FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016
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The win also was double World Championships bronze medalist Sindhu’s third against Sun Yu IANS, FUZHOU (CHINA)
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P.V. Sindhu of India celebrates during the women’s singles final against Sun Yu at the China Open in Fuzhou. (Photo: IANS)
But it wasn’t to be. Sindhu continued her strong game and led 11-7. But 2014 Asian Games champion Sun slowly upped her game and the home crowd did play a part in her revival. She matched the Indian stroke for stroke and equalized at 14-all
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Sindhu wins maiden China Open title lympic silver medallist Pusarla Venkata Sindhu battled past Chinese Sun Yu to win her first BWF Superseries Premier title at the China Open badminton tournament. The Indian seventh seed won the first game 21-11 but lost the next 17-21 before registering a 2111 triumph in the final game to clinch the title. The final lasted an hour and nine minutes. It was 21-year-old Sindhu’s maiden title. This win also was double World Championships bronze medalist Sindhu’s third in six games against Sun. Sindhu looked on the offensive from the beginning and quickly raced to a 7-2 lead that became 116 at the mid-game interval. Moving sharply within court, she showed her repertoire of strokes to bag five consecutive points that made it 17-7. She then won the first game 21-11. Going by Sun’s performance in the first game, it seemed like Sindhu will seal the match in the second game.
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with the help of a six-point streak which also gave her the lead at 1614. Then, Sindhu made it 17-all but Sun bagged the game by taking four straight points. In the final game, the momentum shifted as Sindhu again went on an attacking spree.
Lodha panel recommends dismissal of BCCI top brass NEW DELHI: The R.M. Lodha committee on Monday recommended the sacking of all office bearers of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and its state associations while also suggesting the appointment of former Home Secretary G.K. Pillai as an observer in the apex body. In a fresh status report filed to the Supreme Court, the panel asked that Pillai be appointed as observer with power to appoint an auditor, and guide the BCCI administration, particularly on the award of contracts and on transparency. The recommendations by the SCappointed Lodha Committee are the latest development in the ongoing stand-off between the apex court and the Anurag Thakur-led national cricket board over the running of the game in the country. The latest report makes a mention of “continued non-compliance by the office bearers of the BCCI”. “Direct and declare that all officebearers of the BCCI and the state associations who are disqualified by virtue of the norms at Para 4 (above 70, Minister or government servant, holding a post in any other sports body, has been a BCCI office-bearer for a cumulative period of nine years or has been charged by a court for criminal offence) above cease to hold office forthwith,” the Lodha panel’s status report said.
The panel also directed BCCI Chief Executive Officer Rahul Johri to look after all administrative and management matters of the board. “Direct that all administrative and management matters be carried out by the CEO of the BCCI without advertence to the Office Bearers.” “Appointment of G.K. Pillai, former Union Home Secretary, as the Observer of the BCCI to supervise the administration of the BCCI by the CEO and empower the Committee to appoint all necessary secretarial staff, assistance and fix remuneration as may be determined appropriate,” the report added. —IANS
India beat England in second Test IANS, VISAKHAPATNAM
Kohli at No.4 in ICC Test Rankings
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ndia rode on a superb bowling performance to beat England by 246 runs in the second cricket Test at the ACA-VDCA Stadium, to lead the five-match series 1-0. Chasing 405, England lost wickets at frequent intervals on the fifth and final day to end their second innings at 158. Rookie off-spinner Jayant Yadav enjoyed a memorable Test debut with figures of 3-30 while star offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin also bagged three wickets. Fast bowler Mohammed Shami and left-arm pacer Ravindra Jadeja claimed two wickets each. England skipper Alistair Cook top scored for his team with 54 runs. Jonny Bairstow remained unbeaten on 34. India captain Virat Kohli, who has been in excellent form with the bat in recent times, was adjudged the Man of the Match. Kohli had scored 167 runs in the first innings and 81 in the second.
DUBAI: After helping India register a 246-run win over England in the second Test at Visakhapatnam, skipper Virat Kohli vaulted 10 spots to a career-best fourth spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test Rankings. Besides Kohli, whose scores of 167 and 81 fetched him the Man of the Match performance, middle order mainstay Cheteshwar Pujara also moved a spot up to the 9th position while pace spearhead
India beat England by 246 runs in the second cricket Test at the ACA-VDCA stadium. (Photo: IANS)
Ashwin was the most successful among the Indian bowlers with a total of eight wickets in the match. Resuming at the overnight score of 87/2, England lost Ben Duckett in only the sixth over of the day. The left-hander went for a sweep off an Ashwin delivery but was outfoxed by the extra bounce as the
ball looped up for an easy catch to wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha. Duckett’s dismissal triggered a middle-order collapse for England. Moeen Ali was the next to go, defending patiently to score a mere two runs off 31 balls before Jadeja induced an edge to Virat Kohli at backward short leg.
Ben Stokes joined Root in the middle and continued with the English strategy of adopting an overtly defensive strategy in a desperate bid to stave off defeat. He battled for 33 deliveries for his six runs but Jayant Yadav put an end to his innings with a delivery that turned in sharply after pitching and beat the outside edge before crashing into the stumps. England suffered another crucial
Mohammad Shami gained five spots to reach a career high of No. 21 among the Virat Kohli bowlers. Kohli, currently top-ranked in Twenty20 Internationals, has never moved above the 10th place in Tests. India’s premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin continued to lead the bowlers in the list. —IANS
in the very next over when Joe Root also went back to the pavilion. Root, who lasted 107 deliveries for his 25 runs, was trapped leg before by an inswinger from Shami. Shami also dismissed Adil Rashid with a short-pitched delivery just before lunch and an Indian win was only a matter of time from there. The third Test begins at Mohali on November 26.