Sri Lanka's Vaas to quit Tests, says chief selector

Galle (Sri Lanka), July 4 (AFP) Veteran Sri Lankan seamer Chaminda Vaas has decided to retire from Test cricket, the country's chief selector Asantha de Mel told AFP today.

The 35-year-old left-armer, who has served Sri Lanka at the top level for 15 years, will, however, still be available for one-day and Twenty20 cricket, the official said.

"Chaminda has told me he does not want to play Test cricket anymore, but he will continue in the shorter formats," de Mel, a former Sri Lankan fast bowler, said.

Vaas, a 110-Test veteran, was overlooked for the Test series against Pakistan which began at the Galle International Stadium today.

The selectors did not pick him even after spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan was ruled out of the first Test due to a knee injury, leaving the Sri Lankan attack short of experience.

India aims for second ODI series triumph in WI

Gros Islet (St Lucia), Jul 4 (PTI) India would be aiming to notch up only their second ODI series triumph in the Caribbean when they take on the West Indies in the fourth and final one-dayer here Sunday .

The thrilling six-wicket triumph in the rain-truncated third one-dayer has given India a 2-1 lead in the series and a win Sunday would give the team a second series triumph here and partly make amends for the early exit from the Twenty20 World Cup in England.

The last time India won an ODI series in West Indies was 2002 when Sourav Ganguly led them to a 2-1 triumph in a five-match series, two games of which were abandoned due to rain.

But the hosts extracted revenge in 2006 when they hammered the Rahul Dravid-led Indians 1-4.

In the ongoing series, the visitors, under Mahendra Singh Dhoni, have not been too convincing.

BCCI Technical, NCA Committees to meet on July 8

Mumbai, Jul 4 (PTI) The Cricket Board's Technical Committee and the National Cricket Academy Committee are to meet here on July 8 ahead of the 2009-10 season.

"The Technical Committee meeting will be chaired by Mr Sunil Gavaskar and would undertake a review of the 2008-09 season," said BCCI's CAP, Prof Ratnakar Shetty.

Gavaskar used to have a meeting with the Ranji Trophy captains and coaches for getting feedbacks at the end of the season but that meeting could not be held this year because of the Indian Premier League that was held in South Africa.

"We have made changes to the formats of the under 19 and 22 events, by making these cricketers play on a home and away basis. The technical committee would be informed about this," Shetty said.

Mumbai to take on Punjab in Ranji opening tie

Mumbai, July 4 (PTI) Mumbai will open their Ranji Trohy title defence in the 2009-10 season by taking on Punjab in the Elite Division Group A tie at Mohali from November 3-6.

Mumbai had clinched the Ranji Trophy for the 38th occasion defeating Uttar Pradesh in the final in Hyderabad last season.

Elite division groupings:

Group A: Mumbai, Hyderabad, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Railways, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat and Orissa

Group B: UP, Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Karnataka, Bengal, Delhi and Baroda

Elite division schedule:

Round 1: Nov 3-6: Punjab v Mumbai at Mohali; Railways vs Tamil Nadu in Delhi; Hyderabad vs Himachal Pradesh in Hyderabad; Gujarat vs Orissa in Ahmedabad; Baroda vs Delhi in Vadodara; Uttar Pradesh vs Karnataka in Kanpur; Maharashtra vs Bengal in Pune.

Number one is still a distant dream: Saina Nehwal

New Delhi, July 4 (PTI) She is inching closer to being among the world's top five and is tipped to be number one in the next couple of years but ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal says being numero uno is still a very distant dream.

The legendary Prakash Padukone considers Saina talented enough to be at the top in the next two years but the 20-year-old doesn't want to aim so high right now.

"Prakash sir has been very encouraging, I also want to be the number one but I don't want to think about that now. I would have to be at my best to achieve that. I have to be consistent and win back-to-back tournament," Saina told PTI after going up a rung to sixth in the latest world rankings.

Paes-Black in Wimbledon mixed doubles final

London, July 3 (PTI) Top seeds Leander Paes and Cara Black stormed into the final of Wimbledon mixed doubles event with a straight-set victory over Stephen Huss and Virginia Ruano Pascual here today.

The Indo-Zimbabwe pair beat their 12th seeded opponents 6-4 6-4 in a 71-minute semifinal contest.

Paes and Black, who won the US Open mixed doubles last year, were rusty at the start and were broken in the second game by the Australian-Spanish pair who go up 2-0 and then 3-0.

The top seeds, however, fought back with stunning ferocity to break their opponents in the fifth and seventh games to pocket the first game 6-4 in 35 minutes.

The second set went on serves till the fourth game after which Paes and Black tightened their game to break their opponents once and pocket the set 6-4 in 36 minutes and the match.

PTI

Dhoni gives India invincible lead

Gros-Islet (St Lucia): Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni played another responsible knock of 46 not out as India took an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the series, winning the third One-day international by six wickets according to the Duckworth-Lewis (DL) Method with just one ball to spare here on a rain-marred on Friday.

India capitalised on a good start by openers Dinesh Karthik (47) and Gautam Gambhir (44) and Man of the Match Dhoni played a composed innings off 34 balls as the visitors achieved the rain revised target of 159 in 22 overs at the Beausejour Stadium.

India skipper opted to bowl but the start was delayed by over two hours due to rains and when the game started persistent rains interrupted the game thrice.

Ramnaresh Sarwan's fine 62 off 59 balls went in vain even as West Indies made a challenging 186 for seven in 27 overs. But India were set a target of 195 according to the DL method.

But another spell of shower in the 14th over during India's innings revised gave the target to 159 in 22 overs.

However, it was the 84-run opening run stand that always kept India ahead of the run rate and Dhoni ensured that he stayed till the end as India scampered home to win in the penultimate ball. Dhoni's only six came in the last over and it reduced the equation to four from four balls that India achieved easily.

Earlier, Sarwan's 62 lifted the West Indies to 186 in 27 overs in the rain-shortened match. Left-armer Ashish Nehra led India's bowling with 3-21 off five overs while Harbhajan Singh took 2-35.

West Indies skipper Chris Gayle then blasted off six fours to score a quickfire 27 off 14 balls before he fell on the resumption of the game after the first spell of shower.

Sarwan and Runako Morton (22) then stitched a 51-run stand for the second wicket before a fine piece of stumping by Dhoni off Harbhajan ended Morton's stay.

Sarwan kept on playing his shots while Shiv Chanderpaul (15), Dwayne Bravo (14) and Darren Bravo (21) made valuable contributions. Denesh Ramdin remained unbeaten on 14 from six balls as the West Indies achieved the challenging total courtesy the Duckworth-Lewis Method.


The fourth and the final ODI will be played here on Sunday.

Source:http://cricketnext.in.com/news/dhoni-gives-india-invincible-lead/42228-13-1.html

Bedi laments lack of recognition from DDCA

New Delhi: A veteran of 67 Tests with 266 wickets to his credit in his 12-year career, former skipper Bishen Singh Bedi has lamented lack of recognition from his home state board of Delhi and District Cricket Association.


"I don't think Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) would have ever remembered me for whatever I did," rued the leg-spinner, who retired from international cricket in 1979.


The 62-year-old cricketer received 'Lifetime Achievement Award' by a magazine at a function here on Thursday, while teen tennis star Yuki Bhambri got the 'Exemplary Achievement' award

and swashbuckling Indian batsman Virender Sehwag bagged 'Jewel of the Nation' award for their contributions to their respective disciplines.


"I'm very surprised. I was not expecting such an award at all, though I am quite excited to be called 'Jewel of the Nation'," Sehwag said after receiving the honour from Union Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Salman Khursheed.


Yuki on his part said: "It's great to see that tennis is given some recognition in a cricket crazy country like India."


The awards were given by The Sunday Indian magazine in association with Indian Institute of Planning and Management, to recognise regional talents who have made the country proud.

Soruce:http://cricketnext.in.com/news/bedi-laments-lack-of-recognition-from-ddca/42225-13.html

India aim to bounce back from batting debacle

Gros-Islet (St Lucia): India will be looking to edge closer to a rare one-day international series victory against the West Indies in the Caribbean before embarking on a well-earned break from the game.


They face West Indies in the last two ODIs of four this coming Friday and Sunday at the Beausejour Cricket Ground here.


India and West Indies shared the first two ODIs last Friday and Sunday at Sabina Park in Jamaica.

Soruce:Cricketnext.com

Buchanan remains Ponting's fan

He might have shifted loyalties to England but former Australia coach John Buchanan remains a fan of Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting and expects his leadership to become more assertive in the Ashes beginning next week.

Buchanan, a consultant with the England Lions team, heaped praise on Ponting and said the diminutive right-hander would prove his captaincy skills in the series starting July 8.

"He is determined to turn the tables for (the defeat in England in) 2005," Buchanan was quoted as saying by 'The Times'.

"When he led Australia in the past two Ashes, he was surrounded by good lieutenants, but he is now ready to take the captaincy issue forward and move from a consultative style to one of more direct leadership."

Describing himself as a fan of Ponting, Buchanan said he looks to be in firm control of the team.

"I've always been a great fan of Ricky. He is an outstanding team man and he brings that to his leadership style, but it is clear this is now his team," he said.

© PTI

Brazil dethrone Spain at top of FIFA rankings

ZURICH: Brazil has ended Spain's one-year reign at the top of FIFA's rankings, rewarded for its comeback win over the United States in the Confederat
ions Cup final.

Brazil rose four spots to reach the top of the rankings --released Wednesday -- for the first time since August 2007. European champion Spain, upset by the U.S. in the semifinal last week, slipped to second.

Netherlands fell back to third, Italy stayed fourth and Germany slipped two places to fifth.

Russia, England, Argentina, France and Croatia rounded out the top 10.

The U.S., beaten 3-2 by Brazil in a thrilling match Sunday, rose two spots to No. 12.

But it was far from the biggest climber.

North Korea jumped 23 spots to No. 83 after it qualified for its first World Cup since 1966.

Higher up the rankings, Australia hopped over 13 teams to reach No. 16, its highest spot since FIFA began its rankings in 1993. Ivory Coast rose 20 places to become Africa's top team at No. 18.

I can run 9.5, says 'Lightning' Bolt

LONDON: Usain Bolt, the fastest man in history, insisted on Thursday he can run the 100 metres in 9.5 seconds -- if he can get back into his gold med
al-winning Beijing Olympics form.

The Jamaican, 22, also said he had no fear of the in-form Tyson Gay -- and if the US sprinter breaks his 9.69 seconds world record, he will break it back.

Bolt, in Britain as the European athletics season gets into full swing, insisted he had yet to reach his peak.

"With a lot of work I think I probably can go a little bit faster with hard work and dedication. That is the key for getting there. I'm working on it," Bolt told reporters on a visit to a south London sports school.

"I was thinking 9.5 maybe but I've got a lot of work to do to get back to the shape I was in.

"I'm not in the best shape right now but I'm working, slowly but surely. I still have a lot of work to do.

"For me it's always about the World Championships. The fast times will come if I work hard and train really hard, so I'm not really worried about that."

Bolt suffered minor leg injuries in a car crash in April, but he recovered quickly following minor surgery and is now focused on the biennial World Championships, which take place in Berlin on August 15-23.

Both Gay - owner of the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay world titles - and Bolt - who sensationally captured the same treble at the Beijing Games last August - secured their World Championships berths in their national trials at the weekend.

In New York in May, the American ran the 200 metres in 19.58sec, the third-fastest time in history, laying down his intentions for taking on Bolt. The Jamaican won the Beijing gold in a world record 19.30sec.

However, the man nicknamed "Lightning" Bolt is not worried about Gay's challenge to his records.

"I have no problem. Everybody wants to be a world record holder. If he breaks it, it's part of the game for me. I'll work to break it back. It's all fun and games," the triple Olympic gold medalist said.

"I've no fear. I have no fear of any athlete I go against. I compete at my best at all times. I don't worry."

And he insisted that there was plenty more to come from the fastest man on earth.

"I'm not at my peak, I have a little more left in the tank, I have a bit more to go. I'm still trying to get everything together to get that perfect race."

Bolt also hinted that he may compete in the 400 metres in future.

"I think maybe next year I may try it, I think I can maybe run 44 seconds," he said.

Since Bolt became the fastest man alive, he has maintained his laid-back persona and is in no rush to give up the chicken nuggets that powered him to victory in Beijing.

"I do eat too much fast food maybe. I do like to enjoy myself," he admitted.

"I try and stay as much down to earth as possible. I like to have a party because I'm young, so I like to enjoy myself also.

"I train six times a week, mostly in the evening hours when the sun goes down. I'm not really a morning person."

But he added: "I think I was born naturally fast.

"Natural talent takes you just so far, then you've got to put in the work.

"I know what it takes to get to the top. It's all about hard work and dedication. That's what makes me the fastest man in the world."

Soruce:TOI

Paes-Black in mixed doubles semis

WIMBLEDON: Top seeds Leander Paes and his Zimbabwean partner Cara Black breezed into the semi-finals of Wimbledon's mixed doubles event with a facile
straight set win over 11th seeded Andre Sa and Ai Sugiyama on Thursday. ( Watch )

The Indo-Zimbabwean duo needed a little over an hour to swamp the Sa-Sugiyama pair 6-3, 6-3 in the lop-sided quarterfinal match.

In the semi-finals, they will take on 12th seeded pair of Australian Stephen Huss and his Spaniard partner Virginia Ruano Pascual.

The Huss-Pascal duo defeated humbled fourth seeds Kevin Ullyett and Su-Wei Hsieh 6-3, 5-7, 9-7 in a hard-fought quarterfinal match

Source:TOI

Jeev Milkha Singh tied 20th, Randhawa in danger

Paris, July 3 (PTI) Returning from a rib injury, Jeev Milkha Singh fired three-under 68 for the tied 20th place but compatriot Jyoti Randhawa's opening round of 76 jeopardised his prospects of making the cut in the Open de France Alstom golf tournament here.

Among others, Kolkata pro SSP Chowrasia carded 69 to lie tied 32nd while Delhi lad Shiv Kapur's one-over 72 had him tied 85th.

Paired with Colin Montgomerie and Miguel Angel Jimenez, Jeev had, by and large, a satisfying round with the 17th hole bogey being the lone blot on the card.

Jeev said he could still feel the pain in his ribs but was happy with the show.

"I played the pro-am with an anti-inflammatory patch on, and it wasn't too bad. There was a bit of discomfort, but it felt much better than during the US Open

More Indians will be added to ICC Hall of Fame

New Delhi, July 3 (PTI) The presence of just three Indian cricketers in International Cricket Council's Hall of Fame may have generated a controversy in the country but the game's governing body today made it clear that more Indians would be added to the elite list.

The ICC said that the list would be updated annually and would have an adequate Indian representation.

"This is not the final list. I do believe that a number of magnificent Indian cricketers deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. We will soon develop a mechanism and have plans to add more players to the list on an annual basis," ICC President David Morgan told PTI in a telephonic interview from London.

Sehwag undergoes surgery, may miss Champions Trophy

NEW DELHI: In what could spell more trouble for Indian cricket, explosive opening batsman Virender Sehwag, whose absence ruined India's campaign to defend the Twenty20 World Championship title, will remain out of action for the next three months and is likely to miss the upcoming Champions Trophy in September.

Sehwag is currently under rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Bangalore as he recovers from the shoulder injury which kept him out of the ICC World Twenty20. The batsman earlier underwent a surgey on June 11 after a lesion was indentified on his shoulder.

Viru will be under the observation of team physio Nitin Patel and is expected to wear a sling for atleast the next month till his lesion heals. At the end of the tenth week after the operation, Sehwag's shoulder will be evaluated and it will be asserted then if he is able to throw the ball.

The batsman picked up the injury during the cash-rich Twenty20 tournament -- Indian Premier League (IPL), following which there was intense speculations over his fitness during the T20 World Cup.

The uncertainity over his unavailablity led to reports of rift between him and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, which was later rubbished by the captain, who said that the team is united.

Source:TOI

Sehwag undergoes surgery, may miss Champions Trophy

NEW DELHI: In what could spell more trouble for Indian cricket, explosive opening batsman Virender Sehwag, whose absence ruined India's campaign to defend the Twenty20 World Championship title, will remain out of action for the next three months and is likely to miss the upcoming Champions Trophy in September.

Sehwag is currently under rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Bangalore as he recovers from the shoulder injury which kept him out of the ICC World Twenty20. The batsman earlier underwent a surgey on June 11 after a lesion was indentified on his shoulder.

Viru will be under the observation of team physio Nitin Patel and is expected to wear a sling for atleast the next month till his lesion heals. At the end of the tenth week after the operation, Sehwag's shoulder will be evaluated and it will be asserted then if he is able to throw the ball.

The batsman picked up the injury during the cash-rich Twenty20 tournament -- Indian Premier League (IPL), following which there was intense speculations over his fitness during the T20 World Cup.

The uncertainity over his unavailablity led to reports of rift between him and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, which was later rubbished by the captain, who said that the team is united.

Source:TOI

'Chokers' tag continue to haunt South Africa

London, Jun 19 (PTI) South Africa are "chokers" and they continue to provide evidence that the tag is not given to them without reason although skipper Graeme Smith begs to differ.

For all the right words, sane and sanguine thinking and public posturing, skipper Smith did let it slip when he conceded his side would be "devastated" by yesterday's seven-run defeat at the hands of Pakistan in the first semifinal of the Twenty20 World Cup.

This crushing sense of loss of so many reverses -- 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2007 World Cups; the roadblocks of Champions Trophy and now two successive ICC World Twenty20 - must have taken a toll on the Proteas cricketers' psyche.

Other occasions too come to mind in an instant: losing the semifinals of the ICC Knockout Trophy in 2000; two years later losing to India in the semifinals from an astonishing position and then semifinalists again in 2006 edition of the ICC Knock Out Trophy.

Words alone don't provide cure -- correctives do but South Africa, since its readmission into the game in early 90s, has only been a bridesmaid or worse.

Choking, according to a research, comes from thinking too much. It causes a loss of instinct and panic sets in. It happens when a sportsman experiences spasms of doubt and is unable to focus. Negative thoughts unleash anxiety and a player loses his ability to perform under pressure. The result is disaster. PTI

Sri Lanka survives Ireland scare, win by nine runs

London, Jun 14 (PTI) Sri Lanka survived a scare before putting one foot in the semifinal of the Twenty20 World Cup following their narrow nine-run win over minnows Ireland in their Super Eight match at Lord's here today.

Sri Lanka are now sitting atop the Group F with four points from two wins. They had earlier beaten Pakistan.

Electing to bat, Mahela Jayawardene hit a gutsy 53-ball 78 to save Sri Lanka blushes as a spirited Irish attack restricted the islanders to a modest 144 for nine.

However, Lankan bowlers lived up to their reputation and denied Ireland an upset win, restrictng them to 135 for seven.

Both Lasith Malinga (2/19) and Ajantha Mendis (2/22) bowled with fire and venom, putting up a clinical performance, to script Sri Lanka's win.

Irish Skipper William Porterfield (31) and Niall O'Brien (31) had provided a decent start to the minnows, knitting together 59 runs for the first wicket.

But the slow run rate dented their chances heavily and middle-order was left with a daunting task. John Mooney flourished late in the innings with unbeaten 31 but could not finish it off for his side.

Kumar Sangakkara rotated all his bowlers, including mystery spinner Mendis and wizard Muttiah Murlitharan, seeking early breakthrough but Ireland still got off to a decent start. PTI

Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 19 runs

LONDON: Sri Lanka kept their composure to beat Pakistan by 19 runs in their opening Super Eights match in the World Twenty20 at Lord's on Friday.

Defending a total of 150 for seven, Sri Lanka remained unbeaten at the tournament as they held Pakistan to a total of 131 for nine. Fast bowler Lasith Malinga took three wickets for 18 runs.

Pakistan captain Younus Khan made 50 and put on 66 for the fourth wicket with Misbah-ul-Haq. But the repair work the duo had carried out after Pakistan had been 35 for three was quickly undone by the loss of three quick wickets.

They lost two wickets in as many balls to be 101 for five in the 16th over with Misbah caught sweeping in the deep against Muttiah Muralitharan and the dangerous Shahid Afridi going the same way for a first ball duck.

Earlier, leg-spinner Afridi had kept Pakistan in the game as Sri Lanka, who had been 81 without loss, were restricted to 150 for seven.

But when Younus skied Malinga to wicket-keeper Kumar Sangakkara, the captain holding the catch despite colliding with Murali, Pakistan were 108 for six. Younus faced 37 balls with four fours.

Pakistan had still to score their first run when left-hander Salman Butt was clean bowled off the third ball of their innings by Angelo Mathews.

They then lost two wickets for one run in three balls in the sixth over to collapse to 35 for three.

Shoaib Malik, who'd hit five fours in his 28, was undone by Malinga's slower ball and chipped to Nuwan Kulasekara at mid-on.

Kamran Akmal was then run out after failing to beat Chamara Silva's throw.

At the end of the powerplay, Pakistan were 36 for three - and that was before Murali and fellow spinner Ajantha Mendis had bowled a ball between them.

Pakistan went 34 balls without a boundary before Younus swept Mendis for four and soon afterwards the captain handed out similar treatment to the more experienced Muralitharan.

Another swept four by Younus off Murali saw the skipper post a fifty stand in 47 balls with Misbah.

Sri Lanka were 81 without loss before Afridi (two wickets for 23 runs off four overs), took two for three in six balls to reduce them to 89 for two.

Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal (two for 26) took the key wickets of Sri Lanka captain Sangakkara, stumped by Kamran Akmal, and Mahela Jayawardene, caught in the covers by Afridi.

Openers Tillekaratne Dilshan (46) and Sanath Jayasuriya (26), aided by wayward pace bowling, got Sri Lanka off to a flyer before they fell to Afridi. Left-arm fast bowler Sohail Tanvir endured a nightmare start as he conceded 29 runs, including six wides and three no-balls, in his two overs.

Pakistan next face New Zealand at the Oval on Saturday while Sri Lanka are back at Lord's on Sunday for a match against Ireland.


Soruce:TOI