Bhajji six seals the deal in fiery clash

Published>Sun, Jun 20 10 04:07 PM

Dambulla, June 19 -- Pakistan-India matches are often called war minus the shooting, and though the rhetoric has been toned down recently, there was no shortage of aggression as India pulled of a stunning win with one ball to spare in Dambulla. Chasing 268, India start well, with Gautam Gambhir (83), anchoring the innings. But if the first half of the chase was about reliability, the grandstand finish was provided by the volatile Harbhajan Singh, who refused to take a backward step. The stage was set in the 47th over when Harbhajan - with 36 needed from 24 - clattered Shoaib Akhtar for a sweetly-timed six over wide long-on. The unhappy fast bowler replied a couple of overs later, giving Harbhajan an earful after the lower-order batsman played and missed at a bouncer. Umpire Billy Doctrove intervened to separate the pair, but not before a heated exchange. With India losing wickets, and their way in the chase, 7 runs were needed from Mohammad Aamer's last over. With Suresh Raina (34) run out off the second ball, a couple and a single pinched, three runs were required off the last two balls when Harbhajan drilled a length ball into the stands over midwicket. Game in the bag, Harbhajan let out a full-throated roar, remembering to tur to Shoaib at third-man to let him know exactly what he felt. Full of grace as ever, the fast bowler shot Harbhajan the V-sign, a clear indication of just how much the match meant to both teams. At a time when the future of ODI cricket itself is under threat, India and Pakistan had once again produced a thriller. But it did not seem that way when Shahid Afridi won chose to bat first on a sluggish pitch.

India's chase got off to a most inauspicious start when Virender Sehwag suffered a hip injury and summoned a runner. He wasn't to last long and only Gambhir's intense vigil (83) kept India in the hunt. Dhoni strung together a useful 54, but when India slumped to 219 for 6, Pakistan were back in the game. It was then that Harbhajan did his thing.

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Downcast Eto'o bemoans missed opportunity

Published>Sun, Jun 20 10 03:57 PM

A despondent Cameroon captain Samuel Eto'o said his side, the highest ranked African team at the World Cup, had missed a great opportunity to do something special after they exited the continent's first World Cup.

Cameroon lost 2-1 to Denmark on Saturday night despite taking an early lead and playing some excellent soccer, leaving them to fight just for pride in their last match against the Netherlands on June 24.

The side, African soccer's most experienced challengers playing in their sixth World Cup, will also face some tricky questions when they return home after their campaign became marred by a row between senior players and coach Paul Le Guen.

"This was a great opportunity to do something big but it wasn't to be," Eto'o told reporters, minutes after the game. "God is the only one who rules in this moment and he wanted it to turn out like this."

The Indomitable Lions played fast, entertaining and attractive football against the Danes in Pretoria's Loftus Versfeld stadium and they went ahead after 10 minutes with an Eto'o opener.

But they lacked the killer touch from there on and failed to convert any of their many chances, falling behind to goals from Nicklas Bendtner and Dennis Rommedahl. Their players fell to the ground in shock after the final whistle blew.

The performance, however, was a marked improvement from their first match, which they lost 1-0 to Japan, after coach Le Guen reshuffled his line up following complaints from his senior players.

Frenchman Le Guen said he had no regrets over his selections for the two games and said he had no intention of resigning.

"All teams are difficult to manage," he said. "It's a great job, even in this case, it's a great job."

Le Guen, who had earlier challenged his players to show some of the "lion spirit" they were always talking about, said his side had shown the right attitude throughout the match and added he hoped they would reproduce that against the Dutch.

"Whilst my contract is running I'll do my very best for the Cameroonian football federation," he said. "I hope they will defend the national colours of the team."

He said repeatedly that qualifying for the World Cup had been an achievement in itself but that is unlikely to be good enough for a side which reached the quarter-finals in 1990 and symbolised the dynamism and excitement of African soccer.

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Chile seek to dodge Swiss slip-up

Published>Sun, Jun 20 10 03:37 PM

The thought of Chile against Switzerland as a top-of-the-table clash in the same group as World Cup favourites Spain would have been inconceivable only a few days ago.

But both teams are in the unlikely position of joint Group H leaders after the Swiss stunned the Spaniards 1-0 and Chile beat Honduras by the same scoreline to seal their first win at a World Cup in 48 years.

Although far from a mouth-watering matchup, Monday's encounter has taken on added significance that might just be enough to wake sleepy Port Elizabeth from its World Cup snooze.

The defeats for Spain and Honduras, who meet later on Monday in Johannesburg, means a win for either Switzerland or Chile would give them one foot in the next round. The winning side may be able to advance with a defeat in their final game.

Chile's last win in the finals until their 1-0 win over Honduras had come in the 3rd/4th place playoff as hosts in 1962. They had since qualified for the World Cup four times but failed to win any group matches.

Both sides have vowed not to get ahead of themselves and expect the match to be a physical encounter fought more in the air than on the ground.

Chile's players will try to break down a tight Swiss defence and a packed midfield and avoid falling into the same trap as Spain, who dominated their match but lost out to a goal against the run of play.

SWISS SPOILERS

"We definitely have to be careful because with very little possession the Swiss still managed to beat Spain," defender Gary Medel said.

"We know that we have to be much more mobile than the Spanish, to create some space, to open up their defence, which looks very closed."

Midfielder Ismael Fuentes added: "They were waiting for a mistake from Spain and they scored. We know they're a very physical team, and we've been training for that."

Chile's leading striker Humberto Suazo is likely to return from a hamstring injury to lead a three-man attack. Suazo has played only 45 minutes of competitive soccer since late April and he would likely replace playmaker Jorge Valdivia.

Doubts remain over whether Valdivia is fit to play after he picked up a minor injury against Honduras. Team officials expect him to recover, although Valdivia's wife said otherwise and told Chilean television he would likely miss Monday's game.

Switzerland's coach Ottmar Hitzfeld believes his team are the underdogs against Chile, a match he said would be mentally tougher than their win over Spain.

He described Chile's attack-minded players as "fantastic" and said his team would defend tightly and restrict the movement of a free-flowing side that finished ahead of strongly favoured Argentina in qualifying.

"We have to play with a cool head and not give Chile chances," Hitzfeld said. "If we lose our heads, we don't stand a chance."

Striker Alex Frei and midfielder Valon Behrami, who missed the first game due to injuries, have resumed training and were both fully fit, although it was not certain top striker Frei would start in the game," he said.

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Tiger looks his old self, but still behind Dustin Johnson

Published>Sun, Jun 20 10 03:27 PM

Pebble Beach (California), June 20 (IANS) If it was Tiger Woods of the old, it was also Dustin Johnson of the old. Except that the man named first has 14 Majors including the last US Open at Pebble Beach won by a margin of 15 shots in 2000. But Johnson has the last two titles at AT&T National Pro-Am, a tournament in which two rounds are played here.

They will not be going head-to-head, but doubtless they will keep an eye on each other, as Johnson goes out with Graeme McDowell and Woods with Gregory Havret.

Johnson took the lead with 66, but before he did that Woods had shot his 66 with eight birdies, including three in the last three holes, and at one-under 212 he is third and five shots behind leader Johnson.

Johnson's 66 gave him a three-shot lead ahead of overnight leader, Graeme McDowell (71).

The young and the old were also there as Ryo Ishikawa was tied seventh at even par 213 and Tom Watson, who made the cut right on the line is tied 16th at seven-over 220.

Asian flag bearer K.J. Choi got the start he wanted at the third round of the US Open. But the finish let him down this time.

Woods, beginning the day in tied 25th place, stunned the field and admiring spectators with his own 66, just as Mickelson had done on Friday. Woods, birdie-less on first day, had a 66 that included eight birdies, the most ever by him in a single round at the US Open, which he has won three times in the past.

But it was Johnson, who was in lead by the end, as he also shot a 66. The longest hitter on the board was also the best in greens in regulation and it showed in the scores.

The 60-year-old Tom Watson who came in for the weekend right on the cutline shot a 70 and moved to tied 16th. Watson is now six-over 219.

Johnson, who played a practice rounds with Woods, is now five clear of the World No.1 and three ahead of second placed overnight leader Graeme McDowell (71) at 210. A further two shots behind was Woods, who by his admission had done better than planned. Woods was aiming to be even par for the tournament, but he is at one-under.

Johnson said: 'I just try to stay within myself. I can control what I do. I can't control what the weather does, I can't control what anybody else does. So as long as I stay focused and worry about what I'm doing and not what anyone else is doing, then I seem to do pretty well.'

His plans include staying 'Aggressive'. 'I will be aggressive as my usual self,' shot back Johnson. Plans for the evening before the final round, 'Eat, TV and sleep,' he says. That has worked for him at last two AT&T National Pro-Am. No reason why it should not do so now.

Johnson's highlights included driving the par-4 fourth to within six feet for an eagle. Then he birdied the sixth and seventh, before dropping a shot on ninth. He added a birdie on 11th but also dropped a shot on 13th. Then he closed with birdies on 17th and 18th. On the 18th, he reached the green with a second shot from the rough with a 6-iron.

Woods, who won a whopping 15 shots at this course in 2000, started the day seven off the lead. He was then two-over for the day after the first three holes. Then he began his imperious march, with eight birdies over the next 15 holes. That included here in a row from fourth to sixth and then again from 16th to 18th.

On the last two holes it looked the Tiger Woods of the old. On the 17th, he read perfectly the curling putt on the green for a birdie and then cracked a second shot from just behind the two trees and around the Cypress on the right side of the fairway on the 18th hole. Woods hit the green and settled to about 12 feet for an eagle attempt.

However, he left that attempt a bit short, and admitted, 'I didn't want to go three feet past and it just died there short.' He tapped in for a birdie and a round of 66.

'I just kept telling myself it's a process,' said Woods, whose 66 is the lowest round since his return to golf in April. 'You just gotta hang in there, and I did that.'

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Asset list reveals Afghan president earns $525 a month

Published>Sun, Jun 20 10 03:17 PM

Afghan president Hamid Karzai earns just $525 a month, has less than $20,000 in the bank and owns no land or property, according to a declaration of his assets on Sunday by an anti-graft body.

Although his modest remuneration is five times the national average, it contrasts sharply with salaries of leaders in the West, where U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron rake in around $400,000 a year.

Karzai's assets were published by the High Office for Oversight and anti-Corruption Commission as part of a decree aimed at providing greater transparency among officials.

Although the Taliban insurgency remains the greatest threat to Afghanistan's stability, graft at almost every level of society remains a major complaint of ordinary Afghans and anyone doing business with the country.

Afghan blog: http://blogs.reuters.com/afghanistan/

The anti-graft body is registering the assets of at least 2,000 officials -- including ministers, members of parliament, senior military and police officers and provincial leaders -- and will start publishing them this week.

"This covers assets held by officials, their wives and children below the age of 18," Mohammad Yasin Usmani, the commission's chief, told Reuters on Sunday.

Any official found to have withheld information risked prosecution, he said.

Senior current and former Afghan officials -- including two of Karzai's deputies -- are believed to own buildings and assets worth tens of millions of dollars -- at home and abroad.

Some have also been involved in major contracts awarded by foreign forces, and police have been questioning 17 current and ex-ministers on suspicions of graft.

ACKNOWLEDGED PROBLEM

While Karzai has acknowledged a corruption problem, he says it is exaggerated by Western media and insists the biggest source of graft is poor oversight of billions of dollars in aid contracts that dwarf Afghanistan's budget.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates conceded in March that Washington needed to do more to clean up its contracting procedures.

The declaration of assets, signed by Karzai, said he earned $525 a month and had 15,635 euros ($18,762) and $134 in cash two Commerzbank accounts in Germany.

While it listed no land or property, it said Karzai -- who is married to a stay-at-home physician and has a young son -- had jewellery and other valuables worth $11,036.

The list makes no mention of assets held by Karzai's brothers and other relatives -- several of whom run businesses at home and abroad.

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Danes send Cameroon packing, Dutch into last 16

Published>Sun, Jun 20 10 02:47 PM

Cameroon became the first team to be knocked out of the World Cup after a 2-1 defeat to Denmark today, a result which also ensured Group E leaders Holland became the first country to reach the last 16.

The defeat, their second in a row, completed a miserable tournament for the under-performing Indomitable Lions, who also lost to Japan in their opening game.

Today's result leaves Japan, who earlier lost 1-0 to the Netherlands, to take on Denmark in Rustenberg next Thursday for the runners-up spot in the pool and a place in the knockout round.

Cameroon scored first when Samuel Eto'o coolly shot into the corner of the net after 10 minutes, but Arsenal's Nicklas Bendtner struck back for the Danes, converting a cross in the 33rd minute.

Dennis Rommedahl gave Denmark the lead, curling a neat finish around Cameroon 'keeper Hamidou Souleymanou on 61 minutes.

On seven minutes, Rommedahl had a great chance to open the scoring as Christian Poulsen played him in behind the defence, despite a hint of offside, but the Ajax star blazed his shot high and wide.

Three minutes later, though, Poulsen was at fault when he played a blind pass that Pierre Webo intercepted before crossing for Eto'o, restored to a central striking role, to blast home.

Former Chelsea winger Jesper Gronkjaer had two chances in quick succession but his curler from distance was deflected behind and then he fluffed a far-post header from the resulting corner.

Denmark were starting to exert control and Cameroon goalkeeper Hamidou Souleymanou had to be alert to dash out and block at the feet of Tomasson.

And they got the equaliser they deserved on 33 minutes as Rommedahl got behind Benoit Assou-Ekotto to latch onto Daniel Agger's long crossfield ball before crossing for Bendtner to slide home.

In a thrilling end to the half Alexandre Song made a goal-saving block to deny Tomasson before Eto'o clattered the post and Achilles Emana burst through only to chip into goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen's hands.

Sorensen had to come to Denmark's rescue straight after the restart when he tipped over a Stephane Mbia header.

On the hour mark Webo had a chance on the turn but his shot bundled into Sorensen's arms.

Denmark then went straight up the other end and Rommedahl cut inside substitute Jean II Makoun far too easily before curling a left-footer beyond Souleymanou.

Makoun could have made amends but skied his shot from 12 yards when teed up by Eto'o but Souleymanou then kept the Lions in the game with a crucial point blank save from Tomasson.

Sorensen made a brilliant one-handed save to deny Emana an equaliser, Vincent Aboubacar's goalbound shot deflected off Poulsen's head and over and Mohamadou Idrissou's header just cleared the crossbar in a frantic finale.

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Saina clinches Singapore Open Super Series

Published Sun, Jun 20 10 02:07 PM

Singapore, Jun 20 (PTI) Indian badminton ace Saina Nehwal put behind a nervy start to clinch the second Super Series title of her career by winning the Singapore Open with a straight-game triumph over qualifier Tzu Ying Tai in the finals here today. Top seed Saina took just 33 minutes to beat Chinese Taipei''s Tai 21-18 21-15 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium here. The world number six, who was the lone Indian left if fray after others crashed out by the semifinal stage, had bagged her maiden Super Series title in June last year when she claimed the top honours at the Indonesian Open. "I never expected to reach the finals as there were two good Chinese players in the draw but I believed in myself and got the result I wanted," the jubilant 20-year-old said. The in-form Saina came here after winning the India Open Grand Prix Gold title only last week. "The Indian Open gave me the confidence to play well here," she said. In a match that was a close affair to start with, Saina was locked 18-18 with her rival after trailing 8-14 at one stage. But Saina clinched the opening game with seven smash winners to show against her rival''s three. In the second game, Saina displayed a better net game and outwitted her rival in rallies to emerge triumphant. Saina said she kept gaining in confidence as the match progressed. "I was nervous at the start of the match but I maintained my strategy of playing more rallies," she said. "I was down 8-14 in the first game but I just told myself that ''play your best and give your 100 per cent''. I think that really worked well for me," she added. Saina said her opponent, despite being a mere qualifier, had some tricks to unsettle her. "She defeated a few good players in the run-up to the finals. She was in good rhythm and her strokes were falling well. At the starting, I wasn''t comfortable with her game. She had some tricky shots," she said. But as the minutes ticked by, Saina said she got a hang of her rival''s strategy. "Slowly, I studied her game. I was down and very nervous that I would lose the match but I had spirit to fight it out," she said.

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