Page 256 - Sports
Pak bowlers not doing well, says Shadab Khan
Leg-spinner Shadab Khan admitted that the bowling department of Pakistan is not up to the mark in the ongoing One-Day International series against England. He, however, pointed out that pressure in a bilateral series is different from that in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup."Bowlers are not doing well, they are actually not in the rhythm required, but once they start clicking, we will start winning games. When you are missing your four key players, it becomes increasingly tough. But there is a difference between pressure for a (bilateral) series and a World Cup," ICC quoted Shadab, as saying."Our team has 100 per cent skills to do well in the World Cup. They are struggling, (but) so are other teams in many ways. They are playing good cricket overall. Nowadays, you have to take wickets because cricket has become very fast and even 350 is not a par score. Yes, we have been struggling with the ball in middle overs, but the way the batsmen are performing, it is a good sign," he said.The ..
Marriott at the double as Lampard's Derby down Leeds in playoffs
Jack Marriott scored twice as he started and finished a dramatic revival that saw Derby County beat Leeds United 4-2 on Wednesday to complete a 4-3 aggregate comeback win and reach the English Championship play-off final. Former Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard is now one game away from taking the Rams back into the lucrative Premier League in his first season as a manager, with Midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion their opponents at Wembley on May 27. Leeds, already 1-0 up from the first leg, scored first in front of their own fans at Elland Road on Wednesday. But Marriott's first goal seconds before half-time got the Rams back into contention and he settled a match which ended with both sides down to 10 men by scoring again five minutes from full-time. Derby's victory was all the more impressive given Lampard's sixth-placed side had only just scraped into the playoffs. Wednesday's match between two of English football's leading clubs of the early 1970s came after Leeds' .
Canada and Windies discuss plans for Global T20 Tournament, CricketFest
Cricket Canada President Ranjit Saini updated Cricket West Indies (CWI) President Ricky Skerritt on the plans for the second edition of the Global T20 Tournament and CricketFest to be hosted in Toronto.Both CWI and Cricket Canada agreed to generate a new and expanded partnership in the forthcoming months that will see more collaboration and participation of players and administrators in CWI and Cricket Canada events.The current partnership between the two has seen teams from Canada participate in the CWI's Men's Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cup and the recent CWI Girls Under-19 Tournament held in Trinidad.Skerritt expressed pleasure at the visit in Antigua and welcomed the intended collaboration saying, "Cricket Canada and Cricket West Indies have shared a productive and brotherly relationship within the ICC Americas system for many years. All concerned can be assured that this relationship can only get stronger."Cricket Canada President and CWI President also visited the CCG ...
Barkley brace as Chelsea down Revs in charity game
England international Ross Barkley scored twice as Chelsea cruised to a 3-0 victory over the New England Revolution in a charity friendly at Foxborough on Wednesday. Barkley calmly placed a low finish into the net after Pedro's cross in the third minute to give Chelsea the lead. France striker Olivier Giroud then made it 2-0 for the Blues, nodding home David Zappacosta's cross in the 29th minute. The Premier League side completed the scoring in the 62nd minute when Gonzalo Higuain's shot was diverted into the goal by Barkley. The only sour note on a straightforward assignment for Chelsea came in the second half, when Ruben Loftus-Cheek limped out of the action with what appeared to be an ankle injury. Wednesday's game, which took place just three days after Chelsea concluded their gruelling Premier League campaign, was billed as the "Final Whistle On Hate" with funds raised going to organisations who combat hate crimes. Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the New England Revolution
China to host 2023 Asian Cup after Korea withdraw bid
South Korea have abandoned their bid to stage football's Asian Cup in 2023, authorities said, leaving the sole other bidders China with a free run to become hosts. The Korea Football Association (KFA) said in a statement it had pulled out to "strategically focus" on a joint bid with North Korea to host the Women's World Cup in the same year. The KFA announced the joint bid in March, but diplomatic contacts between Pyongyang and Seoul have since dwindled with North Korea-US nuclear talks deadlocked. "For the Women's World Cup, FIFA and the South Korean government will provide active support so that the joint hosting by South and North Koreas can be materialised," the KFA's head Chun Han-jin said in the statement late Wednesday. Seoul's Asian Cup withdrawal means that China should on June 4 be confirmed by the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) as hosts of the nations championship finals for the second time. China staged the tournament in 2004 when the hosts lost 3-1 to Japan in the ...
Premier League set to splash the cash as transfer window opens
Manchester City have not yet held their victory parade after edging Liverpool in a thrilling Premier League title race but already they are plotting for next season. The champions are not alone. A huge summer splurge on transfer fees is likely after Premier League spending fell last year, in part due to a short window for clubs to complete their business between the end of the World Cup and a new transfer deadline, which fell before the season began. The Premier League's transfer deadline will again come before most of the rest of Europe, on August 8, meaning clubs cannot afford to waste time. The window for domestic deals opens on Thursday. International transfers can be completed from June 11. AFP Sports looks at where each of the top six are set to strengthen. Manchester City =============== The champions may have claimed a remarkable 198 points over two title-winning campaigns, but Pep Guardiola promised they will come back stronger next season and are likely to invest heavily for
Stirling-Porterfield partnership in vain, Ireland lose to Bangladesh
Half-centuries from Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, and Shakib Al Hasan paired with a five-wicket haul from Abu Jayed guided Bangladesh to a comfortable six-wicket win over Ireland in the concluding group game of the One-Day International Tri-Series at Clontarf Cricket Club.Chasing 294, Tamim and Das opened the batting for Bangladesh and got off to a good start, cantering to 58 for no loss after the first ten overs. Tamim brought up a well-deserved 50 when he chopped on off Boyd Rankin for 57. Having reached an excellent 76, Das was deceived by a McCarthy yorker to be bowled.The two wickets didn't stem the flow of runs, with Shakib joined by Mushfiqir Rahim and they looked to continue their good form from the previous games. Rahim looked particularly good until he feathered one down the legside to depart for 35, courtesy of a brilliant take from Gary Wilson behind the stumps.Shakib completed his half-century but due to a side strain he had to retire hurt soon after. This left Mahmudullah and .
Kenyan runner Wambui fears testosterone rules will end career
Kenya's Olympic 800 metres bronze medallist Margaret Nyairera Wambui can feel her career slipping away from her, with no idea when, or if, she will be able to compete internationally again. The 24-year-old is one of several star female athletes affected by an International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) ruling this month that requires women with high levels of testosterone to take medication to suppress it. Seated at a dirt-track stadium at the foot of the Ngong Hills outside Nairobi where she trains, Wambui has just returned from a disappointing sixth-place finish in the 800m at the Doha Diamond League. She was meant to leave for the IAAF World Challenge athletics meeting in Nanjing next week, but now her future is one big question mark. "I am very disappointed, I don't feel even like going on with the training because you don't know what you are training for," she told AFP. The new IAAF rules took effect on May 8 after South Africa's two-time Olympic 800m champion ...
Lazio end Atalanta's dream as violence mars Coppa Italia final
Lazio lifted the Coppa Italia for the seventh time on Wednesday after late goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Joaquin Correa guided them to a 2-0 final win over Atalanta on a night in Rome dogged by fan violence. Milinkovic-Savic's fine header set Lazio on their way with eight minutes left at the Stadio Olimpico, seconds after coming on as a substitute, before Correa sealed victory in the closing moments of the match. The victory books Lazio a ticket to next season's Europa League, much-needed for Simone Inzaghi's side as they are eighth in Serie A, four points off the European berths with two games left to play. "We really wanted this Cup," said Inzaghi. "It was a beautiful evening in our stadium with our fans. "It's a great satisfaction, we deserve it because we've come a long way." His side's win was marred by clashes outside the stadium between Lazio's hardcore "Ultras" supporters and police before the game. Fans threw projectiles at officers as a police car was burned near ...
World Cup: 5 pacers who can push batsmen on the backfoot
With the advent of two new balls in ODI cricket, the game has titled heavily in favour of the batsmen. Fast bowlers have not been able to successfully generate reverse swing - a big weapon in the arsenal of pacers in the 90s and early 2000s. As a result, we have witnessed a steep rise in the number of 300-plus scores posted by the teams in the last few years.
Windies emerging players named for white-ball training camp
Four members of the 2016 West Indies U-19 World Cup-winning squad have been named in the 15-man squad to attend a Cricket West Indies (CWI) Emerging Players training camp aimed at enhancing their skills in the white-ball formats.Leeward Islands Hurricanes batsman Keacy Carty, the Player of the Match in the U-19 World Cup final, heads the list to attend the camp, scheduled to take place from May 27 to June 13 at the West Indies High Performance Centre (WIHPC), Coolidge Cricket Ground.Other U-19 World Cup winners taking part are Trinidad and Tobago Red Force pacer Odean Smith, Barbados Pride duo fast bowler Chemar Holder and all-rounder Shamar Springer.This ne0w initiative is part of a thrust by CWI to invest in player development which is a key aspect of the existing strategic plan and new policies outlined by recently-elected president Ricky Skerritt and vice president Kishore Shallow.Programme Manager of the WIHPC, Graeme West said the training camp was aimed at increasing the depth .
Indian Women's League: SSB beat Panjim 6-2, inch closer to semi-finals
SSB Football Club defeated Panjim Footballers 6-2 to inch closer to qualify for the semi-finals of the Indian Women's League at the Guru Nanak Stadium.Ranjita Devi, Sumila Chanu, and Sangita Basfore scored a brace each for SSB, while Karishma Shirvoikar netted two for Panjim on Wednesday evening.Much like their previous games, Panjim broke the deadlock early on against the run of play when Karishma finished a swift move to put them in the lead. However, once SSB settled into the game, there was no looking back for the side from West Bengal.India international Sangita Basfore equalised for SSB, as they went on to dominate the game for the rest of the half.The second half had a completely different story. SSB came out with intent and opened the proverbial floodgates a little after 10 minutes of the restart. Sumila Chanu and Sangita Basfore struck in quick succession.Sumila scored again, a few minutes later as she dribbled past two defenders inside the box and slotted it into the bottom .
Chennaiyin FC suffer first AFC Cup defeat to Abahani
Chennaiyin FC endured their first AFC Cup defeat after they went down 2-3 to Abahani Limited Dhaka at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here on Wednesday.
Asking Indian players to have sex was a joke: Upton
Rajasthan Royals head coach and former India mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton in his book 'The Barefoot Coach' has said one of his biggest mistakes in his tenure with the Indian team was his sex dossier.
Pakistan Women defeat South Africa in first T20I
Pakistan Women defeated South Africa in the first T20I of the five-match series by seven wickets on Wednesday.Chasing a below par score of 120 runs, Pakistan got off to a bad start as they lost their opener Javeria Rauf (0) in the very first over bowled by Marizanne Kapp.Omaima Sohail and skipper Bismah Maroof stitched a brief partnership of 28 runs, but their stand was cut short as Tumi Sekhukhune dismissed Sohail (10) in the sixth over, reducing the team to 29 for two.But Maroof found a partner in Nida Dar and they both stitched together a partnership of 89 runs, taking the team almost over the line. Dar (53) was dismissed by Masabata Klaas in the 17th over.Iram Javed and Maroof, however, took Pakistan over the line by seven wickets with 12 balls to spare. Maroof and Javed remained unbeaten on 53 and 1, respectively.Earlier, Chloe Tryon's knock of 43 runs off just 31 deliveries enabled South Africa to post 119 runs on board for the loss of seven wickets in the allotted twenty ...
Dhoni ensured no player was late for training: Upton
India's former mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton on Wednesday revealed that when MS Dhoni took over as the captain of the Indian cricket team in the 50-over format, the stumper had come up with a unique idea to ensure that his teammates were not late for any team meetings and training.
Real Madrid train for final league game without Ramos
Real Madrid went through a training session on Wednesday without team captain and defender Sergio Ramos, four days ahead of their final La Liga match against Real Betis.
Chennaiyin FC suffer first defeat of AFC Cup, lose 2-3 to Abahani Dhaka
Chennaiyin FC suffered their first defeat of the AFC Cup, going down 2-3 to Abahani Limited Dhaka in a Group E match, but still remain in the hunt for a next round berth here Wednesday. C K Vineeth gave Chennaiyin the lead in the seventh minute but Abahani fought back in the second half with two goals in five minutes through Kervens Belfort (64th) and Masih Saighani (69th). Isaac Vanmalsawma drew Chennaiyin level in the 74th minute but Mamunul Islam's 88th minute goal handed the home side all three points. With Wednesday's result, Abahani drew level with Chennaiyin on top of group on seven points from four games. Chennaiyin were playing their first away match of the tournament. The two teams played out two contrasting halves, the second of which saw three goals packed in a space of 10 minutes. Chennaiyin, who had beaten Abahani by a solitary goal in the first leg in Ahmedabad courtesy a late goal, took the lead in the the seventh minute. Vineeth was successful in converting a corner ..
Shadab Khan declared fit for Cricket World Cup
Pakistan leg-spinner Shadab Khan was declared fit for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 on Tuesday.The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that Khan's test results reflected zero viral load in his blood.The leg-spinner will leave for England on May 16 and he will consult Dr. Patrick Kennedy on May 17. before joining the Pakistan team in Bristol on May 20."I am delighted to know that the blood tests are negative and I can now return to competitive cricket. I was always very confident that I would fully recover from the viral infection and will be available for the World Cup," Khan said in an official statement released by the PCB."Having played and won the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, I understand the importance, flavour, and glamour of global events and what success in such events mean to the players and the public. I am looking forward to featuring in the World Cup and will leave no stone unturned in helping Pakistan put up a strong show," he added.However, Khan's ...
German league rejects Champions League reform proposals
The German Football League (DFL) and its member clubs have unanimously rejected proposals to reform the UEFA Champions League. In a statement given after its AGM on Wednesday, the DFL declared that all 36 +German professional clubs were against the proposed reforms, which would see the Champions League restructured into a three-tiered system from 2024 onwards. The reforms were initially proposed by the European Club Association (ECA), of which 13 DFL clubs including Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are also members. They have since been considered by UEFA, despite being met with fierce criticism from Europe's domestic leagues. "The currently discussed concept of the European Club Association would have unacceptable consequences for the national leagues in Europe and should therefore not be implemented in this form," said DFL CEO Christian Seifert. "We must not allow the traditional national leagues to become less attractive for millions of people across the continent," he said. The