MIRPUR: Thilan Samaraweera's second ODI century and Thissara Perera's gem of a cameo tilted the balance as India slumped to a five-wicket defeatagainst Sri Lanka in their tri-series opener on Tuesday.
Scorecard | Match in Pics
Defending a 279-run total, India fancied their chances in their first outing of the new year but the 122-run stand between Samaraweera (105 not out off 106 balls) and Kumar Sangakkara (60), followed by Perera's breath-taking unbeaten 15-ball 36 turned the match on its head.
The spirited Lankans cruised to 283 for five in 48 overs and their second successive win in the tournament would be some solace for the islanders who had lost both the Test and ODI series in India before coming to this tournament.
Put into bat, India earlier rode on fit-again Yuvraj Singh's well-paced 74 to recover from a top-order wobble to post a competitive 279 for nine.
Virender Sehwag (47), MS Dhoni (37), Suresh Raina (35) and Ravindra Jadeja (39) chipped in with useful cameos but India missed the 300-mark, managing just 20 runs from the last five overs and that proved costly in the end.
Chasing 280 for a win, Sri Lanka got off to a brisk start and Sangakkara and Samaraweera raised 122 runs at a rapid clip to prop up the innings.
Sehwag, who made a quickfire 31-ball 47 and Jadeja, who contributed a 34-ball 39, were the other main contributors.
At one point of time India looked like they would cross 300 but they added just 20 runs from the last five overs, losing four wickets in the process.
Raina, Harbhjan Singh, Zaheer Khan and Jadeja fell in a heap towards the close.
For Sri Lanka, Chanaka Welegedara was the most successful bower with figures of five for 66 while his pace colleagues Thissara Perera and Thilan Thushara chipped in with two wickets each.
Playing their first One-Day International of the year in search of a consistent performance to become world number one in the 50-over format, the strong Indian batting line-up made a shaky start against an inexperienced Sri Lankan bowling with three top order batsmen back to the pavilion by ninth over.
Gautam Gambhir (8), who opened the innings along with Sehwag in absence of Sachin Tendulkar, was done in by a Welegedara yorker.
An unperturbed Sehwag hit three consecutive fours in the sixth over off Suranga Lakmal but was lucky to escape in the next over when Kumar Sangakkara caught him off a Welegedara delivery which was adjudged a no ball.
Welegedara responded by claiming Virat Kohli (9) in that eventful over and returned to see Sehwag's back.
NEW DELHI: Allan Donald could well be Indian cricket team's next bowling coach with the BCCI showing interest in the retired South African pacer.
Donald said he had an informal discussion with a cricket board official during the Champions League in October - where the former pacer was part of the commentary team - and he was told that the process might take some time.
"Yes, I had an informal chat during Champions League Twenty20 with an Indian board official," the former pacer said.
"I would be interested to talk to the BCCI regarding the bowling coach job that is currently vacant and I'm keen (on the job)," he said.
Donald, who is waiting for the BCCI to formally approach him for the job, said he was told in October that the process might take some time.
After India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that chief coach Gary Kirsten was overburdened and the team was missing a bowling coach, BCCI is expected to complete the process before South Africa arrive here next month for a series featuring three One-dayers and two Test matches.
Fellow South African Shaun Pollock is also being tipped as a possible candidate, having coached the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League where the former Protea captain worked with Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh.
Pollock, however, refused to comment on it. India remains without a bowling coach since the BCCI sacked Venkatesh Prasad - along with fielding coach Robin Singh - in October after the team's poor performance in the Twenty20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy.
Since his 2003 retirement, Donald had a short stint as England's bowling coach in 2007 before he spent a year with Warwickshire as the head coach there.
At Warwickshire, Donald coached S Sreesanth during the Indian speedster's two-month stint with the county.
CHENNAI: Somdev Devvarman took care of his unfinished business from last Chennai Open in style when he dismantled German Rainer Schuettler in the first round on Tuesday.
The Indian wild card, runner up last year, played some lovely tennis to send the World No.85 crashing 7-5, 6-2. Earlier, the Chennai Open suffered a serious setback when it lost its top seed in the first round, Robin Soderling losing to American Robby Ginepri.
"Robin and I share a somewhat similar first name, so every time the crowd shouted 'Rob' it thought it was for me," Robby Ginepri said playfully, after packing off the No.1 seed and another crowd favourite Robin Soderling 6-4, 7-5 in the first round.
The world No. 8 came to tournament on the back of a sparkling 2009. He had started 2009 also in fine fashion, beating Roger Federer at an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi.
Meanwhile, the crowd got a scare and so did Somdev when the German broke him in the very second game of the match. But soon the cheers were back as Somdev broke him back right away. In fact, breaking serves was the order that game as Schuettler broke the Indian again in the sixth game.
But Somdev had by then got the measure of the German and the break came soon. And he did it without conceding a point. From 2-5 down, Somdev went on to win the set.
While Schuettler's game was dropping, Somdev was soaring. He broke the German again in the first game of the second set and then easily held his serve to go 2-0 up. Schuettler held on to his serve with great difficulty and won his first game in the set.
The German was playing inconsistently. He played some lovely points, especially at the net, but lost some pretty ordinary ones. Somdev broke the German again in the fifth game and then it was just a matter of time. Somdev was serving for the match. After going 30-0 up he made some unforced errors which briefly allowed Schuettler to come back in to the match.
At deuce, there was still work to be done. Then came a backhand winner and Schuettler was nowhere in the picture. Matchpoint. Schuettler just about managed to return the serve but Somdev was there, waiting. An emphatic volley finished off the match.
CHENNAI: Struggling paceman Ishant Sharma was on Tuesday recalled to India's 16-member Test squad for the two-match series against Bangladesh starting from January 17 in Chittagong.
Ishant, the gangling Delhi speedster who has been struggling to find his rhythm of late, gets another opportunity to prove his worth with the national selectors reposing faith in him.
Tamil Nadu middle-order batsman S Badrinath, who featured in India's squad which played the last Test against Sri Lanka at home, has been dropped from the team announced by BCCI secretary N Srinivasan after a brief meeting of the selection committee.
The selectors barely took 15 minutes to finalise the squad, to be led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, which expectedly had no major surprises.
Sachin Tendulkar, who was rested from the ongoing ODI tri-series, will return to action for the two Tests to be held in Chittagong (January 17 to 21) and Mirpur (January 24 to 28).
Uttar Pradesh paceman Sudeep Tyagi also made his way into the team which has four specialist pacers with Zaheer Khan being the spearhead.
As expected, veterans like Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, regarded as Test specialists, found a place in the side.
Tamil Nadu opener Murali Vijay has also been included as a reserve opener with Virender Sehwag and Delhi teammate Gautam Gambhir being the regulars.
The middle-order has the ever-reliable Dravid, Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh and skipper Dhoni, making it a solid line-up.
Harbhajan Singh, the gutsy off-spinner, will shoulder the spin bowling responsibility along with leg-spinner Amit Mishra and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha.
Dinesh Karthik has been included as the second wicketkeeper.
The Squad: MS Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, S Sreesanth, Amit Mishra, Pragyan Ojha, Ishant Sharma, Murali Vijay, Dinesh Karthik, Sudeep Tyagi.
NEW DELHI: The Indian hockey players have threatened to pull out of the ongoing national training camp in Pune if they are not paid their match fee for the recently concluded Champions Challenge I tournament in Argentina.
The senior players are annoyed by the delay in payment and have written a letter to Hockey India President A K Mattoo demanding that money be paid within seven days.
The letter has no mention about the pull out but sources say that the players have actually made up their mind to withdraw from the camp if they will not get payment in a week's time.
When contacted Mattoo confirmed that he had received the letter from the players.
"I have received a letter from the players. We are looking at the possibilities for making the payment early," Mattoo said.
The players said that on the previous occasions they were paid money in advance but this time the fee has not been paid even after the conclusion of the tournament.
"We would like to be paid our money for Champions Challenge in Argentina. In the previous three years we were paid Rs. 25,000 each for every tournament before we left India. We would like to be paid this time too and as for the future tournaments, please make arrangements to pay well in advance," the players have demanded in the letter.
India had won bronze medal in the tournament, held in Salta, Argentina last month.
DHAKA: Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan says his team will be looking to show its progress in international cricket when it takes on Sri Lanka in the opening match of a One-Day International tri-series on Monday.
"We are excited about the match," Shakib said on Sunday, adding that he expected a "competitive" match against the Sri Lankans. "It is a good opportunity for us to show that we are an improving side and playing good cricket against the giants."
Bangladesh's Australian-born coach Jamie Siddons said his team was ready for the series, which also features India.
"We have got enough preparation before the tournament," Siddons said.
Bangladesh announced its starting XI, leaving out allrounder Aftab Ahmed, opening batsman Shahriar Nafees, and bowlers Syed Rasel and Nazmul Hossain from the 15-man squad.
Ahmed and Nafees had only recently had their bans lifted for having played in the Indian Cricket League, which was not recognized by the International Cricket Council.
Shakib said the team has a good bowling combination with the inclusion of Rubel Hossain and uncapped fast bowler Shafiqul Islam.
Squads:
Bangladesh team: Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Ashraful, Tamim Iqbal, Raqibul Hasan, Mahmud Ullah, Naeem Islam, Abdur Razzak, Rubel Hossain, Imrul Kayes, Shafiqul Islam.
Sri Lanka squad: Kumar Sangakkara (captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Thilina Kandamby, Lahiru Thirimanne, Muthumudalige Pushpakumara, Thissara Perera, Malinga Bandara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Thilan Thushara, Suraj Randiv, Suranga Lakmal, Chanaka Welegedara.
Match Name: 1st ODI
Teams: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka
Venue: Shere Bangla National Stadium
Time: 1400 IST
Channel: Neo Cricket
BRISBANE: Third seed Ana Ivanovic survived a big scare against Australia's Jelena Dokic to move into the second round of the Brisbane International on Monday.
Ivanovic claimed a tight first set, suffered a huge lapse of concentration in the second, then regained her composure in the third to win 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 in front of a large crowd seemingly unsure as to who to support.
Former world number one Ivanovic is using the Brisbane tournament as a stepping stone in her bid to regain her place in the sport's elite following a poor 2009 marred by injury and a loss of form.
She said she started nervously but was happy with her form thereafter.
"I had a really good preparation and that gave me a lot of confidence," she said.
"I thought I was serving a lot better and moving better since the last match I played, which has been a while.
"In the second set I thought I lost a bit of intensity and started defending more and I stepped back, but then (coach) Sven (Groeneveld) pointed out I had to step up a little more and I tried to do that and dominate -- I was really pleased with the result."
After a gruelling physical conditioning programme in last year's off-season, Ivanovic completely changed her preparation leading into this Australian summer and said she was reaping the rewards.
"It's my goal to get back to the top 10 and play the championship at the end of the year," she said.
"Last year was a tough year, but I learned a lot from it and I think it helped me a lot to be mentally stronger and to know more what I want and not take anything for granted.
"This has made me appreciate it more and realise I have to work hard for every match and not just expect it to come."
She will now play Timea Bacsinszky in the second round following the Swiss player's 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) win over Russian qualifier Alla Kudryavtseva.
NEW DELHI: Even as Ferozeshah Kotla's fate hangs in balance after the ODI fiasco, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) is preparing a 'strong' reply to the ICC in the venue's defence following strong censure by Alan Hurst, match referee for the India-Sri Lanka ODI on December 27 which had to be abandoned due to poor pitch conditions.
BCCI bigwigs met in Mumbai on Sunday and discussed the draft of the reply. BCCI president Shashank Manohar and DDCA president Arun Jaitley were present in the meeting.
Source said BCCI will stress that "while the pitch might be poor it was not unfit for playing." Hurst had labelled the pitch 'unfit' in his report after the abandonment, the lowest rating given to a ground. As reported by TOI earlier, BCCI is also planning to request the appeals commissioner to consider a three-month suspended ban and a fine of $15,000.
The BCCI, it's learnt, is going to argue that T20 Champions League matches and an ODI against Australia were played at the same venue just a few weeks back 'without any hiccups'.
ICC's chief match referee, Ranjan Madugalle, and general manager (cricket), Dave Richardson, will decide on the sanctions after they receive BCCI's response. If the BCCI is successful in convincing the duo that the track was only 'poor', then Kotla may escape with a just a fine and a directive for appropriate corrective actions. Otherwise, a ban on holding international games for a specified period is likely.
GUWAHATI: East Bengal clinched the Federation Cup football title by overcoming giant-killer Lajong FC of Shillong in a keenly contested summit clash that stretched into the penalty shootout on Sunday.
Yusif Yakubu, Nirmal Chhetri and Sanju Pradhan scored for the Kolkata outfit in the penalty shootout after stipulated 90 minutes as well as the extra-time failed to determine the champion of the prestigious tournament.
Lajong, who had shocked I-League champions Churchill Brothers 1-0 to book their maiden final berth earlier, rode on the crowd support to thwart the Kolkata giant in the regulation time before losing the plot in the penalty stage.
Earlier, the match saw a well-contested but barren first half with Lajong defenders standing firm to save their citadel despite some nippy attack by East Bengal.
The Kolkata outfit came tantalizingly close to scoring when Harmanjot Khabra was allowed by Lajong defenders to take a free header at the near post off a corner but he failed to find the net.
The Shillong boys looked quite dangerous on counter-attack and East Bengal, despite their early dominance, could not take it easy for even a second.
Just before the breather, Subhash Singh curled in a pass into the penalty box and it almost sneaked through for Harmanjot at the far post, but an alert Boithang did his job rightly under the bars.
Although, East Bengal looked a better side in the second half, the Baichung Bhutia-led team could not penetrate into the Sikkim citadel despite several attempts.
East Bengal charted a quick attack to the end of second half, but a visibly tired Yakubu could not found the back of the net as his wobbly shot failed to get past the Lajong custodian.
The Lajong men continued with their no-hold-barred effort in the extra time also and fought neck to neck to keep the ball in their possession, much to the cheer of huge crowd present at the Nehru Stadium.
Yakubu again came up the front with the ball and entered the Lajong penalty box for the second time, but could not deceive the custodian.
During penalty shootout, Anil Gurung, Samson Ramengmawia and Kyrshan Lyngshing took the kicks for Lajong but failed to open the goalmouth.
Although Harmanjot missed the third penalty for the Kolkata team, Sanju made no mistake to score and seal the winning goal for his side.
MANCHESTER: Jermaine Beckford's first-half goal secured a memorable 1-0 victory for Leeds United at Old Trafford on Sunday and ended two of Sir Alex Ferguson's proud Manchester United FA Cup records.
The veteran manager had never lost in the third round and never been knocked out by a team from a lower division in 22 seasons of FA Cup football but the League One leaders, 43 places below their hosts, ensured both records disappeared along with United's interest in the tournament for another season.
Defeat also meant United had lost in the third round of the FA Cup for the first time since being beaten by Bournemouth in 1984.
The intense rivalry between Manchester United and Leeds ensured this was an out of the ordinary tie even before the dramatic events unfolded.
The 9,000 travelling fans who had made the journey over from West Yorkshire generated an atmosphere all too often lacking at Old Trafford and those supporters did not have long to wait to have something to cheer.
Leeds's goal came in the 19th minute and was created by a magnificent 50-yard pass from Jonathan Howson who, having won the ball halfway inside his own half down the right, found Beckford.
The prolific forward appeared to have miscontrolled the ball for a moment but managed to make a decisive touch and roll the ball beyond Wes Brown and the dive of goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak.
Old Trafford was stunned, apart from the delirious corner of the ground housing the visiting supporters, and the sense of disbelief continued two minutes later when Howson's cross from the right-hand by-line found the unmarked Luciano Becchio who should have done better than head over.
Ferguson had promised a strong team and few changes from the line-up that blew aside Wigan 5-0 in the Premier league in midweek but, eventually, opted for seven changes and a relatively inexperienced side.
It looked a dangerous gamble and, thankfully for the United manager, he still had Wayne Rooney on the field for the in-form England forward looked his team's best, if not only, route back into the tie.
In the 24th minute, Rooney was sent scurrying down the right and he appeared to have successfully lobbed keeper Casper Ankergren only for full-back Jason Crowe to recover and make a magnificent goal-line clearance.
There was also a growing air of malevolence on the field and a booking for Brown, for a foul on Becchio.
Then came a touchline confrontation between Gary Neville and Leeds manager Simon Grayson, over whether United should return possession to Leeds from a throw-in following an injury, added fuel to the fire.
There was more of the same after the restart - United appealing for a penalty after a Howson challenge on Danny Welbeck and a melee between both sets of players after a collision between Brown and Michael Doyle.
But there was also some pulsating football being played with Ankergren required to save from Welbeck and Dimitar Berbatov in quick succession although Ferguson, before the hour was up, brought on Ryan Giggs and Antonio Valencia in an attempt to rescue the situation.
Michael Owen would soon also follow them into the fray as the situation became ever more dire for the Premier League champions.
A pair of chances fell to Rooney, either of which should have brought an equaliser, but in the 70th minute he shot over after Owen had completely miskicked eight yards out then, six minutes later, fired wastefully over from Valencia's pull back.
Yet the opportunities were starting to come Leeds' way, also.
Beckford really should have put the tie beyond all doubt in the 77th minute when he sent a low drive whistling beyond Kuszczak's right-hand post.
More unlucky was Leeds substitute Robert Snodgrass whose 80th minute, 20-yard free-kick struck the crossbar and flew to safety.
In a frantic finale, Owen glanced a header just wide and Ankergren saved superbly from Rooney with Fabio missing the ricochet but the third tier side were ultimately full value for their upset.
