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WFI poll under independent agency:
HC
Overexposure ruining team’s performance: IHF Joint Secy
Ganguly scores 69
Lee gives Aussies a flying start
England seek to sidestep Ashes sickbay
Mob attacks Youhan
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Pakistan ranked fourth
Liverpool to defend Champion League
title
India in driver’s seat
Powell serves notice to rivals
Sorenstam makes solid
start
Patiala school producing top pugilists
Patiala athletics championship
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WFI poll under independent agency:
HC
New Delhi, June 10 “An independent agency has to hold the elections. This is the only way to resolve contentious issues so that nobody has reasons to feel aggrieved,” a Bench comprising Mr Justice S.K. Kaul and Mr Justice S. Ravindra Bhat said, modifying the order of the single Bench, which authorised the IOA to hold the poll. The IOA was made a party in the case, registered by WFI President M.S. Malik against the Kartar Singh group, which had held elections under an IOA observer. Issuing notices to the IOA and the Delhi Amateur Wrestling Association (DAWA) on an appeal filed by the WFI against the single Bench order, it said the independent agency would be constituted by the court by July 5, the next date of hearing. A single Bench, on May 31, directed that elections to the executive council and the posts of President, Vice-President and Secretary-General would be held under the aegis of the IOA. However, the WFI contended that the single Bench had not taken note of the “nefarious” role played by the IOA office-bearers. Representative character and democratic functioning of the WFI would be adversely affected if the elections of the executive committee of the federation were not allowed to be held as per the constitution and instead by the IOA, WFI’s counsel R.P. Bansal said.
— PTI |
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Overexposure ruining team’s performance: IHF Joint Secy
Bangalore, June 10 “Overexposure of players has deteriorated the Indian hockey team’s performance in the international tournaments”, IHF Joint Secretary K. Krishnamurthy said. “We are participating in too many international tournaments. Today no player can say that they are underexposed. Taking part in too many tournaments curtails the performance of a player. The morale of the team, instead of increasing, is coming down” he said. With the World Cup ahead, the team must start preparation from now itself he said, adding that the team should be exposed to selected international tournaments. More emphasis should be given on training camps, which should be result oriented. He said instead of players undergoing a fitness camp, the Federation must insist that the players who attend the camp were fully fit. He said, “If I had any say or even consulted, I would say our programme itself should undergo change. We need to keep the players fresh. Training is very long. For a starter more training may be needed. but we have a set of players who have already undergone enough training.” “Too much training and tournaments leads to poor performance by the players. During last Olympics, we were the most injured team. None of the players were at peak, either they were injured or not fit enough to play or their motivation was down”, he added. Stating that the Olympics, the World Cup and the Asian Cup were the events the Indian team must concentrate, he said, “We should aim at winning in these and so reduce participating in other international tournaments. Australia, after the last Olympics has been preparing its team for the World Cup and only inviting the New Zealand team only for practice matches. Replying to a question, he said, “Team wise we have no problem. We have strong lineup but we are lacking in conversion of penalty corners and in forward also we are poor. India may be the only team which has missed a number of chances in the international tournaments.” He also expressed unhappiness over the extension accorded by the IHF president K.P.S. Gill to coach Rajinder Singh (Jr). “I am not convinced about the long rope extended to Rajinder. The extension might have been restricted to two more international tournaments”, Krishnamurthy said. — UNI |
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18-member team for Junior World Cup
New Delhi, June 10 In a run-up to the World Cup, India will play a four-nation tournament in Spain from June 17 to 19, in which Spain, Chile and the Netherlands will also take part. The team management feels that India’s chances will depend on the success rate of drag-flicker Sandeep Singh’s penalty corner conversion. Navpreet Singha and William Xalco will play key roles in penalty corner conversion. With Adam Sinclair and Tushar Khandekar figuring in the team, the attack is in experienced hands, though Prabhodh Tirkey will be missed. He is likely to be out of action for about a year. Indian squad: Adrian D’Souza (captain), Srijesh B., William
Xalco, Ajmer Singh, Sandeep Singh, B.S. Vinay, Vivek Gupta, Dhanajay
Mahadik, Sentil Kumar, Vikram Kanth, Navpreet Singh, Nitin Kumar, Adam Sinclair, Hari
Prasad, Ajitesh Roy, Birendra Lakhra, Tushar Khandekar and V. Raja. |
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Ganguly scores 69
London, June 10 Before his dismissal, it was vintage Sourav in display as the elegant southpaw partnered another left
hander, David Hemp (69) to steady the Glamorgan innings with some attractive counter-attacks. While Hemp took 86 balls to score his half century, Sourav yesterday needed just 68 deliveries and his 50 included a straight six off left arm spinner Min Patel, whom he treated with disdain as the pair added an unbroken
96. Sourav was on 61 and Hemp on 57 as they resumed the innings on the third day today. While the Glamorgan supporters expected a ton from the Indian captain, Sourav could add just eight to his overnight score and fell to a lapse of concentration. Trying to hit Martin
Saggers, he ended up offering a catch to Niall O'Brien who did not make any mistake and completed his third catch of the
innings. Sourav's 96-ball knock included nine hits to the fence besides the six.
— UNI |
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Lee gives Aussies a flying start
London, June 10 Lee, unable at the moment to command a place in the Test side although only Pakistan’s temperamental Shoaib Akhtar rivalled him for raw pace, was given the honour of bowling the first over in Australia’s Twenty20 match against the Professional Cricketers Association Masters XI. Framed against the idyllic background of Arundel Castle on a warm summer’s evening, Lee bounded in and delivered a fast, full delivery to New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, who obligingly steered the ball straight to second slip. Fleming’s makeshift side did manage to tally for 167 for six, but it was the Australians who, once again, won the significant battles. Led by a innings of 79 from Matthew Hayden, mingling brutality with finesse, the tourists reached their target in the final over for the loss of two wickets. They also dismissed England’s new one-day find Kevin Piertersen for only six.
Pietersen, who could yet force his way into the Test side if he could perform well in the forthcoming triangular one-day series with England and Bangladesh, skied one of Michael Clarke’s flat, slow
left-armers into Adam Gilchrist’s gloves. When Australia batted, Gilchrist allowed himself a sighter with the first ball from England prospect Chris
Tremlett, then eased the second through the covers for four. Thereafter, the world’s most destructive batsman struggled with his timing, but it hardly mattered as Hayden struck the ball with primitive force. There was time for a cameo from the quick-footed captain Ricky Ponting as darkness fell, leaving a full crowd in good humour as they poured out of the ground.
— Reuters |
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England seek to sidestep Ashes sickbay
London, June 10 First in the queue, a bowler with the niggly groin. Behind him, a wicketkeeper with bruised hands and a batsman with a wrenched hamstring. Then there is the guy with the Achilles, the bad back, the migraine and the broken shoelace. “Must be time for the Ashes again,” mutters the physio, as he gets to work. It has almost become a tradition. As soon as the peak of an Australian bush hat emerges over the horizon,
English cricketers go down like flies. The 2001 series in England was bad enough. Nasser Hussain, the captain, managed just three of five Tests, Graham Thorpe and Ashley Giles one. Michael Vaughan (knee problems) and Andrew Flintoff (hernia) missed the entire shebang. The touring side, meanwhile, went through virtually unscathed, captain Steve Waugh missing one game with a calf injury. Still hobbling, he returned and scored a century in the final Test. In the next Ashes series, however, things got
worse still. Hussain would probably have expected to field an attack of Andy Caddick, Darren Gough, Giles and Matthew Hoggard backed up by Flintoff. By the fourth Test, only Caddick was still standing. Gough and Flintoff never took the field. Simon Jones, first-choice back-up and great white hope, was carried off on a stretcher on the first day of the series with a ruptured knee and never returned. Giles played one game before breaking his hand when struck by Harmison in the nets. Things got dafter still when Chris Silverwood was flown in as a replacement, bowled four overs, hurt his ankle and went home. An odd thing has happened in the past few weeks, however. Australia are back in town and Englishmen are heading out of the physio room rather than into it. Allrounder Flintoff, yet to play against Australia in Tests, has surprised everyone with his rapid return from ankle surgery. Jones has also recovered from a back problem to bowl at refreshing pace
at the start of the English summer. True, experienced batsman Mark Butcher is crocked, but that is a long-term problem. Otherwise, only Giles, yet again, is a worry with a dodgy hip. There is still plenty of time before the start of the first test on July 21 for the aches and pains to return — and for mental scars to reopen, perhaps — but it is almost as if England fancy the challenge. Considering 2001 and 2003, they may also argue they deserve the rub of the green over the next few months. Ricky Ponting’s magnificent Australians are the clear favourites and have more facets to their game as well as more quality. But age may be catching up on them, even if their rivals are not. The entire first-choice team, except Michael Clarke, will be over 30 by the end of the tour. Opening batsman Matthew Hayden, interviewed by the newspaper The Australian, suggested that there was also a new mental freshness about England. “You look at the last generation of cricketers under Nasser Hussain, they had a lot of senior players, but they had very much a losing mentality against Australia,”
Hayden said. “These guys, to a certain extent, are a little fresher in that way.” A little physical freshness for once might help England’s cause as well.
— Reuters |
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Mob attacks Youhan
Karachi, June 10 Youhana was unhurt in the incident, but the windows of his recently imported car were shattered, while the body of the car was also damaged. No immediate reason was known for the violent act, but police sources said the youngsters arrested, who were later released, belonged to respectable and well-off families. “The reason for the attack has not been disclosed because the complainant agreed for a compromise,” a police source said, adding, “The identified youngsters were arrested, but later released because no official complaint was lodged”. Youhana was also diplomatic and didn’t clearly spell out the reasons for this crazy act. “There was some misunderstanding. But all is well,” he said. The incident, in which Youhana’s car, estimated to be worth around Pakistani Rs 50 lakh, almost became crippled, has led to a series of conspiracy theories, including an attack by the underworld. Youhana, (31) returned from the West Indies after the one-day series because of his father’s illness.
— PTI |
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Pakistan ranked fourth
London, June 10 England’s comprehensive win over Bangladesh improved their rating by one point to 111. Australia (132) and England (111) are ahead of India (107), taking the first and second slot, respectively. Pakistan remains fourth in the table but the 1-1 series draw has seen their rating fall by two points so that they are now ahead of Sri Lanka and South Africa only when the ratings are recalculated to three decimal places.
—
UN |
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Liverpool to defend Champion League
title
Nyon, June 10 Liverpool, who beat AC Milan on penalties in an astonishing final in May after being 3-0 down at half-time, had failed to qualify from the English premiership after finishing fifth. The English Football Association said rules did not allow it to replace fourth-placed Everton with Liverpool, but UEFA decided to allow Liverpool, and all future champions, to defend their titles. But if the Liverpool situation occurs again and the European champions fail to finish in a qualifying place in their domestic competition, they will come in at expense of the fourth-placed side. The rules will also apply for countries who only get three or two Champions League spots, but there will be special exemption in the unlikely event of a country with one Champion League spot winning the competition, but failing to win their own domestic league.
— AFP |
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India in driver’s seat
Karachi, June 10 After 30 frames, India, who started the day leading 12-11, were 31-20 in front after enjoying a 22-15 advantage after four matches. The difference between the two teams was the duo of Alok Kumar and Pankaj Advani. Advani earned five of the first 10 points that the Indians won today. Alok snatched three points from Saleh Mohammad in the sixth match and then hit the jackpot by winning the Lucky Seven to earn seven points for his team.
— PTI |
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Powell serves notice to rivals
Ostrava, June 10 In his first race of the season on the European circuit, Powell blew away the competition to run the second fastest time of the year despite unseasonably cold and rainy conditions. He was slightly helped by a 0.6-metre per second wind at his back. Powell’s time was one one-hundredth of a second slower than the 9.84 he clocked on May 7, the fastest official time this year.
— Reuters |
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Sorenstam makes solid
start
Havre De Grace, Maryland, June 10 Sweden’s world number one finished one shot off the lead and was safely in the clubhouse when the threat of lightning interrupted play. Three players finish ahead of her in the second major of the season — Great Britain’s Laura Davies and two Americans, Laura Diaz and Natalie Gulbis, who was playing with Sorenstam and completed her round with five straight birdies. Paula Creamer, the 18-year-old who won an event in New York last month, joined the four-way tie in joint fourth on 68,
while 15-year-old Michelle Wie, the lone |
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Patiala school producing top pugilists
Patiala, June 10 The centre, which is run by senior Punjab Sports Department coach, Harpreet Singh, has produced eight senior and junior national champs this year in different weight categories. The most prominent among boxers trained by Harpreet Singh is Parminder Singh in the light heavyweight category, who had bagged a gold in the junior National championship held at Tatanagar last year. Based on the fine showing there, Parminder was picked by the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation for a tour of Uzbekistan in May this year. Parminder Singh’s younger brother Balkar Singh, whose strong points are his height and quick footwork, also toured Europe last year and was quick to make a mark there in the heavyweight category. Yet another pugilist, who is making waves is Biprenbeer Singh. He stunned the boxing fraternity by winning a bronze medal in the Tatanagar junior nationals at such a young age in the middleweight category. The tall and well-built Gurpreet Singh announced his arrival in style in the domestic circuit when he won a bronze in the heavyweight category in the prestigious B.D. Chandiwala memorial boxing championship held in New Delhi in February this year. Based on this performance, the IABF selectors picked him for the national camp held at
Kolkata in March this year. Coach Harpreet Singh, who has toured Cuba and has minutely studied the training pattern adopted by the Latin American country, a known boxing powerhouse in the world, is confident that many of his youngsters will be making a big splash in the domestic circuit in future meets. Prominent among them in the junior section are Jaswinder Singh (super heavyweight), Pushkar Singh (light flyweight), Sikander Singh (welterweight), Gurvir Singh (middleweight) — all of whom have bagged medals in the junior nationals. Among the sub-junior pugilists who are being groomed at the centre and who have a rosy future are Ravi Kumar, Deepak Kumar and Birkarmjit Singh. Harpreet Singh says that former Arjuna Awardee boxer Jaipal Singh has been of immense help as far as the successful running of his centre is concerned. He also pays credit to senior IPS officer and the Acting President of the Punjab Boxing Association, Mr H.S. Sidhu, for the success. COACH RETURNS: SAI handball coach Virender Kumar Verma, who at present is posted in Punjabi University, has returned after attending a three month International Coaching Course from the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary. Mr Verma achieved the distinction of bagging 100 per cent marks in the subject of General Conditioning. He attended courses in Sport Pedagogy, Sports and Research, Sport Management, Sport Nutrition, Applied Exercise Physiology and Computers in sport. |
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Patiala athletics championship
Patiala, June 10 According to Mr Ajaib Singh
Kaleka, president of the Patiala District Athletic Association (PDAA), the one day meet will also act as trials to select the Patiala team which will take part in the Punjab State Athletic Meet slated to be held at Sports School,
Jalandhar, on June 15. |
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