 |
|
|
Trescothick leads England reply Bangladesh thwart
Windies National academy for umpires proposed Harbhajan cancels trip to attend camp |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Swimmers set four new records Anil qualifies for Athens
|
|
Myskina wins battle of friends
Paris, June 5 It was a comfortable 59-minute win for
Myskina, by three months the older of the two 22-year-olds from Moscow, quickly putting a nervy start behind her to dominate proceedings from the baseline. "I can't believe it. I am really happy, just too emotional for words. I never thought I would be here when I was growing up in Moscow," said
Myskina. "It's amazing because playing against my friend I had to hold my emotions in check." Dementieva, like Myskina in her first Grand Slam final, appeared to be terrified at the prospect and her powder-puff serve in particular badly let her down with 10 double faults. "I was very tired today and I was nervous. It was the first time in a Grand Slam final and it's a shame for me because it is my dream to win Roland
Garros. I hope it's not the last time I am in a Grand Slam final," she said. It was the third year in succession that the same country had supplied both finalists in the women's singles here after the Williams sisters in 2002 and Belgians Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters in 2003 and the spectacle was just as disappointing. Myskina double-faulted to lose her opening service game but in the following game, Dementieva was a bundle of nerves double-faulting three times as Myskina broke back to level. She then rattled off the next five games with ease to take the set as Dementieva tried to switch tactics by attacking the net only to find herself either passed at will or let down by her overheads and volleys. The crowd on the Philippe Chatrier centre court tried to lift Dementieva but there was no way back as she dropped the first two games of the second set, Myskina breaking with a backhand lob that left her taller opponent stranded at net. The double faults continued to plague Dementieva as she slipped to love-40 in the fifth game although she finally put some form together to win five points in a row to get to 2-3. But an assured-looking Myskina maintained her composure to hold for 4-2 and then broke again in the next game after two more double-fault gifts from
Dementieva. Myskina staved off a break point when serving for the match at 5-2 and wrapped up her first Grand Slam title when Dementieva hit a forehand long although there was initial confusion whether or not the line-judge had called it. The two Muscovites have known each other since they were six years old learning the sport in the same city sports club and being coached by the mother of former US Open winner Marat
Safin. Neither had much pedigree on clay coming into Paris and few pundits put them among the favourites for the title. But after slow starts, they both improved substantially, Myskina defeating Venus Williams and Jennifer Capriati and Dementieva ousting Lindsay Davenport and Amelie
Mauresmo. With her win Myskina can expect to rise to a career-high third in the world rankings behind Henin-Hardenne and Clijsters and can now count herself to be among the elite in the women's game.
Gauchos with a grudge to battle in final A French Open final between two Argentine claycourters would normally stir up little emotion outside of Buenos Aires and Cordoba, but there is an edge to tomorrow’s final between Guillermo Coria and Gaston Gaudio. The two had a bitter clash last year at the Hamburg Masters which ended in fisticuffs in the
lockerroom after their semifinal match. At one-set all and up a break in the decider, Coria pointedly thumped his chest and glared at Gaudio at a change-over with the message being - “You have no heart”. Coria went on to win that set 6-0 but an incensed Gaudio and one of his coaches after the game pinned Coria against a wall in the lockerrooms and they had to be separated. According to Gaudio, it’s all in the past. “We talked about it and that’s it,” he said after his straight sets demolition of the third of the Argentine semifinalists, David Nalbandian, yesterday. “It’s over. Everything is clear now.”
— AFP |
|
Trescothick leads England reply London, June 5 Trescothick was 78 not out at tea, with Mark Butcher four not out as the home side scored at four an over. Strauss made 62, the third time he has passed fifty in his first three Test innings, and shared in an opening stand of 153 before he top-edged spinner Daniel Vettori to Daryl Tuffey at mid-wicket. Trescothick survived despite a series of risky attacking shots as well as an edge off a Vettori arm ball just past wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum's gloves. He also had an early scare when Strauss, eager to get off the mark, called for a sharp single but Kyle Mills, on the field after Michael Papps broke his finger, missed the stumps. England quick bowlers Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison earlier cleaned up the New Zealand tail, the last three wickets falling without a run being. England captain Michael Vaughan took the field after missing the last hour of Friday's play to attend the birth of his daughter. New Zealand (1st innings): (overnight 351-6) Richardson b Saggers 13 Papps lbw b Flintoff 86 Fleming c Vaughan b Astle c Butcher b Saggers 2 Styris c Jones b Harmison 21 Oram c Thorpe b Flintoff 39 Cairns c Strauss b Harmison 41 McCullum b Hoggard 54 Vettori b Harmison 35 Tuffey lbw b Hoggard 0 Martin not out 0 Extras
(b-5, lb-14, w-2) 21 Total (all out, 143.2 overs) 409 Fall of wickets:
1-33, 2-202, 3-215, 4-215, 5-263, 6-293, 7-355, 8-409, 9-409. Bowling:
Hoggard 27-6-93-2, Harmison 36.2-8-74-4, Flintoff 27-7-64-2, Saggers 30-6-86-2, Trescothick 2-0-3-0, Giles 19-1-67-0, Vaughan 2-0-3-0. England (1st innings): Trescothick not out 78 Strauss c Tuffey b Vettori 62 Butcher not out 4 Extras
(b-8 lb-5 nb-7) 20 Total (1 wkt, 42 overs) 164 Fall of wicket:
1-153 Bowling: Tuffey 11-3-34-0, Martin 10-2-49-0, Styris 4-1-10-0, Cairns 8-2-27-0, Vettori 9-0-31-1.
— Reuters
|
|
Bangladesh
thwart Windies Kingston, June 5 But first test century-makers Khaled Mashud (39) and Mohammad Rafique (30) again led a spirited fightback. No 10 bat Tapash Baisya hit an unbeaten 34 to complete West Indian misery on another true batting surface. Brian Lara, who said he would resign should his team fail to beat bottom-ranked Bangladesh, would have been the more concerned skipper after stumps yesterday. In the drawn series opener in St Lucia, Bangladesh also got their best efforts from their lower order. Here again, it proved the same after Rajin Saleh’s topscore of 47 from No 4. Off-spinner Omari Banks, back after a seven-month layoff from a back injury, led the West Indies with a career-best four for 80 off 29 overs. Fast bowlers Pedro Collins (2 for 54), Fidel Edwards (2 for 66) and Tino Best (1 for 50) completed the wicket-taking.
— AP
|
|
National academy for umpires proposed
Mumbai, June 5 The BCCI, on its part, has asked the umpires to shape up following a spate of complaints from Ranji Trophy captains and coaches during the one-day conclave yesterday, while proposing to arm the umpires with powers to call bowlers for ‘chucking’ as a remedial measure in domestic cricket. The board has also told the umpires in no uncertain terms that they were stagnating and measures like workshops at the zonal level are the need of the hour to improve the standard of umpiring throughout the country. The BCCI also proposed during the interactive session to arm match referees with more powers to help the umpires perform their duties better. All these proposals would be put before the BCCI’s Working Committee for its approval, board
president Jagmohan Dalmiya told reporters here. “We had a free and fair discussion to the satisfaction of all. We told them about the concerns expressed by captains and coaches and that there was a general feeling that umpiring is stagnant. We told them stagnation will not do. Improvement on all sides is important to go ahead”, Mr Dalmiya said. The five umpires representatives were
A.V. Jayaprakash, K. Hariharan, B.A. Jamula, S. Pathak and S. Asnani. Also present were BCCI Umpires Committee chairman Ranbir Singh, secretary S.K. Nair and joint secretary Ratnakar Shetty. Jayaprakash, present during the press conference, told reporters later that the suggestion to start an academy for umpires on the lines of the NCA came from their side and was well received by the BCCI. “This meeting with the BCCI was long overdue. I am sure the standards would improve considerably when the suggestions are implemented”, he said. Dalmiya made it clear to the umpires that there has been no tangible effort to improve the umpiring standards. “Just like cricketers improve by constant practice, at nets and by playing matches, the umpires should also stand and officiate during net sessions to see where they go wrong”, Mr Dalmiya said. The BCCI chief also said that bowlers with suspect action should be identified and sent for corrective measures. “There’s no place for chucking at any level. Umpires have to take an active role (in weeding out this problem). We want to cure ‘chuckers’ and not consider them as culprits. “Umpires have been told to act boldly and freely in this matter to see that Indian cricket is on the right track”, he said. On vesting referees with more powers Mr Dalmiya said, “the BCCI intends to be more selective about referees who would be given more powers. The right persons will be picked and the umpires should rise to the occasion.” On demands by umpires for an increase in remuneration, Mr Dalmiya said. “BCCI is all for giving proper remuneration, but it can’t precede accountability and qualitative improvement.” Another suggested measure to improve the standard of umpiring was to allow one junior umpire to stand in with a senior umpire in junior level cricket, he said.
— PTI
|
|
Harbhajan cancels trip to attend camp
"Since I am totally fit now, I want to practice bowling for long stretches. Playing 20-overs-a-side matches would not have been sufficient for practice and that is why I have decided to cancel the trip to England," Harbhajan said here adding that he would now join his team-mates for the seven-day camp in Bangalore. "The fitness camp would be good for me as it can help me regain the kind of form needed for international cricket. I am also spending two to three hours here everyday and practicing hard. As far as my trip to England is concerned, I now feel it would not have been worth it as it would have required bowling in short spells." The Turbanator, who has been out of action since aggravating a finger injury during the first Test against Australia in December last year, admitted that although he had recovered from the injury, he would have to prove his fitness before making a comeback to the national side for the Asia Cup beginning on July 16 in Sri Lanka. He also said he would play a couple of local tournaments for his company, the Indian Airlines, before the fitness camp began. — PTI
|
|
Sehwag finally
graduates New Delhi, June 5 Sehwag, who cracked 309 against Pakistan at Multan during India’s historic seris win two months ago, was presented the degree by Syed Shahid Mahdi, the Vice-Chancellor of the Jamia Millia Islamia University yesterday. “Today is a memorable day and I am happier today than I was when I scored 300 runs because my university has organised a special function to award degree to a single student,” Sehwag said after receiving the degree. The swashbuckling opening batsman was a student of Jamia in 1998-2001 and studied political science with geography but could not find time to collect his degree because of his cricketing commitments. “When I took admission in Jamia, I did not know that I will reach upto this level, Jamia has been lucky for me,” the 25-year old batsman said. To young cricketers he said, “hard work is the only way to success and you should go on making your best efforts without bothering about results.” Sehwag also laid down the foundation stone of viewers’ gallery to be constructed at Jamia Cricket Ground. Mahdi said it was a unique function for the university when its Vice-Chancellor was the host and a student the chief guest.
— PTI
|
|
|
Swimmers set four new records Amritsar, June 5 Anxious Rohit Jamba of Jalandhar, who was disqualified yesterday from the 800 metres freestyle boys (group II, today won two gold medals in the 100 and 200 metres and a silver in the 400 metres. Ludhiana won the 400 metres freestyle relay boys (group one) while Hoshiarpore and Ferozepore stood second and third, respectively. In the girls group one of the same event, Gurdaspur were first while Ludhiana and Amritsar remained second and third, respectively. In the 400 metres freestyle boys (group II) Harjinder Singh Saini of Sangrur took the first position, clocking 05:26:72. Rohit Jamba of Jalandhar and Gurpreet Singh of Ropar came second and third, respectively. In the girls section Ropar’s Prabhjot Kaur was first with 05:54:82 while Era of Patiala was second in 05:58:54 Amarjot Kaur of Patiala was third 06:20:40. |
|
New Delhi, June 5 “Yes, Anil has qualified for the Olympics,” Athletics Federation of India secretary Lalit Bhanot told PTI here today. “Anil’s record is better than the existing national record. But the federation will ratify the record later as another athlete Vikas Gowda has also performed better in this event, but his official result of the particular meet is being awaited,” he revealed. The first two places in the contest went to Hungarians — Fazekas Robert (67.32m) and Mate Gabor (63.36m). — PTI
|
| 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 | |
New Delhi, June 5
Jalandhar, June 5
Office-bearers