Monty rakes in the accolades
Monty Panesar, England’s only Sikh cricketer, has been chosen as the Sports Personality of the Year at the Asian Achievers Award 2007. The talismanic left-arm spinner received the award from a leading NRI enterpreneur, Lord Karan Billimoria, on Saturday night. The award is a further recognition of his talent and the cult status he has acquired in England.
Bronze for Ankita in Asian junior TT
Ankita Das helped India register its first medal at 13th Asian Junior Table Tennis Championships in Hoengseong, Korea, as she won the bronze in the cadet girls singles event, reports UNI from New Delhi.
Ankita posted a 11-7, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8, 10-12, 11-8 victory over Lee Ho Ching of Hong Kong to enter the semifinals where she was outplayed by Chinese girl Chen Meng 11-13, 4-11, 5-11, 2-11.
The junior boys continued their disappointing sh-ow with Sourav Saha, Sou-myajit Ghosh and Sanil She-tty, all losing their respective matches on Sunday.
Second defeat for Indian hoopsters
India suffered their second successive defeat at the FIBA Asian basketball championships going down to Kazakhstan 74-97 in a Group C match in Tokushima on Sunday, reports PTI from Japan.
Sunday’s defeat has jolted India’s chances of making it to the quarterfinals in order to qualify for the Beijing Olympics.
In their last group match, India will meet Indonesia. Both teams will play for pride to notch up at least one win in the championships.
Forrest clinches WBC title
Vernon Forrest seized the vacant World Boxing Council light middleweight title with a unanimous 12-round decision over Argentina’s Carlos Baldomir, reports AFP from Tacoma (Washington).
Forrest, a 36-year-old former 147-pound champion, whose best days appea-red to be behind him, put himself back in line for a big payday by claiming the 154-pound crown on Saturday.
Qatar to host 2011 Asian Cup
Qatar has been confirmed as the host nation for the 2011 Asian Cup, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced on Sunday. The Gulf state was the only country to submit a formal bid to host the event but had to satisfy the AFC of their ability to stage the tournament before being confirmed as hosts.
Kaiser boost for England’s bid
England’s hopes of staging the 2018 World Cup received a major boost on Sunday from Franz Beckenbauer who insisted there was “only one serious candidate”, reports AP from London.
Beckenbauer, a member of the FIFA executive that will decide the hosts for 2018, believes the governing body must end their continental rotation and bring the World Cup back to Europe.
England are expected to launch an official bid to stage the tournament early next year.
Wadekar prefers Indian coach
Former Indian skipper Ajit Wadekar on Sunday said that an indigenous coach would yield better results for the Indian team than a foreign one, reports PTI from Agartala.
Wadekar, who was in Agartala to attend the prize giving ceremony of a quiz contest, said an Indian would fit into job better as he would know the culture, language and mental make-up of the players. Moreover when experienced players like Sachin, Sourav, Dravid and Kumble were in the Inidan team there was nothing much to teach them.
“But what is extremely important is to inspire the team members to overcome crisis, which can be done only by a coach from the country,” he added.
Indo-Pak v’ball ‘test’ on Aug 10
A volleyball ‘test’ between the senior men’s teams of India and Pakistan will be played in Chennai on August 10, reports PTI.
Named the Aircel Indo-Pak Test, the match would be conducted by the state association under the aegis of Volleyball Federation, a press release said.
Bangla Cricket Board dissolved
The Bangladesh Cricket Board was dissolved on Sunday and a 12-member interim committee headed by Major-General Sina Ibn Jamali has been appointed.
“The Board has been dissolved as most members have resigned voluntarily,” the sports ministry said in a statement. “It is hoped that the interim committee will soon take up charges and will take steps to organise a permanent committee.”
Jamali, chief of general staff of the Bangladesh army, will head an interim committee that includes Fahim Munaim, principal press secretary of Fakhruddin Ahmed, head of the interim government.