Sports

MUMBAI: India’s middle-order worries going into South Africa series remained but that didn’t deter Ravichandran Ashwin from turning the heat on as his three quick blows left New Zealand tottering at 140 for five in pursuit of an impossible 540 on day three of the second Test. While Daryl Mitchell (60 off 92 balls) and Henry Nicholls (36 batting) added 73 runs for the fourth wicket, there is no denying that India in all likelihood will finish it early on the fourth day with Ashwin (3/27) looking menacing after every passing over. What will hurt New Zealand team most in this defeat is the fact that this is the game where one of its own — Ajaz Patel, equalled the world record and grabbed a match-haul of 14 wickets, something that no one has ever done against India in Test cricket. The tall Mi...

MUMBAI: India pacer Mohammed Siraj termed the delivery that got Ross Taylor out a “dream” for any bowler because of its perfect execution. Siraj played a key role in New Zealand getting bowled out for 62 in their first innings as he got three top order wickets in quick succession in his opening spell on the second day of the second Test. Asked about the delivery to Taylor, Siraj said, “The plan was that we had set field for an inswing delivery and was aim to hit the pads but the way I was building my rhythm, I thought why not bowl an outswing. It was a dream delivery for any fast bowler.” Siraj had split his webbing during the first T20 International against New Zealand in Jaipur and was out of action since then. He was overlooked with senior pacer Ishant Sharma getting a chance in the ope...

NEW DELHI: Having returned from Brazil after participating in a four-nation tournament, the Indian women’s team has now set up camp in Kochi, where it is training for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup. The Asian Cup is set to take place in India — Mumbai and Pune — from January 20 to February 6. India faced the likes of Brazil, Chile and Venezuela in Manaus, which is something that has helped the girls earn valuable experience, said head coach Thomas Dennerby after the team started its pre-tournament camp in Kochi on Sunday. “We have learned a lot during the three matches in Brazil. The biggest learning was that the players know the level we are trying to reach, both technically and tactically. Another key aspect that we have concentrated on is decision making,” said Dennerby. “For those of us wh...

BALI: Indian badminton ace P V Sindhu settled for a silver medal at the BWF World Tour Finals after going down meekly against Korean teen sensation An Seyoung in the summit clash, here on Sunday. Sindhu, the reigning world champion and two-time Olympic medallist, could neither match the pace nor breach the defence of the world number six Korean, losing 16-21 12-21 in the 40-minute lop-sided clash. It was Sindhu’s third successive loss — all straight games — to the Korean in as many meetings. With this victory, An Seyoung became the first ever South Korean woman to win the season-ending title. It was also her third straight title in Bali, following wins at the Indonesia Masters and Indonesia Open in the last two weeks. Making her third final appearance in the year-end tournament, world numb...

MUMBAI: Mumbai-born New Zealand left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel had an unforgettable afternoon when he entered the annals of Test cricket history with a 10-wicket haul but Indian bowlers made it a forgettable evening for him as well as his team by dismissing the visitors for a paltry 62, taking a massive stride towards a series victory. By the end of the day, India were 69 for no loss in their second innings with Virat Kohli deciding against enforcing the follow-on in the second and final Test. Cheteshwar Pujara, coming out to open in place of an injured Shubman Gill, looked good during his 29 not out while Mayank Agarwal, after his fine 150 in India’s first innings total of 325, remained unbeaten on 38. The lead swelled to 332 for the hosts and in these conditions, the Indians will brace up f...

MUMBAI: “Unreal”, said a stunned cricket fraternity as New Zealand left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel became only the third bowler in the game’s history to grab all 10 wickets in a Test innings, joining Indian great Anil Kumble and England’s Jim Laker in a select club. The Mumbai-born Patel achieved the feat on the second day of the ongoing second Test against India here. He is playing in the country of his birth for the fist time in his career. Video Player is loading. With all 10 wickets in his kitty, Patel also surpassed the great Richard Hadlee to record the best figures by a New Zealand bowler. Hadlee had taken nine for 52 versus Australia back in 1985. —PTI   Press Trust of Indiakashmirreader.com

KOLKATA: Former India batting great VVS Laxman will have to come “through the process” for succeeding Rahul Dravid as the head of National Cricket Academy, BCCI secretary Jay Shah said on Saturday. The topmost NCA post fell vacant after Dravid took over as the head coach of Team India following the team’s T20 World Cup exit in the UAE last month. “We will advertise for the NCA appointment. First, he (VVS) has to apply for the post,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah told PTI after their 90th AGM here. Indian stalwart Dravid too had to go through a similar process before becoming the India head coach. Initially reluctant to shift base to Bangalore from Hyderabad, Laxman has already quit from his role as mentor of IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad. He will also have to quit commentary or writing columns fo...

KOLKATA: In a big relief to the scores of match officials and support staff who had to leave after reaching 60, the BCCI on Saturday increased their retirement age limit by five years. The BCCI took this decision during its Annual General Meeting (AGM) here. “The age limit of match officials and support staff has been increased to 65 from 60 years subject to their fitness,” the BCCI said in a statement after its 90th AGM. This will benefit several umpires, scorers and match referees. “Now we have the guidelines, they will get five years’ time for retirement,” a Board official told PTI. At the AGM, many proposals have been passed for the development of cricket in northeastern states, Puducherry, Bihar and Uttarakhand. “Each state association has been sanctioned Rs 10 crore and the stress wo...

Mumbai: Under pressure to prove his worth, Mayank Agarwal made the best statement possible with a superb hundred as India recovered from a sudden top-order collapse to reach 221 for 4 in two extended opening day sessions against New Zealand in the second Test here on Friday. Agarwal (120 batting, 246 balls), who is all but certain to sit out once Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul come back during the next series (if South Africa then away, if West Indies then home), added to a happy headache for coach Rahul Dravid, on a day when vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane had to be “dropped” because of a hamstring niggle. Worse, Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli failed to trouble the scorers and it was a hundred that came under pressure with India being 80 for 3 and 160 for 4 at different stages of the game. Had ...

Kolkata: The fate of India’s upcoming tour of South Africa amid the trepidation triggered by new COVID-19 variant Omicron will be addressed when the BCCI holds its 90th Annual General Meeting here on Saturday to discuss a host of other issues as well. In BCCI’s 24 point agenda, point (T) pertains to “Update on Future Tours Programme’ and under this provision the discussion can happen. The emergence of Omicron, which is said to spread faster than the earlier Delta variant, in multiple countries including India has triggered widespread alarm all over the world. The variant was detected and flagged to the world by South Africa and as things stand now, there have been multiple hospitalisations in the Gauteng province, where Johannesburg, the venue of the first Test beginning December 17, is lo...