Kerala HC asks AFI to include Chitra in national squad
The Kerala High Court directed the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) to include state athlete P.U. Chitra in the national squad for next month's World Athletics Championship, and posted the case for further hearing on Monday. The court directed the Centre and the AFI to ensure that she is in the squad. The directive from the court came while hearing a petition after Chitra's coach N.S. Sijin pointed out that she was eligible for inclusion and she had also qualified. On Thursday, the court had asked the Centre to explain why Chitra was left out of the national squad despite qualifying for next month's World Athletics Championship. It also asked the Union government if it had the right to intervene in such matters, and if it had, then to explain which are the relevant provisions in the rules. The Counsel for the Centre on Friday told the court that it did not have any authority to this effect.
SC notice to BCCI on e-auction of IPL's media rights
The Supreme Court issued notice to the BCCI on BJP leader Subramanian Swamy's plea to seek an e-auction of the media rights for the Indian Premier League (IPL) for more transparency. A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra sought a response from the board within two weeks and posted the matter for August 24. The auction process for IPL media rights is scheduled to begin on August 17. The rights would be in force for five years. Swamy said the apex court has earlier held that e-auction is the best method for awarding contracts, and since Rs 30,000 crore was involved in the award of IPL media rights, the issue should not be decided in an opaque manner.
Stokes punishes South Africa in third Test
Ben Stokes's century against a depleted South Africa attack left England in a commanding position at tea on the second day of the third Test at The Oval. South Africa were 18 for one in reply to England's first innings 353, a deficit of 335 runs. Dean Elgar (eight) was out to what became the last ball before the interval when he was caught behind off Toby Roland-Jones to give the Middlesex seamer, one of three debutants in England's XI, his first Test wicket. Earlier, Stokes made 112 against a South Africa attack missing the ill Vernon Philander. The seamer only bowled five overs Friday before being taken to hospital for tests on what appeared to be a worsening stomach complaint. Philander had enjoyed a superb return of two for 17 in 12 overs on yesterday's rain-marred first day. England resumed on 171 for four, with Alastair Cook 82 not out and Stokes 21 not out. Cook fell soon afterwards for 88 when he was lbw to fast bowler Morne Morkel.
Ashwin's childhood coach named Team India Manager
Former Tamil Nadu left-arm spinner Sunil Subramanian, who is best known as premier India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's childhood coach, was appointed the administrative manager of the national cricket team. Subramanian, who played 74 matches for Assam and Tamil Nadu, was appointed for a one-year term and will join the team ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka, beginning from August 3 in Colombo. "Subramanian has 285 wickets to his name from 74 matches in first class cricket. He captained Tamil Nadu in Ranji Trophy and is a National Cricket Academy (NCA) certified coach,” the BCCI said in a statement. "He also has a rich vein of experience when it comes to management and administrative capabilities having served both public and private sector organisations for over 16 years," the statement added.
Hockey: Six new players included for Europe tour
As many as six youngsters have been included in the 18-member Indian men's team for the tour of Belgium and Netherlands that is slated to begin from August 9. Apart from goalkeeper Suraj Karkera, junior World Cup stars Varun Kumar, Dipsan Tirkey, Nilakanta Sharma, Gurjant Singh and Armaan Qureshi will be making their debut in a team which will be captained by Manpreet Singh, Hockey India announced. Talented defender and dragflicker Amit Rohidas who had an outstanding season with Kalinga Lancers, the winners of the 2017 Coal India Hockey India League, too, finds himself in the squad for the Europe Tour. India are scheduled to play five matches as they take on Belgium in the first two matches on August 9 and 10. The Team will then move to Waalwijk, Netherlands to face the home team on August 13 and 14. They will play their fifth and final match of the Tour against Austria in Amstelveen, Netherlands on August 16.
Warner hits back at CA for wrongly blaming players in pay dispute
Australian opener David Warner, who has always been outspoken to keep a 20-year revenue-sharing arrangement in place, has once again issued a verbal volley against Cricket Australia for wrongly blaming players for not resolving the bitter pay dispute between the country's cricket board and Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA). Players, having central contracts and state players without multi-year deals, were left unemployed after the deadline for a new MoU was not brokered by June 30. More than 200 leading cricketers are affected by the dispute between CA and the ACA.
Waqar was a 'total failure' as head coach: Kamran Akmal
Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal has lashed out at former head coach Waqar Younis for causing a lot of damage to the country's cricket and failing to guide the national side to success during his two separate stints as the head coach. In an interview to a TV channel, Kamran revealed that Waqar's enthusiasm to "experiment" with the players and sidelining important players had put the Pakistan team on the backfoot, by two to three years. The wicketkeeper-batsman, who appeared in 53 Tests and 157 ODIs for Pakistan, said that Waqar certainly had issues with some players and that he also had no plans to take the national side forward.
Durant hosts world's largest basketball lesson
NBA champion and Finals MVP Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors and 3,459 Indian children from the Reliance Foundation Junior NBA programme set a new Guiness World Record achievement for the world's largest basketball lesson (multiple venues) ever held. During his first-ever trip to India, Durant conducted the record-breaking feat at The NBA Academy India, the league's elite basketball training centre for the top male and female prospects from across the country. A group of youth were onsite at The NBA Academy India, while the other boys and girls participated via satellite from Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata.
