Australian cricketer Shaun Marsh announces retirement from professional cricket
Sydney, Jan 14: Australian cricketer Shaun Marsh on Sunday announced his retirement from professional cricket, with the Melbourne Renegades' fixture against Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League on Wednesday being his last assignment.
He joins former Australian skipper Aaron Finch into retirement.
"I have loved playing for the Renegades. I've met some great people over the last five years, and the friendships I've made will last a lifetime," Marsh, 40, said in a statement to the Renegades.
"To the Renegades' coaches and staff and everyone behind the scenes, thank you for backing me in from the start and over my final years. It's made my job a little easier out in the middle."
Despite starting the season late due to an injury, Marsh accumulating 181 runs in five outings at an average of 45.25 and a strike rate of 138.16. He also hit three half-centuries.
Before joining Renegades during the 2019-20 season, he had a lengthy and successful stint with Perth Scorchers between 2011-19, and he also paid tribute to his previous team.
"I owe a lot to the Scorchers. I've got some fond memories of playing in Perth and really enjoyed my time there. The back-to-back titles are up there for me as the most enjoyable moments I've experienced on a cricket field," he concluded.
Marsh also had a great stint with Australia across formats, scoring more than 5,200 runs and 13 centuries, while his last outing for the Kangaroos was against Sri Lanka at The Oval during the 2019 ODI World Cup.
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Deepika stars with solitary goal, India retain women's ACT hockey title with win over China
Rajgir (Bihar), Nov 20: Young striker Deepika turned out to be the star once again with a fine reverse hit goal as India retained their women's Asian Champions Trophy title after edging past Olympic silver medallist China 1-0 in a pulsating final here Wednesday.
Deepika scored the winner for India from a penalty corner in the 31st minute to finish as the tournament's highest goal getter with 11 strikes.
India had earlier stunned China 3-0 in the league stages of the tournament.
It was India's third ACT title after winning the top honours in 2016 and 2023.
The Indian team is now the most successful side in the tournament's history along side South Korea with three titles each.
China, on the other hand, will have to settle for their third runner-up finish.
Japan finished third on the podium after defeating Malaysia 4-1 in the third-fourth place classification match earlier in the day.
It was neck and neck fight between the two sides throughout the contest. Both India and China made many promising circle penetrations but the backline of both the sides was rock solid in the first two quarters.
The 17-year-old Sunelita Toppo was brilliant with her dribbling skills and defence splitting runs from both flanks for India.
Three minutes into the second quarter, China secured the first penalty corner of the match but India's second goalkeeper Bichu Devi Kharibam made a terrific diving save to keep out Jinzhuang Tan.
In the next two minutes the Indians earned as many as four penalty corners but as has been case in the tournament so far, they failed to utilise a single with Deepika taking most of the chances.
Penalty corner conversion has been a concern for India in the tournament as in the semifinal against Japan they managed 13 set pieces, but failed to find the net even once.
In the 23rd minute, it was India's turn to concede another penalty corner but the first rusher defended bravely to deny the Chinese.
Minutes later, skipper Salima Tete created a fine ball for Sharmila Devi whose first time hit to the near post went wide as the deadlock continued at half-time.
India kept up the pressure on the Chinese defence and secured their fifth penalty corner with the first move after the change of ends.
Deepika this time finally found the net with a reverse hit after building on from a miss-trap push.
In the 42nd minute Deepika had a bright chance to increase her tally when she earned a penalty stroke for a deliberate push inside the circle.
But Chinese goalkeeper Li Ting pulled off a stunning reflex save to deny the star Indian striker.
Minutes later, Ting once again came to China's rescue as she saved Sushila Chanu's shot from India's sixth penalty corner.
Trailing by just a solitary goal, the Chinese employed high-press hockey thereafter and also managed to breach inside the Indian circle on a few occasions but the home team's defence didn't break.
