MUMBAI: India's Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, ranked world No 108 and 231 respectively, have gained direct entries into the main draw of the ATP Challenger Tennis Tournament to be played at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) courts from November 24-30.

Vasudev Reddy, Sandeep Kirtane and Nitin Kirtane and junior National champion Harsh Mankad have been given the four wild card entries.

Pramila to lead

NEW DELHI: All-rounder Pramila Bhatt (Air-India) was retained to lead India in the forthcoming Hero Hondo Women's World Cup. A 14-member team (plus two standbyes) was announced by the secretary of the Women's Cricket Association of India.

The team: Pramila Bhatt (captain), Anju Jain (wk), Anjum Chopra, Smitha Harkrishnan, Deepa Kulkarni (all Air-India), Chandrakanta Ahir (vice-captain), Sangita Dabir, Poornima Rau, Renu Margret, Purnima Chaudhary, Neetu David (all Railways), Shyama Shah (Bengal), Kalyani Umbrani and Reshma Gandhi (both Pune). Standbyes: Mithali Raj (Hyderabad), Meenakshi Gupta (Delhi). Coach-manager: Srirupa Bose.

Tolani on top

MUMBAI: India Dr Tolani with 138 VP remained at the top with the last session to go in the qualifying Swiss League at the Inaugural SAARC Bridge Championship. Dr Tolani, after a 6-24 defeat at the hands of Pakistan in third round, geared up and advanced to the top spot by winning the next four games against India Khandelwal (29-9), India Ingersoll Rand (20-10), Pakistan (Parvez) (25-4) and Bangladesh Red (25-5).

India Ingersoll Rand took the second spot with 127 VP. Pakistan (Lipton) and India Shivdasani remained at the third place with 121 vp each. Ingersoll Rand had two good matches against Bangladesh Green (25-4) and Pakistan (Lipton) 20-10.

Hockey series

CHENNAI: A four-Test hockey series is to be played between Germany and India in December. The first Test would be held at Chennai on Dec 5, the second at Bangalore on Dec 7, the third at Amritsar on Dec 9 and the fourth at New Delhi on Dec 11.

The IHF had chalked out a full-fledged programme in view of the important schedule next year with the World Cup to be held in May in the Netherlands, the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia in September and the Bangkok Asian Games.

Plea dismissed

CALCUTTA: Calcutta High Court dismissed a writ petition and all interim orders which prohibited the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from giving effect to the interviews for Ranji Trophy umpires. Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh issued the order in response to a writ petition filed by Shymal Ghosh, one of the empanelled umpires under the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), challenging the legality and validity of the selection of Ranji Trophy umpires by the BCCI.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.