PALO ALTO : Members of the U.S. Fed Cup team (from left) Venus Williams, Mary Joe Fernandez, Zina Garrison, Monica Seles, coach Billie Jean King, Serena Williams and Lindsay Davenport celebrate their victory over Russia at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., on Sunday. — AP/PTI

USA claim Federation Cup STANFORD, Sept 20 — A US “dream team” led by world number two Lindsay Davenport recaptured the Fed Cup yesterday, Davenport clinching the victory with a win over Russia’s Elena Likhovtseva. Wimbledon champion Davenport gave the USA an unassailable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five match tie with her 6-4, 6-4 win over 17th-ranked Likhovtseva.

Muthiah set to take over
JAIPUR, Sept 20 — Behind-the-scenes manoeuvres in the richest sports body in the country are expected to come into the open in what is expected to be a raucous two-day AGM of the cricket board to be held here from tomorrow.

‘Injury will not limit career’
MUMBAI, Sept 20 — Sachin Tendulkar last night denied reports that the Australian Cricket Academy expert, Dr Peter Barnes, who had diagnosed the master batsman’s back problem, had warned that the injury could limit his career.

Jeev finishes tied 18th
NEW DELHI, Sept 20 — Top Indian professional Jeev Milkha Singh shot an eagle on a par-4 hole on the final day of the Euro 1,20,000 Trophee Lancome tournament and finished tied for the 18th place at Saint-Nom-La-Breteche Course in Paris yesterday.

Shearer equals English league record
LONDON, Sept 20 — Alan Shearer silenced his critics and equalled an English Premier League scoring record with five goals in Newcastle’s 8-0 thrashing of Sheffield on Wednesday.

Central Rly triumph FARIDKOT, Sept 20 — Central Railway, Mumbai, beat Northern Railway 4-2 and Thapar Academy, Patiala defeated Indian Postal 2-0 on the second day of the eighth Baba Farid Gold Cup Hockey Tournament here today.

India ‘A’ crash to 9-wkt defeat

LOS ANGELES, Sept 20 (PTI) — India ‘A’s batting capitulated once again on an unpredictable wicket against the sustained aggressive bowling of Lee brothers - Shane and Brett - to crash to a nine-wicket defeat and their Australian counterparts clinched the America Challenge Cup cricket series here yesterday.

Shane Lee scalped three wickets for 26 runs after his younger Sibling Brett (4/32) caused early damage. India ‘A’, electing to bat first, never recovered and were skittled for 128 runs in 38.1 overs.

Opener Ryan Campbell scored 61 not out while Adam Gilchrist (40) played a captain’s knock, going after insipid India ‘A’ bowling right from the start, as Australia ‘A’ coasted home in just 19.3 overs to take an invincible 3-1 lead in the five-match series.

India ‘A’ defeated Australia ‘A’ in the second match on Friday while the Australians won the first, third and fourth ties. The final match of the series will be played here tomorrow.

Despite having in their ranks two players - Vijay Bhardwaj and Mohammad Kaif - who have been called for national duty, India ‘A’ failed to put up a good show.

Brett Lee bowled with fire, though was wayward. He snapped up opener Debang Gandhi (0) in the very first over with a pitched up ball which turned late and Gandhi ballooned it to covers. Andrew Symonds ran from point to complete the catch easily.

Virender Sehwag (7) struck a four off Lea Hansen, who was having problems keeping a straight line, before opener J. P. Yadav edged a fuller-length Brett Lee Ball to second slip, where the bowler’s elder brother Shane held on to it.

After being reduced to 13 for two in the third over, India ‘A’ Skipper Laxman (45) took charge, but only just. He played a stellar role while wickets kept falling at the other end regularly.

Sehwag and Laxman added 20 runs for the third wicket before the erratic Hansen induced Sehwag to go for a big one and Corey Richards caught him nicely at extra cover.

Sridharan Sriram (10), was the only other batsman to reach double figures with extras contributing 42 runs to India A’s total.

Kaif failed to justify his call to the national side for the four-nation Nairobi tournament. Kaif was Shane Lee’s first victim before he removed two more - Bhardwaj (1) and Sameer Dighe (3).

Berndan Creevy frustrated Harbhajan Singh for a while before the Punjab player pulled a straight delivery and Gilchrist took an easy skier behind stumps.

Laxman was the last man to go, trying to square cut Creevy but the ball found safe hands of Shane Lee.

Chasing a paltry total of 128, Australian openers Campbell and Gilchrist were aggressive right from the second over after Dodda Ganesh bowled a maiden one.

Delhi’s left-arm paceman Ashish Nehra was struck for 11 runs by Gilchrist in the second over of the innings and Campbell followed suit hammering Ganesh in the next.

Nehra struggled with the line and Campbell took advantage of it by punishing him with two fours - one sweetly timed cover drive and a pull to mid-on fence—as Australia raced to 34 without loss after four overs.

A diving J. P. Yadav failed with a hard chance off Nehra at long off - ball falling just short of him - and the quick-running Campbell scampered home for three runs.

With the speedsters hit all over, skipper Laxman made the first bowling change in the fifth over bringing in off spinner Harbhajan Singh, but there was no stopping the Australians.

Gilchrist looked in a hurry as he cover drove Harbhajan, the only Indian bowler who extracted bounce from the green wicket.

Sriram (1/26) earned the wicket of the Australian skipper, when Gilchrist tried to pull him but holed out to Sehwag at deep mid-on. Gilchrist’s 40 came off just 30 balls that included six hits to the boundary.

Richards (21 n.o.) joined Campbell after Gilchrist fell at 70 runs and no Indian bowler could trouble them. Richards and Campbell carried on in the same momentum as 100 runs were put on the board in the 15th over.

Campbell hit two successive fours off Sriram as Australia ‘A’ raced from 95 for 1 to 103.

India ‘A’ bowlers - particularly Bhardwaj - did not even looked threatening to the batsmen.

Nehra, who was struck for 40 runs off 4.3 overs, was unlucky when his skipper dropped a sitter at first slip when Richards edged a rising delivery.

Campbell then hit two fours in the 20th over, one a pull to square leg and another to long-on as Australia ‘A’ scored 131 for one in 19.3 overs.

India ‘A’
Yadav c S Lee b B Lee 4
Gandhi c Symonds b B Lee 0
Laxman c S Lee b Creevey 45
Sehwag c Richards b Hansen 7
Sriram lbw b B Lee 10
Saif c B. Lee b S. Lee 2
Bhardwaj c Gilchrist b S Lee 1
Dighe c Martyn b S. Lee 3
Ganesh c Richards b B. Lee 3
Harbhajan Singh c Gilchrist b Creevy 6
Nehra not out 5
Extras (LB-3, W-23, NB-16) 42
Total (all out in 38.1 overs) 128
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-7, 3-27, 4-47, 5-64, 6-76, 7-82, 8-107, 9-118.
Bowling: Lee 10-0-32-4, Hansen 4-0-27-1, Creevy 6.1-2-13-2, Lee 8-0-26-3, Symonds 8-1-19-0, Denton 2-0-8-0.

Australia ‘A’:
Campbell not out 61
Gilchrist c Sehwag b Sriram 40
Richards not out 21
Extras(W 8, NB 1) 9
Total (for1wicket in 19.3 overs) 131
Fall of wicket: 1/70.
Bowling: Ganesh, 3-1-19-0, Nehra 4.3-0-40-0, Harbhajan Singh 5-0-23-0, Bhardwaj 2-0-12-0, Sriram 3-0-26-1, Sehwag 2-0-11-0.

‘Sahiwal Express’ makes debut

TORONTO, Sept 20 (PTI) — Three wides, a caution from the umpire and a wicket — all in the very first over of his international cricket debut.

That’s Shabbir Ahmed Khan, the new stud from the great Pakistan stable of fast bowlers.

The 20-year-old lanky lad from Sahiwal, with an open chest action worked up a good pace and tested the West Indian batsmen, but tested his stand-in captain Moin Khan even behind the wicket more.

Excited, nervous Shabbir pitched the first one outside the leg stump that went past Moin screaming all the way to the boundary.

Wasim Akram probably was not exaggerating, the lad looked as quick if not faster than the fastest in the world — Shoaib Akhtar.

Chastened and tempered down, the next two deliveries were on target, and the fourth one was spot on.

The fuller length delivery, fast and swinging-in had Adrian Griffiths on a bind and then in a flash the young West Indian found his stumps shattered.

Hands raised, a shy smile on his face Shabbir celebrated his first wicket with his jubilant team-mates.

Pumped up, the next two deliveries were express stuff, way beyond the reach of the batsman and also Moin Khan, racing all the way to the boundary.

The over ended, costing Shabbir 15 runs and earning him his first international scalp, it also brought him a friendly reprimand from umpire Steve Dunne for stepping onto the pitch.

There were a few eyebrows raised too, “was the hand bending just before the point of delivery,” a discussion followed in the commentary box.

Six overs later, Sahiwal express had finished his first spell — seven wides, three of which went for boundaries and the analysis read 6-0-31-1.

The lad from Sahiwal was first spotted two seasons ago in a domestic match in Rawalpindi and was sent to England with the under-19 side.

He impressed and coach Arshad Khan recommended him highly, since then he has been knocking the doors.

Opportunity beckoned him today, cricket lovers will see and definitely discuss more of him in the months to come.

Pakistan make clean sweep

TORONTO, Sept 20 (Reuters) — Pakistan made a clean sweep in the three-match DMC one-day cricket international with a decisive seven-wicket victory over the West Indies.

Set just 162 to win after another lacklustre West Indian batting effort yesterday, Pakistan cruised to the target for the loss of just three wickets with more than 10 overs of the 50-over contest to spare.

The performances of Pakistan young guns Shabbir Ahmed and Abdur Razzaq were a highlight of the match.

With frontline pacemen Waqar Younis and Imran Khan given the day off by the Pakistan match committee after the team wrapped up the series on Saturday, Shabbir Ahmed was thrown into the spotlight as opening bowler in his first one-day international.

The 23-year-old, obviously suffering from an attack of nerves, sprayed a number of wides in his first over, including two which raced away to the boundary for four. But he showed why selectors had placed so much faith in him when he struck with his fourth legitimate ball, clean bowling Andy Griffiths for three with the West Indies total on 11.

At the other end, teenage sensation Razzaq, four years Shabbir Ahmed’s junior, bowled with both pace and poise.

SCOREBOARD

West Indies:
Campbell lbw b Saqlain 32
Griffiths b Shabbir 3
Hinds c Wasti b Saqlain 27
Chanderpaul st Moin Khan b A Khan 3
Lara c Khan b Mushtaq 12
Powell b Shabbir 1
Gayle b Shabbir 0
Adams c Inzamam b Ahmed 27
Jacobs c Moin Khan b Razzak 10
Dillon c Youhana b Mushtaq 9
Walsh not out 0
Extras (lb-8, w-27, nb-2) 37
Total (all out in 44.4 overs) 161
Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-86, 3-91, 4-91, 5-92, 6-92, 7-113, 8-133, 9-156.
Bowling: Shabbir Khan 10-1-52-3, Abdur Razzak 8-2-31-1, Arshad Khan 10-1-21-1, Saqlain Mushtaq 8-2-18-2, Mushtaq Ahmed 8.4-1-31-3.

Pakistan:
Wasti b Walsh 0
Razzak c Powell b Chanderpaul 57
Raza c Hinds b Adams 11
Inzamam-ul Haq not out 55
Yousuf Youhana not out 8
Extras (lb-2, w-19, nb-10) 31
Total (for 3 wkts, 39.4 overs) 162
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-50, 3-136.
Bowling: Courtney Walsh 7-1-24-1, Dillon 9-2-31-0, Adams 7-0-36-1, Gayle 9-0-31-0, Chanderpaul 6-0-33-1, Campbell 1.4-0-5-0.

Muthiah set to take over

JAIPUR, Sept 20 (PTI) — Behind-the-scenes manoeuvres in the richest sports body in the country are expected to come into the open in what is expected to be a raucous two-day AGM of the cricket board to be held here from tomorrow.

Election of new office-bearers, appointment of the selection committee and naming of the national coach are the main points on the agenda.

But, a looming contest between favourite A.C. Muthiah and Manohar Joshi is expected to spotlight the tug-of-war between the dominant group led by ICC President Jagmohan Dalmiya and the rival group spearheaded by former board chief I.S. Bindra.

As per current indications, leading industrialist and Tamil Nadu Association President Muthiah — son of former board President M.A. Chidambaram — is all set to take over from Raj Singh Dungarpur who has completed his term.

Muthiah is one of the vice-presidents of the board along with Mumbai Cricket Association chief and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi who has suddenly entered the fray with support from a couple of South Zone units.

Bindra, the Punjab Cricket Association President, has already extended his support to Joshi, if he decides to go ahead and contest.

Another man whose job appears to be on the line following India’s none-too-impressive display in the most important event of last season — the World Cup — is team coach Anshuman Gaekwad.

If Gaekwad is not re-appointed coach, there is a distinct likelihood of the former India opener replacing ex-India captain Wadekar in the selection committee as West Zone’s representative unless there is a last-minute rethink or compromise to allow the status quo to continue, sources say.

Another selector who may have to give way is South Zone’s Shivlal Yadav who is the secretary of the Hyderabad Cricket Association which, of late, seems to have fallen out with the ruling faction in the board.

Names of Tamil Nadu’s T.A. Sekhar, coach at the MRF pace academy, Karnataka’s Syed Kirmani and current junior coach Kris Srikkanth (Tamil Nadu) are being bandied about as likely replacements for Yadav.

Here too, a typical last-minute change of equations may help Yadav have the last laugh.

The appointment of a physical trainer for the team, after the decision not to renew the contract of Australia’s Andrew Kokinos after the World Cup, is another important item on the agenda from the cricketing point of view.

Some members feel that the best idea would be to appoint a trainer with knowledge of sports medicine — like Sri Lanka’s Alex Kontourri — which would go a long way in preventing the spate of injuries that have hit the team hard in recent times.

The issue of awarding of TV rights to Prasar Bharti, reportedly to the tune of Rs 225 crores for the next five years, is expected to generate lot of heat.

Not all members seem to be happy with the decision to award the telecast rights to DD and there may be pressure from them for adopting some changes in the contract, which is yet to be signed, according to board sources.

Plans for the proposed National Cricket Academy at Bangalore, with zonal sub-centres attached to it, are also likely to be given a definite shape at the meeting.

It has been only in the discussion stage in the last three years. But hopes have been rekindled on completing the project soon following the holding of some meetings for this purpose in the 1998-99 season, sources said.

A few members expected to attend the meeting, like Karnataka association secretary and former Test star Brijesh Patel, are likely to stress the need for giving due importance to domestic cricket which languishing due to non-availability of top stars for their respective states and zones.

Some members feel the international calendar must be restructured to ensure that all top players take part in at least the Duleep Trophy tournament.

But matters directly concerning the game generally take the backstage in board AGMs, going by past experience.

‘Injury will not limit career’

MUMBAI, Sept 20 (PTI) — Sachin Tendulkar last night denied reports that the Australian Cricket Academy expert, Dr Peter Barnes, who had diagnosed the master batsman’s back problem, had warned that the injury could limit his career.

“I was present at the Press conference (in Australia where Dr Barnes reported to have made the remarks) and Dr Barnes didn’t say that my career could be restricted,” Tendulkar, who returned here tonight after undergoing ENT at the Adelaide-based academy, told reporters at the airport.

Tendulkar assured his fans that he was feeling better now and would be fit in a couple of weeks time.

“The injury (to his spinal cord) is certainly not fresh but an old thing. It will not restrict my career,” he added.

The Australian doctor has diagonised Tendulkar’s back problem as spondyloysis.

“It is a very common injury. About 5-10 per cent of the common men are also subjected to it,” the star batsman said and added that he went to Australia to know what exactly had happened and was “happy that it has been diagonised”.

“I am doing the exercises for the past one week and will be fit in another two weeks. I am feeling better now,” Tendulkar said.

Sachin Tendulkar’s career should not be restricted by a recurring back problem, an Australian doctor treating the Indian cricketer said today.

Australian Institute of Sport doctor Peter Barnes said the world’s leading batsman, who he examined in Adelaide last week, was suffering from spondylolysis, a bone defect at the base of the spine.

Barnes was quoted as saying last week that the complaint could shorten Tendulkar’s career. But today he said that, although the player had suffered from the condition for years and would have it for the rest of his life, he did not expect it to be a “major disability”.

He said the batsman would have to strengthen his lower back, adding: “It’s a very common condition in a lot of sporting people and most of them manage to work around it and keep going.”

“He will undoubtedly at various stages of his future career get a bit sore in his lower back but by doing his rehabilitation programme on a regular basis he should be able to make these infrequent and not prolonged episodes.”

Asked if Tendulkar could be restricted as a fielder, he said: “If all goes according to plan, no. That’s the expectation.” But he added he might have to switch from the outfield to the slips on occasions.

Barnes said Tendulkar, who left Adelaide last Thursday, would need four to six weeks for the benefits of the programme to show.

Jeev finishes tied 18th

NEW DELHI, Sept 20 (UNI) — Top Indian professional Jeev Milkha Singh shot an eagle on a par-4 hole on the final day of the Euro 1,20,000 Trophee Lancome tournament and finished tied for the 18th place at Saint-Nom-La-Breteche Course in Paris yesterday.

According to information reaching here, the 27-year-old Chandigarh pro aggregated six-under 278 for the 72 holes after a two-under 69 final round. The effort was worth 13,346 Euros for the lone Indian on the European PGA Tour.

Jeev, who had a streak of eight holes during the tournament where he went eight-under, started the final day tied for the 16th place. He began with seven successive pars before making a birdie on the 509-yard, par-5 eighth hole.

On the 374-yard par-4 ninth, Jeev hit a perfect second shot from the fairway which went straight into the hole for an eagle. Another birdie on the 11th saw him eight-under for the tournament and tied for the 10th place. But bogies on the 13th and 16th ensured that he finished at 69.

Shearer equals English league record

LONDON, Sept 20 (Reuters) — Alan Shearer silenced his critics and equalled an English Premier League scoring record with five goals in Newcastle’s 8-0 thrashing of Sheffield on Wednesday.

Argentine Gabriel Batistuta scored a hat-trick for Fiorentina in a 4-1 victory over Verona but his side still lie behind Inter Milan on goal difference in Serie A as Christian Vieri scored his fourth goal in three games in a 5-1 win over Parma.

Rayo Vallecano are the surprise leaders of the Spanish first division after beating Celta Vigo 1-0 yesterday while Bayern Munich have a goalkeeping crisis ahead of their champions league tie with Rangers tomorrow. They must now rely on an amateur keeper with their first two choices out injured.

England:

Alan Shearer equalled Manchester United star Andy Cole’s Premier League scoring record with five goals in Newcastle’s 8-0 thrashing of Sheffield on Wednesday.

The victory gave new manager Bobby Robson a flying start in his first home game in charge but piled the pressure on Wednesday boss Danny Wilson whose side have only one point from eight games.

Leaders Manchester United maintained their unbeaten record but had to settle for a 1-1 draw on Saturday although that left them four points clear of Arsenal, Aston Villa and Leeds, who beat Middlesbrough 2-0 yesterday. The three clubs have 16 points.

Italy:

Christian Vieri scored one and made three as Inter Milan sent a warning to their series A rivals with a 5-1 demolition of Parma at the San Siro yesterday.

Vieri curled in his fourth goal in three starts to help Inter to a victory which puts them ahead of Fiorentina, Juventus and Lazio at the top of the table on goal difference.

Earlier, Argentine Gabriel Batistuta grabbed a hat-trick as Fiorentina warmed up for their midweek champions’ league visit to Barcelona with a 4-1 victory over Verona yesterday.

Germany:

Kaiserslautern improved on a miserable start to their Bundesliga campaign to beat front-runners Hamburg SV 2-0 yesterday and two players scored hat-tricks as Werder Bremen crushed VFL Wolfsburg 7-2.

Previously unbeaten Hamburg, leading before the weekend programme, drop to second place one point behind Bayer Leverkusen, who drew 0-0 at Hertha Berlin and are now the only unbeaten side in the league after five games.

Bayern Munich have a goalkeeping crisis ahead of their champions league match with Rangers tomorrow with two keepers injured in the 2-1 win on Friday over Eintracht Frankfurt. They will now rely on Stefan Wessels, (20) who plays for their amateur side.

Spain:

Rayo Vallecano went to the top of the Spanish first division with a 1-0 victory at Celta Vigo yesterday.

Striker Bolo Perez’s 65th minute header gave the modest Madrid club their fourth win in a row, the most successful sequence in the club’s 75-year history.

Rayo are now three points ahead of Barcelona and Alaves, and four ahead of neighbours Real Madrid.

Atletico Madrid won their first point of the season with a 1-1 draw away at Real Zaragoza with Dutchman Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink scoring his first league goal for the club but Barcelona gave a weary performance on Saturday and slipped to a shock 2-1 defeat at Modest Alaves.

France:

Paris St German were held to a 1-1 draw in Strasbourg yesterday and are tied for top spot with Olympique Lyon, shock winners at champions Girondins Bordeaux on Saturday.

PSG and Lyon have 14 points and identical goal tallies with 10 scored and six conceded in seven games.

AJ Auxerre, who beat St Etienne 2-1 on Saturday, are also on 14 points but with a worse goal difference. Mickael Madar scored PSG’s goal with a disputed penalty after 64 minutes but Strasbourg levelled the score through Olivier Echouafni, five minutes later.

Holland:

Unfancied RKC Waalwijk scored a late equaliser to hold Ajax Amsterdam to a 1-1 draw in the Dutch first division yesterday.

Ajax finally went ahead in the 35th minute when an unmarked Richard Knopper headed home a Brian Laudrup cross but the Amsterdammers failed to press home their advantage and RKC scored a well deserved equaliser in the 88th minute through Roberto Lanckohr.

It was the second consecutive draw for Ajax and saw them drop back to fourth place with 11 points, four behind joint leaders Feyenoord who were far from convincing in a 1-0 victory over Fortuna Sittard on Saturday courtesy a late Kees Van Wonderen goal.

Russia:

Lokomotiv Moscow scraped a 1-0 home win over lowly Uralan Elista in yesterday’s Russian premier division to stay in touch with leaders Spartak Moscow.

Lokomotiv defender Igor Cherevchenko scored the 30th-minute winner to enable the Railroad side to close the gap on the premier division leaders to seven points. Lokomotiv also have two matches in hand.

On Saturday, Spartak beat premier division newcomers Lokomotiv Nizhny Novgorod 4-2 but their victory was tarnished as 2,000 hard-core Spartak fans battled police after rampaging through the city of Nizhny.

Belgium:

Lierse stole a march on pre-season favourites Anderlecht and Bruges yesterday, their hard-fought 2-0 victory at Westerlo taking them two points clear at the top of the table.

Bruges had only themselves to blame for losing their 100 per cent record after four straight victories with a poor performance in a 1-1 draw with Harelbeke.

Scotland:

Kilmarnock shook off their UEFA Cup hangover by winning 3-0 at Hibernian on Sunday in the Scottish Premier League.

Mark Reilly, Michael Jeffrey and Ally Mccoist scored the goals at Easter Road which lifted Kilmarnock, beaten 3-0 by Kaiserslautern in midweek, from ninth place to sixth with seven points from seven games.

Champions Rangers lead with a perfect record after six games. Their game with Glasgow rivals Celtic, second on 15 points, was postponed because of European commitments.

USA claim Federation Cup

STANFORD, Sept 20 (AFP) — A US “dream team” led by world number two Lindsay Davenport recaptured the Fed Cup yesterday, Davenport clinching the victory with a win over Russia’s Elena Likhovtseva.

Wimbledon champion Davenport gave the USA an unassailable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five match tie with her 6-4, 6-4 win over 17th-ranked Likhovtseva.

“It’s the second time I’ve been on a winning team,” Davenport said. “To win for your country and have a really great team is a wonderful feeling.”

Russia’s Elena Dementieva, 17 and playing Fed Cup singles for the first time, rallied for a 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) victory over world number three Venus Williams in the meaningless fourth singles match.

Williams had got the USA off to a winning start on Saturday with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Likhovtseva.

Then she and sister Serena, the newly crowned US Open champion, defeated Dementieva and Elena Makarova 6-2, 6-1 in doubles to complete the 4-1 US win.

While the USA’s 16 victories in the tournament for women is a record, their last triumph came in 1996 when they defeated Spain 5-0 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

In 1997, a US team missing most of the country’s top players was stunned in the first round by the Netherlands. Last year the USA lost a semi-final heartbreaker to eventual champions Spain.

“It’s never erased,” US captain Billie Jean King said of the loss to Spain. “But it certainly softens the blow. It’s great that we brought the Fed Cup back to the USA where it belongs.”

Davenport, the reigning Wimbledon champion who relinquished her US Open title with a semi-final loss to Serena Williams last week, needed an hour and 15 minutes to subdue Likhovtseva, ranked 17th in the world.

As she did in her 6-4, 6-0 victory over Dementieva on Saturday, Davenport wobbled briefly after taking a 5-2 lead in the opening set, surrendering two games before serving it out.

She wasted two break chances in the fifth game of the second set before earning the decisive break in the seventh game to lead 4-3.

The erratic Likhovtseva failed to muster a single break point in the second set, and Davenport closed out the match with a love game when Likhovtseva’s backhand service return flew long.

“I had my ups and downs,” said Likhovtseva, who won both of her singles matches in Russia’s 3-2 semi-final victory over the Slovak Republic to help lift the country into the Fed Cup final for the first time since the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

“I wasn’t consistent,” she said, adding that Davenport’s serve was the most difficult aspect of her formidable game.

“It’s very hard to return,” Likhovtseva said. “She can serve whatever she wants, speed, or flat or with topspin.”

King was spoiled for choice in selecting her singles players. She followed the world rankings and ended up with Serena Williams and veteran Monica Seles on the sidelines.

She said she looked forward to having the same problem next year.

“I just hope that we’ll have a dynasty from this group and some other players,” King said.

Under the new format adopted for 2000, the USA will be exempt from the new round-robin first round. Then the defending champions will host the week of semi-final and final-round play that also includes the winners of the three round-robin groups.

But King said that despite the wealth of talent available to her, the depth of women’s tennis worldwide meant that the USA would have to be wary.

“You never take for granted anything,” she said, noting that this year defending champions Spain had to make do without Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Conchita Martinez, and that world number one Martina Hingis wasn’t available for last year’s runner-up Switzerland.

Central Rly triumph

FARIDKOT, Sept 20 (UNI) — Central Railway, Mumbai, beat Northern Railway 4-2 and Thapar Academy, Patiala defeated Indian Postal 2-0 on the second day of the eighth Baba Farid Gold Cup Hockey Tournament here today.

The Railway boys from Mumbai led 2-1 at half-time even though Northern Railway had taken a lead in the second minute of the first half. Inside-right Brij Naib Singh converted a field goal, dodging the entire Central Railway defence.

Central Railway equalised within minutes when inside-left Shamim Beg netted a field goal. In the 20th minute inside-right Siraj Din scored the second goal to give the Mumbai team a 2-1 lead.

The second half saw both the railway teams playing a fast game. Brij Naib Singh struck again to level the scores. However, Siraj Din scored two goals, in the 51st minute and towards the fag and of the match to seal the fate of Northern Railway.

Earlier, Thapar Academy proved too strong for the Indian Postal team, which failed to convert nine short penalty corners. Thapar Academy took the lead in the 29th minute when inside-left Lok Preet skilfully converted a field goal. The other goal was converted by captain Jatinder Singh in the 48th minute to make it 2-0.

Patiala triumph

PATIALA, Sept 20 (FOSR) — A fine spell of penetrative bowling by left-arm seamer Kiran Kumar, 15-year-old left-arm spinner Gautam Mandora’s tight spell, skipper Lakhbir Singh’s fine field placements and some superb glovework by the hosts wicket Keeper Anoop Kumar were the factors which contributed to Patiala trouncing Minor Districts XI by 32 runs in the two-day Katoch Shield cricket match which concluded at the Dhruv Pandove Stadium here today.

Scores:

Patiala (Ist innings): 257 all out.

Minor Districts XI: 225 all out (D.Salgotra 60. K. Chander 36. Navdeep Singh 32. Kiran Kumar 3 for 48. G. Mandora 3 for 54. Amit Kakria 2 for 24. R. Sodhi 1 for 36. H. Kali 1 for 15).

RCF defeat PSEB in super league

GARHSHANKAR, Sept 20 (FOC) — RCF defeated PSEB in the Punjab Football Super League being played at Khalsa College, Mahilpur.

Both teams played technically sound football in the first half of the match. The RCF left-out player Manjinder scored the first goal by an angular shot. A few minutes later he scored again to put RCF 2-0 up. Manmohan Singh scored the third goal for RCF.

In the second half PSEB, supported by the crowd, scored through Dalip Kumar to make it 1-3. Dalip Kumar scored again to reduce the margin further to 2-3. But in the next minute RCF’s Manjit kicked a swinging shot from the corner area, which the PSEB goalkeeper could not stop, to score their fourth goal.

Another match between the PSEB and JCT ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw. PSEB dominated the first half and played a good game while JCT players seemed confused. For PSEB, Kuldeep Singh ‘Jatt’ scored two consecutive goals in the first-half.

In the second half, both teams played a fast game but JCT dominated the game. Hardeep Gill and Sukhjit scored a goal each against PSEB in the last five minutes to equalise the match.

Gagan Kohli to lead

BATALA, Sept 20 (FOC) — Gagan Kohli of Batala will lead the Gurdaspur district under-19 cricket team in the Dhurv Pandove Cricket Trophy, conducted by the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA), according to Balraj Mahajan, honorary secretary, Gurdaspur District Cricket Association.

He said Gurdaspur will play their first match against Hoshiarpur on September 21 and 22 at Hoshiarpur. Rakesh Marshall will be the coach cum manager of the team.

Team: Gagan Kohli (capt), Aman Bawa (v-capt), Sikander Kumar, Ajay Mahajan, Vikram Mahajan, Arun Kumar, Manpreet Singh, Chan Preet Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Parmodh Sharma, Rakshit Sharma, Kansikha Tuli, Mohan Singh, Harminder Singh.

Grant to ex-Olympian

BATHINDA, Sept 20 (TNS) — Mr S.R. Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner, today gave Rs 25,000 to Pardaman Singh, a former Olympian who have won many medals for the country in the field of sports.

Mr Ladhar said that Pardaman Singh, who was bed-ridden due to some ailment, would be given more monetary support for his treatment and district officers would remain in contact with Pardaman Singh.

Yuvraj slams 120

CHANDIGARH, Sept 20 (BOSR) — Madan Lal steered Chandigarh to a fine 117-run victory over Jalandhar in league match of Punjab Inter District Cricket Knockout-cum-League Tournament for Katoch Shield at the PCA Stadium, SAS Nagar today. Madan Lal wrecked the Jalandhar innings by claiming six wickets for 73 runs. Earlier he scored superb 70 runs.

Brief scores:

Chandigarh: 342 for eight wickets in 90 overs (Yuvraj 120, Madan Lal 70, Dinesh Mongia 50, Yogesh 4 for 73, Pankaj 2 for 58).

Jalandhar: 225 all out in 76.3 overs (Ankur Sodhi 50, Madan Lal 6 for 73, Amit 2 for 57).