 |
|
|
Pak players lacked spirit, says PCB Bangladesh stun Windies Board XI England can develop spinners, says Mushtaq
Indian men off to winning start An experimental Indian team got off to a winning start, defeating Japan 2-1 in the opening match of the four-nation hockey tournament at Gifu, Japan, today. IHF appoints selection committee |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Hockey players reach Barog Leander-Rikl duo triumph Coria’s winning spree continues I’m fit for eves tennis, says Ivanisevic Indonesia revive Thomas Cup hopes
Van den Hoogenband bounces back Threat to Olympic visitors
Arsenal need draw to make history
|
|
Pak players lacked spirit, says PCB
Lahore, May 13 Speaking at the “Jang Forum” seminar, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) cited a number of probable causes while he also admitted that he had this feeling that there had been lack of understanding and cohesion among the players. There was no display of application or spirit by some players in the series, especially in the final Test in Rawalpindi, he said. “I don’t want to take names here. And I don’t want to cry over spilled milk. We have to look towards the future, towards building a strong team for the 2007 World Cup. But yes, when I met the players individually in Lahore and Karachi, I got the distinct impression that the cohesion and spirit were missing in the team after the one-day series,” he said. He, however, defended skipper Inzamam-ul Haq and coach Javed Miandad. “Inzamam is the best man for the captaincy that we have at present, given his position and standing in the team. But I thought we fought brilliantly in the one-day series but for some reasons we fell away in the Test matches and it all went wrong in the final Test,” Shahryar said. The PCB chief was in full praise for the Indian side. “In contrast, India was a more united and combined side and they are lucky to have a core of experienced and quality professionals in the team who perform consistently and guide the youngsters. So their victory was not a big surprise,” he said. Meanwhile, Shaharyar made it clear that from now on, Shoaib Akhtar or any other player should not expect any preferential treatment from the board and there would be no compromise on discipline. “And we mean this,” said an emphatic Shaharyar. — UNI
|
|
Bangladesh stun Windies Board XI
Kingstown (St Vincent), May 13 After the West Indies Board had won the toss and elected to bat, Islam grabbed four wickets for nine runs to send them tumbling to 135 all out in 45.3 overs yesterday. The tourists at the Arnos Vale Playing Field then knocked off the required target to finish on 136 for seven made in 41 overs, with captain Habibul Bashar top scoring with 47. The Board XI found the going tough on a slow and uneven pitch. The home side lost wickets at regular intervals and were only saved from total embarrassment by Ryan Hinds, who made 48 after they were 88 for seven. Openers Wavell Hinds and Kurt Wilkinson (01) could only raise seven runs before the latter edged Mushfiqur Rahman to Islam at second slip. Hinds batted for close to an hour for his 17 before touching one to the wicketkeeper with the total on 39. His was the start of a clutter of wickets by the Board XI, who slipped to 54 for five in the 20th over as Sylvester Joseph (22), Lendl Simmons (0) and Austin Richards (4) followed Hinds — courtesy Mahmud and Islam. It was then left to Ryan Hinds, with innings which lasted 122 minutes, 76 balls and three fours, to shepherd the lower order along. Hinds raised 29 runs with Carlton Baugh (16) and 28 with Dwight Washington (16) as Islam set in among the tail. He was last man out when in his attempt to score he lofted Islam to Rahman at deep mid-wicket to give the bowler his fourth wicket and figures of 9.3-4-9-4. Medium pacer Mahmud, who took three of the first four wickets, finished with three for 33 and MD Rafique two for 27. When Bangladesh batted, the visitors were forced to struggle against the Board XI seam attack of Pedro Collins, Germaine Lawson, Dwight Washington and Wavell Hinds. But Bangladesh were able to prevail after the visitors had shattered to 82 for six, thanks to a 50-run seventh wicket partnership between Mushfiqur Rahman (25 not out) and Khaled Mushud (17). Mashud went with just three runs needed for victory when he edged Washington to wicketkeeper Dinesh Ramdin, who had replaced Carlton Baugh behind the stump in the 16th over as both men shared the duties with the gloves. Collins finished with two for 35 and Washington two for 38 for the Board XI, the West Indies’ team of promising young players. The warm-up match will be followed by three one-day internationals, the first two of which will be played in St. Vincent this weekend. — AP
|
|
England can develop spinners, says Mushtaq
Crawley (England), May 13 Unresponsive pitches and the wet English climate have often been advanced as theories for the lack of homegrown spinners. However, Mushtaq, who last season became the first bowler in five years to take 100 wickets in an English season as he helped steer Sussex to their first County Championship title, said blaming the climate was just an excuse. “This excuse has been talked about for the last 15 years, ‘we can’t produce spinners because it’s a cold country’. It’s not that,” Mushtaq, holding a spin clinic for schoolchildren here, told AFP yesterday. “How many spinners come here, play county cricket and perform well. They play well, in cold weather, there should be more worries for them because they come from the hot countries,” added Mushtaq, 33, in a reference to the success enjoyed in England by Pakistan team-mate Saqlaim Mushtaq, Australia’s Shane Warne and new Test world record wicket-taker Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka. “Why do they perform well? Because they have no other options. When that’s the case you work hard.” And Mushtaq, a veteran of 52 Tests, said young English players had to battle through an environment where too much was given to them too soon. “Your surroundings make you a good player. If you know you have to earn your dinner you work hard for your dinner. “But if I know that I’ll get a week’s worth of dinners for just one day’s hard work then I will work for only one day,” he explained. English captains, from club through to Test level, have often been accused of mishandling spinners, more worried about the runs their slow bowlers might concede rather than the wickets they might take. But Mushtaq, himself sometimes an expensive bowler, although his Test record of 185 wickets at just under 33 apiece is far from the most costly, said captains had to back their slow bowlers if they were to develop into stars. “Obviously this is a big issue for youngsters. In club cricket captains and coaches tell you, when you’ve gone for a few runs, you are not bowling more than two overs because you are too expensive. “That’s why spinners lose their confidence. That’s why I’m going to help their confidence. “I can tell them when I was young I used to go for a million runs and even when I started playing for Pakistan, Imran Khan, the captain, used to tell me, ‘I don’t mind if you go for 2,000 runs, but I need five wickets from you. “Spinners must try to get people out rather than not to go for few runs. That’s very important. They should act like fast bowlers. “What do fast bowlers do when you hit them for six? They stare at you and say ‘I’m going to give you a bouncer’. “The spinners can’t bowl a bouncer but they can do one thing. They can stare at the batsman and say ‘hit me for six again if you can and if I get you out you have to walk to the pavilion’.” — AFP
|
|
|
Indian men off to winning start New Delhi, May 13 Arjun Halappa gave the side the lead in the 22nd minute with a field goal before talented youngster Sandeep Singh made it 2-0 with a neatly executed drag flick in the 30th minute, according to information received here. Even though Japan reduced the margin in the first half itself, the Indians, led by mid-fielder Ignace
Tirkey, were successful in maintaining their lead in the entire second half to emerge victorious in the match. Heavy rains lashed the stadium during the match but that could not deter the Indians from garnering full points. With a rest day tomorrow, India will take on South Korea on Saturday. Meanwhile, in the women’s tournament, the second string Indian women’s team was trailing 4-0 against Asian Games gold medallists China before the
game was suspended 17 minutes into the second half due to heavy rains.
|
|
|
IHF appoints selection committee New Delhi, May 13 Former Olympians and captains Gurbux Singh, B.P. Govinda, Aslam Sher Khan and Surinder Singh Sodhi have been named in the committee to be headed by IHF president
K.P.S. Gill. IHF secretary general K. Jothikumaran is the member secretary and IPS officer Prithviraj is the vice-chairman. The Sports Ministry had yesterday asked the IHF to put in place a transparent selection policy but a top official of the federation claimed that the names had been finalised much before the meeting. “It has nothing to do with the meeting with the Sports Ministry. The names were finalised long before,” he told PTI adding that one of the selectors had even been sent with the team to Japan to observe the players perform in the four-nation tournament.
|
|
|
Hockey
players reach Barog Kumarhatti, May 13 M.R. Negi, and Ashok Kumar, coaches, and Mr Sampath Kumar, physical trainner, also accompanied the players.
|
|
|
Leander-Rikl
duo triumph New Delhi, May 13 In the second round match yesterday, Bhupathi and his Belarussian partner, third seed in the tournament, looked in good nick as they won the first set 6-4. However, the second and third sets saw similar results but in favour of Leander and his Czech partner, according to information received here
today. Bhupathi-Mirnyi pair had been given a bye in the first round while Paes-Rikl duo had to overcome stiff challenge from the French pair of Arnaud Clement-Sebastian Grosjean 7-5, 7-6.
— UNI |
|
|
Coria’s winning spree continues
Hamburg, May 13 The second-seeded Argentine conceded a set for the first time in five matches against the Peruvian number one Luis Horna before coming through 6-2 3-6 6-2 in a contest containing long rallies and strong feelings here yesterday. There were moments when it seemed these might boil over when Horna was advancing enterprisingly 4-2 in the second set. The players suddenly started arguing, with Horna yelling down the court at his opponent and wagging his finger, and Irish umpire Fergus Murphy looking a little mystified. There followed a heated but distant dialogue between the two, but fortunately when Coria advanced towards the net to make a point, Horna decided against prolonging the dispute. Nor would the Peruvian continue it afterwards. “I’m not going to talk about it,” Horna said. “It’s my decision I think it’s a good one. I’m sorry.” Last year in Hamburg when Coria became involved in an argument with an opponent, it turned nasty. Compatriot Gaston Gaudio complained about remarks Coria was alleged to have made during a change-over in their semi-final, and there were reports of a punch thrown in the locker room. This time the match ended in better spirit, though there was a feeling that the incident might have sparked Horna to his best performance against Coria. Horna broke for 3-1 in the second set with the help of an audacious drop shot and lob combination, and held on to the advantage by taking more chances. Horna effectively used the Coria ploy of hitting inside out forehands from the backhand corner. However, when Horna missed a smash from inside the service box and dropped serve in the second game of the final set he handed back some of the initiative to the champion. It was still an absorbing struggle after that, but Coria’s steady pressure with error-free drives and nimble court coverage edged him from 3-0 to 5-2, before Horna broke a string at deuce on his serve, conceding the last game a little unluckily. Coria next plays Tommy Robredo, the Spanish Davis Cup player, who overcame Mariano Zabaleta, the former finalist from Argentina, in straight sets. Two former world number ones made fighting progress. Marat Safin recovered from a set down and a bout of racket throwing against Sargis Sargsian on a damp and roofless outside court, while Lleyton Hewitt came back from 1-5 down in the second set against Tommy Haas, the local hero. — AFP
|
|
I’m fit for eves tennis, says Ivanisevic
Zagreb, May 13 Instead of cursing and smashing rackets — the trademark of his 13-year career — the 2001 Wimbledon champion explained that time and injury had taken their toll on his once feared serve. “My serve is not as good as it used to be. Other guys hit much harder... Now I am ideal for women’s tennis. “Serena, Venus and me — what a fight that would be,” he was quoted as saying in the daily Jutarnji List today. Ivanisevic still dreams of playing one more time at the All-England Club. However, his injured left arm is becoming increasingly troublesome, making him wonder if he should just rest before this year’s Wimbledon tournament. “If only I could know my opponent (at the French Open). I would certainly agree to play (Andre) Agassi, but who could be bothered if they draw me against an unknown? “Then again, perhaps Roland Garros would show the condition of my arm. I am not sure if it would last for five sets.” Ivanisevic’s ranking has dropped to below 400 and he relies on wild cards to get into top events. — Reuters
|
|
Indonesia revive Thomas Cup hopes
Jakarta, May 13 Top Indonesian Sony Dwi Kuncoro overcame a nervous start to triumph in three games over world No 3 Wong Choon Hann, but the deafening cheers turned to boos when doubles pair Luluk Hadiyanto and Alven Yulianto were dismissed 12-15, 6-15 by Lee Wan Wah and Choong Tan Fuk yesterday. Young maestro Taufik Hidayat — reported to the police this week after an apparent road-rage incident — fed from an ecstatic reception to dominate M Roslin Hashim 15-10, 15-2. The quarterfinal was settled by edgy doubles duo Flandy Limpele and Eng Hian, who needed three games to put away Koo Kien Keat and Chew Choon Eng. Indonesia will now face Denmark, who beat Germany 3-1, in the semifinal tomorrow for a chance to retain the trophy they have held since 1994. However, Indonesia’s chances of a fifth consecutive title look slim with China, who drubbed them 5-0 on Monday, in awesome touch during their 3-0 demolition of Japan. China will face South Korea tomorrow after the Koreans’ 3-1 victory over Thailand. Earlier, Indonesia’s women were bundled out of the concurrent Uber Cup after a 1-3 loss to second-seeded South Korea. China, also top seeds in the women’s event, cruised into the semifinals with a crushing win over Malaysia, meaning both Malaysian teams were ousted on the same day. The Chinese dispensed with the services of world No 1 Gong Ruina for the lopsided quarterfinal, but Zhang Ning and Zhou Mi — ranked second and third — and No 2 doubles pairing Gao Ling and Huang Sui had little trouble dispatching the 11th seeds in straight games. Head coach Li Yongbo refused to comment on Gong’s non-appearance. “There’s a lot of reasons but the decision is for the good of the team,” he said. But he agreed that the team were hot favourites to reclaim their title. “For the Uber Cup I predict the same as everybody but for the men’s (Thomas) cup I believe all the top teams have the same chance — Malaysia, Denmark, South Korea and Indonesia.” He also said Malaysia’s women, hammered by their imposing opponents, had a long way to go before they could challenge the top teams. “Malaysia have made a lot of progress but to challenge the top teams they still have some way to go. May be 10 years, maybe 50 years, I don’t know,” he said. Denmark and Japan were both taken to the wire, by the Netherlands and Taiwan, respectively, before triumphing 3-2 in the other Uber Cup quarterfinals. — AFP
|
|
Van den Hoogenband bounces back Madrid, May 13 As the bleak and wet weather of the first three days of action at the open-air pool gave way to sunshine, Van den Hoogenband began the defence of his crown by easing through to lead qualifiers for the semi-finals in one minute 48.79 seconds. Kvetoslav Svoboda of the Czech Republic pulled out the stops to chase the Dutchman home in 1:49.05, with Spain’s Olaf Wildeboer a remote third in 1:50.40. Filippo Magnini, who comprehensively relegated the untapered Van den Hoogenband to silver in the 100m, just made the semifinals as 15th of the 16 qualifiers. Fellow Italian Massimiliano Rosolino, the Olympic 200m bronze medallist, came through comfortably. He won his heat in 1:50.84 the morning after he had been beaten into third place in the 200m individual medley, the event in which he is Olympic champion. Ukraine’s freshly minted European champions Oleg Lisogor and Svitlana Bondarenko opened their challenges for second titles by progressing smoothly through to respective semifinals in the men’s and women’s 50 metres breaststroke. European title-holder Lisogor, who retained his 100m breaststroke crown on Tuesday, led the men’s qualifiers in the one-length sprint in 28.23. Having won her first individual European gold in yesterday’s 100m breaststroke after collecting eight silver and a bronze since 1991, Bondarenko finished second in her heat behind Sweden’s Maria Ostling in the fourth-fastest overall time of 32.60. Ostling, who shared bronze in the 100m breaststroke, led the qualifiers in 32.46. Fellow Swede Emma Igelstrom did not defend her 50m and 100m breaststroke titles in Madrid as she has temporarily stopped swimming to recover from an eating disorder. Poland’s Otylia Jedrzejczak led the way in the women’s 100m butterfly heats in 59.07, while Russia’s Stanislava Komarova won her 100m backstroke heat in the second-fastest overall time behind Laure Manaudou of France. However, double Olympic champion Diana Mocanu, eliminated in the 200m backstroke semifinals on Monday, did not even progress beyond the heats in the 100m event, finishing 22nd on aggregate.
— Reuters |
|
Threat to Olympic visitors Athens, May 13 It described government officials, business leaders, security officials and wealthy tourists who plan to attend the August 13 to 29 sporting extravaganza as “undesirables.” “All the senior members of the international capitalist system, from multinationals to businessmen, mercenaries from across the world and state officials as well as wealthy western Olympic tourists who plan to attend the Games are undesirables,” the letter said. Greece announced this week that 70,000 security personnel will watch over the Games — outnumbering athletes by almost seven to one — with Olympic officials saying yesterday that preparations for the sporting extravaganza were on track.
— AFP
|
|
Lazio rally to lift Italian Cup
Turin, Italy, May 13 Goals by French striker David Trezeguet and Italian star-forward Alessandro Del Piero at Stadio delle Alpi had evened Lazio’s 2-0 first-leg lead yesterday.
While Lazio seemed at the mercy of the aggressive Turin team, Corradi outjumped two defenders to score with a powerful header in the 74th minute off a corner kick by Sinisa Mihajlovic. Fiore, the classy midfielder who had scored both Lazio goals in the first leg at Stadio Olimpico, netted the equaliser in the 83rd with a precise diagonal shot. Trezeguet, who is rumored to be heading to FC Barcelona, headed in the opening goal in the 20th off a perfect cross from Alessandro Birindelli. Del Piero, still in questionable form after returning from a long injury absence, lifted La Juve to a two-goal lead in the 46th, kicking into the open net off save by goalkeeper Matteo Sereni on a previous attempt by Trezeguet. Lazio’s offense was definitely boosted after Simone Inzaghi, the younger brother of AC Milan striker Filippo, was fielded as second-half substitute. Inzaghi’s quick moves put Juventus defense in trouble and Corradi was better supported in his scoring attempts. Corradi missed two consecutive scoring chances before heading the goal which disheartened Juventus. It was the fourth Italian Cup title for Lazio while Juventus missed a record 10th win in the competition. Mancini, who won his first major trophy as a coach, said it was an important achievement for the Roman team after two years of financial problems. Lazio came on the brink of bankruptcy following the collapse of its industrial parent company, food group Cirio. “My players were super this season and I complimented them all for tonight’s performance,” said Mancini, a former star of Sampdoria and Lazio who began his coaching career as an aide to Sven-Goran Eriksson with the Roman team. Fiore, whose three goals in the two-leg final sank Italy’s most titled team, said “it was a tough victory with a lot of sufferings, that’s our trade mark this season.” Lazio was coming off a 2-1 loss at Roberto Baggio’s Brescia last Sunday that dashed its hopes for fourth place in the Serie A and a Champions League berth. Juventus secured third place in the Serie A, but this season has been its worst in several years and led to coach Marcello Lippi’s decision to leave after Sunday’s final league match.
— AP
|
|
Arsenal need draw to make history
London, May 13 Few doubt the champions will succeed at Highbury against a side who are already relegated. Striker Thierry Henry, captain Patrick Vieira and winger Robert Pires, who will all be playing for France at Euro 2004 next month, have made Arsenal one of the most feared teams in Europe. Domestically, their 37-match unbeaten run comprising 25 wins and 12 draws has earned the north London club a 13th league championship and a reputation for swashbuckling, attacking football that has won admirers around the world. Arsenal’s achievement is remarkable for such a competitive environment as the Premier League, a global business worth more than a £ 1 billion ($1.76 billion) a year where new Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has had to spend $200 million to be even relatively successful. Yet in their day, Preston were also a force to make defenders quail and the money creeping into the game was making headlines. Preston started life in 1863 as a cricket club, moved to the ‘north end’ of the town a few years later and turned to football only in 1881 after cricketing interest waned and a brief foray into rugby proved unsuccessful. Under club president William Sudell, Preston began to build a team drawn from England and Scotland with players, controversially at the time, being paid for their services. Matters came to a head in 1884 when Preston were kicked out of the FA Cup for paying footballers to play the game, a common enough practice in the north of England but virtually unknown in the south where the amateur game ruled. Football was at a fork in the road. One way pointed to the nationwide legalisation of professional football, the other to a professional north and an amateur south. The Football Association chose the former at a special meeting in 1885, while a few years later rugby’s leading figures chose the latter, leading to a split in that sport with the creation of two codes: league and union.
— Reuters |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | National Capital | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
French Open