India secure series win

A superb unbeaten 86 from Rohit Sharma led India to a three wicket victory over West Indies Saturday to secure the five-match one day series for the tourists who now have an unassailable 3-0 lead. Sharma led India's recovery from 92 for six as they chased down 226 at the Sir Vivian Richards stadium. An 88-run partnership with Harbhajan Singh (41) put India back in contention and then Praveen Kumar (25 not out) saw the tourists through to a comfortable victory with 22 balls to spare. It was a day for lower order contributions with West Indies only managing to set a decent target thanks to an outstanding 92 not out from 84 balls by Jamaican Andre Russell. Russell's score is the highest made by a number nine batsman in one-day internationals and included a 78-run partnership with wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh as the Caribbean side recovered from 85-6. The big hitting innings included eight fours and five sixes as the success-starved home crowd were finally treated to some entertainment. Once again West Indies struggled against spin with leg-spinner Amit Mishra taking 3-28 from his ten allotted overs. Opener Lendl Simmons again was the pick of the West Indies batsmen with 45 before Mishra had him caught by Virat Kohli at slip but the middle order again failed. India's innings had a similar structure with opener Parthiv Patel hitting 46 but no-one else making a major contribution until Sharma's big knock turned the game. "That was a game that got away from us," said West Indies captain Darren Sammy. "Russell and Baugh got us back into it and the guys were confident but we lacked the killer instinct after taking early wickets. "We have not been getting runs at the top and we lacked the finishing touch," he said. With the series in the bag, India skipper Suresh Raina said he would rotate the squad in the final two games before the test series begins.

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Tsonga shocks Nadal

World number one Rafael Nadal crashed out of Queen's on Friday when French fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga pulled off a shock 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-1 win in the quarterfinals.

Nadal arrived at the Wimbledon warm-up event admitting he felt exhausted in the aftermath of his record-equalling sixth triumph at the French Open.

Despite his tiredness this was still a major blow for the Spaniard, who had reached seven successive finals before this defeat, and it leaves him short of game time on grass ahead of the defence of his Wimbledon title later this month.

"After losing the second set, mentally I lost my concentration. It has been a lot of matches in a row and after that break in the third set it was a mountain for me to come back," said Nadal.

"I am a little tired. I wasn't there like usual and certainly I think I need a little bit of break."

Tsonga added: "The first time I reached the world top 100 was here at Queen's and today I have beaten the world number one. It was close to my best tennis -- it has to be to beat Rafa."

The match wasn't even two games old when a light shower forced the players off court, but they returned within half an hour to slug it out in a setgruelling first set.
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Nadal had been below his best in a three-set win against Radek Stepanek in the previous round and Tsonga provided an even greater threat than the Czech veteran.

He refused to give an inch to Nadal as the first set went without a break of serve.
The tie-break was equally close, but Nadal raised his game at the key moment and, aided by a Tsonga double-fault that gave him set-point, the Spaniard buried a volley to take the set.

Tsonga came at Nadal just as strongly in the second set however and the Wimbledon champion found it harder to keep him at bay this time.

The Frenchman's brilliant diving winner put Nadal under pressure at 4-4 and he broke when Nadal dragged a forehand well wide before producing a strong service game to send the match to a final set.

Nadal looked a spent force now and Tsonga went for the kill. He broke twice in quick succession to establish a 3-0 lead and was never in danger of relinquishing his advantage.

Tsonga was a picture of joy as he danced on the court in celebration of only his second career win over Nadal, a triumph that sets up a semifinal against British wildcard James Ward.

Andy Roddick kept his bid for a record fifth Queen's title on course as the American set up a semifinal clash with Andy Murray after beating Spain's Fernando Verdasco 6-2, 6-2.

World number four Murray reached the semifinals after his last-eight opponent Marin Cilic was forced to pull out before the match due to an ankle injury.

Murray was joined in the semifinals by his compatriot Ward as the British number two enjoyed a superb double success.

Ward, ranked 216th, started the day by ending Sam Querrey's reign as Queen's champion as he won the final set of their rain-delayed third-round match to clinch a shock 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory.

The 24-year-old son of a London taxi driver had to return just hours later for his quarterfinal clash against France's Adrian Mannarino.
But Ward showed no signs of tiredness as he recovered from wasting seven match points in the second set to win 6-2, 6-7 (14/16), 6-4.
Ward, who was watched by British Prime Minister David Cameron, said: "This is a brilliant feeling. I played a poor game at the beginning of the third but I knew I'd get my chances.

"It's a shame I'm not playing Rafael Nadal, but it's not exactly a bonus draw playing Tsonga."

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