Friday, January 7, 2011

live sports

New Zealand rallies to defeat Canada at World Cup

Canada opened the scoring in the Pool A match through Mark Pearson's second-minute strike, but Priyesh Bhana equalized for New Zealand in the 11th minute.

Canada went into the interval 2-1 up after Philip Wright's opportunistic shot in the 20th.

New Zealand dominated in midfield in the second session and leveled through a penalty corner conversion by Nick Haig in the 46th.

Archibald put the Kiwis in front three minutes from fulltime with a strike from the top of the striking circle.—AP

The deal is sealed

Not many parties start at 11.57am on a Friday and end without tears. This one will.

Knowing with certainty that England were going to wrap up the Ashes with their third crushing win of the series did not make the denouement one tiny bit less sweet. When Chris Tremlett's fast, bouncing delivery cannoned off the bottom edge of Michael Beer's bat and splattered his stumps, it was the cue for scenes of English delight and delirium unprecedented at this august old sporting theatre.

Tremlett, a giant of a man, disappeared under a bouncing scrum of team-mates clutching souvenir stumps. All around the boundary, English supporters cavorted and sang. The batsman sighed, grimaced at his partner Steve Smith and turned for the pavilion.

They say you can't beat the feeling of sinking the first Beer of the day. Thousands of England fans are currently doing their best to prove that old theory wrong.

England won by an innings and 83 runs. Some had hoped for a series win down under. Others had feared the usual sound thumping. No-one expected anything as comprehensive as this.