Pietersen strikes unbeaten double hundred at Lord’s

2011-07-22

Kevin Pietersen struck the India bowlers to all parts of Lord’s on Friday during a majestic unbeaten innings of 202 on a sun-dappled second day of the first test.

Pietersen unfurled a series of glorious drives at the spiritual home of world cricket before an appreciative capacity crowd attending the 2,000th test match and the 100th between the two countries.

He smacked 21 boundaries and a six in more than eight hours at the crease to complete his third test double century and take England to 474 for eight declared.

India survived the final half hour to reach 17 for no wicket at the close and set the stage for Saturday’s showpiece day and Sachin Tendulkar, who needs one more century to become the first man to complete 100 international hundreds.

Schleck takes Tour lead, Rolland wins stage

2011-07-22

 

Luxembourg’s Andy Schleck took the Tour de France leader’s yellow jersey after a 19th stage won by Frenchman Pierre Rolland on Friday.

Overall, Schleck now leads his brother Frank by 53 seconds and Australian Cadel Evans by 57 seconds ahead of the decisive solitary effort of Saturday’s penultimate stage, a 42.5km time trial in Grenoble.

While Schleck took the yellow jersey away from France’s Thomas Voeckler, the stage restored Alberto Contador’s pride if not his chances with a splendid performance up to L’Alpe d’Huez.

Mid summer nights

2011-07-22

As the capital seems to quiet down, there’s perhaps no more traditional pursuit in Nicosia than watching an al fresco film. ZOE CHRISTODOULIDES looks at the options available

Summer nights in the capital can be a tricky business. As temperatures rise in July and August, humidity reaches a peak when the sun goes down, as the evenings become undeniably sticky and rather unbearable. But those in search of a little relief are in for a treat as plenty of outdoor movies give crowds the chance to sit back and relax as onscreen action transports you to faraway places.

A touch of magic

2011-07-22

 

Point and shoot is the basic premise behind the latest photography craze. ZOE CHRISTODOULIDES learns more about lomography

The very definition of cool can sometimes baffle us all. And more often than not, it’s usually the artiest types that start off trends that become a huge rage around the world. If you’ve happened to walk around the hip and trendiest areas of London’s East End in the past few years or perhaps been lucky enough to traipse around Manhattan’s Soho district, you’ll have no doubt spotted hoards of arty young things sporting what look like a big and bold chunky toy cameras. Having become the coolest accessory to be seen out and about with, trendsetters today will hardly leave home without them.

Splash, bang, whallop

2011-07-22

On a baking hot Sunday there was only one place to go to cool down – Fasouri Water Park says KATY TURNER

‘I’m going to the loo,’ number two son yelled as we walked into Fasouri Water Park. ‘OK,’ I replied as he ran off in the opposite direction of the toilets. Time to follow suit. He was heading for the ride that resembles being flushed down the aforementioned facility, known as the Probowl. After sliding down a tube, the rider is ejected into a bowl like structure, and after shooting around it sent down a hole in the middle into a pool below. After standing on a viewing balcony and spraying water at him it was time to follow suit again.

Film Review: Transformers: Dark side of the Moon**

2011-07-22

Aggression is a good thing in comedy. From Charlie Chaplin to Ace Ventura, comic heroes have often been thrusting, assertive types, forever trying to gain some advantage over the other fellow; comedy is basically cruel (recall Mel Brooks’ famous adage: “Tragedy is when I stub my toe; comedy is when you fall down an open manhole and die”), precisely because it’s played for laughs. Aggression, on the other hand, isn’t always a good thing in action movies. The genre is aggressive in itself, so it goes best with a certain nonchalance, the recessive cool of Steve McQueen or Jason Statham. Getting in-your-face just seems like overkill.

Bar review:Puesta Oyster Bar and Grill, Limassol

2011-07-22

Puesta Oyster Bar and Grill in Limassol has already attracted considerable attention on account of its fantastic cuisine. However, this chic yet unpretentious establishment with an undoubtedly advantageous location is also an excellent choice for drinks with friends.

Located right on the seafront walkway of Amathunda Avenue, Puesta is oddly inaccessible by car! Don’t worry, though, this does not mean you have to walk miles to reach it. The nearest parking place is next to nearby Dream Cafe, which is a short three minute walk from Puesta, across the walkway. Activity around this walkway does exude a sense of cosmopolitan joie de vivre that characterises contemporary seafront Limassol; and Puesta is quite representative of that lifestyle and ambience.

Bin Hammam dismisses ‘flimsy evidence’ as hearing begins

2011-07-22

Suspended Asian soccer president Mohamed Bin Hammam questioned whether he would be fairly treated as a two-day hearing began on Friday into allegations that he tried to buy votes in the run-up to last month’s FIFA presidential election.

Describing the case against him as “flimsy”, the Qatari, who pulled out of the presidential race over the allegations and was then provisionally banned, said he would take his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport or civil courts if necessary.

“I remain confident that the case and the evidence presented against me are weak and unsubstantiated,” he wrote on his personal website.

“They are flimsy and will not stand up to scrutiny in any court of law; that has been clear throughout this process and it remains to be so.”

Khan talks up skills, future ahead of Judah clash

2011-07-22

 

WBA light-welterweight champion Amir Khan declared himself Britain’s most exciting fighter ahead of his unification bout with Zab Judah on Saturday and said victory in Las Vegas would allow him to look ahead to bigger and better fights.

Khan’s assessment of his talents comes after his value appeared to be questioned by television broadcaster Sky, who wanted to downgrade his April bout with Northern Ireland’s Paul McCloskey from pay-per-view, considerably cutting the champion’s purse, leading to a last-minute switch of television company.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.