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Mahesh-Radek storm into
third round
India win silver in C’wealth TT
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New coach maybe named tomorrow Rajkot, June 2 The decision to appoint a new coach of the Indian cricket team is likely to be announced at Bangalore, where Board of Control for Cricket in India selection committee meeting is to be held, board secretary Niranjan Shah said here today.
Pak cricket players gagged
Jeev misses the cut
Sonn laid to rest
Naren Kumar lies fifth
Sports day at Dagshai
school
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Safarova shatters Mauresmo’s hopes
Paris, June 2 Fifth seed Mauresmo, who had fallen as the defending champion to the same opponent in the fourth round of this year’s Australian Open, played most of the match with a bandage around her upper right thigh. The former world number one, who had never gone beyond the quarter-finals at Roland Garros on 12 previous appearances, fought bravely but could not avoid the frustration of another early exit. The athletic 27-year-old made a promising start, opening up a 3-0 lead, but then dropped her pace and let her opponent win four games in a row. Mauresmo then left the court to take a medical break, the former world number one returning with her thigh strapped. She lost the next two games, dropping the set by hitting a backhand into the net. Cheered on by a partisan crowd, the Wimbledon champion bounced back to win the first three games of the second set. Her 20-year-old opponent, playing close to perfection, once again levelled the set at 3-3. Both players then held serve until a tie break, which featured some exciting rallies. Safarova held nerve to win it 7-3, Mauresmo hitting a forehand into the net on the first match point to bow out after an hour and 54 minutes. World number 29 Safarova, who claimed Justine Henin’s scalp in the semifinals of the Paris Open in February, goes on to meet Russia’s Anna Chakvetadze for a place in the quarterfinals. Maria Sharapova was given a brief scare on her way to a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Russian qualifier Alla Kudryavtseva in the third round today. The second seeded Russian had her serve broken three times in the second set to fall 4-1 behind before the 20-year-old rattled off five games in a row to take the match. World number three Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia advanced to the last 16 with a 6-2, 6-3 win over teenage qualifier Dominika Cibulkova. Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues edged a three-hour battle against Slovakian 12th seed Daniela Hantuchova, winning 4-6, 7-6, 7-5 to reach the fourth round. Garrigues, who has matched her best run at a Grand Slam, will face Israel’s Shahar Peer in the last 16 after she beat Katarina Srebotnik, also in three sets. Earlier, Serena Williams rescued national and family pride yesterday when she eased into the fourth round where she will be the only American left standing. Serena reached the last 16 where she will face 10th seeded Russian Dinara Safina thanks to a comfortable 6-3, 6-4 win over Dutchwoman Michaella Krajicek. In men’s play, No. 16 Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus was leading 6-2, 6-2 when Jan Hajek of the Czech Republic retired with an injury to his right shoulder. Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden topped Oscar Hernandez of Spain 6-7 (3) 6-3 6-0 6-1, and Igor Andreev of Russia beat Paul-Henri Mathieu of France 7-6 (4) 6-0 6-3. It is the first time the 35-year-old Bjorkman has reached the fourth round at Roland Garros since 1996.
— Reuters, AFP
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Mahesh-Radek storm into third round Paris, June 2 It took only 51 minutes for the unseeded Indo-Czech combine to trounce Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and Filippo Volandri of Italy 6-1, 6-3. The Indo-Czech won an impressive 86 per cent of the first serves compared to their rivals’ 48 per cent and converted four out of the nine break points while Guillermo and Volandri got no opportunity to break the more seasoned pros. Bhupathi, however, bowed out of the glamour event — the mixed doubles. The Bangalorean, paired with Paola Suarez of Argentina, lost in the first round 6-7, 3-6 to Tathiana Garbin of Italy and Paul Hanley of Australia. Paes-Damm out Leander Paes and Martin Damm's scratchy performance at the Roland Garros came to a premature halt as the seasoned pair failed to get past unseeded German duo of Michael Kohl Mann and Rainer Schuettler to crash out in the second round. After an ordinary first round win, the third seeded Indo-Czech pair lost 3-6, 6-1, 3-6 to their lower-ranked rivals. Paes, however, tasted success in the mixed doubles. The multiple Grand Slam champion, partnering American Meghann Shaughnessy, shocked seventh seeds Mike Bryan of the US and Yung-Jan Chan of Taiwan 6-2, 6-0. — PTI
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India win silver in C’wealth TT
Jaipur, June 2 The Singapore men got the better of defending champions India 3-0, while their women beat Malaysia 3-1 in the
final. However, the Indian trio of Achanta Sharath Kamal, Soumyadeep Roy and Shubhajit Saha gave a stiff fight to their rivals who prevailed because of their overall strength and experience. Zi Yang beat Sharath Kamal 7-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7, while Ning Gao overcame Soumyadeep Roy 16-14, 11-7, 11-7. Xiao Li Cai beat Shubhajit Saha 7-11, 11-4, 11-9, 7-11, 11-6 to clinch the title. Sharath began with confidence against world number 33 Zi Yang and snatched the first game. But the Singaporean came into his own winning the second. The third was a see-saw battle as both wanted to assert their supremacy. Sharath led 9-5 at one stage but Yang surged to come closer at 9-10 capitalising on some weak returns by the Indian. However, Sharath held his nerve to take the game 11-9 and lead 2-1. The fourth set was again a close affair with some good rallies but Yang came through 11-9. Both players were level at 3-3 but Yang raised his game and gave his team the early lead. Soumyadeep also played a good match and gave some anxious moments to world number 25 Ning Gao.
— PTI
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New coach maybe named tomorrow
Rajkot, June 2 “The selection committee meeting is being held at Bangalore on June 4 and the decision of appointing the new coach of the Indian team is likely to be announced there,” Shah said. Shah indicated former Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore was the front-runner for the post, but added that a final decision would be taken only by the coach selection committee. BCCI, players to meet on June 11 Mumbai: The BCCI’s two-member panel and a few senior players will hold discussions on the contracts issue in Bangalore on June 11, a day before the BCCI’s Working Committee meeting in Delhi. “The committee (comprising Vice President Shashank Manohar and Treasurer N. Srinivasan) would discuss the contracts with the players on June 11 in Bangalore,” informed BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah today from Rajkot. The players have intimated to the BCCI their reservations about signing the long-due contracts and the impasse has continued till the end of the tour of Bangladesh last month. The BCCI has drastically reduced the retainers to the players and has made it a flat Rs 5 lakh per player irrespective of his seniority, contrary to the earlier graded system where in they were segregated in three categories of A, B and C and were paid Rs 50, 35 and 20 lakh, respectively. The BCCI has also proposed incentive-based match fees, giving bonus for victories in individual matches and series both at home and overseas. The BCCI formed the two-member committee of Manohar and Srinivasan, both tough talkers, to deal with the players’ concern over the newly proposed clauses in the contracts which also restrict them from signing up for more than three products/sponsors at a time. The cap on endorsements has not gone down well with the players and the issue too is bound to come up at the June 11 meeting when the fitness-specific batsmen’s camp is in progress at Bangalore’s National Cricket Academy. The outcome of the parley, along with the formation of the rival Indian Cricket League by Zee Television network, would be taken up at the Working Committee meeting in Delhi the following day. “Yes, the topic of ICL would be discussed by the Working Committee,” said Shah. Shah added that he would decide in two days’ time when to have the meeting of the national selectors to pick the team for Ireland, Scotland and England because the original date of June 12 clashed with the meeting of the Working Committee. “I will decide the new date in a couple of days but the selection committee meeting would be in Bangalore only,” Shah said.
— PTI
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Extra cover for Dhoni
Ranchi, June 2 Dhoni, who arrived here today after visiting Delhi and Mumbai, was given additional protection on his way from airport to his residence. Besides gun-wielding state policemen, the Central Industrial Security Force personnel posted at the Birsa Munda Airport also joined to escort Dhoni till he got into a vehicle. The vehicle, having one policeman inside it, was escorted by a police car carrying five security men. Deepak Kumar Ambast, in-charge of Doranda police station under which Dhoni’s house falls, said the procedure would be a routine from now on whenever Dhoni was in town. “It is quite normal to provide security to all VIPs,” replied Ambast when asked whether the extra cover was given in the wake of the reports of naxal threat on Dhoni. “We will keep a strict vigil and accompany him wherever Dhoni visits,” he added. On May 27, Jharkhand Director General of Police J. B. Mahapatra had denied reports by a section of media that the cricketer faced naxal threat.
— PTI
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Woolmer case heads for ‘natural’ end
London, June 2 According to Daily Mail, the Jamaican Police would hold a press conference in Kingston next week to announce that, after two-and-half months of futile probe, they would no more treat it as a murder case. After thorough review of the evidence, the sleuths believe Woolmer probably succumbed to heart failure. “Woolmer was not a well man. It is now accepted that he died of natural causes,” the tabloid quoted a source close to the inquiry as saying. The 58-year-old Englishman was found unconscious in his Kingston hotel room after Ireland had shown the door to Pakistan in the World Cup. Woolmer was later pronounced dead in a Kingston hospital. Jamaican Police subsequently claimed that Woolmer had died from asphyxia due to manual strangulation. Mark Shields, Deputy Commissioner of Jamaican Police, later asserted that he was “100 per cent certain” that Woolmer had been murdered. Speculation was rife, spawning conspiracy theories like Woolmer was killed by match-fixing mafia, was subdued with poisoned champagne passed on by assistant coach Mushtaq Ahmed and even Al-Qaeda link was also found in the case. But, according to the tabloid, a review by the Metropolitan Police, led by Detective Superintendent John Sweeney, has made it clear that Woolmer died of natural causes. Woolmer’s widow, Gill, who was upset with confusing theories, would soon be intimated about the development. Meanwhile, the volte-face would create a huge embarrassment for Mark Shields. “The knives are out for Mark. It’s enormously embarrassing . . . there’s blood on the carpet in the Jamaican police,” one of his colleagues said. “With hindsight, he should have ensured a second post-mortem was carried out. Instead of saying the death was suspicious, he rushed out a statement saying it was murder.”
— PTI
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Pak cricket players gagged
Karachi, June 2 A member of the Pakistan side said they had been told verbally by board officials that it was off limits for every player, including captain Shoaib Malik, to speak to the media without getting clearance from the team management. “We have been told that if we violate this new ruling we can be banned for a number of matches. But, the ban would be for how many matches they have not told us as yet,” the player said on condition of anonymity. “Obviously the players are not happy with the new restrictions which have come into effect more strictly after the World Cup,” he said. Sources said two days back a few players were committed to appear on a television talk show on the Geo sports channel. The channel finally had to cancel its scheduled programme after the board made it clear to the players that they could not make direct commitments with media. “The days of the players enjoying freedom to enter into deals with the media outlets are gone. So are the days of players ignoring the clauses of their central contracts,” a board official said. “The message to the players is very clear — ‘If you don’t perform then don’t expect any favours or to be pampered’,” he said.
— PTI
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Sandeep back in Indian team
Bangalore, June 2 Dilip Tirkey, who had missed out on India’s last assignment at the Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia, made the 18-member team announced here after pruning the 32-probables, including Gagan Ajit Singh and Viren
Rasquinha. Goalkeeper Adrian d’Souza also was included in the team again after the coach had warned the senior players from taking their placed for granted in the side for the June 23 to July 1 event. Sunil Yadav and Damandeep were the other new inclusions in the team from Azlan Shah squad, which fetched bronze medal in coach Joaquim Carvalho’s maiden assignment. Sandeep was accidentally shot in August last year while travelling in a Delhi-bound train ahead of the World Cup. New Zealand, England, Japan, Belgium and Argentina are the other challengers. Team: Adrian d’Souza, Baljeet Singh, William
Xalco, Dilip Tirkey, Sandeep Singh, Sunil Yadav, Gurbaaz Singh, Bimal
Lakra, Sardara Singh, Vikram Kant, Prabodh Tirkey (capt), Rajpal Singh, Bharat
Sikara, Roshan Minz, Tushar Khandekar, Sivendra Singh, Prabhjot Singh, Damandeep Singh.
— PTI
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Anand sets sights on World Championship
New Delhi, June 2 He feels that this would be his best-ever chance to become the unified world titlist as for the first time in two decades, the unified title will be up for grabs, and he wants to make the most of the opportunity. For, if he misses out on this chance, he would have to wait for another two years to fulfil yet another of his ambition. Eight players will be competing in the World Championship and four have already qualified for the event - Anand, Vladimir Kramnik, Peter Svidler and Alexander Morozevich. Four others will be attaining the qualification mark in the coming weeks, and the eight players will compete in a double round-robin league with each player playing 14 games. The player with the maximum points would emerge the champion, and Anand stands to gain at least 10 ELO points if he does well in the championship. He had come very close to the title the last time, finishing second, but this time, he says, he would want nothing less than the title. Anand, who was in the Capital today with his wife Aruna, to attend the 25th NIIT Graduation Day ceremony in which Delhi University vice-chancellor Dr Deepak Pental and NIIT chairman Rajendra Pawar were the guests of honour, said one should have “passion for one’s profession” to succeed in life. “Without passion, you cannot achieve success. Life is a tough journey and face it with fortitude and perseverance,” he said. Quoting from his own experience, Anand said he went through a seven-month slump in 2001-02 which taught him many valuable lessons and those lessons have stood him in good stead. Anand said becoming the world No. 1 was also a “double delight” as he won the Linares title only for the second time in his career. He said chess competitions were getting tougher and stronger the world over as the emigration of players from the erstwhile Soviet bloc countries and East Europe has helped the game get a wider base. Anand said he was very impressed with the talent of Srinivas of Hyderabad and Karthikeyan of Chennai who competed in the Mind Champions Academy of NIIT, as well as junior world champion Parimarjan Negi of New Delhi. He said he didn’t have very high hopes of becoming an Olympian as chess was unlikely to be an Olympic discipline in another eight years though the game debuted in the Asian Games at Doha last year. Anand said he would be devoting July and August for the preparation of the World Championship in a bid to add the one elusive title to his collection.
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Jeev misses the cut
Dublin (Ohio), June 2 Jeev stuttered to his second successive round of 76 for a two-day total of 152 and crashed out. In contrast, Chopra’s even-par 72 took his tally to 143, which was enough to finish on the right side of the cut line. At the top of the table, Australian golfers dominating the leaderboard with Adam Scott (132) shooting a sizzling 62 to lead the event at 12-under, one stroke ahead of fellow Aussie Rod Pampling (68). Starting with bogeys on the first and third holes, Jeev birdied the eighth but dropped a shot again on 10th. He then eagled the 11th to come to par but the joy was short-lived as he bogeyed the 12th. The lone birdie of the disastrous back nine came on the 14th before Jeev dropped four shots over the last three holes — bogeys on 16th, 17th and a double on the 18th.
— PTI |
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Sonn laid to rest
Cape Town, June 2 Hundreds of people gathered at St George’s cathedral in the city centre for a funeral service, according to an AFP photographer. ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed paid tribute to Sonn, 57, the first African to head the ICC. South African finance minister Trevor Manuel was among the mourners. Sonn was elected ICC president in June, 2006, after successfully heading the United Cricket Board of South Africa, where he played an integral part in the integration of South Africa into the world game after the end of apartheid.
— AFP
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Naren Kumar lies fifth
Chennai, June 2 “As a private team, we have performed fairly well at the end of the first leg today to be placed fifth behind top drivers, including defending champion Cody Crocker,” Naren, sponsored by JK Tyres, told PTI from the rally venue. Naren, who made his debut in the rally this season, has 10 points from the two events held so far in the seven-leg championship.
— PTI
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Sports day at Dagshai
school Kumarhatti, June 2 In the filed events where senior students displayed their perfection by performing yoga, aerobics, pyramids and karate, juniors too entertained with their sports skill. The events like high jump, long jump, 100 m race and 4X50 m relay race, shot put and discus throw seen large participation by students in both groups. Capt M.S. Kohli (retd), Padama Bhushan awardee, was the chief guest on the occasion.
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EB colts lose in final
Mehta TT coach Ajay Chautala |
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