Australia in control after taking 326-run lead

December 29, 2014

Melbourne, Dec 29: Australia put themselves in a comfortable position by taking an overall lead of 326 runs by the end of the fourth day as the third cricket Test headed for an exciting finish, with India needing to go for a all-out win to keep themselves afloat in the series.

Australia control

India's first innings folded for 465, adding just three runs to their overnight score, with Mitchell Johnson polishing off the tail without much fuss.

The hosts then rode on David Warner's pacy 40, Rogers' patient 69 and Shaun Marsh (62 not out) to reach 261-7 at close on a rain-hit fourth day at the MCG, taking an overall lead of 326 with three wickets in hand.

With one whole day left, Australia may add a few more runs before declaring the innings and set India a stiff target early tomorrow. India will have to play out of their skin to either win or save the match on a tricky fifth day track.

Interestingly, England is the only team to have successfully chased down a total of 300 plus on the fourth innings at MCG. They had made 332 for seven way back in 1929.

At stumps, Shaun Marsh and Ryan Harris were batting on 62 and 8 respectively.

Earlier, resuming at an overnight score of 462/8, India could survive just 15 deliveries as Johnson dismissed Mohammed Shami (12) and Umesh Yadav (0) within a space of eight balls to earn Australia a 65-run lead.

Australia then got off to a rousing start in their second innings with David Warner (40 runs, 42 balls, 6 fours) attacking the Indian bowlers, giving his team an early push as they look to set an imposing fourth-innings' target for India.

After he was dismissed by Ashwin, Rogers and Shane Watson (17) tried to extend the lead as Australia took lunch at 90 for one in 22 overs.

However, rain intervention after lunch, resulted in a loss of 85 minutes of play and when play resumed, regular wickets fell to leave the hosts at 174/4 in 43 overs at tea, which was taken after an extended second session.

In the final session of play, India took three more wickets, dismissing Joe Burns (9), Brad Haddin (13) and Johnson (15) but Australia had put themselves in a comfortable position by then.

India kept a tight leash on the Australian second innings after a lengthy rain delay in the afternoon with Ishant Sharma (2-49), R Ashwin (2-56) and Umesh Yadav (2-73) taking two wickets each, while Mohammad Shami (1-75) snapping one.

Bad weather resulted in a loss of 85 minutes of play but once play resumed at the MCG, India tried to fight back with their impressive bowling performance.

Rogers (69 runs, 123 balls, 8 fours) and Shane Watson (17) tried to increase their lead further and they were nearly helped by Shikhar Dhawan, who dropped a tough one-handed chance at second slip, diving in front of R Ashwin (2-21) at first slip.

Rogers, who was batting on 33 at that time, was the batsman to benefit against Ishant Sharma (1-38) in that 23rd over of the innings. The breakthrough came two overs later though as Ishant this time had Watson caught behind.

Steve Smith (14) came out to bat and took Australia past the 100-run mark in the 26th over, adding 33 runs for the third wicket. Meanwhile, Rogers went on to score his fourth successive half-century of the series, getting to the mark off 81 balls, in the 28th over.

Four overs later his partnership with Smith was broken by Umesh Yadav (1-55) when the young skipper was caught by Ajinkya Rahane as the leg slip finally came into play.

With just 20 minutes left in the session, Ashwin returned into the attack and dealt a big blow to Australia, cleaning up Rogers in the 41st over, the batsman looking solid until then.

Marsh and Burns then negotiated the rest of the session without damage as Australia took tea at 174-4.

After the break, Marsh and debutant Burns (9) looked to march on but were only able to add two runs when the latter was dismissed poking at a good length delivery from Ishant in the 46th over, snapped up by a diving MS Dhoni.

Brad Haddin (13) came out and threw his bat around to take Australia past the 200-run mark in the 55th over. But he didn't last too long, caught behind off Yadav in the 56th over, although it wasn't quite clear if he edged the ball.

Mitchell Johnson (15) then added 32 runs with Marsh for the 7th wicket before trying to pull a short ball from Shami and was caught at midwicket.

Marsh though soldiered on and hit Ashwin for a six straight down the ground to bring up his 2nd Test fifty off 112 balls in the 69th over.

Two overs later, Marsh helped Australia past the 250-mark, adding 27 unbeaten runs for the 8th wicket with Harris until close of play.

Earlier, Warner have the hosts a flying start when he came out to bat despite a bruised right arm to go with his already hurting left thumb.

He took first strike and smacked Yadav for three fours in his first two overs, racing to 18 off just 12 balls. While he was at the crease, they were scoring at nearly six-per-over though things settled down a little after drinks break.

The Australian 50-mark came up in the 12th over, 38 off those coming off Warner's bat. He was finally removed by Ashwin in the 15th over, LBW as the delivery hit him on the backfoot. Watson and Rogers then negotiated the six-plus overs left until the lunch break.

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News Network
January 15,2020

Dubai, Jan 15: India skipper and batting mainstay Virat Kohli was on Wednesday named captain of the International Cricket Council's ODI and Test teams of the year, capping off a memorable season for the world No.1.

Apart from Kohli, there were four other Indians who were picked in the ICC's Test and ODI Teams of the Year.

While the Test team featured double-centurion Mayank Agarwal, opener Rohit Sharma, speedster Mohammed Shami and left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav found a place in the ODI side.

Kohli enjoyed a tremendous run in both the formats in 2019. The 31-year-old hit his seventh Test double hundred on the way to a career-best unbeaten 254 against South Africa in October last year.

It was a breakthrough year for opener Agarwal, who smashed two double tons, one century and went beyond the fifty-run mark twice. He hit a career-best score of 243 against Bangladesh in November.

Kuldeep, too, enjoyed a memorable year as he joined the golden list of bowlers with two hat-tricks. The chinaman claimed his second ODI hat-trick of his career against the West Indies last month.

In the absence of Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, Shami rose to the occasion making the best in the business hop, skip and jump with his pace, swing and bounce through the season. He scalped 42 wickets in 21 ODIs over the last 12 months.

The ICC's Teams of the Year 2019:

ODI Team of the Year (in batting order): Rohit Sharma, Shai Hope, Virat Kohli (captain), Babar Azam, Kane Williamson, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Mitchell Starc, Trent Boult, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav

Test Team of the Year (in batting order): Mayank Agarwal, Tom Latham, Marnus Labuschagne, Virat Kohli (captain), Steve Smith, Ben Stokes, BJ Watling (wicketkeeper), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Neil Wagner, Nathan Lyon.

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News Network
January 18,2020

Hobart, Jan 18: In a dream start to her second innings after a two-year break, Sania Mirza lifted the WTA Hobart International trophy with partner Nadiia Kichenok after edging out Shaui Peng and Shuai Zhang in the final, here on Saturday.

The unseeded Indo-Ukrainian pair pipped the second seed Chinese team 6-4, 6-4 in one hour 21 minutes.

Playing her first tournament after giving birth to son Izhaan, the 33-year-old Sania has begun well in the Olympic year as she warmed up for the Australian Open in style.

It is Sania's 42nd WTA doubles title and first since Brisbane International trophy in 2007 with American partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

Sania did not compete on the WTA circuit in the entire 2018 and 2019 seasons to start a family with Pakistani cricketer husband Shoaib Malik.

Sania and Nadiia began by breaking the Chinese players in the very first game of the match but only to drop serve in the next.

The two pairs played close games towards the end and at 4-4, 40-all, Sania and Nadiia got the crucial break, earning the opportunity to serve out the set.

There was no twist in 10th game with Sania and Nadiia comfortably pocketing the first set.

The second set could not have started better for them as they broke the Chinese rivals to take early lead and consolidated the break with an easy hold.

The game of the Chinese was falling apart as they dropped serve again in the third but broke back immediately to repair some damage.

Sania and Nadiia were now feeling the heat at 0-30 in the sixth game but Peng and Zhang let them hold serve for a 4-2 lead. The Chinese though kept fighting and made it 4-4 with another break in the eighth game.

The Indo-Ukraine team raised its game when it mattered as it broke Peng and Zhang for one final time in the ninth and served out the match in the next game.

Sania and Nadiia split USD 13580 as prize money and eared 280 ranking points each for their winning effort.

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Agencies
June 6,2020

Malappuram, Jun 6: One more COVID-19 death was reported in Kerala on Saturday taking the toll in the State to 15.

The 61-year-old deceased, Hamsa Koya, a former footballer who represented Maharashtra in Santosh Trophy, had returned from Mumbai with his family on May 21.

Koya was undergoing treatment at Manjeri Medical College in Malappuram. The medical bulletin issued said that he was suffering from pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome.

On June 5, as his health deteriorated, he was administered plasma therapy on the advice of the state medical board. However, he did not respond to medicines and breathed his last at 6:30 am on Saturday.

The medical bulletin said that his family members including his wife, son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren of 3 years and a 3 month-old child also had tested COVID-19 positive and were earlier shifted to hospital for treatment.

With this, the total death toll in Kerala has reached 15. 

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