Skipper Kane Williamson and opener Tom Latham yesterday led New Zealand’s robust reply with unbeaten half-centuries before rain and a wet outfield washed out the final session of the second day’s play in the first Test against India.
The duo featured in an unbroken 117-run stand to take New Zealand to 152-1 at tea before it started drizzling at Kanpur’s Green Park Stadium and no further play was possible.
Having bowled out the hosts for 318, New Zealand lost Martin Guptill (21) before lunch, but the left-right combination of Latham and Williamson negated the home spinners with aplomb.
Photo: AP
Latham was batting on 56, while Williamson was on 65 with New Zealand trailing India by 166 runs with nine wickets in hand.
Guptill could not convert the start he got and was trapped leg before by a full, swinging delivery from Umesh Yadav.
Latham and Williamson looked quite at ease against the spinners, who did manage a few LBW appeals, but could not separate them.
The batsmen brought up their individual 50s in successive overs, but not before Latham had a scare.
The southpaw went for a sweep shot against Ravindra Jadeja and the deflection hit his boot and popped up for Lokesh Rahul to take the catch at short-leg.
The decision was referred to the third umpire who ruled in the batsman’s favor after replays suggested the ball had touched the chin strap of Rahul’s helmet.
According to regulations, parts of protective gears must not come into play while taking a catch.
Earlier, the Indian tail wagged for seven overs after the hosts had resumed on 291-9 to take them past the 300 mark.
With No. 11 batsman Yadav (9) at the other end, Jadeja (42 not out) took the onus of scoring on himself, contributing 26 of the 27 runs India added to their overnight score.
Jadeja hit Mitchell Santner for a six, but could not get to his second Test half-century as Neil Wagner had Yadav caught behind to end India’s 41-run partnership for the last wicket.
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