Date:09/01/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/01/09/stories/2007010909461800.htm

Sport - Badminton

Hyderabad to bid for Indian Open

HYDERABAD: Hyderabad is bidding to host the Yonex Indian Open badminton championship with a total prize money of $150,000 from September 9 to 15 this year, according to K.Ch. Punnaiah Choudhary, joint secretary of Badminton Association of India and secretary of AP Badminton Association.

The event, scheduled after the major Grand Prix and Open tournaments in Japan, Malaysia, Korea and Hong Kong, will be a four-star event and will be the highest prize money event ever held in India.

"Considering the significance of the event which happens to be one of the last qualifying events for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and in which the big names of world badminton are likely to take part, we requested the BAI to consider Hyderabad as the venue. We are expecting a positive response from BAI," Choudhary explained.

Mamatha to lead South

Mamatha Maben will lead the South Zone team in the inter-zonal women's cricket tournament (one-day) to be held at Bangalore from January 22 to 28, according to N. Shivlal Yadav, secretary of HCA.

The team: Mamatha Maben (capt.), Savita Nirala (vice-capt.), Karuna Jain (wk), Thirush Kamini, M. Revathi, Sindhu Ashok, Diana David, Gouhar Sultana, S.K. Sravanthi Naidu, T. Sobhana, N. Niranjana, M. Soujanya Nath, V. Vilasini and D. Kamakshi; Coach: Purnima Rau; Manager: Faiyazuddin Siddique (HCA).

Stand-byes: Aarti Sankaran (TNCA), Anuradha (Goa), J. Rameshwari (ACA), B.V. Satya Vani (ACA) and T. Shanti (Kerala).