Ahmedabad, April 4
AB de Villiers cracked a brilliant double century, the first by a South African against India, and along with Jacques Kallis, who scored his 30th Test century, thus overtaking Sir Donald Bradman, piled on the hosts' miseries as they took a 418-run first innings lead on the second day of the second Test being played Motera here today.

South Africa, replying to India's pathetic 76 in the first innings had reached a mammoth 494 for seven when finally the gods relented as rain accompanied by thundershowers lashed the ground thus forcing an early end to the day’s proceedings as umpires called off play 30 minutes before the actual closing time.

When play was called off AB de Villers was unbeaten on 217 and giving him company was Paul Harris on 9.

South Africa now have a 418-run first innings lead and there are still three days to play with the visitors' innings still not completed.

The day belonged to South Africa's two middle order batsmen - AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis - who with contrasting centuries just took the game away from India.

The rain which has brought temporary relief to the Indians after a hot day out in the sun having to chase leather, might just prove to be beneficial to the South Africans as in the second innings they might have some moisture left in the wicket to attack the frail Indian batting.

In the 77.2 overs bowled in the day, India managed just three wickets, that too when the batsmen were in the quest for quick runs after tea. Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh picked up one apiece, with Mark Boucher and Morne Morkel trapped leg before as the fielders and the bowlers just wilted in the heat and were utterly clueless from where their next wicket would come.

De Villiers stepped up the pace beautifully as he needed just 146 balls for his second hundred, and played some stupendous strokes in the final session.

A huge six off Harbhajan landed on the roof, and when he was later gifted a full toss he creamed it through cover.

That stroke also brought up the 400-run lead, and de Villiers put the seal on an impressive day's work with a mighty heave off Kumble that soared into the empty stand at deep midwicket.

However, in the morning session Kumble and his men did have some half chances that came their way but could not convert them.

Harbhajan, the pick of the bowlers, was desperately unlucky against both batsmen.

Kallis had made just 61 when he fended one awkwardly off the glove, only to see it roll back and strike the stumps. The bails stayed on, Harbhajan held his head, and the chance had gone.

In his very next over, an offbreak went right through de Villiers, missing the stumps by a whisker.

Scoreboard

India (1st innings) 76

South Africa (1st innings)

Smith lbw Sreesanth 34

McKenzie c Dravid b Harbhajan 42

Amla c Jaffer b Harbhajan 16

Kallis b Sreesanth 132

Prince lbw b Harbhajan 2

De Villiers batting 217

Boucher lbw Kumble 21

Morkel lbw Harbhajan 1

Harris batting 9

Extras (b-2, lb-14, w-4) 20

Total (7 wkts, 141.2 overs) 494

Fall of wickets: 1-78, 2-100, 3-101, 4-117, 5-373, 6-439, 7-452.

Bowling: Sreesanth 23-4-87-2, R. P. Singh 21-2-81-0, Pathan 21.2-3-85-0, Harbhajan 40-5-135-4, Kumble 33-2-78-1, Ganguly 3-0-12-0. — UNI

What a good toss to lose for the South Africans in Ahmedabad on Thursday. Smith admitted after the toss that had he won it, he would have batted first.

But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise (losing the toss and bowling first). The pitch at the Motera surely had a lot more bounce and pace in it that in Chennai.

And when the Indians went out there to bat, I think in their minds they were still in tune with the flat Chennai track.

As a result, they got bowled out for just 76 in 20 overs. Once that happens on the first day of a Test match, you don't have much chance of winning the game.

It's all about survival from here on, and that too is very unlikely with three full day's play remaining. I think the only thing that can save India from losing this Test is rain.

Speaking about the pitch, I think Indians will not be happy with the Motera curator. The best way for South Africa to win a Test match in India is with their seamers.

The curator gave them exactly the kind of pitch they would have asked for Especially with India going into the game a batter light. But then, you still have to go out there and bowl well.

Steyn, Ntini and Morkel did exactly that. Once you get bowled out for 70-odd runs, and the opposition gets past that total without losing a wicket, you are virtually out of the game. What Steyn, Ntini and Morkel achieved in that first session is that they ensured the Proteas will win or draw the series, and that's quite an achievement.

Even though the trio bowled well, batsmen have to make some mistakes to get bowled out for 76. I think what the pitch did, is it created a lot of doubts in the minds of Indian batters. There was a lot of indecision with the way they batted. If one analyses the dismissals of Laxman, Ganguly, Dhoni, they were just a bit unsure, and had 2-3 things in their minds while playing, or not offering a shot.

And it's not the most difficult pitch to bat on, as our batting line-up proved. You just have to apply yourself and be careful with your shot selection. Almost all of our batters got starts, and Kallis and De Villiers went on to cash on it.

De Villiers' double-hundred was just fantastic, and so was Kallis' hundred. Kallis is a great player. He missed out on a flat track in Chennai, and I am sure he would have been keen to make amends here, which he did in great fashion.

It will be really tough for Indian batsman to survive tomorrow and the next two days. In between them, the South African bowlers have bowled just 20 overs, and Paul Harris didn't bowl a single delivery. So they would be very fresh and raring to go.

I don't think the Proteas would mind finishing this game with at least a day to spare. They just need to stay focused to win this Test, and give them a great chance of winning the Test series. — PMG

Miami, April 4
American Andy Roddick, the sixth seed, toppled world number one Roger Federer in three sets to reach the semifinals of the ATP Masters Series.

Roddick downed the top-seeded Swiss 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-3, yesterday, leaving Federer still in search of his first title of 2008.

Roddick recorded 17 aces to post the victory in 1hr 55min, claiming just his second victory over Federer in 17 tries.

"I'm just glad I have a little hair left," Roddick quipped about how long it had been since he had beaten Federer.

He earned his only break of Federer's serve in the eighth game of the third set, allowing him to serve out the match in the next game.

Roddick quickly raced to a 40-0 lead, but needed all three of those match points to finally put Federer away. The American admitted he was relieved.

"Coming from 40-love to 40-30, it felt like I was still a long way away, so I probably was relieved." At 40-30, Roddick said, he was thinking "Please hit a big serve. Hit a big serve and let it be done.”

Federer, whose only break of Roddick in the match came in the ninth game of the second set, admitted it was deflating to drop his serve to love in what proved the penultimate game of the match, after serving so well throughout the tournament.

Miami, April 4
Fourth seeds Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles saved three match points en route to a thrilling win over Martin Damm and Pavel Vizner that has set them up against top seeds Bob and Mike Bryan in the finals of the $3,77,0000 Sony Ericsson Open here.

Bhupathi and Knowles beat their sixth seeded Czech rivals 7-6(5), 4-6, 11-9 to secure their fourth consecutive match tie-break victory.

The Indo-Bahamas pair saved three match points in the match tie-break.

The fourth seeds trailed 6-9 before reeling off five straight points to win the one hour and 50 minute battle.

They will face off against defending champions Bryan brothers after the Americans eased into their third straight Miami final with a 6-1, 6-4 win over unseeded South Africans Jeff Coetzee and Wesley Moodie.

In a nerve wracking contest, both teams exchanged breaks in the opening set before Bhupathi and Knowles won the tie-break 7-5.

Damm and Vizner came back strongly in the second set and broke for a 4-2 lead but lost serve in the ninth game when Damm was broken. But the Czechs broke back to level the match.

In a see-saw match tie-break, Bhupathi and Knowles led 4-3 before falling behind 6-9.— PTI

New Delhi, April 4
Experienced Tarundeep Rai put up a series of consistent performances to keep India's hopes alive for an individual medal in the first edition of the Meteksan Archery World Cup in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

In the men's recurve elimination round, Rai outsmarted Bo Steiman of Denmark 109-77 and Tunc Kucukkayalar of Turkey 110-97 to reach the third round.

The Arjuna awardee then got past Magnus Petersson of Sweden 111-109 and P Piatekof Poland 108-107 to book a berth in the last four.

However, in the battle for a place in the final, Rai lost to Cheng Wei Kuo of Chinese Taipei 108-106.

In bronze medal play-off, he will meet Baljinima Tsyrempilov of Russia.

Mangal Singh Champia was the other archer from the Indian camp to leave his mark. Champia beat Jarvin Amundaray of Venezuela 108-88, Jens Pieper of Germany 113-103 and L E Velez Sanchez of Mexico 111-110 to make it to the quarterfinals.

In the quarters, Champia lost to Ilario Di Buo of Italy narrowly after both archers levelled the scores on 107. In the tie-breaker, Champia lost 8-9.

Other Indian archers in different categories were not up to the mark.

Individual results of Indian archers: Men's recurve: Tarundeep Rai bt Bo Steiman (Den) 109-77; bt Tunc Kucukkayalar (Tur) 110-97; bt Magnus Petersson (Swe) 111-109; bt P Piatek (Pol) 108-107; lost Cheng Wei Kuo (Tpe) 108-106 sf; to meet Baljinima Tsyrempilov (Rus) for bronze. Rahul Banerjee bt Adrian Puente (Cub) 96-88; lost to P Piatek (Pol) 104-108. Jayanta Talukdar bt Felipe Castillo (Chi) 105-89; bt J C Valladont (Fra) 113-111; lost to Romain Girouille (Fra) 107-108 Mangal Singh Champia bt Jarvin Amundaray (Ven) 108-88; bt Jens Pieper (Ger) 113-103; bt L E Velez Sanchez (Mex) 111-110; lost to Ilario Di Buo (Ita) 107-107 (8-9).

Recurve Women: Dola Banerjee lost to Lisbeth Leoni (Ven) 84-95 L Bombayala Devi bt Nathalie Deilen 106-96; bt A M rendon (Col) 107-102; lost to Naomi Folkard (Gbr) 91-91 (9-10) Pranitha Vardineni los to Alexandra Feeney (Aus) 99-100 CHekrovolu Swuro bt Maidenia Sarduy (Cub) 96-95; bt Kristina Esebua (Geo) 106-101; lost to Aida Roman (Mex) 81-82 Compound Men: Baban Kumar lost to Patrizio Hofer (Sui) 111-114 I Sanam bt Jose Duo 115-112; lost to P Coghlan (Aus) 110-114 Ratan Singh Khuraijam lost to Sergio Pagni (Ita) 106-111 Chungda Sherpa lost Braden Gellenthien (USA) 102-117 Compund Women: Virushali Gorle lost to Yvel Felix (Dom) 88-91 Jhanu Hansdah bye; bt Olga Bosch (Ven) 111-100; bt Nichola Simpson (Gbr) 1101-07; lost to A Bouillot (Fra) 108-109 qf Bheigyabati Chanu lost to Tanja Zorman 90-92 Namita Yadav bye; lost to DM Dos Santos (Bra) 106-112.— PTI

Port of Spain, April 4
An unbroken stand of 100 for the sixth wicket between Tillakeratne Dilshan and Chamara Silva helped Sri Lanka recover on the rain-marred opening day of the second and final Test against West Indies.

Dilshan was unbeaten on 58 and Silva was not out on 37, as Sri Lanka, sent in to bat, reached 217 for five in their first innings when bad light stopped play 20.3 overs early on the opening day at Queen's Park Oval yesterday.

In between three breaks for rain, Sri Lanka were struggling on 117 for five, but Silva joined Dilshan, and they punished wayward West Indies bowling to put their side back on track.

Dilshan reached his 50 just prior to the close, when he guided Sri Lanka's wrecker-in-chief Fidel Edwards through backward point for two. Silva was no less enterprising with the cut and the pull some of his most productive strokes.

He was dropped on 34 just before the close, when Devon Smith, moving to his right at second slip, failed to hold a sharp chance off Daren Powell.

Greeted by a helpful pitch, things had started well for Sri Lanka who has been put into bat.

Michael Vandort was fortunate that umpire Billy Bowden ruled in his favour, when Powell appealed for an lbw verdict off the second ball of the match.

Television replays suggested that the tall, left-handed opener was hit plumb in front by a fast, full, straight delivery which pitched on a length, on the line of middle stump, and straightened.

Malinda Warnapura, his opening partner, then gained a reprieve on 12, when Dwayne Bravo floored a regulation chance at third slip off Jerome Taylor in the sixth over.

Vandort too, benefited from the West Indies' epidemic of sloppy fielding, when Powell failed to grab a sharp return catch in the 11th over.

In between their run of good fortune, the two Sri Lanka openers put away anything fractionally loose.

But the tourists were wobbling when Edwards captured two wickets in the space of 12 balls in the final hour before lunch to leave the visitors on 89 for two at the interval.

Warnapura, playing loosely off the back-foot, edged a drive and was caught low at third slip for 35 in Edwards' third over, and Sri Lanka vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara was caught behind for 10 playing defensively forward in the fast bowler's fourth over to leave the visitors 72 for two.

Things started to unravel after lunch for Sri Lanka, West Indies, and the weather in the period of play after lunch.

Rain saved Sri Lanka from plunging into further trouble, and they reached 139 for five when a third stoppage prompted an early tea.

The breaks for rain limited the two sides to 12.2 overs after lunch, and Sri Lanka crashed from a comfortable 89 for two to 117 for five.

When play continued following a 20-minute delay after lunch, only 27 minutes were possible, and Vandort was caught by the wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin down the leg-side off Edwards for 30.

Sri Lanka were 98 for three when play was again interrupted for just over an hour, and officials revised the playing times to utilise the additional hour available to them under the playing conditions.

When play resumed, another intriguing 45 minutes were possible, but it was another brutal period for Sri Lanka.

Thilan Samaraweera, groping at a delivery outside the off-stump, was caught at first slip for six off Taylor, who also bowled Mahela Jayawardene for 26 with a delivery that moved late and clipped the outside of the Sri Lanka captain's off-stump.

Scoreboard

Sri Lanka (1st innings)

Vandort c Ramdin b Edwards 30

Warnapura c Chattergoon b Edwards 35

Sangakkara c Ramdin b Edwards 10

Jayawardene b Taylor 26

Samaraweera c Gayle b Taylor 6

Dilshan not out 58

Silva not out 37

Extras (lb-8, w-3, nb-4) 15

Total (5 wkts, 46.3 overs) 217

Fall of wickets: 1-62, 2-72, 3-93, 4-112, 5-117.

Bowling: Powell 10-4-43-0, Taylor 14-5-63-2, Edwards 12.3-2-50-3, Gayle 1-1-0-0, Bravo 9-1-53-0. 

Karachi, April 4
Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar filed an appeal with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today against the five-year ban imposed on him for six counts of indiscipline.

''I have filed my appeal and followed the procedures of the board. I have respect for the law and the board rules and the Chairman,'' Shoaib told reporters at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore.

The PCB's chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi told a press conference in Lahore that an appellate tribunal would be formed soon to hear the appeal.

''The tribunal will reach a decision based on facts not because of any politics,''
he said.

Shoaib's lawyer, Azeem Danyal, said the ban was illegal and unconstitutional and they were confident of having it removed.

''We have asked the board to give us a copy of the detailed judgement of the disciplinary committee by Monday after which we can prepare our case,'' he said.

He insisted the ban was imposed after much discussion by the disciplinary committee and there was nothing personal against the fast bowler.

The ICC Code of Conduct states that players are required to report any approach made to them by a bookmaker or any other corrupt approach to their captain,
team manager, a senior board official or to the Anti-Corruption and Security
Unit. — Agencies

Dubai, April 4
South Africa's Haroon Lorgat has been appointed the new chief executive officer (CEO) of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the governing body announced today.

''Lorgat will take over from Malcolm Speed after the governing body's annual conference starting on June 29,'' the ICC said in a statement.

Lorgat, a former South Africa chief selector, was chosen a week after his compatriot Imtiaz Patel turned down the offer after being named the preferred candidate.

The new appointment was confirmed by the board after Lorgat met the ICC president-elect David Morgan in Pretoria on Wednesday and the recruitment committee cleared him.

Lorgat, a former first class cricketer, headed the selection panel from 2004 until last year and is currently an executive director of a South African investment company.

As a left-handed batsman and right arm medium-pacer, Lorgat played first class cricket for Eastern Province and Transvaal, scoring 2,813 runs and taking 191 wickets. He served on the finance committees of the South African board and during the 2003 World Cup, jointly hosted with Zimbabwe and Kenya.

ICC president Ray Mali welcomed the appointment. ''I'm delighted Haroon will assume the role of the next CEO for the ICC,'' Mali said.

"His background in cricket, business and administration is ideally suited to the role and I'm sure he will do an outstanding job in leading our global game in the right direction,” he added.

Lorgat said he was keen to take up the post. "I'm grateful to the ICC for appointing me as its new CEO and look forward to an exciting and rewarding journey in a game I’ve truly loved from a very young age. I am under no illusion about the challenges that await me.” — UNI

Panchkula, April 4
Lahore Badshahs lost their touch at the most inopportune moment. Unbeaten throughout before the final, they stumbled at the last hurdle.

Chasing a modest 144-run target against Hyderabad Heroes in the ICL Edelweiss 20s Challenge first of the best-of-three finals at Tau Devi Lal stadium here today, they came a cropper, losing the match by six runs in a nail-biting finish.

Skipper Inzamam-ul Haq must be cursing his former Pakistan team-mate Abdul Razzak as it was Razzak, who emerged Badshahs’ nemesis and left them biting the dust.

Needing 12 runs in the last over, Razzak displayed remarkable control over his nerves. Though he conceded three wides and two singles in the first five deliveries he bowled, the run out of Rana Naved triggered panic among the Badshahs camp.

Coming out strongly, the former all rounder next castled Mohammad Sami, bowled a dot ball and again disturbed the timber of Shahid Nazir off the last delivery of the innings to trigger jubilation in the Heroes camp.

With three scalps in his four overs in which he gave away a miserly 18 runs, Razzak proved that he had his guile as a crafty all rounder still intact. Opening the innings earlier, Razzak had displayed his prowess for big hitting, clobbering a couple of huge sixes in his 12-ball 21.

Batting first, Heroes were provided the right platfarm by openers Jimmy Maher and Razzak. While Razzak’s was a little cameo, Maher was more circumspect though he never hesitated to play his powerful strokes.

The innings was, however, built around 44 runs by in-form Ambatti Rayudu, the highest scorer from the side. The rest of the batsmen failed to contribute much as Heroes put up a seemingly chaseable total on the board.

Inexplicably, Lahore Badshah batsmen looked out of sorts. Expect for workmanlike 43 by Taufeeq Umar, no other batsmen looked tentative at the wicket.

All rounder Azhar Mahmood, the No. 7 batsman, kept the hopes alive with a couple of meaty blows. But Mahmood’s run out put the skids in the Badshahs’ gameplan.

After the fall of Azhar Mahmood, Razzak’s last over triggered a batting collapse, enabling Heroes to win the first final.

All rounder Stuart Binny, who was brilliant with the ball in the middle overs and claimed the most crucial wickets of Hasan Raza and skipper Inzamam-ul Haq, and Rayudu shared the Man of the Match award.

Scoreboard

Hyderabad Heroes

JP Maher b Mushtaq Ahmed 33

Razzaq c Raza b Naved-ul-Hasan 21

AT Rayudu run out 44

Kemp b Naved-ul-Hasan 11

Anirudh Singh not out 12

S Binny run out 3

Harris run out 8

Extras (lb 5, w 4, nb 2) 11

Total (6 wickets; 20 overs) 143

Fall of wickets: 1-37, 2-64, 3-117, 4-117, 5-131, 6-143

Bowling:Sami 4-0-15-0, Azhar 4-0-39-0, Naved-ul-Hasan 4-0-47-2, Mushtaq Ahmed 4-0-14-1, Shahid Nazir 4-0-23-0

Lahore Badshahs

Taufeeq Umar not out 43

Imran Nazir b Razzaq 5

Humayun Farhat b Kemp 12

Hasan Raza lbw Binny 5

Inzamam c & b Binny 8

Naved Latif c & b Harris 11

Azhar Mahmood run out 34

Naved-ul-Hasan run out 13

Sami b Razzaq 0

Shahid Nazir b Razzaq 0

Extras (w-6) 6

Total (9 wkts, 20 overs) 137

Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-28, 3-36, 4-50, 5-65, 6-116, 7-137, 8-137, 9-137

Bowling: Abdul Razzaq 4-1-18-3, Kemp 3-0-19-1, Boje 4-0-30-0, Binny 3-0-19-2, CZ Harris 3-0-16-1, PIS Reddy 2-0-24-0, Absolem 1-0-11-0 

Mandi, April 4
Thanks to government’s apathy, a Rs 1.36 crore category II swimming pool, which can be used for national level events, is hanging fire since 1993 in this temple town.

The department has neither professional staff to run it, nor is the pool accessible to swimming enthusiasts and professionals.

The department of youth affairs and sports, which controls the pool, claims that the pool would be opened shortly once the remaining work is completed.

Swimming enthusiasts said the pool has been hanging fire for the past 15 years as swimming did not figure on the priority list of the department. They added that the government has yet to depute staff for the functioning of the pool.

Built at cost of Rs 1.36 crore, the swimming pool measures 25x21m.

“The pool is equipped with a dressing room and other basic infrastructure meant for swimming and can host a national level swimming meet,” said a swimmer.

The work on swimming pool was started in 1993 and since then the work is progressing at a snail’s pace. “The project has been hit by shortage of funds,” revealed sources.

Mandi and Una are the only cities in the state where swimming pool facility is available, they added.

Even the Mandi municipal council has expressed its inability to run the pool as all the counsellors in a house meeting here rejected the department’s request to run the swimming pool on the ground that the council has neither the expertise nor funds to run it.

Director, youth affairs and sports, Ajay Sharma, said, “The pool will be opened for swimmers after all the facilities are put in place.”

He said the swimming pool needs professional staff for which the government has to give sanction. “The PWD, which is constructing the pool, has yet to give its nod for completion,” he added. 

BRIEFLY

IPL winner to get Rs 4.8 crore
New Delhi: The inaugural DLF Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to become one of the richest domestic cricket tournaments in the world offering a whopping winners' cheque of Rs 4.8 crore and an overall prize money of Rs 12 crore. The event kicks off on April 18 and will live up to its tag of being a cash-rich tourney as even the runner-up will be richer by Rs 2.4 crore and even the last-place finisher getting Rs 40 lakh. The IPL will kick off with Shah Rukh Khan's Kolkata Knight Riders taking on Vijay Mallya's Bangalore Royal Challengers at the Chinnaswamy Stadium at Bangalore. The inaugural season will have 59 matches spread over 44 days. — PTI

Jeev surprised at invitation
Singapore: Jeev Milkha Singh, who will make his second appearance at the Masters Tournament to be held at Augusta National Golf Club in the US next week, admitted that the invitation to the first Major of the year came as a surprise to him. "It was a pleasant surprise. I never thought I would be invited again," said Jeev, 2006 Asian Tour No. 1 and the first Indian to feature in the Masters last year. Jeev's debut at the Masters last year came as a reward of his impressive 2006 season which saw him win four times around the globe and end the year in 37th place on the world golf rankings. — IANS

Indo-Pak tennis series in Oct
Chandigarh: The Indo-Pak Tennis Series will be played in October-November. Stating this here on Friday, All-India Tennis Association (AITA) executive vice-president and secretary general Anil Khanna said that two ties would be played in India at Delhi and Chandigarh. Khanna, who is also the president of the Asian Tennis Federation, said the dates for the series would be finalised by the AITA and Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF). He added, “The format for the two-match series would be modified to suit both countries. Two singles and one doubles matches would be played at one venue.” “As the PTF may also be keen to play one tie in Lahore, AITA and PTF would be holding discussions in this regard,” he said. — UNI

Arjun, Himmat make cut
Manila: Two Indians - Arjun Singh and Himmat Singh Rai - made the cut while four others fell by the way side at the Asian Tour's Philippine Open Golf here on Friday. On a high scoring day, the cut was declared at six over 150 and 68 professionals moved into the money making round as Japan's Kodai Ichihara maintained his first round lead with a total of eight under 136 for the first two days. Arjun aggregated two over 146 and was the highest placed Indian (tied 22nd) at the halfway mark. Himmat was tied 52nd at five over 149. Gurbaaz Mann, Digvijay Singh, Gaganjeet Bhullar and Harmeet Kahlon missed the cut. — UNI