Page 174 - Sports
Carey looks forward to World Cup clash against India and 'calm' Dhoni
Nervous to start with at his maiden World Cup, Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey says he now cannot wait to challenge India, especially Mahendra Singh Dhoni, when the two sides clash on Sunday in London. Carey's 55-ball 45 was good support to Nathan Coulter-Nile's 60-ball 92 in Australia's 15-run win over the West Indies here on Thursday. The early nerves of playing at a big tournament taken care of by that effort, Carey made some confident statements about the match against India. "Playing against him (Dhoni) in India and Australia, he's very calm. He always gives himself a chance to finish off the game," Carey was quoted as saying by the ICC's official website. "He gives himself time out in the middle. They're pretty calm heads, they give themselves a chance to finish off an innings. "It's a World Cup, so I didn't know too much what to expect. Rolling to the first game in the bus and seeing all the crowd gave me some goosebumps. I thought it was a pretty cool feeling." Reflecting ..
Asiad champion Japan beat Mexico in FIH Series Finals
Asian Games champion Japan started their preparation for next year's Tokyo Olympics in the right earnest, beating Mexico 3-1- in their opening match of the FIH Series Finals hockey tournament here Friday. Having already qualified for the Olympics being the hosts as well as continental champions, Japan are taking this tournament as a preparation for the quadrennial event. World no. 18 Japan's campaign got off to a perfect start when Hirotaka Zendana (3rd, 34th minutes) converted two penalty corners while Shota Yamada (21st) scored from a penalty stroke to emerge winners in the Pool B encounter. But Japan were in for an early shock when Erik Hernandez gave world no. 39 Mexico the lead as early as the third minute. The lead, however, was shortlived as within seconds Zendana struck from Japan's first penalty corner to draw level. Thereafter, the Japanese slowly and steadily got their footing in the match and controlled the proceedings. Japan will play South Africa in their next match ...
West Indies 'frustrated' over poor umpiring
The poor display of umpiring during the 11th match of the World Cup being played between Australia and West Indies, made latter's Carlos Braithwaite say that the umpiring was 'frustrating.'"I don't know if I'll be fined for saying it but I just think that the umpiring was a bit frustrating. Even when we were bowling we thought a few balls close to head height were called wides. And obviously three decisions in one over as far as I can remember being dodgy, it was frustrating and sent ripples through the dressing room," ESPN Cricinfo quoted Brathwaite as saying.Chasing a target of 289 runs, West Indies faced a 15-run defeat at the hands of Australia on Thursday.Umpires Chris Gaffaney and Ruchira Palliyaguruge overturned four of their decisions. Apart from that, Gaffaney also missed a front foot no-ball bowled by Mitchell Starc which sent Chris Gayle back to the pavilion."To lose Chris in a chase of 280, who can probably get 180 of them himself obviously, broke the start that we wanted .
Dhoni in England for cricket, not Mahabharata: Pak minister
A Pakistan Minister has hit out at Indian cricketer M.S. Dhoni for sporting an Army insignia on his wicket-keeping gloves during the ongoing World Cup in England and Wales.
Coulter-Nile gets best score by No.8 at ICC World Cup
Australian all-rounder Nathan Coulter-Nile's 60-ball 92 against the West Indies was not just a personal ODI best for him but also the highest by a No.8 batsman in an ICC World Cup game. Coulter-Nile's knock, laced with eight fours and four sixes, was pivotal in Australia's 15-run win after the defending champions had been reduced to 79/5 at one stage of the match. The average score by an Australian number eight since the 2015 World Cup stood at 16.3, the ICC said in a statement. The governing body, however, did not specify the previous best by a No.8 at the mega-event. The 31-year-old from Western Australia brought up his maiden international one-day half-century with a six off Carlos Brathwaite. He survived a dropped catch on 61 before smacking consecutive sixes off Brathwaite. He was finally caught by captain Jason Holder off the same bowler four runs short of what would have been an ODI record for a number eight. Coulter-Nile has been troubled by frequent injuries and has also ...
Netherlands to meet Portugal in Nations League final
Netherlands took another step in their resurgence as a soccer power with a 3-1 victory over England in the second Nations League semifinal.
Exciting to find new ways to win, says Starc win over West Indies
Lead pacer Mitchell Starc said Australia finding "new ways to win" is exciting after his team staged a spectacular recovery to beat the West Indies in the World Cup here. The West Indies once again shone with the new ball to reduce Australia to 38/4, yet the reigning champions eventually recovered to post 288 batting first, thanks largely to Nathan Coulter-Nile's 92, a World Cup record for a number eight. It seemed that wouldn't be enough when the West Indies piled on the partnerships, with both Shai Hope and Holder scoring fifties as they entered the last ten overs needing 68 to win and four wickets remaining. But Australia came roaring back with Starc at the forefront to take 5/46, helping his side to their second win of the competition. "We haven't played awesome cricket in that game, we played well in patches but we can get better in all three areas of the game. It's exciting to find new ways to win, Coults played very well to get us to a competitive total," said Starc here on ...
Nathon Coulter-Nile was exceptional: Aaron Finch
Australia skipper Aaron Finch heaped praise on Nathan Coulter-Nile who scored a brilliant 60-ball 92 and helped them beat West Indies by 15 runs in their second World Cup tie at Trent Bridge.
Pakistan legends inspired Riaz's journey to World Cup fame
Pakistan pace bowler Wahab Riaz says he would have been watching the World Cup at home without the help of inspirational advice from Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. Riaz was not on the selectors' radar for the World Cup following a costly spell of 8.4 overs which yielded 89 runs against arch-rivals India in Pakistan's Champions Trophy match two years ago. He was only a last-minute inclusion in the World Cup squad after another left-arm paceman, Junaid Khan, was short of fitness and form in the one-day series defeat against England just prior to the tournament. But the 33-year-old has made the most of his unexpected chance thanks to pep talks from his idols Wasim and Waqar, the former Pakistan stars regarded as two of the sport's finest fast bowlers. "It's a complete change of fate and I am enjoying that," Riaz told reporters on Thursday. "I would have been watching the World Cup in my drawing room and praying for Pakistan team. "But I am here taking wickets and getting inspiration from .
Holder says his batsmen should learn from Steve Smith
West Indies captain Jason Holder says his team can learn a lot from the way Steve Smith batted to script a remarkable turnaround for Australia in the World Cup game here. Holder's side fell agonisingly short in its chase at Trent Bridge, losing the game by 15 runs after Australia recovered to 288 from 79 for five in the 17th over. "We definitely missed an opportunity in that game, we can learn from it, but we're disappointed to have lost from that point," said Holder after the loss on Thursday. "Partnerships are a big part of cricket and we saw Steve do that alongside Alex Carey and then Nathan Coulter-Nile. They played positively, we put Coulter-Nile down on 60-odd and that proved costly." It was the West Indies' first loss in the competition, having thrashed Pakistan in their opener. "Guys need to learn from their mistakes and take on the responsibility, especially in a chase. One of the top four needs to be there at the end and we saw Steve Smith do that. "Steve batted quite deep ..
West Indies' Brathwaite questions umpiring as Holding hits out
Carlos Brathwaite said the West Indies were on the wrong end of too much poor umpiring following a 15-run World Cup defeat by champions Australia as Michael Holding slammed an "atrocious" display by the match officials. West Indies opener Chris Gayle and captain Jason Holder were both twice given out on the field at Trent Bridge on Thursday but, on both sets of occasions, saw their decision to review vindicated by the third umpire. The mood of the Caribbean side was not helped when standing umpire Chris Gaffaney missed a Mitchell Starc no-ball the delivery before the left-arm quick dismissed Gayle for 21. Had the New Zealand official called a no-ball, the next delivery would have been a free hit from which the veteran opener could not have been dismissed. Brathwaite accepted Gaffaney and Sri Lanka's Ruchira Palliyaguruge were doing their best, but he made no attempt to hide his annoyance after the West Indies fell short chasing a target of 289 in Nottingham. "I don't know if I'll be ..
England complete World Cup circle against Bangladesh
England will face the side who kick-started their transformation into a major threat in one-day internationals when the tournament hosts continue their World Cup campaign against Bangladesh in Cardiff on Saturday. The Tigers condemned Eoin Morgan's men to a first-round exit at the 2015 edition with a 15-run victory in Adelaide. At that point there was no longer any way of hiding England's white-ball woes and, with a home World Cup up next, then England and Wales Cricket Board director Andrew Strauss was determined the national side's limited overs form had to improve. To that end, Peter Moores was sacked as coach, with Strauss bringing in experienced Australian Trevor Bayliss as his replacement. Since that debacle 'Down Under', England have risen to to the top of the one-day international rankings. But having started their quest to win a first men's World Cup with a 104-run thrashing of South Africa at the Oval, they head into this weekend's clash on the back of a surprise 14-run ...
World Cup winner Kante out of French Euro 2020 qualifiers
N'Golo Kante will miss France's Euro 2020 qualifiers against Turkey and Andorra due to injury, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced on Thursday. Midfielder Kante has been suffering with a knee problem since before last week's Europa League final but played the full 90 minutes in Chelsea's victory. The World Cup winners travel to the Turkish city of Konya for Saturday's match before facing the European minnows on Tuesday. Les Bleus sit top of Group H on goal difference ahead of Senol Gunes' rejuvenated side after cruising to wins over Moldova and Iceland in their opening two fixtures.
Brazil's Neymar in trouble over intimate pics of woman accusing him of rape
Brazil's Neymar went to a Rio de Janeiro police station Thursday to give a statement in a probe into whether he broke the law by posting intimate pictures of a woman who accused him of rape. The football megastar -- full name Neymar da Silva Santos Junior -- went to the station in an attempt to defend himself, sitting in a wheelchair after spraining his ankle the night before in a pre-Copa America friendly that has ruled him out of the tournament. As he made his way out through a media scrum after giving his statement to police, the star striker expressed gratitude to his fans for their support. "I felt very loved," he said. The injury to the world's most expensive player is a huge blow to host nation Brazil's preparations for the South American continental championship, which begins on June 14. Neymar hobbled off the field in the 20th minute of Brazil's 2-0 win over Qatar in Brasilia on Wednesday. A large ice pack had been strapped to his lower right leg. Neymar's club, Paris ...
France face rejuvenated Turkey in first Euro 2020 test
France travel to Turkey on Saturday to take on a side rejuvenated under the guiding hand of returning coach Senol Gunes, as the qualifiers for Euro 2020 resume without some of the heavy hitters contesting the Nations League finals. Former Turkey goalkeeper Gunes took the reins of the national team for a second time to pick up a side mired in a slump that saw them fail to qualify for last year's World Cup in Russia and relegated to the third-tier of the UEFA Nations League. Since the return of the 67-year-old, who took the Turks to third place in the 2002 World Cup during his first spell in charge, his team have won four from a possible four, including their opening two Euro qualifiers against Albania and Moldova. Those two wins put them level on points with world champions France, who top Group H on goal difference after hitting four past both Moldova and Iceland in their first pair of fixtures. "It is going to be a match in an atmosphere where you have to be careful because playing ..
Mohammad Shahzad ruled out of WC with knee injury
Afghanistan opener Mohammad Shahzad has been ruled out of the ongoing World Cup following a knee injury.
Norman stuns Lyles to win 200m in Rome
Noah Lyles conceded he was shocked after being beaten for the first time in nearly three years by fellow American Michael Norman at the men's 200m in Rome's Diamond League meeting on Thursday. Norman, 21, got off to a blistering start and held on despite a late surge by Lyles, also 21, in Rome's Olympic Stadium to achieve a world leading time for the season of 19.70sec. Lyles, winner of the past two Diamond League trophies over the distance, posted 19.72sec, with Ecuador's Alex Quinonez a distant third in 20.17sec. World champion Ramil Guliyev of Turkey trailed in fourth in 20.35sec ahead of his title defence at the world championships in Doha in September. "This race didn't really go as I expected," said Lyles, who had not been beaten since the US trials in July 2016 which saw him fail to qualify for the Rio Olympics. Since then he has claimed nine straight victories and dominated the Diamond League in 2017 and 2018, but missed the world championships two years ago due to an ...
'Shameful': Roland Garros sexism row over 'unfair' women's semi-finals shift
The French Open was plunged into a sexism row on Thursday after the decision to move the women's semi-finals away from the tournament's showpiece court was blasted as "unfair, inappropriate" and "shameful". After torrential rain washed out all of Wednesday's play, the last two women's quarter-finals were played Thursday with the semi-finals pushed back a day until Friday. However, the semi-final between Ashleigh Barty and Amanda Anisimova will be played on Court Suzanne Lenglen while Johanna Konta's match with Marketa Vondrousova has been shifted to the smaller 5,000-seater Court Simonne-Mathieu. The men's semis between Roger Federer against Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic taking on Dominic Thiem will be played on the main, 15,000-seat Court Philippe Chatrier as planned. "We are extremely disappointed by the scheduling of both women's semi-finals on outside courts," said WTA chief executive Steve Simon. "The four women who have played so well and made it this far have earned their ...
England must learn from painful Dutch defeat - Southgate
England manager Gareth Southgate promised his side would learn from an error-strewn performance as the Netherlands progressed to the final of the Nations League by coming from behind to beat the Three Lions 3-1 on Thursday. Defeat means England's long wait for a trophy since 1966 goes on and the Dutch thoroughly deserved their place in Sunday's final against Portugal. Marcus Rashford's penalty gave England a first-half lead against the run of play, but Matthijs de Ligt made amends for his error in leading to the spot-kick to level 17 minutes from time. England contributed to their own downfall in extra-time with a comedy of errors for both goals. John Stones and Ross Barkley were at fault as Kyle Walker's own goal and Quincy Promes's simple finish sent Holland into the final. Southgate's men were attempting to build on the success of reaching a first World Cup semi-final for 28 years, but their display showed much work is still to be done if they are to end their trophy drought on ...
I felt really good: Mitchell Starc on his record-breaking performance
The credit for Australia's 15-run victory against West Indies, during their World Cup clash on Thursday, goes to pacer Mitchell Starc's record-breaking performance as he became the fastest bowler to reach the 150-wicket mark.Starc achieved this milestone in his 77th ODI match, one match quicker than Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq. He displayed an impeccable performance during the match as he clinched five wickets in the match to touch the 150-wicket milestone."I felt really good today (Thursday). Rhythm is starting to feel really good, and the things I've been working on the last few months are really coming to fruition, so that's a huge positive for me," Cricket.com.au quoted Starc as saying.Interestingly, Starc, in his last two overs, conceded just two runs. Talking on the same, Starc said he enjoys bowling death overs."It's something I enjoy doing, bowling at the death. Having that experience of four years ago (at the 2015 World Cup) probably helps play a part, but we've got guys that .