Page 723 - Sports
Strong Ethiopian presence in Mumbai Marathon
Ethiopian Abera Kuma, among men, and his compatriot and women's defending champion, Amane Gobena, lead the list of elite runners in this year's Tata Mumbai Marathon on January 20. The mens list contains four runners who have run under 2:08:00 and 11 under 2:09:00, race organisers Procam International announced Saturday. Kuma, 28, ran his personal best of 2:05:50 when finishing second in last years Rotterdam Marathon and in that sort of form could challenge the course record of 2:08:35 set in by Kenyas Gideon Kipketer in 2016. The Ethiopian is hoping that success in the Mumbai Marathon will help him book a place in the Ethiopian team going to the IAAF World Championships in Doha later this year. He was part of Ethiopian teams at the 2011 and 2013 world championships on the track as well as two IAAF World Cross Country Championships. Kuma will be racing in India for the first time but his younger sister Dibaba Kuma, who was an impressive winner at the Tata Steel Kolkata ..
Sydney Test: Kuldeep, Jadeja stifle Aussies batsmen
Indian spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja spun a web around Australia, restricting them to 236 for the loss of six wickets, before bad light stopped play on Day 3 of the fourth and final Test match here at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Saturday.While resuming the day today, Marcus Harris and Usman Khawaja, who were stranded on 19 and 5 on the second day, gave Australia a flying start in the morning session. However, to maintain India's control, Kuldeep struck Khawaja (27) to break the 72-run opening-wicket stand.Marnus Labuschagne, playing his first game in the ongoing Test series, came out to share the crease with Harris, who meanwhile, reached his half-century off 67 deliveries.The duo stitched a 50-run stand to take the hosts past 100-run mark. At lunch, Australia posted 122 for the loss of one wicket.After resumption, the hosts lost their momentum after some tight bowling by the spinners. India once again retained control of the match in the end of the second session,
Tsonga upsets de Miñaur, becomes lowest-ranked semifinalist in Brisban
French tennis player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga ended Australia's hopes for a local champion as he upset Alexde Miñaur 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) in the Brisbane International quarterfinal.
Zverev, Kerber lead Germany to Hopman Cup final
Alexander Zverev and Angelique Kerber of Germany on Friday landed their country in the final of the Hopman Cup after defeating Australia in the final group stage tie.
4th Test: Indian bowlers dominate 3rd day, Australia 236/6 (Roundup)
Australia were left struggling at 236/6 in their first innings, trailing India by 386 runs at stumps on the third day of the fourth cricket Test here on Saturday.
Pant is another Adam Gilchrist, says Ponting
Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting praised young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, so much so that he called him "another" Adam Gilchrist after the Indian's blistering 159 in the fourth Test. "He is a real talent and an incredibly good ball striker. He has got a really good game sense as well. I have been lucky enough to coach him at Delhi (Capitals)," said Ponting, who had worked with the Indian during his stint with Delhi franchise at the Indian Premier League. "He has got to do a bit of work on his keeping and he will also become a better batsman. "We talk about him in the commentary box and he is sort of like another Adam Gilchrist," Ponting told cricket.com.au. Gilchrist, the legendary Australian wicket-keeper batsman, has played 96 Tests, scoring 5570 runs at an average of 47.6. He also represented his country in 287 ODIs, amassing 9619 runs at 35.89. On Friday, Pant became the only Indian wicketkeeper to score a century on Australia soil when he smashed an unbeaten 159 and
Anil Vij, Manu Bhaker lock horns over cash reward
A Twitter spat has erupted between Haryana sports minister Anil Vij and shooter Manu Bhaker over a cash reward promise.The war of words between the duo started after the 16-year-old athlete took to Twitter questioning Vij about the Rs. 2 crore cash reward, the latter had promised after she won a gold medal at the 2018 Youth Olympics at Argentina.Bhaker, citing a state government's notification that mentioned the award money for gold medal winners' as Rs 1 crore, tweeted, "Someone in Haryana is really playing with Youth Olympic games cash prize!!!!! @narendramodi @mlkhattar @anilvijminister @Ra_THORe @AshokKhemka_IAS ... Is it really for encouraging or disheartening players ...... Please ....Let me play ...".The notification on "Cash awards to sportspersons in individual events" was issued by Haryana's sports and youth affairs department on December 27.She also posted a couple of screenshots of Vij's tweets where he had promised a cash reward of Rs. 2 crore to the shooter asking him,
India inch closer to maiden series win before bad weather stops play
India closed in on their maiden Test series triumph in Australia before bad light and rain combined to delay the inevitable, adding more hours to a wait of 71 years. Bad light stopped play in the final session of day three of the fourth Test as the hosts, responding to India's mammoth first-innings total of 622 for seven declared, were reduced to 236 for six in 83.3 overs on Saturday. With two full days play left in the game and Australia still 386 runs adrift of India's score, the visitors will fancy their chances of winning the four-match rubber 3-1. India first went Down Under back in 1947-48 under Lala Amarnath's captaincy, and are yet to achieve series triumph there despite eleven attempts. At the Sydney Cricket Ground, the players went off with an hour's play pending in the day as bad light hampered proceedings, before rain intervened and brought out an early stumps. This was after Kuldeep Yadav (3-71) and Ravindra Jadeja (2-62) shared five wickets to put India in a commanding ..
Australia were 236/6 against India after bad light force early stumps
Australia were left struggling at 236 for 6 in their first innings in reply to India's mammoth score of 622-7 after bad light forced early stumps on the third day of the fourth Test here Saturday. Poor visibility forced the umpires to stop the proceedings at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the final session and eventually it was decided to end the day's play 16.3 overs ahead of schedule. Play will start 30 minutes early on Sunday. When the players walked off the field, Peter Handscomb and Pat Cummins were batting on 28 and 25, respectively, as Australia trailed India's first-innings total by 386 runs. Brief scores: India first innings: 622/7 declared in 167.2 overs Australia 1st innings: 236/6 in 83.3 overs (Marcus Harris 79; Ravindra Jadeja 2/51, Kuldeep Yadav 3/71).
4th Test: Indian bowlers leave Australia struggling at tea on 3rd day
Australia posted 198/5 in their first innings, trailing India by 424 runs, at tea on the third day of the fourth cricket Test here on Saturday.
Scoreboard at tea on the third day of the fourth and final Test between India and ...
Scoreboard at tea on the third day of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia here Saturday. India 1st innings: 622/7 declared Australia 1st innings: Marcus Harris b Jadeja 79 Usman Khawaja c Pujara b Kuldeep Yadav 27 Marnus Labuschagne c Rahane b Shami 38 Shaun Marsh c A Rahane b Jadeja 8 Travis Head c & b Kuldeep Yadav 2 Peter Handscomb batting 21 Tim Paine batting 5 Total: 198/5 in 68 overs Fall of wickets: 72-1, 128-2, 144-3, 152-4, 192-5 Bowling: Mohammed Shami 16-1-54-1, Jasprit Bumrah 15-3-43-0, Ravindra Jadeja 21-6-51-2, Kuldeep Yadav 16-3-50-2.
India strike four blows in second session, Australia 198-5
Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav shared four wickets as Australia were reduced to 198 for five at tea on day three of the fourth Test against India here on Saturday. At the Sydney Cricket Ground, Jadeja took 2-51 and Yadav took 2-50 as the hosts trailed by 424 runs. Peter Handscomb (21) and Tim Paine (5) were the unbeaten batsmen. Post lunch, Australia made the worst start possible with Marcus Harris (79) getting out before he could settle in again. In the third over after the restart, he played on off Jadeja. In the 49th over, the left-arm spinner made it a double blow six overs later as Shaun Marsh (8) was caught at slip. Australia barely managed to cross 150 in the 52nd over as India piled on the pressure. Unlike in the first session, only 35 runs came in the first hour of play. The pace of scoring did improve in the second hour with 41 runs taken, but India again struck twice to peg them back. Ajinkya Rahane held a brilliant catch at short midwicket to send back Marnus ...
With help from diaspora, Palestinians hope for Asian Cup surprise
The Palestinian football team are taking part in their second-ever Asian Cup in the coming days, and team members born in various parts of the world are hoping to spring a few surprises. The team qualified four years ago for the first time but crashed out in ignominious fashion, losing all three games to an aggregate score of 11-1. This year, with the help of several players from the Palestinian diaspora, they hope to do better. Around five million Palestinians live in the blockaded Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank, but around another six million are estimated to live elsewhere. Chilean defender Alexis Norambuena said the players speak in a mix of languages to understand each other. "Football is a way to give some joy to the people and for us to represent them in this cup that is quite important for the country," he said. "We aim to represent them and give them enough joy so the people can be entertained a bit." The tournament begins in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday. Back home
Australia 198/5 at tea on Day 3 against India
Australia were struggling at 198 for five at tea on the third day of the fourth and final Test here Saturday, responding to India's mammoth first-innings total of 622 for seven declared. At the break, Peter Handscomb and skipper Tim Paine were batting on 21 and 5 respectively, as Australia trailed by 424 runs. Brief scores: India first innings: 622/7 declared in 167.2 overs Australia 1st innings: 198/5 in 68 overs (Marcus Harris 79; Ravindra Jadeja 2/51, Kuldeep Yadav 2/50).
Syria take field in Asian Cup with fans divided by war
Syria take the field this weekend for their first international football tournament in eight years of war, but not all fans are happy. The Qasioun Eagles take on Palestine on Sunday in their first game of the Asian Cup group stage, hoping to make up for the heartbreak of narrowly missing out on the World Cup finals in Russia last year. Their qualification has thrilled Syrians in government-held territory, but angered fans in rebel areas who accuse the national team of playing for a regime they detest. After last year's disappointment, national team member Muayyad Ajaan said he was determined this time would be different. "The pressures and the pains of war have had a positive impact on our spirits. We're determined to make the Syrian people happy," he told AFP. "Our qualification is a victory for everyone." The team's participation in the Asian Cup has particular significance as Syria remains banned from hosting international fixtures. Maria Barud, 29, who works at a clothes store in .
Djokovic crashes out of Qatar Open
Novak Djokovic lost surprisingly in Doha on Friday, beaten in the Qatar Open semi-final by world number 24, Roberto Bautista Agut, 6-3, 6-7 (8/6), 6-4. The Serb fell to his first defeat of the season in a high-quality contest lasting more than two-and-a-half hours, which saw the Spaniard lose his first set of the week but come back to beat the world number one. "What happened? I lost the match. That's it," a clearly frustrated Djokovic said in his post-match press conference. Agut took Djokovic's serve in the second game of the final set for the decisive break and secured victory on his first match point. "I will remember this match for [the rest] of my life," said the 30-year-old Spaniard. He will play the Czech Republic's Tomas Berdych in Saturday's final. "I can't be more happy than I am now." It is the second time he has beaten Djokovic in his career and both victories occurred in a semi-final. The first came in October 2016 in Shanghai. Djokovic was also world number one at that .
Maradona released from hospital after internal bleeding
Argentine football legend Diego Maradona was released from hospital on Saturday after being admitted with internal bleeding in his stomach, his daughter said.
4th Test: Australia post 122/1 at lunch on 3rd day
Australia posted 122/1 in their first innings, trailing India by 500 runs at lunch on the third day of the fourth cricket Test here on Saturday.
Novak Djokovic eliminated from Qatar Open
Novak Djokovic has lost surprisingly to the world number 24, Roberto Bautista Agut, 6-3, 6-7 (8/6), 6-4 in the Qatar Open semifinal.
Scoreboard at lunch on the third day of the fourth and final est between India and ...
Scoreboard at lunch on the third day of the fourth and final est between India and Australia here Saturday. India 1st innings: 622/7 declared Australia 1st innings: Marcus Harris batting 77 Usman Khawaja c Pujara b Kuldeep Yadav 27 Marnus Labuschagne batting 18 Total: 122/1 in 40 overs Fall of wicket: 72-1 Bowling: Mohammed Shami 10-1-31-0, Jasprit Bumrah 9-1-26-0, Ravindra Jadeja 9-2-25-0, Kuldeep Yadav 12-1-40-1.