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6-year wait over:
Tendulkar
England confirmed as hosts of 2019 cricket World
Cup
Booed by crowd, Srini says media hounding him
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Can’t doubt integrity of BCCI probe panel: Gavaskar
Manohar wants external probe
Events outside the field disrupted us: Fleming
Leading MI to title was great: Rohit
Nadal survives bad day at office
Pakistan beat Ireland to win two-match ODI series
Real Madrid held in a six-goal thriller
Jeev to take time off again
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6-year wait over:
Tendulkar
Kolkata, May 2 “For World Cup I had to wait for 21 years but for this I had to wait for only six years. Also this is special for me as I won’t be playing in IPL next season,” Tendulkar said after the triumph. “I think this is the right time to stop playing IPL. Just got to accept the reality that this would be my last season. I am happy that the sending was perfect,” he said. An enthusiastic Tendulkar jokingly declined another Mumbaikar, Sunil Gavaskar’s, offer to play one last match at Wankhede next year, “I can’t just wait to touch the trophy and this is the right time to say thank you to everyone. It’s never too late to win a trophy,” he said. In 78 IPL matches, Tendulkar scored 2334 runs at an average of 34.83 with a strike rate of 119.81. He scored one century and 13 half-centuries. More than the numbers it was his sheer presence that motivated Mumbai Indians players to perform on the field. Rohit Sharma said, “His mere presence is the dressing room is big motivation.” He also hinted that the Little master is also unlikely for Champions League slated four months later. Sachin last played a league matchagainst Sunrisrers Hyderabad where his last shot was a six over the long-on. Sachin immediately returned to the dugouts after being retired hurt with a tendon injury on his left-hand wrist. Touching 40, Sachin hinted that it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to bear the burden of T20 and side-ons, “Anil (Kumble) said that 40 is just a number. There were optional practise days but entire team turned up. Things don’t come easily but we were prepared to go Reflecting on his IPL performance for last six years, “I’ve enjoyed my six seasons with Mumbai Indians. Its been fantastic journey. This season was superb. We thought our third season was the best but this one is the icing on the cake,” he said. Tendulkar announced his retirement after having called quits from the ODIs in December before the Pakistan series. Sachin is likely to play against South Africa in a three-Test series by the yearend where he is will complete a historic 200 Tests. Tendulkar’s 6 ipl seasons year Mat Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 2008 7 188 65 31.33 106.21 0 1 2009 13 364 68 33.09 120.13 0 2 2010 15 618 89* 47.53 132.61 0 5 2011 16 553 100* 42.53 113.31 1 2 2012 13 324 74 29.45 114.48 0 2 2013 14 287 54 22.07 124.24 0 1 |
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England confirmed as hosts of 2019 cricket World
Cup
London, May 27
The tournament, scheduled to involve 10 teams, will be held in June at 10 different venues which will be announced later. “The ECB is honoured to have been selected to stage one of the largest and most important global sports events which will be a wonderful boost to sport and cricket in particular throughout England and Wales,” ECB chief executive David Collier said in a statement. ICC chief executive David Richardson said the World Cup attracted a broadcast audience in excess of 1.5 billion people. “England and Wales boasts a number of high quality cricket venues providing players, officials and spectators with excellent facilities,” Richardson said. “We look forward to working with the ECB to deliver an outstanding tournament.” — Reuters
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Booed by crowd, Srini says media hounding him
Kolkata, May 27 Srinivasan, whose son-in-law and Chennai Super Kings CEO Gurunath Meiyappan has been arrested for alleged involvement in betting, reached here after attending the IPL final last night in Kolkata, where the crowd booed him during the presentation ceremony. “The press is hounding me, the media is hounding me. I have already clarified everything in the press conference. I have no reason to resign,” Srinivasan retorted when journalists asked him about the scandal and whether he should resign on moral grounds. Srinivasan had yesterday held a press conference hours before the final to declare that he would not step down. He also announced the setting up of a three-member enquiry panel to investigate the scandal, that led to the arrest of three Rajasthan Royals players. The three-member enquiry commission will consist of two members of the IPL Operations Committee and an independent person in whose appointment he will have no role. The five members of the committee are Arun Jaitley, Rajeev Shukla, Sanjay Jagdale, Ajay Shirke and Ravi Shastri. Booed in Kolkata Srinivasan had been booed by a capacity Eden Gardens crowd as his name was announced during the post-match presentation ceremony after the IPL final. The moment Ravi Shastri announced his name, there was a loud jeer from the 61,000 odd crowd present at the stadium which reminded a lot of how former IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi was booed at the stadium in Delhi at the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, 2010. Clad in navy blue suit and with a sky blue shirt, Srinivasan wore a gloomy look during the presentation ceremony and was not certainly amused when there was collective booing as soon as Shastri announced his name. The second time when his name was announced to present the winners’ trophy, there was a deathly silence followed by another round of jeers with most of the spectators leaving for home. As has been his superstition over the years, Srinivasan never watches CSK’s matches live and only comes during final when the match is nearing end. There were rumours that BCCI president is not coming to the ground and will not be present at the closing ceremony as he was not around for the maximum time of the match. — PTI
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Can’t doubt integrity of BCCI probe panel: Gavaskar
Mumbai, May 27 BCCI president N Srinivasan yesterday announced that the Meiyappan issue would be probed by a three-man Commission with two from the five-member IPL Governing Council being members and that has led to questions on whether the inquiry would be fair or not. Gavaskar does not see any issue in two IPL GC members being part of the probe. "For us to doubt the integrity of the IPL GC members is not just on. It is not fair to doubt their integrity only because of the fact that they are going to probe the Gurunath issue," Gavaskar said. "The BCCI has probed many things connected with internal matters of the Board and if there were no issues in those how can there be any problem in this case? The call of the three-man Commission will have to be respected," he added. On the speculation that former captain and IPL GC member Ravi Shastri could be a member of the Commission, Gavaskar said, "I don't know anything about the composition of the Commission, but I think Ravi would not be able to give much time in the coming days as he would be commentating during the Champions Trophy in UK." On a comment by former India opener Arun Lal, who also took part in the programme, Gavaskar said, "I want to clarify that I and Ravi are not currently contracted to the BCCI." Gavaskar said that the issue of whether Meiyappan was a team principal or owner of CSK would have to be dealt by the Commission. "The three Rajasthan Royals players who were arrested were contracted players of the franchise. But as far as Meiyappan is concerned, the team management has said that he was not connected with the team. The whole issue will be looked into by the Commission," he said. Asked about Srinivasan describing S Sreesanth and his two Rajasthan Royals team-mates as accused while he did not do so while referring to Gurunath, Gavasakar said it was just a matter of semantics. — PTI
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New Delhi, May 27 “The board should approach the central home minister, requesting governmental support in investigating the criminal actions in any event run by the BCCI, which would also include international fixtures. It should request [the minister] to send an advisory to all states one month before the start of an event, so that the investigating machinery can swing in action well in advance to prevent any match-fixing , betting or spot-fixing,” Manohar said. He said that all IPL 2013 matches should not be scrutinised, and that the BCCI should not solely depend on the its own and the ICC’s Anit-Corruption and Security Units (ACSU). “BCCI must come clean in wake of the recent spot-fixing scandal. They must cleanse the system completely and a central investigative agency must look into the aspect during any or every tournament including international fixtures,” Manohar said in an interview with a TV channel. “The call details of not only all the players but also the members of the support staff, officials should be tracked in order to carry out a smooth investigations,” he added. — Agencies
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Leeds, May 27 England, who won the first test at Lord’s by 170 runs, set the tourists a target of 468 for an unlikely victory after Alastair Cook declared half an hour after lunch on the fourth day at Headingley. New Zealand, with four sessions remaining of the match, limped into tea at 68 for three after off-spinner Graeme Swann struck twice. Later, they had recovered somewhat to 117/3 in the third session. Dismissed for 174 in their first innings, hot on the heels of their capitulation at Lord’s when they were skittled for 68, the tourists looked ill at ease on a wicket offering bounce and turn. Stuart Broad, the instigator of New Zealand’s first test downfall with seven second-innings wickets, removed Peter Fulton for five with a ball that bounced sharply from a good length to catch the shoulder of the opener’s bat and give Ian Bell a simple catch at gully. Broad struck Kane Williamson a painful blow on the arm before Swann was introduced into the attack and trapped New Zealand’s number three leg before for the second time in the match, the decision upheld after a review. Swann was celebrating again just before tea when Hamish Rutherford, who had batted with determination for his 42, got an inside edge on to his pad and was snaffled by Joe Root at short leg. Earlier, Cook completed his 25th test century before falling for 130 and Jonathan Trott hit 76. The hosts added 122 to their overnight total in the morning session and batted for a shade over 30 minutes after lunch before declaring on 287 for five. Trott, from the second ball after the interval, and Root perished to attacking strokes and Jonny Bairstow hit some lusty blows before Cook called a halt. — Reuters Scorecard England 1st innings 354
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Events outside the field disrupted us: Fleming
Kolkata, May 27 In the end, these two may be considered as a biggest factors in their defeat. But the real story was something else. “Events outside the ground were disrupting,” Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming conceded the bitter truth after they lost to Mumbai Indians in the IPL-6 final. “It has been a difficult week for us. Events outside the ground were disrupting. We are not used to such things. We are very calculated side and this week has been difficult and disruptive as we had explained in yesterday’s (Saturday) press conference. Today, we were hoping that our performance would reflect our pride and the nature of the side. But that wasn’t to be, a disappointing end to otherwise a very good season,” Fleming said. If it required more proof skipper MS Dhoni’s repeatedly avoiding media before and after the final clearly told on the travails of an under-fire team. It was confirmed when Fleming vainly defended Dhoni’s absence saying: “He doesn’t do a lot of media, it’s his style may be.” Chennai paid for poor batting display even though the total wasn’t quite intimidating. “Despite the three quick wickets, we were not down and out. But the shots that we played, we never really gave us a chance. Our shot selection was very poor. We lost our composure, the (Dwayne) Bravo and (Ravindra) Jadeja dismissals reflected that,” said Fleming. Summing up the story for Chennai Super Kings in the season six, the coach said, “For us, it was a great season till the last week. We would have loved to respond in the field but unfortunately that was not to be. We were completely outplayed,” added Fleming. Rohit Sharma, the MI captain, described the victory as the perfect farewell gift to the batting genius. “We are happy that we could give him the perfect farewell by winning the trophy,” Sharma said. Ambanis were away due to graduation ceremony of children Mumbai Indians owners Mukesh and Nita Ambani had to put their children’s priority first as the duo, busy with son and daughter’s graduation ceremony in New York, missed the team’s triumph. However, they were expected to make up for their absence as they would fly in by this evening to throw a gala party for the entire team at their Altamount Road residence. It was especially Nita, a permanent fixture with the team, who was conspicuous by absence on a night when Sachin Tendulkar bade a farewell from IPL as he along with his wife Anjali, daughter Sara and other teammates took a victory lap of the packed Eden. — (With agency inputs)
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Leading MI to title was great: Rohit
Kolkata, May 27 "It's been a tough journey. We have fought from day one. Those are great experience personally to lead such a star-studded side," Sharma said at the post-match presser. It was a memorable moment for Sharma winning the IPL title at Eden Gardens, the same venue where he was first appointed skipper after Ricky Ponting had stepped down due to lack of form. "It was right here in Kolkata when the moment came to me... We came here after losing two games in Jaipur and Delhi," he said. Sharma said Ponting has had a great influence on his performance and the Aussie World Cup winning skipper made a significant contribution in the dressing room. "He was guiding the batsmen all the way through. He has been in such a situation for so many times for Australia. He knows what sort of mindset one should have. He never looked back. He was always there watching the game, reading the game from the dug out,” he said. — PTI
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Nadal survives bad day at office
Paris, May 27 Nadal, as expected, took his place in the second round but his 4-6 7-6 6-4 6-3 win over the inspired German who had never won a main draw match at Roland Garros was fraught with danger as he flirted with the unthinkable. After a relatively thrill-free opening day on Sunday, fans flocked to the brick dust courts beside the Bois de Boulogne to feast their eyes on a line-up loaded with big names. Former women’s champion Li Na began with a grafting 6-3 6-4 first round win against Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues while home fans dreaming of a first French men’s champion here since 1983 cheered loudly as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga turned on the style. Russian powerhouse Maria Sharapova was set to turn up the volume later as she begins the defence of her title. However, it was claycourt king Nadal’s struggle that created the buzz around the crowds thronging the grounds. The 26-year-old, looking to become the first man in history to win the same grand slam eight times, has been unstoppable in the build-up to the tournament he has dominated since winning the title as a teenager in 2005. Five titles on clay since returning to the Tour after a seven-month injury lay-off, and the incredible statistic of a solitary defeat in his previous 53 French Open matches, should have made his first-round clash with Brands a formality. When he banged the dirt off his shoes, performed the obligatory tug of his orange shorts and won the opening point with a dipping topspin forehand all looked well in Rafa World. Then things got complicated for the former world No.1 in his first grand slam match since last year’s shock second-round Wimbledon defeat by Czech Lukas Rosol. Looking sluggish and struggling to cope with the punishing, flat-hitting of 59th ranked Brands, Nadal double-faulted on a break point at 4-4 in first set and Brands seized his chance, claiming the first set with a forehand missile. It was the first time Nadal had dropped the first set of a first round match at Roland Garros and only the 15th he had surrendered at the home of French tennis. Since losing to Robin Soderling in the fourth round in 2009, Nadal had never lost the opening set of a match at the French Open and as Brands continued to show scant regard for Nadal’s reputation a repeat of that shock looked possible. Especially when Brands held off break points at the start of the second set and dragged Nadal into a tense tiebreaker. With the capacity crowd glued to the action, Brands fired down two huge winners to take a 3-0 lead but just when the alarm bells began to ring loudly in the Nadal camp, the Mallorcan was let off the hook. A Brands backhand sliced low into the net gave Nadal a new lease of life and the Spaniard won seven of the final eight points in the tiebreak to level the match, roaring as much in relief as joy after dispatching a fizzing backhand passing shot on set point. After breaking the mighty Brands serve for the first time in the opening game of the third set, Nadal always looked the likely winner, although his performance will offer hope to those wishing to knock him off his perch. “He was playing unbelievable tennis and I was just trying to find my game and resist his great shots and I’m very happy to be through,” a relieved Nadal said in a courtside interview after peeling off his knee bandages. While Nadal was toiling, sixth seed Tsonga was entertaining the crowd out on Suzanne Lenglen court, outclassing Slovenia’s Aljaz Bedene 6-2 6-2 6-3 with a performance of pace and power. Several women’s seeds progressed, including China’s 2011 champion Li, who made light of poor head-to-head record against Medina Garrigues to move through. Fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska, playing despite a painful shoulder, thrashed Israel’s Shahar Peer 6-1 6-1 while former world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki ended a dreadful recent run of first-round defeats to beat Britain’s Laura Robson 6-3 6-2. — Reuters
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Pakistan beat Ireland to win two-match ODI series
Dublin, May 27 Akmal scored 81 off 85 balls and Riaz plundered four sixes and four fours in an unbeaten 47 off 35 balls to help Pakistan score 230-8 in 48.4 overs. The 93-run stand for the eighth wicket off 62 balls overshadowed Ireland top-order batsman Ed Joyce’s unbeaten 116 off 132 balls, which steered Ireland to 229-9. Pakistan’s chase was in tatters at 133-7 in the 37th over before Akmal and Riaz launched a counterattack against the inexperienced Ireland bowlers. Last Thursday, the first match ended in a tie on the Duckworth/Lewis Method when Ireland made a spirited reply and scored 275-5. The short tour was part of Pakistan’s preparation for the Champions Trophy. Veteran Ireland seamer Trent Johnston — one of the four players from the Ireland team that knocked Pakistan out of the 2007 World Cup in West Indies with a three-wicket win — and Tim Murtagh reduced Pakistan to 17-4. Captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who was dropped on 0 by Paul Stirling low down in the slips, added 43 with Shoaib Malik (43) before sending a tame return catch to Alex Cusack. Ireland kept the pressure on Pakistan’s brittle batting lineup, with leftarm spinner George Dockrell trapping Malik lbw in the 34th over. Three overs later, Abdur Rehman was brilliantly caught in the covers by Kevin O’Brien to raise Ireland spirits. However, Akmal and Riaz changed gears. Riaz hit Murtagh for three sixes and a four in one over, and Akmal was equally belligerent in hitting 11 fours and two sixes. Akmal tried to finish the match off but skyed a catch when only four runs were needed, but Riaz and Junaid Khan took Pakistan to victory. Earlier, Joyce anchored the innings by hitting a dozen boundaries and a six as Pakistan opted to field first after winning the toss. The visitors reduced the home team to 4-2 when Khan removed Stirling without scoring and Asad Ali claimed the wicket of captain William Porterfield for one. Left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman, one of three bowlers changed by Pakistan, took 4-48. — PTI
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Real Madrid held in a six-goal thriller
Madrid, May 27 Gonzalo Higuain and Jose Maria Callejon had given Jose Mourinho’s men a 2-0 lead in his penultimate match in charge before a spirited fightback from Sociedad saw them level matters through Xabi Prieto and Antoine Griezmann. Sami Khedira then put Madrid back in front 10 minutes from time, but Prieto struck again in stoppage time to at least give Sociedad a share of the spoils. The Basques now trail Valencia by two points with just one game to play in the fight for fourth place after Roberto Soldado’s solitary goal was enough to earn Los Che a 1-0 win over Granada. Meanwhile, Barcelona kept up their charge towards 100 points with a 2-0 win at Espanyol thanks to goals in either half from Alexis Sanchez and Pedro. And all three relegation places will go down to the final day with Deportivo la Coruna, Real Zaragoza, Celta Vigo and Mallorca all still fighting to avoid the drop. Madrid were without the injured Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso, but they were gifted the perfect start on six minutes when Mikel Gonzalez gifted possession to Higuain and he strolled through to slot home his 15th league goal of the season. Sociedad were then denied by a series of fine saves from Lopez, whilst Griezmann and Imanol Agirretxe both fired off target. And the home side were then stunned when Madrid doubled their lead on 57 minutes when a wonderful teasing cross from Kaka was flicked in by Callejon. However, Sociedad were given a lifeline just seven minutes later though when Khedira handled inside his own area and Prieto, who scored a hat-trick in Sociedad’s 4-3 defeat to Madrid earlier in the season, comfortably slotted the ball into the bottom corner from the resulting penalty. Griezmann finally got the goal his performance deserved when he prodded home Carlos Martinez’s fine low cross 12 minutes from time. Madrid were immediately back in front when Mesut Ozil released Khedira to dink a neat finish over the advancing Claudio Bravo. But there was on final twist as Prieto struck again to give Sociedad hope of still claiming the fourth Champions League spot next weekend. — PTI
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Jeev to take time off again
Chandigarh, may 27 “My finger is still bothering me and I am going in for a dextrose injection tomorrow after which I am not allowed to touch a club for ten days,” said Jeev who injured his finger during the 2013 Scottish Open which he won. It seemed to be an equally disappointing week for other Indian professionals playing abroad as most of them missed the cut this week. SSP Chowrasia carded a creditable one-under-par 71 in the first round but shot 13-over-par 85 in the second round to miss the halfway cut. “I played well in the first round but the conditions were really tough and it was very cold and I just lost my momentum,” said Chowrasia. It was worse for Gaganjeet Bhullar, who carded a two-over-par in the first round and withdrew after nine holes in the second round but was already six-over-par for the day. Meanwhile, the brigade of young professionals qualifying and winning tournaments, continues to make a statement. Italian Matteo Manassero became the youngest ever winner of the BMW PGA Championship on the European Tour — he is just 20 years and 37 days old. And he defeated Simon Khan and Marc Warren in a four-hole playoff, birdieing the fourth playoff to take home the winners cheque of 791,660 euros. He has been hailed as an “heir apparent” to legendary golfer Seve Ballesteros and also practiced with him when he was growing up in Northern Italy. This victory also earned him a spot to play in next month’s U.S Open. Across the Atlantic, the PGA Tour saw Boo Weekly win after five years to take home the winners cheque of US$1,152,000 from the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial with a total of 14-under-par 266. Daniel Chopra finished tied 28th at the Mexico Championship on the Web.com Tour and Arjun Atwal withdrew form the same event after an 85 in the first round. Sharmila Nicolett and Smriti Mehra, who played the Deloitte Ladies Open in Holland also suffered similar fates as both missed the cut. The European Tour now heads to Sweden for the Nordea Masters. Since Jeev has had to withdraw from this event, SSP Chowrasia will be the sole Indian playing on the European Tour this week. Meanwhile, Jeev, Shiv Kapur and Bhullar will be trying to qualify for the US Open over 36-holes, which will be played back-to-back at the Walton Heath golf course in England. They will play alongside England’s David Howell, Frenchman Thomas Levet and Peter Lawrie as well as a host of leading golfers from the European Tour who have not automatically qualified. |
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A defiant and combative BCCI President, who has decided to hang on to his position despite the IPL spot-fixing scandal, today said his resignation is being sought only by a “hounding media”.
All seemed normal as Rafa Nadal walked on to Chatrier Court to begin his pursuit of an eighth French Open title but Germany’s Daniel Brands ensured it was no regular Monday at the office for the defending champion who survived a huge scare.
