œND‹‰†‹KœND‹‰†‹œND‹‰†‹MœND‹‰†‹C The Sunday Times of India, New Delhi, November 9, 2003 Singh closes on money title Bears sign Aussie Hogg Henin claims top spot Vijay Singh moved closer to ending the English county cricket side Warwickshire Belgium's Justine Henin-Hardenne season as the PGA Tour's top money win- have signed Australian spinner Brad reached the semifinals of the WTA Tour ner after the second round of the Tour Hogg for the 2004 season. Bears chief Championships and ensured she ended Championship in Houston. The Fijian Dennis Amiss said : “We are delighted to the year as world No. 1 with a 6-2 6-1 win lies one shot behind Tiger Woods, be able to agree terms with Brad to en- over Jennifer Capriati. “It is just amazing,” who must win to stop Singh able him to join us next season” she said Digvijay Singh leads in Hero Honda Masters BRIEFLY SPORT Kiwis need to do all the running Much to hope for AP Ajit Ninan By Shashank Shekhar had rigorous training the last THE SPORTING LIFE TIMES NEWS NETWORK two days in Delhi and thought it Ayaz Memon fit to rest today.’’ He also in- Guwahati: The cricket circus is formed that Jimmy Maher (he truly rolling at the banks of the will open) and Michael Am I reading too much into it, or is the In- great Brahmputra, and among Kasprowicz will get a look-in on dia under-19 team’s return back home via the hills and the greenery of Sunday, the former probably at the Wagah border a tacit signal that In- Guwahati, after the Australians the expense of Adam Gilchrist. dia’s national cricket team will tour Pak- arrived here this afternoon from The Kiwi coach Ashley Ross, istan early next year? New Delhi. The city is abuzz de- meanwhile, stressed that a win Returning from Lahore to Delhi via spite Sunday’s TVS Cup league was imperative on Sunday for Dubai, of course, is a wholly absurd plan; game being a non-India fixture. his team. ‘‘We need to win both much like trying to catch your left ear with An expected full house will our remaining league games to the right hand from between the head. keep the New Zealanders’ adren- ensure a final berth,’’ he said on Crossing the border at Wagah makes eminent sense. But aline flowing as they seek to en- Saturday. such has been the nature of Indo-Pak relations that the ab- hance their chances of making The battle against the Big surd was common-place and the common-sensical almost the final. But since that can only Brother always brings out the always absent. be at the expense of the home fight in a Kiwi. The New Zealand Nevertheless, after India’s recent peace offensive, mat- team, they can expect popular team is a professional unit, con- ters seem to be on the mend. If Bush holds Mush in hostility as well. scious of its limitations and re- check, and LKji is in sync with Atalji, we could have a The conditions are unique sponsibilities. So, they will come proper India-Pakistan Test series early next year. There here, something the two teams hard at the Aussies no matter is much to hope for. ◆◆◆◆ are barely used to and would what. And that should make for hardly like. Since the sun rises a mouth-watering contest. Only, The photograph of the India under-19 cricketers cross- and sets early in these parts, the the weather gods should not play ing the Wagah border was significant for other reasons day game will have an early spoilsport. too. It revealed not merely the triumph in the Asian start, at 8.30 A.M. itself. Heavy Championship, but also serves as the metaphor of a con- dew is likely to aid the pacers a Sound bytes fident, young, emerging India. AMU wins title: Hosts Aligarh Muslim la Faridabad and Pune. One can This self belief is not only in the cricketers, but in “They’ve almost surprised University (AMU) defeated defending almost see Stephen Fleming cry Pankaj Advani, in Anjali Bhagwat, in Gagan Ajit and Ju- me with their performance.” champions C.C.S University, Meerut by a out ‘‘Not again.’’ But then that’s graj Singh, in Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza to name a solitary goal to clinch the title in the North cricket in India. — Ponting on Bracken and few and the obvious. How this buoyancy, this energy, such Zone Intervarsity hockey championship at Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting Brad Williamns talent is harnessed by the ‘system’ will determine how In- Aligarh on Saturday. In the closely-fought put it in perspective later in the “We’ve prepared very well dia fares in international sport in the coming decades. match, Yasoob struck the all important evening when he said, ‘‘It’s nice for the match. And we know As far as the AP goal in the 41st minute of the match for to play in different conditions New Zealand always lift under-19 cricket AMU. Kurukshetra University finished third and different time zones even if their game against us.” team goes, they by defeating Punjabi University, Patiala. TNN we are not used to it.’’ Well, — Ponting after Aussies were quite, quite New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns takes a break from practice at Ponting can be generous be- skipped nets remarkable in Munaf gets GCA green signal: Gu- Nehru Stadium, Guwahati on Saturday. cause his team is already in the jarat Cricket Association president Narhari “It’s a professional team. Lahore, recover- final. But Fleming knows a slip Amin gave Munaf Patel permission to play One of Kiwis’ major worries captains go in to flip the coin. And the boys are in good ing from a first for any association of his choice after a on Sunday will undo all the good is that Chris Cairns is still only It’s unlikely that the toss-win- spirits.” match defeat to meeting held on Saturday. Amin, also a work of Cuttack. 50-50 for the tie. The experienced ning captain will let the other — Kiwi coach Ashley Ross winning the title vice-president of the BCCI, returned from By the looks of it, the teams allrounder can be a great foil to team bowl first. “We are not a side which in comprehen- a trip abroad on Thursday and met the tall will struggle to finish close to Darryl Tuffey if the Aussies complains and finds excuses.” sive fashion. In- 100 overs, if needed, during the While the Kiwis had a long terestingly, all Bharuch pace sensation on Saturday. Mu- have to bat early. It could well — Fleming setting the day as it gets quite dark here net session in the morning, the the worries for Members of the victorious Indian naf wanted Amin to remove the road- turn out to be a match where the record straight on the fixture soon after four in the evening. Aussies chose to skip nets com- the national under 19 cricket team at the Wagah block that threatened to leave a promising first few overs go on to make the controversy check post on Friday. And as a thin cloud cover also pletely. Ponting and coach John team the open- career at the still-born stage. TNN crucial difference. A feeling of “It’s a hard, sporting wick- made a menacing presence late deja vu will be intense when the Buchanan did make a brief vis- ers, a wicketkeeper, an allrounder, and match-fit fast BETTING METER in the day, troubling thoughts it to the Nehru Stadi- et. Expect a good score on bowlers were no problem for the under-19s. This suggests were crossing many minds. It all MORE ON OUR WEBSITE um to assess the con- this.” that the cricket system, at least, is getting things right, CRICKET prompted veteran umpire John ditions while the rest — Dr S K Baruah, pitch cu- and the future is bright. Australia vs New Zealand, TVS Cup TVS Cup: Australia vs New Zealand of the team kept to rator at Guwahati. Shepherd to implore people: Live Scorecard and Commentary Some of the players were truly outstanding, and one Top Australian scorer ‘‘Pray for good weather tomor- the hotel. Ponting ex- —SS could see the ‘demonstration effect’ to borrow a phrase A Gilchrist 5/2; M Hayden 3/1 row.’’ visit www.timesofindia.com plained later: ‘‘We from economics that some of the seniors have had on R Ponting 4/1; D Martyn 6/1 them. So many of them played like Tendulkar, Dravid, J Maher 6/1; M Clarke 8/1 Ganguly, Laxman, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble and as per ladbrokes.com West Indies hang on to draw, save embarrassment Zaheer. Now, if only the aforementioned guys could play like LIVE ON TV Harare: Zimbabwe ended their streak of 11 ing two for 49 in a bristling late spell. 34, S.Matsikenyeri not out 46, T.Taibu b Drakes 21, A.Blignaut c Ja- themselves, India might still win the One-day Tri-series cobs b Collymore 13, H.Streak not out 7, Extras (b-8 lb-2 nb-13 w- National consecutive Test losses but have been denied Earlier in the day, West Indies’ chances of being played currently. 2) 25 Total (for seven wickets, declared, 52 overs) 200; Fall of ◆◆◆◆ Cricket: 7th ODI: Australia vs New Zealand, victory as the West Indies hung on to draw winning the Test disappeared with the wickets: 1-21, 2-27, 3-60, 4-90, 5-107, 6-152, 7-177; Bowling: Guwahati (Live on DD-1/DD Sports, 8.45 a.m.) the first Test in Harare.