New Zealand's Ryder bashed in bar brawl

WELLINGTON: Troubled New Zealand cricketer Jesse Ryder has been rushed to hospital with a fractured skull following a bar brawl, police and media said Thursday.
The attack came just days before the talented Ryder was to take up a lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) contract.
Police said in a statement they were investigating the early morning incident at a bar in Christchurch and "can confirm the incident did involve Jesse Ryder and that he is currently in Christchurch Hospital".
Ryder, who has a history of disciplinary lapses and being involved in alcohol-related incidents, was with members of his Wellington provincial side who had earlier been beaten by Canterbury in a 50-over match.
Reports said he was in intensive care.
Fairfax Media quoted witnesses saying Ryder tried to fight back as four men "absolutely smashed him".
A man identified only as Adam, who was drinking in the bar at the time, said he was not sure if the attackers were friends of Ryder, but said they "damn knew who he was".
Ryder's family was reported to be flying to Christchurch to be at his side and New Zealand Cricket tweeted: "The whole NZC team's thoughts are with @DijaRyder this morning."
The 28-year-old Ryder is on a self-imposed break from international cricket to address "personal issues" following a series of incidents.
However, he was continuing to play in the IPL and was due to fly out to India this weekend to play for the Delhi Daredevils who paid US$260,000 for his services at an auction.
Last year, he took his manager and a psychologist with him to India when he played for the Pune Warriors.
Ryder has a Test average of 40.93 and a highest score of 201.
He last played for New Zealand in an one-day international against South Africa in February last year.

Sri Lanka bat in third Bangladesh ODI

PALLEKELE: Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews elected to bat after winning the toss against Bangladesh in the third and final one-day international in Pallekele on Thursday.

Sri Lanka won the first one-dayer by eight wickets in Hambantota, while the second match at the same venue was abandoned due to rain.

Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Kumar Sangakkara, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Sachithra Senanayake, Lasith Malinga.

Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), Jahurul Islam, Anamul Haque, Mohammad Ashraful, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain, Mominul Haque, Sohag Gazi, Shahadat Hossain, Abdur Razzak, Ziaur Rahman.

Umpires: Nigel Llong (ENG) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SRI)

TV umpire: Tyron Wijewardene (SRI)

Match referee: David Boon (AUS)
(AFP)

Multan, Lahore register wins in T-20 Cup

LAHORE: Multan Tigers beat Abbottabad Falcons while Lahore Lions got the better of Sialkot Stallions in the Faysal Bank Super Eight T-20 Cup in Lahore on Tuesday.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first Abbottabad were unable to post an imposing total for Multan as they got 141-8 in their 20 overs.
Adnan Raees was their main run getter with 34 off 21 balls with 3x4s and a six.
Zulfiqar Baber with 3-20 and Shoib Maqsood with 3-23 bowled well.
In reply Multan got to the target easily losing 5 wickets and with 14 balls to spare, thanks mainly to a 77 run opening stand between Zeeshan Ashraf (58no) and Shoib Maqsood (45).
Yasir Shah 3-29 bowled well for Abbottabad.
Later Shoib Masood was declared the player of the match for his all-round show.
In the other star studded encounter Lahore Lions won the toss and chose to bat. With the help of an unbeaten 71 off 56 balls with 7x4s and a six by Nasir Jamshed and 33 off 25 balls by Kamran Akmal they were able to put 162 runs on the board.
Shoib Malik and Bilawal Bhatti got 2 wickets each.
In reply Sialkot got off to a bad start losing 4 wickets inside the first six overs for 52 runs. They never recovered from that poor start and finally finished on 118 for 8 in the 20 allotted 20 overs falling 44 runs short of the target.
Adnan Rasool took 3-17 off his 4 overs for the Lions.
Nasir was declared man of the match for his brilliant effort with the bat.

Balotelli scores twice to send Italy top

VALLETTA: Mario Balotelli scored both goals as Italy defeated Malta 2-0 here to move three points clear at the top of their World Cup qualifying group B on Tuesday.
The AC Milan striker opened his account early in the first half from the penalty spot before doubling his tally just before half-time, making it 10 goals in his last nine matches for both club and country.
However, the home side could count themselves a little unlucky as they missed a penalty and also clattered the crossbar in the first half.
With Denmark held to a 1-1 draw in Copenhagen by second-placed Bulgaria, Italy extended their lead at the top of their group and even have a game in hand.
Meanwhile, Malta remain rooted to the bottom of the group with zero points from five matches.
The hosts started reasonably brightly, pressing the Azzurri at every opportunity and not allowing them time to settle on the ball. But it was that eagerness to close down at every moment which was soon to be Malta's undoing.
Luke Dimech overstretched as he tried to tackle Stephan El Shaarawy in the eighth minute and tripped the AC Milan forward in the penalty area.
That gave Balotelli the chance to open the scoring, sending goalkeeper Justin Haber the wrong way from the spot.
However, moments later Malta had a penalty of their own, as Andrea Barzagli let Andre Schembri raced clear into the box only for Gianluigi Buffon to bring him down.
Michael Mifsud stepped up to take the resulting spot-kick but could not beat the Italian number one.
Thirty-one-year-old Mifsud could have made up for that mistake just a couple of minutes later as he left Leonardo Bonucci for dead, but his long-range shot looped over Buffon and smacked the crossbar, much to the disappointment of the Maltese crowd.
Malta then escaped as Riccardo Montolivo steamed forward and rounded Haber, only to see his shot from a tight angle bounce wide.
The Italians slowly started to exert their authority and Andrea Pirlo saw a freekick blocked by the wall, before Balotelli put another just over the bar.
Malta's reprieve was brief, though. Almost on the stroke of half-time, Bonucci found Mattia De Sciglio on the left with a superb long ball. The youngster showed excellent control as he advanced towards the goal before his cut-back found Balotelli, who side-footed into the far corner from close range.
Italy could, and should, have added another just after the break when Ignazio Abate raced down the right side into the box, but his cross was poorly controlled by Emanuele Giaccherini who, nevertheless, forced a brilliant reflex save from Haber.
Claudio Marchisio was a little fortunate at the other end when he appeared to trip Mifsud as the striker raced into the penalty area, but the referee waved play on, much to the disgust of the Maltese, who were convinced they should have had another spot kick.(AFP)

Dated : 3/27/2013 9:35:00 AM
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Geo Sport Haas shocks Djokovic, Murray in quarters in Miami

MIAMI: Two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic crashed out in the fourth round of the Miami Masters Tuesday while last year's runner-up Andy Murray eased through to the quarter-finals in straight sets.
World number one Djokovic was stunned 6-2, 6-4 by German 15th seed Tommy Haas but US Open winner Murray had no such difficulties, breezing past Italy's Andreas Seppi by the same score in the $8.5 million ATP and WTA hardcourt event.
The Serb lost for just the second time this season, never getting to grips with Haas, who kept Djokovic off his game with a number of skillful shots.
Haas, who turns 35 next week, advances to the last eight where he will face Frenchman Gilles Simon who outlasted Djokovic's countryman Janko Tipsarevic 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.
Haas hit seven forehand winners and won 76 percent of his first-serve points, snapping Djokovic's 14 match-winning streak in Miami.
Haas easily won the first set then clinched victory on his second match point with a forehand winner to the open court, ending the 80 minute match.
Djokovic, who had won this event three times (2007, 2011, 2012), had one double fault and won just 54 percent of his second serves.
This is the first time since 1999 Haas has beaten a world number one. He defeated Andre Agassi in three sets at the Grand Slam Cup for his only other win over a world No. 1 in 15 contests.
Scotsman Murray, the 2009 Miami winner who lost to Djokovic in last year's final, needed only 86 minutes to book a date in the last eight with ninth seed Croatian Marin Cilic.
World number three Murray only lost three points (28/31) on his first serve all match. He also fired three aces and had two double faults.(AFP)

England draw against Montenegro in WC qualifier

MONTENEGRO: Montenegro produced a rousing second-half display to earn a 1-1 draw at home to England on Tuesday that enabled them to preserve a two-point lead in their World Cup qualifying group.
Wayne Rooney appeared to have atoned for his red card on his last visit to Podgorica by giving England a sixth-minute lead that looked set to send Roy Hodgson's side to the top of Group H.
However, the hosts rallied after the interval at a raucous Podgorica City Stadium and claimed a deserved equalizer in the 76th minute when substitute Dejan Damjanovic bundled home.
The result means that, if Montenegro win at home to Ukraine in June, England will be five points off the pace by the time they play their next qualifier at home to Moldova in September.
England coach Hodgson made six changes to the team that outclassed San Marino 8-0, with Gerrard returning alongside Glen Johnson, Ashley Cole, Michael Carrick, James Milner and Danny Welbeck.
England had been promised a caustic atmosphere, and fighting broke out between the home fans before the game had even begun, but if there had been any pre-match nerves in the visiting ranks, they did not show.
In the third minute, Rooney beat Mladen Bozovic with a delicately measured lob that came back off the post, and three minutes later, the hosts' goalkeeper had to touch a rising drive from Johnson over the bar.
From the corner that followed England went ahead, Rooney resisting the attentions of his marker to meet Gerrard's delivery with a header that found the bottom-right corner for his 35th international goal.
Brnovic had put his faith in his "two Ferraris", Stefan Jovetic and Mirko Vucinic, but they were initially subdued; Jovetic dragging wide in the 15th minute.
Milner drilled a shot wide for England, while Rooney narrowly failed to find Welbeck with a cross before being unable to adjust himself quickly enough to convert a low centre from Milner.
The visitors might even have had a penalty shortly before half-time, when Stefan Savic appeared to clip the escaping Welbeck inside the area, but instead the Manchester United forward was booked for diving.
Brnovic introduced striker Damjanovic at half-time and the early stages of the second half saw the home side procure a glut of chances.
Jovetic hit the side-netting with a header, Marko Basa headed wide, Jovetic hooked a volley off-target, and Vucinic should have done better than place a half-volley over the bar when a half-cleared corner fell to him.
England goalkeeper Joe Hart also had a heart-in-mouth moment, patting down a shot from Vucinic and then leaping on the ball after it bounced off his leg towards the net.
Still Montenegro came, and in the 72nd minute Vucinic bent a shot inches wide of the right-hand post despite the unmarked Damjanovic screaming for the ball to his right.
Hart flew to his right to parry a crisp half-volley from Jovetic and from the corner that followed, a scramble saw the ball squirt out and hit the post.
The compact stadium was rocking, and England's resistance did not last long.
Damjanic claimed the equaliser, at the third attempt, bundling the ball home after Hart had saved his bullet header from a corner and his initial follow-up had been blocked.
Smoke from several flares drifted across the pitch as England struggled to respond, but Gerrard saw first a last-minute volley and then an injury-time free-kick repelled by Bozovic. (AFP)

West Indies defer ODI series against Pakistan

KARACHI: Pakistan will play two Test matches during its Caribbean tour as West Indies deferred ODI series, Geo News reported.

Pakistan were to play two Tests and five ODIs during its West Indies tour in June-July this year.