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2008-03-27
Chennai: India's strength lies in their batting. After the bowlers had been hammered around for 680 minuites, as the South Africans were finally dismissed for 540, it was imperative that the batting came to the party. Virender Sehwag and Wasim Jaffer did just that, playing out 21 overs as India ended day two of the first Test at the MA Chambaram Stadium here at 82-0.
Sehwag found that time enough to rustle up his 14th Test half-century, remaining unbeaten on 52, while Jaffer was 25 not out.
Jaffer has a lot to prove. He scored heavily against Pakistan, and failed with equal regularity on Australia. His retention in this Test squad was not taken to too kindly, so he had to go out there and prove that he can deliver. While it never was going to be a challenge like Australia, runs under the belt, even in a home series, are always welcome.
The visiting bowlers were not quite as accurate as skipper Graeme Smith would have liked, and for most parts, they bowled short and wide. Makhaya Ntini's very first over saw a square-driven boundary from Sehwag, followed by a slashed six over third-man. That was not out of the Sehwag batting manual, but to see him repeat the stroke a while later was really something.
By the time the South African bowlers began to pitch it up, both batsmen were set, and the drives came out, some absolutely straight. Sehwag scored with gay abandon like he always does but Jaffer too was more active than he normally is. Left-arm spinner Paul Harris also got a bowl, but he had pretty much the same sort of impact that the Indian players did.
South Africa however, somehow did not manage the acceleration they were looking for, as the attacking batsmen perished pretty early on in their efforts to pump up the scoring rate. Mark Boucher's attempted slog-sweep off Sehwag went up as a skier while Morne Morkel patted one straight back to Harbhajan. Dale Steyn improvised, but the tail batted like it should.
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Deadline given for Black Caps to return from IPL
2008-03-27
Deadline given for Black Caps to return from IPL
1:53PM Thursday March 27, 2008
New Zealand's IPL contingent will be able to play four games in the Twenty20 competition.
Which is more important - the Indian league or English tour?
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Summer of cricket
Cricket: Taylor made heir to Fleming apparent (+photo)
Cricket: SA make solid start against India
New Zealand's Indian Premier League (IPL) contracted cricket players have been given a deadline of May 1 to join their teammates for the tour of England.
Skipper Daniel Vettori, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills and Ross Taylor will be expected to arrive in England a fortnight before the first test at Lord's which begins on May 15.
It means the five will be able to slot in four games each in the IPL while missing the New Zealand team's festival match against the MCC in Arundel, Sussex, on April 27 and first county match against Kent from April 28-30.
They will play two warm-up matches - against Essex from May 2 and England A from May 8.
Cricket New Zealand chief executive Justin Vaughan said the decision had been reached after he had met with individual players, coach John Bracewell, the team as a whole and the Cricket Players Association (NZCPA) to discuss the arrival options for the IPL players.
"We have reached a decision which I believe is fair and is also consistent with the best cricketing outcome," Vaughan said.
"When the itinerary for the England tour was put in place, it was not envisaged that a number of our players would be playing quality cricket in India.
"For players that are playing a high standard of international cricket, two weeks is a good level of preparation.
"The May 1 deadline date will give the players time to acclimatise to playing in English conditions as they will be available for two first class matches, prior to the test series beginning.
"The England and Wales Cricket Board has also been consulted and is happy with the decision."
Vaughan said the IPL Twenty20 tournament had the ability to retain players in the international game and therefore had New Zealand's full support.
"The global cricket landscape is changing rapidly and we must be flexible enough to change with it, while protecting the integrity of the international game."
He said the five players had agreed to abide by whatever decision NZC reached.
NZCPA executive manager Heath Mills described today's decision as "a good pragmatic" one and had full support from the association.
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Test Cricket Matches India Vs South Africa
2008-03-27
Current Cricket Matches | |
 | SL 476/8 | WI 280/10 | SL 240/7 | WI 315/10 (Sri lanka won by 121 runs) DB Powell* 14, Chris Gayle 51 - RSA 540/10 | Ind 82/0 (Match is currently at Stumps, Day 2) V Sehwag* 52, W Jaffer 25 - |
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India VS South Africa Cricket match in march 2008
2008-03-27
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| Hours of play: 09.30 start, Lunch 11.30-12.10, Tea 14.10-14.30, Close 16.30 Current time: 20:32 local, 15:02 GMT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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India win Commonwealth judo title with 14 medals
2008-02-06
New Delhi, Jan 28: India won 14 medals, including seven golds, to clinch the seniors title while the juniors finished runners-up with six medals at the Commonwealth Judo Championship in Mauritius.
The junior team won four golds, one silver and one bronze in the competition that concluded Sunday, the Judo Federation of India (JFI) said here Monday.
A total of 23 judokas represented India in the 13-nation championship that was a warm-up event for the upcoming Asian Judo Championships.
In the senior section, Sandeep (56 kg), Navjot Chana (60 kg), Ram Ashrey Yadav (73 kg), Ranjit Kaur (44 kg), Khumujam Tombi Devi (48 kg), Anita Chanhu (52 kg) and Garima Chaudhry (63 kg) won gold medals while Yashpal Solanki (open) and Laisram Nirupama Devi (57 kg) clinched the silver.
Virender Singh (81 kg), Anil Kumar (90 kg), Pawan Kumar (100-plus kg), Chogtham Jina Devi (70 kg) and Bittu (78 kg) managed bronze medals.
Cameroon finished second behind India in the senior category with four gold, two silver and one bronze medal while Scotland was third with three gold, five silver and five bronze medals.
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Asian football chief said India is top priority
2008-02-06
Sydney, Jan 29 : The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced that it would give top priority to India with a view to improving the game of football in the South Asian country."India is top priority for us (AFC) and we will invest more to improve the game there," AFC President Mohammed Bin Hammam, told reporters ahead of an award function here Tuesday.
He vowed AFC's full support to India through the Vision India programme, which is part of the Vision Asia development project.
Hammam's words would boost the morale of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) as India is set to host the AFC Challenge Cup in 2008 and 2010.
The AFC had given to the AIFF a grant of $1 million for the development of the sport last year.
"Historically, India has strong football roots. Some of the oldest clubs and competitions are in India. Some clubs have a fan following of more than 20 million, inside and outside India. That is an indicator to the popularity of the game," said Hamam.
India is one of the seven pilot countries in the Vision Asia development project along with neighbours Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Oman, Vietnam and China.
"The AFC is trying to introduce professionalism in football throughout Asia with Vision Asia," Hammam added.
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India suffer back-to-back defeats in Fed Cup
2008-02-06
Bangkok, Jan 31 : India continued their miserable run at the Fed Cup tennis as they registered their second successive defeat, losing to New Zealand 1-2 at the National Development Centre here Thursday.Isha Lakhani, who replaced Wednesday's lone winner against Indonesia, Shikha Uberoi, started the tie on a winning note for India as she fought hard to scalp Sacha Jones 6-7(7), 6-1, 6-4 in the Asia-Oceania Group I tie.
In the second rubber, Sunitha Rao squandered the advantage and allowed the Kiwis to level the scores and take the match into the deciding doubles encounter. She was handed a 0-6, 6-7 (7-5) defeat by Marina Erakovic.
However, Shikha who did not feature in the singles tie against New Zealand Thursday as she was down with cramps, teamed up with Lakahni for the doubles only to see the same old story being repeated.
The combination of Leanne Baker and Erakovic thrashed the challenge of Lakhani and Shikha 6-2, 6-2 to seal the tie in favour of the Kiwis.
Morally down after two consecutive defeats, India now have an uphill task as they will be up against mighty Australia in their third and final tie Friday.
Earlier in the day, Australia suffered a shock 1-2 loss to Indonesia. Indonesia took an unassailable lead in the tie when they pocketed both the singles tie.
Seventeen-year-old Jessica Moore, who replaced an injured Alicia Molik, lost to Ayu Fani Damayanti 3-6, 4-6 and Sandy Gumulya defeated Casey Dellacqua in a tight two-setter 6-7, 6-7.
However, Dellacqua and Rennae Stubbs brought one back for Australia as they defeated Lavinia Tananta and Vivien Silfany 6-2, 6-1 in the doubles rubber.
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Indian boxer wins gold at Asian Olympic qualifiers
2008-02-06
New Delhi, Feb 2: Indian pugilist Akhil Kumar Saturday won the gold medal at the second Asian Olympic Boxing Qualifying Tournament at Bangkok by defeating Olympic silver medallist Worapoj Petchkoom of Thailand.
Akhil defeated Petchkoom with an impressive margin of 21-11 in the bantamweight category (54 kg) and earned the Best Boxer of the Championship award, an Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) release said.
Akhil Friday, became the second Indian boxer to qualify for the Beijing Olympics when he outclassed Ryom Chol Jin from North Korea in the semi-finals.
However, it was not a cakewalk for Akhil in the final, as the Commonwealth gold medallist had to combat a local hero in front of a partisan crowd and to his dismay he was down 3-4 at the end of the first round.
The second round too was evenly poised at 7-7. However, it was in the third round that Akhil shifted gears and sped away to a 13-9 lead.
In the fourth round there was no stopping Akhil as he stormed his way into the title with a score of 21-11.
Meanwhile, another Indian boxer Jitender Kumar was unlucky in the 51 kg category as he suffered an eyebrow cut in his second bout of the tournament.
Amandeep (48 kg), Dinesh (81 kg) and Manpreet (91 kg) won three bronze medals for India but did not qualify for the Olympics.
However, they have a final chance to book their passage to Beijing in a qualifying tournament, which will be held at Kazakhstan from March 15.
The Indian squad for the Kazakhstan tournament will be selected from the National Inter Zonal Boxing Championships scheduled to be held at Akola, Maharashtra Feb 10-14.
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Federation Cup football now on FA Cup pattern
2008-02-06
New Delhi, Feb 2: The Federation Cup format has undergone a change and the tournament will now be conducted on the lines of England's FA Cup, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced here Saturday.
The tournament will be held in several stages - qualifying round, preliminary round, quarterfinals, semi-finals and the final - the AIFF said following its executive committee meeting here.The dates and venues of the tournament were, however, not announced.
The qualifying round will involve each state and zone. It will be played on a zonal basis and will involve champion teams of each zone, excluding the first and second division I League sides. The winner and runner-up from each zone will advance to the preliminary round.
In the preliminary round, the 10 zonal champions and Division II teams will be divided into four groups for a knock-out competition, following which one team from each group will qualify for the quarterfinals.
In the last-eight stage, the four group champions and 12 I-League teams will lock horns. They will be divided into four groups of four teams each and it will be a single leg league. The four champion teams will advance to the semi-finals, followed by the final.
The AIFF also decided that 12 teams would take part in the second division I-League. They are Mohammedan Sporting, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Sports Club, Chiragh United, Vasco Sports Club Goa, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, Mumbai Football Cclub, Pune Football Club, Amity United, Osian's New Delhi Heroes, Indian Bank, State Bank of Travancore and Oil India.
The committee congratulated India captain Bhaichung Bhutia on being conferred with Padmashri, the fourth highest civil award
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Sania needs to learn how to handle adversities
2008-02-06
New Delhi, Feb 5 : India's Davis Cup captain Leander Paes Tuesday said Sania Mirza should be careful in managing her celebrity status since everything she does is constantly under public scrutinyPaes was a little hesitant to react to Sania's Monday's bombshell that she is pulling out of next month's Women's Tennis Tour (WTA) Tier II event, but chose his words carefully to say that no celebrity in the world can evade controversies.
The 21-year-old Hyderabadi Monday said "as of now" she was withdrawing from the Bangalore Open, starting March 3, as every time she played in the country she has been dogged by some controversy or the other.
Paes, however, felt that it's high time Sania handled such issues in a better way.
"I don't want to comment on this. I am least bothered about it, but at the end of the day who doesn't have controversies? It's not only with tennis players, cricketers, film stars all have controversies in their lives," Paes told reporters at the end of Indian Davis Cup team's practice session at the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) here.
"We all had to face adversities in our careers. It's about how you handle them, it's about how you project yourself and it's about how dignified and honest you are. Sania has to be very careful about all these," he said.
Paes went on to say that the greatest pleasure for any athlete is to represent his country on the home turf.
"The greatest joy for an athlete is to play for his or her country and in the country.
"No individual is bigger than the game," he said.
Since her breakthrough 2005 season, the 21-year-old Hyderabadi has been battling controversies ranging from her on court attire, which did not please some Islamic clerics, to media photographs showing her resting bare feet near Indian flag during the Hopman Cup in December.
The controversies perturbed the world number 29 and Asia's number one, to such an extent that she at one point of time even considered quitting tennis before the Australian Open.
However, her decision to skip Bangalore event did not seem to go well with many with former Davis Cup captain Naresh Kumar too expressing his astonishment over her move.
"It is a big upset for the tournament. She has been asked to do a juvenile and immature thing," Naresh said.
Agreeing with Paes, Naresh said Sania needed to handle her celebrity status with a right approach.
"All the stars have problems but you have tackle them. Pulling out of a tournament is not the solution. I think Sania has been misguided," said Naresh.
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Indian Masters: Delhi Golf Club made a par-71 course
2008-02-06
By Abhishek Roy, New Delhi, Feb 5 : The Lodhi Course of the Delhi Golf Club (DGC) has been reduced by a par to par-71 for the inaugural $2.5 million EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters starting here Wednesday.
The 14th hole, which was par-5, has been reduced to par-4 and will surely challenge the golfers.
"Statistically there have been lot of birdies at the 14th hole. It was an easy par-5 hole and now to make it tough we have made it par-4. It will be a challenge for the golfers to get in four shots," Ranji Chaudhri, DGC captain, told IANS Tuesday.
Asked whether this was the first time the par of the course has been reduced, Chaudhri said: "I don't know whether the par was ever reduced in the history of the DGC. But I am sure that this is the first time the par has been reduced to 71 in the last 10 years."
Chaudhri also added that three tees, 3rd, 7th and 10th, have been pushed back and in the process 126 yards have been to the course.
"The length of the course was 6,888 yards but after pushing back the three tees we have added 126 yards, now the total length of the course is 7,014 yards. We have also added five bunkers, one each in the first, eighth and 18th and two on the sixth hole. These are well contoured and deep bunkers," said the DGC captain.
There were 65 bunkers earlier.
Chaudhri also said that the organisers have ensured that the greens are firm. "The test of a good green is that it should be firm and not hard and must reward a well struck ball by holding well," he said.
He also added that holding the Indian Masters during this time of the year was a challenge for the course management of DGC because the grass was dormant and not growing.
"This dormancy only breaks when the minimum temperature inches upwards to 15 degrees. But currently the temperatures over the last fortnight have been hovering around 2-7 degrees, which is extremely adverse for any golf course.
"But we had taken all the precautions over the last three months. We have gone for intense maintenance with lots of fertilisers to ensure that the course stays green despite the adverse weather conditions," said Chaudhri.
According to the captain, knowledge of the course will help home golfers like Jyoti Randhawa and Shiv Kapur but adaptability will be the key to success at the DGC.
"Golfers like Shiv and Jyoti, who grew up playing at this course will obviously have an edge but the key to success will be adaptability. That is the reason why other top golfers like Ernie Els and Lee Westwood will also have a good chance.
"In the course golfers can't go for powerful drives to cover 350 yards, because it may end up in the bushes adjacent to the fairway. That will be a major challenge for the golfers. The idea is to go for less powerful drives and stay on the fairway."
The Indian Masters is sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and Professional Golf Tour of India.
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Somdev to play Davis Cup if Prakash Amritraj remains unwell
2008-02-06
Feb 5: Young Somdev Varman might have arrived late in the capital for the Asia-Oceania Group I Davis Cup tie against Uzbekistan starting Friday, but non-playing captain Leander Paes Tuesday was impressed by the youngster's game.
Paes said Somdev has an even chance of making his debut in the world team event.
Somdev's chances of featuring in the singles brightened after Prakash Amritraj was taken ill with a stomach upset, which forced him to miss the team's practice session Monday.
Somdev arrived here Monday night from US where he had to fulfil his commitments with his University of Virginia team before flying to India. However, he was on the court within hours of arrival and Paes was seen showing a lot of interest in his play.
"Rohan (Bopanna) is undoubtedly our spearhead as he is enjoying a good run. His outing at the Hopman Cup was excellent. But we are keeping our options open for the second singles," Paes told reporters during India's training session at the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) here.
Paes said he was impressed with Somdev's adaptability to grass courts. "I am surprised to see his ability to adapt. Though he plays most of his tennis indoor in the US, he is an all court player," the tennis ace said.
He further added that Varman, who likes to play from the back of the court, is a prospect to nurture for the future. Even former Davis Cup captain Naresh Kumar, who was present during the practice session, was happy to see the youngster.
"Somdev has got his basics right. He has solid ground strokes," Kumar said.
Prakash, who is a natural grass court player, practised for half an hour practice in the second session Tuesday.
Paes, however, did not rule out Prakash's chances of playing the tie.
"He (Prakash) is feeling better. It's about regaining his strength and physical condition," he said.
However, Somdev himself is not so optimistic about his participation against the Uzbeks.
"I am trying to make the best of the situation and I am feeling pretty comfortable on grass. Obviously, the position I am in right now is tough, so I don't expect anything," the 22-year-old player from Tripura said.
"Rohan, Prakash and myself all have been playing well and two of the best among us will play against Uzbekistan," Somdev added.
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Twenty20 become the Professional Cricketer's Semi Retirement Plan
2008-02-06
Could Twenty20 become the Professional Cricketer's Semi Retirement Plan?
It's rumoured the cashed up IPL and ICL are offering contracts worth up to $1,000,000 to some of the world's finest. It's no wonder some of the biggest names in the game have signed on the dotted line. If the money wasn't incentive enough, knowing that a Twenty20 tournament lasts only a few weeks, makes the proposition even more alluring.
Both organizations have recruited heavily. The IPL especially. They claim to have a player pool of 78 with international experience. And they're paying handsomely for that experience, offering attractive sign-on fees
AUSTRALIA. Shane Warne 400,000. Glenn McGrath 350,000. Justin Langer 175,000.
SRI LANKA. Farveez Maharoof 150,000. Kumar Sangakkara 250,000. Mahela Jaywardene 250,000. Muttiah Muralitharan 250,000. Sanath Jayasuriya 250,000. Nuwan Zoysa 100,000. Dilhara Fernando 150,000. Charminda Vaas 175,000. Lasith Malinga 200,000.
PAKISTAN. Mohammad Asif 225,000. Shahid Afridi 225,000. Shoaib Akhtar 225,000. Younus Khan 225,000. Mohammad Yousuf 330,000. Shoaib Malik 300,000.
WEST INDIES. Shivnarine Chanderpaul 175,000.
NEW ZEALAND. Daniel Vettori 225,000. Stephen Fleming 350,000. Jacob Oram 225,000. Scott Styris 175,000. Brendon McCallum 175,000.
SOUTH AFRICA. Loots Bosman 150,000. AB de Villiers 175,000. Albie Morkel 200,000. Graeme Smith 225,000. Herschelle Gibbs 225,000. Shaun Pollock 200,000. Ashwell Prince 150,000. Makhaya Ntini 175,000. Mark Boucher 175,000. Jacques Kallis 200,000.
This list represents less than half the IPL player roster.
Brian Lara's ICL contract has been touted at !,000,000. Shane Bond's contract is a three year deal worth 800,000. Other notable ICL recruits are Nathan Astle, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Chris Cairns, Lance Klusener, Chris Harris, Stuart Law, Ian Harvey, Abdul Razzaq and Craig McMillan. Gilchrist, now that he has retired, could very well be on either shopping list.
Cricket Australia, concerned about a conflict of interest, made its contracted players sign a memorandum of understanding, stating they wouldn't take part in tournaments that coincided with official tour commitments.
A professional cricketer spends a lot of time away from home, friends and family. After a decade living out of a suitcase, the media scrutiny and the constant pressures; a player decides it's time to retire. That's how it was. Now, though, there's another option. In the last thirteen months Nathan Astle, Chris Cairns, Craig McMillan, Brian Lara, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath have retired from international cricket. But their playing careers aren't over. For the next couple of years they'll fill their pockets and only have to work a couple of months a year. That sounds like semi retirement to me
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New Zealand v England 2nd Twenty20
2008-02-06
New Zealand v EnglandDate: Thursday, 7 February
Start: 0600 GMT (day-night match)
Venue: Lancaster Park, Christchurch
BBC Coverage: Live on 5 Live Sports Extra, BBCi and the BBC Sport website
England will look to build on their impressive start to their tour when they take on New Zealand in the second Twenty20 international on Thursday.
England won the first match by 32 runs and will seek an emphatic victory in Christchurch to dent the hosts' morale.
"Putting them under pressure was our aim," said wicket-keeper Phil Mustard.
"I wouldn't say they're there for the taking because they're a very good one-day side, but we've got a young team who really want to perform."
 | It's always a goal to play Test cricket, that's number one in my priorities but we have a Twenty20 and one-dayers coming up Phil Mustard |
England are expected to name an unchanged line-up for the day-night match as they attempt to claim consecutive Twenty20 international wins for the first time against major opposition.
That will give Durham wicket-keeper Mustard another chance to impress with the bat as one of England's openers.
The left-hander, who is battling against Tim Ambrose for a place in the Test side, scored 20 off 13 balls in England's win in Auckland on Tuesday and is confident of being able to build on that performance.
"We had a couple of warm-up games down in Canterbury and I got the basics right and last night I was able to capitalise on that and made a few runs," said the 25-year-old.
"It's always my goal to do well in an England shirt, but I'm going to go out and enjoy my cricket and hopefully I can get a few runs as well - the runs will come.
"It's always a goal to play Test cricket, that's number one in my priorities but we have a Twenty20 and one-dayers coming up. I'll take every game but then hopefully get a chance in the Test series."
Daniel Flynn has replaced Jacob Oram in New Zealand's squad after the experienced all-rounder suffered a tight hamstring while bowling in the opening match in Auckland.
 Flynn captained New Zealand Under-19s at the 2004 Youth World Cup |
Left-hander Flynn, 22, will go into the match in good form after smashing 149 for his district side on Wednesday.
"This is a great chance to introduce another exciting youngster," said selection manager Sir Richard Hadlee.
"His innings on Wednesday was at better than a run-a-ball and as a left-hander he will fit beautifully into our middle order at number six or seven."
Oram, who top-scored for the Blacks Caps, wanted to play as a batsman only at Lancaster Park.
But the management did not want to risk exacerbating the injury ahead of the five one-day internationals, which start in Wellington on Saturday.
New Zealand are already without regular captain Daniel Vettori because of an ankle injury but he hopes to be fit for the match this weekend.
New Zealand (from): B McCullum (capt/wkt), J Ryder, R Taylor, J How, P Fulton, S Styris, D Flynn, K Mills, T Southee, J Patel, C Martin, P Hitchcock, M Mason.
England (from): L Wright, P Mustard (wkt), I Bell, K Pietersen, P Collingwood (capt), O Shah, D Mascarenhas, G Swann, S Broad, R Sidebottom, J Anderson, R Bopara, A Cook, J Tredwell, T Ambrose, C Tremlett.
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India v Sri Lanka - Played at Brisbane Cricket Ground 5 February 2008
2008-02-06
Played at Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane (neutral venue), on 5 February 2008 - day/night (50-over match) Result No result |
| | | | | | | | | |
| India innings (50 overs maximum) | R | M | B | 4s | 6s | SR | ||
| V Sehwag | c  Sangakkara b Amerasinghe | 33 | 87 | 39 | 2 | 1 | 84.61 | ||
| SR Tendulkar | b Malinga | 35 | 70 | 52 | 2 | 0 | 67.30 | ||
| G Gambhir | not out | 102 | 159 | 101 | 10 | 1 | 100.99 | ||
| Yuvraj Singh | c Jayawardene b Muralitharan | 2 | 14 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 18.18 | ||
| RG Sharma | c Sangakkara b Muralitharan | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | ||
 | MS Dhoni | not out | 88 | 124 | 95 | 5 | 1 | 92.63 | |
| Extras | (lb 3, w 4) | 7 | |||||||
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| Total | (4 wickets; 50 overs) | 267 | (5.34 runs per over) | ||||||
| Did not bat RV Uthappa, IK Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, S Sreesanth, I Sharma |
| Fall of wickets1-68 (Tendulkar, 14.3 ov), 2-80 (Sehwag, 17.1 ov), 3-83 (Yuvraj Singh, 20.3 ov), 4-83 (RG Sharma, 20.5 ov) |
| | | | | | | |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
| WPUJC Vaas | 10 | 0 | 72 | 0 | 7.20 | (1w) | |
| SL Malinga | 10 | 1 | 56 | 1 | 5.60 | (1w) | |
| MKDI Amerasinghe | 10 | 2 | 30 | 1 | 3.00 | ||
| M Muralitharan | 10 | 0 | 51 | 2 | 5.10 | (1w) | |
| CK Kapugedera | 6 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 3.83 | (1w) | |
| TM Dilshan | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8.00 | ||
| ST Jayasuriya | 3 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 8.00 |
| | | | | |
| Sri Lanka team | ||||
| WU Tharanga, ST Jayasuriya, KC Sangakkara, DPMD Jayawardene, TM Dilshan, LPC Silva, CK Kapugedera, WPUJC Vaas, SL Malinga, MKDI Amerasinghe, M Muralitharan |
|
Toss India, who chose to bat first
Umpires SJ Davis and RE Koertzen (South Africa) |
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Bucknor replaced; Harbhajan can play
2008-01-08
Australian Tour for Indians
BONDING SESSION: The Indians, leaving behind the controversies surrounding them, relax with a game of beach volleyball at the Bondi beach in Sydney on Tuesday.
Canberra: The International Cricket Council (ICC) softened its stance on Tuesday, removing umpire Steve Bucknor from the third India-Australia Test and appointing a Code of Conduct Commissioner to hear the appeal against Harbhajan Singh's three-Test ban.
The moves have allowed room for manoeuvre out of the impasse the incidents of the second Test had led to.
With the hearing unlikely before the third Test, scheduled to be played at Perth from January 16, India will have the option of selecting the off-spinner.
The ICC Chief Executive, Malcolm Speed, said, "It is accepted that Steve (Bucknor), and his on-field colleague Mark Benson, did not have good games by their very high standards and we feel that given the added pressure and attention Steve's presence would have at the third Test, it is better for the match and for Steve himself if he does not take part."
Neither Bucknor nor Benson will stand in any of the remaining matches.
Bowden to stand
Billy Bowden will replace Bucknor and partner Asad Rauf at Perth.
Bowden and Rauf will also officiate in the fourth Test at Adelaide as originally scheduled.
Speed denied, however, that the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) protest against Bucknor and Benson had influenced the decision.
It may be recalled that just a day ago, the ICC had refused to entertain a change in umpires.
"It is important to stress that Steve (Bucknor) has not been replaced due to any representations made by any team or individuals," said Speed.
"The ICC remains the sole body responsible for the appointment of umpires and no team has the right to object to any appointment.
The decision by the ICC to replace Steve for this match was made in the best interests of the game and the series."
Madugalle for Perth
The ICC announced that chief referee Ranjan Madugalle will travel to Perth to help match referee Mike Procter and the two captains re-build an atmosphere of trust.
"We are bringing Ranjan in as a facilitator in an effort to prevent any ill-feeling that may have been present at the Sydney Test from rolling over to Perth," Speed said.
"Ranjan will remind the captains and other players of their responsibilities to conduct themselves in line with the Spirit of Cricket."
Drawing a parallel to the 2006 Oval Test, the only forfeited match in Test history, Speed said, "What we've seen over the last week is a lot of criticism of umpiring decisions, a lot of ill feeling. We could have taken a heavy-handed approach, a letter-of-law approach (as in 2006).
"But what we need to do is alleviate some of the tension focussed on this match. One of the things we need to do is bring in a new umpires' team. This gives us an opportunity to move on."
Judge to be appointed
Speed said a "very senior judge" will be appointed in the next 24 hours to hear the appeal against the finding that Harbhajan was guilty of making a racist remark to Andrew Symonds. "That involves some 10 players and officials," he said.
"Some of them are in Canberra, some of them have gone home. They'll be gathering in Perth ahead of the Test some time next week. I simply don't know whether it will be able to happen before that Test."
Harbhajan will be able to play pending the verdict of the appeal, which Speed confirmed would include re-telling of the evidence Procter heard at the SCG on Sunday night. Harbhajan had denied using the word "monkey" in Procter's hearing.
Hogg chargedMeanwhile, Australian spinner Brad Hogg has been charged under Level 3 of the ICC's Code of Conduct by Indian team manager Chetan Chauhan following an alleged incident during the final day of the second Test at Sydney.
Hogg has been accused of making an offensive remark to Indian captain Anil Kumble and vice-captain M.S. Dhoni during India's second innings on Sunday.
The preliminary date for the hearing is set for January 14 in Perth.
The alleged offence has been reported under paragraph 3.3 of the Code of Conduct which refers to players or team officials ‘using language or gestures that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person's race, religion, gender, colour, descent, or national or ethic origin.'
The penalty for a Level 3 offence is a ban of between two and four Test matches, or four and eight one-day internationals.
Welcome diversion
Meanwhile the Indian team, under instructions from the BCCI to stay in Sydney until further instructions, kept itself occupied with sessions in the gym.
The ‘team-bonding session' at Bondi, organised by trainer Gregory King, included a spot of volleyball, a trip to the life-guard tower, an optional swim, and a few stress-relieving giggles.
The move made eminent sense as it offered a change of scenery and an opportunity for fitness work. As Mike Brearley pointed out, few things so drain the mind as the confines of a hotel room.
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Sports deptt officer misbehaves with journo covering PHL
2008-01-08
CHANDIGARH, December 29: A senior officer of Chandigarh's sports department allegedly misbehaved with a news agency journalist covering the Premier Hockey League (PHL), leading to protests by scribes here on Saturday.Journalists were up in arms against Joint Director Sports J P S Sidhu for his alleged "misbehaviour" with a journalist from a premier news agency last night.
The incident took place after Chandigarh Dynamos beat Sher-e-Jalandhar last night. The journalist headed for the parking area after filing his match report but was asked by a security guard to leave the stadium premises immediately.
The scribe reported the matter to the concerned officer who put the entire blame on organisers - ESPN and Leisure Sports Management - maintaining that the two companies had specifically asked the sports department here to get the stadium vacated by one and all by 2015 hours.
"Such a statement by the responsible officer who is at the helm of affairs of the event was unwarranted as the matches end by 1945 hours or at times 2030 hours and it takes media persons some time to file match reports," the protesting journalists, who will boycott all the functions of Chandigarh Sports Department, said.
When Sidhu was ghearoed by journalists Saturday at the entrance of the stadium he said that he had removed the gate keeper from duty for his misbehaviour.
"I have shunted out the gate keeper from duty this morning for his misbehaviour," the officer told reporters.
Meanwhile, representatives and senior office bearers of Chandigarh Sports Journalist Association, Chandigarh punjab Union of Journalist, Electronic Media Association and Punjab Chandigarh journalist association condemned the "behaviour and attitude" of the concerned officer.
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Steve Bucknor has been playing against India
2008-01-08
Steve Bucknor has been playing against India for a long time""They should use technology more and allow batsmen to ask for the third umpire"
"The Australian fielders, more or less, they cheated"
CHENNAI: "Atrocious... A horror show... The Australians are playing with thirteen players. It seems like the umpires are also on their team."
The city's cricket enthusiasts are up in arms against the poor umpiring decisions in the second Test between India and Australia, which ended with defeat for the Indians on Sunday.
More than nine thousand km away from the Sydney Cricket Ground, many ardent fans in Chennai woke early on Sunday morning to track the final hours of the tense contest, only to be left disappointed by umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson.
"I don't know whether they did it on purpose or whether they went to sleep, but the Indian team should make a complaint. This happens only when India plays in foreign lands," said retired banker V. Ramanan.
Businessman T.S. Narayanaswamy had delayed his return from Tirupati to Chennai in order to watch the match, but was left fuming at the way the umpires cost India the Test. "Steve Bucknor has been playing against India for a long time. He actually seemed quite enthusiastic to put up his hands [to signal a wicket] with a smile on his face," he said.
Dearth of good umpires
"There is a dearth of good umpires. They should use technology more and allow batsmen to ask for the third umpire," he added.
"If it hadn't been for the wrong decisions, India would have easily won the match," said a disappointed A. Hashwanth, who avidly followed the match despite preparing for Class 12 examinations.
Apart from the umpires, he was most indignant at Australian captain Ricky Ponting and fielder Michael Clarke who appealed against Saurav Ganguly despite the fact that the catch was not cleanly taken. "The Australian fielders, more or less, they cheated," he said.
Blatant mistake
Architect John S. Rajan agreed. "Rahul Dravid's dismissal was a blatant mistake. Adam Gilchrist was in a perfect position to know that the bat was nowhere near the ball and still, without even batting an eyelid, he started jumping up and down. That kind of aggressive appealing just puts pressure on the umpires," he said.
In the face of such dishonesty, it was ridiculous that umpire Mark Benson had then taken Ponting's word on the Ganguly catch, rather than consulting his colleague at square leg or the third umpire, said Mr. Rajan.
Pat for Indians
His mother, who watched the match with him, gave credit to the Indians' attitude. "They reacted very graciously, without making a fuss, unlike how the Australians acted," she said.
"They proved they were the better team, integrity-wise," said software professional Gokulakrishnan T.G. "There are more important things than winning."
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Bucknor would not be - umpire third Test in Perth
2008-01-08
Bucknor won't umpire third Test in Perth
January 8, 2008 - 5:21PM
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Umpire Steve Bucknor will not stand in the third cricket Test between Australia and India in Perth, International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Malcolm Speed said on Tuesday.
Bucknor will be replaced by New Zealand's Billy Bowden.
India had demanded Bucknor be stood down from the Test following their anger towards his performance in the second Test in Sydney.
Umpiring was one issue India were unhappy with following that match, along with the three-Test suspension imposed on spinner Harbhajan Singh.
Speed acknowledged some people would be unhappy given India had requested Bucknor be stood down.
"I can understand that people will take that view," he said.
"It is an extraordinary set of circumstances and we want to take some of the tension out of the situation."
Harbhajan was on Monday suspended for three Tests after he was found guilty of racially abusing Australia's Andrew Symonds in Sydney by calling him a "monkey".
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has suspended its tour pending the outcome of Harbhajan's appeal hearing.
But Speed could not say when that hearing would be held.
He was hopeful it would be held before the next Test, starting on January 16.
If the hearing was not held before then, he said, Harbhajan would be eligible to play in Perth.
Speed was hopeful India's tour would continue, but could not guarantee that.
Speed said the ICC needed to take a "pragmatic view" towards the issue, and needed to be "flexible" to resolve the crisis.
He was confident Bucknor, 61, would umpire again at Test level.
Speed said match referee Ranjan Madugalle, the former Sri Lankan captain, would also be appointed as a mediator between the Australian and Indian sides.
Meanwhile, a racism hearing against Australian spinner Brad Hogg will also go ahead, after the Indians alleged he called captain Anil Kumble a "bastard" in Sydney.
Hogg's hearing will be heard some time before the third Test by match referee Mike Procter.
Speed said Procter and an ICC-appointed code of conduct commissioner would re-hear the Harbhajan case, with the witnesses to be again called.
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End of Steve Bucknor Cricket Umpiring Career
2008-01-08
End of Steve Bucknor Cricket Umpiring Career
SYDNEY: Removal of Steve Bucknor from the remainder of the India-Australia series marks a low in the career of cricket's senior most international umpire known as "Mr Slow Death".
Now approaching 62, the West Indian who has officiated in 120 Tests, the most by an umpire, and 167 ODIs, has umpired all the five World Cup finals since 1992.
The Jamaican who was a football referee before turning to cricket, takes time to decide before nodding his head and raising his finger which has earned him the nickname of "Mr Slow Death".
Unfortunately for Bucknor, due to retire in May 2011, the second Test between India and Australia turned out to be a disaster because he became 'finger-happy' while dealing with appeals against the Indians, earning him the dubious distinction of being the first umpire ever to have been replaced.
Bucknor first rubbed India the wrong way back in 1992-93 when he refused to refer a Jonty Rhodes run out when the third umpire was introduced for the first time in cricket's history.
Sachin Tendulkar has twice found himself at the receiving end of Bucknor's blunders in 1999 and 2005 and the Jamaican also angered the Indians in the 2003-04 series in Australia with his series of judgmental errors.
After replays often exposed his lack of consistency in making the decisions, Bucknor in 2006 alleged that the broadcasters were doctoring images to make the umpires look bad in public eye.
The West Indian was also one of the umpires, who were responsible for the farcical end to the 2007 World Cup final where Ricky Ponting's men beat Sri Lanka in semi-darkness and amid utter confusion.
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Ailing Federer withdraws from Kooyong
2008-01-08
MELBOURNE, January 7: World number one Roger Federer has withdrawn from the Kooyong Classic, the warm-up event for next week's Australian Open, because of a stomach virus.In a statement, the Swiss said he had to miss the event in order to recover in time for the defence of his Australian Open title at Melbourne Park.
"After arriving in Australia last Friday, I came down with a terrible stomach virus on Saturday and it continued to get worse over the weekend," Federer said.
"After trying to practise on Saturday afternoon, I went to see the doctors and they immediately performed a series of tests. The doctors have advised me that I should take a couple of days off and recuperate so that I am able to be 100 percent for the start of the Australian Open.
I hope to resume practice by the middle of the week."
A replacement for Federer has yet to be named.
German Tommy Haas also withdrew from the eight-man exhibition event on Monday, having failed to recover in time after recent shoulder surgery.
The former world number two, who still hopes to be fit for the Australian Open, will be replaced by Russian world number four Nikolay Davydenko in the Kooyong event.
The season's opening grand slam event begins next Monday.
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Womens World Cup Qualifier shifted from Pak to SAfrica
2008-01-08
Women's World Cup Qualifier shifted from Pak to SAfrica
DUBAI, January 8: Security concerns and impending elections in Pakistan forced the ICC to shift the Women's cricket World Cup qualifiers from Lahore to Western Cape, South Africa.
The Qualifier event, scheduled to be staged in Lahore Pakistan from February 18-24, will now take place in the Stellenbosch district of the Western Cape on the same dates.
"The decision was arrived at following independent security reports and extensive discussions by ICC management and the ICC Women's Committee," the ICC said in a statement.
The tournament was originally scheduled in Lahore last November but was postponed for security reasons until after the proposed election date of January 8.
But with the rescheduling of elections for February 18, the eight-team event was moved to South Africa.
Bermuda, Ireland, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, South Africa and Zimbabwe will compete for the two places up for grabs in the 2009 Women's World Cup in Australia.
"It is unfortunate that the timing of the event ended up clashing with the elections and forcing us to change the venue," said ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed.
"We remain committed to international cricket being played in Pakistan but, sadly, events beyond the control of the ICC and the PCB have conspired against us on this occasion."
"The safety of all participants is our number-one priority and on the basis of the independent advice we have received as well as the material concerns expressed by many of the participating countries we concluded it was not appropriate to stage the tournament at this time," he added.
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Pakistan to host Zimbabwe
2008-01-08
Pakistan Vs Zimbabwe Cricket Match Schdule
KARACHI, January 8: Pakistan will host Zimbabwe for a five-match One-day series and a four-day game later in January, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Tuesday.
According to a revised itinerary, the Zimbabwean team will arrive in Pakistan on January 12 and will now play one four-day game and five One-day matches. A three-day match earlier scheduled was scrapped to shorten the tour.
The tourists will open the One-day series in Karachi instead of Hyderabad.
Itinerary:
Jan 12: Arrival
Jan 14-17: Four-day game vs Patron's XI, Karachi
Jan 21: 1st ODI, Karachi (day/night)
Jan 24: 2nd ODI, Hyderabad
Jan 27: 3rd ODI, Multan (d/n)
Jan 30: 4th ODI, Faisalabad (d/n)
Feb 2: 5th ODI, Sheikhupura.
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How Australia bribes cricket umpires to reign the world of cricket
2008-01-08
The Indian team has finally exposed Aussie vulgarism and umpire bribing infrastructure. India went down 2-0. But Australia finally got exposed as a racist cricket team without any sense of real ‘cricket'.
Bribing the umpires and playing illegal cricket is nothing new for Aussies. The country has shown the white supremacy characteristics in dealing with terrorism, bribed cricket umpires to win matches, stole world cup cricket through match fixing.
The way Aussie cops dealt with Indian doctor Haneef was shameful. The racism was clear and blunt. The same happened in world cup cricket and now in the current series.
Dealing with Al-Queda is nor easy. Dealing with Australian racist elements is not easy either. Historically Australia has shown again and again little respect for decency in cricket. It is sad how this country is trying achieve and maintain supreme spot by lynching Indian cricket team by hook or crook.
< Shame on Australia! Shame on Australian cricket! Shame on Howard! Shame on Ponting! Shame on ICC for not being able to deal with state sponsored match fixing by Australia.
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Pennetta stops Sania in Hobart
2008-01-08
January 09, 2008 10:48 ISTIndia's Sania Mirza was knocked out of the Moorilla Hobart International, as she went down in three sets to Flavia Pennetta of Italy on Wednesday.
Sania, seeded sixth, lost 5-7, 6-1, 3-6 to Pennetta in the quarterfinal of the WTA tournament.
The 21-year-old Indian had reached the final four of the event in 2007, losing to top seed Anna Chakvetadze 6-4, 6-1 in the semi-final.
Pennetta will play the winner of the quarterfinal match between Eleni Danilidou of Greece and Australian wild-card Casey Dellacqua.
Results:
2-Vera Zvonareva (Russia) beat Elena Vesnina (Russia) 6-3, 6-3
Flavia Pennetta (Italy) beat 6-Sania Mirza (India) 7-5, 1-6, 6-3
Ashley Harkleroad (U.S.) beat Edina Gallovits (Romania) 6-4, 6-4
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Phoenix say goodbye to playoffs - Soccer News
2008-01-08
The Wellington Phoenix's slim chances of making the A-League playoffs were extinguished in Wellington last night when Sydney FC beat them 2-0.
The result put Sydney level with Queensland Roar and Central Coast at the top of the table, although the other two teams can go ahead again in their matches this weekend.
The Phoenix needed to win all three of their remaining matches to make the top four.
Despite creating plenty of chances last night, they could not hammer home a goal and were downed by two goals late in the match.
Despite the best efforts of Vaughan Coveny, who caused the Sydney defence plenty of headaches, too many Phoenix crosses failed to find their mark and too many shots at goal lacked sufficient intent to trouble Sydney goalkeeper Clint Bolton.
The first Sydney goal came in the 79th minute, when Terry McFlynn - in his 50th A-League appearance - backheeled an innocuous ball from Utuk Talay into the goal.
Any chance the Phoenix had disappeared four minutes later when Alex Brosque skilfully scored the second.
He took a high ball into the danger zone from Talay on his left foot and glided it past goalkeeper Glen Moss.
The frustration for the Phoenix boiled over in the last few minutes of the game, when Ross Aloisi brought down Talay in a crude sliding tackle.
He was shown a red card by referee Ben Williams barely eight minutes after coming off the substitutes bench.
The Phoenix play Melbourne next Friday, and the Central Coast Mariners on January 19.
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Soccer - Upsets in FA Cup
2008-01-08
High-flying Everton were knocked out of the FA Cup 1-0 by third division Oldham Athletic in the third round this morning (NZ time), becoming one of four Premier League sides to go out to lower league opposition.
Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers were the other upset victims, while Havant & Waterlooville carried the minor league flag into Monday's fourth-round draw after snatching a late 1-1 draw at third division leaders Swansea.
Holders Chelsea beat Queens Park Rangers 1-0 at home while last year's runners-up Manchester United went through with a 2-0 success at Aston Villa.
Everton are one of the form teams in the Premier League and their only two defeats in their last 17 games came at the hands of Manchester United and Arsenal.
However, Oldham added their name to that elite list thanks to Gary McDonald's 25-metre strike at the end of the first half, with Everton hitting the post in the last minute.
"To come to a Premier League ground against a team who are really flying at the moment was a great performance," Oldham boss John Sheridan told Sky Sports.
"I told the players to really enjoy the occasion, because things like this might not happen to them again. I was so pleased and proud of them."
Coventry, 17th in the Championship (second division) and in severe financial trouble, won 4-1 at Blackburn with two goals by Michael Mifsud and one each from Elliott Ward and Dele Adebola.
"Every one of us played with his heart and gave his best to ensure we got the result," Maltese striker Mifsud told Sky Sports.
Third division Huddersfield were also celebrating after a 2-1 home win over Birmingham, while Bolton, having rested Nicolas Anelka and most of the rest of their leading players, lost 1-0 at home to Sheffield United.
An 87th-minute equaliser by Rocky Baptiste earned Havant their replay against a Swansea side who had scored 20 goals in their previous six games.
Southern League midland division Chasetown, one of the lowest-ranked teams ever to reach the third round, led second division Cardiff City before losing 3-1, while Conference side Cambridge United also led at Wolverhampton Wanderers but lost 2-1 after an 88th-minute goal.
Chelsea were well below their best but went through with an own goal by QPR goalkeeper Lee Camp, while Manchester United beat Villa in the third round for the fourth time in six years thanks to goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and lively substitute Wayne Rooney in the last nine minutes.
In other all-Premier games Tottenham Hotspur, who beat Reading 6-4 last week, drew 2-2 with them at White Hart Lane, West Ham United and Manchester City drew 0-0 at Upton Park while Wigan Athletic won 3-0 away to Sunderland, whose performance left manager Roy Keane "ashamed."
Arsenal and Liverpool are both in action tonight (NZ time), away to Burnley and Luton Town respectively, while struggling Newcastle United face a tough trip to Stoke City.
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second-string Arsenal side proved strong enough to secure a 2-0 victory
2008-01-08
A second-string Arsenal side proved strong enough to secure a 2-0 victory at Championship (second division) club Burnley overnight (NZ time) and with it a place in Monday's FA Cup fourth-round draw.The Premier League leaders won with goals by in-form striker Eduardo da Silva and Dane Nicklas Bendtner after Burnley had a man sent off on the hour.
Liverpool, though, were held to a 1-1 draw at cash-strapped third division side Luton Town, while Derby County and Fulham both came from behind to draw 2-2 with Sheffield Wednesday and Bristol Rovers respectively.
Later on Sunday, Newcastle United faced a tough trip to Stoke City hoping to avoid the fate of Everton, Birmingham City, Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers, all victims of upsets by lower league sides on Saturday.
At Turf Moor, Arsenal's unfamiliar line-up had an early scare when Kyle Lafferty hit the bar with a header after five minutes.
However, they went ahead four minutes later when Eduardo latched on to a long ball from Kolo Toure and finished with all the calmness that has brought him 11 goals this season.
Lafferty was sent off for a bad tackle on Gilberto Silva after an hour and Arsenal settled it when Eduardo set up Bendtner 15 minutes from time.
"They gave us a real game, they missed that header and we took our first chance," Arsene Wenger told the BBC.
Of prolific Brazil-born Croatian striker Eduardo, the Arsenal manager said: "You give everybody six months when they come to England, it takes five or six months to adapt."
It was a rip-roaring tie at Luton even if the goal count did not match Liverpool's 5-3 win at the same stage two years ago.
Liverpool looked short of confidence and were hanging on somewhat before a defensive blunder let in Andriy Voronin and when his shot was parried, Peter Crouch was on hand to tuck the ball in after 74 minutes.
The lead lasted only three minutes though as John-Arne Riise put through his own net trying to hold off Dave Edwards to earn a desperately-needed replay for Luton, who have barely had enough money to pay their players in recent weeks after going into administration.
Luton were one of four teams from the lower half of the third division who played Premier League opposition over the weekend and none of them lost.
On Saturday, Oldham upset Everton 1-0 and Huddersfield beat Birmingham City 1-0 while on Sunday Bristol Rovers led twice at Fulham through Danny Coles and Craig Hinton before David Healy and Danny Murphy made it 2-2.
At Derby, early defensive blunders gifted goals to Mark Beevers and Marcus Tudgay for Wednesday, sixth to last in the second division, but Kenny Miller and Giles Barnes levelled it for the Premier League's bottom club before halftime.
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Soccer - Chelsea grab late winner
2008-01-08
LONDON - A last-minute own goal by Joleon Lescott handed holders Chelsea a 2-1 win over Everton in the first leg of their League Cup soccer semifinal last night (NZT).
Chelsea went ahead in the 26th minute when France winger Florent Malouda, playing his first game after two months out injured, threaded the ball to Shaun Wright-Phillips and the winger curled it into the net off the post.
But Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, who leaves this week to join Nigeria's squad in Ghana for the African Nations Cup, was sent off in the 56th minute for a studs-up tackle on Phil Neville.
Everton equalised eight minutes later through Aiyegbeni Yakubu before Lescott headed into his own net in the second minute of injury time.
The second leg at Everton is on January 23. North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham play the first leg of the other semifinal tonight (NZT), with the final at Wembley on February 24.
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Tennis - Federer and Henin rule in a bizarre year
2008-01-08
Federer Photos Sports Tennis World
Tennis: Federer and Henin rule in a bizarre year
2:30PM Thursday December 20, 2007
By Pritha Sarkar
Roger Federer and Justine Henin were the predictable heroes in what turned out to be one of the most unpredictable tennis seasons on record.
They swept all before them to once again rule the tennis world in 2007, winning five of the eight grand slams on offer between them, but their achievements were overshadowed by a multitude of plots that came to the fore.
The genteel sport of tennis has been left reeling over the past four months with allegations of match-fixing, gambling, doping and even poisoning hitting the headlines.
The scourge of corruption that has blighted sports such as soccer, cricket and horse-racing, surfaced in tennis.
A match between world No 4 Nikolay Davydenko and lowly ranked Argentine Martin Vassallo Arguello in Poland in August was voided by British online betting exchange Betfair because of unusual betting patterns, raising suspicions of match-fixing.
Russian Davydenko, who retired hurt from the match, denies any involvement.
But since then, a procession of male players, including Wimbledon doubles champion Michael Llodra, have said they were offered money to throw matches. All added they had rebuffed the offers.
For Davydenko, who usually struggles to get any global exposure or even a shirt sponsor despite his high ranking, being in the spotlight proved to be an uncomfortable experience.
"I am disappointed because I'm a top player and people are talking (about it) not only in Russia, in my country, (but) also talking everywhere in the world," he said.
Tennis great Billie Jean King said the threat of match-fixing was one of the pitfalls of modern sport.
"People follow the money in sports. In the '60s nobody cared because there wasn't any money," the American said.
The tennis bodies - the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the men's ATP and women's WTA governing associations and the four grand slam events - reacted quickly to the threat by joining forces to set up an 'integrity unit'.
Under the scheme, players have 48 hours to report any suspicious behaviour or risk sanctions.
While no player has so far been found guilty of corruption, little-known Italian Alessio Di Mauro became the first professional to be banned (for nine months) and fined US$60,000 ($80,558) for gambling in the sport.
Di Mauro escaped a more severe penalty as he was found to have bet only on other players' matches.
An incredulous Martina Hingis could not be bothered to hang around and see what punishment would be meted out to her after she was notified that she had failed a drugs test at Wimbledon.
"I have been accused by an outsource testing company of taking cocaine...I find this accusation so horrendous, so monstrous, that I have decided to confront it head-on," Hingis, the winner of five grand slam titles, said, fighting back tears.
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Murray confident of standing the heat in Australian challenge
2008-01-08
Murray confident of standing the heat in Australian challengeBy Derrick Whyte
Published: 09 January 2008
Andy Murray hopes a revamped training programme will help him cope with the searing heat in Australia over the coming month.
 The British No 1 is in Melbourne to play in the invitation-only Kooyong Classic, a round-robin tournament featuring five of the world's top 10 players, after which he will head to the Australian Open beginning in the same city on Monday. |
With temperatures predicted to be in the low 40s Celsius this week, the local conditions will obviously play a part. But Murray, who has a new coaching staff of fellow Scot Miles Maclagan, Louis Cayer and Leon Smith - with Matt Little, Jez Green and Andy Ireland taking care of fitness - is confident he will cope. "We always expect it to be hot here," said the 20-year-old, whose opening match against the former world No 1 Marat Safin is scheduled to take place this afternoon local time.
"I trained for four weeks in Florida before going back home for Christmas so I tried to get some training in the heat. But I've been doing Bikram yoga, which is in a 42-degree room, so hopefully I'll be used to it."
Murray comes into the event having won the Qatar Open by beating Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland to win his fourth career title last week. "I feel good," the world No 9 said. "I started well last year as well, making the final there [Qatar] so it has been nice with my new team around me."
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Scottish Cup
2008-01-07
 | | East Fife 1-2 Brechin City A late Charlie King goal gives Brechin victory in the Scottish Cup third-round replay at Bayview. |
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 My Sport Have your say on your team's chances in the Scottish Cup | |  Glass sees final as turning point  | |  Nicholson proud of cup hat-trick |
Junior club Girvan will host senior neighbours Stranraer in the second round of the Scottish Cup.
The tournament has welcomed junior sides for the first time in its long history and the four teams chosen all eased through the first round.
Glasgow outfit Pollok face a trip to Third Division Montrose.
Aberdeenshire club Culter will entertain Vale of Leithen, while Linlithgow Rose are at home to East of Scotland league side Spartans.
Arbroath are at home to Elgin City, while Forfar take on Dumbarton in two all-Third Division ties.
Albion Rovers host Burntisland Shipyard and Stenhousemuir make the trip south to face Threave Rovers.
East Stirlingshire will meet the winners of the Clachnacuddin v Edinburgh City replay.
 Linlithgow Rose hammered Newton Stewart 6-0 in the previous round |
Third Division leaders East Fife visit Inverurie Loco Works.
Until now, 'non-league' sides given places in the competition were from the Highland League and Scotland's amateur leagues.
But this season it has also been opened up to the champions of the three semi-professional regional junior superleagues and the Junior Cup winners.
Scottish Cup -second round draw
Whitehill Welfare v Golspie Sutherland
Buckie Thistle v Nairn County
Clachnacuddin or Edinburgh City v East Stirlingshire
Cove Rangers v Keith
Edinburgh University v Deveronvale
Linlithgow Rose v Spartans
Montrose v Pollok
Forfar Athletic v Dumbarton
Inverurie Loco Works v East Fife
Selkirk v Dalbeattie Star
Albion Rovers v Burntisland Shipyard
Culter v Vale of Leithen
Girvan v Stranaer
Arbroath v Elgin City
Threave Rovers v Stenhousemuir
Annan Athletic v Fraserburgh or Huntly
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Defiant Luton force Reds replay
2008-01-07
Football News
Tussle ... Luton's Calvin Andrew and Liverpool's Sami Hyypia . Pic: AFP
Defiant Luton force Reds replay
LIVERPOOL were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup third round as League One Luton rose above their status to give Rafa Benitez's side an almighty scare.
Although Peter Crouch put Liverpool ahead late in the second half at Kenilworth Road, Luton snatched an equaliser through John Arne Riise's own goal.
A money-spinning replay at Anfield was the least Kevin Blackwell's team deserved for a heroic display and it can't come soon enough for a club teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.
Liverpool's inconsistent effort did nothing to erase the suspicion that they are drifting towards an anti-climatic campaign which could see the end of Benitez's reign.
Benitez awoke on Sunday to renewed reports that his fractured relationship with Liverpool's American owners is increasingly likely to lead to his departure at the end of the season.
But he was insistent after the match that he would love to stay Anfield.
"It's very clear. I love the club, I love the fans, I want to stay," he said.
"I have two more years on my contract and if I can stay for more will be really happy."
Benitez admitted his side had been below their best and said: "They worked hard but when you score a goal you have to use your experience. We conceded in three minutes and that was really disappointing.
"It was really difficult because the other team were very physical. But it is the FA Cup. Ask Everton, Bolton and Blackburn about it after they lost."
Blackwell added: "My team went out and did a job and made Liverpool look poor. We edged them in the chances and with a bit more guile we would have won the game quite comfortably."
The Spaniard's failure to mount a serious challenge for the title for a fourth successive year has already given owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett plenty of rope to hang him with, so he could hardly afford the indignity of an Cup embarrassment as well.
Benitez, who was already without injured captain Steven Gerrard, still felt confident enough to rest Fernando Torres and Jose Reina.
That belief looked well-founded in the first minute, as Crouch's flick gave Ryan Babel the chance to surge past two defenders, bringing a fine save from Dean Brill.
But despite only being paid two weeks wages in the last two months due to their dire financial plight, Luton's players have maintained a creditable commitment to the cause.
Their fervour would have earned Blackwell's side an early lead if Dave Edwards had kept his composure when he burst through on goal. Instead the midfielder shot too close to Charles Itandje and Calvin Andrew hooked the rebound over.
With England coach Fabio Capello watching from the stands, Crouch had a chance to underline his international credentials. The striker's astute flick gave Dirk Kuyt a clear sight of goal, only for the Dutchman to balloon his shot high and wide.
For Luton, Darren Currie's sublime pass picked out Drew Talbot and he raced clear of Sami Hyypia, cut back inside the defender before testing Itandje with a low cross-shot at the near post.
Crouch combined with Kuyt to create two chances in quick succession but the England forward couldn't find the net on either occasion.
Liverpool eventually made the breakthrough in the 74th minute.
Andriy Voronin seized on a moment's hesitancy by Chris Perry and, although Brill blocked the Ukrainian's shot, Crouch was perfectly placed to tap the rebound into the empty net.
Luton could have crumbled but they rose to the challenge and levelled three minutes later.
Talbot whipped in a cross that flashed across goal towards Edwards. Riise got there first but succeeded only in diverting the ball into his own goal.
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McGrath a little nervous
2008-01-07
McGrath a little nervous
January 07, 2008
NERVOUS isn't a word one associates with Glenn McGrath, but the legendary paceman admits feeling a few butterflies as he prepares to make his swansong for NSW in their Twenty20 match against Queensland.
McGrath has logged almost 1,000 days of international cricket prior to his retirement from top flight competition after last year's World Cup.
The 37-year-old bowler will participate in the inaugural Indian Premier League competition starting in April.
However, he will have one final hitout for NSW Tuesday at ANZ Stadium.
"I'm a bit nervous, probably more nervous than I've ever been preparing for a match," McGrath said.
McGrath, who played in Australia's first two Twenty20 games, had no desire to bowl the longer spells demanded by Test and conventional one-day cricket.
"I've watched the Test match and the one-dayers and there's no desire to get out there and play (those) again," McGrath said.
"To me, four overs is the maximum I want to play in a game of cricket these days, so I'm really looking forward to the challenge of both tomorrow night and in India."
McGrath described his state of fitness as "not too bad".
"I thought I'd be struggling a bit, I came in and had another bowl on the second day of the Test here in the (SCG) nets," McGrath said.
"I was surprised how good I felt and the ball came out pretty well, so we'll just see what happens tomorrow night."
McGrath was notorious for being a batting tail ender, but hoped to gain promotion in the order Tuesday night.
McGrath has never actually batted for NSW in any form of limited overs cricket.
"There's been talk that I'm moving up the order," McGrath said.
It will also be his first game at ANZ Stadium.
Asked if he could see international matches moved to that venue, McGrath said he was very much a traditionalist and would hate to see cricket not be at the SCG, which he rated as his favourite ground.
Both teams enter Tuesday's game desperate for a win with NSW on two points and Queensland one, trailing Tasmania six and Victoria and WA, both on four.
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India suspend tour of Australia
2008-01-07
Cricket News Jan, 2008 Ind Vs Aus
Heat ... Effigies and pics of Bucknor and Benson burn in India. Pic: AFP
India suspends tour of Australia
THE Indian cricket board (BCCI) flexed its muscle in sensational fashion by suspending its team's tour of Australia pending the outcome of Harbhajan Singh's appeal. Video
Harbhajan's three-Test suspension for calling Symonds a "monkey" during the stormy SCG Test has triggered one of the most explosive developments in Australian sporting history.
The cash-rich BCCI risk a fine of up to $US2 million ($A2.3 million) for pulling out of the tour and could be liable to reimburse Cricket Australia for any losses incurred.
"The tour is on technically," said team spokesman M.V Sridhar in Sydney.
The side had been scheduled to head to Canberra but instead were ordered to remain in Sydney until the BCCI send further instructions.
The decision followed a turbulent 24 hours after Australia's dramatic victory over India at the SCG as relations between the two cricketing superpowers reached breaking point.
Harbhajan's punishment was the final straw for the embattled tourists who trailed in their four-Test series 2-0.
Skipper Anil Kumble provocatively accused the Australians of not playing in the spirit of the game after the SCG Test and BCCI big wigs have called on umpire Steve Bucknor to be scratched from the third Test in Perth scheduled to start Wednesday week.
They may get their wish with Bucknor likely to be rubbed out of the WACA clash.
The Indian camp intends on submitting its appeal against Harbhajan's suspension after launching a blistering attack on the findings from the International Cricket Council's six hour hearing overnight.
"The Indian Board realises the game of cricket is paramount but so too is the honour of the Indian team and for that matter every Indian," the BCCI said in a statement.
"To vindicate its position, the Board will fight the blatantly false and unfair slur on an Indian player.
"The board will appeal to the ICC to review the decision of the match referee and suspend its operation until the appeal is disposed of."
The tourists have argued Harbhajan's hearing was a case of the word of the Indian players against that of the Australians.
In such a situation, they believe the spinner should not have been found guilty.
The latest developments clearly caught Cricket Australia off guard with a spokesman saying that high-level CA officials were unaware of the tour suspension despite having been in contact with BCCI president Sharad Pawar.
"Cricket Australia have not been advised to this affect and so are not in a position to comment at this stage," the CA spokesman said.
CA chief executive James Sutherland earlier tried to ease fears regarding the tour's future with the Indians due to play an ACT Invitational XI this week in Canberra.
"BCCI president Sharad Pawar made a commitment overnight (that the tour would continue) and that's good enough for me," Sutherland said.
Sutherland said CA was supportive of the "hard but fair" way Australia played, but was hopeful Ponting and Kumble could meet to discuss their sides' differences of opinion.
"Cricket Australia supports the Australian team in its endeavours to play the game as best they possibly can," he said.
"It's always been the Australian way to play the game of cricket hard but fair."
Australian skipper Ricky Ponting said any boycott would be an extreme measure.
"They're entitled to do whatever they think is appropriate at the time, but for me that would be a little bit extreme," Ponting said before the tour was suspended.
The Indians have also lodged an official complaint against Australia's Brad Hogg for abusive language towards Kumble during the second Test.
Not that it should bother the Australian selectors too much.
The legspinner failed to fire on a crumbling final day SCG pitch and was tipped to make way for speedster Shaun Tait in Perth anyhow.
The Indians have two more Tests and a triangular one-day international tournament scheduled this summer with Sri Lanka.
The ugly developments have been predictably met with scenes of anger in the Indian streets with the burning of effigies of umpires Bucknor and Mark Benson along with protesters labelling Ponting a "cheat".
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Tour at risk after Harbhajan ban
2008-01-07
 Fans in India have been burning images from the Sydney Test |
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has told its players to stay in Sydney rather than travel to Canberra for a tour match on Thursday.
Harbhajan was banned for making a racist remark during their tempestuous defeat to Australia in the second Test.
He was found guilty of breaching the players' code of conduct.
Report: India tour of Australia at risk Interview: BCCI chief administrator Ratnakar Shetty
The International Cricket Council held a four-hour hearing after the Test finished on Sunday, finally announcing their verdict deep into the night in Australia.
Australia's players had claimed that Harbhajan called Australia's Andrew Symonds a "monkey" during an on-field incident.
Match referee Mike Procter said he was satisfied Harbhajan had used the word - though neither of the two umpires heard the remarks - and that "he meant it to offend on the basis of Symonds' race or ethnic origin".
| BCCI statement |
All-rounder Symonds, 32, is the only non-white player in the Australian side.
The BCCI's statement said: "The Indian Board realises the game of cricket is paramount but so too is the honour of the Indian team and for that matter every Indian.
"To vindicate its position, the board will fight the blatantly false and unfair slur on an Indian player."
Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland, who is expecting the tour to continue as scheduled, has proposed a peace meeting between captains Ricky Ponting and Anil Kumble to try to resolve the escalating crisis.
| 606: DEBATE We have the threat of a tour being abandoned and once again the ICC has been plunged into a crisis BBC Sport's Oliver Brett |
And BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla said a decision on when the players would leave Sydney and resume training would be made at a meeting on Tuesday at 0700 local time (2000 GMT Monday).
Earlier, India team manager Chetan Chauhan sai