Women's World T20: Smriti Mandhana hits 83 to set up India's 48 run win over Australia

Agencies
November 18, 2018

Providence (Guyana), Nov 18: Opener Smriti Mandhana smashed a career-best 83 before Indian slow bowlers spun their web against Australia to continue their invincible run with a 48-run win in a group B match of the ICC Women's World Cup here on Saturday.

Mandhana blasted 9 fours and 3 sixes in her 55-ball innings and shared a 68-run third wicket partnership with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (43 runs off 27) to power India to a competitive 167 for 8 at the Providence Stadium here.

The spinners then got into the act with Anuja Patil (3/15) taking three wickets and Poonam Yadav (2/28), Radha Yadav (2/13) and Deepti Sharma (2/24) snapping two each to restrict Australia for 119-9 in 19.4 overs.

Alyssa Healy was absent hurt following a collision with Megan Schutt in the Indian innings.

India thus notched up their fourth victory in as many match to top group B. They will now take on either England or West Indies in the second semifinals. Both India and Australia were already in the semifinals after winning the first three matches in group B.

Chasing 168 to win, Beth Mooney (19) and Elyse Villani (6) opened the innings after in-form Healy didn't come out to bat following a collision during the Indian innings which left the wicket-keeper batsman with mild concussion.

Mooney and Villani gave Australia a decent start, sharing 27 runs in 4 overs.

However, Deepti Sharma struck twice in successive balls, removing both the openers as Australia slipped to 27 for 2 in 4.2 overs.

A few overs later, Australia lost their skipper Meg Lannings (10) with Krishnamurthy taking a good catch at deep midwicket off Radha Yadav's bowling.

Poonam Yadav then got rid off Ashleigh Gardner (20) with Krishnamurthy taking another catch at long-off when the batsman tried to play another big shot.

India continued to put pressure on the Australians before Perry blasted three boundaries in the 15th over off Harmanpreet to ease the pressure.

Poonam then returned to pick up another wicket when she deceived Haynes with her flight and wicket-keeper Taniya Bhatia did the rest.

The Australia innings crumbled after that even as EA Perry scored an unbeaten fighting 28-ball 39 laced with three fours and a six.

Earlier, Mandhana became the second fastest Indian to compete 1000 runs in T20 internationals after Mithali Raj as she anchored the innings with a superb fifty.

Mandhana gave India a good start after her fellow opening batsman Taniya Bhatia (2) was dismissed in the second over, being caught by Lanning at midwicket off Gardner's ball.

Australia picked up a second Indian wicket in the 7th over when Delissa Kimmince dismissed Jemimah Rodrigues (6).

Skipper Harmanpreet then joined Mandhana in the middle as the duo dominated the bowlers.

Harmanpreet smashed Molineux over midwicket for her first six, while a beautiful-looking sweep shot helped Mandhana to complete her fifty in 31 balls.

Harmanpreet then hoisted one over extra cover off Gardner to pick up her second six as India reached 83 for 2 in 10 overs.

The Indian skipper continued to find boundaries, making life difficult for the Australian bowlers.

In the 14th over, Harmanpreet slapped one over extra cover before depositing a full toss by Kimmince over short fine leg.

However an attempt to go for another big shot proved fatal as she was caught by Haynes to leave India at 117 for 3 in 13.3 overs.

In the next over, Mandhana too was on her way back to the hut when she was adjudged LBW by the on-field umpire but she survived after a video referral showed the ball pitched outside leg.

India however lost a bit of ground in the end following the quick wickets of Veda Krishnamurthy and Dayalan Hemalatha within a space of four balls.

In the 18th over, Mandhana hit a six and a four off Kimmince as India amassed 17 runs but Schutt removed the opener in the next over.

There was also an unfortunate collision between Megan Schutt and wicket-keeper Alyssa Healy as both went for a catch, following a miscued hit by Reddy. Healy then left the field as Beth Mooney took over her duties.

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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
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
May 9,2020

May 9: Filipina weightlifting star Hidilyn Diaz noticed live-streamed concerts were collecting money for coronavirus relief and was struck by inspiration: why not raise funds with an online workout?

Since then the Olympic silver-medallist -- and strong contender for her country's first Games gold -- has made enough money to buy food packs for hundreds of hard-hit families in the Philippines.

Diaz has done it all from Malaysia, where she was training to qualify for the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics when much of the world locked down against the virus in March.

"I thought (distribution) would be impossible because I'm not physically present," Diaz, 29, told news agency.

"It's a good thing that I have trusted friends and trusted family members who understand why we need to do a fundraising."

That circle of supporters has handed out the packages, which include vegetables, eggs and rice, to more than 400 families.

The food was bought with donations from about 50 people who joined sessions that lasted up to three hours, and gave them a rare chance to train with an elite athlete.

Diaz rose to fame in 2016 after snagging a surprise silver in the 53 kilogramme category in Rio, becoming the Philippines' first female Olympic medallist and ending the nation's 20-year medal drought at the Games.

Two years later, she won gold at the Asian Games in Indonesia.

However, her quest to qualify for Tokyo is on hold ahead of the Games' rescheduled opening in July 2021.

"I thought all the hard work would soon be over... then it was extended," she said. "But I'm still thankful I can still continue with (the training) I need to do."

Still, the lockdown broke her daily training regimen, keeping her away from weights for 14 days for the first time in her career.

"I felt like I was losing my mind already. I've been carrying the barbell for 18 years and all of a sudden it's gone. Those were the kinds of anxiety that I felt," she said.

But she got access to some equipment, and with her coach's urging, got back to work. She was relieved to find her strength was still there.

Instead of a Tokyo berth, the past months have been about a different kind of accomplishment for Diaz: helping her countrymen get through the coronavirus crisis.

Rosemelyn Francisco's family in Zamboanga City, Diaz's home town, is one of the first to get help from the athlete's initiative, and is deeply grateful.

Her family was not wealthy to begin with, and the pandemic has cost her husband his construction job.

"The food she donated has all everything we need, including eggs," said Francisco, 27.

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