Page 1792 - Sports
PIL in Madras HC against IPL-11
A PIL was today filed in the Madras High Court, seeking to restrain the BCCI from conducting the 11th edition of Indian Premier League in the absence of adequate measures to prevent match-fixing and betting. When the petition by IPS officer G Sampathkumar came up, the First Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice A Selvam ordered notice to the Union home ministry and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). It then posted the matter for further hearing to April 13. The bench orally observed that though the apprehensions of the petitioner were bona fide, how could the game be stalled just because there was possibility of match-fixing and other offences. To this, the petitioner said the intention was not to stall the game and agreed to amend the prayer accordingly. Noting that it cannot be denied that such offences were still in existence, the bench said it was not sure what preventive measures can be brought in to check them. "We have many laws to prevent ...
India's Malaysian badminton coach expects final against his country
India's Malaysian badminton coach Tan Kim Her is expecting that the country he is guiding would be up against the country he belongs to in the final of mixed team event at the 21st Commonwealth Games here. India will be up against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in their preliminary clashes tomorrow and Kim Her doesn't see any trouble for his formidable side which boasts of stars such as Olympic medallists PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal and K Srikanth. "There shouldn't be any problems for us but we can't take anyone lightly," said Kim Her, a two-time Commonwealth Games medallist for Malaysia, when asked whether he is anticipating an India-Malaysia final. "The first two rounds of the team event should be a good warm-up before things become tougher in the quarterfinals and semifinals," he added. Defending champions Malaysia will be up against Ghana before playing Seychelles and Canada. "Malaysia has a very stable team, including Lee Chong Wei in the men's singles, plus they have the best partners in
After Smith, now Bancroft accepts ball-tampering sanctions
Following the footsteps of former Australian skipper Steve Smith, opener Cameron Bancroft has also decided not to appeal against his nine-month suspension imposed by Cricket Australia (CA) for his involvement in the massive ball-tampering scandal.Confirming the news, Bancroft took to his Twitter account and said that he decided to accept the sanction levelled by the Cricket Australia, adding that he would do whatever it took to earn back the trust he had lost."Today I lodged the paperwork with Cricket Australia and will be accepting the sanction handed down. I would love to put this behind me and will do whatever it takes to earn back the trust of the Australian public. Thank you to all those who have sent messages of support," the 25-year-old, the player who actually tampered with the ball, tweeted.Earlier in the day, Smith said that though he desperately wanted to play for his country again, he was not going to appeal against his 12-month penalty imposed on him for being part of the
Kohli, Pujara remain steady in ICC Test ranking
India skipper Virat Kohli and Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara held on to their second and seventh position respectively in the latest ICC Test Player Rankings released today. The 29-year-old Kohli had a total of 912 points, 17 points behind Australia's Steve Smith, who is comfortably placed at the top of the Test player ranking. Pujara, on the other hand, had 810 points. India Test spinner Ravichandran Ashwin slipped one place in the bowlers ranking to take the fifth position with 803 points, while Ravindra Jadeja held on to his second spot in the all-rounders ranking. South Africa opener Aiden Markram, meanwhile, sustained his surge towards the top during an amazing first year in Test cricket, making his way to ninth position among the batsmen ranking, which also took into account performances in the drawn second Test between New Zealand and England in Christchurch. The 23-year-old's knocks of 152 and 37 not only contributed to South Africa's massive 492-run victory over Australia .
CSI slams IOA on lack of accreditation to gymnasts' coaches
Slamming the Indian Olympic Association for not securing Commonwealth Games accreditation for coaches of gymnasts Aruna and Meghana Reddy, Clean Sports India - headed by former sprinter Ashwini Nachappa - has blamed the IOA for having got its priorities wrong. It has also appealed to star shuttlers, P V Sindhu and Saina Nehwal, through a media release, to reconsider their "need" to provide accreditation to their respective parents and, instead, request the IOA to give those two accreditation to the coaches of the the two gymnasts who, according to CSI, are also medal prospects. "Coaches for two young gymnasts Aruna Reddy and Meghana Reddy, have not been given accreditation. Accreditation allows a coach to accompany their players and gives them access to the Games Village as well as to the preparatory and competitive arenas," the CSI release said. "This accreditation is crucial, as having a coach is paramount to a player's performance in the competition. There is huge psychological ...
Madras HC approached for IPL 2018 stay
A plea has been filed before the Madras High Court to restrain the holding of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018.Police officer G Sampath Kumar urged the court to restrain the Centre and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from conducting IPL matches without putting in place precautionary measures to prevent betting and spot fixing.Sampath was involved in investigating the 2013 IPL spot-fixing and betting cases.He had then unearthed an international money laundering operation in which mafia don Dawood Ibrahim was reportedly involved.IPL 2018 will begin from April 7.
Markram surges to career-best ninth spot in Test rankings
South Africa opener Aiden Markram has sustained his surge towards the top during an amazing first year in Test cricket, making his way to career-best ninth position in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) Test Player Rankings for batsmen.The 23-year-old's knocks of 152 and 37 not only contributed in South Africa's massive 492-run victory over Australia in Johannesburg for a 3-1 Test series win but have also helped him move up six places to the ninth spot in the latest rankings, which also takes into account performances in the drawn second Test between New Zealand and England in Christchurch.Markram, who led South Africa to victory in the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2014, has broken into the top ten for the first time and is now among a select group of 10 cricketers led by Don Bradman who have scored 1,000 runs or more in their first 10 Tests.Markram's opening partner Dean Elgar too has advanced after scoring 100 runs in the Test including
Ronaldo spearheads Real's rout of Juve
Cristiano Ronaldo led Real Madrid to a resounding 3-0 victory over Juventus in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final here, scoring twice -- the second with a bicycle kick for the ages -- and assisting on the third goal.
Monica advances in Monterrey Open
Puerto Rico's Monica Puig defeated Nicole Gibbs of the US in straight sets in the Round of 32 of the Monterrey Open tennsi tournament.
PM wishes Indian contingent luck for CWG
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today extended his best wishes to the Indian contingent for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, saying the whole country is behind the athletes. The multi-sport extravaganza begins today with the opening ceremony in the Australian city known for its sandy beaches and surfing spots. "All the best to the athletes representing India at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games! Our sportspersons have worked tremendously hard and the Games will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase their talent. Every Indian is cheering for our contingent," Modi twitted. Hit by a needle controversy but in high spirits nonetheless, the jumbo Indian contingent would be aiming to make it all good with strong medal-winning performances. India have sent a strong 220-strong contingent to the 21st edition of the Games World champion weightlifter Mirabai Chanu will be in focus for her high medal-winning chances but India's high-profile shuttlers and boxers will also be watched keenly ...
"Coach Agassi did nothing to help Djokovic"
Former Serbian Davis Cup captain Radmilo Armenulic has criticised Andre Agassi's coaching techniques, saying that he did nothing to help ace player Novak Djokovic.Armenulic's comments come days after American great Agassi announced his separation Djokovic to end his 11-month coaching relationship with former world No. 1."I was opposed to that co-operation since the first day because he didn't do anything for Novak. I think Novak helped him more because he made Agassi a coach. He left because he didn't know what to do," Armenulic told a webloid, Tennis World USA."Novak plays from the baseline better than Agassi and his return is better. Then how can Agassi help him? He never worked as a coach and had no experience how to help Novak," he continued.Eight-time grand slam champion Agassi started his stint as Djokovic's coach in May last year.However, Djokovic has been witnessing a downfall in his career after claiming his 16th grand slam at the French Open in 2016. The Serb also failed to .
Smith won't contest Cricket Australia's sanctions
Former skipper Steve Smith on Wednesday confirmed that he will not appeal against his 12-month ban sanctioned by Cricket Australia in a ball tampering scandal.The Australian took to Twitter to announce that he will face the penalty imposed on him."I would give anything to have this behind me and be back representing my country. But I meant what I said about taking full responsibility as captain of the team," Smith tweeted."I won't be challenging the sanctions. They've been imposed by CA to send a strong message and I have accepted them."Smith, along with David Warner, was barred from all international and domestic cricket for a year, while opening batsman Cameron Bancroft was suspended for nine months for their roles in an attempt to scuff the ball during the third Test in South Africa.The three erring cricketers were given time till April 11 to decide whether to appeal against Cricket Australia penalties or not.Warner and Bancroft are yet to confirm whether they will contest the ...
Srikanth, Sindhu get relatively easy draw at Asia Championship
Olympic silver medallist P V Sindhu and top seed Kidambi Srikanth have been handed a relatively easier draws in the Badminton Asia Championships, to be held in Wuhan, China from April 24 to 29. The Indian team, including Srikanth and Sindhu, is currently in Gold Coast for the Commonwealth Games, which begins tomorrow with the mixed team championship. According to the draw made in Jakarta yesterday, Sindhu faces Taiwanese Pai Yu Po in the first round, while Srikanth, who won four Superseries titles last year, will face Japan's Kenta Nishimoto in his campaign opener. The 22-year-old from Hyderabad, who won the silver at the World Championship, might cross swords with China's Chen Xiaoxin in the second round. If Sindhu can clear the first two rounds, she is expected to lock horns with seventh seed Korea's Sung Ji Hyun. The 25-year-old Srikanth, on the other hand, is likely to face Hong Kong's Wong Wing Ki Vincent if he crosses the opening hurdle, while a quarterfinal clash with ...
Smith won't challenge one-year ban
Former Australia skipper Steve Smith won't challenge the one-year ban imposed on him for his role in the ball-tampering scandal as the troubled cricketer sought to justify the punishment, saying it was meant to send out a "strong message". Smith, his deputy David Warner and young Cameron Bancroft were handed bans up to one year by Cricket Australia following the scandal during their disastrous South Africa tour, which ended in an embarrassing 1-3 series defeat. The trio has time till April 11 to challenge the bans. "I would give anything to have this behind me and be back representing my country. But I meant what I said about taking full responsibility as Captain of the team. I won't be challenging the sanctions. They've been imposed by CA to send a strong message and I have accepted them," Smith wrote on his twitter page. There is speculation that Warner may challenge the punishment. The Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) president Greg Dyer had expressed his displeasure over ...
Extreme Brexit: England joins Africa in Commonwealth Games guide
Brexit appears to have come early for England at the Commonwealth Games as it was listed as an African country with a population of two million in the official programme. Australian organisers sought to make light of the embarrassing gaffe after England were somehow confused with Gambia, a West African nation which rejoined the Commonwealth in February after leaving in 2013. "There was an overprint," said Mark Peters, chief executive of the Gold Coast Games. "We found out about it maybe 10 days ago. "We went and spoke to England and said, 'Congratulations, the Commonwealth's changing and it has since Brexit, and you are now a part of Africa'. "Sometimes you make mistakes and we copped it." The official guide to the Games, which profiles the 71 participating nations and territories and was published ahead of Wednesday's opening ceremony, claims England's capital is Banjul. It does correctly list England's "magical moment" as the "miracle mile" of 1954 when Roger Bannister beat ...
Morne Morkel will miss everything about cricket
With a historic series win over Australia here, South Africa bid adieu to their fast-bowler Morne Morkel, who brought an end to his 11-year-long international career.The lanky pacer, affectionately known as 'Haydos' because of how highly he rates his own batting, finished his last Test on a high.Morkel finished with a career-best 9 for 110 in the third Test at Newlands, while claimed two wickets in the concluding Test as the Proteas beat Australia to win a series in home for the first time since 1970."A lot of guys say they don't miss the game, but I'm definitely going to miss it. There was not one day did I not enjoy coming to nets. I enjoyed everything," an emotional Morkel said in a press conference.After debuting in 2006, the 33-year-old was a part of Graeme Smith's plan to constitute a team of pacers. Since then, he has witnessed historic events. He was part of teams that beat England in England and Australia in Australia for the first times since readmission."You have all heard .
Medal quest at Gold Coast: Mirabai Chanu carries Indian hopes on Day 1
World champion weightlifter Mirabai Chanu will be in focus for her high medal-winning chances but Inida's high-profile shuttlers and boxers will also be watched keenly when they open their campaigns at the 21st Commonwealth Games here tomorrow. Competing in the 48kg category, Chanu, who claimed a silver at the 2014 CWG, is being considered a sure shot medal prospect for India as her personal best of 194kg stands over 10kg more than her nearest rival in the competition. None of the lifters in her competition have touched even 180kg with her likely closest rival, Amanda Braddock of Canada, having a personal best of 173kg. While Chanu's medal prospects make her the top draw for the Indian contingent, also in action will be the shuttlers, boxers, the women's hockey team and the table tennis players among others. The hockey team had finished fifth the last time around and will be beginning its campaign against Wales tomorrow morning. The Indians had done well in the tour of South ...
Warne wants more heads to roll after SAfrica tour shambles
Spin king Shane Warne has called for more heads to roll over Australia's embarrassing tour of South Africa, saying the game's top brass must also be held accountable. The drama-filled four-Test tour was won by the Proteas 3-1 with a crushing 492-run win in the final match in Johannesburg on Tuesday, handing them their first series victory at home against Australia since 1969/70. A ball-tampering scandal during the third Test in Cape Town claimed the scalps of former captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, who have all been suspended for up to a year, while coach Darren Lehmann quit in the aftermath. Warne said the bloodletting should not stop there. "Australia have a lot of questions to answer and I believe heads must roll on and off the field," he wrote on Instagram, having been a broadcast commentator for the last two Tests. "Australia need new people who are passionate about the game in charge, but understand the game. "Australia can be a force again, but need the ..
Shubhankar enjoys adulation but 'returning' Tiger is big buzz
Set to play with 1987 winner Larry Mize and local Georgia man Russell Henley in the first round, India's latest golfing sensation Shubhankar Sharma, a special invitee to the Masters, is already attracting a lot of attention and he is loving it. "If all this helps to push golf in India, I am happy. I know there are a lot of good players back home and if I can inspire others to take up and some day get here and on PGA Tour, it will be fantastic," said Sharma. He admitted he liked being the new young face of Indian golf. The return of Tiger Woods after missing 2016 and 2017, have brought crowds in bigger numbers. Tiger has been the big buzz. Coming on the heels of T-12, T-2 and T-5 in his last three starts, this comeback has seen him devoid of pain, which had become a part of his life since four surgeries and other problems. There are just 87 players and barring the 2017 US Open winner, Brooks Koepka, every top player is here. That includes two left-handers, Phil Mickelson or Bubba ...
CWG 2018 to open today with dazzling ceremony
The 21st edition of the Commonwealth Games will commence in Gold Coast, Australia, with a glittering opening ceremony on Wednesday evening.The inaugural ceremony will be held at the Carrara Stadium.The biggest event in its history will run through 11 days.More than 4,500 athletes from 71 nations and territories will be vying for 275 gold medals at the multi-sport event.Moreover, for the first time ever, there will be the same number of men's and women's medal events at the Games.The Indian contingent at the ceremony, which consists of over 200 athletes, will be led by flag-bearer P V Sindhu, the Rio Olympic silver medallist.The squad also includes double Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar, and London Olympic bronze medallists Mary Kom, Saina Nehwal and Gagan Narang.The first gold medal of the event will be contested in the women's triathlon on Thursday.Australia is hosting the Commonwealth Games for the fifth time.