Real Madrid’s win over Atalanta is ‘breath of fresh air’: Ancelotti

Chandigarh, Dec 16 (IANS) Kolkata teenager Anshul Mishra added his name to a list of illustrious winners of the iconic All-India Amateur Golf Championship at the Chandigarh Golf Club. The 123rd edition of the event, one of the oldest in the world, saw the 16-year-old Mishra beat his opponent Varun Muthappa 4 & 3 in the 36-hole final. That meant he was four-up with three holes to go.

The All-India Amateurs is the biggest amateur event in the Indian Golf Union (IGU) portfolio.

Watching him win was the 2012 All-India amateur winner, Chandigarh golfer Shubhankar Sharma, who had previously won the title in 2012. Mishra, who started his golf at the Royal Calcutta Golf Course under Inderjit Bhalotia, now trains with Jesse Grewal. He plans to try and play in US College golf.

Mishra was 15th in the stroke-play format. Then he beat Jaibir Singh in the pre-quarterfinals and won against Tushar Pannu in the quarters. In the semifinals, the youngster scored a win over Anant Ahlawat of Haryana.

In the final, Mishra took on Muthappa over 36 holes. Muthappa took an early lead but Mishra caught up and went 1-up ahead after the end of the first 18 holes. Mishra continued playing steady golf for the next few holes to extend his lead to 5-up after 28 holes.

Muthappa won the 29th hole and 30th hole to recover and reduced the margin and had a chance to win the 31st with a simple birdie. Mishra, however, halved the hole and then finally won the prestigious championship on the 33rd hole 4 & 3.

–IANS

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Sydney, Dec 11 (IANS) Sydney Thunder have strengthened their squad for Women’s Big Bash League season 11 with the signings of experienced batter Laura Harris and young gun Hasrat Gill.

Harris arrives in Western Sydney following ten seasons with the Brisbane Heat and Gill joins from the Melbourne Stars. Head Coach Lisa Keightley said both players were key targets in Thunder’s plan to build on their third-place finish in WBBL 10.

Harris, renowned for her explosive power-hitting and match-winning ability, brings a wealth of experience to Thunder. The 32-year-old boasts an impressive WBBL record, having played 123 matches, claimed two titles, and amassed 1,275 runs at a phenomenal strike rate of 159.17.

“This opportunity with Sydney Thunder felt like the right step to reinvigorate my love for the game,” Harris said in the club statement.

“I’ve watched Sydney Thunder from afar, and there’s so much talent in the group. Players like Phoebe Litchfield have been really inspiring to watch – they just play with so much freedom.

“There’s also a lot of exciting young talent in the Thunder squad, and I’m looking forward to bringing a bit of calmness and experience to help everyone back themselves and play their own game.”

Keightley said Harris adds valuable experience and flexibility to the team.

“We’re thrilled to have Laura Harris join our squad,” said Keightley.

“She’s an explosive player who can take games away from the opposition with her power-hitting. Her experience and versatility will be a real asset to us, particularly in those high-pressure moments towards the back end of the innings.

“She gives us options and flexibility, whether it’s during a surge or in the death overs. We can use her strategically to make an impact wherever the game demands.

“Her flexibility is key—she can bat in various positions, depending on the game’s context. That adaptability makes her a valuable asset for us.”

Gill, an Indian-born leg-spinner, is one of Australian cricket’s brightest young talents. The 19-year-old has already demonstrated her potential, representing Australia at the underage level and starring in the inaugural T20 Spring Challenge earlier this year.

Keightley said Gill fills a crucial gap in Thunder’s squad. “We’re very excited to bring a leg-spin option into the squad for WBBL 11. Leg-spinners have been making a significant impact across the competition, and this is an area we identified as a gap in our team,” said Keightley.

“She’s an up-and-coming player who impressed us during the Spring Challenge. We’re eager to give her the opportunity to develop and make an impact for Sydney Thunder during the season.”

General Manager Trent Copeland echoed Keightley’s sentiments.

“Since I took on the role in March, one of our key focuses has been building a young core of players who can develop together and potentially represent Australia. A gap we identified in our skills matrix was a leg-spinner, and Hasrat Gill absolutely fits that mould,” said Copeland.

“She’s not just a talented leg-spinner; she can also bat exceptionally well. We’ve seen her dominate at the under-19 level, and she impressed us during the Spring Challenge. Everything I’ve heard about her – her work ethic, love for the game, and commitment – makes me confident she’ll be a fantastic addition to our squad.”

–IANS

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Bengaluru, Dec 13 (IANS) The Sree Kanteerava Stadium will witness Bengaluru FC take on FC Goa to kick off the Saturday double-header of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25. These two teams have endured positive forms this season, with Bengaluru FC collecting 23 points from 11 games and sitting second in the table, and the Gaurs placed fifth with 18 points from 10 matches.

However, their rivalry goes a long way back, as it was the then-Sergio Lobera-coached FC Goa whom Bengaluru FC had beaten at the Mumbai Football Arena in the finals in March 2019 to clinch the ISL title in 2018-19, which remains the only time the Blues have won the championship.

It was Rahul Bheke who had netted a late winner for the Blues back then, and Gerard Zaragoza was an assistant coach to Carles Cuadrat for them in that campaign. With Bheke and Zaragoza coming back to Bengaluru FC, they are playing key roles in helping them scale back to the peaks they achieved over five years ago.

Up against them will be an in-form FC Goa unit, who have notched 13 points out of a possible 15 in their last five games, with their head coach Manolo Marquez yet to lose a game in his nine contests against Bengaluru FC (W 6, D 3).

Bengaluru FC have won five times and drawn once in their six home matches this season. Their tally of five triumphs so far is already as many as the total home wins the Blues managed in the league in the entirety of the 2023-24 season. Furthermore, their 16 points from six home encounters are the most they have garnered after these many clashes on this ground in any ISL campaign.

Bengaluru FC started the season astonishingly well by keeping a clean sheet in each of their first five games. However, they have since gone on to concede strikes in each of their following six encounters, giving away 13 goals in this period. The last time they went on a longer stretch without a clean sheet was for 11 games between February and December 2021. Zaragoza will be looking forward to breaking this run as soon as possible.

FC Goa have clinched victories in each of their last three matches against Bengaluru FC, which comprised a crucial 3-0 win in the reverse fixture earlier this season. Overall, Bengaluru FC have secured a solitary point in their previous five encounters against the Blues, which came through a goalless draw in 2023-24. The Gaurs will derive significant confidence from their recent spate of terrific outcomes against the Blues.

The two teams have played 16 matches against each other in the ISL, with Bengaluru FC and FC Goa winning seven and five encounters respectively. Four games have resulted in draws with an average of 2.81 goals being netted per game.

Bengaluru FC head coach Gerard Zaragoza asked his team’s fans to show up in large numbers for the game against FC Goa. He also assured that his team isn’t dealing with any fitness concerns at the moment. “We don’t have any fitness issues. I’m sure both teams will be ready for the match. I want the supporters to turn up in large numbers like they’ve done so far and our players will make sure that they create a good environment,” Zaragoza said.

FC Goa head coach Manolo Marquez appreciated his players for overcoming unique challenges in every game to get a good string of results under their belt. “To win four consecutive games in this competition is really difficult. Each match has been really different to each other and the players have understood the tasks really well,” Marquez said.

–IANS

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