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Sunday, August 31, 2008

Cricket Rankings

About the Cricket Rankings

The LG ICC Player Rankings are a sophisticated moving average. Players are rated on a scale of 0 to 1000 points. If a player’s performance is improving on his past record, his points increase; if his performance is declining his points will go down.

The value of each player’s performance within a match is calculated using an algorithm, a series of calculations (all pre-programmed) based on various circumstances in the match.
All of the calculations are carried out using pre-programmed formulae, using the information published in a Test match scorecard. There is no human intervention in this calculation process, and no subjective assessment is made of the quality of the pitch or of the players.

TEST MATCH RANKINGS

For a batsman, the factors are:

1) runs scored

2) ratings of the opposing bowling attack; the higher the combined ratings of the attack, the more value i s given to the batsman’s innings (in proportion)

3) the level of run-scoring in the match, and the team’s innings total; an innings of 100 runs in a match where all teams scored 500 is worth less than 100 runs in a match where all teams were bowled out for 200. And if a team scores 500 in the first innings and 200 in the second innings, a century in the second innings will get more credit than in the first innings (because the general level of run scoring was higher in the first innings)

4) out or not out (a not out innings receives a bonus)

5) the result. Batsmen who score highly in victories receive a bonus. That bonus will be higher for highly rated opposition teams (i.e. win bonus against the current Australia team is higher than the bonus against Zimbabwe.)

For a bowler, the factors are:

1) wickets taken and runs conceded;

2) ratings of the batsmen dismissed (the wicket of Rahul Dravid is worth more than that of Glenn McGrath – but if McGrath’s rating improves, the value of his wicket will increase accordingly)

3) the level of run-scoring in the match; bowling figures of 3 for 50 in a high scoring match will boost a bowler’s rating more than the same figures in a low scoring match;
- heavy workload; bowlers who bowl a large number of overs in the match get some credit, even if they take no wickets;

4) the result. Bowlers who take a lot of wickets in a victory receive a bonus. That bonus will be higher for highly rated opposition teams.

Bowlers who do not bowl in a high-scoring innings are penalized.

The players’ ratings are calculated by combining their weighted performance in the latest match with their previous rating. This new ‘weighted average’ is then converted into points. Recent performances have more impact on a player’s rating than those earlier in his career, but all his performances are taken into account. A great player who has had a lean run of form will still have a respectable rating.

Players who miss a Test match for their country, for whatever reason, lose 1% of their points.

New players start at zero points, and need to establish themselves before they get full ratings. There is a scale for calculating qualifications. For example, a batsman who has played 10 Test innings gets 70% of his rating (i.e. his rating will be between 0 and 700 points). He doesn’t get 100% until he has played 40 Test innings. A bowler who has taken 30 wickets also gets 70% of his full rating. He doesn’t get 100% until he has taken 100 Test wickets. This means that successful new players can enter the top 30 after just a few Tests, but are unlikely to reach the world top 5 until they have many Test matches under their belts.

ONE-DAY RANKINGS

The principles behind the ODI Ratings are similar to those for the Test Ratings, with the following important differences:

Batsmen gain significant credit for rapid scoring. They only get a small amount of credit for being not out (because a not out batsman is, by definition, batting at the end of the innings when the value of his wicket is low)

Bowlers gain significant credit for economy. A bowler who bowls 10 overs 0 for 10 is likely to see his rating improve significantly, even though he hasn’t taken a wicket.

Players lose only .5 % of their points for missing a match for their country.

All ODI matches are considered equal, except for ICC Cricket World Cup matches, where good performances gain extra credit.

Big scores or wicket hauls against very weak nations get much less credit than the same performances against the main ODI countries.

Courtesy : http://www.cricketpulse.com/Rankings/

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India's greatest sporting achievements since Independence


Abhinav Bindra winning olympic gold
Abhinav Bindra finally gave Indians something to cheer about at the ongoing Beijing Games as he won India's first-ever individual gold medal in the Olympics on August 11, 2008. Bindra outshot Athens Games champion Zhu Qinan of China won the silver and Henri Hakkinen of Finland in the 10m Air Rifle shooting final to send the Indian delegation in Beijing and a billion plus Indians back at home the perfect Independence Day gift.




1983 Cricket World Cup win
The Kapil Dev-led Indian team shocked the mighty West Indies to win the country's only Cricket World Cup (50 overs) as yet. Apart from Kapil and Sunil Gavaskar, the team really didn't have any superstars to boast of, but team work and determination helped Kapil's Devils climb the peak of cricketing glory. It was after this victory that cricket really cuaght the fancy of Indian fans and encouraged a whole generation of youngsters to take up the game.




Sunil Gavaskar first to 10,000 Test runs
Sunil Manohar Gavaskar made history when he scored his 10,000th Test run in a match against Pakistan in the 1986-87 season. This was the first time in the history of Test cricket that a batsman's career aggregate touched five figures. And, though Allan Border, Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar have all scored more than 11,000 Test runs, it was Gavaskar who first climed the mountain of 10,000+ Test runs.




Rajyavardhan Rathore winning Olympic silver
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore's silver medal winning effort in the Men's Double Trap at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games equalled India's best individual Olympic performance until Abhinav Bindra won the country's first individual gold medal at Beijing. Rathore, however, can take satisfaction in that it was his effort in Athens that really increased Indians' awareness and excitement about shooting as a sport.





The 'Indian Express'
From 1996 to 2002, the doubles team of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, known in tennis circles as 'Indian Express' were one of the most dominant pairing in men's tennis. Paes and Bhupathi won the Wimbledon and the French Open in 1999, becoming the first Indian pair to win a doubles event at a Grand slam event. The pair has also won gold medals at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan and the 2006 Asian Games in Doha.



Narain Karthikeyan in F1
Though he didn't have a great debut season with Jordan in 2005, Narain Karthikeyan nevertheless can gain satisfaction from the fact that he put India on the F1 map. His ability to reach the pinnacle of motor sport has inspired the likes of Karun Chandhok and Armaan Ebrahim to emulate Karthikeyan's efforts.




Sania Mirza breaking through
Sania Mirza has done for Indian women's tennis what nobody before ever did -- to put it on the world's tennis map! Apart from being one of the most glamourous players on the WTA circuit, Sania also has one of the strongest forehands on the tour. Though she has been dragged into endless controversies, Sania's achievements on the court speak for themselves. She became the first Indian woman to be seeded in a Grand Slam tournament at the 2007 US Open where she was seeded 26th. Sania is also the first Indian woman to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament (2005 US Open), and the first Indian woman to win a WTA singls title (Hyderabad Open 2005).




India's first Test series win overseas
India's 1-0 Test series win in England in 1971, coming right on the heels of the triumph in the West Indies soil, underlined India's growing stature in the world stage. The Ajit Wadekar-led team had players like Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, Dilip Sardesai, Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan, Gundappa Viswanath, Bishan Singh Bedi, Farokh Engineer and Sunil Gavaskar in its ranks.




India's Twenty20 World Cup win
India's win in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in 2007 played in South Africa bore an uncanny resemblance to the country's triumph in the 1983 World Cup. After a nightmare Cricket World Cup 2007 where India crashed out in the first round, not many people gave the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led team a chance of bringing home the cup. However, Dhoni's determination and passion coupled with a young team that didn't bear any scars of the failure earlier that year, played fearless cricket as they were crowned Twenty20 champions of the world. This win also made the majority of Indians believe in their national cricket team again.

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All-time greats in the history of the Olympic Games


Nadia Elena Comaneci
Nadia Elena Comaneci is a winner of five Olympic gold medals, and the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in an Olympic gymnastic event. Comaneci was the first Romanian gymnast to win the all-around title at the Olympics. She is also the youngest-ever Olympic gymnastics all-around champion.




Mark Spitz
Mark Spitz gave swimming an unparalleled and unforgettable memory in Munich. A total of seven gold medals, and as many world records, were won by the determined Californian during the Games of 1972, adding to what he described as his "disappointing" haul of five medals in 1968.




Carl Lewis
Carl Lewis won 10 Olympic medals including 9 golds, and 10 World Championships medals, of which 8 were golds, in a career that spanned from 1979 when he first achieved a world ranking to 1996 when he last won an Olympic title and subsequently retired. He was voted "Sportsman of the Century" by the International Olympic Committee and was also named "Olympian of the Century" by Sports Illustrated. He also helped transform track and field from its nominal amateur status to its current professional status.




Paavo Nurmi
If long distance running was in need of a role model, one would have to look no further than Paavo Nurmi. The legendary Finn smashed an incredible 22 world records, winning nine Olympic golds on the way. Nurmi won a total of 12 Olympic medals across three Games --- 1920, 1924 and 1928.




Jesse Owens
The German head of state had done everything in its power to leave a taste of Nazi propaganda in the mouths of all the competing nations at the 1936 Olympic Games. Jesse Owens, born the son of a slave in 1913 in segregated Alabama, however, left his own mark by winning four gold medals which would turn Adolf Hitler's theory of racial supremacy on its head.




Dawn Fraser
Whether it was due to a modest background, or a refusal to give up swimming even when banned in the early stages of her career, Dawn Fraser's determination led her to battle adversity and ultimately conquer the sprint events at three consecutive Olympic Games -- 1956, 1960 and 1964. Three Olympic gold titles in 1956, 1960 and 1964 in the 100m freestyle eventually brought the daughter of a Sydney docker justified success. She won a total of eight Olympic medals.




Bob Beamon
Robert "Bob" Beamon leapt to world prominence with a stunning long-jump gold in the 1968 Mexico Games. A virtual flight of 8.90m also broke the Olympic and world records, earning the American a deserved place in athletics history. Beamon's mark was not bettered until the 1991 Tokyo world championships when his compatriot Mike Powell jumped 8.95m.




Fanny Blankers-Koen
Fanny Blankers-Koen won four gold medals at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. She accomplished this as a mother of two, during a time when many disregarded women's athletics. Her background and performances earned her the nickname "the Flying Housewife."




Michael Johnson
At the Atlanta Games of 1996 Michael Johnson not only became the first athlete to take Olympic golds in both the 200m and 400m, but shattered the 200m world record with an eye-opening time of 19.32sec. In all, he won five gold medals across three Olympic Games.




Greg Louganis
Greg Louganis can simply be described as the total diver. At age 16, he took part in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, where he placed second in the tower event. in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, Louganis won gold medals in both the springboard and tower diving events. He repeated his 1984 feat in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, although not without drama. Louganis suffered an injury, hitting his head on the diving board during the preliminary rounds while performing a reverse 2 1/2 pike; he completed the preliminaries, despite a concussion, then went on to repeat the dive during the finals, with nearly perfect scores, earning him the gold medal.




Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Jackie Joyner-Kersee is ranked among the all-time greatest athletes in the women's heptathlon as well as in the women's long jump. She won three gold, one silver, and two bronze Olympic medals, in those two different events. "Sports Illustrated" magazine voted her the Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th century.




Steve Redgrave
Great Britain's now legendary rower Steve Redgrave pushed his ageing body through more gruelling punishment at the Sydney Olympics as he won his fifth gold medal at consecutive Games - a feat never before achieved in endurance events. After previous victories from Los Angeles (1984) to Sydney 2000, he finally retired from the sport in 2000, and was given a knighthood for his remarkable achievements.




Kristin Otto
East Germany's Olympic swimming champion Kristin Otto is truly unique for the display of talent in three separate styles -- freestyle, backstroke and butterfly -- which brought her six gold medals during the Seoul Games of 1988.




Abebe Bikila
With his win in the marathon in the 1960 Rome Olympics, Abebe Bikila became the first black African Olympic champion. Bikila, who ran the marathon barefoot in Rome ntered Olympic history with a world best time of 2:15:16.2. Bikila also won the gold in the 1964 Games in Tokyo -- this time he ran with shoes and once again set a new world best time of 2:12:11.2.




Olga Korbut
Olga Korbut is a Belarusian, Soviet-born gymnast who won four gold medals and two silver medals at the Summer Olympics, in which she competed in 1972 and 1976 for the USSR team. At the 1972 Munich Olympics, she became the first person to do a backward somersault on the balance beam in competition. She was also the first to do a standing backward somersault on bars, and a back somersault to swingdown (Korbut Flip) on beam.

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Women to watch at US Open 2008

The last Grand Slam of the season -- US Open 2008 -- is upon us, and it is time to look at the top women contenders for the singles title. Though the tournament is bereft of two of its star attractions, last year's champion Justine Henin (retired) and Russian Maria Sharapova, who has been forced to miss the US Open because of an injury, it still has quality players to pull in the crowds.

Ana Ivanovic
The Serbian, who has reclaimed her No 1 position, hasn't had too much to shout about since her French Open earlier in the year. Ivanovic had to pull out of the Beijing Olympics because of an injury, and one isn't really sure if she is 100 percent fit. However, even a half-fit Ivanovic has the game and ability to add a second Grand Slam to her kitty.

Jelena Jankovic
Jankovic was ranked No 1 for a brief period, but is now back to being No 2. Like her Serbian counterpart Ana Ivanovic, the world No 2 has also been facing fitness problems of late. She certainly has the game and ability to win a Grand Slam, but seems to lack the mental strength to go the distance. Jankovic is also the only one of the top Serbian players not to have won a Grand Slam as yet, and she would be hoping to join Ivanovic and men's World No 3 Novak Djokovic as a Slam champion.

Svetlana Kuznetsova
Kuznetsova hasn't had the best of times on the WTA tour since winning her only Grand Slam title -- the US Open in 2004. Though she is one of the most powerful hitters on the women's circuit, Kuznetsova is also one of the more "weaker" players when it comes to the business-end of big tournaments. Her fans and tennis experts feel Kuznetsova is better than a one-slam wonder, but the important question does the Russian believe so herself?

Serena Williams
The younger of the Williams sisters is arguably the hardest hitter of the tennis ball on the WTA tour. Serena's all-court game and speed always make her a dangerous opponent, and she would love to win the US Open this year -- she last won in 2002.

Venus Williams
Venus hasn't had too much success since winning at Wimbledon earlier this year. But, like Serena, it would not be wise to rubbish her chances of winning the US Open. However, an all-Williams final will not happen at US Open 2008 as the sisters are drawn to be play each other in the quarterfinals, should they both reach that stage of the

Dinara Safina
For a long time, Safina used to be known as Marat Safin's younger sister. But, her success this year has ensured that Safin is now known as Safina's elder brother. This has been a phenomenal year for Safina so far and she would be looking to cap off 2007 with her maiden Grand Slam title.

Source: India Syndicate

Courtesy www.sports.in.msn.com

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The 10 ‘Sexiest Sports Babes’ revealed

English cyclist Victoria Pendleton has topped the list of top 10 sports babes in an online poll.

The sexy track cyclist has got the topspot, beating the likes of Kirsty Gallacher and Ana Ivanovic.

Daily Star readers have rated various sporting ladies, who get their hearts racing in their skintight hotpants, racy tight tees and skimpy swimming gear.

Sky Sports presenter Gallacher was at the second spot while tennis ace Ivanovic was placed at the third position in the poll.

Rounding up the top five at fourth and fifth position were Russian beauty Anna Kournikova and American golfer Natalie Gulbis respectively.

The Top 10 Sports Babes are:

1. Victoria Pendleton
2. Kirsty Gallacher
3. Ana Ivanovic
4. Anna Kournikova
5. Natalie Gulbis
6. Elena Dementieva
7. Tatiana Grigorieva
8. Martina Hingis
9. Maria Sharapova
10. Sasha Cohen

Source: ANI


Courtesy www.sports.in.msn.com

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Cricket may be in for London Olympics

The list of sports played at the London 2012 Olympics will differ from Beijing. Baseball and softball will be out after the International Olympics Committee decided they had little international appeal.

Baseball will not be an event on the program by virtue of an International Olympic Committee vote nearly seven years ago.

It means the World Baseball Classic becomes even more important in 2009, the biggest future gathering for international ball, at least until a possible reinstatement for the 2016 Olympics.

But women’s boxing and limited overs cricket may be in for the London Olympics.

Former events such as rugby union and tug of war could also possibly reappear, The Sun reported.

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Mahendra Singh Dhoni back on top of ODI rankings

India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni toppled his South African counterpart Greame Smith to regain the top spot in the latest ICC ODI batsmen ranking.

By virtue of his consistent performance, including 76 and 71 in the pevious two one-dayers of the on-going ODI series against Sri Lanka, Dhoni has 803 rating points in his kitty, 27 points higher than Smith who occupies the second spot.

Dhoni had previously occupied the number one position for a brief period in 2006.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting is in the third spot with 751 points followed by team-mate Michael Hussey and England skipper Kevin Pietersen.

Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar is placed the ninth while an out of form Yuvraj Singh is languishing at 18th.

Meanwhile, comeback man Zaheer Khan is the lone Indian bowler in the top 20 ODI bowlers chart in the 14th spot with 642 rating points.

Australia's Nathan Bracken leads the table, followed by Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori, team-mate Shane Bond, England youngster Stuart Broad and Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan.

However, no Indian representation is there in the all-rounders chart which is being led by Pakistan skipper Shaoib Malik. England's Andrew Flintoff and Kiwi Jacob Oram find themselves in the second and third position respectively.

Although India has already pocketed the five-match ODI series against the Lankans with one match to go, but it didn't help Twenty20 World Champions to move up the ODI championship table as they find themselves in the fourth spot.

Australia continued to lead the pack, followed by South Africa and New Zealand.

Courtesy www.sports.in.msn.com

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US Open 2008 Day Five Photos


Olympic champion Elena Dementieva proves too strong for the Briton, winning 6-3 6-4




Jelena Jankovic remains on target to reach her first Grand Slam final after a straight-sets win over China's Zheng Jie




Third seed Djokovic comes through in straight sets to book a meeting with dangerous Croat Marin Cilic

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Latest WTA Rankings - Men's Singles

1 Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2 Roger Federer (Switzerland )
3 Novak Djokovic (Serbia )
4 David Ferrer (Spain )
5 Nikolay Davydenko (Russia )
6 Andy Murray Great (Britain )
7 David Nalbandian (Argentina )
8 Andy Roddick (United States )
9 James Blake (United States )
10 Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland)
11 Fernando Gonzalez (Chile)

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Latest WTA Rankings - Women's Singles

Latest WTA Rankings(As of August 25, 2008)
(1) Ana Ivanovic
(2) Jelena Jankovic
(3) Serena Williams
(4) Svetlana Kuznetsova
(5) Maria Sharapova
(6) Elena Dementieva
(7) Dinara Safina
(8) Venus Williams
(9) Anna Chakvetadze
(10) Vera Zvonareva

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Saturday, August 30, 2008

Hottest Female Athletes


Olga Kaniskina Country: Russia Event: 20Km Walk




Leryn Franco Country: Paraguay Event: Javelin




Jennie Finch Country: USA Event: Softball




Kelly Sotherton Country: Great Britain Event: Heptathlon




Sania Mirza Country: India Event: Tennis




Kerri Walsh Country: USA Event: Beach volleyball
More PhotoGallery >>





Nicole Vaidisova Country: Czech Republic Event: Tennis




Stephanie Rice Country: Australia Event: Swimming




Haley Cope Country: USA Event: Swimming





Alexandra Orlando Country: Canada Event: Gymnastics
More PhotoGallery >>




Serena Williams Country: USA Event: Tennis




Laure Manaudou Country: France Event: Swimming





Yelena Isinbayeva Country: Russia Event: Pole vault




Victoria Pendleton Country: Great Britain Event: Cycling




Charlotte Craig Country: USA Event: Taekwondo




Sara Goller Country: Germany Event: Beach volleyball
More PhotoGallery >>




Francesca Piccinini Country: Italy Event: Volleyball




Alicia Sacramone Country: USA Event: Gymnastics
More Photogallery >>




Fatima Moreira de Melo Country: Netherlands Event: Hockey




Kate Hollywood Country: Australia Event: Hockey




Heather Mitts Country: USA Event: Football




Lauren Jackson Country: Australia Event: Basketball




Sanya Richards Country: USA Event: Athletics




Guo Jing Jing Country: China Event: Diving

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