Duminy lifts South Africa in first Test
Galle: Jean-Paul Duminy hit a superb unbeaten century to put South Africa in a position of strength on the second day of the first Test against Sri Lanka on Thursday. The left-hander came in to bat with South Africa placed at a shaky 331/7 but he batted sensibly under pressure to help his side declare their first innings at 455/9. In reply, Sri Lanka were 30/0 when stumps were drawn for the day with Kaushal Silva batting on eight and Upul Tharanga on 20. Tharanga, playing his first Test in six years, showed little signs of nervousness, hitting four boundaries in his 40-ball innings so far. The Sri Lankan bowlers were made to toil in hot and humid conditions by the gritty rival batsmen who dug in to ensure their team did not lose the advantage of winning the toss and batting first on a placid track at the Galle International Stadium. It was Duminy (100 not out) who stole the show with a superb rearguard action after opener Dean Elgar had laid the foundation for a good total with a 103-run knock on day one. Duminy, 30, frustrated the bowlers to take South Africa past the 400-run mark. His 206-ball effort contained 10 hits to the boundary including an exquisite cover drive off skipper Angelo Mathews. (AFP)
Romario demands Brazil clearout
Rio De Janeiro: Brazilian footballing legend-turned-politician Romario stepped up criticism of Brazil’s Football Confederation (CBF) on Wednesday, demanding a clear out at the top. During a World Cup which saw the five-time champions crushed in the semi-finals by eventual champion Germany, 1994 champion Romario said the game’s rulers were corrupt. Now a lawmaker, he repeated his distaste for then in a speech to fellow lawmakers. “Marco Polo del Nero is to lead the CBF for the next four years. Do you think this man is capable of overseeing change? I am sure he isn’t,” said Romario. Del Nero will take over next year from Jose Maria Marin, but Romario thinks he is more of the same at the age of 73 – even if he is a decade younger than the incumbent. “This obscure and clandestine election needs to be annulled,” said Romario of last year’s naming of De Nero as the new man in charge. Brazilian football doesn’t deserve to be run by a gang which already showed itself incompetent … which rakes in money and does with it as it sees fit but not for the good of our football.” And he warned without a CBF overhaul Brazil risked “a worse humiliation than the massacre at the Mineirao,” the Belo Horizonte stadium where Brazil fell to the Germans. (AFP)
McIlroy takes Open by storm
Hoylake (UK): Rory McIlroy shot his second best British Open score at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on Thursday to take the clubhouse lead in a low-scoring first round. The 25-year-old, two-time major winner’s six under 66, was bettered only by his course record 63 in the first round at St Andrews four years ago. On that occasion he came back the next day and slumped to a horrendous 80 that all but wrecked his title hopes. Halfway through a gripping first round which saw the 156-strong field greeted by perfect playing conditions, McIlroy had his feet up in the clubhouse with a one stroke lead over rising star Matteo Manassero, who had seven birdies en route to a 67, the 21-year-old Italian’s best Open score in four appearances. Two more Italians – the Molinari brothers Edoardo and Francesco – were a further stroke back at four under, level with Americans Jim Furyk and Brooks Koepka and Sergio Garcia of Spain. On three under 69 early on were Robert Karlsson of Sweden, Marc Leishman of Australia, Japan’s Koumei Oda and Rickie Fowler of the United States. They were then joined on that mark by Tiger Woods, playing in just his second tournament since undergoing back surgery in late March. (Reuters)