Page 881 - Sports

Tvesa wins fourth title of 2018, extends lead on Hero Order of Merit

Tvesa Malik wrapped up her fourth title of the season with a birdie-birdie finish in the 16th Leg of the Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour at The Palms Golf Club and Resort here Friday. Tvesa carded one-over 71 for a total of even par 210 over three days and 54 holes. Tvesa also extended her lead at the top of the Hero Order of Merit with two more events to go in the season. Tvesa did well to win as Ridhima Dilawari put up a great challenge with the week's best score of three-under 67 that brought her to four-over 214 but four shots short of Tvesa, who rode her earlier lead. Ridhima had started the final day eight shots behind Ridhima. Smriti Mehra (72) totalled 216 and finished third, while Khushi Khanijau carded in red figures at one-under 69 and was fourth at 220. Neha Tripathi (71) and Siddhi Kapoor (73) were Tied-fifth at 223, while Gursimar Badwal (72 and 225) was sixth and Amandeep Drall (78) was eighth. Tvesa, who started the day with a handy lead of five shots over Smriti Mehra, ...

TN secure first innings lead against Andhra

Tamil Nadu's lower order helped the team secure the first innings lead and three important points against Andhra on the final day of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group 'B' match here Friday. The visiting side flirted with danger before going past Andhra's total. Tamil Nadu slipped to 208 for 7 and 214 for 8 before going past the line. Apart from B Aparajith (57, 184 balls, 6X4), knocks by J Kousik (33), batting at No.7 and R Sai Kishore (27 not out), batting at No.9, ensured that Tamil Nadu got three points from the drawn encounter. Tamil Nadu now has five points from three games. Rain played spoilsport washing out proceedings on the third day yesterday. Resuming at 122 for 3 in reply to Andhra's first innings score of 216, Tamil Nadu suffered an early jolt when N Jagadeesan (10) fell for the addition of just two runs to the total. Aparajith and B Anirudh Sitaram (17) added 34 runs to set the tone in the quest for a lead. Later, Aparajith and Kousik put on 43 runs before a ...

Melbourne T20I: Match abandoned, Australia still lead

Irrespective of terrific bowling efforts from Indian seamers, the second rain-hit T20I against Australia was called off at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday.Taking full advantage of the swinging track, Indian bowlers produced an impressive performance to restrict Australia to a moderate 135 runs in a rain-hit 19-overs contest. For 'Men in Blue', pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2-20), Khaleel Ahmed (2-39) and Jasprit Bumrah (1-20) gave India some early breakthroughs, while spinners Kuldeep Yadav (1-23) and Krunal Pandya (1-26) also chipped in later to deny a chance to settle for the Australian batting order.Bhuvneshwar set the tone right as he scalped the big wicket of Australian skipper Aaron Finch for a duck in the very first over with a good length delivery going wide outside the off stump, which deceived the right-hand batsman and went straight to the wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.Australia could only manage to add 26 runs more before losing another wicket in the form of the ...

Defending champ Shamim takes four-shot lead in Digboi

Delhi's Shamim Khan strengthened his claims for a title defence at the IndianOil Servo Masters Golf, firing the tournament's best round of seven-under-65 on day three that catapulted him into a commanding four-shot lead here on Friday. Shamim picked up 8 birdies against a lone bogey to take his three-day total to 11-under-205 here. Kolkata's Mohammad Sanju, the halfway leader by four shots, dropped to tied second at seven-under-209 after posting a score of 76 at the Digboi Golf Links. Sanju was joined by Chandigarh's Harendra Gupta (72) and Noida's Gaurav Pratap Singh (69) in tied second. Shamim (70-70-65), who was seven shots off the lead in tied fourth at the halfway stage, had a sedate front-nine on Friday as he exchanged two birdies for a bogey. The 40-year-old reigning PGTI Order of Merit champion then began turning on the heat on the back-nine as his putter was on fire. Khan, a two-time champion in Digboi and the current holder of the trophy, picked up a birdie on the 11th and ..

Windies hit back after Bangladesh teen sets record

Teenage Bangladesh off-spinner Nayeem Hasan became the youngest ever player to take five wickets on debut but West Indies' spinners matched him to restore parity in the first Test in Chittagong on Friday. Nayeem, who was 17 years 355 days old at the start of the game, finished with 5-61, as Bangladesh bowled out the West Indies for 246 to take a 78-run first innings lead. But the hosts were unable to cash in on the advantage, slumping to 55 for five in their second innings at stumps on the second day for a lead of just 133 runs. Jomel Warrican and Roston Chase each took two wickets to help the West Indies claw their way back into the contest. Mushfiqur Rahim remained unbeaten on 11 alongside Mehidy Hasan, on what looked like a batting minefield at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. Nayeem, who surpassed Australian Pat Cummins's five-wicket haul on debut at 18 years and 193 days, took care of the West Indies lower middle-order after senior spinners provided the initial ...

Could Mithali's inclusion have saved India's World T20 prospects? (Analysis)

India's team selection in the 8-wicket women's World T20 semi-final loss to England on Friday seemed to defy all logic even as skipper Harmanpreet Kaur's defence of having "no regrets" of keeping veteran Mithali Raj out of the playing XI hardly found any takers.

2nd T20I between India, Australia abandoned due to rain

The second Twenty20 International of the three-match rubber between India and Australia was called off due to consistent rain at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) here on Friday.

Kante inks contract renewal with Chelsea until 2023

Premier League side Chelsea on Friday announced a contract renewal with French midfielder N'Golo Kante for five more years through the 2023 season.

Kenyan hockey hopeful of Olympic qualification

Wycliffe Momanyi, Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) Secretary General, believes the country's team will deliver a solid performence at the Africa Games, which will be held in October 2019 in Casablanca, Morocco.

The following are the top/expected stories at 1710 hours:

The following are the top/expected stories at 1710 hours: EXPECTED STORIES: *Report of Ranji Trophy matches across the country. *Report of AIBA Women's World Championship in New Delhi. *Report of ISL match between Northeast United and Kerala Blasters. *Report of Syed Modi International in Lucknow. *Report of I League match between Shillong Lajong and Minerva. *Report of Pro Kabaddi League.

Rain denies India a shot at levelling series

The second T2O International between India and Australia was called off due to intermittent rain on Friday, undoing the visitors' good work with the ball and denying them an opportunity to level the three-match series. India were naturally disappointed at not getting a go at the target which was revised thrice due to rain. Australia had scored 137 for seven in 19 overs when the first spell of rain arrived at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. India's target was initially revised to 137 runs in 19 overs before more rain made it 90 runs from 11 overs and then 46 from five overs. Nearly 90 minutes were lost due to the fickle weather before the game was eventually called off at 10.02 pm local time. Rain playing hide and seek was not just frustrating for the players but also for the 60,000 plus crowd gathered at the iconic venue. With the match not producing a result, India now can only level the series in the final game in Sydney on Friday. Virat Kohli and his team had come into the T20 series

West Indies' Gabriel banned for second Bangladesh Test

West Indies fast bowler Shannon Gabriel was suspended for next week's second Test against Bangladesh after he accumulated five demerit points within a 24-month period for disciplinary breaches, the International Cricket Council said on Friday. Gabriel was handed two demerit points after he was found guilty of shoulder barging Bangladesh's Imrul Kayes during the opening day of the first Test between the two teams in Chittagong on Thursday. The incident took place in the eighth over of the Test when, after bowling a delivery, Gabriel was judged to have made deliberate physical contact with batsman Imrul on his follow through. "In the opinion of the umpires, this physical contact was avoidable," the ICC said in a statement. Gabriel had received three demerit points during the Jamaica Test against Pakistan in April 2017, when he was also fined 50 per cent of his match fee. With the addition of two demerit points, he has reached the threshold of four demerit points, which have now been ...

World T20 to be called T20 World Cup from 2020 edition: ICC

The International Cricket Council Friday renamed the World Twenty20 Championships as the T20 World Cup, claiming that it would "enhance" the event's profile and ensure that its status is at par with pinnacle events of the ODI and Test format. The ICC Board has already approved that all T20s between its Members will be granted international status. It then introduced a regional qualification process for all its 104 Members. In the ICC calender the 50-over marquee is called the World Cup and a world Test Championship is coming up next year. "...next editions of the (T20) events in 2020 in Australia will be known as the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2020 and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2020," the ICC said in a statement. "The renaming of the event is also aimed at cementing the importance this event holds in the international cricket calendar and ensuring parity across all three formats of the game," it added. The decision to rename the event was backed by international captains. South ...

India among favourites to win title at World Cup Hockey: Spain's coach

Spain's head coach Frederic Soyez believes the men's hockey World Cup will be evenly-contested with more than seven teams vying for a medal but said India will be among the favourites to lift the championship trophy. Spain, ranked No.8 in the World, arrived Friday afternoon for the hockey World Cup to be held from November 28 to December 16 at the Kalinga Stadium here. "I think this will be a very closely contested event with more than six to seven teams on par with each other fighting for a medal," said Soyez. "Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia and India will be good contenders for Championship Title," he added. Grouped in Pool A along with Olympic Champions Argentina, New Zealand and France, Spain will begin their campaign on November 29. "We have had good preparations for this tournament. We are focused on our first game, and it is important to do well in the Group stage. We have played at the Kalinga Stadium last year and the atmosphere here is electrifying," said ...

The second T20I called off due to rain

The second T20I between India and Australia was called off due to rain at the Melbourne Cricket Ground here on Friday. Put into bat, Australia had ended their innings at 132-7 in the 19th over due to rain. The match was then reduced to 19 overs with India set a DLS revised target of 137 from 19 overs but further rain saw the target being revised twice to 90 in 11 overs and 46 in 5 overs. But with rain showing no signs of stopping, the match was eventually abandoned. Brief Score: Australia: 132-7 in 19 overs (Ben McDermott 32; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2/20).

2nd T20I: Australia post 132/7 in rain-hit contest vs India

Australia posted 132/7 in 19 overs before rain stopped play in the second T20 International against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) here on Friday.

Bairstow shines at No.3 as Sri Lanka toils

Jonny Bairstow stormed to 81 not out in the third Test on Friday, shining in England's troubled number three spot, as Sri Lanka's bowlers toiled. At tea on day one, England were 197-3, with Ben Stokes unbeaten on 38 at the Singhalese Cricket Club. The visitors are hoping for a 3-0 whitewash. Batting after captain Joe Root won his eighth consecutive toss, England lost both openers cheaply in the morning session before Root and Bairstow, England's fourth different number three in the series, steadied the ship. Rory Burns disappointed again, bowled by Dilruwan Perera for 14 as he tried to cut. Keaton Jennings fell three overs later, caught at leg slip off Malinda Pushpakumara for 13. Bairstow, playing his first Test of the series, survived an early review off Pushpakumara but grew in confidence before lunch and through the afternoon session, getting his 81 off 133 balls with eight fours and one six. Root, fresh from a century in his last innings, also survived a review in the morning ...

I-League: Bottom-placed Aizawl hope for change of fortune against EB

Languishing at the bottom of points table, former champions Aizawl FC will hope for a change of fortune when they host favourites Quess East Bengal (QEB) in a Hero I-League match here on Saturday. Both teams go into the game after losing their last match against current leaders Chennai City FC by an identical 1-2 margin at their respective home grounds. The loss saw East Bengal slip to fourth position after three games, while Aizawl, who had a much tougher start, managed just two points from their first five games to be placed at the 11th spot without a win to their name so far. It does look like a mountain to climb for coach Gift Raikhan's home team, given their strikers are not scoring and three of the five goals they have scored so far have come from setpieces. Liberian striker Ansumanah Kromah did manage to get a field goal to his name in the last game but returns clearly need to be much better. Two players that Raikhan will surely look to play are Kyrgyzstani midfielder Bektur ...

Pacers put India in command before rain plays spoilsport

India put up a much improved effort with the ball, reducing Australia to 132 for seven in 19 overs before intermittent rain revised the visitors' target to 90 runs in the second T20 here Friday. The weather interrupted thrice and the match was first reduced to 19-overs a side and the DLS target for India to level the series was 137 runs. More rain meant the target was revised to 90 runs in 11 overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2-20) and Khaleel Ahmed (2-39) shared four wickets to rock the Australian top-order and reduce them to 41-4 at one stage. This was after India won the toss and opted to bowl. The visitors went in with an unchanged side while Australia made one change, bringing in Nathan Coulter-Nile for Billy Stanlake who picked up an ankle niggle during warm-up. Kumar then struck with his second delivery, dismissing Aaron Finch (0) caught behind. From there onwards, India exerted themselves on the field and there was never any let up. But there were hiccups. The swing bowler should have

Former hockey forward Sandeep Michael dies

Former Indian hockey player Sandeep Michael, who captained the Indian junior team to an Asia Cup gold in 2003, died Friday after battling an unspecified neurological problem here. The former forward was 33. "Sandeep passed away this afternoon in a private hospital. He was battling a brain problem and was admitted on November 18. He slipped into a coma and could not be revived," Karnataka State Hockey Association Secretary K Krishna Murthy told PTI here. Michael's funeral will be held on Saturday at the Singapura church cemetry, Murthy said. The high point of Michael's India career was the 2003 junior Asia Cup in which he was adjudged the most promising player. He scored in crunch games against teams like Pakistan and Korea. "He had a knack of scoring goals from any position and angle. This skill endeared him to the coaches and he was also loved by fans," Murthy said. His father John Michael was a state-level volleyball player and his mother Alamelu was a track-and-field athlete and ...