Nokia Siemens' Acquisition Of Nortel's LTE Unit Contested

Nokia (NYSE: NOK) Siemens Networks' proposed purchase of Nortel Networks (NYSE: NT)' CDMA and LTE assets has run into an unexpected hurdle in the form of a group of its creditors and suppliers objecting to the deal.

Meanwhile in a Delaware courtroom Monday, Nortel chief strategy officer George Riedel sought to convince a judge to approve the proposed sale for $650 million. Arguing that Nortel's technology is superior, but its financial problems drove the company into bankruptcy, Riedel said, "Unfortunately for us, we will win the technology prize, but not the commercial business."

According to media reports, Riedel said representatives from companies including Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Communications said they "love" the technology, but are concerned about Nortel's balance sheet. A pickup of Nortel's CDMA and LTE assets for $650 million would be regarded as a virtual steal, depending on the actual assets to be included in the sale.

In an analysis of the proposed deal, Light Reading said that Nortel appears to be holding on to some important LTE-related patents including some for orthogonal frequency-division multiple access and multiple input, multiple output.

"Nortel has always thought of its OFDMA/MIMO IPR as among its crown jewels," said Heavy Reading senior analyst Patrick Donegan. "As I understand it, it isn't included in the current terms of the proposed sale to (Nokia Siemens Networks.) I can only assume that Nortel still owns it."

Creditors opposing the proposed sale to Nortel Siemens include Nortel bondholder MatlinPatterson and supplier Flextronics.

The business coveted by Nokia Siemens Networks is regarded as Nortel's crown jewel, but Nortel hasn't publically revealed the full details of exactly what it would include in the proposed sale to Nokia Siemens Networks.

The acquisition is scheduled to be consummated later this summer.

Source: http://www.informationweek.com

Cable-stayed bridge on sea link longest in India

Mumbai (PTI): The main span of the cable-stayed portion of the Bandra-Worli sea link measuring 500 meters is the largest in India superseding Vidyasagar Setu in Kolkata and shares the 20th spot with Thailand's Kanchanaphisek Bridge among the bridges with the longest span in the world.

The Sutong Bridge over the Yangtze River in China, opened June last year, has the largest span of any cable-stayed bridge at 1,088 meters. Hong Kong's Stonecutters Bridge has the second longest span at 1,018 meters and with 890 meter the Tatara Bridge in Japan is the third longest.

Main span is the distance between the suspension towers and is the most common way to rank cable-stayed bridges.

The 5.6-km-long sea link has two cable-stayed bridges- Bandra channel with 50m-250m-250m-50m pan arrangement and the Worli channel with 50m-50m-150m-50m-50m.

Both sides of the bridges are flanked by 50m conventional approach spans, which are not considered as the main span.

The Vidyasagar Setu has 457.2 m main span and it was so far the largest in India. The Naini Bridge over the Yamuna is also a cable-stayed one.

The bridge, to be opened by Congress president Sonia Gandhi on June 30, is 63 times the height of Qutub Minar and has consumed 90,000 tonnes of cement, which would suffice to make five buildings of 10-storey each, a Mumbai State Roadways Development Corporation official said.

Source:http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/

Yuvraj, Karthik take India to 339 for six in the first ODI

June 27 (IANS) Yuvraj Singh smashed one of his typically dazzling centuries and comeback man Dinesh Karthik struck a solid 67 as India set the West Indies a stiff 340-run target in the first of the four one-day internationals here at the Sabina Park Friday.

Yuvraj (131, 102 balls, 7 sixes, 10 fours) and Karthik (77b, 1x6, 6x4) set the Indians on course for a big total with their 135-run third-wicket partnership. It was further consolidated by an 86-runs fourth-wicket stand between Yuvraj and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (41, 41 balls, 1x6, 1x4) off who earlier won the toss and decided to bat.

In the rear, Yusuf Pathan chipped in with 40 not out (38b, 2x6, 2x4) and Harbhajan Singh 21 not out (13b, 2x6) to swell the total to 339 for six.

The start, however, was not encouraging with both Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma succumbing to short-pitched deliveries, trying ambitious shots. Gautam top-edged a hook off Jerome Taylor and Sharma perished failing to control a pull off David Bernard.

Karthik dropped anchor and Yuvraj, too, was circumspect. The two quietly rotated the strike and once the spin was introduced, they piled on the pressure on the bowlers. Soon Yuvraj overtook Karthik who hit an amazing six paddle-scooping Bernard to reach his highest score in the ODIs before falling attempting the stroke again.

Yuvraj soon got into the top gear and there was no stopping him as he hit both Taylor and captain Chris Gayle for two sixes each. He then treated Lionel Baker in similar fashion, hitting the medium-pacer for two fours and a six to reach 98 and quick a single off Taylor saw him to his century. He cut loose and hit Taylor for two fours and a six in the same over.

When Benn and Gayle bowled in tandem the Indians hit the two for 70 runs in seven overs.

The Indians were into batting power play and the five overs fetched 62 runs in five overs, Yuvraj and Dhoni pulversing the attack, 37 coming off Taylor's two overs.

Just when the left-hander looked like putting the issue beyond the West Indies, piling up a huge total, Dwayne Bravo returned to dismiss him and next man Ravindra Jadeja off successive balls.

Yuvraj's spectacular innings came to an end when he was caught brilliantly down the legside by Denesh Ramdin diving to his right.

That set the Indians back as Dhoni was still struggling to connect his big shots and Yusuf Pathan also batted cautiously till the last five overs. Dhoni ran himself out trying to steal a single.

Pathan hit the first ball of the last over from Bravo for a six and Harbhajan clouted the last one into the stands to provide late flourish.

Source: http://sify.com/

Will New York bring back old good times?

The much-talked-about film New York is releasing tomorrow (June 26). People in the film industry must be waiting with bated breathe, as Bollywood has been going through bad time, owing to the on-going global economic recession and the recently ended fight between film producers and multiplexes owners. Now, all eyes are on New York, as it is expected to bring back the good old times.

Buzz up!
New York, produced by Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films and directed by Kabir Khan, has been in the news since it was announced. It has a dream team in John Abraham, Katrina Kaif, Neil Nitin Mukesh and Irrfan Khan. Here are the highlights:-


The film tells about three students whose lives changed post 9/11. It brings to light the increasing prejudices after the great tragedy. Director Kabir Khan revealed that New York is set within the context of 9/11 and talks about the repercussions of such attacks. John Abraham, the lead actor of the film, said that New York begins where Khuda Kay Liye ends.

One of the highlights of New York is its music composed by Pritam with lyrics written by Sandeep Srivastava and Junaid Wasi. The audio album of the film, consisting of 7 tracks and an instrumental, was released on June 10. The songs have turned huge hit amongst the music lovers.

New York was also in the news for things that had nothing to do with the makers of the film. The casting itself hit the headlines hard for the simple reason that Katrina Kaif acts with John Abraham, who is Katrina's boyfriend Salman Khan's bitter enemy. And as the news of the intimate scenes involving Katrina and John leaked to the media, the situation has turned worse. Salman is said to be not happy with Katrina for doing the bold sequences with his enemy.

That was not all. Katrina Kaif and Neil Nitin Mukesh were praising each other to heaven a few days ago, and that too through the media. Katrina said Nitin is the cutest amongst the present Bollywood actors and he paid back in double fold by describing her as the cutest and sexiest actress.

So much has been talked about New York, its cast and crew. It looks promising from the outset but we'll come to know its true colour only when it hits the theatres tomorrow. Watch out guys!

Sourse: http://entertainment.oneindia.in

Sarabjit’s family pleads for his release

Bhikhiwind (Amritsar): The family of Sarabjit Singh, whose death sentence in the 1990 bomb attack cases has been upheld in Pakistan, on Wednesday pleaded with the government to work with Islamabad for his release.

“I appeal to the Indian and the Pakistani governments that my husband is innocent. The time he has spent in Pakistan surpasses a life sentence. This delay is torturing us. If the Indian government puts pressure, he can be saved. The Indian government should not remain silent,” Sarabjit’s wife Sukhpreet Kaur said, with tears in her eyes.
The couple’s young daughters, Swapandeep and Poonam, said they earlier had “full confidence” that the hearing in their father’s case in the Pakistan Supreme Court would have a “positive” outcome. “But now we are shocked. We did not expect this...He is an Indian citizen. The Indian government should do something. We have given proofs of his innocence to the Pakistan government,” they said.
Noted jurist and criminal lawyer Ram Jethmalani has said the Indian government should intervene in the case.

A pall of gloom descended over Sarabjit’s village as soon as the news reached the family. Villagers thronged his residence to express their sympathies. Sarabjit has been on a death row since he was convicted of alleged involvement in four bomb blast cases in 1990 that killed 14 people.
Rana Abdul Hamid, the lawyer who was representing him, was unable to appear in court in Pakistan, after he was appointed an additional advocate general by the Punjab province last year.

Ms. Poonam said her family was told that a new lawyer did not appear in the case because he had not received money. “When the agreement for fighting our father’s case was signed, the lawyers said they would take Rs.2 lakh, and an additional Rs.1 lakh will have to be paid once he returned home. We have paid more than that, but the lawyer is saying that he has not received the fees. We have done so much,” she said.
Sarabjit’s wife told reporters that the lawyer fighting the case was demanding Rs.6 lakh to pursue the matter, even as the family is fighting for two square meals a day.

“Moreover, no Indian government official is willing to help our family arrange money for the lawyer in Pakistan,” Ms. Sukhpreet Kaur said. She said Sarabjit’s counsel had failed to appear in court for the past few hearings, including the last one on Monday.

Appeals to PM, Sonia

Sarabjit’s sister Dalbir Kaur said the family would approach Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, and MP Rahul Gandhi to request them to work for his release.

“Now, I have strong hopes that Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and the Prime Minister will take up the matter with the Pakistan government for clemency to my brother,” Ms. Dalbir Kaur said.
Swapandeep said she would also meet Mr. Gandhi in this regard. “I will accompany my aunt to Delhi to meet Rahul bhaiya, who will definitely listen to the plight of my father and family,” she said. — PTI

Source: http://www.hindu.com/

Mahindra Holidays fixes price band

CHENNAI: Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India (MHRIL) is setting up new projects and expanding some of its existing resorts to provide a larger range of resorts, as part of its current business plan.

To part finance the cost, the company entered the capital market with an initial public offering of 92.65 lakh equity shares of Rs. 10 each for cash at a price to be decided through a 100 per cent book-building process.

The issue, comprises a fresh issue of 58.96 lakh equity shares and an offer for sale of 33.69 lakh equity shares by Mahindra and Mahindra, would constitute 11 of the fully diluted post-issue paid-up capital.

The issue, which opened on June 23, will close on June 26. The price band has been fixed at Rs. 275-325 a share.

Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, Ramesh Ramanathan, Managing Director, said the company was planning to expand inventory of apartments and enhance facilities at its Coorg and Ashtamudi (Kerala) resorts and develop new resorts and projects at Puducherry, Kumbalgarh (Rajasthan), Kadam- bakkam (Tamil Nadu), Binsar (Uttarakhand), Theog (Himachal Pradesh) and Tungi (Maharashtra).

Apart from flagship brand Club Mahindra Holidays, the company was offering Zest and Club Mahindra Fundays, Club Mahindra Travel and Mahindra Homestays. It has 27 resorts and 1,261 apartments and cottages.


Source: http://www.hindu.com/

Centre bans CPI-Maoist, Left against terror tag

New Delhi/Lalgarh: The Central Government on Monday extended the ban on the CPI-Maoist across the country, including West Bengal, which has so far resisted moves to declare the outfit a terrorist organisation, the Home Ministry said.
However, West Bengal's ruling Left Front said it was against banning the CPI-Maoist and would counter such outfits politically, two days after Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee stated that his government will give serious thought to proscribing the rebels.

On his part, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said, "Maoists must be combated politically and administratively."
Meanwhile, the security forces intensified their operation to flush out Maoists from the troubled Lalgarh area as a 48-hour shutdown called by the rebels on Monday disrupted normal life in their strongholds in West Bengal.

After reclaiming Lalgarh town, security forces continued their operation against the rebels for the fifth day – setting out for Ramgarh town, 22 km away, where the Maoists had virtually driven the civil and police administration away earlier this month.
in New Delhi, Home Minister P Chidambaram said, "Today, what we have done, in order to avoid any ambiguity, we have added the words CPI-Maoist in the schedule of the (Unlawful Activities Prevention) Act. All ambiguity has been removed.”

The outfit is already banned in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa, where the Maoist rebels have a presence.

Home Ministry officials said the CPI-Maoist has been banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act that is applicable all over the country. However, individual states have to issue their own notifications banning the organisation.
The CPI-Maoist, which is the main Left extremist group in the country, has been bracketed with 34 other organisations including Laskhar-e-Toiba (LeT) and the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) who are in the list of banned outfits.

The Central Government had been pressing the West Bengal government to also ban the outfit.
Chidambaram, at a meeting with Bhattacharjee over the weekend, had advised him to ban the organisation.

Reclaiming Lalgarh

In Lalgarh, the security forces also carried relief to villages in the West Midnapore district that were facing shortage of food and drinking water. The state authorities opened the block development office in Lalgarh, a step towards restoring civil rule in the area which Maoists had declared a "liberated" zone.

The shutdown the Leftwing radicals called against the joint operation by the Central and state forces saw vehicular traffic go off the roads, streets deserted and shops and business establishments closed in 18 police station areas in Maoist-affected Bankura, West Midnapore and Purulia districts in the western part of the state.

Source: http://ibnlive.in.com/

Afridi the hero as Pak triumph

Pakistan cricket came alive at Lord’s on Sunday evening in all its unpredictable glory and unrefined exquisiteness. They had come into this tournament burdened by troubles at home and blighted by lack of match practice. They had started their campaign playing as though in shackles, they finished it with a chest-thumping freedom that would’ve seemed more appropriate in the frenzied, drunken stands.

The evening that began with what must be one of the most intimidating overs in Twenty20 history, ended in a flurry of fours and sixes from Shahid Afridi’s free-spirited blade. In the three-and-a-half hours in between, there were only a few moments when Pakistan flirted with the uncertainty that so typifies their cricket.

And at the end, they had trumped a Sri Lankan team that had been clinical and unbeaten through the tournament by eight wickets — a margin of victory that indicated the difference between the teams on the day.

Captain Younis Khan, draped in a Pakistan flag, spoke emotionally at the post-match press conference. He dedicated the win to former coach Bob Woolmer, who died when with the team for the World Cup in the Caribbean. “I wish he was sitting here next to me.”

Younis, who also announced his retirement from Twenty20 cricket, spoke too of how much this win would mean to his people back home. “It is our gift to the people of Pakistan,” he said. At the end of the game, the streets of London had exploded in deliriously happy green; imagine then, the streets of Karachi or Lahore.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/

Gayle and Dilshan's one-man show

Chris Gayle became the first batsman to carry his bat through an innings in a Twenty20 international, scoring an unbeaten 63 in his team's miserable total of 101.

Gayle's 63 constituted 62.37% of West Indies' total, which is the highest in a complete innings. For a brief while, that record belonged to Tillakaratne Dilshan, who scored 96 out of Sri Lanka's 158, which is 60.75% of the total. The previous record was JP Duminy's 60% (78 out of 130). Click here for the full list.

Dilshan's unbeaten 96 is the third-highest score in Twenty20 internationals, after Gayle 117 and Ricky Ponting's unbeaten 98. It's the best by a Sri Lankan batsman, bettering Sanath Jayasuriya's 88 against Kenya in the 2007 ICC World Twenty20.

West Indies' total is also their lowest in a completed Twenty20 innings.
There were four ducks in the West Indies innings, which is the third such occurrence in a Twenty20 international. The record, though, is six ducks, by Kenya against New Zealand in the previous edition of the World Twenty20.

Dilshan's knock lifted his aggregate for the tournament to 317, easily the highest. He averages 63.40 at a strike rate of 148.13. He's also gone past the highest scorer of the previous edition - Matthew Hayden, who had 265.

Sri Lanka's two spinners, Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis, had combined figures of 5 for 38 from eight overs. In the tournament so far, the two have combined figures of 20 for 247 from 46 overs, for an average of 12.35 at an economy rate of 5.37 runs per over. Mendis' figures of 2 for 9 is also the most economical by a Sri Lankan bowler in a Twenty20 international (minimum 12 balls bowled).

The one worrisome aspect about Sri Lanka's performance was the batting of Sanath Jayasuriya, who needed 37 balls for his 24. Among innings which lasted at least 25 balls, this was the slowest by any batsman in the tournament. Jayasuriya also played out 23 dot balls, which was 46% of the total number of dots (50) played by Sri Lanka.


Source: http://www.cricinfo.com/

Pakistan enters ICC World Twenty20 final

Nottingham: Power and aggression were followed by precision and craft. Shahid Afridi, oozing belief, raised his arm in triumph. After his blaze of strokes with the willow, Afridi conjured a display of influential leg-spin as a charged-up Pakistan ambushed favourite South Africa by seven runs in the first ICC World Twenty20 semifinalat Trent Bridge on Thursday. A sea of supporters greeted Pakistan's victory.

Once again, South Africa succumbed to the pressures of the big stage in a knock-out situation. Pursuing 150, the side fell seven runs short.
If Afridi - adjudged Man of the Match - opened the path for Pakistan, outstanding paceman Umar Gul all but closed out the game. Remarkably, Gul, bowling those searing full-length deliveries with stunning accuracy, conceded just six runs apiece in the crucial 17th and 19th overs when the South Africans were seeking the big hits. Gul forced the batsmen to dig out yorkers instead.

South Africa needed 45 off the last four. After Gul's immaculate bowling, 23 were required from the final over.Younis flung the ball to the young Mohammed Amir. Jean Paul Duminy (44 not out) swung the second and the fourth balls for a six and a boundary but the huge blows came too late in the day for South Africa.

Earlier, Jacques Kallis (64), marshalling the chase, was caught nervelessly by Shoaib Malik at long-on after striking out against off-spinner Saeed Ajmal's doosra in the 18th over. The Pakistanis also lifted their fielding. Fawad Alam hit the stumps from long-off, catching Albie Morkel short at the non-striker's end in the final over.

South Africa began the chase confidently with Kallis striking the pacemen with typical fluency between point and cover off either foot. The side was 40 without loss in the sixth over when skipper Smith, struggling to discover touch, top-edged a pull to bowler Amir. The young left-armer generated impressive speed and probed the SouthAfrican captain with the yorker-short ball routine.
There was a significant momentum shift once Afridi was introduced. The runs dried up on a rather dry surface for South Africa. Pakistan had won a crucial toss. Afridi's leg-spinners whistled past the outside edge; on one occasion when Abraham de Villiers snicked, 'keeper Kamran Akmal grassed the edge.
The leg-spinner disguised his googly, and, with a similar action, got his deliveries to skid through straight. He varied his pace and length, cramped the batsmen for room.
Herschelle Gibbs was done in by one which fizzed through straight off the wicket. The fleet-footed de Villiers shaped for a cut and found the wrong 'un crashing into his stumps. This was aggressive spin bowling in Twenty20 cricket.

Gul seemed to have hurt his back when he put down a skier to reprieve Smith (on eight) off Abdul Razzaq but recovered well to whip up another match-winning spell. Younis Khan did not give Gul his full quota - left-arm spinner Alam conceded 15 runs in his only over - but the decision could have been due to the Pakistan skipper wanting to change Gul's end after a rather wayward opening over in which he struggled to control movement.
Crucially Kallis, around whom the innings revolved, could not pierce the gaps off either Afridi or Gul. South Africa was pegged back in the middle overs.Then, Gul bowled beautifully. He beat Kallis outside the off-stumpwith leg-cutters and then slipped in the yorker. And Gul's sharp pace forced the batsmen to hurry their strokes.Kallis and the left-handed Duminy - the two took the score from 50 for three in the ninth over to 111 in the 18th - put together a sizable partnership but their inability to launch into the bowling saw the asking rate climb.Pakistan celebrated in the end.


SOurce: http://www.hindu.com/

India Maoist violence escalates

Three more workers of the ruling party have been killed by suspected Maoist rebels in a troubled part of India's West Bengal state, police say.
This takes the number of Communist party workers killed in clashes with rebels in the Lalgarh area to six. Six other party workers are missing.
Separately, villagers backed by the rebels have blocked roads to prevent security forces from entering the area.
Maoist-linked violence has killed 6,000 people in India over the past 20 years.
The tribespeople-dominated Lalgarh area in West Bengal's West Midnapore district has been under the virtual control of the Maoist rebels since last November.
Over the past few days, villagers backed by the rebels have taken over more villages in the area and burnt down and demolished offices belonging to the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M).
Early on Tuesday morning, three local party workers were killed by suspected rebels who came on a motorcycle and fired on them. The workers were at a local tea shop when the incident happened, the police said.
Separately, villagers have chopped trees and blocked eight access points in Lalgarh to prevent the security forces from entering the area.
This follows reports that the West Bengal government has asked for more than 1,000 paramilitary personnel "recapture" Lalgarh.

The forces have already begun arriving, but it is unclear when they will try to move into the area.
Armed rebels are reportedly patrolling roads after police fled.

"Liberated zone"

The BBC's Amitabh Bhattashali in Calcutta says hundreds of CPI(M) workers have fled the Lalgarh area.

Maoists claimed it as their first "liberated" zone in West Bengal.
One police post was later set ablaze and Maoists were reported to have demolished the house of a local communist leader in Dharampur, the last CPI(M) bastion in Lalgarh.
Other villages in the area had been under Maoist control since November.
Our correspondent says that taking control of Lalgarh is part of a long-term plan for the Maoists.
The area encompasses vast tracts of the forests of West Midnapur, Purulia and Bankura districts of West Bengal and adjoins parts of the states of Jharkhand and Orissa.

"Arrests"

Lalgarh has experienced considerable unrest for a number of months.

Violence began last November when police arrested some local residents on suspicion of attempting to assassinate West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya after he narrowly escaped a landmine explosion set off by suspected Maoist rebels.
A Peoples' Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) was subsequently formed to protest against the arrests. They launched violent protests and strikes against the local police.
The police and state administration have been virtually non-existent in most of Lalgarh since then. Polling booths could not be set up for recent general elections so people had to vote outside the area.
Our correspondent says the insurgents and the CPI(M), which has been the state's dominant political force, have been fighting a turf war.
In the past few years, he says, the Maoists have extended their influence with guerrilla commanders camping in the area and providing basic military training to local youths.


SOurce: http://news.bbc.co.uk

Some consolation as Indian women move into last four

Former Indian skipper Mithali Raj scored an unbeaten 32 to steer Indian women to the semi-finals of the Women’s World T20, defeating Sri Lanka by five wickets at Taunton on Monday night. Needing a modest 95 to register their second consecutive Pool B win, Indian women made heavy weather of the run-chase before winning with seven balls to spare in a rain-curtailed 18-over day-night fixture. Opener Poonam Raut and Mithali stood firm among the ruins to guide the team after the batting crumbled again to some steady bowling from the Sri Lankans. India take on New Zealand in the semi-finals on Thursday at Trent Bridge.

Earlier, medium-pacer Rumeli Dhar bowled an outstanding spell with the new ball, and finished with figures of 4-2-4-2 as the Lankan women struggled. Rumeli was supported well by off-spinner Gouhar Sultana, who chipped in two wickets while Amita Sharma and Reema Malhotra claimed a wicket each.

scoreboard

Sri Lanka: P Kumarihami b Sharma 2, S Galagedara lbw b Dhar 6, W Fernando c Raut b Dhar 2, A Jayangani c Raut b Sultana 16, M Surangika c Sharma b Malhotra 17, L Kaushalya c Chopra b Sultana 7, H Rasangika not out 24, S Weerakkody not out 8; Extras (lb 5, w 7) 12; Total (6 wickets; 18 overs) 94; FoW: 1-8 (Kumarihami), 2-10 (Galagedara), 3-16 (Fernando), 4-37 (Jayangani), 5-55 (Kaushalya), 6-72 (Surangika); Bowling: J Goswami 3-0-19-, R Dhar 4-2-4-2, A Sharma 4-0-23-1, G Sultana 4-0-22-2, P Roy 1-0-8-0, R Malhotra 2-0-13-1; India: P Raut run out (Kaushalya) 30, A Chopra b Prabodhani 11, S Naik lbw b Fernando 2, R Dhar run out (Jayangani) 0, M Raj not out 32, R Malhotra b Kaushalya 12, A Sharma not out 5; Extras (lb 1, w 1, nb 1) 3; Total (5 wickets; 16.5 overs) 95; FoW: 1-27 (Chopra), 2-30 (Naik), 3-36 (Dhar), 4-60 (Raut), 5-79 (Malhotra); Bowling: S Weerakkody 3.5-0-27-0, K Prabodhani 4-0-13-1, P Kumarihami 2-1-4-0, W Fernando 3-0-23-1, L Kaushalya 3-0-21-1, A Lakshika 1-0-6-0

SOurce: http://www.indianexpress.com

Goa win Santosh Trophy Title, boots out critics

PANAJI: The heart and soul of Indian football
is now overwhelmingly Goan. For more than a century, Bengal may have staked claim of having
"discovered" football for the rest of the country to follow, but anyone with a spirit of the beautiful game in their veins will agree that it is the Goans who can now, rightfully, claim they own both the heart and soul of Indian football.
Churchill Brothers Sports Club's triumph in the I-League, last month, gave Goa bragging rights in club football and Goa's triumph in the National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy in Chennai on Sunday put to rest any debate on who is the boss of Indian football.
The triumph came in the Goa Football Association's golden jubilee year, making it even sweeter. And that it happened against Bengal — ironically in Chennai, the same venue where Goa was humiliated 0-5 in the 1999 final — seemed nothing short of poetic justice.

Seven times in the past, and six times in a row between 1995 and 2001, Bengal got the better of Goa in the Santosh Trophy final until a tight 4-2 tiebreaker win on a sultry Sunday evening, finally, got the monkey off its back.
"The ghost of 1999 has finally been exorcised. I have been living with that trauma for far too long," screamed Bruno Coutinho, Arjuna awardee and former India captain, but most importantly, captain of the 1999 squad which seemed like strangers in a city of skyscrapers against Bengal in that infamous final, a decade ago.
Bruno was voted the best player of that tournament, but even he agrees how humiliating it was to see Bengal have the last laugh in successive finals.

"At least now there should be no arguments," laughed Coutinho, one of Goa's most successful players.

Goa's triumph in the Santosh Trophy, suffice to say, is fairytale stuff.
Coach Mariano Dias was appointed more out of compulsion than choice: three coaches, Savio Medeira, Derrick Pereira and Peter Valles, had refused the assignment. His striking trumpcard — Marcus Mascarenhas — had never represented Goa; more than half the team were making their Santosh Trophy debut, players were vulnerable to injuries and the entire team had a full training session only after two games in the qualifying phase at Tiruchirappally.

"I think the boys have provided the perfect riposte to critics. I always believed in this team and they have proved me right," said Mariano, who, along with manager Lawrence Gomes, won the Santosh Trophy honour for the first time after missing out during their hugely successful playing days.


Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

South Africa crush pathetic England

NOTTINGHAM: South Africa unleashed their awesome bowling power to inflict a morale-sapping defeat on England by seven wickets in the World Twenty20 Super Eights on Thursday.


Left-arm seamer Wayne Parnell grabbed three wickets as England were shot out for 111 after Paul Collingwood elected to take first strike in good batting conditions at Trent Bridge.

The Proteas strolled their way towards surpassing the modest target, winning the game in the 19th over in front of a sell-out crowd of 18,000 to earn their first points in the second round.

England claimed South African captain Graeme Smith in the fourth over, caught behind off Stuart Broad, before Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs dug in to put on 74 for the second wicket.

Gibbs made run-a-ball 30 before he was bowled by off-spinner Graeme Smith, leaving Kallis to complete the formalities with 57 not out.

Owais Shah was the lone Englishman to withstand the Proteas' onslaught with 38 off 33 balls after four of the top seven batsmen managed only four runs between them.

All the six bowlers used by Smith were among the wickets, with Kallis and Roelof van der Merwe supporting Parnell with two scalps each.

England crashed to 25-3 by the sixth over in an inspired display by the South Africans in the field.

Openers Ravi Bopara and Luke Wright were dismissed by the second over and Kevin Pietersen, who made 19 of the first 25 runs, was caught superbly at mid-on by van der Merwe off Albie Morkel.

The over ended without Morkel conceding a run, the first maiden over of the tournamet, but Shah made amends by taking 14 runs in three balls from the 12th over bowled by spinner van der Merwe.

Morkel was not called upon to bowl a second over as the other bowlers took care of the England batsmen.

Collingwood put on 53 for the fourth wicket with Shah before he was bowled by Kallis for 19 to make it 78-4 in the 13th over.

Van der Merwe finished his spell with two wickets in his final over as James Foster fell to a low catch by Morkel before Dmitri Mascarenhas was bowled four balls later.

"We're very happy with that. We fielded well and took our chances," said Johan Botha, who is another spinner having an impact on the tournament.

"Spinners always know where the ball's going to go so standard fields are set. With a seamer, the ball can go anywhere."

South Africa next play the West Indies at the Oval in London on Saturday, while England take on defending champions India at Lord's on Sunday.

Top two teams from the group will advance to the semi-finals.

Source: http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Zaheer Khan scalps four as Ireland struggles to 112 off its 18 overs

Nottingham: India was on the ball — bowling and fielding with intensity and purpose — as Ireland was restricted to 112 for eight in a group ‘A’ match of the ICC World Twenty20 at Trent Bridge on Wednesday.

Left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan excelled for India with four for 19.

The match became an 18 overs-a-side affair after 50 minutes were lost due to inclement weather.
Ideal for swing bowling

India inserted the opposition.

Under the cloud cover, Irfan Pathan got the ball to move away from the left-handed William Porterfield. The conditions were ideal for swing bowling.

Jeremy Bray, another southpaw, was probed by Zaheer Khan. India’s left-arm pacemen were bowling the right line.

Bray (0) eventually succumbed to Zaheer’s final delivery of the second over. The batsman was done in by a precise full length ball with a hint of movement that crashed through his defence.

Zaheer struck with the first ball of his next over — the fourth of the innings — when Porterfield slashed at a delivery shorter than fuller only for the first slip, Yusuf Pathan, to gleefully emerge with the ball. The Irish captain made five.
Hat-trick averted

Andre Botha (8) prevented a hat-trick and essayed a couple of brave strokes but fell in the same over. The left-hander was limited in his footwork as he reached out for a drive and Yusuf reacted quickly at slip to pouch the ball.

Zaheer was taking the ball away from the southpaw from over-the-wicket; a delivery high on the scale of difficulty for a left-arm paceman.

In a dream phase, Zaheer had scalped thrice in seven deliveries.

Ireland continued to lose way. The big-hitting Kevin O’ Brien’s crude heave against left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha saw the woodwork being re-arranged.

Ireland was tottering at 30 for four after seven overs. The Indians were cock-a-hoop.
Close shave

Ireland would have been in deeper trouble had bowler Ojha managed to a collect a rather widish throw from Suresh Raina with both batsmen at the striker’s end.

India, however, did not have to wait long for the next wicket. Gary Wilson (19) failed to pick a Harbhajan Singh doosra and lost his off-stump. Ireland was 48 for five after the 10th.

On the brighter side for Ireland, Andrew White reverse swept Harbhajan Singh to the fence.

And Ojha beat the left-handed John Mooney all ends up only to see the disturbed bails staying on top of the stumps.

Mooney (19) was eventually dismissed by Ojha when he attempted a reverse sweep and was picked up by Yuvraj Singh at short third man.

Regan West was run-out at the striker’s end while attempting a second run when Raina, running in from deep mid-on, fielded smartly.

Amid the ruins, White pulled Irfan for a six to bring some cheer to the Irish camp. But then White (29, 25b, 3x4, 1x6) was snared outside the off-stump to provide Zaheer his fourth wicket.

The left-armer is bowling to an excellent rhythm.

SCOREBOARD

Ireland: W. Porterfield c Yusuf b Zaheer 5 (8b), J. Bray b Zaheer 0 (1b), G. Wilson b Harbhajan 19 (23b, 1x4), A. Botha c Yusuf b Zaheer 8 (5b, 1x4), K. O’Brien b Ojha 2 (4b), J. Mooney c Yuvraj b Ojha 19 (22b, 1x4), A. White c Dhoni b Zaheer 29 (25b, 3x4, 1x6), R. West (run out) 1 (1b), A. Cusack (not out) 12 (6b, 2x4), W. McCallan (not out) 9 (7b, 1x4); Extras: (lb-6, w-2) 8, Total: (for 8 wickets, 18 overs) 112.

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-9, 3-17, 4-28, 5-48, 6-72, 7-73, 8-92.

India bowling: Irfan 3-0-22-0, Zaheer 3-0-19-4, Ishant 3-0-18-0, Yuvraj 1-0-4-0, Ojha 4-0-18-2, Harbhajan 4-0-25-1.

Source:http://www.hindu.com

South Africa edge out Black Caps

South Africa defeated New Zealand by one run in a thrilling low-scoring match at Lord's.

South Africa's total of 128-7 seemed below-par but New Zealand never got the upper-hand in reply to eventually fall just short of their target on 127-5.

The Black Caps had only reached 57-2 by the halfway point in their reply with the third-wicket partnership of Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor holding the key.

Their 50-stand came up off an uncharacteristically circumspect 63 deliveries just before slow left-armer Roelof van der Merwe (who finished with the outstanding figures of 4-0-14-2) removed both in quick succession.

Taylor (22) was bowled going for a heave over the on-side and then McCullum (57) was defeated in the flight and stumped by a distance.

That left 36 needed off the last the three overs with Jacob Oram (24) and Scott Styris (7 not out) at the crease.

The hugely experienced duo got the equation down to 15 from the final six balls with young pace bowler Wayne Parnell to bowl.

Jacques Kallis put down a difficult chance at long-on that would have virtually settled the match but then Oram got an inside-edge to the boundary off the penultimate ball to leave the same batsman needing four off the final delivery.

The left-hander could only send a full ball to long-on and he was easily run out going for the third run that would have given his side a tie.

Openers Kallis (24) and Graeme Smith (33) had earlier got South Africa off to a sedate start but, in light of what followed, it turned out to be a crucial stand of 49 off seven overs.

From Smith's four at the end of the sixth over - the joint-highest of the innings of 12 off Brendon Diamanti - it took another 23 balls for the batting side to reach the boundary again.

Brendon McCullum instigated the breakthrough when he smartly fielded in the covers and threw down the stumps with Kallis out of his crease backing up at the non-striker's end.

From 63-1 the South Africans then proceeded to lose three wickets for two runs in 13 deliveries, with seamer Ian Butler at the heart of the squeeze on his way to figures of 4-0-13-2.

JP Duminy (29) and AB de Villiers (15) then attempted a salvage mission until the latter was run out going for a second run thanks to a direct hit from boundary fielder Martin Guptill.

Duminy's six over long-on - the first since the third over - was hit over midwicket to bring up the hundred off Oram at the end of the 17th over.

Duminy then ensured South Africa got past their lowest ever Twenty20 International score when he picked Kyle Mills up over midwicket for his second six. Mills got his revenge next ball when the left-hander sent the ball searing into the hands of long-on.

With both teams having accounted for Scotland in their opening match, the competitive juices are now well and truly flowing going into the business end of the tournament.

Source: http://cricket.yahoo.com

ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup 2009

Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D
India	Pakistan	Australia	New Zealand
Bangladesh	England	Sri Lanka	South Africa
Ireland	Netherlands	West Indies	Scotland
Group E	A1, B2, C1, D2	Group F	B1, A2, C2, D1

Date	Lord's	Trent Bridge	The Oval
Fri, 5 June	Opening ceremony England v Netherlands 1730-2030
Sat, 6 June		India v Bangladesh 1730-2030	New Zealand v Scotland 1000-1300 Australia v West Indies 1330-1630
Sun, 7 June			South Africa v Scotland 1330-1630 England v Pakistan 1730-2030
Mon, 8 June		Ireland v Bangladesh 1330-1630 Australia v Sri Lanka 1730-2030
Tues, 9 June	Pakistan v Netherlands 1330-1630 New Zealand v South Africa 1730-2030
Wed, 10 June		Sri Lanka v West Indies 1330-1630 India v Ireland 1730-2030

Date	Lord's	Trent Bridge	The Oval
Thu, 11 June		D1 v A2 (1330-1630) B2 v D2 (1730-2030)
Fri, 12 June	B1 v C2 (1330-1630) A1 v C1 (1730-2030)
Sat, 13 June			C1 v D2 (1330-1630) D1 v B1 (1730-2030)
Sun, 14 June	A2 v C2 (1330-1630) A1 v B2 (1730-2030)
Mon, 15 June			B1 v A2 (1330-1630) B2 v C1 (1730-2030)
Tues, 16 June		D1 v C2 (1330-1630) D2 v A1 (1730-2030)

Placement for the Super Eight stage is determined as follows:
The first two teams in each group are placed 1 or 2. They will retain this position for the Super Eight stage, irrespective of whether they finish first or second in their group, unless they are knocked out by the team 3 in their group. In this instance, team 3 replaces the position of the team they knock out.

Date	Lord's	Trent Bridge	The Oval
Wed, 17 June	REST DAY	REST DAY	REST DAY
Thu, 18 June		Women's semi-final A1 v B2 (1330-1630) Men's semi-final E1 v F2 (1830-2030)
Fri, 19 June			Women's semi-final B1 v A2 (1330-1630) Men's semi-final F1 v E2 (1730-2030)
Sat, 20 June	REST DAY	REST DAY	REST DAY
Sun, 21 June	Women's final 1000-1300 Men's final 1500-1800 Closing ceremony

Ticket prices

Lord's and The Oval	Gold		Silver		Family Stand
Men's Prices (inc. VAT)	Adult	U16	Adult	U16	Adult	U16
Opening game and ceremony	£60	£15	£40	£12	£30	£10
Group game - double header	£60	£15	£40	£12	£30	£10
Super 8 game - double header	£70	£15	£50	£12	£40	£10
Semi-finals day (women/men)	£90	£15	£60	£12	£50	£10
Finals day (women/men)	£90	£15	£60	£12	£50	£10

Trent Bridge	Gold		Silver		Family Stand
Men's Prices (inc. VAT)	Adult	U16	Adult	U16	Adult	U16
Group game and single header	£30	£12	£25	£10	£20	£8
Group game - double header	£50	£12	£35	£10	£30	£8
Super 8 game - double header	£60	£12	£45	£10	£40	£8
Semi-finals day (women/men)	£75	£12	£60	£10	£40	£8

Page Source: www.rediff.com