Women's World Cup: India beat Australia by 36 runs to enter final

Agencies
July 21, 2017

Derby, Jul 21: Harmanpreet Kaur produced one of greatest ever ODI knocks in women's cricket as India stormed into the ICC World Cup final, demolishing Australia by 36 runs in the semi-final, here on Thursday.

It is only the second time that India have entered the summit clash of the global event, having lost to Australia in the final of the 2005 edition.

Skipper Mithali Raj and senior pacer Jhulan Goswami were part of the Indian team which had lost then in Centurion.

The 'Women In Blue' will meet hosts England in the final at the Lord's on Sunday. The Indian vice-captain smashed her way to a career-best magical 171 off 115 balls, leaving the Australian bowlers in a daze as India put up an imposing 281 for 4 after rain reduced the match to 42-overs a side.

This was India's highest ever total against the Southern Stars and proved to be match-winning even as Alex Blackwell's power-packed 90 took them to 245 in 40.1 overs.

The day belonged to Harmanpreet as her innings could well be termed as one which will be remembered for years to come. It drew comparisons with Kapil Dev's historic 175 against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells during the 1983 campaign with members of the men's team, including skipper Virat Kohli, showering accolades on her.

Harmanpreet's third ODI century was embellished with 20 fours and as many as seven sixes. It was also the second highest individual score in ODIs for India behind Deepti Sharma's unbeaten 188 against South Africa earlier this year.

With enough runs on the board, confident Indian seamers Goswami (2/35 in 8 overs) and Shikha Pandey (2/17 in 6 overs) came up with brilliant opening spells.

Opener Beth Mooney and skipper Meg Lanning were cleaned up by Pandey and Goswami respectively.

Ellyse Perry (38) and Elyse Villani (75) added 105 runs for the fourth wicket but it was always a catching up game for the title contenders.

Blackwell however gave some jittery moments, hitting 90 off 56 balls with 10 fours and three sixes before she missed the line off a Deepti Sharma (3/59 in 7.1 overs) delivery, much to the delight of the Indian team.

The Derby Ground proved to be a happy hunting one for Mithali Raj and her team as they won all five matches here.

It was out of the world power-hitting by the girl from Moga district in Punjab -- something that has made her a stand-out player for India.

The milestone from 51 to 100 was reached in 26 balls while she raced to 150 from 101 in mere 17 balls. The sixes flew from her bat with monotonic regularity as the Aussie bowlers had no clue as to what hit them.

After a dry run during the better part of the league stage, India's most sought after T20 cricketer stepped up just when it mattered the most.

What worked to Harmanpreet's advantage was her experience of playing the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) for Sydney Thunders due to which her familiarity with the current Aussie attack was much more than any other player.

After a useful 60 against New Zealand in the virtual quarter-final, Harmanpreet upped the ante like never before.

She batted like as if there was no tomorrow as she repeatedly hit the troika of left-arm spinner Jess Jonasen (0/63 in 7 overs), off-break bowler Ashleigh Gardner (1/43 in 8 overs) and leg-spinner Kirsten Beans (1/49 in 8 overs) with utter disdain.

Her footwork against the spinners was exemplary as she would repeatedly come down the track to loft them in the arc between long-on and deep mid-wicket.

She seemed in some discomfort with side strain but that did not deter her from targetting the on-side as a whopping 137 runs was added in 13.4 overs along with Deepti Sharma (25) for fourth wicket.

Such was her focus that once she scampered home for a double to complete her hundred, she was seen shouting at Deepti after she flung her helmet in disgust.

She regained her composure, said sorry to a teary-eyed junior and like a woman on mission completely annihilated the opposition bowlers finishing the match as contest by the time they went into the break.

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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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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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Agencies
July 31,2020

Northamptonshire, Jul 31: Mexican Formula One driver Sergio Perez has tested positive for coronavirus, and as a result, he will miss the British Grand Prix.

The Racing Point driver was absent from the circuit on Thursday after self-isolating following what his team called an "inconclusive" test. Perez then re-tested later in the day and it returned positive.

Formula 1 is following a strict testing regime as part of the safety protocols put in place when racing resumed earlier this month, and this is the first time a driver has tested positive.

"Perez has entered self-quarantine in accordance with the instructions of the relevant public health authorities, and will continue to follow the procedure mandated by those authorities," Formula 1 and the FIA said in a statement.

"With the assistance of the local organiser of the British Grand Prix, local health authorities and the FIA COVID-19 delegate, a full track and trace initiative has been undertaken and all close contacts have been quarantined," the statement added.

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