Injured Sharapova pulls out of Olympics
By Xinhua,
Beijing : World number three women's tennis player Maria Sharapova has announced on her website that she is pulling out of the Beijing Olympics due to a right shoulder injury.
"After Wednesday's match I knew there was something seriously wrong with my shoulder," said Sharapova, who gave a walk-over to Japanese Ai Sugiyama in the third round of the Montreal Cup Thursday.
A scorer who keeps all in good humour
By Qaiser Mohammad Ali, IANS
Kolkata : Veteran scorer-cum-statistician Sheikh Abdur Rahman is not just an expert at his job. He also keeps everyone in good humour with his jokes and cricketing anecdotes.
While keeping the score for the 105th Test match of his eventful career, Rahman, 58, won the hearts of the packed press box on the first day of the second India-Pakistan Test at the Eden Gardens here Friday by pressing a bell before loudly announcing the scores and updates.
Whatmore eager to take up Pakistan challenge
By IANS
Lahore : Australian Dav Whatmore, who appeared before a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) panel for an interview here Thursday, said he was ready to take on the challenge of coaching the national team and guide it to better performances.
India win thriller at Kotla
By IANS,
New Delhi : India pulled off a thrilling 10-run victory over Pakistan in the third and final game of the one-day series at the Ferozeshah Kotla here Sunday.
We lost to a superior side: German coach Weise
By IANS,
New Delhi: German hockey coach Markus Weise doffed his hat to the Australians after the defeat in the World Cup final Saturday, saying the Kookaburras had "everything to win" the tournament.
"We lost to a superior side. They had everything to win the World Cup," Weise said after the defending champions lost 1-2 to Australia in the final at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.
With the loss, in front of a near-capacity stadium, Germany's dream of a hat-trick of titles was shattered.
Umpire Bucknor makes a comeback to cricket after 11 months
By IANS,
Sydney : After being dumped by the International Cricket Council (ICC), following the controversial Sydney Test in January, umpire Steve Bucknor makes a comeback to cricket after 11 months and will stand in the two Tests between Australia and New Zealand.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the 62-year-old Bucknor would control the two Tests in Brisbane and Adelaide with fellow West Indian Billy Doctrove.
“Oye Chhore Vijender”, Haryana chief minister roars
By IANS,
Chandigarh : “Oye chhore, Vijender” (Hey lad, Vijender), Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda roared in his native tongue as state boxer Vijender Kumar Wednesday won his quarterfinal bout at the Olympics to move into the last four stage of the middleweight event and assure himself of a medal.
Hooda immediately announced a Rs.5 million (Rs.50 lakh) reward for Vijender and also said that the pugilist would be made a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) in the Haryana Police.
First day setback affected team’s morale: Takeuchi
By IANS
New Delhi : Japan's non-playing captain Eiji Takeuchi said two losses on the opening day of the Davis Cup tie against India dented the morale of the team and it was tough for them to come back from there.
Japan though salvaged some pride Sunday when Kei Nishikori and Satoshi Iwabuchi won the inconsequential reverse singles matches against Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes.
Nishikori defeated Bhupathi in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1 while Iwabuchi beat Paes 6-4 4-6, 6-4. India have already booked its berth in the World Group play-off taking a 3-0 lead Saturday.
Pakistan recalls senior players in hockey team
By IANS,
Karachi: Pakistan Wednesday recalled almost all of its previously discarded senior players in the national hockey team in a bid to bolster the team ahead of the year’s two major events - the Commonwealth Games in India and the Asian Games in China.
However, there was no place for Pakistan’s drag flick ace Sohail Abbas, who decided against turning up for a training camp and national trials and was subsequently ignored by national selectors.
Overflowing Kotla greets Pakistan in tour opener
By IANS
New Delhi : The atmosphere at Ferozeshah Kotla here was electric as more than 15,000 spectators poured in to watch Pakistan start their much-hyped cricket tour of India Friday with a practice match against Delhi.
Serpentine queues greeted enthusiasts outside the stadium as the people of the national capital braved a crisp November morning to cheer a young Delhi side against a formidable Pakistan attack.
Jeev shoots 65 to move into second place at Jakarta
By IANS
Jakarta : Jeev Milkha Singh put himself in an ideal position to make it a second win for India in as many weeks in a co-sanctioned event between the Asian and European Tours here Saturday.
With two birdies in the last four holes, Jeev moved to second place and was within two shots of the leader, Felipe Aguilar of Chile, at the end of the third round of the $1.2 million Enjoy Jakarta Astro Indonesia Open golf.
Maximum security for Dhoni after extortion letter
By IANS,
Ranchi : Jharkhand has provided the highest "Z category" security cover to Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni following the receipt of a letter by his family that threatened that they would be harmed if the skipper fails to pay Rs.5 million to a gangster, police said Wednesday.
"Dhoni has been provided Z category security," said police spokesperson S.N. Pradhan.
The cricketer, who earlier had "Y category" security cover - the second most stringent category - is now being guarded by 45 security personnel. He arrived here Tuesday.
Dhoni on radio to promote education in Jharkhand
By IANS
Ranchi : Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni will create awareness about the importance of education in Jharkhand through a radio advertisement.
The state's Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry roped in Dhoni to record a public service advertisement, which will be aired three times a day on local radio frequencies from next week.
In the advertisement recorded in Hindi, Dhoni says: "Children aged between six and 14 must be sent to school. By being educated they can earn global fame for Jharkhand."
World Twenty20 scoreboard: Sri Lanka vs Pakistan
By IANS,
Colombo : Following is the scoreboard of the first World Twenty20 semi-final between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium here Thursday:
Sri Lanka
Bindra hopes gold medal will boost Olympic sports in India
By V. Krishnaswamy, IANS,
Beijing : After shooting India to glory, Abhinav Bindra Monday hoped that the first individual Olympic gold medal of the country will inspire other sportspersons to achieve more laurels in international events.
"For me life will go on. I sincerely hope that it changes how Olympic sports is viewed in India. Right now Olympic sports don't seem to be priority and I hope it will change now. As for shooting, I am sure it will grow stronger from here," said Bindra.
Harbhajan banned, Sreesanth warned in slapping incident(Lead)
By IANS,
Mumbai : The Indian cricket board Wednesday banned off-spinner Harbhajan Singh for five one-dayers, and let off pacer Santhakumaran Sreesanth with a warning for the slapping incident in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at Mohali.
Harbhajan slapped Sreesanth after an IPL match between Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians April 25, kicking off a controversy.
Rajasthan Royals set Royal Challengers 198-run target
By IANS,
Jaipur : Powered by half-centuries from Graeme Smith and Swapnil Asnodkar, Rajasthan Royals made 197 for the loss of one wicket in their 20 overs against Bangalore Royal Challengers in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match here Saturday.
Smith was the top scorer with an unbeaten 75 while Asnodkar made 50 at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium.
Real Madrid held by Osasuna, stay in second place
By DPA,
Madrid : Real Madrid missed a good chance to go top of the Spanish Liga Sunday, being held to a 0-0 draw away to dogged Osasuna.
A win in rainy Pamplona Sunday would have put Real top on goal difference, level on points with world champions Barcelona, who were held 1-1 at home on Saturday by Villarreal.
But Osasuna were solid in defence and intense in midfield, and the whites wasted the few chances that they managed to create.
Gonzalo Higuain squandered two good openings for Real in the second half, then Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo went close for the visitors.
Jeev, Digvijay slip on final day, finish tied 23rd
By IANS,
Shanghai : Jeev Milkha Singh and Digvijay Singh wilted on the final day and dropped down dramatically from possible top-10 finish to tied 23rd at the $ 2.3 million BMW Asian Open Golf tournament here Sunday.
Digvijay tied fifth overnight shot a 77 after opening the day with a birdie, his only one of the day. Jeev also opened with a birdie but then dropped two doubles on fourth and sixth and five shots between the third and fifth and finished with a 76. The duo finished at two-over 290.
India-Australia Test final scoreboard – Day Four
By IANS
Melbourne : The following is the fourth day's scoreboard Saturday of the first Test match between India and Australia being played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Scoreboard:
1st Test, Day IV, India vs. Australia, Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne, Dec 29
Australia 1st innings
Phil Jaques st Dhoni b Kumble 66
Mathew Hayden c Dravid b Khan 124
Ricky Ponting b Khan 4
Michael Hussey lbw Kumble 2
Michael Clarke c Laxman b Singh 20
Andrew Symonds c sub (Karthik) b Kumble 35
Adam Gilchrist c Tendulkar b Kumble 23
Brad Hogg c Dravid b Khan 17
Disaster for Hamilton as Alonso wins Japanese GP
By DPA,
Fuji, Japan : Fernando Alonso of Renault took his second race win in succession Sunday when the Spaniard claimed victory in an action-packed Japanese Formula One Grand Prix Sunday at the Fuji international Speedway.
Robert Kubica of BMW-Sauber came in second with defending champion Kimi Raikkonen coming third in a Ferrari.
Nelson Piquet Jr completed Renault's great day by taking fourth, followed by Toyota's Jarno Trulli and the Toro Rossos of Sebastien Bourdais and Sebastian Vettel in sixth and seventh, respectively.
Eintracht Frankfurt beat Arminia Bielefeld 2-1
By DPA
Frankfurt : Eintracht Frankfurt beat Arminia Bielefeld 2-1 to move into the seventh place in the German Bundesliga.
Ioannis Amanatidis scored first in the 37th minute and newcomer Martin Fenin added to the home side's lead two minutes into the second half Friday. Artur Wichniarek pulled one back in the 74th minute, but it was not enough for the visitors, who remain fifth-from-bottom in the league.
Munich meet Frankfurt again, in German Cup
By DPA,
Hamburg : Bayern Munich will hope for a less nerve-racking affair than on Saturday when they meet Eintracht Frankfurt again Wednesday in the third round of the German Cup.
Munich came from behind to beat Frankfurt 2-1 in the Bundesliga from Daniel van Buyten's 88th-minute winner after earlier wasting a dozen first rate chances.
Ashutosh-Mankad win ATP Challenger tennis doubles
By IANS,
New Delhi : Ashutosh Singh and Harsh Mankad Friday won the doubles title at the ATP Challenger, upsetting top-seeded Indo-American pair of Mustafa Ghouse and Brendan Evans at the DLTA complex here Friday.
The unseeded Indians won in straight sets at 7-5, 6-3, though there was a bitter struggle for the first set. But once they clinched it, after trading breaks before the decisive break in the 12th, the second set became an easy run for Ashutosh and Mankad.
Team India ready to meet Pakistan challenge
By IANS
Kolkata : At the end of its two-day conditioning camp here Saturday, Team India's morale is high to meet the challenge from its arch-rivals Pakistan in the One-Day International series beginning in Guwahati Monday.
"The Indian team's morale is on a high after the victories against the Aussies, in the last one-dayer and in the Twenty20 World Championship and the team is in a positive frame of mind before the India-Pakistan series," team manager Lalchand Rajput told the media after a three-hour practice session at the Eden Gardens.
Deccan Charger score 140 for eight
By IANS,
Jaipur : Deccan Chargers scored 140 for eight against Rajasthan Royals in an Indian Premier League match at the Sawai Mansingh stadium here Friday.
Sent in to bat, Deccan Chargers got a good start with stand-in-skipper Adam Gilchrist scoring 61 off 49 balls but Rajasthan Royals bowlers fought back with some quick wickets to put the visitors on the backfoot. Venugopal Rao (23) hit three boundaries in the final overs to give some respectability to the score.
Rajasthan Royals skipper Shane Warne bowled a disciplined spell to take two wickets giving just 20 runs in four overs.
India missing experienced spinner, says Dhoni
By K. Hussain, IANS,
Karachi : Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni rued the absence of an experienced spinner after his side crashed to an eight-wicket defeat to Pakistan in an Asia Cup Super four game here at the National Stadium.
India were unable to control Pakistan in the middle overs as Younis Khan (123) and Misbah-ul-Haq (70) guided them to an easy win Wednesday despite chasing what looked like a sizeable target of 309.
Clarke warns India aggression could backfire
By IANS
Melbourne : Michael Clarke has warned India's cricketers that any aggression they employ during the first Test could backfire badly and play into Australia's hands.
After pacemen Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait waged a mini-selection battle at training, Clarke said any attempt to unsettle Australia with trash talk from Boxing Day could inspire the world champions to greater things at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Henin, Mauresmo in Eastbourne final
By DPA
Eastbourne : Collated results Friday at the $600,000 Eastbourne Championships (x denotes seedings):
Semi-finals:
Justine Henin (BEL x1) def. Marion Bartoli (FRA x 8) 6-1,
6-3
Amelie Mauresmo (FRA x2) def. Nadia Petrova (RUS x3) 6-4,
Retired.
Boucher regains world Test wicket-keeping record
By IANS
Dhaka : South Africa wicketkeeper Mark Boucher Sunday regained his world record for the most Test dismissals during the first Test against Bangladesh here Sunday.
Boucher caught Mushfiqur Rahim for two off Jaques Kallis for his 417th victim, which eclipsed the short-lived record of 416 held by Australian Adam Gilchrist.
Boucher had lost the record last month when Gilchrist overtook him in the fourth and final Test against India in Adelaide. Boucher had broken Australian Ian Healy's long-standing world record of 395 Test dismissals against Pakistan in October.
Ganguly, Pathan guide India to 626
By IANS
Bangalore : Sourav Ganguly hit his maiden double ton and Irfan Pathan scored his first century as India were all out for a mammoth 626 in the first innings against Pakistan in the third and final Test here Sunday.
Ganguly scored 239 while Pathan struck 102.
New Zealand A 130/3 at lunch against India A
By IANS,
Chennai : New Zealand A inched their way to 130 for three at lunch in reply to India A's first innings total of 248 on the second day of the four-day cricket match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here Monday.
The Kiwis, who were given a good start by Aaron Redmond (51), struggled to build on it as they lost three wickets in a hurry before skipper Peter Fulton (26 batting) and James Marshall (20 batting) steadied the innings with an unbroken 41-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Isinbayeva redefines pole vault with records and beauty
By DPA,
Monte Carlo : The 2008 World Athlete of the Year Yelena Isinbayeva has redefined the young sport of women's pole vault in every aspect from world records to sex appeal.
If Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, who won the men's award Sunday, is called "The chilled out flying machine" then Isinbayeva has every right to be named "The attention-craving vaulting queen."
The 26-year-old Russian from Volgograd loves to flirt with the crowd which reached new heights at the Beijing Olympics as she soared 5.05 metres for her 24th career world record and a second Olympic gold.
India-Australia rivalry has given great cricket: Taylor
By IANS
Sydney : Despite the unending barrage of heated words exchanged between India and Australia this series, former Australian Test legend Mark Taylor believes that the antagonism between the two camps has given the best summer of cricket he's witnessed since retiring.
So much so that Taylor is anticipating that Sunday's first one-day final between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) will rival the atmosphere the great West Indies teams generated.
Rain delays start of India-Pakistan match
By IANS
Glasgow (Scotland) : Rain delayed the start of the India-Pakistan One-day International for the Friendship Cup here Tuesday.
The umpires were scheduled to inspect the Titwood ground later in the day after rain stopped.
The players met Prince Charles as they waited for the game to begin.
Mohammedan Sporting Club celebrates 124th foundation day
The Club also bestowed the honour of ‘Shan-E-Mohammedan’ to former striker Akbar
By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,
Kolkata: One of the oldest football clubs `Mohammedan Sporting Club’ of Kolkata celebrated the 124th foundation day on Sunday, February 8. The club also bestowed the honour of ‘Shan-E-Mohammedan’ to renowned striker Mohammad Akbar, popular in his time in 19070s and 80 as `Chote Miah’.
Manmohan Singh cheers for India in hockey
By IANS,
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday cheered the Indian team in the Commonwealth Games hockey final against Australia here.
India beat Sri Lanka by two wickets
By IANS
Adelaid : India defeated Sri Lanka by two wickets in a league match of the Commonwealth Bank Triangular One-day Series here Tuesday and remained in contention for the finals.
Sri Lanka scored 238 for six wickets in 50 overs and India made 239 for eight in 49.1 overs.
FIFA monitoring Satyam developments
By IANS,
New Delhi : World football body FIFA, which had signed up troubled Indian software giant Satyam as its information technology partner for the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, said Thursday that it was closely monitoring the developments and studying the extent of the fraud by the company.
Satyam's co-founder and chairman B. Ramalinga Raju resigned Wednesday after confessing to a $1.4 billion fraud that had been going on for years.
Leaving Clark out of Lord’s Test was a blunder: Thomson
By IANS,
Melbourne : Former Australian speedster Jeff Thomson has blasted the team's Ashes bowling as "rubbish" and claimed it was a major blunder to leave Stuart Clark on the sidelines for the Lord's Test.
The former Test firebrand also claimed Australia was "cocky and complacent" after it outplayed England in the drawn first Test in Cardiff.
"It was a major blunder to omit Stuart Clark at Lord's, and not just because he's the closest thing we've got to another (Glenn) McGrath in terms of the way he bowls," Thomson was quoted as saying in The Australian.
Talk on match-fixing in tennis is rubbish, says Vijay Amritraj
By Anand Philar, IANS
Chennai : Former ATP president Vijay Amritraj gave a clean chit to tennis and asserted that the talk about match-fixing in the sport is "completely obscene and rubbish".
Speaking on the sidelines draw ceremony of the USD 436,000 Chennai Open Tennis here Saturday, Amritraj said that although three Italian players were suspended on charges of match-fixing, tennis was relatively free of players deliberately "tanking" matches for money.
IOA welcomes inclusion of hockey in ‘priority’ list
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Thursday welcomed the re-inclusion of hockey in the "priority" category of the union sports ministry, saying it would give a fillip to the game.
"I am happy that the sports ministry has put hockey, football, volleyball and swimming in the priority category. These are important disciplines and the respective federations will be able to send their teams for more international exposure," IOA president Suresh Kalmadi told reporters while inspecting the Thyagaraj Sports Complex here.
Ponting feels Australia still hold the edge
By IANS,
Sydney : Australian skipper Ricky Ponting admitted that his team's performance is not as sharp as used to be in the past decade but insisted that they still hold the edge over their opponents.
"We are probably not demolishing sides like we might have two years ago, but we're grinding teams down and winning Test matches, and we're doing it well," Ponting was quoted as saying in the Sydney Morning Herald Wednesday.
Nagpur cricketer Faiz Fazal to debut for India during the Zimbabwe tour
By TCN News,
The squad announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India for the upcoming Zimbabwe tour has five uncapped names;...
India-Pakistan, film stars to play hockey match
By IANS
Chandigarh : With Shah Rukh Khan starrer "Chak De India" fanning resurgence of interest in hockey, two exhibition matches have been planed next month here - one between traditional rivals India and Pakistan and the other featuring film and TV stars and former hockey players.
Davydenko destroys Nadal to win Miami Masters
By DPA
Miami : Russian Nikolay Davydenko won the 12th title of his career in commanding style with a dominating 6-4, 6-2 victory over world No.2 Rafael Nadal of Spain at the Miami Masters.
"I cannot believe I won," said the stunned Russian. "I need to ask God how this happened. It's such a surprise to stand here. I've never played well in Miami. Now I've won my second Masters. It's crazy for me."
Bhaichung’s health, a worry for Mohun Bagan coach
By Abhishek Roy, IANS
Ludhiana : Defending champions Mohun Bagan have suffered a big blow before their crucial quarterfinal game on Sunday in the 29th Federation Cup football tournament here as captain Bhaichung Bhutia is down with viral fever for the last two days.
"Bhaichung will be under observation for the next few hours and if he recovers he will play, otherwise Lalawmpuia will take his place in the starting line up," said Mohun Bagan's Brazilian coach Carlos Roberto Pereira Da Silva, after the team's practice session Saturday.
Thai foreign minister backs China on Tibet, Olympics
By Xinhua,
Beijing : Visiting Thailand Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama Tuesday supported China's stance on Tibet and its hosting of the 2008 Olympics.
Noppadon told Chinese Foreign Minster Yang Jiechi that the Tibet issue was China's internal affair and his country strongly opposed linking the Tibetan issue with Beijing Olympics.
He also expressed his confidence that the Olympic Games to be held in August would be a success.
Both the ministers also discussed a wide range of bilateral, regional and international issues.
Eight boxers leave for training in Kazakhstan
By IANS
New Delhi : Eight Indian boxers left Friday for an 11-day training stint in Kazakhstan in preparation for the world boxing championships to be held in Chicago from Oct 17.
"It is the most important tournament before us. Not only are they the world championships where 115 countries have confirmed their participation, there are qualifying berths for the 2008 Beijing Olympics up for grabs," Indian Amateur Boxing Federation secretary general Col. P.K. Muralidharan Raja told IANS.
Penalty corner specialists will determine Sunday’s match
By IANS,
Kolkata: Drag flickers will determine the course of the hockey World Cup group B game between arch-rivals India and Pakistan Sunday, former internationals say.
The game could go either way and the team capable of overcoming the pressure will have the last laugh, three yesteryears' hockey stars told IANS.
"Both teams have 50-50 chances," said Ajitpal Singh, who captained the Indian team that won the 1975 World Cup at Kuala Lumpur.
Results and standings in German Bundesliga football
By DPA
Hamburg : Following are the results and standings in the German Bundesliga football:
Saturday's results:
VfB Stuttgart 1 SV Hamburg 0
Schalke 04 1 Hansa Rostock 0
Arminia Bielefeld 1 Karlsruhe 0
Eintracht Frankfurt 1 Nuremberg 3
Hertha Berlin 1 Werder Bremen 2
VfL Wolfsburg 3 Hanover 96 2
Friday's result:
MSV Duisburg 0 Energie Cottbus 1
Standings P W D L F A Pts
Bayern Munich 26 15 9 2 44 15 54
Schalke 04 27 13 9 5 41 26 48
SV Hamburg 27 12 11 4 37 20 47
Werder Bremen 27 14 5 8 55 39 47
VfB Stuttgart 27 14 3 10 45 40 45
Soccer World Cup uniting South Africa: Zuma
By IANS,
Mumbai : The soccer World Cup is uniting the country like never before, host nation South Africa's President Jacob Zuma said here Thursday.
In an interview to NDTV's Walk the Talk, Zuma said the 2010 FIFA World Cup has been bringing together South Africans of various hues and cultures.
"Right now the World Cup is uniting the country as never seen before," he said.
Zuma will attend a special function in New Delhi Thursday to mark the World Cup that starts in eight days.
Sony-WSG bag global TV rights for India Premier League
By IANS
Mumbai : World Sport Group (WSG) and Sony MAX have bagged the global audio-visual rights of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for 10 years for $1.026 billion, the Indian cricket board announced here Monday.
Making the announcement, IPL chairman and commissioner as well as vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Lalit Modi said WSG-Sony outbid Network Solutions Pvt. Ltd., a consortium led by NDTV and ESPN-Star Sports.
Approaching Olympic torch sets San Francisco simmering
By DPA
San Francisco : Normally, runners in San Francisco are afraid of the famous city's tortuous hills and bone-chilling fog. But as footage of violent protests from the global Olympic torch relay was beamed around the world in recent days, the relay runners in San Francisco had other fears on their mind.
"I am hopeful that my fellow human-rights activists will not condemn me for this," said Helen Zia, a noted American-Asian author and human-rights campaigner.
Zia, 55, is one of about 50 runners chosen to carry the torch during its only journey in the US.
England coach Capello stays upbeat despite injuries
By DPA,
Berlin : England manager Fabio Capello is confident his injury-depleted side will perform well against Germany in a friendly international here.
"I am sure we will play a big game. I have every confidence in the team. For me it's not a friendly game. I want to win every game," he said.
England are missing seven first-choice players, with the team doctor confirming injuries to midfielders Steven Gerrard (groin) and Frank Lampard (rib).
Hockey coach Brasa wants more power in team selection
By IANS,
New Delhi: Chief hockey coach Jose Brasa Thursday made it clear that the chief coach should get more powers in running the national team.
Brasa said there was no need for a selection committee and it is the chief coach who should select all players, including the captain.
"The head coach should be the general director of the national team having full control of everything. The coach should handle selection of players, selection of support staff, and selection of the captain - and should also do the annual plan," Brasa said.
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.
We have to play consistently well: Bhaichung
By IANS,
Male : India's football captain Bhaichung Bhutia feels his team will have to play consistently well if they have to retain their South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Cup title.
Beating Nepal and Pakistan in back-to-back games, India entered the semi-finals and will play hosts Maldives in their last group match here Sunday at the National Stadium.
There is little to choose between the two sides, even the FIFA rankings show that India are 153 and Maldives are six rungs behind at 159, but Bhaichung was confident that his team would come trumps.
Cricket is setting a dangerous trend in the country, says Gill
By Avishek Roy, IANS,
Hyderabad : President of the superseded Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) K.P.S. Gill said Friday that corporate sponsorship in cricket is detrimental for the growth of other sports in the country.
Gill, who is also the vice-president of the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF), said he was pained to see the dangerous trends set by cricket sponsors and the only way out for a game like hockey is to get government patronage.
Teams for World Twenty20 cricket
By IANS,
Gros Islet (St. Lucia) : The following is the list of all the 12 participating teams for the World Twenty20 cricket that starts Friday with New Zealand taking on last year's finalists Sri Lanka at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.
Squad:
Afghanistan: Nawroz Mangal (captain), Mohammad Nabi, Karim Sadiq, Mirwais Ashraf, Rais Ahmadzai, Dawlat Ahmadzai, Mohammad Shahzad (wicketkeeper), Hamid Hassan, Samiullah Shinwari, Noor Ali, Asghar Stanikzai, Shahpoor Zadran, Shabir Noori, Saeed Nasrat, Shafiqullah Shafaq.
Casey beat Wozniak in Sunfeast Open
By IANS
Kolkata : Aussie Casey Dellacqua took little over an hour to beat Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak 6-2, 6-3 in a first round match on day one of the Sunfeast Open here Monday.
The day's opening match saw a baseline slugfest between British qualifier Naomi Cavaday and Ekaterina Ivanova, in which the Russian outpaced the World No. 193 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 in an hour and 38 minutes.
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.
Jeev finishes 11th at Hong Kong Open golf
By IANS,
Hong Kong : Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh stuttered on the opening nine and never gave himself a chance to challenge for the UBS Hong Kong Open title as he ended with a 69 to finish tied 11th in the final round here Sunday.
Liverpool miss opportunity against Arsenal
By DPA,
London : A Robbie Keane equaliser earned Liverpool a point against Arsenal in the English Premier League, but they will see it as an opportunity spurned given the home side played the final 28 minutes with 10 men after the dismissal of Emmanuel Adebayor.
Liverpool, whose manager Rafa Benitez missed the game after having treatment for kidney stones, after the match Sunday go two points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Arsenal remain eight points adrift, but all the positives of their late resilience pale beside the knee injury suffered by their captain Cesc Fabregas.
Saina achieved success through sheer hard work
By Anand Philar, IANS,
Chennai : When Saina Nehwal broke into the top-10 over a year ago, Prakash Padukone said she was a potential World No.1 if she showed consistency in her performance. Now, the 20-year old Haryanvi, raised in Hyderabad, is well on her way to the top spot in women’s badminton.
The three titles in a row in as many weeks was reminiscent of Padukone’s achievement in March 1980 when he captured the "big three" of Danish, Swedish and All-England crowns. Along the way, he scalped the legendary Rudy Hartono and Liem Swie King.
A sporting event with a difference
By IANS,
Mumbai : It was an event which showed that an organ transplant is no handicap for taking part in sports.
About 150 people, recipients of kidney and other organs and their donors from across the country, participated in an athletics meet at the "Transplant Games" Thursday.
The event was organised by Narmada Kidney Foundation at the Goregaon Sports Club in north-west Mumbai.
A recipient of kidney Ashok Joshi said: "After this event, we have started feeling that we are as healthy as any sportsperson."
Tight security in Birmingham but business as usual in Edgbaston
By IANS,
Birmingham : Despite widespread riots in the city of Birmingham, it will be business as usual at Edgbaston where England take on India in the third cricket Test match later Wednesday.
Bihar seeks CBI probe in snooping on BCCI officials
Kolkata: Claiming that a former Indian cricket board official paid money to a London-based firm to snoop on BCCI officials, secretary of the unrecognised...
World Twenty20 scorecard: Australia vs West Indies
By IANS,
London : Scorecard of the World Twenty20 Group C match between Australia and the West Indies at the Kennington Oval here Saturday.
Australia
Shane Watson c Sarwan b Taylor 0 (3)
David Warner c Benn b Bravo 63 (53)
Ricky Ponting lbw b Taylor 0 (1)
Michael Clarke c Benn b Edwards 2 (7)
Brad Haddin c Benn b Pollard 24 (19)
David Hussey c Fletcher b Bravo 27 (16)
Michael Hussey not out 28 (15)
Mitchell Johnson c Bravo b Edwards 9 (7)
Brett Lee not out 1 (1)
Extras: (b-1, lb-5, w-7, nb-2) 15
Total: (for seven wickets in 20 overs) 169
India win toss, bat against South Africa
By IANS
Ahmedabad : India captain Anil Kumble won the toss and elected to bat in the second Test against South Africa at the Sardar Patel (Gujarat) Stadium in Motera here Thursday.
All-rounder Irfan Pathan was included in the side in place of Sachin Tendulkar who is missing the match due to a groin problem.
Teams:
India: Anil Kumble (captain), Virender Sehwag, Wasim Jaffer, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, V.V.S. Laxman, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicket-keeper), Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Rudra Pratap Singh and Sreesanth
Ana to face Venus in Australian Open quarter finals
By DPA
Melbourne : Ana Ivanovic shook the sleep out of her eyes as during a Monday morning match but awoke to beat Dane Caroline Wozniacki 6-1, 7-6 (7-2) to reach the Australian Open quarter finals.
"I'm thrilled to be through," said the Serb, who needed two match points to advance over her 17-year-old opponent. "I played well at the beginning - then I got sleepy. I'm happy I could manage to finish in two sets."
Ivanovic will play Tuesday against Venus Williams, who overcame a few niggles in beating Polish qualifier Marta Domachowska.
Bayern win after inspired change, Jol leaves after Spurs lose
By DPA
Hamburg : German giants Bayern Munich scored two late goals to secure a 3-2 victory at Red Star Belgrade in a UEFA Cup group phase match, while Tottenham Hotspur manager Martin Jol resigned after his side lost 1-2 at home to Getafe.
In Group F action Thursday night, Bayern were behind 1-2 with nine minutes to go when coach Ottmar Hitzfeld brought on 17-year-old Toni Kroos, whose first kick of the game landed on the head of Miroslav Klose for the equaliser.
Sri Lanka struggling at 143/8
By IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lanka were struggling at 143 for eight in the second innings at lunch against India on the fourth day of the third and the final cricket Test match at P. Sara Oval here Friday.
Thilan Samaraweera was batting on 33 and Ajantha Mendis 10. The home team started the day on 45 for two and lost six wickets in the morning session.
India vs England: Fourth Test, Day 4, lunch scoreboard
By IANS,
Nagpur : Scoreboard at lunch on the fourth day of the fourth and final cricket Test match between India and England at the VCA Stadium here Sunday:
England (First Innings) 330
Dravid, Gambhir take India to 302/1 in Mohali Test
By IANS,
Mohali : Rahul Dravid scored his 26th Test century and along with Gautam Gambhir took India to 302/1 at lunch on the second day of the second cricket Test against England at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium here Saturday.
Dravid was batting on 124 and Gambhir on 167 as India scored 123 runs in the first session.
India’s hunt for a Brazilian soccer coach still on
By Liz Mathew, IANS,
Rio de Janeiro : India will soon send a cricket coach to Brazil, but its attempts to find a football coach from here to train its players have not found any results yet.
While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has agreed to send a coach to train youngsters in the soccer-crazy country to take to the bat and ball, the hunt for a good trainer for Indian footballers is still continuing.
"BCCI will soon be sending a coach as Brazil wants the status of a cricket test playing nation," said Indian Ambassador to Brazil Hardeep Singh Puri.
58 percent of Indians want Ganguly as captain
By IANS
New Delhi : Most of the Indians wants Saurav Ganguly back as the captain of the Indian cricket team.
58 percent of over 30,000 respondents in a NDTV opinion poll conducted via its website and SMS in the four metros, voted for the 'Prince of Kolkatta' to be Rahul Dravid's replacement as captain of both Test and One-day International (ODI) teams.
Only 20.3 percent felt master blaster Sachin Tendulkar should succeed Dravid, while 21 percent said wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni should be given the responsibility.
Dravid out, Sehwag in for two ODIs vs. Pakistan
By IANS
Ahmedabad : Batting maestro Rahul Dravid was "rested" even as Virender Sehwag was recalled as the selectors Saturday picked a 15-member squad for the first two of the five One-day Internationals against Pakistan next month.
Selection committee chairman Dilip Vengsarkar said here that Dravid was "rested" and hoped he would make a "comeback soon" to the team.
The first ODI will be played in Guwahati Nov 5 and the second in Mohali Nov 8. The team for the last three ODIs will be announced later.
Zimbabwe should be expelled from world cricket, says Andy Flower
By IANS,
London : Former Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower has urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to expel his country, which has been embarrassed by the presence of "President Robert Mugabe's despicable clan" within cricket's governing body.
The move is anticipated to take place next week after the withdrawal of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai from the second round of the country's general election triggered a sporting sanction from South Africa.
Azarenka beats injured Li to retain Australian Open title
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Melbourne: Victoria Azarenka retained her Australian Open title Saturday defeating an injury-afflicted Li Na in a dramatic women's singles final at the Melbourne Park here.
Sania Mirza can represent India even after marriage with Pak cricketer: Sports Minister
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: Federal Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs Pratik Prakashbabu Patil has stated that tennis star Sania Mirza could continue to represent India, even after tying the nuptial knot with the Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik.
Patil stated this while talking to the media persons during his visit to Bhopal here. He said marriage is a personal choice of an individual. "If Sania is marrying Shoaib then it is her choice and the issue should not be linked to her sports career", he remarked.
Kings XI Punjab score 181/5 against Royal Challengers
By IANS,
Mohali: After electing to bat first, Kings XI Punjab scored 181 for five against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in an Indian Premier League match here at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) stadium Friday.
Kumara Sangakara (45), Ravi Bopara (42 not out), and Yuvraj Singh (36) were the major contributors with the bat for Kings XI Punjab.
Anil Kumble, Dale Steyn, Vinay Kumar and Jaques Kallis got one wicket each for RCB.
Meenal Thakur in quarterfinals of World Snooker
By Anand Philar,IANS,
Hyderabad : National champion Meenal Thakur saw off a spirited challenge from her younger sister Anuja Chandra for a 4-3 decision and progressed to the quarter-finals in the women's section of the ONGC-IBSF World Snooker championship, here Friday.
In a hard-fought match, the 30-year-old Meenal from Mumbai, led 2-0, but Anuja fought back to make it 2-2 before trailing 2-3 and then leveling at 3-3. In the decider, Meenal, aided by small breaks, took control to clinch the match that was spread over two sessions.
ATP and WTA Rio Open results
By IANS,
Rio de Janeiro: Following are the results Thursday from the fourth day of the ATP and WTA Rio Open (prefix number denotes seeding),...
Scoreboard: India vs Australia, Day Three, second Test
By IANS,
Mohali : Scoreboard at stumps on Day Three of the second cricket Test between India and Australia at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium here Sunday.
India: (first innings) 469 all out
Australia 1st innings (overnight 102 for four)
Matthew Hayden b Khan 0
Simon Katich b Mishra 33
Ricky Ponting lbw b Sharma 5
Michael Hussey c Dhoni b Sharma 54
Michael Clarke lbw b Mishra 23
Shane Watson lbw b Mishra 78
Brad Haddin b Harbhajan Singh 9
Cameron White b Mishra 5
Brett Lee c Dravid b Harbhajan Singh 35
Mitchell Johnson not out 9
Andy Murray aims for July return to tennis
By DPA
London : Injured Andy Murray will spent this week in the gym trying to strengthen his right wrist in time for a return to tennis next month.
Counter attacks will be key for India against Spain
By Anand Philar, IANS,
Flair, flamboyance and individual skills best describe Spain's hockey team that has often promised a lot but failed to deliver. Like India, whom them play March 4, Spain, finalists in 1971 and 1978, have been among the most inconsistent teams in the World Cup and whose performance has vacillated from the sublime to the ridiculous. Thus, it would take a brave man to put money on Spain winning the 12th World Cup. A better bet would be a top-four finish.
Guyana face deadline over hosting Windies-Pakistan Test
By IANS/CMC,
St. John's (Antigua): Guyana has been given a deadline to indicate whether or not it can host a Test match between West Indies and Pakistan in July.
Rajasthan Royals bowled out for 159 by Deccan Chargers
By IANS,
Nagpur: Rajasthan Royal were bowled out for 159 by Deccan Chargers in their Indian Premier League match here Monday.
Shane Watson struck 58 off 36 balls with the help of three fours and three sixes while Faiz Fazal contributed 36.
R.P. Singh took three wickets while Ryan Harris and Harmeet Singh got two wickets each.
Paes, Bhupathi face off in Montreal quarter-finals
By IANS
Montreal : India's doubles specialists Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi will be on court together at the Montreal Masters but will face each other across the net in the quarter-finals.
The fourth seeded pair of Paes and Martin Damm received a second round walk-over from the Canadian duo of Frank Dancevic and Frederic Niemeyer who pulled out. Niemeyer complained of lower back pain, which kept the wild card pairing off the court.
Harikrishna wins fourth round to move into joint lead
By IANS
Reggio Emilia (Italy) : Pentala Harikrishna registered his second win in the 50th Reggio Emilio Grandmasters tournament with a comprehensive 43-move win over David Narra to join three others in a joint lead after four rounds in the nine-round category 16 event.
Harikrishna, who began the tournament with a loss to Hungary's Zoltan Almasi, has since picked up 2.5 points with two wins and one draw. He shares the lead wit Almasi, Russia's Konstantin Landa and Azerbaijan's Vugar Gashimov.
Brand Dhoni back with a bang in Jharkhand
By IANS
Ranchi : Brand Dhoni is back with a bang in Jharkhand, with the Ranchi lad's elevation as captain of the Indian cricket team for one-dayers, even before he has completed his first championship as Twenty20 skipper.
In a nation where cricket is no less than a religion and the fates of cricketers rise and fall with every match like a volatile stock market, Mahendra Singh Dhoni's poor World Cup show spelt oblivion for Dhoni-endorsed brands of gutka, hairstyle, petroleum products and music albums.
Hope IPL-broadcasters dispute will be resolved: Juhi Chawla
By IANS,
Kolkata : Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Juhi Chawla Friday said the standoff between News Broadcasters Association (NBA) and Indian Premier League (IPL) would affect the coverage of the cash-rich league and hoped it would be resolved amicably.
"Like all the IPL franchisees, we also need coverage and this standoff will affect it. But we are a component of IPL and we will stand by whatever decision IPL takes. But I hope things will be resolved amicably," she said at a press conference here.
We were outplayed by India, says Ponting
By IANS,
Nagpur : Australian captain Ricky Ponting accepted that his side was thoroughly outplayed by India in the four-match Test series that ended here Monday. India won the series 2-0 and regained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after four years.
“We were totally outplayed by India in all departments and we have a lot to learn from the tour. It has been a fair result to tell the truth. We played good cricket in Bangalore but from there we have been chasing our tails," said Ponting after Australia lost the final Test by 172 runs.
Pakistan supports China on Olympics, Tibet
By Xinhua
Sanya (China) : Pakistan opposes all attempts to disrupt the Beijing 2008 Olympics and firmly supports China's territorial integrity, President Pervez Musharraf said Friday.
Musharraf, who is on a five-day state visit to China, told his counterpart Hu Jintao during a meeting in the southeastern city that his country was confident the Beijing Olympics would be a success.
In an interview with Xinhua prior to his China visit, the Pakistani president had said he would take part in the torch relay ceremony when the Olympic flame arrives in Islamabad April 16.
Roddick rolls US into semi-finals against Spain
By DPA,
Moscow : Andy Roddick rose to the big occasion with a straight-sets win over Paul-Henri Mathieu to seal a place for the United States in the Davis Cup semi-finals.
The American number six, who places Davis Cup high on his annual list of priorities assured an unbeatable 3-1 scoreline with his 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 reverse singles victory, set up and concluded with a 15th and 16th ace Sunday.
India end day one of Test at 307/5
By IANS,
Hyderabad: India were 307 for five at stumps on day one of the first cricket Test against New Zealand at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here Thursday.
South Africa to bat first in fourth ODI
By IANS,
Port Elizabeth : South Africa skipper Graeme Smith won the toss and decided to bat against India in their fourth ODI cricket fixture here Friday.
Spain beat Paraguay,advance to World Cup semis
By IANS/EFE,
Johannesburg : A late goal by star striker David Villa gave Spain a 1-0 victory over Paraguay here and helped it secure a spot in the final four of the World Cup for the first time in 60 years.
Saturday's victory was a special one for La Roja and its die-hard fans, as Paraguay had several opportunities to take the lead before Villa, now the top scorer in South Africa with five goals, found himself in the right place at the right time in the 81st minute.
Sandeep’s goal is to see India among world’s hockey best
By Avishek Roy,IANS,
New Delhi : India's hockey captain Sandeep Singh has put the Azlan Shah Cup victory Sunday in a proper perspective by saying his team has a fair distance to go before being hailed as one of the top international sides.
Speaking on his return from Ipoh, Malaysia, where India won the Azlan Shah Cup after 13 years, Sandeep showed his equanimity by refusing to go ga-ga over the victory. He realises that his team only made a modest beginning in their quest to be recognised as a top-flight international side.
Sports schedule for April 10, 2008
By IANS
New Delhi : Following is the sports schedule for April 10, 2008
Cricket: India-South Africa third Test preview
Indian Premier League build-up
Football: Second division I-League
Tennis: India-Japan Davis Cup Preview
Olympics: Torch relay update
IOC president believes doping tests are effective
By DPA
Madrid : Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), is convinced that doping tests are working.
"I do not think there is more doping than in the past. We have tougher controls and then the number of positive tests increases. That is the proof that the fight is working better," Rogge said in an interview with DPA.
Liverpool, Stuttgart, BATE and CSKA progress in Europa League
By DPA,
Berlin : VfB Stuttgart, BATE Borisov, Zenit St Petersburg and CSKA ensured their progress past the group stage of the Europa League with victories Thursday.
Olympic torch arrives in Pakistan amid tight security
By DPA,
Islamabad : The Beijing Olympics 2008 torch arrived in Pakistan Wednesday as hundreds of security personnel guarded the venue where the relay was to be held later in the day.
Syed Arif Hassan, the president of Pakistan's Olympics Association, received the flame after the plane carrying it from Muscat touched down at Chaklala air base near Islamabad shortly after midnight.
It will be taken to the capital's main sports stadium in the afternoon where the torch relay will be held at around 4 p.m.
Even Queen unhappy with CWG graft: Sharad Yadav
By IANS,
New Delhi : Alleging corruption in the preparations for the Commonwealth Games, Janta Dal-United (JD-U) leader Sharad Yadav Monday said that even Britain's Queen Elizabeth was upset over the issue.
"Even the queen is upset about it," Yadav said while participating in a short duration discussion in the Lok Sabha on the delay in preparing for the Oct 3-14 Games.
His remarks were countered immediately by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal.
Snooker great O’Sullivan out of top-16 for first time in 19 years
By IANS,
London: Four-time World champion Ronnie O'Sullivan has slipped to 17th in the world snooker rankings, a first since he entered the game's elite 19 years ago.
Rajib, Namita are Asian junior archery champions
By IANS
Kolkata : India's Rajib Basumatary and Namita Yadav kept the tricolour flying at the second Asian junior archery championship by winning the individual titles of the boys' recurve and girls' compound bow sections respectively at the Taiwan Archery Range at Taipei Monday.
Afridi takes four wickets, Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 11 runs
By IANS,
Colombo: Captain Shahid Afridi cast a spell taking four wickets as as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 11 runs in a World Cup Group A match at the R Premadasa Stadium here Saturday.
Making IPL final, Deccan Chargers, Royal Challengers turn jeers to cheers
By IANS,
Johannesburg : After 36 days of scintillating action and 58 dazzling encounters, the penultimate stage of the Indian Premier League (IPL) could not have been more exciting as the two bottom-placed teams of the inaugural edition - Deccan Chargers and Bangalore Royal Challengers - made it to Sunday's title clash.
Bangalore Royal Challengers and Deccan Chargers have risen like a phoenix from the ashes of the inaugural season, where they respectively finished seventh and eighth in the tournament, and have been a revelation in South Africa.
ICC chief greets India for being No.1 in Test rankings
By IANS,
Dubai : International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat Friday congratulated India on finishing as No.1 team in the Test Championship table following their innings victory over South Africa in the Kolkata Test.
South Africa finished in second position at the cut-off date of April 1 in the ICC Test Championship. India, after losing the first Test at Nagpur, needed to win the second at Kolkata's Eden Garden to retain the top postion in Tests. They won, with just nine balls to spare, in a thrilling conquest Thursday.
Pakistan may delay Australia series till April
By IANS
Melbourne : With a question mark hanging over the cricket series in March as a new government is yet to be formed, Pakistan is set to ask Australia to delay the tour till April and play a shorter series, the media reported here Wednesday.
AIFF set to professionalise I-league set-up
By IANS,
New Delhi : The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has taken a big step towards professionalising the running of the sport in the country.
The I-League will have a chief executive, manager and assistant manager. Besides, AIFF has decided to create a post of deputy general secretary. It is also looking for a head administrator for the national team.
AIFF had launched the I-League with much fanfare last year. It had promised to professionalise the national league. The second edition begins on Sep 26.
Lunch scoreboard: India vs Sri Lanka, day five, first Test
By IANS,
Ahmedabad : Scoreboard at lunch on the fifth day of the first cricket Test between India and Sri Lanka at Motera's Sardar Patel Stadium here Friday.
India first innings: 426
Sri Lanka first innings: 760 for seven declared
India second innings: (Overnight 190/2)
Gautam Gambhir batting 105
Virender Sehwag c Mathews b Herath 51
Rahul Dravid lbw b Welegedara 38
Amit Mishra c Dilshan b Mathews 24
Sachin Tendulkar batting 22
Extras (lb 7, nb 9) 16
Total (for three wickets in 74 overs) 256
Tennis stars out to get ATP boss De Villiers
By DPA,
Paris : Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) boss Etienne de Villiers has good reason to be afraid: the three superstars of the circuit - Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic - are out to get him.
The South African - who signs his letters with the initials E.T., the name of the alien of the Steven Spielberg blockbuster - has led men's tennis for over two years.
India 53/1 at lunch on day five
By IANS,
Cape Town : India were 53 for one at lunch on the fifth and last day of the third cricket Test against South Africa here Thursday.
Ailing Federer withdraws from Barlcays Championships
By DPA,
Dubai : Roger Federer made a surprise withdrawal from the Barclays Championships Sunday after contracting a lung infection, which doctors say will take a fortnight to clear.
The world Number One, who has not played since beating Andy Murray for the Australian Open title, picked up the problem last week, an ATP official said.
Federer, who bases himself in Dubai for training, had returned to the emirate after touring one of the schools for impoverished youngsters he funds in the south of the continent of Africa.
Sad Sevilla fly to Monte Carlo for European Supercup
By DPA
Madrid : Sevilla footballers came together straight after the funeral of left-back Antonio Puerta for the saddest training session in the club's history.
Coach Juande Ramos and his players flew off to Monte Carlo Thursday morning to prepare for Friday's European Supercup showcase match against AC Milan.
UEFA had given Sevilla the choice of whether to go ahead with the Monte Carlo match or cancel it - and the Spaniards replied that they wanted to play, as a tribute to Puerta.
Hayden, Gayle may be fit for second Test
By IANS,
Sydney : Australian opener Matthew Hayden's prospects of playing in the second Test in Antigua have brightened after his rigorous net session at Sabina Park.
Hayden missed the ongoing first Test against the West Indies at Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica, with an Achilles tendon strain sustained during his Indian Premier League stint.
Both Hayden and Australian team medical staff were encouraged by the way he went through the net session Friday, and are hoping that he would be fit to play in the second Test in Antigua, according to a report in Sydney Morning Herald.
Laxman second Indian to score 300 runs in the series
By IANS
Perth : Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman, during the course of his critical knock of 79 off 156 balls in the second innings of the Perth Test Friday, became the second Indian batsman after Sachin Tendulkar to aggregate 300 runs in the four-Test series -- 303 at an average of 50.50.
Laxman also became the second Indian batsman to complete 1000 runs in Australia -- 1018 (ave.56.55) in 10 Tests, including four centuries and two fifties - after Tendulkar (1356 at an average of 56.50 in 15 Tests), the leading run-getter for India in Australia.
Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by 112 runs
By IANS,
Mumbai : Muttiah Muralitharan took four wickets as Sri Lanka trounced New Zealand by 112 runs in their last Group A World Cup match here Friday.
Netherlands elect to bat against India
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Netherlands won the toss and decided to bat first against India in a World Cup Group B match at the Feroz Shah Kotla Grounds here Wednesday.
Aymar, Amat win world hockey awards
By IANS,
Chennai : Argentina's Luciana Aymar and Spain's Pol Amat were crowned as women and men's World Hockey Player of the Year 2008 at the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Congress in Los Angeles.
Dutch Maartje Paumen and Australian Eddie Ockenden received the Young Player of the Year 2008 awards. All four hockey stars were present in Los Angeles Saturday to receive their awards, according to a FIH press release.
Mumbai Indians fined for slow over rate
By IANS,
Mumbai : Mumbai Indians captain Sachin Tendulkar has been fined $40,000 for failing to maintain the over rate during their Indian Premier League match against Kings XI Punjab Tuesday.
Mumbai Indians were one over behind the required rate after allowances were taken into consideration.
"It was Mumbai Indians' second offence of the season and under the IPL's code of conduct relating to minimum over rate offences, captain Sachin Tendulkar was fined $40,000 and each player in the team $10,000," IPL said in a statement Wednesday.
Bopanna, Somdev to play Davis Cup singles
By IANS
New Delhi : India's non-playing captain Leander Paes Thursday sprang a surprise by naming young Somdev Varman as the second singles player to play Uzbekistan in the crucial Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group I tie Friday at the R.K. Khanna Stadium here.
The draw, which took place Thursday morning in presence of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, pitted India's highest ranked singles player Rohan Bopanna against second best Uzbek player Farrukh Dustov in the opening singles. Then Somdev will take on a much-improved Denis Istomin in the second rubber.
F1 boss rules out a London grand prix
By IANS
London : Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has ruled out staging a London Grand Prix.
Scolari to leave Portugal for Chelsea
By IANS,
London : Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari has been confirmed as the new manager of Chelsea, the English Premiership club said.
The Brazilian, who is currently managing Portugal, had been one of the favourites to succeed Avram Grant at Stamford Bridge, but the timing of his appointment comes as big surprise for the English fans. Scolari was not expected to make a decision about his future until after the tournament.
Practice games in Australia: India’s record poor
By IANS
Melbourne : As the Indian cricket team starts its practice game before the first Test on Dec 26, here's a look at India's record in practice games down under:
Season Played Won Lost Drawn
1947-48 6 1 2 3
1967-68 4 - 2 2
1977-78 4 4 - -
1980-81 6 1 2 3
1985-86 3 1 - 2
1991-92 3 - 3 -
1999-00 3 1 2 -
2003-04 2 - - 2
Total: 31 8 11 12
Let’s showcase Indian hospitality: President
By IANS,
New Delhi: Indian President Pratibha Patil said Sunday hosting the Commonwealth Games has given India an opportunity to showcase "our legendary hospitality" to the world.