Liberty Victory over Mystics

Cappie Pondexter scored 19 points and Kia Vaughn had 14 and the Liberty beat the Mystics 75-71 on Thursday night. Plenette Pierson added 13 points to give the Liberty (10-7) their sixth win in eight games.Crystal Langhorne had 18 points and nine rebounds, Kelly Miller scored 17 and Marissa Coleman 13 for the Mystics (3-13), who have lost eight of nine.New York trailed 36-32 at halftime while shooting 14-for-32 (44 percent) from the field but had no free-throw attempts.

The Liberty used an 11-0 run bridging the third and fourth quarters to take the lead. Pondexter's layup in the opening minute of the fourth put New York ahead 56-55 -- its first advantage since late in the second quarter -- and Carson's 3-pointer with under three minutes left capped the run and stretched the lead to four.

Coleman hit a 3 about 45 seconds later to pull Washington within one. DeMya Walker made two free throws and Kerri Gardin made a layup to give the Mystics a 67-66 lead with under four minutes to go.

The teams traded baskets, with Vaughn's layup with 54 seconds remaining giving the Liberty a 72-71 lead. On the Mystics' ensuing possession, Gardin was whistled for an offensive foul on a drive to the basket that would have regained the lead with under 37 seconds left.

Pondexter made 1-of-2 from the line with 9.4 seconds to go for a two-point lead. Jasmine Thomas lost the ball out of bounds on Washington's following possession, and Pierson made two free throws with 3.3 seconds left to seal the win.

Coleman had a three-point play and Matee Ajavon made a pull-up jumper to give the Mystics a 47-39 lead with 6:45 left in the third quarter.

Washington opened the second quarter with an 8-0 run, including a 3-pointer and a three-point play by Miller, to take a 24-16 lead.

Pondexter scored eight points during a 10-0 run and her jumper put the Liberty ahead 26-24 with 7:10 to go in the first half.

The teams played close the rest of the quarter, with neither leading by more than two until the Mystics scored six consecutive points to take a 36-32 lead at the break.

Royals Win Over Bluefield

The Royals never had a player round the bases and reach home in a 3-0 loss to the Bluefield Blue Jays to initiate an Appalachian League series at Burlington Athletic Stadium. Two base runners with the Royals were at the third base in the first inning as well.

Rapp was on third base and Michael Antonio was at second base with one out. Murray Watts hit a grounder to Bluefield first baseman Art Charles, who touched the bag for the second out. Then he noticed Antonio a few feet away from third base and Trapp in the surrounding area, too.

Charles ended up with an unassisted double play when he raced across the diamond and made a tag on Antonio.

The Blue Jays took advantage of that early break. Three Bluefield pitchers combined on a five-hitter, with Antonio and Jin-Ho Shin supplying two hits apiece. The Royals (14-22) managed only one hit after the fourth inning.

Bluefield starter A Jay Myer (2-2) worked six innings, allowing four hits and no walks. The Blue Jays (20-16) chipped away with single runs in the first, eighth and ninth innings, making the most of five hits. Burlington starter Matt Murray (1-2) suffered the loss by giving up one unearned run across five innings, allowing two hits with five strikeouts.

The Royals prevented another run in the seventh when right fielder Derek Hamblen threw out Chris Hawkins at the plate on Javan Williams’ would-be sacrifice fly.

It was Bluefield’s first trip here as a Toronto Blue Jays affiliate after more than five decades as a Baltimore Orioles farm club.

England beat India

England beat India at the Lord’s winning the first nPower Test. Although England looked ahead throughout the test, there was always an expectation that India may just manage to draw which never happened. England bowled out the visitors for 261 in their second innings on day five to take a 1-0 series lead right after the first test.India from day one looked on the back foot, loosing Zaheer due to an injury. Despite that,team has certainly seemed to give its best. England are very strong on their home soil but then India are currently the top test team. This performance by the Indian side certainly was nowhere close to suggest of that fact .England seems better in every part of the game be it bowling or batting.England players looked more aggressive and agile on the field. If anything, they dropped a few catches which was in favor of India.

If one thinks India was crippled by the absence of Zaheer Khan, it is not a good enough reason to justify a test match loss. The team is made of 11 individuals and if one is out, others are still there to keep the team going. With the exclusion of Zaheer, the bowling department suffered the most, but many would agree that it was the batting that led India down.This loss is the first test loss under the leadership of Dhoni and Fletcher. India has a fine lineup on paper but they have not been able to put up a performance upto the level required. The last day of a test match usually one can understand, batting would be difficult with the pitch breaking up and troubling the batsmen. In this case, it was Lord’s ground where the pitch never breaks up. It only gets better for batting as the days progress. Fifth day or not, the pitch remains a good batting surface. The England certainly managed to pile up a lot of runs which Indian batsmen simply could not.

This is certainly not the kind of cricket which will help India retain their top test spot. England already have made It clear that they will be looking to de-thrown the Indian side from the top spot. It is the Indian side which has to respond now.

India’s First Test at Lord’s

The first test at Lord’s between India and England is now whirling on its head. After a display on the fourth day when India raised hopes of a huge rebuke, England are now back in the driver’s seat and firmly placed to win the test and take a 1-0 lead in the series. In a hurry to load up the runs and compel a win, the England batsmen were caught slumbering with India’s Ishant Sharma proving a spike with some disciplined bowling. So much so, most of the top order batsmen were back in the pavilion and at one stage the England scoreboard read 62 for 5 wickets with Ishant’s bowling figures with an impressive 3 wickets in 5 overs with 3 maidens and just 4 runs given away.

But then, Matt Prior, they found a hero who blasted the Indian bowling with such disregard while recording an unbeaten century (103) in 120 balls with 5 fours and a single six. Prior, who has been extremely lucky at Lord’s was scoring his third century at Lord’s and his sixth overall in his career of 44 tests. Giving him solid support was Stuart Broad with a well made 74 runs in 90 balls while remaining not out. Under the circumstances, the England score zoomed to an overall lead of 458 runs and an impossible target for the visitors to achieve.

Unless of course, the two Indian Champions, V.V.S.Laxman and Rahul Dravid who are now at the crease put their heads down and thrwart England from going ahead in the series. The two are capable of doing anything when they are in good mood and the signs are there for such a heroic act on the final day. However, as it stands, Stuart Broad especially, will be more than eager to continue with his all round efforts and push India into defeat.
India are in real trouble with opener Gambhir down with an injury and star batsman Sachin Tendulkar unwell with viral infection although both are expected to bat in case required. That leaves with only Dhoni and Raina to look after the batting.

Although the weather bureau had forecast rain to disrupt the test, there has not been much playing time lost. With India in such a hopeless position at the moment, one is not sure if the heavens will open up and deprive England their well deserved win at Lord’s. From every point of view, England have dominated the test so far and there is no denying that they deserve to win unless of course one witnesses a Very Very Special innings from VVS Laxman and the first innings centurion Dravid which the spectators would love for a fine finale. Skipper Dhoni who has been doing all sorts of things on the field including knocking off his gloves and taking the ball himself to bowl has to do one more magic with his bat if his team has to remain undefeated. On home soil and with such a huge advantage, England will only be putting the pressure and finish the match in their favour. A testing time ahead for India on the final day’s play at Lord’s.

San Antonio at Seattle

The Stormers Defeated Silver Stars at key Arena as the Wright pumps in 17

By scoring 73 for 55.

Willingham, who had seven points in a reserve role, helped Seattle (8-7) match up better with San Antonio's bench. Last week, the Silver Stars' reserves outscored the Storm's 47-13 in a three-point San Antonio win. Thursday night, the bench scoring was even, 23-23.

Storm coach Brian Agler got his team motivated after its recent 0-3 trip, when Seattle gave three opponents an average of 21.3 points off turnovers and was flattened inside.

.The first quarter ended with the Storm making six of seven free throws to build a 19-14 lead. Seattle added to the lead, taking a 38-22 lead into halftime.

Willingham, who was scoreless in the team's previous two games, got six points off the bench in the second quarter. She was replaced in the starting lineup for a second consecutive game by center Ashley Robinson.

Wright said the Storm's starting five stressed the need for that same effort to begin the second half. Seattle whipped out a 17-8 run to open the third quarter and put the game out of reach.

Wright made a steal and dish to guard Sue Bird for a three-pointer and another steal that led to her own layin on the opening plays of the second half. Wright finished with 11 points and three steals in the third quarter.

Bird, Swin Cash and the coaching staff departed Thursday on a red-eye flight to participate in the All-Star Game Saturday in San Antonio. The team regroups in Phoenix on Sunday for the start of another three-game trip.

Minnesota's Victory Over Phoenix

Seimone Augustus scored 25 points and the Minnesota Lynx achieved 106-98 victory over Phoenix on Wednesday, snapping the Mercury's six-game winning line.

Lindsay Whalen had 16 points and Maya Moore, Rebekkah Brunson and Taj McWilliams-Franklin each added 14 for the Lynx, who won their third straight and fifth in six games to move a half-game ahead of the Mercury in the Western Conference.

Diana Taurasi scored 24 points, Penny Taylor added 23 and Candice Dupree finished with 14 for Phoenix, which had not lost since June 28 at Indiana. The Mercury also had their five-game home winning streak end.

Phoenix led 51-50 at halftime on the strength of Taylor's 14 points including 3-of-3 shooting from beyond the 3-point arc.

But Augustus scored eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers, and McWilliams-Franklin added five as the Lynx opened the second half with a 16-6 run to take a 66-57 lead with 6:28 left in the third quarter.

Minnesota stretched its lead to 88-73 with 8:32 remaining and the Mercury got no closer than the final margin, courtesy of DeWanna Bonner's deep 3-pointer with 8 seconds left.

Augustus finished 11 for 15 from the floor and also added six rebounds and four assists.

Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux - Gap - 162.5 km

Garmin-Cervelo's Hushovd formed part of a breakaway group of 16 riders which led the stage from around the 87km mark to the finish line.

And the world champion launched a final sprint off the back wheel of team-mate Ryder Hesjedal to take the line at Gap defeating promising Team Sky rider Boasson Hagen with relative easiness.

Australian Cadel Evans and Spaniard Alberto Contador took a big taste out of Thomas Voeckler's lead in the general classification at the cost of yellow jersey rivals Andy and Frank Schleck.

Evans and Contador both finished Stage 16 twenty seconds ahead of Frank Schleck, and over a minute ahead of his brother Andy.

The relatively flat 162km between St-Paul-Trois-Chateaux and Gap was punctuated by a Category 2 climb up Col de Manse, the summit coming 11km from the finish line.

And it was on the ascent up Col de Manse that Contador (Saxo Bank-Sungard) laid down his credentials for a fourth Tour de France win, attacking on a punchy climb and leaving the Schlecks for dead.

Only Evans (BMC Racing) and Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) were able to respond, and the trio held onto their advantage on a treacherous descent in the rainy conditions down to the finish.

Evans even managed to pull away on the final straight to narrow the gap between himself and Voeckler (Europcar) to 1'45", overtaking Frank Schleck (Leopard Trek) into second place in the race for the yellow jersey.

Contador and Sanchez also took around 30 seconds out of Voeckler's lead - and, perhaps as importantly, gained a psychological advantage over the Schlecks, who had previously been supremely confident of reaching Paris with one of them at the top of the general classification.

Chess

Indian men went down to Azerbaijan 1-3 in the second round of the World Team Chess Championship.

For India, while two white games ended in draws as Krishnan Sasikiran and Parimarjan Negi held their fort, Asian champion P Harikrishna and Surya Shekhar Ganguly suffered reversals to give Azerbaijan two match points.

Harikrishna was beaten by Teinour Radjabov. Playing straight chess, Radjabov avoided deep theoretical lines and reached the middle game .
Harikrishna went wrong by going for a reflexive looking structure that gave Radjabov time to launch a king side attack. As the game progressed, the Azerbaijani scoredthe point with a simple tactical stroke.

Ganguly could not find his rhythm for the second day in running. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov played a less topical line in the Nimzo Indian defense as white and sacrificed a pawn on the queen side for counter attack on the other flank.

Following an erroneous plan, Ganguly's king came under firing line and Mamedyarov wrapped the issue in a mere 27 moves.

After an equalising victory against Almasi in the opener, Sasikiran drew with Vugar Gashimov while Parimarjan Negi split points with Gadir Guseinov on the fourth board.

The Azerbaijanis' also avenged their last loss against the same team in the previous edition of the event at Turkey.

Meanwhile, holders Russia beat Hungary 3-1 to jump into sole lead with four points.

Zoltan Almasi and Judit Polgar were the two Hungarians on the receiving end as the Russian duo of Alexander Grischuk and Ian Nepomniachtchi caused the damage.

In what turned out to be the surprise of the day, hosts China spoilt the Ukrainian party when youngster Ding Liren came up with an inspiring performance to beat Alexander Areshchenko.

Liren's game was the only decisive result in the match as the other three matches ended in draws giving China a superb 2.5-1.5 victory against the Chess Olympiad champions.

In other matches of the day, Israel scored an expected victory over Egypt 3-1, while USA held Armenia to a 2-2 draw.

With seven rounds still to come in this ten-team round-robin event, Armenia, Azerbaijan and China share the second spot on three points each, while Ukraine and Israel follow them with a full point behind.

The Indians are currently placed joint sixth along with USA and Hungary while lowest ranked Egypt, who are yet to open their account, are at the bottom of the table.

Third test ends in a draw

Shivnarine Chanderpaul scored a insolent 116 as the West Indies managed to escape with a draw in the third and final test against India at Windsor Park. Needing 180 for a win, India were 94/3 when they decided to discontinue their chase by offering a draw to the hosts.

India astonishingly opted not to press for a win with 86 needed from 15 overs with seven wickets in hand as the third and final cricket Test against the West Indies ended in a draw, giving the visitors a 1-0 series victory here.

Needing 180 for a win from 47 overs, India were 94 for three after 32 overs but they decided to end their run chase just before the start of 15 mandatory overs on a Windsor Park
pitch which was not too bad for a fifth day track.

Rahul Dravid was batting on 34 while V V S Laxman was giving him company on three when India decided to close and their offer of a draw was readily accepted by the hosts.

Initially, India appeared serious on the chase when Murali Vijay 45 and Dravid put on 73 runs for the second wicket and West Indies began resorting to negative strategy by asking leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo to bowl down the legside.

India clinched the three-match series 1-0 with the solo victory coming at Kingston, Jamaica in the opening Test. The second Test at Bridgetown, Barbados had also ended in a draw.

India now have recorded their third series victory in the Caribbeans.Mahendra Singh Dhoni's side, however, missed out on a chance to beat West Indies 2-0 at the Caribbeans for the first time.

India vs West Indies 3rd Test 2nd Day

After rain took center stage for most part of Day One, both West Indies and India will look to utilize the conditions and hope play goes uninterrupted on Day Two of the final Test.

Rain played spoilsport as only 31.1 overs were possible on the opening day of the third and final Test between India and West Indies on Wednesday.

Sent into bat, the hosts were 75/3 when the heavens opened up shortly after the lunch break, and it stayed that way till the day's play was finally called off at 4.15 pm local time.

Darren Bravo was batting on 22 while Shivnarine Chanderpaul was unbeaten on 17, with the two adding 40 runs for the fourth wicket in 14.2 overs.

Before that, the Indian players had West Indies in a spot of bother, picking up three early wickets.

In-form pacer Ishant Sharma struck twice while Praveen Kumar chipped in with one as West Indies went to lunch at 64 for three at the Windsor Park.

This is a landmark Test in several ways other than the ground's debut: c became the most-capped West Indies Test cricketer, overtaking Courtney Walsh, and he fittingly handed out the maroon caps to his two debutant team-mates, Kieran Powell and Kirk Edwards.

Third Test Day 1 Plunders by Rain

Rain played spoilsport as only 31.1 overs were possible on the opening day of the third and final cricket Test against between India and West Indies here on Wednesday.

Sent into bat, the hosts were 75 for three when the heavens opened up shortly after the lunch break, and it stayed that way till the day's play was finally called off at 4.15 pm local time.

Darren Bravo was batting on 22 while Shivnarine Chanderpaul was unbeaten on 17, with the two adding 40 runs for the fourth wicket in 14.2 overs.

Before that, the Indian Players had West Indies in a spot of bother, picking up three early wickets.

In-form pacer Ishant Sharma struck twice while Praveen Kumar chipped in with one as West Indies went to lunch at 64 for three at the Windsor Park.

After Mahendra Singh Dhoni decided to bowl with the hope that his players would get the team some quick wickets, Ishant and Praveen lived up to the skipper's potential by removing Adrian Barath and debutantes Kieran Powell and Kirk Edwards.

Ishant showed no after-effects of a facial injury he suffered on Wednesday, returning figures of two for 23.

While Kumar gave the team its first breakthrough by having Powell caught at second slip by VVS Laxman, Ishant, bowling the bouncers to good effect, sent back Barath and Edwards.

Ishant, who distressed the hosts with a 10-wicket haul in the drawn second Test at Kensington Oval, looked in good nick here as well.

Munaf Patel, playing in his first Test of the three-match series at the cost of Abhimanyu Mithun, bowled efficiently, though without success.

If Praveen and Ishant began with maiden overs, Munaf, who returned to Test cricket after two years, did even better as first change by bowling three maidens on the hurry.

Earlier Powell, who got his first Test runs -- a three off a push into covers against Ishant -- didn't get to score any additional .

Barath, after being disconcerted with a caught behind appeal down the leg side by Ishant, edged a pull onto his stumps off the very next delivery.

Ishant picked up his third wicket when he had Edwards who was unlucky to be judged caught behind by debutant Test umpire Richard Kettleborough of England as the rising delivery hit his helmet, and not the bat, on way to Dhoni.

West Indies would now look to Bravo and veteran Chanderpaul to bail them out.

This is Chanderpaul's 133rd Test match, the highest by any West Indian cricketer. Courtney Walsh, with 132 Tests under his belt, held the previous record.

The two had added collected their runs in a rather secure manner on a pitch that didn't live upto its reputation of being quick and bouncy.

Bravo had struck three fours in his blow and Chanderpaul one, before the climate intruded.

sarcastically, the day had begun in complete contrast as a bright, sunny day greeted the two sides.

West Indies began vigilantly on a pitch that was fairly humid but did not offer much sideways movement to India's pacers.

But West Indies still lost three wickets early in the day and found the going so tough that only two boundaries both by left-hander Bravo were scored in the two-hour session.

While Munaf is the only change in the Indian line-up, West Indies made two changes, with Powell and Edwards being preferred over Lendl Simmons and Ramnaresh Sarwan.