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India not at their best
World cries foul as big three move for complete
control
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SC to hear BCCI plea on March 4
Barca back on top after easy win
Saina beats Sindhu to win India GP Gold
Saina Nehwal
Sania-Tecau lose in final
Ranchi Rhinos edge out Waveriders
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India not at their best
Hamilton, January 27 India trail 0-2 at the moment and have a chance to at least draw the series after the third ODI finished in a thrilling tie, thanks to some spectacular batting by R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. “We’ve just not been at our best. That's the best point we can take forward... we've not really played our best game yet. The standards that we've set for ourselves have been quite high, in terms of what we've achieved over the last year or so,” said Ashwin. Ashwin said the tied match at the Eden Park in Auckland was disappointing. “We were quite disappointed that we didn't shut out the game. We would have loved to win the series but we kept it open and we can now at least level it,” he said. The 27-year-old said India had come close to winning the rain-marred second ODI but were done in by the rain. “Even in Hamilton, we were struggling but we were up against it. The Duckworth-Lewis (rain adjustment system) didn't quite help” The off-spinner said the team was trying hard to come back to winning ways but things were not really going their way. “We've been fighting hard to the end and while things haven't gone our way we just hope for the turnaround,” he said. Ashwin hoped the pitch here won't be too slow this time around. “Auckland's been the best batting wicket alongside Napier. Hamilton was a bit slow, but we don't expect it to be slow this time,” he said. Asked about his batting prowess, Ashwin said: “I have been working pretty hard on it — it is not something that came naturally to me. Being more in the mould of a batsmen playing at the top of the order than those smashing the ball around from the word go, I used to take my time, used to accumulate runs, play shots along the ground.” Ashwin said he has worked hard on his batting and the results are for all to see. “But definitely over the last year or so I've put in a lot of effort and I've made a few technical changes when I'm looking to hit, and it's coming out really well,” he said. —PTI Live on Sony Six, 6.30 am Kiwis focussed on series win, says Ronchi
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World cries foul as big three move for complete
control
New Delhi, January 27 As per the ICC rules, seven of the 10 Board members (Test-playing nations) need to approve the controversial proposal but the Sri Lanka Cricket and Cricket South Africa (CSA) have already publicly expressed their dissatisfaction with the contents of the 'Position Paper'. It has been learnt that BCCI also wants an ICC event every two years in India and also wants to overrule the ICC's FTP by engaging into direct discussions with respective cricket boards for bilateral series. Also there would be discussions on creating a post of ICC chairman, which would rotate between the BCCI, CA and ECB with N Srinivasan being the hot favourite to become the first chairman. It would also effectively turn the ICC president into a virtual 'rubber-stamp'. Miffed with the changes being proposed in the ICC's administrative structure, ex-ICC top officials Malcolm Gray and Malcolm Speed, former West Indies captain Clive Llyod, along with former Pakistan Cricket Board presidents Shahryar Khan and Lt Gen (retd) Tauqir Zia, and former ICC chief Ehsan Mani have already expressed their displeasure and opposed it. Gray, a former ICC chief, and Speed, a former ICC CEO, have broken away from their national board's position by taking the stand against the proposal. Lloyd was a one-time chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee as well as ICC match referee. According to reports, the former top officials have signed a formal letter and sent to the ICC and member nations requesting that the 'Big Three' proposal be immediately withdrawn. All signatories agreed that the ICC needed to re-examine the conclusions of the 2012 Woolf Report into ICC governance, which recommended, among other things, an improvement in governance standards, the appointment of independent board directors and greater transparency. The letter was accompanied by Mani's analysis of the proposal, which raised many concerns about the conflicted interests of its authors — the BCCI, CA and the ECB — and the revenue modelling they are suggesting. — PTI Opposing the move
The result of this will be the countries that need the ICC income most will receive the least while the ‘Big Three' will get the lion's share even though they are already financially healthy. The role of the ICC events should be to assist in levelling the financial playing field by distributing the proceeds fairly, rather than further widening the gap between the rich and poor. Paul Marsh, Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA) chief Raja, Akhtar want PCB to accept proposal Karachi: Former Pakistan captain Rameez Raja has advised Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to accept the proposal. “Eventually it is a proposal that will be accepted. Pakistan must make the best use of this situation and try to not only get long-term financial benefits but also more series against these three nations," Rameez said. Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar also felt that Pakistan had no option but to accept the working paper. "As a cricket nation we are in no position to throw our weight around that is my honest opinion," he said. "So we shouldn't have any doubt that eventually Pakistan will have to accept this proposal,” he said. These proposals should first be referred to the relevant ICC committees or sub-committees for proper consideration and to make recommendations to the ICC Board. The draft proposal is, therefore, fundamentally flawed as regards the process and, therefore, in breach of the ICC constitution. In the circumstances we propose that the draft proposal be withdrawn immediately given that the proper procedures have not been followed. — Chris Nenzan, CSA presidentThe biggest gainers are BCCI, ECB and CA. A point that also needs to be addressed is; why does the BCCI need more money at the expense of other countries? The domestic and international media fees that BCCI receives from playing with other members are massive and underpin BCCI's financial position. It is the richest cricket board in the world. If cricket is to grow, more investment is required in the Associate & Affiliate countries, not less. — Ehsan Mani, Pak’s ex-ICC president
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SC to hear BCCI plea on March 4
London, January 27 The BCCI today told the Supreme Court that Modi will emerge as a clear winner in RCA polls but successfully opposed opening of a sealed envelope containing its results at a hearing before the apex court in New Delhi. “I am surprised that BCCI seemed to know the result before anyone else and before the court even pronounced it. But extremely happy that they think I have won,” Modi said. The BCCI had urged the apex court to hear it before opening the envelope and declaring the result. The Court has now set March 4 as the next date of hearing on the issue. “I am disappointed that yet again we have to wait for the results to be opened due to BCCI wanting more time to explain their stand on how they should be allowed to interfere with the democratic process.” — PTI
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Barca back on top after easy win
Madrid, January 27 Real Madrid had claimed the overnight lead thanks to Saturday's 2-0 home success against Granada before Barca and Atletico restored their one-point advantage with comfortable wins against outclassed opponents. The joint leaders have 54 points from 21 matches, with Barca ahead on goal difference. Real are lurking ominously on 53 and Athletic Bilbao trail on 42 in fourth after they thrashed Osasuna 5-1 on Sunday. — Reuters
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Melbourne January 27 The Swiss, who also upset three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals, capped a magnificent fortnight with his 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 win over Nadal for his first major title. “I still think that I'm dreaming. It's a strange feeling,” he said. “Before today for me, it wasn't (even) a dream. I never expected to play a final. I never expected to win a Grand Slam. And right now I just did it.” He added: “To beat Rafa, even if he was injured, I think I played my best first set during the match. I was ready to play four hours or five to beat Novak in the quarters, to beat Tomas Berdych in the semis.” Wawrinka became the first player since Sergi Bruguera at the 1993 French Open to beat the two top seeds, Nadal and Djokovic. He said he spoke with his Swedish coach Magnus Norman about playing in a Grand Slam final, and he was surprised how calm he was at the start of the match. The Swiss got off to a brilliant start, taking his first ever set off Nadal in 12 matches and going a break up in the second before the Spaniard's back problem became apparent. “I was surprised how well I started the match. In the beginning, he was good, he wasn't injured. And I was playing amazing tennis. Then there was the second part of the match where I had to stay calm and just try to stay aggressive because he was injured, but he was still trying a little bit,” he said. “It was not easy. I started to be really nervous because I started to realise that I could win a Grand Slam. But at the end I just came back to the game and focused on what I wanted to do.” — AFP Know the champion
*n Born: 28 March 1985 in Lausanne, Switzerland * World ranking: 3 (His jump up from No. 8 and Roger Federer’s slip from No. 6 to No. 8 makes Wawrinka Switzerland’s number one) *
Career titles: 6 * Nickname: ‘Stanimal’ * Coach: Magnus Norman (former world No. 2) *
Began playing at age eight. Left school at 15 to play fulltime and won the junior French Open title in 2003. *
On Sunday, became the first man to beat the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds at a Grand Slam since 1993. |
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Saina beats Sindhu to win India GP Gold
Lucknow, January 27 The London Olympics bronze medallist staved off the challenge from Sindhu 21-14 21-17 in the summit clash, which lasted 40 minutes at the Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium. The two-time champion was tested by her younger colleague but Saina kept her nerve to eventually break a 15-month title drought after appearing in her 22nd final of her international career. "It's an emotional moment for me. Loved the support I got. Lucknow has been my favourite city, I won my first title here in 2009. It feels good to win again. The win was more special as it came after such a long time," she said. "Sindhu played very well. It was a great match and the crowd enjoyed it. She is great player. I am happy that I pulled it off. I was little nervous as I was playing in a final after a long time. But things went well for me," said Saina, who had last reached a final in the French Super Series in October, 2012. This win has helped her earn 7000 points and will also allow her to climb the ranking ladder. National champion K Srikanth went down fighting against China's Xue Song 21-16, 19-21, 13-21 in the men's singles final. — PTI
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Melbourne, January 27 Sania, who was gunning for her third mixed doubles Grand Slam title, and Tecau lost 3-6 2-6 against the French-Canadian duo in a 58-minute contest. The French-Canadian pair were clearly the better side in all departments of the game. Sania and Tecau, seeded sixth, could not match up their opponents in service, return and rallies though they had lesser number of unforced errors. — PTI
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Ranchi Rhinos edge out Waveriders ranchi, January 27 The Englishman scored through penalty corner in the dying minutes to give Rhinos the victory after they narrowly lost to Uttar Pradesh Wizards 2-3 yesterday. Custodian Francisco Cortes, who won the man-of-the-match award came up with stupendous saves, including two back-to-back saves, to thwart the Waveriders from scoring.9 Warriors beat Magicians Punjab Warriors dished out a commendable performance to thrash Mumbai Magicians 5-3 on Sunday. Agustin Mazzilli, Malak Singh, Sandeep Singh, Dharamvir Singh and Christopher Ciriello were the goal scorers for the winning team, while Mark Gleghorne, Ravipal Singh and Vinaya Vakkaliga scored for the Magicians. — Agencies
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Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin admitted that India had been below par in the ODIs against New Zealand and they want to avoid another series defeat when they face the Black Caps in the fourth ODI on Tuesday.
Saina Nehwal snapped her 15 months title drought, clinching the Syed Modi International India Grand Prix Gold badminton crown with a straight-game victory over compatriot PV Sindhu on Sunday.
The London Olympics bronze medallist staved off the challenge from Sindhu 21-14 21-17 in the summit clash, which lasted 40 minutes at the Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium.
Ashley Jackson helped Ranchi Rhinos beat Delhi Waveriders 1-0 in their second outing in the Hockey India League here today.
The Englishman scored through penalty corner in the dying minutes to give Rhinos the victory after they narrowly lost to Uttar Pradesh Wizards 2-3 yesterday.
