Page 379 - Sports
'Frightening' Vettel jolts Mercedes at landmark Chinese GP
Sebastian Vettel fired a warning as he powered his Ferrari to the fastest time in first practice at the milestone Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on Friday. For what will be the 1,000th Formula One race, the four-time world champion clocked a best time of one minute 33.911 seconds, with Mercedes' reigning title-holder Lewis Hamilton 0.207 secs behind. Third fastest was Vettel's young Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc, 0.256 secs off the pace, followed by Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas in the other Mercedes. But the session belonged to Germany's Vettel, 31, who has been under pressure after a series of unforced errors stretching back to last season. He has been struggling with the set-up of his Ferrari and admitted on Thursday that he was still not really at home in it. Vettel finished fourth in the season-opening race in Melbourne and was then fifth in Bahrain, where he was eclipsed by team-mate Leclerc, who is 10 years his junior. Vettel's opening Shanghai salvo was all
Dhoni flares up, ex-cricketers take to Twitter
'Captain Cool' MS Dhoni lost his temper and barged into the field during the nail-biting finish of his team's encounter with Rajasthan Royals at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Thursday.Following his dismissal of the former Indian captain in the final over, RR's Ben Stokes bowled a high-full toss delivery to Mitchell Santner, while umpire Ulhas Gandhe was about to signal the delivery as a no-ball. Bruce Oxenford, standing at square leg, said it was a legitimate delivery. Seeing this, Santner and Ravindra Jadeja got into an argument with the umpires.A visibly-upset Dhoni, who was standing at the dugout, charged onto the field and got involved into an altercation with the match officials. But, the umpires stood with their decision. This was the first time Dhoni lost his cool on the cricketing field and many people took to Twitter to express their views on this incident."Have always been a big Dhoni admirer, but he was clearly out of line walking out like that. Lucky to get away with
Singapore Open: Sindhu seals semifinal spot, Saina ousted
P V Sindhu survived a scare before making the semifinals but Saina Nehwal was thoroughly outplayed in her straight-game quarterfinal loss on a mixed day for India at the Singapore Open badminton tournament here Friday. Rio Games silver-winner Sindhu defeated world No.18 and 2017 BWF World Junior Championship bronze-medallist Cai Yanyan of China 21-13 17-21 21-14 to set up a meeting with former world champion Nozomi Okuhara. It is Sindhu's second semifinal of the season, following a last-four finish at the India Open last month. The second-seeded Okuhara, hailing from Japan, didn't break much sweat on her way to a 21-8 21-13 win over sixth seed Saina, a bronze-medallist at the London Olympics. Sindhu broke off at 5-5 in the opening game to earn the bragging rights but her Chinese rival came back strongly in the second game, opening up a lead of 11-6 at the break. The Indian fought back superbly to narrow the lead to 15-16 before Cai marched ahead to take the match to the decider. In ...
Probably not right: Buttler on Dhoni's showdown with umpires
Rajasthan Royals opener Jos Buttler said Chennai Super Kings' skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was "probably not right" in stepping on to the field to argue with the umpires during their IPL match here. Dhoni lost his cool and rushed into the field of play to confront Indian umpire Ulhas Gandhe after he flip-flopped on a no ball on Thursday night, which led to a fine on the former Indian captain. CSK went on to win the match by four wickets with Mitchell Santner smashing Ben Stokes into the stands off the final delivery. "I was fielding at the boundary so I am not sure what had actually happened. I am not sure if that was the right thing to do," Buttler said at the post-match conference. "Obviously, tensions are running high in the IPL and every run counts and it was probably a big moment in the game, but whether stepping onto the pitch is quite right - I'd say, probably not." Rajasthan Royals suffered their fifth loss of the season, after being in a commanding position against the ...
Fleming backs Dhoni on his altercation with umpires
Chennai Super Kings' coach Stephen Fleming on Thursday defended MS Dhoni saying that skipper wanted clarity on the delivery bowled in the last over of the inning during the match between CSK and Rajasthan Royals."Our understanding was that the umpire at the bowler's end had called the no-ball and then there was confusion around whether it was a no ball or not. MS was after some clarity and it didn't seem to be coming. So, he took the opportunity to go out in there and discuss it with the umpires," Fleming said during the post-match press conference."But he was certainly fired up about the way the decision was handled and why it was over-turned or if it was over-turned. So, there was a lack of clarity, obviously, for him and he wanted to get it clarified at that key moment," he added.The incident took place during the ongoing Indian Premier League where CSK was competing with Rajasthan Royals. The CSK was chasing a target of 152 runs which the hosts had set. Dhoni played an impeccable .
Focus on Pollard, Joseph as MI eye 4th straight win
West Indian duo of Kieron Pollard and Alzarri Joseph will hog the limelight when Mumbai Indians lock horns with an out-of-sorts Rajasthan Royals in an IPL match in which home skipper Rohit Sharma's return from injury will also be awaited here Saturday. A leg spasm had forced Rohit to miss an IPL game for the first time in 11 seasons when he set out of Mumbai's last game against Kings XI Punjab. In his absence, stand-in skipper Kieron Pollard ensured MI continue its good run as his whirlwind 83-run knock helped the side script a three-wicket win in a humdinger on Wednesday. The winning runs were hit by 22-year-old Alzarri Joseph, who has been the new sensation in this year's cash-rich T20 league. After a dream debut where he returned with best IPL figures of six for 12 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Alzarri (15 not out) played a crucial cameo against Kings XI to romp the side home. So it would be interesting to see whether the Antigua-born Joseph and the big-hitting Pollard can carry ...
Dhoni let off with 50 per cent fine after angry reaction to umpire's call
Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni escaped a ban and was let off with a 50 per cent fine on his match fee for an unprecedented confrontation with the on-field umpires during the IPL encounter against Rajasthan Royals here. In a rare instance, Dhoni, who was not even meant to be on the field of play, lost his cool and rushed out of the dug-out to challenge umpire Ulhas Gandhe after he flip-flopped on a no ball on Thursday night. "MS Dhoni, the Chennai Super Kings captain, was fined 50 percent of his match fees for breaching the VIVO Indian Premier League's (IPL) Code of Conduct during his team's match against Rajasthan Royals at Jaipur," the BCCI stated. Gandhe had tried to rule a waist high full toss as no ball by RR all-rounder Ben Stokes. But he reversed his decision after square leg umpire Bruce Oxenford did not signal for it. "Dhoni admitted to the Level 2 offence 2.20 of the IPL's Code of Conduct and accepted the sanction," it further stated. As is the case with IPL
He'll be questioned but MSD was only seeking clarity: Fleming comes to Dhoni's defence
Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming conceded that Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be questioned for his "unusual" confrontation with umpires over a no ball but defended the skipper's actions by saying that he was merely seeking "clarity". In a rare instance, Dhoni, who was not even meant to be on the field of play, lost his cool and rushed out of the dug-out to challenge umpire Ulhas Gandhe after he flip-flopped on a no ball during the IPL match against Rajasthan Royals on Thursday night. "He was certainly fired up the way the decision was handled and why it was overturned. It was a lack of clarity, obviously from him and he wanted to get it clarified at a key moment," Fleming said in the post-match press conference. "It is unusual, he is generally pretty calculative, so it is something that he will be questioned about I am sure for a long time." The incident happened in the fourth ball of the last over when Ben Stokes bowled a waist high full toss to Mitchell Santner. Initially, it ..
Windies sack coach Pybus just weeks before World Cup
The West Indies sacked controversial coach Richard Pybus amid a flurry of changes announced on Thursday, only seven weeks before the start of the World Cup. Floyd Reifer will become interim head coach, with Robert Haynes replacing Courtney Browne as interim head of selectors, while the entire selection panel has also been changed. "We are confident that in Mr Haynes we have found an interim chairman who shares the philosophy of inclusiveness and shares our selection policy," Cricket West Indies (CWI) president Ricky Skerritt said. "(Reifer) has lived the same principles of West Indian excellence that we now insist must prevail in our cricket." The Windies had seen an upturn in fortunes on the pitch in recent months, with a shock 2-1 Test series win over England and 2-2 one-day international series draw. They open their World Cup campaign against Pakistan at Trent Bridge on May 31 -- the second day of the tournament in England and Wales. The appointment of Englishman Pybus had been met
Vishwaraj Jadeja - A champion against all odds!
Vishwaraj Jadeja, India's fastest long-distance ice speed skater has gone on to set world records to put India on the map for Ice Skating. He trains as an elite athlete in the Netherlands and undertakes numerous adventure expeditions related to 'Ice Skating'.In January 2019, Vishwaraj Jadeja set an unofficial world record for the highest 5km distance ice speed skating (the standard Olympic distance), at Lake Tsomoriri in Leh, State of Jammu & Kashmir in India, which happens to be one of the highest frozen lakes in the world at an altitude of 4,500 meters.The feat to put India on the map for ice skating hasn't been easy. "This has been a very important one for me because it involves exploration and record-setting. I don't want to leave any stone unturned when it comes to exploring adventure sports. With an abundance of frozen lakes in India, I wanted to explore the Indian landscape. We live in a country where this sport does not see much participation, and this record helped me ..
Harry Kane suffering from 'serious ankle ligament damage'
Tottenham Hotspur confirmed that striker Harry Kane is suffering from 'serious ankle ligament damage' after an injury he received on April 10 during their match against Manchester City in the Champions League."Following assessment over the past two days, we can confirm that Harry Kane has sustained a significant lateral ligament injury to his left ankle following a challenge in our Champions League quarter-final, first leg win against Manchester City," wrote Tottenham official website.Kane picked up the injury in the second half of the game and left the field immediately, however, his team registered a 1-0 victory over the Manchester City. The 25-year-old tweeted to say that this will give him a chance to come back stronger."Gutted to go off injured but every setback is a chance to come back stronger than ever. Big finish from the boys to go on and win! #COYS #UCL," Kane tweeted.Tottenham stated that Kane is undergoing investigations and that he will continue to be assessed by their ..
Dhoni loses cool in 100th win, former stars unhappy
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 100th Indian Premier League (IPL) win against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) was marred by an incident where he lost his cool dramatically towards the end of the game, leading to former players criticising the move.
Dhoni faces flak for on-field argument with umpires
Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni received a lot of flak for his on-field argument with umpires following a no-ball flip-flop during an IPL match against Rajasthan Royals here. Revered for his 'captain cool' demeanour, Dhoni uncharacteristically lost his cool and rushed out of the dug-out to challenge umpire Ulhas Gandhe who called a no-ball before retracting his decision during the last over of a tense chase on Thursday night. While Dhoni was let off with a 50 per cent fine on his match fee, former England captain Michael Vaughan, ex-Australian opener Mark Waugh, former India cricketers Aakash Chopra and Hemang Badani criticised the CSK skipper for his conduct. Vaughan was livid with Dhoni, saying he was setting a wrong example as a captain. "The skipper (Dhoni) coming on to the pitch can not happen. I know it's MS Dhoni and he can do anything in this country but you are not allowed to leave the dug out and go and point a finger at the umpire. That's a complete no-no, .
Albert van der Merwe announced as new talent pathway manager
Cricket Ireland on Thursday announced the appointment of Albert van der Merwe, former Ireland cricketer, as the new national talent pathway manager and coach.The board has specially created this role to oversee the Ireland talent pathway programme."I am honored to have been considered and naturally delighted to have been offered this role. The role is at the heart of developing future international players for the international teams, something that I'm very excited to be a part of. I'm hoping to build on the great work that has been done by so many to get Irish cricket firmly on the world stage and I hope to help with the continuous progression of the game across the island," Albert Van der Merwe said through a statement issued by Cricket Ireland.Ed Joyce, the former Ireland and England cricketer has been appointed as a batting consultant focusing on the youth and academy talent and the senior women's team.Ryan Eagleson, the former Ireland cricketer will expand his current academy ...
Dhoni was fired up by the way no-ball was handled: Fleming
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was "fired up" by the way the last-over no-ball was handled and walked on to the field to get some clarity over the whole incident, Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming said. In a rare instance, Dhoni, who was not even meant to be on the field of play, lost his cool and rushed out of the dug-out to challenge umpire Ulhas Gandhe after he flip-flopped on a no ball during the IPL match against Rajasthan Royal on Thursday night. "He was certainly fired up the way the decision was handled and why it was overturned. It was a lack of clarity, obviously from him and he wanted to get it clarified at a key moment," Fleming said in the post-match presentation. "It is unusual, he is generally pretty calculative, so it is something that he will be questioned about I am sure for a long time." The incident happened in the fourth ball of the last over when Ben Stokes bowled a waist high full toss to Mitchell Santner. Initially, it looked as if umpire Ulhas ...
New Zealand announces squad for World Cup warm-up series against Australia
New Zealand opening batsman Tom Latham will lead a 13-man squad against Australia for a three-match World Cup warm-up series in Brisbane next month.New Zealand had announced their World Cup side last week and nine members from that team will not be there in the warm-up series. Ross Taylor will be on county duties with Middlesex while others are in India for their Indian Premier League commitments."It's an exciting challenge ahead of this group who I know will relish the chance to take on the Australians at home," Cricket.com.au quoted New Zealand selector Gavin Larsen as saying."The matches will be a stern test and provide quality preparation for those players bound for England and a great opportunity for the rest of the squad to show their wares," he added.Australia are yet to announce their team for the warm-up series as well as the side for the premier tournament.Three-match warm-up series will be played on May 5, 7 and 9.New Zealand XI squad: Tom Latham (c), Todd Astle, Hamish ...
Pique inspiring Barca to rediscover defensive steel
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez might be the deadliest attack in Europe but Barcelona's success in the Champions League could rest on their increasingly mean defence. After their 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday, Gerard Pique said Barca are tighter at the back than they have been all season. "We put in an excellent performance defensively, we're in our best form in defence of the season," Pique said. "The early goal relaxed us and we knew how to cope with the situation, the fact we didn't concede helps us a lot." Barcelona face a trip to La Liga's bottom-club Huesca on Saturday, when Ernesto Valverde is likely to rotate his line-up ahead of the return leg against United three days later. An 11-point lead at the top of the table has earned Barca that luxury, while United face West Ham the same afternoon, still scrapping for a place in the Premier League's top four. To turn the tie around, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team will have to score at least once at Camp Nou, .
Poulter charges into Masters hunt but Rose, Casey horrid
Top-ranked Justin Rose and in-form Paul Casey endured nightmare starts Thursday at the Masters while Ian Poulter, who last won a year ago, championed England's cause at Augusta National. Rose, in his first round since retaking the world number one spot from American Dustin Johnson on Monday, stumbled to a three-over par 75, his second-worst start in 14 Masters appearance. "Drove it left the first few holes, hit a couple good putts early that didn't fall, and, yeah, from that point there's nothing really felt easy, I suppose," Rose said. "Never really found my rhythm." And Casey, who defended his US PGA Valspar Championship crown last month, stood next to last in the field of 87 on 81, with double bogeys at the fifth and 18th holes in a horrow show, his worst of 43 career Masters rounds. Poulter birdied three of the last six holes to fire a four-under par 68 and share fourth with second-ranked Johnson after 18 holes at the year's first major event. "My whole game was together, from the
Ronaldo's Juve ready to seal Serie A before Ajax decider
Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus head to SPAL on Saturday needing just a point to wrap up an eighth consecutive Serie A title in record time before their crucial Champions League decider against Ajax in Turin next week. Ronaldo returned from injury to score a precious away goal for Juventus in their 1-1 Champions League quarter-final, first leg draw in Amsterdam on Wednesday, and the 34-year-old can claim his first Italian league title to add to his two in Spain with Real Madrid and three with Manchester United. It would be a 28th trophy in four countries for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, a haul which includes five Champions League, and the Euro 2016 title with Portugal. Juventus have a 20-point advantage on second-placed Napoli and a draw would seal their 35th 'Scudetto' with six games to spare -- the earliest any team has ever sealed Serie A -- thanks to their superior head-to-head record over Carlo Ancelotti's side. SPAL, 16th and just four points above the drop zone, had eased ...
PSG eager to grab second chance to wrap up French title
Paris Saint-Germain have another chance to wrap up the French Ligue 1 title on Sunday as Thomas Tuchel's side travel to second-placed Lille requiring just a point to finish the job. PSG could have been crowned champions in record-equalling time last weekend with a win at home to Strasbourg, but an extraordinary miss from on the goal line by Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting ultimately proved crucial as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Strasbourg. Despite that anti-climax, it was always just a matter of time before the Qatar-owned club won Ligue 1 for the second year in a row, and the sixth time in seven seasons. Against their nearest challengers, the task is a simple one -- PSG are a massive 20 points clear with a game in hand on Lille, who have seven matches left. A draw will therefore suffice for a Paris side who have lost just one league game all season, otherwise they will get another opportunity at Nantes next Wednesday. One thing is for sure, Kylian Mbappe is likely to be back in the PSG .