He walked haltingly but stood  resolutely.
One of the most memorable moments of the first India-  South Africa Test was an injured Dale Steyn limping out to bat  during his team's second innings despite being ruled out of  the series already.
The 34-year-old pacer's comeback from injury in the  ongoing rubber had been ruined by another injury but he was  unwilling to let go of any chance to be a part of the action.
"... I figured, at that point, we probably needed another  20 runs just to feel a little bit more safe. I figured, if I  go out there, I could block," Steyn, who would be using  crutches for the next few days to avoid putting any pressure  on his injured left heel, told Cricket South Africa's official  website after the match.
He had drawn a massive applause from spectators for each  of his blocks during the five-minute unbeaten stay at the  crease which ended when A B de Villiers' all-important wicket  became the last to fall for the hosts.
"It was not that bad but there ..

It wasn't the Smith-broken-hand-moment but I'll take it: Steyn

PTI Automatic

Completed scoreboard  from the rain-shortened second one-day international between  New Zealand and Pakistan at Saxton Oval in Nelson today:
Pakistan
Azhar Ali
lbw Southee
6
Imam-ul-Haq
c Munro b Boult
2
Babar Azam
c Taylor b Ferguson
10
Mohammad Hafeez
c Guptill b Santner 60
Shoaib Malik
c Southee b Astle
27
Sarfraz Ahmed
st Latham b Astle
3
Shadab Khan
c Latham b Ferguson
52
Faheem Ashraf
c Southee b Ferguson
7
Hasan Ali
c Astle b Southee
51
Mohammad Amir
not out
8
Rumman Raees
not out
6
Extras: (B-1, W-12, NB-1)
14
Total: (for 9 wickets; 50 overs)
246
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-14, 3-39, 4-84, 5-108, 6-127,  7-141, 8-211, 9-239.
Bowling: Southee 10-1-57-2, Boult 10-0-54-1, Santner  10-1-34-1, Ferguson 10-0-39-3, Astle 7-0-50-2, Munro 3-0-11-0
New Zealand (revised target 151 in 25 overs)
M Guptill not out
86
C Munro c Faheem b Amir
0
K Williamson c Shadab Khan b Faheem 19
R Taylor not out
45
Extras: (NB-1)
1
Total: (for 2 wickets; 23.5 overs)  151
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-47.
Bowling: ..

Nelson (New Zealand), Jan 9 (AFP) Completed scoreboard

Men's tennis boss Chris Kermode  Tuesday pledged a shake-up in ATP rules as four players pulled  out of the Auckland Classic before their opening matches,  citing injury or illness.
Four lucky losers from the qualifying tournament found  themselves on centre court as Ryan Harrison, Andrey Rublev,  Guido Pella and Kyle Edmund all withdrew.
By turning up in Auckland, the players became eligible  for first-round prize money and avoided an ATP fine.
Kermode, executive chairman of the Association of Tennis  Professionals (ATP), warned that rules around withdrawals were  under review. But he also said he believed the players'  reasons for pulling out.
"The bigger concern would be players pulling out before  they got here, that would be an issue," Kermode told Fairfax  Media in Auckland.
"They make the effort to come to the event and that's  demonstrated the desire to play here.
"Tennis is such a physical sport that these things are  going to happen. We are currently doing a whole review ...

ATP pledges shake-up as four quit Auckland

World number one Rafael Nadal lost  his first match of the year 6-4, 7-5 to Richard Gasquet at the  Kooyong Classic today, but said he was happy after his  troublesome knee held up "fine".
Nadal's knee injury hampered the end of his 2017 season  and forced him to skip last week's Brisbane International, but  he was able to give it a workout at the non-tour event in  Melbourne.
Though he lost in straight sets, the Spaniard said he  would keep working hard until the start of the Australian Open  at Melbourne Park on Monday.
"I"m very happy to be back in Australia," he said. "I had  a heavy year in 2017 and I started my preparation later than  usual.
"But I've arrived in plenty of time. It's great to get  the feeling once again of playing a match.
"This was a good test for me after some good training,  that's the most important thing."
The 16-time Grand Slam winner was far from his best in  the exhibition encounter against a player he has beaten 15-0  on the ATP Tour in a rivalry dating .

Nadal beaten in Melbourne but injured knee 'fine'

Former winner Stan Wawrinka today  said he's hungry to return to action at next week's Australian  Open after six months on the sidelines.
The three-time Grand Slam champion hasn't played since  Wimbledon, but said he has recovered sufficiently from a knee  injury to feature in the year's opening Grand Slam, starting  in Melbourne on Monday.
"I'm really, really happy to be back on the tour and  seeing the sun," the 32-year-old Swiss told reporters in  Melbourne.
"Still a lot to do but I'm feeling really positive, so  looking forward to starting."
Wawrinka, who defeated Rafael Nadal to win the 2014  Australian title, has slipped to nine in the world rankings,  having not played since his first-round Wimbledon loss to  Russian Daniil Medvedev in July.
He pulled out of an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi late  last month before travelling to Australia to prepare for the  Open.
"For me, the first thing is to play a match, to play a  tennis match again. It's been many months out of the tour," 

Wawrinka says he's ready for Australian Open

The prospects of an unprecedented  20th Grand Slam victory have strengthened for ageless wonder  Roger Federer as his main rivals flounder ahead of the  Australian Open.
The 36-year-old is coming off an extraordinary 2017, when  he won a fifth Australian Open title and a record eighth at  Wimbledon, and there could be yet more glory with a depleted  field of top contenders in Melbourne.
Andy Murray and Japan's Kei Nishikori are already out of  the year's opening Grand Slam with injuries, while 12-time  major champion Novak Djokovic is troubled by an elbow  complaint and hasn't played for six months.
World number one Rafael Nadal withdrew from his first  tour event of 2018, in Brisbane, with continuing knee  problems, and is seeking match practice in a Melbourne  exhibition event ahead of the January 15 start.
The 2014 winner Stan Wawrinka, who hasn't played since  last year's Wimbledon and subsequent knee surgery, has had  little warm-up work and is no longer with his four-year coach  

Federer eyes fresh 'fairytale' as Slam rivals struggle

Ricky Ponting will be an assistant  coach during Australia's Twenty20 international series against  England and New Zealand next month, Cricket Australia said  today.
The former Australia captain will work under head coach  Darren Lehmann, while Troy Cooley and Matthew Mott will help  out during the series.
They have been brought on board while  regular support  staff Graeme Hick, David Saker and Brad Haddin are in South  Africa to assist in preparations for Australia's four-Test  tour from March.
Lehmann has previously said he will not seek to renew his  contract when his current deal expires at the end of 2019,  with Ponting seen as a potential successor.
Ponting undertook the T20 role last year when he worked  with the Australia squad for the three-match series against  Sri Lanka.
He has extensive experience of the shortest form of the  game, captaining his country in the first ever T20  international against New Zealand in 2005, and then leading  the side in the first two editions 

Ponting named Australia assistant coach for T20s

Twelve-time Grand Slam winner  Novak Djokovic headlines a list of walking wounded at the  Australian Open, with the Serb desperate to get back to  winning ways after six months out injured.
The former world number one is making a tilt at a record  seventh Melbourne Park crown, but has some serious rust to  shake off if he is to make an impression.
Djokovic has been sidelined since Wimbledon in July, with  a Tie Break Tens exhibition event on Wednesday and the Kooyong  Classic, where he is drawn to play world number five Dominic  Thiem, his only chance to test his right elbow injury.
"Finally back in the land down under. I feel ready.  Idemo! (let's go)," he tweeted on Sunday, posting a video of  himself hitting on Rod Laver Arena.
But after pulling out of an Abu Dhabi tournament late  last month and admitting "I still feel the pain", a big  question mark hangs over how competitive Djokovic can be.
Having added mercurial former tour player Radek Stepanek  to a coaching team spearheaded 

Djokovic leads walking wounded at Australian Open

Unruffled by yet another injury  breakdown, South African pacer Dale Steyn says he is hoping to  be up and running in the next six weeks after recovering from  the muscle tear in his left heel which has ruled him out of  the ongoing Test series against India.
"I'm on the crutches because I've got a no bearing weight  on the leg for a while, at least two weeks, which makes it  seem worse than it actually is," Steyn told 'Sony ESPN', the  official broadcaster of the series.
"But it's right underneath the heel, so it's extremely  sore to stand on or step on. And as you know, as fast bowlers  we land on that front foot pretty often. So I'm going to have  to give it time to recover - six weeks, and I'll be up and  running again," he said.
The 34-year-old was, ironically, making a comeback from  an injury-forced sabbatical in the ongoing series but it was  cut short on the second day of the opening Test when he landed  awkwardly while bowling. South Africa won the match by 72 runs  ...

I'll be up and running in six weeks: Dale Steyn

India's C S  Santosh closed the Stage 3 at 101st position and overall at  57th position after running out of fuel at the challenging  Dakar Rally 2018.
Santosh was 30 km short of finish due to a loose fuel cap  and as a result, he slipped down in the rankings. With nine  more stages pending, he will aim to make up for as much lost  time as possible.
"I started with a good rhythm today, then went on with  the flow in the 2nd part of the stage. I had no issues with  the navigation as well. Unlucky for me, the rear tank cap was  not closed properly after re-fuelling and I lost my rear tank  fuel before I realized it," Santosh said.
"Finally, I ran out of fuel 30 km short of the finish and  had to wait and ask for fuel from some of the slower riders  coming at the back. In the process I lost over an hour's time  today. It was not the best day, but I take the positive that I  am still in the race and that's what counts."
With the third stage of the Dakar Rally moving from Pisco  to a very .

Santosh finishes stage 3 at 101st after running out of fuel

The margin of victory was big  enough to be called dominant but South Africa captain Faf Du  Plessis said he was quite nervous about defending 208 against  India in the opening Test.
South Africa were dismissed for 130 in their second  innings, leaving India with a victory target of 208 on the  fourth day.
"I was nervous. I knew that the new ball was going to be  key for us and that if we could get wickets with the new ball  we feel like we can get through their batting line-up," said  du Plessis after the match yesterday.
"Obviously they've got a few quality players in there but  once you can put a bit of pressure on them I thought we can  get through them. But definitely I was very nervous.
"I came here this morning hoping to get a 350 lead and  bowl to them tonight, so obviously that didn't go to plan."
Chasing 208, India were bowled out for 135 in 42.4 overs  with Vernon Philander taking a career-best six for 42 and Du  Plessis was all praise for the bowling attack.
"We've got ...

I was nervous, says du Plessis

Arsene Wenger has warned his Arsenal  flops that new recruits are on the way as the furious Gunners  boss prepares for tomorrow's League Cup semi-final against  Chelsea.
Wenger's side suffered one of the most chastening defeats  of his increasingly tarnished reign on Sunday as second tier  Nottingham Forest won 4-2 in the FA Cup third round.
It was the first time Wenger had crashed out at that  stage of the competition since arriving at the north London  club in 1996.
Wenger's decision to make nine changes backfired, with  the understudies delivering a listless display at the City  Ground.
The Frenchman prioritised the League Cup showdown with  Chelsea by keeping his main men fresh for the first leg clash  at Stamford Bridge means he can ill-afford a damaging defeat  against Antonio Conte's men.
But regardless of Arsenal's League Cup fortunes, Wenger  has clearly had enough of another underachieving season which  sees his team in danger of failing to qualify for the  Champions League .

Wenger eyes new recruits as troubled Arsenal face Chelsea test

Three half-centuries including a late  charge by Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan carried Pakistan to 246  for nine batting first against New Zealand in the second one-  day international in Nelson today.
Mohammad Hafeez hit a solid 60, the 33rd ODI half-century  for the veteran right-hander as he held the first half of the  innings together.
Hasan then blasted his first 50 and Khan his second when  they mounted a rescue mission with Pakistan 141 for seven in  the 37th over.
The pair featured in a 70-run stand off 49 deliveries for  the eighth wicket.
It was Sarfraz Ahmed's call to bat when he won the toss,  saying it looked like a wicket that would favour the side  having first use of it.
But just as in the first ODI in Wellington on Saturday,  the Pakistan top order were not allowed to settle.
Imam-ul-Haq, in for the injured Fakhar Zaman, was out for  two in the fourth over and Azhar Ali followed five balls later  for six.
Lochie Ferguson reduced Pakistan to 39 for three when he  entered ..

Late 50s by Hasan and Shadab boost Pakistan

South Africa have added fast  bowlers Duanne Oliver and Lungi Ngidi for the second Test  against India beginning January 13 at Centurion.
They have been brought as dual replacement for the  injured Dale Steyn.
Oliver made his Test debut in 2016-17 and has played five  Tests against Sri Lanka, England and Bangladesh.
Ngidi is yet to make his Test or ODI debut, but has  played 3 T20Is.
South Africa won the opening Test against India by 72  runs.
Squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Deal Elgar, Aiden Markram,  Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyne, Quinton de Kock  (wk), Keshav Maharaj, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Vernon  Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Andile Phehlukwayo, Duanne Oliver,  Lungi Ngidi.

Oliver, Ngidi added to SA squad in Steyn's absence

P V Sindhu's Chennai Smashers beat  Bengaluru Blasters 3-2 in a Premier Badminton League (PBL)  match here tonight to keep alive their slim hopes of advancing  to the knockout stages.
Sindhu had set the tone for the home team, brushing aside  the challenge of Kirsty Gilmour 15-9, 15-14 after the doubles  team of Lee Yang and B Sumeeth Reddy had snatched a win in the  Blasters' trump match.
With Sindhu's victory being in the trump match, the  Smashers took a huge lead in the tie after two completed  encounters.
World No.1 Viktor Axelsen fought back for the Blasters and  held off Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk 15-11, 6-15, 15-9 to earn  the team's first point of the night.
Two more victories for Blasters helped reduce the margin  of defeat but more importantly the team on top of the  standings (on 15 points).
Chennai Smashers, meanwhile, climbed to third spot with  12 points after having been at the bottom prior to the tie.
The Bengaluru team would have to thank debutant Subhankar  Dey and ...

Smashers beat Blasters, keep semifinal hopes alive

South Africa captain Faf Du  Plessis was also left surprised by the selection of India  batsman Rohit Sharma over Ajinkya Rahane in the first Test.
Another surprise call, according to the opposition  skipper, was picking debutant Jasprit Bumrah ahead of seniors  like Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav.
"We were surprised yes. We didnt think that Jasprit  Bumrah would have played. We know that hes done really well  in one-day cricket but we were preparing more for the other  seamers because theyve played a lot of Tests," said du  Plessis in the post-match media interaction here.
"I think the other guy was Rohit Sharma ahead of Ajinkya  Rahane. Hes been in a bit of form one-day cricket wise so  theyre probably just running with that, he said.
As for his own team, he faced a problem of plenty.
"The decision of picking a team was definitely the  hardest I have been involved in. There is so much value in  both scenarios. Playing seven batsmen that offer a bit more  seam is a very good ...

Rohit, Bumrah's selection surprised du Plessis too

India captain Virat Kohli has  defended the selection of Rohit Sharma in the first Test,  saying he was picked ahead of Ajinkya Rahane on current form.
"Well, we decided to go on current form. Rohit has scored  runs in the  last three Test matches that he has played, and  he was batting well, even in the series against Sri Lanka,"  said Kohli in the post-match media conference.
"These things can always be looked at in hindsight
thinking what if or what if not. But we decided to go with  this combination and current form was definitely the  criterion," added Kohli.
Rahane, who has not been amongst the runs of late, had a  successful tour of South Africa four years ago. With 209 runs,  he was third highest run-getter in the series behind Kohli  (272 runs) and Cheteshwar Pujara (280).
India lost the first Test by 72 runs with batting letting  them down in both the innings.

Picked Rohit over Rahane on current form: Kohli

His bowlers set it up nicely by  taking 20 South African wickets but a dejected India captain  Virat Kohli said that it would be of little consequence if the  batsmen don't put up a better show in the upcoming matches.
India's star-studded batting line-up scored 209 and 135  in both essays in their 72-run defeat in the first Test.
"Taking 20 wickets to win a Test match is the priority.  But if your batsmen don't bat well, then it doesn't matter. If  you are not getting close to their total, it doesnt matter if  you have taken 20 wickets or not. We needed to bat better than  what we did," Kohli didn't beat around the bush after yet  another humiliating defeat outside the sub-continent.
The skipper felt for his bowling attack which dismissed  South Africa for 130 in the second innings and kept the  victory target at a gettable 208.
"Definitely, we feel for the bowlers because they bowled  their hearts out. A guy like Jasprit (Bumrah) bowled  beautifully in his first Test match, he ...

Taking 20 wickets of little value if we don't bat well: Kohli

Ivory Coast striker Mechac Koffi saved  Churchill Brothers from defeat as they came from behind to  hold East Bengal to a 1-1 draw in the Hero I-League here  today.
The match was hotly contested with East Bengal taking the  lead in the 26th minute through Jobby Justin. But Churchill  Brothers rode on Koffi's brilliance to restore parity in the  75th minute.
After today's draw, East Bengal remained at the top with  18 points from nine matches.
Jovel Martins and Wayne Vaz, who have been loaned from FC  Pune City, made therir debut along with Ivory Coast striker  Koffi as Churchill brothers tried to change their fortunes in  the new year after five losses last year.
They showed lot of promise probing into the rival goal  often and had scoring chances in early part of the match but  Uttam Rai, Peter Omodmamuke along with Nicholas Fernandes  failed to score.
With Churchill Brothers doing most of the attacking it  was East Bengal who took the lead in the 26th minute.
Yusa Katsumi from the ..

Koffi helps Churchill Brothers secure draw with EB

Chennai Smashers spearheaded by PV  Sindhu were back in the hunt in the Vodafone Premier Badminton  League by taking a 2-0 lead against Bengaluru Blasters here  today.
Playing their final match of the season in-front of their  home crowd at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Chennai's  grit was evident in the first men's doubles match when Yang  Lee and B Sumeeth Reddy made a sensational turnaround to upset  Mathias Boe and Kim-Sa Ran 2-1.
They lost the first game 8-15 but showed tremendous  resilience in the next two tight games by squeezing 15-14 and  15-13 win to surge ahead 1-0.
The loss a big blow for Bangalore as they had nominated  it as their Trump match, which meant they ended up with  a  negative point (-1).
Sindhu then took charge and upstaged Kristy Gilmour 15-9,  15-14.
Although the Scottish girl threatened to take the contest  into the third game, Sindhu sealed it in a tie-breaker. Since  Chennai had slotted it as a Trump match, they ended up  pocketing two points and .

Chennai's brilliant fightback raises semi-final hopes

India captain Virat Kohli today  said losing wickets in a heap was the primary reason for their  72-run defeat against South Africa in the first Test here.
"Well in hindsight, we lost by 70-odd, if we had taken  chances in the first innings, they would have been 220," said  Kohli in the post-match presentation.
"Losing wickets in bunches is something have to plug in.  We were in the game for the three days and it was a wonderful  match to be part of. We would have taken that if someone told  208 would be the target," the captain was honest in his  admission.
Kohli felt India needed a batsman to score a 70 or 80 in  the second innings.
"It was a great effort but we needed someone to get a 75  or 80. 20s or 30s were not enough. They were a bowler short  (Dale Steyn) but they pitched the balls in the right areas and  bowled their hearts out. We need to rectify our mistakes  also."
Not having a single big partnership (save Bhuvneshwar  Kumar-Hardik Pandya's 99 for 8th wicket in the first .

Page 1978 -