Viswanathan Anand suffers shock defeat to Anish Giri in Bilbao chess

Bilbao: Defending champion Viswanathan Anand suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri in the fourth round of the Bilbao Masters final chess tournament here.

After three draws coming under different circumstances, Anand suffered a typical case of chess blindness and his opening blunder cost him dearly against Giri who used the opportunity well. For the records, this was Anand's first loss against Giri in Classical chess.

File picture of Viswanathan Anand. Reuters

Riding on his victory, Giri joined overnight leader Wesley So of United States in lead on six points under the soccer-like scoring system that gives three points for a victory and one for a draw.

Wesley So played out a hard-fought draw with Liren Ding of China who now shares the third spot with Anand on three points with two rounds still to come in the four-players double round-robin tournament.

Giri chose the English opening that is in vogue these days. Playing black,

Anand fell for a simple trick as early as on move 11 when a Bishop move by the Indian turned out to be a serious inaccuracy. Giri pounced on his chance in quick time and Anand was faced with a very difficult choice to either lose a pawn and wait for the inevitable or try and create some counter active chances.

As it happened in the game, Anand gave up his queen for two pieces as early as move 17 but the counter play for the lost material was never enough. The game was fought till move 37 when Anand ran out of his allotted time.

Liren Ding's attempt to liven things up against Wesley So boomeranged a bit. Playing the white side of an irregular queen pawn, Ding felt some pressure when Wesley got his king side attack and only some timely exchanges helped in neutralising the initiative.

The players arrived at a rooks and minor piece endgame wherein Wesley got the draw through repetition. The game lasted 53 moves.

With just two rounds to come, Anand has one white game against Wesley while against Ding the Indian will play black.

The game against Wesley is likely to be crucial for the five times world champion.

Results round 4: Anish Giri (Ned, 6) beat V Anand (Ind, 3); Liren Ding (Chn, 3) drew with Wesley So (Usa, 6).

WTA Finals: Sania-Hingis overpower Chan sisters to reach 10th final of 2015

Singapore: Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis powered past Chinese Taipei's Chan Hao-Ching and Chan Yung-Jan 6-4, 6-2 to reach their 10th final of the year together at the Women's Tennis Association's (WTA) Finals here on Saturday.

Sania-Martina improved their winning streak to 21 matches with the win. Their last loss was against the Chan sisters in the semi-finals at Cincinnati.

File picture of Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis. Getty

The No.3-seeded Taiwanese went up 3-1 in the first set but the No.1-seeded Indo-Swiss duo reeled off 11 of the next 14 games to completely run away with the match.

"On the court I feel very fortunate to have Sania on my side because she's an incredibly positive person," Martina said after the match on Saturday.

"When I get myself down, I'm not really a morning person, so she was out there and kept fighting and kept keeping me up there. That's why we were able to come back in the first set."

"Once I felt better, that's when everything started to click. They're a great team, so they've always come out strong in the past six matches that we played them. And they know how to play against us.

"We came out with a strategy against them. It's very different to what we played against players like yesterday who have more power, different strategy," Sania said.

"We kind of have to stick to our guns, stick to what we have planned. We have to trust our abilities. That's what really takes us through a lot of the times, is that trust in each other's ability. We know sooner or later we're going to break.

"It happened at 3-2. If it didn't happen there, we would still keep fighting to make it happen."

Sania-Martina have won eight titles together this year.

Squash: Joshna Chinappa stuns world number one Raneem El Welily in Qatar Classic

Doha: Joshna Chinappa today registered one of the biggest upsets of the PSA World Tour

season as she stunned World No.1 Raneem El Welily of Egypt in the first round of the Qatar

Classic Squash Championship here.
The Indian national champion, ranked World No. 20, took just 37 minutes to outplay the top

seeded Egyptian 11-9 11-6 4-11 11-9.

File picture of Joshna Chinappa. AFPFile picture of Joshna Chinappa. AFP
However, it was curtains for Dipika Pallikal, seeded 13th, as she went down 5-11 7-11 7-11

in only 26 minutes to another Egyptian Yathreb Adel, who will now face Joshana in the

second round to the tournament.
Joshana, who had defeated World No.10 Annie Au in straight games at the Delaware

Investments US Open just two weeks ago, came into the second PSA World Series tournament

of the season in form and shot out of the blocks to establish an early two-game lead over

an out-of-sorts El Welily.
The 26-year-old from Alexandria's performance was littered with errors as she struggled to

find any consistency.
A costly error on 9-8 in the fourth game, when she was on course to level the match,

allowed Joshana back into the game and the 29-year-old Indian pounced, taking the next two

points, and the match, to record one of the biggest victories of her career.
"This is by far the best win of my career it doesn't get any better than beating the

player at the top of the world rankings," said Joshana.
"I've played Raneem many times before so to get out to a 2-0 lead was huge and really gave

me hope. With a player of her quality you can never be sure, she's World No.1 for a reason

and she can come back from any position even when not at her best, so I'm really happy to

come through. I've not been looking at my rankings or anything like that of late and I

think that's showing through in my game. I'm more relaxed on court and it's paying off at

the moment," she said.
"Hopefully I can keep my momentum going now and take that into my next match and see how

far I can go."
Saurav Ghosal is in the fray in the men's section and will play his first match tomorrow.

Playing with Steyn is one thing, facing him is a different ball game: Lokesh Rahul

Looking forward to the challenge of facing Dale Steyn in the upcoming four-match Test series against South Africa, Indian opener Lokesh Rahul has said playing the speedster in the longer format is a "different ballgame" as one has to counter the late movement he gets.
Young Rahul may have shared the Sunrisers Hyderabad dugout with the Proteas pacer in IPL, but admitted that batting against Steyn during his 72-run knock for the Board President's XI was a totally different experience.

Lokesh Rahul. PTILokesh Rahul. PTI
"I thought I would find it easier to face him but I played him today and it was a whole different experience," Rahul told BCCI.TV after the opening day of the two-day practice game in Mumbai yesterday.
"Fielding or keeping wickets when he is bowling is one thing. Batting against him with the red ball moving and doing a bit, like it did today, is a different ballgame. He gets the ball to move late and I found it a little hard today. I love playing with him, and playing against him will be a different challenge that I look forward to," he added.
Rahul, 23, who has represented India in five Tests since making his debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in December 2014, also admitted that getting into a pacers' mind is difficult.
"We try to, but you know how the fast bowlers' minds work. They think and work differently, doing different things in each game. You can't really understand what goes on in their minds. All you can do is watch the ball and react to it," he said.
The Karnataka opener also credited his state coach Arun Kumar for getting him battle ready for the South Africa Tests.
"I was practising on playing the turning ball keeping the pitches for the South Africa series in mind. I worked with the Karnataka coach, J Arun Kumar. He was a great player of fast bowling in his day, so I spent some time working with him on playing the short balls and fast bowling in general because we know the South African pacers can clock high speeds. So far it has been coming out well and I have been moving well in the crease," he said.
With Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay always in the running for the opening slot along with Rahul, the youngster insists that there is no in-house competition within the Indian dressing room.
"From the moment I entered the dressing room, I never felt there was any competition. Both Shikhar and Vijay came separately to me and spoke about how it would be different from the Ranji Trophy and they were trying to prepare me if at all I got a chance in Australia. It was really important and relaxed me a lot.
"We are all young and so the atmosphere is very light and friendly. We all want each other to do well and we genuinely enjoy each other's performances. As far as the team culture goes, this is the best you can get. That shows in the team's performance too -- we won the Test series in Sri Lanka and did well in Australia too," he said.

Basketball Federation of India to give Satnam's family monthly stipend of Rs 50,000

In a heartwarming gesture, Basketball Federation of India President K Govindaraj has pledged monetary support Satnam Singh's family, with a monthly stipend of Rs 50,000.
The 19-year-old Satnam made history earlier this year by becoming the first Indian national to be drafted as a player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Govindaraj made this announcement during a meeting with Satnam at an event organised by NBA India.

Satnam in action for Dallas Mavericks during the Las Vegas Summer league. Getty images.Satnam in action for Dallas Mavericks during the Las Vegas Summer league. Getty images.
Explaining the reasoning behind this decision, Govindaraj said, "By overcoming numerous obstacles, Satnam has immensely contributed in putting Indian basketball on the world map, and continues to bring positive attention to the sport within India. Even though he is still very young, he has already shown himself to be a capable role model for other Indian youth to aspire and realise their full potential."
Satnam's story is a remarkable fairytale of grit, hope, courage and maximisation of innate attributes through proper training and timely exposure. The son of a farmer, Satnam grew up in the tiny village of Ballo Ke in Punjab. By the age of 9, he was already 6ft tall, and at the advice of an uncle, he was sent to Ludhiana Basketball Academy to hone his talent.
At the age of 14, he was awarded a four year scholarship to train in the USA. He kept making rapid strides, while parallely returning to India during his breaks to represent his home state of Punjab in the national championships.
He has also represented the Indian junior and senior national teams in the past. In this regard, he clarified his earlier comments on his availability to play for the country.
Satnam informed, and the NBA confirmed, that while his focus is on representing his team Dallas Mavericks and its Developmental League affiliate Texas Legends, with enough advance notice he will be privileged to don national colours as long as it doesn't conflict with his NBA commitments.

Standing up to spinners on wearing wicket tough, says South Africa wicketkeeper Vilas

Mumbai: Standing up to the wicket against his team's spinners on wearing Indian tracks would be a big test of his skills, feels South African wicket-keeper Dane Vilas.

"This wicket is not a typical Indian wicket where there is more spinning and spitting out of rough on day 4 and 5. It's going to test you as a keeper. We don't get the deterioration like here back home. I have prepared for it," said Vilas after day one of the two-day practice game against the Board President's XI team at the Brabourne Stadium.
He said it was good that he had come with the South Africa A team to play their Indian counterparts in Wayanad in two four-day games.
Proteas wicketkeeper Dane Vilas in action against BP XI in Mumbai. AFPProteas wicketkeeper Dane Vilas in action against BP XI in Mumbai. AFP
"It was a good experience in playing in these sorts of conditions. I had previously played in Champions League games but to come and play two four-day games is very good for me. Hopefully that experience of standing up to the spinners will help me," Villas said.
He said it was overall a satisfactory day for his team as all the bowlers had a feel of the conditions along with players like him who joined the Test squad after missing the ODI and T20 part of the tour.
"It was a satisfactory day. The bowlers got overs under their belt, and bowling with the white ball is different from the red ball. And guys joining like me had time on the field, but a match game obviously is a lot different from the practice game."
Villas said the South African slow bowlers bowled well after lunch.
"Before lunch they bowled too straight but they came back and bowled a lot better and the line they bowled was the key. They got extra bit of bounce as well.
"We wanted to see all three spinners and they all bowled equally well at stages. There was not too much reverse swing, pitch was not abrasive and the outfield too was good," he said, adding that the SG balls used had surprised the team.
"I think it was a surprise, a lot better ball than we expected. We were very happy with the ball."
Asked about competing with a very good player like Quinton de Kock who scored two solid hundreds in the ODI series before leaving for home, Vilas said competition was always good and showed the depth of talent.
"De Kock is a very good player. But I am not focusing too much on that. I am going to do the job for the team and play as many games as I can. It shows there is depth in the squad; it's good competition is going to help the team."

India vs South Africa: Instead of complaining, Dhoni should consider blooding new players

India captain MS Dhoni’s post-match discourses had a familiar same ring throughout the ODI series against South Africa. He talked about confusion in the batting line-up, and the lack of players who could do the job at Nos. 5, 6, and 7 in the batting line-up. The fast bowlers were not spared either, particularly their lack of consistency.

The all-rounder spot has been a particular nuisance. According to Dhoni, ‘only Stuart Binny, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja can do this job’.
Gurkeerat Singh wasn’t given a single game in the South Africa series despite all of India’s perceived deficiencies. PTIGurkeerat Singh wasn’t given a game in the South Africa series. PTI
But if that is the case, why was Gurkeerat Singh in the squad when he can do a similar job? Gurkeerat has been in impressive form for Punjab recently, and has done well with his offspin for India A too. Rishi Dhawan (Himachal Pradesh), is another an all-rounder who has impressed in domestic cricket, taking regular wickets with his medium pace and scoring runs in the middle-order
Both these players have done middle-order duties for India A this year. Rishi picked up 4 for 49 against South Africa A in Chennai. In the first game against Bangladesh A in the next series, he took 2 for 51 and smacked 56 not out from 34 balls batting at no.8. It was his 102-run partnership with Gurkeerat (65 off 58 balls) that rescued
India A from a precarious 125 for 5.
Gurkeerat was picked for India on the back of that Bangladesh series but wasn’t given a single game in the series despite all of India’s perceived deficiencies. That is a travesty, for how will the team management know if these youngsters are good enough when they are not played in home ODIs even with nothing major at stake?
India returned to Harbhajan Singh once R Ashwin was injured but at 35, Harbhajan isn’t a long term option and yet the selectors seem reluctant to give Parvez Rasool a run out on the international stage. Rasool, who averages 39.46 with the bat and 35.76 with the ball, has only played one ODI against Bangladesh. That’s hardy a basis to decide
he is not cut out for the job.
Gurkeerat, Dhawan and Rasool have at least earned a shot at the no.7 slot.
There are questions about others in the side too. Suresh Raina (68 runs from 5 matches at an avg. 13.60) and was lucky not to be dropped from the team after scoring a total of three runs in the first three ODIs. There is an opportunity there too, if the selectors are willing to be creative.
Two names spring to mind - Manish Pandey and Karun Nair. If India want to rebuild their ODI and T20I line-ups, then these two young batsmen should be at the top of the list, thanks largely to their exploits for Karnataka and in the IPL. Their career charts are also on a similar trajectory – both are part of the India A set-up; Nair was called up
as backup batsman for the third Test in Sri Lanka while Pandey made his ODI debut in Zimbabwe.
While both of them bat higher up in domestic cricket than No. 6, this should not be a deterrent to try them out. Remember, Virender Sehwag started in the middle order in Test cricket and Sachin Tendulkar only moved up to open in ODI cricket four years after making his debut
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India vs South Africa: 20-year-old Nathu Singh 'still cannot believe' Board President XI call-up
India vs South Africa: 20-year-old Nathu Singh 'still cannot believe' Board President XI call-up
It should be remembered that the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane all started lower down the order before moving up. Surely then, Pandey and Nair can be given a fair go as the team experiments with the 2017 Champions Trophy and the 2019 ODI World Cup, both in England, in mind.
The bowling requires a different approach too, but one less about changing personnel and more about managing them. India’s medium pacers have been workhorses for a long time now. There is no bowler management to speak of, no track record of how many deliveries each of them sends down, and no workload supervision. The result is they are either injured (Mohammad Shami) or perennially knackered and thus rendered ineffective (Bhuvneshwar Kumar).
Alternately, the likes of Ishwar Pandey and Dhawal Kulkarani lug around kitbags and drink bottles, are used extensively as net bowlers on away tours and then return to domestic cricket’s wilderness.
It brings us back to the original point made by Dhoni. A lack of optimal players yes, but only because the team management has used the same set of players across all formats.
India would be better served by being smarter and giving fresh blood a go.

WTA Finals: Maria Sharapova surprised by impressive form on latest comeback

Maria Sharapova is used to having to rebuild from scratch after suffering a string of debilitating injuries throughout her career, but the Russian is still surprised at how well she is playing in her latest comeback at the WTA Finals.

Sharapova arrived in Southeast Asia having failed to complete a match since July because of leg and arm injuries, but the five-time major winner has looked in ominous form since setting foot on the Singapore Indoor Stadium court on Sunday.

Round-robin wins over Agnieszka Radwanska and Simona Halep were followed by a classy 7-5 6-1 victory over U.S. Open champion Flavia Pennetta on Thursday as the 28-year-old advanced to the semi-finals, top of the Red Group with a perfect record.

The Russian could afford to lose that final rubber, having already qualified for the semis, but she told reporters: "Every match for me just counts at this point in the season in the last tournament.

"I wanted to try to play a high-quality three matches and I didn't know the results would have gone the way that I have expected," the world number four added.

"I'm actually also a little bit surprised that I've been able to win three matches, as physical as some of those matches were.

"Knowing that I qualified allowed me to be a little bit more aggressive today. I played quite aggressively in the second set and had a good ratio of winners and unforced errors (and) was quite solid."

FED CUP FINAL

Sharapova's career has been punctuated by three major shoulder operations since her breakthrough triumph as a 17-year-old at Wimbledon in 2004, and the latest injury break has provided her with the opportunity to compete in the Fed Cup final next month for the first time since turning professional 14 years ago.

"The layoff gave me a chance to look through my schedule and understand that I had an opportunity to be part of an event that I've never played before, such as the Fed Cup final," she said of Russia's showdown against the Czech Republic in Prague on Nov. 14-15.

"So that changed a little bit, because I think if I (had) had a full season I would really have to reconsider playing."

Sharapova also admitted being a bit of a tennis television junkie and may tune in on Friday to watch the conclusion of the White Group and her possible semi-final opponent.

"I know I always say that's the last thing I want to be doing but when I'm at a tournament I do enjoy watching," she laughed.

"When the matches are on TV I do enjoy watching who is playing, no matter if I'm playing against them or not. It's part of the spirit, the tournament.

"You start your day with tennis. Everything is surrounded by tennis. I don't shy away from watching my opponents. So, yeah, I might tune in."

Mexican Grand Prix: Hamilton sees no reason to help Rosberg secure second in F1 standings

Triple world champion Lewis Hamilton said he saw little reason to try and help Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg beat Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and finish runner-up in the Formula One standings.
The Briton also told reporters at the Mexican Grand Prix that the two drivers had not discussed their first corner coming together at last weekend's U.S. Grand Prix or a hat-tossing incident before the podium ceremonies.

File picture of Lewis Hamilton (L) and Nico Rosberg. ReutersFile picture of Lewis Hamilton (L) and Nico Rosberg. Reuters
"We haven't spoken, not that I think we really need to," said Hamilton, who won his 10th race of the season in Texas last Sunday to clinch his third title.
"The team has not asked me to support him...as I'm here to win the race.
"The team have won the constructors' championship so I think from here on there's not really a huge benefit to the team for me to start helping. We'll see what (motorsport director) Toto (Wolff) wants me to do."
Rosberg is four points behind Vettel with three races remaining and, after three wins and seven second places in 16 races so far, should be able to overtake his four times champion compatriot.
Asked why he saw no need for talks to clear the air, Hamilton said: "I'm very easy-going and so I never really have any problems.
"I think Toto feels that he needs to perhaps sit with Nico to see where his head's at. Obviously they don't want any tension in the team.
"Generally we do often come together and just keep it transparent... I'm sure we will sit down and see what Nico's feeling and whatever emotions he has and try and dilute them and move on."
Rosberg had started on pole in Austin but Hamilton had the inside line into the first corner and the two banged wheels, with the German pushed wide and down into fourth place.
He recovered to retake the lead but then gifted the race win, and championship, to Hamilton when he made a late mistake while leading.
Afterwards, Hamilton tossed him the second placed finisher's cap in the waiting room for the podium and had it flung straight back at him.
The Briton called the incident "pretty funny" and said there was not much to add.

Ex-mining boss David Peever becomes new Cricket Australia chairman

Retired mining chief David Peever has become the new chairman of Cricket Australia, the organisation said on Friday, replacing the outgoing Wally Edwards.
Peever, 58, the former managing director of Rio Tinto Australia, was elected at the cricket body's Annual General Meeting in Melbourne.'

File picture of David Peever. ReutersFile picture of David Peever. Reuters
Peever, a Cricket Australia director since 2012, becomes the first chairman in CA’s history to be elected to the position independent of state interests.
He takes over after the end of Edwards’s four-year term, which was marked by changes to the game’s governance and national financial model.
"This is a key time for Australian cricket. A lot of significant change has occurred for the better on and off the field," Peever said in a statement.
"But in an ever changing world, I believe we have to work harder than ever before to maintain cricket’s privileged place as Australia’s traditional summer pastime."
Co-staging a successful World Cup this year with New Zealand helped boost CA's annual revenue to Aus$380.9 million (US$270 million), putting it in a position to invest strongly in the development of the game.
Reuters

You are here: Latest News ›Sports News A letter to Kapil Dev: We love Sachin Tendulkar for what he was, not what he could've been

Dear Kapil Paaji,
First things first. You are not the first person to criticise Sachin Tendulkar. Over the years, all of us have heard people find faults with his batting. People have said he played for personal milestones, that he slowed down when he was nearing a landmark, that he made centuries only when India lost (which statistics have since shown to be not very accurate), that he could not finish off chases after getting set.

We could sit here and crunch numbers and show most of these criticisms are unfounded, but you probably already know that.
But you sir, have brought up a rather unique point today – that he did not “justify his talent” and that “he could have done much more than what he did.” I must give it to you, that’s a first. Not even the staunchest critic of Sachin could say ‘Yaar, he did not make enough runs.’
File photo of Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar. AFPFile photo of Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar. AFP
You have also gone on to say that Sachin just knew how to make hundreds (a 100 of them in international cricket, if you recollect) and that he didn't know how to make it a double hundred, or a triple or even 400s. He should have played more like Virender Sehwag and learned how to be ruthless from Sir Vivian Richards, you said.
Those statements seem a bit contradicting, if you believe these things called statistics. Of the two players you wanted Sachin to bat like, Sehwag has the same number of Test double-hundreds (six) and ODI double hundred (one) as Sachin. Sehwag and Sachin are joint-top of the list of double-centurions in Tests for India.
Even Viv Richards, a great man that he is, was not a big fan of making these daddy hundreds, with three in Tests and none in ODIs. Sachin, as it turns out, made a 200 in the less than 50 overs before anyone else could in the history of cricket.
It’s a little odd that you picked on something that Sachin has done quite well with over his 24-year long career.
Of course, Sehwag has two triple hundreds more than Sachin, we will give you that. What Sehwag could do on a cricket field to opponents, not many could. When he retired recently, the comparisons to Viv Richards were quite commonplace, and rightly so.
But it seems churlish to want Sachin to have done better. In doing so, you have made all of us think back to the days when our parents responded to us scoring a 95 in mathematics with ‘Hmmm, OK but where did the rest five marks go, beta/beti?’ Not many of us enjoyed hearing that. Even the regular defence to such statements that they were just trying to motivate us to do better in life doesn’t hold water in this case. After all Sachin has already retired and I am pretty sure you were not trying to egg him on to do well in the All Stars T20 matches next month.
Also, Kapil Paaji, you are one of the most revered cricketers this country has ever produced. In a country that was known for its stylish batsmen in CK Nayudu, Dileep Sardesai, Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Vishwanath and great spinners like Bishen Bedi, BS Chandrasekhar, S Venkatraghavan and Erapalli Prasanna, you were the first bonafide quick bowler who caught the country’s imagination.
People adored you, for you were India’s only answer to the fast bowlers of the Caribbean and the Sultans of Swing from Pakistan.
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Planned to retire in 2007 but Sachin stopped me: Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag joins the Tendulkar-Warne cricket extravaganza in the United States
Virender Sehwag joins the Tendulkar-Warne cricket extravaganza in the United States
You gave the country her greatest sporting moment of the century on that beautiful day in Lord’s in 1983. You broke down on live television after MS Dhoni's team reclaimed the World Cup 28 years since.
Given all that, I’m struggling to think how it would make you feel had someone said you should have aspired to be more devastating like Malcom Marshall or more crafty like Wasim Akram or Imran Khan. I can’t imagine your fans taking too well to comments like that.
Maybe you were saying this just with the hidden subtext of taking a jibe at the ‘Mumbai school of cricket’ because of spats you had with your contemporaries from Mumbai. Or maybe you were saying all this just to troll the media and to get their knickers in a twist, which, you have successfully managed with your ‘beamer that boomeranged,’ like a news channel put it.
But as fans of the sport, we just want to tell you we love our cricketing legends just the way they are. We don’t wish our Kapil Dev was more like Andy Roberts. We love Sehwag and Sachin for the way they thrilled us on a cricket pitch and carried the hopes of a cricket-crazy nation. We wouldn’t want to swap them for improved, near-perfect hybrids of Sir Viv Richards and Sir Donald Bradman.
Respectfully,
A fan of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Kapil Dev
PS: Have you had a chance to meet with Kumar Sangakkara’s father? You guys would hit it right off.

Force India seeks advance on 2016 payments to pay suppliers

The Force India Formula One team have requested an advance on their 2016 championship money to help tide them through the winter and pay suppliers.
Deputy team principal Bob Fernley told Reuters the request was for a payment similar to the one Force India received from commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone before the start of this season.
File picture. APFile picture. AP

"The only difference between what we did at the beginning of this year and what we are planning for 2016 is just bringing it forward a month or so earlier to cash-flow it better," he said on Wednesday ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix.
"We don't want suppliers suffering, obviously," added Fernley.
"We know we've got to draw down because we need it through the winter period because we don't get any payments...we're being a bit more proactive this year in making sure we're ahead of the game rather than behind it."
Formula One teams receive payments monthly, from February to the end of November, from the commercial rights holder.
The sums reflect where the team finished in the previous season as well as historic performance.
Fernley said Ecclestone was supportive, despite Force India and Sauber last month asking European Union authorities to investigate Formula One's governance and distribution of revenues.
Force India, Sauber and Lotus received advances this year to help with cash-flow problems after tail-enders Marussia and now-defunct Caterham went into administration.
Unsecured creditors, mostly small suppliers, had significant amounts owed by those two teams and subsequently demanded advance payment from others rather than allowing credit.
The situation since then has not been helped by Lotus struggling to stay afloat, despite talk of an imminent takeover by French car giant Renault.
Bailiffs impounded the Lotus cars in Belgium last August and the team have faced repeated legal actions brought by creditors.
British-based Force India, who have Mexican Sergio Perez and Germany's Nico Hulkenberg confirmed as drivers for 2016 and use Mercedes engines, contract out much of their chassis work to keep costs down.
The team, whose co-owners Vijay Mallya and the Sahara Group are embroiled in financial troubles in India, suffered delays to the build of their new car this year and missed most of pre-season testing.
"What we've asked Bernie to do is put it through process and he's obliged with that," said Fernley. "We've asked for it to start at the end of November because that's when our payments stop."

Board President's XI vs South Africa: Chance for young hopefuls to push for India call-up

Mumbai: The two-day tour warm-up game against Board President's XI, commencing here tomorrow, offers the touring South African cricketers a decent chance to get into the groove for the longest version of the game after their successful run in the T20 and ODI series against India.
The match, to be held at the Cricket Club of India s Brabourne Stadium, equally provides opportunities for young hopefuls from the home team to showcase their skills against a top class international side, while giving Test squad members Cheteshwar Pujara and K L Rahul quality time in the middle to settle in for the formidable task ahead against the visitors.
Shreyas Iyer. PTIShreyas Iyer. PTI

Pujara and Rahul, who did not figure in the shortest formats of the game against the visitors, would get a taste of the classy and frightening pace battery they would be up against in the upcoming four-Test series commencing at Mohali on November 5.
For other talented and performing domestic players such as Delhi opener Unmukt Chand, and Karnataka and Mumbai middle order batsmen Karun Nair and Shreyas Iyer, the game presents a not-to-be-missed occasion to come up with a telling performance to push their case further with the selectors.
Wicket keeper Naman Ojha, second behind no. 1 Wriddhiman Saha in the Test scenario, too has been offered the chance to grab the moment for making his presence felt behind the wickets with his glove work and in front with the bat.
With an eye on shoring up the thin bowling stock, the selectors have chosen young Rajasthan pacer Nathu Singh and Mumbai new ball bowler Shardul Thakur and spinners Karn Sharma, Jayant Yadav and Kuldeep Yadav.
Traditional leg spinner Karn Sharma has already tasted international cricket at the highest level while the two Yadavs seem to have been short-listed for their potential to fill in the back-up spots for off spin and left arm spin, though of the Chinaman variety.
Haryana off spinner Jayant should merit a close look having already figured for India A against their SA and Bangladesh counterparts in the series earlier this season and done reasonably well.
With J& K's Pervez Rasoolnot in the picture right now, a good show against the visitors could push forth the 25-year-old Jayant's case strongly as likely back-up to Numero Uno, R Ashwin.
Kuldeep Yadav, five years younger, is also someone who needs to be looked at closely and kept in mind for bigger things as Chinaman bowlers are a rare breed, especially in India.
For South Africa, who had enjoyed a small break to unwind after the hectic and successful limited-over stint, the match is the only game before they plunge into the four-Test rubber against India.
A lot of them had been part of the T20 and ODI squads and have already acclimatised to the weather and ground conditions, to a certain extent, though Test matches are a different kettle of fish.
But there are others like fast bowler Vernon Philander and wicket keeper Dane Vilas, who look certainties for the opening Test but were not part of the T20 and ODI squads, who would benefit from this game to adapt quickly to the Indian conditions.
South Africa's Test captain Hashim Amla has not been in the thick of runs in the preceding part of the tour. He would love nothing better than the chance to spend a long time at the crease and return to his wonted form ahead of what promises to be a rough and tough four-game rubber.
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Two key members of the limited over squad fast bowler Morne Morkel and middle order batsman J P Duminy had picked up injuries during the ODI rubber won by South Africa 3-2 and missed the last two ties.
The CCI match affords them the ideal occasion to test their fitness for the gruelling series to follow.
The South African selectors have picked two off break bowlers for the Test part of the tour 26-year-old Simon Harmer and 25-year-old Dane Piedt and the game would test their skills against some young batsmen reared on playing in spin-friendly pitches.
Teams (from): Board President XI: Cheteshwar Pujara (captain), KL Rahul, Unmukt Chand, Karun Nair, Shreyas Iyer, Naman Ojha, Hardik Pandya, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Nathu Singh, Karn Sharma, Sheldon Jackson
South Africa: Hashim Amla (captain), A B de Villiers, Vice-Capt), Temba Bavuma, J P Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Simon Harmer, Imran Tahir, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn, Stiaan van Zyl, Dane Vilas.

Dhoni should continue as captain till next World Cup, says Sehwag

New Delhi: Virender Sehwag, who has recently called time on his international cricket career, has backed under-fire skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to stay on as India's limited overs captain till the next World Cup.
Replying to queries about Dhoni, Sehwag said: "He should continue as captain till the next World Cup. If he does so, he can leave behind a good World Cup team. And if he retires...you can imagine, even now when Dhoni is there, people have to think about who should bat at 5th, 6th and 7th position.

"If Dhoni is not there, the 5th, 6th and 7th slots will become absolutely free and you cannot expect somebody to finish the match properly."
File picture of MS Dhoni. AFPFile picture of MS Dhoni. AFP
The explosive opener dismissed reports that it was Dhoni who was behind the decision to drop him from the Indian team.
Asked if he believed Dhoni had a hand in dropping him from the team, the former India batsman told 'India TV' show 'Aap ki Adalat': "I don't think Dhoni would have done this. He is a nice man at heart. We senior players respect him, and when he first took over as captain, all senior players played under him, gave him guidance and nice suggestions, which he implemented during his captaincy and our team won in T20, ODIs and Test matches."
On whether he had tiffs with Dhoni, Sehwag said: "I don't think any such thing happened. It was all media speculations that Sehwag and Dhoni are at loggerheads. We stay in a hotel together and play matches, I don't think such things occurred.
Had it been so, I would have been dropped much earlier. I don't think (Sourav Ganguly's) statement (that Dhoni was behind Sehwag's ouster from Team India) was correct."
When it was pointed out that Ganguly had remarked that a captain always had a say in the selection of players, Sehwag said: "Normally the criterion is, any player can be dropped after non-performance in four Tests whether he is the captain or a senior or a junior player.
"The selectors decide the criteria. I think the picking or dropping of players by a captain used to take place when Ganguly was the skipper, but the scenario changed thereafter, when Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble took over. Probably they changed the trend and it was decided that only those who perform, shall play."
When pointed out that former India coach Greg Chappell had written in his column that the tiff between Sehwag and Dhoni began because the former wanted to become captain, Sehwag replied: "You can ask Dhoni about this. We played the World Cup together in 2007. To say that I wanted to become the captain is entirely incorrect. When Dhoni became captain and I played under him, we won the T20 World Cup."
"When selections were made for Tests, I clearly told the chief selector, you can check it out with K Srikkanth, that Sehwag said, he had no interest in becoming captain, nor was he interested in becoming vice-captain. I told him you can pick up anybody as vice-captain. You can check it out with Dhoni. I had no interest in becoming the captain."
When reminded that it was he who told a press conference on July 6, 2012 that we won the World Cup not because of Dhoni's captaincy, but because the team performed well, Sehwag said: "Ask anybody sitting here in the audience whether my statement was correct or not. My statement was not wrong, my statement was incorrectly portrayed or projected.
"I was not making a jibe at Dhoni. What I said was: do not give the entire credit to the captain, give credit to the team too."
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He added: "No doubt, if you go through records, Dhoni is India's best captain to date. Beating Sourav Ganguly, he won the Tests, ODIs and T20s, won both the World Cups. Nobody can deny that, but to give credit to a single person is not good, others should also get credit for winning the Cups.
"I made 175 runs in the first match, and Dhoni made 92 runs in the last match. In between, I performed well in one or two matches, and Dhoni couldn't perform well in any. Gautam Gambhir made runs and Yuvraj Singh won Man of the Series. And if tomorrow somebody says, we won the World Cup because of Yuvraj, will anybody agree?"
Asked if a captain should at least get some credit, Sehwag quipped: "Then he should get the credit for losing too.
"If Team India loses today, questions are raised against Virat Kohli or somebody else, or will you also blame the captain? To say that the captain makes the team lose or win, is not correct. I don't think it's correct to blame the captain. He at least tries to keep all together so that the team plays well, plays positive cricket and wins the match for the country, and not think about only winning and earning a name for himself."
On India's recent losses to Bangladesh and South Africa, Sehwag remarked: "We lost because of the team, and not because of the captain or Dhoni, because neither our batting nor bowling was up to the mark. For how long will Dhoni alone win the match for us?"

Bhajji ka ghar 'Basra': Harbhajan ties the knot with Geeta in grand Jalandhar ceremony

Jalandhar: Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh on Thursday tied the nuptial knot with long-time girlfriend Geeta Basra in a gurudwara in Jalandhar.
While the groom looked dapper in a off-white sherwani and red turban, the bride was looking resplendent in a traditional red and gold lehenga.

Harbhajan Singh with geeta Basra at the couple's wedding ceremony. AFPHarbhajan Singh with geeta Basra at the couple's wedding ceremony. AFP
The wedding was attended by some close relatives and friends, including cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar and wife Anjali.
Earlier, a mehendi and sangeet ceremony were also held at 35-year-old Harbhajan's family home.
The high-profile reception is slated for 1 November in New Delhi with Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expected to grace the occasion.
Apart from his Team India teammates like Yuvraj Singh and Virat Kohli, Bollywood celebrities like Amitabh Bachhan, Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra are also likely to attend the reception in the capital.
Harbhajan and Geeta, who has acted in several Hindi and Punjabi films, have had a five years of courtship before they took the marital plunge.

Would have told Sachin to play more like Sehwag, he would have been a much better cricketer: Kapil Dev

Dubai: Former India captain Kapil Dev says the iconic Sachin Tendulkar "did not know how to make double hundreds, triple hundreds and 400 though he had the ability" to scale such peaks and was "stuck in the Mumbai school of cricket".
"Don't get me wrong, but I think Sachin didn't do justice to his talent. I always thought he could have done much more than what he did," Dev was quoted as saying by the 'Khaleej Times'.
"He (Sachin) got stuck with Bombay cricket. He didn't apply himself to the ruthless international cricket. I think he should have spent more time with Vivian Richards than some of the Bombay guys who played just neat and straight cricket."

"Sachin was a much better cricketer but somewhere along the line he just knew how to score hundreds. He didn't know how to make it a double hundred, or a triple or even 400s," added the 1983 World Cup winning India captain.
File photo of Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar. AFPFile photo of Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar. AFP
The great all-rounder, under whose captaincy India won its maiden World Cup in 1983, said he would have advised Tendulkar to play like Virender Sehwag.
"He (Sachin) had the ability. He was technically sound but I felt he was there to get his hundred and that's it. Unlike Richards, Sachin wasn't ruthless, he was more of a perfect, or rather correct cricketer. Had I spent more time with him I would have told him 'go enjoy yourself, play like
Virender Sehwag'. You will be a much better cricketer."
The 56-year-old Dev made these remarks before a select crowd at the Cove Beach Club at Jumeirah Hotel in Dubai alongside three other cricketing icons -- Shane Warne, Wasim Akram and Ian Botham.
Spin legend Warne remarked that Tendulkar was special. "He is a wonderful player and in my 20-odd years of playing, he is the best batsman that I played against. The expectations he was under and the skill he had against fast and spin. The way he judged the balls. He was great for the game of cricket and he was a fantastic and wonderful player. He dominated bowlers in the mid-90s and he was just outstanding against any bowler. He also played exceptionally well against Australia," said Warne.
"I now see Sachin's different side as I am now doing business with him. He is a wonderful friend," he added.
Pace bowling great Akram regretted for not having played much against Tendulkar.
"One of the regrets Waqar Younis and I had as a bowler is that we never played Test cricket against Tendulkar for nearly 10 years," he said.
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"We played against Sachin when he made his debut in 1989 when he was 16 and then, we played Tests against Sachin in 1999 in India. As Warne said, he was the best in the game and 100 international hundreds speaks volumes of his talent."
When the former greats were asked to name the best they had played against, Kapil said: "I think Viv in my time is the best I have seen. More than his cricket, it was the way he played the game and his attitude. I loved to take his wicket all the time."
Botham echoed similar sentiments: "Viv Richards is certainly the best player I have seen in all formats of the game. I don't think there has been anyone better. I remember in Old Trafford we left him in the raps and Michael Holding came out to bat and 200 runs later, Richards was 189 not out
-- which was obscene. You bowl him outside the off stump with a packed field, and he will flick you into the grandstand on the leg side. He never read the MCC coaching annual."
Akram added: "When I started out, it was the great Viv Richards and the Little Master Sunil Gavaskar. I got out him out only once. In the 90s, it was (Brian) Lara and Tendulkar."

ISL 2015: Exclusive interview with Chennaiyin FC's Elano on the art of taking a freekick

Pulasta Dhar and Vinayakk Mohanarangan
Elano's career has a bit of a statistical hole. Detailed numbers on his football journey have been recorded only from the 2004-05 season, when he joined Shakhtar Donetsk. Since then, he has scored 15 direct freekicks and 23 penalties in his career. That adds up to a whopping 50 percent of his goals from dead-ball situations.
Just like the crowds that come to see him during the Indian Super League, the 34-year-old Brazilian seems to come to life when standing over a dead ball. Seven of his 10 ISL goals have come from freekicks and penalties.

There's something about these situations — all the lessons on closing down, tackling, tugging, sliding and and blocking don't count — in that moment, defenders are reduced to a mere human wall.
Elano celebrates a goal against Mumbai City. ISLElano celebrates a goal against Mumbai City. ISL
As Elano himself says, dozens of calculations are running through a player's mind when they stand over the ball: the distance to goal, power to apply, the choice to let rip or dink or swerve, to go low and hard or over the wall and into the corner, the wind-speed and the goalkeeper's position.
Finally, it also comes down to fear. That bit of psychological advantage the attacker enjoys over the goalkeeper. And Elano has plenty of that, personified by the slow gongs that the DJs in the ISL play as soon as he counts his steps and sets himself up for that one moment of genius. He's so good that even opposition fans want him to score. Maybe it's down to a craze Indian football fans haven't enjoyed yet, but an Elano freekick and penalty is an event within an event.
In part one of Firstpost's exclusive two-part interview, Chennaiyin's footballing superstar Elano explains the art of taking a freekick:
How much time do you spend in taking set-pieces? Especially freekicks? To get more specific, is there a particular number of minimum freekicks you practice per session? Or is it till the time you're satisfied?
In India it’s a little less, because of all the travel. But in Brazil I practice my free kicks daily. Of course, I try to maximise the results during the game when I have to be very accurate. Because during the play, you can’t afford to make mistakes.
When I was younger, I used to take nearly 50 kicks every day in practice. Now as I get older, I don’t have that much control. But I always practice still whenever I get a chance.
There's a research that says doing anything for 10,000 hours will make you good at it. Is it the same with kicking a dead ball into goal? Or is it more of a natural, in-born trait?
Logically, it’s a combination of both. Practice plus a gift that I was born with. But the gift that I have is worth only if I practice it and dedicate to it. Practising everyday and with dedication is how this gift I have has come out with good results.
Are free-kicks from every angle practiced differently? Which is the hardest angle to take a freekick from?
No particular angle. It depends on the situation. From wide angles, sometimes I see the goalkeeper expect a shot, then I cross. If I see him move for a cross then I shoot for goal. (laughs)
Let us know what goes on in your mind when you're standing over the ball in a dangerous area. What are you thinking? What are you looking at? How is the pressure?
I try to concentrate. I have to be watchful of the position of the goalkeeper - if he is making his move early, a bit before time or he waits. Then I have to give as accurate a kick as possible.
Do you look at the wall when taking a freekick? Or do you just discount their presence?
The wall is important for a free kick. But when the opposition makes a wall for a freekick, I also set my own wall with my team, our players to make it difficult for goalkeeper to see the ball.
What is the hardest part about taking a freekick?
Of course, the farther away it is, the more difficult. There is the difficulty of the wall, the difficulty of beating it, there is also the difficulty of me getting away an accurate kick. You also have to realise the goalkeeper is also as prepared as you to defend his goal.
What do you look for in a goalkeeper when taking a free-kick?
I see his positioning, that helps me make up my mind to which side I am going to shoot.
Ronaldo and Bale have a particular technique, Beckham had his way of taking a freekick and Juninho had a different technique. Who is your inspiration when it comes to taking to free-kicks? Do you have your own style?
There is a Brazilian footballer (Brasilierao) Marcelinho Carioca [known in Brazil as "Pé-de-Anjo - Angel Foot for his free-kick skills]. He played with me in 2001 when I was in Santos. He is a terrific converter of free kicks. It was his training and by watching him take free kicks, that I improved a lot.
What gives you more joy? Scoring from a dead ball or scoring from open play?
Goalscoring is important irrespective of how it comes. Every goal scored is a pleasure of football! It always depends on the occasion of when the goal is scored.
Which are your favourite freekicks from your career?
In England, the one for Manchester City vs Newcastle. In 2007, it was my first goal in England. Then one for Flamengo vs Emelec in Copa Libertadores which I scored in Maracana, in 2012. And for Manchester City vs Middlesborough in 2007.
There is the notion that top players are very good mathematicians -- constantly calculating wind, speed, angles, spin etc. How true is that?
Yes, we have to read all that in the moment that the kick is taken. How fast to kick the ball, amount of spin all that has to be measured perfect in that particular instant. The wind speed etc makes it difficult for the goalkeeper too.
Who is Elano's favourite free-kick taker of his generation?
Beckham. Has to be David Beckham for the accuracy with which he placed his free-kicks.
How are you enjoying connecting with the fans? How does it feel to have the Chennai crowd chant your name every time the referee awards the freekick?
It’s great that they recognise my talent and I thank them for that. It’s a fruit of my hard work. Maybe this year it’s been a bit difficult to score free-kicks because I am not being fouled as much as last year in the right areas! But I am still scoring and making assists, so I am doing my role so far.
This interview was conducted on 17 October in Mumbai with the help of a Portuguese translator.

Planned to retire in 2007 but Sachin stopped me: Virender Sehwag

New Delhi: Revealing that he wanted to retire at the top of his game, veteran batsman Virender Sehwag on Wednesday said that it was iconic cricketer Sachin Tendulkar who stopped him from calling it quits after the swashbuckling opener was dropped from the Indian team in 2007.
Sehwag finally retired on his 37th birthday on 20 October, more than two-and-a-half years after his last appearance for the national cricket team.

"Every player wants to retire at the top of his international game. Had I also retired while playing international cricket, I could have given a retirement speech. But fate had something else in store for me," Sehwag told 'Zee News'.
"I was planning to retire in 2007 when dropped from the team but Tendulkar stopped me from doing so," he added.
Sehwag is more important to India's future than Sachin. ReutersSachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag. Reuters
Sehwag's career ended after he was dropped from the Indian squad following the second Test against Australia in March 2013 and could never find his way back.
The destructive opener rued that the selectors did not give him enough chances and dropped him after a few failures.
"The selectors did not ask me about my future plan before dropping me during Australia series in 2013. Had the selectors told me about their decision, I could have announced my retirement in that series," said the Najafgarh-born player.
Sehwag, however, may get a chance to give a retirement speech at Feroz Shah Kotla with the BCCI mulling to give the senior batsman an official farewell during the fourth and final Test match between India and South Africa, scheduled to be held in the Capital from 3-7 December.
The 'Multan of Sultan', who acquired this sobriquet after hitting a triple ton against Pakistan in 2004, admitted that his family was not happy with his retirement.
"My both sons were upset. But it doesn't matter to me," he said.
Sehwag rated Anil Kumble as the best captain he had played under, "Anil Kumble was the best captain I have played with. He used to boost our confidence level."
About his future plans, he said, "I will always be connected with this game. If I get an offer from the BCCI or any commentary offers, I will consider it. My commentary would be straight forward like my batting."
A veteran of 104 Tests and 251 one-dayers, Sehwag, who scored 8586 runs at an average of 47.35 in the longest version and 8273 runs in the 50-over format, will still be seen captaining Haryana in Ranji Trophy and playing the Masters League involving former stars in the US, which is being endorsed by Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne.

Hockey India enters into a historic 3-year partnership with SAI

New Delhi: Hockey India (HI) has entered into a historic three-year partnership with Sports Authority of India (SAI), extending its commitment towards helping the sport regain its position in the country.

This would mark the beginning of a new era for Indian hockey under the aegis of HI, enabling SAI to invest in innovative programs developing India as a world class hockey nation.
The three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which was signed on Wednesday at the SAI office between the two bodies, acknowledges hockey as a medium for the development and promotion of values in the youth of the nation.
File picture of India's hockey captain Sardar Singh. GettyFile picture of India's hockey captain Sardar Singh. Getty
It also states that SAI is desirous of promoting hockey, which is amongst the world's most popular sports, as a tool for youth development and excellence in sports.
SAI along with HI in the next three years would be working towards creating a lasting legacy for the sport by developing hockey coaching system, talent identification and infrastructure for inculcating positive values in Wednesday's youth through hockey, education, health and other allied areas.
Speaking on the occasion, Hockey India President, Narinder Batra said: "It's a very proud moment for all of us here at Hockey India on Wednesday. SAI has always been there with us for our support, but this MOU only marks the beginning of a new era for hockey in India. It also shows that our team's hard work and dedication haven't gone unnoticed and the government does see a huge value that the sport can bring towards youth development in India.
"I am confident, that in the next three years we will identify many budding youngsters for our junior and senior programs, which will only further our cause of making Indian hockey world class."
SAI also aims to help HI strengthen its coach development program by providing domestic coaches with internationally recognised hockey coaching courses and license certification to the National Institute of Sports (NIS) students.
According to the memorandum, dedicated SAI coaches would become hockey scouts at pre-identified areas and scouting trials by HI national team coaches would be organised for various youth age groups at select SAI centres.
"SAI is committed to invest in developing hockey within India. We aim to develop innovative programs and create avenues for a fruitful and rewarding career in the sport of hockey through this association. I am hopeful of some very positive results in the course of the next three years and eager to see Indian hockey rise to the top-spot in the world hockey map," said SAI Director General, Injeti Srinivas.
A host of positive new developments have also been announced through this memorandum, aiming to strengthen the talent pool for Indian hockey in the longer run.

Spears, bows and arrows: Protest erupts during World Indigenous Games in Brazil

Palmas, Brazil: A noisy demonstration broke out Wednesday during the 100-metre dash competition at the World Indigenous Games, forcing a premature end to the day's events at what organisers have described as the indigenous Olympics.
The protesters, a boisterous crowd made up mostly of native Brazilians in traditional dress, were outraged over a land demarcation proposal that they say would be catastrophic for Brazil's 300 or so surviving tribes.

The proposed constitutional amendment would transfer the right to demarcate indigenous lands from the executive branch to Brazil's Congress, which is heavily influenced by the powerful big agriculture lobby that has fought against indigenous reserves in the past.
A committee in the Chamber of Deputies approved the proposal late Tuesday, though it must get through the full lower house and Senate, then be signed by President Dilma Rousseff in order to become law.
A member of Brazil's Xavante indigenous community aims his arrow at organizers of the World Indigenous Games during protest against a proposed constitutional amendment that would put the demarcation of indigenous lands into the hands of the Congress. APA member of Brazil's Xavante indigenous community aims his arrow at organisers of the World Indigenous Games during protest against a proposed constitutional amendment that would put the demarcation of indigenous lands into the hands of the Congress. AP
Brandishing handwritten banners against the proposal, around 100 demonstrators breezed past security guards and onto the floor of the sporting arena in Palmas. Hundreds of others ran to join the group as spectators cheered them on.
The announcer initially ignored the mass of protesters — although, dressed in feathers body paint, with some brandishing spears or bows and arrows, they proved impossible to ignore.
Narube Werreria, a young woman from the Karaja nation, scrambled up into the VIP area and seized the microphone to deliver a heated attack on the proposal.
"When we were here at the games, they were there in Congress plotting to steal our lands," she yelled. "Soon, there will be no more indigenous peoples, no more forest, no more animals."
The protest was loud but peaceful. After about 20 minutes, the demonstrators turned and filed quietly out of the arena.
The crowd of a couple thousand spectators booed when organizers finally announced an end to the day's activities, inviting the crowd to return Thursday.
Panamanian Cesar Cires had been slated to take part in a demonstration of the traditional games of his Ngabe-Bugle people, but his event was among the activities scrapped.
Still, Cires said he supported the demonstrators.
"We travelled a long way to be here, so it is a bit disappointing," he said. "But we as indigenous people understand our Brazilian brothers' plight. Next time, we'll join the protest, too."

I'm close to full fitness and confident of bowling well: R Ashwin

Chennai: Racing against time to get fit for the Test series against South Africa, starting 5 November, Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin says he is close to regaining full fitness and is confident of bowling well in the four-match series.

File picture of Ravichandran Ashwin. AFPFile picture of Ravichandran Ashwin. AFP
Ashwin, who had to retire hurt after bowling just 4.4 overs in the opening ODI against South Africa in Kanpur as he strained his side, remained unavailable for the rest of the limited-over series and Harbhajan Singh was called to replace him.
"I'm close to full fitness and I'm confident of bowling well in the Test series," Ashwin said at a promotional event in Chennai.
Ashwin, 29, was badly missed in the ODIs as India lost the five-match series 2-3 after suffering a humiliating 214-run defeat in the final match in Mumbai.
The Chennai-born player though defended his team's performance.
"Ours is a relatively inexperienced side. We have just a few players who have played 100-odd games. We need to give some cushion and time to this side. South Africa have players like AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis who are very experienced. We knew it was going to be hard-fought series. Had the last over in Kanpur gone our way, the result could have been different," he opined.
PTI

Former Pakistan skipper Javed Miandad asks PCB not to send team for World T20 in India

Former captain Javed Miandad has asked the Pakistan Cricket Board not to send a team in next year's World T20 in India if the BCCI does not agree to the proposed bilateral series in December.
"I would advice the Pakistan Board to simply make it clear that if according to the Indian Board their government has not given them clearance to play Pakistan, then our government is also not willing to let our team go to India for the World T20 next year," Miandad said.
File photo of Javed Miandad. ReutersFile photo of Javed Miandad. Reuters
"We now have to deal with the Indian Board giving top priority to our self respect and pride which are far more important than taking part in World T20 in India," he added.

Miandad, who played 124 Tests between 1976 and 1993, said Pakistan can survive without playing India.
"We now must take a tough stand and tell India enough is enough. We have survived without playing them (India) in a bilateral series since 2007 so why should we play them in ICC events," said the legendary batsman.
PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan had last week issued a veiled threat that it will "have to review security situation" regarding its team's participation in the World T20 early next year.
Khan had come to India along with a PCB delegation to meet the BCCI top brass to discuss about the proposed series in December but had to return empty handed without meeting the Indian officials.
PTI                                         

ISL 2015: Chhetri scores hat-trick as Mumbai smash NorthEast 5-1 for third straight win

Mumbai: Sunil Chhetri put on a stellar show in front of the home crowd at DY Patil stadium as Mumbai City thrashed NorthEast United FC 5-1 to climb to second in the Indian Super League table. Chhetri also became the first Indian player to score a hat-trick in the ISL as Mumbai City recorded a third home win on the trot.
Mumbai City FC's Sunil Chhetri in action against NorthEast FC. ISL
A fairly even first half ended 2-1 in favour of Mumbai but NorthEast were arguably the better team going forward. Mumbai City's forwards stole the show in the second, however, with some scintillating forward play as Chhetri, Sony Norde and Subhash Singham combined with devastating effect.

 

NorthEast should have taken the early lead but the in-form Nicolas Velez sliced his shot from two yards away. The Highlanders would pay for that miss soon as Chhetri latched on to a mistake from Reagan Singh at left back , ran at the defence and found Subhash on the right, whose cross was handled by a defender. Chhetri calmly chipped the penalty past TP Rehenesh - a
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'Panenka' to get off the mark on the night.
NorthEast scored immediately after a freekick from a tight angle on the left through Boithang Haokip as he squeezed past Subrata Paul at his near post. Subrata, who was solid otherwise throughout the night, was at fault for that equaliser, which came within five minutes of Mumbai's first.
With five minutes to go for the half, the electric Haitian Norde lofted a delicious pass from the left flank to the far post which Subhash headed back across the face of goal first time. Chhetri was on hand to cushion a left footed volley, also first time, from two yards out and ran to the singing section of the home fans for a now-familiar celebration.
Mumbai started second half with much more purpose. Chhetri, a with pirouette down the middle, played Subash down the right who won a corner. A poorly mistimed overhead kick from Chhetri from the corner was inexplicably handled by Andre Bikey inside the box for the second penalty of the night. This one was hit hard and to the right side of the goalkeeper as Chhetri celebrated a well-deserved hattrick.
Within six minutes of the second half, Mumbai got their fifth goal. Juan Aguilera, who was tremendous in the second half in Mumbai's midfield, played Norde in behind the defence as he broke the offside trap, feigned a shot at the onrushing goalkeeper and then coolly sidefooted it into the net.
From then on it was a matter of seeing the game through for Nicolas Anelka's men. Pratesh Shirodkar came on for Subhash as Anelka reverted to a 4-4-2. Despite that, Mumbai continued to create chances on the counter, with Chhteri coming close to his fourth goal on three different occasions, the best being a rasping shot at the crossbar after Frederic Piquionne's through ball.
NorthEast for their part made all three substitutions by the 64th minute, including taking off the ineffective Simao Sabrosa early in the second half. The visitors pushed and probed but with very little end product.
The Haitian combination of Norde and Franz Bertin stuck in the 86th minute to add sheen to the scoreline as a chipped corner from Norde found his compatriot unmarked. The defender made no mistake to head it past a static defence to make it 5-1.
In the end the night belonged to Indian talisman Sunil Chhetri who now heads the goalscorers' chart alongside Chennaiyin's Stiven Mendoza with six goals for the season.
After a winless streak of three games, Mumbai have a hat-trick of wins -- after a hat-trick from their star forward.