Williamson puts NZ in driving seat
Bridgetown: Kane Williamson’s highest Test score put New Zealand in control at 331 for seven in their second innings, a lead of 307 runs, on a rain-shortened fourth day of the third and final Test at Kensington Oval.His unbeaten 161 in over six hours at the crease was the highlight of a determined Black Caps effort that tilted the balance of an intriguing match on Sunday. When heavy rain swept across the ground in mid-afternoon, the tourists were poised to build on what was already a challenging target at 314 for six, ahead by 290.Only 20 more minutes of play was possible on the resumption, with one more wicket being lost for the addition of another 17 runs, before more rain rolled in.
Force India in race for 3rd-place
New Delhi: Force India are in good shape to fight Formula 1 giants Ferrari for third place in the team standings, said deputy team boss Robert Fernley on their battle against the Italian manufacturer operating on a much higher budget. According to the 2013 figures, Ferrari and Red Bull spent in excess of 200 million pounds while mid-field outfits Force India and Williams spent close to 100 million pounds, giving enough food for thought on the contentious cost cap debate in Formula 1. Fernely said the performance of Force India and Williams in 2014 has shown that results can be achieved with a limited budget besides vindicating his team’s stance on the need for a cost cap.
Punjab releases SPORTS calendar
Chandigarh: With an aim to engage youth in sports and wean them away from menace of drugs, Sports Department in Punjab on Monday released annual calendar, which includes tournaments like Shaheed-E-Azam Bhagat Singh Punjab Games and hockey league.Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who also holds the sports portfolio, had already approved the calendar with strict instructions to provide all facilities to the students in educational institutes to create atmosphere for healthy competition. Giving details of the sports calendar, Tejinder Singh Dhaliwal, Director Sports, Punjab said that block level rural competitions for boys and girls under-16 years would be organised in all 142 blocks in July-August 2014. District level rural competitions would be held from August 27-29 and district level women games from August 29-31 at district headquarters, he added.
Day-night Test likely in 2015-16
Melbourne: Many delays and trials later, day-night Tests may soon be a reality with Australia and New Zealand set to play in a historic five-day game with pink balls during the next calender year.Cricket Australia (CA) CEO James Sutherland and his New Zealand counterpart David White met here last week during the International Cricket Council (ICC) annual conference to discuss the possibility of a day-night Test in 2015-16. The two boards are planning to stage the match when New Zealand tour Australia in November 2015 with Hobart and Adelaide as possible venues for the inaugural match. The ICC approved Test cricket under lights in 2012 with the member countries told to work together on the finer points and pink ball trials were started in the Sheffield Shield games last summer. “We are serious about pushing ahead with the concept of day-night Test cricket,” Sutherland said in a statement.
Satish-Savera victorious
Jaipur: Former champions Satish Gopalakrishnan and Savera D’Souza won the “Rally of Jaypore”, the second round of the FMSCI-Indian National TSD Rally Championship. It was the second straight victory on Sunday for the husband-wife combination from Bangalore in both the overall and Expert classes of the championship, following their victory in the opening round in Chikmagalur earlier this month. Srikanth G Murthy (co driver M Chandrashekar) of Team Tata Motors came second, followed by defending national champions KP Karthik Maruthi and Sankar Anand.The Stock class was won by Bangalore’s Chidananda Murthy and navigator BS Sujith Kumar of Team Tata Motors, who are chasing a third straight title. PNS/Agencies
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Among the women reaching the quarterfinals were three Czech players - 2011 champion Petra Kvitova, lucie Safarova and unseeded Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.
The sixth-seeded Kvitova was a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Peng Shuai; No. 23 Safarova coasted to a 6-0, 6-2 win over 175th-ranked qualifier Tereza Smitkova - another Czech -and Zahlavova Strycova finally converted on her sixth match point to down No. 16 Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 7-5.
Zahlavova Strycova, who has reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, served a six-month doping ban until April 2013 after testing positive for the stimulant sibutramine. She said Monday that she had considered quitting the sport during the suspension.
"I didn't want to come back and play again and compete," she said. "But it was just a short period of time. like one month I was thinking like this. Then I was, 'Yeah, what I'm going to doIJ' I really like it. I love the sport. And then I didn't ask myself anymore."
last year's Wimbledon runner-up, the 19th-seeded Sabine lisicki of Germany, reached the fourth round by beating 2008 French Open champion and 11th-seeded Ana Ivanovic 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.