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S P O R T | ![]() Sunday, January 24, 1999 |
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weather n
spotlight today's calendar |
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Gill defends IHF action Youhanna
cracks century Sri
Lanka beat England |
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2-wkt win for South Africa
Taylor
may miss tour of Windies "Pakistan
ready for any kind of pitch" East
Bengal win; Bagan held Borgula
lifts ITF title |
Gill defends
IHF action CHANDIGARH, Jan 23 "Those who don't know hockey and sports are criticising the dropping of six players from the Indian hockey team". This was the curt observation of Mr KPS Gill, President of the Indian Hockey Federation, who was in the city today to finalise the Indian team for the five-nation Akhbar-el-Yom International Hockey Tournament, scheduled to begin at Cairo from February 2. Talking to the media at the CRPF Officers' Mess here, Mr Gill lashed out at critics who were finding fault with the IHF for dropping six members of the Indian hockey team who won the gold at the Bangkok Asian Games. "We are planning for the future, "Mr Gill asserted. The six players who have been dropped include captain Dhanraj Pillay, Mukesh Kumar, Sabu Varkey, Sandeep Somesh, Ashish Ballal and AV Subbaiah. Reasserting that the six players had only been rested for the time being, Mr Gill did not rule out their comeback in the near future. "When we finalise the core group of 30 players for the Sydney Olympics in September-October, physical fitness and performance will be the key factors which will be taken into account for selection. Hence, a couple of those rested might stage a comeback", Mr Gill asserted. "Our experience at the Utrecht World Cup was rather bad. When some players were injured, there were no replacements. Hence we want to learn from experience," said the former super cop. On the question of inviting a foreign coach, the IHF chief said it all depended on who was available. "The coach should be one who meets our requirements. However, we would be happy to have him at the junior level," Mr Gill said adding, "There is no problem regarding money". Reaffirming that the under-18 level was a thrust area for development of hockey in the country, Mr Gill said at this level "we come to know about the potential of the players. Hence we would like to develop this potential for the future". Referring to the appointment of Vasudevan Baskaran as the national coach, Mr Gill said Baskaran would most likely be retained till the Sydney Olympics. When asked who was likely to assist Baskaran in his challenging task, Mr Gill said Baskaran's views would be ascertained before finalising any name. Talking about the forthcoming India-Pakistan Test series, the IHF chief said the Indian team would be finalised on February 26. "There will be an overall trophy for the winners of the series," he said. Regarding choice of venues in India, Mr Gill said no Test had been allotted to Punjab and Chandigarh because the Astroturf at Jalandhar and Chandigarh was not fit for staging international matches. "The poor quality of turf was the main reason why no match was allotted to Jalandhar or Chandigarh," he said. Regarding provision of
floodlight facilities in India, Mr Gill said talks were
on for providing the same at Hyderabad and Chennai. Talks
had reached an advanced stage with regard to floodlight
facilities at Chennai but the change of government had
slowed down the process, he said. Referring to the
question of floodlights at the Chandigarh stadium, Mr
Gill said the matter had been taken up several times but
something concrete was yet to emerge from the
discussions.
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New-look
hockey squad for Cairo CHANDIGARH, Jan 23 Promising centre-half Sandeep Singh of Punjab and Sind Bank will lead India in the five-nation Akhbar-el-Yom International Hockey Tournament to be held at Cairo from February 2 to 9. Announcing the team at a press conference here today, Mr K.P.S. Gill, President of the Indian Hockey Federation, said India were sending a developmental squad comprising mostly youngsters. This is a part of the build-up exercise for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, according to Mr Gill. The team is also expected to form the nucleus for the 2001 Junior World Cup squad, the venue of which will be decided at the FIH meeting in March in Dubai. Among the 16 named for the Cairo meet, six are new faces. They include goalkeeper Sandeep Kumar of Air-India, full-back Rajinder Singh of Punjab and Sind Bank, inside-right Mukesh Kumar of Central Reserve Police Force, outside-left Tanvir Jamal also of CRPF, inside-left Bipin Fernandez and goalkeeper A.P. Girish, both of Mumbai. Centre-forward Harbhajan Singh who played in the World Cup at Utrecht last year has been named vice-captain. Full-back Cheops D Costa of Mumbai who represented India in the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia last year, also figures in the 16-member squad. Navsher Singh of Railways and Senthil of Tamil Nadu, who also find a place in the team, were members of the Indian team which finished runners-up in the Junior World Cup at Milton Keynes. Harbhajan Singh, Anwar Khan and Brojan Singh played in the India-Pakistan Test series last year. India launch their campaign for the title on February 3 with a match against Malaysia. After a rest day on February 4, India will meet Canada on February 5, Kenya on February 6, and Egypt on February 7. The team: Sandeep Kumar (goalkeeper Air-India); Rajinder Singh (full back-Punjab and Sind Bank), Cheops DCosta (full back Mumbai), Radha Krishnan (right half Chennai), Sandeep Singh Captain (centre-half PSB), Navsher Singh (left half Railways), Senthil (outside-right Tamil Nadu), Mukesh Kumar (inside-right CRPF), Harbhajan Singh (centre forward BSF), Ajinder Pal Singh (inside-left Railways), Tanvir Jamal (outside left CRPF), Anwar Khan (right half Railways), Brojan Singh (outside-left Indian Airlines), Bipin Fernandez (inside left Mumbai), Anurag Rajuwansi (Air-India Academy) and A.P. Girish (goalkeeper Mumbai). Murali Krishnan, Dinesh Naik, Baljit Singh Chandi, Deepak Sharma and Bimal Lakra are the standbyes. Rajinder Singh and
Satinder Singh will be the chief coach and coach,
respectively. |
Kournikova moves up; Courier drops out MELBOURNE, Jan 23 (Reuters) Russian starlet Anna Kournikova slayed her double-faulting demon today and set up a fourth-round battle of the blondes against former champion Mary Pierce at the Australian Open Tennis Championship. Four-time champion Monica Seles and 14th seed Sandrine Testud came under pressure but survived into the last 16 too. Defending champion Martina Hingis joined them after giving a tennis lesson to Australian Wunderkind Jelena Dokic. The mens draw saw another big-name casualty as former two-time champion Jim Courier pulled out of his third-round match against 10th seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov with a groin injury top seed Marcelo Rios and 11th seed Goran Ivanesivic withdrew with back injuries before hitting a ball. Frances Testud saved a match point against powerful US teenager Serena Williams and held on through a nervous final set to win 6-2, 2-6, 9-7. Seles scored a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Belgian Sabine Appelmans. Second seed Martina Hingis cut short world junior number one Dokic on her centre court debut, crushing the 15-year-old 6-1 6-2 in just 48 minutes to book a likely fourth round duel against South African Amanda Coetzer. "Im winning very easily. Thats good for me," said Hingis "I keep my power for the tougher matches." After two nightmare rounds riddled with a total of 54 double faults, 12th seed Kournikova managed to overcome her serving woes in the final two sets against lowly ranked German Andrea Glass. The Russian handed out 14 more double faults 10 of them in the first set, three in the second and only one in the third. The power of the former Wimbledon semifinalists ground game saved her again from an embarrassing exit. "I was feeling much, much better. My groundstrokes were perfect and my serves were much better," Kournikova said. "I just relaxed and I didnt even think about it. I just played, and that was the good thing about it." Seventh seed Mary Pierce of France easily put away Italian Rita Grande 6-2, 6-2. Canada-born Pierce, comfortably cruising through the bottom half of the womens draw at Melbourne Park, did not serve well during her 70-minute match but successfully pressured her 48th-ranked opponent with a powerful backhand. Courier strained his groin while going for a forehand when he was down two sets to one. He aggravated it as he tried to continue playing, and had to pull out at 7-5, 4-6, 2-6, 0-3 after treatment on court failed to relieve him. Russian Kafelnikov, who rated himself one of the best prospects for taking the Open trophy, said he lost the first set because he came out feeling confident he could beat Courier. The 1996 French Open
champion said he could see himself, American Andre
Agassi, Swede Thomas Enqvist, Slovak Karol Kucera or
South African Wayne Ferreira lifting the trophy next
week. |
Taylor may miss tour of Windies SYDNEY, Jan 23 (Reuters) Australian cricket captain Mark Taylor today said there was a chance he may not take part in Australias forthcoming tour to the West Indies. "Theres a chance of that but, as Ive said, Ive got to do some serious thinking," Taylor told reporters. "Ive always said Ill keep playing as long as Im enjoying the game. The game has given me a lot of good times, no doubt about it." "Ive had a very good career as a player and a very enjoyable one as a captain. Ive had a good time, its just whether I want to go do the tours that come up during the year (the) West Indies and Sri Lanka." "Thats what Ive got to make a decision about." Australia play four Tests on their tour to the West Indies in February and March. It had been speculated that Taylor may have decided to retire after the recent Ashes series against England, in which Australia completed a record sixth successive series win. But Taylor told selectors and the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) he was available for the West Indies tour, if required, and that remains the situation. "Ive still got a week to make a final decision, so Ill be discussing that further with the people who spend most of the time in my life, mainly my family, particularly my wife," said Taylor. The 15-member squad for
the tour will be named on February 8 and Taylor will
advise the selectors of his intentions next weekend. |
"Pakistan ready for any kind of pitch" NEW DELHI, Jan 23 (PTI) As Pakistan's cricket team's two-month tour got under way, its coach Javed Miandad has warned that the team, is "not down and out despite recent reverses". "What matters is not the defeats we lost to the best (Australian) team but whether one is satisfied with the kind of players who are in the team," Miandad said here. The former captain and star batsman said his team was balanced and ready even if India prepared a turning track and felt regular exchange of tours was crucial for development of youth cricket in both countries. The 16-member Pakistan which arrived here on Thursday, had a fruitful 20-day camp at Karachi's National Stadium and was raring to go though it was coming from home series defeats against Australia and Zimbabwe, Miandad said. "If India want they can prepare good pitches. But we have two world class slow bowlers in (leg spinner) Mustaq Ahmed and (off spinner) Saqlain Mushtaq and we are prepared for slow tracks also," he said in an informal chat with reporters. Miandad, known for his street-fighter's qualities as a player and shrewd lieutenant to former skipper Imran Khan, said coaches in cricket unlike football or hockey had only a manager's role to play during a game. He said chances of getting a result in Tests have improved after ICC's rule making it mandatory that 90 overs should be bowled in a day. Miandad described his former teammate Abdul Qadir as the best leg spinner ever for sheer variety and wicket-taking ability and said Australian Shane Warne "is good in today's set up". About his role in Pakistan cricket, which is on a downslide after two successive Test series defeats at home, Miandad said coach's role was much limited and it was upto the players to go and perform in the middle. "In three minutes or so, a bowler has to come up with six different deliveries in an over. Similarly, a batsman can play any kind of shot to a ball and in such situations the coach is helpless. Where a coach can contribute is during practice like camps and also help work out strategy." A shrewd tactician known to grasp every evolving situation in the field with amazing speed, Miandad said: "In this game, things change ball to ball," and hence no single strategy can work in cricket. Asked to give his reason why Pakistan was able to churn out fast bowlers while there was a dearth of genuine pacemen in India Miandad said one big reason was Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younnis emerging as role models. "Youngsters are determined to follow in their footsteps," he said. On whether a combined India-Pakistan team could beat any opposition in the world, he said such a side may not be easily beaten. "But in this game it is the key players who matters." Comparing the defeats suffered by Pakistan and India's own loss to New Zealand, he pointed out that the Kiwis had the best team since the 80's. "Dion Nash has gained much from playing county cricket. Craig McMillan is a good bat and Simon Doull is an important player. Besides they are all in the same age-group," he added. Asked why both India and Pakistan were poor fielding sides, Miandad said India was actually better off. "Your cricket is still better organised from the school level and youngsters are aware of fitness. But in Pakistan every boy learns his cricket in the by-lanes. He is already 19 or 20 when he is put through formal coaching. How can you expect them to have the concept of fielding?" On whether too many one-dayers were playing havoc with test performances, he said that could be remedied only with better management and planning. "Nowadays one-dayers have become a trend. But look at Australia. They see to it they play at least 15 Tests in a year". Miandad denied having said at any point that the tour should be called off, but felt in case security fears had persisted one-dayers could be played first as the team would be in a particular place only for one night. Miandad, who has toured
India thrice in 1979, 1983 and 1987, said he still
considered the first trip very special and reminisced on
the warmth from all quarters. |
H
Kinshuk wins title CHANDIGARH, Jan 23 (BOSR) Kinshuk Sharma lifted the under-10 title in the PD Vashist Memorial Total Tennis Tournament at the YMCA complex Sector 11, today. Kinshuk played with grit and determination to outwit Gurgaon lad Prabhat Mallik in two straight sets at 6-3, 6-2. In the under-12 boys section, Yuvraj Chaudhary and Karan Patnaik will clash in the final. In the semis, Yuvraj ended the winning spree of Sanam K. Singh by 6-1, 6-4 while Karan Patnaik thrashed Pritam Singh by 6-0, 6-4 to secure a berth in the final, to be played tomorrow. Chattvinder Singh the top seed reached the final of the under-14 section and in the semifinal, he edged out Harneet Ahluwalia by 6-2, 6-3. Now Chattvinder will take on the winner of Ardaman Sidhu-Gurneet Singh match in the final. In the girls under-16 section, Satvika Saboo had to face stiff resistance from Neha Singh before winning at 6-3, 7-6(5). Satvika will meet the winner of Mallika-Simer tie for the top spot. Nimrata excels CHANDIGARH, Jan 23 (BOSR) Nimrata of Panjab University Chandigarh bagged the first position in the under-48 kg category on the opening day of the All-India Inter-University Judo Championship for men and women on the PU campus here today. Nimrata had recently won the silver medal in the Senior National Judo Championship at Bangalore. In the men section, Davinder Kumar representing Kurukshetra University secured the first position in the under-78 kg while Yogesh Sharma of Mumbai University got the first place in the below 86 kg. Nearly 250 judokas drawn from 40 universities all over the country are taking part in this five-day tournament which was declared open by Mrs Sneh Mahajan, President, PUSC. |
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