Bomb hits governor's office in Yemen's Aden, four dead: security officials

A bomb attack on the governor’s temporary headquarters in Yemen’s main southern city of Aden on Thursday killed four people and wounded 10 others, security officials and medics said.

Governor Nayef al-Bakri was unharmed in the blast at the headquarters of the Aden Faculty of Administrative Sciences, which is housing the governor’s offices, the sources said.

It was the first such attack in Aden since pro-government forces retook the city from Iran-backed Shiite rebels in mid-July.

For More Information,Visit us on :-
http://www.dailythanthi.com/

Why Every Indian Woman, and Man, Should Watch This Short Film

The statistics invoked in a new short film titled 'Dying To Be Me' are a brutal reminder that it is the economic shackles of being a woman in India that prove the most binding. According to this video, Indian women make up half the country's population, contribute to 70% of its working house and yet just earn 10% of India's salary and a miserable 1% of its wealth.

'Dying To Be Me,' made by Indian-American filmmaker Deva Katta, was released to mark Independence Day and the message it drives home is the importance of economic independence.

The female protagonist in the two-minute film, played by actress-singer Smita, is educated, urban and qualified. Yet, she is as disenfranchised as the poorest, most rustic woman. Financial freedom is hers only when she takes control of her own life, wresting from a husband who seeks to cage her.

"Live free and let live free," is the film's conclusion.

Watch here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL_yIBWagYVjyyqx_qPkbat5zufWZOyZEZ&t=103&v=4_Ehj5o55ag

Fresh Batch of 57 Pilgrims Leaves for Amarnath

Jammu:  A fresh batch of 57 pilgrims today left for the cave shrine of Amarnath in the south Kashmir Himalayas, amid tight security.

The batch comprising 47 men, eight women and two children left in three vehicles from Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu at 4.55 am, a police official said.

Amid tight security arrangements made by CRPF, the pilgrims would reach at the twin base camps of Pahalgam and Baltal by this evening, he said.

Till yesterday, 3,49,242 pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave of Lord Shiva.

With today's batch, 48,534 pilgrims have so far left from the Jammu base camp for the shrine. 

For More Information,Visit us on :-

http://www.dailythanthi.com/

NASA denies asteroid to strike Earth soon

NASA has denied viral claims that an asteroid will strike Earth next month causing widespread devastation.

NASA has denied viral internet claims that an asteroid will strike Earth next month wreaking widespread devastation.

The space agency noted that a number of web postings are 'erroneously' claiming a disaster will happen between 15 and 28 September this year.

Rumour-mongers have said the cosmic strike would hit near Puerto Rico, destroying parts of the US Atlantic and Gulf coasts and Mexico, as well as Central and South America.

Conspiracy theorists suggested the US authorities were secretly making emergency plans for the impending catastrophe.

But NASA said no known celestial object has any credible chance of hitting Earth over the next century.

'There is no scientific basis - not one shred of evidence - that an asteroid or any other celestial object will impact Earth on those dates,' said Paul Chodas, manager of NASA's Near-Earth Object office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

'If there were any object large enough to do that type of destruction in September, we would have seen something of it by now,' he added.

He said such doomsday stories seem to circulate all too often.

In 2011, there were rumours that the comet Elenin would hit Earth, despite NASA saying it posed no danger. It disintegrated harmlessly out in space.

The end of the Mayan calendar on 21 December 2012 also sparked apocalyptic asteroid warnings online.

Similar rumours spread this year surrounding asteroids 2004 BL86 and 2014 YB35.

Both bypassed Earth in January and March without incident, just as NASA noted it projected.

The space agency uses a variety of telescopes to detect objects passing within 30 million miles of Earth.

NASA's Near-Earth Object Program web page lists asteroids predicted to pass our planet in future.

For More Information,Visit us on :-

http://www.dailythanthi.com/

July was hottest month in history: US scientistsAgencies

Global warming could sink large parts of Kochi: ScientistsCSIR-IICT develops hydrofluorocarbons manfacture technology to reduce...Natural cooling of the Sun will not be enough to save Earth from glob...Last month was hottest May in modern history, US scientists saySolar storm to hit power grid on Earth

MIAMI: July was the hottest month in history, setting a new and troubling record as the planet continues to warm due to the burning of fossil fuels, US government scientists said on Thursday.

Not only was last month the record-breaker for heat across land and sea surfaces worldwide when compared to past months of July going back more than a century, "this was also the all-time highest monthly temperature in the 1880-2015 record," said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

In its monthly global climate report released online on Thursday, NOAA also cited record high temperatures for the Earth's oceans.

For More Information,Visit us on :-

http://www.dailythanthi.com/

David Warner, Steve Smith fifties lift Australia

Australia's future leadership team of Steven Smith and David Warner helped restore some pride for the tourists against England on Thursday's first day of the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval.

When bad light forced an early close, Australia, who had lost the toss, were 287 for three - a marked contrast to their 60 all out in the first innings of their series-losing defeat in the fourth Test at Nottingham's Trent Bridge.

Smith, who will take over as Australia's Test captain when Michael Clarke retires following this match, was 78 not out after future vice-captain Warner had made 85. Adam Voges was unbeaten on 47, having helped Smith add an unbroken 101 for the fourth wicket.

A green-tinged pitch and overcast skies were reminiscent of conditions at Trent Bridge a fortnight ago where Stuart Broad took a devastating eight for 15 as Australia, likewise sent into bat by England captain Alastair Cook, collapsed in stunning style. England went on to win by an innings and 78 runs, a victory that saw them regain the Ashes and take an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.

But Thursday saw Chris Rogers, also retiring from international duty after this match, and fellow left-handed opener Warner put on 110 for the first wicket as Australia proved they could bat responsibly in typically English conditions. Broad was fractionally too wide early on against batsmen determined not to 'chase' the ball after their Nottingham nightmare. The first hour's play saw Australia 19 without loss in 14 overs, compared to 38 for seven in 11 in 60 minutes at Trent Bridge.

Australia's first boundary did not arrive until the 15th over when the normally aggressive Warner pulled Ben Stokes through square leg. An increasingly assured Warner, gaining from time in the middle, went to a 76-ball fifty when he cover-drove fast bowler Steven Finn for his seventh four.

England eventually separated the pair after lunch when Rogers pushed away from his body against fast bowler Mark Wood and first slip Cook held the outside edge at the second attempt. Warner, in sight of what would have been his first Test hundred in England, fell when he pushed forward to off-spinner Moeen Ali and was caught at slip by Adam Lyth, the opener swishing his bat in annoyance.

New batsman Clarke walked out to a standing ovation from the crowd as England's players formed a guard of honour in the middle for the Australia captain. But the rousing reception did nothing to lift Clarke out of his prolonged run drought. One of Australia's greatest batsmen, Clarke exited for 15 when he edged a delivery from all-rounder Ben Stokes that seamed off the pitch to wicket-keeper Jos Buttler. The captain consulted non-striker Smith and sought a review but there was no denying that Sri Lankan umpire Kumar Dharmasena had made the correct decision.

Smith, returning to form after his 215 and 58 in the second Test at Lord's were followed by four single-figure scores in the next two Tests, cover drove Stokes for his sixth four to complete an 84-ball fifty. He then went down the pitch to drive Ali for a skimming six over mid-off.

Despite the floodlights piercing the gloom, the umpires halted play at 6:31 PM local time (17:31 GMT). England fielded an unchanged team after all-time leading Test wicket-taker James Anderson was again ruled out with the side injury that saw him miss the fourth Test. Australia, however, recalled all-rounder Mitchell Marsh after dropping his brother Shaun, a top-order batsman, while fast bowler Peter Siddle was selected for his first Test of the series in place of the injured Josh Hazlewood.

For More Information,Visit us on :-

http://www.dailythanthi.com/

Greece crisis: PM Alexis Tsipras quits and calls early polls

Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has announced he is resigning and has called an early election.

Mr Tsipras, who was only elected in January, said he had a moral duty to go to the polls now a third bailout had been secured with European creditors.

The election date is yet to be set but earlier reports suggested 20 September.

Mr Tsipras will lead his leftist Syriza party into the polls, but he has faced a rebellion by some members angry at the bailout's austerity measures.

He had to agree to painful state sector cuts, including far-reaching pension reforms, in exchange for the bailout - and keeping Greece in the eurozone.

Business live - latest reports here

Greece received the first €13bn ($14.5bn) tranche of the bailout on Thursday after it was approved by relevant European parliaments.

It allowed Greece to repay a €3.2bn debt to the European Central Bank and avoid a messy default.

The overall bailout package is worth about €86bn over three years.

Lost majority

Alexis Tsipras made the announcement in a televised state address on Thursday.

"The political mandate of the 25 January elections has exhausted its limits and now the Greek people have to have their say," he said.

Mr Tsipras said he would seek the Greek people's approval to continue his government's programme.

For More Information,Visit us on :-

http://www.dailythanthi.com/

Pakistani airstrikes kill 43 militants near Afghan border

Pakistan's military says airstrikes in a northwestern tribal region near the Afghan border have killed 43 militants.

The military said in a statement that the militants were killed Thursday in two villages of the North Waziristan tribal region. It gave no details about the identities or nationalities of the slain militants.

The information could not be corroborated as journalists are barred from tribal areas.

The Pakistani army has been carrying out a major military operation in North Waziristan since June 2014 to eliminate local and foreign militants.

Since then, the military says it has cleared more than 90 percent of North Waziristan and killed about 3,000 militants.

For more information

http://www.maalaimalar.com/

'Santhara': VHP expresses 'sadness, agony' over Raj HC order

Press Trust of India  |  Allahabad  August 20, 2015 Last Updated at 16:57 IST

Conditions of jails in Rajasthan: High Court summons ACS(Home) Rajasthan Royals pay Rs 15 cr part-penalty in FEMA case to ED "Crime victims should get their rights": Rajasthan HC CJ Santhara ritual held illegal by Rajasthan HC Rajasthan HC stays shifting of Kendriya Vidyalaya to MP's

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad today expressed "sadness and agony" over the Rajasthan High Court judgement banning the practice of "Santhara", a Jain religious practice of voluntary fast unto death.

"We humbly request the judiciary and the governments not to interfere in matters relating to religious and cultural life. The followers of religions which have originated in India - be it Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism or Sikhism - have never shied away from reforms which is evident from movements for widow remarriage and women's education.

"But this should come from within the society and not imposed from outside," VHP international president Pravin Togadia said in a statement.

Togadia said that "it has become fashionable to denigrate age-old customs followed by the people of the country for which a westernised education system, which gives rise to a pseudo-secular mindset, is to be blamed".

"The Rajasthan High Court order is tantamount to interference in matters relating to religion and culture and we express sadness and agony over the same," Togadia added.

The Rajasthan High Court had on August 10 held Jainism religious ritual of 'Santhara' as illegal making it punishable under sections 306 (abetment of suicide) and 309 (attempted suicide) of the IPC.

"Santhara or fast unto death is not an essential tenet of Jainism," the HC said, adding it cannot be termed as "humane" and it's violative of basic human right. A Public Interest Litigation challenging the legality of 'Santhara' was filed in the high court in 2006.

A petition challenging the same has been filed in the Supreme Court.

For more information

http://www.maalaimalar.com/

South Korea evacuation after shelling on western border

North and South Korea have exchanged cross-border fire several times in recent years (file photo)

North Korea

    N Korea opens fire as drills start

    North Korea's missile programme

    Profile: Kim Jong-un

    N Korea defends rights record at UN

South Korea has ordered the evacuation of residents from an area of its western border after an exchange of fire with North Korea, reports say.

North Korea fired a shell at a South Korean military unit on Thursday, prompting the south to retaliate with several artillery rounds, the South's defence ministry said.

South Korea's National Security Council is due to hold an emergency session.

The western sea border has long been a flashpoint between the two Koreas.

North Korea fired a projectile towards Yeoncheon, a town north-west of Seoul, at 15:52 local time (06:52 GMT), the defence ministry said.

Reports suggest the target could have been a loudspeaker broadcasting anti-Pyongyang messages.

The South then fired "dozens of rounds of 155mm shells" towards where they thought the rocket was launched from, the ministry added in a statement.

There were no immediate reports of any injuries or damage on either side.

Residents have been ordered to leave their shops and homes and evacuate to bunkers and shelters

The two Koreas remain technically at war, because the 1950-1953 war ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.

The two sides have exchanged cross-border fire several times in recent years.

A local official told AP news agency that about 80 residents in Yeoncheon had been evacuated, with other residents in the area also urged to take shelter.

The latest incident comes amid heightened tensions between the North and South.

Seoul has blamed the North for planting a landmine that injured two South Korea soldiers earlier this month.

Since then, the sides have begun blasting propaganda broadcasts from loudspeakers along the border - restarting a practice both had suspended back in 2004.

South Korea and the US also began annual joint military exercises on Monday - they describe the drills as defensive, but North Korea calls them a rehearsal for invasion.

For more information

http://www.maalaimalar.com/

ICC Test Rankings: Ashwin in top-10, Dhawan jumps 15 spots for career-high 32nd

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin entered the top-10 as the lone Indian in the ICC Test player rankings for bowlers, while opener Shikhar Dhawan jumped 15 places for a career-high 32nd in the batting chart following their exploits in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle.

While Dhawan was ranked 32nd after his century against Sri Lanka, Test captain Virat Kohli, who also scored 110 in the first innings, was static to be the best-placed Indian batsman at number 10.

Spinner Ashwin, who had a 10-wicket haul for a losing cause, was at ninth place in the bowling list after jumping three places.

There was good news for several Sri Lanka players following their 63-run victory over India in the first Test, with career high gains for Dinesh Chandimal and Tharindu Kaushal as Rangana Herath also helped inspire the hosts to an unlikely victory.

Skipper Angelo Mathews has overtaken his team-mate Kumar Sangakarra and, in the process, moved up one place to fifth in the Test batsmen list after scores of 64 and 39.

Sangakarra, who will make his final appearance for Sri Lanka in the second Test which starts in Colombo on Thursday, now lies nine points behind Mathews on 851 points.

The highest mover in the batting rankings was wicket-keeper Chandimal who put in a Man of the Match performance by scoring 59 and 162 not out to vault 22 places to a career-high 23rd.

Courtesy his 134, Dhawan has become only the third Indian opening batsman after Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid to score Test centuries in consecutive innings overseas.

Binny added to India Test squad

Allrounder Stuart Binny has been added to India's Test squad for the Sri Lanka series. He will join the team ahead of the second game, which begins on August 20 in Colombo.

India's media manager confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that there was no injury concern for any of the other members of the squad, that Binny was just an "addition" to the 15-man unit.

Binny, a pace-bowler and lower middle-order batsman, has played three Tests, all on India's tour to England in mid 2014. While he did not pick up a wicket in any of those games, he scored a handy 78 in his debut Test, in Nottingham, to help India draw.

India lost the first Test of the series, in Galle, after being ahead for a large part of the match. There are two more matches to go, both in Colombo, one at the P Sara Oval and the other at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

Incorrect Spanish anthem played at badminton Worlds

Jakarta, Aug 16: An incorrect version of the Spanish national anthem was played during the medal presentation ceremony of the badminton World Championships here on Sunday.

An older version of the current anthem was played after Carolina Marin successfully defended her women's singles title, beating Indian challenger Saina Nehwal at the 9,000-seater Istora Senayan.

"The Badminton World Federation (BWF) and the local hosts for the World Championships have apologized to Carolina Marin for playing the incorrect version of Spain's national anthem," a BWF statement said.

World No.1 Carolina took just a minute less than an hour to beat the Indian second seed 21-16, 21-19. This was the top seeded Spaniard's second consecutive win over Saina in five career meetings.

English team spent 10 hours drinking after Ashes win

London, Aug 16: Top order batsman Joe Root has revealed that the English cricket team didn't leave Trent Bridge for 10 hours as they were partying in the dressing room and on the pitch with "plenty of drink swilling around" following their 3-1 Ashes victory over Australia that saw them reclaim the urn.

Australia lost the fourth Test at Trent Bridge by an innings and 78 runs inside three days. The visitors had earlier lost the first and third Tests and are trailing the five-match series 1-3.

"Celebrating wins is very special and, at Trent Bridge, we didn't leave the ground until about 10pm, even though the match was over by midday," Root was quoted as saying by Sunday Mirror on Saturday.

"As you can imagine there was plenty of drink swilling around in the dressing room and people were wearing as much champagne as they drank."

Root's role in the celebrations was highlighted, as the Yorkshire star took to Sky mock pundit Bob Willis in the dressing room.

"After the spraying was out of the way I couldn't resist doing my Bob Willis impression, although quite a few people have told me it doesn't sound anything like him. I'll have to keep working on it," he said.

England now go into the final Test in the series with an unassailable 3-1 lead, thanks to back to back wins inside three days, but Root insisted that the side would not be taking their foot off the gas next week.

Root said"We want to go to the Oval and make sure, when we lift that urn, we are having a huge celebration and it doesn't become a damp squib because we have not won the final game."

Being dropped from team is like bread & butter for me, says Rangana Herath

Having stayed under legendary Muuttiah Muralitharan's shadow for the better part of his career, Rangana Herath feels that being in and out of the side over last decade is like "bread and butter" for him.

As recently as Sri Lanka's last Test match against Pakistan, Herath was dropped from the playing XI but the left-arm spinner has learnt to take it in his stride. "That was not the first time that I was dropped from the team. I've been dropped from the team so many times. For me, it's like bread and butter," the irony of his statement was not lost on anyone after Herath's 7/48 turned the match decisively for Sri Lanka. "Every batsman and bowler has rough patches in each of their career. I have done lot of good things in the recent past. So what I have thought is that that I've done something and I can do the same. So I trusted on that and went on," he said.

Asked about being Murali's shadows for long time, Herath said,"I've played alongside Murali in 2009 and he retired in 2010. I didn't try to emulate what he did on the cricketing field. He is a legend and I don't think that I can even get closer to what he did. But on my part, I've tried everything that I could do," he added. Herath said Ajinkya Rahane's dismissal was when they were convinced that they are winning the match.

"I thought he was the man to change the match at that situation. So I thought we can surely win when we got Rahane out," Herath said after the match. After a listless spell in the first innings, the left-arm spinner made a splendid comeback in the second innings.

"I did bowl well in the first innings but unfortunately I couldn't get wickets in the first innings. But we did realize something on how to bowl in this kind of pitches. With the spin bowling coach, we had a chat and put up a plan before the fourth innings," he added. Off-spinner Tharindu Kaushal picked eight wickets in the match, including five in the first innings, and has formed an able partnership with Herath that could spell more trouble for India in the next two matches.

"He (Tharindu) has played few matches in the recent past and he has showed that he has the variety. So I think he is the man for the future. But still, he is just 22 years old and he needs experience. He needs to improve a lot and he needs consistency. "However, with these set of coaches, he can go a long way. Especially at this age, he is in a very good position to improve himself," Herath signed off. 

Morne van Wyk recalled to limited-overs squads

Wicketkeeper-batsman Morne van Wyk has been recalled to South Africa's squads for the ODI and Twenty20 international series against New Zealand in August as a replacement for Quinton de Kock.

JP Duminy and Morne Morkel will miss the ODIs because they are going on paternity leave, but they will be available for the T20Is. AB de Villiers returns to the squad after completing his paternity leave, which kept him out of the rain-hit Test series in Bangladesh.

Fast bowlers Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander have been picked in the ODI squad after missing the games in Bangladesh. Legspinner Imran Tahir was included in the ODI team but not the T20 squad because Eddie Leie was given another opportunity following his impressive debut in Bangladesh.

ODI squad: AB de Villiers (capt), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Aaron Phangiso, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn, Morne van Wyk, David Wiese

T20I squad: Faf du Plessis, Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Eddie Leie, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Aaron Phangiso, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Morne van Wyk, David Wiese.

No clarity yet over India's long-term support staff

India's coaching staff is in a state of flux ahead of their first challenge of a long and busy season. The team director, Ravi Shastri, will only join the squad in Sri Lanka on August 8 - four days before the first Test, and only after the practice game - once he completes his duties as a television expert for the Ashes broadcaster. His three assistant coaches are reportedly yet to be given their contracts because the BCCI appears to be waiting to take a decision on Shastri's future first.

Shastri, B Arun (bowling coach), R Sridhar (fielding coach) and Sanjay Bangar (batting coach) were promised extensions during India's tour of Bangladesh in June, and were expected to be offered contracts before the team's departure to Zimbabwe later that month. However, it is understood that no contracts have been offered yet.

One of the reasons for the delay is Shastri's perceived lack of commitment. He skipped India's tour to Zimbabwe after seeking prior approval from BCCI, and having signed up as an analyst with Sky Sports, Shastri also missed the preparatory phase for the Sri Lanka tour.

A BCCI source said that part of the reason for Shastri skipping the initial phase of the Sri Lanka tour was due to the revision in itinerary - the schedule was advanced by about ten days, causing a conflict with his commitment to Sky Sports. The BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya and secretary Anurag Thakur have not been critical of Shastri's decisions. Thakur had said last month that Shastri had informed the board about his unavailability for the Zimbabwe tour "well in advance".

However, his absence from the touring party to Sri Lanka has raised doubts about his commitment among some BCCI office bearers. Several board members told ESPNcricinfo that it sent a wrong signal because the man in charge of the Indian team's affairs had substantial media commitments as well.

The situation has neither helped Shastri nor his assistants as long-term appointments. The BCCI hierarchy is understood to be happy to wait for the appointment of a head coach, before giving year-long contracts to assistant coaches. The BCCI is believed to be in touch with a couple of overseas candidates and the cricket advisory committee is likely to interview them in the first week of September.

The last set of assistant coaches India had - Vekhatesh Prasad and Robin Singh - worked through their two-year stint without a long-term contract. They were compensated on a series-by-series basis. The three assistant coaches have been on a similar arrangement since they were roped in midway through India's tour to England last year.

Rahul Dravid Wants Virat Kohli to Take a Cue From Virender Sehwag's 201 in Galle

Chennai: India A coach Rahul Dravid, who spent some quality time with Test captain Virat Kohli advised him to make Virender Sehwag's unbeaten 201 at Galle (in 2008) against a rampaging Ajantha Mendis as a reference frame for facing the Sri Lankan tweakers this time round.

"If you see the way that series (2008) went, Ajantha Mendis was a revelation (he took six wickets in that innings). Mendis was really troubling batsmen. That was the game that Viru bhai actually took him on and whacked him. Couple of days back, I spoke about that innings with Rahul Dravid. He (Dravid) said that is the best innings of Virender Sehwag's in his career," the name Sehwag got the utmost respect out of Kohli's voice.

"That innings personally taught me how to play in Sri Lanka against their spinners in their conditions. I am sure lot of batsmen would want to watch it again throughout the series and take tips as to how we can go about our business," Kohli made it clear why that innings would be a reference frame for all batsmen playing Test cricket in Sri Lanka.

Incidentally, Sehwag scored 201 out of 329 in that Indian innings where eight players failed to get into double digits. "I saw the whole of that innings and the way he (Sehwag) batted even with the lower order still so backing himself throughout. That teaches a lot specially to youngsters who want to cement a place or make a mark in Test cricket. It is all about backing your ability and not changing a game too much from what you used to playing."

Asked about what exactly were the areas where he worked with India A coach Rahul Dravid, the talented Delhi batsman spoke about adjusting to pitches which helps spinners with sweeping being one of the key aspect.

"Sweeping is one aspect that I was always looking to improve on. If you look at our team, Ajinkya plays the shot well, I have seen Rohit play the shot and also Vijay. I thought I might add it into my armoury."

"I played that last in Australia and I figured out that playing on turning wicket is something that you need to have as a batsmen to tackle difficult situations. Dravid helped me from the sidelines that he saw something could have been corrected while playing.

"That was indeed very helpful and he has been very helpful in the past six days and organized whatever sort of practice that I needed. I am really glad that I came here and played that game. All in all it turned out to be a very good preparation."

Chinglensana, Sunil score as India beat France 2-0 in first hockey Test

New Delhi: Riding on goals by Chinglensana Singh and SV Sunil, India defeated France 2-0 in their opening Test match of the two-match series in France on Monday. Chinglensana scored the opening goal to give India the lead while Sunil slotted the second goal to put India in the driver's seat against the hosts. India were leading 2-0 at half-time. Goalkeeper PR Sreejesh's made a flurry of brilliant saves in the second half and denied France any chance of scoring. The French players were creating opportunities but Sreejesh and the defenders guarded the post brilliantly for India.

In the first quarter, both the teams attacked aggressively on each other half and tried score the first goal for their team. After series of attacks from both sides, India’s midfielder Chinglensana sneaked into French half and hit the ball in the goal-box to score the first goal of the match in the 18th minute. With this early lead, Indians took control of the match and put French players in tremendous pressure. Indians didn’t allow France to take control of the ball and the opponent struggled in rest of the quarter. After intense tussle from both sides, first quarter ended at 1-0 score in favour of India.

In the second quarter, Indians came on the field with more confidence and maintained their control over the match. Led by captain Sardar Singh, midfielders SK Uthappa, Danish Mujtaba and Devinder Walmiki displayed a high-level hockey skills and kept their team attacking. Forward players SV Sunil, Ramandeep Singh and Akashdeep Singh kept on charging on the French side and played the ball in their half. After continuous attacks, SV Sunil dribbled past French defenders and sent the ball into the nets for the second goal in the 26th minute. Leading by two goals, Indian continued their domination on the match and maintained the score-card at 2-0 by the end of second quarter. 

In the third quarter, France stepped in with aggression and surprised India with their quick passes. French players were desperately looking for opportunities to score goals and reduce the margin. They attacked on Indian side and tried hard for goal-scoring chances, which brought pressure on Indian side. In few occasions, they came very close to Indian goal-posts but Indian defence-line restricted their attacks. In the last few minutes of the quarter, France earned a penalty corner, which successfully thwarted by India goal-keeper Sreejesh and maintained the score-line at 2-0 by the end of third quarter.

The fourth quarter seen the closely-fought battle as both the teams pushed each others to score more goals. French players played with more aggression and they managed to earn two back-to-back penalty corners. But both were saved by Sreejesh with his brilliant moves. Indians counter attacked on France’s half and tried hard to increase the score-sheet. However, as the match got closed to the final whistle, both the teams challenged each other and fought hard for the ball possession and score more goals. After a neck-to-neck battle, the match finished at 2-0 in favour of India.

India had recently beaten France in the World League Semifinals in Belgium.

India Beat France in First Match on European Hockey Tour

India started their Europe Tour campaign with an impressive 2-0 victory over France at Le Touquet on Monday. Chinglensana Singh and SV Sunil helped India to dominate throughout the match and kept the European team in pressure. France came back strongly after third quarter but they failed to breach Indian defence-line. (Click here for latest hockey stories). In the first quarter, both teams attacked aggressively on each others' half in an attempt to take the lead. After a series of attacks from both sides, India's midfielder Chinglensana Singh sneaked into French half and hit the ball in the goal-box to score the first goal of the match in the 18th minute. With this early lead, India took control of the match and put France under tremendous pressure. India didn't allow France to take control of the ball and the opponent struggled in the rest of the quarter. After an intense tussle from both sides, the first quarter ended at 1-0 score in favour of India.

In the second quarter, Indians came on the field with more confidence and maintained their control over the match. Led by captain Sardar Singh, midfielders SK Uthappa, Danish Mujtaba and Devinder Walmiki displayed a high-level hockey skills and kept their team attacking. Forward players SV Sunil, Ramandeep Singh and Akashdeep Singh kept on charging on the French side and played the ball in their half. After continuous attacks, SV Sunil dribbled past French defenders for the second goal in the 26th minute. Leading by two goals, Indian continued their domination on the match and maintained the score-card at 2-0 by the end of second quarter.

In the third quarter, France stepped in with aggression and surprised India with their quick passes. The hosts were desperately looking for opportunities to score goals and reduce the margin. They attacked the Indian side and tried hard to make some chances, which brought the tourists under pressure. On a few occasions, they came very close to Indian goal-posts but the defence-line restricted their attacks. In the last few minutes of the quarter, France earned a penalty corner, which was successfully thwarted by India goal-keeper PR Sreejesh and the visitors maintained the score-line at 2-0 by the end of third quarter.

The fourth quarter saw the closely-fought battle as both the teams pushed each other to score more goals. France played with more aggression and they managed to earn two back-to-back penalty corners. But both were saved by Sreejesh with his brilliant moves. India counter attacked on France's half and tried hard to increase the score-sheet. However, as the match got close to the final whistle, both teams challenged each other and fought hard for the ball possession and score more goals. After a neck-to-neck battle, the match finished at 2-0 in favour of India. India will play their second and last match against France on August 5 at Wattigies Sports Centre.