Trott won't stop his 'annoying' crease ritual even if it drives bowlers mad

Published>Sat, Nov 20 10 11:52 AM

London, Nov 20 (ANI): Jonathan Trott, who has been dubbed as England's most controversial and annoying player, has said that he cannot understand what the fuss is about.

Trott is known for scratching the crease before each ball driving the opposition teams crazy. His non-stop banter and sledging with Pakistan last summer was capped with a physical fight with fast bowler Wahab Riaz.

Trott said he is a calm guy having a laid-back attitude and rarely falls out with anybody, The Sun reports.

He has no intention of speeding up his routine at the crease no matter how much verbal flak he receives from the Australian fielders.

"I go about business in my own way, preparing in a way that has been successful in the past. If people have a problem, they can speak to the umpire and he will have a word with me," Trott said.

"It's something that sticks out like a sore thumb because other guys don't do it. But to me it's not such a big deal. I never got stick for it in county cricket," he said.

Trott's methods work and, after a century on his Test debut against Australia in August 2009, he was England's most consistent batsman last summer.

He scored 669 runs at 83.62 in Tests and 335 at 47.85 in one-day matches. (ANI)

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Somdev, Rastogi in men''s singles quarterfinals

Sat, Nov 20 10 11:22 AM

Guangzhou, Nov 20 (PTI) Somdev Devvarman and Karan Rastogi kept themselves in the medal hunt by reaching the men''s singles quarterfinals with easy wins in the tennis competition of the Asian Games here today. Both the Indian players, who have hardly been challenged so far in the tournament, yet again scored dominating victories. Second seed Somdev won at the expense of just two games as he beat Uzbekistan''s 16th seed Vaja Uzakov 6-1 6-1 in the third round at the Aoti Tennis Centre. The ranking difference between the two players was all the more palpable as 105th-ranked Somdev took just 39 minutes to dispatch the 960th ranked Uzbek. Somdev will next take on sixth seed Chinese Zhang Ze, who is ranked way behind the Indian at 307. Rastogi, coming back to international tennis after an injury lay-off, did not have much trouble in thrashing Taipei''s 10th seed Ti Chen 6-0 6-4. After blanking his rival in the opening set, the 332-ranked Indian dropped his serve in first game of the second set but broke 525-ranked Chen in the eighth game to draw parity and broke him for again in the 12th game to clinch the issue. Rastogi''s first real test comes now as he faces top seed and world number 40 Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan next. If Somdev and Rastogi manage to win one more match, they will be assured of at least a bronze medal in the singles event.

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Wet outfield delays start of India-New Zealand test

Sat, Nov 20 10 11:16 AM

The start of the third and final test match between India and New Zealand was delayed due to a wet outfield at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on Saturday.

The three-match series is tied at 0-0 after the first two tests ended in a draw.

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Asian Games: Indian athletes aim to build on CWG show

Sat, Nov 20 10 10:52 AM

S S Ramaswamy Guangzhou, Nov 20 (PTI) After the unexpectedly strong display in the Commonwealth Games, in which they garnered 12 medals, Indian track and field exponents would aim to prove that it was no flash-in-the-pan effort when they open their campaign in the Asian Games athletics events starting here tomorrow. With the shooters, who picked up 30 CWG medals including 12 of the golden hue, coming a cropper in these Games and returning with their tails tucked firmly between their legs, the pressure is on the athletics contingent, numbering 71 including 31 women, to salvage the country''s pride that has taken a beating in these Games. The huge athletics squad may be unwarranted going by the numbers, but a sizeable chunk is to make up the numbers for the four relay events in which the country''s track and field selectors traditionally lay stress on. All those who attained the medal podium, including star discus thrower Krishna Poonia who led an unforgettable clean sweep of all the medals by India in the Delhi CWG, have come here to try and prove their worth at these Games. Traditionally in most track events, the CWG field is of higher quality while in the Asiads the field events are very tough with the Chinese, Koreans, Iranians, Japanese, Saudi Arabians and the former Soviet bloc countries which are now part of the Asian Games family like Kazakhstan. For example in women''s triple jump, in which the Indian entrants are M Prajusha who won a long jump silver in the CWG - and Mayookha Johny, the title-favourite is world no. 1 Olga Rypakova of Kazakhstan. Prajusha and Mayookha, who finished outside the medal bracket in CWG, are expected to face a tough time in the jump events in which the former Soviet bloc nation has a fleet of top women competitors, including Yulia Tarasova of Uzbekistan who took part in the Asian All Stars meet in Delhi in July. The women''s long jump, a straight final, is on November 23 while the triple jump is scheduled two days later, also a straight medal contest. In the throwing events for women, a strong battle is expected to materialise between Poonia, compatriots Harwant Kaur and Seema Antil, who took the discus silver and bronze behind her in Delhi, and Song Aimin and Li Yenfeng of China. The event is scheduled on the third day of the premier discipline, November 23. Renjith Maheswary, a triple jump bronze winner in Delhi''s CWG, will have Li Yanxi of China and Roman Valiev of Kazakhstan to contend with in the straight final on November 26th. .

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Wet outfield delays start of India-New Zealand test

Sat, Nov 20 10 10:46 AM

The start of the third and final test match between India and New Zealand was delayed due to a wet outfield at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on Saturday.

The three-match series is tied at 0-0 after the first two tests ended in a draw.

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Vettel back on track at first test of Pirelli tyres

Fri, Nov 19 10 11:46 PM

New world champion Sebastian Vettel was back in action and new tyre supplier Pirelli returned to Formula One on Friday with the first post-season test involving all 12 teams in Abu Dhabi.

Ferrari's Felipe Massa, who had struggled to get heat into the Bridgestone tyres in qualifying last season, was fastest overall ahead of Red Bull's 23-year-old German.

Vettel, who won his title at the Yas Marina track five days ago to become the sport's youngest title holder, suffered a failure with his car's right rear tyre in the closing minutes although Pirelli said debris on the track was the likely cause.

Teams said first impressions were positive, with the new tyre's basic balance and performance similar to that of the Bridgestone that has been used exclusively in recent seasons.

"I think the tyres behaved well, better than expected given the short amount of time Pirelli have had and they've done a good job," said Vettel.

"Pirelli are obviously in the middle of their development and what we used today is not what we will race with, but it was a good start.

"It was great to be back in the car after an incredible week," added the German. "2011 started today and I was focusing on the tyres and getting to know them. I think we have learned quite a lot."

Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery was pleased with the way the first day had gone.

"We're gathering plenty of useful information and valuable suggestions, as well as some encouraging comments," he said in a statement.

"So far, I would say that everything has gone according to plan. In particular we are very pleased with the reliability and stability of our tyres as well as with the turn-in performance of the front tyre," he added.

"The lap times set by all the teams have been excellent, and they have each covered a lot of ground as can be seen from the number of laps run."

Pirelli last supplied Formula One teams with tyres 19 years ago, with their last race win coming in Canada in 1991 with Benetton.

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London 2012 will not budge on marathon route - Coe

Published>Fri, Nov 19 10 11:26 PM

London 2012 chairman Seb Coe refused to change his mind on the re-routing of the Olympic marathon despite the threat of legal action, but said the fabric wrap around the main stadium could be reinstated.

The marathon route was changed to begin and end outside Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth's official residence, after organisers said it would help traffic flow and be less of an impact on other sports taking place in the main stadium and across London.

It will now pass many of the capital's landmarks, avoiding the main stadium in a deprived area of east London.

"I will not be changing my mind," Coe, chairman of LOCOG, responsible for staging the Games, told reporters on Friday at the end of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) latest regular inspection.

"I made the judgement on very good operational reasons that the reputational damage to this city, to the Olympic movement, to the sport of track and field, to the people of London, for the next 50 years to come if we get this wrong was not worth the risk."

But one local council, Tower Hamlets, has begun proceedings for a judicial review.

Denis Oswald, chairman of the IOC's coordination commission, said talks were ongoing to see if the boroughs which appear set to lose out could be compensated in other ways, such as being involved in the torch relay.

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The eye-catching fabric wrap around the main stadium was ditched, saving 7 million pounds ($11.16 million), after the government demanded cuts as part of its austerity drive.

Oswald said he understood that financial circumstances had changed since London's successful bid in 2005 and that although it might look nice, its removal would not affect athletes' performance.

Coe said a "number of commercial overtures" had been made to fund the wrap, but no sponsorship logos would be allowed.

The IOC sidestepped the question of the stadium's legacy, saying only that it was important to respect the bid's promise for an athletics legacy.

"As far as I can understand, if any of the two bidders will be selected this is taken into account," Oswald said.

Premier League soccer rivals West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur are the two preferred bidders to take over the stadium after the Games.

West Ham have agreed to keep the athletics track, while Tottenham are less keen.

Testing of the venues has been signed off, and LOCOG said every competing athlete will be able to buy up to two tickets for families and friends for each session in which they compete.

Source: Web Search

Gautam Kar nominated for AFC Match Commissioner of Year

Fri, Nov 19 10 11:22 PM

New Delhi, Nov 19 (PTI) India''s Gautam Kar has been nominated for the AFC Match Commissioner of the Year 2010 award, the AIFF said today. The other nominees are Abdul Ghafoor Abdul Hameed of Maldives and Talal A Syailmeen of Jordan. The AFC Match Commissioner of the Year will be honoured at the AFC Annual Award ceremony to be held in Kuala Lumpur on November 24. An elated Kar said, "The nomination itself is an award for me. To be among the top three Match Commissioner of Asia means a lot to me. But at the same time, it''s also an additional responsibility to keep performing better." "Being an Indian, I feel proud to contribute something to the Asian Football Administration," added Kar. Congratulated Kar, AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das said, "It''s a matter of great pride for us in the football fraternity that Col. Gautam Kar has been nominated for this coveted award and I wish him all the best." PTI PDS

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Hyderabad beat Tripura by an innings

Fri, Nov 19 10 10:52 PM

Hyderabad, Nov 19 (PTI) Thanks to a brilliant bowling display by D Raviteja and Kanishk Naidu, Hyderabad today won their Ranji Trophy Plate League match against Tripura by an innings and 35 runs here. Resuming at overnight score of 277 for four, the host team went on to make 312 runs in their first innings. Though Sandeep Reddy (76) returned to the pavilion without making any addition to his overnight score, M A Khader helped the team reach 312 by making a valuable 20 runs. However, other batsmen Ibrahim Khaleel (6), Alfred Absolem (0), A Lalith Mohan (0) and Kanishk Naidu (0) were dismissed cheaply. Tripura were earlier all out for 140 in their first innings. In their second innings, Tripura were dismissed for a paltry 137 thanks to Raviteja''s superb five-wicket haul. Kanishk Naidu, who took four wickets in Tripura''s first innings, came up with another splendid performance by claiming three wickets to break the back of the visitors. Alfred Absolem and Lalith Mohan took one wicket each. Among Tripura bowlers, Rana Dutta scalped five wickets, while TK Chanda took three wickets. J Debnath and RH Saha took one wicket each. With the victory, Hyderabad bagged six points while Tripura pocketed none. Brief Scores: Tripura 140 and 137; Hyderabad 312.

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Asian Games bronze medallist Ashish aims at an Olympic gold

Fri, Nov 19 10 10:22 PM

Allahabad, Nov 19 (PTI) Bubbling with confidence after becoming the first Indian gymnast to win a bronze at the Asian Games, Ashish Kumar has now set his eyes on the 2012 London Olympics and said he would "settle for nothing less than a gold". The 19-year-old gymnast was accorded a grand welcome at the Bamrauli airport here upon his return from Guangzhou in China, where he bagged a bronze medal last Tuesday, becoming the first-ever gymnast to have won a medal at the Asian Games. "It was a very tense moment at the floors final. I was performing alongside very powerful contenders from China, Japan and South Korea. A slight slip on my part could have ruined my chances," Ashish said. "I am exhilarated over having returned to my country after winning the medal on the Chinese soil, which has produced a number of world-class gymnasts," he added. The young gymnast, whose laurels at the Asian Games came close on the heels of the Commonwealth Games held at Delhi earlier last month where he had bagged a sliver and a bronze, said he was now bracing up for the London Olympics to be held in 2012. "I am looking forward to the London Olympics. I will settle for nothing less than a gold," he said. Ashish was later driven to the Madan Mohan Malaviya stadium for a felicitation ceremony amidst thunderous applause from the crowd along the route. At the stadium, where senior administrative officials led by Divisional Commissioner P V Jaganmohan were present, the young gymnast was felicitated along with his mentor U S Mishra. Mishra, who is the founder of the National Sports Academy, the alma mater of Ashish, said he was "proud to have the boy who has brought me close to realising my dreams within just over a decade of having set up the Academy. "I am sure Ashish will continue the good show at the Olympics as well," he said.

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India set to lose rating points after draws against NZ

Fri, Nov 19 10 10:16 PM

Dubai, Nov 19 (PTI) Thanks to their two draws against visiting New Zealand, India are set to drop rating points irrespective of how the third Test in Nagpur pans out, according to the latest ICC rankings released here today. World number one India entered the three-Test series with a clear 52-point lead over eighth-placed New Zealand but the hosts'' failure to record a win in any of the last two Tests meant they will now drop points. If India win the third Test, they will concede one rating point and will slip to 129 points, while New Zealand will rise to 80 ratings points after gaining two points. In the event of a New Zealand win, they will earn nine ratings points which will take them to 87, while India will drop to 124 after losing six ratings points. In case of a drawn series, India will drop four ratings points, while New Zealand will pocket five. Meanwhile, Chris Gayle, on the back of his monumental triple century in the first Test against Sri Lanka, rocketed into the top 10 for the first time in his career. Gayle''s knock lifted the 31-year-old Jamaican from 21st to 10th position in the latest ICC player rankings for Test batsmen. The former West Indies captain earned 95 points ratings for his triple ton. South Africa''s Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla, Pakistan''s Younus Khan and New Zealand opener Brendon McCullum also moved upwards in the batting chart. In the ICC player rankings for Test bowlers, India''s S Sreesanth moved up by two places to be placed at 29th. Dale Steyn sits pretty at the top while English spinner Graeme Swann is in second spot.

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India suffer third defeat on the trot in Basketball

Fri, Nov 19 10 10:08 PM

Guangzhou, Nov 19 (PTI) Indian hoopsters suffered their third consecutive defeat in the Asian Games, going down 63-78 to Iran in a Group F preliminary match of the Basketball event at Ying Dong Gymnasium here today. The Indian were no match for the Iranians as they lagged behind throughout the entire quarters. Iran looked undoubtedly the better team as it opened up a 44-29 lead at the breather and held on to the difference, moving 67-48 at the third quarter before eventually winning it comfortably at 78-63. India had started off well in the tournament, beating Afghanistan in the qualifying round but suffered consecutive defeats at the hands of Qatar and Chinese Taipei in their last two matches. India will next face Phillipines on Sunday, before taking on Japan on Monday.

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Venky''s buys Rovers, becomes first Indian firm to own EPL side

Fri, Nov 19 10 09:52 PM

London, Nov 19 (PTI) Poultry giant Venky''s today became the first Indian company to own an English Premier League club when it completed the takeover of Blackburn Rovers for USD 36.8 million. A newly established British subsidiary called Venky''s London Limited paid 23 million pounds (USD 36.8 million) for a 99.9 percent stake in the northwest England side and will make an unconditional offer for the remaining shares. "The Board of Blackburn Rovers Football and Athletic plc (BRF&A) today announces the sale by BRFC Investments Limited (a company indirectly wholly owned by the Jack Walker 1987 Settlement) of its 99.9 per cent shareholding in BRF&A to Venky''s London Limited, a newly formed company owned by the Rao family of India for a sum (including contingent consideration payable) of 23 million or 17.17 pence per share," a club statement said. "Venky''s London Limited will be making an equivalent unconditional offer (mandatory under the Takeover Code) to the minority shareholders, holding the remaining 0.1 per cent of the shares in BRF&A," it added. Paul Egerton- Vernon, chairman of the Jack Walker Settlement Trustees, said he is pleased to be passing on the Rovers to the Rao family. "We have been impressed with their enthusiasm for the Club and their plans and ideas for future investment to develop it further as well as their wish and commitment to preserve the legacy of Jack Walker. We are particularly pleased that the Club will continue in family ownership and that the existing management team at the Rovers led by John Williams will continue unchanged," he said. "Over the last 10 years, the global appeal of the Premier League has grown significantly and it is only natural that, as we have seen at other Clubs, international ownership and investment should increase." Venky''s Chairperson Anuradha Desai said her company would work hard to ensure that Blackburn Rovers remains one of the best run clubs in the EPL. "We are delighted, proud and humbled to be associated with Blackburn Rovers, a team with whom we share many values and ambitions. Going forward we plan to focus on leveraging the global influence in establishing Blackburn Rovers as a truly global brand. "We will absolutely respect the Jack Walker legacy and will be actively supporting the organisation to ensure that Blackburn Rovers remains one of the best run Clubs within the Premier League. We are particularly pleased that the deal has the full support of the Walker Trust, the Chairman and the management team who will of course remain in place with our full support," she said. "Blackburn Rovers is an historic institution that has won the Premier League and we want the fans to embrace us so that we are able to do our best in the interests of the Club." MORE PTI PDS

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Collusion difficult to avoid, says Blatter

Published>Fri, Nov 19 10 09:48 PM

Collusion is difficult to keep out of the World Cup bidding process, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Friday as he praised the way soccer's governing body had handled a corruption scandal.

He also added FIFA would have to toughen up its anti-corruption watch in the future.

"You cannot avoid collusion but if there should be something wrong in such collusion, then naturally somebody should intervene," Blatter told a news conference.

"You find collusion in politics, in elections, when two parties are enemies during the year and then they run together."

Two FIFA executive committee members were banned and fined on Thursday, one for bribery, over allegations they had offered to sell their votes in the contest to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Four other officials were also banned and fined for various offences including bribery in three cases.

However FIFA's ethics committee, which investigated the case, found no evidence of alleged collusion between Spain/Portugal, one of four bids to host the 2018 World Cup, and Qatar, who are bidding for 2022.

The hosts for both tournaments will be chosen on Dec. 2 in Zurich. Blatter said last month that FIFA had been wrong to decide to vote on both tournaments at the same time.

"The World Cup is not only footballing, emotional competition, where people assemble, they dance, they are happy," he said.

"It (Dec. 2) is not just an important date for football, it is important for international politics.

"We have nine bidding countries for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, they will send their top representatives, we have to deal with nine countries sending prime ministers, heads of state and other high-ranked political personalities."

DETAILED REPORTS

A FIFA committee has compiled detailed reports on each of the nine bids but there has also been intense lobbying behind the scenes of the 22 executive committee members who can vote.

Asked if he thought the quality of the bids would be decisive, Blatter said: "In principle, yes, otherwise it wouldn't be worth making a technical report if finally those who are going to vote are not using the information of such reports.

"But we are not only dealing with the World Cup institution, we are also dealing with human beings and they have ideas other than those which are available in the documents."

Blatter said he was satisfied, but not happy, about the outcome of the ethics committee hearing.

The investigation started when executive committee members Amos Adamu of Nigeria and Reynald Temarii of Tahiti were accused of offering to sell their votes to undercover reporters from the Sunday Times British newspaper posing as lobbyists for an American consortium.

"It gave us the opportunity to clean a little bit whatever has to be cleaned but I cannot say it is very fair when you open traps for people," said Blatter.

"I am very satisfied, but I'm not happy, you cannot be happy when you have to sanction members of our family, it is not a pleasure but I'm satisfied with the work down by the ethics committee.

"It is with optimism that I'm looking forward to the last few days before the decision day of Dec. 2," he added. "I am convinced that between now and Dec. 2 there will be no more cases."

Blatter also said FIFA would have to toughen up procedures in the future.

Source: Web Search

India win in Beach volleyball at Asian Games

Fri, Nov 19 10 09:36 PM

Guangzhou, Nov 19 (PTI) Indian pair of Kasi Viswanadha Raju and Kiran Kumar Reddy fought their way to a thrilling 2-1 victory over Sothearith Nget and Rom Mon of Combodia in the Beach Volleyball event of the Asian Games here today. After two successive losses, the Indian pair finally tasted some success as they saw off their rivals 50-40 (14-21 21-13 15-6) in a 37-minute Pool E match. The Indian pair had lost to Kazakhstan and Malaysia in their previous two encounters at the centre court here. In the Pool F match, Indian pair of Jameeluddin Mohammed and Ravinder Reddy Sara also shrugged off a one-game deficit to register a 2-1 win over Ismaeel Hassan Al Sheeb and Mahmoud Ahmed Assam of Qatar in a 46 minute battle. The Indian pair had a forgettable outing so far in the tournament as they lost 0-2 to Japan in the opening match, before suffering another 0-2 loss against Thailand. But Jameeluddin and Ravinder produced a brilliant come from behind 53-47 (17-21 21-16 15-10) win to bring cheers to the Indian camp.

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Delhi to host Super Cup on Dec 1

Fri, Nov 19 10 09:08 PM

New Delhi, Nov 19 (PTI) The Capital''s Ambedkar Stadium will host the Super Cup match between Dempo and East Bengal on December 1 besides also staging JCT''s two home I-League matches due to unavailability of ground in Ludhiana. The 2009-2010 Super Cup match between last edition I-League champions Dempo and Federation Cup winners East Bengal was delayed and it will be played just before the start of this season''s I-League on December 3. Due to the unavailability of their ground in Ludhiana, JCT''s home matches against Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Churchill Brothers will be played here on December 3 and 7 respectively, it was decided at a meeting of newly-constituted I-League Committee here today. The meeting was attended by AIFF President Praful Patel, General Secretary Kushal Das, I-League Chairman Sajjan Jindal, Chief Executive Sunando Dhar and representatives of I-League clubs.

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Dinesh assured of medal, Vikas also wins in Asian Games Boxing

Fri, Nov 19 10 08:52 PM

S S Ramaswamy Guangzhou, Nov 19 (PTI) Commonwealth champion Dinesh Kumar became the second Indian boxer after Paramjit Singh Samota to assure himself of a medal at the Asian Games by advancing to the light heavyweight 81kg semifinals while two other teammates Vikas Krishan and Santosh Kumar Virothu also moved into the quarterfinals here today. On another satisfying day in the ring sport, the 23-year-old beat his rival 10-6 in a lop-sided bout during which Heo went off-balance several times due to the sheer power of the blows thrown by the Indian. Last evening, Samota had advanced into the semifinals of the 91+ weight category . The only Indian to lose so far in the ring was Chote Lal Yadav who suffered a reverse by losing his round of 16 bout against Asian championship bronze medallist Satoshi Shimizu 4-7 yesterday. Leading 5-2 in the opening round, Dinesh, the taller of the two contestants, showed good technique and never really allowed Heo to claw back despite the Korean''s several valiant efforts at countering the Indian''s power. Heo fought back well in the second round which was very close with Dinesh scoring some points with punches to the rival''s head. He won the round 3-2 as the Korean too got through Dinesh''s defense to earn valuable points. The good 8-4 lead taken by Dinesh stood him in good stead in the last round that saw both fighters going at each other with the intention to deliver the knock-out blow. It ended in a 2-2 stale-mate and piloted the Indian into the medal round too. Dinesh, who will lock horns with Nepal''s Deepak Maharjan in the semifinal, said he was eager to earn a medal here after ending without one in last month''s Commonwealth Games in Delhi. "At the Commonwealth Games I failed to win any medal, but I am confident of winning it here. I am feeling good and I am very excited. I just fought the way my coach told me to fight and I acted as per his plan," the boxer said. Vikas Krishan entered the 60kg class quarterfinals by overwhelming Amangeldi Hudabergenov of Turkmenistan 8-1 easily with his offensive approach. The Indian was the all-out aggressor from the first bell to pick up three points from the first round which he increased by another four with another impressive display in the second before taking it easy in the final round. Vikas, who will meet North Korean C S Kim in the semis, said he used his height advantage to good effect in the fight. "I used long range punches on my rival and that really worked," he said, adding he took it easy in the last round as he did not want to pick up an injury. "I was already leading with so many points and that''s why I became more defensive as I did not want to pick up any injury. So I avoided contact with my opponent," he said. (More) PTI SSR SHN

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Asian Games medals tally, day seven

Published>Fri, Nov 19 10 08:46 PM

Guangzhou, Nov 19 (IANS) Medals tally on the seventh day of the Asian Games here Friday:

Country G S B T

1 China 125 54 55 234

2 South Korea 43 36 50 129

3 Japan 24 49 51 124

4 Iran 8 7 13 28

5 Hong Kong 5 9 6 20

6 Chinese Taipei 5 8 23 36

7 North Korea 5 8 11 24

8 Kazakhstan 4 8 18 30

9 Uzbekistan 3 10 13 26

10 Malaysia 3 3 4 10

11 India 2 8 10 20

12 Indonesia 2 4 10 16

13 IOC Kuwait 2 2 0 4

14 Philippines 2 1 5 8

15 Thailand 1 4 13 18

16 Singapore 1 4 2 7

17 Pakistan 1 1 1 3

18 Jordan 1 1 0 2

18 Macao 1 1 0 2

20 Vietnam 0 11 11 22

21 Myanmar 0 4 1 5

22 Mongolia 0 2 6 8

23 Lebanon 0 1 2 3

24 Afghanistan 0 1 1 2

25 Bangladesh 0 1 0 1

26 Lao 0 0 2 2

27 Iraq 0 0 1 1

27 Tajikistan 0 0 1 1

Total: 238 238 310 786

Source: Web Search

Chopra playing for India in Asian Cup "not priority": AIFF

Fri, Nov 19 10 08:22 PM

New Delhi, Nov 19 (PTI) Cardiff City''s Indian origin striker Michael Chopra is keen to don India colours in next year''s Asian Cup but the AIFF today said ensuring him play for the country in the continental showpiece event in January was "not its priority". All India Football Federation General Secretary Kushal Das told PTI that AIFF was examining the "procedure" and "rules and regulations" on how Chopra can play for the country but he was not sure if the 26-year-old striker will do that in the Asian Cup to be held in Doha from January 7-29 next year. "Michael Chopra is serious about playing for India and he has expressed his desire to us. So, we are looking into the rules and regulations on how he can play for India. But at the moment, it is not our priority," Das said. "We will follow the procedure and we are looking if he (Chopra) can play for India," he said when asked about Indian government policy that only allow Indian citizens to represent the country in international events. India coach Bob Houghton is expected to submit the squad for the tournament next month and Das hinted that Chopra can look for playing for the country in future. "I can''t say whether he will play in the Asian Cup or not. May be we can look for him playing for India in due course. We have to see how that can be done," Das said. Chopra, who was with English Premier League side Sunderland before joining Championships side Cardiff City, had flown down to Dubai on November 14 to meet Houghton and national team players who are training there, to discuss the matter. If Chopra joins the Indian squad for the Asian Cup, it would be a boost for the players, who are low on morale after the drubbing at the hands of Kuwait and United Arab Emirates in the international friendly matches. Under FIFA rules, Chopra qualifies to play for India through his Indian-born grandparents and English media reports said he had been given permission by his Cardiff City boss Dave Jones to play for India. Chopra had represented English age-group national teams upto Under-21.

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Assam''s strong reply to Bengal in Ranji clash

Fri, Nov 19 10 08:08 PM

Kolkata, Nov 19 (PTI) Bengal found themselves at the receiving end with Assam giving the hosts a brave reply on the penultimate day of their Ranji Trophy Super League Group A match at Eden Gardens here today. In reply to Bengal''s mammoth 562/6, Assam rode on half-centuries by Sridharan Sriram, Sibsankar Roy and Dhiraj Jadhav as the visitors finished the day with 293/3. Veteran Sriram, who has eight ODIs experience, held the fort with an unbeaten 89 and crafted 126 runs for the 3rd wicket with skipper Amol Muzumdar who missed a 50 by six runs. Debutant medium-pacer Sami Ahmed, who was down with fever last night, claimed all the three wickets as Bengal were hit hard by his sickness that permitted him only 11 overs. Resuming at 10 for no loss, Assam capitalised on the weak Bengal pace attack in absence of Ahmed in the morning as openers Roy (89; 151 balls, 18x4) and Jadhav (62; 165 balls, 6x4) laid the foundation with a 150-run opening parntership. As Sami could not take the field in the morning session, Bengal opened their attack with Ranadeb Bose and all-round Laxmi Ratan Shukla who found the going tough with little assistance from the flat strip. With both the left-hand openers Roy and Jadhav looking good Assam were 114 for no loss at lunch. Sami, who debuted in absence of Ashok Dinda (fever), came into action in the 46th over and gave Bengal a reason to cheer taking the scalp of Roy in his second over. He castled Jadhav to cap a perfect first spell with figures of 7-2-37-2 before again going off the field. With veterans Sriram and Muzumdar at the crease, it was time for Assam to bat the day out as the duo put on a defiant stand to frustrate Bengal. Towards the close, Sami returned to action and gave another breakthrough in the form of Muzumdar who misjudged the line only to see his off-stump crashed. Sriram said their effort would give Bengal sleepless nights. "We made a conscious effort to not look at the scoreboard. We have to bat out another day," Sriram said. Bengal captain Manoj Tiwary was also absent (fever) for the second day and Wriddhiman Saha led the side. But, the team think-tank said they are hopeful to get the services of Tiwary for the final day tomorrow. Incidentally, three other Bengal players -- Dinda, Arindam Ghosh (both fever) and Rohan Banerjee (ligament injury) -- were indisposed before the start of the match. Brief Scores: Bengal: 562/6 declared in 167 overs (L R Shukla 250, W Saha 178). Assam 293/3 in 88 overs (S Sriram 89 batting, S Roy 89, Dhiraj Jadhav 62; Sami Ahmed 3/57).

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Myanmar to build first international cricket stadium

Fri, Nov 19 10 07:52 PM

Beijing, Nov 19 (PTI) Myanmar, one of the latest entrant to the world of cricket, will have its first international stadium by 2012 which will be built with New Zealand''s help, according to a media report today. The Myanmar Cricket Federation (MCF) has projected to start building the first international cricket field in Yangon in the open season of this year, the 7-Day News said. The dedicated cricket field, which includes stage, office and car parking lot, is to be constructed in the former capital''s suburban Dagon Myothit (North) area, China''s state- run Xinhua news agency reported from Yangon. The cricket ground, which can accommodate about 20,000 spectators on the 2.97-hectare plot, will be built by experts from New Zealand and the project is expected to complete by 2012. Myanmar cricket team became the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) member in 2005. Cricket was introduced in Myanmar after the British colonised the country more than a century ago. Meanwhile, the Myanmar cricket team will compete in ACC Trophy Challenge 2010 scheduled for December in Thailand. Myanmar has been participating in the cricket tournaments since 2006, winning Spirit of Cricket Award in ACC U-19 Challenge Cup, the report said.

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UP lead by 160 runs against Baroda on day 3

Fri, Nov 19 10 07:48 PM

Vadodara, Nov 19 (PTI) Opener Tanmay Srivastava and Bhuvneshwar Kumar hit twin half-centuries as Uttar Pradesh scored 279 for eight in their second innings against Baroda by stumps on the penultimate day of their Ranji Trophy Super League Group B match here today. Resuming at 25 for no loss, Srivastava completed his fifty, scoring 60 in 128 balls while Kumar scored a 101-ball 55 comprising five boundaries to help Uttar Pradesh extend their lead to 160 with two wickets remaining. Tailenders Amir Khan (30) and Praveen Gupta (4) were at the crease when the stumps were drawn as the match is headed to an exciting finish at the Moti Bagh Stadium here. Yusuf Pathan again emerged as the highest wicket-taker for Baroda, claiming four for 79 runs today, to extend his total wickets to nine in this match. Munaf Patel, who had claimed four wickets in the first innings, scalped two more, giving away 37 runs. Ajitesh Argal and Bhargav Bhatt accounted for one wicket each. Brief Score: Uttar Pradesh first innings: 190 all out in 70 overs Baroda first innings: 309 85.2 overs Uttar Pradesh second innings: 279/8 in 100 overs (TM Srivastava 60, B Kumar 55; Yusuf Pathan 4/79).

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India beat Japan in five-set thriller in volleyball

Fri, Nov 19 10 07:36 PM

Guangzhou, Nov 19 (PTI) India defeated Japan in a thrilling five setter in the men''s volleyball pre-quarterfinal league in the Asian Games here today. India beat Japan 25-20, 25-19, 21-25, 26-28, 15-13 in a contest which lasted one hour and 56 minutes. For India, Pradeep Guttikonda scored the maximum 16 points while Sanjay Banwari and Sube Singh contributed 14 and 13 points respectively. India play Qatar in their second pre-quarterfinal league match tomorrow.

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Nagar hits maiden ton as Delhi take command

Fri, Nov 19 10 07:22 PM

New Delhi, Nov 19 (PTI) Yogesh Nagar slammed his maiden first class century as Delhi strengthened their grip over Gujarat on day three of their Super League Group A Ranji Trophy match at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium here today. Nagar smashed 15 fours and two huge sixes during his career-best innings of 151 not out, and in the company of opener Shikhar Dhawan (149), added 197 runs for the fourth wicket to help the hosts to a massive 437 in reply to Gujarat''s paltry 71 in their first innings. In their second essay, Gujarat were 114 for the loss of two wickets when stumps were drawn for the day. Openers Jay Desai and Priyank Kirit Panchal got the visitors off to a much better start after the debacle on the first day but they could not sustain it for long as Delhi picked up two wickets just before close to leave Gujarat on the brink of defeat. With Delhi still enjoying a healthy 252-run lead, Gujarat will have their task cut out tomorrow. Earlier Delhi, resuming at 248 for the loss of three wickets, rode on Dhawan and Nagar''s solid centuries to post a mammoth total. Unbeaten on 116 overnight, Dhawan started from where he had left it yesterday, unleashing some power-packed shots across the ground. The left-handed Delhi opener cleared the fence 17 times during his 246-ball knock and 217-minute vigil at the crease. After failing to pick any wickets in the morning session, Rohit Dahiya gave the visitors a breakthrough when he had Dhawan caught behind by Parthiv Patel for a well-crafted 149. Dhawan''s departure, however, didn''t end Gujarat''s misery on the field as Nagar stitched together another half-century stand, this time with Aditya Jain (20). Sumit Narwal then smashed a quickfire 26 off 20 balls before Manhas declared Delhi''s innings. For Gujarat, Dahiya and Ishwar Choudhury picked up two wickets each, while Siddharth Trivedi took one. Brief score: Gujarat 1st innings 71 all out (Suyal 4-27); Delhi 1st innings 437-6 decl (Dhawan 149, Nagar 151 not out); Gujarat 2nd innings 114-2. Gujarat trail by 252 runs.

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Kiwis wary of India's batting depth and rain forecast

Published>Fri, Nov 19 10 07:18 PM

Nagpur, Nov 19 (IANS) After two draws in the series, New Zealand will like to grab a rare chance of pulling off a series win over India, but captain Daniel Vettori will be wary of the hosts' depth in batting and the rain forecast during the third and final cricket Test starting here Saturday.

Persistent rain and a waterlogged outfield have cast a shadow over the Test at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium at Jamatha. The situation improved Friday as the sun came out, but that was not enough for the Indians to practice.

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said missing the practice was a blessing in disguise for the team.

'At times, it is better not to have a practice session. Given the amount of cricket that we have been playing in the last two years, I think it is actually a blessing in disguise. We are geared up for the Test,' Dhoni said.

He said that there is no pressure on the Indian team to force a draw in the match so the series can end on level terms.

'I don't think there is any extra pressure on the side because we are the number one Test team. We don't read too much into the rankings. If we can take care of the small things, the rankings will take care of themselves,' he said.

Dhoni, however, said that they would be concerned about the presence of Andy McKay, who has been tipped by Vettori to be in the playing eleven.

'It will be wrong for us to try and change things. We are not sure about the pitch here but McKay comes into our calculations,' he said.

Vettori said that New Zealand will be judged by their performance in the third Test and not by the results of the earlier two.

'You always hope that the team plays its best cricket. Unfortunately, in Bangladesh, the team didn't play well. Also Bangladesh played really well. Fortunately, our performance improved and the boys responded well,' Vettori said.

The left-arm spinner said the Indian lower order is a massive challenge for his team.

'It (Tendulkar's hundred) is not a focus for us. He will get it sooner or later. He scores a century in every three Test matches. He is too good a player. They (Indian lower order batsmen) have really taken the game to us. It will be a real challenge,' he said.

Vettori said Harbhajan Singh, who scored back-to-back hundreds in the previous Tests, hasn't been performing well as a bowler but has the ability to come back strongly.

'Its been difficult for him (Harbhajan) as he didn't get the results but he has a vast repertoire of experience to come back strongly,' he said.

In-form opener Virender Sehwag will also be a headache for New Zealand.

'Does anyone have an idea about how to tackle Sehwag? Anyone would be keen to know. He is one player who can intimidate the bowlers and put in a lot of pressure,' Vettori said.

Vettori, hoped that the Jamtha strip will help the pace bowlers.

'The pitch will have a little bit more pace than the earlier two. Dale Steyn bowled a great spell earlier this year. But we can only evaluate the pitch once the Test match unfolds.'

Talking about pacers, Vettori agreed that India would miss Zaheer Khan's experience.

'He is a bowler who runs in and takes wickets. He is someone you would want in the team also for the fact that he can reverse the old ball too. So no doubt India will miss him,' he said.

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Shooter Rathore underscores importance of fitness at Delhi School Skating Championship

Published>Fri, Nov 19 10 07:08 PM

New Delhi, Nov 19 (ANI): The importance of maintaining physical fitness was underscored at the two-day Inter-School Roller Skating Championship 2010, which was held here under the aegis of the Netaji Subhash Sports and Welfare Association.

Declaring the event open on November 18, Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh, ace shooter and silver medal winner in the Men's Double Trap shooting competition at the 2004 Summer Olympic in Athens, Greece, said a fit mind and body were perquisites for leading a full and healthy life.

In all, 40 schools participated in the event. Among them were popular public schools such as Sanskriti School in Chanakyapuri and the G.D. Salwan Public School of Rajendra Nagar.

Roller skating races were held for different age categories at the Shree Venkateshwara International School in Dwarka.

Among the luminaries present at the event were Shri Venkateshwara International School Chairman Sailendra Solanki and Netaji Subhash Sports and Welfare Association (NSSWA) President H.R. Gupta.

A heart felt thanks was extended to Keshav Chandra Duklan and Ashwini Kumar Verma for providing coaching tips and support to the participants by the representatives of the Shri Venkateshwara International School.

The event concludes today. (ANI)

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SPORT-RACE

Fri, Nov 19 10 06:52 PM

Bangalore, Nov 19 (PTI) Following are the results of Fourth day races held here today. 1st race : November Plate -- 1100 M. Speed Boat (Sreeram Murthy) 53.5 S A De Sousa first Midtown Magic 55 Y S Srinath second African Queen 54.5 C D Hayes third Purple Glow 53.5 A Imran Khan fourth All ran Won by: 3-3/4 Ls, 5-1/4 Ls and 1 L Time : One minute: 11.03 seconds Tote : Rs 89 for win. Rs 16, Rs 14 and Rs 11 for places Winner trained by : V Lokanath Favourite : African Queen Forecast : Rs 346 Quinella : Rs 186 SHP : Rs 30 Trin : 70 pct Rs 509 : 30 pct Rs 128..

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Indian men spank Uzbekistan 4-0, jump to top in chess

Fri, Nov 19 10 06:22 PM

Guangzhou, Nov 19 (PTI) Grandmaster P Harikrishna pulled off an upset win over Rustam Kasimdzhanov to lead India to a 4-0 drubbing of Uzbekistan and jump to the top of the table after the second round in the men''s chess team competition in the Asian Games here today. Harikrishna stunned higher-rated Kasimdzhanov in the first match of the day between the two countries before top-ranked Indian Krishnan Sasikiran beat Filippov Anton in the second game. Surya Sekhar Ganguly then continued the good work of the Indians by beating Alexei Barsov before G N Gopal made it 4-0 with a win over lower-rated Khamrakulov Dzhurabek. The Indian team is now on sole lead with 7.5 points, ahead of Vietnam (seven points). In the women''s team event also, India defeated Uzbekistan 2.5-1.5 with a win and three draws to occupy third position with six points behind joint leaders China and Vietnam who are on seven points. Woman Grandmaster Nisha Mohota scored full points against lower-rated Nodira Nodirjanova while Harika Dronavalli, Eesha Karavade and Meenakshi Subbaramiam could not force a win against lower-rated opponents. Harika drew with Nafisa Muminova while Eesha and Meenakshi split points with Olga Sabirova and Hamrakulova Yulduz respectively.

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Deepika qualifies for second stage, leads team into last 16

Fri, Nov 19 10 06:08 PM

S S Ramaswamy Guangzhou,Nov 19 (PTI) Teenage archer Deepika Kumari led the Indian women''s archery team into the pre-quarterfinals of the Asian Games competition with a creditable display, which also helped her qualify for the next round along with another budding youngster Rimil Buriuly. While more fancied compatriots Dola Banerjee and Laishram Bombayla Devi put up a flop show today. Jamshedpur-based Deepika, who was the best Indian archer in the Commonwealth Games with a gold medal to her credit, entered the second stage by finishing seventh after shooting 1329. Rimil stood 17th amongst 52 archers with 1298, but former world champion Dola and Bombayla exited after ending up at a distant 28th and 29th with 1270 and 1264 points respectively. Dola will continue to be part of the team which will take on Vietnam for a place in quarterfinals on Saturday. South Korea''s Yun Okhee set a new Games record with a total of 1371. Deepika fired 326 over a distance of 70m, 333 over 60m, 323 and 347 over 50 and 30m. The Indian shot 64 ten pointers and 17 times hit the bulls-eye. Rimil shot 309, 325, 313 and 345 in that series and she had 47 ten pointers and 18 golden hits. Dola brought in a disappointing 313, 313, 296 and 342 while Bombayla did 320, 321, 296 and 333. Archery Association of India secretary Paresh Mukherjee was disappointed with the women''s off target shooting which he described as "very poor". "We were expecting better show from them but it was not to be," he said. He pointed out that decision to include Dola in the team event, instead of Bombayla, was taken because she was the more experienced among the two. "We hope she would be able to withstand the pressure (in the team event) though Bombayla did better in the individual event," he said.

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Time running out for Hauritz, as other Oz tweakers make Sheffield Shield impact

Published>Fri, Nov 19 10 05:52 PM

Sydney, Nov.19 (ANI): Time appears to be running out for Test off-spinner Nathan Huaritz.

In a match where he was supposedly playing for his Test future, Hauritz was not given the ball by New South Wales skipper Simon Katich on the seamer's paradise until the final over of day two, the 186th of the match. By that point, 33 wickets had already fallen, including two to Huaritz's rival, Xavier Doherty.

The embattled spinner conceded seven runs, and has just 90 more to play with to claim a wicket.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the offie was under attack from tweakers around the country yesterday.

In Hobart, Stephen O'Keefe - a future rival - bagged two of England's top six, including the prized scalp of Kevin Pietersen with one of the balls of the summer.

"I think everyone recognised the significance of what was going on," said Doherty, who claimed 2-45 from 21 overs. Doherty claimed two second-innings wickets for Tasmania but did not present any new evidence for Andrew Hilditch to consider.

He bowled steadily in his two spells, tied up an end and made the occasional breakthrough. (ANI)

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Suspended trio''s confused lawyers leave PCB worried

Fri, Nov 19 10 05:22 PM

Lahore, Nov 19 (PTI) The ICC is concerned that the three suspended Pakistani players -- Salman Butt, Muhammad Aamir and Muhammad Asif -- might not be getting the legal representation and advice they require in the run-up to the governing body''s full hearing in January. The hearing will decide whether to stand or dismiss the spot-fixing charges against the trio. Not just the ICC but even the PCB legal department had doubts about the Pakistan-based lawyers who, they feel, are yet to devise or adopted a strategy to defend their clients. "Going from the statements being made by Salman Butt and Muhammad Aamir and their lawyers after the appeal hearing against the suspensions, one gets a feeling that the legal team has still not grasped the spirit of the ICC anti-corruption code of conduct or its procedural issues," a PCB source told PTI. The ICC has scheduled a six-day hearing of its code of conduct commission tribunal from January 6 to 11 in Doha to hear the charges against the players. The players and their legal representatives will get an opportunity to cross examine and question the witnesses and evidence produced by the anti-corruption unit. The source added that the ICC has also indicated that the ''News of the World'' tabloid, which broke the story about the trio''s alleged involvement in spot fixing during the team''s tour of England, and Mazhar Majeed, the agent who has made the allegations, will be asked to appear at the full hearing. "It is going to be a proper hearing with three men of strong legal background adjudicating on the charges against the trio, but unfortunately, some of the lawyers for the players are apparently mixing up the full hearing with the appeal hearing held last month in Dubai," another source said. The source pointed out that the appeal hearing was held only to decide if there was sufficient ground to maintain the provisional suspension on the players or not. The source also said that this was the reason Asif''s lawyer, Elizabeth Robertson, advised him to drop the appeal against the suspension and prepare for the full hearing. He noted that, immediately after the two-day hearing, the plethora of statements made by Butt and Aamir and their lawyers, particularly Aftab Gul, expressing no-confidence in the ICC and questioning the hearing proceedings itself have left the ICC and PCB worried. "The fact that Aftab Gul announced that he no longer wanted to represent his client Salman Butt in the full hearing because he believed the players would get no justice, is an indication that the legal team based in Pakistan apparently have got things mixed up," the source said. He noted that Gul, before the appeal hearing, had praised the ICC for cooperating fully with them in the case. "They (lawyers) are mixing up the appeal hearing with the full hearing." The source also noted that the code of conduct commission members were nominated by member boards of the ICC and not the ICC itself.

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Johnson says confidence as a bowler has returned

Published>Fri, Nov 19 10 05:07 PM

Melbourne, Nov.19 (ANI): Having scored an unbeaten 121 for Western Australia against Victoria on Thursday, anyone would have thought that Mitchell Johnson would be satisfied with that performance in the run-up to the Ashes, but no, he was even more thrilled to snare Victorian batsman Aaron Finch with a snorter.

That hostile spell of bowling at the MCG, Johnson says has put him in the right frame of mind for the first Ashes Test against England to be played at the Gabba in Brisbane from November 25.

"It felt good towards the end. I felt I was getting a good bit of rhythm, good bit of pace. They boys were supporting me and were getting pretty excited when they saw a few fly through. Typical fast bowler, you like to see the batsmen jump around. I'll be trying to do that tomorrow as well," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Johnson, as saying.

"I'm feeling ... very confident. Getting a few runs helps as well. I was thinking back to when I was making runs in South Africa [last year], it definitely helps your bowling as well when you have that confidence about you. If I can keep doing that ... look out the Poms," he added. (ANI)

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Australian stars finally find form ahead of Ashes opener

Published>Fri, Nov 19 10 04:53 PM

Sydney, Nov 19(ANI): Australia's faltering preparations for the upcoming Ashes series have finally received a boost following strong performances by key players Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson.

Hussey secured his Test spot with a much-needed century, while Johnson snared five wickets, as Western Australia dominated against Victorian Bushrangers in their Sheffield Shield match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The innings was Hussey's last chance to prove to the selectors that he was worthy of a spot, and he followed his first-innings 18-ball duck with a smooth 118.

Johnson took 5 for 35 to trigger a Bushrangers collapse that delivered the Warriors first-innings points for the first time this season.

At the Sydney Cricket Ground, all-rounder Watson took 5 for 39 as New South Wales came within one wicket of claiming a miraculous victory over Tasmania, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Watson's scalps included the wicket of Australian skipper Ricky Ponting, who was dismissed for 27, and Xavier Doherty (nought).(ANI)

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'Breaking silence on Woods affair' headline was misleading: Rachel Uchitel

Published>Fri, Nov 19 10 04:47 PM

New York, Nov 19 (ANI): Tiger Woods' ex mistress Rachel Uchitel is reportedly not happy with the UK's Daily Mail headline saying she "breaks her silence on her affair with Tiger Woods".

Uchitel lost out on a meeting with Simon and Schuster after she gave an interview to the Daily Mail for a story published this week.

Uchitel moaned that the headline saying she "breaks her silence on her affair with Tiger Woods" was misleading since she doesn't talk directly about Woods.

But sources said Schuster dropped the meeting, set for after Thanksgiving, because she talked too much about her 9/11 conversation with fiancee Andrew O'Grady, who died at the World Trade Center - which was the peg for her proposal.

"I'm disappointed. However, I believe in the book, and I will shop it to other publishers," the New York Post quoted her as saying.

Source calls her proposal "suprisingly good." (ANI)

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The Ashes 2010: England's beanpole bowlers have a big advantage

Published>Fri, Nov 19 10 04:37 PM

London, Nov.19 (ANI): Tall bowlers have the best averages, and according to England bowling coach David Saker, Steve Finn, Chris Tremlett and Stuart Broad, who are the tallest group to represent England, will not be an exception to that rule when the Ashes series gets underway from November 25.

"History shows that taller bowlers are usually the better ones, especially in Australian conditions," The Guardian quoted Saker, as saying.

Steven Finn and Chris Tremlett are both six feet eight inches tall. Stuart Broad is six feet five inches tall.

No taller group has represented England. No Australian can top that and it is a factor that has not gone unnoticed in Australia.

"It is England's beanpole bowlers versus Australia's pygmy slingers" opined Tasmania's Mercury newspaper on Tuesday, "and it's advantage England", it added.

There are not many who know more about the trials and tribulations of facing the giants than Mike Atherton. In his career as an opening batsman, he faced McGrath and Ambrose in a total of 43 matches, and succumbed to them on 19 and 17 occasions respectively. He was also out 17 times to the six feet six inch Courtney Walsh.

"Bounce troubles everyone. The bowlers with the outstanding averages are, with a few exceptions, tall. The skiddier ones go for more runs so that although their strike rates might be the same, the averages are higher. It is the tall bowlers who have a greater margin for error and a difficult trajectory," recalls Atherton.

"I would prepare by elevating a bowling machine to try and get used to a trajectory that is steeper and, as [the former Australia and Lancashire coach] Bob Simpson used to say, loopier. They are continually hitting the splice. So in this regard my weight distribution was important because although I wanted to play mainly off the back foot, I still wanted to be able to get forward even though it is hard to set yourself to do that," he added.

Tall men create the illusion of bowling shorter than they really do.

"Generally," Atherton says, "they have a good yorker as a counterpoint and on a wearing pitch, where there might be uneven bounce, the variations are so much more exaggerated if the ball is banged in from a height. From my perspective I would much rather have faced a rapid skiddy bowler such as Brett Lee or Allan Donald than a tall bowler. I never felt uneasy against them."

"Australian pitches tend to be fast, but some are not that different to the English pitches. All told, though, if we try and hit the top of off-stump as much as possible, you put yourself in the game," said Saker.

What England have to guard against is the excitement that can overtake bowlers who see the ball smack head high into the keeper's gloves so that they pitch too short. Australian batsmen are good leavers of the ball, not only on line but equally important on some of the pitches, on length. Go short and Australia will capitalise. (ANI)

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Terry says not bitter or angry about losing England captaincy

Published>Fri, Nov 19 10 04:27 PM

London, Nov.19 (ANI): Chelsea skipper John Terry has said that he is not bitter or angry about losing the England captaincy.

It maybe recalled that Coach Capello decided Terry had to be removed as captain, for his own sake, and that of the team, after revelations of his cheating on his wife.

"I understood the decision at the time. Fabio said he wanted to take the spotlight off me, although if I am honest I thought it had the reverse effect. But I would never dislike him for that. He is the manager, he lives by his decisions," Terry told the Daily Star.

'People presume we fell out, but there was no shouting and screaming the day he told me. I accepted it. I said to Fabio I would continue to train and play exactly as I had before, then we shook hands and that was it. I'm not saying it was a good day. Only the penalty miss for Chelsea in the Champions League final (in 2008) hurt as much, but we have moved on," Terry added.

Terry also said that he was left bitterly disappointed after England's World Cup failure in South Africa.

"I suppose the only time I felt disappointed was during the next game against Egypt, which was a friendly, and the armband got passed around between five or six players. I just felt, "OK, I've been stripped of the captaincy, but don't take the p*** out of me". Fabio had told me at the meeting that I was still a big voice in the dressing room and he wanted that to continue, but on the night it felt the opposite," Terry said.

"Had I got the armband third, even fourth, I would have been happy, but Steven Gerrard was captain and first he went off, then Frank Lampard got it, and then Lamps went off and they gave it to Gareth Barry, and then he went off and it was anybody's. I think they would have given it to one of the stewards ahead of me. Even if it was a friendly, we were still there to win and you should put your best people in charge," he added. (ANI)

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Gerrard hurt, Liverpool may seek 0.5-million-pound compensation from FA

Published>Fri, Nov 19 10 04:09 PM

London, Nov.19 (ANI): A furious Liverpool could demand almost 500,000-pound compensation from the Football Association (FA) after Steven Gerrard was ruled out for a month.

According to The Sun, Gerrard suffered a torn hamstring in England's woeful 2-1 defeat to France as coach Fabio Capello went back on a deal to play him for just an hour.

Capello kept him on the Wembley pitch for 85 minutes on Wednesday and has promised to explain his decision in person to Kop boss Roy Hodgson.

But Anfield chiefs will discuss whether to press for compensation to cover their skipper's 120,000-pound-a-week wages while he is sidelined. (ANI)

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India''s absence was a big plus for us: Sana Mir

Fri, Nov 19 10 03:53 PM

Karachi, Nov 19 (PTI) The Pakistan women''s cricket team has made waves by clinching the gold medal in the T20 cricket competition of the Asian Games but skipper Sana Mir is realistic enough to admit that the absence of India from the tournament was a big factor in Pakistan''s achieving the feat. "Obviously, not having the Indians was a big plus for us because we were the most experienced team in the competition in their absence," Mir said from Guangzhou today after her team beat Bangladesh by ten wickets in the final. "We have got opportunities to play plenty of international matches in the last two years and that has helped our players gain experience and exposure. With the Indians not in the competition we were always in with a best chance to win the gold medal," she added. The Pakistan skipper said that the gold medal is a Eid present for the Pakistani people. "A win is a win and it has made us all very confident and proud," she said. India didn''t send its men''s or women''s cricket teams for the T20 competitions, leading to a lot of criticism from the organisers and the former players. The women''s cricket team''s victory was also praised by President Asif Zardari, who is the chief patron of the cricket board. President Zardari described the gold-medal finish by the women''s team on their first appearance in Asiad, in very difficult times for Pakistan, as a proud moment and a big achievement. Pakistan team manager, Aisha Ashar also hoped that the Asian Games victory would give women''s cricket a big boost in the country. "Women''s cricket has slowly been growing in Pakistan but we needed one big title victory to really get more girls to get involved in the sport and I think this Asian Games victory will be a big stepping stone for Pakistan women''s cricket," she said. The manager also pointed out that there has been a steady improvement and progress in the standards of women''s cricket in Pakistan with some good young players coming up. "It shows that with more patronage and support, Pakistan would be able to match the Indian team in the next few years." She gave the example of young Nida Rashid, who took four wickets and scored an unbeaten 51 in the one-sided final. PTI Cor CM

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Sri Lanka v West Indies first test scoreboard

Fri, Nov 19 10 03:47 PM

Scoreboard at tea on the fifth and final day of the first test between Sri Lanka and West Indies on Friday.

West Indies first innings 580-9 dec (C. Gayle 333, A. Barath 50, Darren Bravo 58, B. Nash 64; A. Mendis 6-169)

Sri Lanka first innings 378 (K. Sangakkara 73, M. Jayawardene 59, T. Samaraweera 52, P. Jayawardene 58)

Sri Lanka second innings (overnight 89-0)

T. Paranavitana c Sammy b Shillingford 95

T. Dilshan b Roach 54

K. Sangakkara c Sammy b Roach 4

M. Jayawardene c & b Nash 58

T. Samaraweera not out 19

A. Mathews not out 5

Extras: (lb-1, nb-1, w-4) 6

Total: (four wickets, 81.2 overs) 241

Fall of wickets: 1-102 2-110 3-197 4-233

Bowling (to date): Roach 17-3-55-2, Russell 8-1-31-0 (w-2),

DJ Bravo 12.2-1-40-0 (w-2), Shillingford 30-4-79-1 (nb-1), Sammy 9-2-14-0, Nash 5-0-21-1.

Source: Published>

Man City to take 50 million pound dip in selling players

Published>Fri, Nov 19 10 03:37 PM

London, Nov 19 (ANI): Manchester City chiefs have decided to take a 50 million pound dip on selling five players.

The club will listen to offers in the January transfer window for Emmanuel Adebayor, Wayne Bridge, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Roque Santa Cruz and Jo, The Sun reports.

Mark Hughes, City boss Roberto Mancini's predecessor, signed all six stars at a total cost of 87.5 million pound.

But few have figured regularly this season and Mancini fears the presence of some of them is having a negative influence at the club.

City chief executive Garry Cook and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak discussed the transfer window with Mancini before flying to Abu Dhabi to meet owner Sheikh Mansour for a board meeting, The Sun reports.

City will take the biggest hits on strikers Adebayor, 26, and Santa Cruz, 29.

Adebayor cost 25 million pound from Arsenal but is available for 12 million pound after failing to score frequently following his move in July 2009.

Paraguayan Santa Cruz, meanwhile, was an 18 million pound buy from Blackburn but will be up for grabs for four million pound, the paper reports.

Left-back Bridge cost 12 million pound from Chelsea in January 2009 but City will now accept five million pound.

And then there is winger Wright-Phillips, 28, who returned for a second spell at City following an 8.5 million pound move to Stamford Bridge in August 2008. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Soderling vows to destroy Murray's title hopes again

Published>Fri, Nov 19 10 03:23 PM

London, Nov 19 (ANI): Robin Soderling, who takes on Andy Murray in the opening game of the Barclays World Tour finals at the O2 on Sunday, has vowed to destroy British No.1 title hopes again.

The Swedish ace takes on Murray just a week after replacing him as world number four.

Murray and Soderling have clashed four times in the past with the current score level at 2-2, The Sun reports.

Soderling said: "Andy is the favourite in a lot of matches he plays but there are a lot of good players out there and everyone can beat everyone at the top. That is what is nice about our sport, it is unpredictable."

"The first three matches were in 2005-06 - a long time ago - and I don't remember much. The last one in Indian Wells was this year in March and it was a very good match for me. Its always nice to beat good players like Andy," he said.

"I feel good physically and my confidence is high, I have played and won a lot of matches recently. It did not really matter if I played Sunday or Monday. I am ready," Soderling said.

If Murray can win in the grand season finale, it will set the British ace up brilliantly for the next Grand Slam, the Australian Open.

Soderling said Murray can finally end British tennis' 74 year wait for a slam success. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Sania enters quarters, Somdev, Karan in pre-quarters

Fri, Nov 19 10 03:07 PM

Guangzhou, Nov 19 (PTI) Sania Mirza toppled sixth seed Chinese Shuai Zhang to seal a quarter-final berth in the women''s singles while Somdev Devvarman and Karan Rastogi routed their rivals to move to pre-quarterfinals of the men''s singles in the Asian Games here today. Unseeded Sania, a silver medallist at the 2006 Asian Games, scored a 6-2 6-2 win in the second round at the Aoti Tennis Centre. Contrary to what the scoreline suggests, Sania was quite rusty during the one hour and 17 minutes match and had to battle hard against her Chinese opponent. However, for Somdev and Rastogi it was just a stroll in the park as they demolished their rivals easily. Seventh seed Rastogi took the court first and crushed Myalikkuli Mamedkuliyev of Turkmenistan 6-0 6-0 in just 45 minutes. Second seed Somdev then thrashed Jabor Mohammed Al Mutawa of Qatar with an identical scoreline in just 37 minutes. In the men''s doubles matches later, Somdev combined with Sanam Singh to beat Johnny Arcilla and Ruben Gonzales of Philippines 6-4 6-2 and advance to the quarter-finals. Rastogi was not lucky when he took court for the second time as he and Vishnu Vardhan withdrew from their match against Jun Young Kim and Min Jae Seol of South Korea. After splitting the first two sets, the South Koreans were leading 1-0 when the Indian pair opted out of the match. PTI CM AT

Source: Published>

Indian women swamp Thailand to stay in medal hunt

Fri, Nov 19 10 02:53 PM

S S Ramaswamy Guangzhou, Nov 19 (PTI) Captain Surinder Kaur pumped in four goals to power India to a thumping 13-0 victory over minnows Thailand in the Asian Games womens hockey round robin league to keep themselves in the reckoning for a bronze medal here today. India, who were tied on points with Kazakhstan going into the must-win match, improved their chances by logging three points from their second victory in four matches to boost their tally to six and in fourth position. The other goal-scorers for India in the one-sided match, in which they were 7-0 up at half time, were Rani Rampal (3) and Subhadra Pradhan (2) while Chanchan Devi, Anjum Saba, Poonam Rani and Joydeep Kaur scored once each. All but five of the goals came from the field, while the set-pieces were converted by Subadhra (2 penalty corner), Rani Rampal (penalty corner), Joyddeep (penalty corner) and Surinder Kaur (penalty stroke). India, champions in 1982, have lost 0-1 and 0-3 to South Korea and Japan and defeated Malaysia 4-0 earlier in the tournament. For India, the goal-glut began when Chanchan Devi fired into the rival goal in the 12th minute which was increased by one when Saba Anjum three minutes later. Five more goals followed in the later part of the first half with Rani, Subadhra, Surinder who pushed home from the spot before adding another through a field effort in the space of three minutes and Poonam. After crossing over, Rani converted a penalty corner in the 42nd minute to make it 8-0. India had to wait for another 15 minutes to add to that tally and then pumped in four more goals in the last ten minutes. They earned as many as a dozen penalty corners but could convert only three of them which, coach Sandeep Somesh, said was because the plans were not implemented properly. He said that the next match against Kazakhstan scheduled for tomorrow has become very crucial in order to keep their medal chances alive. "We have improved our (bronze medal) chances It depends now on how well we play against the Kazaks," he said. Surinder Kaur said the Indians target today was to get 20 goals and they scored seven less than what they aimed for. PTI SSR MRM

Source: Published>

Tony Parker was not blindsided when Eva Longoria filed for divorce

Published>Fri, Nov 19 10 02:39 PM

Washington, Nov 19 (ANI): NBA star Tony Parker has revealed that he was not blindsided when wife Eva Longoria filed for divorce.

"Eva and I have been discussing our situation privately," People magazine quoted him as saying in a statement issued by his rep.

"I was aware that she would be filing for divorce in Los Angeles," he added.

Parker, 28, also dismissed a report that he went to court first.

"I did not file for divorce in Texas and did not hire divorce attorneys in either Texas or California," he said.

"We plan to continue to keep our discussions of this matter private," he added. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Man U all set to sign Danish keeper Lindegaard

Published>Fri, Nov 19 10 02:09 PM

London, Nov 19 (ANI): Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson plans to sign Danish keeper Anders Lindegaard in January.

With current United No1 keeper Edwin van der Sar expected to retire at the end of the season, Ferguson has been searching for a replacement, The Sun reports.

Ferguson has tracked 26-year-old Lindegaard since July and is close to agreeing to a deal with Lindegaard's club Aalesunds.

The Norwegian side's chairman Bjarne Haagensen flew to Manchester yesterday for talks over the move, the paper reports.

Aalesunds' official website accidentally announced that the transfer was complete. t was soon deleted, but the statement, which only needed key details adding, said: "AaFK and Manchester United have agreed Anders Lindegaard's switch. The agreement was signed recently and it is a dream come true for the Dane.

"He'll will be ready to play for the Red Devils from ..... and the contract lasts until ..... We wish Anders every success and happiness in Manchester and thank him for a brilliant effort!"

Lindegaard is expected to hold talks over personal terms before undergoing a medical in Manchester later this month, The Sun reports. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

I'll not settle for less than a gold: Ashish Kumar

Published>Fri, Nov 19 10 01:37 PM

New Delhi, November 19 (ANI): I will not settle for anything less than a gold now, ace gymnast Ashish Kumar, also the first Indian to win a medal in the gymnastics at the ongoing Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, said this on Thursday when he returned to Delhi, after his historic win. He also expressed his joy at winning the medal, despite having 'world champions' as his competitors. The young icon was loaded with bouquets and garlands, and could not stop smiling at the newly found attention.

Source: Web Search