Offtopic/fun » 144kph yorker from Nuwan Pradeep secure

Nikhat Zareen might have felt confident that her left arm would be the one raised at the end of her semifinal bout against Neeraj of Haryana. Thats how it had been at the end of her three previous bouts at the womens boxing nationals underway in Haridwar. The decision, when it came, might have come as a shock. 2-1 to the Haryana boxer.Zareen bowed to an equally surprised crowd and quickly made her way out of the ring.Going into the tournament - her first senior Nationals -?it had been expected that Zareen would take gold. However, she ticked several of the boxes that should make her the next big hope.Shes just 20 - the federations period of sordid infighting hasnt yet robbed her off her prime fighting years. She has boxing pedigree, having won gold at the junior Worlds in 2011 and a silver at the World Youth Championships in 2014. But what really got people excited is simply the division Zareen boxes in - flyweight. Thats the one in which Mary Kom won her Olympic bronze. Zareen had fought Mary too - at the SAF Games test event - losing by a split decision. She had impressed even in defeat. And now it was on Zareens slight frame that Indian boxings hope for the future were to rest.At Haridwar, she was the heir apparent. Mary wasnt participating. The only competitor who was expected to mount a serious threat - Commonwealth bronze medalist Pinki Jangra -?had dropped out injured. It was only a matter of time to the coronation, it had seemed.Zareens own goal had not just been to win gold. That was expected. I want to win the best boxer award,she had said prior to the tournament.As it turned out, that was not to be the case. Zareen will have to be satisfied with a bronze and a spot in the national camp. When selection trials are held ahead of the Asian Championships next year, she will know she isnt assured of a spot at the top of the pecking order.Zareen had seemingly prepared well for the Nationals. She has been training for the last two years with E Chiranjeevi, former chief coach of the Indian boxing team. An American coach, Ronald Simms, had begun working with her over the past month as well.The partnership with Chiranjeevi - respected as one of the sharpest minds in Indian boxing - had appeared to be a fruitful one. Chiranjeevi had worked on retooling Zareens boxing inventory. He had worked on her lead left jab and on her movement. Zareen had won the Inter University title in 2014 followed by a gold at the Bongaigaon National tournament - an all India competition organized by the ad-hoc committee that was managing the sports affairs in the country in the absence of a federation. But it wasnt an entirely winning graph. Zareen had competed at the 2016 World Championships at the 54kg division where she lost in the quarters to a tall Chinese southpaw.At the Nationals, it had seemed that Zareen, after a scratchy first bout had hit her stride. Her second bout against Manju Basumatry was a potential banana peel. Basumatry was a left-handed boxer with a natural advantage against the right-handed Zareen. The bout, however, would prove to be one that Zareen dominated. Her side-to-side movement constantly had her rival committing early and then opening her right side up as Zareen stepped towards her left.It was a boxing masterclass -- but even while others enthused about her quick feet and fast hands, some experienced coaches pointed out what they saw as flaws in her game. While she certainly floated like a butterfly, her sting was mosquito-like. Zareens sideways movement is one of the best I have seen. But she doesnt have power in her punches. You cant succeed at the senior level unless you make your opponent think twice about coming forward, reckoned Bhaskar Bhat, a coach who has worked with the senior Indian womens team. Chiranjeevi was cautious. The true test was yet to come, he had said.Zareen has been able to show her skills against her opponents when she has been allowed to box. My worry is whether she will be able to maintain her cool even when she comes under pressure, he said.That was exactly the kind of game, when Zareen faced Neeraj. The Haryana boxer is 21 and was playing her first tournament as well. She is a southpaw and at 56, a tall one at that, in the 51kg division.It wasnt as if this was an insurmountable obstacle. Coach Chiranjeevi had been preparing for such an eventuality, due to which he practiced padwork with Zareen over the last few days. A southpaw has multiple angles of attack against an orthodox boxer. The mantra for an orthodox boxing a southpaw is to find a way to keep her lead left foot outside the southpaws lead right. That negates the opponents power hand. If the orthodox boxer slips the southpaws right hand jab, she can easily hook to the body or throw the right cross at the body. Considering Zareen is perhaps one of the slickest movers in the entirety of womens boxing in the country, it should have been easy for her.Yet, inexplicably, Zareen wouldnt fight this textbook style. Neeraj would throw her left jab and then follow up with a clinch. It was an ugly style, but there was no doubt about its effect. Frustrated by her opponents bum-rushing approach, Zareen forgot that she could simply side step and leave Neeraj flailing at air. Instead, Zareen either stood still or back pedalled - not the wisest of strategies considering that the Haryana boxer had the height and reach advantage.The clinching eventually cost Neeraj two-point deductions in the second and third round, but the damage had already been done. Zareen lost fairly unanimously on the scorecards. Two judges had her losing each round 40-36. Another two had her beaten 39-37. Just one had her winning 39-37. The point deduction only made the margin of defeat narrower.Zareen will grudge the scoring in the bout, and yes, the fight appeared a lot closer than what the judges seemed to suggest in their cards. But there is genuine soul searching required for Zareen to do herself. The Nationals have revealed genuine flaws in her game. While she could easily set herself up in great positions through her feinting and pivoting on her back leg, she didnt appear to have a lot of venom in her punches. Post the semifinals, her mental fortitude and ability to focus under pressure will be questioned, with a number of worthy challengers having sprung up.While disappointed, Chiranjeevi agrees there is plenty of work to be done. She needs to be able to maintain her cool during bouts a lot better. I think she is perhaps at 30 percent of the level she needs to be.?It wasnt the result we wanted but it is an important learning experience for Zareen. 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Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. DaMarcus Beasley USA Jersey . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday. Timothy Weah USA Jersey . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. The team also has yet to decide on the future of Doug Berry, who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July.The Queens Sports Club has witnessed a tie, and a one-run defeat, but still no cigar for West Indies. For the second time in two matches, they went into the final over of a chase with a chance to win. But yet again, they fell just short. Captain Jason Holder put their shortcoming against Sri Lanka on Wednesday down to the relative greenness of this squad.I think its inexperience, Holder said. Theres obviously situations that were not accustomed to being in. Were still a relatively young side. Everybodys trying to make their mark. And I think it boils down to inexperience, and having that know-how at the end to get us across the line. We had set up the game nicely, and Evin Lewis played an exceptional knock to put us in the situation that we were in.Lewis, playing in just his fourth ODI, brought up a maiden fifty in the 12th over, and then reached a 91-ball century, with 12 fours and a six, to leave West Indies well placed at 177 for 3. This was the first time he had opened on the tour, and it seemed to have paid off.Hes one of those guys that likes the ball coming on, so we just felt that with 330 on the board we needed to get off well in the Powerplay and make use of that first up, Holder explained. Him and Johnson Charles did a great job there and put the Sri Lankan bowlers under pressure, capitalising on every bad ball that was bowled.He wasnt done there, opening up to smite three more sixes as wickets fell around him, and he reached 148 (second only to Chris Gayles 153 not out for the highest ODI score by a West Indian in Zimbabwe), battling cramps in the latter stages of his innings. He was there out in the field for 50 overs fielding, aand then came back to bat through most of the overs, Holder said.dddddddddddd. It was a bit of cramp, and I dont think it was anything too serious.Lewis was eventually run-out after a horrible mix-up with his captain. It was the third run-out of the innings, and left West Indies needing 69 off 57. In the company of Carlos Brathwaite, Holder took the game into the last three overs with his side still within touching distance of the asking rate. With 10 needed from the final over, Holder could only manage a single off the first ball to put No. 10 Sulieman Benn on strike. Holder would not see the strike again until the final ball, when three were needed but a pinpoint, 144kph yorker from Nuwan Pradeep secured Sri Lankas win.I was just trying to get on strike, but credit must also be given to the Sri Lankan bowlers, Holder said. I thought they hit their yorkers really well, and the ball was also tailing in to the right-hander. Benn did a tremendous job to hit the six that he did, to bring the game back closer, but unfortunately he got out afterwards. The last ball was a very good ball.The defeat means West Indies face a must-win game against Zimbabwe on Friday if they are to reach the final. They may have to play that game without their opening bowler, after discomfort in his hamstring meant Shannon Gabriel could only bowl five overs today.Were managing some niggles, and Shannon wasnt able to finish his overs today, so were waiting to see if hes good to go for the next game, Holder said. Well see in the next few days. ' ' '