Page 2217 - Sports
Lehmann to step down as Australian coach in 2019
Australian head coach Darren Lehmann has revealed that he would not seek the extension of his current contract due to the demanding nature of the job.The 47-year-old, who took up the role in 2013 following his predecessor Mickey Arthur's shock sacking, had last year signed an extension deal that is set to expire after next Ashes series in 2019."That will be it. It will be a case of too much time, too much travel. For me, I've really enjoyed the role and (am) loving it. We'll just get to that point and work out what we do from there," cricket.com.au quoted Lehmann, as saying.Lehmann, who is currently managing the national side in all formats of the game, has recently spoken about the demanding nature of his job and indicated earlier that 2019 would be his last year at the helm.In October, Lehmann had said the packed international cricket calendar may leave him with no choice but to hand over the responsibility of the country's limited-over sides and focus solely on Tests.Australia are .
Bolivia midfielder Chumacero joins Mexico's Puebla
Mexico's Club Puebla have signed Bolivia international midfielder Alejandro Chumacero for the 2018 season, the Liga MX side said.
Dhoni at 36 can beat players of 26: Shastri slams critics
Fitter and faster than players 10 years his junior, Mahendra Singh Dhoni is irreplaceable in the Indian ODI team right now, feels national coach Ravi Shastri, who says critics should perhaps analyse their own careers at 36 before finding faults in the former captain. Dhoni's form with the bat has been heavily scrutinised in the recent past with every failure being looked upon as an ominous sign. However, the talismanic keeper-batsman did well in the just-concluded limited overs series against Sri Lanka to silence some of the criticism. "We are not stupid. I have been watching this sport for the last 30-40 years. Virat has been a part of this team for a decade now. We know, at this age, he (Dhoni) can beat players aged 26. People who talk, forget that they played the game," Shastri told 'India Today'. Dhoni's sharp reflexes behind the stumps are still unmatched and chief selector MSK Prasad made it clear that none of the younger guys have quite yet matched upto the ...
Nepal women's cricket team captain wants to play in Kashmir
Nepal national women's cricket team captain Rubina Chhetri was initially unenthusiastic about joining Chief Minister's T20 premier league here due to 'fear factor' but after spending time with local players she has developed a desire to play in Kashmir as well. Chhetri is among a dozen international women cricketers from Nepal and Bangladesh who are taking part in the first such tournament in Jammu and Kashmir, jointly organised by Jammu and Kashmir police and state Sports Council. "When I got an invitation for this league, I was scared to come here (because of militancy). After overcoming my fear, I feel I have made a right choice and I am enjoying my game. I wish I could visit Kashmir as well," Chhetri told PTI. Besides the international women cricketers, 70 players from 15 different states of the country and 45 state players, including a half from Kashmir, are taking part in the tournament, Organising secretary and former Ranji Trophy player Rajesh Gill said. "We have
Bird confirmed to play for Australia as Starc replacement
Skipper Steve Smith has confirmed paceman Jackson Bird will replace Mitchell Starc in Australia's team for the fourth Ashes Test against England starting in Melbourne tomorrow. Smith also admitted he still had pain in his right hand after being struck in the nets on Sunday but would play in the Melbourne Cricket Ground showpiece. Australia have already reclaimed the Ashes after taking an unassailable three-nil lead in the five-Test series and are chasing a 5-0 whitewash over the beleaguered tourists. Starc, Australia's leading wicket-taker in the series with 19, withdrew from the team on Sunday with a bruised heel and will be replaced by Bird. Smith said Bird, the leading Sheffield Shield wicket- taker with 25 at 16.56 in four games for Tasmania this season, deserves his chance. "He's worked very hard. He hasn't played since this game last year and he's been on a few tours," Smith told reporters on Monday. "He's bowled exceptionally well in the first couple of Shield ...
Curran to debut for England in Melbourne Ashes Test
Young paceman Tom Curran will make his Test debut in England's only change for the fourth Ashes Test against Australia starting in Melbourne tomorrow. The Surrey 22-year-old fast bowler replaces injured Craig Overton, who succumbed to a rib injury when the tourists relinquished the Ashes to the Australians in last week's third Perth Test. Curran has played three Twenty20s and a one-day international and was not originally chosen in England's Ashes touring squad. But he got his chance when Steve Finn left the tour early with knee cartilage problems and now has a Test opportunity following Overton's injury setback. Captain Joe Root said he was backing Curran to make the most of his opportunity in the showpiece Boxing Day Test before huge crowds. "Tom offers a lot and is a real competitor," Root told reporters when announcing the team on Monday. "He has that real sort of work ethic and the way he goes about things is very similar to Craig (Overton) actually. "The way he gets
Pothas predicts a close contest in India's tour of SA
South Africa-born Sri Lanka head coach Nic Pothas has predicted a close contest when India face the Proteas in the upcoming Test tour beginning next month, provided the Virat Kohli-led batting line-up measures up to the home side's lethal new ball attack. The 44-year-old Pothas said that the Indian team under Kohli seemed to have covered all their bases. "They (India) have got all their bases covered. If you provide them with a green wicket they have got bowling attack to knock over other batting line-ups. If it's a flat wicket, they have got those bases covered. If a wicket spins they have got their bases covered," said Pothas. "If the Indian batting line-up can get runs against South Africa, then South Africa is going to find them (India) very tough," said Pothas at the post-match press conference after Sri Lanka lost the third and final T20 International by five wickets for a 0-3 series defeat. South Africa have the option of unleashing a deadly new ball attack on ...
We have been good in patches, says Lanka coach Nic Pothas
Sri Lanka won just one ODI in the just-concluded full tour of India but their coach Nic Pothas has sought to take the positives, saying his side were good in patches and would return home as better players. Sri Lanka lost the three-match Test series 0-1, followed by 1-2 defeat in the ODIs and then suffered 0-3 humiliation in the T20 Internationals. They lost the third and final T20I game by five wickets here last night. "We have been good in patches. I will probably say that in the first T20 we did not compete at all, in the second T20 you had two fantastic innings," said Pothas, referring to India stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma's blistering knock of 208 not out and Angelo Mathews' 111 not out at Mohali. "So we've competed then and we've competed here as well. Certainly, you've seen glimpses of where we're heading, and hopefully this next tour to Bangladesh, this is going to stand us in very, very good state," he said. The 44-year-old South Africa-born Pothas, who has ...
Unadkat hopes Lanka series to be a turnaround in his career
Back in the national team after a year in the wilderness, left-arm pacer Javdev Unadkat feels that his impressive show in the T20 International series against Sri Lanka can prove to be a turnaround in his career. The 26-year-old Saurashtra pacer had impressive figures of 2/15 against Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I game of the series which India won by five wickets at the Wankhede Stadium last night. Unadkat had figures of 1/7 and 1/22 in Cuttack and Indore respectively, where the first two games of the series were played, after being included in the squad on the strength of his good show in domestic cricket. "This series has really helped me gain the confidence needed at International level. In the past also, whenever I have done well in domestic (cricket) I have got my chances. So it was about doing well out there and getting that confidence," said Unadkat. "It was just not coming to me when I played for India the previous time. But yes, this series has ...
Australia coach Lehmann to step down in 2019
Australia cricket coach Darren Lehmann will not seek to renew his contract when his current deal expires at the end of 2019, he said in an interview aired today. Lehmann outlined his plans to Fox Sports, declaring the English summer season in 18 months will be his last hurrah. Australia will seek to defend their World Cup title in the first half of the 2019 English season before playing an Ashes Test series. "That will be it," Lehmann said when asked whether he will seek a new contract beyond 2019. "It will be a case of too much time, too much travel." Lehmann has been at the helm since the 2013 Ashes when he replaced sacked coach Mickey Arthur following a disastrous tour of India. In Lehmann's time as coach, Australia have won two Ashes series at home and lost two in England, while also winning the 2015 World Cup. "For me, I've really enjoyed the role and loving it," he said. "We'll just get to that point and work out what we do from there." Former Test opener Justin ...
Grinding in domestic seasons matured me: Jaydev Unadkat
India, here on Sunday, managed to inflict a 3-0 series whitewash on Sri Lanka with a five-wicket win in the third Twenty20 International (T20I) match.Jaydev Unadkat, who was awarded the Man of the Match and the Series, said grinding in the domestic seasons matured him as a player and made his comeback possible."I have certainly matured as a player. Any player who plays through the Indian domestic circuit, playing the T20s, one-dayers and Ranji Trophy on flat tracks, I come from Saurashtra and we have some really flat tracks there, will mature. That time it's you, who has to back yourself and motivate. Those are the times when you go through the grind and you make out what your abilities are, where you need to improve. So I think, going through the grinds in the domestic seasons after making my test debut, having already known what it requires to be in the highest level, did help me in that part of my career," he said while addressing the post match conference.The 26-year-old paceman .
Hyderabad outclass North East in PBL tie
Hyderabad Hunters defeated debutants and hosts North East Warriors 5-2 in a Premier Badminton League (PBL) tie at the Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Indoor Stadium here on Sunday.
India whitewash Sri Lanka, win T20I series 3-0
India have managed to inflict a 3-0 series whitewash on Sri Lanka with a five-wicket win in the third T20I, here on Sunday.Sri Lanka hoped to end the India tour on a high when India struggled in a 136-run chase, but towards the staggering end, the hosts established victory with four balls to spare.In reply to Sri Lanka's modest 135 for seven, India lost in-form openers - captain Rohit Sharma (27) and KL Rahul (4) - early. For a long time, India's chase scoreboard crawled with runs mostly coming in singles.Dinesh Karthik (18 not out) hit a massive six off Nuwan Pradeep's full toss in the last ball of the 19th over and tilted the match in India's favour.Jaydev Unadkat was the pick of Indian bowlers with figures of 4-0-15-2, for which he was awarded with the 'Man of the Match' title.Unadkat was also conferred with the 'Man of the Series' title.Sri Lanka now head home with just one ODI win from this tour, while India move to South Africa with smashing victories in all three ...
Shastri eyes South Africa series after Sri Lanka whitewash
Praising his wards for the victory over Sri Lanka in the third and final Twenty20 International (T20I) here, India coach Ravi Shastri asserted on Sunday that the series win has injected much-needed confidence in the team ahaead of next month's tour of South Africa.
Badminton player Ashwini Ponnappa ties knot with businessman Karan Medappa
Indian Badminton player Ashwini Ponnappa on Sunday got married to businessman and model Karan Medappa at a ceremony in Karnataka's Coorg.The marriage was commemorated as per the rituals of Kodava tradition.Ponnappa was draped in a traditional Kodava saree, while Karan was dressed in 'Kuppasa Datti'.The wedding reception took place in Virajpet.Tennis player Rohan Bopanna and squash player Jyotsna Chinnappa attended the function with others.Ponnappa represents the nation at the international badminton circuit in both the women's and mixed doubles disciplines.
Galym Zharylgapov Boxing Tournament: Indian boxers clinch three gold|
India's elite boxers K Shyam Kumar (49-kg), Naman Tanwar (91-kg) and Satish Kumar (+91-kg) starred in the Galym Zharylgapov Boxing Tournament here on Sunday, clinching gold medals in their respective categories.Manish (60-kg) and Mandeep (75-kg) also put up stellar shows to pocket a silver and a bronze medal each to give the country another rich haul of five medals in an international tournament.The team's first gold came through Shyam Kumar, against the local boy, Turkbay. Kumar punched his way to glory to set the ball rolling for India. Asian Games bronze medallist Satish Kumar (+91-kg) then steamrolled past Baeshev to bring home the team's second gold.19-year-old Naman (91-kg), however, towered over everybody as he not only won the gold, but also earned himself the accolade of being the 'best boxer' of the tournament.Manish Kaushik (60-kg), who beat the highly decorated Shiva Thapa in his final bout to seize the gold, lost to Rahimov of Uzbekistan to settle for silver.In the ...
Serena to return in Abu Dhabi with Australian Open in mind
Former world number one Serena Williams will make a surprise comeback at the Mubadala exhibition event in Abu Dhabi next Saturday, as she gears up for her Australian Open title defence in January. The decision to play in the United Arab Emirates should virtually confirm Williams' participation at Melbourne Park. The 36-year-old has not played since clinching a 23rd Grand Slam singles title 11 months ago, after revealing she was pregnant during the tournament and taking time off to give birth to her first child, Alexis Olympia in September. Williams will return with a match against Latvia's French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, making them the first women to compete in the previously male-only event. "I am delighted to be returning to the court in Abu Dhabi for the first time since the birth of my daughter," she said in a statement released by the tournament organisers on Sunday. "The Mubadala World Tennis Championship has long marked the beginning of the men's global ...
We would have chased down any target: Rohit
Indian captain Rohit Sharma today said his side would have overhauled even a bigger target in the third and final T20 International against Sri Lanka, though they needed to bat till the final over to chase down 136 for a win. "Throughout the series we had six batters plus one all rounder, so we had seven batsmen. We always knew that whatever target is set up, we back our batsmen to get it," Rohit said after India beat Sri Lanka by five wickets to sweep the three-match T20 series 3-0. "I am happy with the composition we had throughout the series. Guys who got opportunities made it count throughout. It was thoroughly a team effort. Each and every guy has put in a lot of effort," he added. He praised his young team-mates for the way they performed in the series. "A lot of the guys were playing their first game, second game, but it never seemed that way. They were confident and it was our job as management to back them. They came and did what they were expected to do," said
3rd T20I: India thrash Sri Lanka, inflict whitewash
India produced a dominant performance to hammer Sri Lanka by five wickets in the third and final Twenty20 International (T20I) and win the series 3-0 at the Wankhede Stadium here on Sunday.
3rd T20I: India beat Sri Lanka, inflict whitewash
India defeated Sri Lanka by five wickets in the third and final Twenty20 International (T20I) to win the series 3-0 here on Sunday.