Mukesh Ambani denies eyeing Liverpool FC

Mukesh Ambani denies eyeing Liverpool FC

New Delhi, Feb 9: Mumbai Indians owner Mukesh Ambani has denied reports of picking up 51 per cent shares in English Premier League side Liverpool. Some reports say have claimed that Ambani is said to have offered to pay off the club's £237 million debt in return for a huge stake in the club.Liverpool’s American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr have been under pressure all season to sell the club after reports of mounting debts that’s curbing the club’s expenses, specially in the transfer market. It has also been reported by the British media that Sahara Group’s Chairman, Subrata Roy has also made a similar bid. (Agencies)

India suffer big defeat

India suffer big defeat

NAGPUR, Feb 9 (PTI): Sachin Tendulkar’s defiant ton merely delayed the inevitable as India crashed to a humiliating innings and six runs defeat against South Africa in the first cricket Test here today.

The miracle that India needed to save the match did not happen and even though Tendulkar (100) starred in two brief partnerships and the tail wagged for a while too, it was not enough to avert what was Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s first Test defeat as captain that came with full one day to spare.

Following on, the home side that resumed on 66 for two this morning, folded for 319 in their second essay to allow South Africa to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Down the order, Wriddhiman Saha (36), Harbhajan Singh (39) and Zaheer Khan (33) showed the kind of grit that was missing in most of their frontline batting colleagues.

Wish to get rid of T20 specialist tag: Yusuf Pathan

After leading West Zone to a historic Duleep Trophy title win with a scintillating double hundred, all-rounder Yusuf Pathan is hoping that the Twenty20 specialist tag attached to his name would be wiped off.

Pathan's unbeaten 210, his maiden double century, helped West overhaul a mammoth 536-run target, a feat never achieved before while chasing in world cricket, and the Baroda batsman termed the knock his best ever.

"Definitely it is the best innings of my career so far and I scored a hundred in the first innings as well. I had played a 187-run knock in first class cricket before and also took 10 wickets in the same. I hope this Twenty20 specialist tag goes out now," Yusuf told 'PTI-Bhasha'.

Pathan is baffled how the tag got attached to his name when he has performed well enough in the four-day games in domestic cricket.

"I don't know why this Twenty20 tag is there with my name? We play four-day matches in first class cricket."

"Although there are 50-50 and Twenty20 games in first class cricket but Ranji and Duleep Trophy are long format games," he said.

Yusuf, a prominent member of the inaugural Indian Premier League winners Rajasthan Royals, last played an ODI for India in September last year.

The Baroda batsman conceded that being out of the national team hurts and making a comeback is difficult.

"You feel bad when you get dropped. So I focus on my performance, it's our job to impress selectors. There is stiff competition for every place in the team as there is lot of talent around," he said.

"I will be playing Deodhar Trophy next and there are a few Twenty20 matches. I want to continue this good performance and attract selectors," he added.

Talking about the recent ball tampering incident involving all rounder Shahid Afridi, Yusuf said he had no clue about Pakistani all-rounder's claim that all teams indulge in it.

"I don't know why he said so. I can't say anything about that since I have not seen anyone biting the ball like that. I have not seen anything like that in international cricket," he said.

© PTI

India's heaviest defeats at home

The last time a side other than South Africa beat India in India by an innings was way back in 1983. After that, India went through a long period where no team was able to beat them by an innings at home, until South Africa did it in Bangalore in the year 2000.

In the ten years since, South Africa have repeated the feat twice for a total of three innings victories over India in India in the past decade.

Innings defeats suffered by India in India:

Opposition	Margin	Ground	Date
West Indies	inns & 193 runs	Chennai	27 January 1949
Pakistan	inns & 43 runs	Lucknow	23 October 1952
West Indies	inns and 336 runs	Kolkata	31 December 1958
Australia	inns & 127 runs	Delhi	12 December 1959
Australia	inns & 55 runs	Chennai	13 January 1960
West Indies	inns & 45 runs	Kolkata	31 December 1966
England	inns & 25 runs	Delhi	17 December 1976
Pakistan	inns & 119 runs	Hyderabad (Sind)	14 January 1983
West Indies	inns & 83 runs	Kanpur	21 October 1983
West Indies	inns & 46 runs	Kolkata	10 December 1983
South Africa	inns & 71 runs	Bangalore	02 March 2000
South Africa	inns & 90 runs	Ahmedabad	03 April 2008
South Africa	inns & 6 runs	Nagpur	06 February 2010

With India's No.1 Test ranking at stake as the teams travel to Kolkata, those who believe in history repeating itself will not be very comforted if they are Indian fans, but will be elated if they are South African fans. As the table shows, India has suffered three innings defeats in Kolkata - more than at any other ground.

© Cricbuzz

South Africa win Nagpur Test by an innings and 6 runs

NAGPUR, Feb 9 (IANS): South Africa defeated India by an innings and six runs on the fourth day of the first cricket Test here Tuesday.

Following on, India were bowled out for 319 runs with Sachin Tendulkar scoring 100.

Harbhajan Singh (39), Wriddhiman Saha (36), Zaheer Khan (33) came up with useful contributions, but India folded up in 107.1 overs.

Dale Steyn took a match haul of 10 wickets while Paul Harris got three for 76 in the second innings.

South Africa had declared their first innings at 558/6 and bowled out India for 233