India submits bid to host FIFA U-17 WC
New Delhi: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has submitted its bid to host the prestigious 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup. “We are happy that we could submit all the necessary bid documents before the deadline,” AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das said. I-League CEO Sunando Dhar submitted the bid documents to FIFA’s Director of Competitions Division Mustapha Fahmy at the FIFA Headquarters in Zurich on Tuesday. “I was at Zurich to submit our bid documents for hosting the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017. The bid will be taken up in the FIFA Executive Committee meeting on December 3,” Dhar said. Other nations competing for the bid include Uzbekistan, Ireland and 2010 World Cup host South Africa. The bidding countries are required to submit written guarantees on tax exemptions for broadcasters and sponsors, foreign exchange remittances, security, transport and accommodation of players and visas, among others. (PTI)
Assam, Andhra share honours on Day 1
Anantpur (ANDHRA): Srikar Bharat (70) and Bodapati Sumanth (56 batting) scored half-centuries as Andhra Pradesh reached 233 for five against Assam on day one of their Ranji Trophy Group C match, here on Thursday. Sumanth was batting along with Duvvarapu Shivkumar (21) when stumps were drawn for the day. Several Andhra batsman, such as skipper Amol Muzumdar (23), AG Pradeep, and Murumulla Sriram (20) got good starts but could nor convert those into big scores. Arup Das (2/66) and Pritam Das (2/71) shared four wickets between them for Assam. (PTI)
Kerala reduce Tripura to 136 for nine
Kannur (KERALA): A terrific bowling performance gave Kerala the upper hand as they reduced Tripura to 136 for nine at the end of the opening day’s play of their Group C Ranji Trophy match here on Thursday. Medium-pacer Sandeep Warrier (3/27) was the pick of the bowlers with a three-wicket haul, while KR Sreejith (2/16), V Manoharan (2/27) and Prashant Parameswaran (2/40) claimed two wickets each. Opting to bat, Tripura slumped to 57 for five before a 51-run stand between Yogesh Takawale (45) and MB Murasingh (24) for the sixth wicket helped the visitors cross the 100-run mark. The only other batsmen to reach double figures were opener Rajib Saha (25) and Samrat Singha (17). At stumps, Viki Saha was yet to open his account, while Abhijit Chakraborty was unbeaten on five. (PTI)
Good start for Bhullar in Australia
Melbourne: Gaganjeet Bhullar tuned himself up nicely for next week’s World Cup with an opening round two-under 69 that positioned him in tied 12th place at the Talisker Masters on the first day at Royal Melbourne Golf Club. Bhullar’s team mate at the World Cup, Anirban Lahiri, shot two-over 73 to be tied 55th. Starting from 10th, Bhullar had a bogey on 12th but a birdie on 15th and a dropped shot on 16th meant he turned in one-over. A bogey on first pushed him to two-over but on the very next hole, the par-5 second, the Indian landed an eagle to get back to even par. Thereafter he birdied fourth and ninth to finish at 69. Lahiri had two birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey on 15th. Nick Cullen took the first round as he fired an opening round of six-under 65, which was highlighted by his hole out eagle on the par-4 11th on the composite course. Cullen achieved the eagle from 59 metres with a 60 degree wedge. (PTI)
Gangjee tied 21st in Manila
Manila: The Indian trio of Rahil Gangjee, Abhinav Lohan and Himmat Rai carded identical four-under 68s to be tied 21st after the opening round of the inaugural Manila Masters here on Thursday. They were four shots behind Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand who got off to a sizzling eight-under 64. Ajeetesh Sandhu and Digvijay Singh carded two-under 70 to be tied 50th, while SSP Chowrasia shot a one-under 71 to be 61st. (PTI)