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PCB firm on Peshawar, Karachi as venues Fool-proof security ordered Shukla thwarts South bowling attack Central pile up huge total
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Yusuf wins Forest Hill Open in thrilling play-off
A driver competes in the Maruti Suzuki
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PCB firm on Peshawar, Karachi as venues Islamabad, February 15 The three-member Indian delegation currently inspecting the security arrangements in Pakistan and top PCB officials met in Lahore today to discuss the logistics and safety measures for the historic tour. Sami-ul Hassan, PCB’s media manager, said that the Indian board had not opposed Karachi and Peshawar being among the venues but they were of the view that the duration of the team’s stay in these two places was too long. “We will try to accommodate the Indian concerns in the itinerary. But Peshawar and Karachi will remain as venues,” Hassan said. He said the Indian team will play three Tests and five one-day internationals as decided and there was no question of shortening the tour. Hassan said the Indian team has not raised any objection of playing matches in Karachi and Peshawar, the two venues where other touring teams have refused to play on security grounds. However, in view of the delegation’s concern over the period of stay in these two cities, the PCB may consider allocating a one-dayer to Karachi instead of a Test match. The three-member Indian delegation comprising BCCI Joint Secretary Prof R S Shetty, Inspector-General of Police Yashovardhan Azad and Communication Director Amrit Mathur discussed various aspects of the tour and also presented their observations of the security arrangements during the meeting. Briefing the media after the meeting, PCB chief Shaharyar Khan said the talks were held in a cordial atmosphere in which free and frank discussions took place over a host of issues, including finalisation of security arrangements, venues and the itinerary. Shaharyar said a joint assessment of all the issues relating to the tour, including security, was made with the Indian delegation. The Indian team would return home tomorrow and submit its findings to the BCCI. “As the tour was formally cleared by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee yesterday, the PCB foresees no hurdles and expects the BCCI to finalise the entire programme by February 19,” Shaharyar said. According to the tentative programme, the Indian team would arrive in Lahore on March 4 to play three Tests and five one day internationals. The first Test has been proposed to be held in Lahore on March 11. Besides Shaharyar, the meeting was attended among others by Abdul Rauf Chowdhary, Additional Home Secretary of Pakistan who interacted with the Indian officials on security related issues like reported threats to players like Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly from militant outfits. A top PCB official told PTI from Lahore that the issue of threats from the militants groups to some of the cricketers figured in today’s meeting and Choudhary assured that no such threat existed as the country has not received any such information from any of its agencies. He also insisted that there was no threat or danger to any of the players. “The issue of security threats to certain individual players figured as a passing reference and Pakistan promised fool-proof security to Indian players,” the PCB official said. Earlier, the Indian officials met the Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Shivshankar Menon at Lahore yesterday and briefed him about their impressions on the security arrangements. During their week-long stay in Pakistan the Indian officials visited the stadiums in Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Karachi, Multan, Faisalabad and Lahore. They visited the facilities in Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore today and inspected the facilities and security arrangements. Pakistan opened up all its cricket facilities to the Indian officials during their visit. At times the delegation was also given practical demonstration of security arrangements in places like Karachi. Besides discussing on security, logistics and venues, the Pakistan and Indian officials also finalised rules and regulations guiding the players.
— PTI
Indian delegation meets PCB officials Islamabad, February 15 The three-member Indian delegation comprising BCCI Joint Secretary Prof R S Shetty, Inspector General of Police Yashovardhan Azad and Communication Director Amrit Mathur discussed various aspects of the tour and also presented their observations of the security arrangements. PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan, who himself attended the meeting, said the PCB was willing to sit down and discuss any concerns the Indian delegation might have about the venues for the series. PCB also indicated that it would simplify the travel formalities for Indian fans willing to visit Pakistan during the series. The delegation, which was on a seven-day tour of the country, visited venues at Multan, Karachi, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Lahore and also held talks with Secretary, Pakistan Interior Ministry, Tasnim Noorani. Noorani had apprised them of the elaborate measures that would be in place from the time the Indian team lands in early March. The delegation is expected to return to India tomorrow and submit its report to the BCCI in the next couple of days. The itinerary of the tour will be finalised within one week of the submission of the report.
— PTI |
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Fool-proof security ordered
Islamabad, February 15 Considering the importance of Indian visit, after a gap of 15 years, Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali has asked the Governors and Chief Ministers of the provinces where the matches would be held to head the ad hoc committees to oversee the security and administrative arrangements for the Indian team, government run APP news agency said quoting officials close to him. Jamali has directed all relevant ministries and organisations to make fool-proof security arrangement for the Indian cricketers, it said. The Prime Minister also ordered the Foreign and Interior Ministries to make adequate arrangements to provide visas to cricket fans from across the border, the agency said. In order to ensure round-the-clock assistance to the arrangement committees, Jamali asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to set up a control room at its local headquarters for the duration of the tour. These control rooms would cope with all kinds of emergencies. Jamali also directed the PCB to ensure that no “free loaders” be permitted into the stadiums.
— PTI |
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Shukla thwarts South bowling attack Dharamsala, February 15 Sadagopan Ramesh and Rowland Barrington put on a half century opening stand before the later was caught behind going for a shot which was never there. Four runs later the reliable
S. Sriram followed him back to the pavilion when he was out going for a run which never existed. To add to the woes of South, S. Ramesh, who was shaping up nicely and had notched up a solid half century, saw his miscued pull shot being safely pouched by
D. Mohanty at mid wicket towards the fag end of the day. Earlier, resuming from their overnight score of 229 for 4, East managed to end up their first innings at a comfortable 388 with Bengal all rounder L.R. Shukla scoring a well made 84. East should also be indebted to tailenders Utpal Chatterjee and D. Mohanty who were involved in two crucial partnerships with Shukla for the eighth and ninth wicket. Shukla and Chatterjee added 43 runs for the eighth wicket. Mohanty, better known for his bowling exploits, hung in tenaciously with Shukla to add another crucial 56 runs for the ninth wicket. Scoreboard: East Zone: (1st innings) 388 all out:
S.S. Dass c Sunil Joshi b N.P Singh 120, D.D Gupta c Barrington b R.R Kumar 10, Arindam Dass lbw S.Joshi 55, R.Gavaskar c S.Sharath b S.Joshi 13, D.Gandhi c S.Yadav (sub) b N.P Singh 17, L.R Shukla c S.Ramesh b R.R Kumar 84, Saurashiv
Lahiri c R.R Kumar b S.Joshi 0, U.Chatterjee S.Sriram b Venugopala Rao 25, D.Mohanty c S.Ramesh b N.P Singh 26, S.S Paul 10 n.o,
Extras: 20; Total: 388; FoW: 1-37, 2-148, 3-164, 4-188, 5-247, 6-274, 7-283, 8-326, 9-382, 10-388.
Bowling: N.P. Singh 25.4-7-66-4, Shiv Shant 30-11-95-0, S. Joshi 46-13-112-3, R.R Kumar 34-10-78-2, Venugopala Rao 9-1-21-1. South Zone: (1st innings) 93 for 3:
S.Ramesh c Mohanty b S.S Paul 57, R.Barrington c Rajeev b D.Mohanty 15, S.Sriram run out 2, Venugopala Rao 12 n.o, M.S.K Prasad 2 n.o,
Extras: 5; Total: (for 3 wickets): 93; FoW: 1-52, 2-56, 3-90.
Bowling: S.S Paul 14-4-30-1, D.Mohanty 7-2-15-1, S.Lahiri 1-0-14-0, U.Chatterjee 14-2-33-0. |
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Central pile up huge total Gurgaon, February 15 While overnight centurion Gagan Khoda (156) departed after adding only 11 runs to his score, Devendra Bundela (72), J.P. Yadav (80) and Vineet Saxena (69 no) made valuable half centuries. Rakesh Patel (2-107) gave West the crucial breakthrough when he bowled Khoda to end the Central skipper's third wicket partnership of 108-runs with Bundela.
— PTI |
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Four more wrestlers qualify for Olympics Chandigarh, February 15 As many as four Indian wrestlers, namely Palwinder Cheema-120 kg; Yogeshwar Dutt -55kg, Ramesh Kumar-66 kg and Anuj Chaudhary-84 kg qualified for Olympic participation in a match held in Sophia. Sujit Mann and Sushil Kumar had already qualified for Olympics. India had sent seven wrestlers for all the seven weight categories. Dr M.S. Malik, President, Wrestling Federation of India, said that a rousing reception would be accorded to the team when it lands at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, tomorrow. He also thanked the sponsorers Ambuja Cement and CII and hoped that keeping in view the unprecedented victory, sponsorers will continue their sport till Olympics. |
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Yusuf wins Forest Hill Open in thrilling play-off Chandigarh, February 15 With Vijay Kumar occupying the second position, Delhi youngster Shamim Khan took possession of the third place at three-over 285. In an effort to speed up play and avoid congestion on the golf course, the originally par-4 third and 12th holes were played as par-3. This brought the par for the course down by two strokes to 70. The par-4 18th hole at the Forest Hill Golf and Country Club is a double dog-leg, curving first left and then right directly onto a green guarded by bunkers all around. In the play-off, Vijay Kumar, always an attacking player, decided to cut across the first dog-leg over the driving range. The plan back-fired when his driver shot landed out-of-bounds. A smart Yusuf Ali played it safe, hitting the ball straight down the fairway. Vijay's third shot ( he was penalized one stroke for going out-of-bounds), found the original target but his 4-iron shot thereafter hit the right green-side bunker. Yusuf on the other hand was on the green in three. It was a lost battle and with his opponent standing over a one-foot bogey putt. Vijay who was on the green in five, conceded the match to the Kolkatan. What goes around comes around. In the first week of year 2004, Vijay Kumar stood with a winner's cheque in hand at the Poona Golf Club. Those present at the Hero Honda Open West clearly remember a dejected Yusuf Ali shaking hands with the winner and trudging away into the sunset. Five weeks down the line, the situation has witnessed a direct reversal. Yusuf however nearly let things slip out of his hand. " I putted terribly today," said the Kolkatan who three-putted on four occasions. Yusuf who birdied the second to lead by five strokes at that stage, totally lost his feel thereafter to drop shots on the seventh, eighth, 12th 15th and 16th. "I was worried silly when Vijay moved to one stoke behind me on the 15th , said the winner. Vijay who had birdied the 14th and 15th to do so tied with Yusuf after the latter bogeyed the 16th. But a bogey on the 17th by the Lucknow pro handed the lead back to the eventual winner. Vijay then cut across the challenging 18th hole to reach the green in two and sink a four-feet birdie putt to force the play-off. Yusuf shot a four-over 74. "Yusuf nearly threw it away. The boy was nervous and messed up a lot of his putts. He tried to play too safe otherwise, with his kind of game, he would have beaten me by several strokes," said Vijay. "On the play-off hole, my driver let me down and at that point I knew it was curtains. I congratulate Yusuf on his win and also would add a word of praise for Shamim Khan who played like a champion today. With a bit more experience, Shamim will go places," said the runner-up. Vijay's round of two-under 70 contained birdies on the first, fifth, sixth, 14th, 15th and 18th, bogeys on the third, fourth, eighth and 17th and a double bogey on the seventh. Kuldeep wins amateur title: Kuldeep Singh fired a round of 10 over 80 to capture the amateur title at 305. Earlier Ashpreet Thind withdrew due to personal reasons. Scores (after 72 holes):
281 — Yusuf Ali (70, 70, 67, 74), Vijay Kumar (68, 71, 72, 70); 285 — Shamim Khan ( 74, 69, 68, 74); 287 — Mukesh Kumar (74, 75, 66, 72); 289 — Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia ( 76, 71, 70, 72); 291 — Mohd Salim ( 75, 75, 71, 70); Sanjay Kumar ( 74, 71, 74, 72); 292 — Rahul Ganapathy (73, 70, 76, 73); 293 — Jaiveer Virk ( 75, 70, 73, 75); 294 — Ranjit Singh ( 75, 75, 73, 71 ); C Muniyappa ( 73, 78, 69, 74); Amateurs:
305 — Kuldeep Singh ( 78, 74, 73, 80 ). |
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Delhi drivers take top honours Chandigarh, February 15 Last year's champion Sunny Sidhu failed to defend his title as the sponsors failed to out sort the problems. Local boys Bharatveer Kapoor and Gursimrat Jawandha also failed to compete as their Esteem flipped over while Jawandha was driving, putting them both out of competition. In the Open category Sandeep Sharma was first followed by wife Maninder Sharma. Both drove an Esteem. Sandeep posted a time of 3.01.29 while Maninder was much slower at 3.12.58. Karan Arya, also of Delhi, was third in 3.16.25. Chandigarh boys swept the Gypsy category. Jasmohan Singh was first in 3.11.66 followed by Harpreet Singh in 3.17.60. Chetan Aggarwal was third in 3.19.95. Local boys also sped to podium finishes in the Maruti 800 category. Yogesh posted the fastest time of 2.21.38. Gagandeep Rekhi was second(2.22.22) while Varun Davesar(2.24.96) was third. In the Zen category Harinder Bhola of Chandigarh, who also finished fourth in the Open category, sped to the top position in an incredible time of 2.03.28. Sukhjinder Rana of Anandpur Sahib was second in 2.14.87 while Karan Arya, even with a punctured tyre, finished third in 2.14.93. There were a few spectators as loud music and flying dust added to the excitement. A majority of the entries from Delhi, Shimla and other places failed to turn up. Eventually only 16 drivers competed for the honours. Sunny Sidhu gave a demonstration after the event to make up for the disappointment of not participating. According to the organisers, Chandigarh Motorsports Association. MRF Motorcross, the first leg of the national championship, will be held at the same venue from February 28 to 29. |
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Chandigarh, February 15
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