Samson, Malik propel Rajasthan to emphatic win

September 22, 2013

RajasthanJaipur, Sep 22: Rajasthan Royals began their Champions League Twenty20 campaign in superb fashion as they thrashed defending champions Mumbai Indians by seven wickets in their Group A match, here on Saturday.

It was good all-round show by the hosts as they first restricted the visitors to 142 for seven, using helpful conditions well, and then comfortably overhauled the target with two balls to spare at Sawai Man Singh stadium.

Opener Sanju Samson survived an lbw decision off left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson at individual score of one and went on to score a 54-run knock, that set up the victory.

Samson shared a 74-run stand for the second wicket with Ajinkya Rahane (33) after early fall of skipper Rahul Dravid and then Shane Watson Watson came up with a breezy 27 to steer the side to finish line as Rajasthan yet again proved that they are a force at home turf.

Mumbai, who were asked to bat, owed their total to skipper Rohit Sharma (44) and burly West Indies batsman Kieron Pollard (42) even as paceman Vikramjit Malik (3/24) did well for the hosts with his three-wicket haul.

Samson, who had impressed in IPL-VI, and Rahane steadily build the innings, relying on rotation of the strike.

They punished bad deliveries with some exquisite shots and were hardly troubled by the Mumbai bowlers. It was one poor shot that ended Rahane’s knock as he was early into a pull shot off Rishi Dhawan, found a bottom-edge which fell on to his stumps.

Samson too departed after completing his half-century but Watson and Stuart Binny ensured that the good work does not got waste.

The two shared a 41-run stand for the unbeaten fourth wicket. Watson took 22 balls for his knock and hit two sixes while Binny’s 27 came off 14 balls with three fours and a six.

Binny finished the match with in style with a six off Coulter-Nile over long-on.

Earlier, Mumbai Indians were struggling at 43 for four at one stage but Sharma stabilised the innings with his sensible batting while Kieron Pollard hit some lusty blows towards the end to up the run-rate. Sharma’s 44 came off 37 balls with three fours and two sixes while Pollard took 36 balls for his 42, laced with six boundaries including two sixes.

The hosts had things under control under helpful conditions for paceman as it rained before the match but Mumbai scored 55 runs in the last five overs to make it a good contest.

Dwayne Smith (9) had began fantastically with an elegant cover drive off the first ball of the match but was trapped by Malik. The short ball kept low and Smith was caught plumb.

Tendulkar punched two boundaries off James Faulkner and one off Shane Watson but the pitch had something for the bowlers, so the IPL champions made a steady start. But things changed quickly as Malik bowled Dinesh Karthik (2) and Tendulkar (15) was caught behind off Binny when he tried to drive a good length ball.

score board

MUMBAI INDIANS: Dwayne Smith lbw Malik 9, Sachin Tendulkar c Samson b Binny 15, Dinesh Karthik b Malik 2, Rohit Sharma c Samson b Watson 44, Ambati Rayudu (run out) 3, Kieron Pollard c Samson b Malik 42, Harbhajan Singh (run out) 8, Nathan Coulter-Nile (not out) 12, Rishi Dhawan (not out) 0; Extras (LB-2, W-5) 7; Total (7 wkts; 20 overs) 142

Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-26, 3-38, 4-43, 5-95, 6-130, 7-141.

Bowling: Ashok Menaria 2-0-9-0, Vikramjeet Malik 4-0-24-3, James Faulkner 4-0-31-0, Shane Watson 3-0-26-1, Stuart Binny 2-0-13-1, Rahul Shukla 2-0-6-0, Kevon Cooper 3-0-31-0.

RAJASTHAN ROYALS: Rahul Dravid c Pollard b Coulter-Nile 1, Ajinkya Rahane b Dhawan 33, Sanju Samson c Smith b Pollard 54, Shane Watson (not out) 27, Stuart Binny (not out) 27, Extras (LB-4, W-2) 6, Total (3 wkts, 19.4 overs) 148

Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-79, 3-107.

Bowling: Mitchell Johnson 4-0-38-0, Nathan Coulter-Nile 3.4-0-22-1, Rishi Dhawan 4-0-17-1, Pragyan Ojha 1-0-13-0, Harbhajan Singh 3-0-22-0, Kieron Pollard 3-0-20-1, Dwayne Smith 1-0-12-0.

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News Network
March 21,2020

London, Mar 21: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has suspended all professional cricket till May 28, delaying the start of the new season, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ECB took the decision following discussions with the First-Class Counties, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA).

"It was agreed that, given the current information available, a seven-week delay to the start of the season is the most appropriate approach," an ECB media statement said.

The Board also announced that it is working on three new options, including the three-Test series against West Indies, the T20 Cup and the women's schedule against India, for a possible start in June, July or August.

"Close liaison with the Government will continue, with discussions on the potential of starting the season behind closed doors and giving sports fans the opportunity to live broadcast action," the statement said on Friday.

"The potential for reduced versions of competitions, should the season become further truncated, will also be discussed."

The ECB said it will meet as needed to review the position and make further decisions as the UK situation unfolds.

"During this period of deep uncertainty it is the ECB’s first priority to protect the wellbeing of everyone within the cricket family, from players, to fans and colleagues across the game,’’ ECB Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison said.

"The decision to delay the start of the season has been essential, given the circumstances the nation faces. I am reassured by the collaborative effort from across the game that together, we will make the very best of whatever length of season we are able to safely schedule in the coming months," he added.

He said this would give the ECB time to keep pace with a fast-moving situation and continue to plan for how a revised season might look.

"Critically, we can also remain as flexible and adaptable as possible, within the obvious restrictions we face."

Last week, England's tour of Sri Lanka was called off mid tournament in view of the rising threat of the pandemic.

"Securing the future of the game will be a primary focus as we plot a revised schedule with an emphasis on the most financially important forms of the game for the counties across international and domestic cricket," Harrison said.

The COVID-19 global death toll has climbed past 11,000 with more than 250,000 infected. In UK, close to 4000 have tested positive so far and 177 died.

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Agencies
July 20,2020

Vitoria, Jul 20: Lionel Messi won a record seventh top scoring title in the Spanish league after netting twice in Barcelona's 5-0 rout of Alav s in the final round.

Messi ended with 25 goals, four more than Karim Benzema, who did not score in Real Madrid's 2-2 draw at Legan s.

Messi is the first player to finish as the league's top scorer in seven different seasons. He reached the milestone despite missing games because of an injury early in the season. The Argentine's 25 goals came in 33 matches.

Messi was tied with Telmo Zarra with six scoring titles. He has also now equaled Hugo Sanchez's feat of four straight top-scorer trophies.

"Individual achievements are always secondary," Messi said on Sunday.

"I wished it could have come along with the league title."

This is also the third successive season that Messi finished with the most assists 21 in the league.

Ansu Fati, Luis Su rez and Nelson Semedo also scored Sunday for Barcelona, which had already secured second place behind Madrid.

Fati opened the scoring in the 24th minute, Messi added to the lead 10 minutes later and Su rez closed the first-half scoring in the 44th. Semedo got on the board in the 57th and Messi in the 75th to help Barcelona rebound from a 2-1 home loss to Osasuna.

"Today things were different," Messi said.

"The team showed better attitude and commitment. It was an important step forward for us ahead of what's left in the season."

Barcelona now turns its focus to its Aug. 8 home game against Napoli in the round of 16 of the Champions League. The first leg, played before the break, ended 1-1.

Barcelona coach Quique Seti n finished under pressure after the team relinquished a two-point lead over Madrid when the league resumed following the pandemic break. It was four points back before Madrid's match at Legan s.

Barcelona defender Cl ment Lenglet had to be substituted early in the second half because of an apparent muscle injury.

Alav s, sitting in 15th, had already done enough to stay up.

BAR A "B" TEAM

American winger Konrad de la Fuente scored twice as Barcelona's "B" team beat Valladolid B to keep alive its hopes of reaching the second division next season. The victory put Barcelona in the second round of the promotion playoffs.

The 19-year-old De la Fuente, who recently had his contract with Barcelona extended through the 2021-22 season, scored in each half.

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News Network
July 6,2020

New Delhi, Jul 6: India's cricket chief Sourav Ganguly says improved fitness standards and a change in culture have led to the country developing one of the world's best pace attacks.

Spearheads Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah are part of a battery of five formidable quick bowlers that have helped change India's traditional reliance on spin bowling.

"You know culture has changed in India that we can be good fast bowlers," Ganguly said in a chat hosted on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Twitter feed.

"Fitness regimes, fitness standards not only just among fast bowlers but also among the batters, that has changed enormously. That has made everyone understand and believe that we are fit, we are strong and we can also bowl fast like the others did."

The West Indies dominated world cricket in the 1970s and 1980s led by a fearsome pace attack that included all-time greats such as Michael Holding, Andy Roberts, Malcolm Marshall and Joel Garner.

Recently Indian quicks have risen to the top in world cricket with Shami, Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in a deadly arsenal.

"The West Indies in my generation were naturally strong," the former India captain said.

"We Indians were never such naturally strong... but we worked hard to get strong. But I think it is the change in culture as well that is very important."

Shami last month claimed that the current Indian pace attack may be the best in Test history.

"You and everyone else in the world will agree to this -- that no team has ever had five fast bowlers together as a package," said Shami.

"Not just now, in the history of cricket, this might be the best fast-bowling unit in the world."

Shami took 13 wickets during India's 3-0 home Test sweep over South Africa last year, while Bumrah has claimed 68 scalps in 14 Tests since his debut.

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