Nadal breezes into 3rd round at Australian Open

STAFF WRITER 9:49 HRS IST

Melbourne, Jan 20 (AP) Rafael Nadal extended his Grand Slam winning streak to 23 matches, continuing his pursuit of a "Rafa Slam" with a 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 win over American qualifier Ryan Sweeting to reach the third round of the Australian Open.

The top-ranked Nadal is aiming to be the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four Grand Slam titles at the same time.

He's conceded only four games en route to the third round, sealing his win over Sweeting today with another of his rifling forehands.

After retiring with an injury in the quarterfinals at the last Australian Open, Nadal rebounded to win the French, Wimbledon and U S Open.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 India Match Scheduled

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 India Match Scheduled
Group B

India V Bangladesh Saturday, 19 Feb, 11 14.00 IST (D/N) Dhaka
India V England Sunday, 27 Feb, 11 14.30 IST (D/N) Kolkata
India V Ireland Sunday, 6 March, 11 14.30 IST (D/N) Bangalore
India V Netherlands Wednesday, 9 March, 11 14.30 IST (D/N) New Delhi
India V South Africa Saturday, 12 March, 11 14.30 IST (D/N) Nagpur
India V West Indies Sunday, 20 March, 11 14.30 IST (D/N) Chennai

Mar 23 - Wed First quarter-final 08:30 Dhaka
Mar 24 - Thu Second quarter-final 09:00 Ahmedabad
Mar 25 - Fri Third quarter-final 08:30 Dhaka
Mar 26 – Sat Fourth quarter-final 09:00 Colombo
Mar 29 - Tue First semi-final 09:00 Colombo
Mar 30 - Wed Second semi-final 09:00 Chandigarh
Apr 02 - Sat Final 09:00 Mumbai

Shrieking Sharapova roars past Razzano

MELBOURNE: Former Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova dug herself out of trouble to reach the Australian Open's third round with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 win over France's Virginie Razzano on Wednesday.

Sharapova, the 2008 winner and the 14th seed, was 0-3 and three break points down in the first set against 100th-ranked Razzano before holding serve and breaking back, and prevailing in the eventual tie-break.

Two early breaks put her in control in the second set and although Razzano pulled one back, another break in the eighth game gave the Russian a 5-3 lead.

Sharapova had to stave off six break points in the ninth game of the set before finally closing out the win on her third match point.

The glamorous Russian blonde, on the comeback trail after long-term injury problems, will face Germany's 32nd-ranked Julia Goerges in the third round.

Read more: Shrieking Sharapova roars past Razzano - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/events-tournaments/australian-open-2011/top-stories/Shrieking-Sharapova-roars-past-Razzano/articleshow/7318433.cms#ixzz1BTOZfoj5

3rd ODI: India beat South Africa by 2 wickets

CAPE TOWN: A burst of powerful hitting by Yusuf Pathan spurred India to a thrilling two-wicket win in the third one-day international against South Africa at Newlands on Tuesday.


Chasing a target of 221, India were struggling at 93 for five before Pathan launched a savage assault against South African off-spinners Johan Botha and JP Duminy.

On a pitch where most batsmen found it difficult to play positive strokes, Pathan, making his first appearance in the series, struck 59 off 50 balls as India took a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

Pathan and Suresh Raina (37) put on 75 for the sixth wicket but both were out in quick succession to set up a tense finish.

Fast bowler Morne Morkel took three for 26 and fellow paceman Dale Steyn claimed two for 31 but could not stop India from getting home with ten balls to spare. Harbhajan Singh made a crucial 23 not out, including two sixes.

"If I get the ball in my area, I go for it," said Pathan.

Indian captain Mahendra Songh Dhoni said he encouraged the young players in his team to play their natural game.

"We want Yusuf to play the game he plays," said Dhoni.

"As he gets more experience he will turn into a match-finishing batsman."

Proteas captain Graeme Smith said the quality of the pitch had not helped either side's batting.

"We were 20 runs short," said Smith.

"Yusuf Pathan's knock was the difference. The pitch was very two-paced and also up and down. It was not the best one-day wicket I have ever played on but it made for an exciting game."

The match changed dramatically in the 28th over of the Indian innings when Pathan, on six, edged Botha for a four between wicketkeeper AB de Villiers and Smith at slip.

Pathan swept the next delivery and Lonwabo Tsotsobe, running in from the boundary to try to take a catch, misjudged the ball and it went for another four.

In the next over from Duminy, Pathan again swept in the air and Morkel also misjudged the ball in contemplating a catch and another boundary was the result.

Then Pathan struck three sixes off four balls from Botha, all sailing over a fielder at deep mid-wicket.

On an untypical Newlands pitch, South Africa struggled to 220 all out with newcomer Francois 'Faf' du Plessis and JP Duminy putting on 110 as they rescued a floundering innings.

Du Plessis made 60 and Duminy 52 on a pitch of inconsistent pace and bounce.

The pair came together with their side in trouble at 90 for four in the 24th over.

They put on 110 off 129 balls before Du Plessis slipped as he went down the wicket to attack Munaf Patel and sliced a catch to cover.

Du Plessis, 26, a former schoolboy team-mate of de Villiers who has been signed to play for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, made his runs off 78 balls.

He showed composure at the crease and the only sign of nerves came when he needed treatment for cramps in his forearm.

Du Plessis was out in the first over of the batting powerplay, which was taken in the 45th over, and as in the second international in Johannesburg, the lifting of fielding restrictions heralded a flurry of wickets.

Duminy was bowled in the next over and the innings folded rapidly, the last six wickets falling for 20 runs.

Zaheer Khan, with three for 43, and Singh led a superb Indian bowling performance, which was backed up by good fielding.

Khan repeatedly beat South African captain Graeme Smith with swing and movement off the pitch, although Smith survived to make a laboured 43 off 79 balls before falling to Harbhajan's off-spin.

Khan also took a spectacular diving catch in the outfield to dismiss De Villiers.

Harbhajan mesmerised the batsmen, taking two for 23 in nine overs, helped by two diving slip catches by Virat Kohli.

Read more: 3rd ODI: India beat South Africa by 2 wickets - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/india-in-south-africa/top-stories/3rd-ODI-India-beat-South-Africa-by-2-wickets/articleshow/7315660.cms#ixzz1BTOFi2ay

South Africa pick injured Kallis, Tahir for World Cup

CAPE TOWN: South Africa put faith in Jacques Kallis returning from injury to boost its World Cup hopes after the key allrounder was included in the Proteas' 15-man squad on Tuesday.

The 35-year-old Kallis was ruled out of the ongoing one-day series against India with a right side muscle injury, but South Africa's team management said at the squad announcement in Cape Town it was confident its leading player would be fully fit for the Feb. 19-April 2 tournament.

Kallis was part of the South Africa squad named by selection convener Andrew Hudson following the Proteas' two-wicket loss to India in the third one-dayer at Newlands.

Also included for next month's World Cup in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka was Pakistan-born legspinner Imran Tahir and batting allrounder Faf du Plessis - who made a half-century on debut in Tuesday's defeat to World Cup co-host India.

Graeme Smith will captain the squad for the final time in a one-day competition after announcing he would step down from the ODI captaincy after the World Cup.

Regular batsmen Hashim Amla, A.B. de Villiers and J.P. Duminy and fast bowlers Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe were all picked as were spinners Johan Botha and Robin Peterson - giving the No. 4 ranked Proteas three specialist spinning options - along with Tahir - on the spin-friendly pitches in the subcontinent.

South Africa chose seven specialist batsmen, four specialist seam bowlers, three spinners, and one replacement wicketkeeper. Smith, Kallis, Peterson and De Villiers are the only surviving members of South Africa's 2007 World Cup campaign.

Kallis' fitness was the biggest concern for South Africa ahead of the announcement.

"Jacques is undergoing rehabilitation at the moment, but we are confident with four weeks to go until the World Cup we can get him ready to partake," Team Manager Mohammed Moosajee said. "However, it's a week by week process and he is being guided by the medical team."

Hudson added: "His (Kallis') absence takes away a lot from our side in terms of stability. In terms of batting he is the anchor at No. 3 and the overs he gives us as a fifth bowler is something we miss as well. But, him being fit will add enormously to the team."

Veteran wicketkeeper Mark Boucher missed out on the final squad, as did young middle order batsman David Miller.

Morne van Wyk will be the backup wicketkeeper to De Villiers, meaning Boucher's 13-year, 292-match one-day international career is likely over. Miller was dropped for Du Plessis for Tuesday's game against India and lost his place at the World Cup to the debutant.

Tahir was the only uncapped player in the squad, and was cleared to be included after qualifying to play for South Africa on the last day of 2010.

The former Pakistan A legspinner is married to a South African and plays for the Duban-based Dolphins team, although he is yet to make his debut for his adopted country despite his impressive wicket-taking exploits for his provincial team.

"We think he's a unique talent," Hudson said of Tahir. "The selection of three specialist spin bowlers is essential for the conditions we expect to encounter at the World Cup and it's not a worry that Tahir has not played an ODI yet. His record in domestic cricket speaks for itself. We know exactly what he offers us."

South Africa has never won the World Cup and has often underperformed at the tournament after entering as one of the favorites. The Proteas have also never reached a final, losing semifinals in 1992, 1999 and 2007.

The 2011 edition is likely to be the last chance for Kallis and Smith, two of South Africa's most successful cricketers, to win the top ODI prize.

South Africa is in Group B with Bangladesh, England, India, West Indies, Ireland and the Netherlands. It opens its tournament on Feb. 24 against West Indies.

Squad : Graeme Smith (captain), Hashim Amla, Johan Botha, A.B. de Villiers, J.P. Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Colin Ingram, Jacques Kallis, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Morne van Wyk.

Read more: South Africa pick injured Kallis, Tahir for World Cup - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/icc-world-cup-2011/top-stories/South-Africa-pick-injured-Kallis-Tahir-for-World-Cup/articleshow/7316329.cms#ixzz1BTNiU9hI