Need to dismiss Indian top-order early: Boult

Agencies
January 25, 2019

Mount Maunganui, Jan 25: New Zealand pacer Trent Boult on Friday said the hosts will be targeting to dismiss India's top-three batsmen cheaply in the second ODI here on Saturday.

India's top-order trio of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli is arguably the most fearsome in the 50-over format.

"As a bowling unit, we're trying to disrupt their top order to put pressure on their middle order, it's probably their secret as well. If we can get three wickets in the first 10 overs, we know what pressure that puts on the rest of the team in the shed," Boult said.

New Zealand will look to bounce back from their dismal eight-wicket loss to India in the opening ODI. Electing to bat, the hosts were bundled out for 157 in 38 overs as India returned to overhaul the target in 34.5 overs

"We were severely outplayed the other day. I think it's obvious we know where we went wrong. Batsman are looking to right a few wrongs, come out and set a good platform and obviously put a good target on the board and see what happens from there," Boult said.

The 29-year-old said an opening batting partnership will be crucial for the hosts. Both Martin Guptill and Colin Munro were dismissed cheaply by Mohammed Shami in his first two overs.

"The thing we've done well in the past is generally set that platform. (The openers have) given themselves a look at exactly how the wicket's going to unfold. We know that early wicket in this format kind of kill you. It's about batting in partnerships and taking the game deep so we can really cash in in those later overs."

Boult also admitted they may have misread the pitch at McLean Park.

"You want to play the best bowlers who can take wickets. Ish Sodhi has done well for us, but where does he fit in in terms of who you don't play?

"It is one of those things. We didn't read the pitch that it was going to turn as it did in Napier, but moving to here, it is usually a good wicket," he said.

For India, the top-order fired with Dhawan scoring an unbeaten 75 and skipper Virat Kohli hitting a 45.

Asked how the team plans to restrain them Boult said: "Obviously look to get them out because they're quality batsmen and when they're in they're very hard to get out. They are human and they do make mistakes - we could have got him (Dhawan) out there for 20-odd but we didn't hang on to it."

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Agencies
February 13,2020

New Delhi, Feb 13: Sanjiv Chawla, a key accused in the match-fixing scandal involving former South African cricket team captain Hansie Cronje in 2000, was extradited from the UK on Thursday, Delhi Police said.

The 50-year-old British national, accompanied by a crime branch team from London, reached IGI Airport this morning, a senior officer said.

He is likely to be taken to the crime branch office for questioning, he added.

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News Network
April 12,2020

Mumbai, Apr 12: Always eager to share his vast knowledge and experience, cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has interacted with 12,000 doctors on sports injuries.

In his over two decade long illustrious career, Tendulkar suffered many health issues, the most prominent being the tennis elbow injury.

The veteran of 200 Tests and 463 ODIs, got to know through one Dr Sudhir Warrier, an orthopaedic surgeon, that several young doctors across the country were utilising the lockdown time to effectively gain knowledge on sports injuries through live webinars.

A session on sports injuries was held on Saturday and Tendulkar, knowing that his experiences will help these doctors, volunteered to be a part of it.

Tendulkar, accordingly, interacted with around 12,000 doctors, who attended the session.

It is reliably leanrt that the 46-year-old legend said he was grateful to the medical fraternity for their service.

During the session, the young orthopaedic doctors got to know how the requirements and treatment outcomes of athletes are different from regular patients, sources said.

Dr Warrier moderated the session with Dr Nitin Patel, physiotherapist, who has worked with Indian cricket team and IPL franchise Mumbai Indians.

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Agencies
February 23,2020

Madrid, Feb 23: Lionel Messi scored four goals and Barcelona reclaimed the top spot in the La Liga as Real Madrid suffered a surprise defeat by Levante last night, a week before the Clasico.

Madrid's nightmare afternoon was made worse by another injury to Eden Hazard, who was forced off in the second half of their 1-0 defeat in Valencia and is now doubtful to face Manchester City on Wednesday in the Champions League.

"It doesn't look good," said Real coach Zinedine Zidane afterwards.

Messi, meanwhile, ridiculed talk of a goal drought by scoring four against Eibar after four games without one, while emergency signing Martin Braithwaite made two assists off the bench, teeing up Messi and then Arthur Melo in injury-time.

Their 5-0 rout, coupled with Madrid's defeat, means Barca move back to the summit of La Liga, two points ahead of Zidane's side ahead of next Saturday's showdown at the Santiago Bernabeu.

It amounts to a considerable shift in momentum, with Barcelona away at Napoli in the first leg of the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday.

Madrid host City a day later and the plan had been for Hazard to regain form and fitness in what was only his second start since returning from three months out with a broken right foot.

But the Belgian sat in the dug-out with an ice pack around the same foot after going off and Zidane suggested it was a repeat injury after the match. "It can be weak where you've had an injury," he said.

For Madrid, playing catch-up again next weekend will be a particularly heavy psychological blow, especially given the series of off-field problems engulfing Barcelona in recent weeks.

Yet on the pitch, Messi showed no sign of distraction as the 32-year-old completed the second fastest of his now 36 league hat-tricks, after less than 40 minutes at Camp Nou.

"There's nothing left to do but stand up and applaud," Eibar wrote on Twitter afterwards.

"I won't wash my kit after hugging Messi," said Braithwaite.

Braithwaite's arrival from Leganes drew criticism after Barcelona capitalised on a curious La Liga rule that allows clubs to sign outside of the transfer window if they have lost a player to serious injury.

Brilliant Messi

Messi quickly got to work, scoring a brilliant first goal in the 14th minute after collecting the ball centrally, around 30 yards out. He had three Eibar defenders in front of him but found a way through, nutmegging Anaitz Arbilla before chipping delicately into the corner.

The second came in the 37th minute as Sergio Busquets found Arturo Vidal, who feathered a flick into Messi's path. Messi surged forward, past his stumbling opponents, and fired in.

His third, three minutes later, was the simplest of the trio and arrived only after he tried to play in Antoine Griezmann. His generosity was rewarded as a sloppy Griezmann touch meant the ball cannoned back to Messi, who apologetically poked in.

Coach Quique Setien was able to take Griezmann off with 18 minutes left and introduce Braithwaite for his debut. Braithwaite's first contribution was a skewed cross but things improved immeasurably from there, as two passes across goal gave Messi his fourth and Arthur his first.

Madrid were never in control of a chaotic contest against Levante but might have taken the lead if Hazard had done better with a long ball over the top from Marcelo, which he failed to control and then scuffed into the hands of Aitor Fernandez.

He limped off and Madrid lost their way, finally punished with 11 minutes left by a straight ball through to Morales. Luka Modric, exposed on the right side of Madrid's defence, was unable to recover and Morales caught Courtois by surprise by firing early past the goalkeeper and into the top corner.

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