‘I was offered money for test information’

WELLINGTON, Dec 11: Former New Zealand test cricketer Danny Morrison has said he was invited to sell information during a match in Hamilton against India four years ago, the dominion newspaper reported today.

But while Australian test players Mark Waugh and Shane Warne have admitted they took money from an Indian bookmaker in return for pitch and weather information, Morrison said the approach to him came from an Indian player.

The player’s offer of 1,000 for the New Zealander to take a phone call and provide information was declined, Morrison said.

I just looked at him and said: ‘Are you serious?’

The test match ended in a draw.

Also today, in a report in New Zealand Herald, Indian batsman and captain Mohammad Azharuddin, in this country with his national squad, called for a swift inquiry into recent scandals.

It is hurting the game, this sort of thing. It (an inquiry) might be necessary but it needs to be finished quickly so we can put it in the past. It’s been going on for ages, it seems, and there’s no end in sight, he said.

Now we hear of something that happened and was dealt with four years ago being brought up again. It’s not good for cricket. We need to move on. (REUTERS)

Soccer leaders call meeting to protest World Cup slots

BANGKOK, Dec 11: Asian officials will hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to launch a campaign against the decision by world soccer authorities cutting the continent to two competitive qualifying slots for the 2002 World Cup.

Japan and South Korea automatically will play in the cup as co-hosts, taking two of the four slots that the sport’s world governing body, FIFA, has decided to allocate Asia.

That means that 40-odd other Asian nations will be competing to fill just two spots, a move members of the regional authority, the Asian Football Confederation, view as a reduction from the three places Asia had at this year’s World Cup in France.

"The host always qualifies automatically," Zhang Jilong, a Chinese member of the Confederation’s Executive Committee, argued yesterday. "You shouldn’t take any of the other spots from the continent because of that."

The 17-member committee will gather in Bangkok next Tuesday to decide what action to take to counter FIFA’s decision. Zhang said it wasn’t clear what action would be taken, but noted feeling was running high against the ruling.

"We’re getting a lot of complaints," Zhang said. "We wouldn’t have an emergency meeting otherwise. You’ll have to wait until it’s over to see what the result is."

Many Committee members are already in the Thai Capital watching their national sides compete in the Asian Games.

Japan, South Korea and Iran represented Asia at this year’s World Cup, with Zhang considering Oceania’s entry as a sort of half-Asian entry. None advanced beyond the first round. (AP)

Probe ordered into bookie deal after new revelations

SYDNEY, Dec 11: The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) today announced a full probe into the bookmaker affair involving star players Shane Warne and Mark Waugh after other cricketers revealed they were also approached for providing match information while touring the sub-continent.

Announcing the ACB decision to launch an inquiry into the affair, Board chairman Dennis Rogers said in Adelaide, two former players said today they were approached to provide information. What I want to clear up is that there are no other sleepers in the Australian team in this context.

He was referring to former New Zealand paceman Danny Morrison’s claim that he was offered money by an Indian player to pass on information to a bookie in 1994 and revelations by ex-Australian cricketers Dean Jones and Greg Matthews that they too were approached like Warne and Waugh to sell information about weather and pitch condition but rejected the offers.

Given the circumstances of the hour, people would expect me to take a positive lead, he said.

Admissions by Warne and Waugh had showed the ACB in poor light as it became known that the Board had fined the two but kept it under wraps for four years.

Rogers earlier told a commercial television that the whole matter should be taken up internationally. We believe the issues should not e handled by home boards, we believe these issues should be handled by the international governing body.

Rogers was reacting to a report in a Wellington-based paper which quoted Danny Morrison as saying that he declined an offer of 1,000 from an Indian player for taking a call from a bookmaker and provide him with information during the 1994 Hamilton test.

Media reports also said Greg Matthews claimed to have turned down money offered to him for the same purpose in Sri Lanka in 1992.

Meanwhile, reports from Lahore said the Pakistani inquiry Commission probing the match-fixing charges against some cricketers of the country was contemplating to ask the ACB to allow Warne and Waugh expose before it again following their revelations.

The Pakistani Cricket Board (PCB) also asked its Australian counterpart to make public all information on the bookmaker issue to ensure the matter is not covered up this time also.

We would like the ACB to place all the cards on the table, which would mean we would like to know exactly what happened, when did it happen and what are the other associated details, PCB chief Khalid Mahmood told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Warne, in the meantime, has been sacked as a columnist by the English tabloid mirror after admitting he accepted money from bookmakers during the Australian cricket tour of Sri Lanka and Pakistan in 1994.

However, all major sponsors of Warne have said hey would stick by him. Sportswear giant Nike announced it would continue its association with Warne, despite the scandal. (PTI)

Protesters arrested

CHENNAI, Dec 11: A Tamil film actor who wanted to express his support to the general strike in a novel way by playing cricket, was arrested by the city police along with his "team mates".

The actor Mansoor Ali Khan and 30 other "players" were taken into custody as they chose the main road in front of the Raj Bhavan here to play the game.

As the "players" led by the actor drove down to the "ground" with all the paraphernalia of cricket kit in violation of the prohibitory orders, police secured them and took them to the Velachery Police Station.

This was the second time the film actor was arrested during this week. Khan along with his family members were arrested on December 6 when they attempted to stage a fast to protest against the demolition of the Babri masjid.(UNI)

‘Bribes’ to secure 2002 Winter Games

LAUSANNE, (SWITZERLAND), Dec 11: The IOC opened a high-level investigation into what one top olympic official described as "bribes" paid by the Salt Lake City Bid Committee to help secure the 2002 Winter Games.

International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch ordered a probe into the scholarship payments made to relatives of IOC members in the lead-up to the vote for the games.

"This is quite clearly a matter to investigate," IOC director general Francois Carrard said yesterday.

The investigation will be led by Keba Mbaye of Senegal, a former world court judge who heads the IOC’s Commission dealing with legal and ethical issues.

"The president sent me a letter asking me to carry out an investigation and report to the executive board," Mbaye said. "We will start immediately." (AP)

Japan’s Cabinet approves Osaka’s bid for 2008 Olympics

TOKYO, Dec 11: Japanese Cabinet Ministers today approved a bid by the nation’s third-largest city of Osaka to host the 2008 Olympics, the Foreign Ministry said.

The formal decision paves the way for Government financial support for the city’s preparation for the event. Government officials had previously agreed to support the bid.

Osaka, about 450 kilometres Southwest of Tokyo, will formally file its candidacy with the International Olympic Committee in early 2000.

Paris, Beijing and Kuala Lumpur have also expressed hopes to host the 2008 summer games. The host will be decided at an IOC meeting in Moscow in 2001.

Osaka has asked the Central Government to shoulder about half of the costs to prepare for the games, following the example of the Nagano Olympics held in Central Japan in February.

An estimated 80 billion yen 680 million dollars will be needed to build an Olympic stadium and a swimming pool if the city wins the bid, said Osaka city spokesman Yoshimitsu Yorise. (AP)

Rural Mela organised at Arnia

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU,Dec 11: The Rural Sports Mela was organised today by Youth Services and Sports at Government Higher Secondary School Arnia.

Mr Jagdish Raj Dubey, MLA Bishnah inaugurated the function today which will culminate tomorrow.

The locals, besides the students drawn from all Government and public schools took part in the colourful function.

While speaking on the occasion , Mr Dubey requested all the Heads of Government as well as private institutions to inculcate in spirit of sports and create awareness among the students.

He also stressed upon the Government to provide sports facilities among the rural students. A parade was also inspected by him.

PG Sciences enter cricket semi-final

JAMMU, Dec 11: Post Graduate Departments of Sciences today entered the semi-finals of the Inter-College Cricket Tournament trouncing Government Medical College by 79 runs at Jammu University ground, here.

Earlier, Medical College after winning the toss put PG Science to bat first and PG Science scored 239 runs for the loss of eight wickets in stipulated 40 overs.

Guru Partap Singh and Bhupinder gave a good start to PG Science innings scoring 67 runs for the first wicket partnership. Bhupinder was out with his individual score of 19 runs, while Gurupratap Singh made a superb knock of 82 runs facing 87 ball with the help of ten boundaries.

Middle order batsman, Kewal Krishan bashed the Medical College bowlers, making quick 65 runs in just 48 deliveries hitting the ball to fence for four times. Skipper, Suresh Singh was another highest score with 21 runs in 22 balls.

From Medical College, Hareed clinched four wickets for 43, while Ali Hussain, Sandeep Singh, Shawab and Vipin got one wicket each.

Chasing the target of 240 runs, Medical College made a dismal start losing its openers for just seven runs, when Gagan Bali and Ali Hussain surrendered to the fast bowling of Rajeev.

Thereafter, Amit Anand and Sandeep Singh played some confident shots and stable the Medical College innings, bringing the total to 40 runs before Amit lost his wicket. It was followed by a continuous dismissal of Medical College wickets after regular intervals and the whole team was bowled out at 160 runs in 34.5 overs.

From PG Science, Rajeev was the most successful bowler, who claimed four for 19. While Kewal Krishan and Gurupratap got two wickets each.

On tomorrow, PG Departments of Sciences will be meeting SPMR College of Commerce in the Pool ‘A’ semi-final tomorrow.

Commerce College

wins Boxing trophy

Government SPMR College of Commerce won the overall champions trophy in the Inter-College Boxing Tournament, while last year champion MAM College got second place and the third place went to GGM Science College in the finals played at M A Stadium, here today.

Commerce College declared winner with 20 points, whereas, MAM College and GGM Science College got 16 and 15 points respectively.

Twentyfive students participated in the tournament orgnaised by the Directorate of Physical Education, University of Jammu under the supervision of Assistant Director, Mr Madan Mohan Sharma.

Detail results: Light fly-Ganga Prasad of Commerce College beat Rameshwar Singh of Music and Fine Arts.

Flyweight-Amit Singh of Commerce College trounces Lovegeet Singh of MAM College.

Bantamweight-Rahul Kachroo of Commerce College defeated Vikram of MAM College.

Featherweight-Rahul Sharma of GGM Science College beat Arvind of MAM College.

Lightweight-Charan Singh of MAM College outplayed Ranbir Sing of Commerce College.

Light Welterweight-Tarun Sharma of MAM College down Deepak of Science College.

Welter-Ranjeet Singh of Commerce College beat Anwar of Science College.

Lightmiddle-Kapil Manchanda of Commerce College overpowered Ranjeet Singh of Science College.

Middle-Pawan Singh of MAM College knocked out Ashok of Commerce College in the very first round.

Heavyweight- Mohinder Pal Singh of PG Sciences knocked out Sunil Singh of MAM College in the first minute of the match.

Chess final ends

in a draw, deciding

match on Dec 15

Inter-College Chess competitions final played between Government Medical College, Jammu and MAM College ended in a 2-2 draw. And the deciding match will be played on December 15 at indoor halls, University of Jammu.

Yasser and Amandeep of Medical College defeated Vijay Kumar and Sushil Singh of MAM College. For MAM College, Vivek Bharti won the match beating Jagmohan of Medical College, while in another match MAM College got walkover to make it 2-2 draw.

Distt Jammu to meet JKP in men Volleyball final today

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 11: Jammu district will meet Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) tomorrow in the men final of the 11th State Volleyball Championship at Mini Stadium, here.

District Jammu today entered the final outplying Poonch by three games to nil in the first semi-final played at GGM Science College ground here. Neelam Singh, Jagdish Raj and Raj Kumar played an excellent game in Jammu’s win. However, Sanjay Sharma and Imtiaz Hussain of Poonch put best of their efforts before losing the match.

In the second semi-final, JKP trounced Rajouri district also in straight sets of 3-0. Sajad Hussain, Rattan Chand and Surinder had powerful spikes against Rajouri.

According to the the Volleyball Association of J&K general secretary, Mr Kuldip Magotra, the women final will be played between Women College Gandhi Nagar and Poonch district at 12.00 noon, whearas, the men final will begin at 2.30 pm tomorrow.