Sports in India: February 2010

Friday, February 26, 2010

More gold for Samaresh

New Delhi, Feb 26: Samaresh Jung shot down two more gold medals while Gagan Narang and Joydeep Karmakar combined to shatter a meet record as the Indians continued to rule the roost in the C’wealth Championships here today. (PTI)

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Rajput outshines Gagan, 2 more gold for India

Rajput outshines Gagan, 2 more gold for India

New Delhi, Feb 23: Sanjeev Rajput stole the show from Gagan Narang in the 50m Rifle 3 Position by shattering the meet record as India's medal tally swelled to 30, including 14 gold, on the sixth day of the Commonwealth Shooting Championships here today.
Rajput, who had teamed up with Gagan yesterday to clinch the team gold, outshone his more accompalished compatriot today by shooting a score of 1272.9 (1172+100.9), a major improvement on the previous meet record of 1260.2 set by Pemmiaha Subbiah in the 1999 edition in New Zealand.
Gagan settled for silver with a score of 1269 (1168+101.1), while another Indian Hasan Imran Khan took home the bronze medal after shooting 1259.6 (1161+98.6).
India fetched the second gold in the 25m center fire pistol team event. Vijay Kumar teamed up with with Mahender Singh to claim the top honours notch as the duo shot a combined score of 1159.
The silver in the event went to Welshmen Alan Green and Steve Pengelly (1131), while England's Michael Gault and Iqbal Ubhi, who shot a score of 1103, bagged the bronze. (PTI)

Monday, February 22, 2010

Sehwag develops sore back

Jaipur, Feb 22: Star opener Virender Sehwag has developed a sore back even though it is unlikely to affect his participation in the second cricket one-dayer against South Africa in Gwalior on Wednesday.

“Sehwag has a sore back and he underwent a scan yesterday. But it doesn’t look serious enough to render him unavailable for the Gwalior match,” a team official said.

Sehwag batted in last night’s humdinger against South Africa which India clinched by a wafer-thin one-run margin in the final delivery.

Sehwag scored a brisk 46 before he got out and he could not fill in the part-timer’s role during South Africa’s chase because of the sore back.

Sehwag left the field during South Africa’s innings and was replaced by Mumbai all-rounder Abhishek Nayyar.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Pak security expert warns of threat to hockey team in India

KARACHI: Pakistan's hockey team leaves on Monday for the World Cup in New Delhi amid warnings from a security expert that there is a genuine threat to the players' safety in India.

Sohail Khan, a high ranking police official in the Interior ministry who has worked with many foreign cricket teams as their security expert in Pakistan, said the PHF should not relax at all during the World Cup.

"All the talk about being satisfied with the security arrangements is fine and I am sure the Indians will also be providing good security cover for all teams including Pakistan but we need to be on guard all the time," Khan said.

Sohail said the players should remain on guard all the time.

"As far as Pakistani players and officials are concerned they are genuine security threats for them in India and they must be very careful and follow a proper security plan during the World Cup," Khan said.

PHF secretary Asif Bajwa, who will go to India as manager of the team, said he was satisfied with the arrangements made by the Indian federation.

"They have promised to provide our team with state level security so we are happy to leave security issues in their hand, we are going to India with a clear mind to promote peace and hopefully to play our role in some way to improve relations between the two countries," Bajwa said.

Pak PM Gilani to give Rs 1 crore to hockey team

LAHORE: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sunday announced Rs 1 crore for the Pakistan hockey team which would take part in the World Cup commencing in New Delhi from February 28.

The team would get the amount irrespective of their performance in the World Cup.

Wishing them the best of luck, Gilani told the players that the nation expected them to demonstrate team spirit and sportsmanship, irrespective of results, he said.

He asked them to display the best behaviour and conduct as representatives of Pakistan. He also assured that contracts of all the members of the Pakistan hockey team with government departments and organisations would be converted into regular appointments.

Pakistan Hockey Federation President Qasim Zia was also present on the occasion.

New Zealand to play in hockey World Cup despite terror threat

WELLINGTON: New Zealand's hockey team will leave for India later on Monday to take part in the World Cup that begins in New Delhi next Sunday.

Officials had earlier put the team's departure on hold following an Al Qaeda threat to international sports events in India. But they have now decided in favour of participation.

The team, called the Black Sticks, will fly out of Australia's Perth city as originally planned despite warnings from terror group Al Qaeda that warned against participation in sports events in India, New Zealand Herald reported on Monday.

Last week, officials had decided that the team would remain in Perth after their two practice matches against Australia ended on Friday but coach Shane McLeod said on Sunday that they would depart as scheduled and take their place in pool A when the World Cup starts.

Hockey officials said on Monday that they had assessed advice from the New Zealand government and an independent adviser on security arrangements in India.

"The detail we have received has reassured us that the required level of security is in place, therefore we have kept the team in the tournament," said Hilary Poole, chief executive of Hockey New Zealand.

Poole said one player, Simon Child, had made a personal decision to pull out.

She said Hockey New Zealand had been closely liaising with other nations, "all of whom still plan to participate".

The Asia Times online newspaper said it had received a message on February 15 from guerrilla commander Ilyas Kashmiri, whose 313 Brigade is an operational arm of Al Qaeda, indicating the tournament and other scheduled sporting events in India this year would be targeted.

The warning also referred to next month's Indian Premier League and the Commonwealth Games.

Bollywood celebrities cheer for hockey ahead of World Cup

CHANDIGARH: Bollywood actors Suniel Shetty and Irfan Khan gathered to cheer hockey players at a charity match here in Chandigarh, the proceeds of which would go towards the promotion of the game.

Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty said, "Seeing the enthusiasm of the people here, we can say that hockey still has a place in the hearts of the people."

The actors believe that such attempts would go a long way in promoting the national sport of the country that has been overshadowed by cricket's popularity.

"The Sports Minister should see to the security of the players and should also see that not just one sport gets all the attention, other sports should get equal chance of prospering," said actor Irfan Khan.

The match was initially to be played by the national team, but it was put off owing to some differences of payments.

The local team later played the match.

The Hockey Championship is scheduled to start in New Delhi from February 28.

Security has been tightened for the Hockey World Cup following a threat issued by the al Qaeda guerrilla Ilyas Kashmiri.

Kashmiri, who commands the 313 Brigade, an operational arm of al Qaeda, specifically issued his warning to international players asking them not to participate in the '2010 Hockey World Cup'.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Injured Zaheer ruled out of ODI series against SA

Kolkata, Feb 18: India’s pace spearhead Zaheer Khan has been ruled out of the three-match ODI series against South Africa beginning February 21. Zaheer sustained a muscle strain in his leg Wednesday on the fourth day of the ongoing second cricket Test here. He bowled only six overs on Wednesday and did not return to take the field on Thursday. The left arm pacer has been replaced by S. Sreesanth, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a statement on Thursday. The pacer is the latest to join the growing injury list. Opener Gautam Gambhir and middle order batsman Yuvraj Singh are already out of the ODI series with injuries. While Gambhir sustained a groin injury, Yuvraj is sitting out of the ongoing Test series with a ligament tear in his wrist. (IANS)

Thursday, February 18, 2010

India calms terror fears over hockey World Cup

New Delhi, Feb 17: India on Wednesday allayed security apprehensions of New Zealand and Australian hockey teams maintaining that it was pulling out all stops for the forthcoming World Cup in the wake of terror threats issued to foreign teams during the 12-team quadrennial event. The renewed assurance comes after New Zealand’s hockey team, which earlier planned to continue with its trip to the February 28-March 13 Hockey World Cup in New Delhi despite an Al Qaeda threat against sports events in India, appeared to be having second thoughts on Wednesday.

The team is in Australia’s Perth city to play two practice matches Wednesday and Friday, and will then decide if it will travel to India as per schedule for the World Cup that begins February 28, the New Zealand Herald reported. As for the Australian team, its players say they ready to play, but Hockey Australia says it is awaiting the result of a new security assessment in view of the terror threat. Assuring security to sportspersons visiting India for the Hockey World Cup and the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament that starts March 12, Home Minister P Chidambaram stressed that militants would not be allowed to dictate terms. “All security would be provided to players. No one would be allowed to dictate terms to us,” Chidambaram said at a press conference in Jammu after reviewing the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Sania out of Dubai

DUBAI, Feb 15: Sania Mirza yet again failed to move beyond the first round of a WTA tournament and crashed out of the $2 million Dubai Tennis Championships following her 3-6, 4-6 defeat against Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues on Monday. Since going down in the second round of Auckland event at the start of season, Sania has lost her opening rounds in the subsequent events at Hobart, Australian Open and Pattaya Open and the trend continued here as well. (PTI)

Monday, February 15, 2010

OILFC and Assam Rifles win in Premier League Soccer

By our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI, Feb 14: Oil India Limited Football Club (OILFC) and Assam Rifles won their respective matches in the State Premier League Soccer Tournament held at two different venues today. OILFC defeated Assam Police Blues by 3-0 at Sivasagar while at Tezpur Assam Rifle came victorious against Green Valley by 2-1.

The match between Assam Rifles and Green Valley was well contested but Assam Rifles, who were more experienced between the two sides, finally managed to leave the ground with winning note. Both goals of the winner was scored by Akum Ao. Green Valley returned one through Abraham Goodluck.

Meanwhile, OILFC today registered their second victory in the tournament defeating Assam Police Blues by 3-0. The first half witnessed only one goal and that was scored by Z Hmar. The side increased the margin in the second half through Jayanta Basumatary and Prasanta Choudhury.

PSPB dominate in the individual events too

By our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI, Feb 14: Players of PSPB dominated in the individual events also as three of their pairs have entered into the final of the doubles event of the 71st Senior National and Inter State Table Tennis Championship held at the Deshbhakta Tarun Ram Phukan Indoor Stadium here today. The women’s double would be all PSPB affair while in the men’s double it will be PSPB vs West Bengal.

The highlight of the doubles event was the loss of PSPB pair- A Sharat Kamal and S Saha who were shown the door by West Bengal’s S Chakraborty and Anirban Nandi. The duo won the men’s doubles semi final by 11-8, 11-9 and 11-5. They will now face Soumyadeep Roy and Zubin Kumar (PSPB) in the title clash. Soumyadeep Roy and Zubin Kumar in the other men’s doubles semi final defeated A Koparkar and Sanil Shetty of Maharastra by 11-9, 11-6, 11-6.

Osmania University rocked by violence again

HYDERABAD, Feb 15 : The Osmania University here was Monday rocked by clashes between the police and students over the Telangana issue. Security personnel used batons, teargas and fired rubber bullets to disperse the mobs, leaving many injured. Mediapersons were particularly targeted.

For the second time since Sunday evening, the sprawling campus turned into a battle zone with pro-Telangana students taking to the streets and police using force to tackle them.

Protesting the police firing and baton charge on them Sunday night, students took out a rally and threw stones at policemen and paramilitary personnel deployed on the campus.

The police hit back with batons, rubber bullets and teargas. Witnesses said some policemen were injured in the stone-pelting while a few students and mediapersons also were wounded when the police used force.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Dheeraj, Parvez fail to save Assam

By our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI, Feb 14: A fantastic performance by the team’s batsmen went in vain as Assam suffered the second successive defeat in the Vizay Hazare Cricket Tournament against Bengal at Ravenshaw College Ground in Cuttack today. Bengal won the match by seven wickets.

Today’s match witnessed over 600 runs and it itself told the story about the condition of the wicket where hardly anything was left for the bowlers. It was Bengal who won the toss and invited Assam to bat first. However, their decision looked backfired as Assam openers Dheeraj Jadhav and Parvez Aziz scored fluently and the opening pair added 176 runs within 32 overs. Aziz departed for 83 runs and he needed 97 balls to score those runs. The left handed hit eight boundaries and one six. Jadhav, who is in very good form this season, continued the charge, and remained not out for 148 runs that came in 150 balls. His innings comprised of 15 fours. Assam finished their 50 overs quota scoring 299 runs for the loss of five wickets. Ashok Dinda scalped 3 wickets for 57 runs.

However, like the bowler of Bengal, Assam bowler too didn’t get any assistance from the wicket and riding on a fine century from Shreevats Goswami, Bengal reached the target in 42.3 overs scoring 303 runs for three wickets.

Goswami hit a breezy 133 of 114 balls, smashing 18 fours and three sixes and during this innings he also made two good partnerships with Sourav Ganguly (64), and Abhishek Jhunjhunwala (83 not out). Dhiraj Goswami claimed two wickets and Abu Nechim Ahmed picked up the other one.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Marcel Siem leads Avantha Masters, Gangjee tied third

Gurgaon, Feb 11: Germany’s Marcel Siem took the opening honours at the at the 1.5 million euros (approximately $2.1 million) Avantha Masters golf with an eight-under-par 64 for a single shot lead over Chinese Taipei's Chan Yih-shin here on Thursday.

Rahil Gangjee was the best Indian in the field in tied third with a birdie-birdie finish that saw him card a 67 for the day alongwith six others.

The event is tri-sanctioned event by the Asian Tour, European Tour and Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI).

“I also feel I am getting my game back,” said Gangjee. “The plan is to play one shot a time and to stay in the present. I don't want to get ahead of myself. Last week (in Asian Tour International) I was rusty. I actually planned to start with an Indian Tour event in Dhaka, but I fell ill and began last week in Bangkok. Now I am feeling fine and the rust is going."

The 29-year-old German looking for his second career win on the European Tour gave the 16-year-old Indian ladies No. 1 Vani Kapoor the credit for his flawless eight-under 64 to take the lead at the end of the first round.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

SA aim to topple India from Test top spot

South Africa will draw confidence from their record on the subcontinent as they seek to replace India at the top of the world rankings in their two-Test series starting Saturday.

India dislodged South Africa as the number one Test side in December after beating Sri Lanka 2-0 at home, and a series victory against the Proteas would consolidate their position.

South Africa can snatch back the coveted ranking only if they win the series 2-0. A 1-0 victory would leave both teams level on 123 points.

"India now hold the mantle of number one in the world, which is a credit to the way they have played," South Africa skipper Graeme Smith said ahead of the first Test in Nagpur.

"But we have come here to hopefully play better than them, and take it away from them. That's something we are talking about."

Smith said it was tough to win a series in the subcontinent and success is "a real feather in your cap."

"But we won in Pakistan on our last tour there, we won in Bangladesh, we came very close to winning the series here in India. We were 1-0 going into the last Test, so I think generally we have played well," he said. "I think we have got a very positive mindset when it comes to playing in the subcontinent, which is important."

On their last tour of India in 2008, South Africa won on a greentop in Ahmedabad, before the hosts levelled the series on a turning wicket in Kanpur. The first Test was drawn.

The task this time appears more daunting for South Africa, who are going into the series after a week of turmoil at home that ended in the resignation of long-serving coach Mickey Arthur.

And the entire selection committee, headed by former Test all-rounder Mike Procter, was sacked following a 1-1 series draw to England at home.

National high performance coach Corrie van Zyl has taken over from Arthur for the Indian tour, which also features three one-day internationals after the Tests.

India are depleted by injuries to key players -- sustained during a 2-0 away victory over Bangladesh -- upsetting the team combination. Rahul Dravid, a vital cog in the middle order, is recuperating after undergoing surgery for a fractured jaw while the aggressive Yuvraj Singh is nursing a sore left wrist.

"They still have quality players there, but to lose somebody of the calibre of Dravid with an incredible career of over 10,000 runs is always very difficult," said Smith.

"Number three is obviously a key position in any batting line-up, so it is going to be very interesting to see whom they choose to use there."

Dhoni, India's first-choice wicketkeeper, has also been suffering from a troublesome back, forcing the national selectors to pick uncapped Wriddhiman Saha as his cover in the 15-man Test squad.

The Indian pace attack will be without the mercurial Shanthakumaran Sreesanth who impressed against Sri Lanka, before being laid low by a hamstring injury in Bangladesh.

The second and final Test will be played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata from February 14.

I will not resign: Ejaz Butt

Undeterred by scathing criticism at a hearing of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Sports, PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt has refused to step down.

Butt was grilled at the hearing, where PCB Governing Council members accused him of ignoring senior officials while taking key decisions.

The hearing was attended by PCB COO Wasim Bari, Director General (Cricket) Javed Miandad and council members Shakil Sheikh and Dr Muhammad Ali Shah.

Miandad, Sheikh and Shah said at the hearing that Butt took decisions without consulting the governing council citing the example of a 100 million rupees development project at the National stadium in Karachi which they said was not approved by the council.

However, Butt who was told directly by the NA committee Chairman Jamshed Dasti to resign and spare Pakistan cricket, said he would not resign.

"Some people are trying to pressurize and blackmail me but why should resign, I have done nothing wrong. All these allegations they are making against me, let them prove it and I will resign.

"Only the chief patron who has appointed me can ask me to resign and the day he does that I will take less than five minutes to step down," he said.

Attacking the governing council members, Butt said if they were not satisfied with his style of functioning they should leave their jobs.

"I have taken all governing council members into confidence before taking any decisions. And if the governing council members are mere dummies why don't they resign?" Butt asked.

During the hearing, the committee members threatened to freeze the PCB accounts to which Butt contended that the committee had no authority to do so.

The hearing saw the committee members grill Butt on various issues and accused him of mishandling many cricket issues bringing a bad name to Pakistan cricket.

He was also accused of interfering in cricket team affairs with Miandad insisting that despite his experience and services to Pakistan cricket, the board was not willing to utilise his expertise and knowledge.

Butt said that the PCB would be carrying out a thorough investigation into why the team had lost in Australia and what had gone wrong.

He also said that the PCB planned to take up the issue of the IPL snubbing Pakistani players at the auction at the ICC executive board meeting on February 10.

The committee also discussed the issue of the attack on the Sri Lankan team last year and the incident at Perth during the fifth and final one-dayer against Australia last Sunday when a spectator jumped into the ground and tackled Pakistani opener Khalid Latif to the ground.

Miandad said had he been at Perth he would have taken the team out of the ground as it was a very serious issue.

Aussie legend McGrath finds love again

Australian cricket legend Glenn McGrath has found love again, 18 months after his wife's tragic death from breast cancer, a report said on Thursday.

Sydney's Daily Telegraph pictured the smiling father of two, 39, at a restaurant with 28-year-old Italian Sara Leonardi, saying he met her late last year.

"Glenn is happy for people to know he has a girlfriend," his agent Warren Craig was quoted as saying. "He's happy and so are his children."

The former fast bowler has devoted much of his time to raising funds to fight breast cancer since the death of his wife, Jane, in June 2008.

Bedi calls for more matches in series

Former captain Bishan Singh Bedi today questioned the need of a two-Test series between India and South Africa and said Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men should have played at least one more match in the rubber.

"I think, a two-match series is not enough to test the mettle of the teams. I wish that there should have been three or five matches in the forthcoming series between India and South Africa," Bedi said.

"Since both the teams are at par and the series is expected to produce some close contests, the number of matches should have been more. After all, it will not be the real test of the teams," added Bedi, who has played in 67 Tests.

The VCA Stadium in Nagpur will host the first Test, commencing from February 6, while the second match will be played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata from February 14.

Bedi, however, was not ready to bill anyone as the favourite in the series.

"If one team is currently number one in Test ranking, then the other one is the former number one and is certainly striving to wrest the tag from India. Both the teams have enough firepower to give other trouble. So we should not consider anyone favourite," the former spinner said.

"Expectation will create pressure on the team. Dhoni's men should not take the pressure and go all out against the Proteas," Bedi added.

Although two big names in batting department -- Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh -- are out of the series due to injuries, Bedi feels that will not hamper the team's performance.

"Yes, Rahul and Yuvraj are not in the squad, but we should not think about players who are absent. I am sure, there are others in the team who can compensate for them," he said.

Dravid, who sustained a jaw injury in the second Test against Bangladesh, has been advised rest for three weeks, while Yuvraj Singh has been ruled out of the Test series due to an injured left wrist.

The 15-member squad for the first match of the series has six specialist batsmen, three spinners, four pacemen and two wicketkeepers in captain Dhoni and Bengal's Wriddhiman Saha.

The pace unit will be lead by Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma and debutants Sudeep Tyagi and Abhimanyu Mithun.

Except for Zaheer, the side lacks experience and former skipper Kapil Dev had said that India should rely on their spin department and prepare spin friendly tracks.

However, Bedi said he just wants to see a strip that will last for five days.

"We can't make spinning pitch nor the pacer's pitch properly. I only expect that the pitches will last for five days and the spectators enjoy good contest," Bedi said.

Asked if he is happy with the current Indian spin attack, Bedi said, "It is not important whether I am happy or not. I feel spinners like Mishra and Chawla should consider themselves lucky to play for India and should give everything for the country.

Rohit Sharma added as cover for Laxman

VVS Laxman hasn't yet recovered fully from the finger injury he sustained during the first Test against Bangladesh, and the selectors have called in Rohit Sharma as cover for Laxman.

Laxman's injury had already seen him miss the second Test against Bangladesh.

Rohit was selected as the captain of the Board President's Eleven that faced South Africa in their warm-up match, and though he made only 20 runs, he has been in good form in the Ranji Trophy.

"It feels good that I've been asked to stay back...Bahut hi achcha lag raha hai (I'm feeling great)," Sharma was quoted as saying by the Telegraph.

Laxman skipped the team's fielding practice on Wednesday afternoon, but did have a bat at the nets.

Unfazed SRK refuses to submit to Sena threat

Bollywood superstar Shah Ruk

h Khan has stuck to his stand of inclusion of Pakistani cricketers in the Indian Premier League, saying he has said nothing on the issue that should be retracted.

"What should I retract?," an unfazed Khan asked reporters when asked about the sharp reaction from the Shiv Sena on his remarks.

Khan said he is not going to submit to this threat.

Shiv Sena has demanded an apology from him for backing Pakistani cricketers participation in the IPL after the players from that country were not picked during the auction last month.

"I don't know what the issue is all about... I don't know what I am supposed to retract. Am I supposed to retract the fact I'm an Indian but I don't want anyone to come to my country?" he said.

Khan, who was addressing a press conference along with Director Karan Johar and actress Kajol to promote their film 'My Name is Khan', said: "All that I've said is that I would like people to come to my country to participate in the biggest event and it scares me to say anything because our stakes are very high."

He was apologetic to his business partners for his stand on the IPL as it might affect the prospects of the film.

Khan, who is in London to promote his film, said: "I have no idea what people would like me to say. If somebody could tell me this is what you would want me to say, I'll say it."

"When I said it was not directed towards a person or a group of people. It was not towards any person from any nation - Pakistan, Bangladesh, America or England," he told reporters last evening.

"If you have differences in ideology why should it not be allowed?" he asked and recalled the teachings and values that he received from his father who was a freedom fighter.

"I am really sorry. I would like to apologize to Karan Johar, to Kajol and I am immensely sorry to all our business partners that because of what I said, or what I believe in, their film and their work is going to be affected," Khan said.

SA get good batting practice

Nagpur, Feb 3 (PTI): South Africa made the most of their drawn practice match against Board President’s XI with their top order looking in good nick even though Piyush Chawla and R Ashwin proved that the Proteas can be vulnerable against quality spin here today.

Having bowled out the local side for 318, Graeme Smith and his men did overwhelm the target to reach 354 before folding but leg-spinner Chawla (4/88) and offie Ashwin (3/96) exposed the vulnerability of the Proteas, especially the middle and lower order, against turning balls.

The visitors, on their part, can draw confidence from the fact that Ashwell Prince (42), Smith (45), Hashim Amla (72 retired), Jacques Kallis (63 retired), AB de Villiers (27) and JP Duminy (39) all got the starts and looked in form.

Resuming the second and final day on 44 for no loss at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, South Africa lost their captain when Abhimanyu Mithun had Smith caught behind.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Poor Sunderland fail to find way past Stoke

London, Feb 2 (DPA) Sunderland's poor form continued in a goalless draw at home with Stoke City in Monday's only English Premier League match.

After a promising start to the season, Steve Bruce's side have now gone 11 matches without a win in the league. The result leaves them languishing in 13th place on 24 points, two points behind their opponents on Monday in 12th.

With the respective form of both sides - Stoke themselves have won only one match from their last nine away from home - a draw was always a possibility, but the visitors will nevertheless feel they had the better chances and should have taken all three points.

After just three minutes had elapsed, and in their first attack of the match, Stoke should have taken the lead. Turkish striker Sanil Tuncay found Dean Whitehead in the penalty area with only the goalkeeper to beat, but his weak shot was fired straight at Craig Gordon.

Sunderland will feel aggrieved they were not rewarded for a strong penalty appeal on the hour, when Robert Huth appeared to move his arm toward the ball to block Darren Bent's cross for the home side.

With 10 minutes remaining, Ricardo Fuller had another good chance to win the game for Stoke, but he, too, failed to break the deadlock as, after powering away from the home defence, his shot was again fired straight at Gordon.

DPA