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Monday,
May 20, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Harbhajan restricts West Indies
Harbhajan reaches
milestone Ganguly’s move surprises Hooper |
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India ‘A’ settle for draw Butcher, Hussain lead
England fightback Perera caught up in ‘chucking’ storm Belgium spoil world champs France’s party
‘My best is yet to come,’ avers Zidane Ronaldo keen to get even with France Figo in World Cup race against clock Serena beats Henin, lifts title
Mighty Indonesians reign supreme
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Harbhajan restricts West Indies
Kingston (Jamaica), May 19 Opener Wasim Jaffer and Rahul Dravid were dismissed cheaply by Mervyn Dillon with only 15 runs on the board after India began their reply to West Indies’ first innings score of 422.
Jaffer, who had two attractive half-century knocks in Barbados and Antigua, was out for nought, caught behind by Ridley Jacobs, while Dravid was trapped plumb in front of the wicket off a delivery that kept a bit low. Opener Shiv Sunder Das and Sachin Tendulkar were at the crease at the break, having scored 15 and 14 respectively. Earlier, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh claimed his first five-wicket haul overseas as West Indies were bowled out for 422 one hour into the second session. Harbhajan got rid of the stubborn Ridley Jacobs for 59 with a ball that turned into the left-hander and then trapped Dillon leg before wicket for nought. He also caught and bowled Adam Sanford for one as the West Indian lost their last five wickets for 21 runs. He had dismissed Wavell Hinds and Ramnaresh Sarwan yesterday. Javagal Srinath accounted for the dangerous Shivnarine Chanderpaul who edged to wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra after making 58 while Ashish Nehra sent back Pedro Collins as the last man out for 12. West Indies had resumed at their overnight 287 for four and were helped by a brilliant 114 run partnership for the sixth wicket between Jacobs and Chanderpaul. West Indies were 422 all out in the first innings of the fifth Test against India at Sabina Park here today. Harbhajan Singh claimed five wickets for 138 runs. In reply India lost two quick wickets as Wasim Jaffer and Rahul Dravid were dismissed by Marvyn Dillon with the scoreboard reading 15. Earlier, it was only the second time in the series that Hooper, who has scored an aggregate of 573 runs at an average of 95.5, failed to reach 50. The 35-year-old, who had scored 233, 50, 22, 115 and 136 in his last five innings, was caught for 17 by Rahul Dravid running back from first slip when Hooper failed to get his bat out of the way of a rising ball from Javagal Srinath. But Jacobs and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (38 not out) made sure India made no further breakthroughs with a breezy 89-run unbroken sixth-wicket partnership. The 34-year-old Jacobs, who scored a century in his home town of Antigua in last week’s drawn fourth test, looked in prime form. He drove left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra for a straight four and lofted Srinath over his head for a one-bounce four and a six off consecutive balls. Chanderpaul, who took his series aggregate to 483 at an average of 241.5, joined in, driving Zaheer Khan and Nehra through the off-side for fours before Jacobs smashed off-spinner Harbhajan Singh over long-off for his second six. He raised his 50, off 75 balls, by sweeping Harbhajan to fine-leg for a quick two. Wavell Hinds had struck 113 as West Indies piled up 287 for four on the first day. India won the second test in Trinidad 37 runs but West Indies hit back with a 10-wicket victory in Barbados to level the series 1-1. Earlier yesterday, with their fast bowlers unable to take advantage of favourable conditions, India were left rueing their decision of electing to field as West Indies made a promising start to the series-deciding fifth and final cricket Test here. On a green-top wicket that was supposed to be tailor-made for fast bowlers, the three-pronged Indian pace attack was found wanting while West Indian batsmen, led by centurion Wavell Hinds, made merry until three quick wickets at the end of the day gave the visitors something to show for their effort.PTI Scoreboard West Indies (1st innings): Gayle c Jaffer b Zaheer 68 Hinds c Jaffer b Harbhajan 113 Sarwan c Das b Harbhajan 65 Lara c Ratra b Nehra 9 Hooper c Dravid b Srinath 17 Chanderpaul c Ratra b Srinath 58 Jacobs b Harbhajan 59 Dhillon lbw b Harbhajan 0 Collins c Laxman b Nehra 12 Sanford c & b Harbhajan 1 Cuffy not out 0 Extras:
(b-5, lb-6, nb-4, w-5) 20 Total: (all out 132 overs) 422 FoW: 1-111, 2-246, 3-264, 4-264, 5-292, 6-401, 7-409, 8-411, 9-422. Bowling: Srinath 32-9-111-2, Nehra 30-14-72-2, Khan 24-4-78-1, Ganguly 8-4-12-0, Harbhajan 38-3-138-5. India (1st innings) Das batting 15 Jaffer c Jacobs b Dillon 0 Dravid lbw b Dillon 5 Tendulkar batting 14 Extras 0 Total
(for 2 wkts, 11 overs) 34 Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-15. Bowling: Dillon 5-0-23-2, Cuffy 5-3-8-0, Collins 1-0-3-0.
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Harbhajan reaches milestone
Kingston (Jamaica), May 19 The 21-year-old, whose career derailed after a promising start with allegations of throwing, returned with a bang against Australia last year and destroyed the world champions scalping 32 wickets in the three-Test series. In the process, he also had the best tally for an Indian against Australia shattering legendary spinner Bishan Singh Bedi’s 31 wickets from five Tests in the 1977-78 tour to Australia. His best bowling came in the deciding third Test of that series against Australia in Chennai when he bowled India to a historic series win claiming eight wickets for 84 runs in the second innings following his seven wickets in the first innings to also finish with his best bowling in a match — 15/217. Harbhajan Singh got his first wicket in his debut Test when he clean bowled Greg Blewett. He then dismissed Daren Lehmann, who too made his debut in the Test, to finish with figures of 2/112. He took his 50th wicket in his 11th Test dismissing Ricky Ponting. The list of Indian bowlers with more than 100 Test wickets: 1. Kapil Dev wickets 434 2. Anil Kumble 319 3. Bishan Singh Bedi 266 4. B.S. Chandrasekhar 242 5. Javagal Srinath 228 6. E.A.S. Prasanna 189 7. Vinoo Mankad 162 8. S. Venkataraghavan 156 9. Ravi Shastri 151 10. Subhash Gupte 149 11. Dilip Doshi 114 12. Karsen Ghavri 109 13. Shivlal Yadav 102 14. Harbhajan Singh 101 PTI
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Ganguly’s move surprises Hooper Kingston (Jamaica), May 19 Ganguly won this first toss of the series and sent West Indies in to bat, hoping to take advantage of the green-top wicket. But his move seemed to have backfired with West Indies reaching 287 for four at the end of the day. Hooper said though the pitch did have some assistance of the quicker bowlers, it was a good track for the batsmen too. “I think it is a good wicket, the best wicket to bat on so far in the series. Once you get in and the moisture wears off, it is good for batting. Even if there is good pace, it comes on well to the bat,” he said.
PTI
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India ‘A’ settle for draw
Colombo, May 19 India had declared at their overnight score of 302 for four, leaving the hosts a stiff victory target of 418 runs. It was the bowlers who let the visitors down as their attack lacked penetration which allowed openers Avishka Gunawardena and Ian Daniel to post a breezy first wicket stand of 128. Gunawardena was severe on the fast bowlers, racing to his 50 in just 66 balls with a flurry of boundaries. He scored a quickfire 95-ball 82 and was the first to be dismissed. His knock included 10 fours and a six. Daniel played the sheet-anchor role to help his side avoid a repeat of the first innings middle order collapse.
PTI
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Butcher, Hussain lead England fightback
London, May 19 At stumps on the fourth day England, following on, were 321 for two in reply to Sri Lanka’s mammoth 555 for eight declared - a total England only finally overhauled in the 94th over of their second innings — with Michael Vaughan’s 115 the centrepiece. Butcher was batting on 55 and England captain Hussain on 51 when bad light brought an early close to proceedings. In a responsible display Butcher curbed his natural attacking game, his 50 being made in over three and three-quarter hours. His first bounadary took over 30 overs to arrive and his 174-ball innings has only featured five fours so far. Hussain was more aggressive, lofting opposing captain Sanath Jayasuriya for a straight six, his 113-ball knock also including five fours. However, when Hussain turned his head away and ducked into a short ball from Chaminda Vaas, England were immediately offered the light by the umpires. They took it with eight overs and four balls remaining. Sri Lanka’s bowlers kept going gamely but at last the absence of injured spearhead off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan appeared to catch up with the tourists. SCOREBOARD Sri Lanka (1st Innings) 555-8 decl England (1st Innings) 275 England (2nd Innings) Trescothick lbw b Zoysa 76 Vaughan c Sangakkara b Perer 115 Butcher batting 55 Hussain batting 51 Extras (b1, lb6, w1, nb16) 24 Total
(for 2 wkts, 104.2 overs) 321 Fall of wickets: 1-168, 2-213. Bowling: Vaas 26.2-5-71-0, Zoysa 19-3-54-1, Perera 20-3-57-1, De Silva 12-1-34-0, Fernando 18-1-68-0, Jayasuriya 9-2-30-0.
AFP
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Perera caught up in ‘chucking’ storm London, May 19 The little-known left-armer was accused by ex-England stars Dermot Reeve and Mike Atherton of having a suspect action as Nasser Hussain’s men were left struggling to save the Test. The 25-year-old Perera is not one of the world’s top bowlers but he performed like a world-beater taking three for 48 with his whippy medium pacers as England were forced to follow on. England’s predicament was over-shadowed by the row over Perera’s bowling action with TV replays showing his arm bending just before the ball was released. The rule states a bowler’s arm must remain straight at all times. Reeve, now a commentator for Channel 4, told Michael Atherton on air while studying Perera’s action: “I’m sorry Michael, but that is a throw. I am going to put my head on the block.”
PTI |
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Belgium spoil world champs France’s party
Paris, May 19 The Schalke 04 player, who scored eight goals to secure Belgium’s ticket to the World Cup finals, thumped a blistering shot past France’s number two ‘keeper Ulrich Rame as yesterday’s friendly appeared to be heading for a draw. France’s blushes seemed to have been spared when an own goal from Timmy Simons levelled the scores at 1-1 just before half-time at the Stade de France. France’s 20-year-old striker Djibril Cisse came on for the second half to earn his first international cap and came close to scoring. French Roger Lemerre was relaxed about the defeat which came the day before his squad jet out to Japan to prepare for the World Cup curtain-raiser against Senegal on May 31. “It doesn’t have any immediate consequences because it was only a friendly,” said Lemerre. “We were a little laborious but our Belgian friends were very motivated and well organised. We were probably lacking a bit of bite mentally but physically everything will fall into place.” And of Cisse, Lemerre said: “I expected no more and no less, but of course I’m sorry that he didn’t score.”
Germany triumph LEVERKUSEN (Germany): Striker Miroslav Klose scored three goals and midfielder Marco Bode added two to help Germany win its last World Cup warm-up match against Austria 6-2. But the good performance was overshadowed by the injury of a key player. Midfielder Sebastian Deisler, until then Germany’s best man, suffered a knee injury after 19 minutes and was taken to a hospital for a scan. The extent of the injury was not immediately known. “The first prognosis is not so dramatic and we hope we can take him along,” said team chief Rudi Voeller. Although it was missing several likely starters, Germany yesterday produced an entertaining performance against an opponent that doesn’t belong to Europe’s elite. While midfield and attack created chances, Germany’s back four looked less than secure with the absence of central defenders Christian Woerns and Jens Nowotny, who will both miss the World Cup because of injuries. Klose, now likely to be a starting striker at the World Cup, opened the scoring after 15 minutes and added another in the 29th. Midfielder Marco Bode put the Germans three goals up in the 36th.
Italy disappoint PRAGUE: A single goal from Vladimir Smicer saw the Czech Republic beat Italy 1-0 here in a friendly match, ensuring the Italians head off to the World Cup next week on a losing note. It was only the second defeat for Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni after last year’s 2-1 defeat in a friendly against Argentina in Rome but 63-year-old will have been thankful that with the World Cup day away none of his players received any notable injuries. Staying healthy appeared to be the uppermost thing in the players’ minds with only the Czechs, who failed to qualify for the World Cup, playing any quality football. Liverpool star Smicer had already threatened once when he played a one-two with Jiri Jarosik who fired his shot goalwards only for goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon to tip the ball onto the bar. But although Buffon got a hand to the ball he could not prevent Smicer heading home seconds later from a Marek Jankulowski corner to put the Czechs in the lead. The Italians were clearly taking no risks and their best moment of the first half came when Gianluca Zambrotta cut inside and fired inches wide. Giant striker Jan Koller then fired just wide as the home side continued to press.
Poland pip Estonia WARSAW: Maciej Zurawski scored the only goal of the match in the 57th minute as Poland beat Estonia 1-0 in a World Cup warmup that disappointed Polish fans because of the team’s lack of invention and inaccurate shots. The Polish strikers could not break through Estonia’s defence in the first half, but Poland coach Jerzy Engel, who promised to use as many players as possible, brought in six substitutes after the break. “It was visible that the players had heavy legs, they were lacking the speed and lightness, but they won and I’m very happy about it,” Engel said. Engel later confirmed that Poland’s squad, including 22 players who appeared yesterday and Liverpool goalie Jerzy Dudek, who missed the match because of a bruised knee, will be submitted to FIFA today. Poland got going in the second half, but Jacek Krzynowek’ 55th-minute free kick was cleared out by Estonia’s Mark Poom. In 56th, Tomasz Klos hit the post. In the 76th minute, Krzynowek centered from the left but Zurawski was too late to hit the ball. The team will take a two-day break after playing Estonia, followed by two days of training before departure for the World Cup finals in South Korea and Japan.
Nigeria beat Jamaica LONDON: James Obiorah fired World Cup-bound Nigeria to an edgy 1-0 victory over non-qualifier Jamaica in a warmup game. The midfielder, who plays for Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow, netted the only goal five minutes into the second half at Queens Park Rangers’ Loftus Road ground yesterday after the Reggae Boyz had threatened an upset victory over the Super Eagles. After his team’s 2-1 victory over Ireland in Dublin on Thursday, Nigerian coach Festus Onigbinde fielded mostly his backup line up at Loftus Road and it should have gone into half time a goal behind. The Jamaicans thought they were celebrating a goal in the 28th minute only be denied a score by English referee Andy D’Urso. Super Eagles defender Eric Efiofor turned a backpass wide of goalkeeper Ike Shorunmu, who had rushed off his line, and the ball headed for an empty net. The ‘keeper raced back and managed to clear the ball but the fans behind the goal made it clear they thought it had already crossed the line. Their celebrations ended when referee D’Urso waved play on.
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‘My best is yet to come,’ avers Zidane
Paris, May 19 As he showed in the 1998 World Cup final, and again in the climax to the European Champions League with Real Madrid this year, the man known affectionately as ‘Zizou’ has a knack of rising to the big occasion. The world’s most expensive footballer following his world record transfer to Real for $64.9 million last summer, there are millions of ‘Madrilenos’ who will gratefully see it as money well-spent. A spectacular volleyed winner in the Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen this week has been hailed as one of the greatest ever to grace the tournament, and augurs well for France’s World Cup hopes. Zidane’s first European Cup victory marked the latest chapter in a career that always promised but only really started to deliver in 1998, when the shy Frenchman exploded on the world’s biggest stage at France ’98. Ever since, the 29-year-old has been footballing royalty with his exploits on the field speaking for themselves — deeds have always mattered more than words for the reticent man. Zidane, one of five sons born to Algerian immigrants, grew up in his native city of Marseille and supported his local club, idolising the club’s Uruguayan striker Enzo Francescoli — Zidane later named his first son Enzo. Marseille’s maverick president Bernard Tapie, busy throwing money at the world’s top talents, failed to notice the rough diamond emerging under his very nose and then young Zidane started his career at Cannes. Cannes is more associated with cinematic launches than putting football stars into orbit but Zidane made his debut at the age of 16 under the wing of footballing mentor Luis Fernandez. He moved to Bordeaux and it was with the Girondins that he reached the 1996 UEFA Cup final — a performance that earned him a move to Juventus. At Juve Zidane won two Scudetti in 1996-7 and 1997-8 as well as the Intercontinental Cup and lesser trophies such as the Italian and European Super Cups. But it was in the summer of 1998 that Zidane produced his career-defining performance. Zidane had had an undistinguished campaign on France’s march to the World Cup final — sitting out two matches after being sent off for stamping against Saudi Arabia in a group match. But he returned and on World Cup final night on July 12, 1998 at the Stade de France the long-time budding talent metamorphosed into a superstar, scoring twice to put France en route to a 3-0 win. Since then Zidane has been an icon. Feted at the Elysee Palace where he was awarded the Legion d’Honneur, he has — despite his self-professed shyness — become a United Nations goodwill ambassador. His confidence has grown on the pitch too. In Euro 2000 he was by far the best player in the tournament as France added the continental championship to their world crown. That earned him a second FIFA World Player of the Year crown. Married to a Spanish wife Veronica and father of sons Enzo and Luca, it was perhaps inevitable that the world’s greatest footballer would end up at Real Madrid. “The best club in the world must have the best players in the world,” Real’s president Florentino Perez said after capturing the midfielder. On the field the red mist still occasionally descends. He earned a five-match ban after a headbutt incident against Hamburg in the 2000-1 Champions League. Now acknowledged as the world’s finest player, France’s opponents could be forgiven for shuddering at Zidane’s assertion that the best may be yet to come. “I’ve my greatest footballing years ahead of me. May be not five years, but I hope at least another two or three years at the highest level. What’s certain is that at 33 years I won’t be on a football pitch,” he added. AFP
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Ronaldo
keen to get even with France
Paris, May 19 The 25-year-old Brazilian star with the battle-scarred knees and the toothy grin aims to erase the bitter memory of his country’s calamitous 1998 World Cup final defeat to France. Ronaldo’s part in the 3-0 drubbing was one of the saddest sights of the tournament. Initially left off Brazil’s team-sheet by coach Mario Zagallo he was eventually cleared to play. But the sluggish player who shuffled through the final bore no resemblance to the free-flowing figure who had been twice named FIFA World Footballer of the Year by the time he was 21. Exactly what was wrong with Ronaldo on that night in July has become one of the great World Cup mysteries. Conflicting reports have said he suffered a convulsion, passed out and regained consciousness after being discovered in the middle of a seizure by shocked team-mate Roberto Carlos. Various doctors and medical officials have said nothing was wrong with Ronaldo/others have said he risked another seizure or even death by taking part in the final. Whatever the truth, the affair left a deep imprint on the psyche of Brazilian football and the man once regarded as its brightest star. In the years after 1998, things went from bad to worse for Ronaldo. After undergoing long-overdue knee surgery in 1999, the Inter Milan player spent five months out before returning in the Italian Cup final in April 2000. His comeback was just a few minutes old, however, when he collapsed to the ground at Rome’s Olympic Stadium in tears of agony having ripped the tendons in his knee again. That devastating injury immediately prompted speculation that Ronaldo’s brilliant career was over. But against the odds, and more than two years after his last appearance in a Inter shirt, Ronaldo returned in a pre-season friendly last August. His comeback season has been a stop-start affair this year, however, with three leg muscle injuries in quick succession hampering his return to form and fitness. Towards the end of Inter’s domestic campaign he began to appear regularly, and more encouragingly from Brazil’s point of view, started to get in the goals again. He made his comeback from Brazil in the 1-0 friendly win over Yugoslavia in March, and coach Luiz Felipe Scolari wasted no time in naming him for the World Cup squad. Ronaldo intends to turn talk that he is a spent force to his advantage after enduring all the agonies of the past four years — and has a score to settle with world champions France. “I would like to knock out France. The match in 1998 really stuck in my throat and a chance for revenge would be excellent,” he said. If Brazil make the last eight — or possibly the last four depending on other results — and the French live up to expectations he will be the man to whom his team-mates turn to make that wish come true.
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Figo in World Cup race against clock Macau, May 19 “I sincerely want to perform to the best of my ability at the World Cup without problem or pain,” the Real Madrid star said after Portugal’s squad flew into this former colony for a pre-tournament training camp. “Whatever I can do to help my team, I will do my best to do it. I hope to recover as fast as possible. Portugal beging their campaign against the USA on June 5. South Korea and Poland are also in their group. Figo was substituted during Real’s European Champions league final win over Bayer Leverkusen last Wednesday and looked short of fitness. His ankle problem kept him out of the team for over a month earlier in the year.
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Serena beats Henin, lifts title
Rome, May 19 It was sweet revenge for the fourth-seeded American who had lost the final of last week’s Berlin Open to fifth-ranked Henin in a third-set tie-break but was the better player on the red clay at the Foro Italico as she clinched her 14th career title. The early games went with serve with the first notable incident coming in game seven at deuce. Williams, who already had a heavily strapped right thigh, pulled up in pain as she turned after playing a backhand and although Henin missed an easy smash, giving the point to the American, Serena needed five minutes of on court treatment on her right ankle. But when she resumed she seemed unaffected and the tightly contested set continued as before with Williams forcing with her superior physique but Henin producing some But at 5-4 Henin faltered, going down to 0-40 with Williams looking poised to claim the set. However, the feisty 19-year-old saved all of them to level and the set duly went to a tie-break. The American quickly took a 6-4 lead in the tie-break but the gutsy Henin, who herself had a heavily-bandaged left leg, saved both set points, the second with a brilliant backhand pass. But the American, watched by mother Oracene and sister Venus who pulled out of this tournament at short notice on Tuesday and will lose her world number one ranking to Jennifer Capriati tomorrow, finally wrapped up the set in 69 minutes with her sixth set point and third in the tie-break. The early stages of the second set were also fairly even but in game seven Henin appeared to wilt. At 15-40 she saved two break points but could not defend a third as Williams edged into the lead. Serena, the 1999 US Open champion, immediately squandered the advantage as she conceded serve in the next very game but Henin again lost her serve to allow the American to serve for the match.
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Mighty Indonesians reign supreme
Guangzhou (China), May 19 The Malaysians had come into the match with high hopes of an upset but could not deny the mighty Indonesians, losing out 2-3 despite setting a 2-1 lead. In the end it was heartbreak for the challengers at the hands of the champions who have monopolised the prestigious trophy — the men’s world team championship — since 1994. World champion Hendrawan was the hero as he outgunned Malaysian veteran Hashim M. Roslin 8-7 7-2 7-1 in the final match to clinch the Indonesians’ 13th Thomas Cup win and spark wild celebrations. The opening game of the final had seen a fired-up Malaysian world number five Wong Choong Hann blaze past Indonesian number one Marleve Mainaky 7-5 7-5 7-1 in 45 explosive minutes. Attention then turned to a highly anticipated clash between the two best doubles pairings in the elite eight-team event. However, it proved to be no contest with the 1997 Indonesian world champions Candra Wijaya and Sigit Budiarto putting on an awesome display to demolish the world number one duo of Chan Chong Ming and Chew Choon Eng 7-3 7-4 7-2 in a lopsided contest that lasted just 15 minutes. AFP
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