1, Renu Chandel (Palampur) 2 and Sunita (Shimla) 3. |
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Sports festival concludes REWARI, Dec 8 — The Rao Lal Singh Memorial Sports Festival organised by the Rao Lal Singh Shiksha Parishad, concluded at Sidhrawali, 20 km from here, yesterday. Several hundred students and senior citizens from various parts of Haryana and Delhi participated. Jarthal ‘A’ Sangam Yuva Vikas Club, Government Senior Secondary School, Dadanpur, and senior citizens of Sidhrawali won the first positions, respectively, in volleyball, kabaddi and tug-of-war. In the women’s section, Anju Bala won the first position in pitcher race while Promila and Suresh Kumari were winners in the three-legged race. In the concluding function yesterday, prizes to the winners were jointly given away by the Haryana Health Minister, Dr M.L. Ranga, and Mr Ram Bir Singh, INLD legislator. They also jointly announced a financial assistance of Rs 31,000 for the parishad for promotion of sports. |
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Punjab cops in semis NAWANSHAHR, Dec 8 — Punjab Police (Jalandhar) and JCT Academy (Phagwara), PSEB (Hoshiarpur) and HSB, (Banga) entered the semi-finals of the third state level football tournament being organised by the Shaheede Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh Football Tournament Committee. PSEB beat Principal Harbhajan Singh Sporting Club, Mahilpur, in the quarter final match played yesterday. In the three quarter-final matches played today, JCT Academy, handed a crushing defeat to RCF by 7-0. Harvinder Singh scored four goals for JCT Academy. Punjab Police and HSB, defeated their rivals SGGS Football Society, Jalandhar and SBS Bajwa Football, Hoshiarpur, respectively by identical margin of 1-0. |
Unemployment
allowance sought FARIDKOT, Dec 8 — The local unit of the Communist Party of India (CPI) has urged the Union Government to provide unemployment allowance according to the minimum wages to the youths. In a press note issued here today, Mr Pawanpreet, district general secretary of the party, criticised the Union Labour Minister, Mr Satya Naryan Jatiya, for adopting hire and fire policy in government jobs. He said the provision of unemployment allowance would reduce frustration prevalent among youths and help in bringing law and order situation under control. |
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RCF score 4-1 win MANDI, Dec 8 — Railway Coach Factory registered their first win beating
P.G. College, Mandi, 4-1 on the second day of the 8th All India Aenza Him Gold Cup Hockey Tournament played at Shaheed Kishan Chand Stadium here today.
P.G. College struggled hard and scored one goal through Pradeep. |
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SPS in semis NAWANSHAHR, Dec 8 — Shivalik Public School, Chandigarh, beat Sports School, Jalandhar, 25-13, 25-17 and 25-9, and Sports Authority of India, Kurukshetra, beat St. Soldier Divine School, Jalandhar, 25-16, 21-25 and 25-22 in the quarterfinals of the fifth national level inter school volleyball tournament being organised by the Kirpal Sagar Academy, Rahon in the memory of founder chairman Dr Harbhajan Singh. Both Shivalik Public School, Chandigarh, and Sports Authority of India, Kurukshetra, have secured berths in the semifinals. |
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Sanjay fashions Punjab win NEW DELHI, Dec 8 (UNI) — Riding on the brilliance of all round display by Sanjay Mahajan,who scored unbeaten 77 runs and took two wickets, and Ravneet Ricky’s 67 and their 115-run sixth wicket stand, Punjab scored a thrilling three-wicket win over Delhi to notch up fourth straight win in the North Zone Ranji Trophy one-day league to virtually assure themselves a place in the super league here yesterday. Electing to bat, Delhi scored 246 for 9 in 50 overs and Punjab overhauled the target hitting 247 for 7 in 48.3 overs. This was Delhi’s first defeat in four outings. |
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Haryana roller hockey
players impress CHANDIGARH, Dec 8 — It was a good day for Haryana when their roller hockey players romped home by reaching finals in five events out of eight in boys under 19, under 17, under 14 and girls under 14, under 17 and under 11 section on the penultimate day of the 46th National School Games being held here at Hansraj Public School, Panchkula, yesterday. Kriti Puri, a Chandigarh skater in speed section, secured second gold of the meet in Rink Race II. Manjit Singh of KB DAV Centenary School, Sector 7, became the proud winner in under 11 boys section, Harkiran Singh clinched gold medal in under 19 section while Gulsagar Singh Jassar took gold in boys under 14 section. In artistic events, skaters from Maharashtra and Gujarat dominated. International Nikhil Parikh gave an impressive demonstration of body movements in tune with music and won gold medal in under 17 section. Haryana bag overall trophy CHANDIGARH, Dec 8 —The hosts Haryana bagged the overall championship in the 46th National School Games which concluded at Hansraj Public School, Sector 6, Panchkula here today. Mr Bahadur Singh, Education Minister, Haryana, was the chief guest. The minister was happy with the kind of arrangements made for the participants. He later gave away the prizes to winners. Results: J&K b Maharashtra 16-0; under 17: Haryana b Punjab 8-2; under 14: Haryana b Delhi 6-0; under 11: Haryana b Chandigarh 5-4. Girls: under 11: J&K b Chandigarh 2-1; under 14: Haryana b Punjab 3-0; under 17: Haryana b Punjab 4-0; under 19: haryana b Punjab 14-0. Speed events: Under 19: Rajeshwar (Mah) 1, Harkiran (Chd) 2, Daksh Gadi (Har) 3.Girls: Shraddha Ramekar (Mah) 1, Pallavi Brar (Del) 2, Dipti Nahar (Mah) 3. Haryana billiards CHANDIGARH, Dec 8 — The Haryana Billiards and Snooker Association is holding the state championship form December 16 at the YMCA billiards hall, Sector 11, here. The event is dedicated to the memory of Saurav Khatter, a promising state junior snooker champion in 1997 who represented the state at the nationals. The association is also planning to introduce a running trophy in his memory. Entries close with the organising secretary, on December 14. |
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