Sergio Garcia beats Justin Rose to claim Masters Green Jacket
Spain’s Sergio Garcia ended nearly two decades of major disappointment when he beat England’s Justin Rose in a playoff to win the U.S. Masters on Sunday, donning the Green Jacket on what would have been the 60th birthday of his hero, the late Seve Ballesteros.After 73 majors, four heartbreaking runner-up finishes and years of self doubt, Garcia finally delivered the long awaited title when his 12-foot birdie putt at the first extra hole dropped into the cup at the par-four 18th, triggering a massive cheer from a gallery that had been on the edge of their seats.Deadlocked after nine holes, the two friends and rivals produced an enthralling back nine showdown worthy of any Masters champion in what became a head-to-head battle.Garcia and Rose both carded 69 to finish tied on nine-under-par 279 at the end of regulation and send the year’s first major to a playoff when both missed birdie putts and settled for pars at the 72nd hole.It marked the first Masters playoff since Adam Scott beat Angel Cabrera to become the first Australian to wear the Green Jacket in 2013 at Augusta National.All the omens had seemed in place for a Spanish victory with Garcia starting the day perched atop the leaderboard alongside Rose on Ballesteros’s 60th birthday.Ballesteros, the Spanish talisman who died of brain cancer in 2011, inspired a generation of golfers in his country, winning Green Jacket twice in 1980 and 1983.Garcia becomes the third Spaniard to wear the Green Jacket, joining Jose Maria Olazabal, who also triumphed twice at Augusta, in 1994 and 1999.advertisement”It is amazing. To do it on his (Ballesteros’s) 60th birthday and to join him and Jose Maria Olazabal, my two idols in golf, it is something amazing,” said Garcia before accepting the Green Jacket from last year’s winner Danny Willett in Butler Cabin.”Jose Maria texted on Thursday saying how much he believed in me and to believe in myself.”Everybody has been great. My whole family, my fiance.”Garcia, who has been plagued by self doubt when it came to majors, once said he did not have what it takes to be a major champion but demonstrated on Sunday during an enthralling rollercoaster battle with Rose that he does indeed possess the tools, demeanour and determination of a champion.
Since you’re reading my blog, you probably believe that we as nonprofit professionals need to know marketing – no matter how small, how underbudgeted, or how overworked we may be.We need more people like you.Why? Because we cannot afford not to do marketing. You cannot move people without it. As worthy as our causes may be, simply telling people that what we do matters is not an outreach strategy. We need people who understand this throughout all levels of organizations, from executive directors to communications departments to fundraising staff. Strong marketing and communications help us shift from a preaching to a persuasion perspective, making everything we do work better. As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, my good friend and esteemed marketing guru Kivi Leroux Miller has written a book – The Nonprofit Marketing Guide – for nonprofits with small staff and meager resources, which describes most of us, and it shows us all how to do more with less. Through working smarter and communicating better, we can have great impact without deep pockets. You can read my interview with Kivi here.Kivi will be sharing her wisdom – and answering questions – on a Network for Good Nonprofit 911 webinar on June 29th. Tune in to hear her address:• Why it’s OK to roll your eyes when your board says they want to “get our name out there” – but just not in front of them. She’ll tell you what to say instead.• How to get people who think marketing is slimy/a waste of time/fluff to think you walk on water!• How to cut your communications to-do list in half in less than 10 minutes.• How to write yourself a permission slip to stop doing the stuff that’s driving you crazy.We’ll also be giving away copies of Kivi’s book to a few lucky call participants, so register now!
It’s been a long week, so a short thought today.Have you ever noticed how very young kids’ drawings usually don’t feature a person’s neck? Have you wondered why?My theory is that if you’re two or three years old and your perspective is low to the ground, you don’t see people’s necks when you look up. You see a head sitting on arms.I can’t think of a better analogy for marketing. Marketing mandates that we look at the world through the eyes of our audience and communicate from that perspective. The process of pushing into a foreign frame of reference can be hard, but when we do it, we find its value. Everything looks wildly different from that perspective. And our work must meld to its crazy contours. This is the mind-bending fun that is our profession.
It’s no secret that powerful stories are the root of the most successful fundraising appeals. In December, a compelling story will likely be the difference between a message that gets results and one that falls flat.How do you get the most out of your stories for your year-end fundraising campaigns? Keep these principles in mind.Identify your core message.An effective campaign will include a series of communications that connect to one central theme and message. What is the most important thing you want donors to know this year? All of your outreach, visuals, stories, and conversations should create a consistent drumbeat around this key point. This will reinforce your message and build excitement and urgency. Once you’ve identified your core message, print it out and constantly check everything you do against it. Do all of the elements of your campaign stay true to your core message? If not, rework them.Illustrate your story.To bring your story to life, go beyond the basic text. Your online audience is more likely to engage with and remember a photo or video vs. straight text. These elements can highlight important points, make your message stand out, and help your work become real for your readers. Keep this in mind: your photos and videos don’t need to be expensive or have a high production value to be effective. Authenticity trumps slick when it comes to inspiring action.Invite your community to speak.Your stories must be authentic and relatable, and these are often the stories that come directly from your community of beneficiaries, donors, and volunteers. Tap your supporters and the people you serve (when possible) to help you tell your stories this year. Testimonials and first-person accounts are powerful ways to command attention and inspire action. By adding these to your appeals, you connect your supporters more directly to the impact they canhave.Include a strong opening.What good is your story if no one bothers to read it? An intriguing intro will command attention and draw readers into your message. Your opening may include envelope copy and email subject lines, as well as the first line of your appeal. Create a curiosity gap that forces your readers to continue, and then seal the deal with a clear call to action.Want help writing an effective appeal that brings in more donations?Download the archived webinar all about crafting a winning fundraising appeal with a strong story. In this session, I was joined by Rachel Brown of Cultural Data Project, who will help you take your story to the next level and combine it with program data to create a compelling case for giving that you can use in grant applications, funding requests, and more. Get the slides and the recording now!
Kylian Mbappe’s remarkable rise to the top of the global game has now seen the Paris Saint-Germain forward crowned French Player of the Year for the first time.The 20-year-old frontman has enjoyed a remarkable 2018.He had already enjoyed a stunning rise to prominence prior to entering the current calendar year. Article continues below Editors’ Picks Man Utd ready to spend big on Sancho and Haaland in January Who is Marcus Thuram? Lilian’s son who is top of the Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach Brazil, beware! Messi and Argentina out for revenge after Copa controversy Best player in MLS? Zlatan wasn’t even the best player in LA! After bursting onto the scene as a precociously-gifted teenager at Monaco, a big-money transfer had taken him to Parc des Princes.Another Ligue 1 title triumph was enjoyed in 2017-18, as PSG swept the board in terms of domestic honours.Mbappe then headed to Russia with his country and a shot at World Cup glory.He helped Les Bleus to go all the way, with a fine individual effort netted in a 4-2 final triumph over Croatia.His efforts were recognised with the Young Player Award, and his game has continued to go from strength to strength.Mbappe has hit 16 goals in 19 appearances for PSG this season, as they continue to chase down more trophies at home and abroad.Alongside those heroics, he has also become the inaugural winner of the Kopa Trophy – the prize bestowed upon the finest under-21 player on the planet.He finished fourth in the vote for the 2018 Ballon d’Or, with that lofty standing placing him above five-time winner Lionel Messi.Kylian Mbappé is your France Football french player of the year! 👏 pic.twitter.com/fSH3sb81Rh— #ballondor (@francefootball) December 25, 2018Those in his native France have now recognised him as the country’s finest performer.Mbappe was awarded that gong by France Football, having edged out Raphael Varane and Antoine Griezmann.He inherits the title from Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante, who came out on top in 2017.While this is the first time that he has scooped the award, it is unlikely to be the last.More is expected of Mbappe in the years to come, with many tipping him to become the world’s best player and be involved in more high-profile transfers.For the time being, though, a humble performer is merely seeking to remain on an upward career curve that has already carried him a long way in a very short space of time.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve often found the whole concept of “networking” somewhat impenetrable. How would I get myself out there without sounding like a used car salesman?Should I wander into a crowded room and start passing out business cards? Stand on a chair and start yelling out my résumé, line-by-line? Wear a sandwich board that says “WILL WORK 4 U”?Networking has only recently become easier for me, because I started coming at it in a more organic fashion. I did this by finding an alternative to “traditional” networking – the glad-hand, the slick pitch, the pile of business cards. All of that just doesn’t work for me. What does work for me?Finding my circles.Circles are small groups of people with whom you share common interests or traits – allowing you to build strong bonds that transcend one-time gigs. Finding your circles enables you to develop a social structure that supports you – one that you support, in return. It replaces conventional “networking” (a fairly mercenary, self-oriented activity designed to drum up business just for YOU) with community- and friendship-building. It allows you to develop rich, meaningful connections.I used to feel like I needed to network by blindly making contacts and hoping that some of them panned out. But without firm commonalities, those connections were pretty fruitless. When I started finding my circles, gigs started materializing more and more often – and even when I wasn’t able to take them, I was able to pass along jobs to others in my circle, strengthening the whole group.A particularly helpful circle for me, for instance, is a group of female freelance writers and editors that I joined recently. We all deal with similar work issues and all share commonalities (as well as a commitment to helping female wordsmiths gain visibility). When opportunities arise, we alert each other. That circle has gotten me some great gigs – and I’ve, in turn, opened up those doors for others.What’s so nice about circles is they’re not mutually exclusive; I’m part of the aforementioned women’s circle, but I’m also part of many other groups. Each circle (whether organic or organized) has proved more valuable personally and professionally than any cold job interview or networking-for-networking’s sake ever has. Being part of a circle takes the icky hard-sell feeling out of networking; you take, yes, but you also give.Think of it this way; if you walk into a room with 100 people in it, some of them will be looking for freelancers – and some won’t. You could interview each person, one by one, and see who bites; or you could find friends, people with whom you have genuine common interests. Who’s more likely to think of you if a gig pops up – the mercenary connection, or your buddy? Genuine connections are about one thousand times more likely to pay off than manufactured ones – and they’re better for your spirit, too.Circles can be defined by industry, location, or common interest; heck, there’s probably a thriving community to be found in freelancers-who-love-Star-Wars-regalia. It’s like finding a whole new group of friends to work with and bounce ideas off of – and who doesn’t like that?Make a list of things you’re particularly interested in, or things that set you apart from the crowd. Are you a female+freelancer+blog commenter+ designer+sculptor+foodie+living in Brooklyn? Start looking for groups and meet-ups that cater to your focused interests. If you can’t find one, start your own. That’s a circle!Find your people. Find your like-minded communities. If you benefit from your circle’s members, find a way to give back – you’ll soon forget that you’re “networking” at all.A great place to find your circle is on Freelancers Union’s brand-spankin’-new online community for freelancers: Hives. Check it out and find your circle!
Australia captain Steve Smith spoke exclusively to India Today’s Boria Majumdar ahead of the second ODI vs India at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.Smith, who will appear in his 100th ODI on Thursday, covered a range of topics from his early days as an Australia cricketer to his take on captaincy, the intense rivalry with India and a lot more.WATCH FULL VIDEOON INTERNATIONAL CRICKET JOURNEYI’ve been around for quite some time now. I played my first ODI in 2010. It has taken me a long time to get 100 games. Started as a leg-spinner, first 31 games that I played. Then I had a couple of years off and then came back and pretty much played every one-day since then. It’s been a good 10 years. It’s a great honour and really looking forward to getting out there tomorrow.I wasn’t bowling very well so it was a pretty easy decision. I always loved batting and enjoyed doing that. For me to be successful and do what I wanted to do, that is playing for Australia, I needed to make sure that my batting was in the best position and for that to be the case, I had to let go of my bowling and concentrate solely on my batting. Probably one of the better decisions that I have made. Yeah I remember that 2015 semi-final like it was yesterday. It was probably my best One-Day knock I’ve played. It was a beautiful wicket and home ground in Sydney as well, semi-final, big occasion and that’s when you really need to stand up and I am proud that I was able to do that on that day.advertisementON COMPETITION WITH KOHLIVirat is a terrific player and captain and what he has done with the Indian team, it’s been exceptional. Personally, I don’t like to have battles with different players, I only try to go out there and do the best job that I can, for myself and for the team. I put everything behind me and just concentrate on the job at hand. I leave the comparison for others to do, for me it’s about doing the best that I can and trying to get better every day.ON INDIA-AUSTRALIA RIVALRYIt is a massive rivalry (India vs Australia), it has been for so long. I think I came out the other day and said, as captain of the Australian team, one thing that I would like to do is win a series here in India. It’s one of the toughest place to come and play for an Australian player. The wickets are so different to what we get back home. That’s a dream of mine, to be able to lead the team to a win. It a huge rivalry, we always love playing against each other, it’s always great cricket. This one-day series and the t20 series is no different.ON CAPTAINCYIt (captaincy) has its challenges no doubt but I won’t give it back for the world. I love what I do and I guess when you get in those tricky situations, you want to lead by example. That’s one thing I try to do, in the practice, out there in the field. It doesn’t always come off, we play a game where you can quite often fail so you have to find out ways to lead and that’s by ensuring that you’re trying to get the best out of everyone around you and to get the best result for the team. The team is more than just one player, it’s about trying to get the best out of everyone and ensure you get the result you’re after. The other day obviously it didn’t go our way, it wasn’t ideal for us but it’s one game in five-match series and we’ve got a good opportunity to turn things around tomorrow.Reuters PhotoON DRESSING ROOM CHALLENGESI think it’s about knowing each individual and knowing what makes them tick. Everyone is not gonna get along with everyone or be best friends with everyone but when you cross the line, you want to make sure that they have each other’s back and that’s really important. It’s good to have all characters in the room, if everyone would be the same it will be boring so it’s nice to have different characters and try and manage different people and managing relationships. That’s all part of leadership, you always have your challenges but it’s also satisfying as a leader when you can overcome those challenges and ensure that the people are heading in the right direction.advertisementON TRANSITION FROM A PLAYER TO CAPTAINHopefully everyone in my team has that mindset. It’s not about personal glory but about the team doing well. If anyone takes a century over the team winning, then they are in the wrong change room, in my opinion. I think it’s all about the team’s success and trying to build a team that’s doing well. I would happily take a duck tomorrow if we win the game.ON PAY DISPUTEWe go through an MoU every five years and boys were very strong on keeping our revenue-sharing model that has existed for 20 odd years and it has been successful. So we didn’t want to lose that and if we give it up now then in five years time, you’re not going to get a pact. So, it was a pretty strong stance from the playing group and we are really fortunate that the ACA would negotiate on behalf of the players and they did a terrific job as well. It’s nice that it all got sorted out and we could do the tour to Bangladesh and obviously come here as well. You never want to miss tours and things like that, the Australia A guys missed out on a South Africa tour to put their best foot forward. We are thankful to them for doing what was best for the greater good and for the group. Fortunately everything worked out in the end and we’re back playing cricket, doing what we love.ON 100TH ODIIt’s exciting, I’m looking forward to it. I have never played an international match here so, that’s exciting for me. It’s a place that I have always wanted to play at for Australia. I have watched a lot of game at this ground and it looks like a very good batting wicket, which is nice. Hopefully I can get a few tomorrow and Australia get over the line tomorrow. I am sure the crowd will be very loud and packed so I am looking forward to that. I think it will be a great occasion for me to walk out for my 100th game at Eden Gardens.ON SIGNIFICANCE OF PLAYING FOR AUSTRALIAEveryone growing up in Australia and playing cricket always wants to wear the baggy green. It’s my most prized possession. I really take care of it and when you’re playing for your country, there’s no better thing to do. Really proud to have that cap.I actually think a lot of other teams are getting better. We’ve played against Bangladesh recently and they beat us in the first Test and some other teams are coming up, Afghanistan for instance. They are producing some very good players, we saw Rashid Khan in the IPL and he was magnificent. I am not worried, I think the game is in a pretty good space and hopefully it can continue to grow.ON BATTING IN DIFFERENT FORMATSadvertisementI don’t know the answer to that. I love playing every format of the game and Test matches are sort of ultimate. That’s the real challenge where you can bat for a day, get through difficult periods and it’s different. I don’t know which one I am better at, I just love playing all formats to be very honest with you.ON LEADING IN ASHESIt’s exciting! I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve been a part of four-five Ashes campaigns now and it’s a great series to be involved in, up there with India and Australia is the rivalry with England. It’s something different, it’s an exciting time and I look forward to leading the boys this summer.ON RPS STINT IN IPLI think we had a really good team, the players. I think we did really well in the auction, the guys we picked up there, Rahul Tripathi, Manoj Tiwary, Jaydev Unadkat, Washington Sundar, all guys did particularly well for the team. We just had a very good mix of players. Unfortunately, we were unable to get over the line, we messed a few things up in the final but all in all, it was a really good season for a team that was only in its second year in the tournament. A lot of other teams were established and it was a very good effort to get that far.ON HANDLING YOUNGSTERS IN THE TEAMYou just try to get them in as good a head space as they can be in, trying to remind them of the good times and things they’ve done well. I guess that’s part of it, there are days when you might bowl your best but get smashed away, that’s part of playing the game and there will be days when you don’t bowl very well and take 4-5 wickets. It’s just about trying to ensure that the guys are as consistent as they can be and working on the right things and having the right mindset.
By Amanpreet SinghNew Delhi, Oct 7 (PTI) The All India Tennis Association says it will ask for the reasons behind Ankita Rainas exclusion from the TOP scheme despite admitting that she has not shown “enough progress” to be taken seriously for the Olympics.Ankita may not feature in the singles competition at the Olympics but she recently won a doubles silver at the Asian Indoor Games in Ashgabat. In the 2017 season, she has won four doubles titles, including three USD 25,000 events and one USD 60,000 tournament.In May this year, she also reached the singles final of the USD 60,000 ITF event in Luan, where she lost to Chinas Lin Zhu.Apart from Ankita, the Sports ministry had also left out veteran Leander Paes and Saketh Myneni from the list of tennis players selected for the monthly stipend of Rs 50,000.Ankita is India highest-ranked player at number 272, but it is the next-best Karman Kaur Thandi (317) who has been selected for the assistance along with Prarthna Thombare, who now focusses on doubles and has made considerable progress.”We sent our list and it was up to the government and the national observer (Somdev Devvarman) to look into it and decide. If they have decided something there must be some basis to it. Its a surprise (Ankitas inclusion), when we sit down, we will discuss,” AITA Secretary General Hironmoy Chatterjee told PTI.It appears that AITA had given Ankitas name but after discussions between Somdev and the government panel, she was ignored.”There is a committee which takes decisions. When this decision was taken, I was out of the country. In my next meeting we will discuss it and find out what is the justification for deciding on this particular list,” Chatterjee said.advertisementDespite many attempts, Somdev did not explain the reasoning behind Ankitas exclusion and the criteria adopted for selection. Responding to a message, Somdev claimed to be busy.Chatterjee, on his part, seemed to justify her exclusion.”She has not won any medal and she has not won any Nationals, she is number one (in India) but she needs to win some medals because the TOPS is meant for Olympics. She needs to show some progress.”Even in her ranking, there is no progress. If she progresses, we can push the situation hard. She has not won the Hard Courts Fenesta Nationals even once,” Chatterjee said.Ankita might not have won the hard Court national title but in 2009, she had won the National grass court championship.And at the recent Asian Indoor Games, she won the womens doubles silver along with Thombare.”Maybe the government thinks, will she be good enough for the Olympics? We have not sat down and discussed,” Chatterjee said.Asked if AITA was not kept in loop when these decisions were made, Chatterjee asserted it was not the case.”It is a total concerted effort by everyone. We have given the list, the government and the observer look into the list, thereafter, who will be given the TOPS advantage, it is for the government and the observer to decide.”We had given the list but some people have been left out, why they have been left out, we will sit and discuss,” he said.Among the players, who have been chosen for the monthly allowance are leading mens singles players Yuki Bhambri and Ramkumar Ramanathan, countrys top doubles player Rohan Bopanna and the young Sumit Nagal.Nagal, ranked 270, had won the singles gold at the recent Asian Indoor Games and is a promising talent.A review committee will sit very soon to evaluate the performance of the chosen athletes. It may add more names or delete some.Meanwhile, AITA President Praveen Mahajan assured that she will take up Ankitas matter with the Sports Ministry. PTI AT PM PM
Tennis player Rafael Nadal was presented the ATP World No. 1 award on court at the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena here.The 31-year-old Spaniard, who replaced Andy Murray of Britain at No.1 on August 21, has guaranteed the year-end top ranking for a fourth time following 2008, 2010 and 2013, Xinhua reported.Nadal, who received the award on Sunday, has enjoyed a stellar season, capturing six titles, including two Grand Slam in the French Open and US Open and two ATP Masters 1000s.He is the oldest player to finish year-end No. 1 in the ATP world rankings history.
On November 13, 2014, Rohit Sharma shattered the record books when he blasted his way to the highest-ever individual score in one day internationals.During the fourth ODI of the five-match series against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Rohit struck 264 off 173 balls. The knock was studded with 33 fours and nine maximums.Rohit also broke compatriot Virender Sehwag’s earlier world record of 219 runs, which he scored against West Indies in Indore, in 2011.Rohit also became the only batsman to register two double centuries in ODIs and holds the record for the highest number of boundaries during his innings.BCCI PhotoSachin Tendulkar was the first male cricketer to smash a double hundred in ODIs when he hit 200 not out against South Africa in 2010. Sehwag was second with his 219 and Rohit was third when he scored 209. Chris Gayle (215) and Martin Guptill (237 not out) are the only other players to hammer a double century each in the 50-overs format.Rohit, who opened the innings with Ajinkya Rahane, was dropped at the start of the innings when he was on 4. Thisara Perera put down an easy catch at the third man off Shaminda Eranga in the fifth over.However, Rohit, who is a cautious starter, held his nerves to reach his fifty off 72 balls and gradually picked up momentum as the innings progressed.He then raced to his century off 100 deliveries before he took the attack back to the Sri Lankan bowlers.Rohit was also involved in a 202-run stand with Virat Kohli, who scored 66 before being run out.advertisementEven though India lost wickets at the other end, Rohit continued to destroy the bowling attack and reached the epic milestone off 151 balls.225 minutes, 173 balls, 33 fours, 9 sixes.2??6??4?? runs! #OnThisDay in 2014, @ImRo45 made the highest ODI score ever, singlehandedly outscoring Sri Lanka as India won by 153 runs in Kolkata! pic.twitter.com/4r1qOvAg8M- ICC (@ICC) November 13, 2017The 30-year-old kept the onslaught going but was eventually dismissed on the final delivery of the Indian innings for 264 off 173 balls. It was absolute carnage at the Eden Gardens as Rohit’s blistering knock powered India to 404/5.In reply, Sri Lanka were bundled out of 251 thus losing the match by 153 runs.
Sri Lanka are happy to be in the driver’s seat after the second day of the first Test against India but coach Nic Pothas said they won’t be getting too carried away with three days of play still to go and India being a top side.After only 165 minutes were played in the first two days of the opening Test between India and Sri Lanka and only 32.5 overs were bowled out of a possible 180, India found themselves on the mat at 74/5, with Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara the only ray of hope.Pujara was batting on 47 with wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha for company on six when showers extended the early lunch session and play had to be called off at 2:30 P.M., just after tea.”We are making a lot of speculation on day two. There is still fair bit of cricket to be played,” Pothas told reporters.”Where we stand at the moment, we are happy where we are but we won’t be getting too comfortable. It’s a high quality Indian team,” the visiting coach said.Asked if the tourists felt aggrieved at India probably playing on a green top with an eye to the South Africa tour in January next year, Pothas said being hosts they can do whatever they want.”I think once again that’s speculation and India have the right to do whatever they want to. To be fair, it’s pretty good planning from their point of view and they have the right to do that,” the 43-year-old South African said.advertisement”The conditions, when you go abroad you can’t control. You have to play your best cricket and play and strategise as per the conditions you are provided. We are making a lot of speculation on day two,” he added.Pothas said the team is not disappointed that play was not possible for most of the two days due to inclement weather as Sri Lanka were in a good position having sent half of the Indian batsmen back to the pavilion.”It’s one of those things that playing cricket you have to accomodate. It’s nice that you have given us April in England conditions,” he said.Pothas said the tourists have done their research on how to play on green wickets.”We have done our research. The research has shown that on these relaid wickets, seamers have taken a lot more wickets in the near past. I don’t know what this wicket looked like before, all we know is that it has favoured seam bowlers,” he assessed.On pacer Suranga Lakmal, who returned best figures of 3/5, Pothas said: “He is very intelligent. He does a lot of research and knows how to control his workload. He is very astute at knowing when he is prepared. That’s the mark of any international bowler I think.”He has improved immeasurably. But you have to continue improving in international cricket as others are improving as well.”
Venkatesh Prasad resigned from the post of chairman, junior national selection committee, less than a month after the country won the U-19 World Cup.Prasad, who had worked as the head of the junior national selection committee for 30 months, of late shared a cold relationship with the BCCI mandarins.WATCHIt has been learnt that Prasad cited personal reasons for stepping down and has also mentioned that he doesnt want to fall under the purview of Conflict of Interest.”Its still not clear but there are chances that he might be joining any IPL franchise and thats why he wanted to avoid a potential conflict of interest,” a senior BCCI official told PTI from Mumbai.When acting president C K Khanna was asked about the resignation, he said: “I tried to convince him but it seems he has made up his mind. He has been one of the finest talent spotters and deserves due credit in selecting a world champion junior team.”Prasad, in 2016, was tipped to become the chairman of the senior selection committee, but BCCI decided to continue with him in the junior panel.Interestingly, Prasad is only one among the six national selectors (3 juniors and 3 seniors) to have played more international matches than all senior selectors put together (33 Tests and 161 ODIs).Recently, after the Indian junior team won the U-19 World Cup, the selection panel was not given any cash reward.However, the senior selection panel and womens panel had been handsomely rewarded by BCCI after both the senior mens and womens team lost the finals of the Champions Trophy and World Cup respectively.advertisementCOA member Diana Edulji had gone on record saying “selectors were rewarded for selecting good team” — a comment that had raised a few eyebrows as both teams lost their summit clashes.However, many believe that Prasad had irked a senior office bearer and that is why the junior selection committee never got cash award after the World Cup triumph.(With inputs from PTI)
Paris St Germain’s early exit from the Champions League again showed the club’s inability to deliver on the biggest stage despite their expensively assembled team.PSG were knocked out in the last 16 by Real Madrid 5-2 on aggregate, losing 2-1 at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday, never threatening a comeback following their 3-1 defeat in the first leg in Spain.Without Neymar, who is recovering from ankle surgery, Unai Emery’s side failed to create space against the defending champions.Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane celebrate Real Madrid’s victory”All that for this,” wrote French sports daily L’Equipe on their front page.”PSG disappeared without leaving a trace,” the paper wrote in a column.Since Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) took over in 2011, PSG have never reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, being eliminated in the last 16 twice in a row after four consecutive quarter-final exits.Spending 400 million euros ($497 million) on Neymar and France international Kylian Mbappe did not help as the Brazilian played poorly in the first leg and his striking partner was nowhere to be seen on Tuesday.In Ligue 1, PSG lead the standings by a massive 14 points after 28 games and it could be said that they lack the competitiveness of a bigger league to prepare them for the Champions League knockout stage.Former AC Milan coach Arrigo Sacchi, however, believes the club founded in 1970 have to build their identity.”PSG is just a group of players,” he told Italian TV.”You cannot buy ideas. The club should always come first. I thought I would see players with the bit between their teeth. I think PSG need to become an institution.”advertisementPSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi said he was “disappointed by a few players,” among which should feature midfielder Marco Verratti, who picked up a second yellow card for arguing with referee Felix Brych.It was Verratti’s third dismissal in the Champions League, and it appeared to seal his team’s fate as they already were 1-0 down after Cristiano Ronaldo’s opener.Al-Khelaifi, however, is convinced the club’s method is the right one.”I don’t think it’s a mindset problem. The players believed in it and we were ready,” he said.”We will not change our investment strategy. We will continue with our project notably with those two players (Neymar and Mbappe) because they are the future of the club.”(Source: Reuters)
New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson has been roped in by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League.Anderson will replace Australian pacer Nathan Coulter-Nile, who has been ruled out with an injury.Bangalore has roped the Black Caps all-rounder at his base price of Rs 2 crore.”The Royal Challengers Bangalore subsequently picked New Zealand’s Corey Anderson for his base price of INR 2 crore,” said a press release.”The IPL Technical Committee has approved a replacement for Nathan Coulter-Nile – fast bowler from Australia – in the Royal Challengers Bangalore squad. Mr. Coulter-Nile has been ruled out of the VIVO IPL 2018 owing to an injury.”In accordance with the Player Regulations, the Royal Challengers Bangalore were allowed to choose a replacement from the Registered and Available Player Pool (RAPP),” it added.Coulter-Nile was in great form for Kolkata Knight Riders last season and was expected to spearhead RCB’s bowling attack. The Aussie grabbed 15 wickets from 8 games at an average of 19.97. He also played an important role in KKR’s demolition of RCB, when the Virat Kohli-led side was bowled out for 48 at the Eden Gardens in 2017.However, in Anderson, the team from Bengaluru has an able replacement. The New Zealander, who went unsold at the auction, has a fair bit of IPL experience and will look to capitalise on this opportunity.Last year, he represented the Delhi Daredevils and smashed 142 runs from 11 matches and picked up three wickets.Anderson will provide Kohli balance in the middle and he is also someone who can tonk the ball when required and chip in with four overs as well.advertisement
By Abhishek Hore New Delhi, Mar 26 (PTI) Least affected by the recent controversies around her, Indias pistol ace Heena Sidhus primary target is the World Championship, as she looks to use the upcoming Commonwealth Games as a “stepping stone” to achieve success in bigger events. “These Games are important — CWG and Asian Games give you a heads up to Olympics. Its a very important year and the biggest challenge for me is the World Championship,” Heena told PTI. A former world number one in air pistol, Heena added, “Training is going very well and we have accomplished a lot. It is a stepping stone for the rest of the tournaments, especially the World Championship.” The 52nd World Championships will be held from August 31 to September 15 in Changwon, Korea. There are 48 individual Olympic quotas and 12 mixed team Olympic quotas set to be assigned there. A disappointed Heena recently let out her frustration on social media amid reports that the Sports Ministry had called for dropping of 21 names, including that of her husband and coach Ronak Pandit, from the Indian Olympic Associations list of non-athletes as part of the contingent for the Gold Coast Games. Asked if it distracted her from her goal, the World Cup Finals gold-medallist responded in the negative. “I dont feel tension and let these issues distract my training. I am not worried about what has happened and only concentrate on training. Shooting and nothing else.” Ronaks name, though, has been cleared finally, it was learnt. “Ronak is also my coach and has been training me for the past six years,” the Asian and Commonwealth Games medallist said.advertisement “Shooting is a measurable sport, Ronak is a proven shooter and has competed in many tournaments for India, and won. Even if one spends five minutes at the range one would understand who is the coach.” Riding on a highly successful 2017, the 28-year-old Heena enters the Commonwealth Games as one if the favourites, though she is likely to face stiff competition from compatriot 16-year-old Manu Bhaker, who is proving to be a wunderkind, having won double gold in her maiden ISSF senior World Cup and the ongoing junior World Cup in Sydney. “They have shown tremendous potential in recent times and that augurs very well for Indian shooting,” Heena said of the young crop of Indian shooters, who have taken the world by storm, regularly winning medals in top tournaments. Heenas success last year included three gold medals and another at the Commonwealth Shooting Championships. Paired with Jitu Rai, she won the 10m mixed team air pistol event at the ISSF World Cup in Delhi, the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol series in Gabala, Azerbaijan and ISSF World Cup final in the Indian capital. Individually, Sidhu won a gold medal in the 10m air pistol event at the Commonwealth Shooting Championships and bronze medals at the 10th Asian Championship and the Grand Prix of Liberation Plaza Shooting Championships in the Czech Republic. Heena has made two trips to the Commonwealth Games in 2010 — winning a gold in the team 10m air pistol event and silver in the individual 10m air pistol — and 2014 where she qualified for the 10m final but failed to leave a mark. Right after the ministrys diktat, the Arjuna awardee had tweeted, “I have never lied, never cheated. I have always stayed true to my sport. I have been shooting for 11 years now and training with Ronak for the past 6 years. And for 6 yrs I have been having this fight. Be it funding for my coach, travel or even acknowledgement. I am mighty tired. “I just want 2 put it out for everyone that Ronak is my TECHNICAL COACH. Anybody who has spent even 5 mins on the range will know i have only one coach and thats Ronak. He is also team manager for shooting.” PTI AH PM PM
Former England pacer Bob Willis was left furious after news emerged India skipper Virat Kohli will either play for Surrey or Essex to prepare for the five-Test series against England.Kohli will most likely miss India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan as he is scheduled to leave for England immediately after the Indian Premier League.While it is yet to be ascertained which county Kohli will represent, it could be Surrey in all likelihood.WATCH”Virat will be playing for a division one county side for sure. I wouldn’t like to add anything more to it. There were talks with Surrey and Essex,” a senior BCCI official had told PTI .It is learnt that the Indian captain’s sole focus is on the five Test series against England and he is ready to miss the one off Test against Afghanistan starting June 14 as he will be busy with his county stint.IPL 2018: Daniel Vettori reveals two sides of Virat Kohli as a captainKohli had a disastrous tour of England in 2014 and failed to get a half-century in any of the five Tests. India lost the series 3-1.Willis said the English counties should not have allowed Kohli to warm up ahead of another high-profile series.”I can’t stand overseas players in county cricket. It doesn’t benefit the players stranded in the second XI year on year and the youngsters,” he said. “They’re going to pay Kohli, presumably, five figures a match so he can hone his skills in English conditions before a Test series. It’s nonsense.”advertisementCheteshwar Pujara as important as Virat Kohli for India in Tests: Sourav Ganguly”He should be made to suffer and average 30 in England as he has done before. We don’t want England starting to lose Test matches at home because we’re accommodating all of these visiting players,” Willis said.Kohli scored 1, 8, 25, 0, 39, 28, 0, 7, 6 and 20 in the five-Test series in England in 2014. However, he has since been in red-hot form.On the tour of Australia a few months after that nightmarish sequence of scores in England, Kohli hammered four hundreds in four Tests.When England toured India in 2016, Kohli smashed 655 runs from five Tests as the hosts won the series 4-0.Kohli is now the only captain to hit six double hundreds and is the only batsman with an average over 50 across all three formats.
Shane Watson doffed his hat off to Chris Gayle and called him the “greatest T20 batsman” of the world, right after scoring a 57-ball 106 himself to help Chennai Super Kings beat Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Friday.Watson scored only the second hundred of this year’s IPL, along with registering his best score of the tournament as Chennai defeated Rajasthan by 64 runs.Just a day after Gayle lit up Mohali with an unbeaten 104 runs, Watson entertained the crowd hitting six maximums and nine boundaries during his 57-ball knock.On Thursday, Gayle had struck a 63-ball 104, laced with 11 sixes and a boundary, to announce it loud that the Universe Boss is back. (IPL 2018: 36-year-old Shane Watson joins elite IPL list with third hundred)Watson showered praises on Gayle and said he “keeps bossing attacks around the world.””Chris Gayle is the greatest T20 batsman in the world. To be able to score so many T20 hundreds. That’s the reason he’s called the Universe Boss. He keeps bossing attacks around the world,” said Watson. (Virender Sehwag, thanks for saving the IPL by picking me: Chris Gayle)Watson had spent 7 seasons with the Royals until his shift to Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2016 following Rajasthan’s two-year suspension from the league. He spent two seasons at RCB before CSK snapped up his services this year.Speaking about the innings, he said that had extra motivation tonight as he was playing his former team. (‘Extra motivated’ Shane Watson savours ton vs former team Rajasthan Royals)advertisement”There’s no doubt I had extra motivation tonight (against his former team). Nice to put in the performance that I did tonight. Grateful for the opportunity I’ve had for CSK. Glad to repay them tonight,” said Watson in the post-match presentation ceremony.The 36-year-old also went on to say that the CSK family has been helping him a lot. The Aussie seemed pretty excited to be working with captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming. (IPL 2018, CSK v RR: Watson hundred marks happy ‘home’ coming for Chennai)”When you feel like you’re not learning, it’s time to stop. I’m still working on certain aspects of the game. MS and Fleming know how to set up a really good team dynamic. Fortunate to be a part of CSK and to contribute to the win tonight.,” said the Man-of-the-Match.Interestingly, Watson’s first ton in the IPL had come while playing for the Royals against the Super Kings when he scored 101 in a losing cause at the MA Chidambaram stadium in 2013.
Huawei made a decision to come back to India after a year of absence with the launch of the Huawei P20 Pro and P20 Lite last month. Both the phones have now gone on sale in the country exclusively on Amazon India. Now, the P20 Pro is Huawei’s flagship smartphone that comes with a premium price tag of Rs 64,999 and highlights a triple camera setup. The P20 Lite, on the other hand, is a stripped down version of the flagship and is offered at a mid-range price point of Rs 19,999.At this price, the Huawei P20 Lite will take on other mid-range phones, including and especially the Nokia 7 Plus, which also went on sale in India earlier this week. The latter is priced a few notches higher at Rs 25,999, but it also offers plenty of features to justify its price tag. Both the phones will compete against each other in the mid-range segment and since both are now available to purchase in the market, we take a look at what they have to offer so that you can make a better decision.Huawei P20 Lite vs Nokia 7 Plus designBoth the P20 Lite and Nokia 7 Plus come with attractive designs, but both look nothing like each other, which makes things interesting. On the face of it, the Huawei P20 Lite looks a lot like the P20 Pro. It sports a similar full-screen display with a notch cut out and a chin which allows for an 19.5:9 aspect ratio and the back is made up of glass. You get a 5.84-inch Full-HD+ IPS LCD with a 2280×1080 pixel resolution. Unlike the P20 Pro which sports a triple camera setup, however, the P20 Lite comes with a traditional dual camera system.advertisementHuawei has had a penchant for making good-looking phone and that has been seen with phones from sub-brand Honor as well. And that’s the problem, you will find a similar design language minus the notch on cheaper Honor phones like the Honor 9 Lite. Overall, the P20 Lite looks and feels quite premium and it comes in shiny black and blue colour options, but its notch is something that may see a polarising opinion. For some, the notch is something to get used to while others just cannot stand it. As far as everything else is concerned, the phone does feature a 3.5mm headphone jack on the bottom, which sits next to a USB Type-C port and a speaker grille. The Nokia 7 Plus, on the other hand, looks quite unlike what HMD has produced so far in the past two years after reviving the Nokia brand. The mid-range phone comes with a fantastic design where it combines a body that is machined out of Series 6000 aluminium and a tall 18:9 display on the front. Additionally, the back has a six-layer ceramic coating that hides the antenna lines and gives the phone a smooth feel. On top of this design, HMD has also added copper accents around the frame, fingerprint sensor and rear camera module that makes it stand out. The phone feels solid and sturdy to hold which tells you that it can survive a few drops.The Nokia 7 Plus sports a 6-inch full-HD+ IPS display with narrow bezels all around and I found the display to be pretty vivid and sharp when I reviewed the phone. Brightness levels aren’t great outdoors and that is perhaps the only issue one might have with the display.As far as unique design is concerned, I feel the Nokia 7 Plus offers something fresh while the Huawei P20 Lite comes with a familiar design that can be found on cheaper Honor phones as well.Huawei P20 Lite vs Nokia 7 Plus specsThe Huawei P20 Lite comes with stripped down hardware compared to its bigger brother. It is powered by an octa-core Kirin 659 chipset along with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The Nokia 7 Plus, on the other hand, is the first phone in India to sport a Snapdragon 660 chipset, which is a much more capable processor. This chip is the first mid-range processor to feature Qualcomm’s Kryo cores. What this means is the SD660 chip will offer you a performance similar to the Snapdragon 821 flagship chipset of 2016, which is pretty great for a sub-Rs 30,000 phone. The Kirin 659 chipset is again something you can find inside the Honor 9 Lite and Honor 7X that are priced under Rs 15,000. The chipset isn’t bad but it does tend to slow down thanks to a fairly bloated EMUI 8.1 based on Android 8.1 Oreo.advertisementThe reason the Snapdragon 660 chipset performs so smoothly is because of the stock Android Oreo software running inside the Nokia 7 Plus. As part of the Android One programme, the Nokia 7 Plus comes with pure, unadulterated Android 8.0 Oreo out-of-the-box and is now upgradable to Android 8.1 Oreo with the April security update as well. There is practically zero bloatware and the software experience is clean and smooth. Now, the P20 Pro and P20 have terrific Leica-branded cameras that earned them the top two spots in the DxOMark camera rating. The P20 Lite, however, is nowhere in the ranking and its dual camera setup aren’t Leica branded. So, it’s safe to say you are not going to get fantastic photo, but they should do just fine for a mid-range phone. The Nokia 7 Plus is perhaps on the same boat. Despite sporting Zeiss-branded dual cameras, the 7 Plus isn’t a great camera phone.The P20 Lite sports a 16MP+2MP dual setup on the back and a 16MP front camera, while the Nokia 7 Plus comes with a 12MP+13MP configuration on the rear and a 16MP front sensor as well. We haven’t tested the cameras on the P20 Lite, but in my review of the Nokia 7 Plus I found that outdoor shots are generally decent while the phone fails to capture crisp and detailed indoor and low-light shots.Lastly, the P20 Lite houses a 3,000mAh battery while the Nokia 7 Plus comes with a larger 3,800mAh battery capacity. The 7 Plus has a terrific battery life and you will be able to use it for over a day and a half on average usage.In conclusion, the Nokia 7 Plus packs in a lot of great features and is a pretty solid buy if you can spend a few thousand rupees more. It comes with an attractive and solid design along with stock Android and really good performance. The P20 Lite also comes with an attractive design but it is something that can be found on cheaper Honor phones as well. I feel that one should either spend less on a similar Honor phone like the 7X or 9 Lite or save up and go for the Nokia 7 Plus.ALSO READ: Nokia 7 Plus review: Pretty, powerful and almost perfect
Rishabh Pant slammed his maiden and the 50th hundred in the history of the Indian Premier League overall as Delhi Daredevils took on the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi.However, his efforts went in vain as fifties from Shikhar Dhawan (92*) and Kane Williamson (83*) helped SRH beat Delhi by nine wickets and seal the first playoff spot in this year’s IPL.But, Pant’s innings was nothing short of spectacular. He slammed his hundred off 56 balls and then finished off with an unbeaten 128 off 63 balls as DD posted 187/5 from their 20 overs.The 20-year-old hit 15 boundaries and seven maximums in his 63-ball knock on Thursday.He also became the second youngest to hit a century in IPL. Manish Pandey, who now plays for Sunrisers Hyderabad, remains the youngest IPL centurion. Back in 2009, he had hammered a hundred for Royal Challengers Bangalore, aged 19 years and 253 days. Sanju Samson is now the third youngest – he had scored a hundred for DD last year when he was 22 years and 151 days.Quinton de Kock (23 years and 122 days) and David Warner (23 years and 153 days) are fourth and fifth respectively in the list of youngest IPL centurions.He also became the Orange Cap holder in IPL 2018, with 521 runs from 11 matches. The 20-year-old has one century and three fifties in this year’s IPL. The diminutive wicket-keeper batsman has smashed 56 boundaries and 27 maximums in IPL 2018 so far. He is now tied with Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the list of most sixes in this edition of the IPL. However, he leads the charts in terms of boundaries. KL Rahul is second with 53 fours.advertisementHe is now also the highest score by an Indian batsman in the IPL. He overtook Murali Vijay’s 127 for CSK vs RR in Chennai back in 2010.Pant’s ton was the 17th ton by an Indian in the IPL and he is the 12th Indian overall to hit a century. Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli has hit the most number of centuries (4) by an Indian while Chris Gayle has the most (6) overall. Other than these two, AB de Villiers, David Warner and Shane Watson have hit three centuries each.Brendon McCullum (158* versus RCB) was the first ton in the history of IPL while Pant’s ton was the latest.Here are all the centuries in the history of IPL cricket:Brendon McCullum (KKR) 158* vs RCB in 2008Mike Hussey (CSK) 116* vs KXIP in 2008Andrew Symonds (Deccan Chargers) 117* vs RR in 2008Adam Gilchrist (Deccan Chargers) 109* vs MI in 2008Sanath Jayasuriya (MI) 114* vs CSK in 2008Shaun Marsh (KXIP) 115 vs RR in 2008AB de Villiers (DD) 105* CSK in 2009Manish Pandey (RCB) 114* vs DC in 2009Yusuf Pathan (RR) 100 vs MI in 2010David Warner (DD) 107* vs KKR in 2010Murali Vijay (CSK) 127 vs RR in 2010Mahela Jayawardene (KXIP) 110* vs KKR in 2010Paul Valthaty (KXIP) 120* vs CSK in 2011Sachin Tendulkar (MI) 100* vs Kochi in 2011Chris Gayle (RCB) 102* vs KKR in 2011Virender Sehwag (DD) 119 vs DC in 2011Chris Gayle (RCB) 107 vs KXIP in 2011Adam Gilchrist (KXIP) 106 vs RCB in 2011Ajinkya Rahane (RR) 103* vs RCB in 2012Kevin Pietersen (DD) 103* vs DC in 2012David Warner (DD) 109* vs DC in 2012Rohit Sharma (MI) 109* vs KKR in 2012Chris Gayle (RCB) 128* vs DD in 2012Murali Vijay (CSK) 113 vs DD in 2012Shane Watson (RR) 101 vs CSK in 2013Chris Gayle (RCB) 175* vs PWI in 2013Suresh Raina (CSK) 100* vs KXIP in 2013David Miller (KXIP) 101* vs RCB in 2013Lendl Simmons (MI) 100* vs KXIP in 2014Virender Sehwag (KXIP) 122 vs CSK in 2014Wriddhiman Saha (KXIP) 115* vs KKR in 2014Brendon McCullum (CSK) 100* vs SRH in 2015Chris Gayle (RCB) 117 vs KXIP in 2015AB de Villiers (RCB) 133* vs MI in 2015Shane Watson (RR) 104* vs KKR in 2015Quinton de Kock (DD) 108 vs RCB in 2016Virat Kohli (RCB) 100* vs GL in 2016Steve Smith (RPS) 101 vs GL in 2016Virat Kohli (RCB) 108* vs RPS in 2016Virat Kohli (RCB) 109 vs GL in 2016AB de Villiers (RCB) 129* vs GL in 2016Virat Kohli (RCB) 113 vs KXIP in 2016Sanju Samson (DD) 102 vs RPS in 2017Hashim Amla (KXIP) 104* vs MI in 2017David Warner (SRH) 126 vs KKR in 2017Ben Stokes (RPS) 103* vs GL in 2017Hashim Amla (KXIP) 104 vs GL in 2017Chris Gayle (KXIP) 104* vs SRH in 2018Shane Watson (CSK) 106 vs RR in 2018Rishabh Pant (DD) 128* vs SRH in 2018