sachin’s coach achrekar no more
Mumbai: Ramakant Achrekar, the celebrated cricket coach credited for discovering Sachin Tendulkar, died Wednesday. He was 87 and, according to a family member, had been battling old age-related ailments for the past few days. His last rites will be performed on Thursday morning. "He (Archrekar Sir) is no more with us. He passed away this evening," his kin Rashmi Dalvi told PTI over phone. Achrekar competed in just one first-class match in his playing career but discovered and shaped the biggest batsman in international cricket after Sir Donald Bradman in Tendulkar. Tendulkar, who is now retired, owns almost all the batting records that were there for the taking in the game, including the highest runs in Tests (15,921) and ODIs (18,426).
Simranjit, Sonia enter quarters
Vijayanagara: World Championships medallists Sonia Lather and Simranjit Kaur beat their respective rivals with consummate ease to storm into the quarterfinals of the third women's National Boxing Championships here on Wednesday. It also turned out to be a fruitful day in office for Commonwealth Games Bronze medal winners Pinki Jangra and Manisha Moun as both entered the last eight round. Twenty-year-old Pinki of Haryana defeated Delhi's Pratibha in 51kg class when the referee was forced to stop the contest in the third round. World Championship Bronze medallist Simranjit too joined Pinki in the quarters as the Punjab pugilist defeated Himachal's Sandhya 5:0 without having to exert herself much in 64kg category. World Championship Bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain of Assam, who will open her campaign on Thursday, is also expected to move up without much hassle.
India to host Asian Tour Snooker in march
Bengaluru: India is set to host the final leg of the Asian Tour 10 Reds Snooker in March this year, ace cueist Pankaj Advani said. "We have taken up the responsibility of conducting the third and final leg of the Asian Tour 10 Reds snooker in next two months. The competition will be organised in Bengaluru," Advani told PTI here. The first and second legs of the tournaments were held in Qatar and China, in September and October last year respectively. The third leg should have been held last year itself, but Karnataka State Billiards Association sought time to conduct the event and hence it will be held this year, Advani informed. Advani had reached the top spot in the Asian Tour 10 Reds Snooker 2018 after winning the finals held in China's Jinan. He was at no. 4 position after Doha championship with 121.7 points. Advani said $ 40,000 is the total prize amount earmarked for the event, but hoped it could be raised in future.
marcos llorente out with injury
Madrid: Real Madrid's central midfielder Marcos Llorente will be out of action for around three weeks due to a groin injury, according to the club's official website. Llorente suffered the injury on Tuesday while training ahead of his side's trip to face Villarreal on Thursday for their La Liga game which was postponed at the end of December due to their participation in the World Club Championship in the United Arab Emirates, reports Xinhua news agency. The injury comes at the worst possible time for the youth team product, who has established himself as the first choice for coach Santiago Solari in recent weeks following the physical problems suffered by Casemiro, who had been first choice until the start of last month.