Sports

Karachi, July 04: For the first time since the Multan Test of 2004, or 38 Tests, Pakistan started a Test without Danish Kaneria. They were always going to play three fast bowlers, and going to field first if they won the toss. And they did win it.

Two of those fast bowlers were debutants – the 17-year-old Mohammad Aaamer and the 30-year-old Abdur Rauf. So was Kaneria’s replacement, Saeed Ajmal, perhaps getting the nod by the virtue of being an offspinner against Sri Lanka’s ready supply of left-hand batsmen.

London, July 04: Gary Kirsten, India’s coach, has credited India’s innings not being affected as much as by inclement weather as crucial to taking a series lead.

West Indies innings began two hours late and was interrupted thrice due to rain, and further intervals initially readjusted India’s target to 195 in 27 overs before a further shower reduced it to 159 in 22 overs. In the end, thanks to MS Dhoni’s unbeaten hand, India won in the final over with six wickets in hand.

Gros Islet, July 04: West Indies skipper Chris Gayle praised the captain`s innings played by Mahendra Singh Dhoni but felt a bit more aggressiveness on the part of his bowlers could have helped the team win the third One-dayer at the Beausejour Stadium.

Frequent rain interruptions affected the West Indies momentum but Ramnaresh Sarwan ensured they registered a competitive 185 for seven from 27 overs.

London, July 04: It is intricate plot development and stunning twists that often make for great sports stories, ones that are celebrated and retold time and again.

Unpredictability is the very soul of sport. You don’t know what comes next; you don’t know whether this great feat or that is possible or not. And the suspense makes it all special.

Amazingly, one of the greatest stories in the history of sport — Roger Federer’s climb up Mount Improbable — has always seemed utterly predictable.

England, July 04: Rising, rising, rising, high above the most famous patch of grass in tennis, Roger Federer channeled Pete Sampras on match point in the Wimbledon semifinals Friday, tucking both feet back beneath his body and uncorking an overhead smash.

And now, after years of chasing Sampras, Federer is poised to surpass him.

London, July 04: India’s Leander Paes was in sight of his second Grand Slam title of the year after he along with Zimbabwe’s Cara Black booked a final berth in the mixed doubles of the Wimbledon tennis championships here Friday.

In the semi-final, the top-seeded pair of Paes and Black won 6-4, 6-4 against the 12th seeded Stephen Huss of Australia and Spaniard Virginia Ruano Pascal.

Paes, who won the French Open men’s doubles title last month, and Black took 73 minutes to wrap up the match in straight sets.

London, July 04: Striker Michael Owen completed his free-transfer move to English football champions Manchester United Friday.

The 29 year old underwent stringent medical tests before signing a two-year contract on what is believed to be a pay-as-you-play basis with a basic weekly wage topped up by bonuses.

“Michael is a world-class forward with a proven goalscoring record at the highest level and that has never been in question,” said United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

“Coming to Manchester United with the expectations that we have is something that Michael will relish.”

St. Lucia (Gros Islet), July 04: Ramnaresh Sarwan scored a quick 62 as the West Indies made 185 for seven in 27 overs in the rain-affected third One-day international against India here Friday. But India will require 195 to win after the target was adjusted on the Duckworth/Lewis method.

Ashish Nehra picked up three for 21 and Harbhajan Singh got two for 35 after India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni opted to bowl at the Beausejour Stadium.

–Agencies

St. Lucia, July 04: Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni played another responsible knock of 46 not out as India took an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the series, winning the third One-day international by six wickets according to the Duckworth-Lewis (DL) Method with just one ball to spare here on a rain-marred Friday.

India capitalised on a good start by openers Dinesh Karthik (47) and Gautam Gambhir (44) and Man of the Match Dhoni played a composed innings off 34 balls as the visitors achieved the rain revised target of 159 in 22 overs at the Beausejour Stadium.

Switzerland, July 03: Five-time champion Roger Federer of Switzerland, the second seed, has won his Wimbledon semi-final 7-6 (7/3) 7-5 6-3 against Tommy Haas of Germany, the 24th seed.

The 31-year-old Haas, who blew a two-set lead against Federer in the French Open last month, went shot for shot with the world number two in an opening set that remained on serve throughout.
–Agencies

Gros Islet (St Lucia), July 03: The third one-dayer between India and the West Indies has been delayed due to rain here today.

Visiting captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni had won the toss and elected to field.

The four-match series is tied 1-1.
–PTI

New Delhi, July 03: India is not a bully at the International Cricket Council (ICC), the cricket’s governing body said today.

“I have never regarded India as a bully at the ICC,” ICC President David Morgan said in response to criticism by some cricket commentators that India always had its way because of its financial muscle.

Morgan referred to his experience with India at the ICC under the leadership of Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar and Shashank Manohar and said he would never accept that India acts as a bully.

Colombo, July 03: These are exciting days in the life of Kumar Sangakkara. Last week his wife gave birth to twins, and during that nervous period (“unbelievable feeling, overjoyed”), he was also aware he had a Test match starting on July 4, his first as captain.

Having led Sri Lanka to the World Twenty20 final is all right, but he knows leading in Tests is the real deal.

London, July 03: A Pakistani former head of cricket’s international governing body on Friday accused India of exploiting its financial clout by trying to form a cartel of top nations.

Former International Cricket Council (ICC) president Ehsan Mani warned against attempts to create a divide in international cricket by allowing a top tier with Australia, England, India and South Africa.

Karachi, July 03: The Pakistan Cricket Board has decided not to appoint paid selectors in future and will have a single selection committee to pick both national senior and junior teams.

A senior PCB official told PTI that the hue and cry over the dissolution of the separate selection committees was not justified as people do not know the real facts.

“The governing council at its last meeting had expressed dissatisfaction with the working of the selection committees.

Munich, July 03: The European football union UEFA wants to step up its monitoring system in the fight against match-fixing, a German newspaper reports Friday quoting a UEFA expert.

From next season UEFA will be expanding its monitoring of UEFA matches to include all games in the top two divisions of all European countries, Peter Limacher, UEFA’s head of disciplinary services, was quoted as saying by Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

The organization also intends to set up a databank providing information on matches and betting flows.

Karachi, July 03: Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt has forgiven opener Imran Nazir for his misconduct during a domestic Twenty20 championship final, paving the way for his return to the national team for the one-day series in Sri Lanka.

The PCB confirmed that Nazir submitted a written apology to Butt for his misconduct in the final at Gaddafi stadium when he showed strong dissent over an umpiring decision.

Nazir was later fined Rs 10,000 rupees and banned for three matches by the match referee.

London, July 03: Former European Footballer of the Year Michael Owen may be on the verge of joining Manchester United from relegated Newcastle United, acco rding to several British media reports on Friday.

The England international could move to the Premier League champions if he passes a stringent medical examination, said the reports.

A Manchester United spokesman said that the club would not comment on the speculation.

New Delhi, July 03: Hockey India on Tuesday dismissed charges of indifference towards the women’s team which won the FIH Champions Challenge II in Russia and promised to fete them when the players gather together.

Rubbishing allegations that HI showed indifference to the team and did not send a single official to receive them at the airport, HI secretary general Mohammad Aslam said on the contrary, the body was planning to felicitate them at a later date.

“I have congratulated the team and have been in constant touch with the team when they were in Kazan,” Aslam said

London, July 03: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed the decision of postponing the next edition of the ICC World Twenty20 championship by a week, which will now held from April 30 to May 16.

This decision of ICC could be influenced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as this decision will help the Indian Premier League which is scheduled to begin from18 March as now there will a gap of a week between two tournaments.

New Delhi, July 03: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been reconsidering their decision to cancel the Deodhar Trophy, the zonal 50-50 tournament, for the 2009-10 domestic season which was taken just a day before.

BCCI chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty said that they have been trying to fit the Deodhar Trophy in the packed 2009-10 domestic season schedule.

Melbourne, July 03: Glenn McGrath has passed on his assessment of England players to Australia’s new bunch of pace bowlers to help them wrest an edge in the Ashes series beginning next week.

McGrath, who has an outstanding record against England with 157 wickets taken at an average of 20.92, met the current Australian fast bowlers in Worcester.

Karachi, July 03: Younus Khan insists there will be no hangover from Pakistan’s ICC World T20 triumph when they resume battle against beaten finalists Sri Lanka, with the first Test in Galle starting on Saturday.

Pakistan’s eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the final at Lord’s on June 21 sparked massive celebrations at home, but captain Younis has urged his players to put such memories to the back of their minds and focus on the task at hand.

“We have won the World Twenty20, but that’s in the past,” Younus said.

Melbourne, July 03: Australia captain Ricky Ponting heads into the upcoming Ashes series against England looking to erase the one blot on a CV filled with outstanding achievements.

Ponting, one of the most talented batsmen of his and many another generation, has yet to captain his country to Ashes glory in England.

He was in charge when Australia lost their first Ashes series in nearly 20 years when England won 2-1 on home soil four years ago.

Colombo, July 03: Muttiah Muralitharan has been ruled out of the first Test against Pakistan in Galle starting on Saturday due to a minor knee injury.

The offspinner hurt his patella tendon while training on the eve of the game and has been advised rest. The selectors have called up left-arm spinner Rangana Herath and offspinner Suraj Mohamed as replacements.