Thousands battle algae bloom in Olympic host city
By Xinhua,
Qingdao (China): Thousands of soldiers and volunteers Friday in the eastern Chinese coastal city of Qingdao, where the Olympic sailing events would be held, were battling to clear a major algae bloom in the sea.
More than 1,200 vessels were at sea cleaning the foul-smelling algae, and inflatable barriers were placed near the coastline to prevent the algae from encroaching on the shore.
Younis unlikely to return to Tests against Australia
By IANS,
Karach : Younis Khan's plans to return to Test cricket against Australia in England received a jolt Friday when it was revealed that the former Pakistan captain might be banned again by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
PCB's legal advisor Talib Rizvi has said that Younis was not cleared despite the clearance issued by the PCB-appointed one-man tribunal - Justice (retd) Irfan Qadir - that set aside his indefinite ban earlier this month.
Relaxed hometown win for Federer
By DPA
Basel (Switzerland) : An inspired Roger Federer bore down on a second straight title at home with a 6-1, 6-4 thumping of Argentine Juan del Potro at the Swiss Indoor championships to reach the quarter-finals.
Four days after losing a tough final in Madrid to David Nalbandian, world number one Federer found his groove Thursday in front of the public that has supported him since he the beginning of his career.
India score 374/4 against Hong Kong in Asia Cup
By IANS,
Karachi : Twin centuries by Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (109 not out) and Suresh Raina (101) helped India pile a mammoth 374/4 against minnows Hong Kong in the Asia Cup at the National stadium here Wednesday.
For Hong Kong, Najeeb Amar emerged as the most economical bowler as he took two wickets for 40 runs in his ten overs.
Applications to be football World Cup volunteers exceed 15,000
By IANS,
Johannesburg : Just a week after the opening of applications for volunteers for the 2010 football World Cup, the number of applicants has exceeded the number required, BuaNews reported Tuesday.
As of Monday, the 2010 World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC) had received 15,042 applications from prospective volunteers from 133 countries.
This included 482 applications to volunteer at the World Cup final draw in Cape Town in December and a further 188 for the Football for Hope Festival in Alexandra, Johannesburg, which will take place during the tournament.
Special teams to lead the way in civilised cheering at Olympics
By DPA,
Beijing : Chinese news reports Friday said that the organizing committee for the August 8-24 Olympic Games has recruited 448 volunteers for 30 "cheering teams" to teach the spectators the civilised form of support.
According to a strict choreography it all starts with two hand claps accompanied by the chant Aoyun (Olympia). Spectators are then told to hold their fists in front of their body, to raise their thumbs and to shout Jia you (Let's go).
Henry scores for Barcelona in Champions League opener
By IANS
London : Barcelona scored a convincing 3-0 win over Lyon in the UEFA Champions League with Thierry Henry ending his scoring drought with an injury time goal.
One of the biggest transfer deals of the summer, Henry's late strike moved Barcelona to the top of Group E.
Henry has now scored 43 Champions League goals and sits fourth in the competition's all-time list behind Raul (57), Ruud van Nistelrooy (50) and Andrei Shevchenko (47).
His former team Arsenal continued their impressive performance this season with a 3-0 demolition of Sevilla in Group H.
Indians make a clean sweep at South Asian shooting
By IANS,
New Delhi : Indian shooters made a clean sweep as they won all the nine individual medals at stake in the three events Monday in the ongoing 4th South Asian Shooting Championships in Islamabad.
India also won all the three gold medals in the team events.
Shweta Chowdhry won the gold in the women's 25m sports pistol event with a score of 766.6. The silver went to Annuraj Singh (766.5 points) while Anisa Syed won the bronze with 759.7 points.
Scoreboard after Sri Lanka’s innings
By IANS
Hobart : The following is the scoreboard at the end of Sri Lanka's innings against India in the 11th game of Commonwealth Bank triangular one-day series here Tuesday:
Scoreboard
Match No. 11, India vs. Sri Lanka, Bellerive Oval,
Hobart
Sri Lanka:
Dilruwan Perera b Ishant Sharma 8
Sanath Jayasuriya c Dhoni b Pathan 34
Kumar Sangakkara c Dhoni b Kumar 33
Mahela Jayawardene c Rohit Sharma b Kumar 3
Chamara Silva c Dhoni b Kumar 0
Tillakaratne Dilshan lbw b Ishant Sharma 8
Champaka Kapugedera c & b Harbhajan 57
Chaminda Vaas c Gambhir b Ishant Sharma 0
Sri Lanka bombs rebel targets, 37 combatants die
By IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lankan fighter jets and helicopter gunships Monday targeted suspected Tamil Tiger bases as advancing troops killed at least 32 guerrillas in the war-torn north, the authorities said Monday.
The government said that the air force bombed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) positions at Nachchikuda in the rebel-held Kilinochchi district.
The Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said that security forces also killed at least 32 Tamil Tigers while losing five troopers during sporadic gun battles Sunday in northern Wanni region.
Dubai gears up to host big league cricket again
By Aroonim Bhuyan, IANS,
Dubai : The next time the English cricket team plans to tour India, their players might well fly in to Dubai a few days in advance, practise on Indian wickets here, and then catch the flight to India.
Foxed?
Don't be, because that is what the International Cricket Council (ICC)'s Global Cricket Academy, coming up at the Dubai Sports City (DSC) here - a huge complex with world class facilities for other sports such as football, hockey and basketball as well - is going to offer.
Hingis-Stepanek engagement off
By DPA
Montreal : Martina Hingis and Radek Stepanek are no longer engaged to be married, the ATP announced after Stepanek lost the Montreal Masters semi-final to Roger Federer.
"Radek asked me to pass on a message announcing that he and Martina Hingis have split up. They will remain good friends, and that is all I have to say," an ATP spokesman said Saturday.
Hingis, who won five Grand Slam titles as a teenager and returned to the game in January 2006 after a three-year retirement, has been bothered with back problems.
Darkness at Wimbledon bothers Federer
By DPA,
London : Wimbledon trophy heartbreak, which ended in darkness, didn't draw a complaint from Roger Federer as he lost 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (8-10), 9-7 Sunday to Rafael Nadal.
Twice interrupted by rain, the thriller was stretched to the limits as Federer saved three match points in two different sets before finally falling victim to a loose shot made almost in the dark after a late match start.
"(I) kept on playing. I didn't argue," said the sombre Swiss after his first grass-court loss since 2002.
21-year-old Uthappa scripts India’s incredible victory
By IANS
London : Twenty-one-year-old Robin Uthappa, playing his first one-day international in England, powered India to an incredible two-wicket victory here Wednesday to set up what should be a pulsating series final at the Lord's Saturday.
Uthappa, who like captain Rahul Dravid hails from Bangalore, kept a cool head on muscular shoulders and wristy hands to play an array of conventional and not-so-conventional shots before a capacity crowd at the Kennington Oval.
Pakistan fell short by 100 runs: Malik
By Qaiser Mohammad Ali, IANS
New Delhi : After losing the first Test to India here Monday, Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik said that if his team had scored 100 runs more the result could have been different.
"We scored about 100 runs less. If we had scored 300 (in the second innings), the result could have changed," Malik told reporters after India's six-wicket win on the fifth and final day at the Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium.
Malik, who himself failed with the bat as he managed 0 and 11, said the batting line-up let the team down.
Iran girls’ soccer team advance to semifinal in Singapore games
By IRNA,
Singapore : Iranian girls’ soccer team qualified for the semifinal round of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games, IRNA Sports Service said on Thursday.
Iranian girls’ soccer team qualified for the semifinal round after Turkey defeated Papua New Guinea (PNG).
Turkey, who overpowered Iran 4-2 in Group A in its opening game, defeated PNG 4-0 at the Jalan Besar Stadium and advanced to the semifinal round with six points.
Iran is scheduled to play in the semifinal on Saturday.
Singapore Youth Olympic Games opened on August 12 and will continue until August 26.
Gambhir century raises India’s hope of saving first Test
By IANS,
Ahmedabad : Opener Gautam Gambhir's fine century on the fifth day raised India's hope of saving the first cricket Test and prevent Sri Lanka from winning their first Test on Indian soil here Friday.
At lunch, India were 256 for three in the second innings with Gambhir batting on 105 and Sachin Tendulkar on 22 as the hosts reduced the deficit to just 78 runs and are looking to bat out the next two sessions to draw the match at Motera's Sardar Patel Stadium.
Sri Lanka declared their first innings at 760 for seven in reply to India's 426.
First Test: India opt to bat against England
By IANS,
Ahmedabad: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni opted to bat against England in the first Test of the four-match series starting at the Motera here Thursday.
Teams:
Wimbledon: Sania-Elena seeded fourth, Paes-Bhupathi third
By IANS,
London : India's Sania Mirza and her Russian partner Elena Vesnina are seeded fourth in the women's doubles of the Wimbledon, beginning June 20.
Moores focuses on preserving unbeaten home Test record
By IANS
London : Coach Peter Moores wants to focus on preserving England's unbeaten home Test record rather than the poor behaviour which marred India's second-Test win.
England, facing their first home series defeat since 2001, go into the final Test Aug 9 one down after losing a bad-tempered Trent Bridge Test Tuesday.
"It got out of hand. Everyone has learned from it and hopefully we won't see it again," he told BBC Radio. "Sport moves on, we've got to get ready for the Oval now."
India buoyed by cheering crowd and blazing batting
By Fakir Hassen, IANS
Durban : Blazing batting by Yuvraj Singh and a capacity crowd cheering lustily buoyed India to oust world champions Australia in the semi final of the inaugural ICC Twenty20 World Championship here to head for an India-Pakistan final.
In one of the most thrilling games of the series, a capacity crowd of more than 20,000, majority of them Indian, saw some nail biting moments in the last three overs of the game as Australia, still within reach of a win, finally crumbled under pressure from India.
East Bengal to play exhibition match in capital
By IANS,
New Delhi: Federation Cup champions East Bengal will play an exhibition match Oct 16 against Delhi XI.
Shah Rukh not to perform at Tuesday’s IPL match
By IANS,
Kolkata : Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who owns the Kolkata Knight Riders, will not be performing at his team's second home match Tuesday against Mumbai Indians at Eden Gardens here.
The performance has been postponed for unavoidable circumstances, co-owner Jay Mehta, on behalf of Shah Rukh, told reporters Saturday evening.
"But SRK will be present at the grounds Tuesday. And if every thing goes fine he may perform at the third home match on May 8," he said.
England beat India by 42 runs, take 2-1 lead
By IANS
Birmingham : England defeated India by 42 runs in the third One-day International here Monday to take a 2-1 lead in the seven-match series.
England made 281 for eight wickets in 50 overs and India were all out for 239 in 48.1 overs.
PSV Eindhoven set high goals for new season
By Xinhua
Amsterdam : Dutch football champions PSV Eindhoven have set themselves high goals, including the domestic league title and a place in the knock-out stages of the UEFA Champions League.
"Our first aim is to win the Dutch title, but progressing to the next stage in the Champions League has some great financial consequences," coach Ronald Koeman told reporters at his team's first media session of the new season held at the Philips Stadium in Eindhoven.
For me 400 is just a number, says Sachin
By IANS
Vadodara : Sachin Tendulkar is about to reach yet another milestone. The fifth one-day international (ODI) between India and Australia at the Reliance Stadium here Thursday would be the 400th limited overs international game of his career.
"It feels great that I will be playing my 400th ODI. But for me it is just a number and the match would be just another match. I won't be doing anything special and I will be preparing for the game as usual as I do for other matches," said Tendulkar on the sidelines of the team's net session here Wednesday.
First Test: India vs. Sri Lanka, lunch, Day 1 scoreboard
By IANS,
Ahmedabad : The following is the scoreboard of India's innnings against Sri Lanka at lunch on the first day of the first Test match at the Sardar Patel Stadium at Motera here Monday.
India 1st innings:
Gautam Gambhir b Welegedara 1
Virender Sehwag lbw Welegedara 16
Rahul Dravid batting 45
Sachin Tendulkar b Welegedara 4
V.V.S. Laxman b Prasad 0
Yuvraj Singh batting 35
Extras (b 2, nb 2) 4
Total (for four wickets in 25 overs) 105
Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Gambhir, 2.5 overs), 2-27 (Sehwag, 6.1), 3-31 (Tendulkar, 6.4), 4-32 (Laxman, 7.4)
Seles retires from tennis
By IANS
St. Petersburg (US) : Former world No.1 American Monica Seles announced retirement from the competitive tennis, bringing down curtains to an illustrious career.
Seles so far had not officially retired, even though she had not played since May 2003, when she lost in the first round of Roland Garros.
"Tennis has been and will always be a huge part of my life. I have for some time considered a return to professional play, but I have now decided not to pursue that," Seles, 34, said after confirming her retirement here Thursday.
Tendulkar shortlisted for three categories in ICC Awards
By IANS,
Dubai: India's Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag are in the running for the International Cricket Council's 'Cricketer of the Year' award.
Chinese-born Austrian sends Sharath packing in second round
By V. Krishnaswamy, IANS,
Beijing, Aug 20 (IANS) An off-colour Achanta Sharath Kamal was full of errors as he went down 1-4 to a much higher ranked Chen Wiexing, a Chinese-born Austrian, in the second round of the men's singles table tennis competition Wednesday.
Sharath, who has never beaten Wiexing and lost to him the last time they played in 2006, was never really on top of his game. Chen won 11-5, 14-12, 11-2, 8-11, 12-10 in 32 minutes to bring down the curtain on Indian table tennis participation at the mega event.
Rain stops play as India struggle in Brisbane ODI
By IANS
Brisbane : Rain stopped play as India were struggling at 128 for six in 36 overs against Australia in the first match of the Commonwealth Bank triangular one-day series at the Gabba here Sunday.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was batting on 14 and Irfan Pathan on 11 when rain stopped play.
Earlier, Dhoni won the toss and decided to bat first.
Gautam Gambhir's 39 runs (51 balls, 4x4s) is the top score of the Indian innings while Australian speedster Brett Lee captured three wickets.
Commonwealth Games will cost Rs.264 bn: minister
By IANS
New Delhi : The Commonwealth Games to be held here in 2010 will cost the country a staggering Rs.264 billion, the parliament was informed Thursday.
"We have allocated Rs.6,400 crore (Rs.64 billion) for creating and improving infrastructure for the games. Another Rs.20,000 crore (Rs.200 billion) will be spent on improving facilities in the city, including the metro," Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar said during question hour in the Rajya Sabha.
Sahoo enters quarterfinals of NECC-ITF Women’s Tennis
By IANS,
Pune : Qualifier Shalini Sahoo continued her fine run, knocking out Uzbekistan wildcard Alexendra Kolesnichenko in straight sets to enter the quarterfinals of the $25,000 NECC-ITF women's tennis Championships here Wednesday.
The Delhi girl outplayed the 662 ranked Alexandra 6-3,6-2 in an hour and 15 minutes to reach her first ever singles quarterfinal.
Shalini broke Alexandra in the 8th game to wrap the first set. In the second set Shalini hit an array of winners and broke Alexandra in the 3rd and 5th game and establish her control over the match.
India to play in Rugby Asiad
By IANS
Mumbai : An Indian rugby team will take part in the Singer Rugby Asiad to be held at CR and FC Grounds and Royal College Sports Complex in Colombo, Sri Lanka from Nov 3-10.
The top six teams in the competition have been divided into two groups with Kazakhstan, Chinese Taipei and Thailand in Group A and Malaysia, China and Sri Lanka in Group B. These six will play for the Cup Championships.
India, Pakistan, Qatar and Iran will play in the second tier competition for the Shield Championship.
Holder Williams struggles to reach second round
By DPA,
London : Defending champion Venus Williams struggled for almost an hour in a marathon first set before knocking back a British challenge in the first round of the Wimbledon Championships Tuesday.
The seventh seed then spent a final 21 minutes claiming victory as she gained momentum for a defeat of number 197 teenager Naomi Cavaday 7-6 (7-5), 6-1.
The win propelled the American on her way as she bids for a fifth trophy at the All England club after playing in only a handful of events this patchy season.
Spot fixing: Sreesanth’s friend Abhishek Shukla gets bail
By IANS,
New Delhi : A Delhi court Thursday granted bail to Abhishek Shukla, friend of cricketer S. Sreesanth, arrested by Delhi Police for his role in the IPL spot fixing case.
Abhinav’s feat is biggest reward for me: coach Dhillon
By Alkesh Sharma, IANS,
Chandigarh : He was very short-tempered and easily lost his cool on losing even a single point. This is not a trait one would associate with the calm and collected shooter Abhinav Bindra who won India's first individual gold medal at the Olympics.
Bindra was just 13 when he went to train under ace shooter Lt. Col (Retd) Jagir Singh Dhillon, who remembers Bindra as a short-tempered but shy and dedicated teenager. And the coach says he has no words to express his joy at Bindra's Olympic success.
Raja wins second straight Futures doubles title in Sheffield
By IANS
London : Purav Raja added to his growing prowess as a double player with a second straight title on the ITF Futures circuit Saturday. The 22-year-old Raja partnered Czech player, Jiri Krkoska to grab the men's doubles title in Futures 2 at Sheffield.
Raja and Krkoska beat local pair David Brewer and Ian Flannagan after rallying from a first set loss. Raja and Krkoska won 4-6, 6-3, 10-7 with the match being decided in the super tie break.
New Zealand hockey team happy with extra security
By Pragya Tiwari, IANS,
New Delhi : The New Zealand squad for the Feb 28-March 13 hockey World Cup feels it could well do with a bit of extra security cover when it hits the road for practice sessions at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, though the Germans and the Spaniards say they have no hassles moving about in the city.
No Pakistani players in Indian Challenger squash
By IANS,
Kolkata : Pakistan players have stayed away from the $30,000 PSA Indian Challenger squash meet beginning here Wednesday.
"This is not an invitation meet. The players have to put in their entries for the tournament," R. N. Ghosal of the Calcutta Racket Club, which is organising the meet, told reporters Tuesday.
"None of the players from Pakistan has sent in applications. Probably this is because they thought they may face difficulties in getting visas," he added.
Italian club fines coach for kicking rival’s behind
By IANS
London : Italian Serie A club Catania will fine coach Silvio Baldini for kicking his Parma counterpart Domenico di Carlo on the backside during Sunday's 2-2 draw, Italian newspapers reported Tuesday.
Baldini, in his first game in charge of Catania, gave di Carlo the boot after a touchline row and was sent to the stands by the referee.
"A code of conduct exists at the club for everyone, including the coach. Because of this Baldini will be fined," Catania general manager Pietro lo Monaco told a media conference Monday.
11 Greek weightlifters caught doping, to miss Olympics
By DPA,
Athens : A second doping test on a group of 11 Greek weightlifters who initially tested positive for banned substances was also found to be positive, making the athletes unlikely competitors for the 2008 Beijing Olympics in August, say reports.
The second test was conducted in a laboratory in Cologne, Germany, and confirmed results first announced April 4, which found almost the entire men's and women's national teams to have failed tests conducted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Netherlands open World Cup campaign with win
By IANS,
Amsterdam: World Cup runners-up the Netherlands opened their World Cup 2014 qualifying campaign with a 2-0 win over Turkey here.
ICC rejects Howard’s nomination
By IANS,
Singapore : The International Cricket Council (ICC) Wednesday rejected the nomination of former Australian prime minister John Howard for the ICC vice president (2010-12).
Howard's nomination was forwarded by Cricket Australia (CA) and New Zealand Cricket (NZC), who said they were "deeply disaapointed" at the rejection.
The ICC executive board met here Wednesday to discuss Howard's nomination.
Lel, Radcliffe win 38th New York City Marathon
New York, Nov 5 (Xinhua) Martin Lel of Kenya and Britain's Paula Radcliffe won the men's and the women's titles respectively at the 38th New York City Marathon.
Lel made his kick in the final kilometre Sunday to edge Abderrahim Goumri of Morocco in two hours nine minutes and four seconds. Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa finished third in 2:11:25. Olympic champion Stefano Baldini of Italy was fourth.
Uruguay represented Latin America with dignity: Bolivian president
By IANS,
La Paz : Bolivian President Evo Morales has congratulated Uruguay soccer team for its fourth place in the World Cup and said it represented Latin America with dignity.
Uruguay's striker Diego Forlan was the best player in the event, he was quoted as saying by Prensa Latina Sunday.
Morales praised Uruguay coach Oscar Washington Tabarez and said it was lack of luck that the team could not occupy third place in the competition.
PCB serves legal notice on Shoaib for payment of fine
By IANS,
Karachi : Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Saturday served a legal notice on controversial pacer Shoaib Akhtar, asking him to pay the Rs.7 million fine imposed for repeated breach of discipline.
A senior PCB official told IANS that the Board's lawyer Tafazzul Rizvi has sent the notice to Shoaib, asking him to pay the fine as soon as possible.
Masoor Suhail, PCB's media chief, said that the move is a legal requirement, pointing out that the matter has been pending for a while and the player is supposed to pay the fine.
New sports policy within a week: Aiyar
By Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi: Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar said here Tuesday that a new sports policy is in its final stage of preparation and the draft will be hosted on the ministry's website in a week for public comments.
"The sports policy is almost ready and should be made public within a week on the official website of the sports ministry," said Aiyar told media persons.
"If we fail to do it next week, it may take another week but not more than that."
Aiyar said the 50-page draft mainly covers three areas.
Hayden dismisses retirement plans
By IANS,
Sydney : Matthew Hayden has dismissed immediate retirement plans from one-day cricket. The veteran opener who will turn 37 next month, says he is far from being a spent force and wants to remain part of Australia's one-day set-up as long as he keeps performing.
"The big thing is I haven't lost my passion for one-day cricket and while I'm performing there, I'll keep playing," Hayden was quoted as saying in Herald Sun.
India’s Mary Ann Gomes leads in World Youth Chess
By IANS
New Delhi : Indian chess player Mary Ann Gomes jointly leads the World Youth Chess Championship in Antalya, Turkey despite losing to Katerina Nemcova of Czech Republic in the seventh round of the under-18 girls section.
According to information reaching here, Gomes and Nemcova share the lead with six points each from seven rounds. The surprise loss Saturday ended the Indian's winning streak in the last six rounds of the championship.
Harper Beckham cheers for David
By IANS,
London: Footballer David Beckham had a strong reason to perform during a match after his one-year-old daughter cheered for him from the stands.
South Africa win toss, elect to bat in third Test
By IANS
Kanpur : South Africa captain Graeme Smith won the toss and elected to bat in the third and deciding Test even as injured India skipper Anil Kumble was ruled out of the match at the Green Park Stadium here Friday. South Africa lead the series 1-0.
Maturity behind improved form, says Samuels
By IANS/CMC,
Dhaka : West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels has pointed to his new found maturity as the reason behind his form, since returning to international cricket following a two-year ban.
Telangana CM congratulates Sania Mirza
Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday congratulated Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza on winning her maiden women's doubles title at a...
Ganguly, Dhoni take India to 404/5
By IANS,
Nagpur : A century stand between Sourav Ganguly and Mahendra Singh Dhoni helped India reach 404 for five in the first innings against Australia at lunch on the second day of the fourth and last Test match at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium here Friday.
Ganguly, playing his last Test, was batting on 80 while India captain Dhoni was on 43. By lunch, they had stitched together an unbroken 101-run stand for the sixth wicket.
I should have sent off de Jong in World Cup final: Webb
London : Referee Howard Webb admitted Thursday that he should have shown Dutch midfielder Nigel de Jong a straight red card for his foul on Xabi Alonso in July's World Cup football final defeat to Spain.
De Jong only received a yellow card for his flying high tackle on Alonso but Englishman Webb now says he would have brandished red had he had a better view of the incident.
"Having seen it again from my armchair, I would red-card him," Webb told the Guardian newspaper.
India vs Pakistan: Second T20 scoreboard
By IANS,
Ahmedabad : The following is the scoreboard of the second and final Twenty20 International between India and Pakistan at the Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, here Friday:
India
Dhoni declared fit, Karthik released for Ranji match
By IANS,
Kanpur : India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been declared fit for the second Test against Sri Lanka starting here from Tuesday.
Dhoni hurt his finger during the first drawn Test in Ahmedabad and the team management had flown in wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik as a replacement.
But now with Dhoni declared fit here Monday, Karthik will join Tamil Nadu in Dharamshala for the Ranji Trophy match against Himachal Pradesh.
Delhi ATP Challenger: Sanam out, Bhambri in doubles second round
By IANS,
New Delhi: India's Sanam Singh was knocked out of the men's singles opening round at the ONGC-GAIL Delhi Open while compatriot Yuki Bhambri...
National Racing Championship set for wet finish
By IANS,
Chennai : The sixth and final round of the 13th JK Tyre National Racing Championship this weekend is set for a wet and exciting finish as the titles in all the classes are up for grabs.
Commonwealth Games a proud moment for India: PM
By IANS,
New Delhi : Amid uproar over corruption in the Commonwealth Games, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday said the October mega event will be a "success" and it will be a "proud moment for the whole country".
"The Commonwealth Games will start in Delhi after about one and a half months. This will be a proud moment for the whole country and especially for Delhi," he said in his Independence Day speech.
Ganguly sees his shade in Dhoni
By IANS,
Nagpur : India's most successful captain Sourav Ganguly sees his shade in Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Ganguly, who bid adieu to international cricket here Monday, said that Dhoni's leadership style was reminiscent of his self.
"Captaincy I just did what I felt was right. I never was a captain who believed in the drawing room and I see a lot of that in Mahendra Singh Dhoni. He doesn't believe a lot in team meeting and all," Ganguly told reporters here.
Meteorite lands on field during cricket match
By IANS,
London : A county cricket match in Britain had an unexpected visitor. A 4.5 billion-year-old meteorite hurtled down from the sky landing just inches away from the boundary ropes and hit one man on the chest.
The rock broke into two when it hit the ground in front of Jan Marszel, 51, and Richard Haynes, 52, senior members of the Sussex County Cricket Club (SCCC). The two were sitting near the boundary watching England cricket team players Luke Wright and Monty Panesar bat when they spotted the black, five-inch rock hurtling towards them.
Saina loses final, settles for World badminton silver
Jakarta/New Delhi : It was heartbreak for Saina Nehwal and all her fans as the Indian badminton ace lost the women's singles final...
Scoreboard, India vs. South Africa, Super Eights, Group E, World Twenty20
By IANS,
Nottingham : Scoreboard of the Super Eight Group E match between India and South Africa in World Twenty20 at Trent Bridge here.
South Africa
Greame Smith c Jadeja b Harbhajan Singh 26 (26)
Herschelle Gibbs b Singh 5 (3)
AB de Villiers c & b Jadeja 63 (51)
Jean Paul Duminy st Dhoni b Raina 10 (15)
Mark Boucher� c Singh b Khan 11 (15)
Albie Morkel not out 8 (8)
Johan Botha not out 4 (2)
Extras (lb-2, w-1) 3
Total (for five wickets in 20 overs) 130
Gambhir century guides India to 284/8
By IANS
Dhaka : Opener Gautam Gambhir made a fine 101 and captain Rahul Dravid was unbeaten on 42 as India made 284 for eight in 49 overs in a rain affected second one-day international match at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur here Saturday.
Indian women’s relay team to compete Friday
By IANS,
Beijing : It will be India's last chance to salvage prestige on the track event of athletics as the women's 4x400m relay team get into action at the Beijing Olympics Friday.
The showpiece track and field have seen pathetic performances from the Indians so far, with none of the competitors progressing beyond the first stage and none managing to replicate the performance they had come up with to make the cut for the big event.
Mumbai marathon draws all defending champions
By IANS
Mumbai : The fifth edition of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon is set to be the biggest ever in India, with all defending champions from the past four years having confirmed their participation in the Jan 20 race, which has been awarded International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) Silver Label.
India grouped with Pakistan, Japan in Asian Games hockey
By IANS,
New Delhi : Commonwealth Games silver medallists India have been grouped with arch-rivals Pakistan in the men's hockey competition for Nov 12-27 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.
Perth officials relieved that Indian tour is on
By IANS
Perth : Officials at Perth's Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA) Ground have heaved a sigh of relief with Indian cricket board's decision to go ahead with the tour.
Perth is the venue for the third Test between India and Australia, starting Jan 16, but the WACA officials said they are not considering employing extra security for the match despite tensions surrounding the tour and a history of racial abuse from spectators at the venue.
India beat England by 54 runs; take 2-0 lead
By IANS,
Indore : India defeated England by 54 runs in the second One-Day International and took a 2-0 lead in the seven-match Hero Honda Cup at the Maharani Usharaje Trust Cricket Ground here Monday.
Chasing 293, England were all our for 238 runs in 47 overs with Owais Shah (58) top scoring and Andrew Flintoff a brisk 43. For India, the star of the day was Yuvraj Singh who first hit 118 and then rolled his arm to pick up 4/28.
Knight Riders elect to bat first against Royal Challengers
By IANS,
Kolkata : Kolkata Knight Riders won the toss and elected to bat first against Bangalore Royal Challengers in a rain-curtailed match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Eden Gardens here Thursday night.
The match has been reduced to a 16-over per side game after rain delayed its start by almost an hour and a half.
Bangalore Hi-Fliers soar past Sultans 2-1
By IANS
Chandigarh : Former champions Bangalore Hi-Fliers kept themselves in the race for a semi-final berth with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Hyderabad Sultans in the fourth Premier Hockey League (PHL) here Thursday.
After four matches each, Bangalore Hi-Fliers now head the table with eight points while Hyderabad Sultans have five.
Hi-Fliers' Tushar Khandekar was declared man of the match.
Indian men seeded second, women fourth in CWG TT
By IANS,
New Delhi: India were seeded second in men's and fourth in women's team competitions of the table tennis event at the Commonwealth Games.
Further bad news for semi-finalist Turkey as Nihat ruled out
By IANS,
Vienna : Turkish coach Fatih Terim, who had only 17 players from his squad of 23 available for Friday's dramatic 3-1 penalty shoot-out quarter-final victory against Croatia, received more bad news on Saturday as inspirational striker Nihat Kahveci was ruled out for their semi-final clash against Germany.
Nihat, who plays for Villarreal in Spain, was taken off with an injury during the victory against Croatia and Turkish media reported Saturday that he will miss the clash against Germany.
European football power on the wane at this World Cup
By Andy Goldberg, DPA,
Port Elizabeth (South Africa) : They can blame on the Jabulani, on the high altitude, or the long domestic seasons.
But as the final stages of the 2010 World Cup loom, the unmistakeable conclusion is that the tournament has been as bad for European football as the Greek crisis was for its currency.
A European team may yet win the 2010 World Cup. It would be foolish to bet against Germany, the Netherlands or Spain based on their recent performances.
Hockey India sets Feb 7 for elections
By IANS,
New Delhi : Hockey India (HI) Monday set Feb 7 as the new date for its elections.
HI president Ashok Kumar Mattoo, after an election-related meeting with world body FIH vice-president Antonio Van Ondarza, said the groundwork for the elections has been done.
"We have done the documentation work for the elections and it is for the FIH observer and the government-appointed observer to look into it now. We have made substantial progress in today's meeting. There were some issues and that have been cleared now," he said.
Tendulkar’s ton lifts India to win, 1-0 lead in finals
By Neena Bhandari, IANS
Sydney : A splendid unbeaten century by Sachin Tendulkar - his 42nd - lifted India to a six-wicket win over Australia in the first of the three finals of the Commonwealth Bank Triangular Series here Sunday.
Tendulkar's unbeaten 117 - his first ton against Australia Down Under - came on what could be his last tour to this country and it came at the right time, when India had not beaten the home side before.
Jeev shoots six over in British Open first round
By IANS
London : Jeev Milkha Singh, India's lone contender in the British Open golf championships, made a disastrous start Thursday, shooting six over par 77 at Carnoustie, Scotland.
The Indian, placed a lowly 128th, must play some exceptional golf Friday to make the cut.
The 2006 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner started with a birdie on the opening hole of the par-71 Carnoustie Golf Club course, but soon found himself in trouble with bogeys on the third and fifth holes.
Brazilian panache hits Indian football
By Abhishek Roy, IANS
Ludhiana : When it comes to football, India is nowhere near the global teams, but its culture and appreciative audience has been successful in attracting players from faraway Brazil, the five-time World Cup champions.
In the by-lanes of Sao Paulo, on the beaches of Rio de Janiero and deep inside coffee plantations, football is all about living the dreams and a Brazilian is ready to do anything for it, even travel to India.
Harbhajan, Kartik back in Test squad
By IANS
Mumbai : Spinners Harbhajan Singh and Murali Kartik were recalled to the 14-member Indian Test squad Wednesday for the first two matches against Pakistan starting in Delhi Nov 22.
The 14-member squad announced here is: Anil Kumble (captain), Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthik, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicket-keeper), Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth, Harbhajan Singh, Murali Kartik and Rudra Pratap Singh
‘I want to see cricket run professionally in Pakistan’
By Omar Khalid, IANS,
Karachi : Jamshed Dasti, the parliamentary sports committee chief who ignited a storm by hurling match-fixing charges at the Pakistan cricket team earlier this month, says that he wants to ensure that cricket is run in a professional manner in the country.
Dasti told reporters here Tuesday that he believes that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not functioning properly. He said the committee will try to bring administrative changes within the Board.
He claimed that the committee had complete support of President Asif Zardari, who is PCB's chief patron.
Sania-Martina ease into Eastbourne quarters
Eastbourne (England): Indo-Swiss tennis pair of Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis thrashed their unseeded opponents in only 46 minutes to enter the women's doubles...
Sunil Narine suspended from bowling in CLT20 final
Hyderabad: In a big blow to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Sunil Narine was Thursday suspended from bowling in Oppo CLT20, making the premier spinner...
Lee Cooper unveils Beijing collection
By IANS,
New Delhi : Leading lifestyle apparel and accessories brand Lee Cooper has formally unveiled its Team Great Britain's formal wear for the Beijing Olympics 2008 to the world, a statement issued by the company said Saturday.
Company officials said the aim of the collection was to design an outstanding visual product which breaks the mould of traditional parade and formal wear - adapted to Beijing's hot and humid weather and is comfortable yet classic.
The collection will allow the members of British team to wear the clothes even after the Olympics.
Harbhajan has been unmasked, says Ponting
By IANS,
Brisbane : Australian captain Ricky Ponting took a dig at Harbhajan Singh, saying the off-spinner has been "unmasked" by his attack on teammate Sreesanth.
"The (slapping) incident was him dealing with a guy that he has probably played 20 Tests with," Ponting was quoted as saying in The Herald Sun. "After this latest issue in India, I think people should be making their own judgments about Harbhajan. He has again done something wrong."
Referring to earlier run-ins with Harbhajan, Ponting also said that every minor error was blown out of proportion.
Samuels may be cleared to play for West Indies
By IANS,
Melbourne : With the International Cricket Council (ICC) all set to review his case, banned all rounder Marlon Samuels may get a chance to play for the West Indies in the one-day series against Australia.
Samuels has been banned for two years by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) for his alleged dealings with an Indian gambler in 2006 and the ICC will review the decision later Wednesday, potentially paving the way for the batsman to resume his place in the national team.
High-speed train revs into Johannesburg for World Cup
By DPA,
Johannesburg : A high-speed train service revved into action in South Africa Tuesday, linking Johannesburg's international airport, Africa's biggest, with the World Cup host city in record time.
The 25.4-billion-rand ($3.2 billion) Gautrain began service three days before the World Cup kicks off in Johannesburg.
The sleek silver-and-gold trains clip along at a maximum speed of 160 kilometres per hour, covering the 19.8 kilometers between OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton business and hotel district in 12 minutes.
India beat South Africa in third Test, draw series 1-1
Qaiser Mohammad Ali, IANS
Kanpur : A rampaging Harbhajan Singh and Virender Sehwag spun India to a series-levelling eight-wicket win over South Africa on an eventful third day of the third and final Test here Sunday.
With this win, achieved with two days to spare on an unpredictable pitch at the Green Park Stadium, India drew the series 1-1 after surprisingly losing the second match in Ahmedabad.
Kirsten takes batsmen to task for pathetic display
By IANS,
Colombo : India's famed batsmen were in the firing line of coach Gary Kirsten Friday after their pathetic performance in the first innings left them facing the spectre of following on in their first cricket Test against Sri Lanka.
India's batsmen fell like a pack of cards and ended the third day at 159 for six in reply to Sri Lanka's mammoth first innings score of 600 for six declared.
Kirsten said he was disappointed with the effort of his batsmen.
Doordarshan-I to telecast both Wimbledon finals
By IANS
New Delhi : Doordarshan-I will telecast live the men's and women's singles finals of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships from London this weekend.
Scoreboard of Super Kings innings against Royal Challengers
By IANS,
Bangalore : The following is the scoreboard of the Chennai Super Kings innings against Royal Challengers in an Indian Premier League match here Monday.
Chennai Super Kings
Pathiv Patel c Kallis b Kumar 21
Matthew Hayden b Khan 13
Michael Hussey c Dravid b Khan 47
Suresh Raina run out (Jaffer/Boucher) 28
Mahendra Singh Dhoni c sub (R Vinay Kumar) b Khan 65
Jacob Oram not out 0
Extras (lb 1, w 3) 4
Total (5 wickets; 20 overs) 178
Fall of wickets 1-22 (Hayden, 3.6 overs), 2-42 (Patel, 6.3), 3-83 (Raina,
11.6), 4-178 (Dhoni, 19.5), 5-178 (Hussey, 19.6)
Rajasthan Royals beat Kings XI Punjab
By IANS,
Mohali: Rajasthan Royals beat Kings XI Punjab by 31 runs in an Indian Premier League match here Wednesday.
Set a target of 184 runs, Kings XI Punjab were all out for 152 in 19.1 overs.
Manvinder Bisla scored 35 while Kumar Sangakkara made 29.
Shaun Tait (3-22), Siddharth Trivedi (2-25), Yusuf Pathan (2-9) all chipped in with wickets.
Sehwag out of World Cup, replaced by Murali Vijay
By IANS,
Mumbai : India opener Virender Sehwag has been ruled out of the Twenty20 World Cup and has been replaced by Tamil Nadu batsman Murali Vijay in the 15-member squad for the tournament that starts April 30.
"Sehwag has sustained a shoulder injury, and has been advised rest for three-four weeks. He has been ruled out of the ICC World Twenty20," said board secrtary N.Srinivasan.
Chima Ramu finishes 11th in Hong Kong marathon
By IANS
Mumbai : Kennedy Chima Ramu finished 11th at the men's marathon in Hong Kong and helped India to stay on top for the fourth successive year in the South Asia and Middle East challenge of the Standard Chartered Greatest Race on Earth.
Ramu finished the final leg with a timing of 2:30.14 sec and ensured that the Indian men's team pocketed $ 40,000 for securing Champion Team title.
In the women's section, Rina Das finished 15th (31st overall) with a timing of 3 hours 16.48 sec. The women's team finished second in the regional challenge and earned $ 20,000.
Largescale protests by Tibetans in Delhi; 60 held
By NNN-PTI,
New Delhi : Tibetan refugees held large-scale demonstrations in the capital Thursday to coincide with the Olympic flame run, including taking out a parallel torch relay to protest against alleged Chinese atrocities in Tibet.
About 60 Tibetans were detained in various parts of the capital, which was turned into a fortress for the event, with thousands of policemen keeping a hawk-eye vigil to prevent any attempts by the protesters to disrupt it.
Dalai Lama to see IPL match in Dharamsala
By IANS,
Dharamsala: Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama would witness one of the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket matches here, a statement said Tuesday.
"The office of the Dalai Lama has confirmed that His Holiness has accepted the invitation from the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association. He has been invited as a special guest at the IPL match on April 18," a post on the website of the Tibetan government-in-exile said.
The Nobel laureate, 74, would witness the match between King's XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings at the International Cricket Stadium.
Scrap Champions Trophy, says Hayden
By IANS,
London : Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden has called for scrapping the Champions Trophy as there already is a World Cup in the 50-over format.
Hayden, writing about his vision for cricket, questioned why the tournament should be held when there is already a World Cup in 50 overs format. The Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place in South Africa Sept 22-Oct 5.
Chopra way behind, Choi leads in US golf
By IANS
Los Angeles : Daniel Chopra was lying way behind in the 78th spot after shooting a two-over 73 in the $6.2 million Northern Trust Open, but the Asian players continued their great start on the US PGA Tour as Korea's K J Choi took the lead with a fine six-under 65.
Interestingly, Korean-born American Kevin Na is in the second place with a 66.
The first round was still incomplete with 17 players needing to come back Tuesday to finish it.
Mumbai Indians first team to win six games in row
By IANS,
Hyderabad : Mumbai Indians, after beating Deccan Chargers here Sunday night, became the first team to register six consecutive victories in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Earlier, Mumbai Indians had lost four matches in a row.
Other statistical highlights of the match:
# Under Sachin Tendulkar's captaincy, Mumbai Indians have won three games in a row.
# He is the only captain not to have lost a single game in the IPL.
# Sanath Jayasuriya, with two sixes, became the first batsman to post 20 sixes in the IPL, eclipsing Virender Sehwag's tally of 19 sixes.
Thailand Open: Saina crashes out; Kashyap, Sourabh also lose
By IANS,
New Delhi : Top-seeded Saina Nehwal crashed out of the Thailand Open, going down 13-21, 12-21 to Xuerui Li of China in the quarterfinals at Bangkok Friday.
Federer survives Shanghai scare
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Shanghai: Swiss world No. 1 Roger Federer stuttered past his compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka into the quarterfinals of the Shanghai Masters.
Sporting Clube upset Mohun Bagan in I-League
By IANS
Margao : Sporting Clube de Goa continued with their winning ways in the football I-League with a late solitary goal win over Mohun Bagan at Nehru Stadium here Wednesday.
A goal from Junior Elijah, four minutes from close, brought about a dramatic end to what remained a dull contest.
The win enabled Sporting Clube jump to fifth position with 12 points, a welcome change from their bottom-placed rank only a couple of weeks ago, while Mohun Bagan stayed in the fourth spot with 14 points.
Assam cricket body appeals to ULFA for peaceful ODI
By Syed Zarir Hussain, IANS
Guwahati, Nov 3 (IANS) Through front-page advertisements in local dailies, the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) has appealed to the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) to allow smooth conduct of the India-Pakistan ODI here Monday, putting authorities in a quandary.
"The appeal by the ACA was issued on their own although there is no specific intelligence input about any threats by the ULFA during the ODI," Guwahati district magistrate Avinash Joshi told IANS.
Are referees influencing football matches in Italy?
By DPA
Milan : There seems to be no end in Italy to the bitter criticism of referees, who some believe are set on influencing the outcome of games, and possibly of whole football seasons.
For those bent on discovering plots, the line between inaccurate calls and alleged favours grew thinner at the weekend with the controversial awarding of a penalty kick to Serie A leaders Inter Milan that secured a 1-0 win over Empoli.
As it happens after every game, hours of airtime were devoted to replaying what referees missed or misjudged.
ICC suspends United States membership
Bridgetown (Barbados): The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board, exercising its power under Article 2.7 of the ICC's Articles of Association, has unanimously decided to...
Watson bats for Symonds for Gabba Test
By IANS,
Sydney : Shane Watson has tipped Andrew Symonds for the first Test against New Zealand that begins Thursday, though it can scuttle his chances to be in the side.
The two all-rounders are included in Australia's 13 man-squad but it won't come as a surprise if Symonds makes the cut at the expense of Watson for the first Test at Gabba.
Charlesworth still not clear about his role
By IANS
New Delhi : Australian hockey coach Ric Charlesworth has agreed to be the technical adviser of the Indian men's team, but he is still not clear about his actual role.
After a series of marathon meetings and much haggling with the officials of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and the Sports Authority of India, it was decided to entrust the men's team to Charlesworth, though initially he was offered the charge of only the Indian women's and junior teams.
ICC receives Alan Isaac’s nomination for vice president
By IANS,
Dubai : The International Cricket Council (ICC) Monday confirmed that it has received the joint nomination of Alan Isaac from New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and Cricket Australia (CA) for the position of vice president from 2010-2012.
CA and NZC nominated Isaac after their earlier nomination of former Australian prime minister John Howard did not receive support within the ICC board. As such, both members were invited to re-nominate a candidate by Aug 31.
Somdev knocks out Cilic in Legg Mason Classic
By IANS,
Washington : India's Somdev Devvarman stunned World No.15 and sixth seed Marin Cilic of Croatia in straight sets 7-5, 6-4 to advance to the third round of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic here Wednesday.
Somdev, who lost to Cilic in the final of the ATP Chennai Open in January, avenged the defeat in great style. It was his first victory against a top-20 player.
Somdev, 24, served brilliantly and battled to save five of the seven break points.
Scholes out for three months with knee injury
Digicel to sponsor Caribbean Premier League
By IANS/CMC,
Bridgetown (Barbados): Telecommunications major Digicel will sponsor the inaugural Caribbean Premier League (CPL) to be played in July-August.
DDCA refunds Rs.3.6 million for Kotla fiasco
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) has refunded Rs.3.6 million in gate collections to the spectators following Sunday's abandonment of the fifth ODI between India and Sri Lanka at the Ferozeshah Kotla.
DDCA official Ravi Jain told IANS that Rs.2.6 million was refunded Tuesday and Rs.900,000 was paid back through different channels Wednesday.
Asked about the losses DDCA suffered, Jain said: "The stadium has suffered serious losses. Chairs were broken and even the toilets were damaged. We are still calculating the losses."
Harbhajan Singh continues to play with fire
By Jaideep Sarin, IANS,
Chandigarh : He has let his hair down on a ramp and featured in a liquor advertisement - both prohibited by his religion - had on and off field spats with Australians Andrew Symonds and Mathew Hayden, slapped fellow cricketer S. Sreesanth in full public view and now done a 'Ravana' act that has got Hindu and Sikh organisations gunning for him.
Spain crush Peru 5-0 in Davis Cup
By Xinhua
Lima : Nicolas Almagro of Spain has defeated Ivan Miranda in straight sets to whitewash Peru 5-0 in Davis Cup World Group here.
Almagro tackled the end of the competition with greater seriousness and was determined that the Spanish team would return unbeaten, beating Miranda 6-2, 6-3 Sunday in just over an hour.
Almagro, who is ranked 31st in the world, displayed a powerful serve and volley game, that targeted the depths of the line which wore down his rival physically to clinch the first set 6-2.
Lucio passes Pele in number of World Cup games for Brazil
By DPA,
Durban : Centre-back Lucio surpassed Pele as the player with the most number of World Cup matches for Brazil when he captained the South Americans against Portugal in Durban Friday.
It was Lucio's 15th game with the five-times World Cup winners.
Lucio said overtaking Pele would make him "happy," although his goal is South Africa was "to win the title."
Former right-back Cafu has played the most World Cup games for Brazil, turning out out 20 times over four editions of the tournament from 1994-2006. He won the title twice, in 1994 and 2002.
Tiger’s feat at US Open was a great, says Federer
By IANS,
Wimbledon : It is well-known that the World's No. 1 tennis and World's No. 1 golf players are close friends. But now the golf star, Tiger Woods, is out for the season and Roger Federer is on the verge of setting a new record with a sixth Wimbledon title on the trot.
At the pre-Wimbledon conference, Federer, was naturally quizzed on his friend and asked what his observations were of what Tiger did at the US Open last week and if he had any communication with him since.
Saina reaches semis of Swiss Open
By IANS,
Basel: Two-time defending champion Saina Nehwal booked her berth in the women's singles semifinals of the $125,000 Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold here at St. Jakobshalle Friday.
Difficult, tricky outing for India against South Africa
By Anand Philar, IANS,
Few can forget South Africa's grand entry into World Cup in a parched Sydney, back in 1994. Having been re-admitted to mainstream sports at the end of the Apartheid era, the South African team then was an unknown quantity. But coach Gavin Featherstone, the slick talker that he was, ensured headlines for his team as he had the quotes-hungry media eating out of his hands.
Australia to bat against India, Sehwag replaces Pathan
By IANS,
Ahmedabad : Australia captain Ricky Ponting won the toss and opted to bat against India in the quarter-final of the World Cup at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera here Thusday.
I need sponsors for my European Tour dream: Chowrasia
By IANS
Kolkata : EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters winner S.S.P Chowrasia Monday said he needs a sponsorship of $50,000 to make his dream of playing in the European Tour come true.
Talking to the media at a felicitation programme at the RCGC where he honed his skills, Chowrasia said: "I need half a million dollars to sustain myself on the European tour. I have got a sanction till 2010 and I am very excited. I want to take on the best in the world."
He was felicitated with a bouquet as the caddies lined up and garlanded him and cried out "Chowrasia Zindabad" in his honour.
Tendulkar felicitated before his 400th ODI
By IANS
Vadodara : Cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar was felicitated by the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) on reaching the milestone of 400th one-day international (ODI) matches here Thursday.
The fifth ODI against Australia was Tendulkar's 400th ODI. He became the second player in the world after former Sri Lankan skipper Sanath Jayasuriya to reach the milestone.
Local lads Irfan and Yusuf Pathan, part of India's Twenty20 World Championships winning squad, were also felicitated by BCA president Chirayu Amin.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Asian Games tennis: India lose to Chinese Taipei, get bronze
By IANS,
Gunagzhou : India had to settle for a bronze in the men's tennis event after losing 1-2 to top seeds Chinese Taipei in the semifinals here Monday.
India out of semifinal race with 2-3 loss to England
By IANS,
New Delhi: Hosts India went down fighting 2-3 to England to bow out of the semifinal race as the European champions became the first team to reach the last four stage of the hockey World Cup here Saturday.
England scored through James Tindall in the 16th minute as he deflected in a cross from Nick Catlin. England, who have an all-win record in the tournament so far, made some fine moves but fumbled near the goalmouth.
Sania, Paes win in Pacific Life Open
By IANS
Indian Wells (California) : India's tennis star Sania Mirza returned to her winning ways, advancing to the third round of the $2.1 million Pacific Life Open here defeating Olga Savchuk of Ukraine in a tough three-setter.
The 21-year-old Hyderabad resident, ranked 32nd in the world, lost the opening set Friday night but came back strongly to register a 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Savchuk who is way behind Sania in the rankings at the 96th position.
Sania, seeded 21 here, had received a bye in the first round.
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