œND‰‰†KœND‰‰†œND‰‰†MœND‰‰†C The Sunday Times of India, New Delhi, May 11, 2003 Performance incentive The Hoddle pledge Tigress senses kill Jaguar have repaid Mark Webber for his Under-fire Spurs coach Glenn Hoddle Top female golfer Annika impressive performances this season says his team’s Premiership campaign Sorenstam extended her lead to by offering the Aussie a 2-year contract was wrecked by persistent injury five strokes at the Nichirei World extension. Webber predicted better problems. The former midfielder, Ladies, leaving her rivals wondering things for the F1 team, saying he however, vowed to seeing out the how to stop her from running away wanted to go forward with them rest of his 5-year contract with the title on Sunday Aussie pacemen strike back on Day Two of Antigua Test BRIEFLY First class players SPORT AP Akhtar sparks Pakistan win Reuters Dambulla: Pace spearhead Shoaib get second class Akhtar sparked Pakistan’s 79-run vic- tory over Sri Lanka in the opening match of a cricket tri-series on Satur- day. treatment in India Akhtar, who was warned last month by Pakistan Cricket Board chairman THE SPORTING LIFE pen if the greed in the Indian that he needed to improve his perform- cricket system is replaced by ance, ripped open the Sri Lankan top Ayaz Memon a vision that promotes long- order as the home team faltered chas- At least for term excellence. In both cas- ing a modest target. the first four es, money can be the conse- Replying to Pakistan’s 199 for eight days, the Ran- quence, but one is so much from 50 overs, which featured a fighting ji Trophy fi- more meaningful. half-century from opener Mohammad nal was a In the meanwhile, there Hafeez, Sri Lanka were bowled out for gripping are some fine memories of 120 in 43.1 overs after Akhtar dismissed game of this year’s final to treasure. attacking batsman Sanath Jayasuriya cricket. For- Hemang Badani had a plum for a first-ball duck in the opening over. tunes fluctuated almost match, following up a half-cen- Jayasuriya flashed at a rising deliv- every session, there were tury with the full thing. He ery outside the off-stump and was some outstanding perform- was gritty and strokeful, caught by leaping second-slip Younis ances, and a result that did showing the right attitude to Khan. Akhtar ended with figures of 2 Mumbai proud, but did not match his ability with the bat. Tim Montgomery of the United States for 19. Sri Lanka’s new One-day cap- shame Tamil Nadu a whit. It Sadagopan Ramesh made a bright 80-odd to suggest that dashes to victory in the IAAF Osaka GP tain, Marvan Atapattu, who got the job was a wonderful match with the flame still burns in him. on Saturday. He pipped Australia’s after Jayasuriya’s resignation last one hugely annoying aspect: Wasim Jaffer was elegance Patrick Johnson by 0.01 second. month, said the match’s outcome did where were the spectators? personified in scoring two half not make this a happy day for him. Mumbai in May is hot, hu- centuries. His driving on ei- O’Neill tipped as United coach: ‘‘Batting has let the side down,’’ he said. mid and a ruddy sweat bowl, ther side of the wicket was a Martin Edwards, whose 23 year reign as ‘‘The bowlers did a good job, but the I agree. The timing of the match was flawed, though treat to watch and only Sachin Manchester United chairman ends this batsmen failed to deliver. We need to do the fixtures committee may and Sehwag make batting look weekend, has tippe d Celtic coach Martin much better if we want to perform well O’Neill as a likely successor to Alex Fer- have had little leeway consid- easier on the domestic circuit. in this series.’’ guson. “One person you would have to ering that this was a World Two young fast bowlers, put in the frame is Martin O’Neill,” Ed- Pakistan captain Rashid Latif was Cup year. Even so, first-class Balaji and Salvi, were per- wards said on Saturday. “He won two delighted at the way his bowlers had re- cricket deserves better — haps overwhelmed by the oc- League Cups with Leicester City. Then he sponded to the challenge. from administrators and casion and became too errat- went on to Celtic and all the success he ‘‘It wasn’t an easy wicket to bat on,’’ spectators. ic. But their potential is un- has had there. He broke Rangers domi- Latif said. ‘‘We were confident of de- In the first session on the doubted. nance and has now reached a Uefa Cup fending our total, but the credit goes to opening day I counted 198 The pick of the bowlers for final, so he is doing it in Europe.” AFP the bowlers.’’ Atapattu only played the heads. Okay make that 200, if me was the crafty Ajit George returns to spark Lakers: game after getting doctor’s approval for you include the two who ar- Agarkar and never-give-up- Devean George scored nine points in the his recovery from injuries suffered in a rived at the stroke of lunch. man Sairaj Bahutule. They first quarter and Kobe Bryant scored 14 of mid-pitch collision with New Zealander On the decisive fifth day, a brought Mumbai back from his 39 points in the fourth as the Los An- Daniel Vettori in a Test on Monday. He more reliable arithmetician the brink when Tamil Nadu geles Lakers got off to a quick start and struggled against Akhtar during a 61- accounted for 708. For the five threatened to open up a huge rolled to a 110-95 victory over San Anto- run second-wicket partnership with days, the turnstiles may have first-innings lead, then bam- nio in Game Three of their second round Kumar Sangakkara, but it was medi- clicked for 1500 spectators. boozled the opponents in the playoff series. “I have always said that we um-pacer Abdur Razzaq who dislodged That’s appalling for the final second outing to make the are undefeated in situations where we Atapattu by trapping him leg-before of the national championship. win for Mumbai both em- must win,” said Shaquille O’Neal. After For three days, there was spraining his left ankle in game one and with an inseaming delivery for a 77-ball phatic and memorable. not a soul in the Sachin Ten- missing game two, George was expected 26. The Sri Lankan innings then fell These are guys in con- dulkar stand. As a matter of to come off the bench on Friday. AFP apart, with the last seven wickets tention for a spot in the na- falling for just 22 runs. fact, Tendulkar himself was tional side. There is little that Shoaib Akthar bowls during the triangular One-day cricket tournament against Sri Lanka at Greek athlete tests positive: Greek Akhtar struck a crucial blow when absent, having flown to the can be done about truant athlete Maria Tsirba tested positive for the Dambulla on Saturday. He took the prized scalps of S Jayasuriya and K Sangakkara. he had Sangakkara caught by Shoaib US for an operation on his spectators, but I hope that the stimulant ephedrine at the 2003 World In- finger. His presence would selectors were awake. door Athletics Championships in Birming- Malik at backward point. Sangakkara top-scored with a 57-ball 29 that con- have added lustre to the final, ●●● ham, England, the Greek Athletics Federa- BCCI conclave and the finger injury was in- tion said on Friday. Tsirba, who was eighth tained three boundaries. AP Lara holding the fort Talking of indulgent spec- opportune. But the need for in the 3,000 meters final, breaking the Kolkata: The Indian cricket tatorship, Ian Peebles, the St Johns: West Indies were 140 who was ruled out with a flu- ‘stars’ to play domestic crick- Greek record in the process, failed tests SCOREBOARD board has decided to convene celebrated English writer re- for six in reply to Australia’s like viral infection. Agencies a conclave of skippers and et cannot be overstated. on March 12 and 15. Third in the Euro- Pakistan: counts this story of Denis pean Cup last year, Tsirba faces a two- M Hafeez c Sangakkara b Jayasuriya 53 first innings 240 at lunch on the coaches of all Ranji trophy There is something to Compton who was addressed year suspension and being stripped of her T Umar c Kaluwitharana b Nissanka 9 second day of the fourth and fi- SCOREBOARD sides to get a feedback about learn from the Australian to by an aged, coloured man - F Iqbal c Jayawardene b Muralitharan 21 national record. AFP nal Test here on Saturday.Skip- new format for the tourna- Y Youhana c Jayawardene b Lokuarachchi 1 Australia (1st innings): system beyond high-voltage clearly a great fan of the per Brian Lara was unbeaten on J Langer c Banks b Lawson 42 ment as also other matters Delhi referees promoted: Five Delhi Y Khan c Lokuarachchi b Muralitharan 29 fitness regimens and the art three Ws — while fielding in S Akhtar run out 5 40 with Ridley Jacobs who was M Hayden c Drakes b Lawson 14 pertaining to domestic crick- of sledging. For instance a the deep during a match in referees, Ashoke Ghosh, Sitendu Saha, S Malik run out 20 yet to score. M Love b Banks 36 D Lehmann c Jacobs b Lawson 7 et. “The meeting will enable calendar that balances Trinidad in 1953-54.