(Current Affairs For SSC Exams) Sports | May : 2012

Sports

CRICKET

AUSTRALIA WON CB TRIANGULAR SERIES

When it mattered most, the Australians held their nerve in the cauldron. They also played the key moments of the decider better. Defending a modest target of 231, the host finished at the right end of a tense game to triumph 2-1 in the Commonwealth Bank ODI triangular series finals at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday. In the end, only 16 runs separated Sri Lanka from Australia. Prior to this Australia won the 1st final, while Sri Lanka came triumphant in the 2nd.The 3rd teamof this tournament was India.

INDIA DROPS TO THIRD

World champion India dropped a place to third in the Reliance ICC ODI Championship cricket table after its dismal performance in the tri-series in Australia. Australia, however, stayed on course to retain the ICC ODI Championship shield after defeating Sri Lanka by 16 runs in the third and last match of the best-of-three finals in Adelaide on Thursday, while South Africa is second.

PAKISTAN WON ASIA CUP

Pakistan defeated host Bangladesh to lift Asia Cup Cricket Trophy on 22 March 2012. In a closely contested match at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium Bangladesh fell short by 3 runs while chasing the target of 237. Mushfiqur Rehman led Bangladesh team was for the first time in its cricketing history reached to final of a big tournament. Pakistan squad was led by Mishbah Ul Haq. The two teams defeated India and Sri Lanka to make it to the final. Asia Cup tournament which started in 1984,is held on every two year. The tournament sees participation of all four test playing nation in the continent. India who was the winner of maiden Asia Cup Trophy in 1984 has claimed the trophy for five times. Sri Lanka and Pakistan have lifted the trophy for 4 and 2 times respectively.

INDIA GONE PAST 320 IN LESS THAN 40 OVERS

Sent into bat, Sri Lanka scored a huge 320 for the loss of four wickets against India in the penultimate one dayer of the cricket tri-series in Hobart on Tuesday. Tillakaratne Dishan scored an unbeaten 160, while Kumar Sangakkar made 105. Nobody at the Bellerive Oval gave them a chance of chasing down Sri Lanka’s gargantuan 320 for four, let alone doing it in less than 40 overs to earn the bonus point and keep alive their hopes of making it to the finals. However, the Men in Blue did it in style thanks to Virat Kohli, who blasted an unbeaten 133 off 86 balls. With cameos from the other four specialist batsmen, India did the unthinkable by achieving the target off just 36.4 overs.

PAKISTAN COMPLETES A CLEAN SWEEP

Pakistan’s bowlers sealed an emphatic 71-run win in the third and final Test against England, inflicting a 3-0 humiliation on the Englishmen. Pakistan won the first Test here by 10 wickets and the second at Abu Dhabi by 72 runs. Set a daunting 324-run target, England was bowled out for 252 with paceman Umar Gul taking four for 61 and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal (four for 67) to help Pakistan achieve a firstever Test clean sweep against its opponent. Pakistanhas become the first team to win a Test after being bowled out for under 100, since 1907, when England, shot out for 76, beat South Africa at Leeds. It was England’s seventh series whitewash and its first at the hands of Pakistan. Pakistan has now recorded five series whitewashes, its last coming against Bangladesh in 2003. England’s last series whitewash came in 2007 when it was routed by Australia 5-0.

RAHUL DRAVID ANNOUNCED RETIREMENT

Indian batting maestro and former captain Rahul Dravid, on 9March 2012, announced his retirement from international cricket. The 39-year-old has to his credit the second highest aggregate of runs in the test history only after Sachin Tendulkar. Dravid which scored 13,288 runs in 164 Tests, including 36 hundreds has been one of the most successful batsmen India has ever produced. Dravid made his international debut on 20 June 1996 while playing at the Lord’s against England. He had announced his retirement from the ODIs in England in 2011.

RICKY PONTING ANNOUNCED RETIREMENT

Former Australian Cricket Captain Ricky Ponting on 21 February 2012 announced his retirement from the One day cricket. Ricky Ponting, who led the Australian squad twice to world cup victory in 2003 and 2007, announced his retirement after he was dropped from the one day squad. Ponting’s record in the one day cricket has been quite impressive as in 275 ODIs he has accumulated 13,704 runs at an average of 42.03. Next only to Sachin Tendulkar, Ponting has 30 centuries and 82 fifties in ODI in her name. Ponting had made his one day debut against South Africa on 15 February 1995. He was made the captain of Australian one day squad in 2002 during the series against South Africa.

LORDWOOLF RECOMMENDED THE RESTRUCTURING OF ICC’S EXECUTIVE BOARD

The International Cricket Council’s independent review, conducted by Lord Woolf in its report called for sweeping changes in the administration of cricket. The review recommended the restructuring of the ICC’s executive board in order tomake it more independent. It also stated that influence of the bigger countriesand the full-members must be reduced. The review mentioned that the bigger nations in the ICC look after their own interest rather than that of the game. Lord Woolf ’s report highlighted the need to reduce the strength of Full Members and the appointment of independent directors. ICC’s board currently comprises the heads of all Full Member nations, three representatives from the Associates and Affiliates and the ICC’s president, vice-president and chief executive. Woolf recommended five independent directors, of which three are to be from within the game and two from out side with voting rights. The review also recommended that an ICC director should not concurrently hold any leadership or executive post with their home boards. Woolf Report Recommendations • A culture should be established where all potential conflicts of interest are declared, assessed and addressed.

• ICC Directors should neither seek to place undue influence on other Members, nor allow themselves to be influenced inappropriately by other Members to support the interests of individual Members.

• Any side agreements between Members that may affect the interests of the ICC and global cricket should be disclosed so that there is due transparency and their effects are understood.

• Government interference is inappropriate and is not acceptable. A level of government patronage and support of cricket is permissible.

• There should be clear and enforced limits on the value of Gifts and Hospitality (individually and aggregate) that ICC Directors and staff can give or receive.

It should be mandatory to log all gifts and hospitality that are given or received.

INDIA REPLACED BOWLING COACH ERIC SIMONS

BCCI decided to sack Indian Team’s bowling coach Eric Simons. The ongoing One day tri-series in Australia will be his last assignment as the bowling coach of Indian Cricket Team. Joe Daves of Queensland will take the charge of new bowling coach. Eric Simons had joined the Indian team in January 2010. He was included in the squad as the support staff to the coach Garry Kirsten. Decision about the removal of Simons came after BCCI’s Working Committee Meeting in Chennai on 13 February. Sword was dangling over Simon’s head after consistent poor performance of Indian bowlers in England and Australia.

PAKISTAN APPOINTED DAV WHATMORE AS COACH

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed Dav Whatmore as its national team coach on 4 March 2012. Whatmore would remain on the position for next two years. Englishman Julian Fountain was slated as the fielding coach of the team. Asia Cup tournament, to be held in the later part of March 2012, would be the first assignment of both the new coaches. Whatmore, played seven tests for Australia, has an impressive record as a coach of different teams. While he led Sri Lanka to world cup victory in 1996, he also led Bangladeshi team to their first test match and subsequent series win in 2005. Prior toWhatmore, three foreigners including Englishmen Richard Pybus and Bob Woolmer and Australian Geoff Lawson have been assigned with the task to coach Pakistani team in the past.

Sports

SOUTH AFRICA RECORDED 3-0 VICTORY AGAINST NEW ZEALAND

South Africa made a 3-0 clean sweep against NewZealand with a five wicket victory in the third and final oneday international in Auckland on 3 march 2012. The South African squad led by AB Devilliers had recorded six wicket victories in first two matches of the series. Debutant South African pacer Marchant de Lange claimed four wickets in the match.

NEW ZEALAND CRUSHES ZIMBABWETO COMPLETE 3-0 WIN

New Zealand crushed Zimbabwe by 202 runs in the final One-Day International to complete a 3-0 series whitewash over the outclassed tourists. Zimbabwe again failed to fire as New Zealand, inspired by a man-of-thematch century from skipper Brendon McCullum, plundered 373 for eight in 50 overs and then routed the Africans for 171 with six overs to spare. Captain Brendan Taylor, whose brisk 65 off 62 balls was the high point of the Zimbabwe innings, was left looking for positives froma series in which the gulf between the teams progressively widened. Returning to the ground where it suffered a humiliating defeat by an innings and 301 runs in a one-off Test last month, Zimbabwe let itself down with loose bowling and shoddy fielding on a flat wicket. Zimbabwe’s Brian Vitori suffered the indignity of becoming only the fifth player to concede more than 100 runs inan ODI.

SAHARA AGREED TO SPONSOR INDIAN CRICKET TEAM

Sahara Group on 17 February 2012, agreed to reverse its decision of quashing all the commercial ties with Board for Cricket Control in India. The decision was taken after series of meetings held between The BCCI and the Sahara Group to resolve the contentious issues, Sahara had cited as reasons behind voiding the deal. As per the agreement the BCCI extended the date for buying the players, from 17 February to 29 February. The deal is to provide the Pune Warriors with an opportunity to buy players from other franchises and have also re-activated their auction purse. The board also agreed to address Sahara Group’s demand for reduction in franchise fee. It also gave its consent to the company to seek a strategic partner to run the IPL franchise. Existing sponsorship agreement between BCCI and Sahara Group involves` 3.34 cr. per Test,Oneday and T 20 international. The deal is to end on 31December 2013. Sahara in 2010 had bagged the IPL Pune Franchise in a bid worth ` 1700 cr. Sahara Group has been sponsoring the Indian Cricket Team since 2001. On 4 February 2012 the company had decided to withdraw its sponsorship to all the form of cricket under BCCI, giving the raging disputes between the two parties on variety of issues.

CSK NETS RAVINDRA JADEJA

In the days leading to the auction at the ITC Royal Gardenia Hotel, the IPL committee had turned down the Warriors’ request to increase its auction purse beyond the stipulated $2 million. A miffed Sahara Group and its subsidiary Pune Warriors pulled out of the auction and that remained the subtext through the day. Even when a triumphant Chennai Super Kings owner Gurunath Meiyappan walked in for a brief press conference after snapping up Jadeja for $2 million, questions on Sahara’s exit were volleyed towards the IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla and CEO Sundar Raman. The Sahara-effect faded slowly and for Jadeja, who made a comeback to the Indian squad during the One-Day Internationals in England, the wheel has come a full circle. Banned from the IPL during its third edition due to a contractual dispute, Jadeja is now the lodestone for franchises. The former Rajasthan Royals player, who was picked up by Kochi Tuskers Kerala last year for $950,000, lived up to his bluechip buzz with Super Kings and the Chargers getting in to a bidding stalemate after exhausting their purse of $2 million each. In the tie-breaker, the Chennai teampipped the Chargers by an undisclosed sum. Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene proved to be the next biggie and at $1.4 million, he is a valued buy for the Delhi Daredevils. Former Pakistan player and current British citizen Azhar Mahmood found an eager buyer in King’s XI Punjab ($200,000) and the West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell added zest to the post-lunch proceedings. Russell was selected by Delhi Daredevils for $450,000.

TENNIS

DUBAI DOUBLES TITLE

Indian Tennis pair of Mahesh Bhupati and Rohan Bopanna won the doubles title of Dubai Open. The Fourth-seeded duo defeated Polish pair of Poles Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski. It was the maiden title for the Indian tennis duo, who reigned in almost all the department of game and secured a 6-4, 3-6, 10-5 win over the Polish tennis duo to lift the winner’s trophy. The Dubai Open doubles title is Bhupati’s 50th career title while first with Bopanna. The title also marked the fourth Dubai title for Bhupathi, as he had claimed the title earlier in 1998 with Leander Paes, in 2004 with Fabrice Santoro and in 2008 with Mark Knowles.The title marked sixth ATP title of Bopanna’s career.

DUBAI OPEN SINGLES TITLE

World no. 2 Roger Federar defeated third seeded Andy Murray in the singles final of Dubai Open on 4 March 2012. The 30-year-old Federer who lost his number 1 seed to Serbian Tennis star Novak Djokovic , recorded an easy 7-5, 6-4 win over Briton Andy Murray. It is fifthDubai Title of Federar, who has so farwon 72 tour titles. Roger Federar has record 16 grand slam title to his credit. Federer has been the part of a record 23 career Grand Slam tournament finals, including a men’s record ten in a row.

MARSEILLE OPENTITLE

Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina clinched Marseille Open final by beating Michael Llodra on 26 February 2012.Del Potro who turned a professional tennis player in 2005 has won total ten ATP titles in his career. Del Potro claimed his first Grand Slam title at the 2009 US Open, defeating Nadal in the semifinal, and Roger Federer in the final. Potro’shighest ATP ranking was four.

MANISH MALHOTRA PRESENTED WITH TOP IOC AWARD

Former Indian tennis player Manisha Malhotra conferred upon a top International Olympic Committee Award for her contribution in promoting sport among women. The award was presented by IOC President Jacques Rogge at the fifth World Conference on Women and Sport. Malhotra received the World Trophy for helping disadvantaged girls. She has travelled length and breadth of India to encourage women to participate in different sports. Manisha Malhotra had competed for India in Tennis doubles at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She was one of six winners at the Women and Sports Awards ceremony held in Los Angeles on 16 February 2012.

ARCHERY/SHOOTING

55TH NATIONAL SHOOTING CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR SHOTGUN

Haryana’s Ajay Mittal won the gold medal at the 55th National Shooting Championships for shot gun by defeating stalwarts like Sodhiand Athens Olympics silver medallist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore in the final. Delhi’s Sangram Dahiya finished second, followed by Rathore and Sodhi. Ajay Mittal’s younger brother, Ankur Mittal finished fifth and another Delhilad, Shayan Masood, sixth. Ankur Mittal also won the juniors’ competition, with Masood second and Andhra Pradesh’s Asher Noria third. Ajay Mittals’ father, Ashok, who combined with his sons to win the bronze medal in the teamcompetition for Haryana too, behind winners Delhi and runners- up Punjab. In the non- Olympic women’s double trap competition, Bihar’s Shreyasi Singhwon the gold with a score of 92 out of 120, breaking her own national record of 90. Army shooters Seema and Varsha Tomar won the silver and bronze medals respectively. Shreyasi also pocketed the juniors’ gold ahead of Madhya Pradesh’s Varsha Varman andUttar Pradesh’s MalikaWig.

KABADDI

FIRST WORLD CUP KABADDI TITLE

Indian national women Kabaddi team clinched maiden Women World Cup Kabaddi championship title on 4 March 2012. In a thrilling match held in Patna, capital of Bihar, Indian women team defeated Iran 25-19. Japansecured third rank while Thiland came fourth in the championship. Earlier in the day, India deferated Japan 60-21 to enter the final while Iran beaten Thailand 46-26tomake it to the final. The global sports event witnessed the participation of 16 countries. The fourday event received a great following in India.

SQUASH

SDAT-WSF UNDER-21 SQUASH WORLD CUP

Egyptdefeated India2-1 inthe final of the SDAT-WSF Under-21 Squash World Cup. Marwan El Shorbagy defeated RaviDixit 11-4, 11-7, 7-11, 11- 7 while Karim Abdel Gawad bt Ramit Tandon 12-10, 11-4, 6-11, 11-8. However Dipika Pallikal manged to score a point by defeating Nour El Sherbini 11- 7, 4-11, 8-11, 14-12, 11-5. England defeated France 2-0 (Charles Sharpes bt Lucas Serme 14-12, 7-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-6; EmilyWhitlock btCyrielle Peltier 11-5, 11-7, 11-7) to finish third. After Ravi Dixit’sdefeat, Dipika Pallikal fought hard to bring India back into contention bywinning a five-gamemarathon against Nour el Sherbini. However, Ramit Tandon’s defeat dealt a blow to India. Tandon,who beat a much higher ranked opponent in the sefifinal on4 January had todo it all over again at the Express Avenue Mall against Gawad,whoisplacedclose to300 places above him in the world rankings.Gawad finally managed to close the game 11-8 to win the matchand the inauguralU-21 World Cup for Egypt.

BADMINTON

ALL ENGLAND CHAMPIONSHIP

India’s ace Badmintonplayer Saina Nehwal suffered a straight-game defeat in the women’s singles quarterfinals of the All England Championship at Birmingham on 9 March 2012. The Fourth seeded Nehwal lost to seventh seeded Li Xuerui of China in a forty minute match at the National Indoor Arena. Saina on 8 March 2012had defeated French shuttler HongyanPi to make it to the quarter finals of the championship. Saina in 2010 had reached the semi finals of All England Championship. In 2010 she had won three Super Series titles -Singapore, Indonesia and Hong Kong beside the Commonwealth Games gold medal.

GOLF

EUROPEAN TOUR TITLE

South African Golfer James Barry Kruger won Avantha Masters Golf tournament in New Delhi. Popularly called Jbe Cruger, it was his maiden European Tour title. The 25-year-old Krugermade four birdies and overcame
a bogey on the 17th to finish with a 14- under total of 274 in New Delhi. Jorge Campillo of Spain and Marcel Siem of Germany jointly secured the second position. Campillo and Siem were two shotsbackinthematch. Jose Manuel Lara of Spain and Australian Marcus Fraser finished joint fourth at 11 under. James Barry “Jbe” Kruger is a South African Golfer, who in year 2007 turned to be professional Golfer. He has won twice on
the Sunshine Tour Kruger finished second on the Asian Tour three times in 2010, while his best previous result on the European Tour was third at the Africa Open the same year. Kruger’s topmost position in this year’s European Tour has been ninth which he had secured at the Joburg Open in South Africa.

HOCKEY

INDIAN WOMEN HOCKEY TEAM LOST THE FINAL OF OLYMPICS QUALIFIER

South African Women Hockey team on 25 February 2012, defeated Indian Women Hockey Team to qualify for the London Olympics 2012. South African squad scored 3 goals while the Indian squad could manage to hit only one goal. Holland, Argentina, Australia, China, Germany, Britain, South Korea, New Zealand and the United States have already made it to the Olympics. Indian Women Hockey Team had go tits maiden and sole Olympic sentry in1980Moscow Olympics. Since then it has not been able to break the qualifiers round, a gateway to the Olympics.

SAHARA AWARD FOR HOCKEY TEAM

Sahara India on Tuesday announced a cash incentive of Rs,1.16 crore to be distributed amongst the players and support staff of the Indian hockey team for qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics. For their exceptional
performance, Sardar Singh and Sandeep Singh have been awarded Rs.11 lakh each, while the rest of the players will get Rs. five lakh each. The support staff will also get anincentive of`Rs.1 lakh each. Inaddition, Sahara will also bear the taxes on the cash awards, taking the total expenditure incurred by the company to around Rs. 1.29 crore.