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Rajasthan Royals make winning return to 'fortress'

Agencies
April 12, 2018

Jaipur, Apr 12: Rajasthan Royals' celebrated their return to the 'fortress' with a 10-run win over Delhi Daredevils in the rain-hit Indian Premier League contest here tonight.

Rajasthan Royals overcame a shaky start and were on course to post a competitive total before heavy rain lashed the Sawai Mansingh Stadium with Royals reaching 153 for five in 17.5 overs.

Intermittent rain led to a two and a half hour stoppage before umpires gave their go-ahead for a shortened game. Royals' innings eventually ended at 153 for five and Delhi were set a revised target of 71 runs in six overs as per Duckworth-Lewis method.

The visitors made a disastrous start with Colin Munro run out off the first ball of the innings following a mix-up with Glenn Maxwell (17 off 12).

Royals' attack comprising pacers Ben Laughlin and Dhawal Kulkarni bowled well and kept the Daredevils batsmen guessing with their variations. Only two overs of Powerplay also hurt Delhi.

With Rishabh Pant (20 off 14) gone in the penultimate over, Royals needed to defend 25 runs in the final over. Laughlin (2/20) did that pretty comfortably as Royals recorded their first win of the season. It was a second straight loss for Daredevils.

Earlier, captain Ajinkya Rahane (45 off 40) and Sanju Samson (37 off 22) staged the Royals' recovery before Jos Buttler (29 off 18) and Rahul Tripathi (15 off 11) provided entertainment towards the end.

Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem (2/34) made a significant impact in his first game of the season, taking two crucial wickets.

Royals, playing their first home game at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in five years, were off to a wobbly start.

Big Bash star D'Arcy Short (6) was run out for the second game in a row after a mix up with Rahane over the second run.

The hosts were dealt another blow in the fifth when their costliest buy Ben Stokes (16) was dismissed by Trent Boult with a beauty that moved away to just enough to take the outside edge.

There was not much that Stokes could do about that ball but he looked ominous in his brief knock that comprised a crisp hit off Chris Morris over square leg.

Rahane and the talented Sanju Samson then got together to revive the innings.

Samson, just like in the team's opener against Sunrisers, showed sublime form. He smashed Boult for a four and six over square leg to get going. Especially, the front foot pull off the New Zealand pacer for a maximum was a treat to the eye.

The two Indian batsmen shared a 62-run stand for the third wicket, taking the team to 84 for two in 10 overs.

However, Nadeem found the stumps of Samson in the following over before removing Rahane in the 14th over, making it 112 for four.

The quick dismissals got England wicket-keeper batsman Buttler and Rahul Tripathi together and they both attacked the Daredevils from the word go.

Buttler hammered two fours and as many sixes in his entertaining knock before being bowled off a slower-ball from Shami.

The 17th over bowled by Morris leaked 18 runs, turning out to be the most expensive over of the innings.

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News Network
June 22,2020

Zadar (Croatia), Jun 22: Grigor Dimitrov took to Instagram to announce that he has tested positive for coronavirus. The tennis star was one of the players who took part in the Adria Tour with the likes Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem among others.

Taking to Instagram, the player wrote: "Hi Everyone-I want to reach out and let my fans and friends know that I tested positive back in Monaco for Covid-19. I want to make sure anyone who has been in contact with me during these past days gets tested and takes the necessary precautions. I am so sorry for any harm I might have caused. I am back home now and recovering. Thanks for your support and please stay safe and healthy."

He also urged those who had come in contact with him over the last few days in Monaco should also get tested for the deadly virus.

Meanwhile, World no.1 Djokovic reached the final of his exhibition tournament in Zadar, Croatia, after easing through the round-robin group stage on the first day. This is the second stage of the Adria Tour with Austrian Dominic Thiem winning the first leg in Belgrade, Serbia.

Djokovic started by saving three set points in his 4-3, 4-1 win over fellow Serb Pedja Krstin. He then beat home favourite Borna Coric 4-1, 4-3 in front of several thousand fans at the Visnjik tennis complex.

The tournament in Zadar is being played on red clay over two days. In the other group, Russian Andrey Rublev is in pole position to advance into the final after wins over 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic and Serb Danilo Petrovic. He faces German star Alexander Zverev in the final round robin match on Sunday who stayed in contention after beating Cilic 4-3, 0-4, 4-3.

Djokovic''s own inconsequential final group match is against Croatian Dino Serdarusic who replaced Grigor Dimitrov after the Bulgarian pulled out of the tournament with sickness following his opening 4-1, 4-1 loss to Coric.

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News Network
April 7,2020

Bengaluru, April 7: India batsman Robin Uthappa has said that he reckons he still has a World Cup left in him, despite being out of the team for than four years.

Uthappa had last played a match for the Men in Blue in 2015 on the tour of Zimbabwe.

"Right now I want to be competitive. I still have that fire burning in me, I really want to compete and do well. I honestly believe I have a World Cup left in me, so I'm pursuing that, especially the shortest format. 

The blessings of lady luck or god or whatever you call it, plays a massive factor," ESPN Cricinfo quoted Uthappa as saying.

"Especially in India, it becomes so much more evident. I don't think it is as evident when you're playing cricket outside of India. But in the subcontinent and India especially, with the amount of talent that we do have in our country, all of those aspects become evident," he added.

The 34-year-old Uthappa has played 46 ODIs and 13 T20Is for India and he was also a part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad in 2007.

Uthappa has scored 934 runs in ODIs at an average of 25.94, while in T20Is his numbers are 249 runs at an average of 24.90.

"You can never write yourself off. You would be unfair to yourself if you write yourself off.

Especially if you believe you have the ability and you know that there is an outside chance. So I still believe in that outside chance," Uthappa said.

"I still believe that things can go my way and I probably can be a part of a World Cup-winning team and play an integral role in that as well.

Those dreams are still alive and I think I'll keep playing cricket till that is alive," he added.

Uthappa had enjoyed great success with IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders. He went on to become their leading run-scorer in the 2014 edition.

However, he was released by the side after a below-par 2019 season, and last November he was picked up by the Rajasthan Royals for the 2020 edition.

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Agencies
July 31,2020

Hampshire, Jul 31: David Willey's maiden five-wicket haul guided England to a six-wicket victory over Ireland in the first ODI here on Friday.

With this win, the hosts have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.

Chasing a small target of 173 runs, England got off to a bad start as opener Jonny Bairstow was given LBW in the third over, bowled by Andy McBrine. Jason Roy was then joined by James Vince and the duo added 22 runs on the board before the former was dismissed.

Craig Young then got hold of Vince, who was caught behind after scoring 25 runs. Sam Billings and Tom Banton then took the charge of the chase but the latter too was caught behind which ended his 11-run innings.

Banton's dismissal brought skipper Eoin Morgan on the field. Billings and Morgan played stunning innings and kept scoring boundaries. Morgan struck a scintillating six on the last bowl of the 28th over to take England over the line. Morgan scored 36 runs while Billings played a knock of 67 runs.

Earlier, after being asked to bat first, Ireland witnessed a poor start as Paul Stirling was dismissed in the very first over of the innings, bowled by Willey. Andy Balbirnie then joined Gareth Delany but Willey struck again in his next over, removing Balbirnie.

Delany then played furiously and smashed three consecutive boundaries to Saqib Mahmood in the fourth over. However, the fall of wickets did not stop as England took three wickets in quick succession. Mahmood bowled Harry Tector while Delany and Lorcan Tucker were sent back to the pavilion by Willey.

Kevin O'Brien and Curtis Campher then took the charge and played cautiously, taking their struggling side over the 50-run mark. Adil Rashid got hold of O'Brien (22) in the 22nd over before Simranjit Singh was run out in the same over.

Andy McBrine was the next batsman and he played brilliantly along with Campher, who went on to complete his half-century. Both formed a 66-run partnership before McBrine (40) was dismissed by Tom Curran.

Campher remained unbeaten on 59 but failed to find a partner as England bundled out Ireland on 172 runs.

The second ODI between both teams will be played on Saturday.

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