South Africa fail in record run chase

South Africa fail in record run chase

 

South Africa fell eight runs short of a world-record run chase but secured a draw in the first Test against India in Johannesburg by finishing on 450-7.

The hosts began the final day on 138-2 in pursuit of 458 to win the first match of a two-Test series.

A 205-run fifth-wicket partnership between Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers gave them hope of victory.
But De Villiers was bowled by Ishant Sharma for 103, before Du Plessis was run out for 134 with 19 balls left.
In between those dismissals, JP Duminy was out for five after he chopped on to his stumps from Mohammed Shami.
That left Dale Steyn to bat out the final three overs with Vernon Philander, with the world number one Test team still retaining hopes of a remarkable win against the side ranked second.
A maiden over each from Zaheer Khan and Shami effectively ended those hopes, although Steyn left the hosts wondering what might have been by smashing a six off the final ball of the match.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith defended the decision of his batsmen to play for the draw.

Highest successful Test match fourth-innings run chases

• 418: West Indies v Australia, 4th Test, St John's, 9 May 2003
• 414: South Africa v Australia, 1st Test, Perth, 17 Dec 2008
• 406: India v West Indies, 3rd Test, Port of Spain, 7 Apr 1976
• 404: Australia v England, 4th Test, Headingley, 22 Jul 1948
• 387: India v England, 1st Test, Chennai, 11 Dec 2008
• 369: Australia v Pakistan, 2nd Test, Hobart, 18 Nov 1999

He said: "The knocks that AB and Faf played, everybody would have been saying what an incredible effort.

"We mustn't lose sight of that in the emotion. You understand the emotional side. I think the context was that it was an unbelievable Test match. I don't think too many people gave us a chance [of drawing].''
India batsman Virat Kohli was surprised to see South Africa limit their ambitions to a draw.
He said: "Everyone was pretty shocked, honestly. We didn't think they'd stop going for that score."
The highest successful fourth-innings run chase in Test history remains the 418 scored by West Indies to beat Australia in 2003.
South Africa's total was the third-highest ever scored in a Test match fourth innings. New Zealand scored 451 at Christchurch in 2002 in losing to England, who hit 654-5 in a draw with South Africa at Durban in 1939.

 

South Africa draw the first Test against India in Johannesburg

South Africa draw the first Test against India in Johannesburg

 South Africa fell eight runs short of a world-record run chase but secured a draw in the first Test against India in Johannesburg by finishing on 450-7.

 

India's Virat Kohli

The hosts began the final day on 138-2 in pursuit of 458 to win the first match of a two-Test series.

A 205-run fifth-wicket partnership between Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers gave them hope of victory.
But De Villiers was bowled by Ishant Sharma for 103, before Du Plessis was run out for 134 with 19 balls left.
In between those dismissals, JP Duminy was out for five after he chopped on to his stumps from Mohammed Shami.
That left Dale Steyn to bat out the final three overs with Vernon Philander, with the world number one Test team still retaining hopes of a remarkable win against the side ranked second.
A maiden over each from Zaheer Khan and Shami effectively ended those hopes, although Steyn left the hosts wondering what might have been by smashing a six off the final ball of the match.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith defended the decision of his batsmen to play for the draw.

He said: "The knocks that AB and Faf played, everybody would have been saying what an incredible effort.

"We mustn't lose sight of that in the emotion. You understand the emotional side. I think the context was that it was an unbelievable Test match. I don't think too many people gave us a chance [of drawing].''
India batsman Virat Kohli was surprised to see South Africa limit their ambitions to a draw.
He said: "Everyone was pretty shocked, honestly. We didn't think they'd stop going for that score."
The highest successful fourth-innings run chase in Test history remains the 418 scored by West Indies to beat Australia in 2003.
South Africa's total was the third-highest ever scored in a Test match fourth innings. New Zealand scored 451 at Christchurch in 2002 in losing to England, who hit 654-5 in a draw with South Africa at Durban in 1939.

Barcelona win the match against Getafe by 5-2

Barcelona win the match against Getafe by 5-2

 

MADRID: Barcelona ensured they will finish 2013 on top of La Liga as a Pedro Rodriguez hat-trick helped them come from 2-0 down to win 5-2 at Getafe on Sunday.

The hosts had got off to a flying start as goals from Sergio Escudero and Lisandro Lopez put them 2-0 up inside 14 minutes.

However, the Catalans responded like champions as Pedro scored three times in eight minutes before the break.

Cesc Fabregas gave Barca breathing space when he volleyed home Pedro's cross 22 minutes from time and the former Arsenal captain doubled his tally from the penalty spot moments later.

Barca's comeback means they edge ahead of Atletico Madrid on goal difference at the top of the table, whilst Real Madrid can cut the gap on the top two to five points with a win at Valencia later on Sunday.

Without the suspended Neymar and injured Lionel Messi, the spotlight was on the Catalans' fringe players in attack to make their claim for a regular starting spot.

However, it was the visitors' defence that was shredded early on as Escudero played a wonderful one-two with Angel Lafita before firing home from close range.

Four minutes later Lisandro rose highest to power home Pedro Leon's corner.

Getafe could have even been further ahead had Ciprian Marica chosen the right option and passed to a teammate when the Barca defence was outnumbered moments later.

Instead the Barca revival began 10 minutes before half-time when Fabregas released Pedro in behind the defence and his chipped finish had just enough elevation to take it past Miguel Angel Moya.

Pedro then curled home into the top corner from the edge of the area and pounced on a defensive error by Juan Valera to give his side the lead at half-time.

Diego Castro should have restored parity for Getafe when he curled inches wide of the far post after turning Gerard Pique inside the area on the hour mark.

And that miss was to prove crucial as Barca killed off the contest with a wonderful team move eight minutes later that culminated with Fabregas volleying home Pedro's cross at the back post.

Pedro could have had his fourth seconds later as his attempted lob of Moya drifted just over, but he was also involved in Barca's fifth as was clipped inside the area by Borja Fernandez and Fabregas sent Moya the wrong way from the resultant spot-kick.

Jose Mourinho demands Chelsea focus on EPL

Jose Mourinho demands Chelsea focus on EPL
London:  Jose Mourinho has warned his Chelsea stars they cannot afford any more careless lapses in concentration when they face title rivals Arsenal on Monday.

Mourinho is growing increasingly vexed by the misfiring form of Chelsea's strikers and his defenders' alarming habit of switching off at key moments.

The Blues boss has so far been unable to find solutions to problems that threaten to wreck Chelsea's challenge for the Premier League crown.

Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto'o and Demba Ba have scored just five league goals between them this term, while Mourinho has chopped and changed in an unsuccessful bid to find his best back-four.

Chelsea dropped to fourth place in the table on Saturday, three points adrift of new leaders Liverpool and one behind third placed Arsenal.

And, with so much at stake when Chelsea visit the Emirates Stadium for the final top-flight match before Christmas, Mourinho has made it clear he won't tolerate more sloppiness from his players.

"If we cannot improve our efficiency in front of the goal, we have to improve in the other end," Mourinho said.

"We have to improve when we lose possession of the ball. That's obvious.

"We cannot just let the players hide behind the fact that we are not scoring enough goals and wait for that to happen.

"We cannot play for that. People need to change their brains a little bit more.

"To be a team to play very good football is an important step. To be a team that plays very good football and wins lots of matches is a more difficult step.

"Some players that are used to playing with the ball at their feet and are very comfortable in the offensive phase.

"When the team loses the ball, they have to be also very comfortable working a lot for the team."

While Mourinho battles to cure Chelsea's various ailments, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger may never get a better chance to finally beat his old rival.

Wenger has failed to defeat Mourinho in nine previous attempts, including a 2-0 loss in the League Cup earlier this season.

In the past, Mourinho has infuriated Wenger with some of his jibes, including calling him a "voyeur"

But, whatever the result, Wenger insists there is no longer any hostility between the two managers.

"It is not a personal battle," Wenger said. "Honestly, we had some big games in the past, but what is important for me is that I am completely focused on Arsenal Football Club and on my team and doing well in the team.

"Once you are out of competition, everybody is different.

"We spent time together in Geneva at the UEFA managers' meeting.

"Here is competition time, so everybody fights for his team and his club.

"Whether we play Monday against Chelsea or anybody else, for me it is exactly the same, because what is at stake for us is to get back to winning habits, whether it is Chelsea or anyone else."

Wenger will be without England midfielder Jack Wilshere, who is serving a two-match ban for an abusive gesture at Manchester City fans last weekend, while French defender Laurent Koscielny is also set to be sidelined with a knee injury.

Wilshere's petulant reaction to Arsenal's 6-3 thrashing at Eastlands summed up the team's disbelief at a loss which raised questions about their ability to maintain their surprise title challenge.

A victory would ensure Arsenal head into the busy Christmas programme back on top of the table, but Wenger has slipped up too many times against Chelsea in the past to take anything for granted.

"Chelsea are a good side with many good promising players, many good young players," Wenger said.

"They have a good offensive potential as well and for us it will be important to have a good defensive focus to find our defensive stability again and to stop them going forward."

Brendan Rodgers says,Liverpool still coming to the boil

Brendan Rodgers says,Liverpool still coming to the boil

Liverpool:  Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes there is still more to come from his Liverpool side after they moved to the top of the Premier League table.

The Reds beat Cardiff City 3-1 at Anfield on Saturday to move above leaders Arsenal, who face fourth-place Chelsea on Monday.

Since their 3-1 defeat at Hull City on December 1, Liverpool have picked up four consecutive victories, scoring 17 goals.

Rodgers, who took over from Kenny Dalglish in 2012, believes that the squad are taking his ideas on board and cites the January signings of Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho as key factors in their current form.

The 18-time English champions now face tough trips to Manchester City and Chelsea, but Rodgers thinks his side can still improve.

"Last year it took us a while to get into the top 10," he said. "People are talking about a good start, but you will see from January this is a team that's been on the up.

"It's a set of principles and footballing ideas that have been implemented over 18 months coming to fruition and the players are enjoying their aggressive attacking football with hard work as the core. And we can get better.

"It's unprecedented to go from seventh (where Liverpool finished last season) to first, but where we are shows the work that the players and the club have done and we just want to keep this momentum going.

"We're very calm and we're not getting carried away. It's been five tough years, but the fans are going home happy and we're reclaiming that mentality at Anfield."

Manchester City are many pundits' favourites for the Premier League title, but Rodgers is excited by the prospect of his team's trip to the Etihad Stadium on Thursday.

"We really look forward to the games. We should have won at Manchester City last year," he said.

"They're a great squad of players and people look at it as Man City's title to lose because of the squad they have.

"We're just taking it a game at a time. We're on a fantastic run and pressing the game very well. We'll get there on Boxing day in a good moment."

With Rodgers using the same team that started in last weekend's 5-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur, the Reds took the lead midway through the first when Suarez volleyed in from Jordan Henderson's cross.

Three minutes before the interval, Suarez broke away and set up Raheem Sterling for the second before the Uruguayan curled in from the edge of the area from Henderson's backheel.

Jordon Mutch pulled one back with a header from Peter Whittingham's free-kick in the second half.

Cardiff manager Malky Mackay faces speculation that he is on the brink of being sacked by owner Vincent Tan, but the Scot, who took the Bluebirds to promotion last season, insists he will not be forced to quit.

"What I can tell you crystal clear is that I won't be resigning as manager of the football club," he said.

"I'm proud of the job that I've got and I couldn't look myself in the mirror to walk away from the people that work for me, the coaching staff and all of the staff and the players and our fans. I'm not going to walk away from them either.

"I've been in English football for 15 years and been a manager for five years, so I've worked with and against a lot of people and it heartens and humbles me, some of the quotes that have come out this week. And I was humbled by our fans.

"I absolutely will not be resigning from the football club, there's no need for that to happen.

"Anything beyond that, I will have conversations with the League Managers Association, but at the moment there's absolutely no way I'll be resigning."

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.