Rosberg edges Hamilton for Belgian GP pole
Spa: World championship leader Nico Rosberg turned the screw to gain another advantage over his rival and Mercedes team-mate lewis Hamilton on Saturday when he secured his fourth straight pole for Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix. On a day of capricious and treacherous conditions at the majestic 7.004km Spa-Francorchamps circuit in the Ardennes forest, the 29-year-old German produced a meticulous performance that delivered an error-free and fastest lap to claim his seventh pole this year and the 11th of his career. He clocked a best lap of two minutes and 5.698 seconds to outpace Hamilton by two-tenths of a second.
Maqsood, Alam stun Sri lanka in first ODI
Hambantota: Sohaib Maqsood and Fawad Alam put on a 147-run stand as Pakistan recovered from the brink to defeat Sri lanka by four wickets today and take the lead in the three-match series. The tourists, chasing a Duckworth-lewis target of 275 in 45 overs, fought back after being 106-5 to scrape home off the penultimate ball of the match in Hambantota. Maqsood remained unbeaten on a glorious 89 off 73 balls as Shahid Afridi smashed the winning boundary off seamer Nuwan Kulasekara to the point fence.
Oltmans SAYS TURFS ARE Dangerous
New Delhi: Barely a month left for the Asian Games, Hockey India High Performance Director Roelant Oltmans has written to the Sports Authority of India about the artificial turfs at NIS Patiala being in a “dangerous” condition and will effect the preparation of the women’s team for the mega event in South Korea. In a letter dated August 16, 2014, Oltmans said that the senior women’s team coach Neil Hawgood had made a request to shift the training from NIS to another location in view of the poor condition of the pitch. “last week I received the request from Mr Neil Hawgood, Head Coach of the Senior Women team to move to another training location. The pitch in Patiala is dangerous, not well maintained which will effect the preparation of the women’s team for the Asian Games,” Oltmans wrote in the letter.
Bindra withdraws from cricket affairs
Chandigarh: After a career spanning nearly 36 years as cricket administrator, Inderjit Singh Bindra decided to withdraw from the cricket affairs and in his place PCA Vice President and senior IAS officer, DP Reddy today took over with immediate effect on Saturday. The Executive Committee (EC) of the PCA met at PCA stadium at Mohali today where the two decisions were taken.
Indian eves lose 2nd ODI by 13 runs
Scarborough: Indian women paid the price for losing their cool during the death overs as they lost second successive ODI against England eves by 13 runs to concede the three-match series here on Saturday. England scored a moderate 214 for nine riding on skipper Charlotte Edwards' patient century. In reply, India were well in the hunt till the 40th over before folding for 201 in 48.4 overs. Harmanpreet Kaur (43), Smriti Mandhana (32) and Mithali Raj (30) got starts but none went to guide the team to victory as medium pacer Jenny Gunn was the most successful bowler with four for 23 in 10 overs.
Chelsea beat leicester 2-1
london: Diego Costa kept up the prolific start to his Chelsea career on Saturday, setting the title favorites on their way to a 2-0 win over leicester and a second straight victory to open the Premier league. The Spain striker scored on his Chelsea debut in a 3-1 win over Burnley on Monday and was back in the goals five days later, breaking down leicester's stubborn resistance at Stamford Bridge in the 63rd minute. Belgium winger Eden Hazard's solo effort in the 77th ensured Chelsea has maximum points after two games against teams promoted from the second-tier leagueChampionship.