Hingis shocked by qualifier
LONDON, June 22 — World number one Martina Hingis was humiliated 6-2 6-0 by 16-year-old qualifier Jelena Dokic in the first round of the women’s singles today in one of the biggest shocks in recent Wimbledon history.

Hingis' behaviour was unusual: Kournikova
WIMBLEDON, June 22 — No, she’s not dating Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo. No, she doesn’t have a boyfriend. And no, she doesn’t mind the media attention that has made her a Wimbledon cover girl.

Navratilova slams Martina Hingis
LONDON, June 22 — Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has slammed world number one Martina Hingis following her petulant behaviour at the recent French Open final.

NEW YORK : World chess champion Gary Kasparov makes his symbolic first move on a giant game board in New York's Bryant Park as he begins the "Kasparov vs. The World" tournament on Monday. The tournament will be played over the Internet with moves suggested to World Team Coaches via the MSN Network — AP/PTI

Kasparov vs world on Internet NEW YORK, June 22 — World chess champion Garry Kasparov, who played two historic matches against a supercomputer, yesterday made his first move against worldwide adversaries in a game on the Internet. Heart of World cricket beats in Asia LONDON, June 21 — A carnival of cricket was always a dubious marketing gimmick in a country where carnivals are as scarce as rum punches and beach barbecues.

Ex-players jealous of me: Azharuddin
MUMBAI, June 22 — After a dismal individual display in the World Cup, skipper Mohammed Azharuddin has hit out at a few former cricketers-turned-columnists by accusing them of being jealous of him.

Akram, others face fresh probe
ISLAMABAD, June 22 — The humiliating defeat at Lord’s last Sunday is going to cost the Pakistani cricket team much more than the World Cup amidst renewed charges of match-fixing and betting against some of the senior players and a move to initiate fresh inquiry into such allegations.

Aussies plead with Warne to stay on
Sydney, June 22 — Shane Warne’s Australian teammates have pleaded with him to stay on after he insisted he was still contemplating retiring from the game.

Tamil Nadu move into last 8
BANGALORE, June 22 — Tamil Nadu defeated Delhi 3-2 while Bombay swamped Bhopal 4-2 to enter the quarterfinal stage from pool ‘E’ and pool ‘B’ respectively in the Junior National Hockey Championship here today.

Bhutia Asian Player of the Month
KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 — Bhaichung Bhutia was today named Asian Player of the Month for May after leading India to their second straight South Asian title.

Hingis shocked by qualifier

LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) — World number one Martina Hingis was humiliated 6-2 6-0 by 16-year-old qualifier Jelena Dokic in the first round of the women’s singles today in one of the biggest shocks in recent Wimbledon history.

The top seed was outclassed and outplayed in every department by the Australian in an astonishing court one performance.

Spaniard Arantxa Sanchez Vicario proved once again she is the comeback queen of women’s tennis when she beat Hungarian debutante Anna Maria Foldenyi 4-6 6-3 6-4 in the first round.

The Barcelona baseline specialist, who has twice been toppled by Steffi Graf in the Wimbledon final, was sadly out of sorts in a bludgeoning battle against a young opponent who refused to be overawed on her first Wimbledon appearance.

The seventh seed had to come back from a set and 2-0 down to avoid becoming the first seed to be knocked out of the world’s most prestigious tournament.

Dokic, world junior champion last year, broke Hingis twice in the first set and then looked in a class of her own for the rest of the match.

She made the Swiss star look like a novice, running her around the court and smashing winners past her at will, before completing the sensational shock victory in just 54 minutes.

"It’s amazing, just amazing," she said afterwards as 1987 men’s champion Pat Cash embraced her afterwards.

Hingis, 18, and Wimbledon champion in 1997, looked bewildered and out-of-sorts. She has not played a singles tournament since the French Open at the beginning of the month where she was heavily criticised for her petulant behaviour when losing the final to Steffi Graf.

She last lost in the first round of a Grand Slam at Wimbledon in 1995. The last time a Wimbledon top seed was beaten in the opening round was when Steffi Graf lost to Lori McNeil in 1994.

Sanchez Vicario raced to a 4-2 lead in the first set and an easy victory looked on the cards on court two, known as the graveyard of champions because the title chances of so many champions have been buried there.

Then her consistency deserted her against Foldenyi who went for her shots and troubled Sanchez Vicario repeatedly with her heavily sliced forehand. Foldanyi won six games on the trot to take the first set and pull away in the second.

But Sanchez Vicario, four times a Grand Slam winner, dug deep as she has so many times before to reel off five games, racing to a 5-2 lead in the second set, dropping her serve and then putting the match back on an even keel at one set all.

Both players lost their serve twice in the first four games of the final set. But the feisty Spaniard’s experience finally told as she broke Foldenyi’s serve for the final time in the 10th game.

The Spaniard was joined in the second round by 11th seed Barbara Schett who beat Spain’s Gala Leon Garcia 7-5 6-2. The Austrian has never made it past the second round before here.

Another Wimbledon first timer, Meghann Shaughnessy of the USA beat Spain’s Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the second round where she will play Elena Wagner of Germany who beat Britain’s Abigail Tordoff 6-0 6-2.

In the men’s singles there were easy first round victories for Karim Alami, the graceful Moroccan, who beat Laurence Tieleman of Italy 6-4 6-2 6-4.

Australian Lleyton Hewitt, seen by many as a good outside bet for the men’s title, also cruised past Marcelo Filippini of Uruguay 6-2 6-2 6-1 in his first Wimbledon appearance.

Hewitt, 18, lost to Pete Sampras in the semifinals of the Queen’s Grass Court Tournament two weeks ago and won the claycourt tournament at Delray Neach in May.

"There were a few nerves at first but the court was playing into my hands so I settled down pretty quickly," Hewitt said.

Holder Jana Novotna got through the drama of her spriained ankle with an easy 6-2, 6-1 win over Shi-Ting Wang of Taipei.

Hingis' behaviour was unusual: Kournikova

WIMBLEDON, June 22 (AP) — No, she’s not dating Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo. No, she doesn’t have a boyfriend. And no, she doesn’t mind the media attention that has made her a Wimbledon cover girl.

Anna Kournikova dodged a dangerous first-round opponent yesterday, beating Barbara Schwartz 7-6 (7-2), 4-6, 6-2. Then she shrugged off questions about her life off the court.

"I just concentrate on my tennis," she said. "I’m here to play."

But for London tabloids and a swarm of photographers, the tennis is incidental. Kournikova, 18, is an international celebrity even though she’s yet to win a tournament, much less a Grand Slam.

And so at her postmatch news conference, the main line of inquiry was about her boyfriend. When Ronaldo was mentioned, Kournikova ruled out any romantic link with a polite smile.

"The last time I saw him was the only time I saw him, at the French Open last year," Kournikova said.

She was seen on Sunday at the All-England Club with her frequent companion, NHL star Sergei Federov, but said: "I don’t have any boyfriend."

Has she split up with Federov?

"No comment to that," she said.

Does she want a boyfriend?

"I have no comment," she said.

To Kournikova’s credit, she’d rather talk about tennis, and she looked impressive against Schwartz, a hard-hitting left-hander who upset Venus Williams at the French Open.

"It was a tough match," Kournikova said. "I’m happy that I went through the first round. That’s the most important one."

The victory moved Kournikova closer to a potential quarterfinal showdown against seven-time Wimbledon champion Steffi Graf.

Kournikova says grass is her favourite surface, and she reached the semifinals in her only previous Wimbledon appearance two years ago. She missed last year’s tournament with a thumb injury.
Kournikova said her game has benefited from playing doubles with top-ranked Martina Hingis. They won the Australian Open in January, reached the final of the French Open last month and won in Eastbourne last week.

"It’s been great," Kournikova said. "We have a great friendship and support each other and help each other. I learn a lot by playing with her, little things that I’m not going to tell you, and she’s a very nice person.’’

Kournikova admitted that Hingis’ behaviour was unusual in the French Open final against Graf. Hingis argued repeatedly with the umpire, drew jeers from the crowd and cried after the match.

"It’s very hard for anyone to judge," Kournikova said. The only people who know how emotional it was are Steffi and Martina. It’s very difficult to judge the emotions that the players are going through when we play. ...

It wasn’t something outrageous. We’ve seen something crazy before, reacting to line calls, with (John) McEnroe or whoever. I don’t think it was something new for tennis. It was just something new in women’s tennis."

What makes Steffi Graf nervous?

WIMBLEDON, June 22 (AP) — She’s won 22 Grand Slams singles titles, rejuvenated her career two weeks ago taking the French Open, and has run up $ 21 million in tennis earnings.

So what makes Steffi Graf nervous? It certainly wasn’t her easy opening victory yesterday at Wimbledon over Ludmila Cervanova 6-1, 6-4, picked up with without a hint of serve and volley as she bids for an eighth Wimbledon singles title.

"I’m keeping that for a more important time," said the second-seeded Graf.

What worries her is teaming with John McEnroe in mixed doubles. The other day he described her as a "tennis goddess." Now that’s pressure.

"I’ve never had that (comparison) ever. I appreciate it," said Graf, cracking a slight smile.

"I don’t know what to say, but I hope it doesn’t make me more nervous playing with him. I admire his talents so much. That’s the one player I’ve always enjoyed the most watching."

Her second-round match with Mariaan De Swardt also has her concerned. Four years ago at Brighton, England, De Swardt beat Graf in three sets, which Graf said" was the best a woman ever played against me."

De Swardt defeated American Jolene Watanabe 6-1, 6-4 yesterday

It’s not going to be an easy second round," Graf said.

Graf, who turned 30 just a few days ago, is two short of Martina Navratilova’s record nine Wimbledon singles titles and also two shy of Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam singles crowns.

Her shock announcement after the French that she wouldn’t return has prompted British newspapers to suggest that, if she win, this will also be her last Wimbledon.

"I don’t know," she said. "I really don’t. It’s nothing that I think about right now. It (the French) is something that came in a moment after the finals and it’s nothing that I thought about any earlier than that."

Graf said winning the French hadn’t changed a thing. Well, not much.

"It’s not that I feel I need to do anything different after Paris," she said. "It took something away — not pressure - but it made it easier."

Against Cervanova, Graf dipped low to slice her backhands, and hit her famous forehand with off-and-on authority. There was no sign of knee surgery and back problems that kept her out of four Grand Slams until she returned here a year ago, only to lose in the third round.

In the last few weeks I’ve been able to train more than I’d been able to before Paris,’’ she said. "I felt that in Paris I wasn’t serving as well as I could and I know that’s going to be important for here."

But is her speed - her most important weapon - what it used to be?

"I hope it’s still a big asset," she replied, "I feel pretty good out there for my age."

Navratilova slams Martina Hingis

LONDON, June 22 (AFP) — Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has slammed world number one Martina Hingis following her petulant behaviour at the recent French Open final.

Naturalised American Navratilova claims Hingis, dubbed the Swiss Miss, overstepped the mark when she served underhand and was reluctant to participate in the victory ceremony.

Navratilova’s words are all the more poignant as Hingis was named by her tennis-mad parents after the nine-times former Wimbledon champion.

Hingis was born in Slovakia and Prague-born Navratilova was a hero in the then united country of Czechoslovakia.

Navratilova told the BBC: "Initially I felt the crowd was unfair to get on her back but in the end she went too far.

"She showed great disrespect for Steffi Graf. I think she went too far with that underhand serve. She wanted to show off to the crowd."

"I think she was embarrassed to be losing. A few years ago she said Steffi was too old for tennis and there she was losing to her on clay."

"The crowd really turned on her."

Hingis has also been criticised for apparent jibes at opponents such as Jana Novotna and Amelie Mauresmo.

Navratilova also hit out at officials at the All England Club claiming their refusal to give parity to men’s and women’s prize funds was not helping the game’s progress.

Paes knocked out in 1st round

LONDON, June 22 (PTI) — India’s tennis spearhead Leander Paes floundered a perfect chance of scoring his first men’s singles win at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships when he lost to qualifier Andre Sa of Brazil here yesterday.

Paes, world ranked 102, was stunned by the Brazilian, who played a perfect grass court tennis foiling the Indian’s ambition of reaching second round at the all England Club with a 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) win.

India number one Paes, who sneaked into the main draw of men’s singles event here with his two title triumphs in ATP Challengers back home, had nothing but himself to blame for the loss.

He served, returned and volleyed well, but his Latin American opponent was one step ahead in smashing amazing groundstrokes down the line.

Earlier this year Sa played in Delhi Challenger and was knocked out in the first round. Paes, who eventually won the event, however, had no clue to Sa’s style of play and paid the price for it.

The defeat should not put off Paes as nothing much was expected of him in the singles. He and fellow Indian, Mahesh Bhupathi start their doubles campaign tomorrow where the world number one pair has been top seeded.

Tamil Nadu move into last 8

BANGALORE, June 22 (PTI) — Tamil Nadu defeated Delhi 3-2 while Bombay swamped Bhopal 4-2 to enter the quarterfinal stage from pool ‘E’ and pool ‘B’ respectively in the Junior National Hockey Championship here today.

In pool ‘E’, Delhi went into the lead in the third minute through N Sanjeet Kumar, but Tamil Nadu’s Mohammed Nawaz equalised in the 20th minute.

The Delhi boys exploited the openings given to them by Tamil Nadu who were circumspect early on. In the 37th minute, Dinesh shot into the goal mouth to put Delhi ahead (2-1).

Tamil Nadu, however, tightened their game and drew level through Ranganathan off a penalty corner conversion (2-2). They then got the winning goal in the 63rd minute when Mohammed Nawaz’s brilliant flick brooked no answer.

Tamil Nadu had won both their earlier matches, defeating Madhya Bharat 8-1 and Assam 16-0.

In pool ‘B’, Asad Khan of Bombay struck twice in his team’s win against Bhopal 4-2.

Bhopal needed to win against Bombay to make it to the quarter final stage, while their opponents required a draw having a better goal average.

Shahid Bag scored the first goal for Bhopal in the 34th minute with a superb deflection off a Fairzan-ur Rahman cross. Bombay restored parity after Sunil Singh scored off a penalty corner at the breather.

In the closing stages, Bhopal’s citadel fell thrice under sustained pressure from Bombay. In the 68th minute, Asad Khan scored a superb goal (2-1) and immediately after Robindro Singh scored off a penalty corner (3-1). However, Shahid Bag, who played his heart out, struck a brilliant goal from the centre to pull one back for his team (2-3)

A few seconds before the final whistle Asad Khan shattered Bhopal’s dreams of making it to the last eight when he scored off a Vikram Rasquina pass.

In pool ‘D’, Karnataka ousted Nagaland 5-1. Mandanna (5th minute), Biknu Munda (17th), Arjun Malappa (21st), Arvind Kumar (36th) and Ajaya Aiyappa (63rd) scored for the winners. Avtar Singh scored the goal for the losers in the 43rd minute off a penalty corner.

In pool ‘E’, Madhya Bharat thrashed Assam 6-0. Naresh Saxena netted three goals while Vikas Shrvas two and Brijraj S. Tomar one.

Manipur defeated Andhra Pradesh 3-2 in pool ‘F’.

Ex-players jealous of me: Azharuddin

MUMBAI, June 22 (PTI) — After a dismal individual display in the World Cup, skipper Mohammed Azharuddin has hit out at a few former cricketers-turned-columnists by accusing them of being jealous of him.

In an interview in the June 28 issue of "India Today" the beleaguered Indian captain has a dig at cricketers-turned-journalists and the media for criticising him.

To a question why he attracted so much criticism, Azhar said, "I think it’s professional jealousy from players-turned-journalists and the media. If they don’t criticise my name every day, they have no articles, nothing to say. They are putting wrong things in people’s minds. They (former players) should know the game only looks easy from the outside".

The skipper, who chose not to return with team members who came home a few days ago, has also refused to quit since there is so much criticism.

"Why should I quit because people are writing different things? From inside I’m very tough. Why should I back out? I don’t think that’s the right attitude", he said.

Asked whether he thought he had something left to prove Azhar replied, "I’ve got a lot of cricket left in me. Bad patches come and go. People shouldn’t look at age but performance. I haven’t had a great World Cup but a decent one".

Azhar blamed lack of consistency for India’s World Cup loss.

"We were just not consistent. We had many partnerships but then we lost wickets like against South Africa, Pakistan and New Zealand".

Azhar also deflected criticism why he did not send out word to the batsmen at the crease (Saurav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid) to accelerate when India were 190 for one in their Cup opener against South Africa at Hove on May 15.

"At that level if I start sending messages after every ball, it would mean I’m playing for them. When you look at the scoreboard you should be able to judge and decide for yourself", he replied.

The skipper has also blamed excess of cricket for the team’s patchy show.

"We’ve played a lot of cricket and there’s lot of physical and mental strain. If you play 100 matches you can’t win them all", he said.

He said the India was playing too much cricket. "This is a fact. I don’t want to go against the board but the schedule is tough".

About the controversy over the closing stages of the match against Zimbabwe which India lost narrowly and proved costly for the team in the longer run, Azhar said, "With four runs needed off seven balls there’s no need for a message. It’s just common sense".

"The Indian cricket board will deal with that", he replied about Sunil Gavaskar’s demand for an inquiry into what happened in that match.

Match-fixing
Akram, others face fresh probe

ISLAMABAD, June 22 (PTI) — The humiliating defeat at Lord’s last Sunday is going to cost the Pakistani cricket team much more than the World Cup amidst renewed charges of match-fixing and betting against some of the senior players and a move to initiate fresh inquiry into such allegations.

Former Pakistani skipper Aamir Sohail has renewed his allegation that senior members of the team were involved in betting and that was the only reason for the World Cup debacle while the chairman of a parliamentary committee has said that a decision has been taken to start a fresh probe into betting allegations against four senior players, including captain Wasim Akram.

Syed Aqeel Shah, a member of the special senate committee which was looking into betting charges, told the popular Urdu daily ‘Nawa-e-Waqt’ that the three-member panel had decided to start a fresh inquiry because the hopeless performance in the World Cup final against Australia has strengthened the betting and match-fixing allegations against some leading players.

"Now it seems that betting was also behind the World Cup matches," he said, adding the Pakistani cricketers played like novices in the June 20 final.

Outspoken ex-captain Aamir Sohail alleged in the ‘Frontier Post’ in Lahore, "There is no other reason for the defeat (in the World Cup final) but betting. I had informed the nation about this trend long ago."

Sohail, one of the best opening batsmen produced by Pakistan in recent times, had made such allegations against some members of the team about two years ago which had led to Pakistan Cricket Board slapping a two-year ban on him because he had failed to prove the charges.

He said, "I still believe Pakistan lost the final for money. There is absolutely no technical reason to point out why Pakistan failed to measure up Australia in a title match."

"I am not under any illusion about Pakistan team’s ability, but at the same time it is a plain undiluted fact that the final was lost to make money in millions," said the ex-skipper who was stripped of his captaincy midway through a home series against Zimbabwe last year and was also excluded from the team for his apparent differences with the board officials, mainly chief executive Majid Khan.

Akram along with Salim Malik and Ijaz Ahmed have been facing a judicial inquiry for their alleged involvement in betting and match-fixing and the report of the commission is eagerly awaited, particularly after the World Cup fiasco.

Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum, head of the Judicial Commission, has said he needs to examine a few more witnesses and would shortly set dates for examining such witnesses.

Asked whether the commission would also probe fresh allegations vis-a-vis World Cup final, Justice Qayyum said till now he had not received anything in writing but if there was any written submission he would look into it.

Aussies plead with Warne to stay on

Sydney, June 22 (AFP) — Shane Warne’s Australian teammates have pleaded with him to stay on after he insisted he was still contemplating retiring from the game.

The leg spinner told reporters after securing his second consecutive Man of the Match award in the World Cup final victory over Pakistan that he was still thinking about retirement.

"I’m going to go home and spend time with my family and have a good think about what the future does hold," said Warne, who will be 30 in September.

But as they left London for home and victory celebrations scheduled to begin tomorrow in Melbourne, Warne’s teammates were issuing a clear plea for him to stay with the team even as they said they planned not to pressure him on a decision.

"I’d like to see him kick on because he’s a great player," Mark Waugh said.

"You can see he’s still a matchwinner in any form of cricket. He’d be a big loss if he happened to give it away now but hopefully he won’t . I think he’s still got a lot of cricket left in him."

Warne has come under intense pressure in recent months following revelations he and Mark Waugh were disciplined by the Australian Cricket board for providing information to a bookmaker during a 1994-95 tour of Sri Lanka.

He has also faced a long recovery from shoulder surgery, was dropped from the Test team during this year’s tour of the West Indies, and fined by the International Cricket Council for derogatory comments about Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga he made in a newspaper column during the World Cup leadup.

But Warne weathered the pressure well.

He ended the World Cup as one of the Australian side’s heroes and as one of only two bowlers to take a record 20 wickets in the tournament.

And, more importantly perhaps, he proved his wizardry had returned by bowling a ball to take the wicket of South African Herschelle Gibbs that drew comparisons to the 1993 "ball of the century" that baffled England’s Mike Gatting.

Warne’s four wickets in Sunday’s final romp over Pakistan lifted him to 202 in 125 one-day internationals — only one behind Australia’s all-time leader Craig McDermott.

He also has more Test wickets — 317 in 71 matches — than any other spin bowler and needs just 39 more to pass leading Australian Dennis Lillee’s 355.

Captain Steve Waugh said he would leave the retirement decision to Warne and wouldn’t pressure his vice captain and friend.

"I’d love him to keep playing for Australia and so would all of Australia," Waugh said. "But it’s got to be his decision and he’s got to be comfortable with what he’s doing."

Australian speedster Glenn McGrath said he was sure about the eventual outcome though.

"I think he’ll sit back and have a think about things," McGrath said.

"But playing a game like this (final) in a series like this, playing in a team like Australia at both test and one day level, no-one’s going to really give that up."

"I’d like to think I’ve still got a lot of time left with Warney bowling at the other end."

Warne’s decision will have to come before Australia’s August tour of Sri Lanka during which he could rejoin the test side.

That tour will be followed by another to Zimbabwe and then a return to Australia where Warne could get a chance to humiliate Pakistan again as both the Pakistanis and the Indians visit.

Heart of World cricket beats in Asia

LONDON, June 21 — (Reuters) A carnival of cricket was always a dubious marketing gimmick in a country where carnivals are as scarce as rum punches and beach barbecues.

Thankfully, for cricket fans throughout the British Commmonwealth the players in the seventh World Cup staged predominantly in England transcended the public relations men and delivered a product of genuine quality.

They also confirmed that the heart of world cricket now beats in the Indian sub-continent and the southern hemisphere.

Cricket’s future is best glimpsed in the streets of Lahore, Karachi, New Delhi, Bangalore, Colombo, Kandy and Dhaka.

Street cricket has produced some of the finest players in the Pakistan side, who, although they may have been trounced in the final against Australia, are still capable of moments of heart-stopping brilliance.

Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq spent three years as a youth experimenting with a tennis ball, varying his grip and his action.

As a result he is now the most tantalising off-spinner in the world, capable of bowling a finger-spun top-spinner and also one which appears to leave the bat.

Some of the strokes played by the sub-continental batsmen defy the coaching manuals, again the result of learning the game in the streets with whatever implements come to hand.

"Technique is over-rated," observed Pakistan’s English coach Richard Pybus. "Players in England are over-coached."

Those who believe that the verities of line, length and the straight bat still apply will point to Australia’s remarkable run of seven consecutive victories when they seemed down and out.

Australia were ruthless in the final, under their laconic gum-chewing captain Steve Waugh.

Waugh has refined his game over the years, cutting out the irrelevant strokes and concentrating on keeping the ball mainly on the ground.

His strike bowler Glenn McGrath has an action of classical simplicity and concentrates on bowling relentlessly straight.

South Africa, beaten by Australia in that epic semifinal, have brought to the one-day game the scientific approach they apply to the national sport of rugby union and have come close to developing a form of total cricket.

Their side is stacked with genuine all-rounders who contribute with both bat and ball and also swap positions in the batting order depending on the state of the game.

They analyse the game and its statistics like a major league baseball team and their reliance on off-field guidance may have accounted for a rare moment of panic at the end of the semifinal against the Australians.

Ali Bacher, the South African cricket chief, will now take responsibility for future World Cups and promoting the game throughout the world.

Already the International Cricket Council has explored the possibility of staging matches in Disneyland, Florida, while India and Pakistan have played one-day games in Canada.

New York, with its large immigrant community of Asians and West Indians, is another area which could be targeted.

The vibrance and imagination Australia, Pakistan and South Africa brought to the tournament was light years ahead of anything produced by the host nation England.

England’s exit after the first round was a marketing opportunity lost, particularly as the Cup is unlikely to return for 20 years to the country which founded and developed the summer game of the British empire.

However, the realities of modern multi-cultural England are slowly being recognised.

The England selectors are expected to name Nasser Hussain as the national captain this week in place of Alec Stewart. He will be the first England captain of Asian origin.

"You've just dropped the World Cup, son"

LONDON, June 22 (AFP) — In retrospect, it was the most extraordinary thing said during the 1999 cricket World Cup.

Perhaps it was the most extraordinary thing ever said on a cricket pitch.

South African Herschelle Gibbs had just blundered horribly, letting a catch off Steve Waugh slip through his fingers at Headingley as he attempted to fling the ball into the air in celebration.

Waugh, with 56 runs to his name, knew he had been given a slim, second chance to save his side’s floundering World Cup hopes in the last game before the semifinals.

He turned to Gibbs, one of the best fielders in the world, and told the 25-year-old: "You’ve just dropped the World Cup, son."

A couple of hours later Waugh had scored 120 and Australia were still in the competition, earning themselves a South African re-match in the last four.

A week later and Waugh was holding aloft the World Cup trophy on the Lord’s balcony.

Kasparov vs world on Internet

NEW YORK, June 22 (Reuters) — World chess champion Garry Kasparov, who played two historic matches against a supercomputer, yesterday made his first move against worldwide adversaries in a game on the Internet.

Kasparov simulated his first move, pawn to E4, online at an event in Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan before reporters and chess fans.

The next move will come from players all over the world, who will be able to go to Microsoft Corp.’s www.msn.com site to suggest their moves to a team of young experts. The experts will guide the Internet public in the interactive game against the Russian Grandmaster.

"I invite people from all over the world to play me in the ultimate chess match on msn.com," Kasparov said.

"Where else but on the Internet can you play the world champion?" he added.

In an interview with Reuters in New York on Friday, Kasparov, who is playing the white pieces, said he expected a high-quality match in which he probably would have to come up with a novelty move to win.

Microsoft and Kasparov predicted hundreds of thousands of participants would flock to the Internet site for the game. Millions followed Kasparov’s matches against IBM’s Deep Blue chess-playing computer on the web.

Bhutia Asian Player of the Month

KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 (AFP) — Bhaichung Bhutia was today named Asian Player of the Month for May after leading India to their second straight South Asian title.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said the 22-year-old striker, recently on trial with English side Aston Villa, gave a superb performance in the SAFF Cup semi-finals and final in Goa.

Bhutia scored in both matches and India defeated Bangladesh in the final to retain the trophy they won two years ago. Bhutia confirmed his status as South Asia's top soccer star.

The Team of the Month award went to the beaten finalists Bangladesh, in recognition of their vast improvement, the AFC said.

The coach of the month was South Korea's Huh Jung Moo. The AFC praised the way the 43-year-old Huh led South Korea comfortably through the first round of the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament.

The goal of the month was scored by Iranian midfielder Sirous Dinmohammadi for Esteghal against Jubilo Iwata in the final of the Asian Club Championship.

The 28-year-old picked the ball up 30 yards from the goal, evaded three Jubilo challenges before firing through a group of players into the top right corner of the net. Jubilo still won the match 2-1.

Dhillon to act as judge

CHANDIGARH, June 22 (TNS) — Mr Tejinder Singh Dhillon, Deputy Director, Punjab Police Academy, Phillaur, has been issued the international judges' licence by the International Shooting Sports Federation based in Germany.

Mr Dhillon was also in the international training team established by the International Shooting Coaches Association, USA, to promote the sport.

Mr Dhillon, a former international, is also a national selector to pick Indian teams for all international competitions. he had recently accompanied the Indian shooting team as coach to 47th World Shooting Championship held in Barcelona.

Cricket tourney

CHANDIGARH (TNS) : Entries for the Hot Weather Cricket Tournament begin held at War Heroes Stadium, Ambala Cantonment, close with Mr Ravi Kant Sharma, 2299, Kacha Bazar, on June 25, according to a press note.

Diplomas awarded

PATIALA, June 22 (FOSR) — A success rate of 99 per cent was achieved by the students enrolled in the one-year diploma in sports coaching whose graduation ceremony was held today evening.

Out of the 117 sportspersons enrolled for the year 1998-99 in the diploma course a record number of 111 students passed out successfully. There were 16 first divisions, 80 second divisions and 15 students passed out with third division in the 10 disciplines conducted in this academic session.