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Tennis-ATP Championship MASON, (OHIO), Aug 12: Holder Pat Rafter....more
Ranatunga cold COLOMBO, Aug 12: Sri Lanka cricket authorities.....more Raja to focus on ISLAMABAD, Aug 12: Former test all-rounder......more Ninth round of British Chess SCARBOROUGH, Aug 12: National junior.....more |
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Ajay Jasrotia Memorial Day-night Cricket Rangeel Club enters last four Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Aug 12: Rangeela Cricket Club entered the semi-finals beating Victory Cricket Club by 53 runs in the ongoing Major Ajay Singh Jasrotia Memorial Day-night Cricket Championship organised by the Chib Cricket Club at Vikas Nagar here today....more Man of the match, series
awards for Dilawar, Rakesh Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Aug 12: Eleven Star Cricket Club, Smailpur clinched the XIth Baba Santokh Nath Memorial Cricket Club ‘99 outplaying Bari Brahmana Cricket Club by 63 runs in the final which played at Smailpur here......more Manchester United savour LONDON, Aug 12: Manchester United strikers Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole were again on target on Wednesday as the English champions.....more Dingko, Jitender NEW DELHI Aug 12: Injuries to star boxers Dingko Singh and Jitender Kumar have not only left....more Stiff test for India in JOHANNESBURG, Aug 12: A youthful India take on a physically stronger and determined...more |
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Tennis-ATP Championship MASON, (OHIO), Aug 12: Holder Pat Rafter took the first step in the defence of his title last night at the 2.45-million-dollar ATP Championships, opening with a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 second-round win over Czech Daniel Vacek. Rafter, now fourth in the world after standing first for a week in July, had to ignore what almost looked to be an invasion by air during the match on the main showcase court against the world’s 60th-ranked player. During the eighth game of the first set, two hot air balloons nosily took off nearby on the grounds and lofted over the stadium during play, an unusual distraction. Moments later a light plane flew close, causing both men to wait impatiently before proceeding. As the 53-minute first set went to a tiebreaker, a flight of geese flew over in formation. None of the distractions shook the double U.S. Open champion from Australia, who won the first set in the tiebreaker. A break in the eight game of the second thanks to a Vacek double-fault put Rafter into 5-3 command. He finished the job in the next game after one hour, 28 minutes to win his 15th of 17 matches. "It was a scrappy match," said the second seed behind Pete Sampras. "I’m not as sharp as I’d like but I’d like to get on a roll." "The pressure’s all on me now," said the double U.S. Open champion who produced 17 winners at the net. "I’ve got to come upwith the goods. I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me." Third seed Andre Agassi and compatriot Michael Chang flexed home-grown hardcourt muscle for wins. Agassi, the crowd-pleasing third seed, polished his career record against French opponents, earning his 17th victory out of 18 matches against players from that nation. This year’s French Open champion and wimbledon finalist defeated up-and-coming Arnaud Di Pasquale 6-4, 6-1 in just under an hour. Chang, formerly second in the world before a year of injuries drove his ranking down into the 60s, showed he’s determined to fight back, staging a knockout of eighth-seeded spaniard Alex Corretja, 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2. "I was able to attack him effectively," said the 27-year-old Chinese-American. "I kept my errors down to a minimum. You have to force him to make errors or hit winners against him." "You’ve got to give credit to the U.S. guys on hardcourt," said Agassi, winner of 21 of his previous 24 matches. "This is the surface we grew up on." "With Pete (Sampras) doing well and Michael winning, it’s looking good for morale. We "old guys" can still pull out some wins." The American duo were joined as winners by compatriots Justin Gimelstob and Chris Woodruff. Gimelstob ousted countryman Todd Martin, the ninth seed, 6-4, 6-4, while Woodruff upset 13th seed Thomas Wnqvist of Sweden 6-1, 7-5. Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador dented the day’s American dream with his defeat of Jan-Michael Gambill 6-0, 7-6 (7-3). He will next play Rafter. Fourth seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov began making up for his loss in last weekend’s final in Montreal, brushing off Swede Jonas Bjorkman 6-1, 6-4. German Rainer Schuttler put the scandinavians out of their misery for this week - just three days after Thomas Johansson won the Canadian Open - eliminating Magnus Larsson 7-5, 7-6 (7/5). (DPA) |
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Ranatunga cold-shouldered over Canada trip COLOMBO, Aug 12: Sri Lanka cricket authorities have barred former captain Arjuna Ranatunga from team practice until he explains a recent, unauthorised visit to Canada. Ranatunga travelled to Toronto for an exhibition match last weekend, but he had not informed the Board or team management of his plans and he did not play, cricket officials said. "I have written to Ranatunga and asked him to clarify the matter with me. Until then he cannot attend practices," team manager Chandra Schaffter told Reuters. Ranatunga did not attend a practice session yesterday and was unavailable for comment today. Sri Lanka are preparing to battle world champions Australia and India in a triangular one-day series from August 22. The Australians will stay on for a three-test series. Ranatunga, who led Sri Lanka to a shock World Cup win in 1996, was removed from the captaincy after the team’s dismal performance in this year’s World Cup in England. He was replaced by opening batsman Sanath Jayasuriya. Ranatunga was also dropped from Sri Lanka’s one-day squad. He remains in the 16-member squad for the tests against Australia. (REUTERS) |
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Raja to focus on self-discipline ISLAMABAD, Aug 12: Former test all-rounder Wasim Raja, who has been appointed coach of the Pakistan cricket team mired in match-fixing controversy, has said self-discipline and country’s respect would be his top priorities. If you are a professional, you cannot do anything deliberately, the 46-year-old political science lecturer and qualified cricket coach from England said while rejecting charges that Pakistan threw away their World Cup final against Australia. The 46-year-old told the English daily The Dawn that mental approach, self-respect, self-discipline and country’s respect will be his priorities to rebuild the Pakistan team. Raja, a stylish left-handed batsman and right arm seamer, has appeared in 57 tests and 54 one-dayers in the 1970’s and early ‘80’s. He quit his job in England and signed a contract for 40,000 pounds (approx. Rs 28.80 lakh) per annum with the Pakistan Cricket Board. PCB appointed Raja after failing to enlist the services of former South African coach Bob Woolmer, who reportedly demanded 80,000 pounds (about Rs 57.60 lakh), officials said. PCB ad hoc committee chairman Mujeebur Rehman has said Raja’s appointment would be a long-term affair. We believe in long term policies and the appointment of Wasim as coach for two to three years reflects our priorities, he has said. Raja succeeds former test batsman Mushtaq Mohammad, whose contract ended with the World Cup. (PTI) |
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Ninth
round of British Chess SCARBOROUGH, Aug 12: National junior champion S Kidambi (5.5) secured his second international masters norm with a well-played-victory over IM Simon Williams (4.5) of England in the ninth round of the British Chess Championship being played here. V K Kidambi got a nine games norm against a strong opposition of category six with average rating 2392. The sixteen-year-old youngster from Chennai has made his first 10 games norm at the Biel Chess festival just two weeks back. He needs one more norm to complete the IM title. Top seed GM Julian Hodgson (8) increased his lead over the rest of the field by 1.5 points with a crushing victory over IM Zia Ur Rahman (6.5) of Bangladesh. In Slav defence, Hodgson secured a bishop pair and took advantage of Zia’s weak king position to win a pawn and the game in a nice style. National champion K Shashikiran (6) had a slight advantage from white pieces in an endgame arising from Grunfeld defence against IM Daniel Gormally (6.5) of England. Gormally came under acute time pressure but defended well to split the point. IM Abhijit Kunte (6) scored an easy victory over IM Miroslav Houska (5) of England from white side of Philidor defence. GM Pravin Thipsay (5.5) played some weak moves from black side of Ruy Lopez game against third seed GM John Emms (6.5) of England. Emms timely broke open the queen side and pushed his passed pawn for a smooth victory. Im V Saravanan (5.5) won a pawn in Ruy Lopez game against Stewart Haslinger (5.5) of England. Haslinger, however, made a knight sacrifice to get away with a draw by giving perpetual checks. Asia’s youngest IWM Koneru Humpy (4.5) scored a smooth victory over Neil Berry (3) of Scotland. IWM Anupama Gokhale bounced back with an attacking win over a cooper (3) of Hong Kong. IWm B Thipsay (3) lost to lowly-rated Jack Rudd (4) of England. (UNI) |
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Manchester United savour first win of season LONDON, Aug 12: Manchester United strikers Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole were again on target on Wednesday as the English champions beat Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 for their first win of the new season. Aston Villa meanwhile beat Everton 3-0 at Villa Park to snatch the premier league lead ahead of arsenal on goal difference with maximum points from two games. Leeds United also took three points with their record signing Michael Bridges scoring his first goals for the club with a hat-trick in a 3-0 win at Southampton. His goals came in the 10th, 51st and 72nd minutes. Paul Scholes opened United’s tally at Old Trafford in the ninth minute, lashing in left-footed off a Ryan Giggs cross. Cole then hit a post before Yorke made it 2-0 in the 35th minute with a fierce header off another Giggs cross. United’s three trophies from last season — the European Cup, F.A. Cup and premiership — were paraded before the 54,000 fans at half time before Cole made the score 3-0 with a deflection at the post off a Teddy Sheringham shot. Norwegian Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer, scorer of United’s winning goal in the European Cup final and the club’s third top scorer in the league last season after Yorke and Cole, completed the rout with the fourth six minutes from time. Leicester City beat Coventry City 1-0, leaving the sky blues without a point or a goal from their two games. Coventry had David Burrows sent off in the 69th minute. Julian Joachim, Dion Dublin and Ian Taylor gave Villa an easy win against Everton, who had Scottish midfielder John Collins sent off after 50 minutes. (REUTERS) |
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Dingko, Jitender injuries cause worry NEW DELHI Aug 12: Injuries to star boxers Dingko Singh and Jitender Kumar have not only left the Indian squad for the coming world championship a depleted one, but also left a question mark over preparations for next year’s Sydney Olympics. The 21-year-old Dingko Singh, who emerged the toast of the country when he superbly won the Asian Games Bantanweight Gold at Bangkok in December last year, is nursing a wrist injury that has prevented him from competing since his victory in the Imphal National Games in February. Jitender Kumar, who did well to claim the Commonwealth Games silver medal at Kuala Lumpur in September last year, is the other boxer considered a major prospect at Sydney, but he has also not returned to the ring since suffering a similar right hand fracture. Without the services of the two top boxers, India have been forced to be content with entering only three boxers for the world championship to be held at Houston, US, from August 20 to 27. Dingko Singh fractured the last three fingers on his right hand during an exhibition bout with Balaramulu after his final opponent at Imphal, International Birju Sah, withdrew citing injury. That injury healed, but maybe because I put pressure on the other parts of the hand while sparring, I seem to have fractured just above the wrist last week, Dingko Singh told PTI and said he was favouring the hand and expected an X-ray taken today to reveal the right picture. (PTI) |
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Stiff test for India in hockey test series JOHANNESBURG, Aug 12: A youthful India take on a physically stronger and determined South Africa in the first tie of the five-match hockey test series here tomorrow with much at stake for both the teams. Victory in the series will be a perfect boost for the indians, who landed here early today on the tour which is held as an important fixture to fine-tune their strategy for the preparation for next year’s Sydney Olympics, The Asian Games Champions, who beat the South Africans 2-1 in the Commonwealth Games at Kuala Lumpur in September last year when the two last met, start favourites. But the hosts are in full preparation ahead of the all-Africa games slated from September 8 to 18, where the winner will automatically qualify for the Olympics. Tomorrow’s match will be crucial for India as it would help chief coach Vasudevan Baskaran check out various combinations and tactics, especially in the absence of key defender Dilip Tirkey and the last minute withdrawal of bustling forward Baljit Singh Dhillon due to injury. Baskaran was confident and said he was looking forward to the tour. Obviously we will be affected by the change in weather on the first day, but I can assure you that our team will give their best, Baskaran told here. He would hope Dhillon’s replacement Harbhajan Singh will jell with the frontline, led by young Gagan Ajit Singh. The onus will be on the halfline marshalled by pivot and skipper Mohd Riaz with Ramandeep Singh on the left and Baljit Singh Saini on the right also seasoned. (PTI) |
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