Wednesday, June 16, 1999
today's calendar
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S P O R T | Wednesday, June 16, 1999 |
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Perfect
stage for hit-and-miss Cairns Shane
Warne a great bowler: Saqlain David
Houghton not making excuses Probe poor showing by India, PM
urged Under Azhar team was bound to
suffer: Roy Azhar,
six others to stay back Steve
Waugh wins admiration in Pak |
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Ranatunga, 5 other seniors ‘should quit’ COLOMBO, June 15 (PTI) — Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga, under criticism from various quarters for his leadership in the team’s unsuccessful World Cup title defence, has come under fire from the island’s newspapers who are asking for his removal. Though there were no great expectations from Ranatunga after the Lankans form had hit rock bottom during their tour of Australia and tri-series in the sub-continent, cricket crazy fans here asked for too much from his men and before the team could realise it, they were knocked out of the World Cup. The state-run newspaper Daily News today mounted a scathing attack on Ranatunga saying that he should not only step down from the captaincy but quit the game all together following the humiliating exit from the premier tournament. In a no-holds-barred criticism of Ranatunga and five senior players, the newspaper said Ranatunga should not only forsake the captaincy but quit the game all together and be replaced by stylish batsman and relative Marvan Atapattu. "Ranatunga should quit the game all together as to have him in the team would only make life overbearing for the ensuing captain," it said. "The era in which the senior players dominated and brought honour and glory to Sri Lankan cricket was now over," it added. Significantly the newspaper has also mounted equally strong criticism against five other senior players including deputy captain Aravinda de Silva, who had a dismal run in the World Cup. "The war cry is on. But it is not only the captain Arjuna who should go, a few senior players too, in order to allow a younger generation to take over," the Daily News said. The newspaper’s list of players to be summarily sacked were De Silva, Roshan Mahanama, Hashan Tillakeratne, wicket-keeper Romesh Kaluwitharana and pace bowler Pramodaya Wickremasinghe who were in their mid thirties. "However much their mind wills, the body has aged to such an extent that it is not willing to do the things it was capable of doing three years ago," it said. That these players were not performing prior to this World Cup, in which the 1996 champions were eliminated in the preliminary round, was evident from the fact that the Sri Lanka team in the last few years failed to qualify for the final of five one-day tournaments and won only seven of the 25 matches they played. "Let the old order changeth. It is time for the new order to take over. What we need is new thinking and fresh blood. Our goal should be at least the next World Cup — 2003 in South Africa," the newspaper said. It said Ranatunga and his fellow senior players were refusing to quit as "they saw gold mine in Sri Lanka cricket and they were not just about to let go of it". The newspaper said: "The worldly adulation that followed the World Cup (triumph) and the financial gains were things that were in-grown to a five star lifestyle." It suggested that Marvan Atapattu be made captain and young batsman Mahela Jayawardene his deputy. "New batsmen like Russell Arnold, Avishka Gunawardene, Prasanna Jayawardene and bowler Nuwan Zyosa should be brought in." The stringent criticism from the official newspaper followed the critical remarks against Ranatunga made by the Sri Lankan Sports Minister, S.B. Dissanayake in an interview to BBC’s Sinhalese programme. Officials of the Sports Ministry reportedly denied that the minister has asked Ranatunga to quit but a Sinnhalese newspaper carried the script of the minister’s interview in which he said Ranatunga would remain in the team but not as a captain. Part of the Sri Lankan team has returned after their ouster from the World Cup while Ranatunga, De Silva and few senior players stayed back in England.
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Favourites Pak take on underdogs Kiwis OLD TRAFFORD, June 15 (PTI) — Formidable Pakistan look good to brush aside New Zealand’s challenge in the first World Cup semifinal tomorrow, but the Kiwis will be determined to exact revenge entering the tie as rank underdogs. The 1992 champions wear a menacing look after bouncing back from three straight defeats to finish on top of the Super Six table and hold an overwhelming Cup record of 5-1 against the Kiwis, going into what is expected to be a one-sided tie. But Wasim Akram returns to Old Trafford keen that his side is not afflicted by the same complacency that sent it tumbling to a 47-run defeat against India in the high-voltage Super Six tie that had placed them one defeat away from exit. The 33-year-old Akram, looking to emulate his mentor Imran Khan by guiding Pakistan to their second title, will be on home turf at the Lancashire county ground, having led the side with aplomb in the past. Pakistan scored a comprehensive 62-run win over the Kiwis in their group ‘B’ league encounter and despite their own worries on the batting front, meet a side that has not done anything outstanding to quietly slip into the knockout. Stephen Fleming and his men will look to lift their game drastically to convert their fourth World Cup semifinal into a maiden final entry and also avenge the painful defeat at the same stage to Pakistan at Auckland in 1992. Pakistan once again will depend on their bowlers to fire out the Kiwi batsmen, who are yet to show any spark barring the workmanlike efforts of left-hander Roger Twose that have kept his side afloat. Young tearaway Shoaib Akhtar will once again be ready to hurl down his thunderbolts after being chastised in South Africa’s successful chase and Akram himself has remained by and large a mystery to the batsmen despite struggling with fitness himself. Off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, who has claimed 16 wickets so far, will be a key factor for Pakistan and the combination of Akhtar, Azhar Mehmood (both 13 wickets) and Akram (12) will be more than a handful for New Zealand. The worry for Pakistan, however, will be their erratic batting, despite left-handed opener Saeed Anwar’s forceful 103 in their easy victory over Zimbabwe in their previous tie. Inzamam-ul Haq has been the only other frontline batsman to show consistency and Pakistan have survived mainly due to the late order resurgence exemplified by stumper Moin Khan’s heroics. New Zealand have remained unperturbed by comments that they have not shown any spark till now, but will hope Australian coach Steve Rixon’s lessons on mental toughness pay dividends and also pray that Pakistan lapse into yet another spell of inconsistency that has dogged the lavishly talented side. The one area the Kiwis hold clear edge is in sprightly fielding, but their bowling attack, which is a mixture of genuine swing and irritating slow medium stuff, has not really rattled opposing batsmen. Left-arm seamer Geoff Allott has beguiled batsmen to become the highest wicket-taker in a single World Cup with 20 scalps thus far, but his new ball partner Dion Nash as well as all-rounder Chris Cairns have been quite subdued. Nash would have gained much confidence after his sharp bowling to Sachin Tendulkar, eventually bowling him middle stump, in New Zealand’s exhilarating victory over a downcast India in their last Super Six tie to seal qualification. The Kiwi batting has performed far below strength with only English-born Twose, who has given the hosts some chance to bask in reflected glory, standing firm. Both, opener Nathan Astle and skipper Stephen Fleming have hardly done much in a struggling Kiwi top order and it will be a major challenge against the most complete attack in the tournament. New Zealand will also be looking upto Chris Cairns to fire on all cylinders at the head of a highly competent list of all-rounders that includes Chris Harris and Gavin Larsen. The lone World Cup win for the Kiwis over Pakistan came in the league stage of the 1983 edition, when they defended a modest 238 to win by 52 runs. Chasing remains Pakistan’s achilles heel and Fleming can take heart from the fact that their last win, by 81 runs at the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games last year, was also fashioned by bowling out their rivals. AFP adds: Wasim Akram indicated he will not be short of inspiration tomorrow. "Two wins away from my dream, I don’t want to let anything get in the way," said Akram. "We will go one at a time-but I am determined to be there on the Lord’s balcony on Sunday, hopefully with the Cup." A cautious Akram, however, is not taking victory for granted, even though his team beat the New Zealanders by 62 runs in the first round. Akram was tripped up by his own overconfidence earlier in the tournament. Pakistan coach Mushtaq Mohammad invited accusations of complacency yesterday by saying New Zealand would be easier to beat than the other semifinalists, Australia and South Africa. Fleming, however, said his side were just as pleased with the match as their opponents. "We were quite happy getting Pakistan because they can fluctuate much more than South Africa and Australia," he said. Bookmakers quote New Zealand at 15-2 outsiders, but Fleming was not concerned by his team’s underdog status. "The underdog tag is all external. Internally we are very determined to do well and we have been for the last 18 months. "There’s been nothing lucky about our campaign. We’ve played some reasonable cricket and scrapped and played well at important times, Fleming added. Teams: New Zealand: (probable) Stephen Fleming (capt), Nathan Astle, Matt Horne, Craig McMillan, Roger Twose, Chris Cairns, Adam Parore, Chris Harris, Dion Nash, Gavin Larsen, Geoff Allott. Pakistan: Wasim
Akram (capt), Saeed Anwar, Wajahatullah Wasti, Abdul
Razzaq, Ijaz Ahmed, Inzamam-ul Haq, Salim Malik, Shahid
Afridi, Moin Khan, Azhar Mehmood, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib
Akhtar. |
Fascinating contests in store MANCHESTER, June 15 — Fasten your seat belts and sit back to watch what could be two great games of cricket over the next two days. It’s semifinal time, a time to have left all the hard luck stories far behind. This World Cup will go to one of the four left in the race and that is what sport is all about. In the randomness of its results, sport refuses to bow to the physical laws of nature like statistical possibility, cause and effect and fuzzy logic. "If this is anything to go by it’s going to be a hell of a game of cricket," said Hansie Cronje, skipper of the vanquished South African team who had to settle for the rematch against Australia on Thursday. How dearly he would have loved to eliminate the Australians so as to have set up a clash with the journeymen professionals from New Zealand. The cruel hand of destiny had once again played its dirty trick on South Africa dubbed once as the great chokers of the game. Hansie’s dream was not to be and the semifinal schedule is — Pakistan versus New Zealand tomorrow at Old Trafford, Manchester and South Africa versus Australia on Thursday at Edgbaston, Birmingham. The mind will be rather seized by the prospect of the well oiled South African ‘total cricket’ machine taking on the mentally strong Australia who are being dubbed the West Germans of cricket. That may sound like an insult to Stephen Fleming’s men who, however, slipped in almost unnoticed into the semifinals. Steve Waugh knows how much he has rattled the South Africans who have never been in a World Cup final and now have to play and beat Australia just to get there. It showed in the body language as an upset Cronje, at most times the picture of the sporting skipper, brushed into his counterpart’s shoulder after having argued about what territory belonged to whom on the pitch in the famous clash at Headingley. That match waved the magic wand at a dull World Cup and has awoken it to the wonders lying ahead. To see a rematch between South Africa and Australia is to wish it would be possible to recreate the ‘rumble in the jungle’ starring Muhammad Ali. The elder Waugh would be a man very much after Ali’s heart — all fight and little bluster, all muscle and no fat. And then there is, of course, Wasim Akram, a man who has brought Pakistan this far from the abyss they were in only last year. As a professional who has played the international game for 14 years he knows there is no opponent who can be taken lightly. He also knows how easily the basic amateur spirit of his side can throw it away just by relaxing a bit. The Kiwis are journeymen professionals who can seem terribly dull even in the one-day game. Most of the batting is essentially of the plodding type while the microscopic minority who can give the ball a mighty thump like Craig McMillan and Chris Cairns are yet to shine in the competition. If they were to come awake as the Waugh brothers did in the space of a week the Kiwis will be far more competitive than people think. The Edgbaston match that bristles with a million possibilities may monopolise the attention but the one at Old Trafford can be a cliff-hanger, too. At this level of the competition when stumbling one step below the summit can be heart breaking, there is no knowing what despair can do even to those players woefully out of touch. It needs only an adrenalin flow in one or two players to set a team alight. The one problem with the semifinals is the two venues may not produce the best of pitches. There may not be the Lord’s or Headingley type of pitches with their huge run flow, which at once guarantees great one-day matches. Of course, the pitch at Old Trafford for the match of the millennium was not truly prepared because of the thunderstorm the day before. The groundsman would have had more dry time to get it ready for tomorrow’s match. The pitch at Edgbaston has for long been the subject of much controversy that even led to an inquiry. The ball died on it too soon in the course of a day for the chaser to be comfortable. Much the same thing was true of the Old Trafford pitch, which to begin with was itself too slow. Only the fact that the English white ball stays harder for longer period on these lush outfields brought up the level of scoring. It would hardly be fair if one-day cricket were to be a lottery, with the team batting first grabbing the honours. Most matches have gone to sides batting first with the exception of the one at Headingley, where Australia chased to the end for that wonderful finish in the match of the competition. For the sake of a good match at Old Trafford, it must be hoped that New Zealand will bat first and set a target which their slow medium dobblers will defend very well on a slowing pitch. South Africa is a more balanced side with the reappearance of Jacques Kallis, the batsman and now fast bowler, whose absence sends them down quicker than Shaun Pollock. He makes them the true cricket machine,for which they have been called "too robotic". What South Africa have to contend with is their reputation as chokers? They have come a long way since the days when they would falter within sight of the summit, because they got too intense. Will it be any different this time, especially now when they allowed the Australians to come back from the death? The Australians who came
‘out of jail’ last time out take on those who
hate the word chokers. The Kiwis, who take the count of
the southern hemisphere sides to three out of four, take
on those who can self destruct at the touch of a panic
button. Akram is their safety valve, and what fascinating
contests there are in store. — UNI |
Uncharismatic Kiwis live upto ranking LONDON, June 15 (AFP) — Team analysis of the cricket World Cup semifinalists — New Zealand and Pakistan: New Zealand: They came to the tournament ranked as the fourth best one-day side in the world, but branded by Wisden as devoid of charisma. They have lived up to their ranking by reaching the semifinals, some say they have also lived up to their reputation as a team bereft of charm and colour. The Kiwis, however, will not be bothered by that, so long as they succeed in reversing a 62-run first-round defeat to Pakistan and reach their first World Cup final. Coach Steve Rixon knows that the sum of Kiwi’s parts are more than the whole. "Everyone understands the team needs must come first and then the individual needs come after that." Pakistan will not be fooled. The public may not have been dazzled by them, but the workman-like Kiwis are not underestimated by their peers. Chris Harris’ bowling epitomises the team. His slow-medium looks innocuous and better suited to the village-green. Yet his mix of spinners and cutters, some looped and some pushed through, are anathema to batsmen. "People talk of people like Wasim Akram as their jinx bowlers but Harris is mine," says England batsman Michael Atherton. Roger Twose, meanwhile, reflects the team’s doggedness. The left-handed batsman grafts singles rather than smashes boundaries, but wins matches. And in Chris Cairns, skipper Stephen Fleming and left-arm seamer Geoff Allott, who has taken a record 20 wickets during the Cup, New Zealand have real quality. Fleming points out that
New Zealand have yet to play to their potential during
the tournament. If their top players find form against
Pakistan, an upset is possible. |
Kiwis v Pakistan form guide OLD TRAFFORD, June 15 (AFP) — New Zealand v Pakistan semifinal form guide: World Cup results to date: New Zealand: 1st rd-lost to Pakistan by 62 runs, bt Australia by 5 wkts, lost to West Indies by 7 wkts, bt Bangladesh by 6 wkts, bt Scotland by 6 wkts. Super Six - no result against Zimbabwe, lost to South Africa by 74 runs, bt India by 5 wkts. Pakistan: 1st rd-bt New Zealand by 62 runs, bt Australia by 10 runs, bt the West Indies by 27 runs, bt Scotland by 94 runs, lost to Bangladesh by 62 runs. Super Six: lost to South Africa by 3 wkts, lost to India by 47 runs, bt Zimbabwe by 148 runs. Head-to-head: The two teams have not played each other in Test matches or a one-day series in the past year. They have, however, contested one unofficial one-dayer, at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in September. Kiwi skipper Stephen Fleming scored 66 in an 81-run win that saw Pakistan skittled in damp conditions for 134. World cup: Pakistan have won five of their six World Cup matches. New Zealand won the first encounter in 1983, but lost the return in the same tournament. In 1992, New Zealand were beaten at home twice, once in the preliminary league and then in the semifinal, which launched Inzamam-ul Haq on the international stage with a match-winning knock of 60. In 1996, Pakistan won easily by 46 runs at home in Lahore. In the first-round match on May 28 at Derby in this tournament, Pakistan won by 62 runs. Ijaz Ahmed and Inzamam-ul Haq both made half-century, as did Stephen Fleming, while Geoff Allott took four wickets, his performance balanced by Azhar Mahmood’s three. Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester. It is England’s second largest cricket venue after Lord’s and has been used for Test matches since 1884. It entered the record books in 1956 when Jim Laker took all 10 wickets against Australia, a feat emulated by India’s Anil Kumble against Pakistan earlier this year. Hosted two other World
Cup matches between Australia and the West Indies and the
high-profile India v Pakistan game. |
Pak can panic, say Kiwis MANCHESTER, June 15 (Reuters) — New Zealand are happy to play the role of underdogs in tomorrow’s semifinal against Pakistan but they say they do not feel like outsiders. After a practice session at Old Trafford on Monday, captain Stephen Fleming said it was a positive sign for the Kiwis that they had reached the last four despite not hitting top form. "The underdog status is external. Internally we are very determined to do well and have been determined for the last 18 months. So there is nothing lucky about the campaign. There has been a lot of planning," he said. "We have to play better than we have played throughout the tournament. There are certain areas where we haven’t even fired — the top order being one... That is a positive in a way that we can still produce a better performance. "We have got this far without really firing on all guns." The new Zealanders are happy to have been drawn against Pakistan rather than one of the two other semifinalists, South Africa and Australia, because they know the Pakistanis can have their off days. "Pakistan are a very strong side but can fluctuate on form," Fleming said. Kiwi coach Steve Rixon knows his team need to play to their full potential to reach Sunday’s final at Lord’s but he is hoping a few flashes of brilliance from his players can upset Pakistan. "There are still a few guys in the debit column and they have plenty to offer. There has been probably too much done by too few with our side," the former Australian Test player said. "If we happen to get it all together on the day there won’t be a side who can beat us. "They (the Pakistanis) are a terrific side on their day but if you can throw a bit of imbalance in there — something just to change their pattern — obviously they are going to panic like a lot of the sides in the sub-continent do. "When things aren’t going well they tend to get a bit hustled and probably make irrational decisions." The Kiwis, who practised under overcast Manchester skies last afternoon, are expected to to stick with the side who beat India in their final Super Six match on Saturday. Rixon said: "The theme I have been running the last few games is that we have nothing to lose and everything to gain". "If we keep
thinking along those lines, we have to have our day in
the sun soon because we haven’t done it yet." |
Shane Warne a great bowler: Saqlain OLD TRAFFORD, June 15 (AFP) — Pakistan’s Saqlain Mushtaq, World Cup’s most successful spin bowler, threw his backing behind embattled Shane Warne here today, saying he was still a top-class performer. Saqlain said the Australian leg spinner should ignore critics writing off his career, although he did suggest Warne’s recent shoulder problems could be hampering him. "He is great bowler," he said. "I suppose the injury is at the back of his mind. "But Warne on his day can still destroy any line-up in the world. That man has amazing control." Saqlain lines up against New Zealand here tomorrow in the first semifinal of the World Cup. Warne, who had shoulder surgery last year, plays against South Africa in the second semis on Thursday at Edgbaston. The 22-year-old Saqlain has 16 wickets at the World Cup, bettered only by pace bowlers Geoff Allott of New Zealand (20) and South Africa’s Lance Klusener (17). His wickets, which include only the second hat-trick claimed in the tournament’s 24-year history, have cost him 20.12 runs apiece. The 29-year-old Warne, who has 12 victims at 24.91, has been under fire for failing to perform as well as expected. His captain Steve Waugh warned last week that Warne could quit the game because of the criticism. Saqlain, who bowls off spin but who also has a highly-effective "slider" that goes the other way, said he had one major advantage. "The main reason, probably, is that I have played two seasons here with Surrey in England and know the wickets well," the Lahore bowler said. "I have bowled here day in and day out. "My hat-trick came at The Oval, which is like a second home for me. "I get a lot of encouragement from everyone there — the players, the members, even the stewards". "I only heard afterwards that I was the second bowler to get a hat-trick. I was delighted. It’s my second hat-trick against Zimbabwe; I got one in a one-dayer in Peshawar in 1996-97." England’s early-summer pitches were expected to favour seamers rather than spinners. Saqlain’s Pakistan team-mate Mushtaq Ahmed also has experience of playing in England, with Somerset, but has yet to be given a game. Saqlain said: "In England in May and June, the wickets have a lot of moisture and spinners don’t get much bite from the pitch. "As the season goes on, the wickets become drier, develop cracks and you get bite and turn. "I have done well
at The Oval because the pitch has bounce. I haven’t
used much flight, I’ve just tried to keep batsmen
quiet and frustrate them. The ball which goes away from
the batsman has got me a lot of wickets." |
David Houghton not making excuses LONDON, June 15 (AP) — Zimbabwe coach David Houghton isn’t making any excuses for his team’s elimination from the World Cup, saying yesterday that they didn’t deserve to reach the final four. A former Zimbabwe captain, Houghton watched his team’s best ever chance of making the semifinals evaporate over the weekend as New Zealand and Australia grabbed the last two berths with last-gasp wins. "To be honest, we didn’t deserve to make the semifinals after failing to win a single Super Six match,’’ Houghton said. "Yes, we had an anxious time waiting for the last two matches over the weekend, but we shouldn’t have left things to that,’’ said Houghton. "Things were in our hands...we went into the Super Six with the maximum four points but only managed one points from the rain-forced abandonment against New Zealand". "How could one aspire to make the semifinals without winning even one Super Six match?’’ Zimbabwe went into the weekend in third place in the Super Six standings on five points but their chance of advancing into the semifinals slipped away by a sequence of adverse results. New Zealand beat India
on Saturday to move to five points but edged ahead of
Zimbabwe on run-rate. Australia defeated South Africa by
five wickets yesterday to finish in No. 2 spot on six
points. |
Probe poor showing by India,
PM urged ROHTAK, June 15 — Mr Krishan Murti Hooda, a former minister, has urged the Prime Minister to order an inquiry into the humiliating performance of the Indian Cricket team in the World Cup. Mr Hooda, a former Ranji player who had represented Haryana and North Zone in domestic cricket, said the performance of the team had disappointed Indians. The former minister, in a letter to Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee regretted that even after the lacklustre performance of Mohammad Azharuddin and his failure to motivate the players, the BCCI President, Mr Raj Singh Dungarpur, and the selection committee Chairman, Mr Ajit Wadekar, were shielding him. "It seems that they are hand-in-glove with each other and were interested in maintaining their stronghold on the BCCI only to further their "own interests, he said. Since the entire nation is involved sentimentally and emotionally in the game of cricket, the government must step in to take appropriate action and probe into the functioning of the BCCI". He said that the BCCI had been commercialised and a majority of its office-bearers had very little experience of the game and had not played much cricket as compared to internationally renowned cricketers like Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Bishan Singh Bedi, Mansur Ali Pataudi, E.A.S. Parsanna, Dalip Sardesai, Dalip Vengsarkar, B.S. Chandershekhar and Hanumant Singh. Why such talented people were being kept out of the management of the board and the selection committee, needed to be probed, he said. The politics of
selection committee in choosing the team should also be a
subject of inquiry, he said. Though the players got good
contracts and tax-free payments, why they are attracted
towards more lucrative offers made by the multinationals
and concentrate more on modelling than on the game. |
Under Azhar
team was bound CALCUTTA, June 15 (PTI) — Former Test Cricketer Pankaj Roy today said Indian Captain Mohammed Azharuddin’s poor captaincy and batting form were largely responsible for the team’s failure to enter the World Cup semi-finals. "Azhar seemed to be totally out of form and some of his decisions as captain defied logic. With such a captain, the team was bound to suffer," Roy said at a book-release function here. He said the same team performed brilliantly under Ajay Jadeja’s captaincy in Sharjah just before the World Cup but it failed to perform under Azhar’s leadership. "Azhar’s
body language said it all. I think he is no longer fit to
play. Strangely, he still gets support from many
people," Roy said. "Everyone knows we are not good chasers and yet Azhar decided to field. The early dismissals of the top order batsmen put enormous pressure on the team," he said. Roy was also not in favour of sending star batsman Sachin Tendulkar to open the innings in England where the ball moves appreciably in the early stages. "We
should have protected our best batsman when the ball was
swinging. It would have given plenty of confidence to the
top order batsmen" he added. |
Azhar, six others to stay back MUMBAI, June 15 (PTI) — Seven members of the beaten Indian World Cup team, including skipper Mohammad Azharuddin and coach Anshuman Gaekwad, are not returning home with the touring party which is scheduled to reach here early tomorrow morning. "Azharuddin, Gaekwad, Sachin Tendulkar, Ajit Agarkar, Ajay Jadeja, Robin Singh and Rahul Dravid have decided to stay back while Venkatesh Prasad has already returned home," cricket board Executive Secretary Sharad Diwadkar said here today. "Javagal Srinath, Nayan Mongia, Sadagopan Ramesh, Saurav Ganguly, Anil Kumble, Debashish Mohanty and manager Brijesh Patel would land in Mumbai while three others - Nikhil Chopra, Amay Khurasia and Dr Ravinder Chadha - are scheduled to fly to Delhi directly from London," Mr Diwadkar added. "No comments,"
said Mr Diwadkar when queried whether Azharuddin and
Gaekwad are not returning with the team in order to avoid
facing the media here due to the team’s failure to
reach the World Cup semifinals after the rousing send-off
from Mumbai on April 23. |
Steve Waugh wins admiration in Pak KARACHI, June 15 (AFP) — Australian skipper Steve Waugh has become an overnight star here after his heroics gifted Pakistan a comfortable-looking route to the cricket World Cup final. Waugh’s match-winning century against South Africa yesterday meant that Pakistan will face New Zealand, the weakest surviving team, in the semifinals. Wasim Akram’s team has already beaten the Kiwis once in the competition, outclassing them in the first-round stage. Fans danced in the streets here, shouting "We love you, Steve" after the Australian victory. "Let them (Australia and South Africa) fight for the berth in the final. We are already in the final," said fan Nasir Siddiqui. The draw against New Zealand, he said, was "a good omen and is a signal for us that we might win the World Cup again." Pakistan beat New Zealand in the 1992 semifinals on the way to the title. "Obviously playing against tough teams and an easy team like New Zealand is different," said another supporter, Muwwahid Hussain. "It is better to go for a duel in the final rather than in the semis." But some were more cautious over Pakistan’s chances. "They can defeat anybody and are also capable of losing to the team like Bangladesh," warned teenager Wassey Farooqui.
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Perfect stage for hit-and-miss Cairns OLD TRAFFORD, June 15 (AFP) — No designer could have produced a more perfect set for Chris Cairns than a World Cup semi-final between New Zealand and Pakistan. The match, in which Pakistan are seen as big favourites, may decide once and for all whether the 29-year-old will be remembered as a wolf or as one of the sheep. The Canterbury all-rounder has always looked the part as an explosive number six batsman and pace bowler. But his critics say there have been few major contributions in the games that matter. Only last year, former New Zealand coach Glenn Turner branded him both undisciplined and prone to uncontrollable rages. No game could be bigger than tomorrow’s encounter with Pakistan here. New Zealand have reached three previous semi-finals but never made the final. Earlier in this tournament, however, Cairns delivered at a key time and against top opponents. After conceding more than six an over in a wicketless seven-over spell against Australia, he found himself striding to the crease with New Zealand staring defeat — and an early World Cup exit — at 49 for four. Cairns, son of former test star Lance, played the perfect foil to Roger Twose, hitting 60 including five fours and three sixes during a 148-run stand that sealed a five-wicket win. Cairns, who had three spells at English county Nottinghamshire — where he was nicknamed "sheep" — is determined to be remembered in his own right rather than as the son of a famous father. He says: "My father was a more of a basher down the order, who bowled medium-paced in-swingers. I bat up the order and bowl quick. The only similarity we have is our ability to hit sixes." The son, after 35 Tests, boasts a batting average of 27.69 and 109 wickets at 32.73. The father, in 43, averaged 16.28 with the bat and took 130 wickets at 32.92. Chris, whose bowling has been badly hampered by back injuries in recent years, has the upper hand in one-dayers, with almost 2,500 runs — twice as many as his father — and 105 wickets to Lance’s 89. But for many, Chris Cairns should be comparing himself instead with the leading all-rounders of the game. There, he has been found wanting. His best bowling in the World Cup, three for 19 off seven overs, they say, came against the minnows of Bangladesh. Faced with the big boys — bar the Australians — he fared less well. Against Pakistan in the
first round, he was cracked for 46 off seven overs,
taking just one wicket, and was then dismissed for a duck
as New Zealand were outclassed. |
Highest scores at World Cup LONDON, June 15 (AP) — The top ten scores at the cricket World Cup: Saurav Ganguly, India, 183 (vs Sri Lanka). Rahul Dravid, India, 145 (vs Sri Lanka). Sachin Tendulkar, India, 140 not out (vs Kenya). Neil Johnson, Zimbabwe, 132 not out (vs Australia). Steve Waugh, Australia, 120 not out (vs South Africa). Rahul Dravid, India, 104 not out (vs Kenya). Mark Waugh, Australia, 104 (vs Zimbabwe). Saeed Anwar, Pakistan, 103 (vs Zimbabwe). Herschelle Gibbs, South Africa, 101 (vs Australia). Ajay Jadeja, India, 100
not out (vs Australia). |
Cricketer of Year award for Lara LONDON, June 15 (AFP) — West Indies captain Brian Lara has been named Federation of International Cricketers’ Association's International Cricketer of the Year. Jacques Kallis, the 23-year-old South African all-rounder, won the ‘International Young Player of the Year’, award. Lara has played some inspiring innings in difficult circumstances to lead the West Indies team by example, the judges said, while Kallis’s impressive and consistent all-round performances brought him his honour. Both players were presented with Waterford crystal trophies at a celebrity dinner in London’s Savoy hotel, attended by more than 300 guests, including Test cricketers from around the world. Lara scored 212 not out in the second Test against Australia at Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica, on March 14. The innings saw him join a select band of Test cricketers to score three double centuries at top level. His others were his world record Test score of 375 against England in 1993-94 and his 277 against Australia at Sydney in the season 1992-93.
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Sampras, Hingis top seeds at Wimbledon LONDON, June 15 (DPA) — Pete Sampras moved back to No 1 status and promptly landed the top seeding for the Wimbledon Championships, but returning veteran Boris Becker was left out of the list of protected players, yesterday. As expected, five-time winner Sampras was installed as top seed by the committee, ahead of Australian Pat Rafter, No 3 Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia, Andre Agassi and fifth-seeded former champion Richard Krajicek. The committee jumped the ATP tour ranking queue with a handful of the better grass court players, shoving Australian Mark Philippoussis, American Todd Martin and last year’s finalist Goran Ivanisevic up several places from their current ranking spots. A prominent clay-court player, who did not figure in the grass-court mix is Chile’s Marcelo Rios. Spaniard Alex Corretja is not playing the event, while compatriot Carlos Moya was seeded 12th, down two spots from his actual ranking. Becker is playing at Wimbledon for the final time after two years of semi-retirement. Speculation was that the 31-year-old three-time holder might be awarded a seeding as a final goodwill gesture. "Boris will be a dangerous floater," said Sampras. Instead, compatriots Tommy Haas and Halle tournament winner Nicolas Kiefer were seeded 14th and 15th respectively. Sampras is looking forward to the Wimbledon fortnight starting next Monday. But he is trying to avoid any unnecessary pressure. "If I was 27 and had not won there, I’d feel a lot of pressure," he said. "I feel comfortable playing there." "I’ve won a number of times and have nothing to prove." World No 1 Martina Hingis was assigned the top women’s spot, ahead of veteran French Open champion Steffi Graf, a seven-time champion. American Lindsay Davenport is third, followed by compatriot Monica Seles, defending champion Jana Novotna and American Venus Williams on sixth. Graf beat Hingis in the Paris finale a week ago, while Novotna is hoping to be ready to play after a serious ankle sprain in Paris which would keep her out of singles play at this week’s Eastbourne tune-up event. Novotna (30) had been seeded second for Eastbourne behind Monica Seles. "After the sprain, I was hoping to still play singles but, unfortunately, I won’t be able to do that," the Czech said. "I’ll play doubles with Natasha (Zvereva) and will continue to prepare for Wimbledon." "With further rest and practice I’m hopeful everything will be all right by Wimbledon." NEWARK (New Jersey), (AP): Jana Novotna said she’s recovered enough from a painful ankle sprain to defend her Wimbledon singles title next week. "I have to just be prepared ... To struggle and to fight," Novotna said on Monday. The Czech star won’t defend her Eastbourne Championship this week to avoid re-injuring the right ankle she sprained when she collided with her partner, Natasha Zvereva, in the French Open doubles quarterfinals. She said she would play doubles at Eastbourne to get grass-court preparation. "My Goal, ultimately, after my sprain back in Paris, was to be able to play at Wimbledon," Novotna said in a telephone conference call. "Now my aim is to get better every day." Novotna was taken off the court in Paris in a wheelchair after she and Zvereva both went to cover the same ball and collided. Novotna twisted her ankle when she stepped on Zvereva’s foot. She suffered a partial tear in one of her ligaments. Novotna didn’t play for eight days and underwent 10 to 12 days of "intense therapy" after the June 2 injury. She called the women’s tournament a "very open Wimbledon," but praised French Open champion Steffi Graf, who upset top-ranked Martina Hingis in the finals. "I think we all pretty much know who has the best shot to win Wimbledon this year," Novotna said: "Look at the French Open." She said the injury, and her recent breakup with former doubles partner Hingis, hasn’t hurt her opinion of doubles. "Yes, occasionally it happens that you don’t get along anymore with your partner," Novotna said. But "all the other benefits that you have from playing doubles are just incredible." "It just helps you to pick up your game. It just gives you extra practice," she said. Novotna and Zvereva are
playing doubles at Wimbledon. |
Australian eves move into final BRISBANE, June 15 (Reuters) — Australia’s women thrashed South Korea 6-0 today to secure a place in Saturday’s final of the Champions Trophy hockey tournament. The Australians, who beat the Koreans to win gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, maintained their dominance over their Asian rivals with a surprisingly one-sided victory. The result ensured that Australia were guaranteed a place in Saturday’s title match after winning their first four games in the six-nation competition while the Koreans stayed rooted to the bottom after suffering their fourth straight loss. Australia, the Olympic, World and Champions Trophy title holders, led 1-0 at halftime after a goal by Rechelle Hawkes in 23rd minute but piled on another five in the second term. Striker Alyson Annan scored twice while Claire Mitchell-Taverner, Bianca Langham and Michelle Andres each found the net. Germany kept alive their hopes of making the final when they beat New Zealand 4-1 in today’s other match. The Kiwis took a
surprise lead after 24 minutes when Moira Senior scored
before the Germans equalised through Nadine
Ernsting-Krinke two minutes before halftime. |
H
Jalandhar beat Patiala PATIALA, June 15 (FOSR) — Chasing Patiala's total of 253 for 4. Jalandhar turned the tables on the hosts who went down fighting by four wickets in the one-day Katoch Shield league match played at the Dhruv Pandove Stadium here today. Scores: Patiala: 253 for 4 in 50 overs (P. Dharmani 150. Binwant 45, S. Kapuria 20, Harman Harry 34 n.o., P. Kalia 3 for 48) (Jalandhar 255 for 6 in 49 overs: Amit Sharma 91 n.o., Ankur Sondhi 46, Vikram 37, S. Kapuria 2 for 23). Ludhiana beat Mohali LUDHIANA, June 15 (FOSR) — Ludhiana inflicted an eight-wicket crushing defeat on Mohali in the one-day match of the Punjab State Inter-District (summer league) Cricket Tournament at the SD Government College ground here today. Ludhiana first restricted the visitors to a modest total of 93 runs in 31.3 over in which their wicket-keeper Devinder gave a good account of himself claiming five victims behind the stumps. Ludhiana made the required runs in just 23 overs after losing two wickets. Brief scores: Mohali 93 all out in 31.3 overs (Jatinder 20, Sanjay Mahajan 14, Mohit Khanna 2 for 2, Manav Dhuppar 3 for 20, Shiva 2 for 19, Bharat Bhushan 1 for 12, Gagandeep Singh 1 for 13, Mithun Gupta 1 for 18). Ludhiana 94 for 2 in 23 overs ( Ankur Kakkar 22 n.o., Rakesh Saini 38. Manav Dhuppar 13, Rajan Singh 8 n.o., Navdeep Singh 1 for 13). Mukesh wins chess title JALANDHAR, June 15 (FOSR) — Mukesh Kumar with four points emerged winner in the Jalandhar Chess Championship which concluded at KCL Public School, GT Road, here. H.K. Tiwari was the runner-up as he drew his last game against Mukesh. J.S. Cheema and Brij Mohan bagged the third and fourth positions, respectively.The players who got the first eight positions will represent Jalandhar at the Punjab State 'B' Chess Tournament to be held at Patiala. Mr H.S. Modgill (PCS) distributed the prizes. Final positions: 1. Mukesh Kumar, 2. H.K. Tiwari, 3. J.S. Cheema, 4. Brij Mohan, 5. G.S. Dhillon, 6. Ved Prakash, 7. Hardayal Singh, 8. Ankur Sachar, 9. Sandeep Kohli, 10. Anand Preet. Punjab wrestlers win 9 medals JALANDHAR, June 15 (FOSR) — Punjab wrestling team won four gold, one silver and three bronze medals in the recently-concluded National Sub-Junior wrestling Championship for boys and girls at Jind, according to Mr Kartar Singh President, Punjab Wrestling Association. In boys section
Parminder Singh won gold medal in +85 kg in freestyle
while in gerco Roman Gurvinder Singh won gold medal in 63
kg. Rajinder Singh won silver medal in 54 kg and Om
Prakash and Bhupinder Thakur won bronze medals in 46 and
58 kg, respectively. |
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