Venus Williams wins Italian Open
ROME, May 10 — Venus Williams overpowered an injured Mary Pierce in straight sets for the second time in seven days in a clay court final to win the Italian Open today.

No banners, posters to herald World Cup
LONDON, May 10 — Whisper it softly, the World Cup is coming to town and nobody outside the cricketing world has been told. In four days' time hosts England meet defending champions Sri Lanka to launch the biggest edition of the one-day world championship.

Tickets for 2 World Cup ties available
LONDON, May 10 — Tickets for all but two preliminary league matches in the World Cup have been sold out, organisers announced here today, with the rest likely to go within days.

Events for Sydney, Pusan identified
NEW DELHI, May 10 — The Amateur Athletic Federation of India has identified 13 events, including seven in the women’s section, to prepare athletes for next year’s Sydney Olympics and has drawn up a comprehensive long term development programme to produce the best at the 2002 Pusan Asian Games.

South Africa, Lanka win comfortably
LONDON, May 10 — South Africa demonstrated its potency as World Cup favourite with a 170-run win over Kent yesterday, while defending titlist Sri Lanka made the most of the sunshine in a 62-run defeat of Northamptonshire.

Windies will miss Hooper admits coach
BRISTOL, (England) May 10 — West Indian coach Clive Lloyd admitted here that his inexperienced side faced an uphill struggle at the cricket World Cup following the shock withdrawal of Carl Hooper just before the tournament.

Windies seek crowd control expert
ST JOHN’S, (Antigua), May 10 — The West Indies cricket chiefs are to seek a security and crowd control expert following trouble during the recent one-day series against Australia.

India to take part in 6 disciplines
NEW DELHI, May 10 — India will contest in only six disciplines — athletics, boxing, hockey, shooting, tennis and weightlifting — in the Sydney Olympic Games next year.

IHF picks up 17 more probables
BANGALORE May 10 — Veteran forward Mohammed Riyaz, Thirumalvalavan and Prabhakaran were among the 17 probables picked up by the Indian Hockey Federation yesterday in the second and final phase of trials to choose the Indian team for the Sydney Olympics next year.

Jeev tied at 37th position
NEW DELHI, May 10 — Jeev Milkha Singh's hope of another good finish in the European PGA Tour was dashed when he finished the final round of the Novotel Perrier French Open, being played at the Golf DU Medoc, Bordeaux, France, with a double bogey, followed by a bogey to finish tied at 37th position.

Chandigarh crash to second defeat
SHILLONG, May 10 — Maintaining their winning spree, Tamil Nadu thrashed Chandigarh 4-0, while Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh humbled Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh 5-0 and 6-0 respectively on the third day of the seventh Women’s Senior National Football Championship here today.

Venus Williams wins Italian Open

ROME, May 10 (Reuters) — Venus Williams overpowered an injured Mary Pierce in straight sets for the second time in seven days in a clay court final to win the Italian Open today.

The third seed, beaten by world number one Martina Hingis in last year’s final, took her winning streak on red clay to eight matches with a 6-4 6-2 win over the 1997 champion, who played most of the match with a heavily strapped left thigh.

Even a fully-fit Pierce would have been left reeling by the American, who hit a string of spectacular winners and used the most formidable serve in women’s tennis to serve nine aces.

"I don’t doubt that she had an injury but I still had to play well to win," said Williams, who has four titles in 1999.

Williams’s grip on the match was only broken in the first set when a swarm of bees attacked the upper tiers of the Foro Italico and, in the ensuing commotion, she served a double fault.

Seven days ago, the 18-year-old had destroyed France’s Pierce 6-0 6-3 for her first title on clay at Hamburg, when the injury-prone French player was troubled by a back strain.

"I hate making excuses for myself, but obviously it was bothering me for most of my shots," said Pierce of the groin strain sustained in yesterday’s win over Amelie Mauresmo.

Pierce showed no sign of carrying an injury early on as she hit several superb winners in the opening three games.

Pierce’s plan required power and athleticism and she lost the latter at 2-1 in the first set, taking a three-minute medical break to have her left groin strapped up.

On her next service game, Williams broke Pierce for the first time, as the French girl gifted her opponent two points after leading comfortably 30-15.

In the next game, however, Pierce had her opponent in trouble on her own serve, moving to her first three breakpoint of the match with two clean winners and a Williams error, as the tall American lost her balance on the slippery clay.

Williams saved the first two, but a horribly mistimed serve allowed Pierce to level at 3-3 on a double fault.

Pierce survived another breakpoint on her own service game before receiving a warning for exceeding the two-minute break between games for more treatment to her thigh.

Serving at 4-4, Williams broke Pierce after winning a superb rally that had both players at full stretch.

There was a glimmer of hope for Pierce when Williams double-faulted on the first point as she served for the set, but the American closed the door with two aces and took the set 6-4.

Pierce was never in contention in the second set, looking increasingly troubled by her injury, treading gingerly on her left leg and failing to chase down several reachable shots.

Hewitt Triumphs

DELRAY BEACH (USA) (Reuters): In winning his second career title with a 6-4, 6-7, (2-7), 6-1 victory over Belgian wild card Xavier Malisse today, sixth-seeded Lleyton Hewitt became the fifth consecutive Australian to capture the Citrix Tennis Championships.

The 55th-ranked Hewitt, winning his first title of 1999 in three final matches played, follows in the footsteps of four countrymen who won the title recently — Todd Woodbridge in 1995, Jason Stoltenberg in 1996 and 1997, and Andrew Ilie in 1998.

The 18-year-old Hewitt, who won his first career title at the January 1998 Adelaide tournament, is the youngest player ranked in the top 100 and will move into the top 50 for the first time in his career tomorrow.

After rain delay suspended the match with Hewitt leading 6-4 5-5 last night, the Australian returned to the court this morning to finish the match in 40 minutes.

Hewitt, who was playing in only his third career clay court tournament, had one match point at 5-4 in the second set before the rain started, but dumped a backhand into the net.

Experiencing a slow start today, Hewitt lost the second set after making way too many unforced errors from 2-2 in the second set tiebreaker. But he improved against 131st-ranked Malisse in the third set, only allowing the Belgian to hold serve in the fourth game.

While both are the same age, Hewitt is clearly the more mature and disciplined competitor on-court. Hewitt’s speed and variety of shot-making was much more of a weapon then Malisse’s firepower, which is his strong suit.

No banners, posters to herald World Cup

LONDON, May 10 (Reuters) — Whisper it softly, the World Cup is coming to town and nobody outside the cricketing world has been told.

In four days' time hosts England meet defending champions Sri Lanka to launch the biggest edition of the one-day world championship.

There are no banners in the streets, no posters on the walls and even the World Cup theme song, all over the world by Dave Stewart, is not due to be released until two weeks into the tournament.

The singer and songwriter is hardly at the cutting edge of contemporary pop music and attempts this year by the England and Wales Cricket Board to widen the game's appeal have the same dated feel.

Anneka Rice, a sometime television celebrity who would struggle to make most people's B list, was present at a launch of the England team's snazzy new kit.

She is unlikely to be asked back.

"The game is run by a club which has only just decided to let women in," Ms Rice said, referring to the Marleybone Cricket Club's (MCC) vote to admit women members.

Attempts to borrow ideas from major American sports appear similarly misguided.

Teams in the Sunday one-day league have been renamed in line with U.S. football, Basketball, baseball and ice hockey teams.

The titles range from the vaguely appropriate to the frankly bizarre and Darren Gough found it difficult to keep a straight face as he tried to explain the derivation of Yorkshire Phoenix at the launch of the new league.

Gough is one of the few Englishmen with genuine star quality and his performances with the ball are essential to England's progress through the tournament, which ends with the final at Lord's on June 20.

Neville Cardus would have approved of the doughty Yorkshireman, recognising the qualities which he believed made cricket one of the supreme forums for revealing character and individuality.

The peerless Manchester Guardian cricket and music writer disdained one-day cricket, but as far back as 1953 he recognised an important truth still at the forefront of English administrators' minds.

Cardus had been at Lord's while Stanley Matthews was performing his magic at Wembley as Blackpool came back from the brink of defeat to beat Bolton Wanderers 4-3 in the Fa Cup final.

"I felt pretty I had been attending a decaying contemporary industry which, but for the artificial respiration applied from time to time by the Australians, would before long pass into the hands of the brokers and gradually disappear, not greatly lamented into profound oblivion," Cardus wrote gloomily.

In the final months of the 20th century, soccer is even more of a threat to the English summer game and the mediocre performances of the England cricket team in both Test and one-day games have not helped.

Gough apart, there is not much to enthuse about in the current team. On the wider canvas though, provided the unreliable English spring weather is kind, the World Cup promises a feast of sporting entertainment.

From a comparatively early stage in his career Cardus referred constantly and nostalgically to lost golden eras and lamented current standards.

He might not have liked one-day cricket but he would surely have recognised the quality of the current cast of international players who have propelled the game worldwide into a new golden age.

The individuals on parade next Friday will include Sri Lanka's wily and generously-proportioned captain Arjuna Ranatunga plus Sanath Jayasuriya, who redefined one-day cricket in the 1996 tournament with his explosive opening batting.

India boast of Sachin Tendulkar, probably the finest batsman in the world in both the Test and one-day arena, while Brian Lara who played, what might well have been the best Test innings ever against Australia this year, leads former champions West Indies.

South Africa, the early favourites, and Australia have the strongest teams with class all-rounders. Pakistan have the fastest bowler in Shoaib Akhtar and a volatile team capable of reaching the heights.

The English spring and the probability of seaming pitches may demand more conventional tactics than in the previous two tournaments, but nothing can be assumed in a game which has become a sophisticated sport in itself rather than just a poor relation of test cricket.

In 1992, New Zealand opened the bowling with spinner Dipak Patel. Four years ago Jayasuriya was reaching his half-century before some spectators had settled into their seats.

Ranatunga has hinted at further innovations this Friday and he has the players to deliver as Sri Lanka open the defence of their title.

So do the other leading contenders and, if the advertising campaign has been non-existent, the authorities at least have a product of genuine quality to offer the public.

Rain gods invented one-dayers

LONDON, May 10 (AFP) — An estimated two billion people across the globe will watch the cricket World Cup on television over the next six weeks.

If it hadn’t been for a particularly inclement spell of weather in the Melbourne area almost 20 years ago, they might have had to find something else to occupy their time.

The one-day game was born in the Victorian capital in January 1971, when three days of persistent rain washed out the third Test between England and Australia.

The rival captains, Bill Lawry and Ray Illingworth, went into a huddle with local officials — Don Bradman, as President of the Australian Cricket Board was among them — and decided to write off the match in favour of a bit of fun — a 40-over-a-side game.

When 46,000 people turned up to watch, they realised they were onto something big.

Today, the one-dayer is part of the cricketing fabric, serving up frothy pop music for those struggling to digest the heavy dose of Test matches.

For those not inclined to sit around for five days with every chance of watching a draw, the limited-over format offers a (relatively) quick fix.

It’s a sporting Russian roulette, wrapped up in colourful pyjamas, sun-block and reflecting sunglasses. And invariably, there is a result guaranteed after seven hours of play.

Many of its innovations — day-night games, musical accompaniments, and even a tearful duck traipsing disconsolately across the bottom of television screens whenever a player is dismissed without scoring — were born out of Australian media mogul Kerry Packer’s attempts to create a ‘rebel’ one-day cricket circuit in the late 1970s.

His intervention, which split the sport for a while, galvanised cricket — or at least its shorter, more dynamic format — into a rapid change of image.

Zones on the pitch were introduced to combat over-defensive fields, cricketing whites were abandoned and players’ names and numbers began appearing on brightly-coloured kit.

The bowlers run-ups were cut down to speed up play. Bouncers and leg-side deliveries were outlawed. As the pendulum swung further towards batsmen, athletic fielders emerged as a counterbalance, becoming stars in their own right.

Whenever the game has threatened to lapse into stereotype — teams began batting cautiously for 20 overs, picking up the pace gradually over the next 20 and then thrashing away for the final 10 — new rules have been developed.

Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup win, for instance, was largely based on exploiting new fielding restrictions which encouraged attacking batting, or "pinch-hitting", right from the opening stages.

Today, as the seventh World Cup approaches, one-day cricket has come of age.

In many parts of the world, and in the Indian subcontinent in particular — home of some 90 per cent of all cricket followers — it is the most popular form of the game.

The Sri Lankan squad has 1,888 one-day caps between them, with Pakistan and India just behind. England, in contrast, have just over 600.

Limited-over tournaments come and go so fast in Asia that they are forgotten as soon as the last ball is bowled. The World Cup, however, is different. Played only once ever four years, it retains its mystique as the game’s one ‘world championship’.

The winners of the World Cup final on June 20 may not be accepted as the best cricketing side in the world — the Test-loving traditionalists and the MCC’s tweed-jacketed, moustachioed members would never swallow that, but they will be seen as the most exciting and the most colourful.

Events for Sydney, Pusan identified

NEW DELHI, May 10 (PTI) — The Amateur Athletic Federation of India (AAFI) has identified 13 events, including seven in the women’s section, to prepare athletes for next year’s Sydney Olympics and has drawn up a comprehensive long term development programme to produce the best at the 2002 Pusan Asian Games.

The AAFI will prepare athletes in 30 events for Pusan — drastically up from the 16 which fetched India 15 medals (two gold, six silver and seven bronze) at last year’s Bangkok games — and will hold competition in a phased manner both at home and abroad to provide ideal preparation.

AAFI president Suresh Kalmadi told a Press conference after the AAFI general body and executive committee meeting here today that an 11-member selection committee comprising top former internationals with Mr Kalmadi as chairman and AAFI secretary Lalit Bhanot as convenor had been constituted.

Former stars Sriram Singh, Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, Shiny Wilson, Adille Sumarivala, Eshwar Singh Deol, Suman Mehta (Rawat), Shabir Ali, senior chief coach Bahadur Singh and his junior counterpart J. S. Saini will make up the panel.

Hitherto, only office-bearers had been in the panel.

Mr Kalmadi announced that the government had agreed to raise cash incentives for Commonwealth Games medal winners on a par with that of Asiad medallists.

Consequently, the amounts will be raised to Rs 5 lakh for gold, Rs 3 lakh for silver and Rs 2 lakh for bronze from Rs 1 lakh, Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively with all 25 medallists at last year’s Kuala Lumpur games eligible.

The raise in prize money for Commonwealth Games medallists had come after Indian Olympic Association had requested the Prime Minister and Sports Minister to look into the issue, Mr Kalmadi, who is also the IOA president, said.

Releasing a comprehensive long-term development programme for preparing the squads for various international meets, Mr Kalmadi said foreign athletes had been invited to take part in the four national circuit meets this year to raise the level of competition.

The circuit meets introduced in 1994 have been a big success and hence the move to upgrade them to international meets. At least 50 athletes from abroad are expected to compete in the circuit meets to be held at Nagercoil (July 3), Thiruvananthapuram (July 6), Bangalore (July 12) and Chennai (July 15).

"Shifting our calendar to suit the international circuit paid rich dividends in Bangkok. Indian athletes will compete in the European circuit for three weeks in June and will take part in at least four meets," Mr Bhanot said.

To evolve a systematic programme to further boost the standard of performances, today’s meeting made it mandatory for all the 32 units affiliated to AAFI to have chief coaches, competitions and camps.

"Any unit not complying with this will be disaffiliated from AAFI and amendments have been made in our constitution for this," Mr Kalmadi added.

The meeting, which reviewed the performances last year at Bangkok and in the Asian Track and Field Meet at Fukuoka, also drew up long-term junior programme for the 2004 and 2006.

The major meets slated for this year are the World Championships at Seville. Spain from August 19 to 29 and the South Asian Federation Games at Kathmandu from September 25 to October 4.

The Asian Championship besides the Olympics is slated for next year while the inaugural Afro-Asian Games are scheduled to be held in New Delhi in November 2001.

List of identified events for Sydney Olympics, 2000.

Men: 555 m, 10.000 m. 4x400 m relay, shot put discus throw, javelin throw.

Women: 800 m, 1500 m, 5000 m, 4x400 m relay, discus throw, javelin throw, high jump.

List of events identified for the 2202 Asian Games at Pusan, South Korea.

Men: 400 m, 800 m, 1500 m, 5000 m, 10.000 m, 3000 m, steelpechase, marathon, 400 m hurdles, shot put, discus throw, javelin throw, hammer throw, long jump, 4x 400 m relay.

Women: 100 m 200 m, 400 m, 800 m, 1500 m, 5000 m, 400 m hurdles, discus throw, shot put, javelin throw, hammer throw, long jump, heptathlon, high jump.

Tickets for 2 World Cup ties available

LONDON, May 10 (AFP) — Tickets for all but two preliminary league matches in the World Cup have been sold out, organisers announced here today, with the rest likely to go within days.

Of the 30 first-round matches, only Kenya's matches against Zimbabwe at Taunton on Saturday and against Sri Lanka at Southampton on May 30 still have seats available.

Tickets for the super-six games, semifinals and final were also not available, the organisers said.

The six-week tournament starts on Friday with hosts England taking on defending champions Sri Lanka at Lord's. The final will be played at the same venue on June 20.

South Africa, Lanka win comfortably

LONDON, May 10 (AP) — South Africa demonstrated its potency as World Cup favourite with a 170-run win over Kent yesterday, while defending titlist Sri Lanka made the most of the sunshine in a 62-run defeat of Northamptonshire.

In other World Cup warmup matches yesterday, England edged Essex by one run, African minnows Kenya beat Gloucestershire by four wickets and Zimbabwe slumped to a five wicket loss to Derbyshire.

South Africa used its warm-up match against Kent at Canterbury to full advantage, scoring 320 for six off 50 overs.

Top order batsman Mark Boucher blasted the bowling attack, notching 129 including two sixes and 14 fours in 114 balls, while all-rounder Lance Klusener hit 58.

The Proteas’ bowlers restricted Kent to 150, with skipper Hansie Cronje returning the best bowling figures of four wickets for six runs in 15 balls during a devastating three over spell.

At Trent Bridge, Roshan Mahanama belted 142 not out and Aravinda de Silva contributed 66 in Sri Lanka’s total of 288 for five.

In response, Graeme Archer scored 70 but the Sri Lankan bowlers dominated with Pramodya Wickramasinghe taking four wickets for 47 and Chaminda Vaas claiming four for 31.

At Chelmsford, England batted first and scored 229 for seven, with Graham Thorpe top scoring with 88 runs.

In reply, English World Cup player Nasser Hussain (82) and Australia’s Stewart Law (64) set Essex on target in a 120-run second-wicket stand off 136 balls but the home team failed by the closest margin, reaching 228 for nine.

Mark Ealham, who scored 33 in England’s innings, was the leading English bowler with four for 39.

At Derby, Zimbabwe was all out for 178 in 49.3 overs.

Derbyshire always looked comfortable in the chase but only achieved the win in the last over. Matthew Cassar hit 90 runs in Derbyshire’s total of 179 for five.

At Bristol, Gloucestershire batted first and reached 249 for six with former England wicketkeeper Robert Jack’ Russell hitting 90 and Tim Hancock unbeaten on 83.

In reply, Kenya got on top early with Maurice Odumbe (68) and Ravinda Shah sharing an opening partnership of 88.

How different are the white balls?

LONDON, May 10 (AFP) — Few sports take as much time analysing the minutiae surrounding playing conditions and equipment as cricket.

With bad weather affecting the lead-up to upcoming World Cup, the focus has shifted from the Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara to the type of ball to be used in the tournament.

The 1999 event, unlike the 1975 and 1983 editions held in England, will feature a white ball rather than a red one.

Cricket experts and players have been studying the projectile ever since, trying to discern its special mysteries.

Nobody can explain why, but players are convinced the white ball swings more than the red one. It’s laquered coating, they argue, also means the seam lasts longer, helping bowlers to find sharp movement off the wicket.

The Duke’s ball, as it is known, is hand stitched and renowned for its hardness, another quality which should prolong its ability to dart back or cut away.

The Sri Lankans, on tour of England last year, called the ball a "bat-breaker". Some of their spinner said they preferred a softer ball.

The manufacturers continue to argue that their balls — whether white or red — are identical, made in exactly the same way and to the same specifications.

Mr Dilip Jajodia, the Managing Director of the British Cricket Balls Limited says: "It’s all hype, we have been using the balls for five to six years. There has been no problem. A ball is a ball."

But that has not stopped the debate. Some like the white ball, others don’t. England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff says: "I’m sure the white ball moves around a little bit more, but as we are all using the same ball, I can’t see that it will make that much difference."

One day, a scientist may provide a definitive answer over the red-versus-white issue.

But cricketers will not listen. Science, after all, has proved that there is no valid reason for cricket balls to swing more in overcast conditions but every player, from park amateur to international star, swears they do.

Taylor retires from cricket

SYDNEY, May 10 (AFP) — Former Australian Test captain Mark Taylor (34) announced today his retirement from all first-class cricket.

Taylor, who quit international cricket in January, said he had decided against returning for a 15th Sheffeiled Shield season for New South Wales as he had previously indicated that he wanted to do.

In first-class matches for his home state of New South Wales, including 85 shield appearances, Taylor, scored 6.997 runs, including 17 centuries and took a record 132 catches.

A veteran of 104 Tests Taylor captained Australia for five years through one of its most successful yet most turbulent years, winning 26 of his 50 Tests as captain, losing 13 and drawing 11.

As captain, he won three Ashes series against England, a series against South Africa, the first series victory against the West Indies in 23 years and the first over Pakistan for 39 years.

The opener — with a Test tally of 7525 runs, more than any other Australian except Allan Border, and a world record 157 catches — said he had been losing the urge to play Test cricket since retaining the Ashes in Adelaide.

He also wanted to spend more time with his wife and two sons, William (6) and Jack (4).

Windies will miss Hooper admits coach

BRISTOL, (England) May 10 (AFP) — West Indian coach Clive Lloyd admitted here that his inexperienced side faced an uphill struggle at the cricket World Cup following the shock withdrawal of Carl Hooper just before the tournament.

Lloyd, speaking after the West Indies struggled in the damp conditions before Saturday’s game against English county side Gloucestershire was rained off, said: "You don’t replace someone like that easily."

"He plays very well in these conditions. If we go all the way, we’will have done very well because I don’t think you can bring somebody straight in."

Hooper, a veteran of 80 Tests and 183 one-day internationals, retired unexpectedly from international cricket just three weeks before the World Cup.

The Guyana-born 32-year-old all-rounder was one of the team’s most experienced batsmen and also bowled highly-effective off spin. Hooper also withdrew from the West Indies squad just before the last World Cup in 1996.

Lloyd admitted that the current team was short of players who could adapt quickly to English conditions. Only one of 12 World Cup warm-up matches staged on Friday and Saturday beat the wet weather to go the full distance, with seven contests abandoned.

In 1975 every player in the victorious West Indies squad had played county cricket while in 1979, when they won again, only Desmond Haynes had not.

Only six of the current 15-man squad, however, have played in England.

Windies seek crowd control expert

ST JOHN’S, (Antigua), May 10 (Reuters) — The West Indies cricket chiefs are to seek a security and crowd control expert following trouble during the recent one-day series against Australia.

The expert would assist the territorial boards with ensuring that "security arrangements are put in place to the required standards".

The West Indies Cricket Board’s (WICB) annual meeting also decided to pursue with relevant governments "the development of appropriate legislation to assist with crowd control and security at the grounds".

The board members said legislation was needed to enforce stiff penalties on unruly fans.

After crowd trouble disrupted one-day games in Barbados and Guyana last month, Australia captain Steve Waugh warned the West Indies cricket authorities they must upgrade security at their grounds significantly if they hoped to stage the World Cup in 2007.

The final one-day match in Bridgetown was held up for 45 minutes by bottle-throwing fans angered at the controversial run-out of West Indies opener Sherwin Campbell.

The incident came four days after spectators invaded the pitch in the closing moments of the fifth match in Georgetown, preventing Australia from scoring a third run to level the scores.

Sydney Olympics

India to take part in 6 disciplines

NEW DELHI, May 10 (PTI) — India will contest in only six disciplines — athletics, boxing, hockey, shooting, tennis and weightlifting — in the Sydney Olympic Games next year.

The Government has sanctioned India’s participation in 2000 Olympics for six disciplines with hockey being represented by both men and women, Sports Minister Uma Bharti told a meeting of sports administrators here today.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has already started camps for preparation for Sydney Olympics at the National Institute of Sports, Patiala and at Sai regional centres in Bangalore and Calcutta, the minister was informed, according to an official press note.

The minister today directed the officials concerned to select sportspersons on merit and provide them all possible help and scientific training.

To achieve success in major international tournaments such as Olympics, Ms Uma Bharti said it was imperative to select sportspersons scientifically and without any bias or favouritism and provide them best possible training.

To ensure that the Indian contingent returns with some medals, she said the athletes need to set realistic targets about physical and psychological fitness and skill training.

She asked sports officials to import foreign coaches, if needed, and maintain monitoring system about performance up to date till the contingent leaves for Sydney.

IHF picks up 17 more probables

BANGALORE May 10 (PTI) — Veteran forward Mohammed Riyaz, Thirumalvalavan and Prabhakaran were among the 17 probables picked up by the Indian Hockey Federation yesterday in the second and final phase of trials to choose the Indian team for the Sydney Olympics next year.

With yesterday’s exercise, a total of 44 probables have been chosen by the IHF. Earlier, it had named 27 players.

Announcing the list at a Press conference, IHF president K.P.S. Gill said the training camp for the probables, shifted from Chandigarh to Bangalore, would be held from May 17 to June 6.

The IHF selection committee which met here, picked the 17 probables from 26 players who took part in the trials.

Mr Gill also said the Junior National Hockey Championship would be held at Pune from June 11 to 25.

List of probables chosen: Jude Menezes, B.C. Poonaccha, G. Natarajan, Murali Krishna, A.P. Girish, Dinesh Naik, Cheops D’Costa, Radhakrishna, Bimal Lakra, Senthil, Thirumalvalavan, Mohammed Riyaz, Prabhakaran, Suresh Pereira, Cyprian Aind, Ravinder Singh and Rajesh Chauhan.

Jeev tied at 37th position

NEW DELHI, May 10 (UNI) — Jeev Milkha Singh's hope of another good finish in the European PGA Tour was dashed when he finished the final round of the Novotel Perrier French Open, being played at the Golf DU Medoc, Bordeaux, France, with a double bogey, followed by a bogey to finish tied at 37th position.

Jeev, who was tied for the 5th place at eight-under after 49 holes, dropped five strokes in last six holes during the third round and he continued to have a similar roller-coaster round yesterday. He began badly by dropping strokes on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th holes and was one-over for the tournament when he made another bogey on the 8th hole.

However, the 27-year-old Indian began the back nine with a bang when he made an eagle on the par-5 50th and birdies on the 12th and 13th holes to climb back to 4-under. But the double bogey-bogey finish ruined his card as he finished the tournament at level-par 284.

Jeev managed to retain his 21st position in the Volvo order of merit with the 5.440 Euro earning from the event.

The tournament won by South Africa's last year's Alfred Dunhill Cup hero-Retief Goosen who beat New Zealand's Greg Turner when the latter made a bogey on the second hole of playoff after both were tied at 12-under 272 at the end of 72 holes. Goosen was richer by 141.660 Euros following the victory and jumped to fifth place in the order of merit. This was Goosen's second French Open triumph in three years.

Final results (after 72 holes): 1. 272- Retief Goosen (SA) 69+65+68+70. Greg Turner (NZ) 67+65+70+70 (Goosen won in the 2nd playoff hole). T-3rd, 275- Santiago Luna (Esp) 67+72+67+69. Jose Coceres (Arg) 69+69+66+71. T-5th, Eamonn Darcy (Irl) 66+70+72+68. Lan Woosnam (Wal)71+68+66+71. Jorge Berendt (Arg) 69+67+68+72 T-37th. 284- Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 68+69+73+74.

Chandigarh crash to second defeat

SHILLONG, May 10 (UNI) — Maintaining their winning spree, Tamil Nadu thrashed Chandigarh 4-0, while Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh humbled Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh 5-0 and 6-0 respectively on the third day of the seventh Women’s Senior National Football Championship here today.

It was a setback to the Karnataka eves who defeated Uttar Pradesh yesterday scoring 5-0.

For Tamil Nadu, C. Encikadavi fired the first salvo followed by a Vijayarani during the first half of the game. Vijayarani struck again after the lemon break and A. Sheeiz Jamkijrani completed the tally for her team.

The Maharashtra-Karnataka encounter produced some very exciting moments during the first half in which all the five goals were conceded by the latter.

In another one-sided affair Madhya Pradesh humbled Andhra Pradesh 6-0.

Yesterday, Assam and Orissa thrashed Andhra Pradesh and Chandigarh respectively by identical 12-0 margins.

In other matches Madhya Pradesh beat Haryana 1-0, Tamil Nadu defeated Tripura 4-0, Karnataka outplayed Uttar Pradesh 5-0 and Maharashtra beat Punjab 3-1.

Orissa scored the first goal even before Chandigarh could properly manage to position themselves on the field. The goal came within one minute which was scored by Sradhanjali Samantaray who gave another five goals making it to a total of six to her credit.

Chandigarh who were playing more of a defensive game looked very hopeless in both the sessions and conceded 12 goals.

Kalpana Sahu scored three goals for her team (Orissa) whereas Geetanjali Samantaray, Sudipta Dash and Dipti Kissan contributed one goal each.

In yet another well contested match Maharashtra beat Punjab by 3-1.

Though the initial attack was made by Punjab during the first half but after the lemon break, the Maharashtra team came to the field with renewed vigour scoring three goals.

While Grace Pereira scored two goals in favour of Maharashtra, Arati Ahirra sealed Punjab's fate by scoring another goal.

The lone goal was scored for Punjab by Arati.

In another match Madhya Pradesh pipped Haryana by a solitary goal.