Rain washes out fourth ODI between India and Australia

October 24, 2013
Rain_washes_out

Ranchi, Oct 24: The fourth ODI between India and Australia was today called off because of rains at the JSCA Stadium here.
Chasing 296, India were 27 for no loss in 4.1 overs in when heavens opened up for the second time during the match.
The match was stopped at 6.18 pm because of light drizzle which later intensified to frustrate both the teams.
There was some hope in the middle as the rain had stopped after one hour and the groundsmen and super soppers were pressed into action.
The mopping exercise by the groundsmen continued for more than one hour but the two onfield umpires took the call after inspecting the ground at 8.30pm.
The match was called off after the umpires found out that the ground was too water logged to continue the proceedings.
By virtue of the abandoned match, Australia continue to lead the seven-match series 2-1.
The fifth ODI between the two sides will be played at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Saturday.
India had begun their stiff chase on a positive manner with Shikhar Dhawan (14 not out) hitting three boundaries while Rohit Sharma (9 not out) struck one as India were going at 6.48 runs per over when the match was halted for the second time in the day. Light drizzle had interrupted the game for about 30 minutes when Australia were 28 for two after 7.2 overs.
Earlier, Australia rode on a record 153-run partnership between George Bailey and Glenn Maxwell to recover from a jittery start and post a challenging 295 for eight.
Skipper Bailey (98) and Maxwell (92) missed their respective centuries but ensured that Australia recover from a difficult 71 for four to 224 for five through the team's highest partnership against India for the fifth wicket.
Brought in place of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami's fiery first spell (6-1-21-3) ripped apart the Australian top order after India put the visitors into bat.
But the Aussies hugely benefited thanks to the butterfingered Indian fielders who dropped as many as six catches and the ground fielding was equally sloppy.
Bailey was dropped twice (on zero and 35) in what could have been regulation catches, while Maxwell too got reprieve on two occasions (on 44 and 69) at the JSCA Stadium.
As if it was not enough, Mitchell Johnson, on 15, was dropped by Raina, while in the last ball of the innings Shikhar Dhawan let one loose from James Faulkner as Australia posted a competitive target under overcast conditions.
With his personal best figures of 3/42, Shami was the pick of the Indian bowlers, while Vinay Kumar and Ravichandran Ashwin took two apiece and were expensive with economy rates of 6.50 and 6.33 each.
Jaydev Unadkat, who replaced the struggling Ishant Sharma, went wicketless.
Shami extracted swing from the pitch, bowling at around 140-145kphs to trouble the Aussie openers.
He castled Aaron Finch (5) with an inswinger that went through the gap between bat and bat in the second over, while left-hander Phillip Hughes took an outside edge with the India skipper taking a fine catch.
Shami's two-wicket burst, which reduced Australia to 24 for two in the sixth over, meant that for the first time in the series the opening duo failed to notch up the 50-mark.
The Bengal pacer almost had a third to his name in the next ball but Virat Kohli dropped Bailey at the third slip with the Aussie skipper yet to open his account.
With Shami on a roll, light drizzle halted the match for about 30 minutes when Australia were 28 for two after 7.2 overs.
But the rain subsided as Shami came to resume his spell and took the prized scalp of Shane Watson (14), in a replay of Finch's dismissal.
While Unadkat was not able to move the ball, Shami did it efficiently with sheer pace as the Aussies found it difficult to break free in the mandatory powerplay, going at four runs per over.
But the goodwork of Shami and Unadkat was undone by R Vinay Kumar whose slow pace and lack of movement was enough for Bailey to cut loose as the skipper smashed a six and two fours in a 14-run over.
India had the fourth wicket in Adam Voges (7) but Bailey had luck on his side again as India dropped the Australian captain for a second time with Ashwin being the culprit.
Bailey and Maxwell slowly repaired the damage and played the spinners intelligently to build on their partnership even as India's miserable run with catching continued.
Maxwell too got reprieve twice, by Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni, as Australia slowly tilted the match in their favour.
Dhoni's reliance on slow bowlers during the halfway stage helped the Aussies' cause as the duo completed their respective half-centuries.
While Bailey's innings was full of strokeplay, Maxwell tried innovation with his reverse and pull shots as Australia cruised to 201 for four in 35 overs.
Bailey smashed seven sixes and three fours before top edging a Vinay Kumar delivery to deep midwicket, where Rohit Sharma took a safe catch as the batsman missed his second century of the series.
Vinay Kumar took his second wicket dismissing a dangerous looking Maxwell who hit five sixes and six fours in a 77-ball knock as India slowly pegged themselves back.
But the sloppy catching ensured Australia's lower order -- Mitchell Johnson (25) and James Faulkner (25 not out) – to post another challenging total, five runs shy of a fourth 300-plus total in the series.

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Agencies
January 23,2020

Aurangabad, Jan 23: An FIR has been registered against three people including former cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin for allegedly duping a travel agent, Mohammad Shadab, of more than Rs 20 lakh.

However, Mohammad Azharuddin has refuted allegations and said: "I strongly rubbish the false FIR filed against me in Aurangabad. I am consulting my legal team and would be taking action as necessary."

Azharuddin's personal assistant Mujeeb lives in Augurangabad and has good relations with the travel agency of Shadab.

The travel agent alleged that Mujeeb asked him to book some flight tickets but did not pay the amount.

The police have booked the three under Section 406, 420 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.

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Agencies
May 26,2020

Some of the ICC guidelines on resumption of cricket border on the impractical and will need a review when the cricketing world is closer to action, feel former players Aakash Chopra, Irfan Pathan and Monty Panesar.

Last week, the International Cricket Council recommended a host of "back to cricket" guidelines including 14-day pre-match isolation training camps to ensure the teams are free from COVID-19.

The world body issued training as well as playing guidelines which will drastically change the way the game is played.

Among them are regular hand sanitising when in contact with the ball, no loo or shower breaks while training, minimising time spent in the changing room before and after a game, no use of saliva on ball and no handing over of personal items (cap, sunglasses, towels) to fellow teammates or the on-field umpires.

"Social distancing is very doable in individual sport but very tough in a team sport like cricket and football. If you need a slip during the game, would you not employ it?

"If the team is going through a 14-day quarantine and is being tested for COVID-19, I am fine with that process. Now, after that, if we have more guidelines for the players during the game, then you are making things complicated. Then there is no point of a quarantine period," former India pacer Pathan told PTI.

Safety cannot be compromised but regularly sanitising hands during the game will be too much to ask from the players.

"Safety is paramount but we should not make the game complicated. If a bowler or fielder has to sanitise hands every time he touches the ball, then it would be very difficult.

"You can shorten the process of giving the ball to the bowler. Instead of the usual chain (wicket-keeper to cover fielder to bowler), the keeper can straight away give the ball to the bowler but even then the bowler will have to sanitise hands six times in an over," said Pathan seeking more clarity on the guidelines.

Former India opener Chopra said it is still pre-mature to prepare a fixed set of guidelines for resumption of cricket as the situation is evolving "every day".

"That (regular hand sanitisation after contact with ball) is obviously impractical but my big question is when the game happens in a bio secure environment and everyone is quarantined and tested, do these additional measures make a difference?

"On the field, I can still understand but what happens when you go back into the dressing room? How do you practice social distancing there? So it becomes quite complicated.

"To be honest it is all very premature. Once they get closer to resumption, which will take some time, there will be more clarity," said Chopra.

International cricket is likely to resume in July with England hosting West Indies and then Pakistan.

Bundesliga football league has already begun in Germany behind closed doors and by the time cricket resumes, more sporting competitions would have restarted and Chopra feels that will help cricket decide the way forward in post COVID-19 times.

"By the time cricket resumes, more football would have started after Bundesliga. Cricket can take lessons from there, collect data and ideas and see what is practical and what is not."

Former England spinner Panesar foresees the start of the England-West Indies series making things a lot clearer for the entire fraternity than they are at the moment.

"The 14 day quarantine is very much needed and well done to the ICC for including that. I think we will see resumption of international cricket with England hosting West Indies in July. We might have some practical ideas then, the other countries would also be watching keenly and will learn how to go about it.

"But measures like regular hand sanitising is not going to be practical. May be you could sanitise every one hour but it can't be regular during the game," said Panesar.

While Pathan feels the on-field safety measures will make managing over-rate a bigger challenge for teams, Chopra said no loo or shower breaks during training won't be that much of an issue.

"Training is still controllable. You don't have to be there for a long time but you would still have to use the restroom at some stage. You may avoid taking a shower but you will have to use the restroom.

"I think the idea of these guidelines is to make cricketers more aware that you have to take care of yourself and inculcate habits which are in everyone's interest in the current scenario," added Chopra.

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News Network
March 2,2020

Madrid, Mar 2: Real Madrid won El Clasico and might have saved their season as they ended their slump in the best way possible last night by beating Barcelona 2-0 and returning to the top of La Liga.

Vinicius Junior's deflected finish and a stoppage-time goal from Mariano Diaz decided a frenzied contest at the Santiago Bernabeu, where Madrid found new life after a Champions League defeat by Manchester City had left them on the brink of crisis.

"It's been a tough week," said Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane. "We talked about how we had an opportunity this weekend and we took it."

Victory put them one point clear at the top of the table and shifts focus back to Quique Setien's Barcelona, who were outfought and, at times, outplayed.

"The reality is we lost a lot of confidence with the ball," said Setien. "We entered a nervous spell and that's when the goal came."

Lionel Messi's rasping shot was saved by Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in the first half but it was the Argentine's opposing captain, Sergio Ramos, who was thrashing his arms in celebration after the final whistle.

His reaction was an indication of the importance of this victory, not only for the effect it has on the standings but on the dynamic of the title race, which had seemed to be switching firmly in favour of Barca.

Opportunity missed

Cristiano Ronaldo, now of Juventus, was watching from an executive box and Madrid could have done with him during a period in which they had won only one of their last five games.

Zidane said on Saturday this match would not decide who lifted the trophy in May but a Barca win and a five-point gap might well have been difficult to close.

Yet from the start Barcelona seemed keener to kill the game than win it, playing for time in the hope of keeping the contest tight, when they might have been better off attacking their opponents' fragility.

The Madrid we faced in the first half was one of the worst Madrids I have faced at the Bernabeu. I don't say it as a criticism, we also have our problems, but we've missed an opportunity.

--Gerard Pique, Barcelona defender

There was more tension than creativity in the early stages as Fede Valverde crashed into Arthur Melo before fellow Spain full-backs Dani Carvajal and Jordi Alba were both booked after a disagreement.

Madrid had the better of the play and regularly broke at speed through Vinicius down the left but constantly they failed to make the final pass, with Isco once left with his head in his hands after Marcelo opted not to pull the ball back.

Slow Barca

Barcelona's passing was slow and their lack of urgency obvious. At one point Messi bent to tie his bootlaces and re-spotted the ball before taking a corner.

But the visitors also created chances as Antoine Griezmann drove over from Alba's cutback and then Madrid had Courtois to thank for two excellent saves.

First, Arthur held off Toni Kroos to go clear but his finish was blocked by teh foot of Courtois and then the Belgian palmed away Messi's shot after he had skipped in behind Madrid's defence.

Ramos was lucky to get away with an error that allowed Nelson Semedo to break past him while Alba risked a second yellow when he checked Valverde but referee Mateu Lahoz was unmoved.

Barcelona were sloppy after half-time and Madrid should have capitalised. Instead, Isco's header beat Marc-Andre ter Stegen but not Pique on the line and Karim Benzema volleyed over after a sloppy pass from Arturo Vidal.

Vidal was replaced by Martin Braithwaite, Barca's emergency signing, and he sprinted in behind Marcelo twice in his first minute.

But Madrid remained in the ascendancy and in the 71st minute they took the lead.

Benzema came short and pointed right to encourage Vinicius to run in behind. Kroos found him and Vinicius's shot deflected off the sliding Pique to beat Ter Stegen at his near post.

The game opened up as Barcelona chased an equaliser. Marcelo celebrated when Messi's surge through was stopped by Raphael Varane. Pique headed Messi's cross over at the near post. Messi picked up a yellow card for a frustrated slide on Casemiro.

In injury time, Ter Stegen ventured up for a late free-kick but it was Madrid that struck again. Mariano sped past Semedo and finished from the angle.

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