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Saturday,
August 16, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Champions Trophy German doctor joins
hockey team
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Probables sweat it out at camp
Saeed Anwar calls it a day |
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Third
doping case at Pan American Games Anand hits back with win Vidyadhar, Chetan Anand in final Axe falls on eves’
gymnastics squad Sunitha Rao case Punjab judo squad Punjab badminton 3 budding cricketers honoured on I-Day
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Champions Trophy Amstelveen, August 15 India, training just after Pakistan — who take on Australia in the inaugural match — finished a grinding session, limbered under the watchful eyes of their coach Rajinder Singh who though confident struck a cautious note saying that “taking the Dutch lightly in front of their home fans would be like suicide.’’ “I am confident that my boys will play well. We are also aware of the Dutch team’s abilities, but I also have a couple of moves that could give us the edge in the opening match,’’ he told UNI today. Meanwhile, Dutch coach Jose Bellart was his usual “confident- arrogant self.’’ His bravado is sometimes mistaken for arrogance. But he does pump up his boys by just asking them never to relax in a game. And that is what will be crucial for India. The Dutch as a team are brilliant off-the-ball runners. If there is one forward taking in the ball, then at least three upfront will keep running through the circle cutting the defence and unsettling it. And that is what Indian coach Rajinder will be careful about. “I know they will be cutting through and the defence also knows the way the Dutch play so I am confident that the boys will be able to handle it,’’ explained Rajinder. But what could work both ways and also be a negative factor is that both the teams have not played each other for almost a year. Consequently, they have not seen much of each other except for the fact that the Dutch coach has seen India’s matches on tape when they won last at Hamburg in the four-nation tournament. The Dutch coach Bellart, however, did not want to comment much but said that he knew that the team was on a high and he would always be careful of the Indian forwards as”
they have the skills to change a match within minutes.’’ Indian captain Dhanraj Pillay also sounded a confident note saying the training sessions were”
done very well’’ and that the temperatures here, at around 24 degrees Centrigade would help the team. “We are playing against them after a long time and I really hope we settle into the match early. The team has to score the early goals to have the advantage,’’ the mercurial striker said. The Indians are fit and do not have any complaints about injuries and fitness problems. But one thing that the they would be looking forward to is to improve their Champions Trophy record, one important tournament they have never won. India have competed in nine of the 25 Champions Trophy tournaments and their highest placing was third in the 4th Champions Trophy in June 1982 at the Wagner Stadium. Present coach Rajinder Singh played in that Champions Trophy in a hugely memorable match against Pakistan when the arch-rivals were ahead 3-1. Rajinder scored a hat-trick that enabled India to win the match 5-4 and finish third in the tournament. Another man who wants to put in everything to improve India’s record is their experienced full-back and former skipper Dilip Tirkey. “The 25th Champions Trophy is the most important tournament for us, not just for me for the entire team and the future of Indian hockey. Everything depends on team performance. If we lift the Champions Trophy or finish among the medals then hockey gets a lot of support back home. This is the best opportunity for us to win the Champions Trophy and we think with a little bit of luck, we should be able to do it,’’ he said. —
UNI |
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German doctor joins
hockey team Chandigarh, August 15 Belonging to Shahbad Markanda in Haryana, Dr Joginder Singh has been associated with Indian hockey for 30 years for almost all major hockey tournaments in Europe. Sixty-five-year-old Dr Joginder Singh, now doing private practice as an orthopaedic surgeon at Schweinfurt in Germany, was also the Manager-cum-Doctor of Indian team that won the Hamburg Masters Hockey Tournament in July this year. A specialist in traumatology and sports medicine, he started his own practice in 1987. Since 1981, he has been the Chief Medical Officer for disabled people in Schweinfurt area in Germany. Dr Sahi, one of the most experienced sports medicine experts in the world of hockey, brings with him latest medicines and orthopaedic aids for use in emergency cases. |
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Gritty Stewart lifts England Nottingham, England, August 15 Alec Stewart made a gritty 72 as England were finally bowled out for 445 just before tea. The veteran wicketkeeper, playing his 131st Test, shepherded the tail expertly to take the hosts to a total they needed to put pressure on South Africa, who lead the five-match series 1-0.
Scoreboard England Ist innings: Trescothick c Boucher
Vaughan c Gibbs b Pollock 1 Butcher c Boucher b Ntini 106 Hussain lbw b Pollock 116 Smith c Boucher b Kallis 64 Stewart c Smith b Adams 72 Flintoff c Pollock b Hall 0 Giles b Hall 22 Kirtley c Smith b Ntini 1 Harmison c Pollock b Adams 14 Anderson not out 0 Extras
(b-9 lb-8 w-4 nb-4) 25 Total (all out, 146.3 overs) 445 FoW: 1-7 2-29 3-218 4-322 5-334 6-347 7-388 8-408 9-440 Bowling: Pollock 36-18-65-2, Ntini 33-3-137-2, Hall 24-5-88-3, Kallis 27-7-92-1, Adams 26.3-7-46-2. South Africa (first innings): Smith hit wicket b Flintoff 35 Gibbs b Harmison 19 Rudolph not out 11 Kallis not out 11 Extras (b-4 lb-2 w-1 nb-1) 8 Total (for two, 33 overs) 84 FoW: 1-56 2-66 Bowling: Anderson 6-2-24-0, Kirtley 10-3-21-0, Flintoff 11-5-20-1, Harmison 6-1-13-1.—
Reuters |
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Probables sweat it out at camp Bangalore, August 15 The 36 probables, including Saurav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar, were put through these to assess their fitness levels in the first two days of the conditioning camp here for the gruelling season ahead. The probables also had an hour-long yoga session today and it is going to be a routine for the rest of the camp which concludes on August 26. To measure the fitness levels, the cricketers were made to run a distance of 20 km at various speeds, jump vertically, given power and strength exercises, abdomen and muscular tests besides addressing issues of vision skills and nutrition. All these exercises were held under the watchful eyes of coach John Wright, new physical trainer Gregory King and physiotherapist Andrew Leipus at the National Cricket Academy here. From tomorrow, the regular training is expected to begin. For members of Indian team who did duty at the World Cup, the fitness tests were nothing new as King is adopting more-or-less the same techniques of his predecessor Adrian le Roux with whom he was in touch. The probables are finding it good and enjoyable but it is tiring as well. More so, as it is their first detailed interaction with 31-year-old King, who said his aim was to take the fitness levels to new heights. Anil Kumble, who came to address newspersons, asked for time to relax as he had just finished his exercises. However, in a brief interaction he said: “It is good getting to know Greg (physical trainer Gregory King) in the last couple of days. I think the boys are enjoying it (fitness tests).” —
PTI |
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Saeed Anwar calls it a day Islamabad, August 15 The 34-year-old opener played 55 Tests and 247 limited overs internationals for Pakistan during his career and his innings of 194 against India at Madras six years ago remains a one-day record. But he was dropped from the national squad following the World Cup earlier this year despite being the team’s highest scorer in South Africa, with 218 runs in five games, including a gutsy 101 in a losing cause against arch-rivals India. "I was a little disappointed when selectors ignored me after the World Cup," Anwar told a news conference. "But I enjoyed my cricket and it was an honour for me to represent Pakistan in international matches," he said. —
UNI |
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Third doping case at Pan American Games Santo Domingo, August 15 Argentina’s Ulf Lienhard tested positive for cocaine, costing his country a pair of rowing medals — a silver in the men’s quadruple sculls and a bronze in the men’s doubles. “Anything other than cocaine would be more pardonable,” Pan American Sports Organisation president Mario Vazquez Rana said. It was the third case of doping at the games, which began August 1 and end this weekend. US sprinter Mickey Grimes, the 100 metre gold medallist, tested positive for ephedrine and Letitia Vriesde of Suriname, who won the women’s 800, was caught with excessive levels of caffeine in her system. Vazquez Rana said that despite the third case, “we still would say these games are clean as far as doping is concerned.” With the three golds, the USA have won 14 out of 20 swimming golds. Staciana Stitts won the women’s 100 breaststroke, Bethany Goodwin took the women’s 100 butterfly and Kyle Salyards won the men’s 400 breaststroke. In the 4x100 freestyle, Brazil won after the USA were disqualified. —
AP |
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Anand hits back with win Mainz, August 15 He will start off with white pieces in the third game of the four-day eight-game match against Hungarian Judit Polgar here. Anand lost the first game, but won the second. There are six more games to go in the match that ends on Sunday. Games 3 and 4 will be held on August 15 evening. Anand lost the opening game in an exciting Sicilian,where he managed to hold on for a long time despite being in an inferior position, before Polgar found the right moves even while running out of time. In the end, Anand resigned in the face of Polgar’s advanced central pawns and a highly active King. Anand tried to get out of trouble in the middle game by giving a piece, but Polgar later gave it back and fully pressurised Anands queen. Anand resigned after 49 moves and that gave Polgar a 1-0 lead in the match. Expectedly, Polgar decided to play safe in the second game and that was precisely what went against her. She opted for a normally safe and dour Petroff defence, which, however, did not help her. She missed Anand's 25. Ng6 and from thereon, Anand was on the winning path. Anand won an exchange, taking a rook for a knight after a series of exchange of pieces. Anand threatened to take Polgar's isolated pawn, and that forced his opponents resignation. —
UNI |
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Vidyadhar, Chetan Anand in final Bangalore, August 15 It was disappointing for the top-seeded Gupta (Petroleum Sports Promotion Board), ranked 68 in the world, since he was keen to proceed on a triumphant note to the Singapore Open beginning next week, where he is featured in the main draw. Though Gupta started strongly, he lost steam after the first game as his opponent, an accounts clerk with Railways based in Hyderabad, grew in confidence and emerged as the deserving winner. The 24-year old Vidyadhar, who is quitting the Railways shortly to join the Indian Oil Corporation, said afterwards it was his maiden entry into the final of a major meet though he made it thrice into the semifinals at big tournaments in the past. The pair of Jwala Gutta and Shruti Kurien (both PSPB) lifted the women’s doubles title, defeating the duo of Trupti Murgunde (Maharashtra) and Fathima Nazneen Mohammed (Kerala) 15-1 15-8. Meanwhile, Vidyadhar would now cross swords with second seeded Chetan Anand (PSPB) in tomorrow’s final. In a keenly fought semi-final, Anand outlasted Arvind Bhat, also of PSPB, 15-11 6-15 17-15. It was a day of surprises as top seed in the women’s section, B R Meenakshi, also fell by the way-side. In the quarter-final, Andhra Pradesh’s Saina Mehwal defeated Meenakshi (PSPB), ranked 78 in the world, 11-6 0-11 11-9. But that was as far as Saina could come as she was stopped in the semi-final by Assam’s Krishna Deka Raja, who came from behind to score a 7-11 11-6 11-5 victory. —
PTI |
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Axe falls on eves’
gymnastics squad Patiala, August 15 The ministry, in a last minute decision, has also refused to clear two men gymnasts forcing the Gymnastics Federation of India (GFI) to field only a four-member men’s team for the meet. The team members, who were attending a month long senior national camp at the NIS here, left for New Delhi en route to California, yesterday evening. The GFI had selected a 12 member contingent, comprising six men and an equal number of gymnasts on the distaff side, for the championship which will also be acting as a qualifying meet for the Athens Olympics. However, now due to the Sports Ministry’s latest decision, only a four-member squad comprising Vikas Pandey, winner of a record eight gold medals in the 2001 Punjab National Games, Mohit Yadav, Mayank Srivastva and N.P Shiva Kumar will take part in the meet. The two gymnasts who were earlier selected by the GFI but now do not find a place in the squad are Sarfraz Ahmed and Rohit Yadav. The entire women’s squad comprising Roohika, Amarti Sinha, Jhuma Bagh, Tumpa Debnath, Roopali Haldar and Sundari Mondal has been left out in the cold despite the fact that all the girls were earlier selected for the championship by the GFI. The onus to do well will be on the country’s top gymnast Vikas Yadav. This will be his third world championship and his training stint at Hungary will hold him in good stead, according to Dr G.S Bawa, who is accompanying the squad as it’s chief coach. Vikas, along with Mohit Yadav, had also qualified for the Manchester Commonwealth Games where they finished sixth and eighth respectively. Vikas himself was optimistic of doing well in his favourite pommel horse event. |
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Sunitha Rao case New Delhi, August 15 “There is no scheme either of the Government of India nor of the federation to compensate such past expenses, and it will not even be possible for me to recommend the same to the AITA’s Executive Committee to consider it”, AITA secretary Anil Khanna clarified. Sunitha Rao was very keen to shift to India due to her “strained relationship with the USTA (United States’ Tennis Association) because of racial discrimination”. But Mr Anil Khanna, in a letter to Sunitha’s father Manohar Rao, has advised him not to enter into controversies with the USTA “in the best interest of Sunitha and the game of tennis”. Mr Khanna said the USTA has been “extremely co-operative with the AITA” in having agreed to release Prakash Amritraj to play for India. Mr Khanna has taken Mr Manohar Rao to task as he felt that his (Rao’s) “views on Indian women players are most unwarranted”. “You must consider yourself an extremely privileged person living in a developed country like the USA where the best facilities and environments are available for the children to be groomed into the sport of their liking”, he remarked. He pointed out that players like Prakash Amritraj, Stephen Amritraj, Sunitha Rao and Rajeev Ram were the “products” of the excellent system in the USA. But in the same vein, he has also argued that India, with its limited facilities, has produced some talented players like Nirupama Vaidyanathan, who was once ranked 134 in the world, Uzma Khan, Manisha Malhotra, Sania Mirza etc who take pride in playing for India, and not for money. Mr Anil Khanna said had Nirupama been in the USA as a junior “she would have been a top 50 player”. He said the fact that over 20 Indian girls have been ranked in the WTA itself is “no mean achievement” as all this development in the game has taken place during the last four years. Mr Khanna said the new generation women players like Sania Mirza, Tara Iyer, Sanaa Bhambri, Kartiki Bhat, Megha Vakharia, Isha Lakhani, Ankita Bhambri and many more “are a highly motivated lot, proud of their country of origin and are just waiting in the wings for the right kind of guidance and facilities to make their presence felt in the Asian Tennis Circuit”. The US-based Sunitha Rao is reported to be a promising talent and was keen to play for India, but with the AITA not willing to accede to the unreasonable deamands of her father, the player has decided not to “play under the Indian banner”. |
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Punjab judo squad Patiala, August 15 The team (boys): Arjun (25 kg), Harpreet Singh (30), Ravi Kumar (35 kg), Ramandeep Singh (40 kg), Lalit Kumar (45 kg), Surinder Singh (50 kg) and Major Singh (50 kg plus). (Girls): Sukhsham Singla (23 kg), Versha Rai (27 kg), Pooja (32 kg), Vandana (36 kg), Nippu Zamwal (40 kg), Sandeep Kaur and Tanu Rajbir Kaur ( both 44 kg plus). Mr A.S Grewal, secretary of the PJA, will accompany the team as it’s coach while Mr Amarjit Shastri will be the manager. |
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Punjab badminton Sangrur, August 15 Boys singles: 1 Sahil Arora (Jal), 2 Akshay (Asr), 3 Kunal (Asr), 4 Dineshwar
(Asr). Boys doubles: 1 Sahil Arora and Akshay, (Jal & Asr), 2 Dineshwar Singh & Kunal (Asr). Girls singles: 1 Heena (Jal), 2 Jaspreet (Pta), 3 Arti (Ropar), 4 Namrata (Jal). Girls doubles: 1 Arti & Navita (Jal & Ropar), 2 Jaspreet & Puneet (Pta). The matches will start at 9 a.m. in the morning. |
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3 budding cricketers honoured on I-Day Chandigarh,
August 15 Simranjit Singh, a Class XI
student of Guru Nanak Public School, Sector 36, Chandigarh, and a
resident of SAS Nagar has a long list of achievements. He was recently
declared the best allrounder in the 46th National School Games held at
Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh). He was also a member of the Punjab which
played for the Polly Umrigar Trophy in the All-India Knockout Cricket
Tournament. He got 402 runs in the inter-district (under-17)
tournament-2003 in the 48th National School Games held at
Delhi. Sunny Sohal, a Class X student of Gem Public School, SAS
Nagar, too played for Punjab under-14 and under-16 team in the various
tournaments and achieved laurels. He secured 390 runs in the
inter-district cricket meet. Nikhil, a resident of Kharar, also
played a stellar role being a bowler in the inter-district tournament. |
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