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India on the scent of a rare win
BSF Jalandhar, SRC Ramgarh in semis
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Delhi-Punjab venue upsets Bedi
Morkel injured, to miss action
Australia sets up integrity unit
Boxing officials trade punches, sport takes the hit The year has been anything but a smooth ride for Vijender. File
photo Air India, ONGC make it to last four Pak may pull out of World T20 in B’desh
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India on the scent of a rare win
Johannesburg, DECEMBER 20
By close of play, Pujara and Kohli had added 191 for the third wicket in just 44.1 overs. A scoring rate of 4.32 during their partnership emphasises their dominance on a day they reduced the home bowlers to a sorry state. South Africa are a bowler light after Morne Morkel was sent to hospital due to an ankle injury. He won't take any further part in this match due to a muscle tear and could miss the second Test too. Pujara (221 balls, 18 fours) and Kohli (132 balls, 8 fours) added 175 runs in the final session at a rollicking run-rate of 4.61. The wicketless final session is one of the best batting sessions India have ever had in South Africa. The only wicket to fall in the second session was that of Murali Vijay (39), who edged Jacques Kallis to wicketkeeper AB de Villiers. Captain Graeme Smith has a further worry in that regular leg-spinner Imran Tahir has bowled so poorly that De Villiers was given the last over before tea with Hashim Amla donning the keeper's gloves, a sign of how little confidence Smith has in his slow bowler. Earlier, paceman Vernon Philander become the fastest South African to take 100 Test wickets when he enticed Shikhar Dhawan (15) to steer the ball to second slip Kallis, who took his 199th catch in Test cricket. Philander claimed his 100th victim in his 19th Test, the joint-sixth quickest to the milestone in Tests, and he reached the mark one match faster than South Africa's previous record-holder, Dale Steyn. The tourists made short work of the South African tail in the morning session, despite a battling half-century from Philander, dismissing the hosts for 244 as they picked up the final four wickets for the addition of 31 runs. Philander (59) resumed with Faf de Plessis (20) and hit the first ball for four to reach his third Test 50. But he was the first to go when he edged Zaheer Khan to Ravichandran Ashwin at first slip, ending a seventh-wicket partnership of 80 with Du Plessis that rescued the home side from a precarious 146 for six. Steyn (10) was pouched at slip by Rohit Sharma to become Ishant Sharma's fourth victim, before Zaheer had Du Plessis caught behind and bowled Morkel (seven). — Agencies Scoreboard Extras (lb-4, w-1, nb-3) 8 India 2nd innings Extras ((b 5, lb 5, w 8) 18
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BSF Jalandhar, SRC Ramgarh in semis
Patiala, December 20 In the quarterfinals, BSF subdued CISF New Delhi 4-2 while SRC won 2-1 via the tie-breaker against CRPF New Delhi. EME Jalandhar scraped past Sports Hostel Lucknow 3-2 and Sports Academy Jarkhad swamped ITBP 3-0 to win their quarterfinal matches. Helped by three goals from the stick of inside right Ranjit Singh, BSF edged past CISF 4-2 in a closely fought match. BSF started on a fast note and Ranjit Singh sounded the board in the 24th minute. Hatinder Singh added another goal with a stinging shot to make it 2-0 in the 27th minute. It looked like a one-sided affair when BSF scored their third goal in the 53rd minute through Ranjit Singh but CISF hit back in the 56th minute (3-1) when Major Singh deflected a free hit into his own goal. Two minutes later Varinder Guria dribbled his way into the circle and scored the second goal for CISF to make it 3-2. However, BSF did not allow CISF any more goals and scored their fourth goal through Ranjit Singh to earn a deserved 4-2 victory. CRPF New Delhi and SRC settled for a draw in regulation time and the game was decided through a tie-breaker, which was clinched by SRC with the scoreboard reading 2-1 in their favour. Strong contenders EME Jalandhar edged out Sports Hostel Lucknow 3-2 in a titanic battle of nerves.
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Delhi-Punjab venue upsets Bedi
new delhi, December 20 Delhi will take on Punjab at Roshanara club from December 22 in their penultimate group league match and the squad had only one change from the one that was selected against Vidarbha. Left-arm seamer Pawan Suyal has come in place of left-arm spinner Manan Sharma as Delhi plan to produce another seamer friendly result-oriented track. Bedi, under the aegis of National Capital Territory Cricket Association, again fired a salvo at Chetan Chauhan, chairman of senior selection committee, for playing at Roshanara Club instead of the Ferozshah Kotla. He raised another point on Saini’s selection, as he’s from Karnal in Haryana. “After our association had specifically objected to non Delhi players being selected in various Delhi teams, the DDCA management has decided to be absolutely intransigent and include the same boy, in the team announced today, by chairman of the Ranji selection committee,” Bedi said in a press release in which Chauhan and Navdeep were not actually named. “It is shocking that a renowned cricketer like our current chairman takes his dictation from senior management and puts a stamp of approval on all what he is told to do,” Bedi stated. “The team management and the captain wanted Navdeep Saini in the squad,” Chauhan said. “Since the team has a very bright chance of qualifying for the knock-outs, they wanted to play on a result-oriented pitch. I can assure you that the last group league match will be played at the Kotla,” he added. — PTI
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Morkel injured, to miss action
Johannesburg, DECEMBER 20 As per the information received, Morkel has been advised rest for around 10 days which effectively rules him out of the next Test match also. The incident happened in the second ball of the 14th over as Pujara tucked Steyn towards fine leg for a couple. As Morkel sprinted from his position at the boundary line, the right foot got stuck and the ankle twisted. He was down on the ground crying for help before support staff carried him off. PHILANDER MILESTONE Vernon Philander became the fastest South African to take 100 Test wickets when he enticed Shikhar Dhawan to knick to Jacques Kallis who took his 199th Test catch. Philander claimed his 100th victim in his 19th Test, the joint sixth quickest to the milestone, and one match faster than South Africa's previous record holder Dale Steyn. — PTI |
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Australia sets up integrity unit
Melbourne, December 20 CA’s senior legal counsel Iain Roy would head the unit. “We think this is a responsible approach to protecting the game under our jurisdiction. We need to ensure the Australian public has full faith in the integrity of the game and the way it is administered,” CA chief executive James Sutherland said. The consolidation of CA’s integrity functions into a single unit was recommended by an independent review earlier this year. — Reuters
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Boxing officials trade punches, sport takes the hit
NEW dELHI, DECEMBER 20 Suspended internationally last year, the Indian Boxing Federation remained a pariah this year too, preventing the country's boxers from competing under the national flag. To top it all, Vijender, the man who attained nationwide stardom after bringing home India's maiden Olympic and World Championship medals, was implicated in a drug scandal, tarnishing his reputation even though no evidence was found against him after the initial brouhaha. The former world number one was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing after being subjected to a dope test by the National Anti-Doping Agency. In fact, there was not much to cheer for in Indian boxing this year, barring a fine show in the Asian Championships, where Shiva Thapa, the latest star on the horizon, fetched a gold medal for the first time since 2009. The year started with hectic attempts to get the suspension, imposed December last, revoked with the IBF writing to the AIBA on several occasions only to be snubbed by the world body, which insisted on a re-election and constitutional amendments in compliance with its statute. Amid the letter exchanges, a livid AIBA temporarily banned Indian boxers as well but eventually relented in the interest of the pugilists. The country's boxers continued to compete under the AIBA flag after getting clearance on an event-to-event basis. Boxers take it on the chin The boxers, on their part, braved the circumstances, bagging four bronze medals at the Asian Youth Championships in March. Their junior counterparts also shone with a gold and three bronze medals in the continental meet in April. Shiva's gold in the senior Asian Championships was another proof of the boxers' resilience. The Indians also fetched a couple of silver medals through rising star Mandeep Jangra (69kg) and L Devendro Singh (49kg), besides a bronze from Manoj Kumar (64kg). In May, the boxers scripted another piece of history when they returned with a whopping 10 medals, including four gold, from the FXTM International Boxing Cup held in Limassol, Cyprus. New rules hit hard The AIBA introduced a revamped scoring system under which the boxers were rated not just on the number of punches connected but also for their overall ring craft and technique. The Indians were dealt a massive blow when a crucial June tour to Cuba, where these rules were to be implemented for the first time in training-cum-competition before the World Championships in October, was cancelled after AIBA refused to sanction it. The effects of this missed exposure trip were ultimately felt in the World Championships as India came back empty-handed for the first time since 2009. A medal was missing but the Indian boxers did give a good account of themselves as five of them made the quarterfinals despite the fact that they did not get the requisite exposure to adapt to the rule changes.— PTI Flashback 2013: Low points |
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Air India, ONGC make it to last four Ludhiana, December 20 Bangladesh players appeared minnows against Air India as the latter established a five-goal lead by the half time. Air India drew the first blood in the 14th minute when Shivander Singh scored a field goal. He struck again in the next minute to increase the lead. Shivander sounded the board again in the 47th minute to complete his hat-trick. Joga Singh too scored thrice, in 32nd, 42nd and 61st minute, to enhance the lead. Vinod Pillay, Birander Lakra, Arjun Hallap and Aggan Usag sounded the board once to complete the tally. In the second match, ONGC XI, after wasting a couple of chances, surged ahead in the 30th minute through Mandeep Singh. They scored two goals in the second session (Divakar, 55th minute, Harsahib Singh, 58th minute) to seal the deal. In women's section, Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala drew 2-2 with MP Academy, Gwalior while Sonepat XI survived some anxious moments before beating Chandigarh XI 2-1. The semi finals in men's section between ONGC XI and Punjab Police, Air India and Punjab and Sind Bank will be played on December 22.
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Pak may pull out of World T20 in B’desh Karachi, December 20 A source told PTI that there are concerns in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) about the situation in Bangladesh and the growing anti-Pakistan sentiments. “We are monitoring the situation but we are waiting to see what the International Cricket Council decides in January whether to hold the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh in March-April or shift it somewhere else,” he said. "If the ICC shifts the World T20 from Bangladesh then the Asia Cup (in Feb-March) will also be called off in Bangladesh and postponed for the next few months until a feasible window and host is found for the tournament," he said.— PTI Hit on chest, player dies in Pakistan All sports activities in the city have been suspended for three days after a promising young cricketer, Zulfiqar Bhatti died here after being hit on the chest by a rising ball that caused his death on the pitch. Bhatti, 22, was batting at his usual one down position for his local club -- Super Star cricket club -- when the tragedy occurred on Tuesday. “We were playing a match against Sindh Young cricket club when Bhatti was hit on the chest. As soon as the ball hit Bhatti on the chest he collapsed on the pitch and though we rushed him to hospital he was pronounced dead on arrival,” club official Rehmat said.
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Sindhu, Kashyap win; Shriyanshi stuns Trupti Chanderpaul ton gives WI edge over New Zealand Michael Ferreira resigns as BSAM president Mampi Das wins gold in 10m Air Rifle
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Cheteshwar Pujara hit a fine 135, his sixth Test century and the first outside India, and Virat Kohli made an unbeaten 77 as India finished the third day's play at 284/2 in their second innings of the first Test against South Africa. India now have an overall lead of 320 and must fancy their chances of a win.
By close of play, Pujara and Kohli had added 191 for the third wicket in just 44.1
overs. A scoring rate of 4.32 during their partnership emphasises their dominance on a day they reduced the home bowlers to a sorry state.
The continuing administrative logjam worsened into a full-fledged factional tug-of-war while Indian boxing's poster boy, Vijender Singh, found himself at the center of a devastating drug scandal in what was a thoroughly tumultuous year for the country's pugilists.
Suspended internationally last year, the Indian Boxing Federation remained a pariah this year too, preventing the country's boxers from competing under the national flag. 
