Azhar may stage comeback
MUMBAI, Dec 29 — Out-of-favour Mohammed Azharuddin may stage a dramatic comeback into the national team when the selectors meet here tomorrow to decide on the changes to be made in the side, now in Australia, for the limited overs triseries to be held from January 9 onwards.

Windies crash to defeat
WELLINGTON, Dec 29 — The West Indies were soundly beaten by an innings and 105 runs by New Zealand in the second Test today, and coach Viv Richards said his biggest job now was how to boost his team’s confidence.

China to host clash of daughters?
BEIJING, Dec 29 — The eagerly anticipated clash between the daughters of heavyweight legends Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier could take place in China next year.

Punjab, Railways in last four
NEW DELHI, Dec 29 — Defending champions Railways thrashed qualifiers Uttar Pradesh to storm into the semi-finals and set up an interesting clash with doughty Punjab in the women’s section of the Senior National Basketball Championship here today.

SA struggle to avoid defeat
DURBAN, Dec 29 — South Africa batted cautiously as they struggled to avoid defeat on the fourth day of the third Test against England at Kingsmead today.

Agassi prepares to defend crown
ADELAIDE, Dec 29 — The year-long tennis grind gets back to business for the new millennium on Monday with a revised ranking system and a new tournament commitment clause which is expected to change life considerably for players at the top of the men’s game.

Rushmi, Manisha move into last four
CHANDIGARH, Dec 29 — Unseeded Urska Vesenjak of Slovenia downed top seed Katarine of Yugoslavia in a keenly contested match 6-3, 7-6(6) in the $ 10,000 ITF Women’s Circuit Tennis Tournament here today.

Ukraine down Tunisia
DUBAI, Dec 29 — Defending champions Ukraine got off to an impressive start with a well-fought 3-1 victory over African and Arab champions Tunisia in the opening group “B” league match in the fifth Rashid International Volleyball Championship here late last night.

India fight to save Test

MELBOURNE, Dec 29 (PTI) India were once again fighting to save off defeat after Australia build upon their huge first innings lead into a potentially match-winning one before declaring their second innings on the rain-hit penultimate day of the second cricket Test here today.

India were 40 for one in their second innings, still 335 runs behind and more importantly under pressure to save the match with a full day left, after Australia hit up 208 for five before declaring one hour after the tea break at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The Indian first innings, which had survived yesterday thanks to skipper Sachin Tendulkar’s majestic century, lasted just seven balls today for the addition of three runs before it folded up for 238 to concede a 167-run lead.

The Indian second innings began disastrously when opener VVS Laxman (1) fell cheaply for the second time, to pace spearhead Damien Fleming, but left-hander S. Ramesh (batting 26) and Rahul Dravid (batting 10) ensured there was no further casualty by patiently handling the formidable Aussie attack.

Wiry paceman Ajit Agarkar produced another splendid bowling display as the Indian attack denied the hosts any quick runs in the severely rain-hit morning session and soon after the lunch break.

But Adam Gilchrist struck yet another typically aggressive 55 and Mark Waugh hit up an unbeaten 51 to enable Australia, who had claimed a first innings lead of 167, to terminate their innings one hour after tea in their push for a series-clinching 2-0 victory.

India, who suffered an embarrassing 285-run defeat in the first Test at Adelaide, began their match-saving effort on a disastrous note when Laxman awkwardly hooked a lifting ball from Fleming to Glenn McGrath at backward squareleg.

But Ramesh and Dravid withstood the tremendous pressure faced from the Australian attack, the former lucky to be dropped by wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist off leg spinner Shane Warne and then enduring a stunning blow on the helmet by a nasty lifting delivery from debutant pace sensation Brett Lee.

India will have to come up with a far more determined fourth innings batting performance than in Adelaide, where they were shot out for 110 to crash to defeat. The Ramesh-Dravid effort gave them some confidence with further rain forecast on the final day.

Earlier, India, resuming at their overnight 235 for nine, lasted just five minutes before McGrath removed last man Venkatesh Prasad for 10. Anil Kumble, who played a fine role in enabling India avert the follow on, was unbeaten after making a valuable 28.

Having conceded a 167-run lead, India restricted the hosts to 25 for one at lunch, after about 80 minutes of play was lost in the morning session due to showers.

Agarkar, who bowled a tight line to frustrate Aussie hopes for quick runs, trapped first innings centurion Michael Slater leg before for three and had left-hander Justin Langer caught behind for just nine to make it 31 for two.

Agarkar, who finished with a haul of three for 51, was supported by leg-spinner Kumble who forced the other opener Greg Blewett to edge to Saurav Ganguly in the slips for 31 and then ended left-hander Gilchrist’s tenure when Javagal Srinath took a good catch at long on.

But Gilchrist, promoted to number four, provided the right momentum for the hosts as he struck his second fifty of the Test which enabled Australia reach 147 for four at tea.

The Australian wicketkeeper, who has smoothly eased into the slot vacated by veteran Ian Healy, lasted 103 minutes and faced 73 balls and his innings contained four fours.

Australia got some quick runs after tea as Mark Waugh, showing all signs of regaining form to remain unbeaten on 51, and brother Steve (32) added 58 runs for the fifth wicket. Mark Waugh, on 11, was lucky when an edge off Venkatesh Prasad did not carry to Laxman in the slips.

Agarkar trapped the Australian captain leg before but Ricky Ponting contributed an unbeaten 21 before the Aussies declared the innings an hour into the final session.

Kumble, who came in for some harsh treatment in the final stages, finished with two for 72 from 18 overs.

Australia (1st innings) 405

India (1st innings)

Ramesh b Lee 4

Laxman c M.Waugh BMcGrath 5

Dravid c Gilchrist b Lee 9

Tendulkar c Langer b Fleming 116

Ganguly c M.Waugh b Mcgrath 31

Kanitkar lbw b Warne 11

Prasad b Lee 6

Agarkar lbw b Lee 0

Srinath c M.Waugh b Lee 1

Kumble not out 28

Prasad c M.Waugh b McGrath 10

Extras (lb-8 nb-9) 17

Total (76.1 overs) 238

Fall of wickets: 1/11 2/11 3/31 4/108 5/138 6/167 7/167 8/169 9/212.

Bowling: McGrath 18.1-3-39-3 (NB-3), Fleming 15-0-62-1 (NB-1), Lee 18-2-47-5 (NB-2), Warne 24-5-77-1 (NB-3), M.Waugh 1-0-5-0.

Australia (2nd innings)

Slater lbw b Agarkar 3

Blewett c Ganguly b Kumble 31

Langer c M.Prasad b Agarkar 9

Gilchrist c Srinath b Kumble 55

Waugh not out 51

Waugh lbw Agarkar 32

Ponting not out 21

Extras (LB-2 NB-3 W-1) 6

Total (for 5 wkts, declared) 208

Fall of wickets: 1/5, 2/32, 3/91, 4/109 5/167 Bowling: Srinath 14-0-45-0 (NB-3), Agarkar 17-3-51-3, V.Prasad 10-0-38-0 (W-1), Kumble 18-3-72-2.

India (2nd innings)

Ramesh not out 26

Laxman c McGrath b Fleming 1

Dravid not out 10

Extras (LB-1 NB-2) 3

Total (for one wicket) 40

Fall of wicket: 1-5 Bowling: McGrath 6-2-6-0 (NB-1), Fleming 5-1-9-1, Warne 5-1-12-0, Lee 5-0-12-0 (NB-1).

Waugh praises Indian bowling

MELBOURNE, Dec 29 (PTI) — Graceful bat Mark Waugh today rated present Indian bowling attack as a “quality stuff” and cited it as a reason for his struggling form.

Waugh, who received selectors nod for the Melbourne Test despite lacklustre show in the six matches starting with the series against Zimbabwe, somewhat returned to his usual best when he hit 51 not out in Australia’s second innings.

“The quality of bowlers has been good this season. First the Pakistanis and then the Indians...” said Waugh.

Indian bowlers, particularly wiry paceman Ajit Agarkar bowled well in the afternoon session and returned with figures of 3/51 before Aussie skipper Steve Waugh declared the innings.

Waugh, in whom his twin brother and captain Steve reposed faith despite series of single digit innings, said he was undisturbed though he was sent in a notch lower than his usual position of number four.

“I was told well in advance by Steve that Adam Gilchrist would be promoted ahead of me.

“I have no problems with that. I understand the team wanted quick runs and given the situation, not that I have not done it in the past, but the team must have thought Gilly (Gilchrist) could have done the job better.”

Mark Waugh, who scored 41 and 51 not out here, said he has gained confidence and was not worried with the form.

“Only I know how I am batting. My form can’t disappear overnight - remember the hundred I got in Brisbane. Nor do I think my eyesight or reflexes have slowed down,” he said.

Waugh incidentally, took four catches in India’s first innings fielding at slips.

Mark Waugh said a reason for his struggle this summer could also be the excessive cricket he has played in the last two seasons.

“I think it could be relentless cricket of the last two years which is not allowing me to concentrate as I would. But I am in touch with John (Buchanan, the team’s coach) and hopefully I can only pick from this game.” Meanwhile, Gilchrist who dropped Indian opener S Ramesh on the fourth evening today, did not think it was his occupation as a batsman in the crease for a longer period led to the lapse in concentration.

“I don’t think because I had batted for this long that I was tired. Hopefully, I will catch a few of the remaining nine wickets tomorrow and bring some cheer for Warnie.” Mark Waugh was of the opinion that the wicket was not quite ideal for batsmen.

“Gilchrist and Ponting may have made it look so today and (Sachin) Tendulkar yesterday but it is not easy out there.” “I would not say the wicket has deteriorated. But there is a steep bounce for bowlers and there is sideways movement if you hit the seam hard. Also there is something for the spinners too,” Waugh said.

Windies crash to defeat

WELLINGTON, Dec 29 (Reuters) — The West Indies were soundly beaten by an innings and 105 runs by New Zealand in the second Test today, and coach Viv Richards said his biggest job now was how to boost his team’s confidence.

“We’ve been in this position before and have had our knocks, but all is not lost,” Richards said. “There is still a lot of cricket to be played and our players have got to be as positive as they can be. My job is to keep their chins and heads up.”

The West Indies collapsed to all out for 234 in their second innings after following on 339 behind New Zealand’s 518 for nine declared. They also lost the first Test.

“We came here to win two series and we have just lost one. We have got the one-day series to come and that’s what we must focus on now,” Richards said.

“The Tests are over and congratulations to New Zealand. West Indies cricket has a great tradition and I am quite certain we will come again.”

The end of the Test was tinged by controversy. Two of the final three wickets to fall came from questionable decisions.

First, Brian Lara was adjudged to have nicked a ball from Dion Nash through to wicketkeeper Adam Parore when television replays suggested he had missed it.

The West Indies earlier had battled gamely, with Adrian Griffith, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Lara and Ridley Jacobs, trying to get something going.

But the New Zealand bowlers kept chipping away and never allowed partnerships to grow.

Lara would make no comment on the umpiring other than to say: “The officials are here to do a job. I have been sympathetic to umpire (Evan) Watkin. “The lbw was one I was quite happy to take,” he said with a smile. “It was a bit unfair on Evan because he had a good game and unfortunately got one wrong. It happens.”

Chanderpaul’s poor series was put back on track with an attractive innings of 70 and Griffith, mainstay of the West Indies batting in both Tests, scored 45 before being brilliantly run out by Dion Nash on the third-man boundary.

David Trist, the New Zealand coach, praised his captain Stephen Fleming for the way he led from the front.

SCOREBOAZRD

New Zealand (1st innings) 518-9 declared.

West Indies (1st innings) 179

West Indies (2nd innings)

Griffith run out 45

Campbell lbw Cairns 3

Chanderpaul c Parore b Nash 70

Lara c Parore b Nash 75

Adams c Parore b Nash 4

Jacobs c Stead b Vettori 20

Perry lbw Astle 0

Rose lbw Cairns 10

Walsh lbs Nash 0

King not out 4

D.Ganga did not bat

Extra (W-1, LB-1, B-1) 3

Total: (all our) 83.1 overs) 234

Fall of wickets: 1/8, 2/83, 3/148, 4/154, 5/189, 6/204, 7/225, 8/225, 9/234.

Bowling: O’ Connor 16-3-50-0, Vettori 32-8-86-1, Nash 16-4-38-4, Cairns 13.1-4-25-2, Astle 7-0-33-1.

Equating Sachin with Bradman

MELBOURNE, Dec 29 (PTI) — “It was Tendulkar, the Australians and the Test match, the best against the best, a duel to the death. And so it was”.

The lyrical encomium in “The Age” led the rich praise lavished today by the Australian media in describing the Indian skipper’s masterly 116 at the MCG on the third day of the second Test yesterday.

“...That was his 22nd century, his fifth against Australia but really, it didn’t matter, for in the face of such beauty, numbers hardly mattered.”

“It was clear now what Bradman had meant when he said Tendulkar was the batsman who reminded him most of himself,” “The Age” columnist Greg Baum, wrote further in arguably the ultimate tribute in a country where the Don is held next only to God.

“...For a rare hour, Australia was the subservient team,” he further wrote.

“The MCG does not keep hour-by-hour crowd statistics, but soon there came reports of crowds flocking to Yarra Park as they once did here when the word went around town Bradman is in. There was energy and magic in the ground. Soon he began to rough out what became a masterpiece,” Baum added.

All newspapers equated Tendulkar to Bradman, focussing in particular on his domination over leg spinner Shane Warne and new pace sensation Brett Lee, who otherwise ripped through the Indian innings to finish with five for 47.

The “Herald Sun” wrote: “Again he mastered Shane Warne and again he frustrated Australia as it pushed to enforce the follow on. It was a stunning performance”.

In “The Age”, Peter Roebuck said: “Tendulkar stood firm like St Pauls Cathedral in the Blitz. Any fool can score runs against tame bowling. Anyone can impress in easy circumstances. Like a true champion, Tendulkar rises in the tightest corners.

“Eight long years ago, he appeared in this land as a teenager with superb skills and enough spirit to fuel an entire team. Now he has reappeared as a man bearing responsibility and carrying it lightly, for he does not allow any situation to be his master.”

Baum added more effusive praise. “...After a while, as he balanced up in defence, his bat began to look broader than any other, only great players can create that illusion.

“Warne of course demanded other of Tendulkar’s myriad virtues. Remembering his first innings fate in Adelaide, he kept his bat distinct from pad, he would not confuse the two, but the umpire might,” he wrote.

“Instructively, not a word passed between batsman and bowlers. For all their hardness, the Australians know how to respect too.

“The MCG crowd stood to the master, its day had been made special too. And for the first time in three days, the sun shone,” he added.

Noted Australian cricket writer Mike Coward took the opportunity to dwell on what would have been in the first Test at Adelaide where he was controversially dismissed in both innings.

Coward wrote in “The Australian”: “There was, of course, some inevitability about Tendulkar’s success. He is, after all, the peerless batsman of the modern game. The young man who as a boy turned the head of Sir Don Bradman. In truth, it is surprising when he does not score a hundred.

He felt it was a great for Lee to begin his Test career against a player of Tendulkar’s calibre. “It must be his destiny to play at this level and on his debut have the privilege of bowling to Tendulkar on a truly great stage. Unlike Lee, Tendulkar had to go it alone. Again, it is extraordinary how he carries his team and the expectations of a billion people on his shoulders”.

“Tendulkar was, of course, masterful throughout and there is little doubt Sir Donald, his most famous admirer, would have been watching proceedings on television at his Kensington Park Home in Adelaide.

“Even when his back was giving him jip, he dreamed of showing the Australian people why he is acknowledged the modern master.

“As was the case with Bradman, he demands to be watched.”

“Tendulkar is always beautifully balanced and has an eternity to play his shots. His strokeplay is sometimes brutal, sometimes delicate and his placement unfailingly precise,” added the veteran columnist.

Abusive Ponting goes scot-free

MELBOURNE, Dec 29 (PTI) — Match referee Ranjan Madugalle, who heavily penalised Indian paceman Venkatesh Prasad for his exuberant reaction on claiming a wicket in the ongoing second cricket Test against Australia, today shockingly glossed over abusive behaviour by host country’s batsman Ricky Ponting.

The temperamental Ponting, known for his needless show of emotion and among those accused of heavy sledging by Pakistan in their recent Test series, today abused fast bowler Javagal Srinath and waved his bat at him, but stunningly got away with neither the umpires nor the Madugalle censuring him.

The incident occurred when Australia were 189 for five and finding runs a bit difficult to come by against a determined Indian attack.

Ponting came down the wicket to hit Srinath for a four straight down the field, but two balls later completely missed going for a hook to be hit on the grille of his helmet.

Turning around, Ponting abused Srinath and then waved his bat at him and also mouthed words as he went past the bowler for a single in the same over.

The Aussie middle-order batsmen could be lip-read on TV abusing Srinath, but the umpires David Shepherd and Steve Davis as well as the Sri Lankan match referee who had fined Prasad 35 per cent of his match-fee and slammed a four month one-Test or two one-dayer suspended ban for four months for his exaggerated pumping of fists after dismissing opener Michael Slater in the first innings, did not react.

Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar, doing TV commentary, described Ponting’s behaviour as “disgraceful”.

“He was going on and on. It was disgraceful,” said Gavaskar commenting after the Australian declaration and said if Madugalle, who had penalised Prasad for a relatively less offensive behaviour, did not act the Indians had every reason to express their lack of confidence in the match referee as the Pakistanis had done in an earlier occasion.

The Indian camp did not react to the Ponting incident, but seasoned Aussie batsman Mark Waugh, who was witness to the deplorable behaviour of his younger team mate from the other end chose the safe way out.

“I was running opposite and didn’t see what Ponting did,” Waugh said when asked for his comments.

“The only thing I know it was a nasty bouncer which first hit Ricky on the grille and then hit him on the forehead. He’s got a bump there,” Waugh said.

Biased treatment from match referees is not a new experience for the Indians. Against the Aussies themselves in the Chennai first Test early last year, wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia was reprimanded by South African official Peter Van Der Merwe, who however turned a blind eye on the behaviour of some Australian fielders.

Madugalle’s action against Prasad was put in perspective when the Australian media criticised host umpiring and the way the world’s top cricketing side got away with poor behaviour.

“The Australian” daily in a column said the penalty on Prasad looked too harsh and that Australian players like Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne too were guilty of such behaviour.

“Despite Australia’s impressive on-field success in recent years, it is often been difficult to remain so supportive,” wrote Matt Price.

“Take Monday, when Indian seamer Venkatesh Prasad was fined and put on a four-month good behaviour bond for his carry-on dismissing Michael Slater for 91. ...Prasad seems to be merely hysterically celebrating the end of an innings and a partnership which threatened to get out of control.

“I reckon Prasad didn’t even see Slater until he opened his eyes at the end of the performance, and that it was more through coincidence than intent that they wound up so close to each other.

“...If you’re going to punish Prasad for bringing the game into disrepute, then watch out Warne or McGrath.

“McGrath in particular, regularly storms down the track to spit a comment and offer a hairy eyeball to the batsman while Warne’s carry on when he gets a wicket too often crosses the line between celebration and show off.

The new Aussie ‘Thommo’

MELBOURNE, Dec 29 (Reuters) — Australian fast bowler Brett Lee’s stunning Test debut against India has rekindled memories of the hell-raising years of the mid-1970s when Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee ruled the cricket world.

The 23-year-old Lee tore the heart out of India’s batsmen with a intimidating performance of pace bowling to finish with five for 47 on debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday.

Australia’s leading cricket commentators predicted that the blond speedster would emerge as the country’s fastest bowler since Thomson terrorised batsmen two decades ago with his 160 kmph thunderbolts.

“To watch Javagal Srinath lean back and fend for dear life in front of his face, to see batsman running with agitation to get off strike, to see them jumpy and rushing routine defensive strokes was to go back to the Thommo years,” The Daily Telegraph’s Robert Craddock wrote today.

Lee announced his arrival on the Test stage in the most dramatic fashion, claiming five wickets for 47 runs and belting 27 with the bat.

He became the first Australian bowler in 22 years to take a wicket in his first over at Test level when he bowled Sadagopan Ramesh with his fourth delivery, sending the ball crashing into the Indian’s stumps while he was still on his backswing.

Lee also claimed the scalp of Rahul Dravid in his first spell before returning to snare three wickets in six balls that effectively ended India’s hopes of posting a big total.

He bowled Mannava Prasad for six with an inswinger then trapped Ajit Agarkar leg before wicket first ball for with a toecrushing yorker.

Srinath managed to avoid Lee’s hat-trick ball but fell on the final delivery of the over when he gloved a 154 kmph bouncer to mark Waugh at second slip.

The Australian newspaper’s respected cricket columnist Mike Coward wrote that Lee had shown enough in that one scintillating afternoon to suggest he had the makings of a genuine Test star.

“Lee shows signs of being a very special cricketer, someone destined to carry the standard of Australia to the world for years to come,” Coward wrote.

“For all the happy hype that preceded his selection, there was no guarantee that 23-year-old Lee was going to turn heads in his debut. But turn them he did with an enthralling exhibition of genuine pace bowling that will be talked about for as long as the game is played.”

De La Hoya suspect in rape case

LOS ANGELES, Dec 29 (Reuters) — Former Olympic boxer and ex-welterweight champion Oscar De La Hoya is being investigated on rape charges, Los Angeles police said, but his lawyer called the allegations false.

“Mr De La Hoya has been named as a possible suspect in a police report on an alleged sexual assault,” Lapd spokesman Jason Lee said yesterday. “Our investigators are looking into the matter.”

Mr Lee said the police report detailed an incident following a party at the 26-year-old De La Hoya’s mansion in the posh Bel Air Section of Los Angeles on Monday.

Mr Lee said the police would release no other details about the allegations pending a full investigation, but news reports said the unidentified woman, who is in her 20s, was treated at a local hospital and released.

De La Hoya’s attorney, Mr Robert Chapman, could not be reached for comment last night. But in a written statement to KCBS-TV, he called the charges unfounded.

Azhar may stage comeback

MUMBAI, Dec 29 (PTI) — Out-of-favour Mohammed Azharuddin may stage a dramatic comeback into the national team when the selectors meet here tomorrow to decide on the changes to be made in the side, now in Australia, for the limited overs triseries to be held from January 9 onwards.

As per current indications, the wind seems to be blowing in favour of the former skipper, the world’s most-capped one-day cricketer (323 appearances) with over 9,000 runs to his credit, on the eve of the selection committee meeting which is scheduled at 11.30 a.m.

Azhar’s recall, if at all it comes about, would be the 36-year-old Hyderabad stylist’s first foray back into the international arena after India’s Super League stage World Cup tie against New Zealand on June 12.

The veteran, interestingly, was not even considered when the selectors chose the 16-member squad for the three-Test series in Australia.

Azhar has bounced back into reckoning not only because of the insipid display by the team Down Under but also due to the shoulder injury sustained by one-day specialist Ajay Jadeja which, it seems, is yet to heal completely and has almost ruled him out.

It would be interesting to know what the selectors’ excuse would be if they bring the veteran back into the squad as they had denied a chance to keeper Syed Saba Karim when Nayan Mongia was injured by saying they did not wish to turn the clock back.

That decision of the selectors to look ahead gave Andhra stumper M S K Prasad a chance to don the gloves and he has cemented his place since then after being chosen for India’s first post World Cup campaign, the tri-series in Sri Lanka.

Azhar underwent a shoulder surgery in London soon after India’s dismal show in the mega event and was not available on medical grounds till the team’s home series against New Zealand for which he was ignored.

Other middle-order hopefuls such as Vijay Bharadwaj, who is now in Australia, and Jacob Martin got their chance to play in one-day internationals in his absence and also impressed on the tours to Kenya and Toronto respectively.

Bharadwaj, however, has not lived up to the expectations in Australia while Martin was not chosen for the tour and, in all likelihood, would be the main alternative for the selectors if they do not want to fall back on Azhar.

Since the squad would be pruned from 16 to 15, there would be one berth less in the touring party. With one-day specialists Robin Singh and Nikhil Chopra certainties for the January 9-February 13 series, there would be at least three vacancies to be filled up.

Almost certain to be on the flight home at the end of the Sydney Test are opener Devang Gandhi, rookie seamer T Kumaran, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and either Bharadwaj or Hrishikesh Kanitkar, as per indications.

If the selectors decide to send both Azhar and Martin, then either S Ramesh or V V S Laxman, who have been unimpressive so far in the Tests, would also have to take the flight home from Sydney.

China to host clash of daughters?

BEIJING, Dec 29 (AFP) — The eagerly anticipated clash between the daughters of heavyweight legends Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier could take place in China next year.

All’s daughter Laila has committed herself to fighting in her fourth professional bout in China in April and one of the possible opponents is Jacqui Frazier Lyde.

“We have three opponents in mind, including Joe Frazier’s daughter,” said Niu Liking, the President of Great-Wall International Sports Media Company, which has signed up Ali to fight in China.

The opponent, along with the venue of the bout, is to be finalised next week, he added.

Laila (21) who has won her three previous fights with knockouts said: “Next April I will bring about a wonderful fight for Chinese spectators. No matter who the opponents are, I will try to win for my father”.

Jacqui Frazier Lyde, a 38-year-old mother of three and practising lawyer, has yet to fight a professional bout.

Back from the dead

SYDNEY, Dec 29 (AFP) — Des Renford, who has swum the English Channel an unprecedented 19 times, was clinically dead when he was pulled from a Sydney pool after a suspected heart attack today.

It was only the efforts of pool staff that revived him before he was rushed to hospital, pool manager Michael Turton said.

The 72-year-old Renford, who has had three heart bypasses and been clinically dead twice previously, was revived twice in 20 minutes before the ambulance arrived, he said. Although in intensive care, his condition was not believed to be critical.

“Des was doing his laps when another swimmer noticed he had started to go under,” Turton said.

“When he was pulled from the water he had no vital signs — no pulse, no heartbeat and he wasn’t breathing,” he said.

Renford swims 2 km every morning.

He has inspired many older people to get fit, live better and longer by swimming regularly.

“He is very much revered here as a living legend,” Turton said.

Punjab, Railways in last four

NEW DELHI, Dec 29 (PTI) — Defending champions Railways thrashed qualifiers Uttar Pradesh to storm into the semi-finals and set up an interesting clash with doughty Punjab in the women’s section of the Senior National Basketball Championship here today.

The star-studded Railways ended the dream run of UP, who qualified from group E, routing them 84-32 while Punjab edged past Madhya Pradesh 51-45 in a close encounter at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium.

In the men’s section, National Games champions and last edition’s runners-up Bihar came through yet another close battle despite serious injury to star pivot Jaideep Dhaliwal to hand out Services their first defeat, at 67-55 to top group B super league.

Bihar and Services along with Railways made it to the last eight while UP, who lost 78-51 to Railways in their last league tie, finished fourth to make the pre-quarterfinals.

Railway women rode on a superb show by B S Shyla, who topscored with 15 points, Ranjini (11) and Aparna Ghosh to outclass UP in the first quarterfinal after leading 50-16 at half-time.

Punjab, leading 25-24 at the break, maintained a slender margin throughout the match but opened a decisive eight point lead with just two minutes left.

Savitri Gularia (14) and Rajni Sahota (9) did the bulk of scoring for Punjab while Poonam Singh ploughed a lone furrow sinking 21 points for Madhya Pradesh.

The Bihar-Services encounter was a thriller with the two teams matching each other in all departments. The entire match was a neck-and-neck affair with lead changing sides a number of times.

Services started well and with the well-built Phool Singh coming good in close shooting, went ahead 14-8, seven minutes into the game. But Bihar skipper Shahid Qureshi sank two three pointers to level scores 14-14 midway through the session.

During a Services counter-attack at this juncture, Dhaliwal was injured when he crashed into team-mate N S Rawat, who was trying to avoid the outstretched hand of Phool Singh. The star pivot was rushed to the nearby Ram Manohar Lohia hospital with a bleeding nose with team officials suspecting fracture.

Bihar snatched the lead again with Qureshi, probably the most skilled player in the country, sinking two more three-pointers. But Services again came back to take a two point lead at the break (33-31).

After the breather, Services hoopsters extended their advantage to 41-32 but a change in tactics by Bihar coach J P Singh, who pulled out Qureshi and brought young Cyril Miranda to increase the pace, helped Bihar level scores at 41-all.

The National Games winners forged ahead 52-51 and maintained their upper-hand with seasoned Nishant Kumar controlling the game superbly.

SA struggle to avoid defeat

DURBAN, Dec 29 (AFP) — South Africa batted cautiously as they struggled to avoid defeat on the fourth day of the third Test against England at Kingsmead today.

Following on 210 runs behind, South Africa were 99 for one at lunch after adding 72 runs in 34.5 overs in a session extended by half-an-hour to make up for time lost on the first three days.

England made an early breakthrough when Andrew Caddick had Herschelle Gibbs caught at short leg in his fifth over of the morning.

Gibbs added only two runs to his overnight 26 before a ball from Caddick lifted sharply and looped off his glove to Darren Maddy.

It was Caddick’s eighth wicket of the match after he sent South Africa tumbling to 156 all out in the first innings with figures of seven for 46.

South Africa were 41 for one when Gibbs was dismissed but Gary Kirsten and Jacques Kallis played watchfully as they posted a half-century partnership after 104 minutes and 140 balls.

Kirsten, whose previous highest score of the series was 15, was 39 not out at lunch, with Kallis on 30.

Agassi prepares to defend crown

ADELAIDE, Dec 29 (AFP) — The year-long tennis grind gets back to business for the new millennium on Monday with a revised ranking system and a new tournament commitment clause which is expected to change life considerably for players at the top of the men’s game.

Tournaments in Adelaide, Chennai, India and Doha in the Gulf, mark the start of 2000 play with the first Grand Slam of the season, the Australian Open, starting January 17.

Leading the charge into the next 1,000 years of the sport will be Andre Agassi, crowned world number one for 1999 after a superb comeback effort last year which included titles at the French and US Opens.

But things will hardly be the same for players.

Taking effect will be a first-past-the-post computer ranking system with one end of year world number one decided on overall point totals in November at the end of an 11-month season.

Elite players (the top 50) will be required to compete in all nine of the newly named Tennis Masters Series, the four slams and at least five other tournaments of their choice. Miss an event and it’s zero points, just like in Formula One racing or professional golf.

Players are not ranked high enough can count other lower level tournaments to make up the minimum total of 18 events played.

“We’re very excited about the new ATP Champions Race and believe it will make the game easier for fans to understand,” said ATP CEO Mark Miles.

“Extensive research has shown us that the old 52 week best -of-14 event ranking system was increasingly difficult to follow. The new race is designed to make it easier for fans to follow their favourite players’ progress throughout the year.”

While Agassi, number two Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov, third-ranked Pete Sampras and number four Swede Thomas Enqvist should all be revitalised and ready to go after a short holiday break, there are rumblings in the ranks as to how the new system will actually play out.

Top names for years have had the luxury of skipping some events — Slams if they dared or were injured — and making up the points at another, lesser tournament.

That concept is long gone as tour officials strive to make the game more coherent to the public in this inaugural year of a 10-year, 1.2 billion-dollar re-branding exercise.

Many fear that injuries will take an even heavier toll on the elite.

Already, Chile’s Marcelo Rios (thigh), Briton Greg Rusedski (foot) and two-time US Open winner Pat Rafter of Australia will not be in the 2000 starting blocks due to physical problems.

Number 16 Rafter has seen his season compromised by slow-healing shoulder which required surgery last autumn.

He will only play doubles at the Australian Open — where he and Swede Jonas Bjorkman are defending the title — and has pulled out of Adelaide which starts on Monday on medical advice.

The Aussie insists that whatever the rules, he won’t risk his fragile fitness no matter how much it may cost him in ranking points or lost prize money.

Sampras, the longtime number one displaced by his American rival Agassi last season, is keen to give the new system a try.

“It’s good that we’re going to simplify it, everyone starts with zero and you just play the year,” said the 28-year-old, who missed the autumn with a back problem, but came back to win the World Championships in Hanover in late November over Agassi in straight sets.

“Whoever has the most points is number one in the world. Up to this point it’s been a little confusing. Now it’s more of a race.”

Agassi, who turns 30 in late April, is hoping to continue his miracle late-career momentum as he starts, like Sampras, at the Kooyong eight-man special event in Melbourne the week before the start of the Open.

“There’s no question I had a great year, I’m looking forward to Australia,” he said.

Kafelnikov is probably the only top ten player who wouldn’t think twice about playing a full schedule - as he has done for every year of his career.

“This new system will help us know on exactly which tournaments we must concentrate,” said the 25-year-old Russian, headlining at Chennai and a man who played for nearly three months non-stop during the second half of 1999.

Khonidevi lifts new records

KALYAN, Dec 29 (PTI) — P Khonidevi of Police emulated her lower weight class teammate Prathima Kumari by creating a new standard in the women’s 69 kg clean and jerk event at the Senior National Weightlifting Championships here yesterday.

Khonidevi cleared 125.5 kg in the clean and jerk section, 0.5 kg better than the 125.0 kg standard set by the Indian Weightlifting Federation, after hoisting 87.5 kg in the snatch event for a gold-winning combined total of 212.5 kg.

It was 17.5 kg better than the effort of second-placed Bela Rani of Food Corporation of India.

Andhra Pradesh’s D Shailaja took the bronze with overall clearance of 195 kg. She weighed half a kg more than Bela who too lifted 85 kg in snatch and 110 kg in clean and jerk.

Khonidevi’s Police teammate Prathima Kumari had set a new record of 117.5 kg in the clean and jerk section of the 63 kg class.

Khonidevi’s gold gave the Police team their third title of the meet. They had earlier won the women’s 58 kg (Prathima Kumari) and 63 kg (N P Rejitha) titles. The 48 kg and 53 kg titles had been cornered on the opening day by Manipur international Kunjarani Devi and Nandini Devi.

Railway men lifters continued to rule the roost for the third day running when M Arun took the 69 kg title with a total lift of 287.5 kg. G V Velu of Services (285 kg) and J Luthuraj of Maharashtra (280 kg) bagged the silver and bronze, with the last-named also clinching the inter-state title.

The results

Women: 69 kg:

Snatch: 1. P Khonidevi (Police Board) 87.5 kg, 2. Bela Rani (FCI 85 kg, 3. D Shailaja (AP) 85 kg.

Clean and jerk: 1. P Khonidevi 125.5 kg (new national record), 2. Bela Rani 110 kg, 3. D Shailaja 110 kg.

Overall: 1. P Khonidevi 212.5 kg, 2. Bela Rani 195 kg, 3. D Shailaja 195 kg.

Men: 69 kg:

Snatch: 1. V Sangaram (Pondicherry) 127.5 kg, 2. M Arun (Railways) 125 kg, 3. G Vadivelu (Services) 125 kg.

Clean and jerk: 1. M Arun 162.5 kg, 2. G Vadivelu 160 kg, 3. J Luthuraj (Maharashtra) 155 kg.

Rushmi, Manisha move into last four
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 29 — Unseeded Urska Vesenjak of Slovenia downed top seed Katarine of Yugoslavia in a keenly contested match 6-3, 7-6(6) in the $ 10,000 ITF Women’s Circuit Tennis Tournament here today. Katarine’s patch of bad form continued today as she allowed her 17-year-old opponent to edge her out of contention. Urska was a set and 5-1 up before Katarine rallied back saving three match points while down 2-5, forcing the eventual tie break which saw a nail-biting end. Katarine succumbed to Urska’s persistent battering 8-6 in the tie break.

Anna Nefedova was another seed to fall today as Antonia Matic of Croatia beat the fighting Russian 4-6, 6-7, 7-6(5). In a match lasting a little over 2 hours. Fourth seed Indian Rushmi Chakraborthy asserted her superiority over seventh seed Olga Kaliojnaja with a 6-4, 6-2 quarterfinal victory. Though Olga put up a valiant fight, Rushmi was far too consistent and she frustrated the erratic Russian’s easy winners.

Another Indian to enter the semifinals was Manisha Malhotra. Manisha was troubled by Urska’s sibling Masa Vesenjak of Slovenia in the first set which she lost 4-6. By then Manisha seemed to have got the hand of Masa’s game and took a 5-0 lead. She conceded only one more game to make it 5-1 before another spell of fine tennis saw her take the next seven games on the trot to finish off the last two sets 6-1, 6-0.

In the doubles draw, Anna Nefedova and Anna Anikanova fell to compatriots Olga Kalioujnaia and Maria Kondrathejva of Russia. After a tense first set the two Annas were unable to stave off Olga and Maria as they raced to a 7-6(3) 6-2 victory. They are the only unseeded team to reach the semi finals.

The other three doubles quarterfinals were listless affairs with the top three seeded pairs having it easy against their opponents. While the Vesenjak sisters beat Karishma Patel and Radhika Tulpule 6-3, 6-2 top seeded Katarine Daskovic and Manisha Malhotra sidelined the Venkataraman sisters, Archana and Arathi, 6-1 and 6-0. The second seeded Rushmi Chakraborthy Sai Jayalakshmi pair also easily defeated Nandita Chandrashekhar and Yamini Thukkkalandi 6-1, 6-1. The semifinals will be played tomorrow at the CLTA courts at 10 A.M.

Results — singles (Q-F): Vesenjak, Urska (Slo) b Daskovic Katarine (Yug) 6-3, 7-6 (6); Chakravarthi, Rushmi (Ind) b Kaliojnaja Olga (Rus) 6-4, 6-2; Matic, Antonia (Cro) b Nefedova, Anna (Rus) 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5); Malhotra, Manisha (Ind) b Vesenjak, Masa (Slo) 4-6, 6-1, 6-0;

Doubles (Q.F.): Daskovic Katarine and Manisha Malhotra b Archana Venketraman and Arathi Venkatraman Rushmi Chakraborthy and Jayalakshmi Jayaram b Nandita Chandrashekhar and Yamini Thykkaiandi 6-1, 6-1, Masa and Urska Vesenjak b Karishma Patel and Radhika Tulpule 6-3, 6-2.

Olga and Maria Kaliojnia b Anna Nefedova and Anna Anikanova 7-6(3), 6-2.

Ukraine down Tunisia

DUBAI, Dec 29 (PTI) — Defending champions Ukraine got off to an impressive start with a well-fought 3-1 victory over African and Arab champions Tunisia in the opening group “B” league match in the fifth Rashid International Volleyball Championship here late last night.

Ukraine, who beat India to clinch their maiden title last year, showed fine skill and coordination in attack and defence as they downed their rivals, ranked world number 20, 25-22, 22-25, 27-25, 25-22 in a close and long drawn out encounter.

Australia had a fairly comfortable time in the other tie in the same group as they downed United Arab Emirates juniors 25-16, 25-13, 25-12 to chalk up their first win.

Chess conference at Moga

CHANDIGARH, Dec 29 (BOSR) — The Punjab State Chess Association will conduct the All India Technical conference at Aggarwal dharamshala, Moga, on January 8 and 9 next year on behalf of the All India Chess Federation. The participants will be awarded the title of National Arbiter by the AICF which would be valid for life. The fee prescribed for the conference is Rs 3000 and the entries can be sent to Mr Vinod Sharma, secretary of the host association, 394/6, New Town, Moga.