Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi

Paes, Bhupathi to play
doubles at Heineken
Open get wildcards
for singles

NEW DELHI, Sept 23: World doubles top-seeded pair of Leander Paes and .....more

Steffi Graf

Graf awarded
Spanish prize

OVIEDO, Sept 23: German tennis star Steffi Graf, 30, was today...more

New selection committee to meet on Sep 25

MUMBAI, Sept 23: The newly appointed national selection committee .....more

GALLE, Sept 23: Muthiah Muralitharan took five wickets for 22 runs......more

Inter-Zonal Sports meet
Vijaypur zone wins
Kabaddi, Volley-ball finals

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 23: In the on-going Inter-Zonal Sports meet of Jammu district......more

Inter-school quiz
competition held

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 23: K C Public School and TULEC Computer Education ....more

Kho Kho tourney
from Sept 24

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 23: Inter Army School Kho Kho tournament is being organised....more

Muthiah says
domestic cricket
top priority

JAIPUR, Sept 23: Board of Cricket Control of India president.....more

Paes, Bhupathi to play doubles at
Heineken Open get wildcards for singles

NEW DELHI, Sept 23: World doubles top-seeded pair of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi have confirmed participation for the 7,25,000-dollar Heineken Open to be played in Singapore from October 9-17. They have also been given wildcard entry in the singles category.

The Indian duo, who recently created history reaching the finals of all four grand slams in a calender year, winning the French Open and Wimbledon, have been finalists at Singapore for the last two years.

The Indians had won the championship in 1997 and but last year fell at the final hurdle, losing to the Woodies (Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde) 2-6, 3-6.

The tournament gives the Indians, who are at the crest of success at the moment, a chance to avenge their last year defeat as the tournament also features the Woodies.

Also in fray are Marcelo Rios, Mark Philippoussis and Michael Chang.

Speaking about the event, Paes said, "we consider Asia to be our home ground and winning here is very important for us."

"Singapore specially holds importance to us as we have always received good crowd support here and we look forward to another good event."

Paes, however, added, "it is not going to be easy for us. We have to take things one match at a time."

The duo said it was a very good gesture that they were given wildcards for the singles.

"It is a good chance for us to work upon our rankings in singles," Bhupathi said.

"We are confident going into the tournament," he added.

About his dipping singles ranking, Paes said, "last year we had set a goal for ourselves as a doubles team- to win a grand slam and finish the year as number one."

"We have achieved that goal remarkably this year. It is like a give and take relationship," he said, hinting that the success in doubles has taken a toll in the singles.

However, he added that now they would also "concentrate on our singles."

Asked if they would be adopting any particular strategy to beat the woodies, they said it was through playing them that they would learn more and more ways to counter them.

"We have to play them and learn," Bhupathi said.

He said the next big event which the duo were aiming at was the World Doubles Championship at Hartford. The duo had to bow out of the tournament last year due to an injury.

The pair, who would be spearheading the Indian challenge at the asia cup to be played here in November, said "coming to India is part of our duty."

"We intend to give to the country in our own ways," Paes said.

"I have a tennis academy at Calcutta and Mahesh has one at Bangalore. Besides, we also meet young players and try to encourage and motivate them," he added. (UNI)

Graf awarded Spanish prize

OVIEDO, Sept 23: German tennis star Steffi Graf, 30, was today awarded the prestigious Spanish Prince of Asturias Prize, the jury said in Oviedo, Northern Spain.

Graf was awarded the prize for her brilliant sports career, said the jury presided by Juan Antonio Samaranch, the president of the International Olympic Committee.

The Prince of Asturias Prize, named after the Spanish crown prince, is awarded annually in eight categories. It comprises five million pesetas (32,000 dollars) and a sculpture by artist Joan Miro. (DPA)

New selection committee to meet on Sep 25

MUMBAI, Sept 23: The newly appointed national selection committee, headed by Chandu Borde, will meet in Chennai on September 25 to begin its job in earnest by selecting three teams, it was announced by the Cricket Board here today.

The selectors will choose the rest of India squad to clash with Ranji champions Karnataka in the October 1-5 Irani Cup tie at Bangalore besides selecting the India "A" and board president’s teams to play against the visiting New Zealand team in three-day ties at Pune and Jodhpur.

The Kiwis, who are landing in Mumbai on September 28, are scheduled to play against India "A" at Pune from September 30-October 2 before meeting the Board President’s selection at Jodhpur from October 5-7 in the run-up to the first test at Mohali (October 10-14).

The second and third tests are to be held at Kanpur (October 22-26) and Ahmedabad (October 29-November 2) after the visitors meet Ranji Champions Karnataka at Bangalore from October 17-19.

The tourists are to wind up the tour by playing a five-match limited overs series against the hosts between November 5-17 with the matches to be held at Rajkot (November 5), Hyderabad (November 8), Gwalior (November 11), Guwahati (November 14) and Delhi (November 17). (PTI)

Lanka spins back into game as Australia struggles

GALLE, Sept 23: Muthiah Muralitharan took five wickets for 22 runs off 13.1 overs to have Australia struggling at 188-5 at the end of the second day today of the second cricket test against Sri Lanka.

Australia replying to Sri Lanka’s first innings of 296 were headed for a big total when openers Michael Slater and Greg Blewett put on 138 for the first wicket.

But Muralitharan broke through in his 18th over by bowling blewett for 62 and then went on to add the wickets of Justin Langer (7) and Mark Waugh (10) both caught off edges in the slips by Arjuna Ranatunga.

Slater was dismissed for 96 as he stepped out to drive and was stumped, and nightwatchman Ian Healy went for four as Muralitharan finished the day with figures of 5-50 off 31 overs, his 17th five-wicket haul in test cricket.

Australia lost four wickets for 28 runs as Muralitharan went on the rampage after tea at the galle international cricket stadium under a cloudy sky.

Slater hit two sixes and seven fours in his attractive knock before losing his patience having batted for 273 minutes. Blewett stayed 192 minutes and hit six fours.

Fast bowlers Glenn Mcgrath and Damien Fleming made shortwork of the Sri Lanka first innings to bowl them out inside an hour of the start of the second day.

Sri Lanka’s last four wickets resisted for 52 minutes adding 42 runs to their overnight score of 254-6. Mcgrath broke through in the fourth over by clean bowling Romesh Kaluwitharana for 25, after eight runs had been added to the overnight total.

Fleming ended Chaminda Vaas’ chancy innings of 41 when he top edged a pull to Ricky Ponting at point to make Sri Lanka 288-8. Vaas hit a six and four fours.

Debutant Rangana Herath was run out for three by a direct hit from Greg Blewett without addition to the total.

Eight runs later Mcgrath ended the Sri Lankan innings by having Nuwan Zoysa edging a rising delivery to Mark Waugh at second slip for one, leaving Muthiah Muralitharan unbeaten on seven.

Mcgrath and Fleming the only bowlers used Thursday finished with three wickets apiece, leaving leg-spinner Shane Warne with the extraordinary figures of 3-29 off 25 overs. (AFP)