World Cup 2014: Hummels header sends France packing; Germany into semis

July 5, 2014

Hummels GermanyRio de Janeiro/New Delhi, Jul 5: Mats Hummels headed Germany into the World Cup's last four as his first-half goal sealed a 1-0 win over France in Friday's quarter-final at Brazil 2014.

Hummels, re-vitalised and bounding with energy just days after he was flattened by flu and fever, rose from his sick bed then above his opponents to send Germany into the semi-finals.

While most of his team mates quickly recovered, Hummels developed a high fever that took him days to get over it and was unsure whether he would even start against the French on a steaming hot day in Rio.

The centre-back's powerful 13th-minute header at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium means Germany now face eBrazil in Tuesday's semi-final at Belo Horizonte.

Germany produced a polished, improved display on their extra-time win over Algeria in the last 16, to constantly frustrate France's potent attack spearheaded by Karim Benzema.

This is the 13th time in 20 attempts Germany have reached the World Cup's semi-finals and the fourth in succession since bowing out of the quarter-finals at France '98.

French coach Didier Deschamps, who captained Les Bleus to the 1998 triumph, suffered his first defeat in 11 World Cup games as either a player or trainer.

Seven of the German squad had suffered with mild flu in the build-up as Hummels returned to take Per Mertesacker's place at centre-back.

Miroslav Klose, the joint top-scorer at World Cup finals with 15 goals, was preferred up front with Thomas Muller switching to the right wing.

Deschamps made two changes from the side who beat Nigeria in the last 16 with centre-back Mamadou Sakho back after a hamstring complaint while Antoine Griezmann replaced Olivier Giroud in attack.

Despite the Germans stranglehold on early possession, the first real chance fell to Benzema, who fired wide after seven minutes.

The Germans took the lead when Hummels, back in the side after missing Monday's win over Algeria with flu, rose highest to head Toni Kroos' free-kick.

His bullet header smashed in off the crossbar to claim his second goal of Brazil 2014 having also scored with a similar header in the 4-0 opening win over Portugal.

The goal rocked the French defence as the Germans started exerting pressure.

Klose's run into the box was held back by a tug on his shirt from right-back Mathieu Debuchy, while a Thomas Mueller half-chance was quickly snubbed out.

France's best chance came on 33 minutes when Mathieu Valbuena's shot was saved by Manuel Neuer and Benzema failed to control the follow-up, firing over the bar.

The French came close to being awarded a penalty just before the break when Benzema's header hit Hummels in the stomach, missing his hands by inches.

The Real Madrid star then later fired straight at Neuer on a frustrating afternoon as it stayed 1-0 to Germany at the break.

Sami Khedira earned a deserved booking for fouling Griezmann on 54 minutes as France enjoyed a good spell of pressure as centre-back Raphael Varane's header went straight to Neuer's grateful hands.

Deschamps threw on forward Loic Remy and defender Laurent Koscielny for the final 20 minutes in a final throw of the dice.

But Germany's replacement Andre Schuerrle should have made it 2-0 when he fired at French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris' feet, then had a late shot blocked.

Neuer's late save to deny Benzema means Germany head coach Joachim Low has now reached the semi-finals of all of the last four major tournaments during his eight-year reign.

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News Network
January 6,2020

Sydney, Jan 6: Nathan Lyon captured five for 50 and 10 match wickets as Australia crushed New Zealand by 279 runs on Monday, capping a golden domestic summer as they swept the three-Test series.

The off-spinner led the powerful Australian bowling attack to dismiss the Kiwis for 136 and seal another heavy win over the Black Caps after similar victories in Perth and Melbourne.

Australia have been unbeatable this season, winning all five Tests at home -- two against Pakistan and three against New Zealand -- after retaining the Ashes by drawing the series 2-2 in England.

"It's been a great summer for the Australian Test side," Lyon said.

"It's pretty special to be part of it, we have been impressive, pretty clinical, the batters have done well and given us bowlers plenty of time."

Australia declared their second innings at 217 for two with David Warner scoring an unbeaten century, leaving the Black Caps with a revised 416-run target in the fourth innings on a wearing Sydney Cricket Ground pitch.

But the Kiwis buckled under the pressure of Australia's superior bowling attack with Mitchell Starc taking three for 25 to support the wiles of spinner Lyon.

"They were clinical in all areas and after the first match they put us under pressure session after session," said skipper Kane Williamson, who missed the Test with a virus.

New Zealand were reeling early at 27-4 and never recovered after Starc and Lyon took two wickets each in the middle session to put the skids under the tourists.

Starc removed both openers, Tom Latham and Tom Blundell, in the first five overs. Blundell fell to a stunning catch by a diving Lyon at point for two and stand-in skipper Latham lost a review for leg before wicket.

Jeet Raval was out in a review to the faintest of edges on 'Snicko' in Lyon's first over for 12.

First-innings top-scorer Glenn Phillips went for a duck after technology detected a faint outside edge to wicketkeeper Paine off Lyon.

Taylor's Kiwi record

Ross Taylor became the leading all-time Kiwi batsman, going past Stephen Fleming (7,172) before he was bowled by Pat Cummins for 22 to take his Test aggregate to 7,174.

Big-hitting Colin de Grandhomme smacked Lyon for six to bring up his fifty but went next ball hoicking to Joe Burns at deep mid-wicket for 52.

Todd Astle was out to a superb diving catch by James Pattinson in the outfield for 17.

Starc yorked William Somerville's middle stump for seven and BJ Watling was the last to fall, caught at backward square leg by Pat Cummins for 19.

Earlier, Warner completed his 24th Test century and remained unbeaten when skipper Paine declared upon the dismissal of Marnus Labuschagne.

"You know you're capable of doing so," Warner said, when asked about how he had bounced back from his disastrous Ashes campaign in England last year.

"I was in the nets hitting the ball well and had the skipper backing me. To be able to play with freedom helped me. It's all paying off."

Labuschagne, who was dropped on four in a regulation caught-and-bowled chance by leg-spinner Astle, was caught at long on off Matt Henry for 59 -- his seventh score over 50 in eight innings this domestic summer.

Labuschagne finished the home five-Test season with a stunning aggregate of 896 runs, made up of his 215 in the first innings, three other centuries and three half-centuries in eight innings.

There was drama late in the Australian innings when Warner was given an official warning by umpire Aleem Dar for running down the middle of the pitch in scampering a single.

It resulted in five penalty runs being added to New Zealand's first innings total meaning their target was revised down from 421 to 416.

The Test was played against the backdrop of one of Australia's most devastating bushfire seasons with at least 24 people losing their lives in blazes raging across the country, including on the outskirts of Sydney.

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Agencies
February 4,2020

Potchefstroom, Feb 4: Yashasvi Jaiswal and Divyaansh Saxena guided India to a comfortable ten wickets win over Pakistan in the ICC U19 World Cup semifinal at Senwes Park on Tuesday and progressed to the final of the tournament.

Chasing 173, Indian openers Jaiswal and Saxena played cautiously and stitched an unbeaten partnership of 176 runs.

The duo built the highest opening partnership of the tournament's history. Jaiswal, the left-handed batsman, scored his maiden century of the tournament as he amassed unbeaten 105 runs studded with eight fours and four sixes.

Saxena scored 59* off 99 balls including six fours. India chased down the total in 35.2 overs. This is the first time in the history of the U19 World Cup that a team won a knockout match by ten wickets.

Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat.

Opener Haider Ali and skipper Rohail Nazir's half-centuries guided the side to a respectable total of 172. Ali played a knock of 56 runs while Nazir accumulated 62 runs including six boundaries.

Pakistan did not have a good start as they lost Mohammad Hurair (4) in the second over. Fahad Munir, came to bat at number three, failed to score a single run and was departed by Ravi Bishnoi on a duck in ninth over.

Apart from Ali and Nazir, Mohammad Haris was the only batsman to score runs in double digits. He played an innings of 21 runs off 15 balls. Indian bowlers showed a spirited performance as they bowled out arch-rival in 43.1 overs.

Pacers Karthik Tyagi and Sushant Mishra bagged two and three wickets respectively. Spinner Ravi Bishnoi clinched two scalps and conceded 46 runs in his ten overs.

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News Network
February 29,2020

Melbourne, Feb 29: India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur on Saturday said the team management has given Shafali Verma the freedom to play her natural game, which has set the Women's T20 World Cup ablaze.

The 16-year-old announced her emergence on the global stage by becoming the second highest run getter in the ongoing tournament. She has so far scored 161 runs, hitting 18 fours and nine sixes in four matches at an astounding strike rate of 161.

On Saturday, Shafali hit a 34-ball 47 to steer India to a seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka after spinner Radha Yadav produced a career-best 4/23.

"Shafali is someone who loves to play big shots, and we don't want to stop her. She should continue doing the same and she should continue enjoying her game," Harmanpreet said after the match.

India entered the semifinals with an all-win record as they led Group A with eight points from four games and the captain insisted it is important to continue the winning momentum.

"It's really important to keep the momentum when you are winning games. You really work hard, so you can't afford to lose that momentum. You can't bowl same pace and lengths on these wickets, so you need to keep rotating the bowlers."

"Today I tried to be positive and got a few boundaries. In the upcoming games I'll try to give my best," Harmanpreet said.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Atapattu rued the reprieves given by her side to Shafali in the form of two dropped catches.

"I think that score was not enough, we lost couple of chances, specially Shafali, it was hard to stop her," she said.

"Yeah, I got a good start but unfortunately got out in the 10th, would have wanted to stay in there till the 16th or the 17th over. I hope we can beat Bangladesh in our last game," she added.

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