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Andy Roddick scrapes past Johansson
England-Australia final ends in dramatic tie
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New Zealand to proceed with tour of Zimbabwe
PCB awaits report on Shabbir
Shaharyar, PCB come under attack
Haq welcomes new ODI rules
Four Indians in ICC World XI squads
Hidayat, Chen in semis
Corporal Sathya sets pole vault record
Haryana eves rout Kerala
Awardee selection panel to meet on July 5
Haryana eves rout Kerala
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Venus conquers Wimbledon
London, July 2 The 25-year-old, who also won Wimbledon in 2000 and 2001 before losing the next two finals to her sister Serena, has suffered from poor form over the past two years and was seeded 14th in the draw, making her the lowest seed to win the title in Wimbledon history. Davenport, the Wimbledon champion in 1999, also lost when the two players met in the 2000 final and has now failed to win a Grand Slam since her Australian Open triumph earlier that same year. Venus, who was playing in her fifth final in six years at the All- England Club, started nervously under sullen skies on Centre Court. Davenport took advantage of two double faults by Venus to break her for 2-1 when the elder Williams sister blazed a backhand long and consolidated to lead 4-2 before breaking again. Venus slipped to 15-40 and the world number one slapped away a forehand volley to lead 5-2. Davenport immediately lost serve to love, however, and a suddenly dominant Venus held to love to reduce the arrears to 5-4. The younger player could not sustain her revival, however, and Davenport made no mistake in her next service game, taking the set with a heavy serve which Venus could only net. It was the first set Venus, who upset defending champion Maria Sharapova in the semifinal, had lost in her run to the final. Davenport, 29, saved a break point at 1-2 in the second set and a shaky-looking Venus saved two in the next game. The rallies became longer, however, as Venus started to find her range down both flanks. At 4-4, Davenport was incensed when a serve from her opponent that appeared to be well wide was called in. She vented her frustration at the umpire but to no avail and Venus held to love. Davenport was momentarily rattled and had to save a set point after double-faulting in the next game before holding for 5-5. Venus suddenly trailed 0-40, saved one break point but slipped in the backcourt to go 6-5 down, leaving Davenport to serve for the match. The older American faltered, however, losing serve to love as Venus went for broke and she continued in the same vein to go 5-1 up in the tiebreak before taking it 7-4 with a clubbing forehand. Despite the setback, Davenport started the third set looking the more confident and Venus cracked at 2-3 under siege from Davenport’s heavy groundstrokes, spraying a forehand out to lose serve. Davenport, though, was suffering pain in her lower back and lost her next serve from leading 40-15 before calling the trainer for treatment. She then left the court for further attention. When she returned Davenport was moving gingerly but bravely held to go 5-4 up, leaving Venus to serve to stay in the match. She promptly double-faulted to gift Davenport a match point but saved it with a crunching backhand winner before holding serve. Despite her evident suffering, Davenport kept holding serve until 7-7 when Venus finally broke her compatriot’s resolve. Serving for the match at last, Venus took victory on her second match point when Davenport netted a forehand to end her run of five Grand Slam final defeats in two hours 45 minutes. Huss-Moodie win men’s doubles
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Andy Roddick scrapes past Johansson
London, July 2 Following his heroics today, Roddick has less than 24 hours to think up a plan to stop Federer from becoming only the third player in the professional era to win a hat-trick of Wimbledon titles. Roddick benefited from an outrageous netcord in the fourth set tiebreak to bring up match point, and sunk to his knees in delight as he finally booked his place in the final with a thunderbolt delivery. “I definitely got very lucky in that fourth set tiebreak,” said Roddick as he walked off court covered in dirt. “I’m ecstatic to play Roger again and will be ready to go tomorrow no matter what. “I felt like I had to give him my all, and it’s only so many times you contest a Wimbledon semifinal so a little dirt is okay.” The 22-year-old Roddick had dropped only four points on serve to lead 6-5 overnight when the threat of showers halted play on Centre Court yesterday. Johansson, bidding to become the first Swedish finalist since Stefan Edberg won the title in 1990, showed his resilience in the tiebreak. The American stormed ahead 4-1 and also held two set points, but Johansson kept generating the winners and sneaked into a 7-6 lead with a sizzling passing shot winner that skimmed past Roddick’s outstretched racket. The 30-year-old, the 2002 Australian Open champion, sealed it 8-6 as Roddick floated a forehand long. Roddick, beaten only by Federer on grass over the past two years, remained undaunted. He took a 4-0 lead in the second as his 12th seeded opponent inexplicably lost the intensity he had shown in the first set. The owner of the world’s fastest delivery cranked up the power and dropped only two points on serve in the entire set before levelling the match thanks to a Johansson backhand error. But if Roddick thought he simply had to go through the motions to book his place in tomorrow’s final, Johansson had other ideas. The oldest man left in the singles draw came alive in an action-packed third set. Roddick traded blows from the baseline, threw himself around the court, lunged after the accelerating ball and hit athletic volleys but Johansson stood firm. Even when the American finally gained the breakthrough in the 11th game after Johansson had tipped a running forehand long on break point, his relief was short-lived. As Roddick attempted to serve out for the set, Johansson conjured up a spectacular crosscourt winner past a diving Roddick to break the second seed for the first time in the match. The pair headed into a second tiebreak and it turned into a titanic battle as they earned and lost a string of mini breaks. After saving three set points against him, Roddick struck lucky on his own third attempt by producing an unreturnable delivery to clinch the tiebreak 12-10. Johansson refused to cave in and dragged Roddick into another tiebreak and the duo remained deadlocked until 5-5 before the match turned on a cruel blow for the Swede. Roddick’s blasted ball hit the top of the net before trickling over it, leaving his opponent stranded at the back of the court. The American’s acknowledgement of his luck looked more like a dismissal of his opponent and he duly snatched victory with another huge serve. |
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England-Australia final ends in dramatic tie London, July 2 Ashley Giles stole two runs to third man as Brett Lee misfielded the ball. Earlier, Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison produced a command performance as England dismissed Australia for 196. Mike Hussey top-scored for Australia with an unbeaten 62. Scoreboard Australia Gilchrist c Pietersen Hayden c Giles b Gough 17 Ponting c G. Jones Martyn c G. Jones Symonds c Strauss Clarke lbw b S. Jones 2 Hussey not out 62 Hogg c G. Jones Lee c G. Jones b Flintoff 3 Gillespie c G. Jones McGrath c Collingwood Extras
(b-4, lb-5, nb-6, Total
(all out, 48.5 overs) 196 Fall of wickets:
1-50, 2-54, 3-71, 4-90, 5-93, 6-147, 7-169, 8-179, 9-179. Bowling:
Gough 6.5-1-36-2, S. Jones 8-2-45-1, Flintoff 8-2-23-3, Harmison 10-2-27-3, Collingwood 8-0-26-1, Giles 8-0- 30-0. England Trescothick c Ponting Strauss b Lee 2 Vaughan b McGrath 0 Pietersen c Gilchrist b Lee 6 Flintoff c Hayden Collingwood run out 53 G. Jones lbw b Hogg 71 Giles not out 18 S. Jones b Hussey 1 Gough run out 12 Harmison not out 0 Extras
(b-2, lb-12, w-3, Total
(9 wickets, 50 overs) Fall of wickets:
1-11, 2-13, 3-19, 4-19, 5-33, 6-149, 7-161, 8-162, 9-194. Bowling:
Lee 10-1-36-2, McGrath 10-4-25-3, Gillespie 10-1-42-0, Symonds 10-2-23-0, Hogg 6-0-25-1, Hussey 4-0-31-1.
— Reuters
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New Zealand to proceed with tour of Zimbabwe
Wellington, July 2 The government has already announced it will refuse to issue visas to the Zimbabwe team in a reciprocal tour scheduled for the end of this year and is enlisting the support of other cricketing nations. The British and Australian governments have both announced they would support plans to exclude the troubled African nation from international sport. However, New Zealand Cricket chief executive Martin Snedden said they were bound to proceed with the tour to avoid paying the International Cricket Council (ICC) a minimum fine of $ 2 million fine for any boycott. “The fact is we have a contractual commitment to Zimbabwe cricket and to the other eight Test-playing countries,” Snedden said. “It is our intention to honour our promise and to meet our obligations under that agreement.”
Snedden also said he was concerned about the long-term financial implications of the government’s plans to block Zimbabwe’s scheduled trip to New Zealand in December. He believed any cancellation would have a serious effect on New Zealand Cricket’s cash flow and might damage their bid to co-host the 2011 World Cup with Australia. “For some time I have been working with Australia and between us we have been submitting a joint bid to host. My instinct is that we will have had a reasonable chance of success,” Snedden said. “I have explained to the government that prior to their final decision, a move to withdraw the visas for the Zimbabwe team will inevitably severely undermine NZC’s ability to be a joint host.” Zimbabwean cricket had been in crisis for the past few years. At the 2003 World Cup, held mostly in South Africa but with a few games in Zimbabwe, players Andy Flower and Henry Olonga wore black armbands to ‘’mourn the death of democracy”. Last year, most of the country’s top players walked out on the national team over a race row, leading to calls for international teams to boycott Zimbabwe. The ICC threatened to fine countries who refused to tour, but Australian leg-spinner Stuart MacGill lodged a personal protest, refusing to take part in his team’s trip and telling selectors he could not “tour Zimbabwe and maintain a clear conscience”.
— Reuters |
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PCB awaits report on Shabbir
Lahore, July 2 Shabbir was sent straight to London after the conclusion of the series in the West Indies on June 7, where he underwent tests under the supervision of the specialist to find out if he was exceeding the permitted limit of 15 degrees while straightening his bowling arm. “We have still to get the report from the results of the tests conducted on Shabbir’s action and we have now asked the ICC to get us the report as soon as possible,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Director Operations Saleem Altaf said. The problems had been compounded for Shabbir and the PCB as the period of 21 days, during which a bowler reported for suspect action could play, was over. Altaf said the Pakistan Cricket Board was concerned since the 21 days’ period had passed and it was keen to start working on any modification of Shabbir’s action as soon as possible. “We have no idea what the tests have shown. We want to know if he is exceeding the ICC limit of 15 degrees while bowling. He is a key bowler and we want to take corrective measures before our next international assignment,” Altaf was quoted as saying by the media. The official said Pakistan might also seek ICC help for an expert to work on Shabbir’s action if the tests showed he was exceeding the allowed limit for straightening his arm.
Shabbir was reported after the first Test in Barbados by umpires David Shepherd and Darrell Hair for a suspect action for the third time in his international career.
— UNI |
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Shaharyar, PCB come under attack
Lahore, July 2 The PCB Chairman had submitted the draft copy of the constitution to President Pervez Musharraf, also the cricket board’s patron, without handing it over to the committee. “This is a breach of promise. We were expecting the draft copies of the new constitution from the PCB before it was submitted to the President’s office. PCB Chairman Shaharyar M. Khan had promised to take the committee into confidence beforehand, but he did not,’’ said chairman of the committee Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry. Battlelines are clearly drawn on the issue as the PCB refuses to back down from its stance and says the draft cannot be handed over to a third party before the President sees it, “Since the President is the PCB’s patron, we cannot hand over the draft without his knowledge,” the media quoted a PCB official as saying. In another significant move, Chaudhry said he would take up the matter with Senate Chairman Mohammad Mian Soomro. Other members of the committee, Enver Baig and Murad Ali Shah, have already tabled a privilege motion in the Senate on the issue and after discussions, Soomro reserves the decision on the motion.
— UNI |
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Haq welcomes new ODI rules
Islamabad, July 2 “These changes will make one-day internationals more interesting and competitive,” Inzamam said today. “One-day games in recent times have become boring in the middle overs. The captain’s job will now be more challenging and there will be more pressure on the bowlers.” “The fielding changes will make life harder for the bowlers as the batsmen will have more overs to attack the bowlers,” added Inzamam.
— Reuters |
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Four Indians in ICC World XI squads
London, July 2 While Tendulkar, Sehwag and Rahul Dravid figured in both the one-day and Test squads of 20 players, leg-spinner Anil Kumble had been included in the Test squad only. The ICC World XI ODI team will play three matches against world champions Australia in Melbourne on October 5, 7 and 9. The ICC Test team will play a six-day super Test in Sydney from October 14 to 19. Squads: Test: Andrew Flintoff, Michael Vaughan, Steve Harmison (England); Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble (India); Brenden McCullum, Daniel Vettori (New Zealand); Shoaib Akhtar, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan (Pakistan); Jaques Kallis, Mkhaya Ntini, Shaun Pollock, Mark Boucher, Graeme Smith (South Africa); Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka), Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies). ODI: Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison, Kevin Pieterson, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, Shoaib Akhtar, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Jacques Kallis, Mkhaya Ntini, Shaun Pollock, Herschelle Gibbs, Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumara Sangakkara, Brian Lara, Chris Gayle.
— PTI |
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Lillee, Krebs interact with pace bowlers
Bangalore, July 2 Lillee, Director of Chennai-based MRF Pace Foundation, and Krebs spent time with the speedsters in action this afternoon at the National Cricket Academy and assessed their performance, in the presence of Chappell. Chappell, who assumed charge last month, said the issues pointed out by Lillee and foundation’s chief coach
T.A. Sekar, who accompanied him, would be followed-up. Former India speedster Javagal Srinath, associated with the foundation, was also seen involved and giving a few tips to the
bowlers. Lillee, who was here only for a day, recorded bowlers’ action and would the watch video tapes and reinforce his points to them, Chappell said. — PTI |
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Narain 17th in qualifying round
Magny Cours, July 2 Monteiro, sandwiched between the Minardis of Patrick Friesacher and Christijan Albers, clocked 1:18.047 to make up the last row of the grid. Karthikeyan seemed relatively happy with his performance. “My time was ok, I think. I have made some mistakes, which cost me a little bit of time but generally it was a clean lap. We worked hard on the balance of the car and I am quite satisfied with the set-up we have found. Now we have to wait and see for the race tomorrow.” Meanwhile, Jordan’s Sporting Director Adrian Burgess had words of caution for both drivers, “They had good and bad parts about their qualifying lap.” “Narain had a good first sector but then he made a few mistakes in the middle and recovered in the last one while Tiago was not too bad in the first sector but then he made a mistake in the last corner,” Burgess added. Karthikeyan is having a dismal time in his familiar territory as he had finished 20th earlier in the first free practice session even behind Jordan test driver Robert Doornbas. Spaniard Fernando Alonso continued his good run to secure the pole position with a timing of 1:14.412 to be ahead of Toyota’s Jarno Trulli.
— UNI |
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Hidayat, Chen in semis
Singapore, July 2 Hidayat defeated third-ranked Peter Gade Christensen 15-13, 17-15 while All England champion Chen advanced 15-6, 15-9 over defending champion Kenneth Jonassen. In women’s singles, top-ranked Xie Xingfang made a quarterfinal exit, losing 11-8, 11-7 to her Chinese compatriot, eighth-seeded Zhou Mi. Second-seeded Zhang Ning beat Hong Kong’s Wang Chen 11-8, 11-2 to reach the semifinals. Denmark’s Jens Eriksen and Martin Lundgaard Hansen would challenge third-seeded Sigit Budiarto and Candra Wijaya of Indonesia in the men’s doubles. In women’s doubles, top-seeded Yang Wei and Zhang Jiewen of China would be up against their third-seeded compatriots Gao Ling and Huang Sui. The Singapore Open, the world’s third-richest badminton tournament, is taking place under the shadows of the International Olympic Committee meeting, that will decide the hosts of the 2012 Summer Games.
— AP |
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Corporal Sathya sets pole vault record
Jalandhar, July 2 In pole vault, Air Craftsman Vaibhav of Western Air Command bagged the silver medal while the bronze went to corporal Prajil of Western Air Command. In shot put, Corporal Arwind Kumar and Junior Warrant Officer M.Singh of Western Command stood first and second, respectively, while Corporal Raj Kumar of Eastern Air Command got the third position. In 20 km walk, Corporal V.K. Singh of Training Command, Air Craftsman Patil of Western Air Command and Air Craftsman Dixit of South Western Air Command bagged first, second and third positions, respectively. In hammer throw, Corporal Prabhu Jaj of Western Air Command got the gold medal by covering a distance of 53.69 metres while Corporal Dange of South Western Air Command and Corporal S.K. Singh of Western Air Command bagged silver and bronze medals, respectively. At the end of the day, Western Air Command were leading with 100 points followed by South Western Air Command (73 points). |
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Haryana eves rout Kerala
New Delhi, July 2 The Haryana girls opened their scoring in the very first minute when Jasjeet Kaur blasted in a fine field goal. She scored five more goals as Haryana led by 11-1 at half time. Simarjeet and Sarvjeet scored three goals each while Arti Sharma, Kamla Cheema, Harjinder, Sandeep Kaur and Gagandeep accounted for the other goals. In a Pool B match, Jharkhand trounced Chhattisgarh 4-0. Punita Minz opened the scoring and rounded off the tally while Sejeng Soy and Sarita Lakra scored the other two goals.
— OSR |
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Punjab drub Pak in cycle polo
Patiala, July 2 For the visitors, skipper Mohammad Kashif Javed and Khalid Pervez did combine well but failed to make much inroads into the rival defence. The Pakistan team comprised Mohammad Kashif Javed, Khalid Pervez, Mohammad Faisal-ur- Rehman, Mohummad Mushtaq, Muhammad Anwar Javed, Shahid Siddique and Atif Naeem. The Punjab team comprised Sukhdip Singh, Gurdeep Singh, Gagandeep Singh, Kailash Verma and Gurpreet Singh. |
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Awardee selection panel to meet on July 5
Jalandhar, July 2 Talking to reporters here today, the Director of the department, Mr Kartar Singh, said since the state government had decided to revive the awards, a screening committee would discuss the names of players for the awards during its meeting at Chandigarh on July 5. He further said the department had recommended to the government to fill vacant posts of coaches on a contractual basis. He added that the process to appoint coaches would be started soon. |
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Haryana eves rout Kerala
New Delhi, July 2 The Haryana girls opened their scoring in the very first minute when Jasjeet Kaur blasted in a fine field goal. She scored five more goals as Haryana led by 11-1 at half time. Simarjeet and Sarvjeet scored three goals each while Arti Sharma, Kamla Cheema, Harjinder, Sandeep Kaur and Gagandeep accounted for the other goals. In a Pool B match, Jharkhand trounced Chhattisgarh 4-0. Punita Minz opened the scoring and rounded off the tally while Sejeng Soy and Sarita Lakra scored the other two goals. — OSR
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NCA trainees
Kolkata, July 2 |
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Stephen Huss and Wesley Moodie became the first qualifiers to win the Wimbledon men’s doubles title today by beating American twins Bob and Mike Bryan 7-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3.
