Mixed day for india

Even though Indian managed a fight back through tail enders but really the failure of top order continues.Having scored 68 runs with out loss of wicket India went to third day on a confident note with both Sehwag and Gambhir in full flow.But unfortunately both opener failed to capitalize on the start they got on second day ,both went very cheaply.Having lossed both the opener it was up to the highly rated Indian middle order to take India forward.But they failed again,even though Dravid and ganguly fighted out,with Dravid scoring 54 runs and Ganguly on 47, the other fammed middle players like Sachin and Laxman failed again.

Yes,the condition was tough,but after having lots of experience over the years the middle order should have contributed more to the cause. Sachin falling to slower one and Laxman knicking one to wicket keeper for a duck made things really difficult until came Harbhajan and Zaheer.Both the bowlers took attack to the Aussies and they added very crucial runs with Harbhajan went for well played 54 and a impressive 35 not out from zaheer.If they havent put on a partnership things would have gone unglier for Indian.Now having scored 313 runs with 2 wickets in hand India looking for a fight back.Still with 117 runs behind India another 50 or 60 runs to stay on the hunt.

Important series for India

Indian now currently placed at number 3 behind south africa.They have great chance to move to second spot if they manage to win against Australia with a margin of 3-0,3-1 or 2-0.India team which currently 29 points behind aussies have great chance if they beat them by margin of two matches or more.

However scoreline like 1-0,2-1will only make India to close the gap between them and south African’s they wont go ahead of them.But if a win of 4-0 will not only make India to go ahead of south Africa,they can even close the gap to 7 points with Australia.But if Aussies wins the series by 2 or more scoreline it will widen the Gap or if they make 4-0 it will make India almost an impossible to task to catch the top spot.

The series is also an important one for India’s big three-Sehwag(10th), VVS Laxman (15th) and Rahul Dravid (16th) a good in the series will see them improve their ranking.It also important series for Indian Legend Tendulkar which will make him break into the top 20 once again now he is currently in 23 spot.

Important series for India

Indian now currently placed at number 3 behind south africa.They have great chance to move to second spot if they manage to win against Australia with a margin of 3-0,3-1 or 2-0.India team which currently 29 points behind aussies have great chance if they beat them by margin of two matches or more.

However scoreline like 1-0,2-1will only make India to close the gap between them and south African’s they wont go ahead of them.But if a win of 4-0 will not only make India to go ahead of south Africa,they can even close the gap to 7 points with Australia.But if Aussies wins the series by 2 or more scoreline it will widen the Gap or if they make 4-0 it will make India almost an impossible to task to catch the top spot.

The series is also an important one for India’s big three-Sehwag(10th), VVS Laxman (15th) and Rahul Dravid (16th) a good in the series will see them improve their ranking.It also important series for Indian Legend Tendulkar which will make him break into the top 20 once again now he is currently in 23 spot.

Jankovic The New world No 1

Jankovic is the new number one in the world,this was after william’s second round loss to china’s Li Na last week in Stuttgart. Now Jelena Jankovic was officially confirmed as the new world N.O in the world replacing Serena Williams from the top.

Serena held the honour for last four weeks after defeating Jankovic in the US Open final.However William’s loss in stuttgart made Jelena the new world number one.

Jankovic went on to win in Stuttgart, clinching back-to-back titles following her victory in Beijing a week earlier.

When she was asked about it, she said”I’m happy the hard work I’ve put in is paying off,”.She furthur added that”I’ve been playing very well since the US Open and my confidence is quite high. My main goal is to finish the season at number one.”

Steelers beat Ravens 23-20

Despite their injuries Steelers managed to beat the Ravens 23-20. It was a shock that the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to pull out a win, considering they played terrible for most of the three quarters. The win makes them first place in the AFC North.

The NFL game was physical, but you would expect that when playing the Baltimore Ravens. The game was a costly one for the Ravens, Kendall Simmons tore his Achilles and Rashard Mendenhall suffered a fractured shoulder.

At the end of the game, you could see that the Steelers were so beaten up. They finished the game with just one healthy running back, Mewelde Moore.

Euro 2008

Van der sar says Caution

Holland captain Edwin van der Sar says he is too long in the tooth to be carried away by his team's sensational start to Euro 2008.
The Dutch have taken the tournament by storm in smashing a total of seven goals past 2006 World Cup finalists Italy and France to secure top spot in Group C and cruise into the quarter-finals.

Along with Spain and Portugal, they are now favourites to lift the title, with their vast array of forwards in sublime form and their often suspect defence holding up in their opening two matches.

But skipper Van der Sar, a veteran of more than 120 caps for his country, is preaching caution ahead of the knockout stages.

"We are only in the quarter-finals," the Manchester United goalkeeper, 37, warned.

"I have been going around for a long time and to be in the quarter-finals is nice, but it doesn't bring you any silverware.

"It's a great start for us - nobody expected us to come out and beat the world champions and then France.

"We will enjoy it but we still have to focus on our next game. And then we still have maybe three more games to play."

Holland produced a lesson in counter-attacking football to blow away France in Bern on Friday, the same way they destroyed Italy four days earlier in the same city.

Les Bleus have not conceded four goals in a match since 1982, and their defence has been one of the strongest in world football over the past few years.

But it could not cope with the brio and pace of the Dutch attacks, especially in the second half of the 4-1 victory at the Stade de Suisse Wankdorf.

Dirk Kuyt had opened the scoring with a simple header from a corner in the eighth minute, but it was after the break that the Oranje really put on a show as France pushed forward and left gaps at the back.

Second-half substitutes Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie exposed the French by finishing off flowing team moves in some style, before Wesley Sneijder added gloss in injury time with a trademark strike from long range.

"Holland must have had five or six chances, and scored four goals," said France right-back Willy Sagnol, who set up Thierry Henry for Les Bleus' only riposte.

"We had 10 of them (chances) and it finished 4-1 - it doesn't reflect the match.

"But if they continue like that, they will go far."

It could all have been so different had Henry, returning from a thigh injury, made the most of a host of opportunities that came his way at the start of the second half.

The first saw his goalbound effort strike the hand of Andre Ooijer, but French penalty appeals were waved away by German referee Herbert Fandel.

Henry was then set free by Florent Malouda's spectacular overhead kick but, one on one with Van der Sar, the Barcelona star lofted his lob clear of the bar.

The former Arsenal skipper's glancing finish in the 71st minute made it 2-1 but Robben's glorious strike just seconds later restored Holland's two-goal cushion and the game was up for the French.

"We have a good all-round team," said Holland coach Marco van Basten.

"We have an excellent goalkeeper, strong defenders, intelligent players in midfield and an excellent attack.

"The team spirit is really, really good. We played excellently against Italy and to offer a performance against France four days later is a feat.

"This indicates there is a great team spirit."

France now need to beat Italy in their final game to stand a chance of finishing second in the group.

But even a victory over their old rivals in Zurich on Tuesday would be made redundant if Romania, who are a point ahead of Les Bleus, defeat what will surely be a second-string Dutch team on the same night.

"When everything is going well, life is beautiful and everyone is happy," said philosophical France coach Raymond Domenech.

"When you lose, life is not so beautiful. In high-level football, you have to keep on hoping.

"The team is still here, there is another match left."

After four years in charge, Domenech could face the boot if France fail to qualify for the knockout stages but he is putting those concerns to one side for the moment.

"My big worry is the next match against Italy," he added.

"That is more important than the future of the staff and the manager."

Anand went down to Ivanchuk in Leon chess final

Indian Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand paid for costly blunders at crucial junctures to lose a closely-fought final and relinquish the Magistral Ciudad De Leon chess crown to Vassily Ivanchuk in Leon, Spain.

Ukrainian Grandmaster Ivanchuk, fresh from his triumph in the MTel Masters, scored a 2.51.5 victory to deny the Indian his eighth title in Leon.

The first game set the tone of the match as Ivanchuk took the lead over the world champion with the black pieces.

Anand launched a kingside attack against the Taimanov variation of Sicilian defence, but could not make much headway as Ivanchuk created sufficient counter play on the queen side.

The Indian drifted into a disadvantageous position as Ivanchuk’s heavy pieces penetrated down the queenside. The game came to a rather abrupt end when Anand made a serious miscalculation on the 38th move which cost him a piece and brought about his immediate resignation.

Anand bounced back in the second game with a thumping victory in 26 moves from the black side of the Sicilian defence. Ivanchuk adopted a positional approach against the Sicilian Najdorf and Anand neutralised it easily with skillful play.

Ivanchuk was left without a concrete plan and lost an exchange in his attempt to stir up some activity for his pieces. Anand consolidated his advantage and Ivanchuk resigned in a hopeless middlegame position.

The third game was the most keenly contested, but was marred with some errors from both sides. The two Grandmasters repeated the opening from their first game with Anand varying from that game on the 17th move.

His improvement fetched him a small advantage but the position was quite complicated.

Ivanchuk exchanged queens on the 24th move but failed to equalise. Anand won a pawn, but later made some technical errors in the endgame and allowed Ivanchuk to escape with a draw.

The fourth game created a sensation as Anand lost it in just 16 moves to hand over the crown to his opponent. Ivanchuk decided not to test Anand’s play in the Sicilian defence and played the Queen’s Pawn Opening.

Anand chose to reply with the Nimzo Indian defence and the game proceeded along an established theoretical path. Anand then got a slightly inferior position due to a transposition of moves but the game seemed to be headed for a long fight.

A terrible blunder on the 14th move, however, cost Anand a piece and realising the hopeless nature of his position, he resigned two moves later.

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