SL 60-3 against WI as rain pushes ODI to reserve day
Port of Spain: Rain played spoilsport as the crucial ODI match between Sri Lanka and West Indies in the tri-nation series was pushed to the reserve day on Monday, at the Queen’s park oval here today. Riding on fast bowler Kemar Roach’s two quick wickets, West Indies had reduced Sri Lanka to 60 for three in 19 overs when heavens opened up and interrupted the play. With rain refusing to abate, the play was called off for the day and it will now resume on the reserve day tomorrow with Sri Lanka at 60 for three in 19 overs. Earlier, after winning the toss, West Indies stand-in skipper Kieron Pollard elected to bowl first and his bowlers didn’t disappoint as they put Sri Lankan openers Mahela Jayawardene (7) and Upul Tharanga (7) under pressure right from the start. Both Roach (2/19) and Jason Holder (1/20) extracted good bounce from the pitch at the Queen’s park oval to make life difficult for the batsmen. (PTI)
Afridi, Akmal may face action for flaying selection decisions
Karachi: Just-recalled Pakistan allrounder Shahid Afridi and batsman Umar Akmal along with former skipper Shoaib Malik, who was dropped from the national side for the West Indies tour, could be reprimanded by PCB for criticising the selection decisions in media. Afridi, Akmal and Malik criticised PCB on selection decisions and a board source said that the statements of all three players was being examined to see if they had violated the clauses in the players’ code of conduct. “No player is supposed to criticize the selectors, management or board officials and we are presently reviewing their statements to see if they have broken the code of conduct,” the source said. Malik, who was axed from the West Indian tour after showing indifferent form in the Champions Trophy, told reporters that he didn’t deserved to be dropped from the national side. “I don’t think it is fair that you drop a player after just one or two series. A player must be given a full and proper run to prove himself. Anyone can have a bad time in a series or two,” Malik said here. “I don’t think I deserved to be dropped because I had performed reasonably well in South Africa and had three bad matches in the Champions Trophy,” he said. Malik feels his form has been affected ever since he was asked to bat lower down the order and said now he has decided to bat in the top four whether he plays for Pakistan or domestic cricket. “I prefer to bat in the top four and that is what I am going to do from now on,” Malik said. (PTI)
Graeme McDowell wins French Open by 4 shots
VERSAILLES (France): Graeme McDowell produced a final round four-under-par 67 to lead home the field by four strokes and become the first Northern Irishman to win the French Open on a thrilling final day at Le Golf National on Sunday. The 2010 US Open winner finished the tournament with a nine-under-par total of 275 as an initially tense final round eventually became a one man show with McDowell cantering home to pick up a winner’s cheque of 500,000 euros. His closest rival, Richard Sterne of South Africa, held the lead after nine holes before collapsing down the stretch and finishing with three bogeys in six holes while McDowell’s rock solid game of just four bogeys throughout the tournament was the cornerstone of his second win of the year. Sterne settled for second on five-under-par 279. Englishman Graeme Storm and Spaniard Eduardo De La Riva were paired together for the final round and both men fired two-under-par 69s to claim a share of third spot on four under. “I’ve always felt that this golf course is one I can get around well. And coming into this week has been a bit strange for me, too many missed cuts and a little bit inconsistent,” said McDowell. (Agencies)