Sehwag smashes fifty as India cruise to 97 for 2

Published>Mon, Feb 15 10 12:41 PM

Virender Sehwag hit a quick-fire unbeaten fifty, helping India race to 97 for two in their first innings at lunch on the second day of the second cricket Test against South Africa in Kolkata on Monday.

Earlier, India began the day by folding South African first innings at 296, conceding 30 more runs in the opening session at Eden Gardens.

Sehwag, dropped on 47 by JP Duminy off Morne Morkel, was unbeaten on 52, while Sachin Tendulkar was giving him company on nine as India were trailing by 199 runs.

Gautam Gambhir and Sehwag gave India an explosive start, stitching 73 runs for first wicket in just 9.2 overs before the southpaw was run out for 25.

Dale Steyn, first Test hero for the visitors, found the going tough with Sehwag creaming him for three consecutive boundaries and went on to concede 29 runs in his forgettable first spell of five overs.

With Sehwag on fire, there was a similar treatment at the other end for Morkel who conceded 28 runs from his three-over first spell.

Left-arm pacer Wayne Parnell replaced Morkel but it did not help as he leaked 11 runs in his first over with Sehwag freely dispatching the left-arm quickie over third-man for the first six of their innings.

Gambhir also joined the party as the Indian openers kept an eight-plus run-rate.

Just when South Africa needed a breakthrough badly, India gifted them an easy wicket in the form of Gambhir who became the victim of a Sehwag blunder.

With India cruising 72 for no loss in 9.1 overs, Gambhir responded to a second-run call from Sehwag but only to see himself stranded in the middle of the track as his partner changed mind.

The disappointing end to the entertaining opening stand brought Murali Vijay to the wicket.

However, Vijay (7) did not last long as he was caught brilliantly by AB De Villiers behind the wicket off Morkel.

Sehwag was lucky as he was dropped at the first slip by Duminy in the very next over and he went on to make fifty.

Earlier in the morning, South Africa were bundled out for 296 in 85 overs in their first innings.

Resuming at 266 for nine, South Africa added 30 runs to their overnight total before Wayne Parnell (12) was dismissed by Zaheer Khan leg before wicket in the fourth over of the second day.

Khan was the most successful Indian bowler returning with figures of 22-5-90-4.

Morne Morkel remained not out on 11 as the last wicket pair added 35 runs from 55 balls.

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Lunch scoreboard: India vs. South Africa, Second Test, Day 2

Published>Mon, Feb 15 10 12:31 PM

Kolkata, Feb 15 (IANS) Scoreboard at lunch on the second day of the second cricket Test between India and South Africa at the Eden Gardens here Monday:

South Africa first innings (overnight 266/9):

Graeme Smith b Khan 4

Alviro Petersen c Dhoni b Khan 100

Hashim Amla c Dhoni b Khan 114

Jacques Kallis c Laxman b Harbhajan Singh 10

AB de Villiers run out (Khan) 12

Ashwell Prince lbw b Harbhajan Singh 1

JP Duminy lbw b Harbhajan Singh 0

Dale Steyn lbw b Mishra 5

Paul Harris c Dhoni b Sharma 1

Wayne Parnell lbw Khan 12

Morne Morkel not out

Extras (b-1, w-10, lb-4, nb-11): 26

Total (all out in 85 overs): 296

Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Smith, 2.6 overs, 2-218 (Petersen, 52.4), 3-229 (Amla, 56.4), 4-251 (Kallis, 65.1), 5-253 (Prince, 67.1), 6-253 (Duminy, 67.2), 7-254 (de Villiers, 68.3), 8-255 (Harris, 70.3), 9-261 (Steyn, 76.1),

Bowling:

Zaheer Khan 22-5-90-4

Ishant Sharma 18-3-67-1

Amit Mishra 21-3-70-1

Harbhajan Singh 24-2-64-3

India 1st innings:

Gautam Gambhir run out (Petersen/de Villiers) 25

Virender Sehwag batting 52

Murali Vijay c de Villiers b Morkel 7

Sachin Tendulkar batting 9

Extras (nb 4) 4

Total (for 2 wickets in 18 overs) 97

Fall of wickets: 1-73 (Gambhir, 9.2 overs), 2-82 (Vijay, 12.4)

Bowling:

Dale Steyn 5-1-29-0

Morne Morkel 7-1-35-1

Wayne Parnell 4-0-30-0

Jacques Kallis 2-0-3-0

Toss: South Africa, who chose to bat

Umpires: Steve Davis (Australia) and Ian Gould (England)

TV umpire: Shavir Tarapore

Match referee: Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe)

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Real move within two points of Barcelona

Published>Mon, Feb 15 10 12:19 PM

Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice on his return from suspension as Real Madrid crushed bottom side Xerez 3-0 away in La Liga on Saturday and trimmed Barcelona's lead at the top to two points.

The Portuguese forward, banned for two matches after his red card against Malaga last month, was a constant threat to the promoted Andalusians and twice combined with Brazilian playmaker Kaka to score Real's second and third goals. "We'll never stop needing Cristiano, even if we won the two matches without him," Real coach Manuel Pellegrini told a news conference.

Second-placed Real have 53 points from 22 matches, Barca have 55 from 21 and Valencia are on 43 in third after being held to a 1-1 draw at mid-table Sporting Gijon earlier on Saturday. Tiny Xerez are six points adrift on their debut in Spain's top flight but made a bright start on their soggy Chapin pitch that Marca sports daily had likened to a potato field.

Home midfielder Momo found space to send a shot whistling over Iker Casillas's bar in the 12th minute before Ronaldo tested goalkeeper Renan with a header and then shot just wide after running onto a Xabi Alonso through ball. Real's record signing, roundly whistled every time he touched the ball, almost gave Manuel Pellegrini's side the lead just before half-time when his header from an Alvaro Arbeloa centre shaved the bar.

Alonso sent Arbeloa clear to finally break the home side's resistance in the 64th minute, his first goal of the season, before Ronaldo doubled the lead with a header from Kaka's cross five minutes later. The Brazilian tempted Renan off his line in the 71st and squared for Ronaldo to sweep the ball past two Xerez defenders into the empty net. "We knew the match would be difficult because of the pitch but I have played on fields like that since I was a kid," Real defender Marcelo said in a television interview. "There's no need to repeat it but Cristiano always decides matches," the Brazilian added.

There was drama at Villarreal in a frenetic finish to their 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao in the late kickoff, with home goalkeeper Diego Lopez saving a penalty and four dismissals, including Bilbao coach Joaquin Caparros.

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Pune blast trigger fresh concern for OZ cricketers

Published Mon, Feb 15 10 11:30 AM

Melbourne, Feb 15 (PTI) The Pune blast has added to their security concerns ahead of IPL-III and the Australian cricketers are awaiting advice from the players'' Association to decide on travelling to India for the Twenty20 event. Both Cricket Australia and the Cricketers'' Association (ACA) say a final decision have to be made by the players themselves and they will just issue an advice after learning about the impact of the terror strike. Nine people were killed and up to 57 injured in the blast on Saturday at the famous German Bakery in Pune in the first terrorist act in India since the Mumbai attacks in November 2008. Australian cricket''s security adviser Reg Dickason, is investigating the attack and will make his recommendation by this week. "Our independent security company is investigating what impact this attack may have on our players participating in the IPL, so we''re waiting for that advice. "It is a very tragic incident. It will be one of the many considerations they take into account in taking a position as to whether it is safe to go to India," ACA boss Paul Marsh was quoted as saying by the ''Sydney Morning Herald''. The third edition of the cash-rich event will begin on March 12 in Mumbai. More PTI AT

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South Africa bowled out for 296 in final India test

Published Mon, Feb 15 10 11:10 AM

South Africa were bowled out for 296 in their first innings on the second morning of the second and final test against India at the Eden Gardens on Monday.

South Africa's last wicket pair of Morne Morkel (11 not out) and Wayne Parnell (12) put on another 30 runs in four overs before left-arm pacer Zaheer Khan struck after the tourists resumed on 266-9.

Zaheer dismissed Parnell lbw with the new ball to finish with four for 90 after triggering a stunning collapse on the opening day in which the tourists lost seven wickets in the final session.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh finished with three for 64 after playing a key role in India's fightback after debutant Alviro Petersen (100) and in-form Hashim Amla (114) hit centuries to give South Africa a solid start.

India must square the series to hold on to the number one ranking.

The tourists are bidding for their first test series victory in India in almost a decade after taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series with an innings win in Nagpur.

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South Africa v India second test scoreboard

Published Mon, Feb 15 10 10:54 AM

REUTERS - Scoreboard after South Africa's first innings in the second test against India at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Monday.

South Africa first innings (266-9 overnight)

G. Smith b Zaheer 4

A. Petersen c Dhoni b Zaheer 100

H. Amla c Dhoni b Zaheer 114

J. Kallis c Laxman b Harbhajan 10

AB de Villiers run out 12

A. Prince lbw b Harbhajan 1

JP Duminy lbw b Harbhajan 0

D. Steyn lbw b Mishra 5

P. Harris c Dhoni b Ishant 1

W. Parnell lbw b Zaheer 12

M. Morkel not out 11

Extras (b 1 lb 4 w 10 nb 11) 26

Total (all out; 85 overs) 296

Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-218 3-229 4-251 5-253 6-253 7-254 8-255 9-261.

Bowling: Zaheer 22-5-90-4 (w 1), Ishant 18-3-67-1 (nb 7 w 1), Mishra 21-3-70-1 (nb 4), Harbhajan 24-2-64-3.

India: V. Sehwag, G. Gambhir, M. Vijay, S. Tendulkar, V. Laxman, S. Badrinath, MS Dhoni, H. Singh, Z. Khan, I. Sharma, A. Mishra.

South Africa lead the two-match series 1-0.

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South Africa 296 all out v India - innings

Published Mon, Feb 15 10 10:40 AM

South Africa were dismissed for 296 in their first innings on the second morning of the second test against India on Monday.

Scores: South Africa 296 (A. Petersen 100, H. Amla 114, Z. Khan 4-90, H. Singh 3-64) v India.

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South Africa all out for 296

Published Mon, Feb 15 10 10:10 AM

Kolkata, Feb 15 (PTI) South Africa were all out for 296 in their first innings against India in the second and final cricket Test at Eden Gardens here today. South Africa, who elected to bat yesterday, resumed their innings at 266 for nine. Brief Score: South Africa 1st innings: 296 all out in 85 overs. (Alviro Petersen 100, Hashim Amla 114; Z Khan 4/90, Harbhajan Singh 3/64).

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Duval takes another step in long comeback road

Published>Mon, Feb 15 10 09:30 AM

David Duval's long return from golfing wilderness gained pace on Sunday, when the former world number one fell agonisingly short of his first tournament win in nine years at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

His final round three-under 69 left him joint runner-up with fellow American J.B. Holmes and a stroke behind winner Dustin Johnson, who shut the door on a play-off with a birdie on his last hole.

The result, while no fairytale, was pleasing for Duval, who had had to wait eight months for another top five showing since stunning the world at last year's U.S. Open with a joint second finish behind champion Lucas Glover.

"I feel like I played really well," the 38-year-old, whose last tournament win was the 2001 Dunlop Phoenix in Japan, told reporters. "I hit the ball good and in general I feel like I did most of the things I wanted to do."

Duval, who held the top ranking in 1999, plummeted to 882nd after his 2001 British Open win amid injuries and personal trauma, but has recovered to 205.

Despite his U.S. Open effort, he finished 130th on the money list last year, five shy of a tour card, then failed at Qualifying School.

He has had to rely on past winner categories, sponsor exemptions and any other way he can think of to keep the comeback going.

"I was hoping that my support and loyalty to a lot of events over the better part of 15 years would help me in that way," Duval said. "So far it has."

Duval gained entry to Pebble Beach courtesy of a Player's Championship win back in 1999. Even then, his appearance was threatened when his back flared up during a practice round on Monday.

The chronic injury, which has dogged Duval for a decade, settled to allow him to tee off.

"Happy to just be playing," Duval said. "Went out on Monday to play, and had to walk off it. I couldn't play."

Despite starting the final round six strokes adrift of the leaders and stumbling with three bogeys, Duval notched six birdies and snared a share of the lead when Johnson dropped a shot on the 17th.

He was unable to birdie the last to truly turn the screws on Johnson, but the par finish gave him his first run of four sub-70 rounds since 2001.

"I feel like I've been playing well," he said. "I don't feel like I've gotten anything out of it for a long time."

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Manan Chandra aims to break home jinx

Published>Mon, Feb 15 10 09:28 AM

Defending champion in 8-ball pool event, Manan Chandra was itching to have a go at the newly-laid tables at the YMCA Hall on the eve of the BLP National Pool Championships which begin from Monday. Chandra moved from one table to the other; and when he reached the fourth table, he pronounced his verdict: "The movement on the felt cloth surface is nice and smooth," said Chandra.

"Of course, I want to defend my title and, possibly, go on to annex the 9-ball crown as well. I have not won a title in Delhi and I want to break that jinx," he added. Chandra has seven pool titles?five in 9-ball and two in 8-ball events?but all these achievements have come outside Delhi. Way back in 2005, Chandra had won both the titles and was determined to repeat the feat at home.

But he will be wary of another defending champion (9-ball) Rafat Habib and a host of others in the star-studded field ? Dharminder Lily, Devendra Joshi, Alok Kumar, Sumit Talwar and Shahbaz Khan, who will be competing in both events.

In the women's section, both Meenal Thakur (8 Ball) and Anuja Chandra (9 Ball) had made it a family affair in the Kolkata championships last year.

But with Asian Games berth at stake, they will have to pull out all stops to secure their places.

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