Rain abandons NZ-SA third ODI
Hamilton: The third one-day international between New Zealand and South Africa was abandoned today after heavy rain forced the players from the field. South Africa, batting first, were 157-3 in the 31st over when the rain began in Hamilton and the match was officially called off three hours later with no sign of the weather clearing. Quinton de Kock was not out 80 with captain AB de Villiers on 33 while Matt Henry took two for 40 off eight overs for New Zealand. South Africa won the three-match series 2-0.
IOC contacts Tarpischev
london: The IOC ethics commission has contacted Russian tennis president Shamil Tarpischev to explain his comments about Venus and Serena Williams that led to him being fined and suspended by the women’s tour. Tarpischev was fined $25,000 and suspended from the WTA tour for a year after referring to the Williams sisters as the “Williams’s brothers” and saying they were “scary” to look at. He made the comments on a Russian TV show. Serena Williams, who called the comments sexist, racist and bullying, said she has received a written apology from Tarpischev.
Ind drop in ICC Test rankings
Dubai: India are all set to drop a rung to sixth in the ICC Test rankings, replaced by arch-rivals Pakistan in the fifth position after Misbah-ul-Haq’s men took a 1-0 lead in the ongoing series against Australia here. “Pakistan’s victory in the Dubai Test has not only ensured that it will move ahead of India in fifth position irrespective of how the Abu Dhabi Test ends, it has dashed Australia hopes of regaining the number-one Test ranking,” the ICC said in a statement. To move ahead of South Africa, Australia needed to win both the Tests. Now, their best series result can be a 1-1 draw, which will keep them in second position, three points behind South Africa. A 1-1 draw will mean they will finish in fifth place on 99 ratings points three ahead of India and two behind fourth-ranked Sri lanka.
lahiri’s jumps to 69th
New Delhi: Anirban lahiri’s Venetian Macau Open triumph propelled him to the 69th position in the world golf rankings a jump of 21 places. lahiri had achieved his career-best ranking of 64th, soon after his win in Indonesia earlier this year. lahiri is currently the highest ranked Indian in the world followed by Shiv Kapur who is at 215th place. lahiri’s success in Macau meant he bagged the winner’s cheque worth USD 162,000 that took his season’s tally to USD 504,689. lahiri’s win was the 48th title triumph by an Indian on the Asian circuit. lahiri’s five titles placed him fifth on the list of Indians with most international wins. Jeev Milkha Singh, with 13 international titles, leads this list followed by Jyoti Randhawa (9), Arjun Atwal (9) and Gaganjeet Bhullar (6).
Prosecution to appeal
Johannesburg: South African prosecutors will appeal the verdict and sentencing of Oscar Pistorius, who was handed a 5-year prison term after being convicted of culpable homicide, the country’s National Prosecuting Authority said Monday.”We are appealing it,” said Nathi Mncube, a prosecution spokesman. “Both conviction and sentence.”Prosecutors will file papers in court, and more details about their appeal arguments will be available at that time, Mncube said. Under the current terms, the Olympic runner is eligible for release after 10 months and would then complete his sentence under house arrest. Experts say there are grounds for an appeal, partly because the judge may have misapplied a part of South African law called “dolus eventualis”-which says someone should be found guilty of murder if they foresaw the possibility of killing someone and went ahead anyway.
Chelsea face biggest mis-match
Manchester: Two days after playing at Old Trafford, Chelsea will experience the other side of English football when the Premier league leaders visit fourth-tier club Shrewsbury for the biggest mismatch of the last 16 of the league Cup. The 9,875-capacity Greenhouse Meadow Stadium will have a slightly different atmosphere to Manchester United’s “Theatre of Dreams” for the superstars of Chelsea, who will be looking to avoid one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s history. Shrewsbury, which is 72nd in the English football pyramid, has already eliminated Premier league opposition in leicester and is looking to repeat the exploits of Bradford.
P K Banerjee hospitalised
Kolkata: legendary Indian footballer P K Banerjee was on Monday hospitalised after he complained of dizziness and excessive sweating. The 78-year-old former Olympian was advised rest by doctors at a private hospital with high blood pressure, a family source said. “Apparently he had some problem with some officials at our Rajarhat petrol pump and today he developed uneasiness. So we rushed him to a private nursing home,” the family source said adding “doctors have prescribed some routine tests and there’s nothing to worry about.”
Aus failed to adapt: lehman
Dubai: Australia’s cricket coach Darren lehmann on Monday refused to blame the Dubai pitch and instead admitted his team didn’t play well during their 221-run defeat against Pakistan in the first Test. Pakistan took a 1-0 lead in the two-match series on the back of a maiden five wicket haul (5-74) by left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar and 4-50 by leg-spinner Yasir Shah as Australia, set a mammoth 438-run target, were bowled out for 216 on Sunday. lehman said the wicket at Dubai stadium wasn’t a sharp turner. “We didn’t adapt well enough and didn’t play well enough,” said lehman. “This was a very good cricket wicket.”
Pallikal in JSW Squash semis
Chennai: Squash star Dipika Pallikal outclassed fellow Indian lakshya Ragavendran to reach the semifinals of the JSW Indian Squash Challenger Circuit here on Monday. Pallikal pummelled Ragavendran 11-4, 9-11, 11-2, 11-3 in a quarterfinal lasting 37 minutes.