England beat Australia by 40 runs via D/L, help Bangladesh earn semi-final spot

Agencies
June 11, 2017

Cardiff, Jun 11: Ben Stokes hit a career-best 102 not out and captain Eoin Morgan 87 as England knocked Australia out of the Champions Trophy with a 40-run win over their arch-rivals at Edgbaston on Saturday.

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England collapsed to 35 for three chasing 278 for victory before left-handers Morgan and Stokes changed the course of the game with a fourth-wicket partnership of 159 off 158 balls.

Stokes`s third one-day international century was his highest score at this level after the all-rounder had twice made 101.

When a second downpour finally saw play abandoned for the day, England were 240 for four off 40.2 overs -- well ahead of the 200 they needed for victory at that stage on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method for rain-affected limited-overs matches.

World Cup champions Australia had to win this match to join already-qualified England in the semi-finals of a tournament featuring the world`s leading eight ODI teams after no result washouts in their previous two Group A fixtures.

But this defeat saw Bangladesh, who beat New Zealand by five wickets in Cardiff on Friday, into the last four instead.

England opener Jason Roy`s miserable run continued when he was lbw for four to left-arm quick Mitchell Starc.

Roy`s review proved fruitless and this score meant he`d managed just 51 runs in eight ODI innings this season.

Fellow opener Alex Hales fell for a duck when he edged Josh Hazlewood low to Aaron Finch at first slip, with Hazlewood following up to have Joe Root (15) caught behind.

That left England 35 for three before a brief rain break halted Australia`s charge, with Morgan -- dropped on 12 when wicket-keeper Matthew Wade failed to hold a tough diving legside chance off Hazlewood -- 14 not out and Stokes yet to get off the mark.Morgan and Stokes then counter-attacked, with the pair particularly severe on first-change Pat Cummins (none for 55 in eight overs).

The fast bowler, struggling for line and length, bowled a full toss which Stokes clipped for a legside four and when Cummins switched to around the wicket, the all-rounder drove him through extra cover for another boundary.

Stokes completed a 39-ball half-century featuring eight fours when he hooked Starc for six, with Morgan following him to the landmark in 51 balls.

Morgan went to 85 with a huge soaring six after clubbing Hazlewood into the stands to the delight of the 24,227 crowd -- a record ODI attendance at Edgbaston.

Morgan, however, fell 13 short of a century when, after Stokes`s chip fell just short of midwicket, he did not respond to a call for a single and was run out by Adam Zampa`s direct hit.

Morgan faced 81 balls including eight fours and five sixes.

Stokes though was not to be denied, forcing leg-spinner Zampa for his 13th four to complete a 108-ball century also featuring two sixes.

Earlier, fast bowler Mark Wood and leg-spinner Adil Rashid both took four wickets as Australia were held to 277 for nine after Morgan won the toss.

Durham quick Wood returned ODI best figures of four for 33 in his maximum 10 overs, while Rashid`s haul of four for 41 was the Yorkshireman`s best against a Test nation at this level.

Travis Head`s unbeaten 71 kept Australia in the game after earlier fifties from Finch (68) and captain Steve Smith (56).

But having made his best ODI score in over a year, Finch skyed a drive off Stokes and Morgan, running back and across from short extra-cover, held a difficult catch.

Smith completed a 68-ball fifty, including five fours, before the star batsman chipped Wood`s first ball back to mid-off.

Glenn Maxwell (20) holed out when Roy, going back and across the boundary marker completed a well-judged catch.

Maxwell`s exit was the start of a collapse that saw Australia lose five wickets for 15 runs in 26 deliveries.

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News Network
June 22,2020

Zadar (Croatia), Jun 22: Grigor Dimitrov took to Instagram to announce that he has tested positive for coronavirus. The tennis star was one of the players who took part in the Adria Tour with the likes Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem among others.

Taking to Instagram, the player wrote: "Hi Everyone-I want to reach out and let my fans and friends know that I tested positive back in Monaco for Covid-19. I want to make sure anyone who has been in contact with me during these past days gets tested and takes the necessary precautions. I am so sorry for any harm I might have caused. I am back home now and recovering. Thanks for your support and please stay safe and healthy."

He also urged those who had come in contact with him over the last few days in Monaco should also get tested for the deadly virus.

Meanwhile, World no.1 Djokovic reached the final of his exhibition tournament in Zadar, Croatia, after easing through the round-robin group stage on the first day. This is the second stage of the Adria Tour with Austrian Dominic Thiem winning the first leg in Belgrade, Serbia.

Djokovic started by saving three set points in his 4-3, 4-1 win over fellow Serb Pedja Krstin. He then beat home favourite Borna Coric 4-1, 4-3 in front of several thousand fans at the Visnjik tennis complex.

The tournament in Zadar is being played on red clay over two days. In the other group, Russian Andrey Rublev is in pole position to advance into the final after wins over 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic and Serb Danilo Petrovic. He faces German star Alexander Zverev in the final round robin match on Sunday who stayed in contention after beating Cilic 4-3, 0-4, 4-3.

Djokovic''s own inconsequential final group match is against Croatian Dino Serdarusic who replaced Grigor Dimitrov after the Bulgarian pulled out of the tournament with sickness following his opening 4-1, 4-1 loss to Coric.

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News Network
May 9,2020

May 9: Filipina weightlifting star Hidilyn Diaz noticed live-streamed concerts were collecting money for coronavirus relief and was struck by inspiration: why not raise funds with an online workout?

Since then the Olympic silver-medallist -- and strong contender for her country's first Games gold -- has made enough money to buy food packs for hundreds of hard-hit families in the Philippines.

Diaz has done it all from Malaysia, where she was training to qualify for the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics when much of the world locked down against the virus in March.

"I thought (distribution) would be impossible because I'm not physically present," Diaz, 29, told news agency.

"It's a good thing that I have trusted friends and trusted family members who understand why we need to do a fundraising."

That circle of supporters has handed out the packages, which include vegetables, eggs and rice, to more than 400 families.

The food was bought with donations from about 50 people who joined sessions that lasted up to three hours, and gave them a rare chance to train with an elite athlete.

Diaz rose to fame in 2016 after snagging a surprise silver in the 53 kilogramme category in Rio, becoming the Philippines' first female Olympic medallist and ending the nation's 20-year medal drought at the Games.

Two years later, she won gold at the Asian Games in Indonesia.

However, her quest to qualify for Tokyo is on hold ahead of the Games' rescheduled opening in July 2021.

"I thought all the hard work would soon be over... then it was extended," she said. "But I'm still thankful I can still continue with (the training) I need to do."

Still, the lockdown broke her daily training regimen, keeping her away from weights for 14 days for the first time in her career.

"I felt like I was losing my mind already. I've been carrying the barbell for 18 years and all of a sudden it's gone. Those were the kinds of anxiety that I felt," she said.

But she got access to some equipment, and with her coach's urging, got back to work. She was relieved to find her strength was still there.

Instead of a Tokyo berth, the past months have been about a different kind of accomplishment for Diaz: helping her countrymen get through the coronavirus crisis.

Rosemelyn Francisco's family in Zamboanga City, Diaz's home town, is one of the first to get help from the athlete's initiative, and is deeply grateful.

Her family was not wealthy to begin with, and the pandemic has cost her husband his construction job.

"The food she donated has all everything we need, including eggs," said Francisco, 27.

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News Network
February 21,2020

New Delhi, Feb 21: Vinesh Phogat yet again fell to Japanese nemesis Mayu Muakida to go out of the gold medal race but Sakshi Malik will fight for the title after winning her semifinal bout at the Asian Wrestling Championship, here on Friday.

Vinesh had lost twice to Mukaida in 2019 – at World Championship and Asian Championships —and the trend continued as the gritty Indian yet again struggled to break the strong defence of the Japanese.

In a tough opening round, Vinesh tried single leg attacks a number of times but every time Mukaida blocked her move and eventually got the upper body lock to subdue the home favourite.

In her last two meetings, Vinesh had not scored a single point against the 2019 world silver medallist. She managed a takedown this time before eventually losing 2-6.

The hard-working Vinesh will now fight for bronze against Vietnam's Thi Ly Kieu but even a medal won't suffice to lift her mood as she and the fans have high expectations from her.

Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik, who has been struggling of late, lost her opening round 1-2 to Naomi Ruike from Japan but later overcame two weak opponents to eventually reach the final of the non-Olympic 65kg category.

She could hardly attack Naomi but outplayed Korea's Ohyoung Ha in the next round, winning by technical superiority.

In her semifinal against Uzbekistan's Nabira Esenbaeva, Sakshi led 5-0 but her rival pulled off consecutive two-point moves to make it 5-4.

Sakshi has been losing in closing stages of late but this time she managed to hold on to her narrow lead, surviving anxious last two seconds.

Also in medal contention are India's brightest youngsters Sonam Malik (62kg) and Anshu Malik (57kg).

Sonam, who had defeated Sakshi in the trials, showed good tactical mind in her resounding win against Korea's Hanbit Lee and also in the 2-5 defeat against world bronze medallist Yukako Kawai.

She pulled off a superb point-scoring move from a disadvantageous position and resisted the 2018 U-23 world champion Yukako in a good fashion.

She will now fight for bronze against Aisuluu Tynbekova.

Anshu Malik opened up her campaign against Kyrgyzstan's Nuraida Anarkulova, winning by technical superiority but was outplayed by reigning world champion from Japan Riskao Kawai.

She will have to beat Sevara Eshmuratova from Uzbekistan to grab a bronze.

In the non-olympic 72kg, Gursharanpreet Kaur is in bronze medal contention. She beat Uzbekistan's Svetlana Oknazarova but lost to Kazakhstan's Zhamila Bakberzenova.

She still made it to the semifinal in which she lost to Japan's Mei Shindo.

She is now up against Mongloia's Tsevegmed Enkhbayar.

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