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Daredevil or the deep blue sea Something and nothing for Knight Riders
England beat WI, seal series win
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Bhutia leaves Mohun Bagan ‘No motivation left to play for Bagan’ Kolkata, May 18 
Bhaichung Bhutia today decided to part ways with Mohun Bagan in retaliation to the club’s decision to serve him a show cause letter recently for missing the club’s practice and an exhibition match in Jalpaiguri. “I don’t want to play for Mohun Bagan anymore,” said the India skipper.
Tim Henman in action on centre court during the launch of the new retractable roof at the All England Lawn Tennis Club on Sunday. — AFP
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Daredevil or the deep blue sea
Johannesburg, May 18 Delhi, on ther hand, are sitting pretty at the top having already qualified for the semifinals with 18 points out of 12 matches and will be hoping to carry forward their winning momentum to the last four stage. Besides the semifinal spot up for grabs, the match also provides Anil Kumble’s men an opportunity to take revenge of their previous six-wicket loss against the Daredevils. Although the Bangalore oufit are on a high after their last match win over second placed Chennai Super Kings, they would need something spectacular tomorrow to halt a consistent Delhi which boasts of innumerable match-winners. AB de Villiers has been the pillar of Delhi batting, while Tilakaratne Dilshan and Dinesh Karthik provide the much neded fire power in the middle-order.
“I hope I will get runs in next couple of matches that we have to play before the semifinal. And if Gautam and I manage to find our form, that will be bonus for us,” he had said. With a rejuvenated Asish Nehra and Dirk Nannes up front, Delhi’s bowling has been more than impressive.
Bangalore’s top order has been pretty inconsistent with Jacques Kallis playing well in patches, while both Jesse Ryder and Robin Uthappa have been a big dissapointment. Overall, it has been a pretty slipshod display by their batters, but Ross Taylor’s return to form would please Kumble, who would be expecting the Kiwi to come good again tomorrow. Although Bangalore’s bowling has looked quite mundane, Kumble and Co. would take heart from the fact that they managed to restrict Chennai Super Kings to mere 129 in their last encounter. And Kumble would be expecting a similar show from his bowlers to brighten their winning chances. — PTI
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Something and nothing for Knight Riders Chasing a daunting 189 to win, captain Brendon McCullum (81 0ff 48 balls) and Brad Hodge (undefeated on 71 from 44 balls) collaborated to pull off a spectacular seven wicket victory for Kolkata Knight Riders over Chennai Super Kings in the last ball of the match.
McCullum This was Knight Riders first authentic win in the second edition of the Twenty20 Indian Premier League. Their previous success was under the Duckworth-Lewis method. It did not matter materially to Super Kings, as they had already qualified for the semifinals. Sourav Ganguly laboured for 14 balls before dragging a cut on to his stumps. But McCullum was in cracking touch from the word go. Given Knight Riders’ dismal showing in the tournament, the target seemed beyond their reach, especially against a side tipped as one of the title-contenders. McCullum clipped Albie Morkel inside out over extra cover for his first six. Thereafter, he tucked a full toss from Sudeep Tyagi to long on after plundering four boundaries in the same over. Finally, Jacob Oram palmed one over the ropes at long on at Shadab Jakati’s cost. These, in addition to 11 sizzling fours. With Hodge, he stitched 90 for the 2nd wicket off a mere 56 balls. The chased slowed after McCullum’s exit, before re-energising itself. 52 off the last four overs was a tall order. First, Wriddiman Saha procured 14 off the 17th, embellished with a four and a six to midwicket off Laxmi Balaji. The 18th produced 13. Then, 19 exploded off the 19th, as Hodge went berserk. Two sixes in this over was Balaji’s misfortune. (Earlier, Hodge had registered two maximums off a Jakati over.) Six from the last six balls; and matters had come with KKR’s grasp. “Sledgehammer” Mathew Hayden was rested. But this made no difference, as Super Kings, electing to bat, still consumed only 6.1 overs to score 59 for the 1st wicket. That, despite Parthiv Patel and George Bailey not hitting a single six. Knight Riders, without strike bowler Ishant Sharma, not only struggled to contain the run rate, but to take wickets. Fortuitously for them, both openers were run out. Patel was beaten by a throw from Laxmi Shukla; while Bailey was trounced by the wicket-keeper. Suresh Raina was in sumptuous mood. 10 months ago, Ajantha Mendis mesmerised India’s senior Test batsmen in Sri Lanka. The UP batsman of Kashmiri origin handled him with contemptuous ease. Off consecutive balls he lofted him off a length to midwicket and long on for sixes. Then, the left-hander pulled a short ball outside off stump from Ashok Dinda into the stands behind midwicket to complete his 50. Like a baseball player, Raina would unwind and send it sailing into the air. Eventually, he chased a wide full toss to get a thick outside edge to point. He and Dhoni realised 74 for the 3rd wicket off just 45 balls. Raina’s own occupation of the crease lasted no more than 37 deliveries. Dhoni was no less impressive with his unbeaten 40 off 28 balls, including the first half a dozen of the venture – clobbered to long off at the expense of David Hussey. To round it off, Morkel conjured a cameo – 21 from 10 balls – with the help of two maximums off Ajit Agarkar – a short ball whipped flat to square leg and then to the sightscreen getting his front leg out of the way. Scoreboard Kolkata Knight Riders
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England beat WI, seal series win
Chester-Le-Street, May 18
Anderson took four wickets and Bresnan three as West Indies collapsed on the final day and England completed an emphatic 2-0 series win. West Indies resumed on 115 for three and, after two brief rain delays, Lendl Simmons, on 10, tamely steered a ball from Anderson straight to 19-year-old substitute fielder Scott Borthwick at cover. Bresnan dismissed Brendan Nash for one when he clipped a wide delivery to Borthwick at square leg and the seamer struck again in his next over, Denesh Ramdin edging a simple catch to Anderson at third slip for a duck. Anderson ripped out Jerome Taylor’s off stump with a rapid swinging delivery and he produced another fine delivery to bowl Sulieman Benn for a duck. The ever reliable Shivnarine Chanderpaul was 46 not out at lunch but his brave innings ended on 47 when he nicked Anderson to stand-in wicketkeeper Paul Collingwood who was deputising for the injured Matt Prior. Bresnan completed the rout when Fidel Edwards skied a catch to long leg where Karl Turner, another substitute fielder, held a tricky steepling catch on the boundary. — Reuters Scoreboard
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Bhutia leaves Mohun Bagan
Kolkata, May 18 Bhutia, who reached here last night after taking part in a reality show, said the show cause letter was a publicity gimmick. “It (the show cause) was a publicity gimmick. It could have been handled better. Anjan Mitra just needed to call me up,” said Bhutia, who led Mohun Bagan this season. The star striker said he has been asked to reconsider but it’s unlikely he would do so. “It’s good for both of us to part ways. They are telling me to rethink but at the moment I have only one stand. I don’t have any motivation left in me to play for Mohun Bagan,” said Bhutia. — PTI |
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Weather or not...the game must go on
For the first time in the All England Club’s history, rain fell and Wimbledon smiled. With a cold wind bringing frequent showers, this was the day when Wimbledon unveiled its new retractable Centre Court roof, the club’s most daring addition in the 132 years since Spencer Gore, having paid his one guinea entrance fee along with 21 other competitors, won the first men’s singles championship. Only when the roof is used for the first time at next month’s championships will it be possible to pass a more definitive judgement, but after yesterday’s test event, Cliff Richard singalongs and endless TV replays of the McEnroe-Borg tie-break will now join white balls and wooden rackets in Wimbledon’s past. Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Tim Henman and Kim Clijsters delighted a 15,000 crowd inside Centre Court with three hours of knockabout tennis, but it was their verdict on the conditions under the roof that will have pleased the All England Club most. “It was fantastic,” Henman said. “Everyone who arrived here saw it was a pretty miserable day, rainy, windy and cold. Once the roof is closed the playing conditions are terrific. There was no moisture on the court and it felt fine under foot.” According to Clijsters “the court played really well and there was no problem with the roof or anything”, while Agassi noticed one aspect in which the conditions were improved by playing under cover. “The way the ball sounds in here is such an advantage for a player during a match,” the American said. “I think we’re going to be in for some real battles on this court.” Solid roofs like those used at the Australian Open can make a tournament feel just like any other indoor event, whereas one of the great benefits of Wimbledon’s fabric cover is that it is 40 per cent translucent, allowing in plenty of natural light. Extensive artificial lighting is also used, much of it bouncing back off the roof, but unless you look upwards you can be forgiven for thinking that the court is still open to the elements. Wimbledon had warned that it would take between eight and 10 minutes for the roof to close, but it was shut within seven minutes of the 10 steel trusses starting to pull the 5,200 square metres of waterproof Tenara across the opening. The trusses each weigh 100 tonnes and the whole roof weighs in at a mighty 3,000 tonnes. An equally impressive part of the operation is the new air management system, which regulates the atmosphere inside the stadium and ensures there is no condensation, which is essential both to player safety and to the state of the grass. There was a 44-minute gap between the roof beginning to close and yesterday’s play starting, which should be about par for the course. Inside it felt like a classic English summer’s day. — By arrangement with The Independent
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Johannesburg, May 18
For the first time in the All England Club’s history, rain fell and Wimbledon smiled. With a cold wind bringing frequent showers, this was the day when Wimbledon unveiled its new retractable Centre Court roof, the club’s most daring addition in the 132 years since Spencer Gore, having paid his one guinea entrance fee along with 21 other competitors, won the first men’s singles championship.
Royal Challengers face a do-or-die battle against the Delhi outfit in a bid to keep their semifinal hopes alive
An uphill task awaits Royal Challengers Bangalore when they take on formidable Delhi Daredevils in their do-or-die Indian Premier League match here tomorrow. The Bangalore outfit, who are at the sixth spot in the table with 12 points from as many matches, have everything to play for as a loss would undoubtedly throw them out of the semifinal race.
However, what remains a matter of concern for the Daredevils is the form of skipper Virender Sehwag and opener Gautam Gambhir. Both Sehwag and Gambhir are still to fire in the tournament and the Delhi skipper expressed optimism of returning to form before the semifinals.
Young Pradeep Sangwan has been consistent throughout picking up crucial wickets, while Amit Mishra provides the sting in Delhi’s spin department. In contrast, Bangalore does not have equal riches at their disposal and it would take quite an effort to upset Delhi.
