Australia made an uncharacteristic slow start in the first cricket Test against India here on Wednesday, reaching 70-1 in 26 overs by lunch on the opening day. Left-handed opener Matthew Hayden was the batsman dismissed in the first session, caught at deep square-leg in trying to sweep off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.
Committed, thorough and excited — three of the qualities Jonny Wilkinson said he wanted to see in the England team he takes charge of for three Tests next month. Speaking publically for the first time since being appointed Martin Johnson’s successor as captain Wilkinson spelled out his vision of the way ahead for the World Cup winners at a press conference on Tuesday.
Vandals splashed red paint on two luxury cars owned by influential Manchester United shareholder Maurice Watkins. Police would not confirm news reports that the vandalism was linked to a possible takeover bid for the club by American businessman Malcolm Glazer.
World champion Michael Schumacher vowed on Wednesday to go flat out to make the Japanese Grand Prix an all-Ferrari affair, even though he and his team have already swept the honours this season. The 35-year-old German has not won a race since winning his 12th Grand Prix of the season at the 13th round in Hungary two months ago to clinch the driver’s crown for the seventh time.
With suicide bombings, kidnappings and fighting in the streets, you would think Iraqis have enough to worry about. But sports officials in the troubled country are discussing a bid to host football’s World Cup — and they are asking England for advice about how to go about it.
Simon Katich and rookie Michael Clarke shared a century partnership on Wednesday as Australia regained the ascendancy from India’s spin bowlers to finish with an opening-day total of 316 for five in the first cricket Test.
Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble kept India in the contest with a haul of three for 86 and joined the elite group of bowlers with 400 Test wickets in the process.
Why do old people have fewer friends than young people? Is it because they’re choosier? Or less entertaining company? Could it be that they just can’t work their cellphones? This is something I found myself wondering the other day when I noticed that, family excepted, there was not one person in my phone book whom I had met before I was 18. Making friends is easy enough — it’s staying in touch with them that’s the tricky part.
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Police used stun grenades and batons to clear protesters against prepaid water meters off the Old Potchefstroom Road outside Johannesburg on Tuesday. Ten people were arrested and would appear in court on Wednesday, police spokesperson Captain Mbazima Shiburi said.
Israeli and Palestinian officials have been holding secret talks aimed at ending the Israeli operation in the northern Gaza Strip, an Israeli government source said on Tuesday. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said a senior Palestinian official had appealed to the office of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ”several days ago” for Israel to end the week-long operation.