Day: December 26, 2021

26Dec By source belowNo Comments

Sports

India vs South Africa: Game on if we can restrict India under 350, says Ngidi | Cricket News – Times of India

CENTURION: India's strong opening day show may have put South Africa on the backfoot in the first Test here but the home side pacer Lungi Ngidi on Sunday said they still can turn the match around if they can bowl the tourists out under 350. Vice-captain KL Rahul slammed an unbeaten 122, while his opening partner Mayank Agarwal struck a resolute 123-ball 60 as India rode on the duo's century-plus opening stand to end day one on 272/3. "It's Test cricket, you win sessions, you lose sessions. All in all, it's been a good day of cricket. There's still a lot on that wicket. Things can happen quickly," the 25-year-old said at the press conference after the day's proceedings. 🔴 STUMPS | Day 1🇿🇦 Lungi Ngidi was the pick of the bowlers for the #Proteas as he picked up all three wickets wit… http...

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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EPL: Arsenal cement top four spot with 5-0 win at Norwich | Football News – Times of India

NORWICH (England): Arsenal cruised to a 5-0 win at bottom side Norwich City on Sunday, with Bukayo Saka's double helping them to secure the victory as they consolidated fourth place in the Premier League. The win takes Arsenal to 35 points from 19 games following their fourth straight league victory, just over two years since manager Mikel Arteta’s first match in charge of the Gunners. The visitors took the lead after six minutes through Saka, who stroked the ball past goalkeeper Angus Gunn, who was making his Premier League debut, following a neat passing move that led to Martin Odegaard laying the ball into the forward's path. Arsenal continued to test the Norwich defence with Saka the danger man thanks to his jinking runs down the wing and Gabriel Martinelli also posing a threat as t...

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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EPL: Manchester City survive Leicester fightback to secure ninth successive win | Football News – Times of India

MANCHESTER (England): Manchester City survived a spirited Leicester City fightback to earn a thrilling 6-3 victory on Sunday, a ninth Premier League win in a row moving them six points clear at the top of the standings. With second-placed Liverpool not in action after their clash with Leeds United was postponed due to COVID-19 cases at the Yorkshire club, City appeared out of sight midway through the first half at the Etihad Stadium. The in-form champions raced into a fifth-minute lead through Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, before a Riyad Mahrez penalty put the hosts in control nine minutes later. Things went from bad to worse for a Leicester side struggling to replicate last season's form, with Ilkay Gundogan and another penalty, converted by Raheem Sterling, giving the hosts a fo...

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Moura inspires Tottenham to easy win over Crystal Palace | Football News – Times of India

LONDON: Brazilian Lucas Moura inspired Tottenham Hotspur to a 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace that stretched their unbeaten Premier League run under new manager Antonio Conte to six games in murky north London on Sunday. Moura created goals for Harry Kane and Son Heung-min and bagged one for himself as Tottenham comfortably beat a Palace side for whom manager Patrick Vieira missed the game because of a positive COVID-19 test. While victory moved Tottenham up to fifth in the table, it proved a dispiriting day for Palace who faded after a decent start and were reduced to 10 men in the 37th minute when Wilfried Zaha was stupidly sent off. By that time Tottenham were well in control after Kane swept in from Moura's pass before Moura headed the second. Son wrapped up the Boxing Day win with ...

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Fitter and wiser, Karman Kaur Thandi finally turns the corner | Tennis News – Times of India

Karman Kaur Thandi believes she’s beginning to turn it around. The big-serving 23-year-old is known for long, gruelling matches on the ITF women’s circuit. More often than not, she has been used to ending up on the wrong side of the scoreline. There could be many reasons for the epic three-setters she frequently finds herself in. To go for her shots and never to back off is something that has been instilled in her from the outset. Besides, being based in Europe, Karman plays tournaments with strong fields. But she seems to have cracked the code finally as she reached the final of a $25,000 ITF event in Ortisei, Italy, last month — all the four matches on the way to the final going into the deciding set. “There were some really close matches, but I was not able to win those (earlier). Th...

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Discipline key to India’s dominant day, says Mayank Agarwal | Cricket News – Times of India

PRETORIA: Mayank Agarwal believes discipline and application were the key elements to India's commanding score of 272 for three on day one of the first Test against South Africa on Sunday. After electing to bat, India looked largely untroubled on a slow wicket with Agarwal scoring 60 in a first-wicket stand of 117 with KL Rahul who finished the day on a patient 122 not out. "We really applied ourselves as batsmen, we were really determined and disciplined about how we went about it," Agarwal told reporters at Centurion Park. "There was a bit of moisture in the wicket early and that is why a few balls kicked from a length. It got a little better to bat on as the day progressed and got a little quicker. "The crucial point for us is getting partnerships. We had a good partnership first up ...

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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In Pics: KL Rahul’s ton puts India in charge of first Test against South Africa | The Times of India

Comments ()Sort: NewestUpVotedOldestDiscussedDown VotedclosecommentsCount: 3000SIGN IN WITHFacebookGoogleEmailXRefrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive. Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.Be the first one to review.We have sent you a verification email. To verify, just follow the link in the message Source link

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Defending champions Gokulam Kerala begin I-League campaign with win | Football News – Times of India

KALYANI (West Bengal): Defending champions Gokulam Kerala began their I-League title defence with a 1–0 win over last season's runners-up Churchill Brothers on Sunday. Gokulam Kerala skipper Sharif Mohammad scored the solitary goal of the match from the penalty spot early in the first half. Both teams made a nervy start to the game as they employed direct attacking football by way of long balls at opponents' citadel. The Malabarians found the breakthrough after being awarded a penalty in the 16th minute. As the pacy Ngangom Ronald Singh skilfully surged with the ball into the Churchill Brothers box, he was brought down by Lebanese Shadi Skaf. Skipper Sharif Mohammad stepped up to take the resultant spot kick and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom left corner to give Gokulam the adv...

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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‘One of the great inspirational stories’: Shastri on Himachal winning Vijay Hazare Trophy | Cricket News – Times of India

MUMBAI: Former India coach Ravi Shastri on Sunday heaped praise on Himachal Pradesh after they won their maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy, saying "it is one of the great inspirational stories". “...You know for a team like Himachal, like I said no superstars, but going on to win the tournament, just goes to show that if your work ethics are good, you are grounded, you are humble and you want to play the game in the true spirit of the game as a team, you can achieve great heights. "So, hats off to them for pulling off one major upset after another in this tournament,” Shastri told reporters here. The former India all-rounder was speaking after the prize distribution of the 74th Police Shield tournament at the picturesque Mumbai Police Gymkhana here. 1⃣3⃣6⃣* Runs1⃣3⃣1⃣ Balls1⃣3⃣ Fours1⃣ SixShub...

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Kohli caught behind the stumps in nine successive overseas Test innings

Ever since he poked outside off stump to fall caught behind in India’s second innings of the World Test Championship final against New Zealand in June, skipper Virat Kohli has now been dismissed nine successive times in overseas Tests either caught by the wicketkeeper or at first slip. His dismissal to Lungi Ngidi at Centurion in the series opener against South Africa on Sunday was the latest in the trend. We take a look at each of the dismissals What do the numbers say? For the first four years of his Test career until the 2014 tour of England where James Anderson sorted him out, Kohli averaged just 28 in the corridor outside off stump. Cricviz data shows that in the next four years – from 2015 to 2019 – he averaged an incredible 92 in the same channel. But of late, it has...

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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EPL: City win 6-3 at Leicester, Spurs rout Palace 3-0, West Ham lose

Manchester City isn’t short of goals in the title defense, and the champions found a way to make it unintentionally even more entertaining against Leicester. A 6-3 victory — featuring a double from Raheem Sterling — put City six points in front at the top of the Premier League at the halfway point on Sunday, with second-place Liverpool having a game in hand. It was a compelling second half on Boxing Day just when it looked like Leicester was completely out of sight after City had scored four times in the opening 25 minutes. Three goals in 10 second-half minutes offered Leicester a glimmer of hope of a comeback that was snuffed out by Aymeric Laporte’s header and Sterling’s second. It secured a ninth successive victory for Pep Guardiola’s side, with the last three seeing 17 ...

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Leeds vs Aston Villa Premier League game called off due to Covid | Football News – Times of India

Leeds United's home Premier League game against Aston Villa on Tuesday has been postponed due to positive Covid-19 cases and injuries in the Leeds squad, the league said on Sunday. "The postponement is a result of the ongoing Covid-19 cases and injuries at Leeds which saw their Boxing Day match against Liverpool called off. The Board accepted the postponement application as the club does not have the required number of players available for the match," the league said in a statement. Following a request from Leeds, the Premier League Board met today and agreed to postpone the club’s home fixture a… https://t.co/OQxLGaL4VC— Premier League (@premierleague) 1640525505000!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(a...

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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After ATP Cup withdrawal, doubts over Djokovic’s presence at Australia Open

Novak Djokovic’s journey to Australia remains uncertain after he reportedly pulled out of the ATP Cup. When he confirmed his participation for the multi-nation event that will take place in Sydney starting January 1, he had booked Serbia’s entry into the competition. Withdrawing now, at a time when no team can be replaced, has exposed a loophole in the tournament’s qualification process. It also adds to the doubts around Djokovic travelling to Melbourne to defend his Australian Open crown. Why has Djokovic decided to pull-out of the ATP Cup? While it remains unclear, a member of Djokovic’s team was quoted by Serbian newspaper Blic, saying: “It is 99 percent sure that Novak won’t go to the ATP Cup. He is training (in Belgrade) but he has decided to give that tournament a mis...

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Disciplined gameplans, low backlift against swing: Rahul & Mayank’s recipe for first session succes

Mayank Agarwal has witnessed KL Rahul’s resurrection as a Test batsman at close quarters. Not only did he share a 117-run opening partnership with Rahul on the first day of the first Test against South Africa at Centurion on Sunday, but over the last one year, the two Karnataka team-mates have trained together and turned out for Punjab Kings in the IPL. Agarwal scored an enterprising half-century today, but Rahul reached three-figures and remained unbeaten at the end of the day’s play. The latter has been a revelation as a long-form batsman ever since his return to the Test fold in England earlier this year. So what has Rahul done behind the scenes? His opening partner was asked this question at the post-day press conference and Agarwal was coy to start with, before offerin...

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Vijay Hazare: Himachal star Arora eyes IPL auction after final heroics

Shubham Arora waited for this day all his life. So did his Himachal Pradesh team. Scoring big runs on a big stage has always been the goal but neither his side nor he ever managed to reach the final of a major event. That’s why December 26 will go down as a day to remember for both Arora and Himachal Pradesh cricket. The team, which has always been considered a minnow on the domestic circuit clinched their first ever major domestic title – the Vijay Hazare Trophy on Sunday. They had to chase Tamil Nadu’s 315-run target. But while on 299 for 4, after 47.3 overs, bad light was announced and Himachal was declared the winner. #VijayHazareTrophy winners. 🏆 Congratulations and a round of applause for Himachal Pradesh on their triumph. 👏 👏#HPvTN #Final pic.twitter.com/bkixGf6CUc ...

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Punjab FC beat Rajasthan United 2-0 in bizarre I-League match

Punjab FC began their I-League campaign with a 2-0 win over debutants Rajasthan United who were left with just nine men before their maiden match following a confusion in the registration of amateur players. Punjab had the majority of the possession throughout the ill-tempered match and they were on the verge of scoring in the 11th minute but Rajasthan goalkeeper Vishal Joon made a brilliant save. The resistance from Rajasthan wilted as Kurtis Guthrie took advantage of a mix-up between Joon and Anil Chawan in the 27th minute and headed the ball over the goalkeeper to give Punjab FC the lead. The second half began with another offensive surge from the Punjab team as they continued their hunt for another goal. Punjab coach Ashley Westwood was shown a yellow card in the 65th m...

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Vijay Hazare Trophy Final: Himachal Pradesh beat Tamil Nadu to win maiden domestic title | Cricket News – Times of India

JAIPUR: Tamil Nadu’s juggernaut came to a halt as calm and composed Shubham Arora maneuvered and guided Himachal Pradesh with a glorious unbeaten 136 off 131 balls to help them clinch their first Vijay Hazare Trophy title at the SMS Stadium on Sunday. It is also Himachal’s first-ever domestic title. Rishi Dhawan’s team defeated the southern outfit by 11 runs after bad light stopped the play and the VJD method was applied to decide the winner. Himachal were well on course towards victory and needed 16 from 15 balls with six wickets in hand when the umpires decided to wrap up. #VijayHazareTrophy winners. 🏆 Congratulations and a round of applause for Himachal Pradesh on their triumph. 👏 👏… https://t.co/uXWJ3OYMdy— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) 1640520732000Chasing formidable 315, Himachal ...

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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We executed our plans well: Mayank

India opener Mayank Agarwal on Sunday said his side’s batters applied themselves as per the team plan, putting the visitors in a strong position on the opening day of the first Test against South Africa here. Opting to bat, India scored 272 for 3 at close of play with KL Rahul remaining not out on 122. His opening partner Agarwal contributed 60 while Ajinkya Rahane, who was struggling for form, also returned unconquered on 40. “The plan was to be very disciplined, to play balls which come around the stump and leave as many as possible. We could do just that,” Agarwal said at the press conference after the day’s play . “At 272 for 3, it is credit to our batting unit, we applied ourselves. The plan is those who get set will have to continue and Rahul bhai did that.” Apart fr...

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Suryakumar Yadav honours local groundsman with his man of the match cash award

In a heart-warming gesture after the conclusion of local cricket tournament – Police Shield – Indian batsman Suryakumar Yadav decided to give away his man of the match award to a local groundsman. Yadav was playing for his club Parsee Gymkhana in the three-day Police Shield final against Payyade Sports Club, in which he scored 259 runs in 152 balls at the Police Gymkhana ground in Mumbai. Yadav, after the match, talked about how the contribution of the ground staff always goes amiss. “I think that’s one thing we always neglect as cricketers,” he told The Indian Express. “The effort groundsmen make is not spoken much about. They are the first ones to be on the ground. In the morning they are here by 6:30 AM. They will prepare the pitch, clear dew. These things are close to m...

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26Dec By source belowNo Comments

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England rue losing toss after another batting collapse | Cricket News – Times of India

MELBOURNE: Recalled England batsman Jonny Bairstow lamented Joe Root's loss of the toss after the touring side were again bowled out cheaply on day one of the third Test against Australia to leave their Ashes hopes on a knife-edge. Sent in to bat on a grassy Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch on Sunday, England were skittled for 185, with captain Root (50) alone able to produce a half-century against the hosts' attack. England have failed to reach 300 in the series, with their highest first-innings total 236 in the second Test at Adelaide where they lost by 275 runs. "When you look at the toss that obviously didn't go our way," Bairstow told reporters. "We'd have also looked to bowl in that first session. "We're still searching for that big score but both teams were looking to bowl first on...

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