London, August 19
Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell slammed centuries to torment a tired Indian bowling attack on the second day of the fourth and final Test at The Oval here today. At Stumps, England had reached a daunting 457 for the loss of just three wickets with Ian Bell unbeaten on 181. Pietersen had departed a little while earlier having struck a majestic 175.

Cook and Pietersen were involved in a 350-run partnership for the third wicket. At the fall of KP’s wicket, night watchman James Anderson came out to give Bell company and he remained not out with three runs.

This is Bell's 16th Test century, his second after his 156 in the second Test at Trent Bridge. His partner KP also fell short of a second double of the series, having hit 202 in the opening Test at Lord's last month.

The two batsmen looked aggressive, smashing innumerable boundaries as 59 runs came off the 10 overs after lunch. At one stage, Bell hit five fours in eight balls, all off a wayward S Sreesanth, as he reached his half century from 111 balls with eight fours.

Unlike the shackles he had imposed on himself in the first session, Bell went after the bowling post lunch, and Sreesanth suffered the most as he 
was flicked, driven and pulled in all directions.

Pietersen, if anything, was even more aggressive and overtook Bell in the first hour after lunch even though the latter had an hour's advantage compared to him at the crease. The tall England batsman was completely contemptuous of leg-spinner Amit Mishra, thrashing him for six fours in quick succession, often picking him outside the off-stump and depositing him to midwicket fence. When Mishra bowled still wider, Pietersen smashed him past covers to raise the 100 partnership off 155 balls. His 50 was also up in 62 deliveries with nine fours.

Earlier, Indian bowlers put up better show as England scored sedately to reach 126 for two at lunch. Indian seamers led by Ishant Sharma bowled to a disciplined line as the home team could manage only 51 runs off 25 overs in the session losing openers Alastair Cook (34) and skipper Andrew Strauss (40).

Cook failed to add anything to his overnight total while Strauss added only two from 32 balls as both were dismissed in the slip cordon off Ishant Sharma and Sreesanth respectively.

Sharma, who set the trend of the day with a spell of 6-3-7-1, made Cook poke at his fifth delivery of the morning and was easily snapped by Virender Sehwag at first slip, fielding in place of Rahul Dravid who came on to the field only in the fourth over.

As RP Singh also kept it tight from the other end, the first four overs of the day produced no runs. Strauss tried to pull a short RP Singh delivery first up in the morning but thereafter went into his shell and found it very difficult to get going.

Bell meanwhile began briskly, steering R P Singh to third man and cracking Sreesanth through covers yet only 21 runs had accrued to the total from the first 10 overs. Strauss departed at the stroke of drinks break, driving at a wide delivery from Sreesanth and edging it to wicketkeeper after couple of powerful hits in the cover region didn't yield desired results. — PTI

Scoreboard

England 1st innings

Strauss c Dhoni b Sreesanth 40

Cook c Sehwag b Ishant 34

Bell batting 181

Pietersen c & b Raina 175

Anderson batting 3

Extras 24

Total: (3 wkts; Stumps) 457

Bowling: RP Singh 30-7-96-0, Ishant 27-7-81-1, Sreesanth 23-2-95-1, Raina 12-1-36-1, Mishra 29-2-129-0, Tendulkar 2-0-11-0.

Chandigarh, August 19
This seems to be a season of Conflicts of Interest (COI) as far as the BCCI is concerned. Just recently, two former Indian players — who are established commentators as well — were deemed to be having such a conflict while voicing their opinion on air as they have signed lucrative contracts with the board and were seen to be openly toeing the board’s line.

Now we have this latest case of COI with an unfit looking, out-of-form RP Singh playing ahead of Munaf Patel in the final Test at The Oval because of his known proximity with the Indian skipper.

In the last few seasons, there have more than a few instances of COI doing the rounds. Chairman of selectors Krish Srikkanth picked his son Anirudha for the Emerging Players tour to Australia ahead of other in-form players and was criticised roundly for that. The board — as is its wont — chose to stay quiet.

The president-elect N Srinivasan again has a clear case of COI with him being owner of the IPL team Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and, in the process, doling out special favours to members of his outfit. Even Srikkanth, who was also the CSK brand ambassador, has been accused of showing an inclination towards favouring CSK players when it comes to national team selection. In these instances as well, the board has chosen to remain silent.

A woefully out-of-form Harbhajan Singh keeps finding favour with the Indian skipper for much the same reason as in the case of RP Singh. (While RP and Dhoni have signed up with the same agent and endorse products together, Bhajji and the skipper are known to have jointly invested big bucks in real estate). Dhoni’s friend, Suresh Raina, too has been short of runs on this tour but again he is playing ahead of Virat Kohli in the final Test.

When the board president owns an IPL team and has personal interest in the success of the tournament, surely players like Sehwag, Gambhir and Zaheer, who have been on the injured list, simply cannot afford to (financially, as well) miss this tournament and give their tired bodies much-needed rest.

So many cases of COI are together pulling Indian cricket down at a rate of knots. The Indian board does not want to do anything to check these spiralling instances of conflict of interests.

Slowly but surely, the BCCI is becoming a Board that has no Control over Conflicts of Interest.

New Delhi, August 19
Teenager Khalin Joshi from Bengaluru spearheaded India’s assault as the golf ended an 18-year medal drought with a bronze in the team championships in the Asia-Pacific Golf championships for the Nomura Cup at the Denarau Golf Course in Fiji today. Joshi was also tied for third in individual standings.

The Indian team, which lay third after three rounds, maintained their position and finished on the podium as they aggregated 211 in the fourth and final round for a total of 865. Australia won the Nomura Cup for a record ninth time with a final round of 201 and a total of 840, while New Zealand finished second at 861 with a final round of 209. Korea were fourth and Japan fifth.

It was India’s first medal finish since 1973, when the Indian team of R.K. Pitamber, Billoo Sethi, Vikramjit Singh and Lakshman Singh had won the title at Jakarta. India also won bronze in 1993, their last success in the event.

Joshi shot a superb four-under 68, his best score of the week, for a total of three-under 285 that gave a share of the third place with two others. Cameron Smith returned a final round four-under 68, for a nine-under total of 279, while Jake Higginbottom (66) finished second at seven-under 281. Joshi tied with Daniel Bringolf of Australia and Ryan Fox of New Zealand.

While Smith and Higginbottom are automatically selected in the Asia-Pacific Team to contest the Bonallack Trophy against Europe in Portugal next year, Joshi will compete with Bringolf and Fox for the other spots which will be decided at the Asian Amateur Championships later in the year.

Indian golfers’ final Individual scores: Khalin Joshi 285 (-3) T-3; Chikkarangappa 291 (+3) T-7; Abhijit Chadha 294 (+6) T-12; Angad Cheema 300 (+12) T-25.

Final Team standings: 1. Australia 840 (207 + 212 + 220 + 201); 2. New Zealand 861 (211 + 224 + 217 + 209); 3. India 865 (208 + 226 + 220 + 211); 4. Korea 870 (218 + 213 + 232 +207); 5. Japan 887 (215 + 233 + 233 + 206). 

Cincinnati, August 19
India's Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi and compatriot Rohan Bopanna and his Pakistani partner Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi are through to the quarterfinals of the men's doubles at the Western & Southern tennis championships.

Paes and Bhupathi, seeded third, had an easy 6-4, 6-2 victory over Spanish pair Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopez, while fifth-seeded Bopanna and Quresh were taken to a super tie-breaker by Argentineans Juan Ignacio Chela and Juan Monaco before winning 6-3, 5-7, 10-4, here Thursday.

Paes and Bhupathi will now play Czech Republic pair Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepenek who put out sixth-seeded Robert Linsted of Sweden and Romanian Horia Tecau 6-2, 6-7(3), 10-6.

Boppanna and and Qureshi will run into fourth-seeded Michael Llodra of France and his Serbian partner Nenad Zimonozic, who outlasted American Eric Butorac and Jean-Julien Rojer of Curaco, a former Netherlands Antilles island, 5-7, 6-4,10-5.

If Bopanna and Qureshi can get past the fourth seeds, they will not encounter any more seeds in their half of the draw as second-seeded Max Mirnyi of Belarus and Canadian Daniel Nestor and eighth seeds Jurgen Melzer of Austria and German Phillip Petzschner were knocked out.

Top-seeded American twins Bob and Mike Bryan were also stretched to a super tie-breaker. — IANS

Melbourne, August 19
In a major revamp of Australian cricket following a year of debacles, chief selector Andrew Hilditch, selection panel member Greg Chappell, who reportedly drove everyone "mad" in the national team, and coach Tim Nielsen were today sacked by the Board.

The overhaul came about after Cricket Australia board accepted recommendations from the Don Argus review into the team's performance following their Ashes debacle last summer. Hilditch, who was not full-time appointee, was sacked with the CA announcing that a five-man selection panel will be created with a full-time chairman and two independent members.

The CA has also decided to give the captain and coach selection powers. "The position is a full-time role. Andrew is not available to work full time. He has just started up a new legal practice so he is not available to apply for the role," CA Chairman Jack Clarke said.

"I haven't spoken to Andrew about (whether he wants to stay on the panel). He's certainly unavailable for the top job." National talent manager and former India coach, Chappell, has been removed from the selection panel and the players are reportedly very happy with the decision.

"He drove us all mad," one player was quoted as saying by the 'Daily Telegraph'. Players complained that Chappell, who had a stormy stint as India coach, was "caustic" influence around the team. "The players found Chappell such an unsettling influence in the dressing room, particularly when they were batting, that they asked that he be excluded," the report said.

Hilditch, meanwhile, said he supports CA's decision in the best interest of the team. "I fully support the recommendation of the review panel to appoint a full-time chairman of the national selection panel and the appointment of the captain and coach as members of the panel."

"It is a structure I supported as appropriate when interviewed by the review panel and I think it will serve Australian cricket well going into the future", Hilditch said.

"They were always going to be difficult years as chairman with the exodus of so many great players but I have given it my all and always acted to the best of my ability to achieve the best outcome for Australian cricket," he said. — PTI

Patiala, August 19
The six dope-tainted athletes - Ashwini Akkunji, Mandeep Kaur, Juana Murmu, Sini Jones, Priyanka Panwar and Tiana Mary - appeared before NADA's Anti Doping Disciplinary Panel yesterday to present their side of the story. Their hearing has now been scheduled for September 14 whereas long jumper Hari Krishnan's hearing has been scheduled for September 16.

NADA Director General Rahul Bhatnagar confirmed that the dates. Meanwhile, one of the athletes disclosed that their advocate had sought a few details from NADA, including where the tests were done and the anabolic substances that were found during their tests. NADA has sought two weeks for handing over all necessary documents and has asked the advocate to submit a request before the next hearing. — TNS

New Delhi, August 19
India will be using the Decision Review System (DRS), comprising the audio tracker and Hot Spot infra-red cameras, for the first time in all the 13 home international games later this year.

India have always been very vocal in its criticism of the DRS but it seems the BCCI is warming up for the technology as it will use the DRS for the first time when it hosts England in a bilateral series in October.

The ICC's new guidelines makes it mandatory to use DRS in Tests and ODIs and Warren Brennan, CEO of BBG Sports, which owns the Hot Spot camera technology, said BCCI has asked for the cameras for India's home season.

Brennan told ESPNcricinfo that four Hot Spot cameras would be in use for the five ODIs against England and three Tests against the West Indies, while two cameras would be in place during the five-match ODI series against the West Indies.

The BCCI doesn't have faith and reliability on the ball-tracker technology which is being used in the DRS. It was also not convinced of the system as it is very expensive.

Infact, Senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar and India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni also share apprehensions about the accuracy of the technology.Previously "clear stump mikes", a Super Slo-Mo camera and ball-tracking technology were used in the DRS but under the new regulations, infra-red cameras will replace the ball-tracker system. — PTI

BRIEFLY

Jeev drops after good start
Celadana: Jeev Milkha Singh blew away an early lead today with a messy finish, dropping double bogey and a bogey in the last three holes to finish the first round at 71 at the Czech Open here. The Indian golfer was tied 25th, while compatriots Shiv Kapur and Gaganjeet Bhullar shot two-under 70 each to be tied for 14th. Jeev starting on the tenth, had birdies on 10th, 13th, 14th and 16th and a bogey on 15th to turn in three-under. — PTI

DSA hails Chhetri, Shabbir
New Delhi: The Delhi Soccer Association (DSA) today hailed Sunil Chhetri’s selection for the Arjuna Award and Shabbir Ali for the Dhyan Chand Award. DSA secretary Syed Shaheen said Chhetri had brought laurels to Delhi as he was a Delhi boy who first played for the popular City Club, and for Delhi in the Santosh Trophy. Chhetri had played decisive roles in India’s two Nehru Gold Cup wins at the Ambedkar Stadium in Delhi. Shaheen also congratulated veteran player Shabbir Ali, a former India player, who had donned the colours of the big clubs of Kolkata for many years. — TNS

Venue OK for Messi match
Kolkata: A three-member team, led by Argentine assistant coach Julian Camino, today gave the go-ahead to the Yuba Bharati Krirangan, which will host his country's international friendly here on September 3. About 152 countries from across the world are expected to watch the high-profile match, which will also see wunderkind Lionel Messi don the captain's armband for the first time in his international career. "Me and my team visited the stadium in the morning. We saw the practice venue (Mohun Bagan ground) yesterday and we are happy with the arrangements here," Camino said. — PTI

Dilshan retains captaincy
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's selectors have appointed Tillakaratne Dilshan as captain of the national side for all formats until the end of 2011. The 34-year-old batsman was handed the captaincy for the tour of England earlier this year after Kumar Sangakkara stepped down from the post at the end of the 2011 World Cup. Dilshan, currently leading Sri Lanka in a one-day series against Australia, will remain in the role for the subsequent three-test series between the teams. — Reuters

Rugby World cup begins Sept 9

Ireland's rugby union national team center Gordon D'Arcy (C) during a training session in Dublin on the eve of the friendly rugby union test match against France. — AFP

Malik cleared by PCB
Lahore: The Pakistan cricket Board's integrity commitee today cleared former captain Shoaib Malik and announced him eligible to be considered for the national team once again. The eight member integrity commitee announced after another hearing with Malik at the Gadafi stadium that prima facie Malik has been able to establish he was not involved in any questionable activity. The integrity commitee had prevented Malik from being considered for national selection over certain deposits in his overseas accounts since December last year including one major amount of 95,000 pounds. — PTI

Pujara eyes comeback
New Delhi: Talented Saurashtra batsman Cheteshwar Pujara is confident that he will be able to make a comeback to the national side during India's tour of Australia in December-January. Pujara underwent a surgery on his right knee after sustaining an injury during last edition of IPL. Currently, he is undergoing rehabilitation and is expected to be match-fit by October end. — PTI