 |
Sunday,
January 26, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
|
Agassi overwhelming favourite
‘Best Indian team for World Cup’ |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
‘India lacks genuine
spinners’ S Africa under pressure: Donald Pak fully prepared,
says Waqar England team receives warning Rathore’s century rescues Himachal Big win for Bagan Venkat, Mukesh get Padma Shri Indians falter in Singapore Randhir is OCA secy-general
|
|
Serena beats Venus for historic sweep
Melbourne, January 25 The siblings had spent the morning lying on a bed watching cartoons together but in the afternoon Serena battled to an emotional 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 victory to become only the fifth woman to hold all four grand slams at once, a feat she is calling the ‘Serena slam’. “I never get emotional, but I am really, really emotional now and really, really happy,’’ the world number one told the crowd during the presentation ceremony as tears rolled down her cheeks. “You know all my life I have dreamed of being the best and doing the best. It hasn’t always been easy for me and it is just so special the fact that I am making history right now.’’ The 21-year-old picked up 1.13 million Australian dollars (669,073 dollars) for her victory and joins Maureen Connolly, Margaret Court, Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf in an exclusive pantheon of champions. Court, Navratilova and Graf were all in Melbourne to witness the newest member of the grand slam club. “Winning four in a row... It doesn’t happen every day. I can’t believe I can now be compared to these women because they are just the greats. To be in their category is just amazing,’’ said Serena. “I don’t know if I can ever live up to their achievements. I have never celebrated a grand slam victory before. May be that will change today.’’ Venus, Wimbledon and US Open champion in 2000 and 2001, claimed a less palatable slice of history, becoming the first woman to lose in the final of four successive grand slams, beaten on each occasion by Serena. Against each other they brought out the big guns, weapons unneeded in earlier rounds. But facing each other across the net the full armoury was on display as the sisters went at each other with venom. “Venus... be the meanest,’’ one wag in the crowd called before another hollered ‘’come on Sezzer,’’ to Serena as the Australian Open got its first taste of the razzmatazz of an all-Williams Grand Slam final. After an opening couple of games, where the sisters searched each other for any sign of weakness, Serena broke in the fourth game, swatting a salvo of high forehand winners to stretch into a lead. The once-giggling girls, uneasy confronting each other, have grown into fearless combative women, each out for herself, capable of forgetting family love when on the court. Venus struck back immediately, breaking when Serena pushed a forehand beyond the baseline. Four games later Venus had the chance to break again. She converted on her third break point when Serena netted a forehand, the top seed throwing her racket to the side of the court before burying her head in her hands. But Serena refused to buckle and pulled level at 6-6 with some courageous tennis before streaking into a 5-1 lead in the tiebreak. From having the opening set within her grasp, Venus was facing the loss of it and despite a mini-revival, lost 7-4 when another forehand flew long. Serena clenched her fist, skipped on the spot and raced back to her seat as Venus sloped back to hers, ruing the missed opportunity. Determined to make amends she tightened her forehand and the rewards were immediate. She broke in the fifth game and it was enough to level the contest, winning the set 6-3. It was only the third time in their 11 meetings that a match had gone to three sets. On the previous two occasions, both in 1999, the player who won the first set won the match. It looked as though that pattern would again repeat as Serena broke at the start of the decider for a 2-0 lead when Venus took her eye off the ball. But Venus broke back as the momentum switched once more. In the eighth game Serena again mounted an effort to finish off her sibling but Venus held on, staving off five break points to level 4-4. Serena was looking stronger on her serve and Venus’s features crumpled into a frustrated frown as she struggled to read the delivery. The next game Venus’s delivery finally crumbled under the weight of pressure and Serena sealed her historic victory in two hours 22 minutes.
Reuters |
|
Agassi overwhelming favourite
Melbourne, January 25 The stats bear grim reading for the chances of 26-year-old Grand Slam final debutant Schuettler. Agassi has lost only 43 games en route to tomorrow’s showpiece, the fewest he has conceded in any of his four trips to the Melbourne final and he is vying for a record-breaking 21 consecutive wins at the Open, one more than two-time champion Ivan Lendl. He is one win away from becoming only the fourth player to capture four Australian Open titles and should he beat Schuettler he will claim his eighth Grand Slam title — only five players in history have won more. Agassi is on an 11-match winning streak against German players. He has not lost to a German since the 1999 Grand Slam Cup when Tommy Haas beat him in the quarter-finals. The signs all point to Agassi holding the trophy aloft tomorrow, but Schuettler is quietly determined that he can bring off one of the monumental upsets in Grand Slam history. Fresh after snuffing out American Andy Roddick in the semi-final, Schuettler said: “There’s another guy from the States waiting, Andre looks in great shape, so we’ll see what’s going to happen on Sunday. “Maybe he’ll eat something wrong the day before,” he laughed. “I have no pressure on me at all. I just go on the court. He has played unbelievable. I will give my best and in the end I will see the result.” Agassi has been meticulous in his buildup to the final. He has dropped just one set, to Frenchman Nicolas Escude in the third round, but crushed Sebastien Grosjean and Wayne Ferreira in the second week in regulation sets. He comes to Australia in peak condition every year, forsaking the normal vacation time over Christmas-New Year to put in the work needed to play seven best-of-five-set matches often in fierce Australian heat to win here. “It’s not easy to come down here very prepared, but it sure beats the alternative,” Agassi said after his 88-minute rout of Ferreira in the semi-final. “That’s what I always remind myself. As hard as it is to be prepared, it’s a lot harder to come down here and not be prepared.” Agassi thrives at the Australian Open. He relishes the high bounce of the Rebound Ace
Hardcourt, the heat and the breeze to put his stamp on the event in the seven years he’s been here. Agassi has spruced up his challenge to win his fourth Australian title by making a bet with his wife and 22 singles Grand Slam champion Steffi Graf to partner her in the mixed doubles at the French Open in June, if he wins the final here. He has timed his challenge to perfection, taking out much younger rivals with almost surgical precision.
AFP |
|
Australia
wrap up series
Melbourne, January 25 Explosive fast bowler Brett Lee captured 5-30 and leg- spinning wizard Shane Warne celebrated his last one-day international at the ground with two key wickets. England, after seeming set for victory, were bowled out for 224 off 49.3 overs in reply to Australia’s 229 for seven wickets from 50 overs. Lee, who pulled the game out of the fire for Australia with a withering late burst, was named Man of the Match and Man of the Series. In an incident-packed match, Australian middle-order batsman Michael Bevan was stretchered off the field when he tore a right groin muscle while batting. The left-hander is considered doubtful for the World Cup, starting next month in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Michael Vaughan and Alec Stewart made 60 each for England, while Australian Brad Hogg continued to impress with a top score of 71 not out and 1-41 from 10 overs of left-arm spin. Scorecard: Australia: Gilchrist c Anderson b Flintoff 26 Hayden c sub b Irani 69 Ponting c Flintoff b Caddick 1 Martyn c Stewart b Caddick 11 Bevan ret hurt 10 Symonds b Irani 8 Hogg not out 71 Warne c and b Irani 0 Lee c Blackwell b Anderson 18 Bichel not out 11 Extras: (b3,w1) 4 Total: (7 wkts, 50 overs) 229 Fall of wickets: 1-39, 2-40, 3-56, 4-98, 5-147, 6-148, 7-196. Bowling: Caddick 10-2-23-2, Anderson 9-0-57-1, Flintoff 10-0-56-1, Blackwell 10-0-32-0, Irani 10-1-46-3, Vaughan 1-0-12-0. England: Trescothick c Bichel b Lee 0 Knight c Symonds b Lee 5 Irani c Symonds b Williams 7 Vaughan C Ponting b Warne 60 Hussain b Hogg 28 Stewart c Lee b Warne 60 Collingwood not out 25 Flintoff b Lee 16 Blackwell c Martyn b Lee 1 Caddick b Lee 4 Anderson run out 0 Extras: (lb-7, w-4, nb-7) 18 Total: (all out, 49.3 overs) 224 Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-18, 3-20, 4-88, 5-151, 6-182, 7-216, 8-218, 9-224 Bowling: Lee 9.3-0-30-5, Williams 10-1-46-1, Bichel 10-0-42-0, Hogg 10-1-41-1, Warne 10-0-58-2.
AFP |
|
‘Best
Indian team for World Cup’
Kolkata, January 25 A media release from ICC quoting its president, Mr Malcom Gray, had said, “The agreement will see both the sides put aside their commercial dispute until after the tournament to allow the best players to represent India. It also
ensures that the ICC is able to protect the commercial interests of the game around the world through the agreed provision to deal with these issues.’’ “The ICC has taken a step in the right direction. There were two parts to the contract issue - cricket and money- and I’m happy that cricket has been put before money,’’ Mr Dalmiya said. “Let the boys go there and play their hearts out. We will take up the money matters after the World Cup,’’ the BCCI chief said. Accordingly, while Saurav Ganguly’s men will head for South Africa on January 29, the BCCI and the ICC are both headed for Lausanne in the court of Arbitration for Sports after the February 8 to March 23 tournament. According to informed sources, Samsung and TVS Motors, for example, will be able to run campaigns with the cricket stars except during the World Cup. Claims if any from LG and Hero Honda will be settled later. The imaging will be in accordance to the players’ wishes. Sources added that the IDI directors who featured in the global teleconference last afternoon endorsed the World Cup committee’s recommendation to accept the conditional signing of the players’ terms. However, the riders that follow the truce will include withholding the nine million dollars of India’s distribution money from the cup till the arbitration was completed and the ICC could claim damages if the arbitration resulted in its favour. Finally, if the BCCI refused to pay the money it could be suspended from the ICC. Asked about the ICC’s media release, Mr Dalmiya said, “Things will be sorted out and then matters will take their own course. The BCCI is not dependent on the ICC’s nine million dollars. Moreover, if it comes to that the IDI may also have to release the money with interest. A lot of things could happen in between now and then.’’
UNI |
|
|
‘India lacks genuine
spinners’ Chennai, January 25 Stating that “a team which calls the shots in the first 15 overs and bowls the middle overs effectively will win the Cup”, Prasanna asked “do we have the attack and adequate fielding to win matches, especially being amongst the contenders for the title in the same group?” “It is a pity that we do not have genuine spinners in our country. It is our bad luck. Seamers and spinners are the ones who operate mainly during the 11th to 40th overs in a match.”
PTI |
|
S Africa
under pressure: Donald Cape Town, January 25 “We have got a very unforgiving sporting public and their expectations are very high,’’ Donald said in an interview with the Weekend Argus newspaper on Saturday. “But playing in front of those South African crowds will be motivation in itself.’’ Donald said he had spoken to 1995 rugby union World Cup winning flyhalf Joel Stransky and now had a clearer idea of the sort of pressure the hosts would be under throughout the tournament that starts on February 9. Now 35, Donald said he wanted to end his career with a World Cup winners medal, after missing out at the semi-final stage in 1992 and 1999. “The one ideal is to win the World Cup, everyone wants to win it and for me....”
Reuters |
|
Pak fully prepared,
says Waqar Johannesburg, January 25 Pakistan were beaten 4-1 in their recent one-day series in South Africa as well as suffering two heavy defeats in the Test series. “If you look overall we played six months on the trot in Sri Lanka, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa,’’ Waqar said after landing at Johannesburg International Airport. “We needed a rest and it was an important break. We used the time well. We talked about the tour here and spoke about the problems. Hopefully we’ve sorted things out.’’ The World Cup, staged in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya, starts in Cape Town on February 9.
Reuters |
|
|
England team receives warning
Melbourne, January 25 “It was more a factual letter, putting over a certain side of what Zimbabwe people think,” Hussain told a news conference at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. England play the home side in Harare on February 13 in the tournament, which is being played mainly in South Africa as well as Kenya. “There will be a release from our (players’) representative regarding the whole Zimbabwe situation,” Hussain added. “When you are getting things in the dressing room in Sydney and stuff like that, players do think that we have to have a chat. “It has been in the back of our minds. We’ve spoken to the chairman of the board and our representative will be releasing a statement.” Hussain said he would like to move on from the Zimbabwe issue and concentrate on cricket. “This is a very important subject, but the sooner we as a team and as a nation start concentrating on cricket, it will be more important for this time,” he said. England and Australia have resisted calls from their governments to boycott matches in Zimbabwe, where President Robert Mugabe faces criticism over policies that opponents say have led to economic crisis and political unrest. The International Cricket Council (ICC) decided on Friday that all six of the matches to be played in Zimbabwe would go ahead after reviewing security arrangements.
Reuters |
|
Rathore’s century rescues Himachal Mumbai, January 25 Mhambrey won the toss in the morning and put the opposition in to bat first. Despite a chancy 108 by former Indian opening batsman and HP skipper Vikram Rathore, the visitors could make 254 from 79.3 overs in 355 minutes. In reply, the hosts had made 20 for the loss of Wasim Jaffer’s wicket before the stumps were drawn. Himachal found themselves in trouble losing two wickets for just 46 runs on the board before Rathore, who hit leg spinner Sairaj Bahutule for three sixes, and Rajiv Nayyar (14) added 71 runs for the third wicket in 32 overs to retrieve the situation. Rathore, who reached his 100 with a boundary to mid-wicket off Bahutule hitting 12 fours and three sixes after facing 176 balls, also added another 89 runs with Amit Sharma (39 off 97 balls) for the fourth wicket off 23 overs and were quite comfortably placed at 206 for four off 65.1 overs. Bengal squander, advantage New
Delhi KOLKATA: Bengal were tottering at 93 for the loss of five wickets in their match with Delhi after having bowled the hosts out cheaply for 164 runs, engineered by a five-wicket haul by
Sourasish Lahiri, on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group A league here today. SCOREBOARD: Delhi: Akash Chopra c N. Haldipur b S. Ali 0, Gautam Gambhir c D. Das Gupta b S. Lahiri 43, Varun Kumar c S. Das b S. Ali 12, Mithun Manhas st D. Das Gupta b R. Gavaskar 41, Vijay Dahiya lbw S. Lahiri 0, Siddharth Verma c A. Das b U. Chatterjee 14, Sonu Vaid lbw U. Chatterjee 3, Sarandeep Singh c S Das b S. Lahiri 6, Rahul Sanghvi b S. Lahiri 18, Sanjay Gill lbw S. Lahiri 2, Amit Bhandari not out 0.
Extras: (b-6, lb-11, nb-3, w-5) 25. Total: (all out in 60.1 overs). 164.
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-23, 3-108, 4-108, 5-112, 6-116, 7-126, 8-157, 9-158, 10-164.
Bowling: Sabbir Ali 10-1-15-2 (w-3), Ranadeb Basu 6-1-13-0, Laksmi Ratan Shukla 8-2-14-0, Utpal Chatterjee 15-5-41-2,
Sourasish Lahiri 16.1-4-24-5 (nb-3), Rohan Gavaskar 5-1-04-1 (w-1). Bengal: Arindam Das lbw Sarandeep 17, Nikhil Haldipur c R Sanghvi b A. Bhandari 2, Devang Gandhi c V Dahiya b S. Gill 5, Rohan Gavaskar run out 5, Shubhomoy Das not out 46, Deep Das Gupta b S. Vaid 7, L.R. Shukla not out 0.
Extras: (lb-2, nb-9) 11. Total: (for the loss of five wickets) 93.
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-24, 3-29, 4-56, 5-88. Bowling: Amit Bhandari 8-0-37-1 (nb-3), Sanjay Gill 6-0-17-1 (nb-2), Sarandeep Singh 8-2-16-1, Rahul Sanghvi 4-1-12-0, Sonu Vaid 2-1-4-1 (nb-2), Mithun Manhas 1-0-5-0.
Punjab restrict Gujarat AHMEDABAD: Gujarat scored 234 for eight on the opening day of the four-day Ranji Trophy match against Punjab at the Sardar Patel Stadium at Motera here today. Electing to bat, Gujarat lost the first wicket on 33 when opener Nilesh Modi edged a Punjab skipper Reetinder Singh Sodhi delivery to wicketkeeper Pankaj Dharmani. Modi departed for 16. However, one down Niraj Patel cracked a belligerent 66 with 12 boundaries along with Lav Parmar for second wicket partnership of 80 runs. Vineet Sharma then dismissed opener Pawar, who was caught by Dharmani for 43.
PTI, UNI |
|
Big win for Bagan Kolkata, January 25 Bagan led 1-0 at half time. After medio Renedy Singh put Bagan in the lead in the early first half, striker George Ekha made it 2-0 15 minutes after the breather. After Brazilian striker Barreto buttressed the lead(3-0), 36th minute after the change over, he found the target again to complete the tally four minutes before close(4-0). Vasco beat JCT MARGAO: A brace by man-of-the-match Marcos Pereira guided Vasco Sports Club to a 2-1 win over a fighting JCT in the ninth round of the 7th edition of the National Football League at Nehru Stadium here today. Vasco started off well and took an early lead in the 8th minute when Jules Alberto sent a cross from the right to an unmarked Marcos who leapt and beat keeper Mansuru Mohammed to his left. Marcos with good support from Rui Wanderly and Jules Alberto Dias, frustrated the rival defenders whenever he had the ball in possession.
E. Bengal
triumph BANGALORE: Alvito D’Cunha scored three goals as Kolkata giants East Bengal quelled a late resurgence to defeat Hindustan Aeronautics Sports Club, Bangalore, 5-3 in a National Football League match here today. Alvito D’Cunha scored three goals (33rd, 46th and 72nd minute), while Subhas Chakraborty and Mike Okoro fired one goal each in the 48th and 64th minutes respectively. For HASC, Kenath Onu netted two goals in 81st and 85th minutes and substitute Mahendra Mani scored the other during injury time. With this victory, East Bengal pushed their points tally to 21 from nine engagements while HASC have only four points.
PTI |
|
Venkat, Mukesh get Padma Shri New Delhi, January 25 Mountaineer Kanhaiya Lal Pokhriyal and kho-kho player Gopal Puroshattam Phadke are the two others who have been honoured with Padma Shri for their outstanding contribution to sports. Venkataraghavan, a quality off-spinner, led India in the first two World Cups in 1975 and 1979. Mukesh Kumar, a former hockey captain, was a distinguished right out and represented India in three Olympic Games in Barcelona (1992), Atlanta (1996) and Sydney (2000). Sikdar won gold medals in women’s 400m and 800m race in the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games.
PTI |
|
Indians falter
in Singapore Singapore, January 25 Defending champion Arjun Atwal shot a four-over 76, while Jeev Milkha Singh returned a dismal eight-over 80 to fall way back. Atwal was tied for the 15th place at three-under 213, while Jeev was tied for 39th place at one-over 217. Both were tied for second place at seven-under at the start of the day. Jyoti Randhawa also had a bad day and was in same spot as Jeev after a round of six-over 78. Amandeep Johl was tied 61st at four-over 220. Star attraction and world No 2 Ernie Els continued to lead the tournament. The big South African shot a two-under 70 for a three-day tally of 10-under 206. Atwal made two double bogeys on the difficult ninth and 17th holes, while Jeev dropped two shots each on the 15th and 17th holes.
UNI |
|
Randhir is OCA secy-general New Delhi, January 25 Randhir Singh, a former Asian Games shooting champion, is also the secretary-general of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the lone International Olympic Council member from India. He is also a vice-president of the Commonwealth Games Federation and member of the Executive Board of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) of Africa. Randhir Singh is the third member from the erstwhile Patiala royal family to adorn a top post in the OCA. Maharaja Yadvendra Singh was the founder-president of the OCA when it came into being in 1951 and Raja Bhalendra Singh, father of Randhir, was the president of the OCA in 1982 when India hosted the Asian Games for the second time, the first being in 1951. Randhir Singh has been the secretary-general of the OCA since 1991. Randhir Singh, who was bestowed on the D.Litt honour by the Laxmi Bhai National Institute of Sports in Gwalior, has represented India in shooting in a record six Olympic Games. He was the first gold medallist in shooting from India in the Asian Games. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 122 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
