Published>Sun, Nov 14 10 01:17 PM
Guangzhou, Nov 14 (IANS) Pankaj Advani won the first gold for India as he beat Myanmar's OO Nay Thway Oo 3-2 in the English billiards singles final at the Asian Games here Sunday.
Advani successfully defended his title that he won in Doha four years ago, edging Thway 33-100, 100-61, 12-101, 101-4, 100-45.
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Published>Sun, Nov 14 10 01:07 PM
London, Nov.14 (ANI): England batsman Kevin Pietersen's poor form since his last Test hundred in March 2009 has been unfathomable to connoisseurs of the sport. From being regarded as the team's most talented batsman, KP has stuttered and stalled, lost panache at the crease, and has been painful to watch, but now he is relishing the prospect of making a change against the old enemy-Australia.
Pietersen has accepted this and is remarkably candid about his lack in confidence.
Towards the end of a long English season, Pietersen was kicking his heels as his team-mates edged a dramatic one-day series victory over Pakistan. He raged about the situation on Twitter only to be disciplined and fined.
"I was mortified, absolutely mortified. It was one of the things that hurt me most about anything." The message was, he maintains, supposed to be sent privately to a friend, but he posted it publicly by accident, a plausible error.
The first sign of trouble, he says, was a slew of quizzical responses from friends.
Mistake or not, that accidental tweet did offer a heartening glimpse at KP's pride and motivation.
Pietersen says unfazed by the negative coverage of his Hampshire departure.
Pietersen told the Guardian that a spell away from the England dressing room, analysing his own playing, has been beneficial and "very refreshing".
He says that he has found things he needs to fix?
"Technically no, mentally yes. It's the standards that I've set that probably haven't helped me, unfortunately." Then, with unexpected humility: "But I'll get back there, hopefully."
The hope of English cricket fans is that this will happen in time for the first Ashes Test, which starts in Brisbane in 10 days' time.
"I think we're more of a team and we all want each other to do well," he says, decisively. (ANI)
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Sun, Nov 14 10 12:57 PM
The early loss of Sachin Tendulkar on day three compelled India to take a cautious approach as the hosts made slow progress in their first innings in the second test against New Zealand on Sunday.
Rahul Dravid (33) and Vangipurappu Laxman (31) took India to 237 for three wickets at lunch, as the hosts trailed by 113 runs in reply to the visitors' first innings total of 350.
India managed only 59 runs from 30 overs in the opening session at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium against some disciplined bowling and inspired fielding from New Zealand.
Dravid and Laxman added 53 runs in an unbroken fourth wicket partnership after Tendulkar fell in the fifth over of the day to New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori. Tendulkar tried to break the shackles, imposed on him by some fine swing bowling by paceman Chris Martin, by dancing down the wicket to Vettori but only managed to get a thick edge. Ross Taylor at slip took a smart one-handed catch.
The three-match series is tied at 0-0 after the opening test was drawn in Ahmedabad. The third and final test will be played in Nagpur from Nov. 20-24.
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Sun, Nov 14 10 09:07 AM
Karachi, Nov 14 (PTI) International Cricket Council CEO Haroon Lorgat has advised the three suspended Pakistani players and their lawyers not to mix the hearings of the ICC tribunals held last month and one scheduled in January. Asked about the reservations shown by the lawyers of Salman Butt and Muhammad Aamir over the fact that the Chairman of the ICC code of conduct commission, Michael Beloff would supervise the tribunal hearing in January being held to look into charges against the suspended trio, Lorgat said they were separate things. The lawyers have raised concerns over the presence of Beloff pointing out that he has already supervised the hearing of the appellate tribunal held in October and dismissed the appeals of the players. Lorgat told Geo News in Dubai that the outcome of the appeal hearing would have no bearing on the hearing scheduled in January. "The appeals hearing was held to see whether the provisional suspensions on the players were justified. It had no relevance to the charges against them," he said. "In the tribunal hearing in January the tribunal will determine whether the charges brought against the players have substance or not. It will decide if the players are guilty or not of violating the ACU code of conduct," Lorgat explained. He insisted there should be no concern from anyone as under the ICC code of conduct commission rules, its Chairman had to sit in tribunal hearings. The ICC tribunal comprises of Michael Beloff (England), Justice Albie Sachs (SouthAfrica) and Sharad Rao (Kenya) and it will meet in Doha between January 6-11 to decide on charges of alleged breaches of the ICC anti-corruption code by the three cricketers. Tafazzul Rizvi the legal advisor of the Pakistan Cricket Board also advised the players and their lawyers not to spoil their own cases with their statements against the ICC. One of the lawyer''s for Salman Butt, Aftab Gul who played six tests said yesterday he saw no purpose of representing Salman in the ICC tribunal hearing because the ICC had already decided what to do. But Tafazzul said the objection over Beloff was not justified. "The ICC is acting strictly under its given code of conduct rules and Beloff''s appointment on the tribunal is in line with the rules of the house," Rizvi said. "If the lawyers had any objection to the ICC proceedings why didn''t they object during the appeals hearing why raise objections now," he questioned.
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Published>Sun, Nov 14 10 08:57 AM
Former Brazil striker Ronaldo proved his worth by winning and converting a penalty three minutes from time to give Corinthians a 1-0 win over title rivals Cruzeiro on Saturday.
Corinthians' home victory in Sao Paulo put them top of the Brazilian championship standings on 63 points with three matches to go.
They are two points ahead of Fluminense, who face lowly Goias on Sunday, and three in front of Cruzeiro.
Ronaldo, 34, chased a lofted ball into the box and was brought down by defender Gil three minutes from time. Cruzeiro players protested in vain and Gil was sent off for a second yellow card.
Cruzeiro striker Thiago Ribeiro told reporters the penalty decision smacked of favouritism for the big name clubs.
"You can already give our players their holidays. You may as well give the title to Corinthians or Fluminense," he said tongue in cheek. "It's the Rio-Sao Paulo axis."
Ronaldo, who began his career at Cruzeiro, said there was nothing wrong with the decision.
"I was hit hard from behind right after controlling the ball with my chest. I don't think there was any doubt it was a penalty," he said.
"Cruzeiro have an excellent, attacking team with fast players. I think we got this win with guts and stature."
Struggling champions Flamengo were thumped 4-1 away by Atletico Mineiro and were sucked back into the battle to avoid relegation.
Former Flamengo strikers Obina and Diego Tardelli and midfielder Diego Renan, twice, scored the goals that lifted Mineiro out of the relegation zone for the first time in months.
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Published>Sun, Nov 14 10 08:37 AM
Indian fury at China's refusal to clear their horses for competition threatened to sour the hosts' celebrations as they hoarded 19 out of 28 golds on day one of competition at the Guangzhou Asian Games on Saturday.
The Indian equestrian federation had planned to bring eight horses to the events starting in the southern Chinese city on Sunday, but accused China's quarantine authority of discrimination and personal agendas after the horses were rejected for failing a veterinary test.
"Indian horses are fit and healthy for participation at 16th Asian Games," India's equestrian federation said in a statement.
"It is because of reasons other than the veterinary ... and deliberate misinterpretation of lab reports, biased and malicious approach on the part of (quarantine authority) AQSIQ China that all of the eight horses have not been given permits for entry in Guangzhou."
Guangzhou's quarantine authority was unavailable for comment, while two organising officials for the equestrian tournament said they were unaware of the decision.
The sport's world governing body, the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), said it had urged the Chinese authorities to clear the horses but said the issue was now a "government to government" matter.
"We regret that any country would not be able to compete in an international equestrian event ... It's absolutely not ideal that it's come at the 11th hour," Graeme Cooke, the director of the FEI's veterinary department, told Reuters.
DANCE PANACHE
The feud overshadowed a stellar day for the hosts.
China swept all five golds in the first of two days of dance sports, displaying a panache for the cha cha cha, waltz and foxtrot at odds with stereotypes of intense Chinese athletes.
The hosts kicked off their gold rush early, notching the day's first title in Wushu, the gymnastic native martial art, as Bruce Lee fan and two-time world champion Yuan Xiaochao defended his Doha gold in the Changquan or "long fist" routine.
"There is a saying that lessons you learn stay with you for ever," Yuan, reportedly born to a famous martial art family in eastern China, told reporters.
China has set itself the task of surpassing the 165 gold medals it won at the previous Asian Games in Doha four years ago. Yi Siling, nicknamed the "Shooting Beauty", did her bit for the cause, leading the women to team gold in the 10-metre air rifle and taking the individual title herself.
Under a hot sun at Aoti Stadium, the pressure got to South Korea's 50m pistol Olympic champion, Jin Jong-ho. He sprayed his second-last shot for a score of 7.7 to open the door for unheralded Chinese Pu Qifeng to mount one of the day's biggest upsets.
Jin had to settle for a team gold medal in the 50m pistol instead, as South Korea became one of only three nations to prise a title from the hosts, who won five out of six in the shooting, four out of six in the pool and both weightlifting golds on a sweltering autumn day.
DETERIORATING TIES
Japan finished the day with only five fewer medals overall, taking four golds, including two in the pool and one apiece in triathlon and judo.
Korea secured four golds to draw level with rivals Japan, including three in Japan's native martial art of judo.
China capped their excellent day with gold in the men's team gymnastics, thrashing Japan and sending fans delirious.
Fears that Japanese fans would come in for rough treatment from the home crowd amid deteriorating ties between the countries proved largely unfounded.
"On the sports pitch this tension is natural, they fought hard," said office worker Lin Qianghong after a tense bout between a Japanese judoka and a Chinese opponent. "But politics shouldn't come into it."
Cricket made its debut at the Asian Games, with the hosts romping home in their Twenty20 match against Malaysia's women.
Thirty-five medals will be contested on Sunday, with multiple Olympic breastroke champion Kosuke Kitajima hoping to head Japan's fightback against China in the pool.
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Published>Sun, Nov 14 10 06:39 AM
The Mumbai team's decision to not enforce follow-on against Bengal in the Ranji Trophy Group A match at the Eden Gardens hasn't gone down well with the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) as they have asked for an explanation from the team management. Mumbai (621) had a 325-run first innings lead after they bowled out Bengal for 296 on Friday but didn't ask the hosts to bat again.
"It's difficult for me to comment on the issue. After the team's return, we will go through the manager's report and will take a call. We will also have a talk with the team management," MCA joint-secretary Lalchand Rajput told The Sunday Express from Mumbai.
Skipper Wasim Jaffer, however, defended the team's decision to not enforce follow-on. "It was a team decision. The bowlers were very tired and there was nothing in the wicket. Victory with a bonus point would have given us six points, but there was no guarantee that it would happen. So we decided not to go for an outright win," Jaffer said.
The visitors' refusal to take the initiative killed the contest and they were 286 for one in their second innings when curtains were drawn to end the boredom, after Omkar Gurav (127) and Jaffer (104 not out) scored centuries.
Bengal were happy to be gifted a point which they didn't deserve. "I can't comment on their decision. But even if they did enforce follow-on, I'm sure our lads could have saved the game. Our players have the ability to bat a lot better than what they did in the first innings," Bengal coach WV Raman said.
Brief scores: Mumbai 621/8 decl and 286/1 (O Gurav 127, W Jaffer 104 not out) vs Bengal 296 all out.
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