Bowlers win it for India

Calcutta: India produced an impressive bowling display to beat former champions New Zealand by 27 runs in the last round of warm-up matches before the ICC Women’s World Cup 2009 in Old Kings, on Wednesday, according to information forwarded by the International Cricket Council.

Opener Anjum Chopra once again excelled with the bat when she scored a gutsy unbeaten 73 to help reach India 168 for six in 50 overs before the bowlers turned the screws around New Zealand batters to eventually bowl them out for 141 in 44 overs.

SUMMARISED SCORES

India 168/6 (A. Chopra 73 n.o.). New Zealand 141. India won by 27 runs. n SA 235/6 (S. Benade 62; S. Mir 3/35). Pakistan 160. SA won by 75 runs. n England 210/6 (C. Taylor 68). WI 94. England won by 116 runs. n Australia 284/7. SL 54. Australia won by 230 runs.

Fleming’s view

Wellington: Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming blamed Indian Twenty20 leagues for playing a big role in denting the country's cricket team but felt a proper use of available resources could help them make a mark in international cricket.

“The Twenty20 leagues in India have played a big part. We lost players that possibly should still be playing. But it still highlighted the fact we need to be aware of how we use our resource and how we introduce resource,” Fleming said.

Magoffin in

Calcutta: Western Australian fast bowler Steve Magoffin will join the Australian squad in Durban as a precautionary measure with Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle suffering niggling injuries following the first Test in Johannesburg.

“With Ben and Peter suffering some soreness following the first Test, and with such a short turnaround between the first and second Test, the National Selection Panel (NSP) has taken the precaution of adding another bowler to the squad,” NSP chairman Andrew Hilditch was quoted as saying by a Cricket Australia (CA) release.

WC tickets

Johannesburg: The Fifa has said there have been 506,000 online applications for tickets from 140 countries to the 2010 World Cup since they went on sale Febuary 20.
The total doesn’t include hard paper applications made by South African residents.

Bellamy out

London: Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy will be out for up to three weeks after the Premier League club said the Wales international requires further scans after injuring his knee in Sunday’s loss to West Ham United.

Saina loses

New Delhi: Saina Nehwal went down 15-21, 16-21 to arch-rival Hongyan Pi of France in the first round of the Yonex All-England Super Series on Wednesday. Saina was outdone by her rivals’ smashes in the 34-minute gruelling battle. She had 18 net winners against Pi's 17 but could fetch only seven smash points against Pi’s 12.

Staff reporter & Agencies