Continue 7-point format: Padukone
Chennai, March 31
Former All-England champion Prakash Padukone has advocated a mix of seven and 15 points formats on the lines of cricket to make the game attractive, even as the demand, mostly from Asian countries, for reverting to the old scoring pattern, appears to be gaining momentum.

Indian Airlines win
Kolkata, March 31
Experienced and star-studded Indian Airlines today drubbed Army XI 5-0 in their second Group B quarter-final league encounter in the 107th All India Servo-Beighton Cup Hockey Tournament here.

We lack modern infrastructure: coach
Patiala, March 31
Dronachayra awardee Gurdial Singh Bango has taken over the reigns to coach the country’s women’s hockey team for the coming Commonwealth and Asian Games later this year.

ITI avenge defeat against HASC
Bangalore, March 31
ITI Sports Club avenged their first phase defeat against debutant Hindustan Aeronautics Sports Club (HASC) by a solitary-goal win in the 19th round of the Tata National Football League here today.

Give sports due importance: Kapil
Kaithal, March 31
Former Indian cricket team captain, Kapil Dev expressed concern over the lack of facilities for sports in the country and said that those at the helm of affairs should wake up and act swiftly to ensure that sports was given due importance.

The 16-member team, which arrives here on Tuesday, is being considered best equipped to break that jinx against a West Indies side which is hardly a shadow of its former great self.

“India stand a better chance than any other team in West Indies in the last few years. Cricket in West Indies is not what it used to be,” conceded the former fast bowling great Andy Roberts. “But we are improving in the last few months and we always play well at home like any other team does,” Roberts said on phone from Antigua.

West Indies’ most successful captain Clive Lloyd was more sceptical about India’s chances. “It will be an interesting series and it is going to be tough for both sides.

“With Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar on either side, it would be a treat to watch. They are two great players,” Lloyd said from Manchester.

The rivalry between Tendulkar and Lara is expected to be one of the highlights of the five-Test and five-match one-day series but both Roberts and Lloyd sought to play it down. “I don’t think its a series between Lara and Tendulkar. Its between India and West Indies. We should not target individual players,” Roberts said.

The optimism in the Indian camp about its chances arises not because of its own strength but the hapless state of West Indies cricket which is at an all-time low despite the presence of the brilliant Lara and a dependable Carl Hooper.

India go into the series after their not-so-impressive performance against Zimbabwe and a second-string English side at home but it is better than the five-match losing streak that West Indies find themselves in. West Indies were whitewashed 0-3 in Sri Lanka in January followed by a 0-2 loss to Pakistan in Sharjah.

Add to this the relative inexperience of the West Indian side and the penchant of their batsmen to collapse in a heap, and India’s optimism does not seem unfounded.

But the single most important reason for the Indians eyeing their chances is the lack of any quality fast bowlers in the West Indian ranks — a species which used to win matches for their side with their sheer pace.

With Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose having retired, the assembly-line production of great fast bowlers seems to have come to a grinding halt and all the Indian batsmen have to face are youngsters trying to find their feet in international cricket. “We have some youngsters who have shown a lot of potential to develop into great fast bowlers. They are bowling genuinely fast and I am sure they will do well in this series,” Roberts said.

NEW DELHI: Back home, the optimism was even greater. “This is India’s best chance to beat West Indies on their home soil. If we cannot win now, we will never win,” said former captain Ajit Wadekar who led India to their only series win in West Indies, a 1-0 victory in five-Test series, way back in 1971.

“West Indian cricket is in doldrums. Except for Lara, Hooper and Shivnaraine Chanderpaul, they do not have any reputed international player,” Wadekar said from Mumbai. He also cited the lack of quality fast bowlers in the West Indian ranks for India’s increased chances in the series.

“The wickets in West Indies are no longer as fast as they used to be. They are getting slower. As such West Indies are not being able to produce world class fast bowlers any more,” Wadekar said.

Kolkata, March 31
A day before embarking on a two-month tour to the West Indies, Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly was today gifted a Mercedes car by team sponsors Sahara India in recognition of his efforts in bringing laurels to the country.

Congratulating Ganguly for the team’s recent victory in both Tests and one-dayers against Zimbabwe, Sahara India Managing worker and chairman Subrata Roy said in a letter: “As a leader you exhibited exemplary confidence in motivating your players to give their best in all departments of the game.”

Praising Ganguly and the other members of the team for their all-round performance, Roy said that the car was being given as an “emotional gesture in recognition of your efforts in bringing laurels to the country.”

The key to the car was handed over to Ganguly at a brief function at his residence by senior officials of Sahara India.

The entire day’s play was wiped out by heavy overnight rain and persistent showers throughout the day today after only 54 overs were possible on the opening day.

The Kiwis, trailing 1-0 in the series, go into the third day on 151 for five in their first innings with Chris Harris unbeaten on 55 and Adam Parore not out 24.

An early start to third day tomorrow may also be doubtful with Eden Park traditionally slow to dry.

More rain is forecast overnight and in the morning, greatly reducing New Zealand’s chances of squaring the series after losing the opening Christchurch Test by 98 runs and drawing the weather-hit second Test in Wellington.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming won the toss yesterday on a drop-in pitch but his team slumped to 19 for four before a gritty 202-minute knock by recalled allrounder Chris Harris, backed up by Craig McMillan’s 41 and Parore’s unbeaten 24, restored the innings.

Paceman Andrew Caddick became the ninth England bowler to take 200 Test wickets when he removed McMillan lbw two balls before lunch, and he ended the day with 4 for 57 off 20 overs.

Fleming defended the decision to bat first which was a risky move on a green pitch with cloudy conditions.

“I don’t think we’re out of the game. Part of the decision at the toss was that the ball will move around for a couple of days,” Fleming said after yesterday’s play.

“We wanted to get the runs on the board and later in the match put the pressure on. At 19 for four I was looking at it with starry eyes, but it was a positive move.

“If we can grind it out, get a score on the board we’re in the game. The second innings could be the best conditions of the match and I also believe it will get up and down”.

Caddick ripped through the New Zealand top order as openers Mark Richardson and Lou Vincent were bowled between bat and pad and first Test double-centurion Nathan Astle was out to a sensational left-handed slips catch by Graham Thorpe.

Matthew Hoggard dismissed Fleming for one to a bat-pad catch before Harris and McMillan then recovered to add 67 in 81 minutes with McMillan cracking eight fours in his 59-ball innings.

Caddick dismissed him in the last over before lunch in an inspired bowling change by Nasser Hussain. At lunch the score was 86 for five. Just 26 more overs were possible before bad light intervened, but Harris and Parore added an unbroken 65 in 112 minutes. Parore, in his 78th and final Test, batted responsibly as he broke a poor sequence of scores of nought, one and nought.

Harris, playing his first Test since playing against India in Ahmedabad in November 1999, was a model of concentration and rated the innings among his best in a largely below par 20-Test career.

Batting at number four, he took 26 balls to get off the mark before he brought up his fifth half-century. He faced 141 balls and hit nine fours.

The only blemish came on 28 when he appeared to be caught in close off his glove from a Hoggard delivery but New Zealand umpire Doug Cowie gave him a reprieve.

“I actually came into this Test match thinking I was going to play aggressively but things change,” Harris said.

The top seed Capriati let seven set-point chances slip away, losing the final for the second-straight year on a wave of missed opportunities.

“It was really close and she played well on the big points,” said Capriati, who turned 26 on Friday. “It’s not like I gave it away, she really earned it.”

The loss followed Capriati’s defeat in last year’s final to the elder Williams sister, Venus. In that contest Capriati missed eight match points.

Asked about the comparison Capriati said tersely: “It never came into my mind.”

The victory keeps the Miami trophy strictly in the Williams family, with the sister act having won four of the last five editions. Only Martina Hingis in 2000 has managed to “intrude” on the private party.

Eighth seed Williams, who lost to her sister here in the 1999 final, handled her second-set challenges one at a time with two coming in the ninth game of the second set.

In the 12th game, Capriati wasted five more chances to square the match. Williams threw it into a tie-breaker with an overhead winner after saving five in that game.

“I just told myself to take them one at a time,” said Williams. “It was two hours of unbelievable tennis.”

Capriati will remain world number one on Monday, with the younger Williams climbing a spot to seventh.

She was cheered to victory by Venus and the pair’s controversial father Richard, who appeared to shout instructions to his daughter, although Williams said she never heard a thing.

The title was the second in a row for Serena, who won the trophy in Scottsdale last month over Capriati. She also beat Capriati in Toronto last summer.

“It’s about time I was able to win it, but Venus has two up on me,” said the champion.

“I always go three sets with Jennifer and I was determined after the first to close out in two.”

With a swag of unforced errors, Williams admitted she was not at her best.

“I was a little sloppy today so there’s room for improvement.”

Williams hit 59 unforced errors in the two hour, two minute, also tallying 31 winners.

Chandigarh, March 31
Gaurav Ghei overcame a spirited challenge from Feroz Ali to clinch the title in the Rs 6-lakh HT Pro Golf Chandigarh Open 2002. Ghei’s tournament tally of nine-under 279 handed him his second straight win on the Hero Honda Golf Tour and a winner’s cheque of Rs 97,200. Ghei’s earlier win came at the Telegraph Open at Kolkata in January 2002. The tournament brought to completion the 22nd leg of the 2001-02 Hero Honda Golf Tour.

Feroz Ali fell apart on his closing holes to finish second two strokes behind the winner at seven-under 281. Mukesh Kumar who never quite managed to catch up with the leaders today, finished third at six-under 282. Lucknow’s Sanjay Kumar finished fourth at two-under 286. The duo of Uttam Mundy (Kolkata) and Ashok Kumar (Delhi) finished fifth at 287.

‘‘I will draw on my mental strength to win tomorrow,’’ was what Ghei had said after the third round. This he did and to perfection. The India Cements-sponsored Ghei was a comfortable two strokes ahead of Feroz on the 16th tee, but a wayward tee shot took his ball out-of-bounds handing him a double bogey on that hole.

‘‘The OB shot was a little unnerving and my second attempt off the tee (technically his third shot) too placed me in the left rough. This is where I held my nerve,’’ said the champion.

Tied with Feroz on the 17th tee box, Ghei went on to birdie the hole and with Feroz dropping a shot, all but wrapped up the title.

‘‘It feels good to win my second straight event on the Hero Honda Golf Tour and that too when I feel my hitting is not even 70 per cent of what it used to be. My short game saved the day for me. I sank a number of five to seven feet putts, which proved critical in the final outcome’’, said the golfer who also won the inaugural HT Pro Golf event in Gurgaon, October, 2000.

Ghei’s round of one-under 71 included birdies on the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 13th and 17th while he bogeyed the 3rd and 5th. The double bogey on the 16th completed his day’s card.

‘‘I need to start meditating’’, was what a visibly dejected Feroz Ali had to say. ‘‘Golf is all about holding our nerve and this is just what I failed to do today,’’ he added. Feroz, who started the day tied with Ghei was in his elements till the 13th hole. ‘‘I lost the tournament on the 13th,’’ said the Kolkatan. Indeed, Feroz sitting on the edge of the green-side bunker on the following hole widened that gap to two.

‘‘When Gaurav doubled the 16th I thought I would go one-up but my short game let me down again. Then the bogey on the 17th sealed my fate’’, he added. Feroz’s round of one-over 73 including birdies on the 2nd and 10th bogeys on the 5th, 14th and 17th was good enough to earn him Rs 67,200.

The ’98 Indian Open winner also had the consolation of beating arch rival Mukesh Kumar to the race for the year-ending ‘‘Mahindra Putter of the Year’’ title.

Gupta wins amateur title: Harinder Gupta aided by his second straight under-par card of the week annexed the amateur title with a tally of one-over 289. Gupta followed his third round card of 70 with a one-under 71 today. Girish Virk at 12-over 300 finished second.

Scores (after 72-holes): 279 — Gaurav Ghei (69,68,71,71); 281 — Feroz Ali (67,68,73,73); 282 — Mukesh (68, 75,67,72); 286 — Sanjay Kumar (73,71,72,70); 287 — Ashok Kumar (73,73,68,73); Uttam Mundy (68,73,72,74); 289 — Yusuf Ali (73,73,71,72); Ali Sher (70,71,72,76); 290 — Amritinder Singh (70,72,76,72); 292 — Amandeep Johl (73,73,70,76).

“It is early to comment on the format as nine months is too short a period to assess the drawbacks. The format has its own charm. It should be continued along with 15 points like one-dayers and Tests in cricket”, he told UNI in an interview.

The seven-point format was introduced by the International Badminton Federation in July last year on an experimental basis and it would be reviewed at its general body meeting in China during the Thomas and Uber Cup in May next.

Prakash, who runs an academy in Bangalore, said the format had its plus points. It throws up new champions in every tournament. Not many had been able to maintain consistency after the introduction of the new system. Many underdogs had emerged surprise winners in the tournaments. Though Asians are favouring the old system, they have done exceedingly well under the new format. “It can be a nightmare for seeded shuttlers. As one mistake could see them tumbling out of the tournament”, he pointed out.

National champion Pullela Gopichand, who made an early exit while defending the All-England title this year, had repeatedly expressed himself against the new system. Many Asian shuttlers were in favour of the change.

Former national champion Vimal Kumar, who coaches with Prakash, felt that the system needed a relook as it put additional pressure on the seasoned campaigners.

“If you lose the first two games, the match will slip out of the hands in no time. The IBF could look in for either nine or 11 point format as they would give more leeway for the players”, he added.

All the three shuttlers agree that the shorter version was disadvantageous to the Indians as they were basically slow starters. Before the shuttlers could settle in, sometimes, the match would be over. There was hardly any scope for come back as a few quick points would put the players under tremendous pressure.

Prakash felt that 15-point format could be persisted with in international events while the shorter version could be continued in recognised tournaments. As the change was meant for television coverage, in open tournaments, the organisers could experiment with many options to improve the game.

“The change in the scoring pattern is not a panacea. All concerned should put their heads together for the promotion of the game. Marketing is a very important aspect. The changes can be seen only after say five years”, he added.

The change was made to provide for more television advertisements. However, the experience had not been that encouraging.

On the CC&FC ground, Indian Airlines, which lost a point in their first match against defending champions Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), took time to settle down and opened their account against the Armymen through conversion of a penalty stroke by former Indian international Altaf ur Rahman a minute before the breather.

Right from the start the spirited Armymen thwarted the attacks and made an equal number raids but failed to find the target. The young Army upfront comprising Susan Topono, Basu Horo and Avtar Singh, ably aided by their skipper and a former International Kamal Horo, kept Airlines custodian Asish Balla busy and the latter saved at least half-a-dozen goal-bound balls.

Airlines stalwarts such as Mukesh Kumar, Virendra Singh, Altaf and Parminder Singh, however, exerted pressure on their rivals during the second half and claimed their second penalty corner within three minutes into the second half when their skipper and former international Dilip Tirkey successfully banged the board (2-0). The winners thereafter went ahead with scoring three more goals at regular intervals.

Already 28 girls have reported at the NIS here and 16 out of these would be finally picked up to take on the challenge at the Women’s World Cup in Australia in December this year, Mr Bango told UNI here.

The team would be selected after intensive coaching and training, he added.

The Indian team, he said, would play three qualifying matches against the USA, either in India or in Manchester (England) to enter the main pool of the World Cup.

He said the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) had prepared a tight schedule for intensive training with just one-week break after each camp.

Expressing high hopes for the team’s best performance, Bango said he was “positively” looking forward to SAI for providing full backing and support for upgrading the morale of the players.

“We are also looking forward towards the media to boost and encourage the players,” he added.

“Our focus is to improve the game knowledge and fitness of players,” Mr Bungo said. “Our players have skills and this an asset which the most European lack.”

He said if the skills were used intelligently and the girls overcame the psychological barriers, inferiority complex, they would definitely win the World Cup.

Mr Bango attributed the poor performance of Indian hockey to the lack of modern infrastructure. “We hardly have any good clubs, or proper facilities at school and college levels. The players having acquired the habit of playing on grass, find it very tough to mould themselves while playing on Astro-turfs.”

He lamented that no effort had ever been made for any research and development department on hockey equipment. He also regretted that neither the Union Sports ministry nor any of the state governments had taken any initiative in this regard.

He pointed out that no effort had been made to manufacture shoes for playing on Astro-turf. These shoes were imported and were out of reach for our players because of very high costs, he added.

Mr Bango said that Indian players were still using the wooden hockey sticks whereas others were using the composite sticks made of fibre and other material, which were more superior.

TIGHT SECURITY
GEORGETOWN (GUYANA): India’s cricket team will receive tight security in Guyana, officials today said ahead of the first Test against West Indies next month. Guyana Cricket Board official Conrad Plummer said that India, who will play five-Test series and as many one dayers during their two-month Caribbean tour, will have armed police escorts during their visit to Guyana. Practice venues will be guarded while more than 130 police ranks will be present on each day of the first Test, which starts on April 11, at the Georgetown Cricket Club. Reuters