Prannoy stuns Kashyap in Germany
Mulheim an der Ruhr (Germany): Young HS Prannoy pulled off one of the biggest upsets of his career on Wednesday as he overwhelmed his much higher-ranked Indian compatriot Parupalli Kashyap at the German Open Grand Prix Gold here. Before that, other Indian shuttlers in the fray, Anand Pawar and Arvind Bhat, entered the third round of the men’s singles after registering contrasting victories. Prannoy won the men’s singles second round 21-19, 21-18 in 47 minutes at the RWE-Sporthalle. For the 21-year-old Prannoy, this was his first win over ninth seed and India’s top male shuttler Kashyap in two meetings. While it was an easy outing for World No. 34 Pawar, who outplayed Slovenian Iztok Utrosa 21-16, 21-12 in just 28 minutes, former national champion Bhat, ranked 82nd, overcame a stiff challenge to stun World No. 10 Yun Hu 21-17, 16-21, 21-11 in a contest that lasted 59 minutes. Later in the day, PC Thulasi and Arundhati Pantawane will play their women’s singles first round matches. (PTI)
South Africa set up U-19 final against Pak
Dubai: Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada wreaked havoc with a six-wicket haul as South Africa trounced Australia by 80 runs to storm into the final of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, here on Wednesday. Rabada returned figures of 8.2-0-25-6 as Australia, chasing 231 for victory, lost their last seven wickets for 54 runs to be bowled out for 150 in 42.2 overs. South Africa will now clash with Pakistan on Saturday in the title clash. Rabada dismissed the top three batsmen to leave Australia reeling at 33 for three, and then returned to rip the heart out of the Australia middle and lower middle-order with some very fast, aggressive and accurate bowling. The only Australia batsman to bat with some confidence was Jake Doran, who scored 36, while captain Alex Gregory contributed 31. (PTI)
Proteas dismiss ball-tampering claim
Cape Town: South Africa dismissed an Australian claim that they might have tampered the ball during a 231-run second-Test victory last weekend. Proteas manager Mohammed Moosajee told reporters on Wednesday that the allegations were “disappointing” and “discouraging” and “took some gloss off the victory”. Controversial Australia batsman David Warner named South Africa wicketkeeper AB de Villiers as a possible suspect during a radio interview. “We were questioning whether or not AB de Villiers would get the ball in his hand and, with his glove, wipe the rough side every ball,” he said. Warner, who punched England batsman Joe Root in a nightclub last year, added that they would bring the issue to the attention of the third-Test umpires. De Villiers dismissed the claim ahead of the series-deciding Newlands Test that starts Saturday: “We are not a team that scratches the ball – we do not cheat.” Moosajee added: “Warner is trying to distract our attention ahead of the decisive third Test. We will not pursue the matter – let the ICC study his remarks.” After a 281-run first Test hiding at Centurion, South Africa exacted revenge in Port Elizabeth last weekend thanks to a fouth-day Dale Steyn reverse-swing masterclass. (AFP)
Rashid fires career-best score in Delhi
New Delhi: Indian golfer Rashid Khan fired a career-best 11-under 61 in the opening round of the SAIL-SBI Open to lead the field by a huge five-stroke margin after the first day at the prestigious Delhi Golf Club here on Wednesday. The 23-year-old, playing on his home course, went on a birdie spree as he picked up nine of them and one eagle in a flawless card, to launch his full Asian Tour season in style. Rashid produced incredible golf to set the second best score at the DGC, where Liang Wen-Chong of China had set the 18-hole Tour record with a stunning 12-under 60 in the opening round of the 2008 Indian Open. He had won the title with a total of 16-under 272. Sri Lanka’s Mithun Perera, who won the Standard Charter Open and PGTI Eagleburg Open in the last two weeks, produced a six-under 66, same as Japan’s Akinori Tani, to stay five strokes behind, while Australian Scott Barr and Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman was at the fourth spot with a card of five-under 67. (PTI)