Raja to focus on self discipline
ISLAMABAD, Aug 12 — Former Test all-rounder Wasim Raja, who has been appointed coach of the Pakistan cricket team mired in match-fixing controversy, has said “self-discipline” and “country’s respect” would be his top priorities.

Nisipeanu, Khalifman score upsets
Las Vegas, Aug 12 —Sergei Movsesian, Liviu Nisipeanu and Alexander Khalifman scored major upsets in the fourth round of playoffs at the Chess World Championship here.

Guerrouj teaches Ngeny a lesson
ZURICH, Aug 12 — Morocco’s 1500m and mile world record holder Hicham El Guerrouj taught the pretender to his throne Noah Ngeny of Kenya, who had said he was out for his rival’s number one mantle, a real lesson here at the IAAF Golden League meeting when he beat him out of sight.

Ranatunga barred from practice
COLOMBO, Aug 12 — Former Sri Lankan skipper Arjuna Ranatunga, who has been dropped from one-day cricket squad for the forthcoming triangular series, has been temporarily banned from attending practice sessions for indiscipline.

Ma, officialdom at war
BEIJING, Aug 12 — The World Athletics Championships are set to become a new battle ground between supercoach Ma Junren and the Chinese sports establishment, even though his runners will not be there.

Rafter begins title defence with win
MASON (Cincinnati), Aug 12 — Defending champion Patrick Rafter started his title defence by beating Daniel Vacek of the Czech Republic 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.

IWHF miffed at just one player getting award
NEW DELHI, Aug 12 — Indian Women’s Hockey Federation secretary Amrit Bose today expressed her disappointment that only one player from the Bangkok Asian Games silver medal winning team had been chosen for the Arjuna Award.

Gopichand, Popat for Asian meet
BANGALORE, Aug 12 — National champions Po Gopichand and Aparna Popat have been included in the 10 member Indian team for the Senior Asian Badminton Championships to be held at Kuala Lumpur from September 15 to 19.

Warne may play for Hampshire
LONDON, Aug 12 — English county Hampshire have held talks with Australian spin wizard Shane Warne over a possible move to England next season.

Sushil, Narinder to lead Punjab squads
PATIALA, Aug 12 — International Sushil Kumar of the PSEB will lead the Punjab squad in the Senior National Power lifting Championships slated to be held at Bhilai, Madhya Pradesh, from August 18 to 22.

Sampras Queen’s Club member Sub-junior tennis from Aug 30 Poonam to lead Haryana squad

Kidambi wins, claims second IM norm

SCARBOROUGH (England), Aug 12 (PTI) — India’s junior national champion Sundararajan Kidambi capped his brilliant run in the current European tour by claiming his second international master norm in the ninth round of the British Open Chess Championship here.

The 16-year-old student of Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan, Chennai, who made his first IM norm at the Biel International Chess Tournament a fortnight ago in Switzerland, beat English IM Simon Williams, average rating 2392, to glean 5.5 points from nine games to make his second IM norm in a row yesterday.

Kidambi’s achievement brought cheers to the contingent on a mixed day for the Indians which saw top-seeded grandmaster Hodgson of England cement his hold on the title with a superb victory against Bangladesh’s IM Zia-ur Rahman.

A crushing kingside attack against Rahman helped Hodgson (8) consolidate his lead to 1.5 points and the English GM looks set to win the tournament with a record margin.

With just two rounds to go, a comfortable lead over the field should virtually guarantee Hodgson the title.

Among the other Indians in the fray, Kidambi’s playing partner and senior national champion K. Sasikiran fretted away his advantage to share the point with IM Gormally, while GM Pravin Thipsay (5.5) went down fighting to English GM Emms.

A fine victory over IM Miroslav Houska brought IM Abhijit Kunte (6) back into the reckoning for a place in the prize list. World under-12 champion Koneru Humpy defeated Niel Berry (3) to move to 4.5 points.

The other two Indian women players returned mixed results. IWM Anupama Gokhale (4) defeated A. Cooper (3) while fellow IWM Bhagyashree Thipsay (3) lost to J. Rudd.

IM V. Saravanan was held to draw by S. Haslinger and both were tied on 5.5 points with several players including Kidambi.

Sasikiran faced the Grunfeld defence against Gormally, who played with black pieces. In a complicated middlegame typical of this opening, Sasikiran developed a dangerous looking initiative.

Though black’s knight was poorly placed, Gormally found a tactical move that enabled him to simplify the game into a drawn double rook ending.

In a well fought game between the two grandmasters, Thipsay sacrificed a pawn in the middlegame arising out of a Ruy Lopez Chigorin variation. He had the advantage of the bishop pair and an attack against white’s pawn centre as compensation.

However, capturing at the wrong moment allowed Emms to activate his knight and create a dangerous passed pawn, which proved fatal for the Indian GM.

Results of ninth round:

GM Hodgson (8) b IM Rahman(6.5); IM Rowson (6.5) drew GM Wells (6.5); IM Sasikiran (6) drew IM Gormally (6.5); GM Emms (6.5) b GM Thipsay (5.5); IM Kunte (6) b IM Houska (5); Kidambi (5.5) b IM Williams (4.5); IM Saravanan (5.5) drew Haslinger (5.5); IWM Humpy (4.5) b Berry (3); Cooper (3) lost to IWM Gokhale (4); Thipsay (3) lost to Rudd (4).

India clash with SA in 1st Test today

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 12 (PTI) — A youthful India take on a physically stronger and determined South Africa in the first tie of the five-match hockey Test series here tomorrow with much at stake for both the teams.

Victory in the series will be a perfect boost for the Indians, who landed here early today on the tour which is held as an important fixture to fine-tune their strategy for the preparation for next year’s Sydney Olympics.

The Asian Games champions, who beat the South Africans 2-1 in the Commonwealth Games at Kuala Lumpur in September last year when the two last met, start favourites.

But the hosts are in full preparation ahead of the All-Africa Games slated from September 8 to 18, where the winner will automatically qualify for the Olympics.

Tomorrow’s match will be crucial for India as it would help chief coach Vasudevan Baskaran check out various combinations and tactics, especially in the absence of key defender Dilip Tirkey and the last-minute withdrawal of bustling forward Baljit Singh Dhillon due to injury.

Baskaran was confident and said he was looking forward to the tour. "Obviously we will be affected by the change in weather on the first day, but I can assure you that our team will give their best," Baskaran told PTI.

He would hope Dhillon’s replacement Harbhajan Singh will jell with the frontline, led by young Gagan Ajit Singh. The onus will be on the halfline marshalled by pivot and skipper Mohd Riaz with Ramandeep Singh on the left and Baljit Singh Saini on the right also seasoned.

The second Test will be on August 15 followed by matches on 17th, 19th and 21st.

This is the second visit by India since South Africa was admitted into the international fold after the end of the apartheid era. In 1993, India played three Tests here.

Teams:

India (from): Edward Aloysius, Jude Menezes; Anurag Raghuvanshi, Dinesh Nayak, Lazarus Barla; Mohd Riaz (capt), Baljit Singh Saini, Thirumalvalavan, Ramandeep Singh; Kamal Horo, Deepak Thakur, Harbhajan Singh, L. Prabhakaran, Gagan Ajit Singh, Brojen Singh, Samir Dad.

Coaches: Vasudevan Baskaran and Ramesh Parameswaran.

South Africa (from) Brian Myburgh, Chris Hibbert, Warren Bond, Craig Jackson (capt), Steve Evans, Brad Michalargo, Greg Clark, Gareth Murray, Emile Smith, Mike Cullen, Clyde Abrahamas, Justin King, Greg Nicol, Wayne Denne, Kevin Chree, Brenton Key.

Coaches: Giles Bonnet and Rob Pullen.

Raja to focus on self discipline

ISLAMABAD, Aug 12 (PTI) — Former Test all-rounder Wasim Raja, who has been appointed coach of the Pakistan cricket team mired in match-fixing controversy, has said “self-discipline” and “country’s respect” would be his top priorities.

“If you are a professional, you cannot do anything deliberately,” the 46-year-old political science lecturer and a qualified cricket coach from England said while rejecting charges that Pakistan threw away their World Cup final against Australia.

The 46-year-old told the English daily “The Dawn” that “mental approach, self-respect, self-discipline and country’s respect” will be his priorities to rebuild the Pakistan team.

Raja, a stylish left-handed batsman and right arm seamer, has appeared in 57 Tests and 54 one-dayers in the 1970’s and early ’80’s. He quit his job in England and signed a contract for £ 40,000 per annum with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The PCB appointed Raja after failing to enlist the services of former South African coach Bob Woolmer, who reportedly demanded £ 80,000 officials said.

The PCB ad hoc committee Chairman, Mr Mujeebur Rehman has said Raja’s appointment would be a long-term affair. “We believe in long term policies and the appointment of Wasim as coach for two to three years reflects our priorities,” he has said.

Raja succeeds former Test batsman Mushtaq Mohammad, whose contract ended with the World Cup.

Raja, elder brother of former Pakistan skipper and current selector Rameez Raja, said he had been offered the post earlier too, but he could not accept it because of his job in England.

He left for England yesterday to settle things there and is expected to take up his assignment sometime next week when the coaching camp for nearly 40 players would begin at Lahore’s Gaddhafi Stadium to prepare the team for coming engagements.

Raja said his job was cut out to re-establish morale of the team after the betting and match-fixing allegations. the PCB has temporarily suspended World Cup skipper Wasim Akram and two other leading players Salim Malik and Ijaz Ahmed with The PCB chief saying the ban would be lifted only if they are able to clear their names of match-fixing allegations.

The anti-corruption Ehtesab (accountability) Bureau has submitted its report on betting and match-fixing to the President, Mr Mohammad Rafiq Tarar after questioning the trio and the final shape of things will be known when the one-man judicial commission probing the issue submits its report, expected by this month end.

Raja stressed the importance of all-rounders in the game and said the days were gone when three or four batsmen were enough for a team to win.

“A team studded with maximum number of all-rounders could be a strong one,” Raja, who has scored 2821 Test runs from 92 innings with four centuries for an average of 36.16, said.

I was expecting the award: Sikdar

CALCUTTA, Aug 12 (PTI) — Middle distance queen Jyotirmoyee Sikdar said last night she was expecting the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award on the basis of her performance in the Bangkok Asiad.

“The award has brought a lot of happiness for me and my family. But frankly speaking, I was hoping to win the award. After all, my performance was better than others in the Bangkok Games,” an elated Sikdar said.

Sikdar, who won a golden double in 800 and 1500 metres in addition to a silver as part of the 4x400 m relay squad in the Games last December, is the ninth person to receive the award set up in 1991.

The award comprises a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, a medal and a scroll of honour.

“The day has in fact brought double rejoicement for me as my coach Hargobind Singh has been named for the Dronacharya award,” Sikdar said.

Sikdar’s husband Avtar Singh was also thrilled on hearing the news.

“The award has come at the right time. It will motivate her to practise more for the Sydney Olympics,” Singh, the inspiration behind Jyotirmoyee’s track achievements, said.

Arjuna award winner Biswajit Palit, captain of the Indian kabaddi team which cornered the gold in the Bangkok Asian Games, said it was his biggest achievement so far.

“It is a great honour to receive such a prestigious award. I feel very happy,” he said.

He said the award will act as an elixir for the kabaddi players in the state and also inspire youngsters to take up the sport.

Nisipeanu, Khalifman score upsets

Las Vegas, Aug 12 (AP) —Sergei Movsesian, Liviu Nisipeanu and Alexander Khalifman scored major upsets in the fourth round of playoffs at the Chess World Championship here.

Each knocked out one of the top 12 seeds yesterday, although none of them had been ranked among the top 25 players.

Top-seeded Vladimir Kramnik of Russia, fifth-seed Michael Adams of England and 16th-ranked Judit Polgar of Hungary also were among eight players advancing to the fifth round.

Alexei Shirov of Spain, the No. 2 seed, and 31st-ranked Vladimir Akopian of Armenia had secured their places in the final eight on Tuesday.

Yesterday’s tiebreaker matches featured sets of two-game matches with games lasting up to about one hour instead of the usual seven hours.

Nisipeanu of Romania pulled off the biggest shocker when he eliminated sixth-seed Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine. The Romanian, ranked 46th, will be the lowest seed in the quarterfinals.

After a draw in the first game, Ivanchuk inexplicably blundered away a piece in the second and was forced to resign.

Movsesian, a 20-year-old Czech, drew both games of his first set against third-seed Aexei Fedorov of Russia. In the first game of the second set, Movesesian crashed through to win with the black pieces and gain the lead. He was able draw the second game to move on.

Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan praised the play of 36th-ranked Khalifman, of Russia, for “a very convincing display” in a defeat of 12th-seed Boris Gelfand of Israel in their first game yesterday. Khalifman withstood Gelfand’s pressure to force a match clinching draw in the next game.

Polgar, a 23-year-old, played her best chess of the tournament, defeating Russia’s Vadim Zvjaginsev in both games.

The Hungarian player has been considered the strongest woman player in the world for many years, although her sister, Zsuzsa, is the current women’s world champion.

Kramnik took advantage of big misplays to sweep both his games from Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria, the ninth seed.

Adams had draws in the first two games against Alexsey Dreev of Russia. The Englishman then won both games, the first in a long 88-move endgame, in the second tie-break set to advance.

Guerrouj teaches Ngeny a lesson

ZURICH, Aug 12 (AFP) — Morocco’s 1500m and mile world record holder Hicham El Guerrouj taught the pretender to his throne Noah Ngeny of Kenya, who had said he was out for his rival’s number one mantle, a real lesson here at the IAAF Golden League meeting when he beat him out of sight.

All of the quartet who had hopes of earning a share of the million dollar Golden League bonus, for winning their event at seven designated meetings, stayed in the hunt though only Denmark’s Kenyan-born 800m runner Wilson Kipketer and Romanian 3000m champion Gabriela Szabo won with any conviction — Marion Jones and Bernard Barmasai being chased all the way.

There was a win too for Maurice Greene, who controversially refused to talk after winning last Saturday.

However, just as he had in Stockholm, the American, whose training partner Ato Boldon of Trinidad pulled out of the World Championships with a hamstring injury yesterday, found a bit extra to pull slightly away at the end.

But it was Guerrouj, plagued by haemorrhoids since he broke the mile world record in Rome last month, who took the eye and stormed clear of Ngeny, who tried and failed to break several records including El Guerrouj’s 1500m mark, and came home in the best time of the year 3min 28.57 sec.

Thompson, bronze medallist in the Commonwealth Games 100m last year, also had to give second best in the 200m as Namibian veteran Frankie Fredericks stormed home to victory and the 31-year-old must be eyeing a second world 200m gold medal to add to the one he won in Stuttgart in 1993.

Jones, who will attempt to win four titles at the world championships, was also pushed all the way in the 200m as Inger Miller, a training partner of Greene’s and Boldon’s, stayed right on her shoulder throughout the race with the 23-year-old Jones just hanging on to keep her hopes alive of sharing the Golden League bonus for a second successive year.

Szabo, who is the reigning 3000m indoor and outdoor champion, looked down and out going into the final lap as Moroccan Zara Ouaziz took the lead, but the diminutive Romanian came back at her and kicked away in the straight to land a superb win.

Jerome Young coasted home in the 400m to lay down the gauntlet to reigning world champion Michael Johnson, who is currently recovering in America from a thigh injury.

The 22-year-old Jamaican-born naturalised-American, a two-time US champion, beat home his former coach Antonio Pettigrew, who will reoppose him in this month’s World Championships, in the fifth fastest time of the year 44.33 sec.

Kipketer, the world indoor and outdoor record holder at 800m, never looked troubled as he took it up from pacemaker David Kiptoo and was several yards clear of South African Hezekiel Sepeng with Japtheth Kimutai, the man who ended Kipketer’s two year unbeaten streak here last year, fading into fourth.

However, Kipketer, who says his age is 28, although several different records state that he is anything from 27 to 31, refused to play up expectations that his poor form last year after suffering from malaria and liver problems was gone for ever.

Another American youngster Angelo Taylor, (20) showed again that his skipping university to become a full time athlete was a good decision as he won the 400m hurdles inflicting South Africa’s 1997 world silver medallist Llewellyn Herbert’s first defeat in 18 races although Herbert was clearly still feeling a quadriceps injury that kept him out of the Monaco meeting.

Barmasai, who is also the world recordholder in the 3000m steeplechase, had to really battle to maintain his interest in the Golden League bonus as Christopher Koskei showed that he was the young pretender by reeling him in with metres to go although Barmasai just held on.

Benjamin Kipkurui, runner-up in the world junior 1500m last year and a stablemate of Kimutai’s, broke the world junior mark in the 1500m coming home clear in the B race in a time of 3min 33.16 sec.

The 18-year-old, who also broke the world junior 1000m record in Nice in July, said that he now felt he belonged with the big boys in the major races.

“I wasn’t thinking about the record and didn’t realise what I had done until after the finish line,” he said.

Ranatunga barred from practice

COLOMBO, Aug 12 (PTI) — Former Sri Lankan skipper Arjuna Ranatunga, who has been dropped from one-day cricket squad for the forthcoming triangular series, has been temporarily banned from attending practice sessions for indiscipline.

Ranatunga was penalised by new team manager Chandra Schafter for not informing the interim committee in writing before his departure to Canada where he played in a one-day exhibition match in Toronto featuring Asian XI against World XI on Sunday.

Ranatunga gave a “letter of sorts” to Schafter this morning. The manager, however, said, it was not adequate and the former captain would be allowed to join the practice only after a satisfactory explanation.

Asked whether there was any time frame for the whole process, Schafter told reporters Ranatunga could join the practice sessions only after a written explanation.

The controversy erupted following the veteran batsman’s departure for Canada to play for an Asian XI. Before leaving Ranatunga said he had obtained permission from board chairman Rinsie Wijayathilaka and Sports Minister S.B. Dissanayake.

But his trip proved futile as he was refused permission by the organisers there to play for the Asian XI as he had not secured clearance from the Sri Lankan cricket board.

Ranatunga, on arrival here on Tuesday, said non-appearance in the Toronto event was a huge disappointment for him, and his woes were compounded when he was told he would not be permitted to join the Lankan team for practice either until he explained the reasons for ‘flouting’ procedures.

Schafter, who promised to enforce a strict code of discipline on the team, wrote to Ranatunga seeking clarification on his sudden departure. “Until then he cannot attend practice,” Schafter was quoted as saying in the state-run daily News today.

He said “Ranatunga was asked to submit a letter to the interim committee through me prior to his departure to Canada stating the reasons for his tour. But he went without following the procedure laid down by the board.”

Ranatunga, till recently the most powerful cricket personality in Sri Lankan cricket, has fallen from grace following the team’s poor World Cup 1999 campaign.

Ma, officialdom at war

BEIJING, Aug 12 (AFP) — The World Athletics Championships are set to become a new battle ground between supercoach Ma Junren and the Chinese sports establishment, even though his runners will not be there.

Wrangling between the two sides came out into open again yesterday when state media raised suspicions that Ma was seeking to humiliate the Chinese Athletics Association (CAA) by keeping his runners away from the Seville Championships which start on August 21.

Without the army of middle and long-distance runners, China has had to downgrade its expectations to a single medal at the event.

Ma’s army returned to track this year following an 18-month standoff with the CAA. But only one of 10 runners, Dong Yanmei, qualified for the Chinese Grand Prix finals in Shanghai. She amazingly only finished seventh.

The Grand Prix was China’s qualifying event for international events such as the World Championships.

“Perhaps Ma does not want to take part in the World Championships. Like 1997 he is resting his runners in a bid to make a surprise in the National City Games in Xi’an in September,” said CAA general secretary Shang Xiutang.

Ma’s army stunned everyone in 1993 when Wang Junxia and his other runners — fuelled by a concotion including fresh turtle’s blood — dominated the World Championships in Stuttgart with three gold medals.

Wang later led a split with Ma over prize money from Stuttgart. And the chain smoking coach has been at loggerheads with the CAA since 1997 after refusing to send his runners to the World Championships in Athens.

Just months later at the Chinese National Games, two Ma proteges, Jiang Bo and Dong Yaanmei, both broke the world women’s 5,000m record.

Last year, Ma angered the CAA by refusing to let his runners compete on the National Grand Prix circuit, which were the qualifiers for the Bangkok Asian Games last December.

The CAA refused to give Ma’s runners special dispensation to compete in Bangkok and Ma was furious.

“Analysts say that Ma hopes to embarrass CAA officials by watching them experience another medal-free World Championships but break world records again in a home meet,” the official Xinhua News Agency said.

Reports have also indicated Ma is still fuming over being denied a chance to compete in last year’s Asian Games. But in one of his rare public declarations, the coach did recently warn that his runners would be looking for records at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

“Forget Ma’s family army, forget the three gold medals they won at Stuttgart in 1993,” said the official agency in a sign of the frosty relations.

And with Ma still on the sidelines, CAA officials say they will be happy with winning a single medal in Seville, where China is sending 12 men and 21 women.

China’s main hope is Liu Hongyu, women’s 20 km walk World Cup champion, and her teammates Wang Yen, 1996 Olympic bronze medallist in 10 km, and former 10 km champion Gao Hongmiao.

Asian Games gold medallist in the men’s 20 km walk, Yu Guohui, is also a medal hopeful.

After Wang, Qiu Yunxia and Liu Dong won their races in Stuttgart, China failed to win a title at the 1995 and 1997 World Championships.

Rafter begins title defence with win

MASON (Cincinnati), Aug 12 (AP) — Defending champion Patrick Rafter started his title defence by beating Daniel Vacek of the Czech Republic 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.

The Australian, who is also the two-time defending US Open champion, called it a “scruffy” match but said that he was generally happy with his play.

The hardcourt is the same as the US Open surface, and Rafter said he relished that and the hot August weather.

Rafter and Vacek, the 60th-ranked player on the ATP tour, played nearly even as both held serve though the first set. But Vacek hit three forced errors in the tie-breaker.

Vacek double-faulted to lose his serve in game eight of the second set, then could not capitalise on a break point against Rafter to get back on serve.

In the other evening match, 12th-seeded Nicolas Kiefer of Germany completed the field for the round of 16 by beating wild-card Paul Goldstein 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (12-10).

Four Americans advanced, led by No 3 seed Andre Agassi, who beat Arnaud Di Pasquale of France 6-4, 6-1. Michael Chang upset eighth-seeded Alex Corretja of Spain 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2; Justin Gimelstob beat fellow American Todd Martin, the No 9 seed, 6-4, 6-4 and Chris Woodruff beat 13th-seeded Thomas Enqvist of Sweden 6-1, 7-5.

The biggest surprise was Gimelstob, who was No 105 in tour rankings.

Chang’s win was his first over a top 10 opponent this year. “It feels great,” said Chang, who has won six of his last eight matches to improve his world ranking to No 58.

Jim Courier made a run at joining the US contingent. But two hours, eight minutes into his match with Cedric Pioline of France, Courier retired in the third set with heat-induced leg cramps.

Eleventh-seeded Tommy Haas of Germany needed three sets to overcome France’s Fabrice Santoro 6-0, 6-7 (1-7), 6-3.

Advancing with straight-set victories were fourth-seeded Yevgeni Kafelnikov of Russia, who beat Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden 6-1, 6-4, Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic, who beat 14th-seeded Albert Costa of Spain 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (8-6), 15th-seeded Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador, who beat Jan-Michael Gambill 6-0, 7-6 (7-3) and Ranier Schuttler of Germany, who beat Magnus Larsson of Sweden 7-5, 7-6 (7-5).

MANHATTAN BEACH, (California), (Reuters): World number one Martina Hingis needed three sets to turn back American qualifier Lisa Raymond 6-1 4-6 6-3 on Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the $ 520,000 Acura Classic Tennis Tournament.

Hingis regained the top spot over the weekend for the third time and celebrated by winning the TIG Classic in Carlsbad, California without dropping a set.

But Raymond, who had to win three qualifying matches to gain the main draw despite being ranked 29th, gave her all sorts of problems blending an assortment of slices, topspin shots with an effective serve one day after her 26th birthday.

Four other quarterfinal berths were decided at the hardcourts of the Manhattan Country Club.

Third-seeded Mary Pierce of France outslugged Japan’s Ai Sugiyama 6-3 7-5, fourth-seeded Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario of Spain breezed past unseeded Romanian Ruxandra Dragomir 6-3 6-1, sixth-seeded American Serena Williams knocked off Swiss Patty Schnyder 6-3 6-1 and Julie Halard-Decugis of France dismissed 1994 champion Amy Frazier 7-6 (7-5) 7-5.

Hingis ran through the American with three service breaks to take the opener in 28 minutes. Raymond used a lone break in the first game of the second set to level the match and force the deciding set. The American broke Hingis’s serve in the first game but failed to take advantage and was broken after netting a forehand in the second game.

Ahead 4-3 Hingis produced her fifth service break of the match when Raymond pushed a backhand half-volley into the net after saving others.

IWHF miffed at just one player getting award

NEW DELHI, Aug 12 (PTI) — Indian Women’s Hockey Federation secretary Amrit Bose today expressed her disappointment that only one player from the Bangkok Asian Games silver medal winning team had been chosen for the Arjuna Award.

“How could they consider only one woman for the award when it was team work that helped India win a medal in women’s hockey after a gap of 16 years,” Bose asked.

Captain Pritam Rani was yesterday named in the list of Arjuna awardees for the year 1998. Former player S. Omana Kumari, a member of the gold medal winning team in 1982 New Delhi Asian Games, also figured in the list.

“At least three women (from the Bangkok squad) should have got the award. I was expecting it, but government failed us,” Bose said. “How can they judge performance of the team by honouring only the captain.”

The IWHF secretary said it was after a gap of 14 years that women hockey players were considered fit for the prestigious award.

“But the award should go to a player who has performed well in past four-five years,” Bose said obviously referring to the naming of former international Omana Kumari.

“If the government wants to honour past players then a separate award should be instituted,” she suggested.

Gopichand, Popat for Asian meet

BANGALORE, Aug 12 (PTI) — National champions Po Gopichand and Aparna Popat have been included in the 10 member Indian team for the Senior Asian Badminton Championships to be held at Kuala Lumpur from September 15 to 19.

The other members of the team are Nikhil Kanetkar, Sachin Ratti, Abhinn Shyam Gupta, Siddarth Jain, Manjusha Kanwar, and B.R. Meenakshi besides a men’s doubles team, Executive President of the Badminton Association of India (BAI) said here today.

Gopichand, Nikhil Kanetkar, Sachin Ratti, Abhinn Shyam Gupta, Aparna Popat and B.R. Mennakshi will also represent the country in the European circuit, comprising the Dutch Open, from September 3 to October 3, German Open from October 6 to 10 and Dinish Open, from October 13 to 17.

“The Badminton Association of England has invited the Indian players for a two week training camp soon after the European circuit,” Padukone said.

He said Aparna Popat and Nikhil Kanetkar would play in the US Open starting from September 8.

Sachin Ratti, Abhinn Shyam Gupta, Ajit Wijitilak, Manjusha Kanwar and B.R. Meenkashi would participate in the pre-Olympics from September 1 to 5, he added.

Warne may play for Hampshire

LONDON, Aug 12 (AFP) — English county Hampshire have held talks with Australian spin wizard Shane Warne over a possible move to England next season.

Warne, widely regarded as the best leg spinner in the world, is being lined up as a replacement for West Indies pace bowler Nixon McLean who is likely to be touring with the national side.

Hampshire chief executive Tony Baker said: “We have held talks with Warne, as Nixon McLean is likely to be touring next year.”

The club were keen to stress that discussions were only in a preliminary stage, and also said that Warne was just one of a number of players who were being considered.

Baker said: “We have other irons in the fire and there is nothing to add at this stage.”

Earlier this year, Warne revealed he hoped to play in England next season, with Lancashire tipped as the county side most likely to sign him.

Sampras Queen’s Club member

LONDON, Aug 12 (AFP) — Wimbledon champion and world No 1 Pete Sampras has received a birthday present from the exclusive Queen’s Club in west London.

Sampras, who celebrates his 28th birthday today, has been granted membership of the club following his victories in 1995 and 1999 at its traditional pre-Wimbledon tournament and at Wimbledon itself.

Fellow Americans John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors and Germany’s Boris Becker are the only other players to have won both tournaments in the same year.

Sub-junior tennis from Aug 30

CHENNAI, Aug 12 (PTI) — The National Sub-Junior Hardcourt Tennis Championship will be held here from August 30 to September 4.

Competitions will be held in boys and girls singles (U-16) and (U-14) categories. The doubles events would also be held.

The tournament, on AITA ranking tournament, will be conducted by the Tamil Nadu Tennis Association (TNTA), a Press release here today said.

The singles main draw will consist of 32 players and doubles of 16 teams. The sign-in for the qualifying draw opens on August 28 when the qualifying draw would be made.

Entries close on August 24.

Poonam to lead Haryana squad
From Our Sports Reporter

HISAR, Aug 12 — Inter-varsity javelin throw champion Poonam Sahu of Bhiwani will lead the 37-member Haryana squad in the North Zone Athletic Championship to be held at Allahabad from August 20, according to Mr Abhey Singh Chautala, President, Haryana State Amateur Athletic Association.

Other members : Boys U-20: Anand, Jai Singh, Rajesh, Manbir ( Bhiwani), Rajesh Poonia, Rajesh Kumar (Hisar), Kuldeep (Jhajjar), Krishan (Panipat).

U-18: Surender (Sirsa), Ashok, Ravinder (Bhiwani), Vinod, Rohtash Jaidev (Hisar), Rohit (Karnal), Rajesh (Rohtak).

U-16: Anne, Bajrang, Sunil, Rajinder, Anil (Bhiwani), Mukesh Kumar, Surender Singh, Suresh Kumar, Surender Singh, Ramesh Kumar (Hisar), Sunil (Sirsa).

Girls- U-20: Poonam Sahu (Bhiwani), Gurpreet (Sirsa), Saroj, Phoolwati (Jhajjar), Krishna (Hisar).

U-18 and U-16: Suman (Bhiwani), Anila (Bhiwani), Sunil (Jhajjar), Mamta (Sirsa ), Ravina (Jhajjar).

Sushil, Narinder to lead Punjab squads
From Our Sports Reporter

PATIALA, Aug 12 — International Sushil Kumar of the PSEB will lead the Punjab squad in the Senior National Power lifting Championships slated to be held at Bhilai, Madhya Pradesh, from August 18 to 22. For the women’s team Asian record holder, Narinder Kaur of Patiala will be the captain. Six powerlifters in the team are from the (PSEB).

The teams:

Men: Sushil Kumar (Capt), Ashok Kapur, Rashpal Singh, Ashok Kumar Vicky, Om Parkash, Bhupinder Singh, Ishar Singh, Gurinder Singh, Rakesh Kumar and Piara Singh.

Women: Narinder Kaur, Rajwinder Kaur, Ramandeep Kaur, Mandeep Kaur, Asha Rani, Babita Rani, Sunita Rani, Varinder Pal Kaur, Beant Kaur and Gurmit Kaur.

A training cum preparatory camp will be held from August 11 to 16 at the PSEB complex here. S.P. Singh and K.S. Dhillon, will accompany the men’s squad as coach and manager, respectively, while Ram Nath of P and T and Usha Chadha will be the coach and manager of the women’s squad.

B’minton trials

LUDHIANA, Aug 11 (FOSR) — Trials to select the Ludhiana district badminton teams for boys and girls as well as for women will be conducted at Guru Nanak Stadium on August 14, according to Mr Chand Kapur, president, Ludhiana District Badminton Association.

The selected players will represent Ludhiana in the Punjab State Junior Badminton Championship scheduled to be held at Sangrur from August 29 to 31 and in the Punjab State Senior Badminton Championship slated to be held at Patiala from September 16 to 18.