NEWPORT, USA : Former tennis great John McEnroe, centre, is embraced by his daughters Ruby, left, and Emily, right, as he shows his enshrinement certificate to his son Sean after being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport on Saturday. At left is his wife, Patty Smyth, holding daughter Ava. McEnroe was the youngest player to reach the number one ranking in ATP history in 1980 — AP/PTI

McEnroe inducted into Hall of Fame NEWPORT, (Rhode Island), July 11 — John McEnroe, the temperamental bad boy of tennis whose verbal abuse of chair umpires was as much a signature as the artistry of his volleys, was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame yesterday. No more rejoicing for France PARIS, July 11 — There will be no wild celebrations on the Champs Elysee tomorrow marking the first anniversary of France’s World Cup title they claimed in style on July 12, 1998 with a 3-0 win over Brazil.

Third leg of AAFI meet today
BANGALORE, July 11 — Burly railway athlete Shakti Singh will be on a hattrick of sorts when the third leg of the Amateur Athletic Federation of India’s international athletics circuit will be staged here tomorrow.

There will be consequences: Blatter
LOS ANGELES, July 11 — Criticism from senior soccer officials around the globe mounted on the weekend on their Asian colleagues for walking out of the world governing body FIFA congress in protest against being allocated too few berths for the 2002 World Cup.

Best-ever show by Indian grapplers
NEW DELHI, July 11 — India recorded their best-ever performance by bagging 11 medals, including five silver, to finish third in the Asian junior freestyle and greco-roman championship which ended in Tehran yesterday.

Ritika upsets top seed Manisha
JALANDHAR, July 11 — Ritika of Ropar created an upset in the cadet girls singles final by beating current Punjab champion and top seed Manisha Sharma of Patiala in the North Zone invitation and first Punjab Ranking Table Tennis Tournament currently underway at corporation table-tennis hall, Hans Raj Stadium Complex, here today.

Don’t expect miracles, says Jayasuriya
COLOMBO, July 11 — New Sri Lankan skipper Sanath Jayasuriya has warned he will not be able to perform miracles after his country’s dismal World Cup performance, but felt Aussie coach Dave Whatmore’s return should improve things.

Sr national boxing in Shimla
CHANDIGARH, July 11 —Shimla will play host to this year’s Senior National Boxing Championships, which will be held in this hill capital of Himachal Pradesh after a gap of eight years.

American eves beat China on penalties

PASADENA, (California) July 11 (AP) — The USA rode a crowd of more than 90,000 to the women’s World Cup title here, outlasting China 5-4 on penalty kicks after 120 minutes of a 0-0 draw.

Brandi Chastain converted the final attempt, tearing off her jersey as the highly partisan crowd erupted to celebrate the Americans second world championship crown yesterday.

The victory culminated a three-week tournament in which the American public fell in love with women’s soccer and the Us national team. With yesterday’s doubleheader, which included Brazil’s 5-4 victory on penalties over Norway in the third place-match, the third edition of the quadrennial women’s championship attracted over 650,000 fans.

As the American women piled on top of each other to celebrate, glittered confetti covered the field as the crowd chanted “U-S-A, U-S-A”.

After receiving their medals, the US team then paraded around the perimeter of the field with three large American flags much to the delight of the crowd. Midfielder Julie Foudy applauded the crowd and then hugged a television cameraman.

Chastain’s penalty followed those of Carla Overbeck, Joy Fawcett, Kristine Lilly and Mia Hamm.

Second-half substitutes Xie Huilin and Qui Haiyan converted the first two of China’s chances but when American keeper Briana Scurry dived left to push wide Liu Ying’s attempt, the door was opened for the USA Zhang Ouying and Sun Wen also converted for China, setting the stage for Chastain to be the hero.

it was the third major title the American women have won, including the inaugural women’s world championship in 1991 in China and the 1996 Olympic gold won on home soil.

The Chinese nearly spoiled the party in the 100th minute when Fan Yunjie drove a header off a cross from Liu Ying that American midfielder Kristine Lilly had to clear with a header of her own while standing on the goal line.

It was clearly the best chance for either side in a match that produced few fireworks.

Played before a sunbaked, sellout crowd of 90,185 at the Rose Bowl, the match still didn’t come up to the 94,184 that saw Brazil outlast Italy on penalties for the men’s 1994 World Cup final at the same venue.

With fighter jets steaking overhead and American pop singer-actress Jennifer Lopez performing the closing ceremony, the final was a major event in the USA, with national television coverage and even President Bill Clinton in attendance.

In 1994, at the men’s World Cup final between Brazil and Italy, Mr Clinton’s sent Vice President Al Gore.

Neither side produced much in the way of threatening chances, although the Chinese seemed to come alive in the first extra time.

The Americans controlled the midfield for most of the game, having the greater amount of possession but only rarely getting inside the 18.

Several times the crowd tried to exhort the Americans with chants of U-S-A, U-S-A, but seemed to have little effect.

China’s only legitimate chance before extra time came in the 69th when Jin Yan flicked on a header at the near post off a corner from Liu Ying that rolled across the face of the goal.

Sun Wen put a free kick from just outside the area about a metre over the bar in the 35th and American midfielder Michelle Aker headed away a corner in the first minute of second-half injury time that squelched another opportunity.

The USA had a handful of a chances, none of which seriously threatened either. Akers launched a blast from 40 metres in the 12th minute that Chinese keeper Gao Hong had to knock down before controlling and Shannon Macmillan put a 25-metre free kick into the arms of Gao in the 81st.

Third leg of AAFI meet today

BANGALORE, July 11 (PTI) — Burly railway athlete Shakti Singh will be on a hattrick of sorts when the third leg of the Amateur Athletic Federation of India’s (AAFI) international athletics circuit will be staged here tomorrow.

The 38-year-old had grabbed the gold in both shot put and discus throw events, stealing the limelight in the first two legs at Nagarcoil and Thiruvananthapuram.

Sri Lanka’s Chintaka de Soyza, who finished fifth in 100 m in Bangkok Asian Games clocking 10.39 seconds, is poised to continue his unbeaten run after good performances in the first two meets.

But C Thirugnanadurai, who finished second to Soyza at both places, is determined to avenge his defeats and has the stuff to pull off an upset.

Kenyan running machines are expected to dominate men’s 1,500 metres and 3,000 metres. Kenya’s Charles Kamathi, Gideon Chirchir and Joseph Motua were the major attractions in the first two legs.

According to organisers, Karnataka Electricity Board (KEB), athletes from Nepal and Bangladesh had promised to come here but have not yet arrived.

Athletes from Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Mauritius, Kenya, Iran and Ukraine, besides India, would be vying for honours, KEB’s Director of Sports M S Vijaya said.

About 180 athletes, including 75 from abroad, would be seen in action. The 200 m and 3000 m events for both men and women, which did not figure in Thiruvananthapuram, had been added here, Vijaya said.

Pramod Tiwari, Saraswati Dey and Neelam J Singh are among those in line for a treble as they had bagged gold in the men’s hammer throw, women’s 100 m and women’s discus throw, respectively, in the first two legs.

Prominent other contenders include international Gulab Chand (3000 m), Anju K Markose (long jump) and Kristina Klishevska (Ukraine; javelin).

Tendulkar best batsman in world: Donald

NEW DELHI, July 11 (PTI) — Sachin Tendulkar is the best batsman in the world, pulling away from the West Indian star Brian Lara every year, the fiery South African fast bowler Allan Donald says in his autobiography.

Uncharacteristically for an aggressive fast bowler, himself one of the game’s greats currently, Donald has high praise for the Indian batting genius with whom he has had many a duel on the field.

In the recently released autobiography “White lightning”, Donald says “Tendulkar is the best looking batsman I’ve seen”, and also rates him as a great human being.

He says Tendulkar looked a class apart even in 1991 when South Africa came to India on their historical tour to end their international boycott due to apartheid in that country.

“His shot selection is superb, he just lines you up and can make you look very silly. Everything is right in his technique and judgement. There isn’t a fault there. He is also a lovely guy, and over the years I’ve enjoyed some interesting chats with him.”

Donald says Tendulkar was by far the better player than Lara and has handled success better. “I’ve known Brian since 1992, and I was saddened at the change in him over the years,” he says of his fellow star with Warwickshire.

“I don’t know whether Lara’s drive had been sapped by all the money he has made since he became a superstar and got what he wanted — the West Indies captaincy — but his attitude was in total contrast to that of another man who has had to come to terms with even more adulation and financial incentives,” he adds.

“Sachin is in a different class to Lara as a professional cricketer. He is a model cricketer, and despite the intolerable pressures he faces back home, he remains a really nice guy.

“Sachin is also the best batsman in the world, pulling away from Brian Lara every year,” he says.

Donald, who admits to mouthing abuses to psyche out batsmen, says Tendulkar is the only player he has applauded even after being hit for boundaries.

“We’d heard all about him modelling himself on Sunil Gavaskar, and he had the same neatness, the same time to spare, the same calmness — and a very heavy bat”.

Recalling the 1998 Princess Diana memorial match at the Lord’s where Tendulkar cracked a century leading the World XI, Donald says Tendulkar flicked one of his deliveries from outside the off-stump to the midwicket fence even as he was shouting to the fielder to take the catch.

“That day, he just toyed with us, and I was so impressed I said ‘good shot!’ to that delivery, something I have never said to a batsman at any time in my career,” Donald says.

Referring to the second Test in Cape Town in the 1997 series where Tendulkar smashed 169 in a scintillating counter attack against fast bowling in the company of Mohd Azharuddin, he says: “It was a fabulous innings by the little man, so certain in his strokeplay, so correct and balanced”.

“It’s not often a fast bowler with his tail up can detach himself from all the emotion of bowling in a Test match, to appreciate an opposition batsman, but you just had to, on this day in Cape Town,” he says.

The 32-year-old Donald, the fifth fastest to reach 200 Test wickets — he has 265 victims from 54 Tests with a best haul of 8 for 71 — and the highest test wicket-taker for his country, devotes much space to talk about confrontations with India since the return to international fold in 1991.

But Donald, one of the fastest bowlers in the world, shows his team in poor light by admitting to abusive sledging tactics, especially in the infamous run-in with Rahul Dravid in the 1997 one-day triseries final in Durban.

Replying to South Africa’s 252 made in 40 overs in a rain-hit tie, Tendulkar and Dravid were going great guns. Tendulkar hoisted Donald for a six, but he lost his cool when Dravid hit him for a six and a four in succession.

Donald admits that he had walked right up to Dravid, face to face, and used bad language. “The TV cameras had me in close-up, with everyone lip-reading my words.”

He writes: “Dravid’s eyes lit up when he saw me standing so close, I’ve done something similar many times in tense games like this one.”

“As I eye-balled Dravid,” Hansie Cronje shouted at Dravid. “A few of the other boys in the field picked up the aggressive vibes and they started to mouth off. It worked, because it revived us when it looked as if we were going to cop a hammering, and the crowd got behind us well,” he says.

Donald justifies the behaviour saying “that sort of confrontation goes down very well in South African sport and some of the Indian cricketers didn’t like it”.

He says Mohd Azharuddin came in on Tendulkar’s dismissal and told Cronje what “I’d said to Dravid was out of order”.

“Hansie told him to shut his mouth and get on with the game,” he says, adding, “after that we all climbed into Azza and gave him some fearful stick. In the end, they folded, we won the final (by 16 runs) after looking out of it”.

Donald’s attempts to make up with Dravid after the match were brushed aside by the Indian batsman with a ‘hard look’, but he was jolted when a fan of Indian origin placed a letter under his room castigating him for his “racist” behaviour.

The bowler says he tore up that letter in anger, but he and Cronje kept receiving many more calls and letters from the same person calling them names.

Donald says it was only an attempt to gain “a competitive edge that’s involved in playing top-class sport, the need to dominate an opponent before he does the same to you. It had absolutely nothing to do with race, it was a matter of testing out Dravid with verbals, to see if he could fight back at me. If he couldn’t take it in the heat of battle, then he shouldn’t be out there.”

The bowler hailing from Bloemfontein, says he was never in the habit of getting involved in racist comments.

“I believe the issue was about the Indians being less confrontational than us, and getting disconcerted by some typical South African verbal bullying”, he adds.

No more rejoicing for France

PARIS, July 11 (DPA) — There will be no wild celebrations on the Champs Elysee tomorrow marking the first anniversary of France’s World Cup title they claimed in style on July 12, 1998 with a 3-0 win over Brazil.

Instead, further questions are expected to be asked about the currently poor state of the national team and the form of the ageing World Cup heroes.

Twelve months after the glorious night in the Stade De France the Equipe Tricolore have been brought down to earth.

France are placed a mediocre third in their qualifying group 4 for the 2000 European Championships, behind Ukraine and Iceland. Only the group winner qualifies automatically.

The last match on June 5 was an embarrassing 3-2 home defeat against Russia as France are set to share the fate of Italy who after winning the 1982 World Cup failed to qualify for the 1984 continental climax.

There are several reasons for the decline.

Coach Roger Lemerre, who succeeded Aime Jacquet after the World Cup, has come under hefty fire for not changing the team but rather sticking to the World Cup heroes.

“When one sees that he only fields World Cup winners that shows his attitude towards and his impression of the other national team players,” fumed striker Liliam Laslandes from national champions Girondins Bordeaux.

“Nothing has changed, there are no new ideas,” he added in reference to the fact that a poor goal ratio from the strikers was already France’s main dilemma during the World Cup.

A look at the players adds further shocking details.

Christophe Dugarry from Olympique Marseille is banned for four national team games after being sent off in Andorra, for six European Cup games after instigating a brawl after the UEFA Cup semifinal with Bologna.

He may in fact be completely sidelined because he recently tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone.

Another attacker, Stephane Guivarc’H, has had a turbulent year after leaving Auxerre last summer as French top scorer. He first joined Newcastle United, was then sent off to Glasgow Rangers and is now back in Auxerre.

Also held in low esteem is Christian Karembeu, whom Real Madrid are desperate to sell. The same applies to defender Laurent Blanc, whose transfer from Marseille to Inter Milan seemed more like a deportation than a big transfer.

“Marseille didn’t want me anymore,” conceded the 33-year-old Blanc although coach Rolland Courbis claimed that “one can not prevent a player from leaving if they get an offer from Inter Milan.”

Even national team captain Didier Deschamps was no longer wanted at Juventus and transferred off to Chelsea.

Deschamps has long been the centre of attacks from team mates as David Ginola already said during the World Cup: “He never plays well, never scores, but is a buddy of Jacquet.”

Jacquet, for his part, seemingly made the best move when he quit after the World Cup. He at least will be able to celebrate quietly tomorrow.

There will be consequences: Blatter

LOS ANGELES, July 11 (DPA) — Criticism from senior soccer officials around the globe mounted on the weekend on their Asian colleagues for walking out of the world governing body FIFA congress in protest against being allocated too few berths for the 2002 World Cup.

“They behaved like little children. There is no reason for this kind of behaviour,” said European (UEFA) football supremo Lennart Johansson after his body in vain tried to help the Asians.

German legend Franz Beckenbauer agreed: “I expect the Asians to reconsider their action and return to the negotiation table.”

The officials were as stunned as FIFA boss Joseph Blatter, who turned his shock into outrage after in an unprecedented move the entire Asian delegation from 43 countries had staged the walkout at Friday’s FIFA congress.

The Asian body AFC also said it would boycott the qualifying session for the 2002 World Cup if there demand for five berths at the 32-team event was not met.

“It is a shame to leave the congress,” fumed Blatter. “If it had been one federation it would have been thrown out (of FIFA) instantly.

“There will be consequences. The FIFA is an institution, we will never tolerate blackmail,” he said.

However, Asia makes up one quarter of the national federations within FIFA and its countries represent more than half of the world’s population.

A lot of diplomatic skill will be necessary for the crisis management on the issue which was started by FIFA when it for the first time awarded two nations to host the 2002 World Cup, Japan and South Korea.

As a result both nations are automatically qualified, which leaves the other 41 countries fighting for just two further berths. The AFC wants a third berth for a total five Asian countries.

But FIFA say they already raised Asia’s allocation from three and a half in 1998 to four for the 32-team event. The AFC this week rejected an offer from the European body UEFA for a playoff between a European team and a third Asian team.

“We have 3.5 billion people and invest millions into football. As hosting confederation we have the right to get a fifth berth,” said AFC Secretary General Peter Velappan.

Their main target is the South American Confederation COMNEBOL because these 10 countries get four and a half berths.

In a first act of hostilities, the AFC prohibited Brazil from presenting their 2006 World Cup bid at the next AFC congress and declared all COMNEBOL officials personae non grata.

Besides the four Asian berths, Europe currently have 15 slots including holders France, Africa have five, Central and North America three, South America four and a half and Oceania half a berth.

Japan and South Korea are arguably in the biggest dilemma, torn between loyalty for their continent and FIFA which awarded them the World Cup.

“It was emotionally difficult. We believe in the FIFA family. But we had no choice to join the protest,” said South Korean federation boss Chung Mong Joon.

His Japanese counterpart Shunichiro Okano, meanwhile, was more moderate: “I hope for a good solution and a successful World Cup.’’

Best-ever show by Indian grapplers

NEW DELHI, July 11 (PTI) — India recorded their best-ever performance by bagging 11 medals, including five silver, to finish third in the Asian junior freestyle and greco-roman championship which ended in Tehran yesterday.

India fielded a full complement of 18 wrestlers — nine in either section — and hauled in six medals in freestyle and five from greco-roman to finish behind overall champions Iran and Japan, who stood second.

Freestyle grapplers Anil Mann (97 kg) and Balwinder Singh Cheema (130) alongwith Satish Singh (63 kg), Vijayendra Singh (69 kg) and Anil Kumar (130 kg) in greco-roman claimed silver medals, Wrestling Federation of India President G.S. Mander disclosed it here today.

Two silver and four bronze medals were garnered by the freestyle wrestlers while their greco-roman counterparts returned with three silver and two bronze medals in the championship held from July 5 to 10, he said.

Medallists:

Greco roman — Satish Singh (63 kg), Vijayendra Singh (69 kg) and Anil Kumar (130 kg) — all silver; Mukesh Kumar (54kg) Amd Mukesh (85 kg) — both bronze.

Freestyle — Anil Mann (97 kg), Balwinder Singh Cheema (130 kg) — both silver; Sushil Kumar (50 kg), Jagbir Singh (58 kg), Ajit Singh (63 kg) and Chand Ram (69 kg) — all bronze.

McEnroe inducted into Hall of Fame

NEWPORT, (Rhode Island), July 11 (Reuters) John McEnroe, the temperamental bad boy of tennis whose verbal abuse of chair umpires was as much a signature as the artistry of his volleys, was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame yesterday.

The skinny left-handed kid from Queens, New York, with the bad hair and little wooden racket hardly looked the picture of a champion athlete. But the intensity of his competitive fire and his brilliant, creative shotmaking — as well as his epic battles with the likes of Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl — left no doubt that McEnroe belonged to the pantheon of the all-time tennis greats.

“I think I brought energy to the game,” said the 40-year-old McEnroe at his induction ceremony.

“I brought a style that has not been duplicated. I tried to do what my Idol Rod Laver did. He didn’t have any one great weapon, but he felt comfortable hitting every shot,” added McEnroe, who splits his tennis time between the senior circuit and the broadcast booth these days.

“Sure, I wore my emotions on my sleeve and I couldn’t get away from labels like the next (Ilie) Nastase or the next Connors,” recalled McEnroe of the bad boys who preceded him. “When you think about it, nobody would give a hill of beans about my behaviour if I wasn’t winning championships.”

Winner of three Wimbledon singles titles — but as well remembered there for the sensational 1980 final he lost to Borg — and four US Open crowns earned a short distance from where he grew up, McEnroe was the youngest male player ever to be ranked number one in the world at 21 in 1980. He finished four consecutive years as the top-ranked player in the world from 1981-84.

Equally excellent in singles and doubles, McEnroe owns 77 titles in each, including eight Grand Slam doubles crowns.

He may have been on his way to one more Wimbledon mixed doubles title earlier this month. But his dream matchup with Steffi Graf turned a nightmare when the German star withdrew ahead of the semifinals, leaving the intensely competitive McEnroe feeling betrayed.

“I hadn’t played at Wimbledon in seven years and in a mixed doubles tournament for 20 years,” he said. “The one thing I asked of Steffi, if you start a tournament you should finish it. She just didn’t fulfil her responsibility. It was a slap in the face”.

“Luckily I have this great occasion here in Newport, otherwise I might still be stewing about this for a few more weeks,” he admitted.

“John hasn’t changed that much,” said longtime friend and five-time Olympic speedskating gold medal-list Eric Heiden, who introduced McEnroe at the ceremony. “He’s just whining to a new level.”

In addition to all his great success playing for himself, McEnroe also boasted a remarkable career Davis Cup record — 41-8 in singles and 18-2 in doubles — in helping the USA to win five cup championships.

But McEnroe may be best remembered for the on-court temper tantrums that could erupt at any time during one of his matches over questionable calls or a disagreement with an umpire.

Highlight films of his matches were as likely to include profane tirades aimed at chair umpires, line judges, heckling fans or even at himself — none of whom he had any patience for — as they were to showcase his unparalleled touch at the net, where he wielded his racket with true genius.

Asked if he would do anything differently given a second chance, McEnroe responded: “I definitely would have changed a few things”.

“Obviously, if I had controlled myself a little better I would have won a few more events.”

But McEnroe asked the fans at the induction ceremony if he owed an apology to the umpires of the world.

When he received the answer he was hoping for he said: “That’s what I think. To hell with them.”

Ritika upsets top seed Manisha
From Our Sports Reporter

JALANDHAR, July 11 — Ritika of Ropar created an upset in the cadet girls singles final by beating current Punjab champion and top seed Manisha Sharma of Patiala in the North Zone invitation and first Punjab Ranking Table Tennis Tournament currently underway at corporation table-tennis hall, Hans Raj Stadium Complex, here today.

In a well-fought contest after losing first game, Ritika kept her nerve and won next two.

The following are the results:-

Cadet girls (under 12) finals: Ritika (Ropar) beat Manisha Sharma (Patiala) 19-21, 21-18, 21-19.

Cadet girls (under 12) semifinals: Manisha Sharma (Pat) beat Dimple (Khanna) 21-17, 21-18, Ritika (Ropar) beat Neha Sharma (Pat) 19-21, 21-18, 21-19.

Cadet boys singles (under 12) quarterfinals: Ritesh (Asr) beat Mohit Sharma (Asr) 21-19, 21-12, Kamaljeet (Pat) beat Aks (Jal) 21-14, 21-16, Sahil Sood (Bhudlada) beat Sukhdev (Ropar) 21-16, 21-17, Vishal (Pat) beat Manish (Pat) 21-19, 18-21, 21-15.

Cadet boys singles (under 12) pre-quarterfinal: Ritesh (Asr) beat Manpreet (Pat) 21-18, 21-17, Mohit (Asr) beat Kunal Dhawan (Asr) 21-12, 21-15, Aks (Jal) beat Subhankar (Pat) 21-19, 19-21, 21-17, Kamaljeet Singh (Pat) beat Kapil (Khanna) 21-10, 21-12, Sahil Sood (Budh) beat Chandan Mehra (Asr) 21-18, 21-19, Sukhdev (Ropar) beat Inderjeet (Ldh) 21-17, 17-21, 21-15, Vishal Raj (Pat) beat Abhinav Thaplial (Pat) 21-18, 21-19, Manish Saini (Pat) beat Rohit Kalia (Asr) 21-18, 17-21, 21-15.

Sub junior girls singles (under 14) pre-quarterfinal: Ravneet (Ropar) beat Neha Sharma (Pat) 21-18, 21-17, Lalita (Khanna) beat Dimple (Khanna) 21-15, 21-19, Sukhbir Kaur (Faridkot) beat Jai Bharti (Khanna) 21-17, 21-14, Manisha (Pat) beat Sukhwinder (Jal) 21-14, 21-18, Yash Preet Gulati (Pat) beat Sarika Sharma (Pat) 21-19, 21-18, Ritika (Ropar) beat Nidhi (Khanna) 21-18, 21-15, Charu (Jal) beat Gunjan Deep (Jal) 21-12, 21-10.

Junior girls (under 17) pre-quarterfinal: Gurvinder (Jal) beat Mandeep (Ropar) 21-12, 21-10, Meenakshi (Jal) beat Sarika (Pat) 21-15, 21-18, Anjali (Asr) beat Sukhbir (Fdk) 21-18, 21-17, Ritika (Ropar) beat Navdeep (Asr) 21-10, 18-21, 21-16, Gurpreet (Ropar) beat Rajni Verma (Jal) 21-18, 21-17, Hardeep (Jal) beat Charu (Jal) 21-18, 21-16, Ravneet (Ropar) beat Harsh (Khanna) 21-14, 21-16, Rishu (Jal) beat Rajni (Jal) 21-18, 18-21, 21-17.

Don’t expect miracles, says Jayasuriya

COLOMBO, July 11 (PTI) New Sri Lankan skipper Sanath Jayasuriya has warned he will not be able to perform miracles after his country’s dismal World Cup performance, but felt Aussie coach Dave Whatmore’s return should improve things.

Jayasuriya said he was banking on the support of deposed skipper Arjuna Ranatunga and Aravinda De Silva when Sri Lanka play their first tournament under him, a one-day tri-series tournament in August against India and Australia.

“Don’t expect miracles overnight,” he said.

In an interview with the “Sunday Times”, Jayasuriya said he had lengthy talks with Ranatunga and De Silva and had been promised cooperation to revive the side plumbing the depths.

One of Jayasuriya’s priorities would be to make changes in the training schedule. Long sessions would be replaced with short but more intense training under Whatmore’s guidance, he said.

Cricketers meet injured soldiers

NEW DELHI, July 11 (PTI) — Leading Indian cricket players including star batsman Sachin Tendulkar and Ajay Jadeja today visited the injured soldiers from Kargil at a Army hospital in the capital.

Cricketers spoke to the injured soldiers and enquired about their health and family.

The soldiers were thrilled in meeting their heroes and some of them even congratulated the players for beating Pakistan (in a Super Six tie at Old Trafford) in the recently concluded World Cup in England.

“We are proud of you and the entire team for beating the Pakistan team,” Bhaskar Dabade, an injured soldier told Tendulkar.

Another soldier, however, told the star batsman that following the intrusion in Kargil by Pakistan, India should not play with that country.

Other cricketers who visited the Army base hospital were Rahul Dravid, Nayan Mongia, Robin Singh, Venkatesh Prasad, Debashish Mohanty, Ajit Agarkar and Nikhil Chopra.

Sr national boxing in Shimla
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, July 11 —Shimla will play host to this year’s Senior National Boxing Championships, which will be held in this hill capital of Himachal Pradesh after a gap of eight years. To be organised by the Himachal Pradesh Boxing association at Ridge in Shimla, the championship will be held from October 26 to 31.

According to reports reaching here, the All India Junior Boxing Championship will be played at Aurangabad from November 5 to 7 to be organised by the Maharashtra Amateur Boxing Association. Imphal would hold the Sub Junior National Championship in the age group 12 to 17 from November 16 to 21.

Chandigarh Amateur Boxing Association (CABA) will organise the annual All India A K Misra Boxing Championship from December 3 to 7 at Chandigarh and, thereafter, from December 16 to 19, Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) will host the East Zone Invitation Boxing Championship. In the end of this year, Himachal Pradesh will have another national level tournament — All India YS Parmar Invitational Boxing Championship — at Paonta Sahib ( Sirmour district) from December 24 to 26.

The beginning of the next year will have Junior National Boxing Championship from January 2 to 7, 2000, at Bangalore. Gangtok (Sikkim) would become the third Northern Eastern state to hold the national level tournament in a single session — Kanchanjunga Invitation Boxing Championship from February 20 to 22.

Chastain follows a tradition

PASADENA (AP) — Nearly every time the American women beat the Chinese in the final of a major tournament, one of them feels compelled to take their clothes off.

In the middle of the night in July 1996, hours after the USA beat China 2-1 to win the Olympic gold medal, goalkeeper, Briana Scurry, with her friends as witnesses, jumped out of a car, stripped off her attire and ran naked through the streets of Athens, Georgia.

Yesterday, it was Brandi Chastain’s turn.

After converting the last of five US penalties to give the Americans a 5-4 shootout victory and the Women’s World Cup title, the defender pulled her jersey off and swung it over her head as she dropped to her knees.

“I lost my mind,” Chastain said describing her penalty and post-goal reaction. “I didn’t hear any noise. I didn’t get caught up looking at (Chinese keeper) Gao Hong. I thought this was the greatest moment in my life on a soccer field. I don’t know. I just lost my mind.”

It was not the first time Chastain had been less than modest. She posed nude except for a strategically placed soccer ball in a US magazine published just before the tournament began.

Desraj CC move into final

LUDHIANA, July 11 (FOSR) — Desraj Coaching Centre ‘A’ scored convincing 70-run win over Sethi Club to enter the final of the fourth Chamanlal Malhotra Cricket Cup Tournament ( U-16) being organised by the Ludhiana District Cricket Association at the S D Government College grounds here today.

Desraj Coaching Centre ‘A’ skipper Amit Sharma, batting first scored 242 runs in the stipulated 35 overs.

In reply, Sethi Club could make 172 for 9 in 35 overs.

Brief scores. Desraj Coaching Centre ‘A’ 242 all out in 35 overs (Amit Sharma 34, Salit 63 Deepak Dhir 60, Vinod 3 for 41, — Ajit Gill 1 for 37, Vibhor 1 for 35, Inder 1 for 32)

Sethi Club 172 for 9 in 35 overs Ajit Gill 26, Nazeem 27 no, Varun Gupta 2 for 13, Tavish Gupta 2 for 31, Amit Sharma 1 for 10).