Sarfaraz, Avesh take India U-19 to World Cup quarters

Mirpur, Jan 30, 2016 (PTI)

 India today stormed into the ICC Under-19 cricket World Cup quarterfinals after producing a clinical all-round performance to wallop New Zealand by 120 runs in their penultimate group D encounter here.
Put into bat on a slow track, the three-time champions scored a decent 258 for eight with Sarafaraz Khan continuing his fine form hitting a polished 74.

Left-handed opener Rishabh Pant and middle-order batsman Armaan Jaffer contributed 57 and 46 respectively. Another significant innings came from all-rounder Mahipal Lomror, who scored a quickfire 42-ball-45.

In reply, New Zealand were decimated for 138 in only 31.3 overs with pacer Avesh Khan bowling a deadly opening spell to finish with figures of 4/32 in 10 overs which also earned him the Man of the Match award.

Lomror could have also got the award as he capped his 45 with figures of 5/47 in 7.3 overs to polish off the tail.

The 'Boys in Blue' virtually wrapped up the match in the first 10 overs of New Zealand's chase as Avesh reduced them to 16 for four wreaking havoc. He hit the perfect length and speed of around 135 kmph proved to be ideal at this level.

The Madhya Pradesh lad, who has already played first-class cricket has the ability to hit the deck and also move the ball back into the right handers with a few that holds its line.
The slip catching was also pretty good with Washington Sundar holding on to couple of good catches.

Earlier, India had two stand-out partnerships in their score of 258.
Pant and Sarfaraz added 89 for the third wicket after they were reduced to 19 for two. The second was between Armaan and Lomror that yielded 55 runs for the sixth wicket.
Pant and Sarfaraz, played contrasting innings on a slowish track.

The Delhi glovesman hit seven fours and two sixes but in general played second fiddle to the stockily built Mumbai lad whose 74 off 80 balls had nine boundaries.

However, both were guilty of losing it after being well set. Pant tried a fancy slash off Dale Phillips to be caught at short third-man while Sarfaraz was played on off Nathan Smith's bowling.

But it was young Armaan, nephew of former India opener Wasim Jaffer, who kept his cool running well between the wickets to score 46 off 49 balls with two boundaries.

India will next play Nepal, who have also qualified for the quarterfinals, on Monday.
Brief Scores: India U-19 258/8 in 50 overs (Sarfaraz Khan 74, Risabh Pant 57, Armaan Jaffer 46, Zak Gibson 3/50)

New Zealand 138 in 31.3 overs (Christian Leopard 40, Avesh Khan 4/32, Mahipal Lomror 5/47). India won by 120 runs.

We're getting completely outplayed: Di Venuto

Sydney, Jan 30, 2016 (PTI)

 He does not consider the back-to-back Twenty20 losses to India a major setback but Australia's stand-in cricket coach Michael Di Venuto concedes that his team has certainly been outplayed in all three departments of the game so far.

The Australians lost the second T20 in Melbourne to give away an unassailable 2-0 lead to the visitors in the three-match series, the first bilateral triumph on Australian soil for M S Dhoni's men.

"We're just getting completely outplayed in all three departments at the moment, the bat, ball and the field," he told reporters at the Sydney airport.

"Their batters are in outstanding touch and have been all summer. We're struggling to get early wickets and get into their middle order," he added.

Di Venuto said his team's batsmen have also struggled to cope with the spinners.
"They're playing exceptionally well, there's no doubt about that. I was pretty happy with our start with the bat, we were right on track but then spin again was our undoing in the middle overs," he said.

However, Di Venuto said he wouldn't consider the results so far as a setback despite the fact that Australia's next T20 assignment happens to be the World Championship in India scheduled for March-April.

"We've had quite a few debutants so far throughout the series. We've got some players resting or heading to New Zealand to prepare for that. The make-up of our side might be completely different -- we'll just have to see what the selectors come up with," he said. 

Kerber stuns Williams to win Australian Open title

January 30, 2016, Melbourne, Reuters

Angelique Kerber upset world number one Serena Williams 6-4 3-6 6-4 to clinch the Australian Open on Saturday and become the first German to win a grand slam title since her childhood idol Steffi Graf in 1999.

The 34-year-old American had been seeking her seventh Melbourne Park title and 22nd overall, which would have moved her into a tie with Graf for the most grand slam singles titles in the Open era.

The seventh seeded Kerber, however, was not overawed by the occasion of her first grand slam final, breaking twice in the first set as Williams made 23 unforced errors.

Williams cut down on the errors to send it into a third, which Kerber, who had the opportunity to serve it out while leading 5-3 only for the American to battle back, clinched when Williams hit a volley long in the next game.

"When I played here the first round I was match point down and playing with one leg on the plane to Germany," an emotional Kerber said in a courtside interview.

"I took my second chance to play the final against Serena. To win it is my dream come true.

"Now I can say I'm a grand slam champion and it sounds really crazy."

The opening salvo had looked ominous as Williams raced through the first game to love and then put pressure on the German, who was down 15-30 after a double fault but managed to suppress any demons she may have had and held on.

The 28-year-old German then played superb defensive tennis against the powerful Williams, scrambling to force her to play an extra shot that ultimately contributed to 23 unforced errors from the American in the first set.

Those errors and a lack of timing on several potential winners enabled the German to break again in the seventh game and then seal the first set in 39 minutes when Williams made another unforced error.

The pair held serve in the opening two games of the second set before Williams began to get her timing back and made less errors as she raced out to a 4-1 lead, though the concerned look she shot her supporters in the players' box suggested she had been battling to work the German out.

Williams sent the match into a decider when Kerber hit an easy forehand into the net to clinch the second set.

Both players suffered early breaks in the third set but the championship appeared to have tipped in the German's favour in a marathon sixth game when she finally converted her fifth break point to take a 4-2 lead.

She extended that to 5-2 and was serving for the title at 5-3 before Williams fought back, though the inspired German was able to clinch her first grand slam and then collapse onto the court in jubilation.

Resolute Bengaluru pip East Bengal, widen gap at top

Barasat (WB), Jan 30, 2016 (PTI)

 Sunil Chhetri led former champions Bengaluru FC to a 1-0 win over East Bengal with his second-half strike that consolidated their position atop the standings in the I-League football at the Vidyasagar Krirangan here today.

Under pressure in the first-half when the home side missed a flurry of chances, Bengaluru turned it around with Chhetri's goal at the hour mark when he tapped the ball to the far post to register their first away win against the red-and-gold.

This was Bengaluru's fourth win from five matches as they went four points clear of East Bengal and Mumbai FC, against whom they had suffered their first defeat this season -- a 0-2 reverse in Mumbai on Wednesday.

For East Bengal, this was also their first defeat of the season and a big blow for their title aspiration with two draws and one loss from five matches.

However, East Bengal dominated the proceedings in the first half but a resolute Bengaluru central defence in John Johnson and Curtis Osano along with Amrinder Singh thwarted each of their attempts.

Ashley Westwood's move in replacing Lalthuammawia Ralte who had an off-day against Mumbai FC with Amrinder proved to be a masterstroke as the Atletico de Kolkata goalie saved at least two sure shot goals to be adjudged man-of-the-match.

Just before Chhetri scored the winner, Amrinder denied Do Dong Hyun's powerful left-footed freekick from the edge of the box, and followed it up by saving Joaquim Abranches' strike on the rebound.

Biswajit Bhattacharya's wards tried their best for the equaliser with Dong breaching from the right on several occasions but every time the BFC wall was spot-on.

East Bengal would surely lament their missed chances in the first-half as they looked a better team in the first period but failed to take the lead.

In the 17th minute, Abranches was found through by Mehtab Hossain but the Goan managed to shoot straight to Osano.

From the resultant corner kick, East Bengal had three opportunities at the goal with Dong from the right, Ranty Martins from the middle and Bikash Jairu from the right but Bengaluru FC defence warded off all their attempts.

At the half-hour mark, an outstretched Amrinder once again stood tall to deny a Ranty strike.

Tabrez's eight-for sets up Young Boys' comprehensive victory

Bengaluru,Jan 31, 2016, DHNS:

Tabrez claimed all but two wickets of Young Boys’ Cricket Association to set up Bangalore Star Cricket Association’s comprehensive eight-wicket win in the KSCA Group I, Division V league-cum-knockout tournament for the JB Mallaradhya Shield here.
Tabrez returned a rich haul of eight for 14 to help BSCA dismiss YBCA for a paltry 87 in 25.1 overs. Satish KS stroked his way to an unbeaten 48 as BSCA replied with 88/2 in 9.3 overs to complete a smooth win. 

Brief scores: Young Boys’ Cricket Association: 87 all out in 25.1 overs (Ravi 34; Tabrez 8-14) lt to Bangalore Star Cricket Association: 88/2 in 9.3 overs (Satish KS 48 n.o.).
Diamonds Cricket Club: 131 all out in 42.5 overs (Manjunath 28, Chiranjeevi 30; Vasanth 3-21, Swaroop 2-11) lt to Prathibe  Talent Trust: 133/5 in 28.1 overs (Abhishek B 50, Prashanth 33 n.o.; Jeevan 2-9, Guruprasad 2-18).

MEI Polytechnic: 137 all out in 36.3 overs (Tejas 43; Vijaykaumar 3-22, Uttam 4-9) lt to Young Cricketers Association, Kolar: 138/3 in 16.3 overs (Chandan R 39).

Crescent Cricket Club (2): 267/6 in 50 overs (Mohith V 121 n.o., Sanjay 43, Nishit Shetty 36 n.o.; Rajkumar 3-30) bt Kengeri Cricketers: 249 all out in 42.5 overs (Ranjeet 52, Vinay 26, Sachin 54 n.o., Hemanth 49; Shashank 4-51).

YMCA Cricket Club (2): 136 all out in 28.4 overs (Venu 51; Vineeth N 5-23) lt to City Cricketers (2): 137/7 in 29.5 overs (Uday 64 n.o.; Dileep 3-44, Basha 2-21).

Vinay powers Railway Institute past GTRE SC

Bengaluru,Jan 31, 2016, DHNS:

Spurred by a fine knock of 95 from Vinay S, Railway Institute (KR Puram) posted a narrow two-wicket victory over GTRE Sports Club in the KSCA Group II, Division III knockout tournament here.

Batting first, GTRE folded for 201 in 36.2 overs after good bowling performances from K Sanjay (2/31), Eshan (2/31) and Vinayak (2/15). Half-centuries from Pulkit (79) and Krishna (50) helped GTRE cross the 200-mark.

Chasing a small total, Railway Institute rode on Vinay and though Ravi Kumar and Santosh Reddy picked up 4/43 and 3/36 respectively, GTRE couldn’t stop their rivals from romping home.

In another fixture, KSFC Cricket Club endured a resounding eight-wicket loss against ISAC Cricket Club.

Nitin (2/27) and Manu Pasha (2/8) were wreckers-in-chief for ISAC, who bowled KSFC out for a paltry 98 in 32 overs.

Aditya top scored with 57 to guide his side home in 16 overs.
Brief scores: GTRE Sports Club: 201 all out in 36.2 overs (Pulkit 79, Krishna 50; K Sanjay 2-31, Eshan 2-31, Vinayak 2-15) lt to Railway Institute, KR Puram: 202/8 in 41 overs (Vinay S 95; Santosh Reddy 3-36, Ravi Kumar 4-43).

KSFC Cricket Club: 98 all out in 32 overs (Nitin 2-27, Manu Pasha 2-8) lt to ISAC Cricket Club: 99/2 in 16 overs (Aditya 57 n.o.).

ISRO, MCF, Hassan: 156 all out in 39.4 overs (Prafful 64; Kodhandaram 4-22, Trinath 3-20, Satish Kumar 2-34) lt to BHEL (EPD) Sports Club: 157/7 in 27.5 overs (Ramesh 60; Vishnu Vardhan Reddy 3-26, Karthik 3-42).

L&T Sports and Fine Arts Club: 122 all out in 26.3 overs (Prakash 42, Mohan Raj M 33; Vinay KB 4-20) lt to Continental Automotive: 123/4 in 21.1 overs (Prakash 2-27).
ESPN Cricinfo India Pvt Ltd: 118 all out in 32.2 overs (Sushil 39, Sanjay 41; Amith 2-20, Avinash 4-30, Arvind 4-23) lt to Air Force Station, Yelahanka: 119/4 in 15 overs (Bisht 31, Umakant 29 n.o.; Avinash 3-20).

DPS (East) emerge champs

Bengaluru,Jan 31, 2016, DHNS:

Delhi Public School (East) prevailed in a low-scoring final against St Joseph’s Boys’ High School to emerge champions in the KSCA inter-school under-14 tournament (Division I) for the BT Ramaiah Shield here.

Batting first, DPS batsmen struggled to get going against a disciplined St Joseph’s attack. 
Gautham Ajey K and Sankarshana scored identical scores of 35 as DPS posted a modest 179 all out in 48.2 overs. Prithvi chipped in with 33.

Hemankith Reddy took 2/18 and Chinmay NA, who took 2/21, shared the bowling spoils for the Josephites as they grabbed the upper hand at the break.

Chasing a rather smallish target, the Josephites were kept in the hunt through Danish’s 46 and Vinay’s valuable contribution of 32.

Adithya shines
Apart from Danish and Vinay, none of the other batsmen could get going thatnks to a good bowling perfomance from Adithya M.

Adithya M spelt their doom with a four-wicket haul (4/18) and ensured that the Josephites could not get across the line.

Aditya found able support in Shashank and Shray Singh Choudhary. Shashank picked  up two for 29, while Shray on the other hand was a tad expensive, bagging  two for 46  to give their side a thrilling six-run victory.

DH News Service 
Brief scores: Delhi Public School, East: 179 all out in 48.2 overs (Gautham Ajey K 35, Prithvi 33, Sankarshana 35; Hemankith Reddy 2-18, Chinmay NA 2-21) bt St Joseph’s Boys High School: 173 all out in 45.3 overs (Danish 46, Vinay 32; Shashank 2-29, Adhitya M 4-18, Shray Singh Choudhary 2-46).