India's star batsman Virat Kohli recently created twin records during the third ODI against Australia in Melbourne yesterday. he became the fastest batsmen to reach 7,000 runs and also the quickest to hit 24 centuries in One-Day Internationals. Here's a look at the top 10 quickest cricketers to amass over 7,000 runs in this format.*Virat Kohli*Team - India. Innings - 161. Match date - 17 Jan 2016. ODI debut - 18 Aug 2008.
AB de Villiers
Team - South Africa. Innings - 166. Match date - 14 Nov 2014. ODI debut - 2 Feb 2005.
Sourav Ganguly
Team - India. Innings - 174. Match date - 24 Oct 2001. ODI debut - 11 Jan 1992.
Brian Lara
Team - West Indies. Innings - 183. Match date - 6 May 2001. ODI debut - 9 Nov 1990.
Desmond Haynes
Team - West Indies. Innings - 187. Match date - 14 Dec 1991. ODI debut - 22 Feb 1978
Jacques Kallis
Team - South Africa. Innings - 188. Match date - 20 Aug 2004. ODI debut - 9 Jan 1996.
Sachin Tendulkar
Team - India. Innings - 189. Match date - 7 Jul 1998. ODI debut - 18 Dec 1989.
*Chris Gayle*Team - West Indies. Innings - 189. Match date - 13 Jan 2009. ODI debut - 11 Sep 1999.
*MS Dhoni*Team - India. Innings - 189. Match date - 30 Dec 2012. ODI debut - 23 Dec 2004.
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There were enough reasons for Salunkhe to be content with her second-place finish behind Monika Raut (1:17:20). Salunkhe, a Central Railway ticket collector in Pune, clocked her personal best of 1:19:17 and it was also her first podium finish at the Mumbai Marathon yesterday.
However, Salunkhe's biggest takeaway from the Mumbai Marathon was the R75,000 purse with which she hopes to provide basic comfort to her mother.
"My mother does odd jobs and earns around R3,000 per month. I will give my prize money to her, as it will be very useful for her. She has struggled a lot in bringing up my brother and myself after my father passed away in 2000. It is because of her that I have reached to this stage. She has always encouraged me," said Salunkhe.
The half marathon wasn't a smooth ride for Salunkhe though. "After six kilometres, there was severe pain in my stomach. I dropped down my speed, but continued running," she said.
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The top-order batsman got the better of the Australian bowling attack at the hallowed turf of the Melbourne Cricket Ground with a run-a-ball knock that was laced with seven fours and two sixes.
During his well-paced effort, Kohli left his idol and cricket icon Tendulkar far behind in terms of the quickness in the number of centuries and runs scored so far. Tendulkar got to his 24th ton in his 219th innings while scoring 7000 plus runs in 189 innings.
The quickest to 24 centuries list has some big names in former Australian captain Ricky Ponting (278) and Sri Lankan greats Sanath Jayasuriya (370) and Kumar Sangakkara (378), but none comes close to Kohli.
Coming to the crease after the fall of Rohit Sharma (6), Kohli got the 7000-run mark early in the innings after scoring a boundary off James Faulkner in the 10th over.
The 27-year-old left behind South African run-machine AB de Villiers (166) in terms of getting to the landmark early.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly (174), West Indian legend Brian Lara (183), former Caribbean batsman Desmond Haynes (187), South African great Jacques Kallis (188) and Tendulkar (189) also got the 7000-run mark early in their respective careers, but stand way behind Kohli.
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/djokovic18jan-s.jpg*Novak Djokovic. pic/ AFP*
The defending champion outclassed the South Korean teenager 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in a thrilling opening round that lasted for about two hours at Rod Laver Arena.
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/serena18jan-s.jpg*Serena Williams. Pic/ AFP*
The defending champion outclassed her Italian opponent 6-4, 7-5 in an opening round contest to progress through to the next round in an emphatic win.
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The Czech professional claimed a 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 win over Yuki at the Margaret Court Arena to enter the second round of the major.*Yuki Bhambri. Pic/ AFP*
Berdych has an impressive record at the Australian Open as he managed to reach at least the quarterfinals in his last five appearances.
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Kerala's Gopi finished overall 11th with a timing of 2:16:15 behind ASI's Nitendra Singh Rawat, who came 10th, clocking 2:15:48 and Kheta Ram, also from ASI finishing 15th overall, taking third with 2:17:23. Nitendra and Gopi broke the four-year-old record by Ram Singh Yadav in 2012 of 2:16:59. Gopi said that this was the only opportunity he got and he grabbed it with both hands.
"I was a pace-setter and I was to run only till the 30-km mark. Once I set the pace, my body felt nice. So I continued running, and I am glad I finished second. The Olympic qualification was the icing on the cake," he said.
'Not a full marathoner'
Talking about the perks of prize money, he said, "I am a 5000m and 10,000m runner. I have run half-marathons before but never a full marathon. Today, my job was to set the pace for Nitendra. I have never got so much money before, so it feels nice. I didn't expect that I would achieve Olympic qualification at the first go."
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Earlier, South Africa suffered a seven-wicket defeat in the third Test in Johannesburg to give England a series win and thereby losing the number one Test ranking to India.
But, the 31-year-old admitted that he enjoyed leading the side in the last match, adding that he would love to captain his Test side in future.
Describing the captaincy job as a 'big responsibility', De Villiers insisted that it was a great opportunity to have some influence on young players, Sport24 reported.
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/tennis18jan-s.jpg*Serena Williams during her Australian Open match . Pic/ AFP*
News agencies claim to have vital evidence that exposes the high level of corruption in tennis.
According to the probe, many secrets unraveled such as syndicates at Russia, Sicily and Italy minting thousands of dollars while betting on tennis matches.
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Chandila and Shah appeared in person before the Committee on December 24 and were given time till January 4 to file a written response to the charges against them.
Chandila was earlier acquitted along with S. Sreesanth and 41 other accused in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal.
The infamous IPL controversy broke out during the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League, during which Rajasthan Royals cricketers Sreesanth, Chandila and Chavan were accused of tarnishing the image of the game.
Special Cell of the Delhi Police had named 42 accused in the case in its charge sheet out of whom, six are absconding.
Earlier, the players were granted bail due to lack of evidence after the Delhi Police arrested the trio in May 2013.
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Having already taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, Australia have opted for Lyon's services in place of young pacer Joel Paris in the 13-member squad while opener David Warner also returns to the team after the birth of his baby girl with Usman Khawaja making way for his vice-captain.
Lyon, who last played an ODI for Australia in 2014, has been in the wicket-taking mould for his Big Bash side Sydney Sixers and was been rewarded for his fine showing.
"Our choice of Nathan Lyon comes off the back of good form in the KFC BBL (big Bash League) and we decided the time is right to have another look at him in the shorter forms of the game," said national selector Rod Marsh.
The final two ODIs will be held in Canberra and Sydney on January 20 and 23 respectively. With an eye on the World T20 that starts March 8 in India, Cricket Australia also made wholesome changes in the 17-member T20 squad for the three-match series that starts January 26.
Steven Smith and Warner will play only in the opening match in Adelaide before sitting out in the next two games to prepare for the first ODI against New Zealand on February 3. Two matches Two major surprises come in the form of Watson, who last played an ODI in Australian colours in 2015 and Tait, who will mark his international return after a five-year hiatus.
"Shane Watson has earned his recall to Australian colours through a combination of his experience, especially in short-form cricket, the all-round package he offers and the fact he is bang in form at the moment, having put performances on the board for the Sydney Thunder," said Marsh.
"Shaun Tait returns on the basis that he is the quickest bowler going around in Australia at the moment and he offers us that explosive option if we choose to use it," the former player added. The squad will also see some young but familiar BBL and domestic faces in all-rounder Chris Lynn, wicketkeeper-batsman Travis Head, medium-pacer Andrew Tye and Queensland leg-spinner Cameron Boyce.
"Chris Lynn, Travis Head and Andrew Tye have made irresistible cases for inclusion off the back of individual excellence in the KFC BBL and we are delighted to offer them the opportunity to push their claims for inclusion in the ICC World Twenty20," Marsh said.
"In terms of leg-spin, Cameron Boyce has once again impressed in domestic action and deserves his spot." The selectors said they regretted not being able to find places for George Bailey and Mitchell Marsh but noted that the door remains open to the World Twenty20 squad.
"We know what both those players are capable of, and both have significant experience of playing Twenty20 cricket in India," Marsh said "But we want them to continue to press their cases for inclusion while we take this opportunity to look at other contenders." The second T20 takes place in Melbourne on January 29 while the final game will be in Sydney on January 31.
*Squads:*
*ODI:* Steven Smith (c), Aaron Finch, David Warner, Shaun Marsh, George Bailey, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Wade, James Faulkner, John Hastings, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, Kane Richardson
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/kambli15jan-s.jpg*Vinod Kambli. Pic/ AFP*
>> Vinod Kambli wsa born in Kanjurmarg, a suburb in Mumbai. His father was a mechanic and also played cricket for Mumbai's club.
>> During his early days, Kambli played cricket on a small patch of land which was surrounded by buildings. Due to lack of space, batsmen had to hit the ball high into the buildings - the higher it went, the more runs scored. Hence, Kambli's over-the-top batting approach.
>> Kambli and his childhood close friend Sachin Tendulkar set an unbeaten 664-run partnership during a school match - a world record in cricket that was held for many years. However, not many know that his bowling spell of 6/37 was also vital in their teams win.
>> When Sachin Tendulkar made his Test cricket debut, Kambli was playing for the U-19 team at the Asia Youth Cup.
>> He etched his name in the elite list of batsmen when he hit a six in his debut first-class match. This was against Gujarat in 1989.
>> In 1993, Kambli made history when he became the first Indian to hit two back-to-back double centuries in Tests. He scored 224 against England and then followed it up with 227 against Zimbabwe.
>> Vinod Kambli is the fastest Indian cricketer and fifth overall to reach 1000 Test runs. He took 14 innings to reach the feat.
>> Vinod Kambli has the highest Test average for an Indian cricketer (20 inns or more) beating Tendulkar, Gavaskar, Dravid and Sehwag. In 17 Tests his average stands at 54.20.
>> Kambli is also one of the few batsmen to score an ODI century on his birthday during the match against England in 1993. Sachin Tendulkar and New Zealander Ross Taylor are also on this list.
>> Vinod Kambli has starred in few films such as Annarth, Pal Pal Dil Ke Ssaat and Bettanagere. He has also appeared on various TV shows.
>> Even though Kambli played his last ODI in 2000 and his last Test in 1996, he retired from cricket way later in 2009.
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*Also Read: Virat Kohli fastest to reach 24 ODI tons, 7000+ runs*
*India skipper MS Dhoni leads his side back to the pavilion after losing the third ODI to Australia in Melbourne yesterday. Pic/Getty Images*
Eleven wides in the second ODI at Brisbane were followed by 15 odd runs conceded in misfields in the third one-day international against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground here yesterday. "We were let down by our fielding. The best fielders let those runs through. It could have been those 15 or so runs that might have been difference," rued skipper MS Dhoni.
*Also Read: Rishi Dhawan picked before seeing pitch?*
Yesterday, Jadeja and Dhawan, two of the best fielders, were guilty of lapses. But the crucial one came in the 34th over. The asking rate had just gone above six an over. Umesh Yadav had conceded only one run from his first five balls. The last one was hit straight to mid-on. There should never have been a run, but the ball went straight through Ishant Sharma's legs for two runs. Almost every Indian player threw his head back in disgust.
*Also Read: We are aiming for a 5-0 series win: Glenn Maxwell*
It's these crunch situations where India fell behind. With only a day's break in between the second and third ODIs, India were deprived of outfield practice at the MCG but Dhoni felt that the misfields were just a lack of concentration. On many occasions, the Indians stood way too deep or simply got their angles wrong.
It is also worth noting that while Indian fielding standards have improved vastly over the past decade, throwing from longer distances is something the Indian fielders still don't do well. Inconsistency in the bowling is always the order of the day and none of the India bowlers managed to bowl a single yorker through the 48.5 overs. Every time pressure was built, Yadav strayed down the leg side or Barinder Sran banged it in short.
*Also Read: Australia win Melbourne ODI, seal series against India*
Sran looked fatigued. He had bowled for over an hour in the nets at Brisbane a day before the match. Yesterday, he was playing his third game in six days. None of the Australia quicks played all three matches because they had rotated their bowlers.
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*Also Read: Australian Open: Some lesser known facts, trivia and records*
*Novak Djokovic hits a backhand volley during a practice session ahead of the 2016 Australian Open at Melbourne Park yesterday. Pic/Getty Images*
Djokovic, who is seeded to meet the Scot in the January 31 decider if all goes to schedule, said it was a very personal decision and one he supported. "Considering his situation, of course I support and I agree with his decision. I would do the same," said Djokovic, who became a father himself for the first time 15 months ago. "I understand the position that he's in."
Djokovic's wife Jelena gave birth to their first child, Stefan, in 2014. He was in China ahead of the birth and was ready to pack up and leave if necessary. "I was not in the Grand Slam. I was still kind of in a dilemma whether my wife would go into labour or not. I was actually in China. I didn't know actually whether it was going to happen or not. I was ready to pack my bags and go," he said. "It's a very sensitive subject to talk about. It's very individual. You got to respect the decision of an individual.
*Andy Murray*
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/18Nitendra-Singh-s.jpg*Nitendra Singh Rawat sprints as he nears the finish line of the Mumbai Marathon yesterday. Pic/Bipin Kokate*
After all, Yadav, a veteran of numerous marathons, took a lot of time to achieve the mark in the first place, and Rawat was not even a handful of marathons old.
Add to this the fact that this Uttarakhand jawan sports a cool pony-tail, carries an expensive pair of shades on his forehead and took to distance-running only to avoid being on the dangerous front near Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), and you'd think he's joking. But it was Rawat, who had the last laugh yesterday.
He broke off from the pack of Indian runners around the 36-km mark and cruised to the finish in a new course record time of 2:15:48, over a minute quicker than his idol Ram Singh.
*'Like to look good'*
Moments after the race, a smiling Rawat said, "I told you so." The soldier isn't cocky, but confident, and it's this flashy style that sets him apart from the pack of traditionally timid Indian long distance runners. He's not averse to discussing his love for fashion too.
"I've kept this (pony tail) only recently because I'm now part of the India training camp in Ooty. Had I been reporting to work at the army, I wouldn't be permitted to keep it. As for my shades (Oakley), they are of a much cheaper variety than what European distance-runners wear. Mine costs only around Rs 7000 to Rs 8000.
"The foreigners wear shades costing R15,000 to R20,000. I know that I'm probably the only Indian distance-runner who runs with shades, but that's my style. I like too look good even while running," Rawat told mid-day yesterday after his moment of glory.
His stylish outlook notwithstanding though, Rawat is a very hardworking athlete, and his coach Beijing Olympian Subhedar Surinder Singh Bhandari can vouch for his commitment.
*Coach speaks*
"Rawat is one of my favourite runners. When he was leaving for Mumbai, I told him that he will win this marathon and I had even predicted the time — 2:15:40 — he ran eight seconds slower. He is a very talented boy and gives his 100 per cent at training. We train seven hours a day (four in the morning and three in the evening), seven days a week and Rawat never skips a session.
"Yes, he's a little stylish and sometimes even likes to listen to music while training unlike the other boys, but as long as he's delivering results on the track that should not be a problem," Bhandari who was unable to be here given his coaching commitments in Ooty, told mid-day over the phone yesterday.
Rawat, who had already qualified for the Rio Olympics having run 2:18 at the World Military Games in South Korea, finished the Mumbai Marathon in a credible 10th position overall, pocketing a cool Rs 500,000.
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"This is my fourth full marathon and I feel proud of it," he screamed after completing the race in nearly five hours.
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*Also view in pictures: Female tennis stars sizzle at Australian Open party*
*Serena Williams. Pic/AFP*
Following a dominant 2015, the world number one is gunning for a seventh Australian crown adamant that she is over the knee problems that hindered her during the latter half of the year and during her Melbourne Park build-up. She insisted on Saturday she was "120, 130 percent right" as she prepares for a tricky first-round encounter with Italian Camila Giorgi, the highest ranked non-seeded player in the women's draw.
*Also Read: Australian Open: Some lesser known facts, trivia and records*
"I've had a really good preparation. I mean, I didn't have the match play that I've wanted to have," said the 34-year-old American. "But after playing for so many years on tour, I should be able to, you know, focus on that and the fact that I have played a lot of matches. So that's what I'm trying to focus on now."
*Also Read: Serena says she is '130% fit' to defend her Australian Open title*
Her three Grand Slam titles last year in Australia and at Roland Garros and Wimbledon took her within one of Graf's long-time record of 22 and put her three clear of both Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. Melbourne Park has been a happy hunting ground. She claimed her first Australian Open title way back in 2003, beating elder sister Venus in the final, and reached her sixth last year when she toppled arch-rival Maria Sharapova.
Williams is in a tough half of the draw with Russia's Sharapova, seeded five, potentially awaiting her in the quarters. Sharapova, 28, is also lacking match practice after a left forearm problem forced her out of the Brisbane International, but she too said all is now well. "Yes, I might be rusty, make a few more unforced errors than I would like, but I'm ready to go," said the 28-year-old, who is attempting to win her first title at Melbourne Park since 2008.
She opens her tournament against Japan's Nao Hibino, with temperatures forecast to hit a sizzling 37 Celsius (98.6 Fahrenheit). Snapping at the heels of the two veterans are world number two Simona Halep and third ranked Garbine Muguruza, who have also had less than ideal preparations with illness or injury affecting their build-up. Aggressive baseliner Halep, who won titles in Shenzhen, Dubai and Indian Wells last year, is looking for her first Grand Slam crown. "I think to win a Grand Slam," she said, when asked her what her focus was. "I don't know if it's going to happen this year, but this is my biggest goal."
*'No recipe'*
Spain's Muguruza, who had a watershed 2015 and made the Wimbledon final, is also targeting her major breakthrough. The 22-year-old is now under the guidance of coach Sam Sumyk, who helped Victoria Azarenka to the top of the women's game and successive Australian Open titles in 2012 and 2013. She said the Frenchman had so far not imparted any specific tips on what it would take to land a maiden Grand Slam on the Melbourne Park hardcourts.
"There is no recipe. I mean, I come here as prepared as possible," she said. Azarenka, now fully fit after two troubled seasons, is one of the form players, having beaten Germany's Angelique Kerber to claim the Brisbane crown. It was the resurgent Belarusian's first piece of WTA silverware in two-and-a-half years and sent her soaring up the world rankings to 16, a timely confidence boost.
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Liverpool dominated proceedings on a wintry Merseyside afternoon, but it was Louis van Gaal's side who prevailed after Marouane Fellaini headed against the bar in the 78th minute and Rooney slammed home the rebound.
It was the England captain's fifth goal in four games — the first time he has scored in four successive United games since March 2012 — and took his side to within two points of the Champions League places. "Everyone knows the importance of this game — regardless of league positions, it is a massive football game and it is a great victory," Rooney told Sky Sports.
"We needed the three points and to continue the start to this year, so it is a massive win for us." It was also Rooney's 176th league goal for United, meaning that he has now surpassed Arsenal great Thierry Henry in terms of Premier League goals scored in the colours of one club.
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But Bayliss issued an animated call to arms at the interval and watched on as Stuart Broad produced another magical spell for his seam bowling scrapbook.
Cook praised the usually taciturn Bayliss for his fiery address: "Trev gave us a kick up the a*** at lunch.
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Sania and Martina have taken women's tennis by storm with their supreme form, winning 30 matches in a row. They were tested by their rivals in the last few matches but the Indo-Swiss team had enough arsenal to blunt their challenge.
*Six in contention*
They won the US Open and the Wimbledon championships last season and will start favourites to add a third Grand Slam to their bulging kitty, which has 11 titles so far in less than a year-old partnership.
They are coming into the tournament after winning both the build-up events — Brisbane and Sydney — and they open their campaign against the unseeded Colombian-Brazilian pair of Mariana Duque-Marino and Teliana Pereira.
Overall, India have six players in contention including Yuki Bhambri in men's singles where he faces world number six Tomas Berdych in his opening round. But apart from Sania, only Bopanna can be considered a contender with Romanian partner Mergea.
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/18Ravichandran-Ashwin-s.jpg*Kenya's Gideon Kipketer at Marine Drive during the Mumbai Marathon yesterday. Pic/Bipin Kokate*
The discussion, according to one of the interpreters here, was about how tough the up and down Mumbai course is and about how Gideon planned to do his job as pace-setter and leave the race around the 30-km mark.
*Valentine's experience*
"Valentine is fit, but not in peak fitness as she only began training six months ago, having delivered a child over a year back. So, she didn't expect to win this time. As for Gideon, there was absolutely no talk about him winning here," Jurrie van der Velden, of Global Sports Communications, the Netherlands-based company that manages elite marathoners including the Kipketer brother-sister duo, told mid-day yesterday.*Jurrie van der Velden of Global Sports Communications, the Netherlands-based company that manages elite marathoners including the Kipketer brother-sister duo*
Contrary to popular belief though, Kipketer did not just win the marathon, but he also went on to do it in record time — 2:08:35, shaving almost a second off the 2013 record of 2:09:32 set by Ugandan Jackson Kiprop. And guess who was egging him on throughout the race? Jurrie, who was riding pillion on a bike that was leading the elite athletes.
"We knew that Gideon was in good form during training, but even I did not expect him to do it like this (new course record). I was chatting with Gideon throughout. At the 30-km mark he was supposed to think about ending his race soon, but he said he was feeling good, so I said let's see for another kilometre. At the 31-km mark then he said the same thing, so I thought let's go on for another 1000 meters. "Finally, at 33 kms, I did a final check on him, and he said 'I'm good to go on' and the rest, as they say, is history," explained Jurrie.
*Gideon unchallenged*
The race panned out as expected from the start, with the 18 elite distance-running African pearls strung together along the Queen's Necklace. On the way back however, the pearls were scattered, with one — Gideon — prominently racing ahead, unchallenged and alone, leaving a vacuum of at least 300 meters, if not more, behind him.
Gideon kept looking back as he broke off confidently, in between smiling at spectators cheering him from the footpath and even flashing the thumbs-up sign as he sped across Marine Drive on the homestretch.
*Gideon Kipketer's sister Valentine finished third in the international women's category, clocking 2:34:07. Pic/Satej Shinde*
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A sledgehammer right hand to the chin left Polish opponent Artur Szpilka unconscious and flat on his back at 2:24 of the ninth round at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, the southpaw taken off on a stretcher to a hospital as a precaution.
That enabled Wilder to keep his World Boxing Council title and set the stage for a potential shot at an undisputed title later this year against Fury, who beat Wladimir Klitschko for the World Boxing Association crown and climbed into the ring to taunt Wilder moments after the fight ended.
*WBA title holder Tyson Fury challenges Deontay Wilder in New York on Saturday*
"There's only one Tyson Fury," the Briton yelled as they moved into a staredown. "What've you got to say about that Deontay?""You're just a phony," Wilder replied. "This is just an act. You know where I am. You know what time, what place. I ain't scared of nobody, I'll come to your backyard, baby."
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Real, and local rivals Atletico Madrid, were slapped with the sanction of not being able to register new players for the 12 months between July 2016 and 2017 for alleged irregularities in the signing of foreign nationals under 18.
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However, Madrid's joy was tempered as Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema both had to be replaced due to injuries.
Bale limped off with what looked like the recurrence of a calf problem just before half-time having scoring his 11th goal in eight games.
Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo also scored twice in the first-half before the former picked up a knock in a collision with teammate James Rodriguez.
Madrid have now scored 35 goals in six games at home since losing to 4-0 to Barcelona in November.
Victory takes Madrid above Barcelona and to within a point of leaders Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga. However, Atletico and Barca are in action later when they face Las Palmas and Athletic Bilbao respectively.
Having thrashed Deportivo la Coruna 5-0 in his managerial bow at the Bernabeu last weekend, Zidane made just one change with Raphael Varane replacing injured captain Sergio Ramos.
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/16-autralian-open-facts-s.jpg*Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams. Pic/AFP*
>> The first Aus Open men’s singles was held in 1905 and women’s in 1922.
>> The first men’s singles winner was Rodney Heath while Mall Molesworth was the first for women’s.
>> In 1986, there was no Australian Open championship.*Roy Emerson. Pic/AFP*
>> At the 2006 edition, Jie Zheng and Ai Yan became the first ever Chinese players to win a Grand Slam.
>> The Hawkeye Line calling system was first put to use in 2007.
>> Until 1946, the tournament did not include any foreign players. In that same year a few players from the U.S. entered by plane.
>> Australian Open was always played on grass court. In 1988, they introduced hard courts for the tournament.
>> Australian Open is usually held during the summer where temperatures rise up almost to 45 degrees. The 2007 edition was one of the hottest seasons of the Aus Open.
>> At age 18 and 37, Ken Rosewall remains the youngest as well as the oldest winner in the men’s singles.*Margaret Court. Pic/AFP*
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*In pictures: The 2016 Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon**Runners in action during 13th edition of Standard Charterd Mumbai Marathon. Pic/ Bipin Kokate*
A total of 40,285 runners from different corners of the world participated in the country's premier marathon event.
Kenyan pacemaker Gideon Kipketer came up with a dominating show to clinch victory and also set a new men's course record of two hours, eight minutes and 35 seconds.
The women's crown was clinched by Ethiopian Shuko Genemo with a time of 2:27:50.
Nitendra Singh Rawat set a new course record of 2:15:48 among the Indians while Sudha Singh, who came third last year with 2:42:11, came up with a dominating show this time to be the top Indian woman and clock a better time of 2:39:28.
Speaking on the tough race which saw joggers and amateur runners coming in the way in the small lanes, Rawat said, "The race was a tough one. The weather was hot and humid. Also the problem was the joggers and amateur runners came in front of us making it difficult for us to get past them."
"I could not find the water spots between the 21 and 28 km marks as it was too crowded in front of me," he added.
Kipketer agreed with Rawat, saying that the crowded and small lanes made it difficult for the elite athletes to maintain their speed and concentration levels.
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Maxwell hit 96 runs to guide his side to an unassailable 3-0 lead after the visitors set them a target of 296. He had walked in when Australia were six-down at one stage, but along with James Faulkner held his nerve until the end.
*Glen Maxwell plays a reverse sweep enroute his match-winning 96 run knock against India in third ODI at MCG. Pic/ AFP*
"I was pretty calm at that stage. When Faulkner came out I was hoping he'd score a bit more and I'd be able to sit at the other end and run with him," said Maxwell after the three-wicket victory.
"But he said he was just going to play normally so I said I'm going to take it on and take the pressure off. It worked the opposite to the way I wanted it to. But it worked out really well because I was able to target bowlers because they had a different field to me and they had a pretty standard field to him. It was a tough wicket to start on so it made me easier for me to improvise and hit it over the infield."
When asked if he was looking ahead to the World T20, on account of his IPL experience, and the Australian batting's superiority, he replied, "You have to concentrate on the series you're in. It'd be naive of us to look too far ahead. We do talk about it off the field and say that we're looking forward to going over there and getting ready but you're not mentally preparing for it already."
"You've got to build up to. There are a few games before that here against India that we're looking forward to. But first up we have to win this series 5-0 which is something we're desperate to do and then hopefully we can win the T20s 3-0," Maxwell said.
With one run needed for the win, he was on 96 not out and had to go for a big stroke with the fielders coming in. Maxwell instead holed out.
"I just wanted to hit it. Didn't care where it went, I just wanted to hit it over the infield if it went for one, two, eight, four. I was just trying to hit it," he said.
Talking about Australia's third successive victory chasing against India, the Man of the Match said, "I still remember the 400 chase in Johannesburg and it was 10-15 years ahead of its time. It's amazing the way our team has been playing and the way we've been approaching those chase. I don't think many teams are doing it like we are at the moment, as comfortably as it looks. To do it three times in a row is
pretty phenomenal and probably shows why we're No.1 in the world.
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/17new-zealand-s.jpg*Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson celebrate winning the second Twenty20 match against Pakistan. Pic/ AFP*
New Zealand took four leg byes from the fourth ball of the 18th over to win the match with eight balls to spare. In doing so Guptill and Williamson surpassed the Twnety20 record partnership for all wickets against all nations that had been held for South Africa by Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman at 170.
Pakistan won the opening match by 16 runs on Friday, defending a total of 171-8 and left itself in a similar position at Seddon Park when it made 168-7 after winning the toss and batting.
While New Zealand botched their run chase in the first match, losing seven wickets for 48 runs after Williamson had made 70 and Colin Munro 56, the two New Zealand openers made no mistakes today in steering their team to victory.
Williamson ran out Guptill for 2 in one of the most serious blunders of the first match at Eden Park and there seemed a clear determination from both batsmen to avoid similar missteps this time around. Guptill and Williamson controlled New Zealand's chase, posting their century partnership in 12 overs to ensure the home team remained ahead of the required run rate and to leave Pakistan with few defensive options.
Outstanding bowling by Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi and Wahab Riaz in the first match sowed panic among the New Zealand middle order after Williamson and Munro were out but Williamson ensured there was no repeat of that indecision.
There were moments during the New Zealand innings when Pakistan seemed set to slow New Zealand's scoring and when Guptill showed signs of concern. But Williamson helped him and New Zealand through those moments and eventually Guptill became the more vigorous of the two, reaching his half century from 40 balls and finishing with 87 from 58 balls with nine fours and four sixes.
Williamson's innings was just as influential. He had been the more productive of the two for much of the partnership, showing an outstanding ability to punish even a fragmentary lapse in length or line.
The boundaries at Seddon Park are relatively short, particularly square on the off side and Williamson punched anything short to boundaries that could not be adequately guarded. Williamson reached his half century from 35 balls and finished with 72 from 48 balls with 11 fours. "I think we made those improvements that we wanted to from the last game," Williamson said. I thought the bowling effort was pretty good considering that short side and the wind pushing the ball to the long side, so it wasn't easy.
"The Pakistan score was perhaps par and it was just good to get off to a good start in the second innings and watch (Guptill) bat at the other end."
Pakistan seemed to have posted a more-than-competitive total when it came in after batting on winning the toss with 168-7, just short of its winning tally in the opening match.
Umar Akmal provided the backbone of the innings with a superb 56 from 27 balls that included four fours and four sixes. He had support from Shoaib Malik who made 39, Mohammad Hafeez with 19 and Shoaib Maqsood with 18.
New Zealand took an innovative approach to containing the Pakistan batsmen, opening the bowling with left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner and allrounder Corey Anderson. While the tactic didn't work emphatically, it helped curb Pakistan's total.
"We wanted to mix it up and I guess when you play to spinners you want to share the seam overs throughout," Williamson said. "That was a small plan. I guess it didn't come off today but that's Twenty20 cricket."
The teams next head to Wellington for the deciding match of the series on Thursday.
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/maxwell-s.jpg
*Australian batsman Glenn Maxwell. Photo: AFP*
Chasing a target of 296 runs, Australia reached the score with seven balls to spare, thanks to Maxwell, who smashed eight boundaries and three sixes, to provide his side with a series win.
Besides Maxwell, opener Shaun Marsh (62) and skipper Steve Smith (41) were other notable figures for the hosts.
For the visitors, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja bagged two wickets each to provide their side with some hope but their efforts went in vain.
27-year-old Maxwell was adjourned `Man of the Match` for his remarkable contribution with the bat.
Earlier, after being asked to bat first, Virat Kohli smashed 117 runs off 117 balls to help India post 295 runs, which was a par score on the slow MCG wicket.
*Virat Kohli celebrates his 100-runs against Australia during the third one-day international at the MCG in Melbourne. AFP PHOTO*
Out-of form opener Shikhar Dhawan, who got dismissed cheaply in the first two ODIs, managed to contribute significant 68 runs before being dismissed by John Hastings.
Ajinkya Rahane also smashed a half-century while opener Rohit Sharma got dismissed for just six runs after scoring centuries in Perth and Brisbane.
The two sides will now play their fourth match, a dead rubber, in Canberra on Wednesday.Scoreboard*India *
Rohit Sharma c Wade b Richardson 6
Shikhar Dhawan b Hastings 68
Virat Kohli c Bailey b Hastings 117
Ajinkya Rahane c Maxwell b Hastings 50
MS Dhoni c Maxwell b Hastings 23
Gurkeerat Singh b Faulkner 8
Ravindra Jadeja not out 6
Rishi Dhawan not out 3
*Extras* (lb 5, w 9) 14
*Total* (6 wickets; 50 overs) 295 (5.90 runs per over)
*Fall of wickets* 1-15, 2-134, 3-243, 4-265, 5-274, 6-288
*Bowling:
*Kane Richardson 10-0-48-1
John Hastings 10-0-58-4
James Faulkner 10-0-63-1
Scott Boland 9-0-63-0,
Glenn Maxwell 9-0-46-0
Mitchell Marsh 2-0-12-0.
*Australia:*
Shaun Marsh c Dhoni b I Sharma 62
Aaron Finch c Dhoni b Yadav 21
Steven Smith c Rahane b Jadeja 41
George Bailey st Dhoni b Jadeja 23
Glenn Maxwell c Dhawan b Yadav 96
Mitchell Marsh run out 17
Matthew Wade c S Dhawan b I Sharma 6
James Faulkner not out 21
John Hastings not out 0
*Extras:* (LB-3, W-5, NB-1) 9
*Total:* (For 7 wkts; 48.5 overs) 296
*Fall of wickets:* 1-48, 2-112, 3-150, 4-167, 5-204, 6-215, 7-295.
**
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/17mumbai-marathon-win-s.jpg
Kipketer, who started the race as a pace setter, decided to continue till the end after taking over the sole lead midway through the return leg of the race and stopped the clock at 2:08:35, shaving almost a full second off the 2013 record of 2:09:32 set by Ugandan Jackson Kiprop.*Gideon Kipketer, winner of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon - 2016. Pic/Bipin Kokate*
Kiprop, who won USD 56,000, including the bonus for breaking the course record worth USD 15,000, was followed home in second place by Ethiopia's Seboka Dibaba in 2:09:20 and Marius Kimutai of Kenya (2:09:39).
The corresponding women's crown was clinched by Ethiopian runner Shuko Genemo in 2:27:50, well off the 2:24 course record set in 2013 by Kenya's Valentine Kipketer, sister of the winner of the men's race.
In second place was Kenya's Bornes Kitur (2:32:00), while Valentine, whose shoe lace got untied at the 29-km mark when she was closely trailing the winner, finished a distant third in 2:34:07.
For India, the highlight was the breaking of the four-year-old home country's course record of 2:16:59 by two Army Sports Institute of Pune runners - Nitendra Singh Rawat and pacemaker Gopi T - and the Rio Olympic Games qualifying mark bettered by this duo as well as by another ASI competitor, Kheta Ram.
Uttarkhand's Rawat, who had already qualified for the Olympics at the World Military Games in South Korea, did better than that as well as setting a new record when he finished overall 10th in a creditable 2:15:48.
Kerala's Gopi finished one rung below Rawat in overall 11th place by crossing the finish line in 2:16:15 while Kheta ended up 15th in 2:17:23, also dipping below the 2:19:00 Rio Olympic Games qualifying standard.
Among the Indian women, Sudha Singh got the best spot, 7th, by clocking 2:39:28, thus improving on her show last year, while her distance running compatriots - Lalita Babar and OP Jaisha - ended up in 10th and 11th spots with slow timings of 2:41:55 and 2:43:26.
All three have already qualified through the marathon for Rio, but Lalita and Jaisha today once again ruled out their intention of competing in the 42-km run at the Olympics while Sudha said she will go by the advice of the trio's coach, Nikolai Snesarev of Belarus.
"This is my last marathon. I will try and qualify for the 1,500m and 5,000m in Rio," said the 32-year-old 2014 Incheon Asian Games medalist Jaisha who had said the same thing prior to today's race too.
"I am concentrating on the 3,000m steeplechase only. I have however benefited by running the marathon," said Maharashtra athlete Lalita.
Sudha sung a different tune and said though she was also a steeplechaser and was confident of qualifying for it too, she will go by what the Belarussian coach advises her to do in Rio.
"For the last two years we have been training for the marathon without any breaks. I have not done any steeplechase event for one year because I am confident of qualifying. I feel I should listen to what the coach decides for me," she said.
She also said that but for running in the national cross country event, as advised by her employers Railways, she and the other two runners could have done better here.
"We were told to participate by the Railways to take part in the national cross country, in between the Open Nationals and marathon, that affected the preparations a bit as none of us (trio) had trained over the last one week," she said.
Also finishing in the top 15 in the women's race were Swati Gadhave, Kavita Raut, making her debut in the 42-km event, and Jyoti Gawate.
They finished in 12th, 13th and 14th spots respectively by clocking 2:47:34, 2:49:43 and 2:54:20.
Havaldar Rawat, the best finisher among Indian men who ran wearing goggles, complained that because of the joggers coming in the main competitors' way he could not find the water spots between the 21 and 28 km marks.
"I was personally confident after the training we had been put through in the national camp at Ooty by our coach (Surinder Singh) Bhandari. I have to thank him. It feels good (to set a new course record)," said Rawat.
"I was told to set the pace for others till the 30km mark but I felt good and decided to continue. It feels pretty good to finish the race," said Gopi.
Kheta Ram, hailing from Rajasthan, who bettered his time set last October in the Vasai-Virar Marathon by almost five minutes, said the hard five-month training that the trio and others did in Ooty had done a world of good. "The hard work done over the last 3-5 months in Ooty has helped. I wanted to better the old course record, but it did not happen," said Kheta.
Both Kheta and Gopi said they were basically track runners and would try to qualify for the 5,000m and 10,000m for the Rio Games. At the Olympics, only three per country are allowed to take part in a single event.
Also finishing in the top 20 overall in the men's race, between 15 and 20, were Elam Singh (16th in 2:20:02), Md Yunus (17th in 2:20:30), Th Sanjith Luwang (18th in 2:20:51), Rahul Kumar Pal (19th in 2:22:04) and V L Dangi (20th in 2:23:46).
Men's champion Kipketer said that though he had entered the race as a pace setter, once he crossed the 33-km mark well in front of others he decided to continue and finish.
"It's my biggest pay day. I will build a house and buy some more farm. My next marathon will be in April," he said.
Like Rawat, women's winner Genemo also complained that too many people (casual runners) interfered (as she ran).
"The temperature as compared to Europe was on the higher side. The uphills (gradients) were also tough to negotiate," she said.
The results (top 3 positions):
Men's marathon: 1. Gideon Kipketer (Ken) 2:08:35 (New course record), 2. Seboka Dibaba (Eth) 2:09:20, 3. Marius Kimutai (Ken) 2:09:39.
Women's marathon:
1. Shuko Genemo (Eth) 2:27:50, 2. Bornes Kitur (Ken) 2:32:00, 3. Valentine Kipketer (Ken) 2:34:07.
Men's half marathon:
1. Deepak Bapu Kumbhar (Ind) 01:06:01, 2. A B Belliappa (Ind) 01:06:37, 3. Indrajeet Patel (Ind) 01:06:59.
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/Muhammad-Ali-s.jpg
*ALSO READ: Muhammad Ali celebrates 40th anniversary of 'Thrilla in Manilla'*
*TRIVIA*
*
Take that: Muhammad Ali (right) lands a punch on George Foreman in Zaire (now Conga) on October 10, 1974. This image is part of a photograph that appeared on the cover of the November 11, 1974 issue of Sports Illustrated magazine. Pic/Getty Images*
*Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. on January 17, 1942.*
*He was born in Louisville, Kentucky, which provided the basis for one of his early nicknames, 'The Louisville Lip.'*
*At the age of 11 Clay joined a boxing club run by a police officer after he complained about a stolen bike to the police officer (Joe Martin) in question and said he wanted to find the thief and 'whip' him. The cop told him he better learn to fight first.*
*He won the Olympic Gold at the 1960 games in Rome at light heavyweight on September 5, 1960 at 18 years old. He subsequently tossed the medal into a river upon returning home and facing racism.*
*He was married four times (Sonji Roi August 1964-January-1966; Belinda Boyd August 1967-1977; Veronica Porsche 1977-1986; Yolanda Ali November 1986-Current).*
*He has 7 daughters and 2 sons (3 daughters and a son with Sonji Roi, two daughters, including Laila Ali, with Veronica Porsche; 1 son (adopted) with Yolanda Ali; 2 daughters from other relationships).*
*ALSO READ: The meaning of Ali*
*Ali beat Foreman in 1974 in Kinshasa, Zaire in the 'Rumble in the Jungle'*
*On October 29th, 1960, Clay made his professional debut against Tunney Hunsaker and won a six round decision.*
*His nicknames: The Greatest, The Louisville Lip, G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Time), The Champ*
*Three movies have been made about his life: “The Greatest” in 1977; “When We Were Kings” 1996; “Ali” 2001*
*HIS BOXING RECORD AND SOME RECORDS:*
*Amateur record: 100-5*
*Career record: 56-5 with 37 knockouts in 61 total bouts*
*Last pro fight: December 11th, 1981 against Trevor Berbick*
*
Muhammad Ali stands over the fallen Sonny Liston. Pic/Allsport Hulton/Archive*
*Fights known by name: 3 ( Ali vs. Joe Frazier I – “Fight of the Century”; Ali vs. George Foreman “Rumble in the Jungle” from Kinshasha, Zaire; Ali vs. Frazier III “Thrilla in Manila” from Manila, Philippines)*
*Youngest heavyweight champion: Defeated Sonny Liston on February 25th, 1964, to become the then youngest heavyweight champion at 22 years and 1 month old*
*Number of times won championship: 3 time champion. He was the first heavyweight to do so*
*Champions beaten: 7 (Archie Moore; Sonny Liston; Floyd Patterson; Bob Foster, Joe Frazier; George Foreman; Leon Spinks)*
*Ali had a way with words. Here are some of his more famous quotes*
*I am the greatest. I said that even before I knew I was. I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince the world that I really was the greatest.*
*Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them—a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.*
*ALSO WATCH: Birthday special: Top boxing films of all time*
*Don’t count the days; make the days count.*
*If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it—then I can achieve it.*
*At home I am a nice guy: but I don’t want the world to know. Humble people, I’ve found, don’t get very far*
*Friendship... is not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything.*
*
*A young and brash Muhammad Ali**
*I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'*
*He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.*
*I done wrestled with an alligator, I done tussled with a whale; handcuffed lightning, thrown thunder in jail; only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalised a brick; I'm so mean I make medicine sick.*
*Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.*
*I'm so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark.*
*My trainer don't tell me nothing between rounds. I don't allow him to. I fight the fight. All I want to know is did I win the round. It's too late for advice.*
*It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.*
*The crowd did not dream when they laid down their money that they would see a total eclipse of the Sonny.*
*The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses—behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.*
*A man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life**George Foreman vs Muhammad Ali*
*Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier "Thrilla in Manila"*
*Top 10 Muhammad Ali Knockouts* Reported by Mid-Day 7 hours ago.
'Room', which is in the race for an Academy Award for Best Picture, is being brought to Indian screens on January 29 by PVR Pictures.
Submitted by Soeren Kern via The Gatestone Institute,
John Oliver returned with another “Last Week Tonight” web exclusive on Sunday, once again unveiling lost graphics that did not make it to air during the previous season of the HBO series.
Zendaya shows off her long legs in a cute black dress at the launch of ‘Daya’ By Zendaya Shoe Collection party held at Raleigh Studios on Friday night (January 29) in Los Angeles. The 19-year-old actress was joined by her stylist and co-designer, Law Roach, plus Yara Shahidi, Skai Jackson, Veronica Dunne, Max Ehrich, Paris [...]
Reported by Just Jared Jr 2 days ago.
In 2011, KING's debut EP came out of nowhere to almost-immediate acclaim: Prince, Roots bandleader ?uestlove, and Foreign Exchange frontman Phonte Coleman all praised the group's talent, and rapper Kendrick Lamar sampled "Hey," arguably KING's best song, for Section.80 track "Chapter Six." The group worked with singer Bilal for a song on his 2013 album, A Love Surreal, and with jazz pianist Robert Glasper, on his Black Radio LP. By 2014, at the FYF Fest in Los Angeles, the singers covered Nina Simone's "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" alongside Devonté Hynes, Moses Sumney, and Solange. The trio—comprised of Anita Bias and twins Paris and Amber Strother—has seen its stock rise significantly, although it didn't have a lot of music to speak of. Their EP had only three tracks—three wonderful tracks—but a short playlist nonetheless. Behind singles "In the Meantime" and "Mister Chameleon," KING was set to release its long-awaited first LP in 2014, but the year came and went without a full-length project. So there's plenty of interest in We Are KING, even if the singers are just on the periphery of larger mainstream circles.
Paris Jackson is attending AA meetings (Alcohol Anonymous). Michael Jackson's daughter took to social media and revealed her secret struggle with addiction. Paris also vowed not to let haters ...
Reported by Starpulse.com 10 hours ago.
MICHAEL Jackson’s teen daughter Paris has revealed she is struggling with addiction, and is now attending AA meetings.
Reported by The Advertiser 8 hours ago.