Horne, Twose, Astle earn Kiwis draw
AUCKLAND, March 3 — Half centuries by Matthew Horne, Roger Twose and Nathan Astle helped New Zealand to a draw against South Africa on a controversial first Test wicket at Eden Park today.

• New Zealand strong opposition: Cronje

Eves’ handball at Ropar from March 8
CHANDIGARH, March 3 — The National Handball Championship for women to be held at Nehru Stadium, Ropar, from March 8 to 13, will be played according to the new format, Mr S.S. Channi, President, Punjab Handball Association, announced here today.

Bengal annex soccer title
NEW DELHI, March 3 — Holders Bengal squandered chances aplenty before edging out a spirited Tamil Nadu 1-0 to claim the XXI National (Under-16) Football Championship and retain the Mir Iqbal Hussain trophy here today.

Football title for Vasco Club
CHANDIGARH, March 3 — Vasco Club, Goa, beat PSEB, Hoshiarpur 5-4 via tie breaker to lift the title in the first All-India Prize Money Shri Guru Gobind Singh Football Tournament at Jalandhar today. The two teams were locked goal-less at half time.

PSEB win v'ball title
PATIALA, March 3 — PSEB, with a fair sprinkling of international level spikers, lifted the title in the All-India Shaheed-e-Azam Volleyball Tournament which concluded at Rameshwarpur yesterday, according to information received here today.

Kambli, Agarkar in 19-member squad

MUMBAI, March 3 (PTI) — Vinod Kambli and Ajit Agarkar who passed the Indian cricket board-conducted physical fitness trials on Monday were among the cricket World Cup probables list which was pruned to 19 today by the national selectors.

The selectors, who met here today, also made two changes to the provisional 14-member squad for the Asian championship Test series final at Dhaka by dropping opener Venkata Sai Laxman and rested seamer Venkatesh Prasad.

Laxman, who partnered Sadagopan Ramesh in opening the Indian innings in the two-Test series against Pakistan and in the first two matches of the Asian Test series, was replaced by Bengal’s Devang Gandhi while Prasad made way for Javagal Srinath who was rested for the last test against Sri Lanka.

World Cup probables list of 19:

Openers: Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly and S. Ramesh.

Middle-order batsmen: Mohd Azharuddin, Rahul Dravid, Ajay Jadeja, Vinod Kambli, Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Amay Khurasia.

Pacemen: Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, Ajit Agarkar and Laxmi Ratan Shukla.

All-rounders: Robin Singh sr and Virender Sehwag.

Wicket-keeper: Nayan Mongia.

Spinners: Anil Kumble, Nikhil Chopra and Gynanendra Pandey.

The provisional team for Asian Test series final at Dhaka (March 12-16): Mohd Azharuddin (capt), Anil Kumble (vice-capt), S. Ramesh, Devang Gandhi, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, Nayan Mongia, Javagal Srinath, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Ashish Nehra, Sunil Joshi, Harbhajan Singh and Hrishikesh Kanitkar. 

Both Kambli and Agarkar, coming off long injury lay-offs, were declared fit enough to undergo the strain of international cricket by Indian team physical trainer Andrew Kokinos and team doctor Ravinder Chadha, board secretary Jaywant Lele told a press conference.

But it was decided to give them more rest till at least the home triangular series later this month, selection committee chairman Ajit Wadekar said.

India are awaiting the outcome of the last match of the Asian Test series, between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at Lahore from March 4 to 8, to see whether they qualify for the final against Pakistan at Dhaka.

Wadekar, explaining the omission of Laxman from the provisional squad named for the Dhaka final, said that the Hyderabad opener "seemed to be a bit out of form".

"That is why we have decided to include Gandhi who will open the innings, in case India qualify, with Ramesh. Laxman is a good batsman, but it is just that he is out of form", Wadekar said.

He said Rajasthan’s Gagan Khoda was also considered but the selectors’ were unanimous in their choice of Bhavnagar-born Gandhi.

About Azhar’s captaincy, the selectors’ chairman felt the Indian skipper "is doing a good job. It is just that we are losing by a little margin", he said and added that the wristy skipper’s form with the bat was not worrisome and he is "quite confident" while batting.

Azhar has been named captain only upto the end of the Asian Test series, Lele said.

Wadekar said both Azhar and coach Anshuman Gaekwad, both of whom attended the meeting, were very impressed with the bowling of lanky Delhi left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra who made his Test debut at Colombo against the Lankans.

"Perhaps we (selectors) can take credit for his inclusion in the team", Wadekar remarked in a lighter vein.

About the omission of Laxmi Ratan Shukla from the playing eleven at Colombo, Wadekar said the team management felt the pitch there looked a bit more responsive to fast medium bowling and therefore chose Nehra instead of Shukla, who was a reserve in the Eden Gardens Test against Pakistan.

Regarding the fine run of new left handed opener Ramesh, the former India captain and left-handed opener said he had tremendous positive attitude and kept his cool. The Tamil Nadu player would become a better batsman if he developed the hook and square cut, he added.

Board Secretary Lele also announced that the selectors would meet on March 15 or 16 to choose the captain and team for the triangular limited overs series commencing on March 19.

India’s first match is on March 22 against Sri Lanka at Nagpur. Pakistan is the third team in the fray.

Pakistan start favourites

LAHORE, March 3 (PTI) — Already assured of a final berth, Pakistan begin favourites against a young and depleted Sri Lanka in the final league tie of the Asian Test Cricket Championship beginning here tomorrow.

Pakistan, who scored a 46-run win over India in the first match at Calcutta earlier this month, have qualified with 17 points but India will be keenly awaiting the outcome at the Gaddafi Stadium as they stand second with 10 points after completing both league matches.

Sri Lanka, with only four points from their draw against India in Colombo, face an uphill task to clinch seven more to force their way into a final clash against Pakistan at Dhaka from March 12 to 16 as they are without several stalwarts taking on Pakistan at home.

Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga, star bat Aravinda De Silva, explosive left-handed opener Sanath Jayasuriya, off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan as well as experienced paceman Chaminda Vaas are absent with the fairly inexperienced side led by lefthander Hashan Tillekeratne.

Pakistan led by top allrounder Wasim Akram, have dropped veteran batsmen Salim Malik and Ijaz Ahmed, while rookie paceman Shoaib Akhtar who snapped up eight wickets at Calcutta has also been ruled out with a sprained neck.

Akram refused to take the match lightly. "In view of the team’s recent achievements, I am positive and confident about victory, Akram said and warned against any complacency.

Akram said the best possible Pakistan team would play against the islanders to keep up their good work after they emerged from Test series defeats against Australia and Zimbabwe to draw the two-Test series in India 1-1 and then win the dramatic Asian Test tie at Eden Gardens.

The hosts look all set to blood exciting 18-year-old bat Imran Nazir, who has served notice after his exploits against a South African under-19 team which toured here recently.

Sri Lanka, who can take hope from their superb comeback 2-1 Test series win here two years back, looked a confident lot. "We may be without our key players, but I’m confident we can earn the points to reach the final," Tillekeratne said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan coach Javed Miandad has declared his team was not worried meeting India in Dhaka and that they would go all out against Sri Lanka. "Ours is a competent and confident side. We don’t care who we play against, our purpose and target is to play positive cricket and win against everyone," he said.

Pakistan, who had dropped out-of-form paceman Waqar Younis and left out leg spinner Mushtaq Ahmed, who is carrying an injury, will look up to off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and skipper Akram to fire out the opposition twice.

Sri Lankan hopes will depend on the batting of young Mahela Jayawardene, who struck a chancy but vital 242 against India, and Tillekeratne who has returned to the team after a while in the wilderness.

The Gaddafi Stadium pitch looked more suited to the batsmen and with points accruing only for first innings efforts, Sri Lanka will need a superhuman effort to stop an India-Pakistan final.

Young batsman Mohammed Wasim is expected to take Malik’s place in the eleven while the hard-hitting Imran also looks set to be included.

Both teams are expected to announce their final eleven only tomorrow.

Teams:
Pakistan (from): Wasim Akram (capt), Saeed Anwar, Imran Nazir, Wajahatullah Wasti, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Wasim, Yousuf Youhana, Inzamam-ul Haq, Moin Khan, Azhar Mahmood, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shahid Nazir, Arshad Khan and Fazal-e-Akbar.
Sri Lanka (from): Hashan Tillekeratne (capt), Mahela Jayawardane, Marvan Atapattu, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Russel Arnold, Avishka Gunawardena, Pramodya Wickremasinghe, Ruchira Perera, Suresh Perera, Chandika Hathurasinghe, Ruwan Kalpage, Upul Chandana, Niroshan Bandaratilleke and Sajeewa De Silva.
Umpires: David Shepherd (England) and Rudi Koertzen (South Africa).

Hardly any time for teams to recoup
By Amardeep Bhattal
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH: The tight schedule of the recently-concluded India-Pakistan hockey series, which left behind a trail of injuries with most of the players feeling drained of energy, has forced the hockey bosses on either side of the border to do some rethinking.

The nine-match series played from February 3 to 24, which was won by Pakistan 6-3, hardly gave time to the two teams to recoup. There was a gap of only one day between the matches and that time was mostly spent in travelling.

While India hosted four matches at Delhi, Bhopal, Hyderabad and Chennai between February 3 and 10, Pakistan hosted the remaining five at Lahore (two) Karachi, Peshawar, and Rawalpindi between February 16 and 24.

During the Indian leg India lost four key players to injuries. They included the experienced left half Ramandeep Singh and forwards Sameer Dad, L. Prabhakaran, and Daljit Singh Dhillon.

In Pakistan, a couple of more Indians, including midfielder Baljit Singh Saini, Mohammed Riaz, Gagan Ajit Singh and defender Anil Aldrin, were injured. In fact, Baljit Singh Saini and Anil Aldrin had to miss one match each. While Saini, who received a nasty hit on the left hand during the seventh Test at Peshawar on February 20, had to miss the subsequent Test at Rawalpindi, Aldrin was forced to remain out of action at Lahore where the concluding Test was played, due to a back problem.

Similarly, problems relating to physical fitness and nagging injuries were also a constant source of worry for the Pakistani camp.

Indian coach Vasudevan Baskaran made his feelings known on the conclusion of the series at Lahore. "The players are really fagged out, "he said while talking to The Tribune at Lahore's National Hockey Stadium adding "and now they will have to go for the nationals."

Indian Hockey Federation's senior vice-president Chandreshekhar, who incidentally was the team manager during the Pakistan leg, said the proposal to cut travel would be taken up seriously by the two federations. In this direction, he favoured the idea of holding the Indian leg in one region, either in the south or north, so that the teams do not have to travel long distances.

Pakistan Hockey Federation secretary Mudassar Asghar is also of the same view. Talking to Indian journalists at the Lahore International Airport where he had come to see off the Indian contingent, he said the intervening gap of one day between the Tests was too short. While favouring longer intervals between the Tests, he said exhibition matches in between could relieve the players from immense pressure.

The gruelling nine-match series has also come in for criticism from Pakistan coach Shahnaz Sheikh. Talking to newsmen at Lahore, Shahnaz said henceforth the series should be planned more carefully. "Too many Tests only lead to decline in interest and it will be better if the number of Test matches are reduced to about six," he stated, adding that inadequate time to recoup "only leaves the players jaded."

Horne, Twose, Astle earn Kiwis draw

AUCKLAND, March 3 (AP) — Half centuries by Matthew Horne, Roger Twose and Nathan Astle helped New Zealand to a draw against South Africa on a controversial first Test wicket at Eden Park today.

After being forced to follow-on, New Zealand were 244 for three in its second innings when the teams called off the match with seven overs remaining.

The benign pitch has blamed for the listless draw after 1,217 runs were scored for the loss of 18 wickets over the five days.

Following recent criticism over the state of the pitch, the Test surface was saturated with wood glue to prevent it from cracking.

The last time glue was used in a New Zealand Test was in February 1989 when Pakistan won the toss and scored 616 for five and the Kiwis made 403 and 99 for three.

South African coach Bob Woolmer said, "If one is worried about the surface breaking up or crumbling, it is not a bad idea to try and create a Test match surface".

"The pitch hardly changed in character. I think the only assistance anyone got was the spinners. The foot marks helped them".

Woolmer recalled South Africa's experience on a similar wicket in the Commonwealth Games final against Australia in Kuala Lumpur in September last year.

"The pitch was assisting the spinners a lot and was unplayable at times. For final they used glue to put it together and it turned out to be a very good batting pitch", Woolmer said.

New Zealand has previously used glue in both domestic first-class and one-day matches because of the constant use of the grounds in Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin for cricket, rugby and major outdoor concerts.

Bowlers on both sides battled to unstuck the batsmen from the crease, and among the good innings was Daryll Cullinan's South African record-breaking unbeaten 275 in the side's mammoth 621 for five declared.

His effort toppled Graeme Pollock's 29-year-old innings — 274 against Australia in Durban in 1969/70.

New Zealand stumbled to 352 all out in its first innings after being well placed on 210 for two.

New Zealand resumed on the final day at four without loss and was soon in trouble losing opener Matthew Bell in seventh over.

Bell, not 100 per cent fit after pulling a hamstring and suffering a bout of a tropical bug mistimed a hook off Shaun Pollock to Allan Donald.

But South Africa's joy was short lived as Horne, with 60 runs in 167 minutes, frustrated the visitors for over two hours in the company of Twose (65).

Horne, who reached 1,000 runs on 58 in his 14th Test, was bowled off his body as he missed a pull off left-arm wrist spinner Paul Adams, 45 minutes into the post-lunch session.

Twose, shared two match saving stands with Horne and then Nathan Astle — 89 runs each for the second and third wickets — while scoring 65 runs with the help of six boundaries and four sixes.

Astle, unbeaten on 69 and Craig McMillan (22 not out), played out 65 minutes to end the match.

Scoreboard:

South Africa (Ist innings): 621-5 Decl.

New Zealand (Ist innings): 352

New Zealand (2nd innings):

Horne b Adams 60

Bell c Donald b Klusener 65

Twose c Cullinan b Klusener 65

Astle not out 69

McMillan not out 22

Extras (13b, 2lb, 2w, 5nb) 22

Total: 244 for three

Fall of Wickets: 1/15, 2/104, 3/193.

Bowling: Jacques Kallis 13-0-61-0 (2w), Shaun Pollock 13-5-21-1 (5nb), Allan Donald 9-2-20-0, Lance Klusener 13-6-26-1, Paul Adams 30-11-96-1, Hansie Cronje 6-4-5-0.

New Zealand strong opposition: Cronje

AUCKLAND (New Zealand), March 3 (AP) — South African skipper Hansie Cronje praised New Zealand for its fighting qualities throughout the first Test, after the home side forced a draw at Eden Park today. Cronje’s men, fresh from a 5-0 thrashing of the West Indies in their previous Test series, were held to a listless draw on a controversial wicket by some spirited New Zealand batting on the last day.

"They are a strong opposition,’’ Cronje said, when asked how they compared to Brian Lara’s West Indies.

"From a mental point of view they are very strong,’’ Cronje said. "They played the Test very well. They were up against it, after sending the opposition in and having 621 runs staring in their face".

"All the way through there was a lot of fight. Even their world record holder (Geoff Allott) was not prepared to give it up,’’ Cronje added.

Dion Nash in his first Test as captain felt his side was happy to escape’’ with a draw, after the decision to send the opposition in backfired.

"We thought the best opportunity we had to bowl South Africa out was on the first morning. But half an hour into the game we realised we had made the wrong decision,’’ Nash said.

While adding he enjoyed captaining he said", it was stressful’’ and included a couple of sleepless nights".

"We showed good determination, grit and a little bit of fight that is needed for competing against a side like South Africa.’’

Eves’ handball at Ropar from March 8
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 3 — The National Handball Championship for women to be held at Nehru Stadium, Ropar, from March 8 to 13, will be played according to the new format, Mr S.S. Channi, President, Punjab Handball Association, announced here today.

Mr Channi said that as per the new format, the finalists of the previous national championship — Punjab and Kerala — have been seeded straight into the quarter-finals. The remaining teams will be divided into six pools and the top team from each of these pools will qualify for the quarter-finals.

Mr Teja Singh Dhaliwal, who is the secretary of the association, said besides hosts Punjab and Kerala, 14 other teams have confirmed their participation in the championship so far. Those who have confirmed their participation are Kerala, Association of Indian Universities, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Manipur and Punjab.

Mr Teja Singh further said that four handball playfields were being specially prepared for the conduct of the round-robin league and final classification games. All arrangements for the smooth conduct of the championship have already been reviewed. The Punjab Food Supply Minister, Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, will inaugurate the meet.

Bengal annex soccer title

NEW DELHI, March 3 (PTI) — Holders Bengal squandered chances aplenty before edging out a spirited Tamil Nadu 1-0 to claim the XXI National (Under-16) Football Championship and retain the Mir Iqbal Hussain trophy here today.

Rightwinger Supratik Ain slammed a 63rd minute winner as Bengal claimed their seventh title from 10 appearances, but only after making heavy weather of the many openings they got against Tamil Nadu, the 1984 winners, Ambedkar Stadium.

Football title for Vasco Club
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 3 — Vasco Club, Goa, beat PSEB, Hoshiarpur 5-4 via tie breaker to lift the title in the first All-India Prize Money Shri Guru Gobind Singh Football Tournament at Jalandhar today. The two teams were locked goal-less at half time.

The thrilling encounter witnessed by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, saw the two teams exhibiting high class football but a goal eluded them. Finally in the tie-breaker Vasco prevailed over PSEB 5-4 to pocket a prize of Rs 50,000.

The Chief Minister announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh for promotion of the game to Shri Guru Gobind Singh Society, organisers of the tournament.

The runners-up received a cash award of Rs 35,000 and a trophy.

Yesterday Vasco beat Delhi Blues 5-4 in sudden death to move into the final.

In the second semi-final PSEB beat RCF Kapurthala by a solitary goal.

PSEB win v'ball title
From Our Sports Reporter

PATIALA, March 3 — PSEB, with a fair sprinkling of international level spikers, lifted the title in the All-India Shaheed-e-Azam Volleyball Tournament which concluded at Rameshwarpur (UP) yesterday, according to information received here today. In a well-contested final PSEB managed to quell a stiff challenge put up by Punjab Police. PSEB won 5-15, 17-15, 6-15, 15-12 and 15-13.

In the first league match PSEB downed Jat Regiment, Barielly, in a marathon five setter 15-17, 15-5, 13-15, 16-14 and 15-8. In the second encounter the Patiala powermen had little difficulty in beating NER, Gorakhpur, 15-8, 15-12 and 15-5.

In the third match the powermen ran into Punjab Police and comprehensively beat them 15-8, 15-6, 15-11. In the semifinals PSEB warded off the challenge of city mates PRTC beating them 12-15, 15-5, 7-15 and 15-13.

Tall and lanky PSEB spiker Ranbir Rana, who has also represented India in the junior Asian volleyball meet held at Bangkok recently, was declared the best spiker of the three-day meet. Kuldeep Singh, also of PSEB, was declared the best allround spiker of the tournament.

Aryan Club triumph

LUDHIANA, March 3 (FOSR) — Aryan Club prevailed over Gloucestershire Constabulary XI from England 4-3 after leading 2-0 at half-time in an exhibition hockey match organised by the Punjab Hockey Players Association, at Guru Nanak Stadium here today.

Lakhbir Singh struck twice in the first five minutes to stun the visitors. Aryan Club with two former international players like Hardip Singh and Sukhbir Singh Grewal in their ranks failed to increase the lead till half time.

After changing ends, S. Steward of Gloucestershire XI scored a brace to restore party. Midway through the second half, Sukhwinder Singh found the target to put Aryan Club ahead again. International John Robert scored the equaliser five minutes later. Just before the long hooter, former Olympian, Hardip Singh sounded the board to clinch the issue 4-3.

Mr Kuldeep Singh, SSP, Ludhiana gave away prizes to the players. Yesterday at Jalandhar, the visitors lost to International XI 4-6. Now they play their next match tomorrow at Amritsar against District Hockey Association XI.

UT basketball from today

CHANDIGARH, March 3 (BOSR) — The Chandigarh State Basketball Championship for men and women will begin tomorrow at the sports complex, Sector 7, here according to Mr K.S. Bharti, secretary of the Chandigarh Basketball Association.

More than 100 players drawn from different clubs and affiliated units will be vying for top honours. The UT team for the Senior National Basketball Championship to be held at Jaipur (Rajasthan) from March 15 to 22 will also be selected during this three-day meet.

Over 500 athletes for veterans' meet

CHANDIGARH, March 3 (BOSR) — More than 500 athletes will be taking part in the first North Zone Veterans' Athletic Meet to be held at Punjab University grounds, here from March 5 to 7, according to Mr Sat Prakash Verma, patron of the host organisation.

Prominent athletes who will figure in this three-day meet include Sunita Godara, YP Malik, Pawan Prakash, Charanpreet Verma, Kulwinder Singh, Sada Ram, Gurdial Saini, Jagdish Kumar, Gauri Shankar, SK Pathania, Daljinder Singh, KN Tiwari, Col Surinder Nath and others.