Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas has suffered the pain of a quarterfinal penalty shootout defeat and he admitted that being on the winning side against Italy on Sunday was more a question of luck than judgement.
“I’ve had good and bad experiences with penalty shootouts,” the Spain captain said after his side’s quarterfinal victory over the world champions.
“We knocked out Ireland and lost to South Korea in the 2002 World Cup and this time we were lucky to go through. They are a complete lottery.”
A cagey, tactical duel at the Ernst Happel stadium went to penalties after extra-time ended 0-0.
Casillas saved spot kicks from Daniele De Rossi and Antonio Di Natale and although Spain striker Daniel Guiza missed his, Luis Aragones’s side went through 4-2 with Cesc Fabregas netting the final penalty.
‘Absolutely positive’
ARAGONES DISAGREED with Casillas and said he was confident of victory once the game went to spot kicks.
“I was sure he would stop one, absolutely positive,” Aragones told a news conference.
“I’ve got a goalkeeping coach who told him where they would shoot although it is obviously Casillas who makes the final decision.”
Fabregas said he knew his penalty would be the decisive one when he was named as number five in the list.
“I thought mine would end up being the definitive penalty, but I was saying to myself that I had to prove myself and in the end it all worked out well,” the midfielder told reporters.
“These are the sort of games that are great to play in and win.”
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Sharapova eases through
Maria Sharapova made sure of her place in the second round at Wimbledon with a routine win over Stephanie Foretz.
Despite dropping her serve late in the second set, the reigning Australian Open champion kept her composure to claim a 6-1 6-4 win against the French qualifier.
Sharapova will now face compatriot Alla Kudryavtseva in the second round.
Elsewhere, there were also victories for 22nd seed Flavia Pennetta, who beat Venus Williams in the third round of the French Open recently, and 16th seed Victoria Azarenka, who defeated Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria 6-1 6-1.
Austria's Sybille Bammer, the 26th seed, also advanced after opponent Sofia Arvidsson was forced to retire with an injury in the second set. The Swede took the opening set 6-4 but was trailing 4-1 in the second when she was unable to continue.
The best match of the tournament so far saw Italy's Francesca Schiavone, seeded 20th, beat Austria's Tamira Paszek 6-3 5-7 10-8 in a match held over from Monday evening.
Schiavone's claim to fame did not last long however, Germany's Julia Goerges beating 23rd seed Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia 16-14 in the third set.
It was still not a Wimbledon record for most number of games in a women's singles set, Chanda Rubin beating Patricia Hy-Boulais 17-15 in the second round in 1995.
Despite dropping her serve late in the second set, the reigning Australian Open champion kept her composure to claim a 6-1 6-4 win against the French qualifier.
Sharapova will now face compatriot Alla Kudryavtseva in the second round.
Elsewhere, there were also victories for 22nd seed Flavia Pennetta, who beat Venus Williams in the third round of the French Open recently, and 16th seed Victoria Azarenka, who defeated Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria 6-1 6-1.
Austria's Sybille Bammer, the 26th seed, also advanced after opponent Sofia Arvidsson was forced to retire with an injury in the second set. The Swede took the opening set 6-4 but was trailing 4-1 in the second when she was unable to continue.
The best match of the tournament so far saw Italy's Francesca Schiavone, seeded 20th, beat Austria's Tamira Paszek 6-3 5-7 10-8 in a match held over from Monday evening.
Schiavone's claim to fame did not last long however, Germany's Julia Goerges beating 23rd seed Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia 16-14 in the third set.
It was still not a Wimbledon record for most number of games in a women's singles set, Chanda Rubin beating Patricia Hy-Boulais 17-15 in the second round in 1995.
Sania Mizra defies pain to reach Wimbledon second round
LONDON, June 24: Sania Mirza played through the pain barrier to reach the Wimbledon second round with a 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 6-4 win over Catalina Castano of Colombia on Tuesday.
Mirza, the 32nd seed, had only returned to action two weeks ago after missing the last three months following surgery on a right wrist injury.
So she must have feared the worst when she twice needed treatment for a shoulder problem. But the 21-year-old refused to give in to the pain and plays Spain's Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez next knowing a win would give take her to the third round for the first time.
Mirza looked tentative during first and second round defeats at Birmingham and 's-Hertogenbosch and took a while to find her range here.
But Castano, ranked 146th, had lost all five of her previous matches at Wimbledon. She was just as shaky in the opening stages and gifted Mirza a break for 3-2 with a double fault.
Mirza tamely surrendered the advantage in the next game and it needed a tie-break to decide the set.
Castano raced into a 4-1 lead and Mirza, clearly uncomfortable, took an injury time-out for treatment on her right shoulder and back.
Mirza called for further treatment on her shoulder before the final set but again refused to allow her creaking body to beat her.
She broke in the third game when Castano netted a forehand. Still Mirza couldn't finish her off as she let the Colombian break back in the next game.
But she dug deep and a rollercoaster set turned back Mirza's way when she broke again for a 3-2 lead.
With the finish line in sight she was broken again but eventually rallied to take victory.
Mirza, the 32nd seed, had only returned to action two weeks ago after missing the last three months following surgery on a right wrist injury.
So she must have feared the worst when she twice needed treatment for a shoulder problem. But the 21-year-old refused to give in to the pain and plays Spain's Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez next knowing a win would give take her to the third round for the first time.
Mirza looked tentative during first and second round defeats at Birmingham and 's-Hertogenbosch and took a while to find her range here.
But Castano, ranked 146th, had lost all five of her previous matches at Wimbledon. She was just as shaky in the opening stages and gifted Mirza a break for 3-2 with a double fault.
Mirza tamely surrendered the advantage in the next game and it needed a tie-break to decide the set.
Castano raced into a 4-1 lead and Mirza, clearly uncomfortable, took an injury time-out for treatment on her right shoulder and back.
Mirza called for further treatment on her shoulder before the final set but again refused to allow her creaking body to beat her.
She broke in the third game when Castano netted a forehand. Still Mirza couldn't finish her off as she let the Colombian break back in the next game.
But she dug deep and a rollercoaster set turned back Mirza's way when she broke again for a 3-2 lead.
With the finish line in sight she was broken again but eventually rallied to take victory.
Nadal not extended in smooth start
LONDON : Rafael Nadal flexed his muscles at Wimbledon on Tuesday with a grinding 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 defeat of German qualifier Andreas Beck in the first round.
The Spanish world number two, runner-up to Roger Federer at the All England Club for the last two years, looked comfortable on his return to Centre Court, dispatching an obdurate opponent with few alarms.
Nadal was kept on his toes by some fierce Beck serving but was ruthless when the few opportunities arose, pocketing the first two sets with single breaks of serve.
Left-hander Beck, making his grand slam debut, put up some dogged resistance in the third, not least when saving four break points at 3-3, and came within two points of snatching a set before Nadal romped through the tiebreak 7-0.
The Spanish world number two, runner-up to Roger Federer at the All England Club for the last two years, looked comfortable on his return to Centre Court, dispatching an obdurate opponent with few alarms.
Nadal was kept on his toes by some fierce Beck serving but was ruthless when the few opportunities arose, pocketing the first two sets with single breaks of serve.
Left-hander Beck, making his grand slam debut, put up some dogged resistance in the third, not least when saving four break points at 3-3, and came within two points of snatching a set before Nadal romped through the tiebreak 7-0.
Pakistan win by 155 runs against Hong Kong
KARACHI: Pakistan made Hong Kong realise the gruels of top-level international cricket, handing them a crushing 155-run defeat in a Group B match of the Asia Cup at National stadium here on Tuesday night.
Electing to bat, Pakistan overcame early hiccups to post an imposing 288 for nine and then stopped Hong Kong at 133 for nine in 37.2 overs to make an easy winning start.
Hong Kong innings folded without losing all ten wickets as Zain Abbas did not complete his innings after retiring at individual score of 26, which was also highest for them.
Hong Kong, led by Tabarak Dar, did well in the first part stopping Pakistan from reaching 300 but scoring against experienced attack was the real test of their batting line up.
Sohail Tanvir put up a brilliant all round show in Pakistan's victory as he first played a crucial 59-run knock and then picked up two wickets to pile up agony for Hong Kong.
The pace trio of Tanvir (2/20), Umar Gul and Iftikhar Anjum (2/18) intimidated, bruised and then devastated the opponent batting.
Tanvir, Anjum and spinning all-rounder Shahid Afridi, who once again failed with the bat, shared six wickets among them.
It was a brave start by Hong Kong as skipper Tabarak Dar and Skhawat Ali put on 27 without loss but Dar had to leave the crease after receiving a nasty blow by Umar Gul.
A bouncer hit the grill of the helmet, leaving Dar stunned and forced to put a break on his innings though fortunately he was not injured seriously.
The side never recovered from the blow dealt to their captain and kept losing wickets. From none for 27 they were reduced to 3 for 32 as Tanvir and Iftikhar rocked the top-order.
It was a lost battle for Hong Kong as they found the going tough against formidable Pakistan attack. Batsmen walked back to Pavilion one after another and it was easy for Pakistan.
After pacers did their job well, Pakistan spinners in Afridi and Fawad Alam and even skipper Shoaib Malik carried forward the good work. They kept a tight line, giving no chance to opponents free their arms.
Earlier, Fawad Alam (63 not out) and Tanvir (59) shared a crucial eight-wicket 100-run stand to propel Pakistan to 288 for nine.
Pakistan, electing to bat, were struggling at 161 for seven against minnows before the spin-pace combo of Alam and Tanvir joined hands to lift the hosts from what appeared to be an embarrassing situation.
Their top-order failed to build on to good starts and surprisingly struggled to negotiate a nascent attack, which did exceptionally well to put their fancied opponents under pressure.
Nadeem Ahmed ripped apart the Pakistan middle order to return brilliant figures of four for 51 after Afzal Ahmed and Irfan Ahmed removed openers.
Paceman Irfan (2/59) chipped in with two wickets.
Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik (35) opened the batting with Salman Butt (0).
Malik sizzled for a while, hitting seven boundaries in his short stay, before becoming the victim of Irfan.
The hosts batsmen did not build up partnerships and only Younis Khan, who struck a superb 67 showed will to stay at the crease.
Younis played crucial knock, adorned with eight fours and one six, up the order to save his team from blushes.
After big hitter Shahid Afridi (4) and Misbah-ul Haq (2) failed to wield the magic of their batting prowess, Alam and Tanvir ensured they put enough runs on the board for themselves.
While Alam played patiently, building his innings ball after ball, Tanvir's knock was mixture of aggression and calm.
Alam consumed 77 balls for his unbeaten 63 and helped himself with three boundaries.
Tanvir contributed a useful 59, aided by six boundaries, to give his team relief.
Electing to bat, Pakistan overcame early hiccups to post an imposing 288 for nine and then stopped Hong Kong at 133 for nine in 37.2 overs to make an easy winning start.
Hong Kong innings folded without losing all ten wickets as Zain Abbas did not complete his innings after retiring at individual score of 26, which was also highest for them.
Hong Kong, led by Tabarak Dar, did well in the first part stopping Pakistan from reaching 300 but scoring against experienced attack was the real test of their batting line up.
Sohail Tanvir put up a brilliant all round show in Pakistan's victory as he first played a crucial 59-run knock and then picked up two wickets to pile up agony for Hong Kong.
The pace trio of Tanvir (2/20), Umar Gul and Iftikhar Anjum (2/18) intimidated, bruised and then devastated the opponent batting.
Tanvir, Anjum and spinning all-rounder Shahid Afridi, who once again failed with the bat, shared six wickets among them.
It was a brave start by Hong Kong as skipper Tabarak Dar and Skhawat Ali put on 27 without loss but Dar had to leave the crease after receiving a nasty blow by Umar Gul.
A bouncer hit the grill of the helmet, leaving Dar stunned and forced to put a break on his innings though fortunately he was not injured seriously.
The side never recovered from the blow dealt to their captain and kept losing wickets. From none for 27 they were reduced to 3 for 32 as Tanvir and Iftikhar rocked the top-order.
It was a lost battle for Hong Kong as they found the going tough against formidable Pakistan attack. Batsmen walked back to Pavilion one after another and it was easy for Pakistan.
After pacers did their job well, Pakistan spinners in Afridi and Fawad Alam and even skipper Shoaib Malik carried forward the good work. They kept a tight line, giving no chance to opponents free their arms.
Earlier, Fawad Alam (63 not out) and Tanvir (59) shared a crucial eight-wicket 100-run stand to propel Pakistan to 288 for nine.
Pakistan, electing to bat, were struggling at 161 for seven against minnows before the spin-pace combo of Alam and Tanvir joined hands to lift the hosts from what appeared to be an embarrassing situation.
Their top-order failed to build on to good starts and surprisingly struggled to negotiate a nascent attack, which did exceptionally well to put their fancied opponents under pressure.
Nadeem Ahmed ripped apart the Pakistan middle order to return brilliant figures of four for 51 after Afzal Ahmed and Irfan Ahmed removed openers.
Paceman Irfan (2/59) chipped in with two wickets.
Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik (35) opened the batting with Salman Butt (0).
Malik sizzled for a while, hitting seven boundaries in his short stay, before becoming the victim of Irfan.
The hosts batsmen did not build up partnerships and only Younis Khan, who struck a superb 67 showed will to stay at the crease.
Younis played crucial knock, adorned with eight fours and one six, up the order to save his team from blushes.
After big hitter Shahid Afridi (4) and Misbah-ul Haq (2) failed to wield the magic of their batting prowess, Alam and Tanvir ensured they put enough runs on the board for themselves.
While Alam played patiently, building his innings ball after ball, Tanvir's knock was mixture of aggression and calm.
Alam consumed 77 balls for his unbeaten 63 and helped himself with three boundaries.
Tanvir contributed a useful 59, aided by six boundaries, to give his team relief.
We have learnt from our mistakes: Dhoni
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Sunday sounded a warning to his rivals saying his team has learnt from past mistakes and are ready to conquer the Asia Cup tournament, starting in Pakistan later this week.
"If we play to our potential and our capabilities on an average day we will win more matches than we will lose. I agree with Murali's comments," Dhoni said in Mumbai on Sunday before the team's departure to Karachi.
Muttiah Muralitharan had recently tipped India as the favourites at the Asia Cup.
India coach Gary Kirsten echoed Dhoni's views and said the Asia Cup was one of their immediate goals.
"We have set ourselves some goals for the next few months. We have set some very high standards and the Asia Cup is very much a part of that. Our goal is to win the tournament," Kirsten said.
Dhoni revealed that he would battting a higher in the order to pep lend experience to the middle order, which crumbed during the final of the tri-series against Pakistan in Bangladesh.
"I will stick it to an over mark, but definitely you will see me batting up in the Asia Cup," he said.
The dashing wicketkeeper also refused to dwell too much on India's recent record in Pakistan, saying "past doesn't matter."
"We have played well in Pakistan if you see the past 3-4 tours but that is the past and what you have done in the past does not matter. You have start fresh from the scratch because conditions are different, scenarios are different, so you have to start fresh."
He said that the team is looking to boost the confidence of new comers like Yusuf Pathan by giving them proper exposure. Dhoni rebuffed criticism that Yusuf's was under bowled during the tri-series in Bangladesh, saying that the bowlers were used according to the conditions.
"You use bowlers, whom you think will be more appropriate for the conditions.
"Virender Sehwag was purchasing more turn compared to any other bowler in that sort of wicket.
"It all depends on the strength of different bowlers and the same time you want to give them exposure in a proper way and give them confidence.
"Even if Yusuf bowled just four overs in the tournament we all know he has bowled well in domestic cricket and done well. Definitely we will give him more opportunities and we have confidence not only in his bowling, but his batting as well. So we will back him."
Dhoni said the loss in the final of the tri-series against Pakistan will not affect the team when they face the arch-rivals during the Asia Cup.
"Well it has nothing do to with one game. If you look at the final we had a brilliant game against Pakistan in the league stage. So a win or a loss goes on in cricket and as I said if we play to our potential we will win. It is not about which side you are playing [against] and what has happened in the past.
"If you playing to your potential and performing to your best, then you have more chances to win the game and that is what we will look to do," said the India captain.
Dhoni added that the team is working on utilising the middle overs to the maximum.
"The middle overs are important especially in the 50-overs game. There comes a span in the middle overs when you not only have to ensure that you do not lose wickets but also score at around 5 or 5.50 per over.
"If you have wickets in hand, then after the 38th or 40th over you can around around 70 to 80 runs or nowadays if you have seen you can see 100 runs being scores in the last 10 overs. The middle overs periods are extremely important."
"If we play to our potential and our capabilities on an average day we will win more matches than we will lose. I agree with Murali's comments," Dhoni said in Mumbai on Sunday before the team's departure to Karachi.
Muttiah Muralitharan had recently tipped India as the favourites at the Asia Cup.
India coach Gary Kirsten echoed Dhoni's views and said the Asia Cup was one of their immediate goals.
"We have set ourselves some goals for the next few months. We have set some very high standards and the Asia Cup is very much a part of that. Our goal is to win the tournament," Kirsten said.
Dhoni revealed that he would battting a higher in the order to pep lend experience to the middle order, which crumbed during the final of the tri-series against Pakistan in Bangladesh.
"I will stick it to an over mark, but definitely you will see me batting up in the Asia Cup," he said.
The dashing wicketkeeper also refused to dwell too much on India's recent record in Pakistan, saying "past doesn't matter."
"We have played well in Pakistan if you see the past 3-4 tours but that is the past and what you have done in the past does not matter. You have start fresh from the scratch because conditions are different, scenarios are different, so you have to start fresh."
He said that the team is looking to boost the confidence of new comers like Yusuf Pathan by giving them proper exposure. Dhoni rebuffed criticism that Yusuf's was under bowled during the tri-series in Bangladesh, saying that the bowlers were used according to the conditions.
"You use bowlers, whom you think will be more appropriate for the conditions.
"Virender Sehwag was purchasing more turn compared to any other bowler in that sort of wicket.
"It all depends on the strength of different bowlers and the same time you want to give them exposure in a proper way and give them confidence.
"Even if Yusuf bowled just four overs in the tournament we all know he has bowled well in domestic cricket and done well. Definitely we will give him more opportunities and we have confidence not only in his bowling, but his batting as well. So we will back him."
Dhoni said the loss in the final of the tri-series against Pakistan will not affect the team when they face the arch-rivals during the Asia Cup.
"Well it has nothing do to with one game. If you look at the final we had a brilliant game against Pakistan in the league stage. So a win or a loss goes on in cricket and as I said if we play to our potential we will win. It is not about which side you are playing [against] and what has happened in the past.
"If you playing to your potential and performing to your best, then you have more chances to win the game and that is what we will look to do," said the India captain.
Dhoni added that the team is working on utilising the middle overs to the maximum.
"The middle overs are important especially in the 50-overs game. There comes a span in the middle overs when you not only have to ensure that you do not lose wickets but also score at around 5 or 5.50 per over.
"If you have wickets in hand, then after the 38th or 40th over you can around around 70 to 80 runs or nowadays if you have seen you can see 100 runs being scores in the last 10 overs. The middle overs periods are extremely important."
ICC introduces women's T20 World Cup
The International Cricket Council on Tuesday introduced the women’s edition of the Twenty20 World Cup alongside its men’s version. It will be held in England [Images] next year.
Eight nations, including India, will participate in it. The other contenders are Australia, England, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies, who all will also compete in next year’s ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in Australia, an ICC statement said.
The men’s tournament, which will be staged at three venues — Lord’s, The Oval and Trent Bridge, will include a fourth venue, Taunton, for women.
Both the semi-finals, at Trent Bridge on June 18 and The Oval on June 19, and also the final at Lord’s on June 21 will be double-headers with women’s and men’s matches.
Meanwhile, the ICC and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said tickets for the ICC World Twenty20 will go on sale from June 30 and the format will allow spectators to view two games for the price of one ticket.
ICC president-elect David Morgan said the event will be a “people’s game, family and fan-focussed”.
Eight nations, including India, will participate in it. The other contenders are Australia, England, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies, who all will also compete in next year’s ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in Australia, an ICC statement said.
The men’s tournament, which will be staged at three venues — Lord’s, The Oval and Trent Bridge, will include a fourth venue, Taunton, for women.
Both the semi-finals, at Trent Bridge on June 18 and The Oval on June 19, and also the final at Lord’s on June 21 will be double-headers with women’s and men’s matches.
Meanwhile, the ICC and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said tickets for the ICC World Twenty20 will go on sale from June 30 and the format will allow spectators to view two games for the price of one ticket.
ICC president-elect David Morgan said the event will be a “people’s game, family and fan-focussed”.
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