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Australia raring to avenge defeat
Railway eves keen to chug on
Role
reversal for Sourav, Harbhajan
Miandad’s son to wed in Dubai on July 23
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Rathore, Shirur win top HISA awards
IOC wants quality, not quantity: Rogge
Atwal finds his touch to make the cut
A multi-faceted striker
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Australia raring to avenge defeat
Rotterdam, July 9 An injury-hit Australia lost 1-3 to a fired-up Argentina in the concluding phase two league fixture. The victory took Argentina into the semifinals, where they went on to subdue Spain 2-1 with an extra-time golden goal. The Aussies did well to pick themselves up from that defeat and also a 0-2 first-half deficit to beat defending champions India in the other semifinal last night. Going by their semifinal performance, Australia, winners of the 1997 edition in Milton Keynes, appear overwhelming favourites. Surely, Argentina cannot expect any slackness in the Australian combination, as was the case when they met them earlier. Rather, the Aussies, with their one-touch passing, speed and powerplay, will be all primed up for the final, especially after their wonderful fightback against India in the semis. That would have boosted their confidence considerably and the opportunity to avenge the league defeat would be another incentive to the fast and fit Aussies. Argentina, on the other hand, appear comparatively less organised, though they will not be short on motivation to win the cup, that they missed out in Hobart in 2001, losing to India in the final. Against the Aussies, Argentina will need to shrug off their typically slow start that was witnessed in their semifinal clash with Spain. They will have to be on the button from the start and deny Australia any early goals. Australian coach Mark Hager said the final could be anybody’s game. “Even if one team looks stronger than the other, it all depends on how you perform on that day. We have had a couple of tough matches along the way, but I am happy that we came through. The defeat to Argentina was more due to the fact that our players were not focussed enough since the result did not really matter,” said Hager. Hager’s counterpart Pablo Lombi agreed that nothing could be taken for granted. “We did well against Spain, although it was a close match. But we hope to do better in the final against Australia,” he said. The Australians will be looking to the likes of Colin Hennessey, who has been having a phenomenal run with a tally of 14 goals, to deliver, while Argentina will be counting on Lucas Rossi to lead the team from the front. Ironically, until the semifinal clash with India, a majority of Australian goals came from open play, but last night, two of their three strikes were from penalty corners on either side of a penalty corner set-piece. Hennessey had two goals to his name after Desmond Abbott had scored the first. Argentina, the only unbeaten team in the tournament so far, have not really looked the part. Their strength has been persistence and an ability to lift themselves when the chips are down. They may not have the fluency or slickness of the Australian team, but yet, Argentina are a team that cannot be taken lightly. Indeed, if Argentina manage a repeat victory tomorrow, it will be against all expectations, for, Australia appear unstoppable.
— PTI |
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Railway eves keen to chug on
New Delhi, July 9 Drawn in Pool A, Railways rolled over Air India 8-0, Kerala 14-1, Orissa 6-0, Uttar Pradesh 8-0, Karnataka 18-0 and edged out Haryana 1-0 to top the pool with 12 points. They will take on Jharkhand, the second-placed team in Pool B, in the first semifinal tomorrow. Mumbai, who emerged on top of Pool B with nine points, will clash against the second-placed team in Pool A, Haryana, in the second semifinal. Haryana logged 10 points in Pool A as their only defeat was at the hands of Railways. Haryana are undoubtedly the second-best team behind Railways in the championship, with both teams having a number of internationals in their line-ups. Railways’ core group, in fact, comprises players from Haryana who, having played for the country, were taken by the Railways on their rolls. Railways, being the only employers of women hockey players, understandably enjoy a formidable, unbeatable reputation. They hope to cash in on this image to prove their invincibility and come up trumps in the semifinal. Moreover, Railways have done a great favour to women’s hockey by stepping in to host the championship when others had shied away. There were no takers for the National Women’s Hockey Championship after Lucknow hosted the last edition two years ago. Delhi would be hosting the 54th edition in December this year, as they have already received firm commitments of sponsorship. Thus, women’s hockey will witness the rare spectacle of two national championships in the same calendar year, and at the same venue. Surprisingly, spectators have kept away from the matches due to the low-key organisation of the event by the Railways. Barring a few die-hard fans, team officials, organising committee officials, the players and the media, the stands had a deserted look since the league matches began on June 27. The players have braved the discomfort of playing under rain and extremely humid and hot conditions. But the contests provided some riveting fare, with goals coming in torrents. Railways knocked in 55 goals in six matches, though Haryana stole the record of scoring the maximum number of goals — 60 — with their 18-1 victory over Kerala being the best of the championship. With Railways and Haryana displaying prodigious scoring skills, Pool A witnessed a staggering number of 172 goals. The comparatively weak Pool B witnessed less profusion of goals with toppers Mumbai leading the pack with 17 and Jharkhand following behind at 12. Though Pepsu scored 14 and conceded 13, their scoring spree came late in the league, which spoilt their chances of staking a berth in the semis, but earned qualification for the Federation Cup nevertheless, by finishing fourth, ahead of Universities, on better goal difference. Delhi also got charged up late to have a tally of 15 goals in favour and six against, which helped them finish third in the league. Despite the uninspiring conditions, the girls produced exciting hockey. The daily allowance of Rs 150 was just about sufficient to meet their food requirements. Though the players have a lot to be sore about, no one is complaining. Girls who have done well for other teams hope to get on the Railway rolls. But the championship should have received better response and exposure, considering the fact that the Indian women’s hockey team had won the Asian Games gold in front of a packed house at the Shivaji Stadium in 1982, and India had scored a stunning triumph in the Asia Cup Women’s Championship at the National Stadium two years ago. |
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Role reversal
for Sourav, Harbhajan
London, July 9 Harbhajan Singh hammered a 95-ball 84, including 11 fours and three sixes, to give finishing touches to a dominating performance by Surrey, who posted 603 against Gloucestershire. He returned to dismiss James Pearson for a duck as Gloucestershire slid to 90 for five in the post-lunch session. In Nottingham, the Indian captain gave vital breakthroughs, claiming three for 47. Replying to Glamorgan’s 267, Nottinghamshire were cruising at 268 for three before they declined to 324 for nine.
— PTI
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Miandad’s son to wed in Dubai on July 23
Karachi, July 9 Unconfirmed reports said the ceremony was likely to take place on July 23 in Dubai. Family sources claimed that they had no knowledge about the proposed wedding, but friends close to the legendary cricketer said the ceremony was indeed planned for
July 23. “We have heard that the wedding will take place in Dubai on July 23. We have not received any invitation for the wedding, nor Javed Miandad has directly informed us of this function,” a close aide of Miandad said. |
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Rathore, Shirur win top HISA awards
Bangalore, July 9 Rahul Dravid won the HISA “Indian cricketer of the year” award while the honour for the “Indian team of the year” went to the shooting team. Rathore pipped leading cricketers like Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Sachin Tendulkar and eminent chess player Viswanathan Anand, who were all in the fray for the honour. The gold medallist at the 10th Asian Shooting Championship 2004 in Kuala Lumpur, Suma Shirur scored over Anju George, Sania Mirza and Anjali Vedpathak
Bhagwat. Rathore bagged the honour in the shooting discipline as well, pipping Mansher Singh, Suma Shirur and Anjali
Vedpathak. The shooting team won the HISA “Indian team of the year” award while closely competing with the cricket team, chess team (men) and the junior hockey team. In other categories, Viswanathan Anand won the “Indian chess player of the year” award, while Anju George bagged the best “Indian sportsperson of the year (athletics)” honour. Alok Kumar won the “Indian cue sportsman of the year” award. S Venkatesh netted the prize for “Indian football player of the year”. Jyoti Randhawa won the “Indian golf player of the year” award, while the 20-year-old captain of the junior team, Adrian
D’Souza, won the “Indian hockey player of the year” award. Leading squash player Sourav Ghoshal won the award for “Outstanding performance in other sports”, P
Harikrishna, world junior chess champion, won “Young Indian achiever” award, while Koneru Humpy bagged the same award in the women’s section. On the occasion, HISA also recognised Indian women’s contribution to sports and felicitated tennis sensation Sania Mirza and world billiards champion Anuja Thakur with special awards.
— PTI |
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IOC wants quality, not quantity: Rogge
Singapore, July 9 “We want quality over quantity,” said Rogge following the closure of the 117th IOC session. Baseball’s failure to have the est players compete in the games and doping problems with the sport caused their expulsion, said Rogge. Softball suffered because it was not universal enough. But he did not close the door on the two sports returning, perhaps as early as the 2016 games. Rogge said the IOC would work closely with the two federations to help them make the changes needed to convince the IOC that they should return. “We will help them to improve their sport and we will work with them,” he said. The IOC President said the executive board would be looking to change the current ‘two thirds rule’ used to allow new sports to enter the programme. Rogge admitted that it was
difficult for new sports trying to join because they needed two-thirds of the IOC members agreeing. It takes a simple majority to throw a sport out and Rogge said he believes it would be a simple majority to come into the Olympic programme. Rogge said he would like to see a ‘level playing field’ between incoming and outgoing sports. The IOC is also to study the possibility of new sports wanting to be in the Olympics to have a chance to put their case before the members before the vote is taken.
— AFP |
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Alonso takes pole for British Grand Prix
Silverstone, July 9 Alonso clocked 1:19.905, while McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen set the second fastest time of 1:19.932. However, the latter will start 12th after his engine blew in practice today and had to be changed, incurring an automatic 10-place penalty. It was Alonso’s fourth pole of the season and second in a row after France last weekend. The Spaniard, who leads Raikkonen by 24 points in the Formula One standings with nine races remaining, led that race from start to finish. Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya, in a McLaren, and Italian Jarno Trulli for Toyota, filled the second row. Ferrari’s seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, winner at Silverstone last year, qualified a disappointing ninth. Narain Karthikeyan produced a sparkling drive under difficult conditions to clinch the 17th position on the grid. Narain’s performance made up for the disappointment of his Jordan team-mate Tiego Monteiro being relegated to the back grid as a penalty for engine change during the practice sessions yesterday. Monteiro will start 20th last after he completed a formal one lap at the qualifying at the Silverstone circuit. “I had a decent lap today,” Narain said. “I think the wind was a bit stronger compared to this morning so it changed the balance of the car a little but I think my time was pretty good and showed that we are well ahead of the Minardis.” “Unfortunately after the penalty ... we had to adapt our strategy for the race tomorrow. This explains why I only did an installation lap,” Monteiro said. “It is really a pity because I was quite fast on this circuit yesterday and this morning. The car was also doing really well so it is a bit frustrating,” the Portuguese added
— Reuters, PTI |
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Atwal finds his touch to make the cut
Silvis, (Illinois), July 9 Atwal, one-under for the first round, was now four-under 138 for the tournament, and was lying 44th. Daniel Chopra bogeyed his final hole to miss the cut by one. He shot a par round and ended at two-under after his first 69. J.J. Lewis, the 1999 John Deere winner, moved into the lead with a six-under 65, following his first round 64 to take lead at 13-under 129. Shigeki Maruyama of Japan, a three-time winner on the US Tour, shared second place with first round leader Hunter Mahan. Maruyama equalled the best round of the tournament with an eight-under 63. His round included a hole-in-one on the par-3 third hole. Atwal started on the 10th and had two each of birdies and bogeys to turn at par, and was still outside the cut line. Then he eagled the par-5 second and then found his touch with lovely putts for birdies on fifth and sixth, at which stage he was five-under for the tournament and tied 18th. But he bogeyed his final hole, the ninth, and finished at three-under for the day and four-under for two rounds for tied 44th. Atwal, a former Asian Tour number 1, had now made the cut in each of his 10 starts this year. Two good rounds could earn him yet another top. His best this year had been a tied second, after losing in the playoff to Phil Mickelson at the BellSouth Classic. Schoolgirl sensation Michelle Wie fell short in her bid to become the first female in 60 years to make a cut on the PGA Tour. The 15-year-old prodigy appeared on her way to the weekend when she was derailed by a double bogey at the sixth, her 15th hole of the day. She then bogeyed the next and parred her last two holes to complete an even-par 71 for a one-under total of 141. She missed the cut by two strokes, leaving legendary Babe Didrikson Zaharias as the last woman to make a PGA Tour cut — at the 1945 Tucson Open. Starting at the 10th, Wie was on her way to making history when she birdied three of her first five holes to move to four-under for the tournament. A bogey and another bogey saw her at four-under through nine holes. “I felt real good, but I just could not get anything going on my back nine,” Wie said. “I finished under par, I
guess that counts for something.” It was not Wie’s first attempt to take on the men. Participating on a sponsor’s exemption, Wie played the Sony Open the last two years in her hometown Honolulu. She missed the cut by one stroke the first time around, but fell seven strokes shy of the cut this year.
PTI, AFP |
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Gatlin sprints to easy victory
Rome, July 9 None of the men repeated their victories in Rome from Paris last week. Following Gatlin in his gold-trimmed suit were runner-up Aziz Zakari of Ghana in 10.06, and third-placed American Leonard Scott in 10.11 at Stadio Olimpico. Arron extended her jackpot hopes by winning the women’s 100 metres in 11.03. Newly crowned American champion MeLisa Barber was second at 11.10, and countrywoman Allyson Felix, the Olympic silver medallist in the 200 metres, was third in a personal-best 11.14. Qatar’s Saif Saeed Shaheen faced surprising resistance in having to pass Kenya’s Paul Kipsiele Koech at the line to win the 3,000 metres steeplechase in 7:56.34. It was the best time in the world this year, and less than three seconds off his world record set in September. Dominique Arnold of the USAwas a surprisingly clear winner in the 110 metres hurdles, upsetting Liu Xiang and Ladji Doucoure to win in a relatively low 13.11 seconds. Ukraine’s Andrey Sokolovskiy was the only competitor to clear 2.38 metres in the high jump, giving the top performance this year, and beating a field that included all eight finalists from last year’s Olympics. Jaroslav Baba of the Czech Republic and Olympic champion Stefan Holm of Sweden tied for second at 2.36. Lebedeva easily won the triple jump again, confirming her status as the best bet for the league jackpot. The Russian, a two-time triple jump world champion and the Olympic long jump winner, leaped 15.03 metres for her third best jump this year. No other athlete has gone beyond 15 metres this season. Jamaica’s Trecia Smith was placed second at 14.85.
— AP |
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A multi-faceted striker
Patiala, July 9 A product of Sports School, Jalandhar, Gagan Ajit, 24, with seven goals in his kitty, was India’s highest goal scorer at the Sydney Olympics. In two editions of the Champions Trophy, held at Cologne (2002) and Amstelveen (2004), he had a tally of eight goals which enabled him to become the country’s all-time highest scorer so far. Gagan, after serving a stint with IOC, Bangalore, is now working as a DSP with the Punjab Police. Along with Deepak Thakur and Prabhjot Singh, he was largely responsible for helping India win the 2001 Junior World Cup in Hobart. With 18 goals to his credit, Gagan is also the highest goal scorer in India- Pakistan matches. Like his contemporary Dhanraj Pillay, who added a bit of dash to the game, it will be no exaggeration to state that Gagan, too, has brought flair to Indian hockey with his adventurous style of play. His memorable moment came when he scored a peach of a goal against Pakistan in the semifinals of the 2002 Busan Asian Games. After latching on to a pass, Gagan hopelessly found himself out of position but still managed to hoodwink the custodian by sending in a rasping shot off the wrong foot. Hockey lovers regard that goal as a classical effort although his opponents, at that time, had termed it as a “ freak goal.” People who know him admit that the Ferozepore-born player is a man of many parts — exponent of the dribble, pin-up boy and a player who explodes with anger even at the slightest provocation. Early this year, Gagan Ajit
aggegedly bashed up IOC’s Bikramjit Singh and the IHF was quick to suspend him for three months. However, the federation revoked the ban which enabled him to join the national hockey camp at the NIS here. Experts say that Gagan is lethal once he makes his way into the striking circle. Australian hockey great Ric Charlesworth has gone on record as saying that Gagan, once in the circle, Gagan “is simply unstoppable.” Just 24, Gagan, who received the Arjuna Award in 2002, has some more years in him to play for the country. |
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Bhupathi, Sania to play on streets Jeev moves up Delhi soccer Football coaching
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