Short Corner — Chandigarh

India inching towards victory
Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar put on an unbeaten third wicket partnership of 121 as India rode on a series of consistent if slow batting performances to put on 303 for two by the end of the third day of the opening Pepsi cricket Test match against New Zealand at the PCA Stadium in SAS Nagar today. When stumps were drawn, India had built up a lead of 171 with Dravid batting of 87 and Tendulkar having scored 54.

ICC’s directive
The International Cricket Council president Jagmohan Dalmiya has asked the ICC Code of Conduct Commission to await the outcome of Scotland Yard probe on the allegation of England player Chris Lewis that an Indian sports promoter had offered him money to fix matches.

Top athletes withdraw
With some of the top athletes pulling out due to inujries the one day AAFI international athletic meet turned out to be an excerice in futility with participants only coming up with standard fare here this evening. The small foreign participation also was a sort of damb squib except in men’s 5000 m race, discus and long jump events.