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Ishant, Shami shoot down the Kiwis
‘I get dropped for important tours, picked for easy ones’
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winter olympics
IOC rules that meteorite gifts are too far out
Johnson, Warner have Proteas running for cover
Dhoni aims to emulate WI, Australia for World Cup glory
hockey india league
hockey india league
Somdev falls in semis of Kolkata meet
SAI forms 14 committees for CWG, Asiad
Tomar, Khatri ’s doping ban lifted before time
Schumacher has beaten lung infection:
Report
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Ishant, Shami shoot down the Kiwis
Wellington, February 14 New Zealand were rolled for 192 in their first innings and at the close India were 100-2 with Shikhar Dhawan on 71 and Sharma, playing the nighwatchman role, on three. Murali Vijay was the first wicket to fall, caught behind by BJ Watling off Tim Southee for two. He tried to pull out of the way of a rising delivery but it cut back sharply to skim his gloves on the way to the keeper. Cheteshwar Pujara was out 10 minutes before stumps for 19 when rapped on the pads by Trent Boult. India's 100 came from 28 overs as the wicket lost its early feistiness in the late afternoon sun. New Zealand struggled through 52.5 overs for their 192 with Sharma taking 6-51, following another six-wicket bag in the first Test, while Mohammed Shami finished with 4-70. New Zealand had expected a troubled ride from the moment Brendon McCullum lost the toss and they were predictably sent into bat first on the hard, green wicket. Peter Fulton and Hamish Rutherford, who were both struggling for runs, cautiously negotiated the first half hour until the introduction of Sharma to the attack turned the game immediately. In the space of 14 balls, mixing up deliveries of swing and bounce, he reduced New Zealand from 23 without loss to 26-3 and they never recovered with the innings coming to an end shortly after tea. Only lusty hitting at the tail by debutant Jimmy Neesham and Southee lifted the total close to the 200 mark, after New Zealand at one stage were 133-7. All-rounder Neesham had seven fours in his 33 while Southee included three sixes and a four in his 32. Sharma's opening burst claimed Rutherford (12), Fulton (13) and new cap Tom Latham, deputising for New Zealand's unavailable star performer Ross Taylor, who was gone for nought after facing eight balls. — AFP Scoreboard New Zealand 1st innings India 1st innings
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‘I get dropped for important tours, picked for easy ones’ Wellington, February 14 Ishant took 6/51 on the first day of the second Test against New Zealand, his second consecutive six-wicket haul in this series, after taking 6/134 in the first innings at Auckland. He went on to take nine wickets in that match, which India lost by 40 runs. “I am the same bowler who bowled against (Ricky) Ponting in 2007-08 and the same bowler who was man-of-the-series in 2011. This pitch is the same as last match. I don’t analyze my bowling a lot, because at this stage, ahead of the game, it is only about mental thinking,” said Ishant, after his superb bowling effort. When asked if playing 70-odd ODIs and 55 Tests had helped make him a better bowler, he replied, “You only learn from experience. I have seen enough ups and downs in my life. Whenever there is an important tour, I get dropped. Whenever there is an easy tour, I am in the team. It's a really hard thing for me.” “I have been bowling well since South Africa. It is just that people are recognizing more now, because I am taking more wickets. I didn't do anything different. Just looked to bowl in the right areas, in fact we all did, we all bowled very well. Only (Mohammad) Shami and I got the rewards. Zaheer (Khan) was very unlucky to not take any wickets,” he added. Shami took 4-70 to provide able support to the one-change bowler and together they routed New Zealand for a paltry score of 192 runs in their first innings. This was after skipper MS Dhoni won his seventh straight toss on the tour and elected to bowl first on a very green wicket. “It was obviously good to win the toss. The wicket had a spongy bounce and some juice in the morning. We were disciplined in our bowling today. In the first innings at Auckland, we got a bit carried away looking at the fresh pitch. But we learnt from the second innings there that if we bowl with discipline, we will get more rewards. And that’s what we did today, looking to bowl in the right areas, rather than take wickets,” said the visibly pleased Ishant. — PTI Bowling them over
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winter olympics
Sochi, February 14 The 30-year-old Armyman, in his first Winter Olympics, clocked 55 minutes and 12.5 seconds to cover the 15km distance and secure a lowly 85th position out of 87 athletes who finished the race at the Laura Cross-country Ski and Biathlon Center. Iqbal was 16 minutes, 42.8 seconds behind gold medal winner Dario Cologna of Switzerland, who clocked 38 minutes, 29.7 seconds. Swedish skiers Johan Olsson (38:58.2s) and Daniel Richardsson (39:08.5s) grabbed the silver and bronze medals, respectively. Alpine skier Himanshu Thakur is the only Indian left in the fray now and his Giant Slalom event begins on February 19. Luger Shiva Keshavan had finished a disappointing 37th out of 39 competitors in the men’s singles event on February 9.
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IOC rules that meteorite gifts are too far out
Sochi, February 14 Chelyabinsk region officials had wanted to mark the anniversary by giving athletes who won a medal at the Olympics on Saturday a piece of it but the IOC said it could only be done after the Games and separately. “If they want to give something to the athletes after the Games they can do it,” Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli said on Friday. “Athletes get the gold medals awarded by the organising committee and there is no extra gift from this region of Russia during the medal presentation.” — Reuters
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Johnson, Warner have Proteas running for cover
Pretoria, February 14 Australia were in a commanding position at 147 for one wicket at tea after Warner and debutant Alex Doolan (48 not out) shared a 146-run partnership to extend their lead to 338 runs. Warner's contribution with the bat, ably supported by Doolan, followed a seven-wicket haul for Johnson as South Africa were bowled out for 206 in their first innings before lunch. It was a typically cavalier innings by Warner who punished the bowlers but was dropped three times. The first was the easiest opportunity when Warner was on 27 but substitute fielder Dean Elgar dropped a high one in the deep. Two more slashes provided top edges for the slips that Alviro Petersen and Graeme Smith got hands to but could not hold, giving Warner an invitation to continue plundering runs which he did not decline. It piled on the agony for the top-ranked Test side, whose ordinary bowling was matched by uncharacteristically sloppy fielding and came after Johnson scythed his way through the batting order as he took three more wickets to end with a figures of 7 for 68. Only AB de Villiers provided any resistance with a defiant 91 that helped South Africa narrowly avoid the follow-on after starting the day 140 for six, still 257 runs adrift. Robin Peterson departed after just 10 balls, gloving a bouncing ball from Johnson straight up into the air and Australia skipper Michael Clarke pouched the catch. De Villiers and Vernon Philander compiled a 49-run partnership before the latter was adjudged lbw to spinner Nathan Lyon after the Australians had asked for a review of the initial not-out decision. — Reuters Brief Scores: Australia 397 & 147-1 (Warner 93 not out); South Africa 206 (AB de Villiers 91; Johnson 7-68)
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Dhoni aims to emulate WI, Australia for World Cup glory
Wellington, February 14 Dhoni said his side was shaping up nicely and confident of emulating Australia and the West Indies to win back-to-back Cricket World Cups. “It is amazing to think that it is just one year until we defend our ICC Cricket World Cup title as that means it is almost three years since we won the trophy on that amazing night in Mumbai. The memories of that night and of the whole tournament are as fresh and as special as ever,” said Dhoni, in an ICC release to mark one year to go to the start of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup. “We know that defending the ICC Cricket World Cup is something that only the West Indies and Australia have done over the whole history of the tournament but with the quality we have in and around our squad we believe we can become the third side to do it,” he said. The tournament will be staged in Australia and New Zealand from February 14 to March 29, with India to open its title defence against arch rival and 1992 champion Pakistan in Adelaide on February 15. Dhoni, who hit the winning runs in Mumbai when India won the title in front of a full-house in 2011, added that his side had players who were capable of handling the pressure of a global event, and that the victory in ICC Champions Trophy in the U.K. last year proved that his team has the firepower and ability to excel outside its own territory. “We have a group of players who are experienced at playing in high-pressure situations and we have already shown we are capable of dealing with the dual pressures of being world champions and coping in overseas conditions at a major ICC event by winning the ICC Champions Trophy in the UK last year,” Dhoni added. — PTI
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Kalinga Lancers hunt down Ranchi Rhinos
Bhubaneswar, February 14 They might be out of the semifinal race but the Lancers gave the defending champions some thinking to do ahead of the business end of the tournament by pumping in three goals in the opening half. And just before the final hooter, they sounded the board once again for a comprehensive win. It was Lancers penultimate match this season and they played like true champions, without any pressure. After a sedate first quarter, the Lancers scored three goals in the second quarter to take a sizable 3-0 lead. The Lancers first scored from a field effort through Aron Zalewski (23rd minute); then Devinder Walmiki (28th) and Peillat scored from penalty corners to go into the breather leading 3-0. After the change of ends, the Rhinos reduced the margin through Pradhan Somanna's field goal in the 45th minute. But Peillat (70th) scored a field goal just seconds from the final hooter to hand the Lancers a commanding victory over the Ranchi outfit, who had defeated the Orissa side 3-2 in their previous encounter this year. The win gave Lancers five points and took their points tally to 16 points from nine games. The Rhinos, on the other hand, failed to garner a single point and continue to remain at the fourth spot with 24 points from eight matches. The Lancers will play Dabur Mumbai Magicians in their final game of HHIL 2014 in Mumbai on Saturday, while the Rhinos will take on Jaypee Punjab Warriors in Mohali later in the day.
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Leaders Delhi won’t go easy vs Mumbai
Mumbai, February 14 The Mumbai franchise, who finished at the bottom on the last edition of the tournament, would be rejuvenated after a long break but face a formidable task against the Sardar Singh-led Waveriders. Mumbai, who are to clash with Kalinga Lancers on Sunday to complete their home engagements, have been consistently poor, barring a few games. They had been competitive in the first leg match against Delhi, losing narrowly. The Delhi outfit had earned a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Magicians on their home turf. Despite being in control for most part of the match, the Magicians allowed the Waveriders to take the game away in the last few minutes. “We will go out and play well tomorrow,” said Mumbai coach MK Kaushik. “It is very important for us to win and we’ll try not to repeat the mistakes in our game against Delhi Waveriders. The team has been working on that,” “I agree that the advantage will be with Delhi Waveriders... They have already qualified for the semifinals so they can go easy for tomorrow’s game but it’s very important for us to win,” Kaushik added. Magicians skipper Glenn Turner said they would like to end the season by securing a win. “We are practising hard and making full efforts to perform well in our next match against Delhi Waveriders. We definitely want to win tomorrow’s game. It will be good for us to finish the tournament on a stronger note,” the Aussie said. Waveriders, who had finished runners-up last year, are currently leading the standings with 34 points from nine games, while the Magicians are placed last with seven points from the same number of matches. Delhi would like to keep the winning momentum going into the semifinals. “We are satisfied with the performance of our team in the last two games and the entire unit is motivated, having entered the semi-finals,” Delhi skipper Sardar Singh said. “Though we’ve qualified for the next round, for tomorrow we will play with our full strength to win the match and consolidate our position on the points table.” Delhi coach Cedric D’Souza said they would not be taking their opponents lightly. “Mumbai is a strong team and they have proved it in their games till now. Although we have qualified for semifinals, the team will be out tomorrow for a win,” he said. — PTI
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Somdev falls in semis of Kolkata meet
Kolkata, February 14 Devvarman won the first set after breaking his opponent in the second game, but after that it was the Russian all the way as he clinched the match 3-6 7-5 6-2. The day, however, belonged to unseeded Bozoljac, the world No. 270. Bozoljac made an astounding comeback after losing nine straight games to stun top seed Aleksandr Nedovyesov 0-6 7-5 6-3. India found some solace in the doubles, which was won by the wild card duo of Saketh Myneni and Sanam Singh, who downed Vishnu Vardhan and Divij Sharan 6-3 3-6 10-4. Having beaten the Russian in the ATP World Tour Masters in Miami last year, Devvarman started as the favourite in front of a boisterous crowd as he won the first set 6-3. The second set witnessed a lot of service breaks by both the players, and Somdev faltered on his serve at 5-6 to concede the second set 5-7. In the third set, the Russian broke in the fourth game before wrapping up the set and match. “I really could hit well in the third set with good forehand and backhand,” Donskoy said. — PTI
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A year on, Oscar breaks silence
Johannesburg, February 14 Pistorius, who goes on trial on March 3, says he shot Steenkamp after mistaking her for an intruder at his high-security home last Valentine’s Day. “No words can adequately capture my feelings about the devastating accident that has caused such heartache for everyone who truly loved, and continues to love, Reeva,” Pistorius said in a brief statement. “The loss of Reeva and the complete trauma of that day, I will carry with me for the rest of my life.” Pistorius, out on bail, could face life in prison if convicted. Prosecutors say that he killed Reeva in cold blood. The 27-year-old double-amputee, known as “Blade Runner” for the prostheses he wears in competition, was one of South Africa’s most revered sportsmen but his shooting of Steenkamp has divided national opinion on whether it was premeditated. It has also highlighted South Africa’s high rate of violent attacks on women, including rape, which rights groups say are often perpetrated by partners or other people known to them. On Friday, the women’s league of the ruling ANC party led a march in the capital Pretoria to commemorate Steenkamp’s death. “Pistorius must rot in jail,” one poster read at the march. In a statement, the league said its march was to protest against the “barbaric conduct against women and children” in the country. Police say 107 witnesses are expected to testify for the prosecution in Pistorius’s trial. The state’s case is that he intended to kill Steenkamp when he shot her in the head, arm and hip. Last October, prosecutors said Pistorius would face two additional gun-related charges related to prior incidents in which he allegedly fired a gun in a public space. — Reuters
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SAI forms 14 committees for CWG, Asiad
New Delhi, February 14 Every committee will have 4-6 members each. It will comprise of concerned federation officials, SAI-appointed coaches, and sports experts. The committees will primarily have three functions to perform — identification of core probables in their respective sport who would form the part of the training programme; identification of medal prospects out of these core probables; and identification of specialised training needs of selected athletes. “The committees will help in identifying the medal prospects who require specialised training and monetary support,” said SAI secretary Neeraj Kansal. — PTI
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Tomar, Khatri ’s doping ban lifted before time New Delhi, February 14 Tomar and Khatri were among the 11 Indian athletes who flunked dope tests for stimulant Methylhexaneamine just before the Delhi CWG. They were provisionally suspended on September 1, 2010 and, after a lengthy hearing process, were handed two-year bans on November 5, 2012 by the NADP. The ban was to expire on November 4, 2014. On appeal by the wrestlers, the National Anti-Doping Appeals Panel (NAAP), headed by Justice M L Varma, found that there were “314 days of delay in the proceedings before the Disciplinary Panel not attributable to the athletes”. — PTI
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Schumacher has beaten lung infection: Report
Berlin, February 14 The newspaper had reported two days earlier that Schumacher had contracted pneumonia last week, but it said on Friday that the infection in fact had happened earlier and “this week no longer spells an acute danger”. “Therefore Schumi has already won the fight against pneumonia,” said the top-selling daily. After surgery to reduce bleeding and bruising, he was placed in a medically induced coma. Schumacher's spokesman said on January 30 that the drugs used to keep him in a coma were being reduced with a view to bringing him back to consciousness. His family said on Thursday he was "still in a waking up process" which could take a long time. — Agencies
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A career-best six-wicket haul by Ishant Sharma put India firmly in charge at stumps on the opening day of the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington on Friday.
Australia's David Warner took over from Mitchell Johnson as South Africa's tormentor-in-chief as he blitzed a quickfire 93 not out to extend his team's significant lead on the third day of the first Test on Friday.
Australia were in a commanding position at 147 for one wicket at tea after Warner and debutant Alex Doolan (48 not out) shared a 146-run partnership to extend their lead to 338 runs.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Friday said that India would aim to be the only third side in history to clinch back-to-back Cricket World Cup titles by winning the tournament which will be held in Australia-New Zealand next
year.
Formula One legend Michael Schumacher, lying in a coma in a French hospital since a December skiing accident, has overcome a lung infection, German daily Bild reported Friday.
The newspaper had reported two days earlier that Schumacher had contracted pneumonia last week, but it said on Friday that the infection in fact had happened earlier and “this week no longer spells an acute danger”.
Laggards Mumbai Magicians would desperately look for a win against table-toppers Delhi Waveriders when they clash in their penultimate Hockey India League home tie here tomorrow.
