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Wednesday, March 24, 2010

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Ajay slams big centuryin losing causeAjay Saini’s century went in vain as Sili-con lost to Unisys four wickets in the Gi-ants Shriram Corporate Cricket Cup onSunday at ITI grounds. Batting first, Sili-con compiled 176 in 20 overs, with Saini(124) and Puneeth (unbeaten 38) proppingup the score. Unisys however reached thetarget with two balls to spare. SunilVenkat (78) and Vishwa (30) led the chasefor Unisys. In another match, Reni Vergh-ese slammed an unbeaten 66 as he helpedNorthern Trust overhaul Consero Solu-tions. Responding to Consero’s competi-tive total of 163 in 20 overs, Reni, helpedby Nayan (34) chased the target with plen-ty to spare. They lost just three wicketsand had three overs to spare. Earlier,Vinay’s unbeaten 60 was the cornerstoneof Consero’s 163.

Summer cricket campSeetharaman Cricket Academy will con-duct its 14th summer camp from April 1to May 27 at Jnana Jyothi Educational In-stitutions, Yelahanka New Town, Banga-lore. The camp will run from Monday toFriday, 7.30 am to 10 am. Boys between 7and 20 may enrol. For details contact:9886003879 / 9884059360.

Does your majority stake give you the rightto take all decisions?I’d like to think that my investment has enti-tled and empowered me to make a lot of deci-sions. I think I have a good handle; Rod (Hig-gins, GM of Bobcats) has a good handle ofwhat’s happening on the basketball side. Ithink what’s imperative with me is to roll upmy sleeves, understand what Fred’s (Whit-field, COO) been doing on the business sideand understand the commitment that we havegotten from our team. Obviously, I played ona team, and these guys are just as importantas the players on the basketball court.

What would a post-season berth do thisseason for Bobcats?Making the play-offs fits a certain standard.It’s not a one-time thing, you know. Each andevery time you meet a certain plateau or cer-tain goal, the expectation is that you get to thatgoal the next year and you maintain the exis-tence within that goal. I don’t think this is anydifferent. My competitive nature is not kept atthat minimum. Yes, I want to make the play-offs, but once I get into it I want to go deep intothe play-offs. Once I go, I want to win. So oncewe get into that play-off scenario, the task that

Rod has, as well as myself and Fred have, isto maintain that consistency.

As someone who’s won six titles and five MVPs as a player, how are yougoing to measure your success as anowner?I’ve heard the criticisms in terms ofwhat I’m capable of doing at this level,and I can never live up to certain ex-pectations. It just starts fromthat point, but I think thatin terms of what it takesto build a winning pro-gram, a winning fran-chise, I’ve learned alot through mis-takes as well asthrough success-es. I’m not afraidto say it. If I learnfrom that failureand move further inlife that’s the benefitthat I like to thinkthat I can utilise in this ex-perience.

Aside from championships,what do you hope to get outowning the Bobcats team?Obviously as an owner and anorganisation, especially for me,I’ve got to live vicariouslythrough the players that I put onthe basketball court. I don’t ex-pect Gerald Wallace to beMichael Jordan. I don’t expectStephen Jackson to be Michael Jor-dan. The thing that I can get out ofthis is I want to have fun, obviously. Iwant to provide entertainment to the

public and the city of Charlotte. I want to pro-vide entertainment to everybody. I want us tobe positive. I want us to be successful.

When the Bobcats need a veteran off the bench, how soon can you get ready?My playing days are over. I’m going tohave fun. You know, a lot of people have

questioned my participation, somebasketball stance with the play-

ers. If I go down there, I’llstart shooting with GeraldWallace and I’ll start mess-ing around with Stephen

Jackson. I’m not trying to flipout inspirations to comeback. I’m having fun be-

cause of the passion that Ihave, and if they can get

a certain relaxation.The type of

owner I wantto be is I

wantthem tosay, ‘Youknow

what, I en-joyed hang-

ing around MJ.’They can call me MJ. They didn’thave to call me boss. I want themto ask me for advice. I want to beable to contribute some type ofknowledge to our young players.

What is your biggest challengeheading into this off-season?The biggest challenge is to evaluatethe team, but at the same time stillconnect with the consumer, our

public and season ticket holders, to provide anentertainment aspect so that they can feelproud about and connect the two dots.

Do you think the players give extra whenthey see you around?Yes. Wouldn’t you react totally different ifyour boss was sitting there staring at you? Atthe same time, when your boss walks away,don’t you have the responsibility to do the jobthat you were asked to do? Does that mean youcan’t do the job that I asked of you? So I’m go-ing be there. Obviously, I’ve got responsibili-ties elsewhere, but my number one priorityis the Charlotte Bobcats without a doubt. Iwouldn’t make this commitment if I didn’thave that type of commitment.

Michael Jordan, first ex-player to become majorityowner of an NBA team after his $275 million bid forCharlotte Bobcats wasapproved recently by theleague’s board of governors,tells DNA that he aspires tobe the coolest owner around Michael Jordan

NBA legend and team owner

I’d like to think that myinvestment has entitled and

empowered me to make a lot ofdecisions. My playing days areover. I’m going to have fun. I’mhaving fun because of the passionthat I have.

‘I want to contribute’

CHAMPIONS AGAIN

Bangalore: Jayakumarstruck 75 and bagged twowickets as Karnataka StateForest Sports Board scoreda 34-run victory over ABBCricket Club in the KSCAGroup II, II Division league-cum-knockout tournamentin Bangalore.

Batting first, KSFSBscored 196 for the loss ofseven wickets in 30 overs.

Apart from Jayakumar,Ananth TK (33) and Harish(31) were the major contrib-utors with the bat. For ABB,Ashok Rao bagged threewickets.

In reply, ABB scored 162for seven and Bhaskar’s 37was the highest score. Sri-nath and Jayakumarbagged two wickets each toensure a win for KSFSB.

Good show byJayakumar

Brief ScoresNAL Staff Club: 179 for 7 in 30 overs (Kumar 47,Balaji 52, Shanmugam 2/20, Yadukula Prakash 3/37)bt ITC Sports Club: 156 all out in 28.3 overs (Sanjay24, Sendil Kumar 29, Kishore 22, Muthuraman 2/32,Patrick 2/26, Krishna 2/20) by 23 runs.

Advocate Association CC: 203 for 5 in 28 overs(Sunder CG 58, Afzal Khan 35, Ranjith Prakash 63, JNagaraj 3/42) bt BEML Recreation Club, Bangalore:138 all out in 25 overs (Srinivas 39, BS Ragotham25*, Sathish 3/30, Sanjay Nair 2/19, Harish 2/1) by65 runs.

Karnataka State Forest Sports Board: 196 for 7 in30 overs (Jayakumar 75, Harish 31, Ananath TK 33,Ashok Rao 3/26) bt ABB Cricket Club: 162 for 7 in 30overs (Jagadish 21, Bhaskar 37, Dasarathy 22,Rangaswamy 34, Srinath 2/37, Jayakumar 2/35) by34 runs.

Bangalore Telephone CC: 193 all out in 30 overs(Prakash 24, Karthik 54, Sandeep G 34, CNGovindaraj 3/24, Kanakraj 2/40, MS Bhaskar 2/14) btITI Sports Club: 172 all out in 28.5 overs (Yogesh 27,MS Bhaskar 56, M Aruna 2/18, Karthik 2/31, Md.Farooq 3/12) by 21 runs.

CIL Sports Club: 174 all out in 30 overs(Raghukumar 23, Srinivas 31, Venkatesh 62, MohanKumar 6/26) bt BEML Rail Coach, Bangalore: 152 for6 in 30 overs (Mahesh 43, Mohan Kumar 24, NandaKumar 24, Padmaprabhu 20*, Srinivas 2/30,Venkatesh 2/29) by 22 runs.

BHEL (EDN) Sports Club: 199 for 9 in 30 overs (RShivkumar 23, RR Reddy 29*, G Lakshmikanth 34, BBSunil 26, Ashwin Punja 3/27, Thanu Nanjappa 4/26)bt Reserve Bank of India Recreation Club: 167 all outin 29.1 overs (Selvaraj 31, Thanu Nanjappa 25,Ashwin Punja 29, Jaydev Mallya 36, GSChandrashekar 2/36, R Shivkumar 2/22, Sharathbabu 5/35) by 32 runs.

MS Ramaiah Medical College team, which won theAll-India Inter-medical Basketball Championshipheld at AFMC Pune. Standing (L to R): Madhavi Rao,Tanuja Salim, Varsha Masilamani, Anupama Devdas,Rakshitha, Rani Chandana, Akhila Annamma Reddy,Niveditha Reshme, Hemalatha Naidu. Sitting (L to R):Janavi Rao, Arjun (coach), Ashok (co-sports chair-man), S Kumar, (principal & dean), Naresh Shetty(sports chairman), Ananth Bhandary (committeemember), Mahesh Kumar (sports officer).

When Adrian Christy took overas Chief Executive of BadmintonEngland in September 2006, heannounced a ‘100-point pro-gramme’ that would propel Eng-land to the top within 10 years.While England is some way yetfrom the top, there has been plen-ty of activity around badminton,and the organisation is showingurgency in achieving its objec-tives with the London Olympicsjust over two years away.

Dev S Sukumar caught upwith Adrian Christy on the side-lines of the recently-concluded AllEngland:

When you took over in 2006,you set a 100-point programmefor Badminton England, keep-ing the London Olympics inmind. How many of these ob-jectives have been achieved? I think we’ve delivered signifi-cantly. We’ve gone through anexercise of reviewing the plan atthe end of last year. One of thebig targets was to improve par-

ticipation - we’ve increased par-ticipation by 22 per cent acrossall categories — adults and jun-iors; we have more than fourmillion people playing — it wasnowhere near that before.

At the outset we wanted to es-tablish local performance envi-ronments. In two years we haveput that into place; we have 1200players in those environments,we have more coaches withthem. We have three majorevents — two European and theWorld Championships. We havealso increased volunteers, andwe have more younger playerscoming to Milton Keynes (highperformance centre). So we aremaking progress. Where wewant to continue makingprogress is how we turn goodplayers into great players,and great players into podiumplayers. That’s what we are focussed on.

You pulled out of the WorldChampionships in Hyderabad.

How difficult a decision was it?Ultimately, the decision wasmine. I wasn’t in Hyderabad; theplayers and coaches and supportstaff were. They’d done theirdue diligence with authorities inIndia at that time. They weren’table to get the reassurances theywanted. And that was one of thetoughest decisions I had to take— probably the toughest deci-sion — to bring them home.

But now we’re looking for-ward, to going to Delhi for theCommonwealth. We’ve alreadybeen to Delhi last year, we had alook at the practice areas, the vil-lage, the arena. Andy Wood(Olympic team manager) andIan Moss (Performance Direc-tor) went back in October, andwe’re due to go again soon, andto make sure everything is as wewant it to be.

Of course we are mindful ofsecurity, and challenging every-body around security, but it’s nodifferent from sending playersanywhere else. Not for one sec-

ond are we thinking that wewon’t be going to the Common-wealth Games. We’re lookingforward to seeing what Delhi’sgoing to present. I’ll be there,from the beginning of October.

Erland Kops, the seven-time AllEngland champion, said thatfor him, the All England meantWembley Arena. Couldn’t youhave organised the All Englandat Wembley instead of NIA, es-pecially since this was the100th year of the event? There is a lot of tradition atWembley and it was fantastic.But we’ve moved on a lot fromthere. We’ve had the event here(at NIA) for 15 years. We’ve gotspectacular audiences here, tick-et sales have been great. We willbe going to Wembley for theWorld Championships next year.We’re looking at one event inLondon, in addition to the AllEngland - not a Super Series buta world level event. With theWorld Championships and

Olympics, badminton can haveanother event in London. TheAll England has an establishedhome here now.

There has been plenty of spec-ulation over the venue of theOlympics, after the organiserstalked of cutting costs.It hasn’t been decided. We expectthe decision to be made soon.That’s a decision BWF (Bad-minton World Federation) has tomake, with the LOCOG (LondonOlympic organisers). Bad-minton England doesn’t decidethat. The travel time (from thevillage) to Wembley is an issue.We hope a sensible solution canbe made.

We’re sympathetic to whatLOCOG’s challenges are —we’re in a different economicclimate to what we were inwhen the Games were bid for.We appreciate the cost involvedin making what is essentially atemporary venue.

But at the same time, all I’m

interested in is our team deliv-ering medals. I want the best en-vironment for our athletes to en-able them to do that. I’m notfussed about where it is — it canbe at Wembley or somewhereelse - as long as our players candeliver.

In the past, there were Testmatches between England andIndia. Is that something youwant to revive? And would aworld club league, like the IPLin cricket, interest you?In the past we’ve looked at whatevents will benefit England.That’s where we have to be fo-cussed on. There’s been talk of aleague, but with a congested cal-endar of Super Series, and Eu-ropean championships, our fo-cus has to be on peaking forthese events.

We’re increasingly selective,and that will continue. If theconcept of a world league cameup, and we felt we would benefit,we’d be interested.

‘We’re looking forward to the Commonwealth’

DNA Correspondent. BANGALORE

The selection trials for the Asian Bil-liards and Asian Games culminated inan action-packed finale on Tuesday.Until the final session was played,none could predict who the final six en-trants would be, except Pankaj Advani,who got a direct entry for being lastyear’s winner in the Asian Champi-onships.

Top seed Advani had a mixed daywith two losses and one win but man-aged to remain on top of the standings,though it was Gujarat pro RupeshShah, considered an underdog in thetrials, who made a remarkable come-back after three back-to-back losses.

Shah beat Advani in his first gameof the day quite comfortably, 11-102(70), 101 (97)-00, 100-98, 100 (100)-09 andthen came backto get the betterof Kolkata’sSourav Kothari101-27, 101-02, 102-03 and followed it upwith a scintillating win 100 (73)-20, 100(93)-09, 65-100 (89), 101-13 against AlokKumar in the final frame.

He had beaten compatriot GeetSethi on Monday and apparently thathad propped up his confidence.

At no.7 in the national ranking forbilliards, Shah’s remarkable recoveryhas not only helped him clinch a berthfor the Asian Billiards Championshipsto be held in Indore from April 7 but isnow placed No.3, after Advani and De-

vendra Joshi, after the end of the firstcamp for the 2010 Asian Games.

On the otherhand, Sethi, who had pulled out ofthe snooker tri-

als, was placed fifth in the AsianGames standings and fourth in theAsian Billiards trials. He outclassedMumbai’s Dhruv Sitwala 101 (101)-15,100-71, 59-100 (79), 102-20 and betteredJoshi 101-06, 100-72, 87-100, 101-23 to end with 5516 points.

The next Asian Games selectioncamp for billiards and snooker will beheld at Goa, most likely in June, whilethe third and the fourth camps (for men and women) will be held inBangalore.

Remarkable comeback by Rupesh Shah

Camp for aspiring sportsprofessionalsNational Academy of Sports Excel-lence, an ultra-modern professionalsports facility, has opened in Banga-lore to help Indian sportsmen/sportswomen compete at internation-al level. A six-month multi-sportscamp will begin on April 5 and go ontill May 14, for players between threeand 35. NACE aims to coach fringeplayers who have the potential to be-come a professional player.Venue: Rajiv Gandhi Sports Complex, Hanumantnagar.Contact: Abinav/ Siddarth at9900001932 or 9008419054.

Brief ScoresInfinite Computer Solutions 117 for6 in 20 overs (Madan 48*, Smruthi 27,Praveen 3/13) lost to Colt TechnologyServices 118 for 4 in 18.3 overs) by 7wickets.

Consero Solutions India Pvt Ltd 163for 4 in 20 overs (Vinay 60*, Anand41, Vinod 2/35) lost to NorthernTrust 165 for 3 in 17 overs (ReniVerghese 66*, Nayan 34) by 7 wickets

Silicon 176 for 4 in 20 overs (AjaySaini 124, Puneeth 38*, Vipin 2/14)lost to Unisys 177 for 6 in 19.4 overs(Sunil Venkat 78, Vishwa 30, Rakesh2/13) by 4 wickets.

Gujarat pro’s recoveryhelped him clinch aberth for the AsianBilliards Championships

Final day’s resultsAshok Shandilya bt Alok Kumar 101 (101)-14, 100-35, 101 (101)-00; Rupesh Shah bt Pankaj Advani 11-102 (70), 101(97)-00, 100-98, 100 (100)-09; Geet Sethi bt Dhruv Sitwala 101 (101)-15, 100-71, 59-100 (79), 102-20; Sourav Kotharibt B Bhaskar 100 (92)-14, 102 (86)-18, 55-100, 101-03; Rupesh Shah bt Sourav Kothari 101-27, 101-02, 102-03;Devendra Joshi bt B Bhaskar 101-83, 101 (85)-57, 101 (97)-00; Ashok Shandilya bt Pankaj Advani 36-100, 100 (100)-00, 05-100 (87), 101-80 (77), 101-27; Dhruv Sitwala bt Alok Kumar 100 (75)-80, 103-90, 09-100 (95), 100 (83)-97;Rupesh Shah bt Alok Kumar 100 (73)-20, 100 (93)-09, 65-100 (89), 101-13; Pankaj Advani bt B Bhaskar 100 (94)-00,55-102, 103 (76)-00, 100 (96)-00; Geet Sethi bt Devendra Joshi 101-06, 100-72, 87-100, 101-23; Sourav Kothari btDhruv Sitwala 11-100, 101-36, 101-58, 100-00

Standings (after 1st camp forAsian Games)

Billiards: 1. Pankaj Advani; 2.Devendra Joshi; 3. Rupesh Shah;4. Ashok Shandilya; 5. Geet Sethi;6. Dhruv Sitwala; 7. Alok Kumar;8. Sourav Kothari; 9. B Bhaskar.

Snooker: 1. Pankaj Advani; 2.Yasin Merchant, 3. MananChandra; 4. Aditya Mehta; 5.Sourav Kothari; 6. Alok Kumar; 7.Kamal Chawla; 8. Brijesh Damani;9. Shahbaaz Adil Khan

Overall standings (AsianBilliards Championship)

1. Pankaj Advani (7600 points); 2.Devendra Joshi (6120); 3. AshokShandilya (5850); 4. Geet Sethi(5516); 5. Dhruv Sitwala (5259); 6.Rupesh Shah (4785); 7. AlokKumar (4142); 8. B Bhaskar (4126)

billiardscampPankaj advani at the Asian billiardsselection camp in Bangalore on Tuesday

SELVAPRAKASH L.DNA

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