Indian women thrash South Africa by 88 runs
kimberly: India produced a clinical all-round performance to thrash hosts South Africa by 88 runs in the first one-dayer of the ICC Women's Championship at Diamond Oval here on Monday. Opener Smriti Mandhana (84 off 98) scored a strokeful fifty while pace duo of Jhulan Goswami (4/24) and Shikha Pandey (3/23) shared seven wickets between them to emerge as the architects of India's victory. Electing to bat, left-handed batswoman Mandhana hit eight boundaries and a six in her 98-ball innings and shared a 99-run stand with skipper Mithali Raj (45) to help India post 213 for seven in their allotted 50 overs. Chasing 214 for a win, South Africa failed to stitch partnerships and kept losing wickets at regular intervals.
Australia fast bowler Bollinger retires
sydney: Former Australia fast bowler Doug Bollinger has announced his retirement from all cricket aged 36. Bollinger took exactly 50 wickets in 12 tests at an average of 25.9 and 62 wickets in 39 one-day internationals at 23.9. He also made nine Twenty20 appearances for Australia and played 124 first class matches for New South Wales. The burly left-armer claimed two five-wicket test hauls, against the West Indies and New Zealand, with a best return of 5-28. He played all of his tests in 2009 and 2010, losing his place after the second match against England in Adelaide during the 2010 Ashes Series. He continued to play first class cricket, taking 411 wickets, and played in the Big Bash Twenty20 season until this year.
Aizawl's task cut out against Minerva in Nike Cup
margao: Defending champions Minerva Punjab FC will look to defend their crown as they take on Aizawl FC in the semi-finals of the Nike Premier Cup 2018 which is organised by the All India Football Federation. The two sides come face-to-face after fighting teams from the length and breadth of the country to make their way into the final four of the competition. The second semi-final will be played at the Nagoa Ground in Goa on Tuesday. Minerva Punjab FC could be termed favourites thanks to their title triumph last season led by Jeakson Singh who went on to feature in the Under-17 FIFA World Cup and scored India's first-ever goal in a FIFA World Cup. This time, after a draw in their opening group game against Gokulam FC, the team rallied to top the group and the team is looking to put up a good show against Aizawl FC.
Shubhankar becomes highest ranked Indian golfer
chandigarh: In-form young golfer Shubhankar Sharma was on Monday elevated from 193 to 72, a gain of 121 spots, in the world rankings making him the highest-ranked Indian in the world. Sharma has enjoyed a golden run over the past few months on the international stage. Nothing reflects the 21-year-old's meteoric rise more than the giant strides he's made in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) since his first European Tour win at the Joburg Open in December last year. When Shubhankar entered the event in South Africa he was ranked 462 in the world. His victory at the Joburg Open soon catapulted him to 226. Thereafter, his steep ascent has continued thanks to his second European Tour triumph at the Maybank Championship in Malaysia.