Scoreboard

West Indies 1st innings 204

India 1st innings 347

West Indies 2nd innings:

Chanderpaul not out 116

Samuels lbw b Harbhajan 0

Baugh c Mukund b Praveen 10

Sammy c Mukund

b Harbhajan 17

Rampaul run out 1

Edwards c Praveen b Raina 30

Bishoo c Dravid b Raina 1

Extras: (b-8, lb-2, w-1, nb-2) 13

Total: (all out, 131.3 ovrs ) 322

Bowling: Praveen 21-6-44-2, Ishant 27-5-76-1, Munaf 24-5-71-0; Harbhajan 42-14-75-4, Raina 15.3-2-32-2, Mukund 2-0-14-0.

India 2nd innings

Mukund lbw b Edwards 0

Vijay c Bishoo b Rampaul 45

Dravid not out 34

Raina c & b Rampaul 8

Laxman not out 3

Extras: (lb-1, nb-3) 4

Total: (3 wkts, 32 ovrs) 94

Bowling: Edwards 8-1-19-1, Rampaul 11-2-31-2, Sammy 5-0-26-0, Bishoo 8-1-17-0.

Dominica, July 11
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni defended the decision not to press for a win in the third and final Test against the West Indies, saying that his side could have lost the match while going for the target.

India, who had already taken an unbeatable 1-0 lead in the three-match Test series, were 94 for three just before the start of mandatory 15 overs, while chasing 180 for a win before Dhoni decided to end the run chase.

"Not disappointed about stopping the run chase. We were risking a series win going after the target. We realised that it was not worth going for it after those wickets, we gave it a go, but we are happy with the series win," Dhoni said after the match at the Windsor Park, yesterday. "We did well in this game. West Indies batted well actually, we are not disappointed in any way," he said.

West Indies skipper Darren Sammy said he was a bit surprised that India opted not to press for a win. "I was a bit surprised that India ended their run chase but we will take it. We are very happy with the draw," he said.

Talking about the pitch and India's team composition, Dhoni said, "We were not sure about the wicket. If we go with a 2-2 combination and the track turns out to be flat, that can be a problem. We knew we had bowlers who could spin the all if it started taking turn, like Raina.

"Harbhajan was getting a bit of spin and bounce and he got valuable wickets, not much help for the fast bowlers, they did well," he said.

Dhoni said the series was a good exposure for youngsters and he felt good to see Ishant Sharma take responsibility. Ishant, Man-of-the-Series for his 23 wickets, said, "This is my first series where I took the highest wickets. It's kind of an Indian track, slow and flat, but you have to put in the effort as these things are beyond your control. I am pretty confident about myself, looking forward to England." — PTI 

Dubai, July 11
Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar and opener Virender Sehwag are among the list of players nominated for an online poll to select the greatest team of all-time on the occasion of Test cricket's 2,000th match. The historic match will take place between India and England at Lord's from July 21 to 25, and the ICC has called on supporters from across the globe to select the greatest team of all-time.

While Sehwag has found a place in the list of openers, which also has the likes of former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar, Tendulkar has been short-listed for the middle-order batsman's slot. However, no Indian player has found a place in the shortlist for the slot of wicketkeepers and fast bowlers, while the 1983 World Cup winning Indian team captain Kapil Dev is in the reckoning as an all-rounder.

Legendary Bishan Singh Bedi and Anil Kumble have been shortlisted for the spinner's role in the dream team. Sir Donald Bradman and West Indian great Viv Richards are in the fray for the middle-order's slot, while attacking wicketkeeper batsman Adam Gilchrist is pitted against South Africa's Mark Boucher for the stumper's position.

Legendary West Indian pacers Malcolm Marshall and Michael Holding and Pakistani great Wasim Akram have been shortlisted in the bowler's category along side champion spinner Shane Warne. The ICC's website is seeking votes from the fans and cricket lovers across the world to pick the dream Test team from a shortlist of 60 players split into five categories.

The fans will be asked to pick two opening batsmen, three middle-order batsmen, a wicketkeeper, three fast bowlers and one spinner. — PTI

While Sehwag has found a place in the list of openers, which also has former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar, Tendulkar has been short-listed for the middle-order slot. No Indian player has found a place in the shortlist for the slot of wicketkeepers and fast bowlers. 

The 1983 World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev is in the reckoning as an all-rounder. Legendary Bishan Singh Bedi and Anil Kumble have been shortlisted for the spinner's role

Madrid, July 11
Spain have stuttered in a couple of friendlies since their first World Cup triumph a year ago but Vicente del Bosque's side are cruising through Euro 2012 qualifying and will be firm favourites to retain their title.

The euphoria left over from the dramatic extra-time victory over the Netherlands in Johannesburg on July 11, 2010 was tempered by a 4-1 defeat in Argentina in September and a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of neighbours Portugal two months later.

However, the continental champions have a perfect five wins out of five in Euro 2012 qualifying and lead their group by six points from the Czech Republic with three games left as they bid to become the first country to win consecutive European Championships with a World Cup in between.

Last month's 3-0 friendly win in Venezuela was their 39th victory in 44 matches under Del Bosque, putting the former Real Madrid player and coach one clear of his immediate predecessor Luis Aragones to set a national record.

"Spanish football is in exceptional shape," Del Bosque was quoted as saying in local media on Sunday.

"We can be optimistic and say that this time we are among the favourites [for Euro 2012]." — Reuters

Bangalore, July 11
In another crackdown in the backdrop of athletics doping scandal, a team of National Anti-Doping Agency today conducted raids at Sports Authority of India's centre at Bangalore and took urine samples from the campers there for testing.

The four-member team, headed by NADA Project Officer Dr V Jayaraman, searched hostel rooms of the campers, took urine samples and checked the medical supplies and food supplements provided at the centre, SAI sources said.

Jayaraman said the NADA team searched 51 rooms, including those of two coaches. "We conducted searches on 90 athletes, including some Indian hockey team players. Random urine samples were also taken and the results will be known later," Jayaraman said.

The raid was part of the countrywide crackdown on doping in sports following the recent doping scandal involving eight Indian track and field athletes. NADA had last week conducted surprise raids at the rooms of campers and coaches at National Institute of Sports, Patiala, and took urine samples from the trainees there for testing.

NADA sources said that such raids are likely to be conducted in other SAI Centres also. The Bangalore SAI Centre has trainees from various disciplines, including track and field athletes, women weightlifters and hockey players.

Eight track and field athletes tested positive for anabolic steroids in one of the worst doping scandals. Mandeep Kaur, Sini Jose and Ashwini Akkunji, who were part of the 4x400m relay quartet that won gold in the Commonwealth and Asian Games last year, and three other quartermilers Jauna Murmu, Tiana Mary Thomas and Priyanka Panwar trained at NIS Patiala.

Of the other two dope-tainted athletes, long jumper Hari Krishnan Muralidharan trained at Pune, while Sonia was not in any national camp. — PTI 

Santa Fe, July 11
Striker Radamel Falcao scored twice as Colombia beat Bolivia 2-0 to win Group A at the Copa America on Sunday. Colombia took seven points from their three matches, the best return of the tournament so far, to qualify for a quarter-final against the best third-placed team from the three groups in Cordoba, next Saturday.

Bolivia were eliminated while hosts Argentina and Costa Rica are set to play for second place in Cordoba next. Falcao is now joint top scorer of a low-scoring tournament with a tally of two, equal with Peru's Paolo Guerrero, and the team went through without conceding a goal.

"These results put us in the quarter-finals with authority," Colombia's coach Hernan Dario Gomez told the post-match news conference. "Our objective is not to go looking for a goalscorer, but our identity as a team," he said after Falcao scored the goals but Colombia created chances for several different players.

Falcao put the Colombians ahead after a quarter of an hour when he ran onto winger Dayro Moreno's defence-splitting ball down the left to steer it past goalkeeper Carlos Arias. Colombia went further head close to the half hour with a penalty converted by Falcao after defender Santos Amador brought down left back Pablo Armero.

It was the second penalty of the tournament and the second faced by Arias after he saved one from Costa Rica's Joel Campbell in Bolivia's 2-0 defeat in Jujuy on Thursday. "With the attitude of going out to win all the matches, we knew things would happen for us," Falcao told reporters. — Reuters

Male, July 11
India failed to hold on to an early lead and played out a 1-1 draw against Maldives in an international friendly ahead of their World Cup qualifiers, here. Striker Sunil Chhetri scored for India off a Steven Dias corner in the 18th minute, while Mukhthar Nasir equalised for Maldives in the 44th minute at the National Stadium late last night.

The match against South Asian rivals Maldives was the first international friendly in preparations for India's World Cup qualifiers against United Arab Emirates on July 23 and 28 and the maiden game for Armando Colaco as national coach.

After taking the lead, India controlled the match and could have taken a 2-0 lead, but for the woodwork. Jeje Lalpelkhlua's shot off his strike partner Sunil Chhetri hit the post in the 43rd minute. Changing over, Jeje got two other chances but wasted them. In the 60th minute, Jeje's placement missed the target by inches. He then shot wide from close in the 86th minute.

India next play Qatar in another international friendly at the Al Sadd Stadium in Doha on July 17. India play United Arab Emirates in the first-leg of the World Cup Qualifier at Al Ain near Abu Dhabi. The return leg is slated for July 28 at the Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi. — PTI

BRIEFLY

New law on doping
New Delhi: Rattled by the doping scandal that has rocked Indian athletics, the Sports Ministry is planning to bring a new law to deal with the menace, in the forthcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament. "We are going to the Cabinet in this regard and wish to bring a specific law on doping in the Monsoon Session of Parliament," said Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Ajay Maken, on the sidelines of a workshop on population, held at Vigyan Bhawan here today. — PTI

Bharat Ratna for sports?
New Delhi: Pleading the case of eminent sportspersons who have won laurels for the country at international level, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Ajay Maken today sought the inclusion of sports as a category for conferring the country's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna. "Unfortunately, sports is not a separate category for the selection of awards and thus no sportsperson has yet got a Bharat Ratna. I have written to the Home Minister in this regard," said the minister. — PTI

Somdev slides in ranking
New Delhi: India's singles tennis star Somdev Devvarman dropped two places to 65, but ranking of all other top players of the country remained unchanged in the latest lists, issued today by the ATP and WTA. In the WTA ranking, Sania Mirza was static in both singles (63) and doubles (11). In the ATP doubles ra+nking, there was no change in the rankings of Mahesh Bhupathi (5), Leander Paes (8) and Rohan Bopanna (10). — PTI

FIBA Asia Championship
New Delhi: The Indian Senior Men’s Basketball team has been pooled with Sri Lanka as they prepare to take part in the Middle Asia Zone Qualifying Round against SAARC teams at the Thyagraj Stadium in New Delhi, from July 13-15. The winner of this five-team qualifier event will qualify for the 26th FIBA Asia Basketball Championship that will be held in Wuhan (China) between Asia’s 16 best basketball teams from September 15-25. — TNS

Jeev ends 42nd
Inverness: Jeev Milkha Singh shot six birdies and just one bogey in his third and final round of the truncated Barclays Scottish Open on Sunday and yet finished tied 42nd at nine-under for the week. The other two Indians, Shiv Kapur ended with a total of 142 (70, 72) and SSP Chowrasia retired before the end of the second round. In a tournament where rains forced a shortened version of three rounds, Luke Donald won the Barclays Scottish Open for his third title of the year. — PTI

Arjun Atwal finishes 18th
Silvis: Indian golfer Arjun Atwal brought home a card of two-under 69 to finish four spots down the rung at tied 18th after the final round of the John Deere Classic golf, here today. Atwal, who was in the running for a top-10 after two days, finished the week with a total of 12-under 272. In sharp contrast to his sedate round of one-under 70 with 17 pars and one birdie on the third day, Atwal shot five birdies, but also gave away three bogeys for a 69. — PTI

Arsenal sign striker Gervinho
London: Arsenal recruited Lille's 24-year-old Ivory Coast forward Gervinho on Monday as they bid to boost their firepower this season and end a trophy drought stretching back to 2005. "He is an official Arsenal player. Gervinho has joined training today at London Colney (in England)," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told a news conference during the club's pre-season trip to Malaysia. — Reuters

India set for Pak friendlies
New Delhi: Cricket ties remain on hold but bitter neighbours India and Pakistan will resume their soccer rivalry next month with a series of three international friendlies in England, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) said on Monday. "Playing Pakistan is always special," AIFF president Praful Patel said in a statement. "It's a positive sign that we will play a bilateral football series against Pakistan. I'm sure all sporting fans are eagerly looking forward to it." — Reuters