Indian Badminton League: Saina trumps Sindhu in top-of-table clash

Saina Nehwal weathered a barrage of early pressure from PV Sindhu before taking a convincing straight games 21-19 21-8 win to give Hyderabad Hotshots take a 2-0 lead over Awadhe Warriors on Day Two of the Indian Badminton League.

The much-awaited maiden clash between the top two women's players in the country started out evenly before petering out into a one-sided contest.

While both players scoffed at any notion of a developing rivalry, clearly there were early nerves on both sides. A net error from Sindhu followed a smash that went wide, giving Nehwal a 2-0 lead. However, with Sindhu getting her range, it was the youngster who appeared to have the edge. Mixing up her game, she wrong-footed Nehwal with a half smash and the delicate drop that subsequently clipped the line gave her a 5-3 lead. The bluff even earned a half smile from Nehwal.

With her smashes hit true from the back court, Sindhu grew in confidence close in as well. Nehwal's tricks near the net weren't catching Sindhu and as she tried to change her distance and her pace, the errors crept in with the senior trailing 10-15. But for all of Nehwal's errors, she seemed to have a plan in place. With her experience, Nehwal had seen nearly every style of play. Now instead of relying solely on deceit, Nehwal upped the pace of the game and started moving around the court. Two smashes brought the score to 14-15 in part of a sequence which saw Nehwal win seven straight points. Sindhu drew level after a smash error from her opponent but Nehwal kept coming, cutting out any breathing space. Eventually, she took the game with a smash winner.

With the first game having gone as close as it had, Taufik Hidayat, Nehwal's Hyderabad teammate who was sitting in her corner, walked up to her at the changeover and appeared to offer her a word of advice. Nehwal nodded in agreement but it seemed as if she had already worked out the puzzle.

Indian Badminton League: Shuttle's litmus test

As the established 'icons' snuggled into their bar-stool-like chairs at the unveiling of the Indian Badminton League (IBL) trophy on Tuesday, PV Sindhu arrived, almost as if she was fashionably late.

In truth Sindhu, the country's first bronze-medal winner at the World Championships in three decades, has hardly had time for a shut-eye since her feat in Guangzhou last week. Sindhu had traveled from Guangzhou to Hyderabad and onward to New Delhi in about 48 hours.

The teenaged medallist smiled shyly when the spotlight was trained solely on her for a while as she made herself comfortable on stage.

The timing of her bronze in the women's singles couldn't have been better for the sport in India, which is making its first tryst with big-money by ushering in the franchise-based league, the curtains of which lift today at the Siri Fort Complex in New Delhi.

With eight men in the top-50 and PV Sindhu set to rise from her current No.12 position when the latest rankings are released on Thursday, Indian badminton is no longer just about Saina Nehwal or Jwala Gutta or Ashwini Ponnappa.

However, while Indian players crowding the rankings table is a good sign, it does not guarantee the success of IBL, nor assure spectators at stadiums or viewers in front of television sets.

Similar leagues in other sports have been inspired by cricket's rather successful pioneer, the Indian Premier League, but not all have proven to be sustainable.

The IBL has had its share of teething problems, including pull-outs and postponements. The full array of international stars won't be on show as powerhouse China is not participating in the event.

The World Championship men's singles gold-medal winner Lin Dan will not be here, while the match fitness of runner-up and World No.1 Lee Chong Wei is suspect after the Malaysian pulled out while trailing 20-17 in the third game of the Worlds final. Yet, there remains a sense of anticipation.

World champion Ratchanok Inthanon also a 'devoted' kid

The on-court aggression was replaced by a beaming smile as Ratchanok Inthanon, hours after conquering the badminton world, lined up to receive Thailand's 'devoted children' award on Monday.

On Sunday, the 18-year-old upset Olympic champion Li Xuerui in the women's singles final to become the youngest winner of the prestigious event which China had dominated for a decade.

On Monday, the Thai teen, wearing dental braces and decked out in a blazer and check shirt, was among the 96 'devoted children' to receive the award at Thailand's National Mother's Day ceremony.

Beaten by Li in their previous four encounters, Ratchanok had predicted the victory, which she dedicated to her mother and the Queen, in Guangzhou would make her more confident against the top shuttlers.

"Being the champion has been my dream," Ratchanok was quoted as saying in the Thai media after beating Li 22-20 18-21 21-14 to become the first Thai to win the world championship.

"At the end of the match all the tough moments from all the years came into my mind and I thought, 'Finally, I've got it.'"

There was no such joy for Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei who had to retire with injury at match point down in the third set as his Chinese nemesis Lin Dan returned from a year off to claim his fifth world championship title.

Lee's coach Tey Seu Bock said the organisers' decision to switch off the air-conditioning at the venue made things difficult for Malaysian shuttler.

"We are not offering any excuses for the loss but lack of air-conditioning will endanger the players... because a drop in oxygen level can be dangerous because it can cause breathing difficulties," he was quoted as saying by the Bernama news agency.

"In the third set Chong Wei had indicated to me that he was coming down with cramps but when he saw Lin Dan was also having difficulties, he decided to continue," he added.

Domestic cricket made me: Rahul Dravid

PANAJI: He came, he saw and he indeed conquered — if you go by the crowd's overwhelming response to whatever he said during BITS Pilani's annual convocation on Sunday.

Donning a sky-blue gown, Padmashree and Padma Bhushan Rahul Dravid appeared to be one among the many who graduated this year. However, the former India captain did not forget to talk cricket when he was asked to address young minds. His words stressed on the importance of the domestic game, which he still considers the best platform for the groundwork that international cricket requires.

"Spin or fast bowling, easy or difficult track, domestic cricket made me better prepared than I would have ever been without it. It exposed me to some quality spin bowling which shaped me for the face-offs against the likes of (Muttiah) Muralitharan and (Shane) Warne. Though I didn't get much scope to regularly play fast bowling of international quality, I often used to ask my colleagues to throw wet tennis balls from 15 yards just to make sure I face no trouble while adjusting to the pace and bounce of overseas turfs," he said.

"While I played Ranji Trophy for five years, I used to be asked 'when are you playing for the nation?' — a question which I didn't have any answer to. I kept playing before I got my first break in 1996; those five years were indeed frustrating. But today I think I wouldn't have been prepared for the success I ultimately had in international cricket had I not gone through the finishing school that domestic cricket provided," he maintained.

The 40-year-old also insisted that he retired at the right time and he never felt he could have achieved more by playing a little longer. "After the tour of Australia last year, things became pretty clear that it was time for me to make way for the upcoming generation of talented batsmen to begin their journeys, just the way I did 16 years ago."

Cristiano Ronaldo lifts Real Madrid to victory over Chelsea

MIAMI GARDENS: Cristiano Ronaldo gave his former coach Jose Mourinho one more dazzling display of his skills, and delivered a trophy to Real Madrid in the process with a 3-1 win over Chelsea in Wednesday's final of the Guinness International Champions Cup. 

Ronaldo scored twice and set up the opener as the Spanish giants got one over their old coach Mourinho, who departed the Bernabeu at the end of last season to return to Chelsea. 

Real Madrid's new manager Carlo Ancelotti was also coaching against one of his old teams, having led Chelsea to the 2009-10 English Premier League and F.A. Cup double. 

Madrid opened the scoring in the 14th minute as Ronaldo's well-weighted through ball found Marcelo on the goal side of his marker. After sidestepping the covering defender, the Brazilian fired a well-placed shot into the bottom right corner, beyond the reach of sprawling Chelsea keeper Petr Cech. 

Chelsea got the equalizer quickly. Ramires split two defenders to be put clear on the goalkeeper. Iker Casillas charged off his line to cut down the angle but Ramires calmly flicked the ball softly over him and into the net. 

With scores level in the 30th minute, Ronaldo was the recipient of a hard tackle from behind by Branislav Ivanovic. Ronaldo merely smiled as he sat on the turf, adjusting his kit while most of the other players convened for a bit of shouting. 

Ronaldo got his revenge on the resulting free kick. From about 25 yards, his strike curled to the left, sneaking just under the crossbar and off the fingertips of the diving Cech. 

Chelsea had three great chances in the first seven minutes of the second half to equalize again, the best of those when Eden Hazard got behind a defender and carried the ball in alone against Casillas. The keeper sprung off his line to make the save and protect the one-goal lead. 

In the 57th minute, Ronaldo struck again, perfectly timing his run toward the goal line and steering in a header to complete the scoring. 

Ronaldo had the crowd frenzied at that point, including one fan who got onto the field later in the game. Wearing a Ronaldo jersey, he was able to not just get to the Real Madrid star, but wrap him in an embrace near the sideline and share some words for several seconds before police officers escorted the man off the field.

Lin Dan-Lee Chong Wei rivalry heats up

Badminton's not half as much fun without its only saleable contemporary rivalry — Lin Dan vs Lee Chong Wei. Their's is a curious war of words. Lee went all cranky when Lin, who's vamoosed off the international circuit and dropped to No 100 in the world after his London Olympics gold, was handed a wildcard for the ongoing World Championships. Malaysian coaches added their tut-tuts too.

Lin said nothing till he was dragged to the pre-event media interaction, and then stated the obvious: "I have come prepared to win the world title again. My fans will see the best from me."

Deadpan statements are not supposed to sound so ominous.

The wildcard extended to Super Dan had driven Lee to question the fairness in this world after he had sweated over keeping the top ranking and seeding, only to be told that the Chinese superstar would saunter in and in all probability strut away with the title.

However, even Lee would know that a World title would be hollow without beating the two-time Olympic champion. Having finished second-best to Lin at the last Worlds (2011) and at the London Games (2012), the Malaysian did run into the Chinese at the All England earlier this year. In an incident that must have set Lee's teeth on edge, Lin aborted the match while leading 21-19, 6-2, walking away as if the contest didn't matter.

Now in their 30s, both stars will sense that making the next Worlds — even if it's an annual affair — isn't a certainty given their growing injury toll, but Lee will feel this more more acutely having never won the World crown despite his long reign as the World No 1. In fact, he's picked up just a silver and bronze from the last eight years.

Ashes 2013: More umpiring drama, this time over decision to halt play

Officials were once again at the centre of controversy in this Ashes series when they took the players off the field for bad light on the fourth day of the third Test at Old Trafford. Australia, 2-0 down in the five-match series and needing to win this match to stand any chance of regaining the Ashes, were 172 for seven in their second innings — a lead of 331 runs — when umpires Marais Erasmus and Tony Hill called a halt at 4.26pm local time on Sunday. 

Subsequent rain prevented the match resuming and play was officially abandoned at 5.38pm, with officials — much criticised for their implementation of the Decision Review System this series — coming under scrutiny again.

Australia captain Michael Clarke, 30 not out, was clearly furious at being told to go off for bad light in a situation where any stoppage increased England's chances of securing the draw that would see them retain the Ashes.

Although the floodlights were on, the umpires decided conditions were too dangerous to continue when it looked as if fast-medium bowler Stuart Broad was about to be brought back into the attack. 

"We try and play as long as we can. We were able to stay out a heck of a lot longer under the lights — but when we started losing it (tracking the ball) completely from square leg, we gave the skipper (England captain Alastair Cook) the option to use spin, and he didn't want to do that," said New Zealand's Hill.

It used to be the case the umpires would 'offer' the light to the batsmen to see if they wanted to continue or not.

Would place Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara on equal terms, says Steve Waugh

Former Australian captain Steve Waugh today rated Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar as "equals" because they played in different conditions and under different sort of pressures.

"I hate comparisons between players because it unnecessarily creates controversy. Both played under different pressure and for different teams. I would place them pretty much on equal terms," Waugh told reporters during an interaction organised by Brigade Orchards here.

Lara and Tendulkar were unbelievable players, who won games for their teams, playing under different conditions, Waugh said.

"Sachin was carrying on his shoulders amazing pressure of 1.3 billion people. Brian obviously was the best player in a weak team," he added.

Another former Australian captain, Ricky Ponting had rated Lara ahead of Sachin as he felt the West Indian helped his team win more matches.

On Tendulkar's retirement, Waugh said all good players ultimately have to hang their boots.

Despite the retirements of legends like Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, Waugh said Indian cricket will survive as it has abundance of young talents.

On MS Dhoni's captaincy, Waugh said he has a magical touch and hardly commits mistakes.

"During Australia's tour of India last year, Dhoni came in and scored a double century when India's chips were down. He knows how to perform at the big stage. He has got so much of magical touch," Waugh said.

"It is not easy to captain India where fans expect a lot from the players," he said.

On Australia's chances here in October, Waugh said India is a fantastic team.

"India has always been a favourites at home. At the moment we are struggling a little bit," he said.

About Australia's opposition to DRS for many decisions going against them in the ongoing Ashes series, Waugh said the system is pretty good.

"We are getting more decisions right than wrong and I think it is a positive development," he said.

India in Zimbabwe 2013

The end of India's routine warm-up football game, on the eve of the 4th ODI game, saw Cheteshwar Pujara making a dash to his kitbag. The urgency in his stride reminded one of the trademark haste that opening batsmen of fielding sides show while rushing to the dressing room after the fall of the opposition's final wicket. Maybe, this was how India's Test No.3 was preparing himself for his new innings and a possible new role. Also read: A case for rotation

With the series already in Virat Kohli's back pocket, India are expected to take the field without those who have played a big role in helping the side take a 3-0 winning lead. Now, it's time to test their bench. This means Pujara, in all likelihood, will replace in-form opener Shikhar Dhawan at the top of the order and thus make his ODI debut. So Pujara walking out with Rohit Sharma at the start of the innings is a likely scenario at Bulawayo on Thursday. Also read: Highway stars

The Pujara-Rohit pair may be new for India's ODI side but the two go back a long way, having spent several hours on the pitch together pulverising bowlers. Having played most of their junior cricket together, the two were room partners during the 2006 Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka. After dominating the tournament on the strength of their batting, India lost the final to Pakistan.

Pujara finished as the highest run-getter of the tournament, Rohit was a few rungs down that ladder. All through the Cup, Pujara was the opener and Rohit followed him at No.3. Their spectacular show was to catch the eyes of the selectors but the two promising juniors took different paths at the senior level. Rohit was the first to get the India break as he made the ODI side. After a stunning debut, he faltered.

Waiting for Test call-up now: Mishra

It has been three years since he last played a Test match but Indian leg-spinner Amit Mishra is hopeful that his fine show in the ongoing ODI series against Zimbabwe would once again open the doors for him in the five-day format.

Mishra, with nine wickets at 15.11 runs apiece in three matches, has set an Indian record in a bilateral series in Zimbabwe in ODIs.Only once in his career, he has taken 10 or more wickets in a series 11 at an average of 18.09 in five

matches in West Indies in 2011.

And riding on the current performance, the 30-year-old, who was adjudged man of the match in yesterday's third ODI which India won to clinch the series, is now hoping to get a Test call-up.

"I'm not in the Test side. I'll try and do my job in the next two matches, and then it's up to the selectors. I've been waiting a long time for this and I'm doing my best and it's working for me now," said Mishra, who is on his first ODI assignment in two years.

Since his debut in 2008, Mishra has played 13 Tests, taking 43 wickets at an average of 43.30. Mishra detailed the changes he has brought to his bowling and how the hard work was paying dividends now.

"I've done lots of hard work on my googlies and variations and it's paying off," he said.

"When I came here I was just thinking about the conditions and how to bowl on these kinds of tracks. I've spoken a lot with TP (Trevor Penney) and Duncan (Fletcher) who have given me a few tips, which I've been working hard on," he added.

Mishra admitted that competition is tough in the Indian team but insisted that it is healthy.

"All the players have done so well in domestic cricket, so they came here with the confidence," he said.

Ladies cycle

Deborah seemed destined for unremarkable existence in the far reaches of Car Nicobar, till the tsunami happened and she ended up finding her calling in cycling. This is her story.

On the face of it Deborah is like any other teenager - bubbly and reserved at the same time - but seat her on a bicycle and there is an instant transformation. Out comes the fierce determination to beat all odds with no fear of the unknown. 

The 18-year-old from Car Nicobar has overcome tremendous adversities in her short life to usher India's finest medal haul at the recent Junior Asian Cycling Championships with one silver and two bronze in the track races. What is more amazing is that this is her first international tournament, which came immediately after her first ever National camp in New Delhi. 

Cycling was far from her mind nine years ago when a devastating tsunami hit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 2004.

Happy to be with my home team: Saina

New Delhi: Star shuttler Saina Nehwal is over the moon after being picked up by Hyderabad Hotshots in the inaugural players` auction of the Indian Badminton League here on Monday, and said she will give her best to help her team win the upcoming franchise-based event.

"I am very happy to be with my home team. I always wanted to be with either Hyderabad or Lucknow but eventually I was bought by Hyderabad and it is a great news. I hope I can help my team to do well in the IBL," said Saina.

"It is a good exposure. It is a good beginning. I will give my 100 per cent," added the London Olympics bronze medallist.

Saina, an icon player, was bought by Hyderabad Hotshots for a whopping USD 120,000 (approximately Rs 71,27,796) after beating the bids of Lucknow Warriors and Pune Pistons in the much-awaited auction where over 150 players went under the hammer for 66 slots to be filled by six teams.

Each team will have six Indians, four foreigners and one Indian junior player each.

While Saina was bought by her home team, ace male shuttler P Kashyap, who was picked up by Banga Beats for USD 75,000 (Rs 4,455,622 approx) did not turn out to be that lucky.

The Commonwealth Games bronze-medallist, however, assured of giving his best for the Bangalore franchise in the inaugural IBL to be held across cities from August 14 to 31.

"I am happy to be picked up in the auction. It will be a good experience, especially after the world championship.

"But I would have been more comfortable if I was picked up by the Hyderabad team because it is my home. The matches will be played in Gachibowli (in Hyderabad) and I live in Gachibowli," Kashyap said. 

'I want to dominate' through to Rio: Bolt

Jamaican sprint sensation Usain Bolt has a gold medal haul like no other but the global superstar says he is far from finished yet. Three golds from the London Olympics in the 100, 200 and 4x100m relay mirrored his success in the Beijing Games of 2008.

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In between he nailed a gold treble at the 2009 Berlin world championships and also won two golds in Daegu in 2011, a false start in the 100m putting paid to another clean sweep.

He holds the world records in the 100 and 200m (9.58 and 19.19sec, both set in Berlin), and was part of the record-breaking Jamaican relay squad (36.84sec in London Olympics).

But now the 26-year-old, who will race the 200m at the Paris leg of the Diamond League at the Stade de France on Saturday, has his sights set on further "dominating" the sport."I want to dominate sprinting until the Rio Games," said Bolt.

"To dominate the competition, remain the best despite all these young, ambitious sprinters appearing on the scene, all wanting to beat me.

"I remember asking (US track legend) Michael Johnson the year he retired from sport what he thought of his career. He explained to me his pride at having been able to dominate his sport all the way to the end. My objective is the same." Bolt explained that a love of "competition" was key to his motivation.

"I still get just as much of a kick out of it. The more I run in competition, the more I want to surpass myself," he said.

Pradeep Sangwan's doping escapade in IPL gets Twitter buzzin

After the infamous spot-fixing scandal, Indian Premier League(IPL) has suffered another blow after Kolkata Knight Riders(KKR) seamer Pradeep Sangwan failed a random dope test on Thursday.

As Sangwan became only the second cricketer in the history of IPL after Pakistani speedster Mohammed Asif to have been found guilty of consuming banned drugs, the Indian cricket fans expressed their feelings in the wake of the doping fiasco on Twitter.

"Yes, Pradeep Sangwan has tested positive for banned substances during this edition of Indian Premier League. The BCCI has already issued a letter to the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) in this regard. There have been traces of banned substances in his 'A' sample," a top BCCI official said.

Asked if it was just a banned drug or a performance enhancing drug, the source said, "We will be able to know that only after the 'B' sample test is done. As you have seen the trend in other sports, the 'B' sample tests normally shows the trend of 'A' sample. One thing is for sure, the BCCI has zero-tolerance towards dope offenders. But at this point we can't comment about what action will be taken against the offender," the official said.

The left-arm seamer from Delhi, who played for Kolkata Knight Riders in sixth edition of the IPL, was brought by Shah Rukh Khan's team in the fourth edition of the league(2011). 

He was the first U-19 player at the inaugural IPL draft and was brought by the Delhi Daredevils. At 17 years 179 days, Pradeep Sangwan of the Delhi Daredevils was the youngest player to play the IPL.

Sangwan was also a member of the victorious Indian team at the U-19 World Cup in 2008. He took eight wickets - including a crucial spell of 5/44 for Indian's victory over South Africa.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/pradeep-sangwan-guilty-of-doping-fails-dope-test-ipl-kkr-seamer-twitter-buzzing-twitterati-reactions/1/291921.html

Postmatch ceremony of 2013 Gold Cup to be in English and Spanish

Regardless of the winner, the ceremony following the 2013 Gold Cup final will be in both English and Spanish, CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb said.

PASADENA, Calif. – The awards ceremony of the 2013 Gold Cup will be in both English and Spanish.

Two years ago, when Mexico defeated the United States 4-2 in the final at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., the closing ceremony took place in Spanish. Already incensed from blowing a two-goal lead, U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard reacted vehemently to the language choice.

"CONCACAF should be ashamed of themselves," Howard said. "I think it was a f---ing disgrace that the entire postmatch ceremony was in Spanish. You can bet your ass that if we were in Mexico City, it wouldn't be all in English.”

The 2013 edition kicks off where the 2011 Gold Cup ended, in Pasadena. Speaking from the bowels of the Rose Bowl on Sunday, CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb announced that this year's ceremony will use both languages.

“The objective this year is to be doing both in English and in Spanish,” Webb said.

Soldier Field in Chicago will host the 2013 final on July 28.