Thursday, March 25, 1999
today's calendar
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S P O R T | Thursday, March 25, 1999 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Anand
slips to 6th position overall
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Ganguly should bowl more: Dungarpur Stunning
6 under by Jyoti Randhawa Krajicek
shocks Sampras to enter last 4 National
Boxing from today Sasikiran
stuns Thipsay DAV
boys, MCM girls are overall champs |
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Big 143-run win for Pak JAIPUR, March 24 (PTI) — India dished out a spineless batting performance, chasing a daunting target of 279, to be skittled out for a mere 135 as Pakistan registered their second straight victory with a massive 143-run margin in the Pepsi Cup Triangular One-day Cricket Series tie here today. Set to reach a tough target as left-handed opener Saeed Anwar’s rollicking 95 propelled Pakistan to 278 for nine after electing to bat, the Indian innings never recovered from serious early jolts and the hosts were dismissed without putting up a fight for a paltry 135 in 36.1 overs at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium. The left-handed opener — named man of the match — showed superb form in his 116-ball knock (10x4, 1x6) after becoming the third Pakistan batsman to cross 6000 runs in one-dayers as he put his team on the way to a huge tally. The first tie between the arch-rivals in India since India’s defeat in the 1997 Independence Cup tie at Chennai, never rose as a contest as none of the host batsmen, barring opener Ajay Jadeja who compiled a patient 61, could counter the low bounce of the track and the accurate Pakistan attack. Young pacemen Shoaib Akhtar (2/10) and Abdul Razzaq (2/27) besides off spinner Arshad Khan (3/22) and leg spinner Shahid Afridi (2/28) shared the spoils as India were put out of the game after tottering at four for 53 early on. Pakistan, running into dangerous form as a team in the build up to the World Cup, were on top of the table with four points after their second straight win leaving India with much to ponder. Disaster struck India very early when opener Saurav Ganguly (13) and fellow Nagpur centurion against Sri Lanka, Rahul Dravid (3) fell cheaply to paceman Shoaib Akhtar. India sorely missed Sachin Tendulkar while Pakistan, growing from strength to strength, hardly felt key off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq’s absence due to his one-match suspension. Young medium-pacer Razzak, Saqlain’s replacement, pushed India further into gloom before an expectant sellout crowd of around 25,000 by dismissing skipper Mohd Azharuddin (1) and left-hander Vinod Kambli (4) in the same over. Azhar’s lacklustre showing with the bat continued after he decided to play despite a shoulder strain as he was caught behind while Kambli was trapped leg before in his second poor outing since being re-inducted on return from injury lay-off. Jadeja (61 - 164 m, 96 b, 6x4) compiled a half-century but the match was well out of India’s grasp as Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram could enjoy the luxury of using all his inexperienced bowlers. Only four of the Indian batsmen managed to reach double figures though ‘keeper Nayan Mongia (11) and Nikhil Chopra (20) could only help India cross the 100-run mark. Debutant left-hander Gyanendra Pandey failed to get off the mark as he fell one of the three victims of Arshad Khan, who also removed Mongia and Ajit Agarkar (4). The Indian batting was in contrast to the Pakistan effort. Anwar rattled up 75-run stands with explosive Afridi (38 - 33 b, 6x4, 1x6) and Ijaz Ahmed (29) before Inzamam-ul Haq (43), Moin Khan (22) and Azhar Mehmood (22) also chipped in well despite Indian spinners managing to stem the initial run riot. Kumble finished with 4 for 53. Set an asking rate of 5.58 an over, India had progressed to 23 when Ganguly failed to read a perfect outswinger from Akhtar, regarded the fastest in the world, to edge to ‘keeper Moin Khan. Dravid, coming off an entertaining 116 he made in Nagpur, was beaten by sheer pace to be bowled. Azharuddin wildly swung his bat to a straight ball from Razzak outside the off-stump, only to give Moin Khan a tame catch behind the stumps and Kambli failed to cash in on the second chance he was given by playing tentatively forward to be trapped in front of the wicket. A modicum of resistance came in the 35-run fifth wicket stand between Jadeja and Mongia, who grafted for 55 minutes for his 11 runs. But Arshad Khan struck immediately on being brought on, Mongia completely beaten stepping out and Moin Khan had all the time in the world to fumble with the collection before effecting the stumping. All-rounder Gyanendra Pandey, the debutant who impressed with his left-arm spin in the morning (0 for 39 in 10 overs), came in with India tottering at 96 for six and the disappointed crowd booing the hosts and fell for nought stumped off Arshad Khan. Moin Khan finished with four victims. Pakistan’s innings got off to a roaring start as Afridi smashed Kumble for five fours in his first over before the leg spinner dismissed him in his next over. Anwar, who emulated Javed Miandad and Salim Malik by aggregating 6000 runs, was denied his 16th century when Rahul Dravid had him caught behind off an outside edge with his part-time off spin. Ijaz Ahmed looked circumspect at the start but had reached 29 when he was adjudged caught behind off off-spinner Nikhil Chopra (1/42 off 10 overs), who in tandem with Pandey managed to cut the Pakistan scoring rate. Ahmed was unhappy with umpire Jasbir Singh’s decision and television replays showed the bat did not make contact with the ball. Chopra had a good outing as he later struck two sixes off Afridi in making India’s second highest score of 20. Inzamam-ul Haq fell going forward for a big heave as Kumble cleverly held back the ball to knock off the leg bail after the leg spinner had yorked Yousuf Youhanna (1). Pakistan, from 203 for three, lost wickets steadily, but kept adding up to their score into the slog overs to finish with a score which surpassed the previous best of 269 made on this ground by England. Pakistan next play Sri Lanka at Visakhapatnam on March 27 while India have five days to introspect before taking on the islanders at Pune on March 30. SCOREBOARD India: |
Indian players lack basic speed: Kokinos JAIPUR, March 24 (PTI) — Indian cricketers lacked basic speed which was the reason they look sluggish compared players from teams like South Africa and Australia, according to the team’s Aussie physical trainer Andrew Kokinos. Defending the Indian cricketers by saying they were working hard on their fitness, Kokinos told PTI that genetics and heredity also played a vital role in shaping the physical prowess of a person. But the trainer admitted that progress in the fitness levels of Indian cricketers had not been as rapid as he had expected it would be. Kokinos, attached with the Indian team for the last two years after being appointed by the board on recommendation by Bob Simpson, the former Australian captain and consultant, gave his comments at a function got up to felicitate leg spinner Anil Kumble and International Cricket Council President Jagmohan Dalmiya here. Kokinos disagreed with former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar’s view that Indian players would do well to imbibe lessons from athletic coaches to improve their stride length and speed of running between the wickets. "It is a wrong notion that big strides mean more speed", he said, adding that Rahul Dravid had small strides but was one of the fastest runners between the wickets in the Indian team. Gavaskar had made his remarks while doing commentary in the India-Sri Lanka tie at Nagpur on April 22. Kokinos said one of the reasons for the slow movements of Indian cricketers was lack of scientific training at the grassroots level. "By the time a player reaches international level and becomes aware of his fitness level it is too late for him to improve fast as his muscle tone is already set. Then it become harder to bring changes in fitness levels", he said. When asked why Indian players suffered from various fitness problems despite the training methods, Kokinos attributed it to "too much cricket". "Compare India with other cricket playing countries. India played 41 one-dayers last year (the most by any country) and Australians played only 26. And this is sure to cause fitness problems to players", he said. Kokinos said increasing speed and strength were the priority areas for the coming World Cup in England this May-June and felt a fair amount of rest would also benefit the players. "We still have time
as it is the build up phase now and we will peak at the
right time", he added. |
Kambli, Shukla out; Robin Sr, Sehwag in JAIPUR, March 24 (PTI) — National cricket selectors today axed left-hander Vinod Kambli and teenaged all-rounder Laxmi Rattan Shukla while including veteran Robin Singh (Sr) and young Delhi all-rounder Virender Sehwag for India’s next tie in the triangular one-day series against Sri Lanka at Pune on March 30. Announcing the team after the selectors met here today, cricket board secretary Jaywant Lele said the team would be only for the next match and that the squad for the final league tie against Pakistan to be played at Mohali on April 1 will be decided during the Pune match. "We have selected the best possible team", Lele said and added that Tamil Nadu all-rounder Robin Singh has been given a chance in place of Shukla as the selectors felt experience was needed rather than young blood. The 19-year-old Delhi all-rounder Virender Sehwag, a big-hitting batsman and off-break bowler earned his place among the 19-member World Cup probables after a superb domestic season. The team: Mohd Azharuddin (capt), Saurav Ganguly, Ajay Jadeja, S. Ramesh, Rahul Dravid, Robin Singh (Sr), Amay Khurasia, Virender Sehwag, Nikhil Chopra, Nayan Mongia, Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Ajit Agarkar and Gyanendra Pandey. Mumbai batsman Kambli, who
returned from a long injury lay-off, failed against both
Sri Lanka and in India’s massive 143-run loss to
Pakistan here today. 17-year-old Bengal lad Shukla played
only at Nagpur against Sri Lanka where his four overs of
medium-pace went for 32 runs. |
Defeat, not a disaster: Azhar JAIPUR, March 24 (PTI) — A disappointed Indian skipper Mohd Azharuddin blamed poor batting for India’s shocking 143-run defeat against Pakistan in the triangular one-day cricket series tie here today but denied it was a ‘disaster’. "We got them to less than 300 runs. But we lost wickets regularly and with the ball keeping low on this pitch, it was difficult to bat a second time," Azharuddin said after India capitulated for just 135 runs chasing Pakistan’s huge total of 278 as India suffered their first loss in two matches. "But calling this a disaster can affect team morale when it is preparing for the coming World Cup. This was a bad day for us," he told reporters after the match. Losing the toss was a bad start, he added. He defended the batsmen saying none got out to poor shots. "They were out trying to defend their wickets chasing a big target," he said. Azharuddin took out his ire on the media when he retorted to criticism that he fails to inspire his team members. "If this was so, I would not have won so many matches for India,"he shot back angrily. The 36-year-old Azhar criticised media comments which questioned his captaincy. "We should stop all this rubbish now. This is a crucial time for Indian cricket and such baseless accusation is creating differences in the team and harming the players, the board and cricket itself," he said. Coach Anshuman Gaekwad
admitted it was one of India’s worst defeats in his
tenure, but said it was a bad day for the team. "We
played brilliantly at Nagpur but lost here to a good
team. But there is nothing alarming. It happens to every
team," he said. |
Krajicek shocks Sampras to enter last 4 KEY BISCAYNE (USA), March 24 (Reuters) — One day following the return to his familiar role as number one in tennis, Pete Sampras spent another frustrating afternoon getting outplayed by Dutchman Richard Krajicek yesterday. The seventh-seeded Krajicek showed again that he knows how to back Sampras into an uncomfortable corner, taking his sixth career victory in eight matches against the American with a 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) quarterfinal win at the Lipton Championships. Of the tournament’s top 13 seeds, only Krajicek remains. But 14th seed Thomas Enqvist of Sweden joined the Dutchman in the final four with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Frenchman Jerome Golmard. Enqvist, the Australian Open runner-up who is enjoying the hottest start of his career, takes his 1999 match record of 17-4 into the semifinals against Krajicek. Sampras secured his return to world number one with a fourth-round win over Spaniard Albert Costa on the same day briefly top-ranked Carlos Moya fell to Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean. In women’s fourth-round action, the exciting Williams sisters — defending champion Venus and red-hot Serena, moved step closer to a possible all in the family final. Serena, seeded 16th but the hottest player in women’s tennis, overpowered former world number one and twice Lipton champion Monica Seles 6-2 6-3. With her victory over the third-seeded Seles, Serena extended her match winning streak to 14 with consecutive titles at Paris and Indian Wells. Sixth seed Venus had a much tougher time but prevailed 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 over German Anke Huber by taking the third-set tie-break 7-4. Top-seeded Martina Hingis of Switzerland, Jana Novotna (4), Steffi Graf (7) and Amanda Coetzer (9) were winners but last year’s runner-up Anna Kournikova, the 13th seed, fell to Austrian Barbara Schett 6-1, 1-6, 6-1. Hingis met little resistance in beating Germany’s Marlene Weingartner 6-0, 6-2, while Wimbledon champion Novotna scored a 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, win over 12th-seeded Swiss Patty Schnyder. Graf won her 20th of 21 matches against Natasha Zvereva, 6-2, 6-4, while Coetzer advanced 6-1, 4-2 over eighth seed Mary Pierce, who retired with a right ankle injury. Krajicek’s hard-serving, big shot-making game seems to befuddle Sampras, who last posted a win against the Dutchman back in 1994. "I think he doesn’t like to see my name in the next round," said Krajicek, who beat Sampras in the 1996 Wimbledon quarterfinals on way to taking the title. "I think, somehow, I seem to pick his serve pretty good. He’s struggling to get my serve back. A lot of times I win relatively easy service games". The Dutchman, who had left knee surgery at the end of last year, is looking to regain the form that made him fifth-ranked in 1997. Sampras, a two-time former Lipton champion, is having a tough time getting back into the tennis groove this season after taking a 10-week hiatus from the tour, which included skipping the Australian Open in January. Prior to arriving at the Lipton, Sampras withdrew from the semifinals of the San Jose tournament with a left ankle injury in February, lost in the second round at Scottsdale early in March, and was upset by Spaniard Felix Mantilla in an opening round match at the Champions Cup. Krajicek dominated the first set, but Sampras settled into the match in the second, forcing the Dutchman to a tie-breaker. It appeared as if Sampras would push the match into a third set, taking a 4-1 lead in the tie-breaker. But Krajicek held serve on the next two points, and Sampras fumbled with one of his eight double faults of the day on the next point, to even the score at 4-4. Serving at 6-6, Sampras
sailed a backhand volley beyond the baseline to give
Krajicek his second match point, which he cashed in with
a winning forehand crosscourt volley. |
Abject surrender by India THERE were many good and bad things when India were in field. The seam bowlers got off to a bad start and although the spinners pulled the game back in the middle of the Pakistan innings, the damage was already done. Young Agarkar had a chastening experience after his successful wicket-taking comeback in Nagpur. He couldn’t get his line or length right and got severely punished. On these flat pitches where the ball hardly moves off the seam, and with the current rules of only 2 fielders being allowed outside the 30 yard circle, running up to bowl can be unenviable. He showed his rustiness and it will take time for him to get into full match fitness. Throughout the day, in three spells, he could not get it right. Whatever he tried, didn’t come off. If he is strong in character and when he has had time to think about it, maybe he will come back a wiser and better bowler. Even Srinath couldn’t stem the flow of runs and took too long to go around the wicket to bowl into Anwar’s body and cramp him for room. The smart piece of cricket came from Kumble and Azza. Afridi smashed Kumble for five fours in five balls but with a wise old head and good cricket brain, Kumble went around the wicket and bowled at Afridi’s pads. Afridi obliged by spooning the ball in the air to mid-off. It was then that Azza used the spinners to get a grip on the match. The ball turned but it was the control showed by Chopra to bowl full at Anwar’s pads that tied him down. The last plus for India in the whole match was the left-arm spin of Pandey. In his first bowl in international cricket, he was superb. So well did he bowl that Azza could have confidence in bowling him towards the end of the innings. And full marks to the captain for having the courage to use Dravid with his occasional off-spin. When Dravid got the big wicket of Anwar it probably made Azza’s day. If needed to because little else went right with the Indian batting. The batting was all at sea before a ball was received. As if trying to prove us ex-cricketers wrong, the Indian think-tank retained Jadeja as an opener. What a waste of talent! Anyone can see he hasn’t clue how to play fast bowling. His feet don’t move quick enough-if at all. If he opens much longer, he may lose all his confidence. With wickets falling around him, all he could do was poke around. Why don’t they get it into their heads that he is very good at No. 5 or No. 6? Kambli is still searching for runs. A straight forward, slower ball deceived him and Azza nicked a straight half volley. With the two centurions of Nagpur going fairly early, the batting looked weak to see Mongia at No. 6. I realise the selectors
are testing out Agarkar and Kambli and with a view to the
World Cup trying a few new guys, but the batting has to
be strengthened and lengthened. This was abject
surrender. It’s not a crime to lose a cricket match
but India were never in the contest. That should hurt the
players if they have any pride at all — and against
Pakistan of all countries! — PMG |
Anand slips to 6th position overall MONTE CARLO, March 24 (PTI) — Indian grandmaster Viswanathan Anand extended his lead to a full one point in the rapid section but slipped to sixth overall after he was held to a draw by Joel Lautier of France in the seventh round of the 8th Amber Rapid and Blindfold Chess Championship here last night. Overnight leader GM Vladimir Kramnik of Russia maintained his overall lead with 10 points despite a mixed round against joint number two Jeroen Piket of the Netherlands. Kramnik leads the blindfold section and combined standings by 1.5 points each. World number two Anand drew both his rapid and blindfold games with the Frenchman, once his clubmate with Lyon in the French league, to lie sixth with 7.5 points. Though Anand is ranked number one in blindfold game he has failed to win a single blindfold game thus far. Anand, who has five points out of seven games in the rapid section, played out a quick 26-move draw with Lautier in the section at the Metropole Palace Hotel. Kramnik lost to GM Piket in the rapid segment but came back to beat the Dutchman in blindfold, capitalising on a couple of mistakes by Piket, who was clubbed with Spaniard Alexy Shirov and Vaselin Topalov of Bulgaria for the second to fourth spots with 8.5 points. FIDE world champion GM Anatoly Karpov of Russia beat GM Leok Van Wely 1.5-0.5 to be sole fifth. Karpov was held to a draw by Van Wely in the rapid section but beat the Dutchman with black pieces in the blindfold game. The rapid chess game between Anand and Lautier was a queen’s gambit accepted opening which ended in a quick draw as the two players, who had played together many times during their club engagements in France and were familiar with each other’s game, did not take any chances. Lautier came up with a new move which caused some anxiety to Anand but the Indian’s central pawn compensated well and with material advantage fast depleting, they agreed to a draw. The highlight of this round were the remarkable victories scored by J. Piket, Boris Gelfand and A. Shirov, all three of whom were languishing at the bottom of the rapid standings. In the blindfold game, Anand did not exert himself much and agreed to share the point after 23-moves of a sicilian sveslinkov game for a 1-1 draw, the same they achieved here last year. The Indian, leading comfortably in the rapid section, would be now focussing his attention on the rapid section, which he hopes to win. In the Kramnik-Piket blindfold game, the Russian was facing a shattering defeat after losing the rapid game to the Dutchman. But Piket blundered on his 38th and 41st move to flounder his advantage into an exchange down ending, The Russian seized the advantage to win the rook and three pawns versus knight and three pawns ending in 80 moves to maintain his lead in the blindfold section and the overall lead as well. Results; Rapid chess: V. Ivanchuk lost to L. Ljubojevic, J. Piket beat V. Kramnik, A. Karpov drew with L. Van Wely, P. Nikolic lost to Alexey Shirov, Boris Gelfand beat V. Topalov, J. Lautier drew with V. Anand. Blindfold: L. Ljubojevic drew with V. Ivanchuk, V. Kramnik beat J. Piket, L. Van Wely lost to A. Karpov, A. Shirov beat P. Nikolic, V. Topalov beat Boris Gelfand, V. Anand drew with J. Lautier. Overall standings after seventh round: V. Kramnik (Rus) 10; J.
Lautier (Fra), A. Shirov (Esp), V. Topalov (Bul) 8.5
each; A. Karpov (Rus) 8; V. Anand (Ind) 7.5; V. Ivanchuk
(Ukr), L. Ljubojevic (Yug), P. Nikolic (Bih) 6 each; B.
Gelfand (Blr) 5.5, L. Van Wely (Ned) 5; Piket (Ned) 4.5. |
Special
train
from Pak one-day tie at Mohali SAS NAGAR, March 24 — A special train will run from Attari to Chandigarh to bring cricket buffs from across the border for the tri-series one-day match between India and Pakistan scheduled to be played at the PCA Stadium here on April 1. "The train will leave Attari on March 31 at 3 p.m. and reach Chandigarh at 9 p.m. for the return journey it will leave Chandigarh at 7 a.m. on April 2 and reach Pakistan at 1 p.m.", disclosed Mr Inderjit Singh Bindra, president of the Punjab Cricket Association, here last night. Mr Bindra stated that clearance to run the train had already been received adding that he had had talks with Mr Majid Khan, chief executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board who was at Jaipur, for this purpose. "The PCB has agreed to sell tickets on our behalf. As many as 1000 tickets would be sent to Pakistan. Visas would be issued by the Indian mission in Islamabad to those having valid tickets for the match", he quipped. The Chief Minister, Punjab, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has submitted a letter to the Ministry of External Affairs, extending an invitation to his counterpart in Pakistan for the match. A similar invitation will be sent by the Governor to his counterpart, the former President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India said. Mr Bindra emphasised that the objective was to make it a historic occasion. A conscious effort was being made to increase the cooperation among the people of the two countries for the development of the game in the sub-continent. The PCA was extending invitation to the likes of Imran Khan, Intikhab Alam, officials and ex-president of the PCB as well as dignitaries from Sri Lanka. "An attempt is being made to promote contact at the people-to-people level through the game of cricket. We want to do one step better than Chennai", he said. Explaining the decision concerning non-issuance of complimentary passes for this match Mr Bindra revealed that the association was eager to wipe out its outstanding financial liabilities which were likely to be cleared from the revenue generated from the match. He revealed that in-stadia advertisements would fetch a staggering Rs 91 lakh, whereas only Rs 66 lakh would be collected from the in-stadia advertisements for the final match slated at Bangalore. The PCA expects to amass by Rs 2 crore as profit from the match. The PCA president said that the full quota of tickets had already been sold and only obligatory tickets meant for players and sponsors etc remained to be sold. The sale of such remaining tickets, in this category, would begin three or four days prior to the match. For better crowd control, close circuit cameras would be installed at the entry gates. Both the teams and the guests would be entertained during the cultural evening slated on March 31 at Hotel Mountview where the teams would be lodged. The biggest-ever media contingent from across the border comprising nearly 10 journalists would arrive here to cover the match. The match would be telecast live by ESPN as well by the Doordarshan. Mr M.P.Pandove, Secretary, PCA, revealed that the proposal for the delayed start of the match by one hour had been submitted to the cricket board. The match as of now, is scheduled to begin at 2.30 p.m. The Wagah border earlier was thrown open for cricket fans from across the border in 1979 for a match at Amritsar. After that, the Wagah was opened in 1983 for the Test match at Jalandhar which had to be abandoned due to rain. The PCA Stadium has so far
hoisted six one-day international matches, two Test
matches and a three-day match featuring the Sri Lanka
team. This is for the first time that a one-day match was
being played by the Indian team against Pakistan. |
Ganguly should bowl more: Dungarpur JAIPUR March 24 (PTI) — The President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Mr Raj Singh Dungarpur, today said Saurav Ganguly should be given bowling more regularly and predicted his slow medium stuff would be very effective in the World Cup in England. Ganguly, who claimed four for 21 in India’s 80-run win against Sri Lanka at Nagpur in their opening tie of the current triangular one-day series, is a good bowler and can be more than a handful in the early English summer of May and June when the World Cup will be played, he said. The BCCI chief said using Ganguly as a regular bowler will also help India go into matches with an additional batsman, depending on the situation. Mr Dungarpur was watching the India-Pakistan tie at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium today. "Time and again Ganguly has proved his ability with the ball. He can be used as the fifth bowler and the team can accommodate an extra batsman", he said. He defended skipper Mohd Azharuddin when asked why Ganguly was seldom given a bowl. "He has been using Ganguly at times. But I still would like to see he bowls more", Mr Dungarpur said. Asked why young batsmen like opener Ramesh and Amay Khurasia were yet to get their chance despite BCCI officials saying they were going to give opportunities to youngsters, he said "The process is still on. We wish that all players, young or experienced like Vinod Kambli, should get a chance to prove themselves before the probables list is pruned". The final 15-member list
for the World Cup, to come off from May 14 to June 20, is
scheduled to be announced on April 4 at the end of the
current one-day tournament. |
Stunning 6 under by Jyoti Randhawa MEERUT, March 24 — Jyoti Randhawa warmed up nicely for the AGC-Wills Meerut Open with a stunning round of six-under 66 in the pro-am played today at the par-72, 6,785-yard Army Golf Course today. However, Randhawa’s individual effort on what used to be his former home course before he shifted base to Delhi, were overshadowed by a splendid team effort by pro Mohammed Islam and amateurs Col Yashpal, Lt Col S.S. Bhaglal and Y.S. Sirohi. Islam played a level-par round to garner 36 points, while the amateurs contributed 74 in a winning total of 110. Randhawa and his team of Brig Ajit Gandotra, Col Bairagi and R. Patnaik finished first runner-up with 109 points, while 1998 Wills Indian Open champion Feroz Ali and his team of Col M. Nand Kumar, CPS Rana and Deepak Rastogi were second runner-up with 108 points. The inaugural tee-off was done by Gen G.K. Verma. The prizes (Rs 5,000 for Mohd Islam, Rs 3,000 for Randhawa and Rs 2,000 for Feroz and silver salvers for the amateurs) will be distributed along with the main tournament on Sunday March 28. Feroz Ali, winner of the last event hopes to put behind the nightmarish round of 10-over 82 in the second round of the Wills Indian Open two weeks back. The Calcuttan failed to make the cut going into the tournament as the defending champion. "My swing was stiff and my putting awful on the second day which resulted in my ouster. However, failure can be a blessing in disguise. After much introspection after the Open, I am much aware of my shortcomings today and therefore, better prepared," said a positive-looking Feroz after the pro-am. Also trying to get over Indian Open woes was Vijay Kumar. The leader in the Order of Merit and Mahindra Rankings had to pull out of the premier event after playing just three holes due to a shoulder muscle injury. "All I can say is that I got the injury at a wrong time. My back is still slightly sore, but I am keen to do well here," said the country’s number one golfer from Lucknow. However, current form and local knowledge will make the Hero Honda Masters winner Jyoti Randhawa the overwhelming favourite. Also on view will be such top names as Gaurav Ghei, twice Honda-SIEL PGA champion Uttam Singh Mundy, Shiv Prakash, Ali Sher, Basad Ali and Vivek Bhandari. The Army Golf course,
situated on the outskirts of Meerut City, can rightly
claim to be one of the best-maintained courses in the
country at the moment. The fairways and well-manicured
greens are a treat to watch and was appreciated by the
golfers. Though this is just a 12-hole course, the
challenging lay-out will make for some exciting golf for
the next four days. |
National Boxing from today VISAKHAPATNAM, March 24 (PTI) — The 45th Senior National Boxing Championship will be held at the Police Stadium here from March 25 to 30. About 340 boxers, representing 32 teams, are expected to participate in the tournament where computerised scoring would be employed, the organisers said here yesterday. The national team for the forthcoming International Kings Cup Boxing Championship to be held in Bangkok would be selected during this championship, they said. For the first time in the
championship’s history, a Police team will
participate this year. |
Sasikiran stuns Thipsay NAGPUR, March 24 (PTI) — International master K. Sasikiran upset grand master Pravin Thipsay with a hard-fought victory and shared the top spot with IM R.B. Ramesh after the second round of the 36th National "A" Chess Championship here today. Sasikiran, the top seed here, had beaten IM elect Shankar Roy in the opening round yesterday and has two full points like Ramesh, who upset former champion IM D.V. Prasad in the second game after beating Anup Deshmukh in the opening round. IMs Abhijit Kunte, V. Saravanan, Suvrajit Saha and S.K. Rathore are sharing the second spot with 1.5 points each. The game between Thipsay and Sasikiran opened with king’s Indian defence with Thipsay playing black pieces. Sasikiran went for wild complications in the middle game to reach an ending where Thipsay had weak doubled pawns on the queen side. Seven time national champion Thipsay had a bishop pair to compensate the pawn weakness but could not coordinate his pieces. His bishops remained mute spectators while Sasikiran gobbled up the queen side pawns. A rook ending was reached with Thipsay two pawns down. Sasikiran overcame all technical difficulties and won. Ramesh, playing with white
pieces, adopted maroczy bind against Prasad and produced
a novelty in the opening which caught his opponent
unawares. Kunte was in an uncomfortable position against Deshmukh but escaped with a draw. He opened with reti and fianchettoed both bishops. Deshmukh played solidly to equalise and even got a slight edge when Kunte tried some dubious tactical tricks. However, Deshmukh consumed too much time in the process and when Kunte proposed a draw on the 23rd move, he accepted it in view of the approaching time trouble. IMs Sarvanan and P. Konguvel decided to play it safe and agreed to a draw after 18 moves. Sarvanan played the English opening and the maroczy bind set up was reached by transposition. Both players manoeuvred their pieces in their own territories and no breakthrough was in sight when the players split the point. Saha played a fine game to hand over Shankar Roy his second defeat in the tournament. Saha showed excellent understanding of the position arising from benko gambit and produced a fine combination to obtain a winning position and transposed into a pawn up endgame to register a fluent victory. Rathore continued his excellent run holding IM V. Koshy to draw in 75 moves. After wild complications in the opening, both Rathore and Koshy landed in severe time pressure and they had to bliz their moves at blinding speed to avoid losing on time. When the dust was cleared, a rook ending had been reached with an extra pawn for Koshy, but Rathore defended tenaciously the disadvantage, confronting Koshy with numerous technical difficulties. The stubborn defence paid off as Koshy was unable to capitalise on his material advantage and conceded the draw. The games between N.K. Mishra and Tejas Bakre; Neelotpal Das and Ravi Hegde and T.S. Ravi-G.B. Prakash also ended in draws. Results (round two):
Mishra (0.5) drew with Bakre (0.5); Koshy (0.5) drew with
Rathore (1.5); Sasikiran (2) b Thipsay (1); Saha (1.5) b
Roy (0); Ravi (1) drew with Prakash (1); N. Das (1) drew
with Hegde (1); Ramesh (2) b Prasad (0.5); Kunte (1.5)
drew with Deshmukh (0.5); Saravanan (1.5) drew with
Konguvel (0.5). |
DAV boys,
MCM
girls are overall champs CHANDIGARH, March 24 — DAV College, Sector 10 and MCM DAV College for Women, Sector 36, lifted the overall championship trophy among men and women, respectively, at the Panjab University prize distribution function held in the university gymnasium hall yesterday. While DAV College got 338.5 points, MCM girls had a tally of 344.5 points. The runners-up trophy was clinched by SGGS College, Sector 26 (198.5 points) and Panjab University Campus (210 points) in the men's and women's sections, respectively. The overall championship trophy in the B division went to Guru Nanak College, Killianwali (60 points) and Dev Samaj College of Education for Women, Sector 36, in the men's and women's sections, respectively. The overall general championship trophy for evening and education colleges went to Arya Evening College, Ludhiana, with 155 points. Two hundred outstanding sportspersons who won first, second, third and fourth positions (including their coaches and managers) in the all-India Inter-University competitions were presented track suits. Mementoes were also presented to the Principals, physical education teachers and coaches whose students secured positions in the All-India Inter-University Competitions. Prof M.M. Puri,
Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University, gave away the
trophies and prizes. |
H
Tennis meet from tomorrow CHANDIGARH, March 24 (BOSR) — Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association will conduct the three-day Chandigarh State Tennis Championship at CLTA Complex, Sector 10, from March 26 to 28, according to Mr Gurpal Singh, secretary of the association. The events would be held in men's singles, women singles, boys under 18 and under 16, and girls under 16. Entries closed with CLTA
manager on March 25. Only bona fide residents of
Chandigarh are eligible to take part. |
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