MELBOURNE, January 20
Rafa Nadal came through his first proper test to storm into the quarterfinals of the Australian Open on Monday but Maria Sharapova was ushered to the exit after a second big shock in as many days in the women’s draw.

Victoria Azarenka was left as the only top-three seed still standing in the last eight when Sharapova was scratched from the title race by Dominika Cibulkova, a day after Serena Williams had also tumbled out in the fourth round.

In the men’s draw, the “Big Four” look poised to scrap it out for yet another grand slam crown over the next week after Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray all won on Monday to join Novak Djokovic in the last eight.

Spaniard Nadal led the way with a 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 7-6 (7-3) victory over Japan’s Kei Nishikori on Rod Laver Arena that was by no means as easy as the phrase “straight sets” would suggest.

The world number one had to contend with a blister on his hand, a tumble, a time violation at a crucial moment and his first losses of his serve in the tournament but most of all with some inspired shot-making from the Asian number one.

While Nadal will meet Sharapova’s boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov for a place in the semifinals, Federer and Murray’s quarterfinal date ensures that at least one of the quartet of dominant men’s players will go home on Wednesday.

Federer’s quickfire 6-3 7-5 6-4 victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was the most impressive of the day, particularly given the French 10th seed had taken him to five sets in Melbourne and beaten him at Roland Garros last year.

“I definitely felt momentum was on my side, no doubt,” said the Swiss. “I started the match well. Did I break first game? I think I did. I felt, alright, things are working for me tonight. Let me try to run away with it.”

Murray also looked to be racing to victory against Stephane Robert, the first lucky loser to reach the fourth round in Melbourne, but blew a couple of match points in the third set and was dragged into a tiebreak, which the Frenchman won 8-6. The Wimbledon champion took out his frustrations on his a racket, changed his shirt and then whipped through the fourth set to record a 6-1 6-2 6-7 (6) 6-2 victory.

Like Murray, Sharapova missed the back end of last season because of injury and she admitted after her 3-6 6-4 6-1 defeat to Cibulkova that the tournament had probably come a little bit early for her.

Results

Men (4th round)

6-Roger Federer (Switzerland) beat 10-Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France) 6-3 7-5 6-4; 4-Andy Murray (Britain) beat Stephane Robert (France) 6-1 6-2 6-7(6) 6-2; 1-Rafa Nadal (Spain) beat 16-Kei Nishikori (Japan) 7-6(3) 7-5 7-6(3); 22-Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria) beat Roberto Bautista (Spain) 6-3 3-6 6-2 6-4

Women (4th round)

5-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) beat Garbine Muguruza Blanco (Spain) 6-1 6-3; 2-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) beat 13-Sloane Stephens (U.S.) 6-3 6-2; 11-Simona Halep (Romania) beat 8-Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) 6-4 2-6 6-0; 20-Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) beat 3-Maria Sharapova (Russia) 3-6 6-4 6-1

New delhi, January 20
The Emergent Working Committee of the BCCI has been summoned to discuss the Board’s bid to push for a lion’s share from ICC’s revenue earnings at the parent body’s executive board meeting in Dubai on January 28 and 29.

Another issue that might come up for discussion at the WC meeting in Chennai on Thursday is proposing BCCI president N Srinivasan’s name as the first chairman of the ICC although his name needs to be passed at a governing body meeting.

“The meeting has been summoned to apprise and get the working committee’s nod for pushing BCCI’s case of getting more revenue from ICC’s earnings as bulk of it is generated by the Indian cricket board,” BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel said.

Srinivasan during the end of last year had met Cricket Australia chairman Wally Edwards to discuss the issue of revenue sharing model and expressed his intentions about what the BCCI feels on the matter. When Patel was asked whether India will push for at least 70 percent on a new profit-sharing model, the secretary replied, “That can’t be said at the moment. Obviously that’s one of the revenue models but there are a few alternative profit-sharing models also which we would be looking at. Basically, we will have a discussion on all aspects and look at the best possible solution.”

The meeting in Dubai is set to feature a change in ICC set-up with BCCI, ECB and CA gaining more control than the other units in every aspect of parent body’s functioning. — PTI

Sharjah, January 20
Azhar Ali hit a belligerent century on the final day as Pakistan pulled off a dramatic five-wicket victory in the final Test against Sri Lanka to level the three-match series 1-1 on Monday.

Azhar struck his fifth Test century and featured in two crucial partnerships with captain Misbah-ul-Haq (68 not out) and Sarfraz Ahmed (48) as Pakistan chased down a 302-run victory target in 57.3 overs.

Azhar, 28, eventually fell after a 137-ball 103 which contained six fours, leaving Pakistan needing seven runs for victory.

Misbah completed the formality, scoring the winning run off Shaminda Eranga and the clean-shaven Pakistan captain celebrated by twirling an invisible moustache.

Chasing what appeared an improbable victory target from 59 overs, Pakistan got off to a flying start with openers Khurram Manzoor (21) and Ahmed Shehzad (21) adding 35 quick runs before both fell to Suranga Lakmal in their pursuit of quick runs.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 428-9 dec & 214 (Rehman 4-56, Ajmal 3-53, Talha 3-65); Pakistan 341 & 302-5 (Azhar Ali 103, Misbah-ul-Haq 68 not out). — Reuters 

Mohali, January 20
Karnataka can’t be blamed for feeling they are close to victory after they opened up a lead of 81 runs, with five wickets still in hand, against Punjab on Monday, the third day of the semifinal.

By the end of the second session on Monday, Punjab’s limp body language had started indicating that the game was slipping away from them. Skipper Harbhajan Singh reflected the growing frustration in the Punjab camp with his repeated charge and argument with umpire Subrat Das. Harbhajan was fined 25 percent of his match fee for excessive and aggressive appealing.

Karnataka, meanwhile, watched the drama in amusement even as Karun Nair (107 no) and Amit Verma (65 no) played on gamely for the rest of the day.

Punjab had reasons, and plenty of them, to feel bitter and somewhat short-changed at the hands of Das as the umpire turned down at least three convincing appeals. Robin Uthappa (47) was let off after a Harbhajan delivery kissed his gloves before hitting his pads and flying into the hands of a fielder at short leg. Manish Pandey, on 48, was rapped on the pads by a Harbhajan delivery from round the stumps but the appeal was again turned down. Part-time spinner Gurkeerat Mann had Aditya Verma plumb in front of the wicket but the umpire was again unmoved.

The decisions meant Punjab never came close to gaining an upper hand in the entire day. They had a chance to peg back the visitors when they removed Manish Pandey (65) with Karnataka still trailing by 118. But, by then, the feeling that they had been wronged had already set in. That the batsmen looked completely at home compounded the growing frustration.

Uthappa and Pandey made good contributions but the knockout punch was delivered by the pair of Karun Nair and Chidhambaram Gautam (47). Nair, in his debut season, hit his third consecutive hundred, and is still going strong.

Indore, January 20
Wriddhiman Saha’s gutsy century went in vain as Maharashtra crushed Bengal by 10 wickets to enter the final of the Ranji Trophy after a gap of two decades.

Maharashtra last played in the Ranji Trophy final in the 1992-93 season where they lost to Punjab.

After a batting collapse in the first innings, Bengal put up a relatively better show in the second essay courtesy Wriddhiman’s unbeaten 108, scoring 348 and managing to avert the ignominy of an innings defeat.

Harshad Khadiwale knocked off the required eight runs in two overs on the third day as Maharashtra continued their dream run in the national championship entering the summit clash from Group C. Left-arm seamer Samad Fallah (3/110) claimed three in the second innings to complete a match-haul of 10 wickets. — PTI

brief scores

Punjab: 270; Karnataka: 351/5 (Nair* 107, Verma* 65, Pandey 65; Harbhajan 2/79, Sandeep 1/58)

Bengal: 114 & 348 (Saha* 108, Chatterjee 49; Sanklecha 3/84, Joseph 3/80, Fallah 3/110); Maharashtra: 455 & 8/0 

Madrid, January 20
Atletico Madrid squandered a chance to climb above Barcelona to the top of La Liga when they conceded a late penalty and were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Sevilla on Sunday.

An off-colour Barca had to come from behind to rescue a point in the earlier kickoff at mid-table Levante but Atletico were unable to capitalise on the champions’ unexpected setback.

David Villa smashed in a loose ball to put Atletico ahead in the 18th minute at the Calderon and the home side looked to be coasting to victory until Juanfran hauled Carlos Bacca to the ground in the area in the 71st minute and Ivan Rakitic clipped home the spot-kick.

The result meant Barca and Atletico, who drew 0-0 in Madrid last weekend, are level on 51 points at the top with just over half the season played, with Barca ahead on goal difference. Real Madrid gained further ground and sit a point behind the joint leaders thanks to Saturday’s 5-0 drubbing of bottom side Real Betis in Seville.

Real and Barca, the world’s two richest clubs by income, have dominated La Liga over the past decade but Atletico have emerged as genuine contenders for the title this season under Argentine coach Diego Simeone.

Barca lacked inspiration against a doggedly defensive Levante at their Ciutat de Valencia stadium even with Lionel Messi, who returned last weekend after a two-month injury absence, back in the starting lineup.

Often vulnerable when defending set-pieces, they fell behind in the 10th minute when Loukas Vyntra headed past goalkeeper Victor Valdes from an Andreas Ivanschitz corner. Barca’s equaliser also came from a corner when Gerard Pique nodded in nine minutes later but they struggled to create further chances before the break. — Reuters

Ludhiana, January 20
A trip to Kolkata to participate in a national football tournament turned out to be a nightmare for Punjab U-14 teams, thanks to the apathy of the authorities.

To begin with, the officials made the teams (both boys and girls) board the train without reservation. As a result, most of them sat on the floor throughout the journey. As if this wasn’t bad enough, the organisers, the School Games Federation of India, didn’t make proper boarding arrangements. The students were reportedly asked to sleep on the desks in a class-room.

On learning about the ill-treatment, a couple of parents flew down to Kolkata. “We approached a gurdwara to accommodate the children. The gurdwara management arranged for their stay and food, besides providing a vehicle to travel to and from the venue,” said a parent.

Deputy Director Sports Sarabjit Toor initially said proper arrangements had been made. But when told that the students were staying in a gurdwara, he said: “Unless we get a written complaint from someone, how can we forward it to other state?”

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