India in England: Eoin Morgan Glad to Bring Smiles Back After T20 Win

September 8, 2014

Birmingham, Sep 8: Stand-in skipper Eoin Morgan said he hoped England's thrilling three-run Twenty20 win over India in their final home international match of the season would spur the team on to greater heights ahead of the World Cup.

Eoin-MorganMorgan, leading the side in the absence of injured all-rounder Stuart Broad, produced a stunning captain's innings of 71 in just 31 balls, including seven sixes, as England made 180 for seven at Birmingham's Edgbaston on Sunday.

He then saw his 'death' bowlers, put paid to what threatened to be yet another victorious rescue act by India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who narrowly fell short in trying to score the 17 his side needed off the last over, delivered by paceman Chris Woakes on his Warwickshire home ground.

Having lost series in all formats to Sri Lanka earlier in the season, England -- after a poor start -- recovered to beat India 3-1 in a five-Test campaign.

However, doubts about their viability as contenders to win next year's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand resurfaced during a 3-1 one-day international series defeat by reigning champions India.

Morgan, tipped in some quarters as an alternative England ODI skipper to incumbent Alastair Cook, struggled for runs in the one-dayers but found his form on Sunday.

- Lead from the front -

"There's smiles in the changing-room after a very tough summer," Morgan said.

"We've worked really hard and to finish it on such a high against such a very strong T20 team -- is a great achievement.

"It is hugely important. In the one-day series our senior players including myself didn't stand up, which made things really difficult.

"To lead from the front myself was the way it should be done."

After England were again stifled by spin, Morgan's late assault saw 81 runs scored off the final five overs as India's 'death' bowling once more proved fallible.

India regained control with the bat while Virat Kohli was making 66 -- his only international fifty of a disappointing tour.

When he holed out off a bouncer from fast bowler Steven Finn, India needed 46 off the final 30 balls.

It looked a gettable target but when left-arm seamer Harry Gurney bowled Suresh Rains with a yorker, England sensed a chance of victory.

Woakes then held his nerve despite the pressure of bowling to dangerman Dhoni in front of a capacity crowd, most of whom were cheering for India.

"The guys at the end; Woakesy and Harry Gurney and Steven Finn were outstanding," said Morgan.

Dhoni turned down singles late on, including in the final over, but Morgan defended his opposing skipper's approach.

"He's a guy capable of anything. That first ball (of the last over) Woakesy bowled, he probably missed his length but not by much at all -- he inside edged it for six.

"If Woakesy half executes the rest of the deliveries he faces in that over they could have gone for six as well."

One sour note was that England's Moeen Ali, Birmingham-born but of Pakistani descent and a practising Muslim, was repeatedly booed by large sections of the crowd.

The jeers appeared to be aimed at Ali for who he was rather than anything the off-spinning all-rounder had done.

Morgan insisted he was unaware that Ali, who came through Warwickshire's youth system but now plays for Worcestershire, had been targeted specifically: "I didn't know he (Ali) got booed. We all got booed today (Sunday)."

Meanwhile Dhoni, recalling how India's Ravindra Jadeja had been subjected to crowd taunts as a result of his dust-up with England paceman James Anderson during the first Test at Trent Bridge, also refused to be drawn on the issue.

"Did you ever ask about Jadeja getting booed?," Dhoni told a reporter at a post-match news conference.

"The last day of the tour, I don't want to start another controversy."

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Agencies
April 12,2020

London, Apr 12: Former Formula 1 legendary driver Stirling Moss died at the age of 90 on Sunday.

"All at F1 send our heartfelt condolences to Lady Susie and Sir Stirling's family and friends," Formula 1 said in a statement.

Often referred to as the greatest driver never to win the world championship, Moss contested 66 Grands Prix from 1951 to 1961, driving for the likes of Vanwall, Maserati and Mercedes, where he famously formed a contented and ruthlessly effective partnership with lead driver Juan Manuel Fangio.

In his 10-year-long stint at the tracks, Moss took 16 wins, some of which rank among the truly iconic drives in the sport's history - his 1961 victories in Monaco and Germany in particular often held up as all-time classics.

Moss won the 1955 Mille Miglia on public roads for Mercedes at an average speed of close to 100mph, while he also competed in rallies and land-speed attempts.

Following an enforced retirement from racing (barring a brief comeback in saloon cars in the 1980s) after a major crash at Goodwood in 1962, Moss maintained a presence in Formula 1 as both a sports correspondent and an interested observer, before retiring from public life in January of 2018.

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News Network
February 16,2020

Feb 16: Mayank Agarwal finally found some form going his way and Rishabh Pant mixed caution with his customary aggression as India's warm-up fixture against New Zealand XI ended in a draw in Hamilton on Sunday. The match was called off an hour after lunch with India reaching 252 for four just 48 overs into their second innings. Agarwal, who had gone through a wretched period since the second Test against Bangladesh, retired on 81 off 99 balls with 10 fours and three sixes to his name. To the relief of the Indian team management, Pant played in his customary manner to reach 70 off 65 balls, but also showed discretion when the opposition bowlers were in the midst of a good spell.

There were four sixes -- two each off leg-spinner Ish Sodhi and off-spinner Henry Cooper. While Sodhi was hit down the ground, Cooper was dispatched over extra cover on a couple of occasions.

He didn't curb his aggression though; there were times when he was ready defend against the spinners and also leave some of the deliveries that the Kiwi pacers bowled.

Even though Pant is easily the better batsman compared to his senior Wriddhiman Saha, the innings might have come too late in the day considering that the latter is a better keeper and possibly a more responsible batsman in pressure situations.

The biggest positive to have emerged from the second innings is Agarwal's poor run coming to an end.

The Seddon Park track easing out was definitely a factor but Agarwal's footwork was more assured as he played some glorious on-drives and pull-shots off fast bowlers.

Before this game, Agarwal had played 10 competitive games including first-class, ODIs and List A matches and couldn't cross the 40-run mark in 11 completed innings.

He even bagged a pair against New Zealand A in an unofficial Test match. Once he had got his form back, he didn't come out to bat after lunch giving Saha an opportunity to score an unbeaten 30, his runs coming mostly against non-regular bowlers.

The Agarwal-Pant pair added 100 runs in 14.3 overs and it also helped that part-timers like Cooper was introduced into the action. In the morning, Prithvi Shaw (39 off 31 balls) was bowled through the gate by Daryl Mitchell as the batsman left a gaping hole between his bat and pad.

Shaw, though, seemed to have done enough during his brisk 72-run stand with Agarwal, which could put an end to the debate around the opening slot even though the tracks in Wellington and Christchurch could be a test of technique for the flamboyant Mumbaikar.

It was a match that Shubman Gill would perhaps like to forget in a hurry as he was dismissed cheaply for the second time in a row. He scored 8 before Daryl Mitchell trapped him leg before.

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News Network
January 9,2020

Mumbai, Jan 9: Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan feels that the Men in Blue have the edge over Australia in terms of talent and confidence ahead of the two teams' three-match ODI series starting January 14 in Mumbai.

"In the past that wasn't the case because they were doing really well. We were trying to match that level. I feel that Indian cricket is a notch ahead in terms of talent, in terms of cricket and in terms of confidence," Star Sports expert Irfan Pathan said. "The only thing that will make it equal is the kind of pitches we are going to play in Australia because we do not have experience playing on those hard and bouncy pitches," said Pathan, who recently called time on his international career.

Recounting his favourite memory of playing against Australia, Irfan said, "It all started in Australia for me. The most memorable moment was getting my first wicket and helping India win a Test match in Australia after 21 years. Winning the Test in Perth and being named the Man of the Match is also a favourite memory for me."

Australia have already announced their team for the three-match ODI series with India. The team will be led by Aaron Finch. The other members of the team are Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, David Warner, and Adam Zampa.

India are yet to announce their team but in all probability, it will be led by Virat Kohli who has been in phenomenal form over the last few years. All three ODIs are day and night affair. While the first match of the series is on January 14 in Mumbai, the second will be played at Rajkot on January 17 followed by the January 19 clash in Bengaluru.

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