MUMBAI, Nov 10: The Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) will finalise detailed itinerary of the forthcoming series by Pakistan, the first full-tour by the neighbours in 11 years, here on November 18.

The Board’s programmes and fixtures committee, chaired by its vice-president Kamal Morarka, is to finalise the dates and venues.

BCCI is to draw up the schedule notwithstanding the threat from Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray in the party’s mouthpiece "Saamna" recently that the Pakistanis would not be allowed to play anywhere in India let alone in the metropolis.

BCCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur had said in Dhaka during the recent Nine-Nation Wills International Cup Cricket Tournament that the tour was on and the Governments in both countries have been very encouraging.

Dungarpur had also discussed the modalities of the tour with his Pakistani counterpart Khalid Mehmood in Dhaka.

Pakistan are slated to play three tests and five one-day internationals during the seven-week tour scheduled to commence on January 21.

Calcutta, Chennai and Bangalore are expected to host the tests while Mohali, Visakhapattanam, Goa, Jamshedpur and Jaipur are likely to organise the limited overs contests.

Pakistan last played test cricket in India during the 1986-87 season when their team, led by Imran Khan, clinched the five-match series 1-0 by winning the final Bangalore test.

Pakistan twice cancelled scheduled tours in 1993 and 1994, citing security fears, but played in India during the 1996 World Cup, losing to the hosts in a tension-filled quarter-finals at Bangalore, and the Independence Cup last year. (PTI)

STOCKHOLM, Nov 10: Japanese qualifier Takao Suzuki has upset eight-seeded Thomas Enqvist 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 to move into the second round of the 825,000 dollars Stockholm Open Tennis Tournament.

Suzuki, who swept past three more experienced players in the qualification round, broke Enqvist, a twofold Stockholm Open winner, for 5-4 in the deciding set yesterday and then served home the match.

The win was his second in an ATP-Tournament, the first coming in Japan Open when he defeated Swedish Davis Cupper Nicklas Kulti, one of his victims in the qualifications.

The 22-year-old from Sapporo, who is coached by Italian Claudio Pistolesi, admitted fast indoor surface is his favourite surface.

"We have got plenty of such indoors in Sapporo," said Suzuki, who is 122nd on the latest ATP-Ranking.

"It was certainly my biggest win in my career," said the Japanese, who earlier this year have won three challenge tournaments.

In the second round Suzuki plays Dane Kenneth Carlsen, who overcame Fredrik Jonsson of Sweden, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).

Also making it through to the second round, one of the world’s oldest indoors tournaments, is Swede Magnus Gustafsson who beat Rainer Schuttler of Germany, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Two swedish players, who are fighting for the singles matches on the Swedish Davis Cup team in the final against Italy early December, saw action. Magnus Gustafsson, a traditional clay court player beat Rainer Schuttler of Germany 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 while the Stockholm Open defending champion Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden outgunned German Marc-Kevin Goellner 6-4, 6-2.

Other winners in singles action were Geoff Grant, a US qualifier, who beat Michael Kohlmann of Germany 6-3, 6-3 and Wayne Ferreira of South Africa who beat Jens Knippschild of Germany 6-4, 6-2.

Third-seeded Briton Tim Henman, who is close to qualifying for the ATP World Championships in Hanover, whipped Mikael Tillstrom of Sweden 6-3, 6-1 in 54 minutes.

"I am very pleased with my game. My percentage in points won on my serve was pretty high. I was also satisfied with my ground strokes," said Henman who faces Ferreira in the next round.

"It will be a tough match. He will obviously try to keep me away from the net so I must play aggressively" said the Briton who has lost two out of three encounters with the South African.

The big guns don’t see action until Wednesday. American Pete Sampras, trying to end the season as No. 1 for a record sixth consecutive year, as well as Briton Greg Dusedski, who beat Sampras in the Paris Open final on Sunday, will have another day off.

Sampras has never won the tournament. He reached the semi-final in 1994, when the tournament was held in the 14,000-seat Globe Arena. In 1995, the tournament returned across town to its original site, the royal tennis hall. (AP)

NEW DELHI, Nov 10: The Central-Zone Ranji Trophy cricket match between Vidharba and Railways ended in a tame draw with the hosts batting throughout the day to score 189 for 4 in their first innings at the Karnail Singh Stadium here today.

Resuming from overnight 23 for no loss, Railways, replying to Vidharba’s 378 for 7 declared, added another 166 runs on the final day of the four-day match, marred by rains on the first day and bad light on the following day.

Railways increased their tally to 14 points from three matches. They beat Rajasthan in their first match and got three points against Madhya Pradesh. Both the teams were awarded three points each after Railways failed to complete its first innings by the final day.

Vidharba have 10 points from three matches. They gained three points each against Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

Vidharba skipper Lalchand Rajput pressed into action nine bowlers including himself but only Pritam Ganghe (3-52) proved effective.

Earlier, Railways batsmen negotiated cautiously in the morning, with openers Sanjay Bangar (37, 5x4) and Satyendra Yadav 43 (4x4) adding 58 runs for the first wicket.

Later Yere Goud and Abhay Sharma shared a 52-run partnership till stumps were drawn one hour before the stipulated time. (AGENCIES)

KARACHI, Nov 10: Former cricket celebrity Imran Khan today said Pakistan cricket was not free from match-fixing and bribery practices. Your (Pakistan) players are saying there is match fixing, even your present team captain is saying so, Khan told reporters here.

But the problem was not as far ranging as suggested by some, he added.

Khan retired from the game after leading Pakistan to victory in the 1992 World Cup to engage in social welfare work and later entered Pakistan politics, forming his own movement for Justice Party.

He is scheduled to testify in Lahore tomorrow before a one-man judicial commission probing match-fixing and bribery allegations involving Pakistan cricketers.

The commission, headed by Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum, has already recorded statements by cricketers Salim Malik, Ejaz Ahmed, Wasim Akram, Aamir Sohail and Ramiz Raja.

Some former Pakistan team managers have appeared before the commission besides Australian skipper Mark Taylor and Mark Waugh.

The commission was formed after Wasim, Ejaz and Malik were implicated in an interim report Pakistan Cricket Board investigation team.

Match-fixing and bribery allegations have haunted Pakistan cricket since 1994 when Australians Tim May and Shane Warne accused Malik of offering them bribes. But in 1995 Malik was exonerated by the Board’s probe committee. (AFP)

MUNICH, Nov 10: Pete Sampras of the United States, the losing finalist in Paris on Sunday, has increased his lead at the top of the men’s tennis world rankings, according to the latest list issued yesterday.

Sampras, hoping to finish 1998 as number one for a record sixth consecutive year, now leads Marcelo Rios of Chile by 605 points.

The top ten in the rankings are as follows:

1. Pete Sampras (USA) 4,275 points, 2. Marcelo Rios (Chile) 3,670, 3. Patrick Rafter (Australia) 3,423, 4. Carlos Moya (Spain) 2,959, 5. Andre Agassi (USA) 2,879, 6. Alex Corretja (Spain) 2,798, 7. Karol Kucera (Slovakia) 2,579, 8. Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Russia) 2,557, 9. Richard Krajicek (Netherlands) 2,548, 10. Tim Henman (Great Britain) 2,452. (DPA)

CALCUTTA, Nov 10: Fifth seed Niko Karagiannis of Greece had to dig deep into his reserves to quell unseeded George Barth of USA as all the other seeded players cruised into the second round of the singles event in the ITF Futures Tennis Circuit meet at the South Club here today.

Karagiannis struggled to find his best form but raised his game midway through the contest to carve out a hard-fought 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory to move into the second round of the 15,000 prize money event.

Top seed Oley Ogorodov of Uzbekistan had no difficulty in disposing of qualifier Kamal Kannancile 6-1, 6-1 verdict while second seed Vadim Kutsonko of Uzbekistan defeated another qualifier Anjviplav with a 6-2, 6-4 scoreline.

Local boy Syed Fazaluddin, the Indian Davis Cupper and seeded fourth in this meet, prevailed over Vijay Kannan 6-4, 6-3 in a match which lasted less than half an hour.

Sixth seed Danai Dmchoke of Thailand did not have to sweat much on way to a comfortable 6-4, 6-2 victory over his Indian Challenger Saif Ali.

The Calcutta-based Abhishek Jagnani’s hopes of moving into the second round were dashed when he went down rather tamely to Harsh Mankad 6-0, 6-0 in a totally one sided contest. (PTI)

BSF Jammu lift Football Gold Cup

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 10: Solitary goal by B B Singh helped BSF Jammu to take home the Football Gold Cup beating Young Stars Club in a thrilling final of Ist Jammu Gold Cup Football Tournament organised by the Jammu Gymkhana Sports Club at Mini Stadium, here this evening.

Professionals BSF Jammu footballers dominated the field especially in the last 25 minutes of the match resulting into a solitary goal in the 80th minute of the match.

During the first half, BSF could not break the defence of Young Heros and both the teams attacked at each other side but without any success.

It was only in the second half that BSF Jammu started dominating the field and made a number of attempts which were stopped easily by the alert Young Heros goalkeeper Sonu Kumar Sawhney.

At one moment, there was apprehensions that match may end in draw, but BSF which had created an edge over Young Heros in the second half managed to take lead by converting a slow kick into goal. The solitary goal came through rightout B B Singh.

BSF Jammu team was led by Sukh Pal, while M K Pan was goal-keeper. Young Heros were led by Ramesh Chander (Jr) and Sonu Kumar Sawhney was goal-keeper.

The tournament in which 17 clubs including teams from BSF Army and Forest Department participated, was a well organised event.

Mr Ram Paul, Parliamentary Secretary and attached with Minister of Housing and Urban Development was the chief guest in the final and gave away winners and running up trophies, besides prizes to the special invitees. The chief guest also made personal contribution of Rs 1001 to both the teams.

Chairman of tournament committee, Mr V K Malhotra presented memento to the chief guest.

Mr U C Chhabra, IG BSF, Secretary State Sports Council, Sheikh Fazal Ahmed and Mr S M Gill, secretary, All India Handball Federation were the guest of honours on the occasion.

The tournament was made possible with the active participation of Messrs. V K Malhotra, Mahboob Iqbal, Vijay Bakaya, Sudhanshu Pandey, Jogesh Kohli, Shiv Paul Sharma, Ramesh Sharma, Ramesh Chander Sharma, Arun Sharma, Bishamber Singh all members tournament committee and others. Mr Ajaz Qazmi, was chief organiser of the tournament.

David Masih, Iqbal Sigh, Harbans Lal and table man Mohan Lal were referees during the tournament.

The tournament committee also lauded the contribution of groundman, Mr Puran Chand Kalotra.

Prominent among those, who witnessed the final were DIG BSF, Mr R S Chawla, DIG BSF, Mr A K Sethi, R R Sharma, Commandant BSF, Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association, Mr Ramesh Mahajan, Joint Secretary, State Sports Council, Mr Ashutosh Sharma, besides others.

JU TT teams to leave for Inter-Varsity tourney on Nov 12

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 10: Table Tennis men and women teams of Jammu University will leave for Inter-University competitions being held at Gurkulkangri, Haridwar from November 12.

J&K will take on Bundalkhand University in their opening match on November 14. Mr Ramesh Sharma, Table Tennis coach of Jammu University, who has coached the team will accompany the team as coach cum manager of the teams.

The boys team is being led by experienced player Naresh Gupta, who has represented the Jammu University for four consecutive times in inter-university competitions. Other team players are Ajay Kumar, Vishal, Gupta, Naresh Nita and Vivek Mahajan.

The girls team is comprised Pooja Khajuria, Kamalpreet Kour, Vishal Arora and Punica Kiran. Kamalpreet Kour was adjudged as best player in the recently concluded inter-college Table Tennis competitions.

Vijay completes his third phase of bike expedition

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 10: Vijay Singh of Jammu has completed his third phase of all India solo bike expedition organised by the Adventure Sports Club, Jammu at Calcutta November 6.

Vijay had left Jammu on September 7 and completed his first phase at Delhi after covering Ladakh region on Nov September 27. In his second phase he touched Kanyakumari and in the third phase touched the soil of Calcutta. With this, Vijay has covered around 14,000 kilometers and 15 states and union territories of India.

Chairman of the club, Mr Ranjit Singh while talking to EXCELSIOR said that in the fourth and final phase Vijay will move towards North East states and Nepal, covering around 4,000 kms in the next 40 days.

Mr Umesh Joshi, director of the club informed that except some financial problems, Vijay is fit in fine condition, but being sorted out.