Federer pledges Davis Cup return

PARIS, Apr 18: Roger Federer will return to the Swiss team for the Davis Cup world group play-off against Belgium in September, the world number one has confirmed.

"I have decided that I will play the Davis Cup tie this September against Belgium," Federer told his official website.

"I’m looking forward to the opportunity to help Switzerland, along with my team-mates, get back into the world group for the 2009 season. I was so excited that the team was able to pull it out in Belarus last weekend and very much hope we can carry this momentum into the tie in September."

Switzerland defeated Belarus 4-1 in Kreuzlingen to reach the play-offs but Federer skipped the match to concentrate on his preparations for the ATP clay court event in Estoril. (AGENCIES)

Blake advances in US clay court

HOUSTON, Apr 18: Top-seeded James Blake beat 15-year-old Ryan Harrison 6-3 6-2 to move into the quarterfinals in the US men’s clay court championship.

Blake needed just 50 minutes to eliminate the Texas teenager, who earlier this week won his first-ever tour match. Harrison is only the 11th player since the open era began in 1968 to win a main draw match at 15.

"The kid’s really good," Blake told the Partisan Texas crowd after the match. "There’s a lot of good things in store for him."

Blake, who won the final eight points of the match - the last one a deftly placed low forehand crosscourt volley winner - drew a glare from the youngster at 2-2 in the final set. The look came after the second-ranked American player clobbered Harrison with the ball after he had drawn Blake to the net on a drop shot.

Later, Blake said he knew the importance of the point. He was down love-15 on his serve.

"I didn’t want to lose it and sometimes that’s the easiest way to win the point," Blake said. Jokingly he added, "a little souvenir to say, ‘welcome to the ATP.’"

Blake broke Harrison in the first game of the match and three other times in the first set. Harrison hung in, though, and was able to take the top seed’s serve twice in the opening set.

Blake will face fifth-seeded Agustin Calleri of Argentina. Calleri dominated fellow South American Paul Capdeville 6-2 6-1. Blake leads the series with Calleri 2-1. Blake won their only meeting on clay - last year in Germany in three sets. (AGENCIES)

Essien keeps Chelsea in title hunt

LIVERPOOL (England), Apr 18: Michael Essien kept Chelsea’s Premier League title hopes alive as Avram Grant’s side all but ended Everton’s hopes of qualifying for next season’s champions league with a 1-0 victory at Goodison Park here.

Essien’s second goal in as many games saw the London club move two points behind leaders Manchester United with three games to play.

Reigning champions United will re-establish a five point lead at the summit if they win at Blackburn Rovers tomorrow and this was a crucial win for Chelsea, who face the leaders at Stamford Bridge on April 26.

Essien struck four minutes before half-time as he capped off a fine move involving Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Chelsea just about did enough to deserve all three points on an evening when they suffered much frustration at the hands of an Everton side which started with hopes of securing a top four finish. (AGENCIES)

Bangladesh fined for slow over rate

DUBAI, Apr 18: The Bangladesh team was fined for maintaining a slow over rate during the third one-day international against Pakistan in Lahore while Shahriar Nafees was reprimanded for kicking and damaging an advertising hoarding.

Match referee Mike Procter imposed the fine after Mohammad Ashraful’s side was ruled to be one over short of its target in the match on April 13 when time allowances were taken into consideration, an ICC release said.

According to ICC code of conduct regulations governing over rate penalties, players are fined five per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount.

Hence, Ashraful was fined 10 per cent of his match fee while each of his players were docked five per cent.

In a separate incident, Nafees was found to have breached Clause 1.2 of the ICC code of conduct which relates to "abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings."

In the 21st over of Pakistan innings, Nafees, after misfielding a ball, kicked and damaged an advertising hoarding.

The opening batsman pleaded guilty in the hearing that took place at the team hotel in Lahore on April 14.

"It was Shahriar’s third misfield in the innings and he was obviously frustrated as it was a crucial game because Bangladesh was playing to stay alive in the series," Procter said.

"But it is not the sort of example that players should be setting at any time. Shahriar pleased guilty, apologised for the incident and promised not to repeat it again." (PTI)

J&K fencers, coach leave for Olympic qualifying C’ship

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 18: Two J&K fencers alongwith their coach had left for Delhi today to accompany the Indian team for participation in the Olympic qualifying and Asian Fencing Championship slated to be held at Ratchamangkala Stadium, Bangkok (Thailand) from April 22 to 29.

The Fencers Sanjeev Suri and Rashid Ahmed have been selected in the 12 member Indian team for the prestigious championship.

It is to mention here that coach Chotu Lal was among the four officials selected to accompany the national team.

The other members of Indian team comprised Shalin Kumar (Manipur), Shobh Raj (Manipur), A Janta (Manipur), Vijay Kumar (Army), Kirpal Singh (Army), Vijay Kumar (UP), Rohit Gangadhar (Karnataka) and Harpreet Singh (Punjab).

The officials included Chotu Lal (team coach), Rama Shankar (Tamil Nadu, team manager), Arun Bij, general secretary, Fencing Federation of India and Sanjay Pardhan, Treasurer.

The team would leave for Bangkok tomorrow.

Zakir lifts Kahana-Mal-Samarat title

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 18: Pahalwan Zakir Hussain got the better of pahalwan Dhana (Punjab) in a tough bout to clinch 1st Kahana-Mal-Samarat title held at village Kahana in block Pouni.

In all, 30 bouts were played in different weight categories in which wrestlers from BSF, CRPF, J&K Police and Punjab Police participated.

Earlier, in the first semifinal bout, pahalwan Babloo defeated pahalwan Sukhwant.

The winner pahalwan was awarded a cash prize of Rs 3100 while pahalwans Babloo and Sukhwant pocketed Rs 2100 and 1100 respectively.

Prem Nath Sharma, Chairman, J&K Indian Style Wrestling Association, Shiv Kumar Sharma, President and Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, Secretary were also present on the occasion.

IPL has started disrupting international calender’

KARACHI, Apr 18: The Indian Premier League has come in for flak from former Pakistan captains including Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram, who feel the cash-rich Twenty20 competition has begun to damage the international cricket calendar.

"The IPL has already started hurting the international calendar and in the long run it will encourage more private parties and organisations to come in and start their own leagues if they have big money to roll," he said today.

Miandad said the IPL would create a divide in international cricket and feared players would be willing to sacrifice their international careers to play for more money in the the BCCI-backed league.

"People are comparing the IPL with the Kerry Packer series in the late ’70s. But these are two totally different things. The packer series was held when players were paid ridiculously low wages," Miandad said.

"The Packer circus brought in new concepts into international cricket which were beneficial in the long run and it forced the boards to improve pay structures to a reasonable level. The figures being quoted by the IPL organisers are ridiculously high," he said.

Miandad said when the International Cricket Council had decided to host the Twenty20 world championship every alternate year, there was no room for a private league.

Akram also raised an alarm in a television interview, saying the IPL could prove to be a negative distraction for international players as they could end up preferring to play in private leagues than for their national teams.

"Already the statements we are reading indicate the thinking process of some players. Cricket is all about national pride and colours, not Twenty20 cricket," Akram said.

He said the ICC needed to exercise its authority and control the private leagues directly or they would get out of hand and destabilise the cricket calendar.

Former captain Inzamam-ul Haq, who is a leading figure in the Indian Cricket League, said the ICL’s move to seek recognition from the ICC is going to define the future of such private leagues.

But he maintained that national colours should remain the top priority for every player.

Former wicketkeeper Rashid Latif said he had his reservations over the long term benefits of private leagues like the ICL and IPL.

"I have always said players need to be paid more by their cricket boards who make a lot of money because of them. But the ICC must not allow anyone, including their members, to disrupt the international calendar. The IPL is going to do this," he said.

Former spinner Iqbal Qasim said the ICC had to ensure private events did not damage traditional cricket and its future tours programme.

"Players must earn good money if they get a chance but not at the cost of national commitments. I fear the IPL has already started affecting the international calendar and mentality of players," Qasim, who played 50 tests for Pakistan, said. (PTI)

Dalmiya prays for criminal
proceedings against Pawar, BCCI

KOLKATA, Apr 18: Former Indian cricket board chief Jagmohan Dalmiya, who has moved a perjury case against BCCI president Sharad Pawar and other board officials in the Calcutta High Court, today prayed for criminal proceedings against them for allegedly producing false documents in court.

Justice Nadira Patheriya, after hearing Dalmiya’s counsel, reserved judgement on the prayer for a later date.

Appearing for Dalmiya, counsel Satyabrata Mukherjee submitted that Dalmiya had been suspended from the BCCI on the basis of an amendment that had not been registered.

He submitted that the BCCI had allegedly told the court of Justice Indira Banerjee in 2007 that the amendment had been duely done and registered while the truth was to the contrary.

He alleged that the document produced before the court was signed by the present board CEO Ratnakar Shetty.

The case of perjury (lying or producing false documents before a court of law) was filed by Dalmiya on July 20, 2007 on the day the high court had declared that his suspension from the board was illegal.

Apart from the board and Pawar, the case was filed against shetty, Niranjan Shah, Shashank Manohar and Chirayu Amin — all top functionaries of the present BCCI management.

Dalmiya alleged in his petition that the board had placed forged documents before the high court on ‘condonation of time’ application for the registration of an amendment to bcci’s Clause V of Rule 38, which relates to punitive action against a member of the board.

He claimed that the board had wrongly claimed to have got permission from the Tamil Nadu societies registration body to register the amendment at a later date.

Stating that an amendment must be registered with Tnsra in three months, dalmiya’s lawyer claimed that the application for condonation of delay was filed six years after the amendment was made in September, 2000.

It was applied for only after suspension of Dalmiya but had not been obtained then, he claimed.

Dalmiya had been suspended by the board on December 16, 2006, and subsequently forced to resign from the post of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president.

The former Indian cricket boss challenged the BCCI’s punitive action against him before the Calcutta High Court, which after hearing out case, termed the suspension illegal on July 20, 2007.

It was during the hearing of this case before the high court that the board had produced false documents, it was alleged. (PTI)

India down uzbekistan to enter W/14 semis SHENZEN,

China, Apr 18: India continued their winning streak as they defeated Uzbekistan 2-1 in the quater-finals of the Asia-Oceania leg of world under-14 tennis championship here.

Top seeded India will take on China in the semi-finals today. China had blanked Chinese Taipei 3-0 in the other quarterfinal.

The Indians opened up a 2-0 lead yesterday as Digvijay Singh Mehta beat Temur Ismailov 6-2, 6-1 in the first singles, while Ronit Bisht thrashed Abduvoris Sadmukhamedov 6-1, 6-0 in the second encounter.

However, the Uzbeks manage to pull one back as the Mehta and Ramkumar Ramanathan duo later lost the doubles tie to Sanjar Fayziev and Sadmukhamedov 6-7(4), 2-6.

A win in the semi-final will ensure India a berth in the world group final to be held in August in Prostejov, Czech Republic. (UNI)

Ramana emerges champion in Subroto Memorial Chess

NEW DELHI, Apr 18: J Venkata Ramana of Andhra Pradesh won the second Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee memorial All India Open International Rating Chess tournament, defeating overnight joint leader Sudhir Kumar Sinha here today.

Ramana and Akash Thakur , who beat Rahul Sangma in the final round, tied for the top spot with nine points for the top spot, but better progressive score helped Venkata Ramana to secure winners trophy.

In an eventful final round, International Master (IM) D P Singh and fellow (IP) P Konguvel signed the peace treaty in just 8 moves on the top board.

In the other boards, however, the fight was on. Akash Thakur, who played brilliantly throughout the tournament, got the better of Rahul Sangma in 53 moves.

IM Sriram Jha and im Himanshu Sharma draw with each other after a marathon match that lasted for 108 moves.

Miss Rama Kumari and master Vaibhav Suri were adjudged as the best woman and the best sub junior player respectively. (UNI)

Ghei, Bhullar, Chowrasia make cut

BEIJING, Apr 18: Gaurav Ghei fired 69, the best amongest the Indians, and along with Gaganjeet Bhullar, and SSP Chowrasia made the cut while their four other compatriots fell by the wayside in the us$ 2.2 million Volvo China Open Golf here today.

Rahil Gangjee, Shiv Kapur, Amandeep Johl and Digvijay Singh failed to make it to the money making round after the cut was appiled at four over 148.

Gaurav Ghei (76, 69) ensured he was the only Indian who shot a red number in the second round. As result of his solid round, the 2007 pine valley Beijing Open championhip, made a huge leap on the leaderboard, climbing from overnight tied 98th to tied 29th.

Ghei’s front nine on day two was punctuated by a birdie on the sixth and a bogey on the eighth. On the inward nine, Ghei started with a flourish as he birdied the 10th, 11th and 13th. He then bogeyed the 15th before picking up another birdie on the 17th.

Bhullar carded 75 in round two and slipped from overnight tied ninth to tied 23rd. The Kapurthala lad lies eight strokes behind the current leader, Frenchman Michael Lorenzo-Vera (67, 69) who has a two-round total of eight under 136.

Bhullar followed up his first round 69 with a 75 this afternoon. He started round two with a bogey-birdie on the first two holes and then made another bogey on the ninth. The big-hitter showed signs of recovery on the back nine as he knocked down a birdie on the 13th.

However, the 19-year-old did not close the round as he would have liked to, dropping a double bogey and a bogey on the 17th and 18th respectively. He now heads into the weekend rounds with a total of even par 144.

SSP Chowrasia (74, 73) has an overall score of three over 147 for the first two rounds. He occupies tied 50th place at the moment. Chowrasia who teed-off from the 10th, had a relatively quiet first nine, dropping a double bogey on the par four 14th and following that up with a birdie on the 18th. (AGENCIES)

Kingfisher Airlines announces fair play award

NEW DELHI, Apr 18: In a bid to promote sportsmanship during the IPL, Kingfisher Airlines, the official umpire partner of the lucrative twenty20 league, today announced the fly Kingfisher fair play award.

Under the award, umpires will award points to the teams for fair play, respect for the laws of the game and for showing respect to their opponents.

The award go to the team that, in the eyes of the umpires, has played fairest throughout the league.

Each member of the winning team will receive a trophy which will be presented by Kingfisher Airlines Chairman Vijay Mallya. (UNI).