S Africa colts lift U-19 World Cup
Dubai: South Africa lifted the ICC U-19 World Cup defeating Pakistan by six wickets in a low-scoring final encounter here on Saturday. Batting first, Pakistan were bowled out for a paltry 131 in 44.3 overs with right arm medium pacer Corbin Bosch grabbing 4-15 in 7.3 overs. In reply, South Africa chased down the target in 42.1 overs with Aiden Markram (66) and Greg Oldfield (40) being the chief contributors. While chasing a low score was not a big ask but Proteas took a lot of time but achieved the target. Markram-Oldfield added 71 runs for the fourth wicket to ensure a smooth sailing for the champion team. (PTI)
No talented domestic offies: Bhajji
New Delhi: Senior off-spinner and Punjab captain Harbhajan Singh lamented a serious dearth of quality tweakers on the domestic circuit. “Well, I played a lot of domestic matches this season but frankly speaking I haven’t seen any great talent emerging. There are not too many young bowlers who are ready to give it a tweak and could spin the ball on any surface,” Harbhajan told reporters at the end of the Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Delhi here on Saturday. Harbhajan is fine with spinners using variations but he would like every bowler to have a stock delivery. “Whether you hold the ball cross-seam or seam-up, you have to bowl off-spinners. That’s your job. Each bowler needs to possess a stock delivery. Kapil Dev in earlier days or Dale Steyn now have an outswinger which is their stock ball. Similarly for an off-spinner, it’s their off-break,” Harbhajan said. (PTI)
Rashid launches Asian Tour career with win
New Delhi: Rashid Khan launched his Asian Tour career with a thrilling victory in the season-opening SAIL-SBI Open as he edged out Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman in the play-off at the Delhi golf Club here on Saturday. Both players finished the regulation 72 holes 18-under par 270, six strokes ahead of Sweden’s Rikard Karlberg. Carlos Pigem of Spain, Swiss Martin Rominger and India’s SSP Chowrasia finished tied fourth. “This is a special win for me because it came at my home course. I had lost last year. So it was really important,” said Rashid. “The way I played on the first day, I was confident but Siddikur played very well last two days and at the end the title came in a play-off. I am happy.”