Ahmedabad stadium to host ICL matches
By IANS,
Ahmedabad : The Sardar Patel Stadium in the heart of the city will host some of the 42 Indian Cricket League (ICL) matches in the new season commencing Oct 10.
Addressing the media here Wednesday, ICL executive board chairman and former India captain Kapil Dev said the day/night matches will be played in four centres, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chandigarh and Gurgaon.
Ahmedabad could see 10 to 12 matches in the series that will be on till Nov 25, he said.
Indian lab receive WADA accredition
By IANS,
New Delhi : The World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) has accredited India's National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTA) here, it was announced Sunday.
The decision was taken at WADA's executive committee meeting in Montreal Saturday.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has hailed the move as an important day for sports in the country.
Narain wins A1GP at Brands Hatch
By IANS,
Brands Hatch (Britain) : India's Narain Karthikeyan piped local hero Robbie Kerr to give Team India its second A1GP win here Sunday.
The win at the Brands Hatch circuit was second for Karthikeyan, whose first win came in Zuhai, China. Karthikeyan made a number of unforced errors but still Kerr could not find his way past the Indian.
Neel Jani driving for Team Switzerland took third place.
Karthikeyan secured India's first ever pole position after beating Kerr in the qualifying session of the season-ending race Saturday.
An indoor basketball stadium for Delhi
By IANS,
New Delhi : The long-standing demand of Delhi's basketball fans for an indoor stadium at the Ajmal Khan Park been finally been met, thanks to the Commonwealth Games. An air-conditioned stadium is coming up at the Ajmal Khan Park in West Delhi
For years there has been a clamour for a basketball stadium at Ajmal Khan Park, the venue of the popular Pandit Prithvi Nath Sharma memorial all-India basketball tournament, but successive local-self-government agencies stonewalled it for different reasons.
Liverpool stadium plans delayed again
By DPA,
London : Liverpool announced that the team's plans to leave Anfield for a 60,000-seater stadium in Stanley Park has been delayed.
"Our commitment to building a new world-class Liverpool Football Club stadium is undiminished," the club said in a statement Friday.
"Like many other major development projects in the UK and overseas we are affected by global market conditions and, as such, work on the project will be delayed in the short term. We will use this period productively and revisit the plans for the stadium to increase its capacity to 73,000 seats."
Scoreboard: Delhi Daredevils-Rajasthan Royals match
By IANS,
Jaipur : Following is the scoreboard of the Indian Premier League (IPL) match in which Rajasthan Royals beat Delhi Daredevils by three wickets here Sunday night:
Match No.33, Indian Premier League, Twenty20, Rajasthan Royals vs. Delhi Daredevils, Sawai Mansingh stadium, Jaipur, May 11.
Delhi Daredevils:
Gautam Gambhir b Trivedi 31
Virender Sehwag c Kaif b Watson 17
Shikhar Dhawan run out (Munaf Patel) 3
AB de Villiers c Warne b Mascrenhas 20
Dinesh Karthik c Rawat b Mascrenhas 13
T. Dilshan not out 18
Amit Mishra b Trivedi 4
Farvez Maharoof c NK Patel b Watson 39
IOA chief Kalmadi slams Sports Minister Aiyar again
New Delhi, Aug 2 (IANS) Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi slammed Union Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar Thursday saying that his negative attitude towards hosting mega events like the 2010 Commonwealth Games was acting as an impediment towards the development of sports in the country.
"Through mega events we broaden the horizon of sports in the country. But people are doubting the necessity of hosting mega events like the Commonwealth Games," said Kalmadi, while addressing a workshop for planning and management of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Statistical report – Gwalior happy hunting ground for India
By Rajesh Kumar, IANS
Gwalior : The Capt. Roop Singh Stadium here has been a happy hunting ground for India that has won six of their eight one-day internationals (ODIs).
Two of the home team's stalwarts, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, will also be looking forward to adding a second century to their name Thursday at this ground. Tendulkar has also won two Man of the Match awards here.
India has won four of its six ODIs here while chasing and twice batting first.
Harbhajan breaks into top 20 in ICC ODI bowlers’ chart
By IANS
Dubai : Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh climbed five places to enter top 20 while pacer Ishant Sharma climbed up 96 places to be placed 154th in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) One-day Internationals (ODI) bowlers rankings.
Harbhajan, the only Indian in top 20, is 18th with 618 rating points while the Delhi's Ishant, 19, who has made significant impact on his first tour to Australia. He has claimed six wickets in four matches in the ongoing Commonwealth Bank Triangular Series.
Kirsten’s presence will help India’s strategy against Proteas: Kumble
By IANS
Dubai : New Indian team coach Gary Kirsten's long stint in the South African team will help in sharpening their strategy as they prepare to take on the visiting Proteas in the upcoming Test series, according to Indian Test captain Anil Kumble.
"Gary Kirsten has been in the South African dressing room for a long time and has gathered a lot of experience," Kumble told reporters on the sidelines of a press conference here Wednesday, where he was speaking as brand ambassador for Manipal University that is setting up an engineering college in this Gulf city.
Barcelona stand in way as England trio target final
By DPA,
Hamburg : Barcelona stand in the way of an all-English Champions League football final next month when they take on Manchester United in the semi-finals Wednesday.
Either Liverpool or Chelsea will be in Moscow May 21, with the Reds - winners in 2005 - seeking a third semi-final victory over the London club and third appearance in a final in four years.
United face a crucial week, with a key Premier League encounter against Chelsea Saturday sandwiched between the two semi-final ties against the Spanish giants.
Seamless Sharapova set to unzip improved US Open form
By DPA
New York : Sharapova will defend her title without the security of a seam as the Russian debuts a bonded tennis dress at the US Open.
The second-seeded 20-year-old catwalk queen will play for the first time in a red dress with details of the New York skyline worked into the fabric for a picture effect.
As for stitching - there won't actually be any.
"This is the first dress that's seamless. I don't know if you're into it, but it's seamless, all bonded material," she joked Saturday. "Exciting stuff."
I bowl with fire in belly: Sreesanth
By IANS
Dubai : Indian pacer Santhakumar Sreesanth keeps coming back at the batsmen with intensity and he says he relishes challenging the reputation of his opponents.
"It does not matter whether the batsman is Andrew Symonds or anyone else. I love bowling with fire especially against someone who challenges me. I don't like to be in a comfort zone," said Sreesanth.
"Charging in to bowl is not easy and it hardly matters who the batsman is at the receiving end. For me he is just another guy with a helmet," Sreesanth was quoted as saying in Gulf News.
IPL is not a sport: Achuthanandan
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan Friday said the Indian Premier League (IPL) was not a sport but big business involving money.
"IPL is not a sporting event instead it is a big business involving money. The details of the present controversy are being studied," Achuthanandan said while interacting with reporters after the weekly cabinet meeting. The chief minister was asked about the alleged involvement of Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor in the Kochi franchise of the IPL.
Celebrations begin in Jharkhand as Dhoni is named ODI captain
By IANS
Ranchi : "Jharkhand ka laal, tune kiya kamal!" (The son of Jharkhand has done wonders!) was the reaction in Mahendra Singh Dhoni's home town here Tuesday after he was named captain of Team India for the first three one-day cricket internationals against Australia beginning Sep 29.
Overjoyed fans of Dhoni gathered at the Albert Ekka and Lalpur Chowk beating drums and rubbing 'gulaal' (coloured powder) on each other's face to celebrate the occasion.
Ranty, Ogba fall unconscious after head-on collision
Kolkata, Dec 18 (IANS) Four years after Brazilian Cristiano Junior's on-field death sent shockwaves across the soccer world, there were anxious moments during the Federation Cup semi final here Thursday as two Nigerian players dropped senseless for a moment following a head-on collision.
The incident occurred in the 73rd minute of the first pre-summit battle between Dempo Sports Club - for which Junior had turned up in the Federation Cup final on the fatal Dec 5 in 2004 - and Churchill Brothers.
Chennai gives a warm welcome to Anand
By IANS
Chennai : World Chess champion Vishwanathan Anand was accorded a warm welcome by a crowd of over 3,000 people from all walks of life, including nearly 500 physically challenged children, who waited patiently at the Kamaraj Domestic Air Terminal here Wednesday.
When the chess ace emerged from the arrival hall - nearly two hours behind schedule as his flight from New Delhi was delayed - there was chaos with photographers and television cameramen jostling with one another to get a better shot.
Australia lose early wicket after winning toss
By IANS
Melbourne : Australia lost an early wicket in the form of Adam Gilchrist after their captain Ricky Ponting won the toss and opted to bat against India in the Commonwealth Ban Triangular One-day Series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground here Sunday.
Teams:
India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain/wicket-keeper), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma
Bengal in Santosh Trophy final beating title holders Goa
By IANS,
Kolkata : Twenty-nine-time winners Bengal rallied back after an early setback to pip title holders Goa 4-3 (1-1) via a dramatic tie-breaker to move into the final of the 64th Santosh Trophy soccer competition here Friday.
The Goans, who were ahead after the initial rounds of penalty shots, fumbled towards the very end as the fourth spot kick taken by seasoned campaigner John Dias hit the post off Bengal custodian Abhra Mandal’s finger, while the final effort from Nicholas Rodrigues was a feeble one and the goalkeeper saved it with his legs.
Euphoria at Bindra residence, media relentlessly pursues family
By IANS,
Chandigarh : Ace shooter Abhinav Bindra's residence near here has been swarmed by media persons since his gold medal winning performance at the Beijing Olympics, making it difficult for his parents to relax or even have a meal without being interrupted by journalists.
The Bindra farmhouse, on the Zirakpur-Patiala highway near Zirakpur town in Punjab around 15 km from Chandigarh, has been surrounded by the outdoor broadcast (OB) vans of various television news channels and journalists have been vying with each other to get exclusive interviews with Abhinav's family members.
India’s Aroor, Sherif top in Malaysia Rally
By IANS,
Chennai : Arjun Rao Aroor (co-driver Musa Sherif) of Team Castrol India took the top spot in Group N class at the fifth round of the Malaysian Rally Championship at Perak.
According to information received here, the victory Sunday was their third in four rounds and it helped them annex the championship with a tally of 44.5 points.
Sania Mirza jumps to third spot in doubles rankings
St. Petersburg (United States): Fresh from her BNP Paribas Open title win pairing with Swiss star Martina Hingis, India's Sania Mirza jumped to her...
China expresses thanks for great Indian efforts for torch run
By NNN-PTI,
Beijing : Relieved at the trouble-free Olympic torch relay in New Delhi, China today appreciated the "great efforts" by the Indian government for its smooth run.
"China expresses its thanks for the warm support and participation of the Indian people and the great efforts by the Indian side," the Foreign Ministry spokesperson's office told PTI, a day after the relay passed off under a massive security cover in New Delhi.
Sanjay Kumar wins the BT Honda Pro-Am
By IANS
Gurgaon : Lucknow professional Sanjay Kumar capitalised on a brilliant opening round and added a four-under par 68 to his overnight 60 to win the 13th edition of the BT Honda Pro-Am of Champions at the par-72 Jack Nicklaus designed Classic Golf Resort Sunday.
The stocky pro had a two-day total of 16-under 128 and walked away with the winner's cheque of Rs 120,000 along with the Rs 55,000 he pocketed for being the best pro on the opening day.
No international matches in Kotla this year, says ICC
By IANS,
New Delhi:International Cricket Council (ICC) Thursday said that no international matches will be played at the Ferozshah Kotla stadium until the end of December following the abandonment of the India-Sri Lanka one-day international here last month due to an unfit pitch.
The ruling means Kotla will be able to host the matches of 2011 World Cup.
Free transport for opening ceremony for spectators
By IANS,
New Delhi : If you have a ticket for Sunday's opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, you can reach the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium for free.
I rejected $2.5 mn Indian Cricket League offer: Bangladesh skipper
By IANS,
Dhaka : Mohammed Ashraful, skipper of Bangladesh's new-look cricket team, has said that he rejected a $2.5 million offer from the Indian Cricket League (ICL) and denied having encouraged any of the fellow-Bangladeshi cricketers to opt for the rebel league.
Dhiman Ghosh, a Bangladeshi player now part of ICL's "Dhaka Warriors" team, had charged Ashraful with encouraging fellow-Bangladeshi cricketers to opt for ICL.
Ashraful spoke up on the issue of his contact with an unnamed ICL agent after an embargo on his speaking to the media ended Wednesday, media reports said.
Brown wins SAIL Open golf, Randhawa second
By IANS
Noida : A little over a year after being inspired to return to competitive golf by the kids he had been teaching for three years following a frustrating career, Mark Brown turned his fortune around with a four-shot win at the SAIL Open 2008 at the Jaypee Greens Saturday.
India lead by 301 runs against Australia in Mohali Test
By IANS,
Mohali : India were 100 for no loss in the second innings, stretching their lead to 301 against Australia at stumps on the third day of the second cricket Test at Punjab Cricket Association ground here Sunday.
Virender Sehwag (53 batting) and Gautam Gambhir (46 batting) piled agony on Australia after India bowled out the visitors for 268, one run short of the follow-on.
Holders India knocked out by Pakistan in junior World Cup
By IANS,
Christchurch : Defending champions India lost a battle of nerves against Pakistan in a truncated junior World Cup quarterfinal, losing by two wickets in a pulsating last-over finish here Saturday.
Rain reduced the match to 23 overs and, put in, India could only muster 114 for nine, but fought gallantly before losing with three balls to spare at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval.
Eventually, Pakistan chased down the target, thanks to some gritty batting by Hammad Azam, who scored an unbeaten 21 off 13 balls with two fours and one six.
Pakistan name Shahid Ali Khan as new hockey coach
By Omar Khalid, IANS,
Karachi : Pakistan Friday appointed Olympian Shahid Ali Khan as the new head coach of the national hockey team, assigning him to prepare a strong team for the Asia Cup in May in Dubai.
The decision to appoint Shahid was taken during the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) executive board meeting in Lahore.
Iraq wins Asian Cup for the first time
By NNN-KUNA
Baghdad : The Iraqi national football team has won its first ever Asian Cup after beating Saudi Arabia 1-0.
In the 71st minute of the match, Iraqi striker Mahmoud Younis' header diverted the ball which was sent from a corner kick to score the only goal that awarded his team the title.
The match witnessed complete control by the Iraqi team which was relentlessly pushing forward and toward the Saudi goal.
In a statement, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki congratulated the team for the win.
Baghdad : The Iraqi national football team has won its first ever Asian Cup after beating Saudi Arabia 1-0.
In the 71st minute of the match, Iraqi striker Mahmoud Younis' header diverted the ball which was sent from a corner kick to score the only goal that awarded his team the title.
The match witnessed complete control by the Iraqi team which was relentlessly pushing forward and toward the Saudi goal.
In a statement, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki congratulated the team for the win.
Gill asks Indian hockey team to give its best
By IANS,
New Delhi: Sports Minister M.S Gill met the Indian hockey team at the Games Village Wednesday and asked them to give their best shot in the Oct 3-14 Games.
India win toss, bat in second ODI
By IANS
Bristol : India won the toss and asked England to bowl in the second One-day International at the County Ground here Friday.
India have made two changes in the team that lost the first match by 104 runs in Southampton Tuesday. Off-spinner Ramesh Powar and pacer Munaf Patel replaced opener Gautham Gambhir and pacer Zaheer Khan who has flu.
England made one change, replacing Monty Panesar with Chris Tremlett.
Teams:
Euro 2008 an “outstanding experience”, says Platini
By Xinhua,
Vienna : European soccer body UEFA president Michel Platini said Euro 2008 was an outstanding experience and transmitted European football's positive image across the globe.
In a press conference held here Saturday, Platini thanked players, coaches and fans for their efforts during the tournament.
Platini also praised co-hosts Austria and Switzerland and looked forward to a memorable final encounter between Germany and Spain.
Beijing Olympics will be a success
By Huang Yanan, Xinhua,
Dhaka : Bangladeshi former foreign secretary and former ambassador to China Farooq Sobhan said here Sunday that China has made great efforts in preparing for the upcoming Olympics and he believed the Beijing Olympics will be a success.
Farooq said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua that he was deeply impressed by the construction of the venues when he last visited some Olympic venues including Bird's Nest in August 2007 at the invitation of Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs.
Oldest surviving Test cricketer dies in New Zealand
By DPA,
Wellington : New Zealander Eric Tindill, who was the world's oldest surviving Test cricketer, has died aged 99 and 226 days, his family announced here Monday.
Tindill was also the oldest surviving New Zealand international rugby test player and the only New Zealander to be capped in both rugby and cricket.
He died Sunday in a hospital here.
A left-handed batsman and wicketkeeper, Tindill's cricket career was interrupted by World War II, playing in five Test matches between 1937 and 1947.
Leading Sri Lankan player on ICC radar
By IANS,
London : Close on the heels of the spot-fixing row involving Pakistanis, a leading Sri Lankan player is under the International Cricket Council (ICC) scanner after his colleagues reported his proximity with a man they believe is an illegal bookie.
The 107 caps of Bhaichung Bhutia
By IANS,
New Delhi : The following are the career statistics of former India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia who ended his international career here Wednesday.
BCCI officials crowd cricketers out of the frame
By IANS
New Delhi : For the second time in a month, Indian cricket board officials showed their zeal to hog the limelight as they sat next to President Pratibha Patil at a reception Tuesday, leaving the Twenty20 World Championship-winning cricketers behind.
When Patil posed with the cricketers, for whom she had hosted a reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan, she was flanked by officials instead of captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, vice-captain Yuvraj Singh or coach Lalchand Rajput.
Most Bengal Inc captains prefer to skip IPL opening show
By IANS,
Kolkata: Though the eastern metropolis hosted a gala opening ceremony of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Tuesday evening, most Bengal industry captains skipped the Salt Lake Stadium.
India beat England in lawyers’ cricket tie
By IANS
New Delhi : Indian lawyers defeated their British counterparts by five wickets in a six-a-side cricket match in England organised by the Bar Council of England and the Law Society of England and Wales.
Symonds may be ready to tour Pakistan
By IANS
Sydney : Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds has done a u-turn and now says that he might tour Pakistan though security remains an issue there, the media reported Thursday.
"The door is ajar but you know where I stand on it," Symonds was quoted as saying in the Daily Telegraph. Symonds said he had long held a stance that safety was the most important issue and he was against going on the tour.
He said that if Cricket Australia's security experts gave clearance and administrators urged him to make the tour he would have to make a decision at the time.
Host Delhi finally discusses 2010 Games preparations
By IANS
New Delhi : Almost four years after being awarded - and with a little over three years to go - organisers of host city Delhi held the first big meeting here Friday to give the 2010 Commonwealth Games preparations a definitive course.
New Zealand win the toss, India to bat
By IANS,
Christchurch : New Zealand's stand-in captain Brendon McCullum won the toss and decided to put India in to bat in the third One-Day International (ODI) at the AMI Stadium here Sunday.
While India retained the side that played in the first two ODIs at Napier and Wellington, New Zealand are playing without their captain Daniel Vettori, who has flown to Auckland where wife Mary is due to give birth to the couple's first child. He has been replaced by off-spinner Jeetan Patel. Medium-pacer Tim Southee returns to the side after missing the seecond ODI, replacing Iain O'Brien.
Former world boxing champion killed himself in Brazil
By DPA,
Sao Paulo : Former world boxing champion Arturo "Thunder" Gatti, whose body was found in a holiday flat in the Brazilian resort of Porto de Galinhas in early July, committed suicide, police said.
An investigation found that the Italian-Canadian had hanged himself and was not murdered.
As a result, a court in Recife ordered the release of his wife, Amanda Rodrigues, 23, who had been held on suspicion of his murder.
Cricketer Mohammad Asif held in Dubai with drugs
By Aroonim Bhuyan, IANS,
Dubai : Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Asif has been held in custody at Dubai airport since Monday morning on a charge of carrying drugs, officials said here Tuesday.
Asif was returning to Pakistan from Mumbai via Dubai when he was held, the officials said. There were unconfirmed reports that he was allegedly carrying hashish.
The fast bowler, in the Delhi Daredevils team during the just-concluded Indian premier League (IPL), was in Mumbai for the semi-final match against Rajasthan Royals Friday.
PCA wins BCCI overall performance award
By IANS,
Mohali: Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) has won the 'Best Overall Performance' award by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), an official said Saturday.
The award will be presented at a function in Mumbai Sunday.
"The performance of PCA has been remarkable in various tournaments. This achievement is the direct result of the efforts of PCA to promote cricket throughout the state in all age-groups," said Sushil Kapoor, spokesperson of PCA, here Saturday evening.
Warne congratulates Murali on Record
By IANS
Sydney : Australian spin legend Shane Warne sent a congratulatory message to Sri Lankan Muthiah Muralidharan on becoming the leading wicket taker in Test cricket.
"Congratulations to Murali - he's been a wonderful player for a long period of time. He's an excellent competitor and has been great for Sri Lankan cricket," Warne said
Good start to season by Anju Bobby in South Asian athletics
By IANS
Kochi : Anju Bobby George won her first meet in the Olympic year with a creditable 6.50m leap as India dominated the South Asian Athletic championships on the opening day.
The Indians won 12 of the 17 golds in the competition that extended late into the evening Friday. Sri Lanka took three golds and Pakistan two. India also picked up 10 silver and 12 bronze medals.
Anju, a top draw at the meet, is competing in her home state after a gap of seven years.
Malaysian-Indian hockey star conferred higher royal title
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysia's Sultan of Perak has conferred a higher royal title on N. Sri Shanmuganathan, an ethnic Indian who captained the country's World Cup hockey team in 1975.
Symonds comeback welcomed by teammates
By IANS,
Melbourne : Andrew Symonds will be welcomed back with open arms by his Australian teammates.
Symonds, who makes his national comeback in Friday night's Twenty20 exhibition match against the ACA All Stars, may be ushered back into the Test squad as early as Thursday.
Matthew Hayden is one player advocating an immediate return for his fellow Queenslander.
India should discreetly use Twenty20 experience in ODIs: Prasanna
By Abhishek Roy, IANS
Bangalore : India should discreetly use the experience of Twenty20 cricket in one-day internationals (ODIs), feels off-spin legend Erapalli Prasanna.
"Twenty20 is too short. The match is over before a captain thinks of making a tactical change. But since India are now the Twenty20 world champions they should use the experience discreetly in the one-dayers to get the best out of the shortest version of the game," Prasanna told IANS in an interview at his residence.
No match-fixing in 2014 World Cup qualifiers: FIFA
By IANS,
Geneva: Football's world governing body FIFA said no match-fixing was found in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, with more than 500 matches played so far.
Mumbai Champs score consolation win in ICL
By IANS
Gurgaon : Captain Nathan Astle scored a quick fire 42 as Mumbai Champs, who are out of reckoning for semi-finals, registered a consolation 35-run win over Chandigarh Lions here.
Mumbai Champs won the toss and scored 160 for nine wickets in 20 overs and restricted Chandigarh Lions to 125 for eight in 20 overs to emerge victorious at Tau Devi Lal Stadium here Tuesday night.
London legislator heads for Beijing, wants cricket in 2012 Olympics
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : An Asian member of the London Assembly is taking to Beijing his campaign to have Twenty20 cricket showcased in the 2012 London Olympics.
"We should definitely have Twenty20 cricket as an official game in the Olympics, and the London Games offers the perfect opportunity for a test-run," Murad Qureshi of the Labour Party told IANS before leaving for the Beijing Olympics.
India in control at tea against Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh middle-order dug their heels in the second session but lost wickets at regular intervals to reach 197 for eight at tea in the second cricket Test against India at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium here Sunday.
Zaheer Khan (3-54), Ishant Sharma (3-65) and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha (2-36) took a wicket each even as Bangladesh added 113 runs in the post-lunch session with India tightening their grip on the opening day's play after the hosts decided to bat.
Mahmudullah was batting on 65 and Shafiul Islam 9 at the break.
Canada offers to hold India-Australia series if Aussies cancel India tour
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Toronto : Canadian cricket authorities have offered Toronto as an alternative venue for the India-Australia series if Ricky Ponting-led Aussie team does not visit India because of security concerns.
"We hope the Aussie tour of India will go through. But if the Australians cancel their trip citing security concerns, we are willing to hold their matches here. Our proposal is not only for this series, but also for any such eventuality in the future,'' Cricket CEO Atul Ahuja told IANS.
Zee cancels five-year deal with BCCI
By IANS
New Delhi : Zee TV Wednesday cancelled its five-year contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) following a new law on sports broadcasting, putting a question mark on the three-match one-day series between India and South Africa in late June.
Scoreboard at end of Australian innings
By IANS
Melbourne : Following is the scoreboard of the Australian innings in the Commonwealth Bank Triangular One-day Series here Sunday:
Scoreboard:
Match No. 4, India vs. Australia, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Feb 10
Australia:
Adam Gilchrist lbw b Sreesanth 0
Matthew Hayden c Dhoni b I. Sharma 25
Ricky Ponting c Tendulkar b I. Sharma 9
Michael Clarke c R. Sharma b Pathan 11
Andrew Symonds c Dhoni b I. Sharma 14
Michael Hussey not out 65
Brad Haddin st Dhoni b Harbhajan 5
Brett Lee c Dhoni b Pathan 10
Mitchell Johnson c Uthappa b Sreesanth 3
Sania in Lexington Challenger final
By IANS,
Lexington : Sania Mirza moved into the final of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Lexington Challenger with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 win over Chinese Yuan Meng.
In Sunday's final of the $50,000 event, second seeded Sania will clash with top seed Julie Coin of France, who dispatched Kai-Chen Chang of Chinese Taipei 6-2, 6-4.
The Indian, who had lost to Meng in their last two meetings, was at her imperious best in the semi-final Saturday, running through the first set without giving any time to her sixth-seeded opponent to settle.
Dalmiya’s suspension from BCCI illegal, rules high court
By IANS
Kolkata : Top cricket administrator Jagmohan Dalmiya Friday won a major battle when the Calcutta High Court termed as illegal his suspension by the Indian cricket board and ruled that he could contest any cricket body poll from anywhere in India.
Dalmiya was suspended by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and then forced to resign as the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Dec 16 last year. He had challenged the BCCI in Calcutta High Court and appealed that he be allowed to contest polls.
The appeal was allowed.
India move to third spot in ICC ODI rankings
By IANS,
Dubai : World champions India climbed to the third position in the International Cricket Council (ICC) ODI rankings with a 5-0 win over England.
Sven-Goran Eriksson appointed Mexico’s national coach
By DPA,
Mexico City : Former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was appointed Mexico's national football coach Tuesday, and will lead the team on the path to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Justino Compean, president of the Mexican Football Federation (FMF), announced the deal with Eriksson at the end of a meeting of the owners of the 18 teams in the top category of Mexican football, who backed the designation "unanimously".
Indian riders left in the shade in Petronas Asia Road Racing
By Anand Philar,IANS,
Chennai : Indian motorcyclists were given riding lessons as Thailand's Decha Kraisat (SuperSports 600cc) and Indonesia's Hokky Krisdianto (Underbone 115cc) took pole positions in their respective classes in the Petronas Asia Road Racing Championship here Saturday.
The difference in levels of riding was no more apparent than in the Underbone class where all the three Indians - T.K. Vishwanath, Harry Sylvester and Karthik - occupied positions just above the last placed P.D. Sigit of Indonesia on the 23-rider grid for Sunday's double-header.
Hussey piles agony on India
By James Keith, IANS,
Bangalore : The indomitable Michael Hussey notched his maiden ton on Indian soil as Australia thundered to a commanding 416 for seven at tea on the second day of the first cricket Test at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here Friday.
Though he lost two of his late middle order partners in quick succession to the vastly matured Ishant Sharma (4-77), Hussey continued to torment the beleaguered Indians. If there was one blemish in his 383-minute essay at the wicket, it was an inside edge off Ishant which brought up his hundred, his ninth in 27 Tests.
Cricketers refuse to sign contracts
By IANS
New Delhi : The Indian cricketers have refused to sign the annual contracts in its present form, a top player confirmed Friday.
India 158/3 at tea against Australia
By IANS,
New Delhi : India were 158 for three against Australia at tea on the first day of the third cricket Test at Feroz Shah Kotla here Wednesday.
Gautam Gambhir (67 batting), along with V.V.S. Laxman (1 batting), was at the crease.
Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson (2-44) snapped the crucial wicket of Sachin Tendulkar (68) in the last over before lunch.
I wanted to play ODIs for 7-8 months more: Ganguly
By IANS
New Delhi : Former India captain Sourav Ganguly, who was surprisingly dropped for the ongoing tri-series in Australia, has revealed that he had told the national selectors that he wanted to play the shorter version of the game for seven to eight months more before taking a call on his future.
Ganguly, who made a fairytale comeback after being dropped from the Greg Chappell's Team India, had a shock when the selectors overlooked his impressive ODI record since his comeback and omitted him from the side, preferring youth with fresh legs.
Federer congratulates Sania-Hingis
Wimbledon: Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer on Sunday congratulated Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis who won the women's doubles title in the Wimbledon.
The top...
Santosh Trophy: Tamil Nadu look to defy history with home support
By IANS,
Chennai : Hosts Tamil Nadu are the odd team out as the quarterfinal league of the 63rd National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy starts at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here Tuesday.
As hosts, Tamil Nadu would not be lacking in partisan support, but history is against them. They made it to the final just once, 36 years ago in Goa, where they lost to Bengal 1-4.
UEFA pleased with Euro 2012 preparations, says Ukraine
By IANS,
Kiev : The European football's governing body, UEFA, is pleased with Ukraine's preparations for next year's European Championship, Markian Lubkivsky, the top organiser in Ukraine, said.
Afridi powers Pakistan to victory over Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dambulla: Shahid Afridi blasted his second century of the tournament as Pakistan crushed Bangladesh by 139 runs in an inconsequential Asia Cup match here Monday.
Riding on skipper Afridi's 124 of 60 balls that included 17 fours and four sixes, Pakistan raised a mamoth 385 for seven in 50 overs, before restricting Bangladesh to 246 for five.
The Bangladesh chase never really took off as they looked more intent to play the full qouta of overs rather then going for the victory.
Deccan Chargers beat Super Kings in IPL
By IANS,
Nagpur: Deccan Chargers defeated Chennai Super Kings by six wickets in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium here Saturday.
Deccan Chargers achieved the target of 139 by losing four wickets with five balls to spare after Tirumalasetti Suman scored 55 and Andrew Symonds made an unbeaten 27.
UEFA Champions League third round results
By Xinhua
London : Following are the UEFA Champions League third qualification round, first leg results Tuesday:
Lazio (Ita) 1-1 Dinamo Bucharest (Rom)
Rangers (Sco) 1-0 Red Star Belgrade (Srb)
Benfica (Por) 2-1 FC Copenhagen (Den)
Valencia (Esp) 3-0 Elfsborg Boras (Swe)
Beijing Olympic Flame arrives in Vietnam
By Xinhua,
Ho Cgi Minh City, Vietnam : The plane carrying the Beijing Olympic flame landed Monday night at Tan Son Nhat International Airport of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for Tuesday's torch relay through the heart of the city.
This is the 19th leg of the Beijing Olympic torch relay around the world, and also the first time for Vietnam to host an Olympic torch relay.
The special chartered plane touched down the airport at 23:05 local time (1505 GMT) from Pyongyang, capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, after six hours' flight.
Lunch scoreboard: India vs New Zealand, First Test, Day five
By IANS,
Ahmedabad : The following is the scoreboard at lunch on the fifth day of the first cricket Test between India and New Zealand here Monday:
India first innings: 487
Floodlights play spoilsport in Azlan Shah hockey tournament
By IANS
Ipoh (Malaysia) : A technical snag in the electrical system played spoilsport on the third day of the 16th Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament here Monday, as a group B match between South Korea and Pakistan was abandoned after 27 minutes of play.
Chautala, Raja elected as boxing federation’s president and secretary
By IANS,
Bhatinda : Abhay Singh Chautala and P.K. Muralidharan Raja have been re-elected as president and secretary general of Indian Boxing Federation (IBF) after election of its office-bearers for 2009-13.
Chautala has been chosen for a third tenure, while Raja will serve his second term. K.K. Boro was also re-elected as the treasurer for the second term, IBF said in a press release.
The elections took place on Sep 5.
IBF office bearers (2009-13)
President : Abhay Singh Chautala
India beat Pakistan by five wickets
Guwahati, Nov 5 (IANS) Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni scored a 77-ball 68 and Yuvraj Singh made 58 to guide India to a five-wicket win over Pakistan in the first One-day International here Monday.
Chasing Pakistan's 239 for seven wickets in 50 overs, India made 242 for five in 47 overs, winning with three overs to spare at the Nehru Stadium. For Pakistan, Mohammed Yousuf hit an unbeaten 83 and Salman Butt scored 50.
Sharapova escapes, but snow stalls Roddick’s campaign
By DPA,
Melbourne : Bad winter weather is hampering plans of some top players to travel from North America to the southern hemisphere as the 2011 tennis season revs up from this weekend.
Warhorses Tendulkar, Ganguly cap a landmark day for India(Roundup)
By IANS,
Mohali : It was a day of milestones for two of India's cricketing heroes during the second Test against Australia here Friday. Sachin Tendulkar became the first batsman in the world to cross the 12,000 run mark in Tests while Sourav Ganguly, playing his last Test series, reached another landmark by becoming the fourth Indian batsman to score 7,000 Test runs.
Tendulkar in the process surpassed West Indian Brian Lara's record of 11,953 runs to be the leading scorer in Tests.
Randhawa looks for third consecutive Asian Tour title at Delhi Golf Club
By IANS
New Delhi : Ace Indian golfer Jyoti Randhawa will be looking for his third consecutive title at his home course when he tees of in the $2.5 million EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters at the Delhi Golf Club Course (DGC)here Thursday.
"This golf course has been lucky for me over the past few years. So coming back to this course brings back a little high and I know I can perform on this course," said Randhawa, who won back-to-back Asian Tour titles at the Indian Open in 2006 and 07 here.
Pattana to host inaugural Asian Tour International
By IANS
Singapore : Pattana Golf and Sports Resort in Chonburi, Thailand will host the inaugural $300,000 Asian Tour International from March 20-23, it was announced by the Asian body here Wednesday.
The new tournament at the highly rated Pattana course, which was one of the venues used for the Qualifying School in 2006, will provide another opportunity to Asian Tour stalwarts to make a mark in the new 2008 season, which is poised to surpass 30 events with over $38 million in total prize money.
Football talent hunt to cover 50 Indian cities
By Abhishek Roy, IANS,
Johannesburg : Global beverages major Coca-Cola's football talent hunt initiative will be extended to 50 Indian cities this year as against eight last year.
The joint venture with the All-India Football Federation (AIFF) was restricted to the under-16 age-group last year, but will now encompass the under-18 as well.
As part of the eight-city national initiative last year, 16 promising footballers were picked from a pool of 3,000 aspirants who were put through a massive 272-match programme.
Shahrukh, Shoaib leave Hyderabad fans disappointed
By IANS,
Hyderabad : Unmindful of the sweltering heat, die-hard fans filled the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here, but were disappointed not to see their heroes - actor Shahrukh Khan and cricketer Shoaib Akhtar - in 'action'.
Braving the scorching sun, the enthusiasts took their seats much before the match began between Hyderabad's Deccan Chargers and Kolkata Knight Riders. Even 42 degree Celsius temperature could not keep the crowd away from enjoying the Sunday game.
Mumbai Indians hoping for an amicable solution
By IANS,
Mumbai : Terming the slapping incident involving their suspended stand-in skipper Harbhajan Singh and Kings XI Punjab paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth as unfortunate, Mumbai Indians have said the team is looking for an "amicable" solution to the controversy that has rocked the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL).
"The incident involving Harbhajan Singh and Sreesanth was most unfortunate. The IPL Governing Council has set up an adjudication panel to inquire into the incident," Mumbai Indians said in a statement late Saturday.
Indian win toss, elect to bat in Nagpur Test
By IANS,
Nagpur : Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and decided to bat in the fourth and last cricket Test against Australia at the brand new Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium here Thursday.
India made two changes from the side that played in the drawn Test in Delhi. Harbhajan Singh is back after missing the Feroz Shah Kotla Test due to a sore toe. He is replacing Anil Kumble, who has retired. The other change is Tamil Nadu opener Murali Vijay replaces Gautam Gambhir, suspended for violating the International Cricket Council code of conduct.
After play wash out, officials ask why Chittagong was given match
By Qaiser Mohammad Ali
IANSChittagong : With the rains badly affecting the first India-Bangladesh Test match in this port city, experts are wondering why Bogra, a northern Bangladesh city with clean weather at this time of the year, was not allotted the match.
UN may have Pele as sports adviser
By Xinhua
Rio De Janeiro : The United Nations (UN) is considering inviting Brazil's legendry footballer Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele, to be the organisation's special sports adviser.
According to media reports, Pele could well be on a list drawn up by UN advisors to replace the incumbent - former Swiss president Adolg Ogi, who has handed in his resignation.
UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon has said that Pele's stature would match the world body's goal of seeking a bigger international presence in sport.
Bobby Robson diagnosed with cancer for fifth time
By Xinhua
London : Former England manager Sir Bobby Robson is ready to fight against cancer for the fifth time.
Warne lauds young Indian players in IPL
By Fakir Hassen, IANS,
Johannesburg : Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne has lauded the young Indian players in the side as the ones who would ensure triumph for India in the World Cup Twenty20 in future.
Speaking at a function hosted here by sponsors Tata Communications Services for leading businessmen, Warne, South African captain Graeme Smith and other members of the team replied to queries from the audience and shared their experiences so far in the Indian Premier League (IPL) series, on across South Africa until May 25.
Hosts India favourites in Jr. Asia Cup hockey
By IANS,
Hyderabad : India have been placed alongside Malaysia, Japan, Thailand and Singapore in Pool A in the Junior Asia Cup men's hockey tournament to be held at the Gachhibowli Stadium here from July 8.
South Korea, Bangladesh, Oman and Pakistan will constitute Pool B.
The tournament will be played on league-cum-knock out basis with the top two teams from each pool moving into the semi-finals. The final is slated on July 18.
Thakkar leads second string Mumbai side for Nissar Trophy
By IANS
Mumbai : Bhavin Thakkar leads a second-string Mumbai cricket team that travels to Karachi Thursday for the Nissar Trophy four-day match against Karachi Urban, the Pakistan domestic champions.
The Ranji Trophy champions have lost the majority of its big names due to pullouts and international duty.
Only five players of the Karachi-bound squad actually played for Mumbai in the triumphant 2006-07 Ranji Trophy season.
Gill laments pullout of star athletes from Commonwealth Games
By IANS,
New Delhi : Sports Minister M.S. Gill Sunday lamented the withdrawal of some of the world's leading athletes from the New Delhi Commonwealth Games and said the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) should ensure the participation of star sportspersons for the Oct 3-14 mega-event.
Gill said it is sad to see that international sportspersons do not attach much importance to the Commonwealth Games.
Low ticket prices for IPL in South Africa, says Lalit Modi
By Fakir Hassen, IANS,
Johannesburg : Ticket prices for the IPL 2009 games to be played at eight South African stadiums will be reasonably priced to allow local fans to watch as many games as possible, IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi said here Friday night.
"The ticket prices will be very conservative," Modi said in an interview on local radio station Talk Radio 702.
"It's going to be lower than the international prices that one would pay when going to a South Africa game; and probably just marginally higher than you would pay for a domestic match."
Standings and results of Premier Hockey League
By IANS
Chandigarh : Following are the standings and results in Premier Hockey League (PHL) after the end of first week Sunday.
The standings are tabulated under Team, P-Played, W-Won, L-Lost, D-Draw, GF-Goals For, GA-Goals Against, Pts-Points.
Team P W L D GF GA Pts
Chandigarh Dynamos 2 2 0 0 3 0 6
Maratha Warriors 2 2 0 0 6 1 6
Hyderabad Sultans 2 1 1 0 3 1 3
Bangalore Hi-Fliers 2 1 1 0 6 7 3
Sher-e-Jallandhar 2 1 1 0 2 3 3
Chennai Veerans 2 0 2 0 1 6 0
Orissa Steelers 2 0 2 0 5 8 0
Results of matches so far:
Dec 23:
CCI to host Twenty20 match versus Australia
By IANS
New Delhi : The Brabourne Stadium of Cricket Club of India (CCI) of Mumbai will host the only Twenty20 International match in the series against Australia, the Indian cricket board announced here Wednesday.
"CCI will host the only Twenty20 match of the India-Australia series," said Rajeev Shukla, a vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after a meeting of its office bearers.
India will play seven one-day matches and one Twenty20 tie against Australia starting Sep 29.
Fixtures:
Fiery Tait on Test radar
By DPA,
Sydney : As Australian fast bowlers are running out of steam on Indian soil, back home Shaun Tait has emerged as a lethal force with a stunning display of express, reverse-swing bowling in domestic competition.
Tait, who took a sabbatical earlier this year during India's tour of Down Under, took five wickets for South Australia that battered New South Wales in last night's one-day clash in Adelaide.
Tait now has turned from Australia's forgotten slinger to its white knight option for redemption on the sub-continent, The Daily Telegraph reported.
Preity refutes rumours of discrimination in IPL team
By Subhash K. Jha, IANS,
Mumbai : Preity Zinta, who is currently stationed in Mohali with her Indian Premier League (IPL) team - Kings XI Punjab, is aghast to hear stories that some of the players of the team were shabbily treated and asked to move out of the Taj hotel to a less opulent place.
Says a source close to Bollywood actor: "Preity and Ness (Wadia) are aghast at these stories. The last thing they have on mind is to discriminate against any player. But you see, there's only one super-luxury hotel in Mohali and the main players in the squad of 16 were all housed there.
East Bengal keen to avoid relegation in I-League
By IANS
Kolkata : Having turned the tables on Dempo Sports Club in their last match, East Bengal will be keen to keep the momentum going against Air India here Wednesday and avoid relegation in the I-League football tournament.
Air India had defeated East Bengal by a solitary goal via captain Paresh Shivalkar in the first leg of the I-League. They would like to keep their stranglehold over the Kolkata side and ensure that they don't return to the relegation zone.
Manoj Tiwari leaves for London for surgery
By IANS
Kolkata : Manoj Tiwari, whose maiden international tour went awry after an injury on his right shoulder at the nets during the Bangladesh series, left for London Tuesday for surgery.
Churchill defeat Central Railways: Durand cup
By IANS
New Delhi : The Churchill Brothers of Goa trounced Mumbai's Central Railways 6-1 and booked a semi-final berth in the 120th Osian's Durand Cup football tournament here Saturday.
Nigerian Odafe Onyeka Okolic single-handedly demolished the Mumbai team, as he scored five goals (13th, 40th, 54th, 58th, 82nd) while substitute Thangjam Singh struck in the last four minutes to complete the rout.
Kasif Jamal scored the lone consolation goal for Central Railways in the seventh minute of the match.
Pennetta ousts second-seeded Sania in straight sets
By IANS
Tokyo : Italian Flavia Pennetta ousted India's second seed Sania Mirza 6-4, 6-4 in the quarter-finals of the AIG Japan Open tennis here Thursday.
In the semi-final, the eighth seeded Italian faces fifth seeded Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano, who beat compatriot Camille Pin 6-2, 6-2.
Top-seeded Venus Williams, who made a winning debut in South Korea with a title victory last weekend, out-duelled Australian Alicia Molik 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.
Australian goalkeeper banned for referee assault
By DPA
Sydney : Australia's football goalkeeper Danny Vukovic Tuesday was considering an appeal against a 15-month ban for striking referee Mark Shield in Sunday's A-League final between his Central Coast Mariners and the Newcastle Jets.
Vukovic was given the ban - six months of it suspended on a probationary basis - after his side lost 1-0 in the Sydney final.
Liverpool lose away from home, easy for Chelsea
By IANS
London : Liverpool's UEFA Champions League prospects took another knock as they lost away from home again, but Chelsea eased to victory over Schalke 04.
Robinho helped to spare Real Madrid's blushes at home to 10-man Olympiakos, while Werder Bremen edged past Lazio.
Holders AC Milan were convincing winners over Shakhtar Donetsk, Rosenborg surprised Valencia and Marseille were held at home by 2004 champions Porto.
In Group A, Liverpool have slipped to the bottom of the four-team league table after suffering a 1-2 defeat to Besiktas in Istanbul.
Nadal reaches final in Madrid
Madrid: Rafael Nadal reached the final of the Madrid Mutua Open tennis tournament Saturday with a 6-4, 6-3 win over fellow Spaniard Robert Bautista...
India outclass Pakistan 4-1 in Hockey World Cup
By Avishek Roy, IANS,
New Delhi: Holi revelry broke out a day in advance as India outplayed arch-rivals Pakistan 4-1 in their Hockey World Cup opener here Sunday.
Playing a fast-paced attacking hockey, the Indians mesmerised the wildly cheering, near-capacity crowd at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, opening a 2-0 lead at the halftime and then heaping two more goals in the second session to begin their cup campaign with a bang.
Shivendra Singh opened the scoring for the hosts in the 27th minute before Sandeep Singh (35th, 57th) and Prabhjot Singh (37th) consolidated the lead.
Pakistan need to beat Spain to stay in reckoning
By IANS,
New Delhi: Four-time winners Pakistan need to exorcise the ghost of their 1-4 drubbing from India as they go into their second Pool B game of the Hockey World Cup Tuesday, needing a victory against Spain to stay in the reckoning.
Pakistan, who last won the World Cup 16 years ago, would be hoping for some luck and better finishing from their ace penalty corner specialist Sohail Abbas, who twice hit the upright from set pieces Sunday.
India win toss, bowl first in second Test
By IANS
Nottingham : India captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and asked England to bat under overcast conditions as play was due to start only after lunch in the second cricket Test here Friday.
Rain and a soggy Trent Bridge outfield delayed the start. Both teams made no change from the rain-affected drawn first Test in London.
Teams:
Nottingham : India captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and asked England to bat under overcast conditions as play was due to start only after lunch in the second cricket Test here Friday.
Rain and a soggy Trent Bridge outfield delayed the start. Both teams made no change from the rain-affected drawn first Test in London.
Teams:
I am still the IPL chairman, asserts Modi
By IANS,
New Delhi: Suspended Indian Premier League chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi Monday said he is still the chief, and by tweeting "we have just begun" hinted at a long drawn battle ahead.
Modi, who was suspended in the wee hours of Monday after the IPL final in Navi Mumbai, said he appreciates the overwhelming support he received from his fans.
"Thank you all for your message of support. It is really appreciated. I am still chairman of IPL. Just suspended. Wait - we have just begun," Modi wrote on his twitter page.
Bangladesh 118 for six at lunch
By IANS,
Chittagong : Bangladesh were 118 for six at lunch in their first innings against India on the third day of the first cricket Test here Tuesday.
The hosts trail by 125 runs. Mushfiqur Rahim was batting at 8 and Mahmudullah 14.
For India, Zaheer Khan took three for 40.
Pacer Arafat becomes 189th Pakistani Test player
By Qaiser Mohammad Ali, IANS
Bangalore : All rounder Yasir Arafat, who has a record of taking five wickets in six balls in a first class match, Saturday became the 189th Pakistani Test player when he was included in the XI for the third and final Test against India here.
The 25-year-old cricketer from Rawalpindi, who has played seven One-Day Internationals (ODI) and four Twenty20 Internationals, was called as a replacement for injured fast bowler Umar Gul and joined the team on the first day of the second Test in Kolkata.
India in finals with 4-1 victory over Japan in Asia Cup
By NNN-PTI
Chennai : India marched to the final with an authoritative 4-1 victory over a fighting Japan in the second semifinal of the 7th BSNL men's Asia Cup hockey here tonight.
India, who won their sixth straight match in the current tournament, now face Asian Games Champions Korea in the final to retain the title and also to gain vital ranking points in their quest for a Beijing Olympic berth.
Flawless Jeev rescues himself to come closer to second Merit title
By V. Krishnaswamy,IANS,
Singapore : A busy and dramatic day of golf ended here Friday with Jeev Milkha Singh moving closer to his second Order of Merit as he completed a flawless three-under 68 in second round of the Barclay's Singapore Open to finish one-under after 36 holes even as his main rival Mark Brown was certain to miss the cut after ending at nine-over.
US Open: Sania Mirza out of doubles as well
By IANS,
New York : India's Sania Mirza's run in the US Open tennis tournament ended with her losing in the first round of the women's doubles event.
Sania and Russia's Vera Dushevina went down fighting 6-7(6), 2-6, 6-7(3) to 11th seeded Russians Alisa Kleybanova and Ekaterina Makarova here Thursday.
Sania was already out of the singles event with a straight-set loss to Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the women's singles second round.
PCB unsure of Asif in series against Kiwis
By IANS,
Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is keeping its fingers crossed on the request for a clearance for fast bowler Mohammad Asif to play in next month's limited-overs series against New Zealand in the United Arab Emirates.
PCB had approached the International Cricket Council (ICC), seeking its assistance to get Asif cleared for the series scheduled Nov 3-13 in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
It is not clear whether Asif, who was detained in Dubai last year over possession of a small quantity of drug, will be allowed to enter the UAE for next month's series.
Michael Vaughan eager to play against India
By IANS,
London : Former England captain Michael Vaughan is eager to make a comeback to the national side in the Test series against India and feels he is prepared to hold the bat again.
Vaughan stepped down from the captaincy after England's humiliating Test series loss to South Africa in August. He then opted to take a break and pulled himself out from ongoing the India tour.
Vaughan began his comeback this week, with the England Performance squad in Bangalore ahead of the two Tests.
"I feel very refreshed in my mind," Vaughan was quoted as saying in The Times.
India, South Africa to clash in Dharamsala
By IANS
Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh) : A four-day cricket tournament between India 'A' and South Africa 'A' is being held at the Dharamsala International Cricket Stadium Sep 19-22.
"Tickets for the matches would be available at the authorised outlets of the HPCA from Sept 15 onwards." Sanjya Sharma, spokesman of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA), told IANS.
Bindra’s Swiss coach rubbishes ‘tampering’ story
By V. Krishnaswamy, IANS,
Beijing : Indians sure love a drama, in both victory and defeat. And if a conspiracy theory is thrown in, it is that much more exciting.
Within 24 hours of shooter Abhinav Bindra winning India's first individual gold medal in the men's 10m air rifle event, there were unconfirmed reports in a section of the media that his rifle may have been tampered with.
The sightings, as they are called, may have been somewhat out of place, requiring some adjustment before the final, but Bindra's Swiss coach Gaby Buehlmann, ruled out any 'tampering'.
Pujara leading batsman’s race in 2007-08 Ranji Trophy
By IANS
New Delhi : Young Saurasthra batsman Cheteswar Pujara strengthened his claim for an India berth as the leading run-getter till the semi-final stage of the 2007-08 Ranji Trophy season.
Though Saurashtra failed to make it to the finals, the 19-year-old Pujara has scored 807 runs from eight matches at an average of 73.36, which includes three centuries, and as many half centuries. His highest was an unbeaten 151.
Coach gets it wrong as goalkeeper admits to mistake
By DPA,
Cape Town : Dutch goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg admitted that he was at fault when Diego Forlan equalised for Uruguay against the Netherlands in Tuesday's semi-final match played in Green Point Stadium.
The Netherlands went on to win 3-2 through goals by Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben, while Maximiliano Pereira grabbed an injury time second goal for the South Americans.
Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk said at the press conference that he thought Forlan's goal was not the Ajax Amsterdam goalkeeper's fault.
Rice not to attend Olympics closing ceremony
By DPA,
Washington : US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has cancelled plans to attend the closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games in Beijing Sunday, the White House said.
Rice's plans changed because of her ongoing travelling to deal with the crisis in Georgia.
The US delegation will now be headed by Labour Secretary Elaine Chao, the White House said Tuesday.
Others attending will be Michael O Leavitt, the secretary of the health and human services department, Peter Ueberroth, president of the US olympic committee and figure skating champion Michelle Kwan.
Managers Ferguson, Moyes disciplined by FA
By DPA,
London : Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and Everton manager David Moyes were both disciplined by the Football Association (FA) for improper conduct.
Ferguson received a two-match touchline ban and a 10,000-pound fine while Moyes was fined 5,000 pounds by the FA Tuesday.
Ferguson's punishment came after the Scot showed his fury towards referee Mike Dean in United's recent 4-3 victory at Old Trafford.
The manager was initially angry that he did not send off Hull's Michael Turner for a foul on Michael Carrick and then was incensed that he awarded Hull a penalty.
Watermelon lowers blood pressure
By IANS,
Washington : Watermelon, apart from being rich in nutrients, has been found to lower pre-hypertension, a precursor to cardio diseases.
Royal Challengers opt to bowl against Rajasthan Royals
By IANS,
Jaipur : Bangalore Royal Challengers captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and elected to bowl against Rajasthan Royals in an Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 match at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium here Saturday.
TEAMS:
Rajasthan Royals: Shane Warne (captain), Graeme Smith, Swapnil Asnodkar, Yusuf Pathan, Shane Watson, Mohammed Kaif, Ravindra Jadeja, Sohail Tanvir, Mahesh Rawat (wicketkeeper), Siddharth Trivedi and Munaf Patel
Surinder Kaur to lead Indian women in Asian Champions Trophy
By IANS,
New Delhi: Surinder Kaur will lead India in the inaugural Asian Women's Champions Trophy at Busan, South Korea from July 27-31.
The team was was selected after the trials at Bhopal.
China, Japan and hosts South Korea are the other teams competing in the tournament.
The top four teams from the last Asia Cup at Bangkok in November are to play in the event.
India won silver at Bangkok, and qualified for the FIH World Cup to be held at Rosario, Argentina in August-September this year.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: E. Rajani, Dipika Murty
Malaysia recover from three-goal deficit to hold Pakistan
By T.S.V. Hari, IANS
Chennai : Malaysia came back from a three goal deficit to hold Pakistan to a 3-3 draw and all but denied them a place in the semi-finals of the BSNL Asia Cup men's hockey tournament at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium here Wednesday.
Pakistan went ahead in the 17th minute through Shakeel Abbasi who added another nine minutes later, converting passes from the right flank. Two minutes before the inerval, Akhtar Ali made it 3-0 for Pakistan.
But Malaysia were a different side after the break.
Defending champions Germany to kick-off their campaign against South Korea
By IANS,
New Delhi: With a team of relative greenhorns, defending champions Germany begin their campaign against Asian powerhouse South Korea while three-time winners the Netherlands take on Argentina in group A games of the Hockey World Cup here Monday.
New Zealand face Canada in the third match of day two at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.