Andhra thrash Tripura by 10 wickets
Agartala: Duvvarapu Shivkumar’s four-wicket haul helped Andhra bowl out Tripura for 86 in their second innings and set up a 10-wicket win to post their first victory of the season on the third day of their Group C Ranji Trophy match here on Tuesday. Andhra also earned a bonus point for their efforts. Medium-pacer Shivkumar took four wickets to run through Tripura, who had a 16-run first-innings lead. Resuming on 20 for three, Tripura could add just 66 runs to their second innings total, leaving Andhra a fourth-innings chase of a mere 103. Andhra took 21.2 overs to achieve the target with the openers remaining unbeaten. Srikar Bharat hit eight fours and two sixes in an unbeaten 70-ball 64, while Prasanth Kumar provided him good support, staying not out on a 58-ball 39. Brief scores: Tripura: 179 & 86 (Duvvarapu Shivkumar 4/24) Andhra: 163 & 104 for no loss (Srikar Bharat not out 64, Prasanth Kumar not out 39). (PTI)
Yuki, Jeevan get Chennai Open wild cards
Chennai: India’s top singles players Yuki Bhambri and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan were awarded wild card entries on Tuesday to compete in the Chennai Open, which begins on Monday here. India’s highest-ranked player Somdev Devvarman (90) had made it to the main draw after Estonia’s Jurgen Zopp pulled out with a back injury. More Indian players have been given wild cards to compete in the doubles event. The team of Sriram Balaji and Ramkumar Ramanathan along with the pair of Saketh Myneni and Russia’s Karen Khachanov have been awarded doubles wild cards. Great Britain’s Kyle Edmund, a World No. 377 has also been awarded a singles wild card. Yuki had won Traralgon Challenger event this season and will make his Grand Slam debut next year at the Australian Open men’s doubles event, having won a wild card with New Zealand’s Michael Venus at the play-off tournament in Shenzhen, China. Left-handed Jeevan had had a good 2013 season, with 50 singles matches victories on the ITF circuit. (PTI)
Ashwini and I are the best: Jwala Gutta
New Delhi: Top Indian shuttler Jwala Gutta, who won the women’s doubles title on Monday at the 78th Senior National Badminton Championships, said that she and her partner Ashwini Ponnappa “are the best”. The 2011 World Championship bronze medallist has had a tough year fighting a court case against the Badminton Association of India (BAI) for recommending a life ban on her for leading her side Krrish Delhi Smashers to almost forfeit a match during the Indian Badminton League. “I am extremely delighted. We are the best and there is no doubt about it now and we remain the best for quite some time now. I still need to get fitter and hope we continue to fight like this in every match. I enjoyed my match today,” said Jwala, who won her 10th national women’s doubles crown. Jwala’s entry was withdrawn by the BAI from a couple of tournaments due to the above mentioned case. Now with the title, she hopes to be back in the Indian team. “I don’t have to prove anything. I have my credentials behind me. The day me and Ashwini play in India at the national level, it is really difficult for others to compete against us. We are internationally more exposed and experienced and I am happy we played here,” added the Commonwealth Games gold medallist. “This is the last tournament of the year and to end it with a high note feels great. All eyes were on me and I am glad I lived up to it,” added the 30-year-old. (IANS)
Deepika creates national record
Jamshedpur: Top ranked woman recurve archer Deepika Kumari of Jharkhand created another national record on Tuesday when she shot 346 points in the women’s 50m round in the 34th Senior National Archery Championship at JRD Tata Sports Complex here. World Cup silver medallist, Deepika shattered the previous best by Olympian L Bombalya Devi (RSPB), who had set up 333 points out of maximum 360, at the 32nd Sahara Senior National Recurve and Compound Championship here in January 2012. Former Olympian and team mate of Deepika at Tata Archery Academy, V Praneetha (Gujarat) finished second in the event with 332 points, while Reena Kumari (Jharkhand) scored 322 to clinch bronze. (PTI)