Jordan promises to return to ODI fold

Nagpur, Jan 29, 2017, DHNS

Chris Jordan played his part in folding out India for a sub-par total. The 28-year-old, yorker specialist, who was included in the England squad only for the T20 series, admitted inconsistency hampered his chances for the ODI and Test squads, but was determined to make amends by putting up an impressive show in India.

The 28-year-old was naturally disappointed on missing out on the ODI squad for West Indies, but was confident of making a comeback to both ODIs and Test teams.

“I can say that my consistency at that particular moment wasn't to the level I wanted it to be but that will not discourage or dishearten me. I do still have opportunities and I hope to push my case to make it back," he said.

“It was a very nice feeling to actually come back into the team, not being involved in the one-dayers, coming from the Big Bash. Obviously we have had a tough time on the tour. The last ODI win and now the first in T20I has given us a little bit of momentum. Hopefully we can keep that going.” Jordan said.

Jordan emerged as death over specialist during England’s run to the final in the 2016 World Cup and his wide yorkers stood out in Kanpur. "It is a skill that I have worked on very, very hard whether it's in the nets or actually in games. Most batsmen obviously want the ball in their arc and if you bowl at the stumps a lot that's in their arc so you're backing yourself to execute the skill anyway but I find that with the wide yorker there still has to be some precision with it,” Jordan observed.

Jordan, who played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore last year, was keen to be the part of IPL again. "I'm going back into the auction and obviously hope to get picked up. It's a tournament I really enjoyed, it really helped develop me as a player from a mental point of view, playing in front of big crowds every other day almost and you're under a lot of pressure to deliver and perform.”

Chahal to flight the ball at 'bigger' VCA

Nagpur, Jan 29, 2017, DHNS

Leg-spinner Yuzv­endra Chahal was among the few bright spots in India’s dismal outing against England in the opening T20I. The performance gave confidence to the leg-spinner who hoped the big VCA stadium ground would com­plement his bowling in the must-win match on Sunday.

The VCA stadium is counted among the bigger grounds in the country, and Chahal was quick to point out that it could play to the advantage of the bowlers. “A big ground makes a difference as you can flight the ball. When the ground is big, the batsman needs to think which ball to hit. In a small ground, batsman can try hitting every ball but here he has to choose and try,” Chahal said. “My aim is to bowl stump to stump."

It was Chahal’s first home series and the 26-year-old admitted it took him some time to calm his nerves. “This was my first series after the tour of Zimbabwe (June 2016). Playing in India, the ground is always full and there is pressure of the home crowd. I was a bit nervous at the start. After bowling the first over, I gained confidence."

The 26-year-old said he benefitted from playing Ranji Trophy matches at neutral venues, emerging the highest wicket-taker for Haryana this season.

“I had never played so many matches in the past, but this time Mishy bhaiya (Amit Mishra) and Jayant (Yadav) were playing for India. So, I had a chance to grab. I had a good performance in seven matches. After Zimbabwe, I played for India ‘A’ and then DY Patil and then I came here,” he said.

Asked about plans to tackle England’s batsmen, Chahal said: “We have not discussed, but the way they batted in the previous game gives a plus point to the bowlers as they were trying to hit all the balls. I got hit for a six in the first ball and then I got a wicket."

Indians look to bounce back

From Pragya Tiwari, Nagpur, Jan 29, 2017, DHNS

Cricket Second T20I: Having lost the Kanpur opener, Kohli's men need to win to stay in the series

Seldom do T20 matches follow a smooth course. Momentum shifts in the blink of an eye, strategies shatter and get replaced, emotions intensify and quickly forgotten.

The rapid pace of the format doesn’t encourage brooding, it demands adaptability. India, battling for survival for the first time in the series, need to pick things up and work around the conditions offered. Time and opportunities are both against them, not to forget an invigorated England team.

England captain Eoin Morgan has used his experience of the Indian Premier League in the series, and modelled his batting in line with the flatter Indian pitches. He has spurred the revival of England, who were pinned down in the Tests and the ODIs. At the tail end of the series, England are climbing out of the hole, first with a thrilling five-run victory in the third and last ODI in Kolkata and later with a convincing seven-wicket victory in the opening Twenty 20 series in Kanpur. The twin victories have sloughed off the forgettable memories of the tour, and England are now baring their teeth, charging ever faster towards the Indians.

Indian batsmen fell short where Morgan excelled in Kanpur. Barring captain VIrat Kohli, and to some extent Suresh Raina, none of the Indian batsmen could do justice to the batting conditions at the Green Park stadium. The shorter format has pulled the cover from Indian limitations. With MS Dhoni continuing to appear the blunted shadow of his superior self, a lot now depends on Kohli to plump the scoring. The opening slot is fast becoming a headache, despite Kohli promoting himself to the top of the order. KL Rahul hasn’t lived up to the potential in ODIs, and in the first T20I. He was seen batting along with Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh on the track adjacent to the match pitch, the three playing out a few yorkers and slower deliveries. The pitch at the expansive VCA stadium ground is brown and flat, and beckons the Indian batsmen to fire in the wake of depleted bowling.

In the absence of regular spinners, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, the Indians have found themselves at sea against the rampaging England stroke makers. Left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra couldn’t make much of an impact, leaving the Indian attack looking hapless. Jasprit Bumrah, though impressive at the death, was spanked all around the park with the new ball. Among the spinners, only leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal impressed. It means Amit Mishra might have to wait for his chance, though there will be a few changes going into the crucial encounter on Sunday.

High point

The bowlers, though, have been the high point of England with Chris Jordan making a return to the side. He troubled the Indians with his slow deliveries and wide yorkers. Newbie Tymal Mills too came good towards the death overs, after Moeen Ali provided the crucial breakthrough, in his tight spell, with the wicket of Kohli.

England batting is stacked with big hitters -- Jason Roy, Sam Billings, Joe Root, Jos Buttler and Morgan, who particularly delighted with his astute batting on Thursday. The attacking England captain, picked his bowlers, dealt largely with big hits, and along with Root didn’t allow the momentum to drop after Chahal removed Roy and Billings in the space of three balls.

Against a quality opposition, India have plenty to ponder about. On Sunday, it will be a test for Kohli as the new all-format captain and a champion batsman who detests losing.

Sindhu in final, Srikanth stunned in Syed Modi GP Gold

Lucknow, Jan 28, 2017 (PTI)

Defending men's champion Kidambi Srikanth suffered a shock defeat but Olympic silver medallist P V Sindhu did not face any trouble as she sailed into the women's singles final with a straight-game victory on an exciting day in Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament here today.

Ninth seed B Sai Praneeth, who had clinched the Canada Open Grand Prix last year, knocked out third seed Srikanth 15-21 21-10 21-17 in almost an hour's men's singles match at the Babu Banarasi Das Indoor stadium, which was thronged by thousands of spectators today. In the women's singles, Sindhu, who had clinched her maiden Super Series Premier title at China Open and reached the finals at Hong Kong last year, defeated Indonesian fourth seed Fitriani Fitriani 21-11 21-19 in a 38-minute contest.

The 21-year-old from Hyderabad will face Indonesia's Gregoria Mariska in the summit clash. The 17-year-old Mariska, who is a two-time silver medallist at World Junior Championships, shocked higher-ranked compatriot Hanna Ramadini, seeded sixth, 21-19 21-14 in another match. Among other Indians, Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy also dished out some gritty performances to guide India to the finals of the women's and mixed doubles events in the USD 120,000 tournament.

Playing only their second tournament together, Ashwini and B Sumeeth Reddy scored a stunning 19-21 21-18 21-18 win over London Olympics bronze medallists and top seeds Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen from Denmark in the second semifinals. Earlier, Ashwini and Sikki reached their maiden finals of a Grand Prix Gold event after seeing off fellow Indian combination of Sanjana Santosh and Arathi Sara Sunil 18-21 21-12 21-13 in a hard-fought women's doubles contest.

The 23-year-old Sikki then combined with her mixed doubles partner Pranaav Jerry Chopra to edge out fifth seeded Danish pair of Mathias Christiansen and Sara Thygesen 21-18 21-13 in the first semifinal match. Ashwini, who had clinched the bronze at 2011 World Championship and gold at 2010 Commonwealth Games alongwith women's doubles partner Jwala Gutta, had paired up with Sikki late last year after ending her earlier partnership following the Rio Olympics.

Ashwini and Sikki, who had reached the finals at Welsh International last month, will now lock horns with top seeds and World No 2 Kamilla Rytter Juhl and Christinna Pedersen. The Rio Olympics silver medallist pair from Denmark knocked out third seeded Malaysians Yin Loo Lim and Yap Cheng Wen 23-21 21-14 in another semifinals. India are thus assured of the mixed doubles crown as Sikki and Pranaav, seeded second, who won two Grand Prix tournaments at Brazil and Russia last year, will now face seventh seeded compatriots Ashwini and Sumeeth in the finals.

India were also assured of the men's singles title after Praneeth set up a summit clash with Hong Kong Super Series finalist and National champion Sameer, seeded 8th, who produced better court coverage and placement to outwit an erratic Harsheel Dani, 15th seed, 21-15 21-11 in another semifinals match. In the men's doubles, eighth seeds Lu Ching Yao and Yang Po Han of Chinese Taipei took out Indonesian seventh seeded combo of Berry Angriawan and Hardianto Hardianto 21-16 21-17 to reach the finals.

Top seeds Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen of Denmark also staved off a spirited challenge from the fourth seeded Indonesian duo of Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto 11-21 21-17 21-19 in a match that lasted for an hour and four minutes. The day also saw BAI president Akhilesh Das Gupta announce a cash prize of Rs 50 lakhs and Rs 25 lakhs to Sindhu and chief national coach P Gopichand respectively, and Rs 10 lakh for Srikanth. 

Super Serena slams Graf's number

Melbourne, Jan 28, 2017, (AFP)

Serena Williams started playing tennis on potholed courts in one of America's most notorious gangland neighbourhoods, but against the odds she has risen to become arguably the best player in the sport's history.

It hasn't been an easy journey in a white-dominated sport steeped in tradition, but Williams has pursued her goals with a determination just as fearsome as the raw power with which she plays her shots.

Strong but also quick, ruthless and fiercely competitive, Williams has been at the top for a generation, since she beat Martina Hingis aged 17 in the 1999 US Open final.

So often she has been more or less unbeatable, and even at the age of 35 she remains the favourite whenever she plays, her capacities not noticeably diminished.

Along the way she has been world number one for a total of 309 weeks -- a span of nearly six years -- and won major titles against some of the greats: Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, Maria Sharapova, Justine Henin and of course, her sister Venus.

Venus, 14 months older at 36, is her greatest rival and she can also take much credit for her success, after so many years touring and practising together and encouraging each other.

But it's a lop-sided head-to-head: out of their nine major finals, Serena has won seven and her overall win-loss record against her big sister is 17-11.

In a sign of her dominance, Williams has a winning career record against all 14 players she has beaten in major finals, including her towering 19-2 against Sharapova.

After surpassing Steffi Graf's record of 22 major titles in the post-1968 Open era on Saturday, there's little else for Williams to achieve, barring Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 which will surely soon be hers.

But don't bet against the newly engaged Williams, showing a refreshingly carefree spirit this year, also sealing the calendar-year Grand Slam which narrowly eluded her in 2015.

It's all a long way from the pitted courts, sometimes missing nets and with gunshots audible nearby, of Compton in Los Angeles, where Williams practised with Venus from the age of five.

The youngest of five daughters was drilled intensely by her father, former sharecropper Richard Williams, who was happy to let schoolchildren hurl insults at his girls as they played.

"In order to be successful you must prepare for the unexpected -- and I wanted to prepare for that," he told CNN in 2015. "Criticism can bring the best out of you."

Richard and Oracene Williams moved their family to Florida in the early 1990s, seeing their daughters needed more specialist coaching, with Serena already an outstanding junior.

She turned professional in 1995, at the age of just 14. Two years later, she was in the top 100 and in January 1998 made her Grand Slam debut, reaching the second round of the Australian Open -- where she was beaten by Venus.

It was to kick off a long rivalry, the biggest of either player's career but also the friendliest, with no question of disharmony even as Serena took control of their head-to-head figures and beat Venus in six major finals.

And so it was fitting that when Serena's crowning glory came, in the same place where her Grand Slam career started 19 years earlier, Venus was the first to congratulate her across the net.

"This is a story," Serena said. "This is something that I couldn't write a better ending. This is a great opportunity for us to start our new beginning." 

In 7th Heaven: Serena's 'Sister Act' in 23rd Grand Slam title

Melbourne, Jan 28, 2017, (PTI)

American superstar Serena Williams today rewrote history by becoming the first woman tennis player to win a record 23 Grand Slam titles beating elder sister Venus Williams 6-4 6-4 in the final of the Australian Open, here.

With today's triumph, the 35-year-old younger Williams will also get back to numero uno position when the WTA publishes its latest rankings on Monday.

Inarguably, one of the greatest exponents that the game of tennis has ever seen, Serena's seventh Australian Open title was a bit of an anti-climax as the quality of tennis was bereft of the top billing of a marquee clash. In what turned out to be a baseline slugfest between the two sisters, Serena walked away with the coveted title by winning the big points and making less mistakes.

In the end, Venus' backhand lob went wide and Serena seemed more relieved than elated as her elder sister crossed the sides to give her a tight hug. For 36-year-old Venus, a sentimental favourite after making it to the finals beating some of the opponents half her age, the summit clash was a big letdown with the number of unforced errors that marred her game.

Especially her cross-court shots -- both backhand and forehand couldn't come through, making it easier for Serena to come back hard at her. Either she hit the net or the shots went wide.

Venus showed glimpses of her old self in the third game of the second set, when she was down 0-40 on her serve. But the six-time Grand Slam singles champion reeled off five straight points to make it 2-1.

The most important game turned out to be the seventh game of the second set when Serena broke Venus' serve. The standout shot was a thundering backhand down the line and the break happened when the champion hit a double handed backhand cross the court to make it 4-3 and then closed the match in the 10th game.

"I just kept praying and praying and I am here. I love you (Venus), thank you. I take this moment to congratulate Venus, she is an amazing person. There is no way I would be at 23 without her. She is my inspiration, the only reason why I am standing here. Thank you for inspiring me to be the best player. She has been such a great champion," Serena said after the match.

Nadal vs Federer: Dream final becomes reality in Australia

Melbourne, Jan 27, 2017, (AP)

As Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal won match after match at the Australian Open, making their unlikely way through opposite sides of the draw, tennis fans couldn't help but look ahead.

Could the two old rivals, almost six years on from their last meeting in a Grand Slam final, possibly meet for one more match for the ages in Melbourne? Federer and Nadal each had to survive epic five-set matches in the semifinals, but they did not disappoint. And now, the dream final tennis fans had hoped for when favorites Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic were upset in the first week is going to happen Sunday night in Rod Laver Arena.

What's at stake is bigger than just Federer-Nadal XXXV, or even the Australian Open title. There's also history to play for: If Federer wins, he'll add an 18th Grand Slam trophy to his career record total, putting distance between himself and his rivals.

If Nadal wins his 15th, he'll pass Pete Sampras for sole possession of second place on the all-time list, and pull tantalizingly close to Federer's 17.

"The historical context of that match, whether it becomes 17-15 with the French Open next, or 18-14, that's such a big difference in the historical march for both those guys," former U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick told The Associated Press in Melbourne this week.

"That might be, as far as history goes, the biggest match ever in Australian Open history and maybe Grand Slam history. What's at stake there is beyond what pretty much any player can comprehend."

The magnitude of the moment is not lost on the players themselves. "Rafa's definitely presented me with the biggest challenge in the game," Federer said after his semifinal win over U.S. Open champion Stan Wawrinka. "I'm happy we've had some epic, epic battles over the years, and of course, it would be unreal to play here."

Nadal said neither player could have imagined making the final of the year's first Grand Slam after coming back from their respective injuries in 2016 -- Federer, his knee; Nadal, his wrist. Both men took time off last season and had difficult draws in Melbourne because of their lower rankings. "For me, it's a privilege," Nadal said.

"It's a very, very special thing, I think, for both of us to be in the final of a major again, have another chance to compete against each other after a couple of years having some problems."

Nadal has dominated Federer in their head-to-head match-ups -- he has a 23-11 record overall and has won nine of their 11 matches in Grand Slams. But Federer likes his chances on the hard courts at the Australian Open this year -- he believes they are playing faster than in years past, which suits his game better than Nadal's.

Federer should also be fresher for the final, having spent far less time on court than Nadal during the tournament (13 hours, 40 minutes vs. 19 hours) and having an extra day to rest in between the semifinal and final. Both men have survived two five-setters, but Nadal's were far longer and more draining.

Federer may also have the edge confidence-wise. Nadal's results have dipped dramatically in recent years and he's struggled to play well against the top players. He hasn't been past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam since the 2014 French Open, also the last major he won.

Nadal, though, remains one of the fittest players in the game and is certainly hungry for major success again after years of disappointing losses. Whoever wins, the match is sure to be memorable. A massive crowd is likely at Melbourne Park, as well, after organizers decided to open the 7,500-seat Margaret Court Arena for fans to watch the match on a giant screen.

"I just know that two of the greatest players of tennis are going to square off on Sunday," Grigor Dimitrov said after his nearly five-hour loss to Nadal in the semifinals. "And it's going to be (an) amazing match." 

Combination woes for Kohli as India gear up to save series

Nagpur, Jan 28, 2017, (PTI)

Facing the prospect of a series defeat at home for the first time in 15 months, skipper Virat Kohli will have a relook at his team combination as hosts India take on a resurgent England in a do-or-die second T20 International, here tomorrow.

The last time that India lost a series was 2-3 against South Africa in October 2015.

After receiving a sound thrashing in the first T20 International at Kanpur, the hosts' first aim will be to keep the series alive.

Kohli, unbeaten as captain (series wise) at home in all forms, will need to go back to the drawing board as he tries to figure out his best playing XI at a venue where the 'Men in Blue' have lost both their previous encounters.

The defeat to New Zealand in the league phase of the World T20 Championship under Dhoni at the VDCA stadium in Jamtha, will still be fresh in the Indians' mind and on that occasion the famed batting had come a cropper against the spinners Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi.

At Kanpur, it was the pace attack of England, with the visitors' bowlers keeping the length short, that undid the strong India batting line-up boasting of Kohli, Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh, all proven match-winners on their own.

Yuvraj's position in the T20 set-up, Manish Pandey's batting slot at No 6 and KL Rahul's indifferent form in limited overs, will certainly be taken into consideration when captain Kohli and Anil Kumble sit down to finalise the playing XI.

The Indian total of 147 in first match, in which Dhoni top-scored with 36, was well below the par score and they would be eager to correct the aberration against an English batting line-up that's not only strong but has depth too.

Skipper Eoin Morgan has been in good form from the start of the limited overs series as his sequence of scores 28, 102, 43 and 51 will suggest. The first three were during the ODI series.

Especially, the spinners, who were carted around for sixes with nonchalance by the Ireland-born left-hander during his blazing knock of 51 in Kanpur.

The visitors have lot of muscle power in the top five or six batsmen and the need of the hour for India will be to blow away the top-order quickly.

England batsmen displayed some vulnerability against the leg spin of Yuzvendra Chahal, but he and other bowlers need some significant total to defend if India bat first again.

The home team has also the option of making a few changes and one of them is exciting young talent Rishab Pant, who caught the eye with his clean hitting in the 50-over warm-up game against the visitors at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar was another player, who warmed the reserves bench in Kanpur and could be looked upon by the team management to be drafted into the XI in place of Jasprit Bumrah, who was taken apart in one over in the previous game.

Bumrah has not been able to pitch his yorkers perfectly-- something that has been his USP since he made his international debut.

Veteran Ashish Nehra has just made a comeback to competitive cricket post surgery with just one warm-up game under his belt. He did look rusty as he went for 31 runs in three wicketless overs. Out of his 18 balls, only five were dot balls.

The game would be the 11th to be hosted at this venue, since the first one between India and Sri Lanka in 2009, and the tenth in a space of 10 months as nine matches were played last March as part of the World T20 Championship hosted by India.

The game is set to start at 7 pm, as against the 4:30 pm start at Kanpur in the first T20I, and the dew factor is expected to come into the picture, albeit on a much smaller scale, according to VCA sources.

There will be some dew but may not be to the extent of what's found in North Indian states during this time of the year.

Teams
India: Virat Kohli (capt.), K L Rahul, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Parvez Rasool, Ashish Nehra, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Mandeep Singh, Rishab Pant, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Amit Mishra.

England: Eoin Morgan (captain), Jason Roy, Sam Billings, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Tymal Mills, Jonathan Bairstow, Jake Ball, Liam Dawson and David Willey.

Match begins at 7 pm. 

It's Nadal versus Federer again

MELBOURNE, Jan 28, 2017, Agencies

Tennis Australian Open: Spanish battler wins marathon semi against Dimitrov to set up dream final

Rafael Nadal had to be at his battling best to outlast Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-7(4), 6-4 at the Australian Open on Friday and set up a mouth-watering ninth Grand Slam final meeting with his great rival Roger Federer.

The 30-year-old Spaniard looked every inch a 14-times Grand Slam champion as he slugged it out with his 25-year-old opponent over nearly five hours on Rod Laver Arena to reach his first major final since the 2014 French Open and 21st overall.

"Grigor was playing unbelievable, it was a great match," Nadal said.

"I feel very happy to be part off it, I enjoyed it a lot. To qualify for the final in a match like this is amazing."

With 35-year-old Serena Williams facing her 36-year-old sister Venus in Saturday's women's final and a rested Federer, 35, waiting for Nadal on Sunday, it is the first time in the open era that all four finalists at a Grand Slam have been over 30.

Dimitrov, riding high on a 10-match winning streak and seeking his first Grand Slam final, did his best to keep the twentysomething standard flying into the weekend, firing 79 winners.

There were no signs of the mental frailties that have prevented Dimitrov from fulfilling the potential promised by his nickname "BabyFed" as he went blow-for-blow with the powerful left-hander.

Ninth seed Nadal had conceded only six breaks in reaching the final four but was forced to save two break points in the opening game alone, setting the tone for a frenetic evening.

The 2009 champion soon hit his stride, though, and a booming pass that the world number 15 was unable to get back gave Nadal a break for 3-1 and he wrapped up the opening set in 35 minutes.

The Bulgarian refused to buckle, though, and pounced to break to love for a 3-1 lead in the second set, Nadal perhaps distracted by a time violation warning. From there, the set descended into chaos with both players broken twice and Nadal forced to save four set points before Dimitrov evened up the contest on the fifth.

The break points continued to come thick and fast in the third set, Nadal converting his third and Dimitrov his fourth to keep the set on serve.

After a short break while a spectator received medical attention in the stands, Nadal held for 6-6 and the set went into a tiebreaker.

Nadal missed a large part of the 2016 season because of a wrist injury but proved there was nothing wrong with his fitness as he scrapped to win it, sealing the deal with a blistering forehand which Dimitrov parried into the net.

With the break points having dried up completely in the fourth set, a tiebreaker looked inevitable and Dimitrov quickly took control of it before serving up a 195 kph bomb to send the contest into a decider.

There were chances for both men in the fifth but, with midnight long past, Nadal came to the net to punch a backhand into the back court, break for 5-4 and earn the right to serve for the match.

Still Dimitrov would not lie down, though, and Nadal needed three match points to win his 12th straight Grand Slam semifinal and reach his fourth Australian Open final.

Safarova-Bethanie win

Second seeds Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova took out the women's doubles title on Friday to be crowned Grand Slam champions for a fourth time.

The American-Czech pairing battled past 12th-seeded Andrea Hlavackova, also from the Czech Republic, and China's Peng Shuai 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-3 in Rod Laver Arena.

BFC suffer second defeat

Vasco, Jan 28, 2017, Agencies

A ten-man Bengaluru FC suffered their second straight defeat, going down 2-1 to Churchill Brothers in a game that saw tempers flare at Tilak Maidan here on Friday. 

Skipper Sunil Chhetri’s opener from the spot was cancelled out by Anthony Wolfe before Chesterpoul Lyngdoh scored a second-half winner to consign Bengaluru to their first-ever defeat in Goa.

After a slow start, the game came to life in the 20th minute when Fulganco Cardozo brought down BFC’s Roby Norales just as the Honduran was about to line up his shot, prompting referee Ranjit Bakshi to point to the spot. Chhetri stepped up and rifled it home to score for the first time since Bengaluru’s AFC Cup semifinal tie against Johor Darul Ta’zim in October 2016.

Bengaluru began finding their feet in attack and could have got a second minutes later when Chhetri skipped past two men and sent in the good cross only for Norales to head wide.

A defensive blunder in the 33rd minute hit Bengaluru hard when Chesterpoul’s seemingly harmless punt from his own half went over John Johnson’s head and met Wolfe’s run. With goalkeeper Amrinder Singh off his line and stranded, the striker got Churchill an equaliser with a simple finish.

The goal seemed to have put a spring in the home side’s stride as they went on to grab the lead in the 53rd minute. Picked out by Wolfe in space, Chesterpoul kept his calm before placing the ball past Amrinder to make it 2-1.

Chasing the game, coach Albert Roca introduced Udanta Singh and Mandar Rao Dessai to infuse some pace on the wings, pulling Norales and Nishu Kumar out in the bargain. The Blues began throwing numbers in attack and kept possession but kept running into a stubborn Churchill side who had ten men in defence.

CK Vineeth had the best of chances in the 73rd minute when he looked to turn in a cross from Mandar. But his take was tipped over brilliantly by Priyant Kumar Singh in goal to deny the Blues.

The Blues were reduced to ten men on 79 minutes as Johnson was given the marching orders following a tackle on Chesterpoul. Tempers flared at the touchline as the Blues looked to chase the game back with the disadvantage, but it wasn’t to be.

The Blues next travel to Jordan, where they will take on Al-Wehdat in the AFC Champions League Qualifier 2, on Tuesday.

Dominant Ozone FC prevail

Bengaluru, Jan 28, 2017, DHNS

Football I-League II division: Anto nets a brace in 3-0 win over Pride Sports

After a stuttering start to the season, Ozone FC Bengaluru turned up the heat with a 3-0 win over Pride Sports in the I-League Second Division at the Bangalore Football Stadium here on Friday.

Midfielder Anto Xavier struck two goals within a space of two minutes before a powerful strike from midfielder Vignesh Gunashekhar dented Pride further.

The hosts, with three points from two matches, are third in Group C above Pride Sports, who are yet to open their account. Fateh Hyderabad AFC, are on top with four points, placed above Kenkre FC on goal difference.

Ozone, who lost to Kenkre last week after squandering several chances, began on an attacking mode, with midfielder Pradeep Mohanraj coming close on a couple of occasions early in the game.

Their efforts soon paid dividends. In the 30th minute, forward Sabeeth Sathyan’s pass found Gunashekhar on the left flank. Gunashekhar beat his marker and placed a superb pass for Anto to score past Pride Sports goalkeeper Rohan Sudhir Fasge.

A minute later, Mohanraj’s header found Sabeeth lurking at the far post. Sabeeth’s attempt was blocked by Fasge. An alert Sabeeth then collected the ball and passed it to Anto, unmarked inside the box, for a simple tap-in into the unguarded net.

Ozone went three-up in the 37th minute when Mohanraj sent an aerial through pass to Sabeeth, whose shot was blocked by Fasge but the onrushing Gunashekhar slammed home the rebound from inside the box. Pride Sports showed a bit more intent in the second period but struggled to break through the resilient Ozone defence.

The visitors came close to scoring in the 87th minute when foward Robin Chettri dribbled past the Ozone defenders and struck a good shot but it bounced off the bar.

Ozone will next take on Fateh Hyderabad on Feb 5 in an away match.

St Joseph's score thumping win

Bengaluru, Jan 28, 2017, DHNS

St Joseph’s College of Commerce entered the semifinals with a 79-50 drubbing of Sindhi College in the men’s section of the Malleshwaram Cup inter-college invitational basketball championship at the Malleswaram Ground here on Friday.

St. Joseph’s Rohan Raj (30 points) and Akhil MU (25 points) scored majority of the points for the winners while Rohit and Abhishek scored 15 points each for Sindhi.

In the other men’s clash, Akshat (16), Sriram (15) and Arvind (13) shone as PESIT prevailed over Presidency College 65-44.

BMS College of Engineering (BMSCE) and MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology are the other teams to have reached the last-four stage in the men’s category.

Results: Men: St Joseph’s College of Commerce: 79 (Rohan Raj 30, Akhil MU 25) bt Sindhi College: 50 (Rohith 15, Abhishek 15); PESIT: 65 (Akshat 16, Sriram 15, Arvind 13) bt Presidency College: 44 (Pranay Naidu 16, Bharath 14).

Women: RV College of Engineering: 23 (Sonali G 12) bt Sindhi College: 22 (Chandana 9).

Past wins against Federer mean nothing, says Nadal

Melbourne, Jan 27, 2017 (AFP)

Rafael Nadal insisted his past Grand Slam wins against Roger Federer will have no bearing on their much-awaited showdown in the Australian Open final on Sunday.

The 14-time Grand Slam champion conjured one of his greatest fighting performances to deny Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov in an epic five-hour, five-set semi-final on Friday.

The memorable victory sets Nadal up for his ninth major final with his great rival Federer, who is chasing an unprecedented 18 major titles in this weekend's showpiece.

Nadal leads Federer 6-2 in their Slam finals and 3-0 in their matches at the Australian Open, but he says that will mean little in their first major decider since the 2011 French Open.

"No, that was a long time ago. It's a different match, different moment for both of us. I think this match is completely different than what happened before," Nadal said.

"It's special. We have not been there in that situation for a while, so that makes the match different.

"I really don't think about what happened in the past. I think the player who play better is going to be the winner."

But Nadal's first priority is to recover from his exhausting battle with Dimitrov, with Federer enjoying an extra day's rest after beating Stan Wawrinka in Thursday's first semi-final.

"Now I'm going to go back to the locker room and say thanks to my team for the support, then just try to recover," Nadal said.

"First of all, I need to go to sleep. That's the first thing that is important for the recover. After that try to do all the things the right way to be ready for Sunday."

Neither player had been expected to reach the final but after the early exits of top seeds Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, they have seized their opportunity with both hands.

Nadal said that even in his darkest moments in his recent injury-hit years, he never gave up his dream of winning more Grand Slam titles.

He revealed that he was in tears after he was forced to withdraw injured from last year's French Open, a tournament he has won nine times. "I am a positive person. I never say never because I worked very hard to be where I am. I really have been working very hard and very well," he said.

"I always had the confidence that if I am able to win some matches, then anything can happen.

"But last year was tough. When you feel that you are playing very well and you have to go from Roland Garros without going on court, I remember myself crying in the car coming back to the hotel.

"That was a tough moment."

Leading from the front

From Pragya Tiwari, Kanpur

Cricket: Skipper Kohli awaits Rohit's return to the top

Virat Kohli has time and again proven to be a team man. In the absence of an experienced opener in Twenty20, the captain shouldered the responsibility and gave a good account of himself during the first Twenty20 international against England. Kohli says he would continue to lead the batting charge till Rohit Sharma comes out of injury.

In many ways it could be a blessing in disguise. Kohli is in top form and the presence of a dominant character like him at the start could ensure India getting off the blocks on the front foot.

Kohli, although a reluctant opener, was confident of making his mark at the new slot. He looked comfortable facing the new ball on Thursday, managing 29 off 26 balls.

"I’ve opened enough in the IPL -- in 17 matches. So I think I have an idea about opening which is why I opened. There was no special strategy. You can play another batsman in the middle order, like Suresh Raina at No. 3. When you don’t have Rohit in the side as an opener, then I can step up in the order because it adds more balance to the side," Kohli said.

"If Rohit was in the side there’d be no question and he’d be opening with Rahul. It’s more of providing balance to the side, I have no urge to open, I can play at No 3 as well. I’ve played at three for India for a long time, I can play anywhere the management thinks is the best for the team.”

Opening had been an issue with the Indian batting line up of late and Kohli admitted it was a difficult spot to be handled by a youngster. "Getting an opener at the international level is quite difficult. Opening is the kind of slot where you have to back your players for a while. It is a difficult position. When the players get experience and become confident, opening partnerships give you a lot of benefit. Since our opening partnerships have not clicked in recent past such questions will arise, but as team management we will back them.”

However, batting on the whole didn’t click for India in the first T20, and Kohli would be expecting a better performance from his batsmen in the coming two matches.

“If we had bowled better we could have made a good fight of the total we had on the board but about 170-175 would have been a more competitive total. I wouldn’t say a match-winning one still because the ball was coming on nicely. But with the start England had, it was difficult to pull things back and that’s where we needed a cushion of 35-40 runs which we didn’t have."

Nadal edges classic to reach Federer final

Melbourne, Jan 27, 2017 (AFP)

Rafael Nadal set up an Australian Open final against his great rival Roger Federer after edging Grigor Dimitrov in a classic five-set semi-final which stretched for nearly five hours on Friday.

Nadal pulled off one of his greatest victories in denying Bulgaria's Dimitrov, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (4/7), 6-4 in four hours and 56 minutes in front of a rocking Rod Laver Arena crowd.

Nadal showed his incredible fighting qualities to claw back from 0-30 down in the ninth game of the final set to break Dimitrov's serve with two tremendous chases to put away the winning volley to lead 5-4.

Dimitrov bravely saved two match points as Nadal served out for the match before the Spaniard clinched victory, sinking to his knees in relief and jubilation.

Nadal said it was a "privilege" to face Federer in their ninth final, and first since the 2011 French Open.

"It's a very special thing, I think for both of us to be in the final of a major again and have another chance to compete with each other again after a couple of years having some problems," he said.

"I think both of us never thought we were going to be here again in the final of the Australian Open."

Nadal, who downed Federer in the 2009 final, won through to his fourth Australian Open final and his 21st Grand Slam final. He leads Federer 6-2 in their major finals.

The 30-year-old Spaniard has been out of the Grand Slam limelight since his last title success at Roland Garros in 2014, as injuries sidetracked his glorious career.

Nadal is bidding to win his second Australian Open title and become the first man in the Open Era -- and only the third man in history -i to win each of the four Grand Slam titles twice.

Nadal and Dimitrov played each other to a standstill in Friday's epic, with two tiebreakers going either way in a semi-final that ran well past midnight.

Federer, who beat fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka in Thursday's first semi-final, was watching on with relish as his rival in Sunday's final was taken the distance in a draining physical battle.

The last time both men's semi-finals went to five sets at any Slam was at 2009 Roland Garros, when Federer beat Juan Martin del Potro and Robin Soderling defeated Fernando Gonzalez. 

Series against England turning point of career: Kedar Jadhav

Pune, Jan 27, 2017 (PTI)

Kedar Jadhav, who became an overnight star after his match-winning knock against England here and went on to win `man of the series' award, says the series against England was the turning point of his career.
"After hitting the century against England in Pune, I thought if I continue with the same performance, there is a possibility of getting man of the series (award)," he said, in an interaction with media here today.

"I think the ODI series against England is the turning point of my cricketing career," said the Pune batsman, who made 120 off 76 balls in the exciting run-chase.

The performance during New Zealand series gave him confidence, he said. "Though I did not score big, whatever runs I scored, it gave me immense confidence....Before this series (against England), I had a gut feeling that I will perform, and I think, for any player, having such a feeling is most important thing," he said.

Asked about getting the opportunity to play for India a little late in his career, he said, "I got the opportunity late because I was not mature enough, there were flaws in my game. The moment I became accomplished player, I got the opportunity and I am happy that I could convert it (into success)."

Captain Virat Kohli "blindly" trusted him, Jadhav said. "He has always encouraged me to play my natural game. Just by seeing him preparing for the game and playing one gets immense inspiration."

He also lauded Mahendra Singh Dhoni's calmness under pressure and said the company of former captain enhanced his maturity level. "He handles the pressure, faces the challenges and deals with the situation in a calm and composed manner," Jadhav said.

Though Kohli and Dhoni have different temperaments and leading styles, there is not much difference between the two and both are world-class captains, Jadhav said.

Asked if his performance against England would cement his place in the team, he said he believed in living in the present and not worrying about past failure or success.

However, he added, after getting a man of the series award "I think I will get chance for another two to three series".

Kohli slips, Dhoni rises slightly in ICC ODI rankings

Dubai, Jan 27, 2017 (PTI)

Indian captain Virat Kohli today slipped a rung to third in the ICC rankings for ODI batsmen but his predecessor Mahendra Singh Dhoni gained a spot to be 13th in the latest list issued here. Rohit Sharma slipped three places to be 12th, while Shikhar Dhawan was in the joint 14th spot with Englishman Jos Butler.

Among the bowlers, no Indian found a place in the top-10 with Akshar Patel being the highest placed at 12th, a drop of three positions. Following him closely was Amit Mishra at the joint 14th position. The Indian team was unchanged at the third position in the team rankings. Meanwhile, Australia opener David Warner wrested the top spot rankings for ODI Batsmen.

The attacking left-hander has attained the top ranking for the first time, leapfrogging South Africa's AB de Villiers and Kohli after amassing 367 runs in the five-match home series against Pakistan which his side won 4-1. There were other batsmen to gain too after India's 2-1 win over England in a series that ended on Sunday.

England batsman Jason Roy's three half-centuries have taken him into the top 20 for the first time as he has gained 23 slots to reach 17th. For India, Kedar Jadhav's 232 runs have helped him gain 57 slots to reach 47th ranking.

Sania a win away from 7th Major title, reaches OZ Open final

Melbourne, Jan 27, 2017 (PTI)

Sania Mirza put herself in contention for a seventh Grand Slam title as she breezed into the Australian Open mixed doubles final with Ivan Dodig, beating local favourites Samantha Stosur and Sam Groth here today. The second-seeded Indo-Croatian pair won 6-4 2-6 10-5 in the semifinals, that lasted one hour and 18 minutes.

Sania has won three mixed doubles titles, the last being the 2014 US Open with Brazilian Bruno Soares. With Dodig, she had an opportunity to win last year when she reached the French Open final but lost to compatriot Leander Paes and her then doubles partner Martina Hingis in the summit clash. The opening set featured a lot of breaks and the only one to not concede a break of serve was Sania.

However, in the second set, the Indian lost her serve twice -- fourth and ninth games -- and it all boiled down to the Match Tie-breaker. It was 3-3 in the Tie-break but the second seeds pulled away after that, taking five points in a row. The Australians, especially Groth was struggling with his first serve and they paid a huge price for that.

Groth lost both the points on his serve on the eighth and ninth points while Dodig curtailed unforced errors in nick of time. Sania sent a lob out on the first match point but converted second when Dodig hit an unreturnable volley to the left of Stosur.

Sania and Dodig next face the winners of the other semifinal between Elina Svitolina and Chris Guccione and the combo of Abigail Spears and Juan Sebastian Cabal. Sania is the lone Indian surviving in the first Grand Slam of the season with Rohan Bopanna, Leander Paes, Purav Raja, Divij Sharan and juniors Zeel Desai and Siddhant Banthia all making early exits. 

Man Utd survive Hull scare to reach League Cup final

Kingston Upon Hull (United Kingdom), Jan 27, 2017 (AFP)

Manchester United survived a scare to reach the League Cup final after Oumar Niasse's late goal earned Hull City a 2-1 victory in the semi-final second leg. Leading 2-0 from the first leg yesterday, United saw their advantage at an ice-cold KCOM Stadium halved by Tom Huddlestone's 35th-minute penalty and then restored by Paul Pogba's second-half strike. Niasse's goal set up a nervy finish for Jose Mourinho's men, but they survived to complete a 3-2 aggregate win that sets up a date with Southampton in the final at Wembley on Fenruary 26.

"I just want to say congratulations to my players," said Mourinho, who seemed to be aggrieved about Hull's penalty. "It was a difficult road to be in the final and we are in the final." It will be United's first League Cup final since 2010, when they beat Aston Villa 2-1, and with Southampton having cleared Liverpool from their path, they will go into the game as favourites. Hull once again showed signs of stiffened resolve under new coach Marco Silva and could console themselves with a first win over United since a 2-0 success at the old Boothferry Park in November 1974.

The club also used the occasion to show their support for Ryan Mason, recovering in hospital after fracturing his skull at Chelsea on Sunday, with T-shirts bearing his name and a minute's applause. "It was a good win, but not enough for our goal," said Silva. "I congratulated the players in the dressing room."

A paltry home crowd reflected both the significant edge that Marouane Fellaini's late header had given United in the first leg and ongoing dissent towards Hull's owner Assem Allam. Silva's decision to make seven changes to his starting XI, meanwhile, did not seem to indicate a desperate desire to turn the tie around.

- Smalling penalty shout -
But in the first half the cohesive football all came from Hull and it was United who looked a team of strangers, with centre-backs Phil Jones and Chris Smalling conspicuously unconvincing. Hull had the first serious attempt of the match, David de Gea boxing away a free-kick from Sam Clucas, and the United goalkeeper was soon involved again.

After allowing Huddlestone's up-and-under to drift over his head, Smalling had to make a last-ditch block to thwart Michael Dawson and Niasse's follow-up was fisted away by De Gea. The hosts duly took the lead on the night 10 minutes before half-time, Huddlestone planting his spot-kick low to De Gea's right after Marcos Rojo was penalised for tugging Harry Maguire's shirt.

It took United until the 38th minute to register a shot on target, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic's side-foot effort palmed behind by David Marshall. United had three penalty appeals early in the second half and while the first and third centred on Pogba and Marcus Rashford going to ground too easily, the second was more compelling.

After seizing on a loose ball inside the Hull box, Smalling appeared to be pushed in the chest by Huddlestone, sending him down, but referee Jon Moss shook his head. If Huddlestone got away with one there, fortune deserted him in the 66th minute. Having tracked Rashford's run towards the byline on the United left, he managed to toe the ball away from him, but could only send it into the path of Pogba, who stabbed a low shot past Marshall.

Their nerves eased, United threatened to move out of sight, Ibrahimovic seeing a shot blocked by Dawson after dancing past Huddlestone and Rojo clipping the bar with a header. But Niasse then headed against the bar at the other end and with five minutes remaining he gave Hull victory in the game -- if not the tie -- by tucking away David Meyler's volleyed cross.

What more should I do? Advani asks after Padma Bhushan snub

New Delhi, Jan 26, 2017, (PTI)

Hurt at missing out on Padma Bhushan award for the second year in a row, 16-time world champion cueist Pankaj Advani says he does not know what he needs to do more to receive the coveted civilian honour.
Advani, who has pocketed eight world titles in the last eight years, was recommended for the third highest civilian award of the country by the Karnataka government as well as the Billiards and Snooker Federation of India (BSFI).

The Bengaluru-based Advani, one of India's greatest cueists, did not say much after being overlooked for the award yet again, but expressed his feelings on social media.

"Thank you sir. Just feel after 16 world titles and 2 Asian games golds if I'm ignored for a padma bhushan, don't know what more I need to do," Advani tweeted in his response to Sports Minister Vijay Goel, who congratulated him for winning a staggering 28th national title in Pune earlier this week.

No sportsperson was chosen for Padma Bhushan this year while eight athletes from various disciplines, including Virat Kohli and Dipa Karmakar, were honoured with Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour which Advani received way back in 2009.

Advani has also been awarded with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2006), India's highest sporting honour.

BSFI secretary S Balasubramaniam could not think of any current sportsperson more deserving than Advani for the Padma Bhushan.

"It is very sad to hear that he has been ignored again. It is happening year after year. It is disheartening not only for him but for the entire fraternity. Looks like lobbying is what works (to get these awards). If you go by sheer performance, Pankaj should have got it long ago. Tell me a sportsperson who consistently win world titles like Pankaj. However, we will try again next year," Balasubramaniam told PTI today.

Advani's brother Shree too did not hide his disappointment.

"This shows the government's tunnel vision towards cricket and Olympic sports.

Apparently, you can only get the awards by lobbying or if hype is created, merit is not enough. Pankaj deserves a lot more than Padma Bhushan," he said.

Paes-Hingis pair out of Australia Open

Melbourne, Jan 26m, 2017 (PTI)

Indian tennis ace Leander Paes and his Swiss partner Martina Hingis crashed out of the mixed doubles competition of the Australian Open with a straight-set defeat in the quarterfinals here today.

Paes and Hingis lost 3-6 2-6 to the local pair of Sam Groth and Samantha Stosur in a quarterfinal match that lasted 55 minutes.

The Australian duo dominated the match and broke serve of the Indo-Swiss combination in the fifth game to nose ahead before sealing the first set 6-3 with another service break.

In the second set, Paes and Hingis were broken in the fourth game to trail 1-3. The Indo-Swiss pair were 2-5 down when Hingis served only to be broken by the Australians, who sealed the match comfortably.

In the semifinals, Groth and Stosur will meet the second seeded combo of India's Sania Mirza and Ivan Dodig of Croatia.

Meanwhile, Zeel Desai lost to Elena Rybakina of Russia 4-6 3-6 in the quarterfinals of the junior girls' singles.

Serena, Venus set up dream Australian final

Melbourne, Jan 26, 2017(AFP)

Unstoppable Serena Williams zeroed in on a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title today by setting up an Australian Open final against her older sister Venus, as the siblings' dream came true.
The ruthless world number two proved one step too far for unseeded Croat Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, whose fairytale tournament was finally ended in a crushing 6-2, 6-1 defeat in just 50 minutes.

In swatting aside the 34-year-old, in their first meeting since 1998, Serena, 35, stayed on track for a seventh Australian title which would take her past Steffi Graf's Open-era record of 22 major wins.

She has refused to talk about the possibility of finally surpassing the German, but now has a golden chance of further cementing her place in history.

Winning the title would also mean the world number one ranking would be hers again, after Angelique Kerber snatched deposed her late last year.

Only Venus stands in the way after the elder Williams rolled back the years to beat fellow American Coco Vandeweghe 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-3 in the other semi-final.

It ensured another chapter in their eventful family history as they meet for their ninth Grand Slam final on Saturday, eight years after the last. Serena holds a 6-2 advantage.

"I didn't watch (Venus). Obviously I was really proud, she's an inspiration, my big sister," said Serena.

"She's my world, my life, she means everything to me. I couldn't be happier for us both to be in the final. It's the biggest dream come true for us."

She also paid tribute to Lucic-Baroni, a former teenage prodigy when the Williams sisters were emerging in the 1990s before her career was derailed by personal problems.

"Mirjana is an inspiration, she deserves all the credit today. To get this far, after everything she has gone through, that just inspires me."
- One-way traffic -

Despite her serve not being up to scratch in Melbourne until now, Williams has so many other weapons in her armoury that her opponents have been unable to cope.
Lucic-Baroni was no different.

Her left thigh was again heavily strapped and the problem put her at an immediate disadvantage, restricting her movement against a player known for her pounding forehand winners.

They both held serve comfortably to shake off any early nerves but Williams was looking sharp, capitalising on an unforced error to get the first break and go 2-1 ahead.

She consolidated her lead by holding serve again, and a Lucic-Baroni double fault handed her a 4-1 lead.

It was one-way traffic as the second seed asserted her authority, unloading some powerful groundstrokes to unsettle the Croat and easily take the first set in 25 minutes.
The second set went the way of the first, with Williams crushing Lucic-Baroni's serve to again break in the third game.

She was broken again in game five as her magnificent run drew to a close and Williams moved into her 29th Grand Slam final.