England’s character to get face-saving Test win:Root
England was again denied a win in their troubled Ashes series here on Saturday, but skipper Joe Root says it is all eyes on a face-saving win in the final Test in Sydney.
The tourists were in the box seat for much of the Boxing Day Test, bowling out Australia for a below-par 327 on an unresponsive MCG pitch and then taking a 164-run innings lead on the back of Alastair Cook's herculean unbeaten 244. It was only the mastery of Steve Smith who kept England at bay, batting out the entire last day with an unbeaten 102 for a draw to leave the tourists still without a win in four Tests.
The hosts have already clinched the Ashes with an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series ahead of the fifth Test in Sydney next week. Root won't countenance anything but victory in Sydney to finish the Test series, bedevilled by off-field troubles. "Disappointed that we couldn't quite crack it open but we tried absolutely everything and the efforts and workrates from all the guys was there all day," Root said. "I am very proud about the way we went about it. Off three very difficult games and to put in a performance like that is really pleasing and that's what we're about as a side. "That's a fair reflection of what we are capable of as a team and on a very unresponsive wicket to perform how we did with the ball on the first and second day was outstanding. "Cookie to go on and make a massive double-hundred like he did was exactly what you're after following a strong two days with the ball."
Coming after the crushing disappointment of relinquishing the Ashes in a dispiriting innings defeat in the third Perth Test, Root said his team had showed its character in Melbourne. "In terms of our squad the character is never something that I question and the way that we apply ourselves and the attitude that we take is always there," he said.
"They had a lot of disappointment coming away from Perth and you could see the way they went about training that they were desperate to prove a lot of people wrong and make sure we get something good out of this tour. "That's the response you want to see from your players," he added. "We are a better team than what we've played on this trip and that is a benchmark for our side moving forward and try to make sure that we go one better in Sydney and get that win that we want." NEW DELHI: Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore on Saturday visited the Dr Karni Singh Range here and interacted with the shooters undergoing training to take feedbacks from them. Rathore, himself an Olympic silver medallist marksman, posted pictures of the visit and in one of them, he was seen sitting on a mat on the floor while talking to a shooter. "Taking feedback from shooters themselves about the facility. As its regular users, they know best the improvements needed in equipment and infra," Rathore wrote on his official Twitter handle. On Friday, he interacted with young archers practicing at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here. "Enquired after their training. A motivated, energetic bunch of youngsters. India has lots of hope from them, and many more like them," Rathore, who won a silver in the double trap event, had tweeted.
Rathore visits Karni Singh Shooting Range
BERLIN: Former Formula One counterparts Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa and team-mate Jenson Button have paid tribute to legend Michael Schumacher on the fourth anniversary of his horrific accident. The seven-time World Champion who met with an accident on December 29, 2013, while skiing in the French Alps has been in coma ever since. The Ferrari racer was moved home in September 2014 after being initially treated in Lausanne at Switzerland. McLaren driver Alonso on Friday posted a video on Twitter and wrote: "Missing Michael" while his team-mate Jenson Button retweeted the Spaniard's post with "Special times buddy #KeepFightingMichael" comment. "Michael was my teacher, he was very nice, very kind to me. He gave a big opportunity to me," former F1 driver Felipe Massa, who had spent years as Schumacher's Ferrari team-mate before moving to Williams-Mercedes, told Formula1.com. PUNE: The Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) has adopted the recommendations of the Justice R M Lodha committee at its Special General Body Meeting held here. MCA President Abhay Apte told PTI, "The MCA has unanimously agreed to implement the Lodha Committee reforms and any further orders that the (Supreme) court may pass in this regard". "Members were completely unanimous on this issue and I am very happy that members have considered association above their personal interest," added Apte. Earlier this month, the Managing Committee of MCA had agreed to adopt these recommendations. It is learnt that former BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke, who was sacked by the Supreme Court, also attended this meeting. A senior MCA official said Shirke is a member and thus can come for the meeting in that capacity and was accordingly there. The Supreme Court had asked state cricket
MCA ‘adopts’ Lodha panel reforms