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Thursday,
November 7, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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West Indies snatch last-ball victory
Chetan Sharma writes Another feather in Anil Kumble’s cap |
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Aussies axe Brett Lee NZ cricket crisis
lures dreamers Sumit slams century Fresh hope for Sunita Rani England halt India’s march with 3-1 win Mathew stuns Malaysian Punjab honours Busan medallists
Stage set for police games Big victory for Jalandhar school Top golfers for Stroh Cup Meet for mentally challenged
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West Indies snatch last-ball victory
Jamshedpur, November 6 Ramnaresh Sarwan hit a boundary off the last ball to snatch a four-wicket win for his side after West Indies messed up a favourable run-ball equation in the last three overs. With West Indies needing 13 runs from the last three overs to overtake India’s 283 for six, a section of the crowd, sensing a defeat for the home team, began throwing missiles onto the ground, holding up the game. Repeated requests from officials and players failed to calm the restive crowd and the two teams walked back to pavilion raising fears of the match being awarded to the touring side as it had happened at the Eden Gardens in the semi-finals of the 1996 World Cup against Sri lanka. Even as the official broadcasters announced the abandonment of the match and West Indies being declared winners, sanity prevailed among the spectators and the two teams came out to complete the remainder of the match. What followed saw an incredible comeback by India as Ashish Nehra gave away just one run in the 49th over while claiming the wicket of Shivnarine Chanderpaul which left West Indies requiring six runs from the last over. Three singles and a run-out later, Sarwan faced Agarkar for the last delivery and smashed the full-toss through covers to bring up the thrilling victory for West Indies. “I was looking for him (Agarkar) to bowl a yorker and I thought I will hit him in the covers,” Sarwan, later declared man of the match for his unbeaten 83, said. While it was celebration time for Sarwan, disappointment writ large on Agarkar’s face, the Mumbai all-rounder having played a career-best knock of 95 earlier in the day to propel India to an imposing total. Sarwan’s knock also eclipsed a fine innings by teammate Wavell Hinds who kept his side in the hunt through the innings with a brilliant 93. Hinds laid the foundation of the West Indies run chase in a 86-run second wicket stand with Marlon Samuels who came up with a sterling 51. Earlier, India elected to bat and overcame the early loss of openers Virender Sehwag and Sourav Ganguly to post a good score on a pitch that had been the subject of intense discussion before the match. Agarkar, who was surprisingly sent to bat at number three, and V V S Laxman put on 98 runs for the third wicket, the stylish Hyderabad batsman compiling an impressive 47 before being clean bowled by Mahendra Nagamootoo. Agarkar found another fine partner in Rahul Dravid, who remained unbeaten on 46, and the two continued to score at a very decent rate. Agarkar smashed 11 fours and two sixes in his 102-ball knock as he ensured that India did not miss the services of Sachin Tendulkar who has been ruled out of the one-day series due to a hamstring injury. Agarkar, who came tantalisingly close to scoring his maiden one-day hundred, was finally out as the fourth wicket when he gave a simple catch to Chris Gayle off Pedro Collins. India lost Yuvraj Singh and debutant J P Yadav in quick succession but Dravid and Mohammad Kaif stopped the slide and added 44 runs in the last four overs that proved crucial in the end. Kaif once again came up with a cameo knock, scoring 31 from just 18 balls with five fours, three of them coming in the last over of the innings by Vasbert Drakes which produced 17 runs for India. The West Indian innings did not start on a very promising note with Gayle being dismissed for just seven runs as Agarkar carried his good performance with the bat to the bowling department too. But Hinds and Samuels put up a determined partnership that not only prevented quick loss of wickets but also produced runs at a brisk rate. The two scored at more than the required run rate to lay a sound platform for the West Indies. Particularly impressive was the way these two batsmen dealt with the dreaded spin duo of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. Refusing to buckle down against the spinners who had often troubled the West Indian batsmen in the Test series, the two launched an offensive against them, never allowing them to settle down to any kind of rhythm. Scoreboard India: Sehwag c and b Drakes 28 Ganguly b Collins 16 Agarkar c Gayle b Collins 95 Laxman b Nagamootoo 47 Dravid not out 46 Yuvraj c Gayle b Hooper 4 Yadav b Dillon 0 Kaif not out 31 Extras: (b-4, lb-6, w-5, nb-1)16 Total: (6 wickets, 50 overs) 283. Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-49, 3-147, 4-222, 5-235, 6-236. Bowling: Dillon 10-0-64-1, Collins 10-1-40-2, Drakes 10-1-62-1, Hooper 10-2-46-1, Nagamootoo 8-1-45-1, Gayle 2-0-16-0. West Indies: Gayle c Yadav b Agarkar 7 W Hinds c Dravid b Nehra 93 Samuels b Kumble 51 Sarwan not out 83 Hooper c Yadav b Sehwag 4 Chanderpaul c Ganguly Jacob run out 0 Nagamootoo not out 1 Extras: (b-2, lb-5, w-16) 23 Total: (for 6 wkts, 50 overs) 285 Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-114, 3-201, 4-206, 5-277, 6-279. Bowling: Nehra 9-1-50-2, Agarkar 9-1-42-1, Yadav 4-0-22-0, Harbhajan 9-0-68-0, Kumble 7-0-48-1, Sehwag 10-0-37-1, Yuvraj 2-0-11-0.
PTI |
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Chetan Sharma writes IT is never a nice feeling to be carted for a boundary of the last ball of a one-day international which can result in your team’s defeat. Even after 16 years I can’t forget how Javed Miandad hit me over mid-wicket for a sixer to win a tournament in Sharjah, and Ajit Agarkar went through similar horrors at Jamshedpur today. When Ramnaresh Sarwan hit a cover drive off the last-ball full toss, Agarkar’s brilliant knock of 95 in the morning must have been erased from the Indian fans’ minds. What they will remember instead is how he allowed West Indies to win the first match of the series. This was a dramatic match and my prediction that the West Indians can cause a surprise came true. The Indian batting in the morning was propped up by Agarkar who was promoted to No. 3 by the team management. It was not a bad plan because it was his knock which brought momentum to the Indian innings. He is a sweet timer of the ball when he bats with confidence and today we had a good insight into his batting talent. It was unfortunate that it was Agarkar who conceded a four off the last ball after a great start to the over in which West Indies required six runs to win. This match was also a blot on the unruly spectators as the match referee was very close to awarding the game to West Indies after the crowd disrupted proceedings once they realised India can lose the match. This suggests we are bad losers as it has happened before also and it is time we did something. Not only the national prestige but the players’s security is of paramount importance too. Coming back to the game, the Indians were unimaginative in the field. The bowling was pathetic, especially the spinners Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble. In fact, it was Harbhajan’s over in which he gave away as many as 17 runs which turned the tide against India. It is rare that spinners of the calibre of Harbhajan and Kumble go for so many runs and credit must be given to the West Indian batting trio of Wavell Hinds, Sarwan and Marlon Samuels. They batted so well, India must now be worried over the fate of the remaining matches as they can’t take the West Indians lightly. |
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Another feather in Anil Kumble’s cap Jamshedpur, November 6 Kumble attained the rare feat when he got rid of West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels with a ball that took the inside edge of the Jamaican’s willow before shattering his stumps. Having made his debut against Sri Lanka at Sharjah in 1989-90, Kumble reached the magical figure in his 234th ODI with the fifth ball of his second over, to reduce West Indies to 114 for two. Samuels, who was going great guns, departed at 51. The lanky Karnataka spinner now trails behind two Pakistan speedsters — Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, the only other members of the 300-wicket club in the shorter version of the game. Throughout the 90’s, the unassuming Kumble had remained India’s most potent bowling weapon, fashioning many fascinating Indian win with his googlies and flippers. Kumble, who regards legendary leg spinner B S Chandrasekhar as his inspiration, gave the most awesome demonstration of his bowling prowess in one-dayers during the final of the Hero Cup in 1993 when he returned spectacular figures of 6 for 12 to enable India emerge champions. Till date this remains Kumble’s best figures in the shorter version of the game. An equally dreaded bowler in Tests, Kumble will forever be remembered for his ‘perfect 10’, when he captured all the second innings wickets of Pakistan in 98-99.
UNI |
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Aussies axe Brett Lee Brisbane, November 6 England goes into the first Test starting here tomorrow without leading paceman Darren Gough, who was ruled out last weekend with a recurrence of the knee injury that has sidelined him from international cricket for 12 months. Shin soreness for Durham fast bowler Stephen Harmison and the doubtful recovery of allrounder Andrew Flintoff has also reduced the tourist’s bowling stocks. England coach Duncan Fletcher said Flintoff’s fitness would be appraised after consultation with the selectors before his line up was announced later today. There was “a little bit of concern” about Flintoff’s condition after he bowled in the nets this morning, Fletcher said, and Craig White had moved into the frame for a Test berth. Lee, one of the fastest bowlers in cricket, was dropped on form and because Australian selectors decided Andy Bichel had earned his chance after taking eight wickets at an average of 13 last month as Jason Gillespie’s replacement in two Tests against Pakistan. The omission of 128-Test veteran Mark Waugh from the squad had already ensured complacency wouldn’t be a problem for the Australians, who haven’t lost a series at home in a decade. Skipper Steve Waugh said Australia was primed to claim a record-equalling eighth consecutive Ashes series. “I’ve really felt the buzz about a Test-match series against England,” he said. “Everyone is feeling good, our confidence is high.”
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NZ cricket crisis lures dreamers Auckland, November 6 With New Zealand’s first class cricketers on strike, Owen Ferrier-Kerr and dozens of others are resurrecting boyhood dreams of representing their country, while keeping their tongues firmly in their cheeks. “I am 43 years old, slightly overweight and a genuine number 11,” he wrote in the letters column of the Dominion-Post. “However, I can promise to make an effort as a medium slow (and getting slower) bowler. I will field wherever the captain puts me without complaint.” His letter, and an undercurrent of bitterness about the perceived greed of top players, is being mirrored across the country where touch rugby is now a bigger summer sport than cricket. “I will never leave a tour with a feigned injury because the coach is being mean to me and play country cricket the next week,” promises Ferrier-Kerr, in a swipe at temperamental New Zealand bowler Chris Cairns. The dispute is essentially an old-fashioned union brawl pitting management in the form of New Zealand Cricket’s (NZC) Martin Snedden against workers, the Cricket Players Association (CPA) headed by Rob Nichols and supported by 128 first class players. Nichols has made a series of demands, mostly about pay, which Snedden has said the NZC cannot afford. The CPA has in turn demanded to see the NZC accounting books, angering Snedden with the implication NZC cannot be trusted. The dispute came to a head yesterday with the two sides far apart and the NZC insisting they were not planning any more talks to resolve the matter. Sports commentator Jo Romanos told Radio New Zealand that with the country’s team hovering just above minnows Bangladesh and Kenya, the question of who will face India barely matters. Meanwhile the elder statesman of New Zealand cricket, 87-year-old Walter Hadlee issued strong criticism of the players. “These players are already getting a very fair cut of the total income. I can only put it down to greed,” he said. In the rugby-mad country where first class cricket is mostly played in empty stadiums and where most of the 94,000 registered players are children, the dispute is causing deep consternation in the media. “New Zealand is facing a farcical cricketing summer with a virtual club-strength side being pitted against the might of India,” the Dominion-Post said today. The New Zealand Herald, in a front-page story, said the scramble was on to find any team that could face India in the first Test match starting December 12. Although New Zealand law recognises the right of collective bargaining, Snedden, a lawyer and former first class cricketer, has made it clear he will scrape together a team to face India by going around the CPA. “It won’t be a club side but if we have to use players from outside the top group then we will,” he told the Dominion-Post. “This tour is going ahead, cricket will be played in New Zealand this summer and it just remains to be seen by which players.” The players have demanded a 60 per cent or collective $ 2.7 million ($ 1.35 million US) pay increase but the NZC’s upgraded response was $ 450,000 or about nine per cent. The New Zealand Herald says the dispute is about more than money. The players are also demanding more say in how the game is run and for the NZC to pay the association’s running costs, estimated at $ 300,000 per year.
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Sumit slams century Amritsar, November 6 The major scorers from the side were Sumit Sharma (102), Rajiv Sharma (88) and Vipin Chohan (64). At close of the day’s play Ludhiana were at 17 in four overs without any loss. Yogesh with five wickets conceding 50 runs was the most successful bowler. |
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Fresh hope for Sunita Rani New Delhi, November 6 However, there have been no comments by officials of Amateur Athletic Federation of India on the reported “discrepancy”. “I feel vindicated. I have been saying all along that I am innocent. I hope I will be cleared of the drug charges now,” the 22-year-old middle distance runner told PTI over phone from her Sangrur residence reacting to a newspaper report here which quoted some documents to say there was a huge difference in the nandrolone level in the ‘A’ and ‘B’ samples taken after the 1500m race. Sunita was stripped of her gold and bronze medals after she tested positive for nandrolone during the Busan Asian Games. The athlete vehemently denies having taken any performance-enhancing drugs. Result of the ‘A’ sample taken after the 1500m run shows nandrolone at 21 nanograms per millilitre whereas in the ‘B’ sample it is six - a variation which experts say is unheard of, according to the news report. “There is a big difference in the first sample taken after the 1500m run. Unless there is a calculation error, it is rather unusual,” a sports medicine expert said on condition of anonymity. “This discrepancy questions the reliablity of the results. Once an error is found, you can always cast aspersions on the results of the two other samples taken after the 5000m,” the expert said. “Had she not taken part in the 5000m, one could have really argued her case showing the big difference in the ‘A’ and ‘B’ samples taken after 1500m.” Sunita also found the discrepancy rather unsusual and believed that it would strengthen her case. “I have not heard of such variations till date. The laboratory which conducted the tests is not a local or district level lab likely to make mistakes. This is an international level lab,” she said. “For them it is just a change in procedure but my career is at stake. I cannot fight this alone. I need the cooperation of everybody,” she said. The Amateur Athletic Federation of India (AAFI), which has constituted a one-man Sushil Salwan enquiry committee to probe the doping scandal, will, however, wait for the committee’s report before deciding its future course of action. “It is premature to comment on newspaper reports. We have our own enquiry commitee and we will wait for the report which is expected by this week,” AAFI secretary Lalit Bhanot told PTI. Mr Bhanot said AAFI will go through the report and observations of the enquiry committee and take decisions taking into account “all aspects of the report”.
PTI |
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England halt India’s march with 3-1 win Bled, Slovenia, October 6 The Indian women too suffered a set backup losing 1-2 to Russia with a lone win coming from Vijalakshmi Subbaraman on the top board. The top seeds Russia extended their lead to a full point over the second seeds Hungary after a 3-1 victory China. Former world champions Gary Kasparov and Alexander Khalifman scored the wins for Russia with white pieces to put them on 28.5 points. Hungary scored over Bosnia and Herzegovnia 2.5-1.5 with the crucial win coming form Zoltan Almasi on the third board. In the women’s section, Georgia continued their gold track inflicting a 2-1 defeat upon Hungary. The top seeds China moved into the second position with 21.5 points after a thumping 2.5-0.5 victory over Greece. Michael Adams played a terrific game with the white pieces to outwit GM Krishnan Sasikiran on the top board. Sasikiran who played the Sicilian defence found his king caught in the Center after the Englishman sacrificed a pawn. Black finally managed to swap Queens so as to take away his monarch from the epicenter but then the white Rooks landed on the seventh Rank. Before Black could exchange the Rooks, he found himself three pawns down and gave up in a Bishop ending after 54 moves. Harikrishna who had the white pieces against former world championship challenger Nigel Short burned his boats and sacrificed a Rook to try and over power his experienced adversary. However Black stayed healthy with his extra material and tucked his King back to safety to take the point in 43 moves. On the third board IM S.S. Ganguly played resolutely to draw with GM Jonathan Speelman from the Black side of the Larsen opening. Ganguly took good control of the central squares right from the start and held back all of white’s attempts to gain an advantage. The game headed to draw in a Rook endgame with exchange of pieces at regular intervals. British champion IM R.B. Ramesh too played a fine game drawing with GM Conquest on the fourth board. Ramesh who faced the Alekhine defence won a Queenside pawn on the 20th move. However, Black found compensation in the form of active pieces and won back the pawn. In a Queen and Rook endgame, more pawns were exchanged and the players agreed to a eventual draw after 53 moves. WIM Aarthie Ramaswamy and WIM Meenakshi were unrecognisable in losing their games against WGM Tatiana Kosintseva and Svetlana Matveeva respectively. Meenakshi lost in just 26 moves from the Black side of the Dutch defence. Mishandling the opening and neglecting her development she paid the price when white timely opened lines against her King and forced a Checkmate. Aarthie who had the White pieces against Tatiana lost her game when she over looked a simple pawn advance putting two of her pieces under fire. Before white could co-ordinate her pieces, Black targeted the Kingside to force resignation from Aarthie in 32 moves. Vijalakshmi scored the lone victory for India defeating WGM Ekaterina Kovalevskaya with the White pieces from an Irregular fianchetto opening. Vijayalakshmi came out of the opening with an edge and when she swung over her active Queen to Black’s Kingside, Ekaterina gave up the exchange in return for pawns. However as Black obtained a powerful ‘d’ passer white returned back the exchange to win the game in a Knight pawn ending in 81 moves and obtain her six win in tournament.
UNI |
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Mathew stuns Malaysian New Delhi, November 6 Jaco T Mathew, the former junior national champion, played steady tennis, with some excellent ground strokes and a dependable serve, to oust Si, who had scalped top-seeded Mustafa Ghouse yesterday. Though the second set went into the tie-breaker, there was never ever any doubt about Jaco Mathew’s ability to pull off a victory. A product of the Britannia Amritraj Tennis Academy (BAT), Jaco Mathew said the second set was stretched to tie-breaker as Si started serving better. Mathew had his chances in the second set, but failed to utilise the opportunity he got to break the Malaysian twice in the set, before the matter was decided in tie-breaker. Mathew, who had to use the qualifying route to get into the main draw, notched up his best-ever singles victory in the senior section. “I was easily holding my serves. I was confident of beating Si”, observed Mathew, who would be moving out of BAT this year, after completing six long years with the path-breaking tennis academy. Ajay Ramaswamy, another talented junior-turned senior, played a battle of attrition against Pavel Ivanov, winner of the title at the first leg of the Futures at Chandigarh last week, before emerging victorious at 4-6, 6-1, 7-6, (7-3) in two hours and 24 minutes. Ramaswamy matched agression with aggression to wear out Pavel, with a dependable serve, and searing ground strokes as his main weapons. Rishi Sridhar, who had been out of action for over a year due to an injury, before making his comeback at Chandigarh, showed that he had lost none of his touch - in fact, he has only improved his game - while disposing of the aggressive Jan Masik of Czech Republic, seeded seventh, at 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 40 minutes. Sridhar’s strategy was to finish off the points as quickly as possile, as engaging Masik in rallies would have proved counter productive, as the Czech’s net volleys were unretrievable, and Sridhar could triumph because of his agility, and quick finishes. Sridhar will now take on Jaco Mathew, and considering his experience, Sridhar starts as favourite. Vinod Sridhar, who recently won the DSCL Open National Tennis Tournament at the DLTA courts, stunned sixth-seeded Boris Borgula of Slovakia with an easy 6-1,6-2 victory. The victory could have been quicker, but for some silly errors committed by Vinod, particularly with his returns. Kedar Tembe prevailed over Davis Cupper Vishal Uppal at 7-5, 6-4 while eighth-seeded Manoj Mahadevan beat Joseph Huber of Austria 6-2, 6-3. Kamla Kannan fought a tooth and nail match against second seeded Juraj Hasko of Slovakia before bowing out at 3-6, 7-6, (7-5), 6-4 in two hours and 36 minutes. The only other foreigner to win was Pavel Lobanov of Russia, who beat fellow-Russian Evgueni Smirnov 7-5, 6-3. |
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Paradorn looks to Buddhism Bangkok |
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Punjab honours Busan medallists Chandigarh, November 6 The players honoured today were Bahadur Singh, Paramjit Singh, Manjit Kaur, Madhuri A. Singh (all athletics), Alok Kumar (billiards), Rajesh Pattu (equestrian), Gagan Ajit Singh, Daljit Singh, Tejbir Singh, Jugraj Singh, Kamalpreet Singh (hockey), Manpreet Singh (kabaddi), Roshan Lal (rowing), Palwinder Singh Cheema (wrestling), and Manavjit Singh (rifle shooting). The winners of gold medals were given Rs 10 lakh while silver and bronze medallists received Rs 7 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, respectively. The coaches of the players were also honoured at the function. The function was delayed by nearly two hours due to late arrival of the Chief Minister. |
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Stage set for police games Chandigarh, November 6 All arrangements have been made for the technical conduct of the five games i.e. judo, wrestling, weightlifting, boxing and gymnastics championships for the h-day meet. A meeting of managers of various games was held with the competition directors of the concerned games. Clinics were also conducted by the experts of the rules and regulations of the concerned games. More than 125 sportspersons who have won laurels for the nation in various international competitions have reported at the venue so far. Mr M.S. Malik, Director-General of Police, Haryana, who is also chairman of the organising committee of the games, inaugurated game secretariat in the stadium. Mr Malik also released a technical handbook compiled by a team headed by the Camp Commandant, Mr V. Kamaraja. The hand book consists the detailed programme of the competitions. The competition would start after the games are formally declared open by Mr L. K. Advani, Deputy Prime Minister of India, tomorrow. |
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Big victory for Jalandhar school New Delhi, November 6 Jalandhar school walloped Don Bosco High School, Gujarat 17-0 while Union Academy overcame Loyola School, Kohima (Nagaland) 2-0. While Jalandhar school led 7-0 at half time against their rival Union Academy scored a goal in each half against Nagaland School. In other matches of the day, Colonel Ganj Inter College, Allahabad trounced Govt High School Jammu 17-1, Govt. Secondary School, Nagoloi (Delhi) outlasted Maulana Azad School Bhopal 6-0. Jatinderpal Singh slammed five goals, including a hat-trick for St. Soldier School. Other goal getters for the winners were Daler Singh (4) Gurpreet Singh jr (3), Karanjit Singh(2) and Harsharan Singh, Gurpreet Singh and Manjit Singh (one each). In a keenly contested encounter Union Academy had to wage a grom battle to down Nagaland School. Vikesh Sharma put Union Academy ahead by converting a stroke in the 12th minute while Rakesh made it 2-0 for the winners in the 49th minute. Earlier in yet another totally one-sided encounter Colonel Ganj Inter College, Allahabad led 7-0 at half time against Jammu School. Razi Abdi, Javed Khan (four each) Mohd. Gufran, Mohd. Khalid (3 each) Sunti Sonkar (2) and Amit Nishad (one) scored for Allahabad side. Jasbir Singh scored the lone goal for the losers. Sandeep scored a hat-trick as local Govt School, Nangloi overpowered Maulana Azad School, Bhopal after leading 2-0 at the breather. Other goal getters were Manoj (2) and Satish Kumar (0ne).
UNI |
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Top golfers for Stroh Cup Chandigarh, November 6 Giving this information today, Chandigarh Golf Association President Desh Prem Azad said a record number of entries had been received for the two-day event. Other prominent amateur golfers to be seen in action will be Girish Virk, Sujjan Singh, Sandeep Sandhu and lady golfer Parnita Garewal. Budding golfers namely Ajitesh Sandhu, Sagan Bhaita, Zoravar Singh and Fatehbir Dhaliwal will get a chance to have competition exposure in this meet. Mr T.S. Sibia, President of the Chandigarh Golf Club, will tee off the championship at 8.30 am. Mr Ashwani Luthra, Chief Commissioner, Income Tax, will distribute the prizes. Competitions will be conducted in the following categories: Open, 15-17 years, 13-14 years, 11-12 years, Under-10, Under-18 girls. |
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Meet for mentally challenged Amritsar, November 6 Around 300 players from 17 schools of the state would take part in the meet. She said this was fifth Olympic for mentally retarded persons to be held in the state. She said the help of Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) and District Sports Association (DSA) was being sought in convening the meet. |
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