woman runs 500 km without sleep

Wellington:  A New Zealand woman completed a record-breaking 500-km run without sleep on Sunday.

Kim Allan, 47, started running around Auckland Domain in New Zealand's largest city of Auckland about 6 a.m. on Thursday morning, Xinhua reported citing New Zealand Newswire.

The mother-of-four from Waikato region reached 500 km about 8.35 pm on Sunday after running for more than 86 hours, breaking the women's world record for distance running with no sleep.

The previous world record was held by US runner Pam Reed, who ran 486 km in 80 hours in 2005.

Allan beat Reed's record at about 5.30 pm on Sunday, then carried out the final 10 victory laps.

The run was a fundraiser for the New Zealand Spinal Trust.

Allan raised NZ$4,248 ($3,483) by the time she finished.

Zaheer Khan achieve the 300-wicket mark in Test cricket

Zaheer Khan achieve the 300-wicket mark in Test cricket

NEW DELHI: Zaheer Khan became the fourth Indian to achieve the 300-wicket mark in Test cricket when he dismissed Jacques Kallis on the fifth day of the first Test at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday.

But Zaheer was lucky to get the wicket of Kallis as the batsman was ruled out leg before wicket even through there was an inside edge on to his pads.

Zaheer joins Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh in the elite list.

A fit again Zaheer came up with a superb bowling effort to grab 4/88 in the first innings.

Zaheer has gone through a lot of late. Injuries, lack of form and fitness issues had seen him out of the Indian team for quite a while. It was a difficult road back for him to come back.

Zaheer, when he started off in the Champions Trophy in Kenya in 1999, used to work up a pace of 140 plus. Over the years his pace came down but he added some more skill in his repertoire like the knuckle ball and the art of reverse swinging the old ball.

Zaheer, alongwith Yuvraj Singh, trained hard for 42 days at a stretch at Metasport Athletic Performance Centre in France where they learned new things in terms of exercise, food and diet.

Known for his ability to swing the ball both ways, Zaheer is regarded as the best fast bowler emerged from India after Kapil Dev and considered among the best left-hand fast bowlers in the world along with Wasim Akram and Chaminda Vaas.

Zaheer was the highest wicket-taker for India in the 2011 World Cup, reinventing himself from several injuries to become the backbone of Indian pace attack.

Zaheer had rocked international cricket when he clean bowled Steve Waugh in the Champions Trophy in 2000 and it was largely due to Zaheer's exploits with the ball that India won a Test series in England under the captaincy of Rahul Dravid in 2007.

Zaheer, who turned 35 on October 7, 2013, worked with a world-renowned trainer for six weeks in France to get back in shape and then went to South Africa to work with a specialist on his fielding and bowling.

It's remarkable to note what Zaheer Khan has achieved despite having a career that has been hit by several injuries.

New Zealand to series win over West Indies

 New Zealand to series win over West Indies

Hamilton:  New Zealand cruised to an eight-wicket win over the West Indies on Sunday to claim their first victory in a three-Test series in nearly eight years.

The home side, needing just 122 runs to seal the series 2-0, reached their target for the loss of just two wickets after the West Indies collapsed in the face of a hostile spell of New Zealand swing bowling.

Hamish Rutherford, who sealed the victory with a boundary to take New Zealand to 124-2, finished on 48 not out, with Ross Taylor on two.

Peter Fulton was the first wicket to fall, caught and bowled by Darren Sammy for 10, and Kane Williamson fell for 56, bowled by Veerasammy Permaul.

New Zealand take the series 2-0 after the first Test in Dunedin was drawn and they won the second by an innings and 73 runs in Wellington.

It was the first time New Zealand have achieved back-to-back Test victories against a top-eight side since March 2006 -- also against the West Indies.

New Zealand resumed the fourth morning at 6-0 and although Sunil Narine bowled unchanged through the first session he went without reward.

Rutherford, who was stuck at the spinner's end for nine consecutive overs at one stage, offered a chance on 20 but Permaul did not see the ball early enough and it landed short of his grasp.

When on 24 he was given out caught behind, but the decision was overturned on appeal with the video replay showing the sound was the bat hitting the ground.

It was a remarkable turnaround for the home side after the West Indies felt they were in command the previous day, with an 18-run first innings lead and New Zealand struggling to handle Narine on a turning wicket.

But the West Indies suffered from questionable shot selections against the swing bowling of Trent Boult and Tim Southee.

Boult and Southee, along with the batting of Ross Taylor, laid the foundations of New Zealand's success.

Taylor, with 131 in the first innings, scored 495 in five innings in the series and he was only dismissed twice.

Boult (four for 23) and Southee (3-12) destroyed the West Indies' second innings. Over the three Tests, Boult took 20 wickets at 15.40 and Southee claimed 18 scalps at 18.11.

New Zealand and the West Indies will now play five one-day internationals and two Twenty20 fixtures before India arrive in New Zealand next month for a two-Test series.

Bayern Munich win Club World Cup 2013

Bayern Munich win Club World Cup 2013

Marrakech:  European champions Bayern Munich claimed their fifth title of 2013 as they lifted the Club World Cup with a 2-0 win over Raja Casablanca in Saturday's final.

The Bavarian giants had few problems against Moroccan champions Raja as Bayern grabbed both goals inside the opening 22 minutes from Brazil centre-back Dante, then midfielder Thiago.

Having become the first German team to win the treble of Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup titles last season, Bayern now add the Club World Cup to the UEFA Super Cup title they won in August.

This was the third time Bayern coach Pep Guardiola has won the Club World Cup after lifting the trophy with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011.

"2013 is now finished and it's behind us," said Guardiola.

"Five titles is really a great achievement. I am proud of this club and for all the people involved."

He added: "Since my arrival I have tried to care for the heritage of the club.

"Now I will try and add other things that I hope will be positive for the club. We have to turn to the future."

Raja coach Faouzi Benzarti said he was proud of his team's efforts.

"I think my players were a little nervous in the first half, with the crowd and with the king being present," he said.

"But to lose to Bayern by only 2-0 is very honourable."

Bayern winger Franck Ribery was voted player of the tournament. The France winger must wait until January 13 to find out if he has beaten Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to the Ballon d'Or.

Even without injured Germany star Bastian Schweinsteiger and Netherlands winger Arjen Robben, Guardiola's Bayern had too much firepower for Raja at the 45,000 sell-out Marrakech Stadium.

Just as they had done in Wednesday's 3-0 semi-final win over Asian champions Guangzhou Evergrande, the Germans dominated throughout.

Bayern took the lead after only seven minutes when Germany star Jerome Boateng found his centre-back partner Dante onside with the goal at his mercy.

The Raja offside trap had failed and with his second touch, Dante hit the back of the net.

Munich doubled their lead on 22 minutes when left-back David Alaba won the ball, then laid it back for Thiago, who blasted his shot into the top right-hand corner from the edge of the area.

Bayern gifted Casablanca a strong first-half chance when goalkeeper Manuel Neuer's lazy clearance was snapped up by Chemseddine Chtibi who fired wide from 26 metres out with 38 minutes gone.

The Moroccans have earned admirers for a tremendous run which saw them beat Auckland City, Monterrey and Atletico Mineiro en route to the final where they had plenty of home support.

With time running out, they so nearly grabbed a consolation goal.

After substitute Vianney Mabide's shot was parried by Neuer, Raja's captain Mouhcine Moutouali fired the rebound over the bar six minutes from time.

Bayern are on course to defend all their titles in 2014 having reached the Champions League knock-out phase as group winners.

They are also seven points clear in the Bundesliga with a game in hand having broken or equalled 25 German league records last season.

In the third-place play-off earlier Saturday, Atletico Mineiro defeated Guangzhou 3-2 thanks to a last-minute strike from substitute Luan.

The Brazilians played the closing minutes of the match with 10 men after veteran star Ronaldinho, who had scored his team's second goal, was red-carded.

Graeme Swann quits international cricket in Ashes 13-14

Graeme Swann quits international cricket in Ashes 13-14

 

MELBOURNE: England spinner Graeme Swann announced on Sunday that he is retiring from international and first-class cricket with immediate effect in a shock announcement midway through the Ashes tour.

"After a great deal of consideration I have decided to call it a day on my international and first-class career," Swann, 34, said in a statement.

"This decision has been very difficult seeing as the England team has been my family for seven years now, but I feel that now is the right time to step down."

Off-spinner Swann, a popular character in the England team, has been under pressure to keep his place in the squad after taking seven wickets at an average of 80.00 in the three Ashes Tests in Australia.

Swann is widely regarded as world cricket's premier spinner, with 255 wickets in 60 Tests at 29.96 since his Test debut in 2008. He is the sixth-leading Test wicket taker of all time for England.

Swann's shock decision comes a week after England lost the Ashes to Australia following a heavy defeat in the Perth Test to give the home side an unassailable 3-0 series lead with two Tests to play.

His abrupt retirement call means he will be unavailable for the fourth Test, starting in Melbourne on Thursday, and further unsettles the England team following the departure of batsman Jonathan Trott with a stress-related illness earlier in the tour.

"With two games to go in Australia and then a fiercely competitive summer against Sri Lanka and India I feel that it is a great time for someone else to strap themselves in and hopefully enjoy the ride as much as I have," Swann said.

"I'd like to thank all my England teammates for their non-stop support and camaraderie and of course wish Andy Flower and Alastair Cook all the success in the world for the future.

"First and foremost I am a fervent England fan at heart." England team director Andy Flower said: "Graeme Swann has made an outstanding contribution to the England cricket team in all formats throughout an incredibly successful career, and I would like to congratulate him on all that he has achieved.

"His commitment, competitive spirit and sense of humour have been recognised and admired by teammates and supporters alike, and he has played a big part in England's success over the last five years.

"The dressing room will be a very different place without Graeme's unique personality and I would like to wish him all the very best for the future."

Former England captain Michael Vaughan tweeted: "Too soon IMO for Graeme Swann 2 retire but it's been a absolute pleasure watching him perform for many years. Finger spin out of the top draw.

"Of all the England players over the last 20 yrs he is the one the team (will) miss the most ... Spinners of his quality are a rare breed."

Sania Mirza talk about partnership with Cara Black

Sania Mirza talk about partnership with Cara Black

 MUMBAI: With an impressive year of tennis behind her, Sania Mirza has her eyes set on a brand new start in the New Year. Not only did she win five WTA titles, the doubles star also reached the semifinals of the US Open and the mixed doubles quarterfinals of the Australian Open in 2013.

"I have had a very good year. You try to outdo yourself every year. But you have to put it behind with the new season starting. So I am looking at a fresh start," Sania said on the sidelines of the ITPA Tennis Doubles Masters event at Khar Gymkhana on Saturday.

Sania will try to extend her unbeaten run with her Zimbabwean doubles partner Cara Black in the coming season but in the Australian Open mixed doubles, she will collaborate with Horia Tecau of Romania.

"Cara and I haven't lost a match. We won all the three tournaments we played. We are looking forward to our new partnership. She was in Hyderabad practising with me. We are doing the right things and are very excited," said the Hyderabadi.

"I will be leaving for Australia on January 2. Before the Australian Open, I will participate in a tournament in Sydney." Her partnership choices for the Asian Games, however, are comparatively unclear.

"That (Asian Games) is a long time (away). A tennis player plays 25 weeks a year. So, we have to worry about four Grand Slams much before we worry about anything else," said the 27-year-old."I have always said I am always on national duty.

Whenever or whoever needs me to play with I have played in the past and I will play in the future as well." Asked if she would consider playing in the singles format, Sania said, "I can't predict what is going to happen one year from now in the Asian Games in October.

If my body feels up to the task, I might play. But at the moment it seems unlikely." Having frequently changed her doubles partner in the past year, Sania claims finding the right chemistry is essential.

"Every partner has a share of goods and bads. But once you get along with most people that is when you form a good partnership and it depends on your chemistry. It will be unfair to name one person.

"Bethanie (Mattek-Sands) has been my best friend on tour and off it. So it is lot of fun to play with her. We had some great results a well. Unfortunately due to her health we had to stop playing together," Sania said, when asked to name her favourite partner.

"But I have a good partnership with Cara and we get along. More than that, she is too experienced. She has done it all. She has won Grand Slams, so I learn a lot from her as well. She is extremely humble. At the moment I will have to say Cara Black because I am playing with her," she added.

South Africa 138/2 against India at stumps on Day 4

 JOHANNESBURG: The first Test between India and South Africa seemed headed for an exciting finish with the hosts needing to score 320 runs with eight wickets remaining on a tricky last day to pull off a record-breaking victory.

Set a stiff target of 458 for victory after India scored 421 in their second innings, the hosts put up a better batting display to reach 138 for two at close on the penultimate day on Saturday on a Wanderers track which seemed to have eased out quite a bit.

Alviro Petersen (76 batting) and Faf du Plessis (10 batting) were at the crease at stumps on another absorbing day's play which has set the stage for a thrilling finish with all three results a possibility.

A South African victory looks remote at this stage as no team has ever successfully chased down a target of 458 in Test history so far. The highest successful run chase in Test cricket has been achieved by West Indies who scored 418 for seven to beat Australia in St Johns in 2003.

With the pitch showing no signs of any rapid deterioration, the Indians may find the going tough to push for a 1-0 series lead on the final day's play on Sunday, considering that the Proteas have a strong batting line-up.

The Proteas, on the other hand, will look to bat out the entire day to avoid the embarrassment of a defeat at home.

Resuming at the overnight score of 284 for two, the Indians rode on the marathon 222-run partnership between Cheteshwar Pujara (153) and Virat Kohli (96) for the third wicket to take a substantial lead.

The 222-run partnership was the highest stand for third wicket in a Test match second innings overseas. They bettered the long-standing record of 211 runs for the third wicket between Vinoo Mankad and Vijay Hazare at the Lord's in 1952.

Kohli was unlucky to miss out on a twin century as he was out for 96 in the opening session after hitting 119 in India's first innings.

South Africa's paceman Morne Morkel had twisted his ankle on Day three and it's doubtful if he will bat on Sunday, if at all required.

Earlier, after India were all out for 421 in the post-lunch session, captain Graeme Smith (44) and Peterson carefully negotiated the opening salvo from visiting bowlers for an hour to take the home side to 38 for no loss at tea.

Smith was nearly out in the third over of the innings, playing Zaheer off his pads towards leg gully where Virat Kohli nearly held on to a tough chance, getting his fingers to the ball. The South African captain was on one at that time.

Smith and Petersen batted in the same resolute manner after tea also, watching the incoming balls carefully and scoring runs whenever the bowlers strayed onto their pads.

To the Indian bowlers' credit, they bowled a lot better line than their counterparts managed all day. The trio of Zaheer Khan (9-0-29-0), Ishant Sharma (9-0-28-0) and Mohammed Shami (8-1-30-1) went past their bats on numerous occasions, unlucky to get a breakthrough in the first hour of play in the final session.

The two South African openers added 54 runs, with Petersen completing his half century in the 18th over. He contributed the majority of runs in the first-wicket partnership as Smith slowly built his innings. He was definitely more edgy of the two batsmen, with R Ashwin (16-3-40-0) nearly bowling him in the 23rd over and then Zaheer almost getting an edge in the 26th.

Notably, Ashwin bowled 16 out of the 45 overs sent down in the final session, pointing to the fact that the pitch may have something on the final day on Sunday.

In the 30th over, they reached the 100-run mark with worrisome faces on the Indian team. But Ajinkya Rahane eased their tensions when he ran out Smith with a direct hit in the next over. Smith hit six boundaries in his 73-ball innings.

Ten runs later, their number three batsman, Hashim Amla (4) was out just like in the first innings, out-bowled leaving a delivery from Shami, when he should have been playing at it.

Du Plessis was sent ahead of Jacques Kallis, owing to his lack of runs. It became cloudy thereafter and the Indians tried every trick to keep the opposition batting, with Murali Vijay (1-0-3-0) and skipper Dhoni (2-0-4-0) coming on to bowl, as Virat Kohli kept wickets. Dhoni even kept wickets without his protective pads to hurry the overs in.

Earlier in the opening session, Pujara slammed 153 while Kohli missed out on an opportunity to score centuries in both innings by four runs.

The two batsmen put on 222 runs for the third wicket to set the hosts a daunting fourth innings' target of 458 runs for a win at the Wanderers stadium.

The 222-run partnership for the third wicket between Pujara and Kohli was the highest stand for third wicket for India in a Test second innings overseas. They beat the long standing record of Vinoo Mankad and Vijay Hazare, 211 versus England at Lord's in 1952.

Pujara and Kohli began the day on individual scores of 135 and 77, and team score of 284 for 2. The Proteas immediately took the new ball when it became due and the run-scoring did slow down as a result, but the milestones never stopped.

The 300 for India, in this second innings, came in the 85th over, while Pujara completed his 150 two overs later. This was the fourth time in his 16-Test career so far that he had gone past this individual score in an innings. He looked good for a bigger one, but the need to get runs quickly meant that he played an uncharacteristic cut stroke off a Jacques Kallis delivery, which was close to his body.

Kohli, meanwhile, carried on, even as Rohit Sharma (6) suffered another failure. He was bowled by Kallis in the 94th over, off an in-swinging delivery that stayed low. The big wicket for South Africa came when Kohli went on the backfoot for a cut off Duminy, in the 99th over of the innings, and was out caught behind. He was flustered with his dismissal, even so walked off to a standing ovation.
Dhoni then Ajinkya Rahane to muster some quick runs. They added 31 runs for the sixth wicket. But Rahane (15) fell at the stroke of lunch, out caught at slip off Duminy. India went to lunch with a hearty lead, placed at 358 for 6.