Boxer wants to return to ring

LAS VEGAS Apr 13: Former WBC heavyweight champion Oliver McCall wants to get back in the ring when he completes a one-year jail sentence for a battery and assault conviction.

"I can’t hide from the past, I have to accept what I have been through and learn from my mistakes to move forward with my life," said McCall, scheduled to be released from a jail in Virginia about May 1. "I am resolved to the fact I have a great deal of work ahead of me to earn back the respect and trust of promoters, fighters, the Athletic Commissions and boxing fans."

The statement was issued through Las Vegas-based Rogich communications group, which represents McCall’s promoter, don king.

McCall knocked out Lennox Lewis for the WBC Title in September 1994, then defended the title against Larry Holmes in 1995. He lost the title to Frank Bruno in a 12-round decision.

He met Lewis again in February 1997, but stopped throwing punches in the middle of the third round. Referee Mills Lane halted the fight in the fifth round, awarding the victory to Lewis.

McCall was suspended and fined by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for his actions.

He was convicted October. 14, 1997, on battery and assault charges involving a police officer. (AP)

Kelley to miss Boston Marathon

HARWICH, (MASSACHUSETTS) Apr 13: He is a symbol of the Boston Marathon as enduring as heartbreak hill. But this year, Johnny Kelley will be sitting out the race.

The 91-year-old, who has finished the Marathon 58 times and won twice, is recovering from colon surgery in January and a subsequent bout with Pneumonia.

He has been a patient at the Cranberry Pointe rehabilitation and skilled care center since March 1 and is scheduled to stay at least another week.

At a news conference yesterday at the rehabilitation center, Kelley said he would miss next Monday’s 103rd running because it could hamper his improving health.

"I need a little more time," said Kelley, who won the race in 1935, 1945 and placed second seven times. "I feel going up to Boston I would lose all I’ve gained here."

"You can be sure I’ll miss it. It’s the greatest Marathon in the whole world."

Race Director Guy Morse said Kelley would be missed.

"Johnny has always listened to his body, and his body is telling him it’s not quite ready yet," Morse said. "He’ll be there in spirit."

Though this year’s race is out, Kelley said he has his sights set on the 2000 Marathon.

"That’s the biggie," he said. "Hopefully I’ll be myself long before then. I’ll be the belle of the ball."

Kelley has run the race 61 times. The past four years, he has served as grand marshal. (AP)

International stars missing as
Country Championship commences

LONDON, Apr 13: The English Country Cricket Championship begins today amid the gloom of England’s poor showing at Sharjah and in the shadow of the World Cup, starting May 14 at Lord’s.

Defending titlist Leicester starts its campaign against Essex, Lancashire is at home to sussex, surrey takes on Gloucestershire at the Oval, middlesex hosts kent at Lord’s and Durham plays Worcestershire.

For struggling teams, this season will be the most crucial in the championship’s 109-year history after cricket authorities last year decided to split the 18-team competition into two tiers starting next season.

A three-up, three-down relegation and promotion system will be introduced under the new format, meaning 12 of the 18 counties can play in the top division over a two-year period.

ECB Chairman Lord MaClaurin said the new system, designed to make England more competitive at international level, is better than the system that has failed us over the last dozen years.

The two division structure is being introduced through the revamped limited-overs competition this season, while cricket’s image has been overhauled. The new sponsors, new nicknames and new playing formats, 1999 promises to be "the most exciting cricket seasons in years."

The competition won’t gain momentum, or attract anything other than cursory attention, until the World Cup finishes in mid June and the domestic soccer competition finishes.

To add to English cricket’s doldrums, the national team was eliminated Sunday from the Sharjah limited-overs tournament after an opening loss to Pakistan and successive losses to India.

But there was some good news on the eve of the domestic season opener.

The ECB announced yesterday that PPP healthcare had signed a four-year "significant new agreement" for the Country Championship, ending its exhaustive search for a new sponser.

West Indies batsman Brian Lara is the notable omission from England’s premier domestic tournament this season after being replaced at Warwickshire "where he scored his world record 501 runs in 1994 by South African fast bowler Allan Donald."

The brilliant left-hander returned to form with an unbeaten century and a double century for the West Indies against Australia in the recent Carribean test series.

But his form for Warwickshire last season and his late arrival for two matches enraged some supporters and he didn’t renew his contract when the county finished 8th in the standings.

Donald should inject some spark into Warwickshire’s bowling lineup after he’s finished spearheading South Africa’s World Cup bid.

Lancashire also has a major change in staff, with controversial SrI Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan replacing long-serving Wasim Akram.

Akram resigned to concentrate on Pakistan’s World Cup campaign.

Muralitharan will link with the old trafford-based county which is also home to departing England coach David Lloyd.

Lloyd was censured by the ECB last season following England’s loss to Sri Lanka in a one-off test for criticizing Muralitharan’s technique after the spinner’s 16-wicket match haul.

West Indian Phil Simmons left leicestershire after helping steer the team to its second championship in three seasons and is replaced by Australian fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz.

Kasprowicz was a surprise exclusion from Australia’s World Cup squad but his availability is a bonus for the champions.

Worcestershire’s early-season chances were dented slightly when captain Tom Moody was recalled to the Australian team for the World Cup. He joins the list of players unavailable through international duty.

Other departing internationals include prolific West Indian fast bowler Courtney Walsh from Gloucestershire, West Indies vice captain Carl Hooper from Kent, Australian all-rounder Michael Bevan from Sussex and Pakistan bowler Waqar Younis from Glamorgan.

Australia could field its own team in this season’s championship, with 12 internationals from down under filling two-thirds of the allocated spots for overseas players.

Greg Blewett joins yorkshire to replace leading run-scorer and fellow Aussie Darren Lehmann, while Justin Langer, Michael Slater, Stuart Law and David Boon return for middlesex, derbyshire, essex and durham respectively.

Leading sheffield shield run-scorer Matt Hayden will captain Northants, Jamie Cox will captain Somerset, Michael Di Venuto joins sussex, Ian Harvey links with gloucestershire and Andrew symonds joins kent.

West Indian players Nixon McCean and Vasbert Drakes will play for hampshire and notts respectively, while South African all-rounder Jaques Kallis lines with glamorgan.

Last year’s championship race was decided in the final round, when leicestershire defeated challengers surrey at the Oval and Lancashire jumped over surrey to clinch second spot with a win over hampshire. (AP)

Sports Round-Up
Citizens’ XI outplays DC’s XI in exhibition cricket match

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Apr 12: The Citizens’ XI defeated Deputy Commissioner’s XI by one wickets in an exhibition cricket match organised by the Department of Youth Services and Sports Department, Udhampur at Sports Stadium, here today.

Playing first, DC’s XI scored 155 runs for the loss of seven wickets in the stipulated 30 overs. Chasing the target, Citizens’ XI achieved the target when two overs were yet to be bowled losing the six wickets.

Those played for DC’s XI included Deputy Commission, Udhampur, Mr Mehboob Iqbal, SSP, Udhampur, Mr AK Choudhary, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr Shailendra Kumar and other district officers.

Mehboob Iqbal, who played a fine inning of 57 runs was declared as best batsman, while Mr Naveen Kumar, Rajan Singh and Ram Saroop were declared as best bowler and best allrounders respectively.

Mr Mehboob Iqbal captained the DC’s XI side, while Citizens’ XI played under the supervision of Mr Sham Saroop.

Lala Shiv Charan, MLA, Udhampur, who was chief guest on the occasion distributed prizes among the winners and runners-up teams.

The match was organised to create better public-administration relationship.

Later, while speaking on the occasion, the chief guest appreciated the District administration and the citizens for the promotion of sports culture by organising such competitions.

Surveyors XI beat United India Insurance XI

JAMMU: Surveyors XI defeated United India Insurance XI by six wickets in the limited overs friendly cricket match played at University of Jammu grounds, here yesterday.

Inadvertently in yesterday’s issue of this paper it was wrongly put in the headline that ‘United India Insurance XI beat Surveyors XI in friendly tie’ on Page-9, whereas it was vice-versa and the contents in the news were correct as per the results provided to this correspondent.

Dr Raj Pal, Division Manager of the United India Insurance Company, who was the chief guest on the occasion gave away prizes to the winners and runners-up.

Parmodh Trophy cricket tourney
SCC Shergarh, TCC Mandal win league matches

MANDAL(Jammu): SSC, Shergarh defeated KCC, Krishnanagar by a huge margin of 49 runs in league tie in the ongoing Second Parmodh Trophy cricket tournament being played here today.

After winning the toss, KCC put SCC into bat. Playing first, SCC scored

155 runs in the allotted 20 overs for the loss of nine wickets.

Narinder and Sonu, who opened the innings made good start to SCC innings. Narinder could not make his stay long on the crease, but Sonu played a nice game and scored 51 runs with the help of a six and seven boundaries. Whereas, Dany contributed 25 runs facing just 15 balls including three fours and a six. Gulshan was also one of the main scorer with 21 runs in his account.

For KCC, Tony took three wickets in his spell of four overs, while Rajesh, Gulshan and Kailash took two wickets each.

Following the target, KCC lost all the wickets at a score of 106, thus losing the match by 49 runs.

Those played well for KCC were Kailash (19, 3x4x), Ajay (10). No other batsmen could reached double figure mark.

For SCC, Dany clinched three wickets, while, Bharat, Gulshan and Tariq took two wickets each.

In another match of the day, Tawi Cricket Club (TCC), Mandal beat Raja Cricket Club(RCC), Raipur by eight wickets.

Playing first after winning the toss, RCC set a target of 164 runs for TCC in 20 over losing their eight wickets.

Ashok was the highest scorer with 41 runs including a six and five boundaries, While Raja contributed 14 runs with the help of two boundaries.

For TCC, Vinod bagged three wickets in two overs, Ganesh Dutt two in four overs, while Darmender, Deepak and Raman took one wicket each.

Chasing the target, TCC, Mandal achieved the target in 16.4 overs losing just two wickets.

Raman and Raju opened the TCC innings and made 52 runs for the first wicket partnership in just four overs. It was followed by another good partnership of 80 runs for the second wicket between Raman and Surinder(mini).

Raman scored 62 runs with the held of two sixes and eight boundaries.

Surinder remained unbeaten at 55 including a six and seven fours.

Messrs Darmender Singh Thappa and M P Kumar were the umpires during the match, while Rakesh Gupta was scorer.

Wishing Indian cricket team success in World Cup

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 12: The Gilbey’s Green Label Sign Lagao-India Jitao signature campaign launched by the Gilbey’s Green Label also gathering momentum in this part of the country as around 800 cricket fans have signed the banner at different locations on the second day of the campaign launched, here today.

The similar type of campaigns will be run through 72 cities of the country at different point of time by the same company.

In fact, the banner which is about 10.45 kilometers in length will be handed over the Indian cricket team before their departure for the coming World Cup.

It is to give the people of India an opportunity to give their good wishes and words of encouragement to the Indian cricket fans for victory at the World Cup ‘99.

During the remaining two-days of the four-day campaign, the banner will be placed for signatures at Jammu University, tomorrow in the morning and at Monika Bakers, Gandhi Nagar in the evening. And on the last day, i.e. April 14 it will be placed at Archies Gallery, Gandhi Nagar for whole day.

The company representative in Jammu, Mr Jagreet Grewal while talking to EXCELSIOR disclosed that The Gilbey’s Green Label Sign Lagao-India Jitao banner with all wishes will be present to the Indian cricket team just before they leave for the World Cup on April 22.

Paes, Bhupathi win in style, Ghouse ousted

NEW DELHI, Apr 13: Top seed Leander Paes and unseeded Mahesh Bhupathi breezed into the second round but rest of the Indian challenge evaporated with wildcard entrant Mustafa Ghouse making his exit in the first round of the 25,000 Servo Indian Oil ATP Challenger Tennis Tournament here today.

Bhupathi made a mockery of world rankings by toppling seventh seed Tuomas Ketola of Finland with an authoritative 6-4 6-3 verdict before Paes began his campaign with a less than fluent but one-sided 6-3 6-2 victory over Joseph Sirianni of Australia at the Delhi Tennis Association Complex.

But promising youngster Mustafa Ghouse joined the ranks of fellow wildcards Prahlad Srinath, Syed Fazaluddin and Nitin Kirtane to crash to a straight sets loss to Gilles Elseneer of Belgium. Ghouse put up a fight in the second set before losing 4-6, 5-7.

Paes, seeking to improve his singles ranking which has slipped to 102, took a while to get used to a slightly uneven centrecourt and the balls but kept up the momentum fresh from winning a hattrick of doubles titles with Bhupathi at Chennai to earn a match-up against Ota Fukarek of the Czech Republic.

Bhupathi, ranked a lowly 321, displayed virtues as a world class doubles player in volleying and hustling Ketola, a qualifier ranked 186 at the centre court. He will take on German Andy Fahlke next though the latter may not be in peak fitness as he was ill today and failed to play the doubles.

Gregory Carraz of France knocked out the fourth seeded player from the tournament when he downed fourth ranked Neville Godwin of South Africa 7-6 (7-4), 6-1. (PTI)

Sheesh Mahal Cricket Tourney
IA defeat RDSO in first semi-final

LUCKNOW, Apr 13: A brilliant knock by skipper Vijai Dahiya (101 not out) and his opening wicket partnership of 105 runs with Onkar Singh (38) helped Indian Airlines, Delhi, to defeat Research Design Standard Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow, by eight wickets in the first semifinal of the 49th All-India Sheesh Mahal Cricket Tournament today.

At the K D Singh Babustadium here, RDSO, put to bat, scored 155 for nine wickets in the stipulated 45 overs. The team opened the innings disastrously, losing first three wickets with only 11 runs on the board off 3.5 overs.

Opener Chetan Sachdeva kept his end intact while wickets fell at regular intervals at the other end. He was unbeaten with 62 runs with two boundaries in his 151-ball inning.

Chetan was lucky at his score of 9 when he was caught off R P Singh but umpire Ranawat declared no-ball. The team’s total was 28 then.

Airlines’ R P Singh had earlier in the fourth ball of his second over bowled Virendra Pratap for zero. In the next delivery, Sunil Yadav was declared leg before without scoring.

Saroj Rai (44) added 86 runs for the fourth wicket with Chetan (62). Saroj hit one six and three boundaries in his 44 runs off 60 deliveries. Sandip Mehrotra was the only other batsman who crossed double figures scoring 12 runs off 16 balls. He was caught at cover off Sukhwinder Singh.

Sukhwinder Singh claimed three wickets for 23 runs, R P Singh bagged 2 for 26, Vineet Jain, Onkar Singh and Sonu Sharma shared one wicket each conceding 25, 29 and 21 runs respectively. Chasing a target of 156 runs, Airlines skipper Vijay Dahiya and Onkar Singh (38) erected a century partnership in 22.4 overs. Onkar’s 38 consisted off one six and three hits to the fence while Dahiya hit 12 boundaries in his unbeaten 105.

Dahiya and Ishan Gonda (4 not out) added remaining unbeaten 35 runs for victory.

Brief scores: RDSO, Lucknow: 155 for 9 in 45 overs (Chetan Sachdeva 62 not out, Saroj Rai 44, Sandip Mehrotra 12, Sukhwinder Singh 3 for 23, R P Singh 2 for 26,)

indian Airlines, Delhi: 156 for 2 in 34 overs (Vijay Dahiya 101 not out, Onkar Singh 38, Sandeep 1 for 33). (UNI)

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