Raghav, Kashif excel in juniors snooker

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 13: All top seeded players today entered the quarter-finals defeating their opponents in one sided matches of the senior Snooker in the 8th Jammu District Billiards and Snooker Championship being held at Billiards hall, M A Stadium, here today.

Whereas, tough fights were there in the first round matches in the junior Snooker.

In the first encounter of the day, Vishal Abrol out played Karan Kapoor 3-0. While in the second encounter, despite putting pressure in the first frame, Sannu Khurana succumbed to Kamal Rohmetra’s cueing and lost the match in straight frames.

In an another pre-quarterfinal match, Sanjeev Gupta defeated Sanjay Langer 3-0. Jaideep Manocha defeated Jyoti Anand in a close straight frames. Sunil Jain was beaten 1-3 by Sanjeev Sharma.

Maheep Dutta went down 2-3 to Kashif Tak in the first round of junior Snooker, while Raghav downed Kunal Sharma 3-2. Both Kashif and Raghav won black ball game in the fifth frame in a hard-fought match.

The score seniors: Vishal Abrol bt Karan Kapoor 3-0 (58-38, 53-35, 61-14), Kamal Rohmetra bt Sannu Khurana 3-0 (42-31, 57-23, 60-25), Sanjeev Gupta bt Sanjay Langer 3-0 (58-27, 76-14, 63-33), Jaideep Manocha bt Jyoti Anand 3-0 (51-41, 59-48, 55-40), Sanjeev Sharma bt Sunil Jain 3-1 (27-38, 53-42, 52-35, 57-36). Juniors: Kashif Tak bt Maheep Dutta 3-2 (45-15, 65-44, 39-49, 40-35), Raghav bt Kunal Sharma 3-2 (37-69, 57-44, 30-79, 47-29, 53-28).

Surjit Singh Blowria, Shanker Dass and Ramiz were markers during the match.

Ranji Trophy
Middle order help Orissa to reach 255 for 6

GUWAHATI, Nov 13: Resolute batting by Orissa middle order enabled the visitors post a moderate total of 255 for six wickets on the first day of the Ranji Trophy match at the Maligaon Railway stadium here today.

At stumps, Robin Morris was playing at 33, while Gautam Gopal made six runs.

Earlier opting to bat, Orissa made a slow start putting up 46 runs for the first wicket when all rounder Parag Das drew the first blood.

He trapped B Mahapatra plumb in front of the wicket when he was 26 with the help of three fours. But on the other end Prasanta Mahaptra played a patient innings and took more than two hours to score 29 runs. His innings came to an end when Sumit Ranjan Das took a well judged catch at silly mid on off Iqbal Khan.

The arrival of R R Parida and Sanjay Raul gave some momentum to the Orissa innings and the duo added 85 runs for the fourth wicket. Sanjay was the first to go when Iqbal foxed him and Vinyak Swant did not miss the opportunity behind the stumps.

But Parida played a gem of an innings giving scant respect to Assam bowlers and plundered 82 runs with the help of ten boundaries. He was in a punishing mood when Arup Sarma bagged his wicket after tea when he licked a ball to Iqbal Khan at the first slip.

Other two middle order batsmen P Joyachandra and Robin Morris contributed 33 each. Joychandra was the second victim of Arum, who was brought at the Railway end during the fag end of the day. (UNI)

Despite Dani ton Delhi fall to Harbhajan magic

NEW DELHI, Nov 13: Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh spun his magic claiming five 67 as Punjab reduced Delhi to 299 for eight despite a fighting 140 by opener Ashu Dani on the opening day of their North Zone Ranji Trophy tie at the Ferozeshah Kotla grounds here today.

Electing to bat, Delhi were going strong to be 212 for four wickets at tea before teen-ager Harbhajan, who by then had taken two wickets, struck thrice to wreck the middle order.

After Delhi lost opener Rajneesh Chopra (9), Dani and Mithult up the innings taking the score to 97 when Harbhajan Singh scalped his first victim, Foxing Manhas (22) with a quicker delivery as he went for a big hit, and wicketkeeper Harminder Jhugnu stumped him out.

While Dani held one end up, wickets kept falling at regular intervals at the other end as Punjab dominated the final session by claiming five wickets.

Virender Sehwag played a good knock making 48 runs before Harbhajan Singh came up with another quicker delivery.

Brief scores:

Delhi 299 for eight in 89.4 overs (Ashu Dani 140, Virender Sehwag 48 Harbhajan Singh 5/67). (PTI)

Becker plays McEnroe in Berlin exhibition

BERLIN, Nov 13: Boris Becker will end what could be his last year as a tennis professional with an exhibition match against American legend John McEnroe, organizers said yesterday.

The match between the ex-Wimbledon Champions and former World Number 1 players will take place December 8 in Berlin. (DPA)

Another century by Tendulkar
India lifts Coca Cola Cup

SHARJAH, Nov 13: Sachin Tendulkar pulverised Zimbabwe by smashing his 21st one-day century to propel India to title victory with a ridiculously easy 10-wicket verdict in the Coca Cola Cup Triangular Cricket Tournament here tonight.

Tendulkar set the Sharjah stadium alight by stearing into the attack with paceman Henry Olonga the prime target and hit up a spectacular unbeaten 124 as India coasted to 197 for none in just 30 overs after the bowlers had restricted the Africans to a modest 196 for nine on Mohd Azharuddin putting them in.

The world’s best batsman, who fell victim during Olonga’s four wicket burst in the final league match, vented his fury on the bowler and then on leg-spinner Paul Strang and raced to his century off only 71 deliveries, which contained just 38 strokes and was studded with five mighty sixes and 10 fours.

Left-hander Saurav Ganguly played the ideal foil, calmed down the master who was clearly pumped up, and picked up pace towards the final stages to remain unbeaten on 63 (90 b, 4 x 43 x 6). Tendulkar nursed his innings well in the last stage shad still had played only 92 balls for his 124 which had six sparkling sixes and 12 fours.

Tendulkar and Ganguly reiterated their status as the world’s best one-day pair with their eighth century stand. Tendulkar looked well set to overhaul Azharuddin’s Indian record for the fastest hundred (62 balls) after blazing to his fifty in just 28 balls (5 x 4, 4 x 6) but slowed down in his 90’s perhaps unaware that the record was for the asking.

Tendulkar, who celebrated his 200th innings in great style and regaled the packed stadium as he had done against Australia in April here, not only claimed the ‘man of the match’ and ‘man of the series’ accolades but also bagged the awards for most sixes (eight), fastest fifty (28 balls).

The 25-year-old who began the tournament with an unbeaten118 and ended it in an explosive manner also was presented Rs10 lakh by coca cola for the ‘21st century’ he heralded much in advance.

Both openers were determined to give a solid start after the fiasco on Wednesday which saw Zimbabwe defend their modest total. The runs kept coming and India were 38 in the seventh over.

But Tendulkar, who had warmed up with a four besides a six over third man to dictate terms against Olonga in thefourth over, simply exploded in the ninth over by smashing the bowler through cover and carting him over long-off for a six before square driving him to the point fence.

Zimababwe captain Alistair Campbell introduced legspinner Paul Strang, but the rampaging batsman hit him for a four and two sixes to the straight fence to reach his fifty in just 28 balls.

Tendulkar however was providential to survive the very next ball - on 53 in the total of 76 in the 10th over - when he mistimed a massive heave, but the over-eager Strang and wicketkeeper Andy Flower converged to catch the skier but only managed to collide and drop the catch at short midwicket to the chagrin of their teammates.

Ganguly, till then a quiet spectator to the grand batting of his partner, took over even as Tendulkar seemed to be mildly restrained by a strain in his left thigh, which needed attention from the doctor Ravinder Chadha.

The elegant left-hander, who has been struggling a bithere, turned his attention by cracking fast bowler Heath Streak to the straight fence for two boundaries and then hit two huge sixes off Grant Flower’s left-arm slow deliveries in the 21st over.

Both landed on the roof of the stadium and with the win in sight, he lofted the bowler once again over the same spot for his third six.

Earlier, pace spearhead Javagal Srinath (3/40) led the attack as Indian bowlers dominated the Zimbabwe batsmen and reduced them to 81 for six, leg-spinner Anil Kumble joining the act by claiming two wickets off successive balls to pile on the misery.

However, Paul Strang revealed his utility by top-scoring with 46 (91 b, 3 x 4) and raised 58 runs for the eighth wicket with Eddo Brandes (33 - 46 b, 2 x 4, 1 x 6) to give the innings some respectability before Tendulkar bowled the aggressive Brandes and ensured Zimbabwe did not cross the200-run mark.

SCOREBOARD

Zimbabwe:

A Campbell c Ganguly b Agarkar 2

G Flower c Agarkar b Srinath 18

N Johnson c and b Chopra 34

M Goodwin lbw B Srinath 2

A Flower b Kumble 19

C Wishart c Tendulkar b Joshi 18

H Streaklbw b Srinath 0

P Strang lbw B Srinath 46

E Brandes b Tendulkar 33

A Whittal not out 10

H Olonga not out 0

Extras (lb-7, w-4, nb-3) 14

Total (for 9 wkts, in 50 overs) 196

Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-36, 3-44, 4-77, 5-81, 6-81,7-116, 8-174, 9-194.

Bowling: Srinath 10-1-40-3, Agarkar 10-1-36-1, Kumble10-1-29-2, Chopra 7-0-32-1, Joshi 9-1-36-1, Tendulkar 4-0-16-1.

INDIA:

Sachin Tendulkar not out 124

Saurav Ganguly not out 63

Extras (lb-2, w-6, nb-2) 10

Total (in 30 overs) 197

Bowling: Eddo Brandes 2-0-9-0, Henry Olonga 6-0-50-0,Neil Johnson 4-0-18-0, Paul Strang 5-0-45-0, Heath Streak4-0-17-0, Andy Whittall 6-0-28-0, Grant Flower 3-0-28-0. (PTI)

Warm farewell accorded to Roopa Padmanabhan

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 12: Mrs Roopa Padmanabhan, president Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA), Northern Command and wife of Lt General S Padmanabhan, GOC-in-C Northern Command, was accorded warm and affectionate farewell by the laides of Hqrs of Nagrota Corps at a function held at Usman Auditorium Nagrota near here, today.

Mrs Padmanabhan, while speaking to the laides, said that the women play a vital role in building a healthy society and happy family life. She advised them that they should take keen interest in educating their children and stressed the need for girl education, which could transform the family as well as the society as a whole.

She told them that they should activate more inorder to strengthen the AWWA organisation were different disciplines are taught to them to make them perfect to meet the economic needs. She also presented a cheque of Rs 20,000 towards AWWA welfare activities to Mrs Meera Chauhan, president of AWWA Nagrota Corps.

While highlighting the contributions of Mrs Padmanabhan, Mrs Meera Chauhan said that the Nagrota AWWA is thankful to her for the interest evinced by her for strengthening the organisation and various measures taken by her for the welfare of troops and the families during the tenure she held.

Mrs Kanta Jamwal, presented a vote of thanks. The function was also attended by wives of divisional commanders and independent brigade commanders.

Inter-distt Athletic Champ concludes
Jagdeep emerged best athlete in Under-14

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 12: Jagdeep Kumar of High School Kotli Shah Doula has emerged as best athlete winning gold medals in 100 mtr, 200 mtr, 4x100 mtr and long jump in the age group of Under-14 years in the Inter- district Athletics Championship, which concluded here at BSF ground.

With this Jammu district has topped in medals tally winning 70 medal (37 gold, 23 silver and 10 bronze), followed by district Kathua 44 (11 gold, 16 silver and 17 bronze). District Poonch has finished third with 20 medals (5 gold, 8 silver and 7 bronze).

Rajouri district has got 11 medal, while Doda finished last with only one medal.

Around 300 boys and girls from all over districts of Jammu division participated in the 45 events in different categories.

In the Under-14 years boys Tejender Singh of Poonch and in Under-19 Raj Singh of Jammu declared as best athletes in the championship. While in girls, Pawandeep Kour of Jammu declared best in Under 17 yrs and Manjeet Kour of Kathua in Under-19 yrs age group.

Jammu bagged over all championship in all the age groups of boys. In girls Kathua declared champion in Under-19 yrs, while Jammu clinched remaining position in Under-14 and Under-17 years groups.

On the final day of the tournament four events were held. In Under-19 yrs boys 100 mtr, Amit Kumar, Kathua, Ist, Vikas Kumar, Jammu, 2nd and Davinder Singh, Jammu 3rd. In 100 mtr, Under-19 girls, Manjeet Kour of Kathua, Ist, Amrit Kour of Jammu, 2nd and Anita Kumari of Rajouri third.

Jaspreet Singh of Poonch won gold in 100 mtr Under-17 boys, while Rajinder Singh of Jammu and Sudesh Kumar of Rajouri got silver and bronze medals respectively.

In 4x100 mtr relay, Jammu, Ist, Kathua, 2nd and Udhampur, 3rd.

Earlier, the concluding function begun with cultural item presented by students from Government Higher Secondary School, Mubarak Mandi, Girls Higher Secondary school, Rehari and S D Tara Puri school, Gandhi Nagar and Shastri Memorial Higher Secondary School. The band was also from Shastri Memorial School.

IG BSF, Mr U C Chabbra was chief guest on the occasion, while Mr S S Ali, Director General Youth Services and Sports presided over the concluding function.

Besides, Mr R S Chawla, DIG BSF, other senior officer of BSF, Youth Services and Sports Department, Education Department and large number of youth, students and teachers witnessed the programme.

Mr Ashok Kumar, District Youth Services and Sports Officer, Jammu delivered vote of thanks, while Mrs Veena Bakshi under whose supervision the meet was organised welcomed the chief guest, dignitaries and the participants.

Snooker Champ enters pre-QFs
Jaideep overcomes Mehta

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 12: Pre-quarter finals of 8th Jammu District Billiards and Snooker Championship will begin from tomorrow after first round was completed here at Billiards hall, M A Stadium this evening.

In an interesting fight, junior Jaideep Manocha outplayed Amit Mehta 3-1 to enter the second round. He won the match 45-52, 61-37, 52-35, 56-42.

Lokesh Sharma got walk over today when Sidharth Sharma failed to arrive at the venue.

Sheetal Gandotra gave a tough fight to Jyoti Anand before losing his match 2-3 in one of the seven matches played today. Jyoti Anand won the match 37-72, 56-47, 35-64, 69-13, 52-45.

In an another match, Vishal Abrol had an easy win over Gagan Gupta in straight sets of 44-24, 50-41, 79-15. Rakesh Sethi lost his match 1-3 to Arun Gulati in four sets 42-52, 47-45, 53-28, 61-30.

Karan Kapoor defeated Gurvinder Singh 34-51, 56-30, 70-21, 57-25, while Salim Bandey beat Inderpaul Singh 26-39, 58-19, 39-19, 39-27.

Matches in juniors snooker will also begin by tomorrow at the same venue.