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Sunday,
August 17, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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India succumb to ‘5-minute’ jinx Aussies
rally to hold Pak 4-4
New
Zealand tour itinerary |
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Laxman
willing to play as opener Inzamam in
squad for B’desh series Anand wins
fourth game, draws level Bhupathi-Mirnyi
duo in semis Mirnyi
clubs Coria in tennis meet
Feroz
Ali ends title drought Chetan
Anand, Trupti emerge champions Kailash
Nath gets state award U-14
hockey meet from August 28
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India succumb to ‘5-minute’ jinx Amstelveen, August 16 Holland struck four times, getting the three goals for the equalizer and the fourth for the match-winner with exactly 45 seconds left. The goals for Holland came through Rob Reckers, Taeke Taekema, Floris Evers and Ronald Brouwer. India played with just ten men in the last minutes of the match, after Dutch equalised 3-3 through Floris. Dhanraj was protesting the goal and referee Stephen Brooks penalised him by showing the yellow card. What should have been all-out approach became a defensive exercise as India blocked the midfield and ensured that the frontline became in-effective. Of course, India had the chances but Indian hockey history has seen better chapters written when teams have pulled out the stops and played with flair. That was totally missing. Holland, on the other hand, played with off-runners and with the ball being controlled by one forward most of the time Teun De Nooijer. They came into match looking for goals and would have got it but for some great defensive work in the Indian back line. India had some good moves even though the approach was defensive but for the lack of bite upfront couldn’t convert. If coach Rajinder Singh’s strategy was to block the Dutch it worked perfectly in the first half but one thought that India should have been looking for goals. Of course, of the first penalty corner, Jugraj Singh’s penalty corner flick beat everyone but the cross-bar. It was lucky for Holland as they would have gone into the break, a goal down. In the second half, Dhanraj Pillay was pulled off and Deepak Thakur came in. A couple of minutes later Pillay was also back but this time as an attacking forward and the movement was felt as with Thakur he combined superbly to rattle the Dutch defence. It was off the fourth penalty corner that India took the lead in the 44th minute when Jugraj delayed his flick for a second and the Dutch fell into the trap as he slotted the ball high into the net. And then off a loose ball Pillay got into the act and ran down the middle and gave a great through pass to Deepak Thakur who on the run smashed the ball past the Dutch goalkeeper Guus Vogels. In the 52nd minute, India led 2-0. The goal of the match came in the 62nd minute when Gagan Ajit took the ball on the right flank and flicked it to Deepak who connected superbly and India were leading 3-0. In the end, India showed that it had the flair when they attacked but when it mattered in closing a match it was totally at sea.
— UNI |
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Aussies
rally to hold Pak 4-4 Amstelveen, August 16 Pakistan at one time led 3-1 and then after the break had a 4-2 lead but the Aussies after a weak start rallied powerfully to pull back and save the day. For Australia, Grant Schubert was the hero as he flicked in the equalizer and tie scores at 4-4. Australia seemed weak in the midfield right from the whistle. The normal flair of Troy Elder and Brent Livermore was missing. Even the sharpness had been taken over by a lessening of pace. And that gave Pakistan the room and the space to dominate. Pakistan was just too pleased to pick up the offering and they made the best use of it in the 6th minute when Mudassar Ali shot in a beautiful field goal leaving the Aussies a little speechless and stranded. With Pakistan getting the space, penalty corners were the next thing that they would exploit and it came in the 11th minute when a Sohail Abbass express shot through the defence beating Aussie goalkeeper Jamie Dwyer all ends up. With Pakistan leading 2-0, Aussie coach Barry Dancer who normally sits in then dugout stood up for the first time gesticulating wildly to his midfield to stop the marauding Pakistan forwards. Australia pulled one back in the 13th minute when Grant Schubert finding the space in the Pakistan circle, dribbled through and flicked it past the goalkeeper Ahmed Alam. But Pakistan instead of falling back in the midfield pushed upfront and it pulled off when they earned their third penalty corner and this time it was another Sohail special that sped past Dwyer for Pakistans third goal in the 30th minute. With around three minutes left, Australia pulled one back with a lucky penalty corner conversion that was low and for the lack of pace beat Alam in the Pakistan goal who went the wrong way. At the break, Pakistan led 3-2. Australia surprisingly were still lead-footed. And it showed when Salim Khalid with Kashif Jawad and Mudasar Ali wove in and after beating Jamie Dwyer with a wrong one, Salim Khalid beautifully flicked in (63rd minute). It seemed curtains for Australia as they looked tired but they pushed a gear and got their third goal when Dean Butler scored off a field attempt in the 64th minute. Keeping themselves within a goal of Pakistan’s total of four, the Aussies were in sight off an equalizer. And with just 40 seconds left in the match, Australia scored their fourth and the all-important equalizer when off their fourth penalty corner, Grant Schubert collected the ball off Alam’s pads and flicked it high into the corner of the net. Victory had literally been taken away from Pakistan’s grasp but more importantly, three valuable points which had been converted to just one as they had to share them with Australia.
— UNI |
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McKenzie
helps SA avert follow-on SA 362 all out
Nottingham, August 16 At tea on the third day of the third Test at Trent Bridge, South
Africa were 251 for five - five runs clear of the follow-on target of
246.
McKenzie, in his first match of the series after replacing the
injured Gary Kirsten, was 84 not out off 157 balls including 10
fours. Vice-captain Boucher was unbeaten on 44, the wicket-keeper’s
128-ball innings featuring six fours. He and McKenzie had been
together for more than 42 overs. McKenzie, who came in after England
debutant James Kirtley had taken two wickets in two balls during the
first over of the day to leave South Africa teetering at 88 for four,
remained admirably composed. But South Africa were still 194 behind
England’s first innings 445 and still far from complete safety.
South Africa started the second session on 167 for five, 79 runs
short of avoiding the follow-on, with McKenzie on 39 not out and
Boucher 11 not out. McKenzie completed his fifty with a magnificent
cover-driven four off fast bowler Stephen Harmison.
Scoreboard England (Ist innings): 445 South Africa (Ist innings)
Smith hit wicket b Flintoff 35 Gibbs b Harmison 19 Rudolph c
Stewart b Kirtley 15 Kallis b Anderson 27 Dippenaar lbw b Kirtley
0 McKenzie not out 84 Boucher not out 44 Extras: (b-4 lb-13 w-2
nb-8) 27 Total: (for five wickets, 89 overs) 251 Fall of wickets:
1-56, 2-66, 3-88, 4-88, 5-132. Bowling: Anderson 15-4-52-1, Kirtley
25-6-67-2, Flintoff 23-6-56-1, Harmison 17-3-42-1, Giles 8-3-17-0,
Vaughan 1-1-0-0. — Reuters |
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New Zealand tour itinerary Mumbai, August 16 “Due to logistic reasons the Rajkot match, which was to be played from September 26 to 28, will now be held from October 2 to 4 while the Vishakhapatanam tie has been advanced from October 2 to 4 to September 26 to 28. The Vishakhapatanam match will be the tour opener for the Kiwis,” cricket board secretary S.K. Nair told PTI from Thiruvananthapuram over phone today. “The change also makes the visitors’ travel plans easy as they can go to Vishakhapatanam after reaching India on September 23 then to Rajkot followed by the first Test at Ahmedabad (October 8-12) and then move on to Mohali in Chandigarh for the second and final Test,” Nair said. The revised
itinerary: Sept 23: Arrival of New Zealand team. Sept 26-28:
Three-day tie between New Zealand and India “A” at Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. Oct 2-4:
Three-day tie against Board President’s Eleven at Rajkot. Oct 8-12:
First test match at Ahmedabad. Oct 16-20: Second Test at Mohali. Tri-series one-day
internationals: Oct 23: India vs New Zealand at Chennai (D/N match). Oct 26:
India vs Australia at Gwalior (D/N). Oct 29: Australia vs New Zealand at Faridabad (day). Nov 1:
India vs Australia at Mumbai (D/N). Nov 3: Australia vs New Zealand at Pune (day). Nov 6:
India vs New Zealand at Cuttack (D/N). Nov 9: Australia vs New Zealand at Guwahati (day). Nov 12:
India vs Australia at Bangalore (D/N). Nov 15: India vs New Zealand at Hyderabad (D/N). Nov 18:
Final at Kolkata.
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Laxman willing to play as opener Bangalore, August 16 Laxman, who made an epic 281 against Australia batting at number three, has always said he is more comfortable coming down the order but apparently the stylish right-hander is now willing to be more flexible in order to make his way into the national side. “I would not mind opening the innings,” the Hyderabad batsman, one of the 36 probables, told reporters here at the conditioning camp for the upcoming home Test series against New Zealand. Laxman’s willingness to open the innings comes at a time when India is struggling to find the right opening pair. And his more flexible approach also highlights the fact that there is more competition for places in the squad in the post-World Cup scenario. Laxman also seems to have realised that it is no use fretting and sulking over his omission from cricket’s quarterly showpiece event. “It was very disappointing and depressing and it came as a shock to me. However, it is past and now I am looking ahead at the coming season which would be a tough one,” he said. Laxman, who has been training and exercising all along to keep himself match-fit, said he was pleased with the camp which was being conducted in a modern and scientific manner.
— PTI |
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Inzamam in
squad for B’desh series Karachi, August 16 Inzamam (33) was one of eight players dumped after Pakistan’s first round exit from this year’s World Cup in southern Africa and was ignored for one-day series in Sharjah, Sri Lanka and England. “We never had any doubts in our minds about the credentials, experience and talent of Inzamam and we believed that he deserved rest as he had been playing non-stop cricket in the last 18 months,” said Aamir Sohail, the chairman of Pakistan’s cricket selectors. “We are sure he will be the same great, elegant run-scoring machine as he has been in the past.” A burly batsman from Multan, Inzamam adds valued experience to a revamped Pakistan team that is still missing key batsman Younis Khan due to personal reasons. Pakistan was forced to summon express pacer Shoaib Akhtar from England where he was playing county cricket for Durham after frontline pacer Mohammad Sami fell unfit. Inzamam, who has played 85 Tests and 290 one-day games for Pakistan, said he was anxious to resume playing cricket for Pakistan. “I am eagerly looking forward to the forthcoming international commitments. It was difficult to watch matches from outside,” Inzamam said. Squad:
Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Yasir Hameed, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Misbah-ul-Haq, Rashid Latif (captain), Shoaib Akhtar, Umer Gul, Shabbir Ahmad, Danish Kaneria, Saeed Bin Nasir, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Khalil and Farhan Adil.
— AFP |
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Anand wins fourth game, draws level Mainz, August 16 After four games in the eight game match, the score stands at 2-2, with all four games having ended decisively. The NIIT Brand Ambassador, Anand, who lost the third game yesterday, had black in yet another sicilian najdorf, the third time in four games. If Anand loosened his grip from a winning position and lost in the third game, Polgar wasted a probable draw chance and lost the fourth game. While the matches have been exciting, there have been a lot of mistakes, probably because of the tension surrounding the match and expectations from either side. The fourth game lasted 52 moves and Polgar allowed the clock to run its course, though the position was completely lost for her. Earlier in the first game of the day, Polgar made Anand pay heavily for some middle game mistakes as she won a wildly swinging third game here at the Rheingoldhalle. The Indian star who pulled back from his opening game deficit to win the second game on Thursday was once again a game down. The NIIT Brand Ambassador Anand had come back from a loss Thursday and he did the same yesterday. Polgar, who plays much slowed than Anand seems to give the impression of being in time pressure but then pulls out the rabbit. Of course Anand helped with some errors which the Hungarian was smart enough to capitalise on quickly. The third game started much like the first on the first day as it went into the sicilian najdorf. Only the players had opposite colours. So Polgar beat Anand with both white and black once each in sicilian najdorf games. Anand had an edge for the early part of the game and in the middle he was looking like running away as Polgar fell on the wrong side of the clock. But just then Anand erred around the 34th move with Rook move and from there the tenacious Polgar clawed back and gradually moved into a winning position.
— PTI |
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Bhupathi-Mirnyi duo
in semis New Delhi, August 16 The duo beat eighth seeds Martin Damm and Cyril Suk of Czech Republic in two close sets 7-6 (7/4) 6-4, according to information received here today. The pair is now third in the doubles champions race. In the individual doubles ranking, Mirnyi is ranked No 1 in the world while Bhupathi is No 2. The Wimbledon runners-up, who won their third title of the season in the Montreal Masters Tournament in Canada last week, will take on seventh seeds Wayne Arthurs and Paul Hanley of Australia for a place in the final. But before his doubles match, the 6’5” Belarussian will be first out on centre court to challenge American Andy Roddick in the singles semifinals. Mirnyi is the first player to reach both the semis at Cincinnati after Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov achieved the feat in 1998. In the other doubles semi-final, second seeds Bob and Mike Bryan of USA will meet third seeds Mark Knowles of Bahamas and Daniel Nestor of Canada.
— PTI |
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Mirnyi clubs
Coria in tennis meet
Cincinnati, August 16 Sixth-seeded Guillermo Coria had few answers for the brutal power of the world No 26 Mirnyi, who won in straight sets 6-2 7-5, yesterday. American Roddick whipped the world No 30 Mariano Zabaleta 6-1 6-2 in 59 minutes. “I feel good and I have been playing well since the French Open,” Roddick said. “I just want to keep it going.” The semifinal pits Roddick against Mirnyi for the first time in their career. “It’s an exciting situation for me,” Mirnyi said of the semifinal. Roddick knows that to prevent Mirnyi from chipping and charging successfully he’s going to have to play a precision match. “I’m just going to have to handle (his aggressive play),” Roddick said. “I’ll have to return well and make a few good volleys.” Roddick is closing in on a possible third title of the summer, having already won the Indianapolis and Tennis Masters Series-Montreal tournaments. Roddick has won 28 of his last 30 matches since he captured his second tournament of the year at the Queen’s Club event in early June. Roddick won 12 of 16 points at the net and posted 19 winners and only seven unforced errors. Roddick never faced a break point against his serve and took advantage of four of six opportunities to break Zabaleta’s serve. After reaching consecutive quarter-finals at the Washington and Tennis Masters Series-Montreal tournaments, Mirnyi returned after a two hour, 23 minute rain delay to win the final two games and moved into his first semi-final of the hard court season.
— AFP |
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Argentina
beat Brazil in soccer final Santo Domingo, August 16 The match, a typically bruising and bad-tempered affair between the South Americans, ended in controversy when Brazil thought a late header had crossed the line. But the referee waved away their appeals, allowing Pablo Barzola’s amazing goal-line clearance to stand. Lopez’s winner was a reward for his strong running and ability to keep possession despite the close attention of Brazil’s imposing central defence pairing of Gabriel Nascimento and
Irineu. He broke into the right side of the penalty area and fired in a rebound after his first effort was parried by Brazil goalkeeper Fernando
Anjos. Argentina began the match brightly and the main threat to Brazil was the trickery and running of striker Franco
Cangele. But the Brazilians came closest to scoring in the 19th minute when William saw a diving header tipped onto the bar by Argentina goalkeeper Gustavo
Eberto. The tournament is for players under the age of 23, but Argentina and Brazil fielded teams in the 18-20 category. Lopez had failed to score prior to the final, but Argentine coach Manuel Angel Tojo kept faith in him and had said the player had struggled was suffering from the Caribbean heat. Brazil striker Vagner often had the Argentine defence scrambling and the crowd of around 10,000 on its feet as Brazil poured forward in search of an equaliser. But Argentina improved in the second half, passing fluently and making the Brazilians chase the game on a humid evening at the Olympic Stadium.
— AP |
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Feroz Ali ends title drought Coimbatore, August 16 The Kolkatta pro, won by four strokes to take home the winner’s purse of Rs 1,37,700, with a tally of one-under 287, despite ending with bogeys on the last two finishing holes. S.
Madaiah, who carded the day’s best score of three-under par 69, finished joint second with former Indian open winner Vijay Kumar with total of 291, earning Rs.74,375 each. Delhi pro Pappan finished fourth while Uttam Singh Mundy and Amritinder Singh were tied for the fifth spot. Digvijay Singh finished seventh while defending champion, Mukesh Kumar, who shot a 80, ended up in the eight position. Ending his title drought, Feroz, armed with a four-stroke lead, strayed into the tree and chipped over the green, after a couple of pars on the opening holes. However, he made par from there as he pitched four feet from the cup. He hit a brilliant drive on the par-5 fifth and with a 7-iron shot, Feroz was on the green. However, he three-putted for a par and on the par-5 eight, his second shot went over the green into the bushes from where he was forced to settle for a bogey. He made amends quickly with a birdie on the par-5 ninth. Feroz began his return journey with a bogey before making a commendable up and down from the bunker on the 12th for a par and with a calculated second shot landed about 15 feet from the pin and was in for an eagle putt. However, he left it short by a couple of inches and made a birdie. Meanwhile, oblivious of the lead group, Madaiah played some hot stuff in testing windy conditions die on the par-5 ninth. A 10-foot birdie on the 11th put him in the third position. Hitting his second shot from the rough, Madaiah was in line for an eagle on the 13th and his firm put stopped at the lip. Madaiah continued in the same vein as he birdied the 14th from 15 feet. The only other bogey was on the 12th where his tee shot landed in the water hazard. Vijay Kumar, who started the day four strokes behind the leader, Feroz, added three more bogeys on the front nine before making his sole birdie on the 13th while bogeying the 17th too. Vignesh Rangarao finished as winner in the amateur section with a total of 309, while R. Gopinath second with 330. An elated Feroz Ali, sponsored by Air Sahara, said: “More than me, it is my wife who is happy. I played good golf even last year but was unlucky. However, I am determined to win as many title as possible.” From the confident Madaiah “I am very happy. This is my best finish. I would like to finish in the top 10 this year.” “Under these conditions, a four-stroke lead is too high to catch up. However, I did give my best,” Vijay Kumar said. Top Scores (after 72 Holes) Feroz Ali 287, Vijay Kumar and Madaiah 291, Pappan 293, Uttam Singh and Amritinder Singh 296, Digvijay Singh 298, Mukesh Kumar 300, Shiv Prakash, Sheeraz Kalra, SSP Chowrasia and Rafiq Ali 301. Amateurs:
Vignesh Rangarao 309, R. Gopinath 330. — PTI |
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Chetan
Anand, Trupti emerge champions Bangalore, August 16 Anand defeated giant-killer J B S Vidyadhar of Andhra Pradesh 15-11, 9-15, 15-11 in the title round. Though there were some tense moments in the final game in which Vidyadhar, seeded number four here, threatened to stage a come-back, Chennai-based Anand said he was confident of victory as he knew his opponent’s game very well. And to be fair to Vidyadhar, who yesterday eliminated the top seed and reigning national champion Abhinn Shyam Gupta, he did not play too badly. It was just that Anand played better today. Anand, who had just returned after taking part in the New Zealand Open, pocketed a winner’s cheque of Rs 40,000 which should come in handy as he is taking part in the Singapore Open at his own expense, barring the ticket provided by the Badminton Association of India. The women’s singles final sprang no surprise as Trupti, seeded number three here, beat Krishna Deka Raja of Assam 11-0, 13-11. Trupti breezed past her opponent, who had beaten former national champion Manjusha Kanwar on her way up here, in the first game but found the going tough in the later part of the second. Krishna
Deka, who had won the national junior title twice, rallied brilliantly from 3-8 and then 4-10 down to level the score at 10-10 and 11-11 only to let the gains slip through her hands.
— PTI |
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Kailash
Nath gets state award Chandigarh, August 16 The veteran sports promoter is working at the Tennis stadium, Sector 10, as General Manager for the past ten years. Kailash Nath, who looked mightly pleased after getting the award, is instrumental in giving boost to rowing activities in the city and the neighbouring states. It was Kailash Nath, who initiated the move to create 2-km rowing course in the famous Sukhna lake in the year 1989. This course is now being converted into a five-lane course, which will enable it to host a world-level meet. Chandigarh Rowing Association, of which he is the founder member organised two junior Asian Rowing Championship in the year 1999 and 2000 and a Senior Asian rowing championship in 1989. In recognition to his valuable services, he was made Honorary Life Vice-President of the Rowing Federation of India. He also acted as an observer in rowing in the asian games held at Bangkok in 1998. He also remained involved with sailing activities and produced many outstanding sailors. He was also given commendation certificates by UT Adminstrator Mr Arjun Singh in 1985, and then by Mr S.S. Ray, UT Administrator, in 1999. He was also associated with the conduct of 1989 National Games, allotted to Punjab, which were later postponed due to militancy. |
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U-14 hockey meet from
August 28 Chandigarh, August 16 The tournament will be held on knockout-cum-league basis. Outstation hockey academies will also participate in this prize money tournament, essentially meant to provide competition to players at the subjunior level, according to Mr Anil Vohra, organising secretary. |
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