Guyana ready to face Kumble's Challengers

Guyana ready to face Kumble's Challengers

Anil Kumble's Royal Challengers Bangalore will be the only IPL side in action in the Champions League Twenty20 on Sunday when it squares off against West Indian underdogs Guyana in the second of the two matches here.

Kumble's Bangalore, which made the Champions League after winning the third-place playoff of the IPL, will be the favourites against Ramnaresh Sarwan's Guyana.

Well aware of the enormity of the task ahead of him, Sarwan has said that the team is banking on talented youngsters such as pacer Devendra Bishoo and all-rounder Jonathan Foo to give Guyana an opportunity to surprise their rivals.

Guyana's passage to CLT20 wasn't the easiest of affairs. Playing in the semi-final of the Caribbean T20 2010, they beat Trinidad and Tobago, the defending champions, in a closely contested match and then snatched victory after very nearly courting defeat against Barbados in the final.

In contrast, Kumble's Bangalore have established names such as Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, Ross Taylor and Robin Uthappa in their batting line-up.

On the bowling front, they have the pace of Dale Steyn and Praveen Kumar while Kumble himself leads the slower bowling department. All-rounder Cameron White adds variety to the team.

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Lions defeat Mumbai in Champions League opener

Lions defeat Mumbai in Champions League opener

The Champions League Twenty20 tournament got off a thrilling and surprise start Friday with local outfit Highveld Lions of South Africa defeating star-studded Mumbai Indians by nine runs.

Chasing 187 runs for victory, the Indians looked good for a long time with openers Sachin Tenduklar and Shikhar Dhawan scoring briskly but the Lions bowlers finally clicked with Shane Burger capturing two wickets.

Having cruised to 83 without loss, Mumbai surrendered two wickets while adding just six to their total midway through the innings as opener Shikhar Dhawan exited after amassing 32 and Ambati Rayudu was run out for three.

Tendulkar, with 69, finally fell after 14.3 overs as he drifted to the leg side only to be clean bowled as Burger sent the stumps flying amid much relief among his team-mates.

Anil Kumble-skippered Royal Challengers Bangalore of India, South Australia Redbacks led by Cullen Bailey and Ramnaresh Sarwan-captained Guyana from the West Indies complete the group with the top two qualifying for the semi-finals.

Read more at: http://cricket.ndtv.com/clt202010/news_story.aspx?ID=SPOEN20100152831&keyword=news&cp

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Indo-Pak tennis duo look to promote peace

Indo-Pak tennis duo look to promote peace

Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi, the new face of Indo-Pak solidarity, may have lost in the US Open 2010 finals, but their ability to close rifts between the neighbours is being hailed by many.

"These things are not meant to achieve anything directly but these will embellish the peace process," Abduallah Hussain Haroon, Pakistan's envoy to the UN, said.

Urging people to think "out of the box", he said: "Some people say this is a 'romantic vision' but it is better to have this vision than to fall prey to the status quo."

The pair, seeded 16th, however, lost to the Bryan brothers in straight sets 6-7, 6-7.

In an interview with media at the US Open earlier this week, Qureshi revealed that Bopanna was a big hit in Pakistan.

"He probably doesn't know, but he is very popular in Pakistan," he said.

"We're just trying to promote peace through sports...we are not looking into any political part," said Bopanna.

"If even like 2 per cent or 3 per cent people change their minds of saying, you know, if we can both get along why can't they," he said.

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Hamilton planning to lead the F1 championship

Hamilton planning to lead the F1 championship

McLaren Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton is confident that he would win Sunday's Italian Grand Prix to up the pressure in the championship fight.

Hamilton, who won last month's Grand Prix in Belgium, said: "This race is a really good opportunity for me. I will be going all out for the win."I am looking for every point I can get now," The Sun quoted Hamilton, as saying.

The 25-year-old further said that he is relishing being in the thick of the action as the five-way championship title battle enters its closing stages.

Hamilton currently holds a three-point lead in the drivers' championship over Red Bull's Mark Webber.

Webber is followed teammate Sebastian Vettel, McLaren's Jenson Button and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.

"The gap at the top of the championship is nothing. I've not been in this position before, where so many drivers are in the hunt," Hamilton said.It's a world championship, the most intense competition I've ever experienced, and I love it," he added.

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2010 Hamann Sports Cars BMW Z4 Roadster

2010 Hamann Sports Cars BMW Z4 Roadster

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Nadal beat Verdasco in straight sets and reach semis

Nadal beat Verdasco in straight sets and reach semis

In a historically good US Open for men from Spain, Rafael stood tall as the only Spaniard to reach championship weekend, courtesy of a 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 dousing of countryman Fernando Verdasco. The victory again moves Nadal within two matches of winning the US Open and completing a career Grand Slam, and one win from the final and a potential showdown with his on-court nemesis Roger Federer. Nadal lost in the semifinals here the last two years.

"It's great news for me, especially this year without losing a set," Nadal said. "So is very good news. I think I played every day better. Today I played for the conditions, I think I played a great match against very difficult opponent like Fernando. So for me, be in semifinals is amazing. But I have to keep going and keep playing better if I really want to have chances to be in the final."

"This year I think I know how important is the US Open for me right now, and I know I have to arrive to this tournament fresh if I want to have any chance to have a very good result. That's what I tried. I think I did. I am at the right round without problems, so that's very positive
Right now remain the most difficult thing."

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Sachin says Playing for Mumbai always special

Sachin says Playing for Mumbai always special

He has been playing cricket for over 20 years now but Sachin Tendulkar says he remains as passionate about the game as he was in his initial days in the sport.

"The passion doesn't disappear. You know it is as strong and above all, I respect cricket. It doesn't matter where I play. I will always play to the best of my ability because I care about playing cricket, good, quality cricket. I always wanted to go out and compete hard," the Mumbai Indians skipper said ahead of the Champions League Twenty20 match against Highveld Lions here.

"Playing for Mumbai has always meant special for me and playing for India also has been extremely special. It was a dream and I am living that dream and when Mumbai and India are combined together, it becomes Mumbai Indians," he added.

Talking about the disappointment of losing the IPL final to Chennai Super Kings after being almost unbeatable in the league stages, Tendulkar said, "You know I was determined like every other time I was determined. My preparations were exactly the same.

"Sometimes you score runs sometimes you don't but I can assure you the effort put in was always the same," he added

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