Kaif appointed as KXIP Assistant Coach
New Delhi: IPl franchise Gujarat lions on Friday appointed former Indian middle-order batsman Mohammad Kaif as its assistant coach for the upcoming season starting April 5. Speaking on appointment, Keshav Bansal, Director, Intex Technologies and Owner, Gujarat lions said: "Kaif is a great resource for our team, who has valuable experience and in-depth knowledge of the sport. "The experience that he carries of the game, made us realise that he needs to be given larger roles as it will prove beneficial in our efforts to develop the game. I am confident that our team will benefit immensely from his guidance and mentorship." Kaif said he is looking forward to the new role. "I am looking forward to my new role as an Assistant Coach in the team. It will be a great opportunity to work with a dynamic owner like Keshav Bansal and with talented players like Suresh Raina, Ravinder Jadeja, etc.," he said.
Derrick to be Churchill’s coach
Margao: Former DSK Shivajians coach Derrick Pereira has been appointed as head coach of Churchill brothers, club owner Churchill Alemao announced on Friday. Derrick will join the team tomorrow and never before in his 16-year career as coach he has taken over the reigns of a club midway into the tournament. Churchill brothers are languishing at the bottom of the table at the end of the first leg and it's going to be a tough challenge for the Goan coach to lift them out of the relegation. "It's going to be a tough job but I will do my best to see the team progress well when the second phase start and we play against Minerva Punjab on sunday at home," stated Pereira. Churchill brothers club owner Churchill Alemao is optimistic that his team will do well under new coach who has vast experience.
Plucky Aditi makes the cut
Adelaide: India's Aditi Ashok turned in a plucky performance to make the halfway cut in her first lPGA event of 2017, as she shot three-under 70 to place herself in tied 39th place at the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open golf tournament, here. Aditi, who has a limited status on lPGA, had a rough start in the first round with a one-over 74 at the Par-73 Royal Adelaide Golf Club. She is now two-under 144 through 36 holes and nine shots adrift of the leader, Orlando-based Queenslander Sarah Jane Smith (70-67). Sarah Jane, who was second at the recent RACV Gold Coast challenge on Australian lPGA Tour, has her husband Duane on the bag as her full-time caddy. Tied in second place are four players, of which two are past champions at the Hero Women's Indian Open, Caroline Hedwall (69-69) of Sweden and Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum (68-70).
Ovtcharov into quarters, Desai out New Delhi: Top seed Dimitrij Ovtcharov breezed into the quarterfinals of the ITTF World Tour India Open table tennis tournament on a day that saw a number of Indians exit the competition. The World No 5 from Germany won both his matches emphatically here at the Thyagaraj Sports Complex to underline his class and pedigree. However, it was a disappointment for the home team as seven Indians, in fray for a place in the quarterfinals, crashed out. Among them was 112th ranked Harmeet Desai, who flattered to deceive against 19th ranked Koki Niwa of Japan. He had his moments in the match but was not consistent enough to trouble the Japanese. Desai had beaten higher-ranked Tristan Flore of France in the opening round on Thursday. Gnanasekaran Sathiyan put up a brave fight before losing to ninth seeded Masataka Morizono of Japan.