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Sunday,
September 2, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Uphill task for India
Tri-nation series in jeopardy? |
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Martina Hingis, Hewitt survive; easy win for Goran
Ivanisevic
China on course to soccer World Cup
finals Rahman, Lewis trade
insults Popova sets three
world records Yegorova hits
jackpot Kipgen wins; Amritinder
3rd 2 gold for India
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Uphill task for India Colombo, September 1 India require another 159 runs to make Sri Lanka, who had declared their first innings at 610 for six in response to the visitors’ 234, bat again with just four wickets standing. India lost their way in the final session of play losing four wickets after batting with determination in the morning and afternoon to reach 169 for two at tea. Openers Shiv Sunder Das and Sadgopan Ramesh gave India another good start raising 107 runs for the first wicket and skipper Saurav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid seemed to be capitalising on the good foundation when everything went wrong for the Indians. Two unnecessary run outs, those of Dravid and Mohammad Kaif, in quick succession and the soft dismissals of Ganguly and Sairaj Bahutule meant India had slumped to 211 for six half an hour before the end of the day’s play. Hemang Badani and Sameer Dighe were hardly convincing as they battled in a losing cause. Badani was batting on eight and Dighe on four when stumps were drawn for the day. Muthiah Muralitharan scalped two wickets to take his match haul to 10 while Tilan Samaraweera took his maiden Test wicket after scoring a century yesterday. After braving the pressure for most of the day, it seemed the Indians would be able to make a match of it. India lost one wicket each in the first two sessions and Ganguly and Dravid were going along nicely when disaster struck. Dravid drove the ball to mid-on and took off for a quick single but Marvan Atapattu’s direct hit found him inches short of the non-striker’s end, India losing their third wicket at 186. Dravid made 36 off 124 balls, hitting four fours. New man Kaif was involved in a mix-up with Ganguly and he too was run out for five. A few overs later Ganguly, stretched out to play a widish delivery from Samaraweera. The ball took the outside edge and went low to Mahela Jayawardene at first slip to virtually end all Indian hopes. Ganguly had batted for 148 minutes and faced 103 balls for his 30 runs. Bahutule was out in a bizzare fashion when he offered his pads to a Sanath Jayasuriya delivery. The ball bounced more than expected, struck the arm guards of the batsmen and went into the stumps. Bahutule had not even opened his account. After that, Badani and Dighe were only interested in playing out the day and used their pads more often than their bats. The last half an hour produced barely 10 runs. Earlier, Das and Ramesh had given just the kind of start India required in wiping out a huge 376 run first innings deficit. The two resumed from yesterday’s 28 without loss and stuck to their wickets almost to the lunch break. Das was more positive in his approach and did not mind going for his shots. He had his fair bit of luck too and in fact should have been back in the pavilion at his individual score of 48.
PTI
Scoreboard India (1st innings): 234 Sri Lanka (1st innings): 610-6 declared India (2nd innings): Das c Tillekaratne b Murali 68 Ramesh b Murali 55 Dravid run out 36 Ganguly c Jayawardene b
Samaraweera 30 Kaif run out 5 Badani batting 8 Bahutule b Jayasuriya 0 Dighe batting 4 Extras: (lb-1, w-2, nb-8) 11 Total: (6 wkts, 109 overs) 217 Fall of wickets:
1-107, 2-147, 3-186, 4-196, 5-210, 6-211. Bowling: Vaas 19-7-41-0, Fernando 17-3-59-0, Muralitharan 39-15-60-2, Jayasuriya 21-10-34-1, Liyanage 5-0-12-0, Samaraweera 8-4-10-1. |
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PGA honours Irina
Brar Chandigarh, September 1 Col B.S. Kahlon, secretary of the PGA, said the association was happy that Irina had set her sights on achieving golfing heights. He was hopeful that after Jeev Milkha Singh, it would be Irina who would finally take to professional golf and bring laurels to the country. The wife of Mr S.K. Sharma, president of the PGA, gave away the memento to Irina. Also present at the function were Irina’s parents. The beaming couple were showered with congratulations on Irina’s achievements. The PGA also honoured four of its caddies. Talking to The Tribune, Irina said she might skip her half-yearly examinations and represent her school, Vivek High School, in the All-India Inter-School Golf Championship to be held in Delhi from September 11 to 14. This would be the first time that a Chandigarh school would be participating in the national meet. Irina, who turns 18 next month, is in top form to clinch the individual
title, but the team event will include two other students of the school. Will the team make it? |
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Tri-nation series in jeopardy? Islamabad, September 1 BCB Director Ashraf-ul-Haq said Indo-Pak differences would have a disastrous fallout for his board as cricket in Bangladesh would go bankrupt if India did not play against Pakistan. The tri-nation tournament in December during Pakistan’s two-Test tour to Dhaka was planned to make up BCB losses and generate some money for the body through sponsorships and television rights. Although India has confirmed participation in the tourney, there is a possibility of it withdrawing once again. Similarly, Pakistan’s position is also not clear as the PCB chairman Lt-Gen Tauqir Zia, has recently said his country would not play against India anywhere unless India toured Pakistan and honoured its commitments.
PTI |
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Martina Hingis, Hewitt survive; easy win for Goran Ivanisevic New York, September 1 Women’s top seed Hingis and men’s fourth seed Hewitt were under seige and in danger of being run out of the tournament yesterday when their gutsy opponents succumbed as much to the stifling conditions as to the firepower of their opponents. “Grand Slams are about five sets. It’s about lasting four and a half, five hours for seven matches,’’ said Australian Hewitt, who outlasted James Blake 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 in a second round clash in which the American was clearly in distress from heat exhaustion. Hingis fought off the valiant efforts of one-time nemesis Iva Majoli to move into the fourth round, clawing her way back from 2-4 in the third set tie-break to advance 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5). The Croatian recovered from two breaks down in the third set, breaking Hingis twice when the top seed was serving for the match. But the heat and humidity finally got to Majoli in the tie-break. Majoli, who denied Hingis a Grand Slam sweep in 1997 by beating the Swiss player in the French Open final, confirmed the world No. 1’s suspicions. Men’s top seed and French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten avoided any such unpleasantness or drama with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Kristian Pless of Denmark in just 89 minutes. Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic and fifth-seeded Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero were also straight sets winners. But seventh-seeded Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov had to battle back from two sets down to pull out a 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Swiss George Bastl. Crowd favourite Todd Martin was unable to climb out of a hole and was picked off by Spaniard Tommy Robredo 3-6, 5-7, 6-3, 3-6. Martin’s defeat means there is no-one in the top half of the draw who has ever reached the US Open final. American 12th seed Meghann Shaughnessy, who progressed to the fourth round at Wimbledon and the French Open, became the highest women’s seed to fall when she was ousted by Czech Daja Bedanova 4-6, 1-6 in the third round. Fourteenth seed Jelena Dokic of Yugoslavia beat 1994 champion Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario 6-4, 7-5 in the tournament’s first meeting of seeded players to earn a fourth-round clash with Hingis. Sanchez-Vicario was seeded 20th under the new expanded 32-seed format. Twice former champion Monica Seles, Wimbledon runner-up Justine Henin and 1999 champion Serena Williams also claimed berths in the round of 16. Williams posted the day’s most emphatic win, a 6-1, 6-0 demolition of Slovak Martina Sucha, to set up a showdown with Henin, who lost the Wimbledon final to Venus Williams. “I’m definitely almost in the form that I want to be,’’ said 10th seed Serena, who plans to consult Venus on how to deal with the Belgian player. “We’re going to have a lot of discussion on what I need to do,’’ she said. Ivanisevic, the 15th seed, served 24 aces in defeating American Justin Gimelstob 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. The 29-year-old from Croatia will next face Albert Costa, one of six Spaniards among 12 who reached the third round yesterday. Other Spaniards moving through include fifth seed Juan Carlos Ferrero, who beat Vladimir Votchkov of Belarus 7-6 (7/2), 6-1, 6-4, plus 11th seed Alex Corretja, 17th seed Carlos Moya and 25th seed Albert Portas. Kafelnikov advanced to a third-round meeting with qualifier David Nalbandian of Argentina, who beat 31st seed Nicolas Escude of France 4-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 when the last point hit the net cord and dropped over. Women’s seventh seed Monica Sales advanced to the fourth round by defeating 18-year-old Greek qualifier Eleni Daniilidou 6-2, 6-3 in 57 minutes. On the men’s side, Czech Jiri Novak advanced to the third round with a 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 triumph over German qualifier Bjorn Phau. He will next face 16th seed Tommy Haas, a German who ousted Spain’s Felix Mantilla 6-1, 6-0, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3. Third seed Lindsay Davenport overcame windy conditions and 27th-seeded Spaniard Angeles Montolio 6-3, 6-2. The 25-year-old Californian thumped 30 winners to Montolio’s 11 and won 70 per cent of her first serves (26 of 37) compared to the Spaniard’s 55 per cent (24 of 44). Davenport, who has has won four tournaments this year, will next face 21st-seeded Russian Elena Likhovtseva, a player she has defeated in all seven of their previous meetings. Rising young American Andy Roddick, the 18th seed, held off qualifier Jack Brasington 6-2, 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (7-4) to advance to the third
round. Reuters, AFP |
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China on course to soccer World Cup finals Hong Kong, September 1 The victory for Bora Milutinovic’s side maintained their 100 per cent record in Group B of the final round of Asian qualifiers, but Qatar kept up the pressure with a 2-0 victory over the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi while, in Group A, Saudi Arabia notched up their first win by clinching a 1-0 victory over bitter rivals Iraq in neutral Bahrain. The performance and the manner of China’s win was best summed-up by Oman’s German coach Bernd Stange. “It was a match between amateurs and professionals,” said Stange. A 70th-minute strike from Qi Hong and a penalty in the 84th minute by Fan Zhiyi in front of 35,000 fans were enough to give China victory but the outcome could have been different had Oman converted a first-half penalty. The Omanis, playing in the second round for the first time, and who had gone into the game with a 0-0 draw in Qatar in their first match under their belts, were awarded a penalty in the 42nd minute. But China keeper Jiang Jin saved Hanial Dhabet’s spot kick. That miss, coupled with the team’s loss of playmaker Farid al Mazrou’i who had been ruled out through injury on the eve of the match, conspired to demoralise the Omanis. In the 70th minute, Qi Hong sped away from the Oman defence and opened the scoring with a right foot shot after being put through by Li Xiaopeng. The Chinese confirmed their superiority 14 minutes later when Yang Chen was brought down in the area allowing Fan Zhiyi to convert the penalty. “My players did what was needed,” said Milutinovic who had already seen his team open their campaign with a 3-0 win over the UAE last week. “It is the three points that count. The Oman team are very young and played well but they lack experience.” The win gives China a two point gap over Qatar in second place in Group B - they also have a game in hand. The two sides meet in Doha next Friday with the Gulf side having the psychological edge over their opponents. Four years ago, Qatar came from behind to win 3-2 in Dalian — a result that shattered China’s hopes of making it to the 1998 finals in France. Yesterday, Qatar clinched their first victory of the second stage beating the UAE 2-0. Second-half goals from Ahmed Khalifa (65 minutes) and Abdul Nasser Ali al Obaidly (71) gave the Qataris the three points. Qatar, who went into the match under pressure having drawn their opening game with Oman and then losing in Uzbekistan, got the breakthrough in the 65th minute when midfielder Khalifa was first to a left wing cross and headed past Emirates’ keeper Mutaz Mohamed.
AFP |
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Rahman, Lewis trade insults Las Vegas, September 1 They ended up agreeing on two things — the second fight will be personal and bitter, and they weren’t the only ones to blame for Thursday’s debacle. “Gary Miller definitely instigated the whole thing,” Rahman said of the host of the ESPN programme. “He sat us together and provoked the whole thing.” “Television definitely helped facilitate it,” Lewis said. “They love it. It makes good TV and brings up their ratings.” It also figures to bring up ticket and pay-per-view sales for the rematch, which will earn each fighter $ 10 million. But that seemed to be the farthest thing from either boxer’s mind yesterday as they displayed genuine animosity towards each other. With guards standing by to keep them apart, Lewis and Rahman appeared at the final US press conference to promote a November 17 rematch that figures to attract a lot more interest after their televised scuffle. Backstage before the appearance in front of a crowd of about 1,000 at the Mandalay Bay’s showroom, Lewis was still seething about the scuffle that erupted while the two fighters were taping ESPN’s “Up Close” show a day earlier in Los Angeles. “He’s not an honourable man,” Lewis said. “I wish we were fighting today but I have 20 million reasons not to get into it with him again right now. But just wait until November 17.” Rahman had the crowd roaring later as he berated Lewis, who briefly ran out in front of him on stage as if to challenge Rahman before a dozen guards intervened. “He was kicking like a woman,” Rahman said. “This man is better. He’s upset. He’s in denial.” It was all music to the ears of promoter Don King, who grinned widely at the incident that even he couldn’t have been good enough to stage it. “Order in the court. Order in the court,” King said, banging down a fake gavel. “They just don’t like each other.” Neither Lewis nor Rahman were hurt in the scuffle, which broke out while the two fighters were seated next to each other and being interviewed by Miller.
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Popova sets three
world records Brisbane, September 1 Athletes are competing for prize money in 14 sports at the Goodwill Games, with bonuses for world records in some events. “I’m glad I came to the Goodwill Games ... partly for monetary reasons,” said Popova, speaking through a translator, after winning the women’s 69kg weightlifting division.
AP |
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Olympic sprint champ fined Brisbane, September 1 “The American guy, he was pretty keen not to let me come anywhere near him,” Godfrey told reporters. “That’s just one of those things, hey? It wasn’t really anyone’s fault, just a bit of argy-bargy.”
Reuters
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Yegorova hits
jackpot Berlin, September 1 Yegorova, who yesterday opted not to take a customary victory lap even though the crowd at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium politely applauded her record run, took a share of the 50kg gold jackpot with five other athletes who won at least five of the races. The world 5,000 metres champion who is at the centre of a drugs scandal, surged in front on the final lap to win in 14 minutes 29.32 seconds.
Reuters
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Kipgen wins; Amritinder
3rd New Delhi, September 1 Kipgen’s tournament-winning tally of seven-under 273 earned him the winner’s cheque of Rs 81,900. He carded a one-under 69 today. Kanpur’s Shiv Prakash missed out on his second title win of the season by a solitary stroke, and was forced to settle for the second position with an aggregate of six-under 274. SSP Chowrasia of Kolkata and Amritinder Singh of Chandigarh were tied at the third spot with a score of four-under 276, while Basad Ali of Kolkata was joined by Mukesh Kumar at joint-fifth with a tally of three-under 277. Overnight leader Rohtas Singh of Delhi and Bhoop Singh of Lucknow were tied for the seventh position at two-under 278. Defending champion Rafiq Ali finished 10th at level-par 280. Zai Kipgen returned birdies on the third, seventh and eighth on the front nine. A birdie on the 14th and four-under at that stage was followed by a double bogey on the following hole. Dropping another shot on the 17th hole notwithstanding, Zai pared the final hole to win the title. Gurunath Meiyappan, aided by a one-over 71, carded his second straight amateur win on the Hero Honda Golf Tour with a tally of 12-over 292. One stroke behind was Yudhvir at 293. |
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2 gold for India New Delhi, September 1 Pallavi Kundu beat Zhang Zhihan (China) 2-1 to claim the cadet girls’ gold. In the sub-junior boys doubles final, Subhadip Das and Niloy Basak overpowered Levente Szarka/Balint Farago (Hungary) 2-0.
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Australia's Sarah Ryan celebrates after finishing first in the 4x100 metre medley relay race against the European All-Stars at the Sleeman Sports Complex during the Goodwill Games in Brisbane on Saturday. Australia went on to defeat the European team by 76-73 points in the round-robbin event.
— Reuters photo
Gold medallist Germany's Katrin Meinke (C) waves to the crowd with Australia's silver medallist Katherine Bates (L) and bronze medallist Rebecca Quinn from the USA after the medal ceremony for the women's elimination cycle race at the Goodwill Games in Brisbane on Saturday. Athletes from 69 countries are competing at the 2001 Goodwill Games. 
