Clinical England conjure nine-run win over India

January 12, 2013

Clinical_

Rajkot: Indian batsmen and bowlers failed in unison as they suffered yet another defeat, this time against England, in the first of the five ODIs here on Friday. First the bowlers leaked 325 runs, with Ishant Sharma going for none for 86 in his ten overs, then the batsmen couldn't keep up with the required rate as England closed the contest with a nine-run victory, their first on Indian soil in an ODI since 2006.

As it happens so often in big chases that pendulum swings from one side to the other with the team defending the total holding the edge, England had their nose in front for the most part of the Indian innings. Although India got off to a breezy start, with Ajinkya Rahane and Gautam Gambhir sharing 96 runs for the opening wicket, England came back strongly with three quick wickets.

Rahane was the first to go when he chipped Tredwell to Jade Dernback at long-off. Gambhir didn't last long too as he got out, flicking straight to Ian Bell at short midwicket off Tredwell, after completing his fifty. Virat Kohli's woeful form continued as he once again departed cheaply, giving a simple catch to Craig Kieswetter behind the wickets off Tim Bresnan.

Yuvraj Singh (61) and Suresh Raina (50), in their stand of 60 for the fourth wicket, tried to take the game away from England but Tredwell once again came to the visitors' rescue, getting the prized wicket of Yuvraj, who played some impeccable pull shots during his knock.

Raina took the charge after the fall of Yuvraj as the left-hander smacked a few audacious strokes to keep the pressure off skipper MS Dhoni. But his wicket, which was once again taken by Tredwell, forced Dhoni to take more risk. The Indian skipper did hit four sixes during his 32-run knock, his wicket, taken by Dernbach with a slower delivery, almost sealed the match for England. Ravindra Jadeja, playing on his home ground, too fell in the same over, edging one to the stumps for just nine runs.

Tredwell was the most successful of the English bowlers, picking up 4 for 44, while Dernbach and Tim Bresnan shared two wickets apiece and Steven Finn got one.

It was as good a wicket a batsman could have hoped to bat on and the England batsmen did not miss a chance to make the most of it, setting a mammoth 326 for India to chase. Bell was the top scorer for England with his 96-ball 85, while Alastair Cook (75), Kevin Pieteren (44) and Eoin Morgan (41) too played crucial knocks to take the score past 300.

The Indian bowlers tried their best to restrain the England scoring but all of them went for plenty as the wicket at the newly-constructed Saurashtra Cricket Association offered nothing to help their cause. Apart from Ishant, who had dreadful day, other Indian bowlers too were taken to the cleaners.

Bell and Cook gave England the perfect start, stringing 158 after the visitors won the toss and decided to bat. The duo treated the Indian bowlers with utter disdain, punishing anything that could have fetched runs. Bell, in particular, was in fluent touch, cutting and pulling the pacers while sweeping and lofting the spinners for big shots. The positive mindset of Bell rubbed off on Cook as the England captain took full toll of anything that was pitched full to him.

Bell got to his half-century when he reverse-swept Jadeja for a boundary, while Cook got the landmark with a single off a conventional sweep. Both departed in quick succession, with Bell getting run out to a direct throw by Rahane, while Cook too found Rahane at short fine when he tried to sweep Raina.

But Pietersen and Morgan got in the groove quickly as the duo accumulated 44 runs in the batting powerplay. But when it looked the two would propel England to a mammoth total, Ashok Dinda struck twice. He caught Morgan in his follow-through, while got Pietersen caught at long-off where Kohli leaped forward to take a good diving catch.

Samit Patel (44*) and wicketkeeper batsman Kieswetter (24*) played useful cameos to take England to 325. Both added 70 in just 37 deliveries, including 64 in the last five overs.

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Agencies
March 13,2020

New Delhi, Mar 13: The remaining ODI series between India and South Africa has been called-off amidst the rising concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

"The second and third ODI between India and South Africa in Lucknow and Kolkata respectively are called off," the BCCI source told media persons.

The first match of the series was abandoned due to rain and wet outfield without a toss at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) stadium on Thursday.

The second and third ODI was scheduled to be played at Lucknow and Kolkata on March 15 and 18 respectively. Earlier on Thursday, the BCCI has decided to play the remaining two ODIs behind closed doors.

"After holding discussions with the MYAS and MOHFW, the BCCI on Thursday announced that the remaining two One-day Internationals (ODIs) of the three-match series of South Africa tour of India, 2020, will be played without any public gathering, including spectators," the BCCI had said in a statement.

The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has advised all the federations to avoid large gatherings.

World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday had declared the coronavirus outbreak a 'pandemic' and expressed deep concerns.

The coronavirus disease was first detected in Wuhan in China's Hubei province, in late December, and has since spread worldwide.

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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
June 23,2020

Karachi, Jun 23: Pakistan cricketers Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf and rookie Haider Ali on Monday tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

"The Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed three players - Haider Ali, Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan - have tested positive for Covid-19," said the PCB in a statement.

"The players had shown no symptoms until they were tested in Rawalpindi on Sunday ahead of the Pakistan men's national cricket team's tour to England."

The infected players will go into self-isolation.

"The PCB medical panel is in contact with the three who have been advised to immediately go into self-isolation," the statement said.

Earlier this month, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi was tested positive for the deadly virus.

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