The other Indians in the top eight seedings list are former runner-up Devendra Joshi, seeded seventh, and Ashok Shandilya (seeded eighth).

All three Indians in the top eight seedings list have been given a bye into the third round, as per the new format for the tournament, and are assured of 800 Pound Sterling (Rs 56,000).

The tournament offers 10,400 Pound Sterling (Rs 7,28,000) to the winner and 6,400 pound sterling (Rs 4,48,000) to the runner-up.

The losing semi-finalists and quarter-finalists would receive 3,200 and 1,600 Pound Sterlings (Rs 2,24,000 and Rs 1,12,000) respectively.

PCA panel
CHANDIGARH: A three-member panel, consisting of Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) president Inderjit Singh Bindra, secretary M P Pandove and chairman Technical and Coaching Committee Daljit Singh, has been constituted by PCA to appoint a professional coach for the season.

This was decided by the association's Executive Committee in the annual general meeting at the PCA Stadium, in S A S Nagar, near here yesterday. The house also approved minutes of the last AGM.

``We have five coaches to choose from and will decide very shortly,'' M P Pandove said.

BCCI meet
MUMBAI: The technical committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is to meet at Bangalore on September one.

The recent recommendations of the International Cricket Council (ICC) are expected to come up for discussion before being implemented in the forthcoming domestic season.