Shubman Gill, the ‘Prince' who is now India's new cricket king
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Al Arabiya
2 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Australia Clinches Series With Victory In The 2nd Cricket Test Against West Indies
Australia completed its recovery to win the second cricket test against West Indies by 133 runs with a day to spare, clinching the series in the process. Australia dismissed West Indies for 143 in 34.3 overs on Day 4 to take an unassailable 2–0 lead in the three-test series. On Saturday, half-centuries by Steve Smith and Cameron Green had helped to put Australia back in charge after the visitors lost early wickets in their second innings, at one stage slipping to 28–3. After resuming Sunday at 221–7 – and a lead of 254 runs – Australia was all out for 243, setting West Indies a target of 277 for victory. Shamar Joseph took 4–66. At 33–4, West Indies' chase was in trouble. The match was over in the afternoon session. Left-arm pace bowler Mitchell Starc returned 3–24 to lead the Australian attack. Captain Roston Chase top-scored for West Indies in the second innings with 34. A dream start, Australia captain Pat Cummins said the series win happened at a good time for his team, which lost last month to South Africa in the World Test Championship final. 'An away (series) win as well – they're not the easiest to come by – so really pumped with how we've bounced back after Lord's,' Cummins said. 'It's a dream start, two from two gets us into the (new WTC) cycle and we've played some really good cricket.' Australia won the first test against West Indies by 159 runs in three days. The third test, a day-night match, starts Saturday in Kingston, Jamaica.
Al Arabiya
3 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
England's Lionesses Find a Home From Home at Zurich's Fairy-Tale 'Castle'
England's hotel at the Women's European Championship is a home away from home, although it is likely a step above the players' normal abodes. Nestled in the woods on top of a hill overlooking Zurich and flaunting an array of spires and cupolas, the iconic Dolder Grand looks like a castle that has jumped straight out of a book of fairy tales. Inside, old-world grandeur with chandeliers and sweeping staircases meets sleek modernity, as well as panoramic views over Lake Zurich and the Alps. 'My first 24 hours here I was just going 'Whoa, whoa!' the whole time,' said England defender Esme Morgan, who plays for Washington Spirit in the US. 'We feel very lucky with how well we've been taken care of, and it's sort of the perfect base for us to go on through the tournament and where everyone can just relax and get together to watch the other games.' The players can also relax by perusing the Dolder Grand's art collection with more than 100 works by artists including Salvador Dalí and actor Sylvester Stallone. The hotel has a 4,000-square-meter spa that includes an infinity hot tub with stunning views–an ideal place for the Lionesses to recover after a match. England began its title defense by losing to France 2–1 on Saturday and next plays on Wednesday against the Netherlands in Group D. 'We feel super welcome.' Rooms at the Dolder Grand start at 740 Swiss francs ($930) a night for a double to around 14,500 Swiss francs ($18,300) for the two-floor Presidential Suite–which, like some of the other suites, includes a butler service. The Dolder Grand–which featured in the movie 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'–was chosen after a year-long search by the English Football Association, with staff having the perhaps enviable job of visiting 23 facilities tasked with finding the team a home away from home. 'About a year ago for the first time I stepped into the door of the Dolder and we could just feel the excitement of the hotel staff,' said the team's general manager Anja van Ginhoven. 'One of the first things they said to us, similar to The Lensbury (on the outskirts of London where the Lionesses stayed in 2022), they said 'We want to be part of this.' We feel super welcome and very supported. All they want to do is give us a great home away from home.' The Lionesses arrived on their team bus shortly after flying into Zurich and were greeted by beaming hotel staff. Guests normally arrive by car–often very nice ones–or by a short journey up on the rack-and-pinion railway which has its terminus adjacent to the hotel. The hotel dates back to 1899, although it underwent an extensive renovation at the start of the century led by Norman Foster. Apart from the reigning European champions, the Dolder Grand has hosted a plethora of celebrities, from Hollywood stars such as Elizabeth Taylor and Leonardo DiCaprio to the Rolling Stones, as well as royalty and dignitaries including Winston Churchill, the Shah of Persia and King Charles when he was a bachelor prince. The Dolder Grand also had a cameo role in FIFA business and soccer conferences during the presidency of Sepp Blatter that ended in 2015. During the now-notorious World Cup bidding contests for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, scandal implicated two FIFA executive committee members weeks before they were due to vote. FIFA vice president Reynald Temarii was staying at the Dolder Grand the night before he was due for a dressing-down meeting with Blatter at FIFA headquarters. In 1996, the hotel is also where FIFA–with Blatter as secretary general–formally sealed the diplomatic deal to have World Cup co-hosts for the first time, awarding the 2002 edition to Japan and South Korea. Just how long England will be able to enjoy the grande dame of Zurich hotels remains to be seen. Sarina Wiegman's team also faces the Netherlands and Wales in Group D. Football may or may not be coming home–as England's team anthem goes–but the Lionesses might not want to.
Arab News
5 hours ago
- Arab News
Sabalenka downs former doubles partner to power into Wimbledon quarters
LONDON: World number one Aryna Sabalenka marched into the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Sunday as her former doubles partner Elize Mertens fell short of upsetting the US Open champion. Sabalenka has never reached a final at the All England Club but is the player to beat as the only one of the top six seeds in the women's draw still standing. The 27-year-old missed last year's Wimbledon due to injury and was banned in 2022 as part of a blanket suspension on Russian and Belarusian athletes due to the invasion of Ukraine. Sabalenka looks determined to make up for lost time and, just like in her third-round victory over Emma Raducanu, had to overcome a tough test from Mertens to progress 6-4, 7-6 (7/4). The pair won the 2019 US Open and 2021 Australian Open together as a doubles partnership, but Sabalenka has now won their last 10 meetings against each other in singles. 'It's tough to play against someone you know quite close, it's tricky facing her,' said Sabalenka. 'I know how smart she is, I know she is going to fight until the very end. 'She really challenged me today and I'm super happy with the win.' A fast start from Sabalenka saw her stretch out to a 4-1 first set lead, only for Mertens to battle back and level at 4-4. The three-time Grand Slam winner responded in style, winning eight of the next 11 points, to take the set. Mertens got the early break in the second, but the world number 23 could not hold on. Sabalenka broke back to tie up the second set at 3-3 and after six straight holds of serve, the match was decided in a tie-break. Mertens again had the early advantage, but Sabalenka's blistering ground strokes forced the Belgian onto the back foot before a volleyed winner sealed victory in just over 90 minutes on court. Sabalenka faces Germany's Laura Siegemund in the last eight on Tuesday. 'It's such a beautiful tournament. I always dreamed of winning it,' she added of potentially claiming a first Wimbledon title. 'I'm just trying to give my best and really hope for the best.'
