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| Inexperience of our team is our weakness, says Hooper CHENNAI, Oct 1: West Indies will fight hard despite having an inexperienced side, its captain Carl Hooper declared today...........more India to
have clear CHENNAI, Oct 1: Buoyed by the team’s spectacular showing in the Champions Trophy, Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly today said India would have the advantage over the West Indies in the home series starting Oct 4.........more Setback-ridden
Pak COLOMBO, Oct 1: Two top stars out with injury, two others refusing to play, a captain on trial straddled with a rookie team and an unpopular coach who gets..........more Leander
not playing BUSAN, Oct 1: India’s star performer Leander Paes will not play the first match against East Timor tomorrow in the.........more |
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Kamal maintains top position in Distt Snooker, wins 4th consecutive title * Kamal takes on Gautam Lakra to defend Billiards title today Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 1: Double title hat trick maker Kamal Rohmetra has continued his victory run winning the district Snooker title for the fourth consecutive year beating..........more Ever Shine wins inaugural tie in Veteran Cricket Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 1: Ever Shine Cricket Club (ESCC), Satwari won the opening match of the Kulbir Singh Memorial (Veteran) Cricket Cup Tournament beating Eleven Star Cricket Club by five........more Kuldeep
nominated Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 1: Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India has nominated Mr Kuldeep Kumar Gupta, general secretary, J&K Amateur Kabaddi Association as observer..........more |
Inexperience of our team is our weakness, says Hooper CHENNAI, Oct 1: West Indies will fight hard despite having an inexperienced side, its captain Carl Hooper declared today. "We lack experience, that’s our weakness," the captain observed during a chat with newspersons as the 16-member team arrived here from Colombo for a transit halt on the way to Bangalore this morning. West Indies is confident of fighting hard. "I know it’s not going to be easy. But we have been batting well of late and our bowling is also improving," the seasoned allrounder, who came out of retirement, added before boarding the flight to Bangalore. "Our strength is we have a young side and we still feel we can have a good tour," Hooper said. The lanky sheet anchor of the West Indies’ rather brittle batting line up, especially sans their star player Brian Lara on this tour, recalled the home series against India. "We had won the test series 2-1 and albeit losing the one-day series. We were close to winning that also," he said. Hooper admitted that the absence of Lara, ruled out because of suspected hepatitis during the Champions Trophy engagement in Colombo, "will be felt badly". "Yes, Lara is a great player and he would have been a great asset," he added. "It is not going to be easy, but we want to do well," Hooper said. However, former captain Sir I V A Richards, who was mobbed by enthusiastic youngsters in the domestic terminal for autographs, declined to comment on his team’s strengths and weaknesses. "I have just come as a selector. I will have to sit down with the coach and manager later and sort out things", Sir Vivian said smilingly. The Caribbeans are scheduled to play three tests and seven one dayers after their three-day tour opener against Board President’s XI in Bangalore beginning October three. The team: Carl Hooper (Capt), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Daren Ganga, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Marion Samuels, Ryan Hinds, Gareth Breese, Ridley Jacobs, M Nagamootoo, Mervyn Dillon, Pedro Collins, Cameron Cuffy, Daren Powell and Jermaine Lawson. Coach: Roger Harper, manager Rickey Skerritt, trainer: Ronald Rogers, analyst: Garfield Smith, chairman: Sir Vivian Richards. (UNI) |
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India to have clear edge: Ganguly CHENNAI, Oct 1: Buoyed by the team’s spectacular showing in the Champions Trophy, Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly today said India would have the advantage over the West Indies in the home series starting Oct 4. "We have the clear edge. We have been performing very well as a team," Ganguly, who arrived here from Colombo in the same flight in which the Carl Hooper led Caribbean team also landed, told newsmen at the airport. On Javagal Srinath, who has agreed to change his decision on retirement from test cricket, he confirmed the Karnataka speedster would play in the test series against West Indies. Srinath returned to international cricket after a three-month break replacing injured Ashish Nehra in the final of the Champions Trophy in Colombo. To a question, the Indian skipper said Nehra would be fully fit for the series against West Indies which would feature three tests and seven one-dayers. On the absence of West Indies star Brian Lara, who has pulled out of the tour for health reasons, he said the visitors would miss him. "Obviously his team will miss him, so also the Indian cricket fans," he added. Speaking about the Champions Trophy, Ganguly said the team would have clinched the cup, but for the weather. We were in a good position to win. But, we can’t help the weather," he added. He said the team, which reached the final with emphatic wins, had shown vast improvement in fielding. (PTI) |
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Setback-ridden Pak gear up for tough Aussie challenge COLOMBO, Oct 1: Two top stars out with injury, two others refusing to play, a captain on trial straddled with a rookie team and an unpopular coach who gets sacked one moment and retired the next. Pakistan could not have asked for a worse recipe for disaster as they prepare to clash with world champions Australia in a three-test series starting here on Thursday. If the Aussies won’t take victory for granted it is only because the temperamental, but supremely talented, Pakistanis have the uncanny habit of wriggling out of tight situations when least expected. "We fight best when our backs are against the wall," said captain Waqar Younis. "We have nothing to lose, all the pressure will be on the Australians." What should have been a celebration of Pakistan’s 50th year in test cricket has turned sour, the only reason to rejoice being that the long-awaited series is taking place at all. Australia’s refusal to tour Pakistan for security reasons forced the golden jubilee series to be shifted out of the country with the first test allotted to Colombo and the remaining two to Sharjah. Then the two senior-most players in the side, Wasim Akram and Saeed Anwar, opted out of the key series for reasons either unknown to the powers-that-be or kept a well-guarded secret. Worse, star batsmen Inzamam-ul Haq and Yousuf Youhana were ruled out with injury, leaving Pakistan with a young side whose combined experience of 251 tests is less than the 273 games played by Australia’s Waugh twins alone. As if that was not enough, coach Mudassar Nazar was sacked midway through the just-concluded champions trophy and South Africa-based Richard Pybus recalled for the third time in four years. Pybus was not welcomed back the way he may have expected with critics questioning his commitment to Pakistan after deserting the team soon after the September 11 strikes last year. (AFP) |
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Leander not playing in the first match BUSAN, Oct 1: India’s star performer Leander Paes will not play the first match against East Timor tomorrow in the tennis team event of the Asian Games because of an ankle injury. Paes, who flew in here last evening to join the other members of the squad, suffered the injury during a practice session here this morning but Indian officials said the injury was not serious enough to keep him out of action for a long time. The Indians, who had clinched four bronze medals in the last Asian Games in Bangkok, are hoping to improve their medal tally this time but Paes’ injury has come as a setback to their prospects. Although they can afford to go into the match without paes against East Timor, his services will become invaluable when the team makes progress in the team event. Leander’s father Vece Paes does not want his son to aggravate the injury by taking the court against a weak team like East Timor but the ace Davis Cupper is willing to play if his ankle condition show signs of improving. It was still not known who will partner Mahesh Bhupathi in the doubles though Rohan Bopanna was the most likely candidate. The women’s team will also have an easy outing as they take on unfancied Mongolia in the first round. Paes and his estranged partner Bhupathi have re-united for the cause of the country since splitting for a second time about six months ago. The duo had separated in 1999 but had reconciled just ahead of the Sydney Olympics. But the reunion did not last long. It remains to be seen how the two players gel on the court having made up their mind not to play together again in the professional circuit. Bhupathi himself has been recovering from a shoulder injury which forced him to skip India’s Davis Cup world group qualifying tie against Australia in Adelaide recently and will be keen to prove his worth and help India secure a medal. (PTI)
With a number of strong contenders in the fray, Indian pugilists face an uphill task of winning a medal in boxing of the 14th Asian Games beginning here tomorrow. The Indians had won just one gold and a bronze medal last time in Bangkok and will be hoping to return home with a better performance this time around. The eight-member team had a strenuous training camp in Patiala before reaching this coastal city and coach Gurbaksh Singh Sandhu was confident that his wards would improve upon their performance. (PTI) |
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Kamal maintains top
position in Distt Snooker, Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 1: Double title hat trick maker Kamal Rohmetra has continued his victory run winning the district Snooker title for the fourth consecutive year beating Vishal Abrol in the 12th edition of the district championship which will be concluded tomorrow with the holding of prize distribution function at the Billiards hall, M A Stadium, here at 6 pm. However, to defend his Billiards title, Kamal will have to meet senior most cueist of the State, Gautam Lakra at 4 pm tomorrow. In Billiards too, Kamal has already completed his hat trick last year. Earlier, in the snook ridden senior Snooker final, Kamal showed that experience matters a lot when you are playing against an equally good opponent. The first frame created trouble for Vishal by giving his snook most of the time and took first frame lead making it 58-24. However, Kamal failed in his strategy to nervous Vishal in the second frame and lost it 28-74. Later, after winning the third frame, Kamal continued his slow but well through moves in the fourth frame and went up 3-1. In the deciding fourth frame, Kamal showed his presence in the hall by taking early 41-21 lead and never allowed Vishal to create any more trouble. However, Vishal gave an excellent black ball snook to Kamal which latter failed to break. Instead of repeating it (snook), Vishal went to potting and added seven more points to his tally bringing the score to 62-29. Finding himself in troubled waters, where there was no way out, Vishal conceded defeat leaving behind black, pink and blue balls on the table. The final score: 58-24, 28-74, 81-30, 84-31, 62-29. Meanwhile, earlier, both Kamal and Gautam did not face any big challenge from their opponents in the semi-final encounters took place late yesterday evening. Kamal defeated Sohail Khalid and Gutam Lakra outplayed current State champion Vishal Abrol. Playing his natural game finding an easy opponent, Kamal maintained quite a good lead in the first hour game which sat the score board moving in the rest of the game making a second highest break of the tournament adding 66 points to his final score of 592-353. In another semi-final, Vishal could not create any trouble for his super senior Gautam Lakra and surrendered 614-372. It may be recalled that Gautam had made highest 75 points break yesterday. Now, in the Junior Billiards final, Kuldeep Chowdhary will take on Nishant Azad tomorrow at 12 noon, followed by the senior Billiards final between Kamal Rohmetra and Gautam Lakra at 4 pm. Soon after the finals will be over, the prize distribution will be held, informed Mr Sheetal Gandotra, organising secretary for the championship. Mr Ram Sahai, president, Chamber of Commerce and Industries, has consented to be the chief guest, he added. |
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Ever Shine wins inaugural tie in Veteran Cricket Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 1: Ever Shine Cricket Club (ESCC), Satwari won the opening match of the Kulbir Singh Memorial (Veteran) Cricket Cup Tournament beating Eleven Star Cricket Club by five wickets at Model School, Satwari, here. Batting first after winning the toss, Eleven Star set a target of 109 runs in the allotted 20 overs, which, in reply Ever Shine Club chased in 18 overs losing five wickets. Jasbir Singh was top scorer from Eleven Star with 43 runs off 38 balls, while Neeraj added 13 runs facing eight deliveries. For Ever Shine Club, Sham Lal and Bansi Lal shared two wickets each, while Parveen, Parshotam and Babu took one wicket each. Chasing the target of 109 runs, Ever Shine Club attained the goal in 18 overs losing their five wickets. Parshotam was top scorer with 31 runs made off 36 balls. Rajinder contributed 18 runs, while Sham Lal and Yudhvir Singh added 14 runs each. For Eleven Star, Neeraj was the most successful bowler who claimed two wickets, while Naresh and Kamal shared one each. Later, Parshotam was named as man of the match. Jangu and Deepa were umpires, while Jimmy maintained the score. Earlier this tournament, which is being organised by the Ever Shine Cricket Club, Satwari, was declared open by Mr D D Khajuria of Khajuria Gun Works. Karan Singh Manhas, Kashmir Singh Manhas and Bari Singh, Parshotam Singh were guest of honour. |
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Kuldeep nominated observer for 14th Asians Games Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 1: Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India has nominated Mr Kuldeep Kumar Gupta, general secretary, J&K Amateur Kabaddi Association as observer in the ongoing 14th Asian Games underway at Busan in South Korea. Confirmation in this regard was today sent to Kuldeep by the Federation president, Mr Janardan Singh Gehlot, here yesterday. Since Kabaddi events in Men’s section begins from October 5, Kuldeep shall be leaving for Delhi on October 3 for his onward journey to South Korea, so that he could reach the venue on October 5 morning. Kuldeep, who is working as manager, The Citizens’ Co-operative Bank Ltd., Jammu, has become second official from the bank to be nominated for the Asian Games. Earlier, Mr Dinesh Gupta, was nominated as technical official for the 13th Asian Games held at Bangkok in 1998. Prior to this assignment, Kuldeep has been appointed by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India as incharge of the Northern India. |
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Preparations on for All India Police Games Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 1: To intensify the coaching process for the forthcoming All India Police Games, the Jammu and Kashmir Police started coaching camps at M A Stadium, here. In these camps, probables in the disciplines of Wrestling, Boxing and Weightlifting will be given specialised coaching, a handout issued here today informed. All India Police Games are scheduled to be held at Bhiwani in Haryana from November 7 to November 11. |
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India need big win against Japan BUSAN, Oct 1: Holders India, who made heavy weather of their win over a ragtag team from Hong Kong in their opener, have their job cut out as they need a big and authoritative victory over Japan in their second league match in the hockey competition of the 14th Asian Games here tomorrow. Though India came through as 5-1 victors over minnows Hong Kong, they lacked coordination and needlessly experimented with the line-up. It was incomprehensible to see three defenders being used when they should have attacked and got more goals. This could go down eventually to India’s disadvantage when the pool placing for the semi-final line up is drawn, as a clash against seven-time gold medallists Pakistan in the last four would be avoidable. India have met Japan in every edition of the Asian Games since the inception of this sport at Tokyo in 1958, beating them on each of the 11 occasions, including seven semi-final clashes. Though the victory margins have dwindled over the years, from 8-0 at Tokyo to 3-1 in the Bangkok semi-final four years ago, it is the 2-2 draw at the Kuala Lumpur World Cup earlier in the year, which gave the Indians a jolt. India had to come from behind on both the occasions to level the scoreline in the Malaysian capital. India will be severely handicapped with the absence of left winger Prabhjot Singh who has been ruled out due to injury. In fact, there is a strong possibility of him not taking further part in the tournament. The Indian coach rajinder singh will possibly think of Daljit Singh Dhillon as the suitable replacement and also reshuffle the forward line. Also former skipper Dhanraj Pillay will have to be played from the start unlike against Hong Kong, where without the mercurial striker there was no firepower in the Indian onslaught. Japan, which introduced hockey in East Asia, have been the silver medallists at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1932 losing 11-1 to India, apart from finishing third at Bangkok in 1966 and 1970. They have retained 11 players, including 27-year-old skipper Takahiko Yamabori from the World Cup squad where they were placed 11th, one notch below India. They will depend on veteran midfielder Akira Takahashi playing his third Asiad with 144 caps, besides strikers Mitsuru Ito, Kenichi Katayama and Akihiko Hirata. The Japanese coach Yamanaka Manabu said their 4-0 defeat by hosts South Korea yesterday was history and that they will strive to spring a surprise against India with clever penalty corner variations from the crafty sweeper Naoya Iwadate. The key for a convincing Indian victory will be in the hands of forwards Dhanraj Pillay, Deepak Thakur and Gagan Ajit Singh who will have to show the free flow, flair and flexibility to have the rival defence caught on the wrong foot. The pace of play and ball distribution from the medios Bimal Lakra, Ignace Tirkey, Viren Rasquinha and Vikram Pillay will have to be authoritative and accurate so that pressure is minimal on the sturdy shoulders of the "never say die" Indian captain Dilip Tirkey in the deep defence. In other matches tomorrow, South Korea should easily overcome Hong Kong (Group A), while Malaysia will play Bangladesh (Group B). Malaysia have their eyes set on a semi-final slot here as coach Paul Lissek has brought a squad comprising of a mixture of youth complemented by experience. He is well aware that a good showing at Busan will somewhat ease the negative reports that they have been garnering over the course of a couple of months. Malaysia, who have finished with five bronze placements in the past, were eighth in the last World Cup. Their fortunes this time will depend on the orchestrated efforts of captain and full back Kuhan Shanmuganathan and central midfielder Keevan Raj, besides Boon Huat Chua and Gobinathan Krishnamurthy. (UNI) India win a gold and expects more today BUSAN, Oct 1: India today opened its account at the 14th Asian Games with a gold in snooker and was assured of a medal in a rowing with the men’s light weight four-oars moving into the finals. Indian weightlifters, however, again disappointed today as triple silver medallist at Commonwealth Games, Thandava Muthu, finished seventh in the 56 kg category. Ace lifters Kunjarani Devi and Sanamacha Chanu had also failed to make it to the medal podium yesterday. Amidst nerve wrecking tension and high drama two-time Asian champion Yasin Merchant and Rafat Habib won the gold beating Hong Kong’s Marco Ka Chun Fu and Chi Wai An 3-1 (33-71, 74-20, 92-13, 78-21).In the doubles final of the snooker event. The 31-year-old Habib, who played "out of his skin" according to Merchant, unabashedly shed tears. It took around five minutes for him to regain composure. At two hours and 16 minutes it was the longest match of the day. It was also a special moment for the team coach Michael Ferreira who was celebrating his birthday. Happy birthday coach,’’ shouted merchant at the top of the voice. "This win is for you." "I’m simply delighted," said Ferreira. "Rafat was simply brilliant today. He made potting look easy," he said. In the final frame, Rafat gambled with a difficult pot from the bottom of the table. It paid off as the cannon sent the red ball crashing into the top pocket and also positioned the cue ball for follow-up on the black. If Rafat’s potting was brilliant so was Merchant’s snooker. The third frame was won on his effort. At 30-13, Merchant, a two-time Asian Amateur champion, gave a snooker from which the Hong Kong pair could extricate themselves only after conceding a number of points. The Indians did not loosen the noose and wrapped the frame at 66-13. "It is a great victory for the indian cue games contingent," said a delighted Geet Sethi, who along with the others were cheering and egging Merchant and Rafat on. "It is the first medal in snooker for us." At Bangkok, India had won two gold, one silver and a bronze but all in Billiards. Both Rafat and Merchant felt that the quarterfinal victory over the Malaysian pair of Tim Sam Chong and Ann Seng Ng was the turning point for them. "The Malaysians were getting back into the game in the fourth frame. After two safety shots, Habib was given a difficult pink. He went for it from the cushion to centre pocket and succeeded. It was a brilliant shot," Geet Sethi said. "They are a great side, very good in the short format," said Merchant. "After beating them I had an inkling that we would be in the medal round." Ace Squash player Ritwik Bhattacharya looked in devastating form as he blanked China’s Liu Qinan, a former badminton player, 9-0 9-0 9-0 to move into the quarter-finals. Vaidehi Reddy and Joshna Chinappa had secured a quarter-final berth in the women’s section yesterday. The match between Bhattacharya and Liu turned out to be a no contest and finished in just nine minutes. He now faces Md Azlan of Malaysia, who is seeded no. 4 in Asia and in the top 50 in the world. Ritwik is ranked no. 5 in Asia and no. 84 in the world. In a totally one-sided tie, Ritwik lost serve only four times. "It was an easy match, quite unexpected," he said. "But I rested. Playing a weak opponent doesn’t make much difference." Rowers, who had yesterday kept their hopes alive in five events of the rowing championship at the Nakdong River here, today assured themselves of a medal with the men’s light weight four-oars moving into the finals of the event. This year’s Arjuna award winner Kasam Khan, alongwith Mujeeb Rehman Kolakkodan, Ratheesh Kumar and Saji Thomas clocked 6:20.49 sec to finish first in the reperchage round and move into the finals. Gurpreet Kaur clocked 8:40.18 sec to finish fifth in the women’s lightweight single sculls reperchage a and will now compete tomorrow for seventh to 12th place. Manjula Rai, who had finished third in the women’s single sculls yesterday, lost two places today to come last in a field of five, clocking 8:33.80 sec. The match, which turned out to be a no contest, finished in just nine minutes with Ritwik winning the tie without conceding a point. He now faces Md Azlan of Malaysia, who is seeded no. 4 in Asia and in the top 50 in the world. Ritwik is ranked no. 5 in asia and no. 84 in the world. Muthu, who was cleared at the last moment, had a readymade excuse for his dismal seventh spot. After his event was over, he said "I was not given any non-vegetarian food by the organisers. I was having only water and I even vomited." "He has not vomited so far but he may vomit now," was the reaction of a disgusted Indian official. "Why can’t he accept defeat gracefully. Even if one assumes that he was not given meat to eat, do you think he would have won made medal had he been provided non vegetarian food. Every lifter is given the same treatment, why is he cribbing," the official told UNI. It is becoming embarrassing for the Commonwealth medal winners, who reeked in millions, to explain their failure here. Yesterday it was triple gold medallists Kunjarani Devi and Sanamacha Chanu to fail and this afternoon Muthu did the same. The Indians will start their campaign in as many six disciplines tomorrow including tennis and shooting which are expected to fetch a few medals for the country. (UNI) |
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