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RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
India equal England's first innings leaving test in balance
India's KL Rahul reacts to reaching his century on the third day of the third cricket test match between England and India at Lord's cricket ground in London, on July 12, 2025. Photo: BEN STANSALL Opener KL Rahul scored a century while Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant pitched in with crucial fifties as India posted 387 on day three, equalling England's first innings, with their third test hanging in the balance at Lord's. An injury to Shoaib Bashir blunted England's pace-spin attack strategy when India looked vulnerable with five wickets down after losing Pant and Rahul in quick succession, before Jadeja steadied their innings with his third fifty-plus knock in a row. England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett played a single over before stumps, remaining unbeaten at 2-0 as the five-match series remains tied with both sides looking to go 2-1 up with a win. "Pretty even. You toil away for three days and you sit here with a two-run lead. Looking forward to a two-day shoot-out," England bowling coach Tim Southee told the BBC. India started well from an overnight score of 145-3 with Rahul accompanied by left-handed batter Pant, who scored twin centuries in the first test, battled through an injured finger on his left hand as he hooked England captain Stokes for six to bring up his fifty. The two added 141 runs for the fourth wicket before Pant was run out for 74 on the last ball before lunch as he played Bashir towards cover point, where Stokes made a quick turn to hit the stumps on the non-striker's end with a swift, direct throw. Rahul was the next to fall, edging Bashir's flighted ball to Harry Brook in the slip on his very next ball after reaching 100, leaving India on shaky ground at 254-5 under a warm London sun. But Bashir had to leave the ground when he injured a finger on his non-bowling left hand while attempting a low catch from his own delivery as Jadeja shot down the wicket. Commentators later said the 21-year-old might need extra treatment in the evening. Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy, new to the crease, looked unsteady as England's bowlers piled on the pressure. Mix-ups between the batters put Reddy at risk of getting run out on two occasions but Ollie Pope's direct throws missed the target both times. However, as England returned to using two pacers soon after Bashir's injury, the pair put together a 72-run partnership before Stokes claimed his second wicket of the match, getting Reddy to nick it to keeper Jamie Smith for 30. But Jadeja kept the runs flowing, scoring his third fifty-plus knock in a row, while Washington Sundar adopted a slow, cautious approach on the other end. Their 50-run partnership for the eighth wicket got India within 11 runs of England's total, before Chris Woakes dismissed Jadeja for 72 as the batter's attempt to send the ball down fine leg only took a thin edge and landed in Smith's gloves. Akash Deep, in at number nine, was given out leg before wicket twice by umpire Sharfuddoula Saikat during the same over but Hawk-Eye showed the ball was missing the stumps when the batter reviewed them, overturning both decisions. But Deep fell soon after to Brydon Carse for seven, with Brook trapping him at third slip with a low dive. Sundar brought the scores level before falling to Jofra Archer for 23, bringing an end to India's innings. Crawley and Duckett, batting shortly before stumps, got into arguments with Indian fielders over delays. India captain Shubman Gill clapped for Crawley when he called for the physio to check his injury after the ball hit his glove. Duckett shared some words with Gill as the batters saw out the over from Jasprit Bumrah, leaving the feisty contest finely poised going into the final two days. "He'll be assessed overnight. Hopefully he'll be good to go tomorrow," Southee told reporters about Crawley's finger injury. - Reuters
RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
New Zealander wins Formula E race
New Zealand driver Mitch Evans competing for Jaguar in Formula E. Photo: PHOTOSPORT Jaguar's Mitch Evans won the first of two Formula E races in Berlin as Nissan's Oliver Rowland failed to finish on a grey and soggy afternoon that left the Briton's title bid on hold for another day at least. Rowland would have been champion with three races to spare had he finished 69 points clear of closest rival Pascal Wehrlein but instead he retired with a damaged car and his lead reduced to 50. It was the leader's first retirement of the season. Porsche's Wehrlein, the defending champion from Germany, finished second with a bonus point for fastest lap at Berlin's Tempelhof Airport circuit and Mahindra's Swiss driver Edoardo Mortara was third for his second successive podium. Rowland can still clinch the title on Sunday if he finishes 59 points clear of Wehrlein, otherwise the chase continues to the final two races in London at the end of the month. There are still 87 points to be won. Rowland slipped from third to fifth at the start, with the safety car deployed after Jake Dennis's Andretti was stranded on the grid, but the key moment came six laps from the end when he made contact with Stoffel Van Doorne's Maserati and spun around. The impact damaged the car's right front suspension and Rowland had to stop. The win, from pole position and through two safety car periods, was New Zealander Evans's second of the season and the record-equalling 14th of his career as well as Jaguar's 50th podium in Formula E. McLaren's Taylor Barnard finished fourth and moved up to third in the championship, 68 points behind Rowland. In the teams' championship, Porsche -- who had Antonio Felix da Costa demoted from third to 10th thanks to a five-second penalty for an overly-aggressive move -- have 221 points to Nissan's 191 and DS Penske on 153. - Reuters
RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
Swiatek thrashes Anisimova in less than an hour to win Wimbledon
Iga Swiatek of Poland holds the Venus Rosewater Dish (trophy) after winning ladies' singles final match at Wimbledon 2025. Photo: DAISUKE URAKAMI Iga Swiatek thrashed American Amanda Anisimova 6-0 6-0 to become the first Polish player to win a Wimbledon singles title, ending a ludicrously lop-sided final in just 57 minutes. The 24-year-old eighth seed was merciless as she took brutal advantage of Grand Slam final debutant Anisimova's leg-sapping nerves in front of a stunned Centre Court. It turned into a nightmare afternoon for 13th seed Anisimova who became the first player to lose a Wimbledon final 6-0 6-0 for more than a century and the first to do so at any Grand Slam showpiece since Steffi Graf beat Natasha Zvereva at the 1988 French Open. Swiatek, who had never gone beyond the Wimbledon quarter-finals before this year despite winning four French Open crowns, could never have imagined that claiming her sixth Grand Slam title could have been as straightforward. She dropped only two games in her semi-final win against Belinda Bencic and was even more ruthless in the final, clinching victory with a backhand winner. It was Swiatek's sixth win from her first six Grand Slam finals and took her to 100 wins from 120 matches at the majors, the quickest to reach the century since Serena Williams in 2004. After winning her first trophy since triumphing at Roland Garros 13 months ago, she is also the youngest player to win Grand Slam titles on all the sport's three surfaces since Williams in 2002. "It seems super surreal," Swiatek, who arrived at Wimbledon under the radar with doubts about her ability to translate her claycourt skill to the lawns, said on court. "I didn't even dream (about this) because for me it was just like way too far. I feel like I'm already an experienced player, but I never really expected this one." One had to feel for Anisimova. She never settled, won only 24 points and made 28 unforced errors as her hopes of becoming the first American to win the title since Serena Williams in 2016 were trampled into the turf. Amanda Anisimova of the United States reacts during ladies' singles final match against Iga Swiatek of Poland at Wimbledon 2025. Photo: DAISUKE URAKAMI With tears welling up in her eyes, she managed to compose herself to say a few words. "Even though I ran out of gas a bit today and I wish that I could put on a better performance for all of you, you guys have still been there for me and lifted me up today," she said. "I know I didn't have enough today, but I'm gonna keep putting in the work, and I always believe in myself, so I hope to be back here again one day." - Reuters
