Most shocking wardrobe malfunctions in sports

 

New Delhi: Remember Jenifer Benitez, the Spanish diver who revealed more than what she intended at London Olympics? Sports is replete with instances where inadvertent incidents have spelled shame for athletes, and we are not referring to rank poor performances here. 

 

Wardrobe malfunction has, for long, been a term used liberally with slip-ups on the ramp. However, thanks to the now frequent trend of athletes losing their crucial clothing when cameras have been zooming on them, it has made a steady entry in sporting lexicon as well. 

 

We show you some of the most infamous wardrobe malfunctions across the sporting spectrum:

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MAJOR EMBARRASSMENT: Army brigadier sodomises sahayak; faces sacking

New Delhi: In a major embarrassment to the Army, a brigadier deployed along the Line of Control in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir is facing the prospect of disciplinary for allegedly sodomising his assistant (sahayak). 

Sahayaks, who were earlier known as Batmans, are regular combat soldiers who are provided to officers for helping them out in doing official tasks. But there are demands to scrap the system as they are allegedly misused for doing domestic chores.

The brigadier was commanding troops in the Poonch sector along the LoC and was in charge of the sensitive area where Pakistani ceasefire violations are frequent.

After receiving complaints about his behaviour, the brigadier has been attached to the an Infantry Division for a Court of Inquiry, sources here said. He has been forced to proceed on leave, they said.

Army Headquarters said such an incident has come to light and investigations are going on in this matter.

Officials said similar cases had taken place earlier also and officers have been sacked as such conduct is not acceptable in the armed forces.

If justice denied, will hang ourselves from same tree says Badaun victim’s father

Badaun: In the latest development in the Badaun rape case, the father of one of the two teenaged cousins, who were hanged from the tree, accused police of destroying vital evidences and threatened that he and the other family members would hang themselves from the same tree if they were denied justice in the case.

 

“If justice is not served, we will hang ourselves from the same mango tree, where our two daughters were found hanging,” said father of a girl on Saturday.

In a new twist in the Badaun killings case in Uttar Pradesh, the CBI, which is probing the matter, said the DNA report from the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) in Hyderabad confirmed contradictions in the theory of rape.

The father of one of the victims said, “Police had already destroyed vital evidence. Even CBI is probing on the lines of investigation done by the Uttar Pradesh police.”

“Police provided clothes of the girls to CBI, which were sent for DNA testing. The role of police is suspicious since the beginning,” he alleged.

It may be recalled that both the cousin sisters- aged 14 and 15- were found hanging from a mango tree in Badaun in the last week of May. The incident sparked outrage in the entire country. Globally too, it gained attention. The state government run by Samajwadi Party was criticised heavily for failing to control the deteriorating law and order problem in the state.

Efforts to end 'systemic and symptomatic' corruption : Harsh Vardhan

New Delhi: Under attack for removing whistleblower IFS officer Sanjeev Chaturvedi as AIIMS Chief Vigilance Officer, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday said various forms of corruption exist in central hospitals and efforts are on to end the “systemic and symptomatic” corruption.

 

Defending Chaturvedi’s removal, Vardhan said his designation as the CVO was opposed by the Central Vigilance Commission in 2012 and 2013.
And by removing him “I therefore did my bit to restore the image of the CVC,” he said in a statement here.

 

The Minister said he was aware as a doctor that corruption exist in hospitals, from allocation of beds to kickbacks from suppliers.

“In my first 90 days in office, hardly a day has passed without inquiring into the transparency of the ministry and its outposts. Very soon the results are going to be in the public domain,” he said.

 

The statement further said that Vardhan has placed all systems in the central hospitals, including AIIMS, “under critical review to end systemic and symptomatic corruption”.

 

“If money is made in the allocation of beds or as kickbacks from suppliers, it is sleaze,” he said, adding that what is equally corrupt is the silent practise of reserving beds and facilities for employees or VIPs.

 

Vardhan, while regretting that a political slant was given to the “re-profiling” of Chaturvedi’s job, said, “he has neither been suspended, nor transferred”.

 

The Health Minister claimed that Chaturvedi’s appointment as the CVO, by disregarding the CVC’s directives, was “part of a design to weaken the institution”.

 

The previous UPA government and AIIMS had defended the appointment, saying AIIMS was an autonomous body and the CVC’s nod for it was not necessary.

 

Chaturvedi’s sympathisers, including AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, have alleged he was removed due to “political pressure” and CVC had been communicating with him as AIIMS CVO so long as he was there.

 

[Image: PTI- File photo of Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan ]

Brothers killed while protecting their sister against molesters in Uttar Pradesh

Bareilly:  In Uttar Pradesh two brothers were allegedly killed while protecting their sister against molesters on Saturday morning in Karpiya village of Faridpur. The police have arrested two of them while searching for the third accused. 

 

Narendra Pal and Ravindra were killed with sharp weapons for opposing the molestation of their sister. The bodies have been sent for post mortem. 

 

According to media reports, the accused Somveer and Anil, who also lived in the same village, often teased the girl on her way to school. The panchayat meeting was also called to solve the matter but no decision was taken.  

Rihanna obtains restraining order

Singer Rihanna has obtained a restraining order against a man who was caught eyeing her Hollywood Hills property here last week.

The unidentified man was caught hanging around her house for three hours by her bodyguards, who initially believed he was scaling a fence, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Police were called to the property but the man had already fled the scene before they had arrived.

However, they managed to track him down and arrested him on an unrelated vandalism charge.

He has now been ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from the 26-year-old and her mansion.

Although, police aren't convinced the man even knew the house he was eyeing up belonged to Rihanna.

Meanwhile, another man was a charged with stalking, menacing and harassment and held without bail after writing a string of insulting notes and delivering them to the star's rented New York house last month.

She was also forced to put her estate in Pacific Palisades, California, on the market in May after stalkers kept showing up unannounced.

She secured a three-year restraining order against Steveland Barrow in March 2013, after he broke into the property next door, which he wrongly believed to be her house.

Robert Melanson was also ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from the "Umbrella" hitmaker's house and, or, place of business, after the male trespasser was caught creeping around on her roof in June 2013.

Hurley wants to keep son away from 'The Royals'

Actress Elizabeth Hurley says her new TV show "The Royals" is too racy for her 12-year-old son Damian to watch.

The 49-year-old portrays British monarch Queen Helena in "The Royals" and though she takes her son, who she has with former boyfriend Steve Bing, to the set, she says it is too "sexy" for him to tune in, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

She said: "This is an extreme, sexy adventure into royalty. It's quite out there. For me this is like sex, drugs and rock 'n roll at Windsor Castle...

"I don't want (Damian) to read the scripts and I certainly don't want him to watch it!" she added.

Justin Bieber pays $10,000 bill for pet monkey

Singer Justin Bieber has finally paid over $10,000 to cover the cost of caring for the pet monkey he abandoned in Germany last year.

Bieber landed in trouble with authorities in Germany in March 2013 for illegally bringing his pet primate Mally into the country without the necessary paperwork or vaccinations. And instead of providing the needed documents, he chose to leave the creature behind.

The German Federal Nature Conservation Agency says Bieber finally paid out $10,700 last week, which will cover the monkey's cost of living at a shelter for the past 17 months, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Mally is now living at a zoo in North Germany.

Jessica Alba's 'super' imagination

The "Fantastic Four" star Jessica Alba used to imagine she was "super-human".

As a child, the actress used to spend hours dreaming of having special powers that would take her ahead of her peers, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"When I was little, I always spent time imagining I was super-human," said the 33-year-old.

Later she used to focus on her movie career, but now she doesn't feel under pressure to star in lots of movies.

She is happy with her husband Cash Warren and two daughters - Honor, 6, and Haven, 2. She also has her natural baby product business - The Honest Company.

"Before having a family, my whole identity was wrapped up in my decisions about acting. Now, having kids and a business, I don't feel that pressure," she said.

Britney Spears 'fed up' of father's control

Singer Britney Spears is allegedly "fed up" of her father Jamie Spears controlling her finances.

The 32-year-old's personal and professional affairs have been controlled by Jamie and Andrew Wallett since 2008, but she wants the conservatorship to come to an end, so she is free to marry her boyfriend David Lucado, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"She's so sick of all the bodyguards. And she wants to be out from under her father's thumb. Her relationship with David has never been stronger. She also wants the conservatorship to end, so she can be free to marry him," said a source.

But her friends apparently don't think she's ready to control her own finances at the moment.

"Even though Britney is doing very well, there are no plans to end the conservatorship anytime soon. Her doctors just don't think she is ready to be on her own yet," said the source.

Britney, who has two children Sean Preston, 8, and Jayden James, 7, with her ex-husband Kevin Federline, was placed under permanent conservatorship after she was admitted to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and put on involuntary psychiatric hold in 2008.

Taylor Swift 'horrified' to see John Mayer

Country musicianTaylor Swift was shocked to see her former boyfriend John Mayer at the same restaurant.

The duo split in 2010 following a brief romance and the 24-year-old apparently didn't take the break-up very well as it was believed she referenced the 36-year-old in her track "Dear John" four years ago.

She was reportedly so stunned to see the singer dining at the Chateau Marmont here that she even considered leaving the eatery, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"When Taylor saw John it was as if she saw a ghost. She was horrified and, for a moment, contemplated leaving," said a source.



"Cooler heads prevailed and she acted as if she didn't see him but she totally knew he was there and was uncomfortable," added the source.

The two avoided eye-contact for the whole night and didn't talk.

They then left the hotspot separately.

Rihanna finds Vince Vaughn sexy

Singer Rihanna thinks actor Vince Vaughn is the sexiest man alive.

The 26-year-old, who is rumoured to have reunited with former boyfriend Drake, is attracted to the "Wedding Crashers" actor, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

When asked who she thinks the sexiest man alive is, she said: "Vince Vaughn. He's amazing. Fantastic."

She also feels actress Penelope Cruz or Uma Thurman deserve to be named sexiest women.

When asked who should be named sexiest woman, she said: "Penelope Cruz is the s***. If I could wake up and look like her tomorrow, that would be great.

"Mia Wallace (Uma's 'Pulp Fiction' character) is gangsta. She's epic. I'm going to do that bob again. Those bangs," she added.

Jessica Alba disapproves racy 'Sin City 2' doll

Jessica Alba's character in "Sin City 2: A Dame to Kill For", has inspired a racy doll, courtesy a toy company. The actress finds it "inappropriate" for children.

She played a stripper in the film and now her character Nancy Callahan has inspired a toy company to make an action figure wearing a bustier, holster and chaps, reports mirror.co.uk.

When Alba was asked about her thoughts on the racy figures, she said: "It�'s a little inappropriate for kids. It�'s an action figure for adults. I've had a few action figures for 'Dark Angel', 'Fantastic Four', the first 'Sin City' and now this. I have them in storage, it's weird to have them around the house. It might be a little weird."

Alba is a mother of two herself.

"Sin City 2: A Dame to Kill For" releases in Indian theaters in 3D Sep 5.

Mariah Carey 'heartbroken' by split from husband?

Singer Mariah Carey is said to be "heartbroken" by her split from husband Nick Cannon.

Cannon, the host of "America's Got Talent" has confirmed he and Carey have been living apart "for a few months" and friends blame his heavy work load for the separation, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"She is heartbroken. This has been going on for months. It has a lot to do with Nick's career choices. He does not have to work, but he's been throwing himself into gigs and projects," said a source.

"She has tried and tried to get him to stay home more, but he always uses work as an excuse.

"When she points out that, financially, he does not need to be working as much as he does, it p***** him off and pushes him farther away. He hates when people assume he's living off her money," added the source.

The have four-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe together and if they do make the split permanent, Carey is expected to base herself in New York, while Cannon wants to be here.

The source added: "If and when they split (for good), she intends to stay in NYC with the kids. She will fight for the kids. She is totally focused on them."

Miley Cyrus concert banned in Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic government has banned a concert where US pop star Miley Cyrus was scheduled to perform in the nation's capital Sep 13.

In a notice sent to the SD Concerts and Live Nation companies -- organisers of the concert, CNEPR entertainment and radio commission stated that in her concerts the singer tends to "stage acts at odds with the principles and customs" of the country.

The commission said that "besides appearing onstage wearing inadequate clothing", the artist uses language and behaviour that are incitements to sex and violence.

It also said that Cyrus uses unacceptable visuals and words, phrases with a double meaning, the justification of crime, violence and acts offensive to civility, incitement to have sex, lesbian sex, and the use of inappropriate objects in public.

All this, it said, "is an attack on personal integrity and violates the rights of children and adolescents".

The concert was to be held at Quisqueya Stadium in Santo Domingo.

Since abandoning Disney's teen-star factory and her lovable all-American alter-ego, Hannah Montana, Cyrus has leaned on news-grabbing scandals to boost her visibility.

Cyrus has also notoriously smoked a marijuana joint at the MTV European Music Awards in November last year and "twerked" with Robin Thicke at the MTV Video Music Awards in August 2013.

Movie Review: 'The Expendables 3' high on action, low on performance

Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Antonio Banderas, Jason Statham, Kellan Lutz, Jet Li, Wesley Snipes, Dolph Lundgren, Kelsey Grammer, Terry Crews, Randy Couture, Ronda Rousey, Glen Powell and Victor Ortiz;

Director: Patrick Hughes;

Rating: *1/2

"Age is only a state of mind" - this statement that I heard in the film, immediately made my mind wander and think about all possible quotes and phrases on 'age' to analyse this film.

To be young at heart is one thing and to act your age is another, sums up "The Expendables 3".

It is difficult to train old dogs to perform new tricks. Director Patrick Hughes finds himself in a similar situation, with actors who are past their prime offering deliberate histrionics and calculated pauses in this high-voltage action-drama.

Packed with unimaginative cameos and listless violence, the film offers nothing new or exciting to its audience. Like the earlier two films from the same franchise, this one too is about a group of death seeking mercenaries hired to do the CIA's dirty work.

They are 'The Expendables' because nobody would care if they would live or die executing their mission, which is not only dangerous but also a top secret.

The film begins on an intriguing note, when an ammunition firing helicopter with CIA contractor Barney Ross (Sylverster Stallone) and his team, that includes Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren) and Toll Road (Randy Couture) trail a speeding Armoured Prison Transport. The high-octane drama is to rescue one of Ross's former colleagues, the knife expert Doc (Wesley Snipes).

Once Doc is carefully secured and introduced to the team, the narration shifts to the coast of Mogadishu in Somalia on a mission to apprehend a notorious arms dealer.

It is during this Somalian raid that they discover that their target is actually Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), one of The Expendables' co-founders, who Ross was convinced he'd killed years earlier when Stonebanks went rogue. After the mission goes awry, they abort their attack enabling Stonebanks to escape.

Meanwhile, the CIA handler Max Drummer (Harrison Ford) confronts Ross and gives him one final chance to apprehend Stonebanks.

Convinced that the Mogadishu incident demonstrated that his comrades are past their prime, Ross splits from his team and assembles a new crew with the help of head-hunter Bonaparte (Kelsey Grammer).

He travels all over from Moscow to Las Vegas to Mexico to New York City to recruit a younger, fitter and more tech-savvy team, adding ace sniper Mars (Victor Ortiz), computer hacker Thorn (Glen Powell), martial artist Luna (Ronda Rousey) and former Navy SEAL Smilee (Kellan Lutz) to go after Stonebanks in Bulgaria, where he is hiding with an army of mercenaries.

The outcome is rather obvious.

On the performance front, Antonio Banderas excels as the motor-mouthed wannabe merecenary Galgo. He brings much of the comic relief to the otherwise sagging tale. Mel Gibson is passable and the rest of the cast is deplorable.

Brian Tyler's background score is good. The song at the end, Neil Young's "Old Man," is well amalgamated into the script.

Overall, the screenplay is dull and predictable. It is crammed with either full-on absurd action scenes or with lackluster close-ups with droning dialogues. The speech too lacks punch and passion.

The composite plot does nothing to generate suspense and the film gets to you in a while.

What keeps you hooked is your patience or your fancy craze to see the once glorious A-list action stars perform. By and large, "The Expendables 3" may appeal only to front benchers who enjoy the adrenaline rush of mindless violence.

Pak court summons Umar Akmal on March 11

Lahore: A Pakistani court today summoned Test cricketer Umar Akmal on March 11 in a case of traffic rules violation and a face-off with a traffic warden.

Akmal`s lawyer told additional and sessions judge, Imtiaz Noor today that his client could not appear before the court as he was on a tour to Bangladesh with the Pakistan`s one-day squad for the ongoing Asia Cup.

The judge adjourned the hearing till March 11 with a direction that Akmal must appearance in the court on the next hearing.

Earlier in the day, Pakistani TV channels ran a news, saying that the court had issued arrest warrants of Akmal.

"The channels broadcast the wrong news," Akmal`s lawyer said.

The court had summoned Akmal over a scuffle with traffic warden, Zeeshan, who filed a case against him.

On Feb 1, Akmal was arrested after he had a row with the warden for traffic signal violation in Gulberg area here.

He was detained for 16 hours before he was released on bail.

Akmal alleged that the warden not only misbehaved with him but also manhandled him and threatened him with dire consequences.

Asia Cup 2014: India take on Sri Lanka in first real test

Fatullah (Bangladesh): Their battered pride regained after snapping an eight-ODI winless streak, five-time champions India will look to build a winning momentum when they take on Sri Lanka in what could by their first real test in the Asia Cup here tomorrow.

India notched up a six-wicket win against hosts Bangladesh in their opening match of the five-nation regional tournament yesterday but their real test begins tomorrow against the Lankans who had beaten defending champions Pakistan by 12 runs.

Back on the familiar subcontinental conditions after humiliating series defeats in South Africa and New Zealand, India chased down 280 at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium here to register their first win in nine ODIs.

Stand-in skipper Virat Kohli smashed a 122-ball 136 in a 213-run partnership with Ajinkya Rahane who returned to ODI form with a 73 to hand India a perfect start to their Asia Cup campaign.

Kohli`s tremendous form in Bangladesh which now reads 868 runs from 10 matches with an astounding average of 124, including his career-best 183 in last Asia Cup, will put India a favourite to win the tournament despite recent overseas reverses.

That the talented middle order batsman Rahane shook off a string of failures in New Zealand where he totalled 51 from five ODIs would mean India`s middle order would be settled before the two key clashes -- against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

As India`s progression into the final will hinge on the results of the two key clashes, Kohli`s men do not have the luxury to relax.

Kohli had got a reprieve on 35 as Bangladesh failed to grab their share of chances. The skipper`s cheap dismissal would have certainly exposed the new-look Indian middle order in their chase of 280 and could have tilted the match the other way.

Struggling for quite some time, openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan had some testing times against an ordinary Bangladesh attack.

Against a Sri Lankan team that boasts of the fiery Lasith Malinga, who is fresh from his match-winning five-for against Pakistan, the Indian opening duo would be desperate to get back among runs to give their side a solid start.

Especially, Dhawan`s listless batting and his weakness to short balls has begun to bother the Indian think-tank as time is fast running out for the left-hander to deliver.

Dhawan should take inspiration from the way Rahane shrugged off a prolonged lean patch in one-day format.

Against Bangladesh, India fielded an unchanged XI that played against New Zealand apart from the obvious inclusion of wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik in place of injured Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and left out Cheteshwar Pujara.

Ambati Rayudu was picked ahead of Pujara, considered by many as a Test specialist batsman who has been included in the one-day squad with the 2015 World Cup in mind.

But, in a crucial match like against Sri Lanka, it would be interesting to see whether skipper Kohli will gamble bringing in Pujara or retain the winning XI.

As for bowling, Varun Aaron was the biggest let down as his sheer pace never troubled the Bangladeshi batsmen duo of Mushfiqur Rahim and Anamul Haque who posted a century stand to help their team pile 279/7.

Aaron`s length was easily picked by the Bangla batsmen as he conceded 74 runs from 7.5 overs before being barred after bowling two waist high deliveries.

It will invite risk to stick with Aaron against Sri Lanka who boast of the likes of in-form batsmen Kumar Sangakkara and opener Lahiru Thirimanne.

Having arrived in the country late January for a full series, Sri Lanka have been experiencing an extended taste of Bangladeshi conditions as they won the Test series 1-0, the Twenty20s 2-0 before a 3-0 sweep in the one-dayers.

But in their Asia Cup opener yesterday, Sri Lanka had some jittery moments when Pakistan looked to be in control of the 297-run chase, needing 55 from 46 balls with six wickets in hand.

It was, however, before Malinga single-handedly changed the complexion of the game with his toe-crushing yorkers. He went for six-plus an over after his first seven overs but came back with four wickets in his last three overs to turn the game in his side`s favour in the death overs.

But his inability to trouble the top-order would once again come under scrutiny as he takes on the Indian batsmen.

Sri Lankan batting will have the calming influence of Sangakkara who is in the middle of a dream run here that includes his his maiden triple century in Tests.

Sangakkara scored a half-century against Pakistan yesterday but it was their young opener Thirimanne who impressed with a fluent century. Thirimanne has been backed by the selectors to open instead of seniormost Mahela Jayawardene.

Thirimanne was fluent from the outset and had a strike rate of 92.72. For a batsman who has spent much of the past two months sidelined with injury, Thirimanne was as stoic as he was confident.

In Kusal Perera, who scored a maiden ODI century in Sri Lanka`s 3-0 win against Bangladesh the other day, Thirimanne will have a perfect partner as the duo will look to give their side a perfect start.

Coming from a finger injury earlier this month, seniormost Jayawardene, who batted at number four yesterday, would like to get among runs too.

The Teams (From):

India: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami, Varun Aaron, Cheteshwar Pujara, Stuart Binny, Amit Mishra and Ishwar Pandey.

Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews (c), Kusal Perera, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Mahela Jayawardene, Thisara Perera, Chaturanga de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Sachithra Senanayake, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Ajantha Mendis, Ashan Priyanjan and Dhammika Prasad.

Kohli's 'special' knock made the difference, says Abdur Razzak

Fatullah (Bangladesh): Bangladesh left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak has conceded that Indian captain Virat Kohli`s "special" knock of 136 made all the difference in his side`s six-wicket loss in their Asia Cup campaign opener here.

"I would say our bowlers did not do that badly. Nothing went wrong for us. Sometimes some special things happen in the middle and you lose. Virat did just that for India," Razzak said about Kohli`s 136 which set up India`s successful run chase of 280 here.

Lavishing praise on Kohli, he said: "He did a fantastic job for his team. They did well with the singles despite putting five fielders inside the circle. Obviously the credit goes to them but we tried our best. Indian batsmen played very well."

The Bangladesh spinner said they were undone by the heavy dew especially when they were relying on their spinners.

"The biggest problem we faced was the dew. The field was too wet. Maybe after 22-23 overs it started playing the role. It was difficult to hold the ball after 24 overs. Especially for a team like us who are reliant on spinners it was a big worry. But we have no say in this."

Razzak said they fell short by 20-odd runs as 300 seemed a possibility after his skipper Mushfiqur Rahim`s (117) sparkling century.

"The way Mushfiqur and Anamul batted at some point we thought we would get to 300. I guess something went wrong down the order. It`s difficult to specify. Maybe six seven balls went the other way... Nowadays, it`s difficult to recover when you fell short."

3rd Test: South Africa seek to end Australia hoodoo

Cape Town: Graeme Smith`s South Africa will seek to cross what has become the final frontier for the country`s Test squad when they take on Australia in the series-deciding third and final Test at Newlands from Saturday.

Since returning to international cricket in 1991, South Africa have beaten every other Test nation except Australia in home and away series.

Smith has twice led South Africa to triumphs in Australia but a home series win has eluded Smith and his predecessors. In six previous tours by Australia going back to 1993/94 the visitors have been victors four times with two series shared.

It seemed the sequence would continue when a Mitchell Johnson-inspired Australia won the first Test of the current series by 281 runs at Centurion - but world champions South Africa bounced back in emphatic style with a 231-run win in Port Elizabeth last weekend.

It has set up a showdown which has ignited local interest, with capacity crowds expected on the first two days.

Now the hosts have an opportunity to clinch the series at a ground which has been a fortress for South Africa, who have won 18 of 26 post-isolation Tests at Newlands, with only three defeats - all against Australia.

But South Africa have been unbeaten at Newlands since 2005/06 and have twice beaten Australia in a sequence of eight wins and two draws since then.

South Africa are expected to make two significant changes to their team. Opening batsman Alviro Petersen, who withdrew from the second Test because of illness, is set to return despite his replacement Dean Elgar playing a crucial innings of 83 in Port Elizabeth. Elgar is likely to drop down the order to number six or seven.

It means the South African innings will be launched by two men who are short of runs. Petersen was out for two and one at Centurion while Smith has scored only 37 runs in four innings.

With left-arm fast-medium bowler Wayne Parnell ruled out with a groin injury, South Africa have to decide whether to pick all-rounder Ryan McLaren, who suffered concussion when struck by a bouncer from Johnson in Centurion, or a specialist bowler.


One player who seems certain to miss out is Robin Peterson, the only specialist spinner in the squad, after coach Russell Domingo said he was happy with the role played by part-time spinners JP Duminy and Elgar.

That leaves seamers Rory Kleinveldt and Kyle Abbott vying with fellow right-armer McLaren for the final place in the eleven.

Australian coach Darren Lehmann gave his squad three days off after the second Test loss, although captain Michael Clarke was seen working in the nets in an effort to regain his batting form.

Subject to fitness, all-rounder Shane Watson is set for a recall in place of either Alex Doolan or Shaun Marsh after missing the first two Tests because of a calf injury.

When the two teams last met at Newlands in November 2011, South Africa were bowled out for 96 and Australia for 47 on a freakish second day during which 23 wickets fell.

Groundsman Evan Flint said a recurrence of 2011 was unlikely. He said an unusually high water table shortly after the end of a wet Cape winter had made the pitch more bowler-friendly than usual.

With the match coming towards the end of summer in the Cape dry season, Flint said he expected a pitch which would offer some help to the bowlers in the mornings but would generally be good for batting.

Teams:

South Africa (likely): Graeme Smith (captain), Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers (wkt), JP Duminy, Dean Elgar, Ryan McLaren or Rory Kleinveldt or Kyle Abbott, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel.

Australia (likely): Michael Clarke (captain), Chris Rogers, David Warner, Shane Watson, Alex Doolan or Shaun Marsh, Steve Smith, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon.

Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK), Kumar Dharmasena (SRI)

TV umpire: Richard Illingworth (ENG)

Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (SRI).

Karnataka, Tamil Nadu post win in Vijay Hazare Trophy

Bangalore: Karnataka inflicted a crushing six-wicket defeat on Andhra Pradesh in the south zone leg of the Vijay Hazare Trophy here today.

An all-round performance ensured an easy victory for Karnataka as their batsmen and bowlers fired in unison to force Andhra concede the match easily at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Andhra, sent into bat, were bundled out for 97, thanks to inspired bowling from captain Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun and Manish Pandey.

Karnataka, in reply, reached the target after losing their four top batsmen, including openers Robin Uthappa and Lokesh Rahul.

Uthappa tore apart the Andhra attack by scripting a quick 54 runs off 69 balls with seven boundaries and one six.

His partner Rahul (21), in contrast, played a sedate innings.

After Uthappa and Rahul put on an 81-run opening stand in just 17 overs, Karnataka seamed set for an easy win but subsequently lost two more wickets on the same score in the form of Uthappa and Pandey (0).

Satish Ganesh was the fourth batsman to get out.

K Harish and B Sudhakar bagged two wickets each for the visitors.

Earlier, Vinay returned figures of three for nine and Pandey, who brought some variety into the bowling, ended with three for 25.

Mithun bagged two prized wickets after conceding 31 runs in seven overs. Ronit More and Abrar Kazi scalped one wicket apiece.

Andhra were tottering at 46 for five inside 12 overs after Vinay and Mithun removed K S Bharat (25), A D Pradeep (0), D B Prashanth Kumar (0) and B A Sumanth (6).

In another match, Tamil Nadu defeated Goa by seven wickets with the help of a half century by Murali Vijay.

Choosing to bat, Goa were all out for 122 all out in 36.2 overs with H H Gadekar (26) being the top scorer for the team. In reply, Tamil Nadu cruised after Vijay (66 not out) and Babu Apparajith (18) put on 60 runs for the second wicket.

In another match, Hyderabad won defeated Kerala by nine wickets after they chased down a small target of 108.

Windies, England face-off in search of revival

North Sound (Antigua and Barbuda): Two teams in dire need of rehabilitation ahead of the next global cricketing contest start what should be an intriguing fortnight of competition tomorrow when the West Indies host England in Antigua.

While the next World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is still just under a year away, the Caribbean side`s defence of the World T20 crown begins in three weeks` time in Bangladesh.

So it will be no surprise if there is even greater interest and purpose attached to the three T20 fixtures between Dwayne Bravo`s men and Stuart Broad`s side in Barbados the week following the final ODI.

However, in the almost immediate aftermath of horrendous foreign campaigns, victories for either side in any format and against any opposition will be welcome.

England`s annihilation in Australia over all three established formats of the game grabbed most international attention, but the West Indies also endured humiliating Test series defeats in India and New Zealand, despite performing more creditably in the one-dayers.

Both squads are without key performers going into the opening exchanges at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, named in honour of the tiny nation`s greatest cricketer.

On England`s last visit to the Caribbean in 2009, the scheduled second Test in the same North Sound venue lasted all of nine deliveries before it was abandoned due to a poorly-prepared outfield covered with more sand than any of the island`s idyllic beaches.

Then, Kevin Pietersen had just been replaced as captain by Andrew Strauss.

Now, he is out of the picture altogether, the general perception being that for all his abundant batting talent, he is too much of a maverick to be accommodated at a time when all hands are needed on deck and working together for the good of the team.

West Indies have no intention of parting ways with their own mercurial batsmen as yet.

Still, Chris Gayle will not be in the line-up for the three ODI`s due to a back injury sustained in the first of two T20`s against Ireland the previous week in his native Jamaica.

It is hoped he will be fit for the T20s against the English, but the same cannot be said for power-hitting all-rounder Kieron Pollard who misses this series and the World T20 as he continues his recuperation from knee surgery.

In sharing the honours with the Irish in two scrappy, low-scoring matches and then taking the lone one-dayer by four wickets at Sabina Park, the home side presented little in the way of significant improvement.

And that suggests that England, for all their travails in Australia where they lost 12 of 13 international matches, may actually start the series as marginal favourites.

In their only warm-up fixture of the brief tour, England held off the challenge of the University of the West Indies Vice-Chancellor`s XI on Tuesday thanks in the main to an anchoring unbeaten hundred by Joe Root and a supporting half-century by Ben Stokes.

Off-spinner James Tredwell`s three wickets then scuppered the hosts` encouraging start, although the comparative ease with which Kyle Corbin counter-punched his way to 105 hinted at the visiting bowlers facing even tougher challenges over the three ODI`s on a surface noted as a batsman`s paradise.

Probable teams

West Indies: Dwayne Bravo (capt), Dwayne Smith, Lendl Simmons, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Sammy, Nikita Miller, Sunil Narine, Jason Holder, Ravi Rampaul.

England: Stuart Broad (capt), Luke Wright, Alex Hales, Ben Stokes, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Jos Buttler, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Chris Jordan, James Tredwell.

Virender Sehwag's poor show continues but Delhi win by 38 runs vs J&K

New Delhi: Virender Sehwag`s decision to continue batting at No 3 didn`t make much of a difference to his poor form but defending champions Delhi did enough to beat Jammu and Kashmir by 38 runs in the opening fixture of the north zone leg of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Delhi scored 256 for eight in 50 overs after being put into bat on a typical low and slow Feroze Shah Kotla wicket with skipper Gautam Gambhir scoring 58 and adding 99 runs for the opening stand with Unmukt Chand (42).

While Sehwag coming in at No 3 scored only 15, Puneet Bisht (39) and Sumit Narwal (22) threw their bats around as the last couple of overs produced around 40 runs.

In reply, Jammu and Kashmir had a rollicking start with Adil Rishi (36) and Shubham Khajuria (46) adding 72 runs in 11 overs for the second wicket but inexperience caused their downfall as they were all out for 218 in 45.4 overs.

Once Rasool (30, 1x4, 2x6) was gone, J&K didn`t have much chance. Pacers Sumit Narwal (2/32) and Vikas Tokas (2/28)

Opting to field on a slowish track, Jammu and Kashmir led by their skipper Parveez Rasool (2/52) and left-arm spinner Waseem Raza (3/58) did well in the middle-overs when stroke-making was extremely difficult.

Skipper Gambhir however looked in good touch as he hit seven crisp boundaries in his 79-ball innings. Playing on a sub-standard track, not conducive for good strokeplay, the left-hander waited for the loose deliveries and completed his 50 with a late cut off Rasool.

The J&K skipper however removed both openers. While Unmukt was bowled trying to whip the offie across the line, Gambhir got a faster delivery and was rapped on the pads trying to play the cut shot with very little room for it.

Sehwag played an exquisite square cut but when tall left-arm slow bowler Raza fired one in the blockhole, he tried to dig it out. The ball timed his spot jump nicely to take a neat return catch.

"I had expected that we could restrict Delhi to 220 but last two overs cost us dearly. Even while batting, we were doing well during field restrictions," Rasool said after the match.

In another match of the North Zone leg, Haryana beat Punjab by seven runs in a 32-overs-a-side affair.

Batting first, Haryana scored 153 for eight and then restricted Punjab to 146 for eight.

The third match of the zone saw hosts Services beat Himachal Pradesh by 11 runs.

Summarised Scores

Match 1: Delhi 256/8 in 50 overs (Gautam Gambhir 58, Virender Sehwag 15, Unmukt Chand 42, Waseem Raza 3/58, Parveez Rasool 2/52) beat Jammu and Kashmir 218 in 45.4 overs (Shubham Khajuria 46, Parveez Rasool 30, Hardeep Singh 45).

Delhi won by 38 runs. Points: Delhi 4; J&K 0

Match 2: Haryana 153/8 in 32 overs (Avi Barot 55, MS Gony 4/39) beat Punjab 146/8 in 32 overs (Gurinder Singh 38, Gurkeerat Singh 31, Joginder Sharma 5/22).

Haryana won by 7 runs. Points: Haryana 4; Punjab 0

Match 3: Services 233/9 (Devender Lochab 73, Rajat Palliwal 41) beat Himachal Pradesh 222 in 48.5 overs (Sumeet Verma 60). Services won by 11 runs. Points: Services 4; HP 0.

BCCI Working Committee set to zero in on two prospective countries for IPL 7

Bhubaneswar: The BCCI Working Committee will meet here tomorrow to shortlist two prospective countries which will be kept as alternative venues for the seventh edition of the IPL which is co-inciding with the general elections.

While South Africa is the front-runner having had the experience of hosting the second season of IPL, United Arab Emirates (UAE) is also among the countries being considered for the event to be held between April 9 to June 3 window.

The final decision on a alternative location will be taken only after the government announces the dates of the general elections as the BCCI is hard-pressed to organise it in India due to pressure from the sponsors.

"As per the agenda, the report of the last IPL governing council meeting will be placed before the working committee. The Working Committee will then recommend a couple of alternative locations which would be forwarded to to IPL Governing Council. The IPL Governoing Council and primarily, the CEO Sundar Raman will have a say in the final outcome," a senior working committee member told PTI today.

Meanwhile, some of the other points that is on the agenda include confirming the minutes of the last working committee and also passing the finance committee reports and recommendations.

According to the official, a concrete decision can`t be taken right away as BCCI is still hopeful of organizing the bulk of the matches in India as per the wishes of all the franchises.

South Africa has the best facilities to host an event of IPL`s magnitude. The controversies kept aside, they have the best grounds and the timing of the matches would suit the Indian TV viewers which is the most important aspect of the cash-rich league.

UAE is a favourable venue as they now have two more world class stadiums apart from the Sharjah ground in Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively.

The logistical problems are also a bit on the lesser side if one organizes the tournament in the Emirates as there isn`t hectic travelling involved as the teams at times play three to four matches in a particular week.

But the flip side of organizing the tournament in UAE is the cloud of bookies and match-fixing as India never travelled there after 2000 since the match-fixing scandal broke out.

UAE is considered a hotbed for bookies and gamblers and the Anti Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) officials might find it tough to monitor the players from eight franchises at the same time.

Bangladesh is one venue which has seen reservations from some of the senior members of the IPL governing councils as the cities have limited five or seven star hotels. Also the corruption and match-fixing fiasco during the Bangladesh Premier League has not been forgotten.

Won't change my action though variation is a necessity, says Parveez Rasool

New Delhi: Talented off-spinner and India contender Parveez Rasool is keen to add a few more variation in his armoury as an off-break bowler but would not like to tinker with his natural action while doing so.

Out-of-form India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin yesterday surprised one and all by bowling with a completely different action which didn`t yield him any greater result.

While Rasool refused discussion on Ashwin`s action, he did express his views about sticking to the basics.

"Variation is very important for a bowler. Although my focus will always be on sticking to the basics, I would like to add a few variations up my sleeve. But I would certainly not alter my action in any case. I would have great difficulty if I have to change my current action," Rasool told reporters after Jammu and Kashmir`s lost their Vijay Hazare Trophy match to Delhi at the Feroze Shah Kotla ground.

A lot has changed for Rasool in just one season. From being a talented boy emerging from Jammu and Kashmir, he is a now serious contender for a place in the national side and is among the top three off-spinners in the country.

But Rasool says that he enjoys the pressures of captaincy and performing for his state.

"My only endeavour right now is to win as many games possible for my state side. I feel that whenever J&K wins, I should have my contribution in it," Rasool said.

He has been signed by Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 95 lakh after some intense bidding auction with Delhi Daredevils during IPL but Rasool was on a flight back home and couldn`t watch the proceedings.

"I was actually travelling back after the Irani Cup game, so I missed out on watching the auctions live on television. Obviously, with VVS Laxman (Mentor) around, I would certainly get a lot of tips regarding how to improve my batting. I can`t wait to begin my stint for Sunrisers. "

His popularity has grown in leaps and bounds -- a testimony to which was the number of autograph and photograph hunters jostling for his time, once the match ended.

Asked about his feelings on CM Omar Abdullah tweeting about his achievements, Rasool replied with a shy smile, "He (Abdullah) is fond of me. Being the first cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to be selected in the national team is a huge achievement. I have his good wishes and blessings."

Asia Cup 2014: Umar Akmal's stupendous ton sets up 72-run win for Pakistan

Fatullah: Talented wicketkeeper-batsman Umar Akmal notched up a breezy century under pressure before the bowlers came to the party and guided Pakistan to a bonus-point 72-run victory over Afghanistan in the Asia Cup here on Wednesday.

Chasing a challenging target of 249, Afghanistan could only manage 176 in 47.2 overs in front of the disciplined Pakistan bowling attack.

Put in to bat, Pakistan rode on Akmal`s scintillating batting effort to post 248 for eight in their quota of 50 overs on a sluggish pitch at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium here.

The young batsman smashed unbeaten 102 off 89 balls after Pakistan were reduced to 117 for six inside 30 overs.

The 23-year-old, who scored 74 off 72 against Sri Lanka in the last match, clobbered three sixes and seven boundaries while helping his team recover from a precarious position.

Afghanistan, in reply, had a poor start as they lost opener Mohammad Shahzad (9) early. His partner, Noor Ali Zadran, played a few attractive shots at the other end.

Zadran made 44 off 63 deliveries and hit seven boundaries, before he was trapped in front by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.

Asghar Stanikzai and Nawroz Mangal started the resurrection job for Afghanistan and tried to build a partnership. Though the duo put on a 74-run for the third wicket, they failed to get the spiralling asking rate down.

While Stanikzai consumed 91 deliveries for his 40, Mangal made 35 off 57 balls. Both hit three boundaries each in their 119-ball partnership.

With the required rate steadily going beyond reach, Afghanistan batsman played shots and perished in pursuit of quick runs.

Afghanistan lost the wickets of Stanikzai and Mangal in a space of three balls.

Skipper Mohammad Nabi (15) and Najibullah Zadran (1) failed to make an impact in the run-chase as Afghanistan fell way short.

The Afghan team faced difficulty in negotiating the Pakistan spin-trio led by Saeed Ajmal, who picked up two wickets while giving away just 25 runs in his nine overs.

Shahid Afridi (1/31) and Mohammad Hafeez (3/29), too, kept the opposition batsmen in check, besides chipping in with wickets.

PM hosts private lunch for Saudi Crown Prince

New Delhi: In a special gesture, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday hosted a private lunch for visiting Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud besides holding discussion on boosting trade, investment and security cooperation.

The Prime Minister also thanked the visiting Saudi dignitary for taking good care of Indian haj pilgrims and the two million Indians staying in that country.

"The Prime Minister and the Saudi Crown Prince discussed trade, investment, terrorism and security situation in West Asia and Afghanistan," the PMO said.

It said the Prime Minister conveyed to the Crown Prince that "India has a special and warm relationship with Saudi Arabia which we accord high importance."

Yesterday, the two sides had inked a defence cooperation pact to take their strategic partnership further in areas of security.

The pact was signed following talks between Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Vice President Hamid Ansari during which a range of bilateral, regional and international issues figured.

The defence cooperation pact will allow exchange of defence-related information, military training and education as well as cooperation in areas varying from hydrography and security to logistics. 

It is highest level political visit to India from Saudi Arabia after the landmark visit of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in January 2006.

Saudi Arabia is India's fourth largest trade partner with bilateral trade recording at USD 43 billion in 2012-13. Saudi Arabia is also India's largest crude oil supplier accounting for about one-fifth of its total imports in 2012-13.

Saud also met External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid.

Delhi Police seek more time to probe Bhatkal case

New Delhi: Delhi Police Thursday sought from a court here 15 more days to complete probe against Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder Yasin Bhatkal and his close aide Asadullah Akhtar in the 2010 Jama Masjid terror attack case.

Delhi Police in a plea Thursday informed the court they have received information from Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the US about movements of a "wanted terrorist" of IM in Bihar or Kerala.

Additional Sessions Judge Daya Prakash has allowed police plea for more time to collect evidence against Bhatkal, Akhtar and other accused in the case.

"Recently, an input has been received from the CIA that a wanted terrorist in this case is moving in areas of eastern Bihar and south Kerala, therefore teams have been dispatched and are camping in these areas...," police said.

Police said a breakthrough is likely in a short time.

"With the arrest of this wanted terrorist, the missing links in the conspiracy are likely to be established, which requires that period of investigation and judicial custody of these accused persons be extended," the police plea added.

"The evidence collected so far has consumed the stipulated period of 90 days from the date of arrest of both the accused persons mentioned above, i.e. November 26, 2013, for concluding the investigation," police told the court.

Bhatkal, arrested in August last year near the India-Nepal border, is accused of being involved in various terror strikes in the country.

India lost a decade under UPA rule: Narendra Modi

New Delhi: Accusing the Congress-led UPA government of pushing back the country by a decade, BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Thursday said that he would endeavour to provide effective governance as it was more important than good policies.

"We need direction, determination and dedication... We need good governance. Bad governance is like diabetes which invites all kinds of ailments", he said while unveiling his vision for development at a seminar on 'A New Growth Paradigm for India'.

Modi further said: "We have reached a stage where the country is slipping back... We have lost a decade, we have to start afresh. When Atal Bihari Vajpayee left, the growth was 8.4 per cent, now the growth has come down to 4.8 per cent."

India, he said, was not only suffering from fiscal deficit but also from "governance deficit, trust deficit, security deficit and moral deficit.

"There is despondency. We have lost confidence. If we can regain confidence, we can not only move but can also run." Observing that India is a young country with democratic institutions and demand for products, Modi said, "we should consider them as strengths and make policies keeping them in view".

Referring to specific issues, Modi said that he would attempt to focus equally on the three pillars of growth -- manufacturing, agriculture and services sectors, and try to bridge the gap between rich and poor to make development more inclusive.

The Gujarat Chief Minister said economic growth should be inclusive, speedy and yet sustainable.

He said the development agenda should be "respectful to individual, responsive to innovation and responsible towards future generation" and governments should work towards improving standard of living and providing social justice.

Referring to plethora of laws, he said the need of the hour was to do way with the "jungle of laws".

In an apparent indication to BJP's election manifesto, Modi said a political party's manifesto should also talk about the number of laws that would be taken off the books.

On energy security, Modi said nature has been kind to India and it should exploit its solar, wind and hydro power availability.

Talking about centre-state relationships, Modi said each state has different strengths and there could not be a "tailor-made" solution for all of them.

"India is such a large country, some people think that one tailor made solution can be applied everywhere. This is the biggest mistake," he said.

Modi said the country's Prime Minister and Chief Ministers should work in tandem.

Replying to a question related to regulatory issues, he said financial decisions should be based on commercial considerations and not on political concerns.

Taking a jibe at the Centre, Modi said that even a municipal head takes more decisions than the government in Delhi.

Stressing that good governance was the key to growth, the he said that "bad governance is like diabetics" which leads to main ailments.

"Good governance is more potent than policies," he added.

On the issue of attracting Foreign Direct Investment, Modi said that in India even the human resource development sector presents a huge opportunity for foreign investment.

He said it is the responsibility of the government to remove hurdles and create an environment for foreign investments.

Modi further said India's foreign missions should now focus more on trade and commerce to increase exports and reduce dependence on imports.

"...Whole of our system needs to be given a new direction because we cannot remain disconnected with world. We have to make a strong footing in the changing global paradigm," he said, adding that India's advantages are democracy, demography and demand.

Modi further said there was a need for get in mission mode to remove poverty from the country while stressing on giving "dignity" to even the poorest workers as everybody has aspirations.