Sports Highlights

The following are the top sports stories at 2110 hours: SPO-CRI-JACKSON A 1000-run season with Puducherry could get more attention than what I did at Saurashtra: Jackson By Bharat Sharma New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) Sheldon Jackson's stellar performances for reigning Ranji champions Saurashtra could not attract the national selectors' attention but having made the tough call of switching to Puducherry, he is hoping that big runs for the "much smaller" team would fetch him more eyeballs. SPO-CRI-SALIVA-SWING Bowling in times of COVID-19: Forget reverse swing for now, says Pathan By Kushan Sarkar New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) If the bio-secure first Test between England and the West Indies is any indicator then fast bowlers across the globe should forget about reverse swing for the time being, feels former India pacer Irfan Pathan.

SPO-VIRUS-BOX Doctor with Indian boxing team tests positive for COVID-19 New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) A doctor attached with the Indian boxing team on Monday tested positive for COVID-19 even as all the pugilists who have assembled for training in Patiala came out negative but stared at a possible suspension of the proposed camp due to the development. SPO-CRI-NZ-LD TRAINING New Zealand cricketers start squad training at High Performance Centre in Lincoln Wellington, Jul 13 (PTI) New Zealand's top cricketers returned to squad training on Monday at the country's High Performance Centre in Lincoln after a prolonged break caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

SPO-FOOT-AIFF-IND Women's U-17 World Cup will be held behind closed doors in worst-case scenario: AIFF New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) The FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup will be held behind closed doors only in the worst-case scenario, All India Football Federation general secretary Kushal Das said on Monday amid a continued rise in the country's COVID-19 case count. SPO-FOOT-AIFF-ILEAGUE I-League must go on even if COVID restrictions come in way of foreigners: Das New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) The All India Football Federation plans to go ahead with the 2020-21 I-League season even if the clubs' star foreign recruits are unable to make it due to the coronavirus-forced travel restrictions.

SPO-CRI-HUSSAIN England's batting still their nemesis: Hussain Southampton, Jul 13 (PTI) England's batting continues to remain their "nemesis" despite the focus being on stand-in captain Ben Stokes' questionable decisions in the opening Test against the West Indies, feels former skipper Nasser Hussain. SPO-CRI-ENG-STOKES-BROAD Stokes defends decision to drop Broad for first Test Southampton, Jul 13 (PTI) Stand-in captain Ben Stokes won't regret the decision to drop Stuart Broad from the side despite losing the first Test against the West Indies but lauded the senior pacer's burning desire to play for England.

SPO-FOOT-BAGAN-LD AWARD Hockey stalwart Ashok Kumar to receive Mohun Bagan Lifetime Achievement Award Kolkata, Jul 13 (PTI) Ashok Kumar, a key member of India's 1975 World Cup-winning hockey team, will be conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award by city's iconic club Mohun Bagan on the occasion of its foundation day in a virtual ceremony in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. SPO-CRI-ENG-HOLDER Holder says team's effort on day four by far the best in his tenure Southampton, Jul 13 (PTI) West Indies captain Jason Holder eulogised his team's gritty fightback on day four of the first Test against England, saying it was "by far the best effort" he has seen from the side under his leadership. PTI SPO-CRI-PAK-AKMAL Independent adjudicator reserves order on Umar Akmal's appeal against ban Lahore, Jul 13 (PTI) The independent adjudicator hearing Pakistan cricketer Umar Akmal's appeal against a three-year ban for failure to report corrupt approaches reserved his order on the matter on Monday. SPO-CRI-GOUGH Buttler has got two Test matches to save his career: Gough Southampton, Jul 13 (PTI) Out-of-form wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler's place will be under threat if he doesn't perform in the next two Tests against the West Indies, reckons former England seamer Darren Gough.

SPO-FOOT-LA LIGA Real Madrid look very strong, difficult for Barcelona to win the title: Garcia New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) Former Spain mid-fielder Luis Garcia feels it will be an uphill task for Barcelona to retain the La Liga title as arch-rivals Real Madrid are unlikely to slip up. SPO-CRI-VAUGHAN Vaughan defends Archer, says impossible to crank up pace consistently London, Jul 13 (PTI) Former England captain Michael Vaughan says it is "impossible" for a pacer to consistently crank up speed above 90mph but Jofra Archer will always find a place in his team because he can create chaos when he gets it right.