Sports

Kolkata, January 14: Kolkata Knight Riders have roped in Mumbai all-rounded Iqbal Abdulla and Himachal Pradesh wicketkeeper Manvinder Bisla in their line-up for the coming fourth edition of the Indian Premier League.

“We have signed deals with Iqbal and Bisla,” said a KKR official.

The official said the team was also in talks with stumper Shreevats Goswami, who was earlier with the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Abdullah has been a part of the KKR since the maiden IPL season, but played in only four games.

Melbourne,January 14:Rafa Nadal faces Brazilian world number 96 Marcos Daniel in his first round of the Australian Open but faces a rocky path in his bid to become the first man to hold all four grand slam crowns simultaneously in more than four decades.

The Spaniard faces a potential tricky match with either 32nd-ranked countryman Feliciano Lopez or big-serving American John Isner in the third round, followed by a possible fourth round match with last year’s semi-finalist Marin Cilic of Croatia.

Durban, January 13: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni admitted that his side was “completely outplayed” by South Africa in the first cricket one-dayer here on Wednesday.

Chasing 290 for victory, India suffered a top-order collapse and slumped to a humiliating 135-run defeat at the hands of a clinical South Africa in the first of the five ODIs at the Kingsmead here.

And Dhoni said while bowling the visitors gave away 40 runs extra to the South Africans at the tricky Kingsmead pitch.

Kolkata, January 13: Iqbal Abdulla, the Mumbai left-arm spinner, has signed a two-year deal with Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of the fourth season of the IPL. Abdulla, who is also a useful lower-order batsman, was at Kolkata for the first three seasons, having been picked as their Under-19 draft in the first season, and now returns as an uncapped signing. “We needed a specialist Indian spinner to accompany Shakib [al Hasan] and Yusuf Pathan and we are happy to get Iqbal,” a Kolkata spokesperson said.

Islamabad, January 13: Pakistan have recalled wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal to their squad for the six-match one-day series in New Zealand.

Akmal, who will turn 29 on Thursday, has not been picked for the national team since last year’s tour of England.

The seasoned campaigner of 53 tests and 123 one-day internationals was recently cleared by the Pakistan Cricket Board following an investigation into his assets, bank accounts and recent activities.

“It is great to be back in the Pakistan colours and now I just want to cement my place for the World Cup,” Akmal told reporters.

Islamabad, January 13: Pakistani selectors on Wednesday retained Shahid Afridi as captain for the upcoming one-day series against New Zealand, boosting his chances of leading the side in next month’s World Cup.

The selection committee kept Afridi on as captain in the finalised the 16-man squad, a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) release said.

Local media reports had said PCB chairman Ijaz Butt was ready to strip Afridi off the captaincy, angry at comments made by the all-rounder about three Pakistani cricketers at the centre of a spot-fixing scandal.

Durban, January 13:Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni blamed a poor start but lauded the part time spinners as India suffered a humiliating 135 runs loss to South Africa in the first One-day International at the Kingsmead Stadium here Wednesday.

Chasing a target of 290 runs, India were bowled out for 154 runs in 35.4 overs as South Africa took a 1-0 lead in the five match series.

India’s regular openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag are missing the series due to injuries and in their absence Murali Vijay and Sachin Tendulkar failed to give a good start.

Durban, January 13:India suffered a crushing 135 runs loss against South Africa in the first One-day International at the Kingsmead Stadium here Wednesday.

The result comes as a rude shock for the Indian cricket selectors, who in a few days time will be declaring the squad for the World Cup that would be held in the sub-continent from Feb 19.

Chasing a target of 290 runs, Indian batsman paid the price for poor shot selection and were bowled out for 154 runs in 35.4 overs.

Durban, January 13:The following is the scoreboard of the first One-day International between South Africa and India at the Kingsmead Stadium here Wednesday.

South Africa:

Graeme Smith c Sharma b Nehra 11

Hashim Amla c Harbhajan b Patel 50

Colin Ingram c Nehra b Patel 5

AB de Villiers c Harbhajan b Sharma 76

Jean Paul Duminy lbw Sharma 73

David Miller b Raina 9

Johan Botha b Harbhajan 23

Wayne Parnell not out 21

Dale Steyn c Yuvraj b Khan 7

Morne Morkel b Khan 0

Lonwabo Tsotsobe not out 1

Extras (b 1, lb 8, w 4) 13

New Delhi, January 12: Top cyclists from across the country will participate in the fifth edition of India Cyclothon in Bangalore Jan 23.

The event, organised by Sports18 and Cycling Federation of India (CFI) in the southern city, will have 120 elite cyclists vying for the top honours.

The 60 km race for elite men category will have a prize money of Rs.5 lakh.

The organisers expect mass participation in the school children, girls and senior citizens categories.

–IANS

Mumbai, January 12: Rajasthan Royals have signed four ‘uncapped’ players from the state Ranji Trophy squad — Deepak Chahar, Ashok Maneria, Aakash Chopra and Dishant Yagnik — for the fourth season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Royals, during the two-day auction over the weekend, also bought Rajasthan’s pace spearhead Pankaj Singh, the highest wicket taker in the ongoing Ranji season.

Pace sensation Chahar, 18, took eight wickets in his first-class debut and was chief destroyer in bowling out Hyderabad to the lowest ever Ranji total of 21.

Durban, Jan 12 (IANS) South Africa made 289 for nine in 50 overs against India in the first One-day International at the Kingsmead Stadium here Wednesday.

AB de Villiers was the top scorer with 76 runs while Jean Paul Duminy made 73. Indian bowlers Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel and Rohit Sharma picked up two wickets each.

–Agencies

Kingmead, January 12: SOUTH African captain Graeme Smith on Tuesday said since a few World Cup berths are still on offer, the players would be under pressure to perform in the oneday series against India.

Smith said the five- match series, beginning on Wednesday, will be a tough but exciting assignment for both the sides.

“ It think it is going to be another exciting series, as the Test series was. Both teams have some quality players. A number of players are still playing for spots in the World Cup squad, so it adds an extra incentive to the series.

Mumbai, January 12: Commercial entertainment events and limited-over cricket matches organised in rural areas will be charged 10% entertainment duty. Earlier, they were exempted from the tax.

This would result in a rise in ticket rates for Indian Premier League (IPL) and 20-20 matches played on the outskirts of cities like Nagpur. Limited-over cricket matches played on the Vidarbha Cricket Association’s ground on the outskirts of Nagpur city had so far been entertainment duty-free.

Vadodara, January 12: Bhargav Bhatt took five wickets for Baroda but could not stop Rajasthan from rustling up 394 in their first innings in the Ranji Trophy cricket final on the second day here Wednesday.

At the close of the day’s play, Baroda were 73 for one with Jaykishan Kolsawala (46) and Kedar Devdhar (4) at the crease.

Resuming at 198 for three, Rajasthan failed to carry the momentum onto the second day. Overnight batsmen Robin Bisht (77) and Vivek Yadav (27) stretched their fourth wicket stand to 50 before Bhatt (5-103), a left-arm spinner, struck by trapping Yadav leg before.

Ajman, January 12: The foundation stone for a sports complex of the Indian Association was laid Wednesday in Ajman in the presence of M.K. Lokesh, Indian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, chairman of Ajman Municipality and Planning Department, laid the foundation stone for the sports complex.

Sanjay Verma, Indian consul general in Dubai, and many senior officials and members of the Indian community attended the ceremony.

The land for the complex has been donated by the ruler of Ajman, Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi.

New Delhi, January 12: The Governing Council of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Wednesday clarified that players will have the final say in choosing a franchise, not the team owners.

In the wake of the reported decision of Karnataka batsman Manish Pandey to decline the offer of Royal Challengers Bangalore to play for them in the fourth edition, Governing Council member Niranjan Shah told IANS that arm-twisting of cricketers by franchises is unfair and the player has the final say.

Mumbai, January 12: Bollywood Superstar Shsh Rukh Khan, owner of the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, has categorically denied to take back Sourav Gangukly in the team.

Speaking on the sidelines of Apsara Awards 2011 in Mumbai on Tuesday, Shah Rukh expressed grief over Gangluy’s exclusion from the team. At the same time, he also cleared the air over all speculations of Ganguly’s role in the KKR, saying no berth for the former.

“Sourav is like my younger brother and i have regrets that he is not the part of KKR. But you have to give sacrifices for victory,” Shah Rukh said.

New Delhi, January 12: In what could turn out to be a major jolt for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the Parliament’s stading committee on finance, according to reports, on Wednesday summoned the board’s top bosses.

According to sources, the BCCI top brass will be questioned in connection with the Indian Premier League and tax related issues.

Among those summoned include BCCI president Shashank Manohar, secretary N Srinivasan, IPL CEO Sundar Raman, BCCI CAO Ratnakar Shetty and BCCI treasurer MP Pandove.

Karachi, January 12: The lawyers representing Pakistan’s suspended pace bowlers Mohammed Asif and Muhammad Aamer today expressed satisfaction over the proceedings of the six-day ICC hearing into spot-fixing allegations in Doha and are hoping for a “fair and just” decision when the final verdict will be pronounced on February 5.

The three member ICC tribunal acquitted Asif, Aamer and Salman Butt of any wrongdoing during the Oval Test but delayed its decision on charges for the Lord’s Test against England.

Johannesburg, January 12: Ricky Ponting should give up the Australian captaincy and concentrate on his batting, former South Africa skipper Kepler Wessels said on Tuesday.

Ponting last week became the first Australian captain to lose three Ashes series, leading to calls for him to quit or be sacked.

“Ricky Ponting should be replaced as captain. If he can focus on his batting, then relinquishing the captaincy might be the best thing for him,” Wessels, who also played 24 Tests for Australia, told reporters.

Vadodara, January 11: Skipper Hrishikesh Kanitkar stroked a half-century as Rajasthan made a solid start in the Ranji Trophy final against Baroda amassing 198 for three at the end of the first day’s play here Tuesday.

Kanitkar, former India player, scored 61 off 147 balls with seven fours and a six.

Robin Bist was batting 56 and had Vivek Yadav (4) for company, when stumps were drawn at the Moti Bagh Stadium.

Durban, January 11: South African skipper Graeme Smith said it was his dream to have an attacking spinner like Imran Tahir in the side and is excited to have the Pakistan-born player for the One-day series against India.

Tahir, 31, was last week named in South Africa’s squad for the five match one-day series against which begins Wednesday. Smith said a leg-spinner in the side gives him an option to attack in the middle overs.

“It is something (having an attacking spinner) I have dreamt about during my captaincy, said Smith.

Kolkata, January 11: Anurag Thakur, a member of the Indian Premier League (IPL) governing council and president of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, said Tuesday he is hopeful about Sourav Ganguly getting associated with one of the franchises before the fourth edition of the League begins April 8.

“I know him (Sourav) for a long time, he is very good friend of mine. He is a great player. But as Preity Zinta had said, the director chooses the actor according to the role. Twenty20 is altogether a different game,” Thakur said while talking to media persons here Wednesday.

New Delhi, January 11: Former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist will lead Kings XI Punjab in the fourth season of Indian Premier League (IPL) beginning Feb 19.

Gilchrist played for Deccan Chargers in the first three seasons and lead them to victory in 2009.

“I am excited to represent Kings XI Punjab, one of the most passionate and dynamic teams of the IPL. The role of a captain is a challenging one and I hope that I can live up to the expectations and trust that the KXIP management has shown in me,” Gilchrist said.