Lunch scoreboard: India vs. Sri Lanka, Day 5, Third Test

Published>Sat, Aug 07 10 01:27 PM

Colombo, Aug 7 (IANS) Scoreboard at lunch on the fifth day of the third and final cricket Test between Sri Lanka and India at the P. Sara Oval here Saturday.

Sri Lanka 1st innings: 425

India 1st innings: 436

Sri Lanka 2nd innings: 267

India 2nd innings (overnight 53/2):

Murali Vijay c Mahela b Randiv 27

Virender Sehwag c Mahela b Randiv 0

Rahul Dravid b Randiv 7

Sachin Tendulkar batting 50

Ishant Sharma c Sangakkara b Randiv 4

V.V.S. Laxman batting 46

Extras (lb 6, nb 5) 11

Total (for four wickets in 47 overs) 145

Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Sehwag, 1.5 overs), 2-27 (Dravid, 9.1), 3-49 (Vijay, 15.2), 4-62 (Sharma, 21.3)

Bowling:

Lasith Malinga 8-1-24-0

Suraj Randiv 22-2-57-4

Angelo Mathews 2-0-5-0

Chanaka Welegedara 7-2-22-0

Ajantha Mendis 6-0-24-0

Tillkeratne Dilshan 2-0-7-0

Umpires: Simon Taufel (Australia) and Rod Tucker (Australia)

TV umpire: Kumar Dharmasena

Match referee: Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe)

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CWG would be held as per schedule, says Pak High Commissioner to India

Published>Sat, Aug 07 10 01:17 PM

New Delhi, Aug 7 (ANI): Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Shahid Malik has expressed hope that the 2010 Commonwealth Games would be held as per schedule.

On the sidelines of an event here on Friday, Malik said: "Well, I hope the Commonwealth Games, you know progresses well, and, we would be looking forward to participating in the Games, as we do in all international events."

He, however, refused to comment on the certain controversies surrounding the preparations for this mega event to be held in October.

"It is not for me to comment on that. I can only say that our athletes, our players, our sportsmen are looking forward to participate," Malik added.

With just over 55 days to go before the opening ceremony, the final preparations for the 2010 Games have been tarnished by construction problems and claims of financial impropriety.

The Central Vigilance Commission has found financial irregularities in several Commonwealth Games related works being carried out by civic and construction agencies.

The 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi is being touted as the biggest international sporting event to be hosted by India since the 1982 Delhi Asian Games. (ANI)

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Ferguson predicts 'competitive' Premier League will be an eight-horse title race this year

Published>Sat, Aug 07 10 01:07 PM

London, Aug 7 (ANI): In his 25th season as Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson has predicted that the Premier League will be more competitive than ever, with the established top four becoming the big eight team event.

Tottenham finished fourth last season cracking the monopoly when the big clubs, Liverpool in particular, dropped more points than ever before.

Ferguson reckons Manchester City, Aston Villa and Everton are all capable of mounting a challenge.

"It's going to be a very competitive league. It's getting more competitive every season now. There could be a lot of dangers because the level of competition is being raised year on year," The Daily Express quoted Ferguson, as saying.

"Things definitely changed last season - it was a different league to what we had seen before. The so-called top four found it difficult and dropped points in games they wouldn't have expected to," he said.

"That's an indication of the improvement made by the other teams and I think there will be a bit of a dog-fight for the top four places this season.

"Manchester City have bought again and you obviously have to put them into the equation. We all have to be aware of the threats from the likes of City, Tottenham and Aston Villa. And I think Everton, after all the injury problems they had last season, will come into it," Ferguson said. (ANI)

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Tendulkar, Laxman guide India to 145/4 at lunch

Sat, Aug 07 10 12:57 PM

Colombo, Aug 7 (PTI) Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman put together an unbeaten 83-run partnership as India, chasing 257, inched towards a series-levelling win by reaching 145 for four at lunch on the fifth and final day of the third cricket Test against Sri Lanka here today. At lunch, Tendulkar was batting on 50 after capitalising on a dropped catch while Laxman was steady with a chanceless 46-run knock in India''s second innings, which stood at a precarious 53 for 3 at stumps yesterday. Tendulkar''s 50 just before lunch came in 106 balls and comprised three hits to the boundary. Laxman, on the other hand, sent down four boundaries in his 77-ball innings. India suffered the first blow of the day when night-watchman Ishant Sharma (4) was caught at short mid-wicket by Kumar Sangakkara off Suraj Randiv in the morning. Randiv, who ripped in a flighted loopy delivery around off and middle stump, bemused Sharma who looked shaky right from the start. Later, Tendulkar was fortunate when he was dropped by Tillakaratne Dilshan at short leg while trying to push a Randiv turner. The ball had gone of the bat and pad to the right of short-leg and Tendulkar, who was on just 18, heaved a huge sigh of relief when Dilshan spilled the opportunity. The Indian right-hander attacked Randiv thereafter by charging down the track and driving a shot past the bowler for a boundary. Laxman, on his part, played a delightful drive past Tendulkar at the other end as India began to recover from the early blows. Laxman leaned forward to an Ajantha Mendis delivery from the middle stump and turned it on to the boundary, marking the 50-run partnership between the two which came in 92 balls. Laxman then played a superb knock as he drove a Mendis turner between the short cover and short extra cover boundary. PTI TVS PM

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Brit Olympic cycling champ wrecks 80,000 pounds Jaguar in car crash

Published>Sat, Aug 07 10 12:51 PM

London, Aug 7(ANI): British Olympic cycling champ Sir Chris Hoy has proved that he is better on two wheels than four, as he wrecked his 80,000 pound Jaguar in a crash in Manchester.

The incident happened when the four-times Olympic gold medallist collided with a Vauxhall Vectra while driving from the National Cycling Centre on Thursday evening.

His car's front bumper was torn off, but the 34-year-old, his passengers and the other driver all walked away unhurt.

"The Jag came flying out the junction - the driver just didn't appear to see the other car on the main road," The Sun quoted a witness, as saying.

"Afterwards Chris Hoy was talking on his mobile and appeared really shaken up. There were two passengers with him," he added.

Another onlooker said: "He was turning right. He must have looked left, seen it was clear and thought it was clear on the right."

Hoy's Jaguar has a top speed of 174mph, and can go from 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds. (ANI)

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Montgomerie doubts 'mentally out of it' Woods' chances of playing Ryder Cup

Published>Sat, Aug 07 10 12:47 PM

London, Aug 7 (ANI): Europe's Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie has said that No.1 golfer Tiger Woods has lost the plot mentally and has raised doubts about the American's chances of playing at the event.

Woods was in danger of being knocked off the world No1 spot for the first time in more than five years after his four-over-par 74 at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio.

Woods has struggled to find his scintillating form ever since revelations about his private life gobbled global media headlines, The Sun reports.

Montgomerie said: "He's not mentally with it right now, that's obvious. I hope he gets back to some form shortly."

"He lost the world No1 spot to Vijay Singh a while back and didn't like that very much and got it back. This won't please him at all. But more importantly right now for Tiger is thinking about the Ryder Cup, he's not in the top eight of their qualifying.

"It doesn't look like he's going to be in the top eight after this event anyway and that makes the US PGA a very important event for him next week. Does [USA captain] Corey Pavin take a chance hoping Tiger's form will change before the Ryder Cup? That's up to him and not us," Montgomerie added. (ANI)

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Arsenal plans 23 million pound raid for Reina

Published>Sat, Aug 07 10 12:37 PM

London, Aug 7(ANI): Arsenal has launched a stunning 23 million pound bid for Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina.

According to reports, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is desperate to sign a top keeper after both Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski have failed to impress with their performance over the past 12 months.

Wenger sees Reina as the man to solve his problem position, and is also prepared to go up to 25 million pounds to land the Spaniard, The Sun reports.

However, Liverpool insists they do not want to sell any of their big stars, and the prospect of new ownership bringing in a huge cash injection would leave Wenger with a major fight on his hands.

The 27-year-old, a six million pound buy from Villarreal five years ago, signed a new six-year deal with Liverpool in April, which is set to keep him at Anfield until 2016.

He has set a number of goalkeeping records for Liverpool and he won the Premier League Golden Glove award for clean sheets in four of his first five seasons at the club. (ANI)

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