Saturday, May 22, 1999
today's calendar
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S P O R T | Saturday, May 22, 1999 |
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| Crucial match for Lanka today WORCESTER, May 21 — Sri Lanka’s World Cup future will be at stake when they take on a highly confident Zimbabwe tomorrow where a victory for the African side will not only knock out the current holders but also effectively end the hopes of India. Ranatunga vows to fight
till end Rumours
on Azhar quitting "nonsense"
India
seeks replay of Zimbabwe tie Tendulkar
to be available for Kenya match
Klusener
a big-occasion player Chucking
issue crops up Cricket?
Let’s talk Manchester United England
will win Cup: Smith |
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Four-member team leaves for Spain NEW DELHI, May 21 — A four-member Indian team, sponsored by Seagram, left today for the World Corporate Golf Challenge at La Manga Club (Spain) from May 23 to 25. French
Open: will Sampras succeed? Srinath,
Derepasko in final Chatvinder
pips Amanjot in final
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Walsh, Adams guide WI to 7-wicket win DUBLIN, Ireland, May 21 (AP) — West Indies coasted to a comfortable seven-wicket victory after restricting Bangladesh to 182 in a group B match of the World Cup today. West Indies reached the target with 21 balls to spare and never were in trouble against the mediocre bowling as openers Sherwin Campbell and Ridley Jacobs provided a great start with a 67-run partnership for the first wicket. Jimmy Adams completed the job with an unbeaten 53 while captain Brian Lara made 25 in 25 balls. The West Indies now have two points from two games having lost its opening encounter with Pakistan. They play a crucial match against New Zealand on Monday. A gutsy 64 by opener Bangladesh opener Mehrab Hossain saved his team from an embarrassing collapse. Hossain battled until the 43rd over for his innings-saving 85-run stand for the fifth wicket with Naimur Rahman, who made 45. Man of the match Courtney Walsh was the main destroyer for West Indies, taking three wickets in his final spell for 14 runs. He took one wicket in the first spell when he broke through in the third over to remove Hossain’s partner, Shariar Hossain, for two when the score was eight. Reon King took three wickets for 30 runs. West Indies played without their main strike bowler, Curtly Ambrose, suffering from a shoulder injury. The match started a half-hour late due to morning showers, and when it did the players were buffeted by a strong cold breeze that forced the fielders to keep their hands in their pockets. Perhaps that’s why they dropped three catches and fumbled with the ball all too often. Bangladesh, playing its first World Cup tournament, won the toss and batted first but lost three wickets by the 17th over, including skipper Aminul Islam who got an edge off King to be caught behind by Jacobs. Before going into the match, Islam said Bangladesh’s target was to bat out for 50 overs. It batted for 49.2 overs. Mehrab Hossain brought up the 50 with the first full-blooded front foot shot of the day, belting King over mid-on in the 21st over. Hossain’s innings contained four boundaries and a towering six when he smashed a full pitched delivery by Phil Simmons straight back over the bowler’s head in the 39th over. Half way in the innings, Bangladesh were 62 for four. Naimur Rahman and Hossain steadied the innings, although Rahman had a life in the 33rd over when he was dropped by Adams at midoff. Hossain was out in the 43rd over and Bangladesh could manage only 182 runs, which never posed a problem to the West Indies. Campbell, who made 36, was the first West Indies wicket to fall. He was caught at the fine leg boundary by Monjural Islam after miscuing a pull-hook shot off Khaled Masud. Jacobs, the next to go, was adjudged run out by the third umpire after sprinting to the striker’s end for a single only to be caught short by a Shariyar Hossain throw from mid-on. Jacobs’ 51 included one six and five fours. The six shattered the window of the bar across the mid-wicket boundary. No one was injured. Bangladesh: Extras (lb-8, w-25, nb-5): 38 Total (all out, 49.2 overs): 182 Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-29, 3-39, 4-55, 5-139, 6-159, 7-167, 8-180, 9-182. Bowling: Walsh 10-0-25-4, Dillon 10-0-43-1, Bryan 9.2-0-30-1, King 10-1-30-3, Simmons 10-0-46-1. West Indies: Extras: (lb 2 w 5) 7 Total: for three wickets in 46.3 overs 183 Fall of wickets: 1-67, 2-115, 3-150. Bowling: Hasibul
Hussain 7-1-28-0, Monjural Islam 7-1-15-0, Khaled Mahmood
8-0-36-1, Enamul Hoque 8-1-31-0, Naimur Rahman
9.3-0-43-0, Minhazul Abedin 7-0-28-1. |
England clash with South Africa today LONDON, May 21 (AFP) — "Stay calm" is South Africa’s motto in the 1999 cricket World Cup. Their equanimity will be tested again at The Oval tomorrow when they meet England in the tournament’s biggest match so far. The unbeaten South Africans, whose status as favourites was enhanced when closest rivals Australia were beaten by New Zealand in Cardiff, have already had to overcome several challenges to their character. In both their group ‘A’ matches there have been times, according to skipper Hansie Cronje, "when we could easily have lost our way." South Africa lost both tosses, against India and Sri Lanka, and both times made bad starts. Against Sri Lanka, a seaming wicket, poor strokes and some dubious umpiring decisions combined to see them slump to 122 for eight. Cronje said such situations were a test of a team’s mettle. "It is no use feeling sorry for yourself. What’s happened is in the past. You have got to stay calm and try and get on with winning the game." The theme was echoed by Bob Woolmer, who said: "Whatever happens, it is important that the players remain calm. That’s the way you win games, you have to ride out these things." The "calm" word was used by Cronje again when he praised the level-headedness of Lance Klusener and Steve Elworthy, who steered South Africa to a respectable 199 for nine and, ultimately, to victory. England, meanwhile, are expected to bring back Adam Hollioake, a batsman-seamer, instead of off spinner Robert Croft, who played against Kenya. Alec Stewart’s men will be referring back to their home Test series victory over the Proteas last year for inspiration. It is unlikely, however, that the England captain will spend too much time discussing their one-day record against the South Africans — one win in the last nine matches and two in 12. Woolmer said the England match was "a very big game". Both teams are unbeaten and already look set to qualify for the super six stage but the points from this game are vital, as they will be carried over into the second stage. "Both teams will also be vying for psychological points," Woolmer said. Cronje added: "England are playing well, we are playing well. It’s going to be a hell of a contest." England have lost only three wickets in two matches, with Stewart, Nasser Hussain and Graeme Hick all in good form. The downside, though, is that the rest of the batsmen have not had an innings, while facing the medium-pacers of Sri Lanka and Kenya is a very different challenge from that posed by South Africa’s fast bowlers. Leading bookmakers William Hill make South Africa the marginal favourites, quoting Cronje’s side at 4-6 and England at 11-10. Stewart accepts his side are the underdogs. "South Africa are the form side and deserve to be the tournament favourites, but it’s all down to how each side plays on the day. "England against South Africa in any sport is big, but especially in cricket." Teams: England (likely): Alec Stewart (capt), Nasser Hussain, Graeme Hick, Graham Thorpe, Neil Fairbrother, Andrew Flintoff, Adam Hollioake, Mark Ealham, Ian Austin, Darren Gough, Alan Mullally. South Africa: Gary
Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Mark Boucher, Jacques Kallis,
Darryl Cullinan, Hansie Cronje (Capt), Jonty Rhodes,
Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener, Steve Elworthy, Allan
Donald. |
Crucial match for Lanka today WORCESTER, May 21 (PTI) — Sri Lanka’s World Cup future will be at stake when they take on a highly confident Zimbabwe tomorrow where a victory for the African side will not only knock out the current holders but also effectively end the hopes of India. Sri Lanka look demoralised and are a far cry from the side that shook the world by snatching the title in 1996, after caving in to hosts England and favourites South Africa, while Zimbabwe are riding high after stunning India at Leicester with a thrilling three-run victory on Wednesday. The victory has catapulted Zimbabwe to the top of the table with four points from two wins to mark them as frontrunners for a super six spot with South Africa and England. One more win, with ties against England and South Africa to follow, will fetch them a place in the next stage. Zimbabwe’s first World Cup win over India has turned group ‘A’ upside down and with gloom descending on both the countries, it has left Sri Lanka and India in dire straits. The clash against Sri Lanka presents a good opportunity for Zimbabwe to pull off another upset, but the ageing islanders will pull all stops to prevent a premature exit. Sri Lanka will desperately hope explosive opener Sanath Jayasuriya and batting mainstay Aravinda De Silva come good after total batting failure against England and South Africa. Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga himself has struggled with distraction of faction fighting in the Sri Lankan board and several players criticising him adding to his woes. AFP adds: Sri Lanka have nothing more than history to inspire them when they take on buoyant Zimbabwe. It’s a task made difficult by their wretched form —16 defeats in the last 20 matches — and Zimbabwe’s growing confidence after beating Kenya and India. Ranatunga, however, has the memories of 1992 on his side. In that tournament, Zimbabwe appeared to have the match sewn up after amassing 312 for four from 50 overs at New Plymouth in New Zealand. Ranatunga, however, smashed 88 off 61 balls as the Sri Lankans reached the target with four deliveries to spare. And in the 1996 World Cup, Zimbabwe travelled to Colombo and were thrashed by six wickets with 13 overs to spare. Zimbabwe had won just three of their 25 World Cup matches before this tournament but came to England believing they were contenders for the first time after putting together what they believe is their strongest side ever. Two defeats against English counties in warm-up matches, in which they were accused of playing “schoolboy cricket” by coach David Houghton, only seems to have inspired them. Sri Lanka (likely): Sanath Jayasuriya, Roshan Mahanama, Marvan Atapattu, Aravinda de Silva, Arjuna Ranatunga (capt), Mahela Jayawardena, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Chaminda Vaas, Upul Chandana, Pramodaya Wickremasinghe, Muttiah Murlitharan. Zimbabwe (likely): Neil
Johnson, Grant Flower, Paul Strang, Murray Goodwin, Andy
Flower, Alistair Campbell (capt), Guy Whittall, Stuart
Carlisle, Heath Streak, Eddo Brandes, Henry Olonga. |
Ranatunga vows to fight till end LONDON, May 21 (UNI) — Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga today vowed to fight it till the end in defence of their title saying “we will not concede the World Cup without a fight.’’ However, he was realistic enough to accept the ground realties and said “if we are out of contention, then I am utterly convinced that South Africa will succeed us.’’ According to Ranatunga, South Africa are the “best side he has encountered this year. To a man they play hard and smart.’’ He said he was hopeful of beating South Africa. “We took their eight wickets for 122 but for their last two wickets, I thought our World Cup defence was back on course.’’ “In the previous World Cup our explosive batting in the top order proved decisive but in this edition late order batsmen like Lance Klusener and Wasim Akram are winning matches with bat and ball.’’ He gave full credit to South Africa saying that they were winning because “they believe in themselves’’ adding that “one-day cricket is like arm wrestling—a slight relaxing of the grip can prove fatal. He described Hansie Cronje as a “complete captain who does not need radio activity as an option’’ because his team has a plan for everything. South Africa’s tactics to use radio link with coach and captain in the first match against India was an attempt to seek slight edge because they leave nothing to chance. But this is not the case with other teams. The captain of a batting side, when not at the crease is powerless. Plans are prepared in advance and many opposition tactics are anticipated, but an imaginative bowling side as South Africa make mockery of many of such plans, Ranatunga said. He was candid enough to admit that his team did not have momentum saying South Africa now had momentum, “we don’t and momentum is a side’s biggest asset. Winning and losing become habits.” For the losing side the defining test is not whether he has a plan for the opposition left handers but whether he can enthuse or inspire his team mates. He admitted that the captain was the most important player in the field. Not because he is the team’s biggest hitter or fearsome bowler—but because he is the one who is responsible for the team’s performance. About the teams in the World Cup, Ranatunga said: “Most teams are pretty equal and one day cricket is a great leveller, all teams now have physiotherapists, psychologists and nutritionists. “But the captain is the leader. All players look to his body language. The moment a captain loses an inch of authority he is no longer a complete captain. Then he may as well let the coach to make all the decisions.” “The game is full of second guessers. When a captain gives the impression that his decision making is impaired, his days are numbered.” As far as coach is
concerned, he can teach you certain tactics and
technique, ultimately it is the captain who drives the
team, asserted Ranatunga. |
Rumours on Azhar quitting
"nonsense" BRISTOL, May 21 (PTI) — Amid demands that Mohammad Azharuddin be sacked from the Indian cricket captaincy, the team management today dismissed as "nonsense" rumours that he had quit. Team consultant Bobby Simpson and coach Anshuman Gaekwad reacted angrily to the rumours, dismissing them as "completely untrue". Even as cricket fans across India expressed dismay over the team’s performance in the World Cup and Azhar’s poor leadership, former board president P.M. Rungta demanded his immediate removal. As for the beleaguered Indian captain, he appeared downcast at the nets here this morning but expressed confidence that there would be a revival of the team’s fortunes. In typical Azhar speak, the Indian skipper was again unconvincing when he spoke about his own form. "I know I am expected to provide runs to the team. But it is not as if I am not timing the ball or my feet are not moving well. "Yet, I am not chipping in with decent scores," he said and added as an afterthought. "I think I need to concentrate better in coming matches." Azharuddin, who had stated "Sachin Tendulkar is not India", today made a total turnaround by saying "I’ve said this again and again and I will say it once more. He is our best player, he is the best batsman of the world. Any team is going to miss him." Azhar, who had sounded indifferent after India’s stunning loss to Zimbabwe, could not offer any specific replies on the team’s shoddy performance. "It is not an impossible situation for us. We can win the next three games. Our only worry is we are not combining well," he maintained, adding: "if we do well in batting we fail in bowling. Somehow the team as a whole is not clicking." Surprisingly, the player leading India for the third time in World Cup, refused to discuss his own leadership unlike his Sri Lankan counterpart Arjuna Ranatunga and West Indian skipper Brian Lara who have made honest self-assessments after their teams suffered reverses. Gaekwad did not want to look into the past, but was hard-pressed to explain why Saurav Ganguly was not given his full quota as the fifth bowler when Ajit Agarkar proved far too expensive against Zimbabwe. Asked whether the team management will be asking for a replacement if Tendulkar was not in a position to return, Azhar said "we have not thought that far. We are still waiting for a word from him". "I will be the first person to know. So far, no definite news has come," Gaekwad said. The skipper, refusing to accept batting failure as the reason for debacle against Zimbabwe, pointed out that Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and himself had failed to deliver the goods and others got out after being well set. He would only say: "Yes, most of them did but look at it this way. We bowled six overs extra and got four overs less. In those circumstances, we came tantalisingly close to winning the match." Azhar refused to blame young left-hander S. Ramesh, who made 55 opening in place of Tendulkar, but threw away his wicket on reaching his half-century. "I won’t blame Ramesh for his dismissal because all of us in the dressing room thought he should have gone over the top at least two overs earlier than when he did. Where I would blame my batsmen is when they lost those four wickets between 155 and 219 (chasing 253 for victory)," he said. The erratic bowling, inconsistent batting and uninspiring leadership that led to the defeat against Zimbabwe will be hard to shake off for the Indian team, though they take on relative lightweights Kenya on May 23 here. The Indian nets today
were affected by showers here in the morning. — PTI |
Azhar too tense to lead team: Imran NEW DELHI, May 21 (PTI, UNI) — Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan said Mohd Azharuddin appears to be too tense and under too much pressure on the field to help the Indian side in its 1999 World Cup bid. Ajay Jadeja, on the other hand, has tremendous enthusiasm for the game and a very positive body language that could have made a difference to the team’s fortunes in the World Cup campaign, Imran Khan said in an interview to "Outlook", to be published in the coming issue of the newsweekly. "Whether it’s the pressure of expecting to lose his captaincy or if he’s just desperate to do well, it’s translating into a very negative body language on the field," Imran Khan, the cricketer-turned-politician, said. According to him, the main person affected under such circumstances is the bowler and "the last thing he wants to see is the tense and drawn-out face of a captain coming toward him". Imran Khan cited the example of young Ajit Agarkar in the match against South Africa. "As the pressure mounted, he needed someone to relax him, to guide him, but Azhar himself was so tense that he couldn’t help". Asserting that all-rounders made for great captains — he said Wasim Akram of Pakistan and Hansie Cronje of South Africa are doing a good job — Imran Khan said: "Captaincy is about understanding the psyche of a bowler". "Indians go to pieces if there is no one to lead them," he said. "I think after Sunil Gavaskar no Indian captain has commanded respect from the players". Imran Khan also hinted that the Indian World Cup campaign might have got off to a false start because of personal ambitions. "Saurav Ganguly looked good in the first match. I thought he could have accelerated but he started looking for his 100. If I was captain and any player started playing for personal landmarks I would drop him. It sets a bad example for the team," he said. Apparently, the interview was done before India lost its second match to Zimbabwe as he maintained India was his second choice to win the World Cup after Pakistan. India’s batting line-up was as good as any, but they were one Test bowler short, he said and added, this was the reason they couldn’t defend a score of 250-plus against South Africa. According to Imran Khan, Srinath was the best fast bowler to come out of India and Venkatesh Prasad was good support but Agarkar lacked experience and was not in the Pakistani class. On Sachin Tendulkar, Imran said the sky is the limit for the master-blaster from India as he is mentally organised. Inzamam-ul-Haq, who Imran once ranked higher than Sachin or Brian Lara, was still the best player of fast bowling in his view, but lacked Sachin’s focus. "Viv Richards was a freak, a genius. He would entertain the crowd and get out because he was bored", Imran said. Asked which was greater — the India’s triumph in 1983 or Pakistan’s victory in 1992 — Imran said: "In 1983, it was David versus Goliath. India struck a purple patch. What they did was remarkable. We were up against no Goliath". Imran believed that the
probe into match-fixing in Pakistan came four to five
years too late. "Clearly, match-fixing was done. I
believe it was done in 1993-94. The board should have
taken strong action. Unfortunately, the players who have
been coming out with the charges have all been out of the
team", he added. |
India seeks replay of Zimbabwe tie NEW DELHI, May 21 (UNI) — India has lodged a protest before the technical committee of the World Cup over the restrictions imposed on the team in their group A against Zimbabwe, which it lost narrowly. According to sports channel ESPN, India has sought a replay of the match. India attracted stiff penalty in the match for slow over rate as it could bowl only 46 overs during the scheduled time of play. The team management, the network, said had protested against the harsh penalty which besides a fine also included reduction of field restrictions from 15 to 13 overs. However, there was no corresponding reduction in the restriction on bowlers quota of 10 overs. India which was well on target scoring at an average of six runs upto 13 overs had scored only nine runs in the subsequent two overs. Former Indian captain
Sunil Gavaskar commented the penalty was
"unprecedented" and harsh. |
Tendulkar to be available for Kenya match NEW DELHI, May 21 (PTI) — Star batsman Sachin Tendulkar is rushing to England and will be available for India’s next group ‘A’ World Cup tie against Kenya on Sunday, board president Raj Singh Dungarpur today said. "He spoke to me and said that he will be here on Saturday morning to play the match against Kenya," Dungarpur told Star TV from Bristol. "It is not only a gesture of a great cricketer, but of a great patriot," the board chief said commending Tendulkar’s decision. The board chief said despite his grief over the death of his father, Tendulkar had made the decision for the cause of the team and country."...Best thing is for him to come and help India reach the super six stage," he added. Tendulkar had to rush
home from England on Wednesday after his father’s
sudden death hours before India’s tie against
Zimbabwe. He attended the funeral yesterday. |
Umpiring leaves much to be desired LONDON, May 21 (UNI) — The more things change, the more they remain the same. The French saying to that effect holds good most in the kind of human errors seen in umpiring. The World Cup of ’99 might set some kind of record in the kind of umpiring mistakes committed by the men in brown coats not only on the field of play but in the third umpire’s room too. Some extraordinary decisions came from the elderly umpire Ken Palmer in the TV umpire’s position in the match between South Africa and Sri Lanka. The tournament favourites were so incensed by the decision that they used the anger as a motivational tool in their rousing win when defending the meagre target of 200. There have been errors not only of commission as in the Palmer incidents involving decisions of caught off a rebound from a fielder but in what was a clear case of ‘bumped ball’ and of ‘caught’ again when the fielder Vaas on the line was hardly in control of the ball which he threw into the field in order to save the six. There have also been errors of omission as in Darrel Hair and his colleagues refusing to consult the TV umpire when there was an element of doubt over whether Merv Dillon was bowled in the match against Pakistan. The rules governing the consulting of their TV colleague support the umpires. But it would have been in the spirit of the game had they cleared their doubt by asking a person who was in a far better position to see what exactly happened. By not consulting the TV, the umpires were casting doubts on the wicketkeeper having clipped the bails sneakily. On that occasion, Moin Khan was not guilty on that count. In the higher stages of the competition, such errors may tilt close matches. And yet the organising committee has drawn up umpiring duties in such a way as to honour umpires who were or still are on the ECB’s national panel but are not in the international panel of umpires doing duty in the middle in this World Cup. The logistics of the 30-match league are such it may not be easy to post only international umpires to TV duties but there are grave fears over whether such a policy of appointing umpires not fully equipped to adjudicate in tricky situations should be asked to preside over crucial aspects of play and umpiring. By not equipping the grounds with the ‘line decision’ cameras at fixed positions on both sides of the wicket at square leg the World Cup of ’99 has also saved itself some money. Such cameras can decide run outs and stumpings to within a fraction of an inch and without having its line of vision occluded by fielders or batsmen getting in the way of the cameras operated by cameramen to follow the course of the ball in play. England has been known for its fondness to uphold the traditions of the game. But by being rigid on umpiring matters, the element of human error is being allowed to run riot. It would be much fairer to harness today’s near magical film technology to eliminate human error as much as possible. To have a World Cup
decided by fortunes other than the regular ones those
that already govern the game in what are well known as
the glorious uncertainties of cricket is to be inexact in
the modern age. To have banned the use of communications
technology in coaching the players when they are on the
field on the grounds of inadequate notice may have been
inevitable. But should the game not adapt rapidly
improving technology to help the hapless men in the
coloured coats in the middle? |
Klusener a big-occasion player LONDON, May 21 (AFP) — While all the hype during South Africa’s World Cup build-up centred around established stars like Jonty Rhodes, Allan Donald and Jacques Kallis, few were taking much notice of Lance Klusener. Yet privately the South African squad, almost to a man -would single out the ultra-competitive all-rounder as the key figure in their campaign. And it was the 27-year-old who stole into the limelight against reigning champions Sri Lanka with a powerful 52 of 43 balls and three wickets for 21 runs during a 89-run victory. Klusener clubbed 22 off the last five balls, including sixes of the last two, to help South Africa recover from a precarious 122 for eight and post 199 for nine. And England, who face South Africa at the Oval on Saturday, should beware — because Klusener says he is only just getting into his stride. "I’m feeling more and more confident — and one-day cricket is all about confidence," he says. Klusener, nicknamed ‘Zulu’ because he speaks the language fluently after growing up in the rural Kwazulu-Natal area, has a growing reputation as an international cricket hitman. Wielding an ultra-heavy three-pound bat, the powerful all-rounder has become a specialist in last-over heroics. Against the West Indies last season, when South Africa needed 12 off the last over, Klusener cracked Neil McGarrell for six which set up a last-ball win. In Napier in March, South Africa needed four off the last delivery against New Zealand. Klusener smashed a low full toss from Dion Nash for six over long-on. He wants to make up for lost time in England, from where he returned home midway during the 1998 tour with a heel injury. "Hopefully I can make amends for letting the guys down last time," he says. Klusener, who bats left-handed and bowls right-handed, has followed an unconventional path to the top. An average opening batsman at school, he became a regular bowler when he played country districts cricket in Natal. Word got about that a fearsome fast bowler was operating on the country circuit, and he was invited to try out with the Natal provincial team. In his first Test match, Klusener took eight for 64 in the second innings against India in Calcutta. In his fourth Test, he made a century off 100 balls against the same opponents in Cape Town. Although he hasn’t
been able to repeat those performances at Test level,
Klusener has become renowned as a big occasion one-day
player. |
Chucking issue crops up LONDON, May 21 (UNI) — After the radio link controversy, security problems and crowd behaviour, the last thing the organisers wanted was the issue of “chucking” to re-enter the public debate just as the World Cup was beginning to gain momentum. The organisers may like it or not but the issue had cropped up and that too from a team which has little or no stake in the competition. Kenya’s fast bowler Jimmy Kamande has been reported for “throwing” during the match against Zimbabwe. England and Wales Cricket Board spokesman said here yesterday that reports by umpires Doug Cowie (New Zealand) and Javed Akhtar (Pakistan) has been referred to the International Cricket Council (ICC). No representative of either side was ready to comment on the report. It is said that 20-year-old Kamande was cautioned after bowling a short ball at Paul Strang and the matter was later brought to the attention of match referee John Reid. Kamande’s figures in that match were nought for 38. The organisers may take heart from the fact that the bowler reported for chucking is from Kenya, who have lost both their matches and will not qualify for the second stage of the competition. Had one of the more important cricketing countries been implicated, the reaction would have been far greater. Since the Lankan spinner Muthiah Muralitharan was no balled by Ross Emerson for throwing in a one-day international against England in January, the debate has been fierce. At that occasion, Arjuna Ranatunga had threatened to lead his players out of the field after the game was held up. In order to avert any repetition of those scenes, the organisers decided to keep Darrell Hair, the senior Australian umpire, from the Sri Lankans in the World Cup. Hair was the first umpire to call Murali for throwing in the Melbourne test four years ago and had questioned the validity of his action in his recent autobiography, “Decision Makers”, describing it as “diabolical”. If the ICC feels that
Kamande has a case to answer, they can convene a panel of
expert judges to make observations supported by video
footage. Any recommendation they make would go directly
to cricket board of Kenya, who are an associate member of
ICC. As a matter of policy, the ICC makes no comment on
specific cases at any stage of the proceedings. |
Cricket? Let’s talk Manchester United LONDON, May 21 (ANS) — In the run-up to the beginning of this Cup, the organisers said that this would be a carnival of cricket like nothing before. Unfortunately, having followed the first week of the Cup in several known and unknown parts of this island, it seems the carnival just doesn’t seem to have taken off. The Irish and the Welsh have never been interested in the game played by “flannelled fools”. The Scots have a team in the Cup but are presently too busy with their forthcoming elections and the sayings of Sean Connery. The English are in the midst of an unprecedented soccer frenzy. In the imagination of the average British follower of sport, cricket exists somewhere in the august corridors of posh clubs run by geriatric folk and in the pages of recent history when David Gower defined elegance and Ian Botham opened the doors to a brave new world. The lack of England’s cricketing success in the last decade and the rise of soccer and rugby as eminently bankable commercial alternatives, especially for television, has resulted in a rapid slide in the popularity of cricket — a fact that the cricket authorities have failed to take note of. With Manchester United winning the soccer Premiership League title from Arsenal on the very last day, Alec Stewart and Darren Gough’s heroics against defending champions Sri Lanka were buried somewhere in between the theatre review and cartoon pages in most newspapers. It is not exactly the most stirring day for cricket in England. And it doesn’t just end there, because Manchester United have two more legs to achieve the unprecedented ‘treble’ — the FA Cup final against Newcastle on May 21 and then the European Champions League final against Bayern Munich on May 27. Only if England have a realistic chance to win the World Cup till then, will the tournament be able to grab the attention of the public; otherwise it might end up just like one of the annual one-day jamborees held in Australia — enjoyable, but nothing that we haven’t seen before. The crucial indicator of public interest in any sport in this part of the world is the bookmakers takings. The traditional favourites of horse and greyhound racing eat up 90 per cent of the betting money, and the rest is split between football, boxing and whether Prince Charles will marry Camilla Parker Bowles. Cricket cannot even claim a fraction of the percentage. Thank God the next World Cup is in South Africa. The return of
the British pub But a remarkable turnaround in their fortunes came with football and rugby going exclusive on satellite television. To be able to watch TV at home the Britons pay close to 80 pounds a year for a television licence. It was this crucial gap
in the supply chain that the pubs bridged. They did so by
simply replacing juke boxes with TV sets that showed
games live. And soon the faithful flocked back to enjoy
their favourite sport with a pint of their preferred
lager — bitter, ale or stout. |
England will win Cup: Smith LONDON, May 21 (AFP) — Former England star Robin Smith is backing Alec Stewart’s side to make a mockery of pre-tournament predictions and win the World Cup. The former England star believes the host nation have the qualities to lift the trophy for the first time. “England are on home territory and are in the dominant position,” he said. “You need some luck to win the World Cup and England have never seemed to have it at important times before, so maybe it is our year.” South African-born Smith says of tournament favourites South Africa: “they are a very tough side and they play a very hard game, but they are not invincible. “England have world-class players who can dominate any attack. I think they will prove a lot of people wrong. If we continue to play as we have been, we will get to the final and once we are there I would back us to win it.” England are the fourth
favourites to win the cup behind South Africa, Pakistan
and Australia. |
Four-member team leaves for
Spain NEW DELHI, May 21 — A four-member Indian team, sponsored by Seagram, left today for the World Corporate Golf Challenge at La Manga Club (Spain) from May 23 to 25. Digvijay Singh and Sheeraz Kalra, two leading amateurs, will represent A V Thomas team, while Pradeep Jain and Sudhir Patel will represent Anti-Friction Bearings Corporation. This is the third edition of the World Challenge in which as many as 33 countries will take part. In the first chapter, there were 12 countries and in the subsequent meet there were 20 teams. Seagram’s Sanjeev Vohra said that the Indian team was participating for the first time. "We are optimistic that the team would perform excellently", he said. The Indian team was
chosen on the basis of the competition held at Mumbai
where as many as 82 teams took part. The contest was
razor-sharp and, on the basis of performance, the
four-member team was finalised. |
French Open: will Sampras succeed? PARIS, May 21 (AP) — Pete Sampras arrives at the French Open every year with a grim smile that inevitably, often quickly, turns to a tortured sneer. The best player in the world on hard courts and grass, he is reduced to an ordinary mortal on clay. The US Star charges the net, and balls whiz by him. He stays back, and balls drop teasingly in front of him. His feet get tangled and his head spins. When the French Open starts on Monday, Sampras will arrive for the 10th time. He’s lost in the first round once, the second round three times, the third round once, and the quarterfinals three times. His best showing: the semifinals in 1996. He knows all too well that a French Open victory on the red clay at Roland Garros would give him a career Grand Slam when it came time to tune up for the French Open at the Italian Open, where the clay is just as red and beguiling, Sampras found himself frustrated as ever. He called his second-round loss to Brazilian Fernando Meligeni "a clay-court lesson.’’ he said he was disgusted with the way he played, and admitted he still didn’t know how to adjust to the softer, slower surface. So Sampras went off to practice on clay on his own, and he showed up in Duesseldorf, Germany, to try his stuff in the World Team Cup. When he won a couple of matches, he was smiling again, sounding optimistic once more, though you knew the sneer was not far away. "I’ve learned a lot in the last weeks and months, especially, that you only play good when you play a lot,’’ Sampras said of his self-enforced vacation. "It was good for my private life, less so for my tennis. But I was beginning to feel like a robot that, without thinking, kept hitting a tennis ball.’’ Maybe, then, this will be the year for Sampras in the French Open. Though probably not. He comes in seeded No 2 to top-ranked Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia, who won the French Open in 1996 and the Australian Open, that Sampras skipped. But the main threat to Sampras doesn’t come from Kafelnikov, or even the other high seeds like defending champion Carlos Moya of Spain or 1997 champion Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil. It comes from the dozens of decent clay-court players scattered throughout the 128-man draw. Any of them could beat Sampras on this surface, and leave him to trudge away unhappily as he does every year. And when Sampras goes, so goes much of the intrigue of the tournament for the men. At that point, attention will shift to the women, where the glamour in the game is these days. Will this be the Grand Slam where American sisters Venus or Serena Williams will break through? Where American Monica Seles or Germany’s Steffi Graf will make a comeback? Martina Hingis is back at No 1 and eager to complete her own career Grand Slam. The runner-up in 1997 and a semifinalist last year, the Swiss star has the style and disposition to win the French Open almost any year. Number 2 Lindsay Davenport of the USA also is looking for her first French Open title. She’s never gone past the semifinals and No 3 Seles will going for her third. Seles made a stirring run last year, when she reached the final shortly after her father’s death. A victory by any of them
is likely to upstage the men once more. |
Srinath, Derepasko in final BANGALORE, May 21 (PTI) — Top seed Prahlad Srinath will clash with Artem Derepasko of Russia in tomorrow’s singles final of the ITF Men’s Tennis Tournament here. In one-sided semifinals today, Srinath outclassed Harsh Mankad 6-2, 6-1, while Derepasko swept aside the challenge of Vinod Sridhar 6-4, 6-2. Srinath, who hails from Mysore, tackled his opponent with ease, firing three magnificent aces. He broke Mankad’s serve at love in the fifth game and forced his opponent to stretch himself with excellent crosscourt placings In the seventh game, Mankad erred with his shots as the game went to deuce. A double fault by Mankad allowed Srinath to break serve and lead 5-2. He held his serve in the next game to take the first set. Though Mankad relied on his powerful forehands, his shots were well handled by the seasoned Davis Cupper Srinath. In the second set, Srinath broke his rival’s serve in the first, fifth and seventh games to wrap up the match. Srinath, who went into today’s match with a 4-1 advantage against his rival, said: "This is the best tennis I have played this year and I am confident with my ground shots now." Mankad had defeated Srinath only once in the 1996 Mumbai nationals. In the other semifinal, Derepasko was too good for fourth seed Sridhar, who went down meekly. Sridhar had no answers
to Derepasko’s power-packed serves and his movement
on court was restricted. |
Chatvinder pips Amanjot in final YAMUNANAGAR, May 21 — In a fight of nerves and power, Chatvinder beat Amarjot 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 in final in the Adidas Junior Tennis Circuit 99 here today. In an all-Chandigarh final Amanjot broke eight racquet guts in the process and lost temper a number of times. He was warned by the chair empire. He came back well in the second set but ultimately went down to Chatvinders' consistency and cool. All the finals were very closely fought but Wrick Ganguly's win over Tushar Librahan in boys U-14, was the match of the day. The longest match, however, was of girls U-16 final, Rani Smita Jain of Rajasthan going down to the elder Bhambri sisters Ankita. Spread over almost three hours it saw a series of baseline rallies but Rani could not produce her best today and lost the match. Mr Suman Kapur, hony. secretary Haryana Tennis Association gave away the prizes. The following are the
results (all finals): |
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