Friday, July 9, 1999
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S P O R T | Friday, July 9, 1999 |
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Paes breezes into second round NEWPORT, Rhode Island, July 8 — Days after winning the doubles and mixed doubles titles at Wimbledon, India’s Leander Paes once again showed his singles game isn’t too shabby, either. Tyson returns to ring on Oct 2 LAS VEGAS, July 8 — Mike Tyson’s calendar has been finalised for the rest of the year. Now he needs to line up a few opponents for his latest comeback.
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 NEWPORT : Defending champion Leander Paes returns a volley from Nenad Zimonjic during match action at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport, R.I. on Wednesday. Paes defeated Zimonjic 6-1, 6-3 — AP/PTI |
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Gunawardene, Dilshan
fashion Lanka ‘A’ win Hewitt
in Australian Davis Cup team Palermo
helps Argentina beat Uruguay Malik, Mushtaq accused of throwing
match Dokic
to promote sale of Olympic tickets 2
Indian athletes for Universaide Patil
to coach Kenya again Lancs
recover to triumph |
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Paes breezes into second round NEWPORT, Rhode Island, July 8 (AP) — Days after winning the doubles and mixed doubles titles at Wimbledon, India’s Leander Paes once again showed his singles game isn’t too shabby, either. The defending champion breezed into the second round of the Hall of Fame tennis championships yesterday with 6-1, 6-3 victory over Yugoslavia’s Nenad Zimonjic. Paes used well-placed angle shots and volleys to repeatedly torment his opponent. And Paes, not known as a big server, hit seven aces and didn’t face a break point. Paes, whose victory last year was the only singles title of his career, said the grass courts of Newport are tailored to his game. He played grass-court tennis growing up in India and the soft grass here produces low bounces that are perfect for the 1.78-meter (5-foot-10) Paes and his compact strokes. “Guys like me don’t have many troubles in Newport,” Paes said. “We don’t have to bend down too much.” Though his doubles victories at Wimbledon and this year’s French Open have brought him increasing fame and fortune, Paes said he is playing Newport because the place has “charisma and charm.” Paes, who wants to improve his current singles ranking of 102, will face top-seeded Wayne Ferreira of South Africa tomorrow. Zimonjic, a touted prospect from Yugoslavia despite being ranked 197, had 10 double faults, many unforced errors and visible frustration. He blamed his performance on a fever that landed him in the hospital last week, as well as Paes’ play. “He played good, but it’s easy to play good when someone is not making serves,” Zimonjic said. “I really didn’t play good; it can’t get much worse than this.” In other matches yesterday, American Chris Woodruff upset third-seeded David Prinosil of Germany 6-2, 6-4 in a second-round match, and fourth-seeded Andrew Ilie of Australia rallied to beat Italy’s Christiano Carrati 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 in a first-round match. Ilie trailed 5-3 in the deciding set before winning the rest of the games. A bit of a showman, Ilie showed no fear by using a between-the-legs shot at an important moment of the last set. Asked about the timing
of the shot, Ilie said: “It doesn’t really
matter. If it’s there, you might as well do
it.” |
Tyson returns to ring on Oct 2 LAS VEGAS, July 8 (AP) — Mike Tyson’s calendar has been finalised for the rest of the year. Now he needs to line up a few opponents for his latest comeback. Tyson will return to the ring on October 2 in Las Vegas for his first fight since stopping Francois Botha in the fifth round on January 17, his manager said yesterday. If all goes well in that bout, manager Shelly Finkel told the Associated Press that Tyson would fight again on December 11 on a pay-per-view card. Both fights would be held at the MGM Grand Hol-Casino in Las Vegas. No opponents have been selected for either fight, but possible opponents for October 2 include Zeljko Mavrovic of Croatia or Axel Schulz of Germany. The first fight would be televised on the Showtime cable network. It would be Tyson’s first non pay-per-view fight since he stopped Buster Mathis Jr. on the Fox Network on December 16, 1995. Assuming Tyson wins, he is scheduled to fight a pay-per-view fight on December 11, with an upgraded opponent along the lines of Andrew Golota or Shannon Briggs. The 33-year-old former heavyweight champion has fought only once — against Botha — since his infamous biting of Evander Holyfield’s ears ended their fight in the third round on June 28, 1997. The most feared heavyweight of his time in the late 1980s, Tyson has fought only 12 times in the last decade. He is 9-3 in those fights. Tyson has been in Phoenix since last month, shedding weight to get ready for the boxing portion of his training that will begin sometime in the next two weeks. Tyson weighed the heaviest of his career when he fought Botha, 100 kg, and reportedly weighed 124 kg when he was released from a Maryland prison on May 24 after his latest jailing for attacking two men following a traffic altercation. Meanwhile, Mr Finkel said Tyson would continue to be promoted by Denver-based America Presents, which promoted his comeback fight against Botha. Tyson, who split with
promoter Don King after accusing him of taking more than
$ 100 million in his earnings, had a two-fight deal with
America Presents that was signed after he got his boxing
license back in Nevada. |
Gunawardene, Dilshan fashion LONDON, July 8 (AFP) — New Zealand’s Roger Twose hit an impressive 84 at Milton Keynes yesterday but the Sri Lanka ‘A’ team went on to win the one-day game by three wickets. The Kiwis, regrouping after their first Test defeat by England inside three days, made a superb start, Mark Bell (55) and Twose putting on 129 for the first wicket. With tidy efforts from Chris Harris (28) and Adam Parore (35), the Kiwis reached 243 for six wickets off their allotted 50 overs. New Zealand Sri Lanka
‘A’ |
Ranatunga faked injuries: Yardley PERTH, July 8 (AP) — Former Sri Lankan coach Bruce Yardley today said Arjuna Ranatunga and Aravinda de Silva treated their team mates like servants and must be sacked as players following their removal as leaders of the struggling team. Yardley, who spent 16 months in 1996-97 as the team’s coach, described Ranatunga as a self-serving captain who faked injuries to bat with a runner and took far too much credit for the 1996 World Cup win. Yardley, who said he was sacked after trying to have Ranatunga replaced as captain, said the former captain and deputy De Silva should take much of the blame for Sri Lanka’s dismal World Cup performance this year. Ranatunga has been replaced as leader by dashing batsman Sanath Jayasuriya. “While I was there I recommended Jayasuriya be captain,” former Australian spinner Yardley said. “That pretty well
ended my career. I thought Ranatunga was a very poor
captain and I took him on — that’s why I’m
back here. He was quite happy with me until I challenged
him. |
El-Guerrouj breaks mile record ROME, July 8 (AFP) — Morocco’s Hicham el-Guerrouj shattered the world mile record here last night to share the limelight of the golden league gala with American hero Michael Johnson. El-Guerrouj, who broke the 1,500m world record at this same meeting last year, ran 3:43.13 to shave nearly a second-and-a-half off the previous mile mark, 3:44.39, set in 1993 by Algerian Noureddine Morceli at Rieti, Italy. The 24-year-old was expertly led by the Kenyan pace-setters and Noah Ngeny, the world’s fastest man over 1,500m this year, kept pushing the Moroccan all the way to the line for the final 200 metres. “I’m just very, very happy,” he beamed. “I went so fast past the clock that I didn’t know at first what I had done! “This is fantastic as I’ve been away from the track for a while staying with my family in Morocco after my uncle died,” he added. Johnson, the Olympic champion and world record holder, won his 200m duel with world champion Ato Boldon hands down, clocking 19.93 seconds to win. Boldon faded in the closing metres to be pipped for second place by Obadele Thompson of Barbados (20.12) and finished in 20.14. The victory was all the
more satisfying as Johnson, who made history with his
Olympic 200m/400m double three years ago, has been
concentrating on the longer distance season. |
Hewitt in Australian Davis Cup team LONDON, July 8 (AP) — Lleyton Hewitt has been drafted into the Australian team to replace injured Mark Philippoussis for the Davis Cup quarterfinal against the USA. The 18-year-old, who reached the third round at Wimbledon before losing to Boris Becker, will make his Davis Cup debut in the July 16-18 tie in Brookline. The Australian team also comprises US Open champion Pat Rafter, Todd Woodbridge — and mark Woodforde. Hewitt and Rafter are expected to play singles, while Woodbridge and Woodforde — known as the “Woodies” — will line up in doubles. Philippoussis suffered a knee injury during his Wimbledon quarterfinal against eventual champion Pete Sampras, and retired early in the second set. He later withdrew from the Davis Cup team, prompting Rafter, a semifinalist at Wimbledon to recommend Hewitt as a replacement. “There’s not even an issue right now,” Rafter said. “He’s definitely put the runs on the board and I still think he has chance of playing regardless. I put him high on the list.” Hewitt, a fleet-footed hard-hitting baseliner, burst on the scene in January 1998 when he won a tournament in his home town of Adelaide to become the lowest-ranked player (no. 550) to capture an ATP event. He is now ranked no. 31. The US team comprises of Sampras, Jim Courier, Todd Martin and doubles specialist Alex O’Brien. Captain Tom Gullikson has not announced yet whether Pete Sampras will play singles. Courier and Martin led the USA to a dramatic 3-2 win over Britain in April, inspiring Sampras to offer his services for the next round. Sampras has said he doesn’t want to take a singles spot from Courier or Martin, but Martin has offered to step aside for him. In other Davis Cup quarterfinals, 1997 French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten, a surprise quarterfinalist at Wimbledon, will lead Brazil against France at the Palais Des Sports Du Pau. Yevgeny Kafelnikov will
lead Russia against a Slovak republic team headed by
Karol Kucera in Moscow, while Belgium and Switzerland
meet in Brussels. |
Palermo helps Argentina beat Uruguay LUQUE (Paraguay), July 8 (AFP) — Penalty bungler Martin Palermo put his spot kick shame behind him to become joint leading scorer in the Copa America as Argentina set up a quarterfinal showdown with Brazil by beating river plate rivals Uruguay 2-0 here last night in group C. Earlier, Colombia beat Ecuador 2-1 to top the group with a 100 percent record. Second-placed Argentina and Uruguay, in third, also qualified for the last eight. Palermo’s strike - from open play - put his side 2-0 ahead and restored his own reputation after he had become the first man to miss three penalties in one match at this level in his country’s previous game with Colombia. The Boca Juniors striker, dubbed ‘El loco’ the crazy one), celebrated his goal with gusto and was mobbed by his team-mates as he screamed his delight into the zoom lens of a pitchside photographer before briefly leaving the field for treatment of a black eye. Argentina were much criticised after the showing against Colombia and - clearly stung - made a storming start. It only took 67 seconds for them to take the lead with Cristian Gonzalez striking a brilliant freekick past Uruguay goalkeeper Hector Carini with his left foot after Juan Riquelme had changed the angle with a backheel. Then Palermo screwed the ball wide of Carini’s post from the vicinity of the penalty spot - although this time the ball had been in open play. All the penetrating football was coming from Argentina with Uruguay’s only first-half efforts on goal coming from long-range shots from Walter Coelho, Andres Fleurquin and Marcelo Zalayeta. Palermo was then booked for diving as the game started to lose its edge. Argentinean coach Marcelo Bielsa was relaying instructions to his team from an executive box having been banned from the touchline after being sent off against Colombia. The first real chance of second half fell to Uruguay -and it was their best chance yet. Federico Magallanes floated the ball into Liber Vespa who headed over from close range. But after 56 minutes Palermo took his cue to notch his third goal of the tournament. His Boca team-mate Riquelme did the spade work drawing the defenders and setting up Palermo to score with a rising shot with his favoured left foot. With the second placed team in the group certain to meet Brazil in the last eight many had suspected that neither team would have much motivation to win this game. But that overlooked the history between the two river plate countries. Two of the oldest rivals in world football they have a joint record 14 Copa America titles each. Colombia boss Javier Alvarez saw his side keep up their winning habit despite making several changes with a view to avoiding suspensions or injuries to his key men for the quarterfinals. Among the recalled players was goalkeeper Rene Higuita, the 1990 World Cup veteran with the famed ‘scorpion kick’. The first real effort on goal came from Colombia striker Hamilton Ricard, who plays his club football for English premiership side Middlesbrough. Ricard forced a save from Ecuador goalkeeper Jose Cevallos. Ecuador’s Ariel Graziani had the best chance but delayed his shot, allowing it to be deflected behind for a corner. Then a brilliant Colombian move involving Ricard saw Henry Zambrano force another save from Cevallos. Ecuador then latched onto some sloppy defending from Colombia with Ivan Kaviedes, who scored in his side’s defeats against Argentina and Uruguay, forcing a good save from Higuita. This seemed to stir the underdogs and in the next minute Graziani produced more heroics from Higuita. Finally Colombia took the lead after 36 minutes when Ricard played the ball through to Zambrano, who backheeled to Neider Morantes, who fired home off Cevallos’ right-hand post. Just three minutes later Ricard made it two, shrugging off two challenges before firing home. But after 50 minutes Ecuador reduced arrears when Graziani raced from the halfway line before beating Higuita with a low left foot shot. It was the first goal Colombia had conceded in the tournament so far. That seemed to encourage the minnows and Graziani forced Higuita into action again just two minutes later. Although Colombia continued to threaten on the break Ecuador stepped up the search for an equaliser with Higuita several times under pressure. But it was not to be as
Colombia go into their quarter-final with a 100 per cent
record. |
2 Indian athletes for Universaide PATIALA, July 8 — The Sports Ministry has pruned the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) recommended squad from the original eight players and a coach-cum-manager to just two athletes and coach cum manager designate, Noor Mohammad, for the World University Games (Universaide) being held at Palma de Mallaorca, Spain. The events of both the
selected athletes, Roshan (high jump) and Parminder Singh
(400 m hurdles), are to start on July 12. The AIU had
originally proposed four tennis players, two swimmers,
two athletes and a coach cum manager for participation in
the Universaide. |
Malik, Mushtaq accused of LAHORE, July 8 (AP) — A Pakistani cricketer told a judicial inquiry today that two members of the Pakistan cricket team took $100,000 (over Rs 40 lakh) in 1994 to throw a match against Australia. Salim Pervaiz told justice Abdul Qayuum, who is investigating allegations of bribery and match fixing against several Pakistan team members, that he was present when $100,000 was given to Salim Malik and Mushtaq Ahmed. The players were paid to throw the game against Australia, he testified. Pakistan lost that game, said Pervaiz, who played briefly for Pakistan in 1984. The payment was made in a hotel room in Sri Lanka where the tournament was being held. Malik’s lawyer dismissed the accusation. Qayyum is conducting a separate inquiry into allegations of misconduct against Pakistan’s World Cup cricket team during the World Cup championship last month in Britain. During an in camera session, Qayyum heard evidence of the alleged misconduct. However, no details were later released. Pakistan’s cricket
captain Wasim Akram also is facing accusation of match
fixing. The cricketers have flatly denied the charges. |
Effenberg to lead Bayern Munich MUNICH, July 8 (DPA) — Midfielder Stefan Effenberg was today appointed captain at Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. “I made the decision but also talked to the players. Stefan was the prime candidate because of his performance over the past years,’’ said coach Ottmar Hitzfeld. Hitzfeld said he wanted
a player on the field to wear the captain’s armband
and not goalkeeper Oliver Kahn. Kahn was Munich’s
caretaker captain almost throughout the entire last
season because the real skipper Thomas Helmer effectively
did not play. |
Dokic to promote sale of Olympic tickets SYDNEY, July 8 (Reuters) — Olympic officials enlisted the services of Australian tennis prodigy Jelena Dokic to boost Sydney 2000 ticket sales today, even though the teenager said she wasn’t sure she would even play in Sydney next year. “I just want to make the Olympic team, that’s the first step,’’ said the 16-year-old Dokic, who joined Australian NBA star Andrew Gaze as Olympic ticket sales ambassador. Applications close next Friday for Australians to put their orders in for 3.5 million Olympic tickets, with seats at opening and closing ceremonies costing a hefty $ 926. Sydney Olympics General Manager for Sport, Bob Elphinston, rejected a suggestion that the pair had been brought in to salvage sluggish ticket sales. AP adds: Jelena Dokic has dismissed a claim by John McEnroe that Martina Hingis tanked her first round match at Wimbledon. Dokic, beat the then No 1 Hingis 6-2 6-0. While Dokic was reaching the quarterfinals, where she lost to American Alexandra Stevenson, Hingis was sunning herself in Cyprus with boyfriend Ivo Heuberger. Dokic insists Hingis, who later lost the top ranking to Wimbledon winner Lindsay Davenport, was trying her hardest. “I think she played
really well in that match,” Dokic said.
“I’ve played with her a few times and practised
with her and I know what she’s like and what she
plays like”. |
Patil to coach Kenya again MUMBAI, July 8 (UNI) — Former Test cricketer Sandeep Patil said he would take over as coach of the Kenyan national team to help it prepare for the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. “It is a challenge. The Kenyans are not short on talent. I am sure I can help them prosper soon,’’ Patil said last evening while confirming his new four-year assignment. Patil was approached for taking up this new assignment by the Kenya Cricket Association during the recently-concluded World Cup in England, where he had gone as a sports journalist. He has since signed a contract with the cricket association. Patil, however, did not disclose the monetary part of the deal, saying he is “being paid good money” for the assignment which will keep him away from India for nine months in a year. Consequently, he will have to say goodbye to his present coaching and administrative obligations. He was the head coach at the MIG cricket academy in Bandra as well as a member of the managing committee member of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). The former Test player said he had already put in his resignation from the MCA post since he would not be able to spare time. “I am sad that I will not be coaching at the academy any more,’’ he added. He takes over from
former West Indies batting great Alvin Kallicharan, who
will now be in charge of cricket development in Kenya. |
Lancs recover to triumph LONDON, July 8 (AFP) — Natwest Trophy champions Lancashire recovered from a poor start to edge out Hampshire by one wicket in the competition’s fourth round yesterday. Tailender Peter Martin, who made 31 not out, steered them past the 240 target with three balls to spare at Southampton. Neil Fairbrother (28), Andrew Flintoff (44), Graham Lloyd (42), John Crawley (29) and Mark Chilton (21) also contributed well to Lancashire’s cause. Earlier, man-of-the-match Mike Smethurst — who also scored the winning run — had demolished Hampshire’s middle order with four wickets for 46 after it looked like they would run away to a massive total. Openers Jason Laney (95) and Derek Kenway (53) put on 114 for the first wicket, but the home side wilted from 191 for three to 239 for eight after their 50 overs. Former Somerset star Roland Lefebvre put Kent on the rack in Amsterdam, but Holland failed to produce another upset. After disposing of
Durham in the previous round, the Dutch dismissed the
county side for 229 in 48.5 overs with skipper Lefebvre
taking five for 26. |
30
probables in hockey camp JALANDHAR, July 8 — The selection committee of the Punjab Women's Hockey Association has selected 30 probables for state team for the Federation Cup Women Hockey Championship to be held in Andhra Pradesh from July 19 to 28, according to Mrs Surinder Umrao Singh, President of the association. The association earlier organised selection trials at local Lyallpur Khalsa College for Women, where the selected girls are undergoing a coaching camp under the supervision of the Secretary of association, Rajinder Singh, and coach Mohan Singh. Probables: Amandeep Kaur, Rajinder Kaur, Daljinder Kaur (Goal-Keepers), Amandeep Kaur, Jasneek Kaur, Kulwinder Kaur, Suman, Ranjit Kaur, Kuldip Kaur, Hardip Kaur (Full-Backs), Monika Rana, Kamaljit Kaur, Gurjit Kaur, Bhupinder Kaur, Manpreet Kaur, Kawaljit Kaur, Harmanpreet Kaur, Satbir Kaur, Ranjit Kaur (Half-Backs), Mandip Kaur, Rajwinder Kaur, Preet Inder Rana, Parveen Kumari, Harvinder Kaur, Jyoti Minhas, Arvinder Paul Kaur, Lakhbir Kaur, Sandip Kaur, Mohan Devinder, Neelam (Forwards). Coach: Mohan Singh,
Manager: Mrs Uma Jaggi. |
Jaspal Rana blessed with daughter NEW DELHI, July 8 (PTI) — Pistol ace Jaspal Rana and wife Reena were blessed with a daughter here on July 5. Giving the news here
today, the National Rifle Association of India said in a
press note the 23-year-old Commonwealth Games champion
had just returned from taking part in the Atlanta World
Cup competition to get the good news. |
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NEW DELHI, July 8 (PTI) — Allrounder Robin Singh today clarified his remarks on the Indian team's performance in the recent World Cup cricket and denied that he had criticised the team management. Robin Singh, who spoke
to reporters in Mumbai on Tuesday on various aspects of
the World Cup, said his comments on the World Cup rules
were only meant to highlight the fact that he (Robin)
realised the importance of the format only after losing
to South Africa in the opening tie. |
H
Cricket tourney LUDHIANA, July 8 (FOSR) — The fifth edition of the Chander Bhan Katyal Memorial Invitation Cricket Tournament (U-14) will be organised by the Ludhiana District Cricket Association (LDCA) here at the SD Government College grounds from July 12, according to Mr Vinod Chitkara, general secretary, LDCA. Players born on or after September 1, 1985, are eligible to take part. 128-run victory for Sethi Club LUDHIANA, July 8 (FOSR) — Sethi Club drubbed Desraj Coaching Centre ‘B’ by 128 runs to make it to the last four stage of the fourth Chaman Lal Malhotra Cricket Cup (U-16) being organised by the Ludhiana District Cricket Association (LDCA) at the SD Government College grounds here today. Sethi Club piled up 193 runs after losing five wickets in their allotted 30 overs. The top scorer was Saurabh who remained unbeaten on 72. In reply, Desraj Coaching Centre’s innings folded up at 65 runs after 14.4 overs. Only Rajeev (17) could reach double figures. Brief scores — Sethi Club 193 for 5 in 30 overs (Saurabh 72, n.o. Vinod 27, Parmeet 25, Hari 3 for 37). Desraj Coaching Centre
‘B’ 65 all out in 14.4 overs (Rajeev 17. Raman
2 for 15. Arjit 1 for 8 and Vikas 1 for 15). |
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