Colombo test:India draw with Sri Lanka

Second Test, Colombo:

 

 

Captain Kumar Sangakkara made 42 not out to turn his side to safety, the hosts reaching 129-3 when the two teams decided to shake hands.India had finally been bowled out for 707 in their first innings close to the end of the morning session, giving them a fine first-innings lead of 65.

conversely they simply didn't have enough time to force a positive result, meaning Sri Lanka stay 1-0 up in the series with one Test to play.

India Keep stay the best in Tests:

 

India remain top of the International Cricket Council Test ratings next their draw in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo. India are now 11 points clear of second-placed South Africa and will remain top of the rankings irrespective of the outcome in the third Test.

The ICC finished their annual update of the ratings which will now see India remain at the top of the table until the end of their current series which ends on August 7, when the ratings will again be updated.

Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag balanced India

Second Test, Colombo,(day three):

Sachin Tendulkar hit his 48th Test century and Virender Sehwag made 99 to boost up India's hopes of avoiding defeat in the second Test against Sri Lanka. India, chasing 642-4 declared, began well until Sehwag fell to Suraj Randiv, just one run withdrawn of a 21st Test ton.

Murali Vijay (58) and Rahul Dravid (3) were both out in quick sequence. But Tendulkar's stylish 108 not out in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 141 with debutant Suresh Raina (66*) helped India to 382-4 by close of play.

Scoreboard:

Sri Lanka 642-4 dec v India 382-4

Sachin Tendulkar* 108(181)

Suresh Raina* 66(133)

One major finally in hand, Creamer wants more

Paula Creamer still plays with bandage. What she no longer plays with is a weight.

Even though Creamer won't turn 24 until a week from Thursday, after she returns from Royal Birkdale and the final LPGA Tour major of this year, few other players so youthful have received so much inspection for failing to win a major.

At least that's one difficulty she won't face this week at the Women's British Open.
Paula Creamer of USA plays on the fifth hole through the third round of the Evian Masters women's golf tournament in Evian, eastern France, Saturday, July 24, 2010. Creamer still plays with a bandage, which proved easier than playing with a burden. The 23-year-old American no longer faces questions regarding when she will win a major.

World Badminton Championships 2011 coming soon

The 2011 BWF World Championships will take place in London, offering badminton fans a sneak preview of the world’s top players in the countdown to the 2012 London Olympic Games. Hosted by BADMINTON England, the BWF World Championships will be played at the world-famous Wembley Arena from 8 -14 August, 2011.

China is currently the most successful nation in the history of the World Championships with 49 titles since 1977 (excluding 2010), but the Chinese are expected to be pushed all the way by players from Denmark, Indonesia, Korea and Malaysia. They will be joined by players from the host nation who will be out to impress ahead of the 2012 London Olympic Games. Top stars such as Nathan Robertson and Anthony Clark will lead the charge in the men’s doubles, and rising talent like Rajiv Ouseph and Andrew Smith will be battling to make their mark on home soil.

England won one gold and two silver medals at the 2006 Championships in Madrid, Spain with Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms securing the gold medal and Anthony Clark becoming one of few players in the world ever to win two medals in the same World Championships. The BWF World Championships is an annual event except in the year of the Olympics and the 2010 edition will be played in Paris, France, in August.

Galle 2nd Test: Sangakkara & Paranavitana take SL as control

Captain Kumar Sangakkara and Tharanga Paranavitana struck their second successive centuries as Sri Lanka took firm control of the second cricket Test against India in Colombo on Monday. Sangakkara (130 not out) notched up his 23rd Test century while Paranavitana (100) scored his second ton as the Lankan batsmen piled up the agony on a listless India by reaching a commanding 312 for two at close on the opening day.

The Indians, who desperately need to win the match to level the three-match series and retain their number one position, put up a rather pathetic bowling display to allow the hosts to get off to a flying start. Mahela Jayawardene (13) was giving Sangakkara company at stumps as the hosts dominated on a very good batting track at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground.

Electing to bat, the two Lankan openers Tillakaratne Dilshan (54) and Paranavitana provided a rollicking start to the innings, capitalising on some wayward and insipid bowling by the Indians.The depleted Indian bowling attack, badly missing the services of pace spearhead Zaheer Khan, just did not ball in the right areas to pose much problems for the hosts who scored at a brisk pace right through the day.

The National Lottery's London 2012 Games Hot Air Balloon Takes Off

From the heart of the Olympic Park, The National Lottery today launched its London 2012 Games hot air balloon, which will embark on a nationwide tour this summer.

Lifting off at the Olympic Park, the hot air balloon took its first tethered flight with Olympic canoeing gold medallist, Tim Brabants, Olympic gymnastics bronze medallist, Louis Smith and Olympic 400m hurdles bronze medallist, Tasha Danvers onboard. The hot air balloon will visit cities throughout the UK, giving members of the public the chance to fly in the balloon, accompanied by elite athletes.
Over £25 million a week is raised by Lottery players for projects across the UK that make a real difference to people’s lives. The National Lottery is contributing up to £2.2 billion to fund the infrastructure and the venues for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and their legacy, as well as enabling around 1,400 talented British athletes to benefit from world-class coaching and support through UK Sport's World Class Performance Programme.

Peter Keen, Director of Performance at UK Sport, said: “Lottery funding has changed the face of sport in the UK and has contributed to a total of 438 Olympic and Paralympic medals for Great Britain since 1997. The hot air balloon tour is a great way for the public to meet local elite athletes, and for those athletes to be able to thank Lottery players for their support.”

Australia skid to fourth place in ICC Test rankings

Leeds: Australia has slipped to fourth place in the ICC rankings after drawing a Test series against Pakistan at England. Leeds defeat was Australian captain Ricky Ponting's first Test loss against Pakistan.The loss at leading, combined with Sri Lanka's crushing victory over India in the teams' first Test at Galle, has resulted in Australia shedding three ratings points and dropping from third in the Test rankings to fourth with 116 points, replaced by Sri Lanka, who moved from 115 points to 119.

Formula 1:Formula Fernando Alonso leads Ferrari one-two in German GP

Formula 1:Fernando Alonso controversially led a Ferrari one-two at the German Grand Prix after Felipe Massa appeared to be given the orders to let his team-mate past days.Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel was 3rd at and his home Grand Prix at Hockenheim, 5.1 seconds adrift of the Spaniard. Mark Webber was 1st place off Button in sixth for Red Bull after engine problems.

Formula 1's governing body the FIA, state in Rule 39.1: "Team orders which has interfere with a race result are banned," and, after a post-race stewards inquiry, Ferrari were fined $100,000 for breaching sporting regulations.

Tiger woods endorsements updown expected $22 million

NEW YORK : Tiger Woods estimated endorsements for 2010 are value $22 million less than last year, according to Sports Illustrated’s yearly analysis of the highest-earning American athletes.

Woods is still No. 1 on the list, as he has been for the rankings in seven years. But his estimated total earnings of more than $90 million are updown 30 percent from nearly $128 million two years ago.Rival Phil Mickelson is again No. 2 position with total earnings of more than $61 million. His estimated endorsement profits is $52 million, compared with $70 million for Woods.

I could never plan against to murali

Sewhag:I will never miss facing Murali. He is the most difficult bowler who i played against. I am really happy that I don't have to face him over again, but at the same time I am upset he will not be around anymore in Test cricket. He was very difficult because I could never plan against to him. I would try to watch his hand, and if I might pick him, after i would play or else I would watch the ball directly to try to get an idea of the type of delivery he had bowled.

First time I faced him, in the tri-series in 2001, was a terrible because I could hardly pick any of his variations. At times he would spin it at right angles, making my job almost impossible. I tried to play him defensively and cash in against the other bowlers, because I was never relaxed against Murali.

India beat France 4-3 in the keenly-contested first hockey Test

Paris: Ace drag-flicker Sandeep Singh nonstop his red-hot form and struck twice as India beaten France 4-3 in the keenly-contested first hockey Test at the National Institute of Sport and Expert Performance (INSEP) in Paris. India strike goals through Sandeep, who changed two penalty corners in the 12th and 65th minute, Tushar Khandker (5th) and captain Rajpal Singh (69th), at the same time as Fredric Soyez scored a hat trick (6th, 51st and 68th) for France in the first game of the three-match series on Sunday.High on confidence after their 2-0 series win over Belgium in the last week, the Indians began forcefully and nearly took the lead in the third minute but for Dharamvir Singh, who fumbled inside the circle.

Overnight rains delays second day's start at Galle

An overnight rain delayed to start of the second day first cricket Test between India and Sri Lanka here today. Heavy rains lashed Galle last night and made the entire ground outfield wet, which was more than enough for a delayed start for the second day.Even though there were no rains in the morning, wet outfield forced the covers to stay on at the Galle Stadium and according to the curator Jayananda Warnaweera, play can begin only after lunch. The opening day's play on Sunday was also delayed by 30 minutes due to wet ground.

The opening day's play in which only 68 overs were bowled, Sri Lanka were in a comfortable position at 256/2 with Tharanga Paranavitana unbeaten on 110 and Captain Kumar Sangakkara (103. In India bowlers anle to taken Abhimanyu Mithun (1/41) and Virender Sehwag (1/23) managing wickets.

Salman Butt named as a new Pakistan Test captain

Salman Butt has been named Pakistan's new Test captain for the remaining 4 Test matches against England after Shahid Afridi ruled himself out for the Headingley game citing a side strain. Afridi said, I worked out in the gym in the morning and I don't feel comfortable at all and I will not play the next Test. Salman Butt will take over as Pakistan captain after Shahid Afridi's retirement from Test cricket.Kamran Akmal will be selected a new vice captain. Afridi announced his decision on Friday, after Pakistan's 150-run loss to Australia at Lord's.

He will be lead the side in the second Test against Australia in Leeds and the following four Tests against England.