.

Cricket - Sports

Loading...

Friday, July 31, 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Landslides kill 29 in Nepal

Posted:

KATHMANDU (AFP) - Landslides triggered by heavy rains in quake-hit Nepal killed at least 29 people on Thursday, sweeping away homes and leaving more than a dozen missing.Rescuers are still searching through rubble for around 15 more people believed missing in the western district of Kaski in the foothills of the Himalayas, around 150 kilometres (90 miles) west of the capital Kathmandu.The number of dead has risen to 26 in our district, said Kaski police chief Kedar Rajaure.Over 200 of our personnel are still working at the site to search and rescue. Three more people, including an 83-year-old man, were killed in two landslides in the neighbouring districts of Myagdi and Baglung, according to a statement released by authorities.Eighteen people injured in the disaster have been taken to local hospitals for treatment, Rajaure told AFP.Scores of people die every year from flooding and landslides during the monsoon season in the Himalayan nation.Two weeks ago a student was killed when a landslide buried part of a school in the nearby town of Pokhara, and 35 people died last month when a landslide crushed villages in northeastern Nepal.The monsoon rains are also hampering delivery of relief supplies to mountainous villages devastated by the massive earthquake that struck the Himalayan nation on April 25.More than 8,800 people were killed by the quake and a large aftershock, and many more were left without shelter.

Afghan Taliban confirm leader Mullah Omar's death

Posted:

KABUL (AFP) - The Taliban on Thursday confirmed the death of their elusive leader Mullah Omar, paving the way for the first transition of power for the fractious militant movement waging a bloody war in Afghanistan.The Taliban now face the daunting task of choosing a successor to the near-mythical figure, with militant sources telling AFP current deputy Mullah Akhtar Mansour is leading the race although no final decision has been taken.Omars death marks a significant blow to the Taliban, which is riven by internal divisions and threatened by the rise of the Islamic State group, the Middle East jihadist outfit that is making steady inroads in Afghanistan.The Taliban said Omar died of sickness, without specifying when, a day after the Afghan government said the one-eyed warrior-cleric had passed away in Pakistan two years ago.The leadership of the Islamic Emirate and the family of Mullah Omar... announce that leader Mullah Omar died due to a sickness, a Taliban statement said, using the movements official name.It said Omar never left Afghanistan, from where he led the movement, a claim at odds with Kabuls assertion that he died in a hospital in the Pakistani city of Karachi under mysterious circumstances.Not for a single day in the last 14 years did he go to Pakistan or any other country and led the Islamic Emirate affairs from his headquarters, the statement said, declaring three days of prayer ceremonies in his memory.The family of the man who led an insurgency that has killed tens of thousands of civilians also asked Muslims to forgive him if anyones rights were violated during his time in the Islamic Emirate.A Taliban official said the process to choose Omars successor had several stages: the groups ruling council would choose a candidate who must then be approved by a college of religious clerics.The top contenders are Mansour and Omars son Mullah Yakoub, who sources said was favoured by some commanders but at 26 was considered too young and inexperienced for such a key role.Hafiz Saeed, the head of a Pakistani Islamist organisation seen as a front for the group behind the deadly 2008 Mumbai attacks, led around 1,000 followers in the eastern city of Lahore in funeral prayers for Omar, a spokesman for the group said.The confirmation of Omars death ends years of fevered speculation about the fate of the leader, who has not been seen in public since the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan that toppled the Taliban from power.But it cast a pall on the countrys fragile peace process aimed at ending the long war, with the Taliban distancing itself from the second round of talks slated for Friday.The insurgents have ramped up their attacks on military and government targets since the NATO combat mission ended in December.Media outlets are circulating reports that peace talks will take place very soon... either in China or Pakistan, the Taliban said in a separate statement posted on their website early Thursday.(Our) political office... are not aware of any such process.Afghanistan later said the meeting scheduled in Pakistan had been postponed, voicing hope that it would be convened in the near future.Afghan officials met Taliban cadres earlier this month in Murree, a holiday town in the hills north of the Pakistani capital Islamabad, for their first face-to-face talks aimed at ending the bloody insurgency.They had agreed to meet again in the coming weeks, drawing international praise, and Afghan officials had pledged to press for a ceasefire in the second round.Michael Kugelman, Afghanistan expert at the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, said the loss of their long-time leader was a huge blow for the Taliban.Announcement of Omars death will spark an existential crisis for the Taliban, and the last thing that will be on its mind are peace talks, Kugelman told AFP.It will need to focus on its survival, not talks.A statement from the Afghan presidential palace on Wednesday said grounds for the discussions are more solid now than before, and implored all insurgents to join the peace process.But many Taliban ground commanders have openly questioned the legitimacy of the negotiators, exposing dangerous faultlines within the movement.The split over the peace process has been worsened by the emergence of a local branch of the Islamic State group, which last year declared a caliphate across large areas of Iraq and Syria under its control.The Taliban warned IS recently against expanding in the region, but this has not stopped some fighters, inspired by the groups success, defecting to swear allegiance to IS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Tennis: Nadal safely into Hamburg quarter-finals

Posted:

HAMBURG (AFP) - Rafael Nadal eased into the Hamburg Open quarter-finals Thursday with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) win over Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic as the Spaniard continues to try and resuscitate his flagging season.The top-seeded Mallorcan, playing the summer clay-court tournament for the first time in seven years, goes on to face fifth-seeded Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas, who battled past Jerzy Janowicz of Poland 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.Nadal, the 2008 champion in Hamburg, extended his clay record in 2015 to 23-6 as he looks to add to his 46 clay-court titles.I think I played a good match, said the 29-year-old.Something that I am proud of today, very happy with, is my attitude and Im very happy with the way that I played. I just need a little bit more consistency.Nadal has endured a tough year, losing his French Open title, getting knocked out in the second round at Wimbledon and seeing his ranking slump to 10, his lowest in a decade.Cuevas, a semi-finalist in Hamburg in 2009, notched his 23rd win of the season as he defeated Janowicz in one hour and 34 minutes. Twenty of Cuevas victories in 2015 have come on clay.It will be the second meeting of the season for Nadal and Cuevas after the Spaniard won in three sets in February in Rio.Hes one of the best players of the world, especially on clay, Nadal said of Cuevas.Its a big match and I know I have to play well if I want to be in that semi-finals. Im going to fight for it.Fourth seed Andreas Seppi beat German wild card Florian Mayer 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 and next faces Italian compatriot Simone Bolelli, who earned a 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4 win over Spains Jaume Munar.

Tennis: Serena says plenty of room to improve at US Open

Posted:

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Top-ranked Serena Williams, coming off her fourth consecutive Grand Slam triumph at Wimbledon, said Thursday she has plenty of room to improve before chasing more history at the US Open.Speaking on a teleconference to promote her first hardcourt tuneup event for the Flushing Meadows fortnight, the 33-year-old American praised her mental game but added that her best is yet to come.Im playing some of my best mental tennis. My actual tennis I think I could play a lot better, Williams said. Thats really exciting going into 2016.Before Williams takes a serious look at next year, she will focus on the next few weeks at the years final Grand Slam event, where she could become only the fourth woman to complete a calendar-year Grand Slam and match Steffi Grafs Open Era record of 22 womens Grand Slam singles crowns.Im not thinking about it much, Williams said of the history within her reach, instead taking pride in what she has already done -- win four Slams in a row for the second time in her career, the first such run concluded by a 2003 Australian Open victory.I was really excited to achieve that Serena Slam, Williams said. It was really important for me to do that. Just holding all four trophies at the same time, two times in one career, Im not sure how many times that has been done. That really means a lot.Williams, who was forced out of the Swedish Open with a right elbow injury earlier this month, says she and her game are fine now.I feel okay, Williams said. I always have a little nerves and a little trepidation.I feel okay about my game. Im always looking to improve. Im never too comfortable. Thats when I think you are susceptible to losing.Williams will return to hardcourts at the WTA Rogers Cup in Toronto in two weeks. Williams won the Canadian crown in 2011 and 2013, the past two times it was staged in Toronto.I havent played on the hardcourt in a while, Williams said. It will be a good opportunity to get some matches under me before the US Open.Asked if her success becomes more gratifying as she gets older, the woman who won her first Slam crown at age 17 at the 1999 US Open said it feels that way at any age.Ive definitely gotten a little better, she said. Is it more gratifying? I feel like its gratifying at whatever age, 20, 18, 16, 6 or 80 or 20.I really dont feel I act my age.

Football: Zico gets Brazil backing for FIFA bid

Posted:

RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) - The Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) said Thursday it is backing national football legend Zicos bid to replace Sepp Blatter as FIFA president.The endorsement was a big boost for Zico, 62, who has previously conceded lacking support from Brazils footballing top brass. However, to establish himself as a formal candidate he would still have to get backing from four other countries.Zico has our support to pursue his candidacy. If he gets the other four signatures, the CBF will back his application, the bodys president, Marco Polo Del Nero, said in a statement.Zico -- who has managed several teams including Japan and Iraq as well as latterly Indian club side Goa -- has no experience in international football administration.He said he was happy with the response, which he called a kickstart to his bid to win the FIFA top spot.Blatter announced his intention to stand down on June 2, shortly after winning election to a fifth term, amid a corruption scandal sweeping through the FIFA executive committee. Brazil had been one of the countries voting to extend his mandate.Blatter announced last week that the election for his successor would be held on February 26, 2016.UEFA chief and French favorite Michel Platini -- who crossed swords with Zico on the football pitch in the 1980s including a memorable 1986 World Cup semi-final -- is seen as a frontrunner.

Golf: Kim Hyo Joo takes early edge over Ko and Kerr

Posted:

TURNBERRY (AFP) - South Koreas Kim Hyo Joo produced the shot and the round of the day to lead the Womens British Open by a shot from Lydia Ko and Cristie Kerr at sunbathed Turnberry on Thursday. Kim took advantage of the favourable weather to post a seven under par 65 and raise her hopes of adding a second major to her victory in the Evian Championship in France last September. At Evian, the 20-year-old shot a ten under par 61 in the first round -- the joint lowest round in major championship history -- and she again proved to be an opening day specialist with a flawless round of five birdies and an eagle.The eagle came at the 449 yard 14th where she hit a second shot to inside a foot. I almost made an albatross, said a delighted Kim, who has won six times on the Korean LPGA Tour and wasnt even a member of the LPGA when she won the Evian title. New Zealands Ko set her alarm for 3.30am to meet her 6.40am tee time -- she admitted she pushed the snooze button a few times -- but was wide awake by the time she teed off. In a fast start, she birdied four holes in a row from the second and added others at the seventh, tenth and 14th. Her only error was a bunkered tee shot and a four at the short sixth.Ranked No.1 in the world at the start of the year, 18-year-old Ko has two more chances -- this week and the Evian Championship in September -- to outdo Morgan Pressel and become the youngest ever winner of a womens major. The American won the 2007 Kraft Nabisco Championship when she was two months short of her 19th birthday.I dont think too much about records, confessed the Kiwi who has already said she will retire from golf at the age of 30. But my goal is to win one major in my career.This was my lowest round in a major so it was a nice solid start. I tried to take advantage of the good weather and the par fives.Kerr, the 2007 US Womens Open champion, eagled the long third by hitting her five iron second shot to 22 feet and making the putt and she also tagged seven birdies into her round to offset the three bogeys. Runner-up to American Sherri Stenhauer at Royal Lytham and St Annes in 2006, 37-year-old Kerr is keen to add a second major. But Ill just be taking it day by day, she insisted. Today was lucky. The weather was spectacular.Hovering around on two under par are a few seasoned campaigners. World number one Park Inbee was a little disappointed with her 69 -- I wasnt in complete control of my ball striking -- while 2007 champion Stacy Lewis was on 70.Oddest round of the day belonged to Paula Creamer. Out in 40 with an eight at the fifth -- she took three to escape from a bunker -- she came home in 31. I was two different players, said the 2010 US Womens Open champion.The opening day of the tournement also saw the Turnberry course owner, and 2016 US presidential hopeful, Donald Trump make a spectacular entrance.The 69-year-old arrived on his private helicopter, sporting a cap emblazoned with the slogan Make America Great Again.Trump showed up despite becoming embroiled in a controversy with golf authorities over comments he made about Mexicans.

Diving: North Korea's Kim Kuk-hyang wins historic gold

Posted:

KAZAN (AFP) - North Korean teenager Kim Kuk-hyang made history on Thursday with her countrys first diving gold medal at the world championships with a shock victory in the womens 10m platform final.The 16-year-old produced a stunning final dive to take the title with 397.05 points leaving 14-year-old Chinese diver Ren Qian to take silver with 388pts.Malaysias Pamg Pandelela Rinong Anak finished with 385.05 to claim bronze.Chinas Si Yajie, the defending champion, finished fourth after a poor final dive cost her another medal after she won gold in the mixed 10m platform final last Saturday.Kims victory means Chinas stranglehold on major diving competitions seems to be weakening, although they have still claimed golds in six of the nine events so far in Kazan with four finals still to come.

Modern mugging: Sweden thieves demand money via mobile app

Posted:

STOCKHOLM (AFP) - In a tale of a very modern mugging, thieves in Sweden forced their victim to give them his money via an electronic transfer, making the police investigation a no-brainer, Swedish media reported Thursday. The suspects, two men, demanded money from their young victim, but he had no cash to give them. They then hit the man, and one of the thieves demanded that the victim use the popular money transfer app Swish to transfer 80 krona (eight euros) to the suspects account. Evidently, however, he did not think the crime through. The app is not anonymous, and allows people to transfer money using phone numbers -- which police can then easily track. The men could end up paying big, because in Sweden violent theft is punishable by up to six years in prison.

Astronomers find star with three super-Earths

Posted:

PARIS (AFP) - Astronomers said Thursday they had found a planetary system with three super-Earths orbiting a bright, dwarf star -- one of them likely a volcanic world of molten rock.The four-planet system had been hiding out in the M-shaped, northern hemisphere constellation Cassiopeia, just 21 light years from Earth, a team reported in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.It comprises four planets -- one giant and three super-Earths orbiting a star dubbed HD219134.Super-Earths have a mass higher than Earths but are lighter than gas giants like Neptune, Saturn or Jupiter. They can be made of gas, rock, or both.The planet with the shortest orbit, HD219134b, zips around every three days, and has now been observed transiting across the face of its star as seen from the vantage point of Earth.Measurements from the ground and with NASAs Spitzer space telescope showed its mass was 4.5 times higher than Earths, and that it was 1.6 times larger.Its mean density is close to the density of Earth, suggesting a possibly similar composition as well, said a press statement from the University of Geneva, whose astronomers took part in the research.Its very close to the star. The temperature is about 700 degrees Kelvin (427 Celsius, 800 Fahrenheit), study co-author Stephane Udry told AFP.Probably the surface is melting... kind of a melted lava world with volcanoes... not good for life.It was not in the so-called habitable zone of its star, and would not have liquid water necessary for life.But HD219134b is exciting for another reason: it is the closest transiting planet known to scientists, and thus offers a rare opportunity for further study of its composition and atmosphere against the backdrop of its star.These transiting systems are especially interesting in that they allow characterisation of the atmosphere of the planet (by studying) the light of the star going through the atmosphere, Udry said.And the system is relatively near at a distance of 21 light years from Earth. By comparison, the closest star to our Sun is three light years away, and the second six light years.Among HD219134bs fellow planets, the second furthest from the star weighs 2.7 times as much as Earth and orbits in 6.8 days, the next is 8.7 times more massive than Earth with a 47-day orbit.A giant planet further out orbits once every three years, the team said.

Oil prices dip as OPEC official says no cuts planned

Posted:

NEW YORK (AFP) - US oil prices dipped Thursday, snapping a two-day streak of gains after a top official with OPEC reiterated that the cartel has no plans to cut petroleum production.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for delivery in September dropped 27 cents to $48.52 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.European benchmark Brent oil for delivery in September shed seven cents at $53.31 a barrel in London.Abdullah El-Badri, Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, said that the group would not cut output in response to lower prices and that it is not worried about the possible addition of Iranian oil following the nuclear accord between Iran and major countries.We met in December last year and we met in June this year, Badri said after a meeting in Moscow with Russias energy minister. We are not ready to reduce our production. Thursdays drop followed a choppy session and resumed a mostly downward trajectory for US oil since late June that has seen prices fall from around $60 a barrel into the $40s. We largely see the market shifting into a quieter choppy consolidation mode as it works off a short-term oversold condition, at least pending a clear push from fresh fundamental news, said Tim Evans, analyst at Citi Futures.Thursdays data was mixed and nothings been very strong, said Michael Lynch, analyst at Strategic Energy & Economic Research.Well just have to wait and see if we see some stronger inventory changes or some supply news, but overall were in the waiting room.Thursdays data included the US Commerce Departments report that gross domestic product expanded at an annual rate of 2.3 percent in the April-June period, a pickup from the weak first quarter, but slightly below the 2.5 percent growth expected by analysts.

OPEC chief says oil cartel 'not ready' to cut production

Posted:

MOSCOW (AFP) - OPEC Secretary-General Abdullah El-Badri said on Thursday the oil producers cartel is not planning to cut production despite the fall in crude prices over recent months and concerns about the possible addition of Iranian oil in the market.We met in December last year and we met in June this year. We decided to keep our production at 30 million barrels a day, the same as before. We are not ready to reduce our production, Badri said after a meeting in Moscow with Russias energy minister. Oil prices recently dropped to their lowest levels in months on the back of concerns over a global oversupply. The fall followed a recovery in prices after a steep slump last year. Prices continued a slight rebound on Thursday following reports of a drop in US stockpiles.OPEC and Russia said in a joint statement after Thursdays talks that indicators pointed to a possible more balanced situation on the oil market and its stabilisation in 2016. Analysts have said that the return of oil from Iran following the landmark nuclear energy deal with world powers this month could create fresh tensions within OPEC. The accord paves the way for the removal of sanctions and the gradual return of Iranian oil to the global market next year.The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries -- whose 12 members including Iran pump one third of global oil -- is mindful that Iranian oil could worsen a global supply glut and depress oil prices further.Badri, however, insisted that OPEC welcomed the lifting of sanctions on Iran and would be able to cope with any increased volumes.We are really happy that sanctions are on their way to be over for Iran. Now we dont have any country under sanctions in our organisation, he told journalists.I think the quantity that is in question, I think our group will accommodate them.

Dollar rises for 3rd day helped by US GDP report

Posted:

NEW YORK (AFP) - The dollar surged for a third straight day Thursday, helped by a report on US growth in the second quarter that confirmed the economy is expanding at a moderate rate.The dollar pushed up 0.4 percent to $1.0931 per euro and 0.13 percent to 124.15 yen following the governments estimate that the US economy grew at an annual 2.3 percent pace in the April-June quarter. It also revised upward the first-quarter growth rate to 0.6 percent, from a slight contraction in the previous estimate.The numbers were strong enough to support expectations that the Federal Reserve will start to raise interest rates before the end of the year, according to analysts, but not so strong as to think that the Fed will accelerate its plan for a series of slow and small increases.Todays numbers are consistent with the Feds moderately upbeat assessment of the economy and the high probability of a September increase in the federal funds rate -- the first in nine years, said economist Nariman Behravesh of IHS.The data is not a sign that the Fed is step closer to raising rates in September, but it should keep the compass pointed in that direction, said Christopher Vecchio, currency analyst at DailyFX.

Pakistan tame Sri Lanka in first T20

Posted:

COLOMBO (AFP) - Umar Akmal smashed 46 off 24 balls and Sohail Tanvir grabbed three wickets as Pakistan beat top-ranked Sri Lanka by 29 runs in the first Twenty20 international in Colombo on Thursday.Pakistan piled up 175-5 after electing to bat and then restricted the reigning World Twenty20 champions to 146-7 in the day-night match at the Premadasa stadium. Akmal hit three boundaries and as many sixes during an entertaining fourth wicket stand of 81 from just 45 deliveries with Shoaib Malik, who remained unbeaten on a 31-ball 46.Ahmed Shehzad was the other notable contributor with 46 off 38 balls, but Sri Lanka lost the way when Pakistan plundered 70 runs in the final six overs to set up the challenging target.Pakistan lost opener Mukhtar Ahmed in the second over, but Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez revived the innings with a 42-run partnership for the second wicket.Debutant left-arm seamer Binura Fernando conceded 17 runs in the 16th over which included two consecutive sixes by Akmal.Sri Lankas captain Lasith Malinga was the most expensive bowler, giving away 46 runs in his four overs.The hosts were dealt early blows as Kusal Perera fell off the third ball of the innings and Tillakaratne Dilshan was dismissed in the next over to make it 13-2.Debutant Dhananjaya de Silva looked promising during his knock of 31 and another youngster Milinda Siriwardana made 35, before Chamara Kapugedera justified his recall with three sixes in his unbeaten 31 off 16 balls.Tanvir, the left-arm seamer, finished with three for 29 and Anwar Ali took two for 27 to tie down the Sri Lankan batsmen. The second match will be played at the same venue on Saturday with Pakistan looking to complete a triple on the current tour, having earlier clinched the Tests 2-1 and the one-dayers 3-2.SCOREBOARDPakistan:Mukhtar Ahmed c Vandersay b Mathews 2Ahmed Shehzad c Malinga b T. Perera 46Mohammad Hafeez c Vithanage b T. Perera 17Shoaib Malik not out 46Umar Akmal lbw b Malinga 46Shahid Afridi b Fernando 8Anwar Ali not out 0Extras: (lb3, w7) 10Total: (for five wickets, 20 overs) 175Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Mukhtar), 2-52 (Hafeez), 3-83 (Shehzad), 4-164 (Akmal), 5-175 (Afridi). Bowling: Fernando 4-0-38-1 (w3), Mathews 4-0-33-1 (w2), Malinga 4-0-46-1 (w2), Vandersay 4-0-25-0, T. Perara 4-0-30-2.Sri Lanka: K. Perera c Afridi b Anwar 4T. Dilshan c Rizwan b Tanvir 6D. de Silva c Shehzad b Malik 31K. Vithanage b Tanvir 1A. Mathews b Imad 23M. Siriwardana c Anwar b Tanvir 35C. Kapugedera not out 31T. Perera c Rizwan b Anwar 2B. Fernando not out 8Extras: (b1, lb3, w1) 5Total: (for seven wickets, 20 overs) 146Fall of wickets: 1-4 (K. Perera), 2-13 (Dilshan), 3-19 (Vithanage), 4-55 (Mathews), 5-92 (de Silva), 6-116 (Siriwardana), 7-121 (T. Perera). Bowling: Anwar 4-0-27-2 (w1), Tanvir 4-0-29-3, Irfan 4-0-25-0, Afridi 4-0-31-0, Imad 3-0-21-1, Malik 1-0-9-1. Result: Pakistan won by 29 runs.Toss: Pakistan.Umpires: Ranmore Martinesz (SRI) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SRI).TV umpire: Raveendra Wimalasiri (SRI).Match referee: Javagal Srinath (IND).

Finn leaves England on brink of Ashes lead

Posted:

BIRMINGHAM (AFP) - Steven Finn took England to the verge of a stunning victory in the third Test against Australia at Edgbaston on Thursday and a 2-1 Ashes series lead.At the close of a remarkable second day, Australia were 168 for seven in their second innings -- a lead of just 23 runs with three wickets standing and three days left to play.Fast bowler Finn, recalled for his first Test since 2013, had taken five wickets for 45 runs in 13 overs following his two for 38 in Australias meagre first-innings 136.Australia opener David Warner struck a defiant 77 on Thursday, one of only three double-figure scores so far in this innings.Peter Nevill was 37 not out after being dropped on 35 when opposing wicket-keeper Jos Buttler couldnt cling on to a diving chance off Stuart Broad.Mitchell Starc was unbeaten on seven. It has been a while since Ive played Test cricket so to come here and take wickets was great, said Finn.The game is definitely not won yet. We need to do a professional job tomorrow.A mere 19 matches in the 138-year history of Test cricket had ended inside two days, with the last occurrence in England when the West Indies were beaten by an innings and 39 runs at Headingley in 2000.But a side strain suffered midway through his ninth over by James Anderson -- no way to mark his 33rd birthday -- hampered Englands hopes of adding to that list.Finn, however, returned to remove Mitchell Johnson (14) with the first ball of his new spell before Nevill and Starc saw out the day.Fast bowler Johnson held out a glimmer of hope for Australia by saying: If we can get to 120 or 130 ahead well have a really good crack at them.We need the tail to wag.The first two days of this match have witnessed a remarkable turnaround from Englands humiliating 405-run defeat in the second Test at Lords which saw Australia level the five-match series at 1-1.But whereas that clash had taken place on a largely placid pitch, the course of this Test owed much to Australia captain Michael Clarkes decision to bat first on a seaming surface offering sideways movement.James Anderson, Englands all-time most successful Test bowler but wicketless at Lords, led the way with an Ashes-best six for 47 in a first innings that lasted a mere 36.4 overs.England couldnt quite rival that display on Thursday but still took seven wickets in 55 overs.Veteran opener Chris Rogers, whose 52 had been the lone batting highlight of Australias first innings, fell for six when he was lbw to paceman Broad.Finn was infamously deemed unselectable by then England one-day coach Ashley Giles when sent home early from the woeful 2013/14 tour of Australia which included a 5-0 Ashes defeat.But he was near unplayable at times on Thursday as he dismissed both Steven Smith and struggling Australia captain Michael Clarke for the second time in the match.Smith, the worlds number one ranked Test batsman, went for eight, to follow his first innings seven, when a skyed pull was held by Buttler.Finn then took two wickets in two balls.Clarke was well caught by third slip Adam Lyth for three -- his latest low score meaning the Australia skippers past 27 Test innings had produced just two fifties which he converted into hundreds.Next ball Adam Voges edged Finn to second slip Ian Bell for a duck.Mitchell Marsh (six) survived the hat-trick but was bowled by Finn for six.Warner attacked but, trying to turn Anderson legside, the left-hander ballooned a catch to Lyth in the covers to end a 49-ball innings, including 10 fours.After England resumed on their overnight 133 for three, left-armer Johnson took two wickets -- including his 300th in Tests -- in three balls as both Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes gloved sharply rising deliveries through to Nevill.But Joe Root (63) and Moeen Ali, with a dashing 59, helped England to a total of 281 and a first-innings lead of 145.

Steyn, Duminy put S. Africa on top in 2nd Test

Posted:

DHAKA (AFP) - Dale Steyn claimed his 400th Test scalp as he shared six wickets with JP Duminy, putting South Africa on top on the first day of the second and final Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka Thursday.Paceman Steyn claimed 3-30 while off-spinner Duminy took 3-27, as a mini collapse in the final session restricted Bangladesh to 246-8 at stumps.Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim scored the lone half-century for Bangladesh and made a 94-run partnership with Mahmudullah for the fourth wicket after he won the toss and elected to bat.Rahim hit 65 off 125 balls, his 15th Test fifty and first in 12 innings as Bangladesh made slow progress before South Africa took control of the game in the final session at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.Steyn struck early in the day making opener Tamim Iqbal his 400th Test scalp.The 32-year-old almost reached the landmark in his second over of the day but Dean Elgar dropped Tamim at second slip.Skipper Hashim Amla made no mistake in Steyns next over when he took a chest-high catch at first slip.Its a mix of different emotions really, said Steyn, who was wearing a Dennis Lillee-style headband on the field after growing his hair long.I dont really know what to say. Its pretty cool to take the wickets and get the headband off and get the hair off, he told reporters after the days play.I think I have taken some abuse about my hair. That doesnt influence my bowling at all.Shaun Pollock is the only other South African to pass the 400-mark, taking 421 wickets before retiring in 2008.Steyn, who is playing his 80th Test, became the 13th cricketer to take 400 or more wickets in Test matches.Duminy struck twice in successive overs following lunch after Mominul Haque and Imrul Kayes had helped Bangladesh stage something of a recovery from the early loss of Tamim.Duminy forced an edge from Mominul for 40, ending the batsmans 69-run second wicket stand with Kayes.Kayes followed Mominul, who hit six fours off 87 balls, when Duminy struck in his next over, trapping the left-hander leg-before for 30.Mahmudullah was given out leg-before on 18 off Steyn but the decision was overturned on review as a replay showed a big inside edge.Steyn later broke his partnership with Rahim as the right-hander flicked a catch to Temba Bavuma at short midwicket after reaching 35.Rahim had been looking solid until occasional left-arm spinner Elgar spun one sharply to take his glove and the ball carried to wicketkeeper Dane Vilas.Elgar then pouched Liton Das at short midwicket as Duminy claimed his third wicket.Shakib Al Hasan edged Morne Morkel to Elgar at gully for 35 before Steyn bowled Mohammad Shahid in the last ball of the day to complete Bangladeshs misery.Despite the disappointing end to the day, Mominul said Bangladesh still hoped to post a score of around 300 which he felt would be competitive.We still have two wickets. We will try if we can score 300 runs, he said.I think it will be a good total to have if we can bowl at good areas.South Africa handed wicketkeeper-batsman Vilas a Test debut in the match, replacing Quinton de Kock.The 30-year-old became South Africas sixth new cap in the last 18 months.Bangladesh brought back Nasir in place of left-arm spinner Taijul Islam.The first Test ended in a draw after rain washed out the last two days in Chittagong

Posted by IMRAN ALI SOOMRO (DARVESH) at 7/31/2015 07:11:00 AM

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

World EYE

Loading...

  © Blogger templates Newspaper III by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP