Suresh Raina’s dynamic century laid the platform for world champions India’s crushing 133-run win over England in the second one-day international (ODI) at Cardiff on Wednesday.
Victory gave India a 1-0 lead in the five-match series following Monday’s washout in Bristol and saw them return to winning ways after their 3-1 defeat by England in the preceding Test series.
Raina’s innings was the cornerstone of India’s imposing 304-6 after England captain Alastair Cook won the toss.
England, chasing a rain-adjusted 295 off 47 overs in reply, were well-placed at 54 without loss.
However, they lost all 10 wickets for 107 runs as they collapsed to 161 all out in 38.1 overs.
Spin, as has so often been the case, proved England’s Achilles heel, with left-armer Ravindra Jadeja taking 4-28 in seven overs.
India were in trouble at 19-2 before a stand of 91 between Rohit Sharma (52) and Ajinkya Rahane (41) revived the innings.
Left-hander Raina, who made exactly 100, and India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (52), then strengthened the tourists’ grip on the game with a fifth-wicket stand of 144.
Chris Woakes led England’s attack with 4-52 in his 10 overs, with off-spinner James Tredwell (2-42) the only other wicket-taking bowler in the innings.
England did not help themselves by bowling 16 wides, with paceman Chris Jordan contributing 12 — the equivalent of two extra overs — in a return of 0-73.
Woakes struck twice in the seventh over, having opener Shikhar Dhawan caught behind before dismissing Virat Kohli for a duck as the talented right-hander’s miserable tour of England continued when his powerful drive found Cook at mid-off.
His exit followed Kohli’s meagre return of 134 runs at 13.4 during the Tests.
There was a case for keeping the new-ball duo of James Anderson and Woakes going.
However, Cook brought all-rounders Jordan and Ben Stokes (0-54 in seven overs) on instead and India then cut loose.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
Playing soccer and competing for trophies is the best way that many transplanted Hong Kongers and Macanese have found to stay in touch, and to interact with Taiwanese society, said officials at the Taiwan-Hong Kong-Macau Football Friendship Cup, which was held on April 13. Twelve clubs, mostly of players and coaches originally from Hong Kong and Macau, took part in the tournament in New Taipei City. The event is sponsored by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council. Participating teams were from the wider Taipei area, Hsinchu, Taichung, Kaohsiung and other areas. They divided into two