NEW DELHI, June 11: Cellular telephone numbers used by a former Indian cricketer allegedly....more

Francosie Durr delighted
as Pierce wins for France

PARIS, June 11: French legend Francoise Durr said she was overjoyed that Mary Pierce had finally.....more

Gibbs, Williams also
asked to tell truth
Cronje’s immunity offer does not extend to India: Official

JOHANNESBURG, June 11: An offer of immunity by South African prosecutors to sacked cricket captain Hansie Cronje does not extend to .....more

England cricket chiefs
want probe into
World Cup matches

LONDON, June 11: England’s cricket chiefs want to hold an inquiry into alleged match-fixing of World Cup matches, at......more

Aziz Memorial Challenger Trophy
Attar, MCC win opening day matches in Cricket

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, June 11: Attar Cricket Club (ACC) and MCC won the inaugural matches in the Aziz Memorial Challenger Trophy............more

TFCC beat FSCC in
opening day-night cricket tie

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, June 11: TFCC defeated FSCC by four runs in the opening tie of the Surinder Chopra Memorial day night Cricket...............more.

Pierce adds French Open doubles title to singles win

PARIS, June 11: French Open Singles Champion Mary Pierce added the women’s doubles title today when she teamed up with Martina Hingis to beat Spain’s Virginia Ruano Pascual and Argentina’s. .........more

Cell phone numbers used by former cricketer identified

NEW DELHI, June 11: Cellular telephone numbers used by a former Indian cricketer allegedly to contact bookies ..more

 
The State team which won gold medal in the Mini Handball Championship, held at Indelco in Uttar Pradesh recently poses during the felicitation function organised by Mr Desh Badhu, an international player, wherein Mr N P Nanda was the chief guest. Others, who were present included team coach, Mr Arun Sharma, R R Parbakher, Suneet Kumar and Paramjeet Singh.

Cell phone numbers used by former cricketer identified

NEW DELHI, June 11: Cellular telephone numbers used by a former Indian cricketer allegedly to contact bookies have been identified by the CBI, agency sources said here today.

The agency would soon initiate steps to trace the numbers which the former Delhi batsman, who is currently abroad, had called from these cellphones, the sources said adding that they would get fresh leads once they got the tapes of the conversations carried out by the cricketer.

The name of the former Indian team member had figured during the examination of bookies in Mumbai and here, they said, adding that the agency would examine him once he returns from abroad a few months later.

Meanwhile, in a related development, stage is set for re-examination of former test cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu who has been summoned again by the agency.

Sidhu, who had deposed before the agency last month, had reportedly denied the allegation made by Manoj Prabhakar that Kapil Dev had offered him a bribe of Rs 25 lakh to play below his potential during a cricket match against Pakistan in 1994. Dev has, however, strongly denied the allegation.

When contacted over phone, Sidhu had told PTI from Patiala that he would soon be appearing before the CBI and record his statement.

His re-examination was needed after Prabhakar submitted video tapes, secretly shot by him, in which Sidhu had reportedly corroborated Prabhakar’s allegation.

Prabhakar has stated before the CBI that Sidhu, his room-mate at the hotel, was a witness to Kapil Dev making the offer to him.

Besides Sidhu, former Indian Cricket Team Manager Ajit Wadekar would also be re-examined by the agency, which registered a preliminary enquiry into the case on May two after a request from the Sports Ministry.

The agency would decide whether to question Kapil Dev only after re-examining Wadekar and Sidhu next week, the sources said.

The sources said examination of Kapil Dev would be possible if these two corraborated what they had told to Prabhakar on video tapes.

Among the witnesses cited by Prabhakar, CBI has already questioned Wadekar and Sidhu and would shortly examine others including former skippers Mohammed Azharuddin, Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri, the sources said.

CBI has also prepared a list of persons to be questioned and may send teams to different parts of the country and abroad, they said.

Meanwhile, IT sources said they were planning to prepare details of return of cricketers and Board officials whose names have surfaced repeatedly during the investigations of the match-fixing.

The sources said, however, the department was only collecting information and was not planning to rush into investigation.

The sources confirmed that they had been "sounded" by the CBI orally on these issues but said any such action as search and raids can be taken only after the investigating agency approached them with a formal request.

Income Tax Departments in Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Hyderabad were assessing the incomes of prominent cricketers and Board officials, IT sources said. (PTI)

Francosie Durr delighted as Pierce wins for France

PARIS, June 11: French legend Francoise Durr said she was overjoyed that Mary Pierce had finally ended a 33-year drought for the host nation by lifting the women’s singles title at the French Open.

Speaking after Pierce had beaten Spaniard Conchita Martinez in straight sets at Roland Garros yesterday, Durr, who beat Lesley Turner of Australia in the 1967 final for her own moment of glory, said she had been waiting for another French triumph ever since.

"I’m really delighted. I’d waited a long time for this. I hope Mary won’t make us wait quite so long for another title," said 57-year-old Durr, who won a total of 26 titles in a career spanning two decades.

Holding court at probably the most packed press conference of the entire fortnight, Durr added: "Nowadays she’s using the court more. She used to hit too short. She used drop shots, volleys, she’s more tactically aware. And she looks at her opponent more than she used to.

"She’s also much more mature and more settled, especially in her private life."

Pierce is engaged to Roberto Alomar, a major league baseball star with the cleveland Indians, while she has also rediscovered catholicism and says her religious convictions are a huge help in her life.

Durr said the game has changed beyond all recognition since her day - noting with amusement that whereas Pierce took home some 600,000 dollars for her title win, she got a 200 dollar voucher to exchange for goods at a sports shop.

She also joked that she had just a tiny replica trophy on her sideboard as a memento whose significance escaped most visitors.

"There wasn’t such a brouhaha in my day. There weren’t so many people and it was nice because you are French and you win in front of your home crowd. There wasn’t as much pressure on me as there was on Mary today.

"Today, the game is more physical than it used to be and there are many more players. Now, if you’re not in top shape you could lose in the first round."

Durr said she was happy to see pierce had repaired her often stormy relationship with the parisian crowd, who had previously regarded her as an inconsistent Diva.

"Mary used not to know how to get the crowd behind her. You have to let them carry you along. That can help you to win a match," Durr stated.

She added that she hoped pierce, having moved closer to the french fans through her win, would now return to the french fold to play Fed Cup.

Pierce has not been on the squad since falling out with former coach Yannick Noah - ironically the last Frenchman to win the men’s singles here in 1983.

"Both sides need to sit down and talk about it. Not having her on the team is a bit stupid, really," Durr said. (AFP)

Gibbs, Williams also asked to tell truth
Cronje’s immunity offer does not extend to India: Official

JOHANNESBURG, June 11: An offer of immunity by South African prosecutors to sacked cricket captain Hansie Cronje does not extend to legal proceedings currently under way against him in India, an official said today.

Cronje, opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs and bowler Henry Williams have all been offered immunity from prosecution in return for telling the truth about their roles in a match-fixing scandal that has engulfed South African cricket.

Bulelani Ngcuka, the national director of prosecutions who made the offer at the start on Wednesday of the king commission of inquiry into the scandal, warned however, that full disclosures were expected from the players.

Should they attempt a cover-up, they face charges in South Africa of fraud and corruption, the Johannesburg Sunday Times said.

Cronje, additionally, could face charges of contravening exchange control regulations, it added.

Shamila Batohi, who is leading evidence for the king commission - sitting in cape town - said the offer of immunity did not relate to the charges Cronje and other players face in India.

"India is a totally different issue," she told the Sunday Independent newspaper, adding the South African Government had given no guarantee against Cronje’s possible extradition to India.

Cronje, Gibbs and players Nicky Boje and Pieter Strydom have all been charged with match-fixing by Indian police, who intercepted telephone calls between Cronje and a bookmaker which appear to confirm manipulation of matches took place during South Africa’s tour of India in March and April.

Gibbs and williams stunned cricket fans when they revealed at the king commission last week that cronje had offered them 15,000 dollars each to underperform in the last one-day international against india.

They both accepted the offer, but neither received any money. Gibbs claimed he forgot about the deal and went on to score 74 runs instead of the maximum of 20, while williams left the field injured before being able to concede 50 runs from his 10 overs.

Ngcuka’s spokesman, Sipho Ngwema, said yesterday that the offer of immunity to the players was aimed at ending corruption in south african cricket as soon as possible.

"The condition is that judge Edwin King must be happy that the testimonies (of the three) were frank and honest and that they participated with the commission fully," he said.

Ngwema said if other individuals came forward with information, their cases would be dealt with individually.

King, according to two newspapers today, had by late last evening not been informed of the immunity offers. Other commission officials were also kept in the dark despite the offers being made on wednesday, the reports said.

Gibbs has already been withdrawn from the South African team to tour Sri Lanka next month and he, Cronje and Williams all face life bans from the International Cricket Council.

According to a tough new ICC code of conduct, players can expect a life ban for "contriving or attempting to contrive the result of any match or the occurrence of any event."

Cronje has yet to give evidence and, according to the Sunday Independent, there is speculation the disgraced skipper is suffering from stress and is possibly on the verge of a breakdown.

His lawyer, Les Sackstein, however, could not confirm the speculation. "I’m his lawyer, not his doctor," he said. (AFP)

England cricket chiefs want probe into World Cup matches

LONDON, June 11: England’s cricket chiefs want to hold an inquiry into alleged match-fixing of World Cup matches, at Lord’s in the wake of investigations in Pakistan and South Africa, media reported today.

"We must take a detailed look at the 1999 World Cup in England," a senior official told the `News of the World’ newspaper.

Senior England cricket officials want to hold their own investigation following the ban on two players in Pakistan and admission by players in South Africa that they accepted offers to play badly in one-day matches in India.

Pakistan lost the World Cup final to Australia, who reached the summit clash after a tie with South Africa in the semifinal.

A report in the tabloid said need for a World Cup inquiry is even more urgent after the ECB chiefs were told that Pakistan players were allegedly paid 35,000 pound for throwing the World Cup clash with Bangladesh at Northampton. Also there are reports that umpires were allegedly involved in fixing matches and sub-continent betting syndicates have bases in the north of England.

"The two teams, who have been investigated over match-fixing, lost games to unfancied long-odds outsiders in matches that didn’t matter. I gather the ECB is still receiving information about these matters," the unnamed official said.

"Cricket authorities have to go all the way after what’s coming out in South Africa. No one can hide his head in the sand any more," he said.

Disgraced former South African skipper Hanise Cronje, who goes into the dock in Cape Town this week to testify in the match-fixing inquiry, has received a guarantee he will not be prosecuted on criminal charges if he discloses full role in the scandal.

Meanwhile, Salim Malik is to appeal against the life ban imposed on him last month following the recommendation of Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum Commission.

The former Pakistan captain was found guilty of match-fixing by Justice Qayyum, who was prevented from investigating World Cup matches by the Pakistan Cricket Board, the report said. (PTI)

Aziz Memorial Challenger Trophy
Attar, MCC win opening day matches in Cricket

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, June 11: Attar Cricket Club (ACC) and MCC won the inaugural matches in the Aziz Memorial Challenger Trophy Cricket Tournament which began at Railway Ground, here today.

In the first match of the day, Attar Club defeated Survival Cricket Club by eight wickets. Batting first after winning the toss, the whole side of Survival Club was bowled out at a meager 65 runs. Neeraj, who remained unbeaten and Sonu were the only batsmen who reached the double digit mark and scored 10 runs each.

Sandeep played an important roll in sidelining the Survival Club batsmen by clinching four wickets for 11 in his spell of four overs. While, Sanjay and Funny bagged three and two wickets respectively.

In reply, Attar Club took just six overs to attain the small target, losing only two wickets of Funny and Shantu. Ankit and Gourav remained unbeaten at 18 and 11 runs respectively. Both the wickets were taken by Neeraj. Sandeep was declared as man of the match for his superb bowling.

In the second match of the day, MCC outplayed KCC by 50 runs. Earlier, after winning the toss and decided to bat first, MCC set a target of 154 runs losing all the wickets when three balls were yet to be bowled.

Tony, who opened the MCC innings played a nice inning of 32 runs with five boundaries. Lafor was the another batsman, who could hit come confident shots to add 22 runs to the total.

From KCC, Sonu claimed four wickets, while Neeraj took two.

Chasing the target, the KCC lost all the wickets at 103 in 15 overs. Thanks to the extras, which contributed a hefty some of over 40 runs to the total. Whereas, Ajay was the only batsmen who could face the quick MCC bowlers and scored 19 runs. Tony, who earlier batted well, took two wickets, while Kabi, Goverdan, Shakti and Kabi shared one wicket each.

Tony was declared as man of the match for his all round performance.

Earlier, the tournament was declared open by Mohd Syed Akhoon, MLA at Railway ground. Speaking on the occasion, the MLA praised the organisers for holding the tournament. In all, 16 teams are taking part in the tournament

Others, who were present on the occasion included Messrs Rajinder Singh, Kuldeep Raj, Prem, Darshan Lal, Subash Dogra, Mangal Singh and Tarsem Lal. The organisers of the tournament are Mohd Yousuf, Iqbal Ahmed, Rajinder Singh.