Thursday, January 21, 2010
IPL ties up with Google for ‘live’ streaming of 2010 season
Hockey India to give Rs 50,000 each to women players
HI interim president Vidya Stokes told reporters here that apart from Rs 50,000, the ad-hoc national body has requested the government to give each player Rs one lakh for their silver medal winning performance in last year's Asia Cup in Bangkok and gold in the inaugural Champions Challenge I in Kazan, Russia.
"We have requested the Sports Ministry to give each women player Rs one lakh as reward for their silver medal in Asia Cup," Stokes said.
"But as of now, we (HI) are immediately giving Rs 50,000 each all the 19 players of the camp for their outstanding performance last year."
"I have spoken to the coach and captain and they are very happy. We will issues the cheques as early as possible, she added.
Following in the footsteps of their male counterparts, the Indian women hockey players on Thursday protested the non-payment of their dues by wearing black armbands during the training session of Commonwealth Games preparatory camp in Bhopal.
The protesting women players have not received their dues since April last year, and hence the core group decided to sport black bands in protest in contrast against the men's team's move to go on strike.
The team has also opened a savings account in Bhopal branch of the Syndicate Bank and has asked hockey loving fans all over the country to support their cause.
TOI
Roger Federer charges into Australian Open third round
Watched by Britain's Prince William in the official box, the world's number one ripped through the 47th-ranked Hanescu in just one hour 39 minutes, winning 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.
Federer, bidding for his 16th Grand Slam title and fourth Australian Open here over the next fortnight, will now play Spanish 31st-seed Albert Montanes in Saturday's third round.
It was a stunning set of statistics for Federer in Thursday's match.
He broke Hanescu's serve five times and didn't drop his own serve, while hitting 52 winners, 28 of them with the forehand. Federer dominated the match points 96 to 64.
Hanescu has still to take a set off Federer in their four meetings as the Swiss legend stepped up a gear after his muddling opening round performance against Russian Igor Andreev on Tuesday.
His opening set loss to Andreev was the first time he had dropped a set in a first round Grand Slam match since the 2003 US Open.
Federer made his intentions known from the outset, breaking Hanescu's opening service and again in the eighth game to take the set in 34 minutes.
The Swiss great strolled through the second set, reeling off another service break in the eighth game to take a 2-0 sets lead.
He broke Hanescu in his opening two service games of the final set to coast to victory in quick time.
Federer is on track to face either former finalists, Lleyton Hewitt or Marcos Baghdatis, in the fourth round and a potential quarter-final with Russian sixth seed Nikolay Davydenko.
TOI
Bhupathi out of doubles, Paes and Sania advance
Melbourne, Jan 21 (PTI) Mahesh Bhupathi's reunion with Max Mirnyi began on a disappointing note as the fourth seeded duo made a stunning first round exit from the Australian Open even as Leander Paes and Sania Mirza notched up facile wins with their respective partners here today.
Paes and his Czech partner Lukas Dlouhy were the first to take the court and the third seeds didn't have much trouble in sailing past Czechs Leos Friedl and David Skoch 6-3 6-1 in the first round of the men's doubles event.
Paes and Dlouhy will next take on Lucas Arnold Ker of Argentina and Romania's Horia Tecau.
But the newly-formed combination of Bhupathi and Belarusian Mirnyi disappointed with a 4-6 4-6 loss to the unseeded German-Finnish pair of Michael Kohlmann and Jarkko Nieminen.
India thump Bangladesh to lead 1-0 in the series
India clinched the first cricket Test against Bangladesh with an emphatic 113-run victory to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series here today, despite a rollicking century by wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim that delayed the inevitable.
The Indians, who needed to pick up eight wickets on the last day, took just about two sessions to wrap up the game and make amends for their disappointing batting show in the first innings.
Chasing an improbable 415-run victory target, the hosts resumed on 67 for two and rode on Rahim's gutsy 101 and Tamim Iqbal's gritty 52 before folding for 301 in 75.2 overs.
Amit Mishra (4/92), Ishant Sharma (3/48), and Zaheer Khan (2/90) struck at regular intervals to bowl out the hosts at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.
The baby-faced Rahim threw his bat at everything hurled at him but that was merely a desperate attempt by a number seven batsman to delay the inevitable.
The diminutive stumper-batsman took 112 balls to hit his maiden Test ton - also the fastest by a Bangladeshi batsman - and was the last man out.
Both the teams now move to Mirpur for the last Test.
Rahim, who came in just before lunch when his side were 135 for five, took the Indian attack by the scruff of its neck, hitting 17 fours and a six.
With this win, India maintained their unbeaten record in Bangladesh. They have now won five out of six matches in Bangladesh, including a drawn Test in 2007.
The Test, which began with a war of words between the two sides after India's stand-in captain Virender Sehwag had described the hosts as an ordinary side, was also a memorable one for opening batsman Gautam Gambhir who became the only fourth batsman to have scored five successive Test tons.
Sachin Tendulkar also reached the milestone of becoming the only player to score 13,000 Test runs by notching up his 44th hundred, which also earned him the Man of the Match award.
An Indian batting collapse on the opening day of the weather-hit match provided some excitement but the Test ultimately ended on expected lines with the visitors scripting a comfortable win.
Chasing a stiff 415, Bangladesh needed 348 from the final day and once they were 136 for five at lunch any hopes of an improbable win had evaporated.
Wickets fell at regular intervals with the Indian bowlers applying pressure all day with some impressive show till came the tail.
Using the early movement of the ball due to foggy conditions, Ishant struck twice in the first hour conceding just 11 runs from his seven-over uninterrupted spell to give his side the stranglehold in the Test.
Ishant first removed key batsman Mohammad Ashraful (27) in the fourth over of the day with Rahul Dravid taking a fine catch at the second slip.
Bangladesh were 94 for four soon with Ishant striking again in his sixth over, trapping Raqibul Hossain LBW.
Sehwag introduced himself in place of S Sreesanth and immediately removed Tamim Iqbal to reduce Bangladesh to 135 for five.
Overnight batsman Tamim went for an unnecessary slash off a Sehwag delivery which shaped away after pitching on the off and the thick edge went straight to Dravid's safe hands at slip. Tamim, who who resumed the day on 23, faced 122 balls and hit six boundaries in his 52.
Bangladesh, who resumed the post-lunch session on 136 for five, showed no intention of digging their heel and trying to save the match.
Captain Shakib Al Hasan perished in the third over after lunch, foxed by an Amit Mishra googly which took the shoulder of his blade for Sehwag to take a head-high catch at silly point.
Mahmadullah (20) hit two fours in the same over of Zaheer Khan but the veteran Indian bowler had the last laugh as he removed the batsman in his next over with wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik collecting the faint edge.
Mishra struck twice in quick time to remove Shahadat Hossain (24) and Shafiul Islam (8) before he went on to end Rahim's heroics.
Source: PTI
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Djokovic makes winning start at Australian Open
India nose ahead in first Test
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Pollard, Bond costliest players at IPL auction
Mumbai: The explosive Caribbean all-rounder Kieron Pollard and New Zealand paceman Shane Bond emerged as the most expensive players, being sold for a whopping $750,000 (approx. Rs3.42 crore) at the auction for the third edition of the Indian Premier League on Tuesday.
It was a four-way tie among Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders to grab Pollard and eventually Mumbai won the player through a silent tie-breaker bid in the high profile auction which saw no Pakistani player being sold out.
The price of the silent bid was not disclosed by the organisers with IPL chairman Lalit Modi saying that the information will be confined to the bidders and them.
Like Pollard, a keen tussle was witnessed to grab Kiwi paceman Bond with Kolkata Knight Riders and Deccan Chargers making the highest bid.
After a tie-breaker, the Kolkata grabbed the paceman.
West Indies paceman Kemar Roach was the second costliest player sold to Deccan Chargers for $720,000.
Delhi Daredevils bought South African all rounder Wayne Parnell for $610,000 against a base price of $200,000.
Rajasthan Royals bought retired Australian Damien Martyn for $100,000 apart from securing the services of Adam Voges for $50,000.
Chennai Super Kings recalled South African Justin Kemp by paying $100,000 and also bought emerging Sri Lankan batsman Thisara Perera for $50,000.
Mohammed Kaif, the only Indian player featuring in the auction, went unsold in the first round but was later bought by Kings XI Punjab for $250,000. They also recalled South African Yusuf Abdullah.
Royal Challengers Bangalore bid for just one player and got England’s Eoin Morgan for $220,000.
In all, 56 players remained unsold out of 67 that went under the hammer.
Three Under-19 Indian players at a fixed price of Rs8 lakh were also in the auction list.
Royal Challengers Bangalore chose U-19 skipper Ashok Maneria, Deccan Chargers preferred Harmeet Singh and Mumbai Indians opted for Harshal Patel.
The third edition of the extremely popular Twenty20 tournament will begin from 12 March.
Source:http://www.livemint.com/
Dhoni, Bhajji set to play 2nd Test against Bangladesh
Chittagong, Jan 19 (PTI) Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh are recovering fast and they are set to play the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka from January 24, team manager Arshad Ayub said here today.
"(M S) Dhoni is fast improving from his injury (back spasm). He batted and bowled at the nets (after third day's play). For Harbhajan Singh, he has recovered 80-85 per cent and in a couple of days he would be fully all right," Ayub said at the press conference after third day's play of the first Test here.
Dhoni was a ruled out a day ahead of the first Test at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Cricket Stadium due to back spasm and vice-captain Virender Sehwag is leading the visiting side in his absence.
Playing with Tendulkar an honour to me, says Pollard
New Delhi, Jan 19 (PTI) For West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard, who was bought by Indian Premier League team Mumbai Indians for a whopping USD 750,000 in today's auction, chance to share the dressing room with Sachin Tendulkar came as an additional bonanza.
"It is an honour to play with Sachin Tendulkar. I have grown up as a kid by watching him in the television," Pollard said after he was sold to the Mumbai team during first round of the IPL auction in Mumbai.
"Its brilliant for me to get the chance to play in the IPL. It will be an exposure and also an opportunity to show what player Pollard can do," the 22-year-old cricketer told Times Now.
Monday, January 18, 2010
NRAI bows down to Bindra’s pressure
1st Test: Indian pacers rattle Bangladesh
Raqibul Hasan was unbeaten on one and Mohammad Ashraful had yet to open his account when play was called off due to bad light. Only 24.5 overs were bowled because of poor weather on Monday.
Sachin Tendulkar earlier scored a superb 105 not out under pressure for his 44th Test century to boost India's total. He cracked two sixes and 11 fours in his 166-ball knock.
Bangladesh then got off to a sound start, with left-handed openers Tamim Iqbal (31) and Imrul Kayes (23) playing some attractive shots against the Indian strike bowlers.
Iqbal was initially more aggressive, scoring 21 in the opening four overs before his partner opened his account.
Kayes outscored Iqbal after lunch, hitting left-arm seamer Zaheer for two boundaries in an over and then driving S Sreesanth for a four.
Zaheer broke the partnership when he removed Kayes, who was trapped leg-before while playing across the line. He then bowled Iqbal in his next over with a delivery that kept low.
Sharma's lone victim was Shahriar Nafees, who was caught by VVS Laxman at second slip after contributing only four.
India posted their lowest-ever total against Bangladesh despite Tendulkar's century. Their previous lowest in a completed innings was 429 in Dhaka in 2000.
India, reeling at 213/8 on Sunday, lost their remaining two wickets in less than eight overs in the morning, with left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan and paceman Shahadat Hossain finishing with five wickets apiece.
Shakib grabbed 5/62 for his sixth haul of five or more wickets in Tests and Shahadat took 5/71 for his third.
Tendulkar, who had only tail-enders Sharma and Sreesanth for company, went for shots early in the morning in pursuit of his century.
Resuming on his overnight score of 76, he pulled Shahadat for a four in the first over after play started 90 minutes late due to fog, and then hoisted Shakib over long-on for a six.
Tendulkar was on 93 when last-man Sreesanth joined him and completed his century with two successive fours off Shahadat.
TOI
Sunday, January 17, 2010
I won’t want make an emotional decision: Abhinav
I won’t want make an emotional decision: Abhinav
Friday, January 15, 2010
Woods to donate USD 3 million to Haiti quake victims
New York, Jan 15 (PTI) Shamed golfer Tiger Woods is reportedly considering to donate USD 3 million for the victims of the calamitous earthquake that rocked Haiti.
Woods wanted to send medical supplies to the earthquake devastated Caribbean nation, said Hip-hop mogul Russell Simons.
"Tiger Woods is working on sending a mobile hospital with 50 EMTs to go set up a triage," Simmons was quoted as saying by the New York Daily News.
The earthquake, so far, has left between 40,000 - 50,000 people dead and about 300,000 homeless.
Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama said Woods can "absolutely" get back on track.
"I don't want to comment on his personal relationship with his wife and family, but I am a strong believer that anybody can look within themselves, find their flaws and fix them," Obama told People magazine.
Notably, Woods had disappeared from public life after a scandal which revealed a series of his extramarital affairs.
BCCI and Nimbus cement relationship till 2014
Mumbai, Jan 15 (PTI) Nimbus Communications Limited (Nimbus) today issued bank guarantees to the Board of Control for Cricket in India, securing the entire new period of its 2010-2014 agreement.
With this, Nimbus and BCCI have now cemented their relationship till March 2014 during which Nimbus will exclusively market various media rights for all international cricket tours staged by the BCCI and 78 days of BCCI Domestic cricket events every year globally.
BCCI and Nimbus had earlier entered into a new agreement valued at approximately Rs 2000 crores and for a minimum of 64 international matches and 312 days of domestic cricket, over a four-year period.
"The BCCI is pleased to extend its partnership with Nimbus by entering into this agreement till 2014.
Mumbai lift thrilling 39th Ranji title
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Prakash Amritraj crashes out of Australian Open qualifiers
Unseeded Amritraj went down fighting 5-7, 4-6 against French 25th seed Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the second round.
Amritraj last played in a Grand Slam in 2002 when he made the US Open main draw as a wild card entrant.
Yuki Bhambri has already exited following his first round defeat.
Now India's hopes to see a player competing in the singles event of the first Grand Slam of the season are resting on Somdev Devvarman who will play his second round on Friday.
He is up against Germany's Tobias Kamke.
TOI
India upstaged, Sri Lanka lift tri-nation trophy
The summit clash demanded a special performance by the Indians who aspire to be the number one ODI team in the world but all they managed was 245 before folding in 48.2 overs, denying their bowling colleagues enough runs to defend.
Things could have been embarrassing for them but for the 106-run stand between Suresh Raina (106) and Ravindra Jadeja (38) and a characteristically brisk 27-ball 42 by Virender Sehwag upfront.
Chasing the target, Sri Lanka fumbled occasionally before eventually cruising to 249 for six in 48.3 overs. For them, Tillakaratne Dilshan (49) and Kumar Sangakkara (55) set the tone and Mahela Jayawardene (71 not out) completed the job.
Not that the Sri Lankan chase was a hiccup-free affair. Ashish Nehra had the scoreless Upul Tharanga caught in the slip by Virat Kohli off his third delivery and Sri Lanka were yet to open their account at that stage.
Sangakkara is not new to such situation and the Lankan captain, in Dilshan's company, added 92 runs to put the chase back on track at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium.
Dhoni pressed in service Yuvraj Singh and then collaborated with him to remove the dangerous Dilshan off the left-arm spinner's first delivery.
Harbhajan Singh removed Sangakkara and Thilina Kandamby (18) and in between, Jadeja castled Thilan Samaraweera (27).
Already one bowler short as Nehra left the field with a groin injury, Dhoni could only watch as the Lankans gradually overwhelmed the target.
Earlier, Suresh Raina's third ODI ton, product of his 115-ball stay that included 10 fours and a six, saved India blushes as the side recovered from 60 for five inside 11 overs to post 245 before losing all the wickets in the 49th over.
The left-hander shared a 106-run sixth wicket partnership with Ravindra Jadeja (38) to revive the innings.
Virender Sehwag chipped in with a brisk 27-ball 42 before falling to a soft dismissal.
For Sri Lanka, pacers Nuwan Kulasekara (4-48) and Chanaka Welegedara (3-53) wrecked the Indian order.
The Sri Lankan bowlers used the early life on the pitch with some swing and bounce but it was more due to the Indians rushing for shots in search for quick runs which led to their downfall.
It was a disastrous start for India which began with Dhoni losing the toss and continued with Gautam Gambhir (0) and in-form Virat Kohli (2) returning to the pavilion by the second over.
Gambhir completely missed a Kulasekara delivery which disturbed his leg stump after deflecting off his thigh pads.
In the next over, Kohli went for a slash off Welegedara, only to offer an easy catch to Kumar Sangakkara.
Sehwag seemed unperturbed as he punished Kulasekara for three fours in the third over but new man in Yuvraj Singh made a quiet exit without opening his account.
Yuvraj chased a Welegedara delivery for a cut without moving his feet and Thilan Samaraweera took a smart catch in the slips as India slumped to 16 for three.
Sehwag and Dhoni tried to revive the innings with a brief 32-ball 31 runs for the fourth wicket before the Indian captain nicked Kulasekara to Sangakkara in the ninth over.
Sehwag hit Welegedara for two fours to take India score to 58 for four after 10 overs before he went for an upper cut and the edge ended safely on Sangakkara's gloves.
Back against the wall, Raina and Jadeja played the balls on merit, scoring the occasional boundaries. But just when India looked like reaching a stage from where they could launch for a defendable total, Jadeja was out LBW to a Dilshan ball which straightened after pitching on the middle stump.
Raina played some delightful shots, including a six off off-spinner Suraj Randiv and raised his hundred with a two off Thissara Perera in the 44th over with the help of nine fours.
Raina did not get much support from the lower order batsmen, including Harbhajan Singh (11) and Zaheer Khan (16), both of whom can swing the bat to good effect.
TOI
Mumbai beat Karnataka to win 39th Ranji Trophy title
Mumbai Ranji team 39th time on Thursday.
Mumbai's 39th championship win looked unlikely when Manish Pandey and Ganesh Satish were at the crease as Karnataka chased a mammoth 338-run target.
The duo, who had come together when Karnataka were in dire straits at 46 for three, batted with gusto, assurance and caution to take the fight into the enemy camp, raising 209 runs for the fourth wicket.
As long as Pandey, who made a magnificent 144 (18 fours, one six) in trying circumstances, was at the square Karnataka were in the reckoning of winning their seventh Ranji title.
But once he departed, caught at slip by Mumbai skipper Wasim Jaffer off left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla minutes before lunch, Mumbai slowly but assuredly started taking control of the game.
While Pandey, who amassed a whopping 882 runs in the season, carted the cherry around the park with impunity, Satish batted with circumspection.
Satish, who laboured hard for 318 minutes, made 75 before being adjudged leg before wicket to Dhawal Kulkarni.
Stuart Binny (17), Sunil Joshi (16) and R Vinay Kumar (15) batted with resolve to take Karnataka closer to the target.
But quick strikes by Kulkarni and Ajit Agarkar (5 for 81) ensured that Mumbai emerged triumphant in the end.
This closely contested final would remembered for the outstanding performances of Vinayak Samant (67), Avishkar Salvi (5 for 31), Daval Kulkarni (87 and 3 for 80), Ajit Agarkar (5 for 81), Manish Pandey (144), Abhimanyu Mithun (3 for 56 and 6 for 71) and R Vinay Kumar (4 for 61 and 3 for 78).
The sporting wicket was prepared by a tennis court curator from Mysore.
Brief scores:
Mumbai: 233 (Vinayak Samant 67, Vinay Kumar 4-61) and 234 (Dhawal Kulkarni 87, Abhimanyu Mithun 6-71)
Karnataka: 130 (Aavishkar Salvi 5-31) and 331 (Manish Pandey 144, Ajit Agarkar 5-81)
TOI