Sports
|
| A case of peaking too early | | | | Kolkata: Fifth. For the second consecutive season. Flattered to deceive yet again after reaching the final in 2011. They began the season as one of the form teams but struggled for consistency during the second half, when they played the bulk of their away games. It came down to a fight for the fourth slot for the playoffs, with Sunrisers Hyderabad. Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Chennai Super Kings in a must-win game and then had to expect Sunrisers to lose their final league game for a possible backdoor entry to the playoffs. It didn't happen and Royal Challengers, yet again, were left to reflect on a season in which they showed promise, but skidded when it came to the playoffs race. The performance of the top order. With the trio of Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli, Royal Challengers posted in excess of 170 six times, including the record-breaking 263 for 5 against Pune Warriors. De Villiers enhanced his reputation for being one of the best finishers, sweeping, scooping and slogging seamers in the final overs. The captaincy had a positive effect on Kohli's batting, as he finished with 634 runs with six half-centuries, the top Indian-getter at the end of the league stages. Royal Challengers were also unbeaten at home, for all but one game. Vinay Kumar was the pic... |  |
| | Clash of Titans as CSK face Mumbai Indians in 1st play-off | | | | New Delhi: It will be a `Battle of Equals` when mighty Chennai Super Kings meet the formidable Mumbai Indians in the first play-off match of the Indian Premier League here on Tuesday.
On paper, there is very little to choose between the two teams, who have both won 11 out of their 16 matches and have a number of match-winners who can turn the tables on a given day. Mumbai Indians under stewardship of Rohit Sharma has been a force to reckon with having won all their eight matches at home, while CSK`s season has been a mix and match but they have successfully finished off a number of close encounters, which has been their hallmark over the years.
Mumbai Indians might just have a psychological advantage having beaten the `Men in Yellow` in both home and away games.
However it will be an altogether different test on a `neutral venue` as they will be playing at the Feroze Shah Kotla which has been known for producing dodgy 22-yard strips over the years. With both teams relying on their batsmen to do the trick, one can brace up for `some battles` within the main contest. It can be a Sachin Tendulkar versus Ravichandran Ashwin, Mahendra Singh Dhoni versus Harbhajan Singh, Kieron Pollard against Mohit Sharma or Mike Hussey versus Pragyan Ojha affair. Tendulkar is likely to make a co... | |
| | A hat-trick of shambolic seasons for Warriors | | | | Delhi: Even in their third season in the IPL, Pune Warriors - the most expensive team - showed no signs of having got their act together. After finishing second from bottom in their maiden season and at the bottom of the table in 2012, Warriors started the season thinking things could only better. And they appeared to have got the resources right this year with one of the strongest squads on paper at the start of the season. Just before the season began, though, they received a jolt as Michael Clarke, who was set to lead their campaign, pulled out due to a back problem and Warriors could never recover from that. They employed three captains, tried 26 players in 16 games and yet won only four games.
Had it not been for their successive victories in their last two games, they would have finished the season at the bottom of the table. For most of the season, Warriors were jokingly called the most consistent team in the IPL, as they were set to finish a lowly ninth for the third year in a row. They didn't maintain that record, though, finishing ahead of Delhi Daredevils after beating them in the battle to avoid the final spot.
In a season where hardly anything went right for them, only three players showed some sort of consistency. Aaron Finch, who came in as Clarke's replac... | |
| | Royals suspends contracts of trio | | | | jaipur: Rajasthan Royals has suspended the contracts of all three of their players who were arrested on allegations of spot-fixing. The three players had already been suspended by the BCCI soon after the controversy came to light.
The franchise has also filed a complaint against the players with the Delhi Police, and said that additional security has been allotted for the team for the playoff stage of the IPL.
"Based on the information provided by the authorities, the contracts of all three players have been suspended pending enquiry," Royals said in a press release. "We have already filed a complaint with the Delhi Police against all three players earlier today."
The extra security for the team follows a decision taken at Sunday's BCCI working committee meeting to provide each team officers from its Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU).
The moves come in the wake of the arrest of three Royals players - Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila - by the Delhi Police last week on allegations of spot-fixing. Their police custody ends on Monday evening and while the players' lawyers have announced their plan to move for bail, the Delhi Police are likely to apply for extension of the custody. Meanwhile, Royals have reached the playoff stage of the IPL for the firs... | |
| | Jose Mourinho to leave Real Madrid | | | | London: Blancos president Florentino Perez has confirmed the Portuguese coach is set to end his three-year spell in La Liga following a trophy-less season in the capital.
Jose Mourinho will leave his role as coach of Real Madrid at the end of the current season, the club have confirmed.
President Florentino Perez revealed at a press conference on Monday that the former Inter, Chelsea and Porto coach`s time in charge at the Bernabeu is coming to an end by mutual agreement once the 2012-13 season has reached its conclusion.
“The club and coach believe the time is right to bring our relationship to an end,” said Perez.
“I would like to thank Jose Mourinho for all his hard work over the last three years. The team has improved over his time here and I would like to wish him all the best.
"Everything is relative. From where we have come, we have taken a big step but we were lacking a little extra."
The announcement comes after a disappointing spell saw Madrid knocked out of the Champions League by Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals and suffer defeat to rivals Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey final, while Barcelona marched to the Liga title.
"The achievements of this season have not been sufficient for the demands of a club such as Real Madrid or a coach like Mourinho.”
"E... | |
| | I never thought of leaving Barcelona: Messi | | | | Barcelona: Barcelona star Lionel Messi has once again made it clear that he has never considered quitting Camp Nou for another major club.
The four-time Ballon d`Or winner joined the Catalan giant`s youth academy in 2000, and has won the Champions League three times and La Liga on six occasions since breaking through to the first team in 2003. Speaking at a press conference in Qatar, the 25-year-old again stated that leaving the Blaugrana has not once crossed his mind. "I never thought about playing anywhere else than this club," he told reporters. Barcelona are on course to equal the record of 100 points in La Liga having clinched the title earlier in the Spring, but they suffered a humiliating 7-0 aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League - something which Messi believes will help to make his side stronger. "Winning the league is very good though our goal is always to win everything," he added. "Bayern were the superior team this year, now we must prepare for next year."... | |
| | Fernandinho tweets desire to join Manchester City | | | | Brazil: The Brazilian has been repeatedly linked with a move to the Premier League after a series of impressive performances for Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League this season.
Shakhtar Donetsk star Fernandinho has confirmed he wants to join Manchester City this summer. The Brazilian has attracted the attention of some of Europe`s biggest clubs with a series of impressive performances for the Ukrainian giants, most notably against Chelsea in the Champions League. Reports in the British media in recent weeks have suggested City are now in pole position to sign Fernandinho and the 28-year-old has done nothing to cool the speculation surrounding his future. In fact, when asked, "do you want to join City?" by a fan on Twitter, the Brazilian replied: "Yes my friend!!!" One potential stumbling block to any move is the hefty €47 million buyout clause reportedly in Fernandinho`s Shakhtar contract and the player himself admitted: "My dream is being threatened by my valuation."... | |
| | Cancer survivor Kleybanova makes victorious comeback | | | | Moscow: After a victorious comeback to professional tennis, former World No. 20 and cancer survivor Alisa Kleybanova vowed Monday to return to the sport’s biggest competitions.
The Russian, 23, won two WTA titles before being forced to quit the sport in July 2011 when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
After an aborted comeback bid last year, Kleybanova made a successful return last week at a Challenger tournament in Landisville, Pennsylvania, coming through three rounds of qualifying and four main draw matches before winning the title with a 6-3, 6-0 thrashing of American Natalie Pluskota in Sunday’s final. ‘I hope that now you will constantly be seeing me at the most impressive tournaments,’ she said on a social networking site.
‘It was an amazing week in Landisville for me,’ she said. ‘It is always nice to start a new route to victory. I want to thank everyone who supported me and waited for my return to the court.’
The Moscow-born player was a youth prodigy, twice winning the junior women’s doubles title at Wimbledon, and twice tasted victory on the WTA Tour with wins at the Malaysian and Korean Opens. ... | |
| | Scolari admits Neymar talks with Barcelona | | | | Santos: Luiz Felipe Scolari has revealed he has spoken with Barcelona president Sandro Rosell regarding the future of Neymar and informed him of the Santos star`s exemplary "behaviour".
Peixe vice president Odilio Rodrigues revealed last week that the 21-year-old is desperate to make the move to the Camp Nou side and the Brazil coach has now added further fuel to those rumours.
"He is an example to follow as a sportsman. I have spoken to Sandro Rosell about how he behaves on the training pitch and about his personality. And he really is an example to follow," he told Canal. "Barcelona are clearly leading the race for his signature. He would be a great signing for Barcelona. "He would be an idol for the fans next season alongside Lionel Messi."
Neymar has a contract with Santos until after World Cup 2014, but he could be on the move this summer as he will travel to Barcelona after the Confederations Cup to discuss a potential transfer.... | |
| | Atletico give green light for Falcao exit | | | | Manchester: Following their qualification for the Champions League, general manager Miguel Angel Gil Marin has reiterated that the club will not stand in the striker`s way if he opts to leave.
Atletico Madrid general manager Miguel Angel Gil Marin has stated that any decisions attacker Radamel Falcao will make regarding his future will be backed by the club - even if it means allowing him to leave. The Colombia star has scored on 28 occasions during his 33 appearances this season, heavily contributing to Atleti`s third-place finish as well as securing the Copa del Rey trophy. And the club`s owner has now revealed that the Colombian forward has been given the green light to decide over his future, amid speculation linking him with Premier League duo Chelsea and Manchester City as well as Ligue 1 financial behemoths Monaco. "Before the start of the season, we spoke with Falcao," said Marin. "We promised if he helps us to qualify for the Champions League, Atletico will support all his decisions." Atletico currently enjoy a 10-point cushion over fourth-placed Real Sociedad ahead of their final two Liga matches this season, ensuring their participation in next season`s elite cup competition.... | |
| | Keep your discipline: Del Bosque urges Casillas | | | | Spain: The Spain coach has offered his support to the Real Madrid goalkeeper and insists he remains la Roja`s No.1 in his eyes.
Vicente del Bosque says Iker Casillas is doing the right thing by keeping his head down as the row with Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho rumbles on.
The Spain captain, who turns 32 today, was usurped as Madrid`s first-choice keeper for the second half of the season, but Del Bosque believes the player most continue to keep his discipline as reports of dressing-room conflicts continue to surface from Santiago Bernabeu.
"If you asked me a tip for him, I`d tell him to do what he has done: be obedient, disciplined and discreet," said the Spanish boss `Football Draft 2013` event.... | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
 Market Watch
|
|
BSE Sensex |
 |
| |
|
NSE Nifty |
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Cricket
Update |
|
|
|
| |
| |
|