‘Mad’ Wagner hailed for defying broken toes
MOUNT MAUNGANUI: Fast bowler Neil Wagner was hailed as an ‘inspiration’ on Wednesday after he shrugged off the pain of two broken toes to help bowl New Zealand to victory in the first Test at the Bay Oval. A Shaheen Shah Afridi yorker fractured two toes in Wagner’s right foot during New Zealand’s first innings […]
Roger Federer out of Australian Open after knee surgery
MELBOURNE: Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer will miss the Australian Open for the first time in his career as he continues his recovery from two rounds of knee surgery, organisers said on Monday. The 39-year-old Swiss has been out of action since February but recently resumed training and was on the entry list for […]
Barca’s Messi to miss Eibar game with ankle injury
BARCELONA: Barcelona forward Lionel Messi will miss Tuesday’s match at home to Eibar due to an ankle injury, the La Liga club said on Sunday. Barca said in a statement that Messi, who is in the last year of his contract and is free to negotiate a move to rival clubs for free in 2021, […]
India bundle out Australia for 195 on opening day of Boxing-Day Test
An inspired Indian bowling unit, led by the menacing Jasprit Bumrah and the crafty Ravichandran Ashwin, steam-rolled Australia for a meagre 195 on a memorable opening day of the second Test here on Saturday. New captain Ajinkya Rahane had a great day in office as he marshalled his resources impressively with debutant Mohammed Siraj (2/40 […]
Gill impresses at nets
Determined to leave behind the embarrassing defeat in the series-opener, the Indian team, under stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane, switched its focus to red-ball cricket today with Shubman Gill and others grinding it out during a net session ahead of the Boxing Day Test. Gill, who was not considered for the opening Test despite scoring 43 […]
Tokyo unveils final Olympic budget of $15.9 billion
TOKYO: The coronavirus-delayed Tokyo Olympics will cost at least 1.64 trillion yen ($15.9 billion), organisers said on Tuesday, unveiling a final budget swollen by the unprecedented postponement and a raft of pandemic measures. The extra costs — up 294 billion yen ($2.8 billion) from figures released a year ago — come as officials work to […]
Hard to put the disappointment into words: Kohli
India skipper Virat Kohli was shell-shocked after Australia turned the tables and dismissed his side for 36, their lowest total in Test history, before going on to score an eight-wicket win to take 1-0 lead in the four-Test series. “Very hard to put those feelings into words. We had a lead of 60-odd coming and […]
Lack of training may hurt Pakistan team in NZ: Wasim Akram
KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram believes that the 14-day quarantine period during which no training was allowed to Babar Azam and his men as well as New Zealand’s recent success record at home will make things really tough for the visiting side in the upcoming Test and T20 series commencing on Dec 18. In […]
New Zealand crush WI to extend unbeaten home Test streak
HAMILTON: New Zealand stretched their unbeaten run at home to 14 matches with a comprehensive win in the first Test against the West Indies in Hamilton on Sunday after ending a battling rearguard century by Jermaine Blackwood. The West Indies were all out before lunch on day four for 247 after making only 138 in […]
Williamson, Latham thrive as WI rue decision to bowl on green top
HAMILTON: The West Indies delight at winning the toss on a lush green pitch turned to frustration as New Zealand were rarely troubled in posting 243 for two on day one of the first Test at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Thursday. Kane Williamson, despite being troubled with cramp late in the day, produced a […]