Page 407 - Sports
Hot conditions in England would be an advantage for sub-continent teams: Pietersen
Former skipper Kevin Pietersen reckons that if hot and dry conditions persist in England, it will work more in favour of sub-continent teams during the upcoming World Cup but green surfaces would be an advantage for the hosts. Pietersen said last summer was one of the hottest with hardly any rain. "We started a Test against India in 2000 something. On day one it was an absolutely green surface but at the end of day two it was completely dry. It never rained but the moisture that was, was sucked by the system dry completely and depleting any grass on the wicket. "If the conditions are like they were last summer, then I can say sub-continental teams will have a massive role to play in the World Cup. If they are not and it's horrible and green and seaming all over, it will play into England's favour," said Pietersen. However, Pietersen fears that if the ball swung like it did on West Indies, England could be in trouble. "The one downside for England though is that although they have the .
Malaysia Open: Srikanth seals quarterfinal spot, Sindhu loses
India's Kidambi Srikanth made it to the men's singles quarterfinal but an erratic P V Sindhu went down in straight games in women's singles competition at the USD 750,000 Malaysia Open here Thursday. Eighth seeded Srikanth, who had reached the finals of a BWF World Tour event after 17 months at the India Open last week, defeated Thailand's Khosit Phetpradab 21-11 21-15 in little over half an hour to set up a meeting with Olympic champion and fourth seed Chen Long of China. The 26-year-old is now the lone Indian survivor in the BWF World Tour Super 750 tournament. Fifth seed Sindhu blew a 13-10 advantage in the opening game to go down rather meekly 18-21 7-21 to world No 10 Sung Ji Hyun for her third straight defeat to the Korean. The Indian had to the Korean in the first round of All England Championship and 2018 Hong Kong open. Mixed doubles pair of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy lost 21-15 17-21 13-21 to local combination of Tan Kian Meng and Lai Pei Jing of Malaysia India ..
This team can match any opposition in fitness: women's football coach
Indian women's football team head coach Maymol Rocky Thursday said that her players can now match any opposition in terms of fitness and the recently-introduced player tracking technology has helped in that aspect. The Indian team is currently playing in the Tokyo Olympics Qualifiers Round 2. It defeated Indonesia 2-0 in its opening match on Wednesday. The next match is against Nepal on Saturday. "We understood that in the time frame for the AFC Olympic Qualifiers in Myanmar, we would be playing in temperatures over 40 degrees. The core group is a youthful one, physically very robust, and can match any opposition," Maymol said. "This batch of girls can play 90 minutes without tiring, and if needed, even the extra 30. Better speed, reflexes, and stamina -- that is what we are stressing on. It allows us to defend with numbers, and move the ball faster in attack," she explained. Maymol said it would not have been easy had the team not been provided the GPS technology. "The player ...
Rules of 'Mankading' need clarity: Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler believes his controversial dismissal in Rajasthan Royals' first game of the IPL season was 'probably the wrong decision', adding that the current wording of the laws governing run-outs at the non-striker's end are a bit 'wishy-washy', needing further clarification.
Chennai lose to Mumbai, but Dhoni wins hearts
Chennai Super Kings may have lost their Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Mumbai Indians on Wednesday, but skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni once again won several hearts with his gesture after the contest.
Hundreds of youngsters participate in FCB trials
More than hundred youngsters took part in the preliminary trials conducted by Ferit Cricket Bash (FCB) under the guidance of former India seamer Praveen Kumar at the Karnail Singh Stadium on Thursday. FCB is looking at having an independent cricket league for amateur players and are conducting trials in Delhi, Noida and Lucknow. The shortlisted players from the first round of trials will have another round of screening, after which they will be selected in the various teams competing in the league. "I saw some really good talent among amateur players. They were very good and I seriously feel that some of them can make it to big leagues in the coming years. For me as a mentor and talent spotter, I like to look at natural talent," Praveen, who has played for India from 2008 to 2011, said after the trials. Zaheer Khan, former India pace spearhead said: "Some of the players have shown remarkable passion and vigour in the trials. The level of talent is incredible." "Throughout the trials, .
Indian football team rises two places to 101 in FIFA rankings
The Indian football team gained two places to rise to 101 in the FIFA rankings issued on Thursday. With 1219 total ranking points, the Indian team lies 18th among the Asian countries. The team did not play any international match after the last rankings on February 7. Iran continued to top the Asian rankings at 21, followed by Japan (26), South Korea (37), Australia (41) and Qatar (55). Overall, Belgium remained on top with 1737 points, ahead of France (1734), Brazil (1676), England (1647) and Croatia (1621).
Warner has lot to prove, says Sunrisers Hyderabad coach
Australia batsman David Warner has come back full of enthusiasm, determination but has a lot to prove, said Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Tom Moody on Thursday.Warner was among the runs for Hyderabad franchise, hitting 85, 69 and an unbeaten ton in his three outings so far."He is in a very good place. He has come back full of enthusiasm, full of determination and with a lot to prove," cricket.com.au quoted Moody, as saying ahead of Hyderabad's match against Delhi Capitals."He has always had a very positive mindset. He is a very determined and resilient individual. I think to endure what he and (Steve) Smith and (Cameron Bancroft) had to over 12 months, there has to be a lot of mental toughness. There has to be a lot of resilience. You could very easily find yourself down for long periods of time," he added.The coach also heaped praises on Warner's preparation during his ban in the ball-tampering scandal, which enabled him to improve his cricketing skills."We've seen over his career what ..
China vows to have best football league in Asia
China wants its domestic league to be the best in Asia and "number six in the world" as the country ramps up its ambitions to become a major footballing power by 2050. The Chinese Super League (CSL) has made headlines in recent years by luring big-name players and coaches from Europe with hefty salaries. But Chinese players are yet to make an impact with the national team 72nd in the FIFA rankings and only Wu Lei, the Espanyol forward, playing regularly in a major European league. The Chinese Football Association (CFA) and football-fan President Xi Jinping have big plans, however, and want to host and even one day win the World Cup. A better CSL is a priority, Li Yuyi, the CFA vice-president and CSL chairman, said, in the hope that will ultimately benefit the national side. "We will work hard to develop our league to be in the top in Asia and number six in the world," Xinhua news agency quoted Li as saying. "It is a general rule that if a team had a good result in the World Cup, it ...
BCCI acting president supports Dravid, proposes life skills training for U-16 players
Life skills training, social conduct and troubleshooting ability should be imparted to all upcoming players coming through Indian cricket's talent pool, feels BCCI acting president C K Khanna, who has supported India A and U-19 coach Rahul Dravid's efforts. Dravid, who is also tipped to take additional charge as the director of National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, had recently suggested that talented young cricketers should get some vocational training, which can help them later in their lives. Khanna has prepared a draft proposal (which is in possession of PTI), where he has specified five points on which BCCI could help the U-16 cricketers, who come up through the Zonal Cricket Academy (ZCA) ranks. "There has been a growing trend in the past decade that a lot of young cricketers are solely focussing on the game and are ignoring academics and other aspects of life. I believe that with the kind of set-up we have, we can help a lot of youngsters in developing social skills," Khanna ..
India selectors happy to see Pandya's hit form before WC
Off field controversies and issue with the core saw Hardik Pandya miss quite a few games for the country. But the 12th edition of the Indian Premier League has seen Pandya return with a bang and with the World Cup round the corner, that makes the national selectors feel relieved. The selectors are keeping a close eye on the performance of the players in the ongoing T20 league and the all-rounder's match-winning show on Wednesday brought them immense joy.
Valencia overcome cautious Real Madrid 2-1
Valencia beat a cautious Real Madrid 2-1 in a match where the capital squad dominated play for the most part but still suffered a defeat.
Tim Seifert gutted to be overlooked from NZ World Cup squad
Wicket-keeper batsman Tim Seifert on Thursday admitted he is gutted to be overlooked from New Zealand's 15-member squad for the World Cup.The 24-year-old, who made his ODI debut earlier this year against India, seemed set to be the back-up gloveman to Tom Latham but was piped by Tom Blundell in the squad announced on April 3."At the end of the day, I didn't make the World Cup, so you're always going to be gutted," stuff.co.nz quoted Seifert, as saying.Seifert had injured his finger last month during a domestic game but was expected to be fit for the World Cup. However, coach Gary Stead said even if Seifert had been fully fit, Blundell would have made it to the squad because of his better glovework."We believe that his 'keeping ability is superior, and tie that in with his ability with the bat, we think it's a nice fit if Tom Latham is injured," Stead said of Blundell during the squad announcement.Having nothing against Blundell, Seifert said the two of them were close enough in terms .
Jason Behrendorff hopeful IPL will help in World Cup selection
Fast bowler Jason Behrendorff looks to the Indian Premier League (IPL) to cement his place in the Australia World Cup squad.Playing for Mumbai Indians, the left-arm bowler returned with figures of 2/22 against MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday evening."My spot (in the World Cup squad) is not certainly cemented down, that's for sure. Any performance here (in the IPL) can really help me out. My main strength is swinging the new ball up front and taking some wickets. It was good that I was able to do that and keep that in front of selectors' minds that I'm still bowling and bowling well," Behrendorff said.Australia will start its World Cup campaign against Afghanistan on June 1 at the Bristol County Ground.Having a competition with fellow left-armer Mitchell Starc for a place in the XI, Behrendorff knows his place in the squad is far from certain."It's not foreign to have two left-armers in the team. Australia have not done that a lot in the past, but I don't see why we can't
Downbeat RCB desperate for win against KKR (Preview)
Down in the dumps after failing to win a single game from four attempts, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will have to put it across Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to not drift further away, when the two sides lock horns in an Indian Premier League (IPL) clash here on Friday.
RCB to ring in changes against KKR in search of first win
On a losing streak in the last four matches, Royal Challengers Bengalore are expected to ring in changes and experiment in search of their first win when they take on Kolkata Knight Riders in an IPL match here Friday. RCB's performance this IPL has been disappointing, both with the bat and ball, and a dejected captain Virat Kohli has conceded that his struggling team is yet to get the right balance but will continue experimenting with its combinations. They lost their last game by seven wickets against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur and now they will be up against a balanced KKR side, who have won two matches out of three they have played so far. Last time, the RCB beat KKR was in May 2016 at Eden Gardens and they have suffered defeats in their last three encounters against the Kolkata-based side at Chinnaswamy Stadium here. Batting collapse is the biggest worrying factor for RCB and to made matters worse captain Kohli's form has not been up to the mark by his high standards. He has ...
Georgia Wareham gets full Cricket Australia contract ahead of Ashes
Teen leg-spinner Georgia Wareham has earned her first full Cricket Australia (CA) contract for 2019-20, announced on Thursday.In her first season, the 19-year-old was part of the whitewash series against New Zealand and Pakistan. Wareham returned with two wickets and pulled off a direct-hit run out as Australia defeated England to clinch the T20 World Cup final last year in the Caribbean.The contracts have been awarded based on performances across the past 12 months, cricket.com.au reported."Overall there has been minimal change in the CA contract list, which we believe is a good sign leading into a very important year with the Ashes and a home T20 World Cup," said National Selector Shawn Flegler."Georgia Wareham was upgraded onto the list during the season and has been rewarded with her first full contract."Following is the 14-member Cricket Australia contract list: Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Jessica Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Meg ...
Hardik Pandya wants to focus on IPL to prepare for World Cup
Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya wants to put his injuries and controversy behind him and focus in the Indian Premier League (IPL) to prepare for the June-July World Cup in England."It's been seven months that I've hardly played games. I was out for an injury and then some other controversy happened. This (match award), I'd really like to dedicate to my family and my friends, who were there for me during my toughest time because these seven months have not been easy. I was out and then I didn't know what to do," Pandya said."That made me feel that I should have a reality check (about) what I'm doing and which is helping me. Now, my only focus is to play IPL and make sure India wins the World Cup. That's my sole purpose. That's why I am practising the way I'm doing right now," he added.The all-rounder, who brings balance to team India, has missed out on several matches since September-- first with a back injury, then due to his comments on a celebrity talk show and with a lower
Behrendorff sees IPL as stepping stone for World Cup selection
Mumbai Indians left-arm pace bowler Jason Behrendorff sees his debut IPL season as an opportunity to help him secure a place in the Australian squad in the upcoming World Cup in England. The 28-year-old from New South Wales made an impressive start to the IPL on Wednesday by dismissing Chennai Super Kings opener Ambati Rayudu and one-down Suresh Raina for figures of 2 for 22. "Any performance here can really help me. My main strength is swinging the new ball upfront and taking some wickets, so it was good to be able to do that and keep in the selectors' mind that I am bowing well. So, hopefully that will keep me in the frame," said Behrendorff at the post-match media conference after MI beat CSK by 37 runs. He did not see any problem in him and senior left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc both gaining the nod for the World Cup from the Australian selection panel. The selection committee is expected pick the team in two weeks' time. "It can happen. It is not foreign to have two left handers in
Sixth sense as Mick Schumacher hits track again in Bahrain test
- Mick Schumacher, the son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, timed the sixth best time in Formula One testing on Wednesday, taking the wheel of an Alfa Romeo Racing car, a day after impressing for Ferrari. The 20-year-old completed 70 laps and clocked the sixth best time of 1min 29.998 sec. "It has been another beautiful day at an F1 track today, and I can only repeat myself as it is just so much fun to drive these cars," said Schumacher. "I will definitely fly back with some very beautiful memories." On Tuesday, European Formula 3 champion Schumacher, who is taking part in the Formula 2 championship this season, drove 56 laps for Ferrari and recorded the second best time of 1min 29.976sec -- a mark bettered only by Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Schumacher wasn't the only storied F1 name in action on Wednesday as Brazil's Pietro Fittipaldi, the grandson of double world champion Emerson Fittipaldi, clocked the 12th best time, just over two seconds off the pace in a ...