England must raise their game to be World Cup contender, says Graeme Swann
Graeme Swann believes that England must win between 20 and 25 of their 29 one-day internationals before the World Cup in 2011 to be able to head to the sub-continent with realistic hopes of success.
Through mischief or coincidence the schedule has pitted England against Netherlands in their opening fixture, a repeat of the World Twenty20 embarrassment in June. The highlight for Swann and colleagues is the second game, against India in front of 100,000 spectators at Calcutta. Bangladesh in Chittagong is the most slippery banana skin. Read more »
Chris Paterson suffers in Andy Robinson squad
After months of speculation, Andy Robinson has finally unveiled the radical, new-look side that he will send out to do battle in his first game as Scotland coach.
There are ten changes, some injury-enforced, from the side that started the final game under Frank Hadden but, like his predecessor, Robinson has elected to start the campaign with a gamble by sending the team out to face Fiji on Saturday without Chris Paterson, the record points-scorer and cap-holder. Read more »
MARTIN SAMUEL: You all know who David Haye is now!
David Haye stopped off to buy some newspapers on his way back from the airport. He was expecting a good press; he just was not expecting what happened next.
The shop at the garage was empty when the new heavyweight champion of the world walked in, but within a minute it became crowded as word spread and a dozen or so people left the pumps and their cars unattended and flocked to get an autograph or snatch a picture on their mobile telephones. Read more »
NZ win toss, elect to bat in 2nd ODI vs Pakistan
ABU DHABI: Pakistan brought back middle-order batsman Shoaib Malik after New Zealand won the toss and opted to bat in the second day-night international at Abu Dhabi Stadium here on Friday.
Malik was rested in the first match on Tuesday which Pakistan won by 138 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Allrounder Malik replaced young batsman Umer Akmal. Read more »
Murray, Davydenko, Verdasco in Valencia Open quarters
VALENCIA, Spain: Top seed Andy Murray survived a scare before advancing to the quarter-finals of the Valencia Open on Thursday when he defeated Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
The world number four from Britain, who is returning from a six-week wrist injury lay-off, looked set for a comfortable victory as he broke serve in the seventh game of the first set to seal a one-set lead. Read more »
McCullum ton helps NZ amass 303-8 against Pakistan
ABU DHABI: Opener Brendon McCullum smashed a brilliant hundred to help New Zealand pile up huge 303-8 against Pakistan in the second One-day International here at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Friday.
Winning the toss, New Zealand batted first and set Pakistan a difficult target of 304 runs in 50 overs. Read more »
India, Australia play 5th ODI tomorrow
HYDERABAD: The fifth One-day International between India and Australia will be played tomorrow and Geo Super will telecast this match live from Hyderabad Deccan.
An already weakened Australia were dealt another injury blow in the one-day series in India after Moises Henriques was ruled out of Thursday’s fifth match here with a damaged hamstring. Read more »
Afridi helps Pakistan sink New Zealand
ABU DHABI: Shahid Afridi hit an aggressive half-century and took two wickets to cap Pakistan’s 138-run win over New Zealand in the first day-night international here on Tuesday.
Afridi’s 50-ball 71 supplemented by Kamran Akmal’s undefeated 43-ball 67 and Khalid Latif’s steady maiden fifty lifted Pakistan to an imposing 287-9 before they shot New Zealand out for 149 in the 40th over. Read more »
India elect to field in 4th ODI against Australia
MOHALI: Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to field in the fourth one-day international against Australia at the Punjab Cricket Association stadium here on Monday.
India left out injured batsman Gautam Gambhir for the day-night encounter, bringing in Virat Kohli in his place. Read more »
Serena cruises past Venus to take WTA Championships title
DOHA: Serena Williams won her second career WTA Championships title on Sunday with a commanding 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) victory over sister Venus, a triumph which earned her a cool 1.55 million dollars.
Serena, who will finish the season as world number one, also won the trophy in 2001, making her just the second player after Justine Henin in 2007 to win two Grand Slam titles as well as the WTA Championship in the same year. Read more »
