ICC Women's World Cup: India's winning run ends with heavy loss to South Africa

Agencies
July 9, 2017

Leicester, Jul 9: India's four-match winning streak in the Women's World Cup was brought to a crashing halt with a 115-run loss against South Africa, following an abject batting surrender here on Saturday.ICCQ

The star South African performer was captain Dane van Niekerk who first made a valuable 57 off 66 balls to guide South Africa to 273 for nine before taking four wickets with leg-spin to help her team bundle out the Indians for 158 in 46 overs.

Besides the South African skipper, opener Lizelle Lee too made a significant contribution by hammering 92 off 65 balls after India put the opposition in at Grace Road.

India would have sealed their semifinal berth with a win today but now have their task cut out in the remaining round robin matches against the mighty Australia and New Zealand.

The game was pretty much done and dusted when India collapsed to 56 for six in the 17th over of the chase.

Deepti Sharma saved India the blushes of getting bowled out for under 100 by scoring a solid 60 off 111 balls with support from number nine Jhulan Goswami, who remained unbeaten on 43.

It was a good batting wicket, something that Lee herself mentioned, but the Indian batsmen were all at sea and crumbled under the scoreboard pressure.

Opener Smriti Mandhana, who took the tournament by storm with a 90 and 106 in the first two games, suffered a third failure in a row.

In-form captain Mithali Raj fell for her maiden golden duck while Harmanpreet Kaur too departed without scoring, both getting out to Niekerk.

While Niekerk foxed the Indians by mixing leg-breaks with the straighter ones, medium pacers Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp and Ayabonga Khaka were equally effective.

Earlier, Indian bowlers bounced back after Lee's brutal attack at the top of the order before Niekerk revived the South African innings with a crucial half century.

India were put under severe pressure early on as Lee's brutal attack propelled South Africa to 71 for one in 10 overs.

The conditions were ideal for batting and Lee made the most of it, hitting as much as 10 fours and seven sixes.

She missed out on a well deserved hundred after being trapped in front of the stumps by offie Harmanpreet (2/18), leaving South Africa at 134 for three in the 21st over.

From there on, the Indian bowlers were able to contain the opposition batters by taking wickets at regular intervals.

Pacer Shikha Pandey, brought back into the side in place of Mansi Joshi, was the pick of the bowlers taking three wickets for 40 runs from nine overs.

India's most prolific spinner in the tournament, Ekta Bisht, proved expensive leaking 68 runs in nine overs though she did take a couple of wickets.

She went for as much as 20 runs in the 46th over when Niekerk and Chloe Tyron whacked her for three sixes.

India were well on course to restrict South Africa under 250 but Niekerk spoiled their plans with her late onslaught.

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Agencies
May 9,2020

Tokyo, May 9: As the world continues to grapple with coronavirus pandemic, the organisers of Tokyo Game Show have cancelled 2020 showpiece event.

TGS 2020 was slated to be played from September 24 to September 27 at the Makuhari Messe convention center. However, there now talks going on for holding an online event instead.

According to the Verge, this is the first time that TGS has ever been cancelled since it started in 1996.

TGS 2020 gained more attention because of its status as the last major trade show before the launch of the upcoming next-gen consoles, the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.

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News Network
February 18,2020

Feb 18: There are no half measures for fit-again New Zealand pace spearhead Trent Boult who is ready to challenge India captain Virat Kohli on his return to international cricket during the two-Test series starting in Wellington on Friday. Boult was out of action for the past six weeks due to a fracture on his right hand sustained during the Boxing Day Test against Australia and missed out on the limited-overs leg of the India series. Back for the traditional format, the left-arm fast bowler made his priorities clear ahead of the first Test.

"That's personally why I play the game, to get guys like that (Kohli) out and test myself against them, so I can't wait to get stuck in. But he's an exceptional player. Everyone knows how great he is," Boult said, sending out a warning after landing in the capital city for the opening Test.

New Zealand's last Test series in Australia was a nightmare as they lost 0-3 and India will be a tough test for the Black Caps.

"They are a great side and they are leading the ICC Test Championship. They are very clear on how they wanted to play the game. It was a tough learning curve in Australia. It's good to see where we are in terms of bouncing back," said Boult.

The Basin Reserve track will have a lot for the seamers and in conducive conditions, a wily customer like Boult will prove to be a handful for the travellers.

"I'm preparing for a solid wicket. It generally is very good here and goes the full distance (five days). I do enjoy playing here, the history that's involved, and it's going to be an exciting week building up. I can't wait to get out there," said the 30-year-old who has taken 256 wickets from 65 Tests.

It was frustrating for him to watch his side get walloped 0-5 in the T20 series but exhilarating when it got its mojo back in the subsequent one-dayers.

The Black Caps won 3-0 in the 50-over format. "I think it is what it is. I have just got to put the last six or so weeks behind me and just back myself to get out there and do my thing," said Boult, who warmed up by playing a club game at the picturesque Taupo ground.

Boult did find a bit of humour in his injury which, for him, was more of an accident.

"If I had to break a hand, (it would) probably be my right one. Breaking a hand, you don't really know how much you use it unless you break it," said Boult.

"I was pushing in off the long run. I think a couple of the clubbies from Taupo really enjoyed that. It was a good afternoon," added the pacer, who sent down eight overs in a friendly game for his club Cadets.

While bowling isn't a problem, Boult is hoping that catching doesn't become an issue.

"Everything has gone very well but catching will be the biggest issue for me," he said.

Professionally, Boult had to lie low due to injury, but it was also a good break as he and wife Lana welcomed their second child.

"Having some time away from the game and having my second son a couple of weeks ago came at quite a good time," said Boult.

Fighting fit, all he wants now is to get hold of a red kookaburra and get a few to tail into Kohli and company.

"I am hungry to be here and can't wait to get back in the white and get the red ball moving around," he said.

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News Network
May 6,2020

May 6: They have similar impact on their teams but Virat Kohli is driven by sheer passion to subdue the rivals while Steve Smith just enjoys batting, says Australia opener David Warner.

India skipper Kohli and top Australian batsman Smith are arguably the top two cricketers of the current era. They achieve new milestones consistently, invoking debates, who is better between them.

"Virat's passion and drive to score runs is different to what Steve's would be," Warner said while speaking to Harsha Bhogle on 'Cricbuzz in Conversation'.

"Steve is going out there for a hit in the middle, that's how he sees things. He's hitting them out in the middle, he's having fun, he's enjoying himself, just does not want to get out."

Warner feels, while Kohli is batting he is aware that if he sticks around the middle his team will be on top of the proceedings.

"Virat obviously doesn't want to get out but he knows if he spends a certain amount of time out there, he's going to score plenty of runs at a rapid rate. He's going to get on top of you. That allows the guys coming in, especially in the Indian team you've got a lot of players who can be flamboyant as well."

The Australian opener added that both men are mentally strong and a good knock by them boosts the morale of the entire team.

"When it comes to cricket, they both have got the mental strength, the mental capacity to score runs. They both love spending time in the middle.

"They stabilise, they boost morale - if they score runs, everyone else's moral is up. If they are out cheaply you almost sense that on the field that everyone is (down on morale and thinking) 'now we all have to step up'. It's a very bizarre situation," he added.

Asked about the similarities between himself and Kohli, who are both live wires on the field, Warner said the passion to do better than the opponent keeps him going.

"I can't speak for Virat, obviously, but it's almost like we got this thing in us when we go (out to the middle) we need to prove people wrong, prove someone wrong."

"If you're in that contest, and if I'm going at him for example, you're thinking, 'Alright, I'm going to score more runs than him, I'm going to take a quick single on him'. You are trying to better that person in that game. That's where the passion comes from."

Warner also explained how he breaks down a match into smaller competitions.

"Obviously you want to win the game but you almost break it down to: If I can score more runs than Virat, or if Pujara scores more runs than Steve Smith, you have these little contests and that's how you try to narrow the game in the sense that if we do these little things, we can be ahead of the game or we can be behind the game.

"The passion is driven by...I know my sense - one, the will to win and two, wanting to do better than that person in the opposition," said Warner.

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