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| Sunday,
April 29, 2001, Chandigarh, India    |
China take women’s crown, heartbreak for Sweden
National Games from Sept 16 |
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How Baltimore gym changed Rahman’s
course Match-fixing “still widespread” Scintillating ton
by Tendulkar Zimbabwe lead by 123
runs |
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Windies spinners restrict SA India-Pak hockey
series in Feb World meet next target: Gopichand Boxer Gurcharan
not traceable Malik takes charge
as WFI chief
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China take women’s crown, heartbreak for Sweden Osaka, April 28 Playing without their top paddler Chetan Baboor, the Indians did not have much chance against the Russians though S. Raman and national champion Soumyadeep Roy did extend their opponents to three games. Subhajit Saha lost 18-21, 18-21 to Aleksei Smirnov in the first match while Raman went down 21-19, 20-22, 11-21 to Maksim Shmyrev in the second. India’s agony was complete when Roy was defeated 11-21, 21-18, 8-21 by Evgeni Fadeev. China won the women’s team event to no one’s great
surprise defeating North Korea 3-0 to take their 13th such title in the last 14 competitions. Their victory here was one of the more predictable outcomes in world sport, especially given that the Chinese can call on five of the world’s top six female players. The title was sealed by world No 2 Li Ju, who defeated North Korea’s Tu Jong-Sil 2-1. The only world championship defeat since 1973 for China’s women was in 1991 when the Koreas put forward a unified team, as had been the plan again here until the North withdrew at the last moment. China brought out their three leading players, Wang Nan, Li and Zhang Yining, and no matter how vocal their supporters the Koreans never truly looked like winning. Chinese player Liu Guozheng saved an astonishing seven match points to take his team to the men’s team final today, in an agonising defeat for South Korea. Kim Taek-Soo had three chances to kill the match in the second game and then four more in the final one, but to the increasing horror of the vocal Korea supporters, could not finish any off. Again and again Liu pulled his way back from seemingly impossible situations, countering smash with smash as the watching Chinese team held their collective breath. When Liu finally fought his way to 24-23 in the final game he made no mistake with his first opportunity, winning the point before being buried underneath an avalanche of joyful team-mates. Kim grabbed his towel and marched off the court, his face grim. The Chinese will now meet Belgium in tomorrow’s final after the Europeans pulled off the shock of the tournament so far to defeat reigning champions Sweden 3-1. At a press conference after the match a downcast Kim admitted an opportunity had been lost. “It was a really good chance to beat China and it’s very disappointing,” he said, staring at the floor and talking very quietly. Kim paid tribute to his 21-year-old opponent: “He’s young but he was able to concentrate really well. He’s a great player.” Chinese head coach Cai Zhenhua said: “I have been working as a coach for 11 years and this was the toughest match under the heaviest pressure. I cannot express how tough the match was.” The Belgians, who had never previously finished higher than fourth at the world event, dismissed semifinal favourites Sweden 3-1. This event is almost certainly the last time Swedish legends Jan-Ove Waldner and Jorgen Persson, both 35, will compete at a world championships, and the team had spoken of their desire to win one last title together. Belgium’s Jean-Michel Saive was ecstatic after winning the final point against Persson, leaping hoardings around the court before leading his team-mates and coaches on a joyful chase through the Osaka arena. He later described the unexpected victory as “a dream” and “incredible”. “For us this really is the best result ever,” he added saying the team now felt they could go all the way. “We have nothing to lose, we will play the final like we did against Sweden.”
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National Games from Sept 16 Ludhiana, April 28 Disclosing this here today, the Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, who is also the working President of the national organising committee (NOC) for the National Games and the President of the Punjab Olympic Association said, all arrangements had been made and the dates were final now. The National Games had been postponed on several occasions and had originally been planned for 1999. The mega sports event may prove to be first of its kind being organised in Punjab, with 7000 players from across the country, likely to participate in 28 events. Besides, there will be 2000 others including the coaches, the technical staff and the media who will be associated with the games. An expenditure of Rs 45 crores is likely to be incurred on these games. Ludhiana will host athletics, hockey (women), basketball and cycling. Football, badminton, table tennis, wrestling, men’s hockey and equestrian will be held at Jalandhar while gymnastics, boxing, swimming, kho-kho, archery, weightlifting and kabaddi will be held at Patiala. Anandpur Sahib and Mohali will host fencing and shooting. Mr I.S. Bindra, Secretary-General of the NOC, disclosed that for the first time two events — bullock cart race and the tug-of-war — would be demonstrated at the events. However, these two events will not be introduced from this year. The minister said all arrangements for the comfortable stay of the players and others associated with the games would be made and clarified that sufficient space was available at all the places were the games were being held. He said all the infrastructure required for the games would be complete by June. However, the shooting range would be complete only by August. Mr Dhindsa said a special committee headed by Mr M.S. Bhullar has been constituted which would examine the prospects of Punjab players for the forthcoming games. The committee will also suggest measures to be adopted for better performance of the Punjab players in various events. Regarding the sponsorship of the games, Mr Bindra said, a meeting had been fixed with the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister, Mrs Sushma Swaraj. After the arrangements for relay and telecast of the games are made, only then the marketing of the games can be finalised. He revealed that private sponsors would be encouraged so that additional revenues is generated and Rs 18.5 crore loan has been provided by the Planning Commission for the setting up of infrastructure for the organisation of these games. Regarding the frequent postponement of the games, which were last scheduled for March, Mr Bindra pointed out that March was not a realistic time for organising the games as it was also the time for examinations. He said the President of the Indian Olympic Association, Mr Suresh Kalmadi, had also disclosed that it was a planned postponement as earlier dates were announced only to ensure that everything was ready by September.
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How Baltimore gym changed Rahman’s course Baltimore, April 28 Located on the second floor of a multipurpose building in downtrodden East Baltimore, the 58-year-old gym has two makeshift rings and three speed bags, all held together by duct tape. The secondary ring is a plywood base covered by a carpet and topped by a shabby gray mat. Boxing posters are taped everywhere, most of them covering holes left by fallen dry wall. This is where a heavyweight champion was born. More importantly, this is where Hasim Rahman turned his life around. Before he discovered the joy of boxing, Rahman learned life on the street. His arrest-record included auto theft and distribution of drugs, and although few of the cases ever made it to court, it became clear that Rahman was on the wrong course. Boxing was the answer. Louis Butler, a light heavyweight who trained at the gym, regularly sparred with Rahman on the playground in the early 1990s. Impressed by the power of his unpolished opponent, Butler urged Rahman to hone his skills in the ring. Rahman immediately embraced the sport, and adhered to the rules that the 82-year-old boxing trainer Mack Lewis still has posted at the entrance to his gym: “No drugs. No drinking. No smoking. No cursing.” After only 10 amateur fights, Rahman turned pro. Now 28, the man known as ‘The Rock’ completed his rocky-like climb to the top last weekend, earning the IBF and WBC heavyweight belts by knocking out Lennox Lewis in the fifth round of their title bout in South Africa. In the wake of his victory over one man named Lewis, Rahman thanked another. “Mack Lewis gave me an outlet and probably saved my life, Rahman said at his victory parade on Wednesday in Baltimore. “We need more people like Mack Lewis.” The parade route began at Lewis’ gym, where Rahman hugged his former trainer and posed in front of the long row of well-travelled white steps leading up to the second floor. Lewis was replaced as Rahman’s trainer after the boxer began his climb in the heavyweight division. But that doesn’t diminish the thrill Lewis derives from seeing his former student shine in the ring — and in life. “Anything I asked him to do, he did. He didn’t have any money and I wasn’t asking for any, because teaching him was a joy,” Lewis said. “He turned into a terrific person. We don’t have any children, but Hasim is the type of person you’d like to have as a son. I love him.” Rahman (pronounced rock-mon) was lucky to get the chance to step into the ring. He was shot in a street fight in the early 1990s, and in 1992 he was in a friend’s speeding pickup truck when the vehicle flipped, killing the driver. Rahman received 500 stitches and a long scar on his right cheek. Once considered no more than a street thug, Rahman is now the father of three children, a devout Muslim and, yes, the heavyweight champion of the world. “I was here the first day he came to the gym. I gave him his nickname and told him he was going to be the heavyweight champ,” said former boxer Rodger Womack. “Rock may have had problems in the past, but he never brought them into the gym. In here, he’s always been down to earth, focused and spiritual.” Before his shocking knockout of Lewis, Rahman’s career was defined by his only two losses. In 1998, he lost to David Tua after being jarred by a punch after the bell. Rahman appeared on his way back until November 1999, when he was knocked out in the eighth round by unheralded Oleg Maskaev. Now, four fights later, Rahman is the champ. Some wonder if he’s a modern-day Buster Douglas, who stunned Mike Tyson to win the heavyweight crown in 1990 and lost it for good just eight months later. “This is not a fluke thing,” said Rahman’s manager, Stan Hoffman. “His punch is really devastating, and his heart is as big as his entire body. The kid trained for eight weeks just to get close enough to Lennox Lewis to knock him out. It was no accident.” Since turning pro in 1994 after compiling a 7-3 record as an amateur, Rahman is 35-2 with 29 knockouts - impressive numbers considering his inexperience. “He’s definitely a work in progress,” Hoffman said. “I’d say the best is yet to come.” Nothing would please Rahman more than to stage his title defence at home. “I remembered Baltimore the whole time I was in South Africa,” Rahman said. “The only thing that can top this is to bring a championship fight here for the first time, and win that, too.”
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Match-fixing “still widespread” London, April 28 The report by Lord Paul Condon, head of ICC’s anti-corruption unit, “draws a deeply pessimistic picture of match-fixing in international cricket and suggests that, despite the extraordinary spotlight on match-fixing last year following the unmasking of Hansie Cronje and other cricketers, the scourge has not been eliminated. “A couple of matches in many of the recent series could have been tainted,” the Daily Telegraph said today, quoting the report. The confidential report is being sent to Lord Griffiths, head of ICC’s code of conduct committee. The anti-corruption unit has a remit until 2003 and the tone of the report suggests it may take that long to deal with the match-fixing problem. While the report does not name anybody for fear of libel, it is believed to have expressed particular concern about two matches in last month’s one-day series between Pakistan and New Zealand. Pakistan won the first easily but the bookmakers’ plan was allegedly for Pakistan to lose the second, in order to improve the odds and then go on to win the series. However, the alleged plan failed and, despite leading 2-1, Pakistan lost the series 3-2. According to the report in the daily, Condon’s investigators discussed the allegations with New Zealand players during a visit to Sharjah earlier this month when New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka played a one-day triangular series there. The New Zealand players were not implicated in any alleged fixing. Though no specific allegations have been made against any Pakistani players, Javed Mianded who was coaching the team in New Zealand, was reported to have told journalists in Pakistan that the matches were fixed and that he wanted an inquiry. Though he later denied having made the comments, the Pakistan board has now appointed their own inquiry headed by a former Inspector-General of Police Dilawar Hussain. The Pakistan-New Zealand series is not the only one of concern. Sharjah cricket authorities, upset by the general air of suspicion about their tournaments and the comments by ICC President Malcolm Gray that he had “grave apprehensions” about Sharjah, are now considering a 58-page interim report submitted by their own three-man inquiry, the report said. This team of Clive Lloyd, George Staple, the former director of the Serious Fraud Office and now a senior partner in a City law firm and Brig Al Maul, former chief of the Sharjah police and now Director-General of Criminal Security in United Arab Emirates, conducted some investigations during the recent Sharjah tournament. In the course of the inquiry, they met certain Pakistan players, including Saeed Anwar and Shahid Afridi — against whom no allegations have been made — to discuss previous matches in Sharjah. Condon’s investigators, who made two visits to Sharjah in recent weeks, sat in for this interview, the report said. ICC’s three-member anti-corruption team will interview Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda de Silva and Sanath Jayasuriya in Sri Lanka in the next three days regarding allegations of match-fixing made to the Indian CBI by Mukesh Gupta, the Indian bookmaker. All three cricketers deny the allegations. Meanwhile, the Crown Prosecution Service has been considering a report submitted by the Metropolitan Police for three months. It had conducted investigations into claims of alleged match-fixing in England made by Chris Lewis in relation to the New Zealand-England series of 1999. This has resulted in three men being on police bail. The Met wants to extradite certain individuals from India to further their inquiry, the report said.
PTI |
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Scintillating ton
by Tendulkar Mumbai, April 28 Batting first in the benefit match for former Mumbai spinner Ravi Thakkar, Tendulkar XI scored 298 allout in 35 overs with Jatin Paranjape getting 50 apart from Tendulkar’s ton while pace bowler Zaheer Khan picked up three for 42 for the Rest of India team led by Indian vice-captain Rahul Dravid. Despite a quickfire 73 by Sunil Joshi and patient knocks of 56 and 42 by Dravid and VVS Laxman respectively, the Rest of India fell short by 11 runs with two overs to spare getting all out for 288 off 33 overs. Thakkar (2/16) and Vinod Kambli (2/24) were among the wickets for Tendulkar XI. After the match, Thakkar told PTI it was very kind of all the top cricketers, especially Tendulkar who was suffering from fever and sore throat, to participate in the benefit tie despite their heavy schedules. Brief scores: Sachin Tendulkar XI 298 all out off 35 overs (S. Tendulkar 117, J Paranjape 50, Z Khan 3/42) beat Rest of India (S Joshi 73, R Dravid 56, VVS Laxman 42, R Thakkar 2/16, V Kambli 2/24). PTI |
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Zimbabwe lead by 123
runs Harare, April 28 When rain stopped play, the home side were 377 for six in reply to Bangladesh’s first innings total of 254 before Flower and Streak put on 133 for the sixth wicket, flower scoring 84 and Streak finishing unbeaten on 65. Flower was at the crease for almost four-and-a-half hours, faced 218 balls and hit five fours and two sixes before he pulled what became the last ball of the day, a long hop from left-arm spinner Enamul Hoque, to Mohammad Sharif at mid-wicket. Streak scored his runs in three-and-a-half hours, off 137 balls and with seven fours. Flower was on 44, with the total 309 for five, when he was dropped by Naimur Rahman at slip off Enamul Hoque. Streak survived two close calls when on 55. First, wicketkeeper Mehrab Hossain made a hash of a clear stumping chance off Naimur Rahman, the off-spinner. Then the Zimbabwean seemed to glove a leg-side delivery from Mohammed Sharif to the wicketkeeper, only for umpire Russell Tiffin to give the batsman the benefit of the doubt. Zimbabwe resumed on 144 for two, and the third day started with a bang when Alistair Campbell sent the first four balls speeding to the boundary. Campbell pulled the first three deliveries — bowled by left-arm paceman Manjural Islam — through mid-wicket, and cut the fourth past gully. He took two more runs off the sixth ball to finish with 18 runs from the first over of the day. Eight balls into the day’s play, Stuart Carisle pushed too firmly at a ball from medium pacer Mohammed Sharif and was caught at short leg by Habibul Bashar for 21 to end a third-wicket stand of 60. Mohammad Sharif should have struck again in similar fashion his next over, but this time Habibul Bashar dropped the catch, which would have dismissed Andy Flower for three. Instead, Campbell and Andy Flower shared 46 runs for the fourth wicket before confusion between the batsmen saw Flower run out for 23. SCOREBOARD Bangladesh (Ist innings): 254 Zimbabwe (Ist innings): (overnight 144-2) Whittall run out (M Sharif) 59 Ebrahim c A. Khan b N. Rahman 39 Carlisle c H. Bashar b M. Sharif 21 Campbell c M. Rahman b
N. Rahman 73 A. Flower run out (J. Omar) 23 G. Flower c M. Sharif b E. Hoque 84 Streak not out 65 Extras: (b-7 lb-6) 13 Total:
(for six wickets) 377 Fall of wickets: 1-90, 2-104, 3-164, 4-210, 5-244, 6-377. Bowling (to date):
M. Islam 31-9-99-0, M. Sharif 26-6-93-1, E. Hoque 40.5-13-79-1, M. Rahman 11-1-33-0, N. Rahman 28-12-60-2. Reuters
Reuters
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Windies spinners restrict SA Kingston, April 28 Four of South Africa’s top five batsmen scored between 21 and 38 runs but all failed to capitalise on positive starts. The young home team, including only four players over 30-years-old, produced a strict and disciplined bowling performance with excellent fielding to back it up. Brian Lara’s stunning run out of Herschelle Gibbs (8) in the third over set the tone at Sabina Park. The veteran swooped at backward point to dismiss Gibbs with a direct hit at the non-striker’s end after the opener, who was leading run scorer in the recent Test series, had driven Mervyn Dillon for successive boundaries in the first over. Jacques Kallis (23) was superbly caught by a sprinting Cameron Cuffy at long off after driving McGarrell’s left arm spin into the deep. Then Gary Kirsten’s patient innings of 38 from 63 balls ended when he deflected a sweep against Hooper’s off spin onto his leg stump. Neil McKenzie (21) danced down the pitch to fast bowler Cuffy but edged an attempted straight drive to wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs to break the sequence of spinners’ wickets, although the slow bowlers were soon back in business. Jonty Rhodes played back to McGarrell and was lbw for 36 from 53 deliveries and Lance Klusener went for a golden duck to the next ball which McGarrell spun between bat and pad to hit off stump. West Indies captain Hooper introduced Samuels as a third spinner with South Africa in deep trouble at 149 for six. Samuels’s occasional off breaks were immediately successful as Mark Boucher (14) and Roger Telemachus (3) were deceived into offering return catches to the bowler. Shaun Pollock hoisted Dillon for a mighty boundary over midwicket but was left stranded on 26 not out when last man Allan Donald was bowled by Dillon with 14 balls remaining.
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India-Pak hockey series in Feb Dubai, April 28 “We should be able to get the ground and all the facilities ready by that time,” UAE hockey committee coordinator Reza Abdi was quoted as saying in Gulf News. The newspaper said Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) secretary K. Jyotikumaran had expressed India’s willingness to play here during February. Mr Jyotikumaran, who was in Brussels for a meeting of the FIH, had held talks with Pakistan Hockey Federation secretary Brig Musaratullah Khan during which they agreed that the two teams could play here in February. “We are very happy to hear the news and we will now have enough time to make arrangements for the match,” Mr Abdi said. The India-Pakistan series was to be held in Dubai in April-May this year but was put off as the organisers could not get the ground ready for the matches. The cricketers’ benefit fund series, which organises cricket tournaments in Sharjah, is providing necessary support to the UAE hockey committee to stage the Indo-Pakistan series. Both India and Pakistan have a hectic schedule next year but are relatively free during the month of February.
UNI
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World meet next target: Gopichand Pune April 28 Gopichand who arrived here along with maestro Prakash Padukone, was talking to the mediapersons at a press conference arranged by the Poona District and Metropolitan Badminton Association (PDMBA). He said “Now the expectations from me would be very high and I have to work very hard to achieve these. From here I would be going straight to Bangalore to train at the BPL-Prakash Padukone Academy in preparation for the world championship to be held at Silviya in Spain begining from May 28 to June 7. Gopichand will be honoured by the PDMBA at a glittering function to be held at the Balgandharva Rangmandir later in the evening. The PDMBA president Avinash Wardekar will be presenting Gopi with a cheque of Rs 50,000, along with a citation bearing his achievements. The function will be graced by Padukone, former shuttle ace Nandu Natekar and the Indian coach Leroy D’sa. Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi will preside over the function. Paring a volley of questions maestro Prakash explained that Gopichand’s triumph at All-England championship had evoked tremendous interest among the players as well as the administrators in the country. It willinspire the youngsters, besides providing fillip to the development of the game. “It is indeed very creditable on the part of Gopi to have earned the distinction of winning the coveted All-England title’’ said the amiable and endearing former champion Prakash. He was trying to explain the comparison of his success in 1980. Times changes and it is very difficult to compare”, he said adding that the present-day players enjoy much better facilities which in his time were extinct. Certainly a beginning has been made improved infra-structure facilities were available. It is now up to the players to utilise these to the best of their advantage, the maestro pointed out. About his historic win Gopichand said that it was the dedication and devotion which paid the dividends. He replied in affirmative when asked whether strategy and the gameplan worked in the weeklong All-England championship. “After defeating Olympic and world champion Peter Gade of Denmark in the crucial semi-finals, I was assured of the title.’’ said somber and soft-spoken Gopichand said. “I am used to the pressure as I have always performed under pressure and I hope to live up to the expectation of the countrymen in the ensuing world championship and the World Grand Prix finals’’, he added. Citing his own example Gopichand said that he had developed a habbit of taking down notes when watching other players in action which goes a long way in the assessments and analysing of their gameplan. The need of the hour is to have a fullproof system at the top as the country abounds in talents which has to be groomed and nursed on the right lines. Players could do well if they were given competition exposure abroad “Participating in the German league played between September and December certainly helped”, he said. From now onwards the competition will be tougher as the top players from other countries will be gunning for him. So, he will have to give his hundered percent at all times, Gopichand said. Gopi’s win has been termed as the resugence of the shuttle game in the country and the tempo has to be maintained, felt meastro Prakash. Efforts have to be made to increase the quantum of prize money or the financial assistance to help players perform better.
UNI
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Boxer Gurcharan
not traceable Patiala, April 28 Informed sources reveal that Gurcharan was selected for a
training-cum-competition stint which was to be held at the Czech Republic from February 20 to March 6. However, the boxer before reaching the airport performed the vanishing trick without taking any of his colleagues into confidence. When contacted telephonically at Simla, Mr Rajesh Bhandari, Secretary of the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF), confirmed that Gurcharan had not reported at the National camp and that the Federation had written to officials of the Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) regarding the whereabouts of the pugilist. Gurcharan, who won a bronze medal in the 1998 Bangkok Asiad, is employed with the Indian Army as a Subedar. When contacted at his native place in Macchiwara in Ludhiana district, Gurcharan’s parents and other family members said that they had no clue about the whereabouts of the boxer and that they themselves were trying to get in touch with his employers to know where he was. Sources reveal that the SSCB officials were also inquiring into the alleged “disappearance” of Gurcharan. Close friends of the pugilist say that at present Gurcharan was somewhere in the USA but no contact could be established with him till yet. A couple of years ago Indian boxing had suffered a body blow when noted boxers Devinder Thapa and Lakha Singh defected to the USA where they reportedly have turned “professionals”. |
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Malik takes charge
as WFI chief New Delhi, April 28 Former internationals and Arjuna awardees, Kartar Singh and Prem Nath, took over as the Secretary-General and treasurer, respectively. Kartar Singh is a Commandant with Punjab Police while Premnath is an Assistant Commissioner of Police with Delhi Police. Mr Malik and his team got down to serious business as soon as they took charge of the WFI, and announced there would be complete transparency in the functioning of the federation. Mr Malik said the days of wrestlers paying for their participation in international meets were over, as henceforth, the WFI would foot the bill of the Indian team’s participation in international competitions. He said wrestlers would be given more international exposure, and refresher courses would be held for coaches and officials. Mr Malik, an IPS officer of the 1969 batch, is also the Vice-President of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), and president of the Haryana Hockey Association. He was the manager of the Indian hockey team who won the gold medal in the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games. Mr Malik said he had suggested, to the IHF president not to make changes in the Bangkok Asiad winning combination, but his suggestion was not heeded. Mr Malik said the north eastern states of the country would be tapped for fresh talent as he felt that good grapplers could be picked from these parts of the country, particularly Nagaland. He said the national camp for free style wrestlers would be held at NIS, Patiala, from May 3 while the camp for Greco-Roman wrestlers will begin at Pune on May 5. |
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