Virat Kohli's rampant India overwhelm Sri Lanka, take 4-0 lead with 168-run win

Agencies
September 1, 2017

New Delhi, Sept 1: On Mahendra Singh Dhoni's landmark 300th ODI match, a rampant Indian team overwhelmed hosts Sri Lanka to extend the lead in the five-match series to 4-0 on Thursday. Batting first at the Colombo's historic R. Premadasa Stadium, India rode on Kohli and Rohit Sharma's hundreds to post a record 375 for 5. Then dismissed Lanka for a paltry 207 to inflict Lasith Malinga's side a humiliating 168-run defeat.

Chasing an improbable target, Lanka lost seventh successive match against India in the tour. They have already suffered a series whitewash in the three-match Test series, which was once again a first for India in overseas tour in a series of three or more matches. Then came those three ODI matches, which India, more or less, convincingly won leading up to today's irrelevant match.

But Dhoni, considered as one of India's greatest cricketers and probably the greatest ever captain, playing his 300th match, the focus was entirely on the 36-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman from Ranchi. And his team-mates didn't disappoint him.

As he promised in the run up to the match, skipper Kohli made three changes, bringing in Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, and Manish Pandey, with the pacer making his international debut. And it was a dream debut for the 25-year-old as he got the first Lanka wicket, that of a dangerous looking Niroshan Dickwella in the third over itself.

Yes, it was one moment Dhoni fans will talk about for some time. Thakur managed to get faintest of nicks from Lankan opener's glove, but umpire turned down India's appeal. Then, came Dhoni's famous 'DRS' act. The former India captain convinced Kohli to go for the review, and it returned positive. It was just the beginning of yet another procession of Lankan wickets.

For Lanka, former skipper Angelo Mathews played a gem of an innings amid the ruin. His 70 off 80 balls was laced with ten hits to the boundary For the record, he did managed to post fighting but fleeting partnerships with Milinda Siriwardana (39 off 43) and Wanidu Hasaranga (run-a-ball 22).

India's total was the highest posted by any visiting team in an ODI match in Sri Lanka, bettering their own record of 363 for 5 at the same ground in 2009.

Earlier in the day, Kohli won the toss and elected to bat first. But in-form Shikhar Dhawan departed in the second over itself, thus bringing the skipper in the centre.

Kohli (131 off 96 balls) then hit his 29th ODI hundred and his 219-run second-wicket stand with Rohit Sharma (104 off 88 balls), helped India post an imposing total. In the process, Kohli also became the first player to post 10 double-hundred stands in ODI cricket. He now stand third in the all-time list of most ODI hundreds, only behind Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting.

Kohli then became Malinga's 300th ODI wicket. It was indeed one moment worthy of celebration for the the Lankan legend, who was standing as the captain of a bettered team. The series has seen the ageing star fading, but Slinger whoed exmplary gumption in leading a side, which he called a young one.

For Sharma, who hit back-to-back hundreds, it was his 13th ODI hundred. While Kolhi was on song, Rohit complemented his skipper. After a worrying mid-innings crisis, the arrival of Manish Pandey and Dhoni helped India end the innings on a strong footing. Both returned undefeated, with Pandey scorign his second ODI half-century, while Dhoni was happy to compliment his partner reach the mini-landmark in the last ball of the innings.

Indian bowlers joined tha party later in the day, with chinaman Kuldeep Yadav leading the hunt with two wickets. In a disciplined bolwing display, the spinner conceded only 31 runs while accounting  the wickets of last two wickets to wrap up the match.

Pacers Japrit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya also contributed with two wickets each, while Thakur and Axar Patel returned with a wicket each.

The fifth and final match will be played at the same venue, on Sunday (September 3). Then, the two teams will engage in a lone T20I match before winding up the long series, which witnessed India thumping the hosts.

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Agencies
April 12,2020

London, Apr 12: Former Formula 1 legendary driver Stirling Moss died at the age of 90 on Sunday.

"All at F1 send our heartfelt condolences to Lady Susie and Sir Stirling's family and friends," Formula 1 said in a statement.

Often referred to as the greatest driver never to win the world championship, Moss contested 66 Grands Prix from 1951 to 1961, driving for the likes of Vanwall, Maserati and Mercedes, where he famously formed a contented and ruthlessly effective partnership with lead driver Juan Manuel Fangio.

In his 10-year-long stint at the tracks, Moss took 16 wins, some of which rank among the truly iconic drives in the sport's history - his 1961 victories in Monaco and Germany in particular often held up as all-time classics.

Moss won the 1955 Mille Miglia on public roads for Mercedes at an average speed of close to 100mph, while he also competed in rallies and land-speed attempts.

Following an enforced retirement from racing (barring a brief comeback in saloon cars in the 1980s) after a major crash at Goodwood in 1962, Moss maintained a presence in Formula 1 as both a sports correspondent and an interested observer, before retiring from public life in January of 2018.

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News Network
March 12,2020

Miami, Mar 12: The NBA has suspended its season "until further notice" after a Utah Jazz player tested positive Wednesday for the coronavirus, a move that came only hours after the majority of the league's owners were leaning toward playing games without fans in arenas.

Now there will be no games at all, at least for the time being. A person with knowledge of the situation said the Jazz player who tested positive was center Rudy Gobert. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the league nor the team confirmed the test.

"The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight's schedule of games until further notice,'' the league said in a statement sent shortly after 9:30 p.m. EDT. "The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.''

The test result, the NBA said, was reported shortly before the scheduled tip-off time for the Utah at Oklahoma City game on Wednesday night was called off. Players were on the floor for warmups and tip-off was moments away when they were told to return to their locker rooms. About 30 minutes later, fans were told the game was postponed ``due to unforeseen circumstances."

Shutdown for two weeks?

Those circumstances were the league's worst-case scenario for now -- a player testing positive. A second person who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity said the league expects the shutdown to last a minimum of two weeks, but cautioned that time-frame is very fluid.

"It's a very serious time right now," Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "I think the league moved appropriately and prudently and we'll all just have to monitor the situation and see where it goes from here."

The Jazz released a statement saying a player -- they did not identify Gobert -- tested negative earlier Wednesday for flu, strep throat and an upper respiratory infection. That player's symptoms diminished as the day went along, but the decision was made to test for COVID-19 anyway. That test came back with a preliminary positive result.

"The individual is currently in the care of health officials in Oklahoma City," the Jazz said, adding that updates would come as appropriate.

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News Network
January 10,2020

Jan 10: Australian cricketer Shane Warne’s prized 'baggy green' cap raised more than A$1 million ($686,000) on Friday for bushfire relief efforts after the former leg-spinner donated it for auction.

Twenty-seven people have been killed and thousands made homeless in recent months as huge fires scorched through more than 25.5 million acres of land, an area the size of South Korea.

The baggy green is presented to Australian players when they make their Test debut and they receive just one for their entire career. The Aussie cricketer donated the cap to an online auction site on Monday. The auction closed at 10 a.m. on Friday (2300 GMT Thursday) with a final public bid of A$1,007,500.

"Unbelievable … so generous from everyone. Totally blown away," Warne said on Twitter shortly before the auction closed.

The auction attracted global interest and the price eclipsed the A$425,000 achieved by the late Don Bradman's baggy green when it was sold in 2003.

"We have been overwhelmed and it is a fantastic result," Marc Cheah, head of marketing for auctioneers Pickles, said.

"Other baggy greens have been auctioned and Don Bradman’s got $425,000 about 15 years ago, but the Don is the Don. He’s the greatest cricketer that ever lived," Cheah said in relation to the widely held recognition Bradman was the best batsman the game has produced.

"But Shane is also right up there and that drove a lot of traffic and momentum, while the cause is also very worthwhile."

Warne, 50, is one of many local and international athletes to support the fundraising for bushfire victims with several cricketers promising to donate a sum based on the number of sixes they hit in Australia’s Big Bash Twenty20 competition.

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