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Wednesday,
October 10, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Harbhajan
may play today Saurav Ganguly writes Kapil ends
exile, to assist Nehra JR WORLD CUP Raid-de-Himalaya’s
tragic day Top
players to take part in Hero Golf |
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Mumbai
seamers run through ONGC batting Mumbai batsman Vinayak Mane plays a shot off Rahul of ONGC in the final of the JP Atray Memorial Cricket Tournament at PCA Stadium, SAS Nagar, on Tuesday. — Tribune photo
CLTA
launches talent hunt programme BSNL
Volleyball: Punjab defeat MTNL Mumbai Police
equestrian meet from Nov 4 SSD
school cricket champions
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Centurion Park, October 9 One bad result seems to have changed the mindset and the youngster from Punjab, who has 35 wickets from 29 matches, is almost a certainty for tomorrow’s game despite the pitch here being considered even more helpful for fast bowlers than the one at Johannesburg. It was still not clear who Harbhajan would replace in the team. The inclusion of Harbhajan is, at best, just one of the possible solutions to India’s woes. The more significant part is the discipline from the other bowlers, notably Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad, who were guilty of being very wayward in the first 15 overs of the first match. Both Srinath and Prasad are seasoned campaigners and should learn from their mistakes. In the absence of Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra, they still remain India’s best bet on these pitches. Srinath, in particular, was quite successful when India toured this country last time. Captain Saurav Ganguly, who had come down heavily on his bowlers after the defeat, realised this point and reposed his confidence in his medium-pacers today. “They are quite capable bowlers and I am sure they will come back,” Ganguly said. While Ganguly’s return to form has come as a big relief, the Indians would have to play more aggressively in the slog overs to convert good foundations into huge totals. Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar, returning to international cricket after missing the tour of Sri Lanka due to a toe injury, made a mockery of Indian batsmen’s perceived weakness against fast bowling on fast and bouncy tracks in the first match. The other batsmen have also not shown any discomfort against the quickies on this tour so far though they couldn’t do much in the Johannesburg game. The good batting performance in the first match and the compulsion to include Harbhajan Singh might prompt the team management to leave out a specialist batsman, probably Shiv Sunder Das who made his one-day debut in Johannesburg. However, the team management was not ready to commit itself on this and the possibility of going in with two fast bowlers instead of three can also not be ruled out. Meanwhile, South Africa have reinforced their team bringing in Boeta Dippenaar and Charl Langeveldt and exchanging Claude Henderson for Nicky Boje for the next two matches. Teams (from): South Africa: Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Neil McKenzie, Jonty Rhodes, Shaun Pollock, Mark Boucher, Boeta Dippenaar Lance Klusener, Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel, Nicky Boje, Justin Kemp and Charl Langeveldt. Umpires:
Ian Howell and Brian Jerling. |
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Saurav Ganguly writes We play our second game tomorrow at the Super Sport Park in Pretoria, which is about half an hour drive from Johannesburg, on the outskirts of the main city. It’s a day-night affair and it’s going to provide another day of electrifying cricket. The ground is situated at a lower level and is one of the longest walks from the dressing room to the middle. The pitch here has always been hard and bouncy, probably the most bouncy after Durban. We played here against Zimbabwe last time when we toured in 1997, and the pitch had a fair bit of bounce. It is not a ground as big as the Wanderers or the one at Cape Town, but its location is beautiful. The South Africans have won two of their games, the last one against Kenya, where they beat them convincingly in Benoni. They have also announced their squad for the next two matches. Nikey Boje comes in after a lay-off of two months. He had a shoulder operation and has just played one provincial game since then. He will be picked to play in the 11 in place of one of the seamers as he is also a useful lower order batsman. We had four days off after our game at the Wanderers. We practiced all these days at the Centurion Park, which provides the best practice facilities in South Africa. We worked a lot on our fitness, an aspect which is first on our agenda for the preparation towards the World Cup. We had long fielding sessions emphasising on ground fielding and hitting the stumps more accurately. It’s going to be an important game for us. We lost a game at the Wanderers which we should have won. We have to cash in on the opportunities that the opponent provides and this will make the difference between a winning side and a good side. Our batting in the last 10 overs was not the best in the last game and this is an area we have to improve in. We should have scored 300 after being 190 for one in the 35th over. We also have to put more pressure on the batsmen by hitting the right length. Bowling in the first 15 overs is not easy in one-day cricket and this is where we have to be accurate and reduce the score by 20 to 25 runs. There have been a few changes in one-day rules now. The rate at which oppositions get past targets will also give them an extra point. The South Africans got one point extra by beating Kenya in the 35th over. This would be very crucial in tri-nation tournaments which have three equal sides, especially when two sides have finished with equal points. The South Africans are a good one-day side at home and we have to play well to beat them. But they are not unbeatable. They will miss Allan Donald, who would probably be out of the rest of the one-day series as well as the Tests as he has torn a muscle in the stomach.
Gameplan |
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Symcox flays
Ganguly Johannesburg, October 9 Former South African spin bowler Pat Symcox has come down heavily on the Indian skipper for lambasting his bowlers after the opening one-day match which the visitors lost by six wickets. “Shame on you
Saurav,” wrote Symcox, a TV commentator and a columnist, on the eve of the second one-day game between India and South Africa at Centurion
Park. Symcox, without mincing words, goes on to squarely blame Ganguly instead for the defeat. “I wonder if you even realise that it was you who dropped
(Herschelle) Gibbs when he was still in single figures. PTI |
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Kapil ends exile, to assist Nehra New Delhi, October 9 The former Indian captain and coach had vowed never to set foot on a cricket ground again following accusations in connection with cricket’s match-fixing scandal. But when left-arm pace bowler Ashish Nehra — out of the current India squad with a groin injury — turned to him, Dev said he couldn’t refuse. “If some youngster asks me for help, how can I say no?” the former allrounder said at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground in New Delhi. “When a person says he’s giving up studying, it doesn’t mean he’s saying he’ll never read again.” Kapil wept during a television interview last year as he denied charges over match-fixing charges. He was questioned by Indian federal investigators but not censured as four other test players were banned, including Mohammad Azharuddin, for life. “The game that gave me everything has now taken its pound of flesh from me,” Kapil had said while resigning as India’s coach last September.
Reuters |
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JR WORLD CUP Hobart, October 9 The Indians, runners-up to hosts Australia in the last edition of the tournament in 1997, dominated the proceedings throughout and scored four field goals besides converting one penalty corner. Prabhjot Singh, with two field goals, and Jugraj Singh who scored one each off a field and a penalty corner, shared the spoils with Deepak Thakur also earning a name in the scorers’ list with a field goal. Canada had their chances with three penalty corners but the Indian defence, though erratic in patches, was solid enough to meet any challenge. In the other matches of the day, hosts Australia were shocked when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Ireland. The other matches went with form as England got the better of Chile 5-2 while Spain did not have to exert much in their 8-0 rout of Scotland. Coach Rajinder Singh was a pleased man after the match but was also a trifle disappointed as he felt the Indian forwards could have used more space in creating moves to score more goals. “They played to a plan but it could have been good for the forwards to score more. In hockey, nothing feels better than scoring goals. And the goals could have put them in a more confident mood for the matches ahead,” the coach said. Rajinder Singh said he would have also liked a little more thrust in the midfield with the defence falling back faster. “Sometimes you get complacent when the goals are coming and once we were 4-0 up, I could see a few players relaxing. We cannot afford that in the tough matches. I hope they learn from today and put in their best.” India took the lead in the 12th minute when a free hit from the midfield sped into the Canadian circle where the defence scrambled with Deepak Thakur getting the ball on to his stick and the resultant flick entered the goal. Exactly a minute later, a free ball was sent to the wings by Bimal Lakra where Prabhjot Singh latched on and after a brilliant run down the left flank that left the Canadian defence gasping, found himself in the circle. Before the Canadians could react, Prabhjot hit a clean, crisp reverse shot that beat the goalkeeper. India had a couple of chances in the circle but the Canadian defence regrouped well and were successful in keeping the Indian forwards, Prabhjot, Deepak Thakur and Gagan Ajit Singh, at
bay. Prabhjot was once again at it in the 25th minute when a reverse shot again beat the goalkeeper as India went up 3-0.
PTI |
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Raid-de-Himalaya’s tragic
day Leh, October 9 It was a mass start at Morey plains when all vehicles were massed together in one row for the starter’s flag. This is impossible to do most of the time because of constraints of road. That is why vehicles are staggered at regular intervals at the start of an event. What started off spectacularly showed the other side of this kind of motor sport when John Mark James of the UK apparently hit a pothole and flew over the handlebars about 20 feet off his motorcycle. This reporter was near the scene of the accident and was the first one to rush in to render assistance. It did not seem too bad and James was talking to his friend, H. Kishie Singh, who was also present on the scene. Some other journalists and officials also reached the scene thereafter. An ambulance rushed within minutes and it seemed all well as James was cracking jokes even as he was lifted on to the stretcher. It was, however, obvious that he was in a great deal of pain and on-the-spot assessment by the medical crew there found that his ribs had been fractured. The rally, however, continued. The competitors had started on the Morey Plain, which is a fast dirt stage winding around the valley and onto the banks of the Tso Kar lake through the water crossing and up the Polokongka La at (5,060 metres above sea level) over the rock-strewn slopes that lead down to the plains of Ankung. The vehicles whizzed past the sulphur springs at Puga and then down to the bridge at Mahe where the competitors found tarmac till the stage end at Upshi. One of the competitors, Major Dhillon, damaged his Maruti Gypsy which apparently banged into an outcrop of rock. The vehicle was damaged while the crew was safe. The vehicle was, however, unable to continue. It was only at Leh that the news of James’s sad demise was received through one of the officials. According to information available at the time of filing of this report, James had succumbed to his injuries in an ambulance en route to Leh. |
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Top players to take part in Hero
Golf Chandigarh, October 9 The greens at the course are in superb form. And when the cream of India’s golf put their best foot forward it is bound to set the course ablaze. Twentynine-year-old Amritinder still remembers that thrilling moment last year when he defeated Gaurav Ghei in a play-off to win the Hero Chandigarh Open for the third time in a row. This year he will be facing a tough challenge from Mukesh Kumar and Shiv Prakash. But the golf icon who will be missed by all will be none other that Jeev Milkha Singh who is playing in a prestigious pro circuit in Japan. “I can’t wait for this tournament to start,” said Amritinder Singh who turned 29 in February. “I have played most of my golf on this course and each time I play here, my game raises itself by several notches. This season, I have been playing really well and both my form and confidence, are right up there. It will be great to win here for the fourth year in succession,” he added. Mukesh Kumar, the current leader of the Order of Merit was just as optimistic. “I have won two tournaments in a row and am looking forward to returning a hat-trick of wins. There could be no better place to achieve that than at the Chandigarh Golf Club,” he said. Mukesh’s a victory at last week’s Sher-e-Kashmir Open in Srinagar, came close on the heels of his win at the TNGF Open, Chennai, in early September. The tournament boasts of a full strength field including golfers of the caliber of thrice defending champion, Amritinder Singh; current order of merit leader also winner of last week’s Sher-e-Kashmir Open Mukesh Kumar; second ranked golfer on the order of merit Shiv Prakash; thrice winner of the Order of Merit Vijay Kumar; runner-up at this event last year and runner-up at last week’s Sher-e-Kashmir Open, Gaurav Ghei; ‘Rookie of the year’s for the 2000-01 season, Rahul Ganapathy; rookie golfers, Rahil Gangjee and Sheeraz Kalra and other winners on the tour this season like, Yusul Ali (Hindu Open) and Zai Kipgen (Hyundai-MGC Open) to name a few. The Chandigarh Golf Club’s par-72, 7.052-yard facility boasts of excellently maintained fairways and immaculate greens. One of the most challenging golf courses in the country, the CGC comprises four par-5’s an equal number of par-3’s with the remaining holes filling in as par-4’s. The 613-yard par-5 seventh is by way of being the toughest hole on the course. A number of well placed bunkers and other hazards make the picturesque Chandigarh Golf Course that much more challenging and golf lovers are certain to witness some top-drawer golf this week. The tournament, which begins with the main professional event on October 10 will conclude with the Pro-am on
October 14. The event will be managed by Tiger Sports Marketing. “We are thrilled to sponsor the Hero Golf Chandigarh Open once again,” said Mr Sunil Kant Munjal, Managing Director, Hero Group. “Chandigarh has produced the bulk of Indian golfing talent and tournaments like this undoubtedly provide the younger lot the rare opportunity to observe their heroes in action and learn from them,” he added. “Hero Cycles have been one of the most ardent supporters of the Indian Golf Tour. Additionally, the Chandigarh Golf Club offers a top-drawer golf course in addition to some of the most co-operative and helpful members and administrators. As organisers we look forward to working at the Chandigarh Golf Club and I can confidently state that the players look forward as eagerly to playing the hero Golf Chandigarh Open,” he said. |
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Mumbai seamers run through ONGC
batting Chandigarh, October 9 Batting first, impressive batting line-up of the ONGC, with players like Mohammad Kaif, Gagan Khoda, Sarandeep Singh, Rahul Sanghvi and Amit Bhandari, all big players in domestic cricket and who have played for the country, came a cropper against an impressive seam attack of their rivals. Mumbai’s pace spearhead Avishkar Salvi, who had a fruitful outing in the semifinal bagging a seven-wicket haul, was again the pick of the bowlers today. He was well complimented by left-arm pacer Roopam Malviya. While the former kept the batsmen on a leash, claiming three wickets, including those of Kaif, the latter maintained the pressure scalping four wickets with the result that the ONGC batsmen could never pick up the
momentum and were bundled out for paltry 143 runs before the tea break. The 36-run partnership for the ninth wicket between No 10 batsman Sanghvi and Saif was the highest stand of the innings. Saif, who made 33, emerged the highest scorer from the side. Other main
contributors were his brother Mohammad Kaif (26) and Khoda(20). Wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals after the fall of opener Sandeep Sharma’s wicket when the total was just 19. The side was reduced to 95 for six at lunch break before being all out for 143 soon thereafter. Chasing the target, Mumbai were well serverd by young and
talented Vinayak Mane, the diminutive batsman in reckoning for the opening slot in the Indian squad. Displaying with sound technique and temperament, Mane batted with authority. He never failed to score on either side of the wicket whenever the opportunity arose. He lofted off-spinner Ravi Sehgal over the long on fence and ran a single off the next delivery to complete a well-deserved century. He steered the same bowler to the mid-wicket fence as Mumbai overhauled the target to virtually put the trophy in their kitty. Former India player Vinod Kambli having the scores of 62, 41, 60 and 49 in the previous outings, failed to live up to reputation and the expectation getting out after making 23 runs in as many deliveries. Scoreboard ONGC: Khoda b Malviya 20, Sandeep c Jaffer b Salvi 10, Minhas c Kulkarni b Malviya 9, Kaif c Kulkarni b Tawde 26, Sehgal c Jaffer b Salvi 7, Mudgal c More b Malviya 0, Saif c Shetye b Salvi 33, Vadhera c Mane b Tawde 3, Sarandeep b Kulkarni 0, Sanghvi not out 16, Bhandari c Shetye b Malviya 1. Extras (lb 5, nb 11, w 2):18 Total (all out in 42.2 overs): 143 Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-38, 3-49, 4-59, 5-60, 6-89, 7-98, 8-101, 9-137, 10-143. Bowling: Avishkar Salvi 12-2-33-3, Vishal Tawde 12-3-48-2, Roopam Malviya 10.2-0-32-4, Nilesh Kulkarni 7-1-23-1, Kunal More 1-0-2-0. Mumbai: Mane batting 75, Jaffer c Vadhera b Sanghvi 25, Tamahne c Sarandeep b Bhandari 34, Kambli c Sehgal b Sandeep 23, More batting 3. Extras (lb 6, nb 9) : 15 Total (for three wickets in 45 overs): 175 Fall of wickets: 1-60, 2-126, 3-168 Bowling:
Amit Bhandari 11-2-46-1, Sandeep Sharma 8-1-29-1, Rahul Sanghvi 9-0-23-1, Mohammad Saif 3-0-19-0, Sarandeep Singh 8-4-10-0, Ravi Sehgal 5-0-38-0, Mithun Minhas 1-0-4-0. |
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CLTA launches talent hunt
programme Chandigarh, October 9 Mr Rajan Kashyap, chairman, CLTA, announced here today the following schedule for preliminary selection trials for boys in the age group of 9-11 years: October 11 at Patiala (Yadavindra Public School stadium); October 12 at Jalandhar (stadium at PAP complex); October 13 at Kurukshetra (sports stadium near DC's residence); and October 15 at Faridkot (sports stadium). The trials would be held between 12 noon and 2 p.m. at each venue. According to Mr Kashyap the boys would be selected on the basis of their physical fitness and suitability for the sport. No previous knowledge of tennis is necessary. All athletically gifted boys, including those who have excelled in any other basic sports, such as running, jumping or swimming, are eligible to take part in the trials. The CLTA has written to all Deputy Commissioners to nominate the most outstanding boys born between January 1, 1991, and December 31, 1993, for the selection trials. Apart from the boys sponsored by the Deputy Commissioners, other eligible boys are free to attend the preliminary trials at any of the venues, Mr Kashyap clarified. Candidates shortlisted in the preliminary selection would be invited to Chandigarh for final trials for admission into CHART. The selection committee headed by Dr Reet Mohinder Singh, Joint Director, Department of Physical Education, Panjab University, Chandigarh, includes a faculty of physical trainers from CLTA. Among the successes of the Rural development programme is Sunil Kumar, who was selected from Kapurthala district in the year 1992. Sunil was trained in CLTA to become India's national tennis champion for seniors at the age of 16. According to Mr Ramsekhar, CLTA, at its own cost, has undertaken responsibility to provide every single facility, including board and lodging in CLTA's Academy, and arrangements for schooling and training and tournament play for the boys who are finally selected for the academy. |
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BSNL Volleyball: Punjab defeat MTNL Mumbai Chandigarh, October 9 However, the Punjab women were not as lucky as they lost to Karnataka 5-25, 3-25. The results: Bihar b U.P. (East) 25-15, 25-19; Punjab b MTNL Mumbai 25-14, 25-15; A.P. b Bihar 25-5, 25-6; Gujarat b Maharashtra 26-16, 25-10; U.P. (E) b Rajasthan 25-13, 25-12; H.P. b MTNL Mumbai 25-14, 25-16; Kerala b Assam 25-6, 25-5; Women’s section: Tamil Nadu b MTNL Delhi 25-14, 25-9; Maharashtra b A.P. 25-6, 25-12. |
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Police
equestrian meet from Nov 4 Chandigarh, October 9 About 22 teams comprising nearly 200 riders along with mounts from central police organisations and state police organisations are likely to take part in which competitions will be conducted in 15 events. Prominent participants are Satpal Singh, Talwinder Singh both Punjab Police, Major Sandeep Diwan (Assam Rifles), Dy. Comdt. Naresh Tenlan and Ajmer Singh (BSF) and SG Merbashetty, ACP of Karnataka Police. |
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SSD school cricket
champions Chandigarh, October 9 Brief scores: SSD School: 160 for 7 (Shanu-44, Harpreet-38, Sumit-27, Himanshoo-19). Sukhbir 3 for 30, Ramniwas 1 for 18, Vijay 1 for 13). MHR School: 114 all out. Vijay-36, Arun-23, Rajiv 4 for 19, Harpreet 3 for 20. The tournament was inaugurated by Mr Jeet Ram, Municipal Commissioner and president of the BDCA. |
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Chandigarh,
October 9
