India face stiff task of scoring 320 runs in chase of 407

February 8, 2014

India_faceAuckland, Feb 8: India face a daunting task of scoring 407 runs to win the first cricket Test against New Zealand, who suffered a dramatic batting collapse in the second innings to be skittled out for 105 and left the topsy-turvy match wide open, here today.

Resuming at 130 for four, India were bowled for 202 to concede a first innings lead of 301 runs as overnight batsmen Rohit Sharma (72) and Ajinkya Rahane (26) failed to provide the side a good start.

The hosts did not enforce a follow-on on the Indians, hoping to bury the visitors under a mountain of runs but the ploy failed as Indians bounced back brilliantly to bundle out the Kiwis for 105 runs in 41.2 overs on an eventful third day, which saw as many as 17 fall at the Eden Park.

Ross Taylor was the top scorer for the hosts with his 41-run knock, which came off 73 balls with five boundaries, including a six. Only three other Kiwi batsmen could manage a double-digit score.

Pacemen Mohammed Shami (3/38) and Ishant Sharma (3/28) dismissed three batsmen each while Zaheer Khan (2/23) scalped two wickets to bring India back in the game.

India were 87 for one at close, stilling needing 320 runs for a remarkable victory and with two full days left in the game, a result is almost certain.

Opener Shikhar Dhawan (49), who survived an LBW appeal of Ish Sodhi off the last ball of the day, and Cheteshwar Pujara (22) were at the crease for the visitors.

Indian batsmen have looked miserable on this tour and now the young batting line up has an unenvious task of chasing a huge total of 407 runs, which if overhauled, would be second highest run chase ever in the history of Test cricket.

West Indies hold the incredible record of chasing 418 against Australia in May 2003 at St John's. Only thrice a target in excess of 400 has been chased till date.

India are second in the list with the successful chase of 406 runs against the Caribbean side but it was way back in 1976. Australia are third team to record a win while chasing a 400-plus score when they scored 404 against England in 1976.

The Indians took four wickets in the morning session and New Zealand never recovered from those early jolts. It was Shami, who triggered the collapse with wickets of both the openers.

He trapped Hamish Rutherford leg before for a first-ball duck off the last ball of the very first over of the innings. And two overs later, he had Peter Fulton (5) caught driving at cover, where Jadeja took a regulation catch.

Jadeja was once again in action in the sixth over, when he took a screamer of a catch to send back in-form Kane Williamson, off Zaheer.

Jadeja was not done yet as he ran out the New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum (1) in another brilliant fielding display. McCullum was given a life in the eighth over, when Murali Vijay dropped a dolly at first slip.

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July 16,2020

Kolkata, Jul 16: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday went into home quarantine after his elder brother and Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) joint secretary Snehasish Ganguly tested positive for Covid-19.

Snehasish, a former Bengal first-class player, has been admitted to the Belle Vue hospital in Kolkata after his COVID report came positive.

"He was suffering from fever for the last few days and his test report came positive today. He's been admitted to Belle Vue Hospital," a CAB official said.

"The reports arrived late in the evening. As per health protocols, even Sourav will have to be in home quarantine for a stipulated period," a source close to the BCCI President added.

Snehasish had shifted to their ancestral house, where Sourav is based, in Behala after his wife and in-laws at his Mominpur residence tested positive for the dreaded virus.

The former India captain was, however, unavailable for a comment on the development.

Recently, during an interview to India Today, Sourav had spoken about how life around him has changed, making people more vulnerable.

"My brother visits our factories everyday and he is more at risk," the former batting star had said

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March 30,2020

Lausanne, Mar 30: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Monday announced that the Tokyo Olympics 2020 will be 'celebrated' from July 23 to August 8 next year while the Paralympics Games will be held from August 24 to September 5, 2021.
"The International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympics Committee (IPC), the Tokyo 2020 organising Committee, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Government of Japan today agreed on new dates for the games of the XXXII Olympiad, in 2021. The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will be celebrated from 23 July to 8 August 2021. They also agreed on new dates for the Paralympic Games, which will be celebrated from 24 August until 5 September 2021," the IOC said in a statement.
Earlier, the Tokyo Olympic Games were slated to be held from July 24 to August 9, while the Paralympic Games were scheduled to be held from August 25 to September 6. However, the coronavirus pandemic forced the postponement of the event.
IOC said the new dates are 'exactly one year' after those originally planned, giving the health authorities and all involved in the organisation of the games maximum time to deal with the constantly changing landscape caused by the coronavirus.
"These new dates give the health authorities and all involved in the organisation of the Games the maximum time to deal with the constantly changing landscape and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic," the statement read.
"The new dates, exactly one year after those originally planned for 2020 (Olympic Games: 24 July to 9 August 2020 and Paralympic Games: 25 August to 6 September 2020), also have the added benefit that any disruption that the postponement will cause to the international sports calendar can be kept to a minimum, in the interests of the athletes and the IFs. Additionally, they will provide sufficient time to finish the qualification process. The same heat mitigation measures as planned for 2020 will be implemented," it added.
The IOC president Thomas Bach thanked all the International Federations (IF) for their support.
"I want to thank the International Federations for their unanimous support and the Continental Associations of National Olympic Committees for the great partnership and their support in the consultation process over the last few days. I would also like to thank the IOC Athletes' Commission, with whom we have been in constant contact," Bach said in a statement.
"With this announcement, I am confident that, working together with the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Japanese Government, and all our stakeholders, we can master this unprecedented challenge. Humankind currently finds itself in a dark tunnel. These Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 can be a light at the end of this tunnel," he added.
IPC president Andrew Parsons said the new dates will provide certainty to the athletes.
"It is fantastic news that we could find new dates so quickly for the Tokyo 2020 Games. The new dates provide certainty for the athletes, reassurance for the stakeholders and something to look forward to for the whole world. When the Paralympic Games do take place in Tokyo next year, they will be an extra-special display of humanity uniting as one, a global celebration of human resilience and a sensational showcase of sport," Parsons said.
"With the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games 512 days away, the priority for all those involved in the Paralympic Movement must be to focus on staying safe with their friends and family during this unprecedented and difficult time," he added.

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June 24,2020

New Delhi, Jun 24: Former England skipper Michael Vaughan has slammed UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson for not allowing recreational cricket to resume.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson had described the cricket ball as a 'natural vector of disease' and ruled out recreational cricket's return in the country.

Hearing Johnson's argument, Vaughan tweeted: "Hand sanitiser in every players pocket. Use every time you touch the ball ... SIMPLE ... Recreational Cricket should just play from July 4th ... utter nonsense it's not being allowed back ... #Cricket."

Johnson was responding to a question from Conservative MP Greg Clark in the House of Commons, and it was then that Johnson said that it is too soon to lift current restrictions to allow the return of recreational cricket.

"The problem with cricket as everybody understands is that the ball is a natural vector of disease, potentially at any rate. We've been around it many times with our scientific friends," ESPNCricinfo had quoted Johnson as saying.

"At the moment, we're still working on ways to make cricket more COVID-secure but we can't change the guidance yet," he added.

Johnson had announced various relaxations on Tuesday, but the return of recreational cricket was not a part of them.

However, this statement given by Johnson will have no impact on the Test series between England and West Indies, scheduled to begin from July 8.

However, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has said that it is looking to resume recreational cricket in the country around July 4.

The board has also said that cricket is a low-risk sport as it is a non-contact sport.

"We believe that cricket is a non-contact sport, with very low risks of exposure, and that it can be played as safely as many other activities being currently permitted," the ECB said in an official statement.

"It is our strong desire to work with Government to see the return of recreational cricket on or around 4th July, as they continue to lift other restrictions more broadly across society," it added.

All international cricket has also been suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, it is set to resume to from July 8 as England and West Indies will lock horns in the three-Test series.

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