CSKA Moscow spring Sevilla surprise

Published>Wed, Mar 17 10 10:23 AM

CSKA Moscow upset Sevilla 2-1 on Tuesday to send the Russian team into the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in 17 years.

A well-struck Keisuke Honda free kick ended Sevilla's hopes of making their quarter-final debut and secured victory for the well-organised Muscovites to put them into the last eight for the first time since 1992-93.

After a 1-1 draw in Moscow last month, goals from CSKA's Tomas Necid and Sevilla's Diego Perotti had the sides tied at 2-2 on aggregate at the break before Honda's 55th-minute strike flew into the top corner off Sevilla goalkeeper Andres Palop.

"The players did very well to stop Sevilla getting many clear chances," a beaming CSKA coach Leonid Slutsky told a news conference.

"It's hard to analyse the match much at this early stage but I am very proud that my team has made it through to the quarters."

Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano squandered a chance to put the home side ahead in only the third minute at a noisy Sanchez Pizjuan stadium.

The Brazilian international collected a whipped Jesus Navas cross from the right but hit his first-time shot straight at CSKA goalkeeper Igor Akinfeyev.

The visitors enjoyed plenty of possession in the early stages and lively Japan midfielder Honda forced a smart save from Palop in the 27th minute.

HONDA POWER

Six minutes before the break, a mistake by Serbian defender Ivica Dragutinovic let in Necid, who rifled a low shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the penalty area.

Sevilla were level within two minutes. A long Palop punt bounced through to Navas and he crossed for Perotti to poke the ball past Akinfeyev.

Honda's winner came from a long-range free kick which Palop failed to deal with as the ball ricocheted into the top corner off the keeper's fists.

Sevilla coach Manolo Jimenez threw on Alvaro Negredo to join fellow strikers Frederic Kanoute and Fabiano but CSKA held firm against some desperate attacking in the final stages as the disconsolate home fans drifted away.

"CSKA were very good in defence and didn't give us many chances on goal," Negredo said in a television interview.

"We managed to get an equaliser in the first half but it was a moment of misfortune in the second half that made it difficult."

Failure for the Andalusians will also put pressure on their budget, after club president Jose Maria del Nido warned before the first leg that missing out on the financial reward for reaching the last eight could push the club into the red.

"All we can do is congratulate them and try to qualify for the competition again," Del Nido said in a television interview.

"We need to focus now on getting third or fourth place in La Liga and we have a great King's Cup final against Atletico Madrid to look forward to which we will try to win."

Source: Web Search

Guardiola faces probe after accusing referee of lying

Published Wed, Mar 17 10 02:47 AM

The Spanish football federation will investigate comments made by Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola after he accused officials of lying in a match report, the La Liga champions said on Tuesday.

Guardiola was sent off in the 2-2 draw at Almeria on March 6 and was forced to watch Sunday's 3-0 home win over Valencia from the stands, after the club failed in their appeal against the decision.

On Saturday, Guardiola said: "I have seen the footage and I am not very proud. Seeing it I can understand the sending off and I don't like seeing myself like that.

"But when someone lies you have to appeal. They (the officials) lied in the match report and put things in there that I did not say."

Referee Carlos Clos Gomez wrote in his match report that he had sent Guardiola to the stands in the 27th minute for leaving his technical area and putting his face close to that of the assistant referee and shouting and waving his arms.

He quoted Guardiola as saying: "Your decisions are the wrong way around" and "You don't understand anything".

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Woods to make long-awaited return at U.S. Masters

Published>Wed, Mar 17 10 01:57 AM

Tiger Woods will start trying to restore a reputation battered by marital infidelities at next month's U.S Masters, the tournament which helped him become the world's most marketable sportsman.

The world number one has not competed since his victory at the Australian Masters on Nov. 15 and has opted to make his comeback at Augusta National where he won the first of his 14 majors in 1997.

"I view this tournament with great respect," Woods said in a statement on Tuesday. "After a long and necessary time away from the game, I feel like I'm ready to start my season at Augusta.

The 34-year-old American, whose golfing dominance has placed him in the pantheon of all-time sporting greats since he turned professional in late 1996, has won the Masters four times.

"The major championships have always been a special focus in my career and, as a professional, I think Augusta is where I need to be, even though it's been a while since I last played," he added.

Woods announced in December he was taking an indefinite break from the game to save his marriage after revelations emerged of his repeated infidelity. He has apologised to his family and fans but had not indicated until Tuesday when he might return to the game.

Woods trails only Jack Nicklaus -- with 18 titles -- in the all-time major standings and has long targeted overhauling the benchmark set by his fellow American who was his golfing idol as a child.

The scandal around Woods erupted after he crashed his car outside his Florida home in the middle of the night in November, a bizarre incident that triggered a storm of media speculation over his private life.

The minor accident led to a parade of women alleging publicly they had had affairs with the golfer.

SPECTACLAR FALL

Last month Woods made a carefully managed first public appearance since his spectacular fall from grace.

He said he was sorry for cheating on his Swedish wife, Elin Nordegren, with whom he has two small children, and that he was undergoing therapy, although he did not give details.

"I have undergone almost two months of in-patient therapy, and I am continuing my treatment," Woods said on Tuesday.

"Although I'm returning to competition, I still have a lot of work to do in my personal life."

Media reports have said he was treated for sex addiction in Mississippi.

The impending return of Woods has been warmly welcomed by golf officials and sponsors.

PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said: "He has invested a lot of time taking steps, both in his personal and professional life, in order to prepare for his return. We all wish him and his family the best as he rejoins the Tour."

Billy Payne, chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters tournament, added: "Additionally, we support and encourage his stated commitment to continue the significant work required to rebuild his personal and professional life."

PERFECT VENUE

Mark O'Meara, the 1998 Masters champion and a long-time mentor to Woods, told the Golf Channel: "Augusta is the perfect venue for him to do that, he has had such great success there.

A spokesperson for sponsor Gillette said: "Like many sports fans around the world, we're looking forward to seeing Tiger back on the course."

Another sponsor, Nike, said: "We look forward to Tiger's return to the Masters and seeing him back on the course."

David Carter, head of the Sports Institute at the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business, said: "He certainly has picked a really manageable tournament to re-emerge in.

"I think if he plays well and is able to align with the pageantry of the Masters, it's a step in the right direction."

Woods, who is believed to be the world's wealthiest athlete, was estimated to earn about $100 million a year in endorsement deals before the scandal led AT&T and Accenture to drop him as a spokesman. Other sponsors, however, stood by him.

Source: Web Search

Dhoni expected to play in next IPL match: Fleming

Published Wed, Mar 17 10 01:31 AM

Kolkata, Mar 16 (PTI) Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming said team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is expected to play in their next Indian Premier League match against Delhi Daredevils even though he was hit by a rising delivery from Kolkata Knight Riders fast bowler Shane Bond here today. "He (Dhoni) has gone for an X-ray on his arm. We are hopeful that it''s nothing more than a bruising and that he is available. You have just seen how important he is," Fleming said after Dhoni led the team to a 55-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders. Dhoni, who was awarded Man of the Match, resurrected the Chennai Super Kings innings with a 33-ball 66 to help them score 164 for three that proved to be a tall order for KKR who were shot out for 109 in 19.2 overs. "He has love affair in all the venues across the world," We are proud of our finish, we dominated right through the match. We were very smart from the beginning," Fleming said. "With the ball we got it in the right place and created a lot of pressure. It''s a different win then we usually have. We usually win with power and gusto but this time it was subtle. We made the adjustments beautifully," he added. The former New Zealand captain said he was relishing the role of a coach and described Dhoni as super captain. "It''s nice, I am relaxed now. I am enjoying with the strategies. It''s a great honour to be associated with the super captain (Mahendra Singh Dhoni). His ability to perform under pressure is second to none. It''s a good position to be in." .

Source: Web Search

Woods can expect 'tough' return at Augusta, says Palmer

Published>Wed, Mar 17 10 12:27 AM

Four-times U.S Masters winner Arnold Palmer said Tiger Woods would be in for a tough time on his return to golf at Augusta next month.

Woods, plagued by revelations about his marital infidelity, is likely to face intense media scrutiny and the response of spectators at one of the most conservative venues in U.S golf is uncertain.

"For Tiger it is going to be tough, it is going to be something that will take him a little time to get used to," Palmer told the Golf Channel when asked about what awaits Woods at the April 8-11 tournament.

"I am sure that he will anticipate all those things before he gets there and I think, as well as he can, he will understand the things that might happen," he said.

Palmer hosts his PGA Tour invitational event next week at his Bay Hill course and there had been rumours Woods might use that occasion to ease himself back in to competitive golf.

But Palmer said he had spoken twice to Woods shortly before the announcement and while he was disappointed not to have the world number one in his field he understood the motives.

"I spoke to him a couple of times, I spoke to him last night and then again this morning just to make sure that everything was the way I got it.

"He expressed his regrets for not being able to play and said that he was sorry but that he really didn't feel his game was up to speed to start playing this early.

"It was a fairly short conversation and of course we are all disappointed that Tiger isn't going to be here to play but certainly under the conditions and the things that have happened we understand," he added.

Source: Web Search

Achilles operation was a success, says Beckham

Published Wed, Mar 17 10 12:11 AM

David Beckham has thanked the surgeon who operated on his Achilles tendon and said he was looking forward to returning to full fitness as soon as possible.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their messages of support, they mean a lot to me," Beckham said in a statement on his website (www.davidbeckham.com).

"The operation was a success and I'd like to thank Dr. Orava and all the medical staff who looked after me during my time in Finland. I'm feeling positive and now concentrating on getting back to full fitness over the coming months."

The England midfielder suffered a torn Achilles tendon playing for AC Milan on Sunday and looks certain to miss this year's World Cup.

Source: Web Search

Spirited contest turns T20 into a carnival in Bangalore

Published>Wed, Mar 17 10 12:07 AM

Bangalore, March 16 (IANS) The match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kings XI Punjab Tuesday in the Indian Premier League turned into a carnival at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here as the home team overpowered the rivals by eight wickets.

About 30,000 boisterous fans hooted for the home team led by Anil Kumble after Kings XI put up a formidable score (203 runs) in the first session having won the toss and elected to bat.

When RCB fashioned the victory in 18.5 overs, the crowds went into raptures - bursting fire-crackers, whistling and blowing trumpets.

'The atmosphere is simply electrifying! More than a battle between bat and ball, the T20 is essentially a fun game with glorious uncertainty. It doesn't matter who wins and loses as long as the spirit of the game is kept alive,' said D. Lakshman, a software engineer who watched the match.

RCB owner and business tycoon Vijay Mallya, who cheered his team from the royal box, seemed relieved to see his boys back in the reckoning.

RCB official ambassadors Bollywood star Deepika Padukone and Kannada actress Ramya too joined the victory celebrations.

In contrast, Kings XI owner and Bollywood actress Preity Zinta, who was upbeat about her team posting over 200 runs on the board, was clearly disappointed. She made a quick exit from the VIP box into the dressing room to comfort her 'boys'.

'It was worth the money and time I have spent coming all the way from Mysore to see RCB win...I plan to come here again Thursday evening when the home team takes on Rajasthan Royals as I want to see its great spinner Shane Warne bowl and the swashbuckling Yusuf Pathan hit sixes,' said Ram Murthy, a consultant.

Local lad Robin Uthappa, who belted 51 runs in just 21 balls with four mighty sixes and four fours, got a standing ovation from the crowds.

RCB opener Jacque Kallis, who won the 'man of the match' for his 88 runs in 51 balls with five awesome sixes and eight fours, had the fans roaring every time he batted, as he remained unbeaten for the second consecutive time playing through the innings.

Mallya's son Siddhartha presented the 'man of the match' award and a cheque for Rs.100,000 to Kallis.

Karnataka Chief Secretary S.V. Ranganath presented RCB captain Kumble the award for winning the match.

Throughout the match lasting over three hours, the 12-member squad of White Mischief Gals, the official cheerleaders of RCB, were the star attraction, as they gave scintillating performance during breaks, dancing to western and native numbers.

Though the stadium has a capacity to seat about 40,000 spectators, there were a few empty patches in the stands priced above Rs.1,600 per ticket.

'The response this time is not as high as it was in the inaugural IPL event in 2007 though we have reduced the ticket price substantially from last time,' said an official of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), coordinating ticket sales with the IPL management.

To ensure youth make it to the stadium in large numbers, the organisers reserved about 500 seats for college students at Rs.220 per ticket in the eastern stands.

Source: Web Search

Tiger Woods announces golf comeback at April Masters

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 11:47 PM

World No. 1 golfer Tiger Woods, who left the game last year in the midst of a damaging adultery scandal, announced on Tuesday he would make his comeback to professional golf at the U.S. Masters in early April.

The return of the world's wealthiest and most marketable sports star at the April 5-11 blockbuster golf event was a relief for his sponsors, whose multi-million dollar commercial endorsements had been rocked by the scandal around him.

"The Masters is where I won my first major and I view this tournament with great respect. After a long and necessary time away from the game, I feel like I'm ready to start my season at Augusta," Woods said in a statement on his website.

The 34-year-old American, whose dominance on the golf course put him in the pantheon of all-time sporting greats since he turned professional in 1996, has won the Augusta Masters four times previously.

"The major championships have always been a special focus in my career and, as a professional, I think Augusta is where I need to be, even though it's been awhile since I last played," said Woods.

Woods announced in December he was withdrawing from professional golf to save his marriage after revelations emerged of his repeated infidelity. He has apologized to his family and fans but had not indicated clearly until Tuesday when he might return to the game.

Woods has won 14 major titles and trails only Jack Nicklaus -- with 18 titles -- in the all-time standings. He has long targeted overhauling that benchmark set by fellow American Nicklaus, who was his golfing idol as a child.

The scandal around Woods erupted after he crashed his car outside his Florida home in the middle of the night in November, a bizarre incident that triggered a storm of media speculation over his private life. The minor accident led to a parade of alleged mistresses alleging publicly they had had affairs with the golfer.

Last month Woods made a carefully managed first public appearance since his spectacular fall from grace.

PRESSURE FOR WOODS TO PLAY WELL

He in that appearance that he was sorry for cheating on his Swedish wife, Elin Nordegren, with whom he has two small children, and said he was undergoing therapy, but did not give details.

He said then that he planned to return to golf "one day," possibly this year, but didn't specify when.

"I have undergone almost two months of inpatient therapy, and I am continuing my treatment. Although I'm returning to competition, I still have a lot of work to do in my personal life.," Woods said in his statement on Tuesday.

Media reports have said he was treated for sex addiction in Mississippi.

Sponsors, the PGA Tour, and sports pundits and experts welcomed Tuesday's announcement by Woods.

"He certainly has picked a really manageable tournament to reemerge in and I think if he plays well and is able to align with the pageantry of the Masters, it's a step in the right direction," said David Carter, head of the Sports Institute at the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business.

But he added the pressure would be on Woods to play well and show he had not been affected by the scandal.

A spokesperson for sponsor Gillette said: "Like many sports fans around the world, we're looking forward to seeing Tiger back on the course."

Another sponsor, Nike, said: "We look forward to Tiger's return to the Masters and seeing him back on the course."

APPEASING SPONSORS?

"The reason he's playing the Masters is to appease his current sponsors. This was very calculated," said Robert Boland, a sports management professor at New York University.

"A prolonged absence would have been a breach of contract on his part and that's absolutely why he's playing."

PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said he was pleased to learn of Woods' intended comeback. "He has invested a lot of time taking steps, both in his personal and professional life, in order to prepare for his return. We all wish him and his family the best as he rejoins the Tour."

There had been intense media speculation that Woods could return at earlier events in Florida later this month.

But he said in his statement on Tuesday: "When I finally got into a position to think about competitive golf again, it became apparent to me that the Masters would be the earliest I could play."

Billy Payne, chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament, welcomed Woods' participation.

"Additionally, we support and encourage his stated commitment to continue the significant work required to rebuild his personal and professional life," he added.

Woods, who is believed to be the world's wealthiest sports personality, was estimated to earn about $100 million a year in endorsement deals before the scandal led AT&T and Accenture to drop him as a spokesman. But other sponsors stood by him.

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland also welcomed his return. "We would always want the world number one at the Open and we very much hope he will join us at St Andrews in July," a spokesman said.

Source: Web Search

Spirited contest turns T20 into a carnival in Bangalore

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 11:37 PM

Bangalore, March 16 (IANS) The match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kings XI Punjab Tuesday in the Indian Premier League turned into a carnival at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here as the home team overpowered the rivals by eight wickets.

About 30,000 boisterous fans hooted for the home team led by Anil Kumble after Kings XI put up a formidable score (203 runs) in the first session having won the toss and elected to bat.

When RCB fashioned the victory in 18.5 overs, the crowds went into raptures - bursting fire-crackers, whistling and blowing trumpets.

'The atmosphere is simply electrifying! More than a battle between bat and ball, the T20 is essentially a fun game with glorious uncertainty. It doesn't matter who wins and loses as long as the spirit of the game is kept alive,' said D. Lakshman, a software engineer who watched the match.

RCB owner and business tycoon Vijay Mallya, who cheered his team from the royal box, seemed relieved to see his boys back in the reckoning.

RCB official ambassadors Bollywood star Deepika Padukone and Kannada actress Ramya too joined the victory celebrations.

In contrast, Kings XI owner and Bollywood actress Preity Zinta, who was upbeat about her team posting over 200 runs on the board, was clearly disappointed. She made a quick exit from the VIP box into the dressing room to comfort her 'boys'.

'It was worth the money and time I have spent coming all the way from Mysore to see RCB win...I plan to come here again Thursday evening when the home team takes on Rajasthan Royals as I want to see its great spinner Shane Warne bowl and the swashbuckling Yusuf Pathan hit sixes,' said Ram Murthy, a consultant.

Local lad Robin Uthappa, who belted 51 runs in just 21 balls with four mighty sixes and four fours, got a standing ovation from the crowds.

RCB opener Jacque Kallis, who won the 'man of the match' for his 88 runs in 51 balls with five awesome sixes and eight fours, had the fans roaring every time he batted, as he remained unbeaten for the second consecutive time playing through the innings.

Mallya's son Siddhartha presented the 'man of the match' award and a cheque for Rs.100,000 to Kallis.

Karnataka Chief Secretary S.V. Ranganath presented RCB captain Kumble the award for winning the match.

Throughout the match lasting over three hours, the 12-member squad of White Mischief Gals, the official cheerleaders of RCB, were the star attraction, as they gave scintillating performance during breaks, dancing to western and native numbers.

Though the stadium has a capacity to seat about 40,000 spectators, there were a few empty patches in the stands priced above Rs.1,600 per ticket.

'The response this time is not as high as it was in the inaugural IPL event in 2007 though we have reduced the ticket price substantially from last time,' said an official of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), coordinating ticket sales with the IPL management.

To ensure youth make it to the stadium in large numbers, the organisers reserved about 500 seats for college students at Rs.220 per ticket in the eastern stands.

Source: Web Search

Garzelli snatches Tirreno win from Scarponi

Published Tue, Mar 16 10 10:57 PM

Italy's Stefano Garzelli snatched victory in the Tirreno-Adriatico on Tuesday after finishing on the same overall time as last-year's winner Michele Scarponi but prevailing because of stage placings.

Only two seconds separated the pair heading into the seventh and final stage from Civitanova Marche to San Benedetto del Tronto but Acqua & Sapone's Garzelli drew level in the intermediate sprints before securing his triumph.

The 36-year-old's success is his first major victory since winning the 2000 Giro d'Italia.

Androni Giocattoli rider Scarponi held the race lead since the fourth stage of Italy's first big race of the season and continued to compete despite a bad crash on stage five.

World champion Cadel Evans of Australia was third overall.

Norway's Edvald Boasson Hagen took the final stage of the week-long race in a high-speed finish along the palm tree-lined promenade of San Benedetto del Tronto on Italy's eastern Adriatic coast.

Britain's Mark Cavendish was involved in one of two heavy crashes as the tightly-packed peleton flew down the flat, wide roads.

Many of the riders will now move on to the Milan-San Remo on Saturday, where Lance Armstong has confirmed he will race but big rival Alberto Contador will not compete.

Source: Web Search

Super Kings post 164/3 against Knight Riders

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 10:47 PM

Kolkata, March 16 (IANS) Chennai Super Kings (CSK) notched up 164/3 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Eden Gardens here Tuesday.

CSK skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (66 not out off 33 balls) and S. Badrinath (43 not out off 33 balls) put on 109 runs in their unfinished fourth-wicket partnership.

KKR will now have to score at a rate of 8.25 runs per over to win the game.

Source: Web Search

Safina to miss Miami with back injury

Published Tue, Mar 16 10 10:27 PM

World number two Dinara Safina has pulled out of next week's Sony Ericsson Open tournament because of persistent back injury, the Russian said on Tuesday.

"Unfortunately, I will not be able to play in Miami this year because of the back injury that's been bothering me since the end of last season," she said on her official website (www.dinarasafina.com).

Safina will miss her third consecutive tournament since retiring injured during her fourth-round match against compatriot Maria Kirilenko at the Australian Open in January.

The 23-year-old said she was hoping to be back for the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix to be held in Stuttgart from April 26.

Source: Web Search

Royal Challengers register maiden win in IPL-3 beating Kings XI Punjab

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 10:07 PM

Bangalore, March 16 (ANI): Anil Kumble-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) registered its first win on Tuesday in the ongoing Indian Premier League tournament, by beating the Kings XI Punjab by eight wickets..

But the highlight of the day was South African cricketer Jacques Kallis, who led the his Royal Challengers team to a victory with the help of an impressive unbeaten 89 off 55 balls.

Earlier, Kings XI Punjab won the toss and elected to bat first. Openers Ravi Bopara and Manvinder Bisla added 129 runs for the first wicket. Kings XI Punjab finished at 203/3 in 20 overs.

Bopara made 77 off 50 balls, while Bisla made 75 off 51 balls. Jayawardene remained unbeaten on 26. Bisla hit 7 boundaries and 4 sixes during his knock.

The target of 204 looked tough on paper, but Robin Uthappa and Jacques Kallis made it easier with their hard-hitting strokes. Uthappa and Kallis added 69 runs from 5.5 overs. Uthappa made 51 off 21 balls with 4 boundaries and 4 sixes.

Jacques Kallis lead the charge after Uthappa's departure. He finished at 89 off 55 balls with 8 boundaries and five sixes.

RCB reached 204/2 in 18.5 overs.

Manish Pandey made 38.

Kallis was declared 'Man of the Match'. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Tiger Woods says returning to golf at Masters in April

Published Tue, Mar 16 10 09:47 PM

The world's No. 1 golfer, Tiger Woods, who had withdrawn from the game after details of his adulterous affairs surfaced late last year, will return to professional golf at the U.S. Masters in Augusta, Georgia, in early April, he said in a statement.

"The Masters is where I won my first major and I view this tournament with great respect. After a long and necessary time away from the game, I feel like I'm ready to start my season at Augusta," Woods said in the statement published by U.S. media.

The Masters will be held on April 5-11.

Late last year, Woods announced he was withdrawing from professional golf to save his marriage after revelations emerged of repeated marital infidelity for which he has apologized to family and fans.

Source: Web Search

Kuwait FC rally to hold Churchill 2-2

Published Tue, Mar 16 10 09:37 PM

Margao, Mar 16 (PTI) Churchill Brothers let in an injury time goal as they played out a 2-2 draw against defending champions Kuwait Sports Club in a Group ''B'' AFC Cup match at the Nehru Stadium here today. After Churchill captain Odafe Okolie had cancelled out Nawaf Osama''s second half strike for Kuwait FC, Kalu Ogba put the home team in the lead in the 70th minute. However, Bashar A S A Abdulaziz restored parity in the stoppage time for the visitors. Churchill dominated for most part of the match but had themselves to be blamed for not utilising a handful of chances that came their way. The visitors surged ahead against the run of play in the 66th minute when Hussain Hakim took a free kick from the right and lobbed the ball into the box for Basha Abdulaziz, who headed home giving keeper Arindam Bhattacharya no chance to react. Churchill did not lose heart as they made counterattacks and scored two goals in the space of two minutes. Reisangmi Vashum worked his way on the right and sent a cross into the box for Kalu Ogba who relayed to a better-placed Odafe Okalie who scored from close range to restore parity. Minutes later, Kalu Ogba put Churchill ahead when he lunged forward to head the ball into the net off a cross from Lalrindika Ralte. However, the hosts lost concentration in the stoppage time and conceded a goal allowing their opponents to snatch a point. (More) PTI MCS VKV PDS

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IPL scoreboard: Royal Challengers vs Kings XI Punjab

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 09:23 PM

Bangalore, March 16 (IANS) The following is the scoreboard of the Indian Premier League match betwen Royal Challengers and Kings XI Punjab here Tuesday:

Kings XI Punjab

Ravi Bopara c Kumble b Kumar 77

Manvinder Bisla c Morgan b Kallis 75

Yuvraj Singh c Morgan b Steyn 9

Mahela Jayawardene not out 26

Irfan Pathan not out 3

Extras (b 2, lb 1, w 9, nb 1) 13

Total (for three wickets in 20 overs) 203

Fall of wickets 1-129 (Bisla, 14.1 overs), 2-141 (Yuvraj Singh, 15.5), 3-194 (Bopara, 19.3)

Bowling

Praveen Kumar 4 0 43 1

Dale Steyn 4 0 36 1

Jacques Kallis 4 0 39 1

Anil Kumble 4 0 40 0

R. Vinay Kumar 2 0 19 0

Virat Kohli 2 0 23 0

Bangalore Royal Challengers

Manish Pandey c Pathan b Chawla 38

Jacques Kallis not out 89

Robin Uthappa c Kaif b Bipul Sharma 51

Virat Kohli not out 16

Extras (lb 1, w 4, nb 5) 10

Total (for two wickets in 18.5 overs) 204

Fall of wickets 1-74 (Pandey, 8.1 overs), 2-143 (Uthappa, 13.6)

Bowling

Irfan Pathan 3 0 33 0

S. Sreesanth 3 0 42 0

Yusuf Abdulla 2.5 0 36 0

Piyush Chawla 3 0 20 1

Yuvraj Singh 2 0 18 0

Bipul Sharma 3 0 37 1

Ravi Bopara 2 0 17 0

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Kallis, Uthappa star in Bangalore's win

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 09:17 PM

Bangalore, March 16 (IANS) Jacques Kallis and Robin Uthappa struck punishing half-centuries as Bangalore Royal Challengers overpowered Kings XI Punjab by eight wickets in an Indian Premier Leage match here Tuesday.

Set a stiff target of 204 runs in 20 overs, Royal Challengers rode on Kallis' unbeaten 89 off 55 balls and Uthappa's 55 off 21 to log their first points in the torunament.

Royal Challengers cruised to the target with seven balls to spare and eight wickets in hand.

The openers of both teams did the bulk of the scoring to set-up the high-scoring encounter.

For Kings XI Punjab, Ravi Bopara (77 off 50 balls) and Manvinder Bisla (75 off 51 balls) forged a 129-run stand to lay the foundation of the big total after skipper Kumar Sangakkara decided to bat.

Bopara hit nine fours and two sixes while Bisla struck seven fours and four sixes.

Mahela Jayawardene made 26 to take the total past 200.

Bangalore began the chase on a promising note with Manish Pandey (38) and Kallis hitting 74 runs in 8.1 overs.

After Piyush Chawla got the wicket of Pandey, Robin Uthappa, who was promoted up the batting order, joined the party.

Uthappa brought the match in Bangalore's grip as he dealt in fours and sixes. S.Sreesanth was at the receiving end of Uthappa's fire and was struck for 25 runs, including three sixes, in one over.

Uthappa scored the second fastest half-century of IPL with four fours and four sixes.

Uthappa and Kallis shared a 69-run stand before the former was caught by Mohammad Kaif off left-arm spinner Bipul Sharma.

Royal Challengers needed 61 off 36 balls at that stage, but with wickets in hand, Kallis stepped on the accelerator against inexperienced Sharma to take the game away from the visitors.

Kallis hit Sharma for 23 runs in the 18th over with the help of three sixes and eased past the total in the next over.

Source: Web Search

Dempo releases Chettri for Kansas City Wizards stint

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 08:57 PM

New Delhi, March 16 (IANS) I-League club Dempo has released Indian striker Sunil Chettri for his US Major League Soccer (MLS) debut with Kansas City Wizard.

The Delhi boy is now the second Indian after national captain Baichung Bhutia to play in overseas leagues.

While Chettri is keeping a mum on his new stint, Dempo officials said they have released the striker.

'We wish him best of luck. It is a great moment for Indian football,' said a club official.

Chetti appeared for trials at Kansas City earlier this month and also turned out in a match for them against Columbus Crew. He is likely to sign a contract later this month and be part of the team in the forthcoming MLS season that starts next month.

Last year Chetri failed to impress English Championship side Coventry City and was also denied a work permit to join another Championship outfit Queens Park Rangers because of India's low FIFA ranking.

Source: Web Search

Smith back in S.Africa's ODI squad for West Indies trip

Published Tue, Mar 16 10 08:47 PM

South Africa have recalled captain Graeme Smith to their one-day squad for the tour of West Indies in May and June.

Smith will return after missing last month's 2-1 one-day series defeat in India because of a finger injury, Cricket South Africa said on Tuesday.

All-rounder Ryan McLaren was also brought back while Herschelle Gibbs and Albie Morkel were dropped.

For the tests, the selectors picked the same 15-man squad that drew the two-match series against India 1-1.

"Our aim at the moment is to build formidable squads both for the World Twenty20 (in April and May) as well as for the World Cup next year," coach Corrie van Zyl said in a statement.

"An important part of this is to achieve consistency on the field and an important contribution to that will be to be consistent in the selection process as well."

South Africa are due to play three tests and five one-day internationals against West Indies.

Test squad - Graeme Smith (captain), Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla, Johan Botha, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Paul Harris, Ryan McLaren, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Alviro Petersen, Ashwell Prince, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

ODI squad - Graeme Smith (captain), Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla, Lungile Bosman, Johan Botha, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Charl Langeveldt, Ryan McLaren, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Alviro Petersen, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Roelof van der Merwe.

Source: Web Search

Valverde loses appeal against Italian ban

Published Tue, Mar 16 10 08:27 PM

Tour of Spain champion Alejandro Valverde has lost an appeal against a two-year ban on him racing in Italy, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Tuesday.

"The suspension remains in force until 10 May 2011," CAS said in a statement.

Valverde has been barred from racing in Italy since May for alleged links to the Operation Puerto anti-doping investigation.

Italy's Olympic Committee (CONI) imposed the ban, saying blood samples Valverde gave at a doping control in 2008 -- when the Tour de France entered Italy -- matched DNA from code-named bags of blood discovered in Operation Puerto, launched in 2006.

The Spaniard repeatedly proclaimed his innocence and appealed to CAS against the ruling. The Swiss-based tribunal later allowed the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Cycling Union (UCI) to take part in proceedings.

The ban prevented him from taking part in last year's Tours of Italy and France. However, he won the Tour of Spain -- his first major tour win -- as well as the Tour of Catalonia, the Dauphine Libere and the Tour of Burgos.

In January, the CAS rejected a request from the UCI and WADA to extend the ban worldwide, saying it fell outside the jurisdiction of the case.

The UCI said it still wanted an international ban imposed.

"UCI will study the case and commits itself to take every measure to extend the ban internationally," a source close to UCI said.

Source: Web Search

Daredevils will have surprises for Mumbai Indians: Simmons

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 08:23 PM

New Delhi, March 16 (IANS) Delhi Daredevils assistant coach Eric Simmons said his team will have some surpises for Mumbai Indians in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Ferozeshah Kotla here Wednesday.

'We have a few surprises for them (Mumbai Indians). We know that Mumbai Indians are a good side and they have depth both in their bowling and batting. We have a strategy for them and hopefully we'll succeed with it tomorrow,' said Simmons.

Simmons said the Ferozeshah Kotla track, which has been banned from hosting international matches for one year, will help both the the batsmen and the bowlers.

'The pitch looks absolutely fine. We had a practice game here and yes, it is on the slower side but good enough to see some huge scores,' Simmons said.

The South African also said that the fast bowler Ashish Nehra is yet to recover from an injury is unlikely to play against Mumbai Indians.

'The Daredevils are one of the most balanced sides in the tournament. The strength of the side is not only the kind of overseas players it has, but also the experience of local talent which will make a huge difference in a tournament like this,' he added.

Simmons admitted that there is a little chance for him to change the techniques of the young bowlers.

'Technically, one cannot make drastic changes. Mostly, we are travelling and there is not much time. We can have some strategies which players can go through and you can also teach players how to deal with pressure,' he said.

Source: Web Search

RCB beat Kings XI Punjab by eight wickets

Published Tue, Mar 16 10 07:53 PM

Bangalore, Mar 16 (PTI) Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Kings XI Punjab by eight wickets in an Indian Premier League match here today. Brief score: Kings XI Punjab: 203 for 3 in 20 overs (Ravi Bopara 77, Manvinder Bisla 75, Mahela Jayawardene 26 not out; Dale Steyn 1/36). Royal Challengers Bangalore: 204 for 2 in 18.5 overs (Jacques Kallis not out 89, Robin Uthappa 51).

Source: Web Search

Sangakkara wins toss, decides to bat

Published Tue, Mar 16 10 04:23 PM

Bangalore, Mar 16 (PTI) Kings XI Punjab skipper Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and opted to bat against Royal Challengers Bangalore in their Indian Premier League match at M Chinnaswamy Stadium here today. The Punjab side have brought in all rounder Bipul Sharma for Ramesh Powar. The hosts have left out all-rounder Roelf Van der Merwe and stumper Shreevats Goswami and replaced them with Vinay Kumar and with Mark Boucher. Teams: Kings XI Punjab: Kumar Sangakkara (C), Manvinder Bisla, Ravi Bopara, Mahel Jayawardene, Yuvraj Singh, Irfan Pathan, Mohammed Kaif, Piyush Chawla, Bipul Sharma, Yusuf Abdulla and S Sreesanth. Royal Challengers Bangalore: Anil Kumble (C), Jacques Kallis, Manish Pandey, Robin Uthappa, Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid, Eoin Morgan, Mark Boucher, Praveen Kumar, Dale Steyn and R Vinay Kumar.

Source: Web Search

Upset Beckham says he will be back

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 04:17 PM

London, Mar.16 (ANI): An upset England mid-fielder David Beckham has vowed to bounce back from his Achilles injury, which has ruled him out of this year's World Cup in South Africa.

"I am upset but want to thank everyone for their messages of support. I hope to make a swift and full recovery," The Mirror quoted the 34-year-old, as saying on his web site.

Meanwhile, Dr Sakari Orava, who operated on Becks at the Mehilainen Hospital in Helsinki, has said that there is no chance of Beckham making it to the World Cup.

When asked, Orava said: "No, I don't think so. Healing takes a long time. Beckham's Achilles tendon was torn completely off, and we had to put together the two parts. He will probably be discharged on Wednesday. The operation was successful. Everything is fine."

Becks picked up the injury while playing for AC Milan on Sunday.

Becks hobbled off his private jet on crutches as he touched down at Turku airport yesterday. He was then whisked to the hospital in a SUV.

Posh decided to make the 16-hour, 5,400-mile trip from LA after speaking to her distraught husband.

The 35-year-old scrapped a host of work engagements to be there.

A source said: "The entire family is absolutely broken by this.

Posh is expected to stay in Finland for 48 hours before returning to LA to finish a commercial shoot.

She will then fly to Milan with children Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz, to Milan for the Easter reunion.

England boss Fabio Capello gave the stricken star a boost by declaring he would not close the door on his international career.

He even hinted that he could be handed a place in the squad for the 2012 Euro qualifiers. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Finger injury rules Smith out of IPL

Published Tue, Mar 16 10 03:53 PM

New Delhi, Mar 16 (PTI) Their IPL campaign already in tatters with two consecutive defeats, Rajasthan Royals were today dealt a body blow as their opener Greame Smith has ruled himself out of the entire season-III due to a finger injury. Smith fractured his right middle finger while fielding in yesterday''s match against Delhi Daredevils. "I have a double fracture in my right middle finger, so will be missing the IPL. I hurt it taking the catch off Sehwag last night. wen (When) I landed, my finger got hooked in the ground," Smith wrote on his Twitter page. The burly South African had suffered a finger injury during the Test series against India also in February and did not play the following One-day series. The Rajasthan team is already without key performers in Shane Watson and Ravindra Jadeja. While the Australian all-rounder is doing national duty in New Zealand, Jadeja is serving a one-year ban. Explosive batsman Yusuf Pathan and Dimitri Mascarenhas also injured themselves in Monday''s match. The inaugural edition champions will next play against Royal Challengers Bangalore on March 18. They lost their first match to Mumbai Indians on Saturday and second to Delhi Daredevils yesterday.

Source: Web Search

Four Indians in Commonwealth boxing finals

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 03:17 PM

As they say in boxing, it is not the number of punches that fetches points, but their accuracy.

On Monday here at the Commonwealth Championships, Olympic medallist Vijender Kumar displayed this as well as a solid gameplan when he outclassed Tanzanian Selemani Kidunda in the semi-final and assured India of at least a silver medal.

The punches that the Indian threw were far fewer, but Vijender scored 10 times more than the Tanzanian before the referee stopped the contest in the third round after Kidunda suffered a head injury.

The Indian was leading 10-1 at that stage. On a day when all four Indians in fray registered victories to assure at least a silver each, Dinesh Kumar (81 kg) followed in Vijender's footsteps outclassing another Tanzanian Leonard Machichi and moved into the final.

M Suranjoy Singh's 4-0 victory over Welsh Andrew Selby in his semi-finals was like a stroll in the park while super heavyweight Paramjeet Samota's 5-2 win over Scot Ross Henderson was a stunner even for national coach Gurbax Sing Sandhu.

Kidunda failed to provide any challenge for Vijender, who almost used him as a punching bag in preparation for the final clash. As is his style, Vijender counter-attacked with straight punches and the trick worked giving him a 5-0 lead after the first By Shaghil Bilali in New Delhi round, and 8-0 after the second.

The Tanzanian also threw punches, but Vijender's footwork and technique were up to it.

Vijender scored points whenever he wanted. In the final round, it was the Tanzanian who scored his first and only point, but Vijender roared back with two points and took an unassailable 10-1 lead and when he pulled off a straight powerpunch on Kidunda's head, the referee immediately stopped the bout to declare the Indian victorious.

Vijender will face Frank Buglioni of England in the final on Wednesday. The victory provided Vijender a chance to break his gold medal jinx, after he clinched the yellow metal at the Chemistry Cup in Germany in May 2008.

"I am feeling excited because I am on the brink of claiming a gold after a long time. I know that the England boxer is good but I am sure I will beat him and break the gold jinx," said Vijender.

Dinesh took a lesson from teammate Akhil Kumar's defeat a day before. Akhil's strategy of using hooks and uppercuts excessively did not provide the desired results. Dinesh, also an expert in uppercuts and hooks, changed his style to straight punches against the Tanzanian, and the strategy worked wonders.

Dinesh used clever strategy to outwit his opponent. The Indian was defensive and scored one point conceding none in the opening round.

However, he changed tactics in the next round and stretched his lead to 6- 1. A jab and a long range right punch saw him moving to 8-1 in the final round, and an uppercut on Machihi's head led to an injury that prompted the referee to stop the bout.

Dinesh will face Callum Johnson of Scotland on in the final on Wednesday. Suranjoy, leading 4-0 after the second round against Selby, used a good mixture of attack and defence in the decisive round to make it to the final where he is pitted against Oliver Lavigi in the summit clash on Wednesday.

Paramjeet too changed his style from attack to defence against Henderson, who was taller and had a stronger build than the Indian. The change paid off when Indian overpowered the Scot to nail the biggest victory of his career. He will play Kiwi Joseph Parker in the final on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, India's Jai Bhagwan (60 kg) will take on Danny Phillips of England while Amandeep ( 49 kg) will be up against MFBM Redzuan of Malaysia in their semi- final bouts.

shaghil.bilali@mailtoday.in

Reproduced From Mail Today. Copyright 2010. MTNPL. All rights reserved.

Source: Web Search

Saina flooded with messages after big feat

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 03:09 PM

Saina Nehwal is having a tough time. No we are not talking about her opponents, but her cellphone.

Ever since she made it to the semifinals of the All England Badminton Championships, she has been flooded with calls from well-wishers and admirers. So much so that despite taking a temporary UK mobile connection, there was little respite for the Indian ace.

"I do not know how to handle all this. I am a sportsperson and know how to handle the pressure while playing matches," the Hyedrabadi told MAIL TODAY . But then her achievements at the National Indoor Stadium in Birmingham last week have become part of sporting folklore, for she scaled a height no other Indian female shuttler has reached - the semi-finals of the Holy Grail of badminton.

The enormity of the achievement is yet to sink in.

"Yes it is almost two days now and I still find it hard to believe that I made it to the semi-finals of the world?s premier event and that too in its centenary year." For the first time, her father Harvir has accompanied her to a tournament.

"For the first time in my life, my father accompanied me. Before the tournament began, he asked me whether he could come with me."

"He has rarely accompanied me on an international tournament.

So I was a bit surprised when he asked whether I could accompany him to the All England." Saina feels she is reaping the benefits of the hard work she has put in.

"I guess all the hard work which I put in towards the end of last year has begun to pay dividends." She also said that her excellent run in the Uber Cup Asia qualifiers had given her a boost ahead of the All England.

Saina lost just once in the whole tournament after scalping World No. 3 Zhou Mi in the tie against Hong Kong.

"Yes, I think the good form I showed in the Uber Cup qualifiers did help me a lot in these championships. I lost just one out of the seven matches I played there. It is always good to come into a major tournament after winning some matches. Fortunately, I had a good run at the Uber Cup which lifted my game in Birmingham," she said.

However, Saina felt that she had her chances in the semifinal against Tine Rassmussen. "I had my fair share of chances in the opening game. I was leading 9- 6, 15- 13 when she made me play more at the net. That was the mistake I made. I should have made her play more at the baseline," she said.

Tine succeeded in engaging her in short dribbles at the net. "Tine is one of the best players in the world at the net. I should not have got into the trap of playing at the net. But next time we play, I will come up with something different," she said.

OUT OF SWISS OPEN

Saina has pulled out of the Swiss Super Series badminton championships, which gets underway in Basel on Wednesday. "After consulting my coach Pullela Gopi Chand, I have decided to pull out of these championships . I have been playing non- stop for the last three weeks."

"So he told me to take a small break before playing the Asian Championship in Delhi in April," she said.

saji.chacko@mailtoday.in

Reproduced From Mail Today. Copyright 2010. MTNPL. All rights reserved.

Source: Web Search

Royals bedevilled

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 02:53 PM

Ahmedabad, March 16 -- Shane Warne's verbal callisthenics went for a toss on Monday as Virender Sehwag played a blinder to sculpt a six-wicket defeat for Rajasthan Royals. The Delhi opener decimated the Royals' attack, including the much-touted Shaun Tait, to score a brilliant 34-ball 75. With Monday's drubbing, the Royals' conceded their first home defeat after seven straight wins in IPL-I. Shane Warne can no longer compare a match in a home ground to an impregnable "fortress". The atmosphere was electric in and around the Sardar Patel Stadium as early as 4pm. And just as the sun sunk, the decibel level soared in a clear indication that Ahmedabad was ready for the local team to maintain its streak at 'home'. But the thrill changed into shock after Sehwag's onslaught. The Delhi opener carted the Royals' bowlers to all parts of the ground. And just as he picked the tempo, the crowd couldn't resist cheering. Surely, the India tag far outweighs any loyalty to IPL teams. Sehwag raced to his 50 in 21 deliveries and just as the Daredevils were nearing 100, Smith took a brilliant running catch to get rid of the danger man. Earlier, the Royals' struggled to post a fighting total after being sent in by Gautam Gambhir. Swapnil Asnodkar was rather unlucky when his wafting willow found an ever-agile Tillakaratne Dilshan at backward point. It was the second time in as many games that Asnodkar failed to give the Royals a good start. Graeme Smith pushed and nudged, but even before the score could swell, Amit Mishra castled Naman Ojha with a peach of a delivery. The crowd was, of course, waiting for Yusuf Pathan and with him around there was always hope. But the Baroda bomber played rather recklessly and perished for a duck trying to launch an early assault. Finally, a 60-run stand between Paras Dogra and Abhishek Jhunjhunwala dragged the team to a score of 141 in the allotted overs.

Source: Web Search

Mighty Daredevils up against Mumbai Indians

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 02:47 PM

On a roll after notching up two victories in a row, a confident Delhi Daredevils would aim a hat-trick of wins when they clash with Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League here on Wednesday.

The Delhi batsmen would look to exploit the bowling chinks of their rivals, who looked helpless against the Yusuf Pathan onslaught in their first match against Rajasthan. Mumbai Indians just about managed to survive Pathan storm as except for pace duo of Zaheer Khan and Lasith Malinga, the other bowlers looked not more than ordinary.

Bowling would be the area Mumbai need to look into as they prepare to take on batting might of Delhi. For the hosts, either of the two openers - captain Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag -- has spent a good amount of time at the crease to help chase the targets and the middle has also responded well so far.

And the way Sehwag massacred the Rajasthan bowlers with his 34-ball 75 in yesterday's clash, Mumbai need its bowlers to do some extraordinary to stop the Nazafgarh marauder.

But the best option for them would be to put up a big total on the board since any score less than 200 would not be a problem for Delhi to chase, if Sehwag has his way. Mumbai too have solid openers in Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya but it was young blood that came to their rescue in the match against Rajasthan Royal.

Saurabh Tiwary and Ambati Rayudu clicked at the right time to take the team total beyond the 200-run mark and all of them need to fire again tomorrow.

But scoring runs would not be easy for Mumbai as Delhi's bowling unit is in good touch. In the two matches so far, they have been successful in restricting both the opponents -- Kings XI Punjab and the Rajasthan Royals -- inside the 150-mark.

Left-arm pacer Dirk Nannes and Farvez Maharoof have done a brilliant job with the new ball while spinner Amit Mishra and Pradeep Sangwan have also contributed nicely. So, Mumbai are in a for a good test tomorrow at Ferozshah

Kotla ground. The only worry for Delhi would be the form of Sri Lankan Tillakaratne Dilshan, who surprisingly has not even opened his account in the two matches.

The explosive and the most sought after batsman these days, Dilshan would be keen to shrug of an indifferent start to the tournament. Skipper Gambir would also want South African AB de Villiers to find his touch and be among runs to boost the batting order further.

Mumbai need Sanath Jayasuriya and Tendulkar to give them a good start and have to ensure that Ryan McLaren, Rajagopal Sathish and Ali Murtaza shares the burden with Zaheer and Malinga.

Both the skippers would not mind losing toss since how the re-prepared pitch would behave at the Ferozshah Kotla nobody knows. The December pitch fiasco when India-Sri Lanka ODI was abandoned due to unfit strip is still fresh in the minds of the fans, particularly Delhiites, and a good game of cricket is imperative to redeem the image of the venue.

A high scoring game, no doubt, would do it.

Teams: (From)

Delhi Daredevils: Gautam Gambhir (C), Virender Sehwag, Sarabjit Ladda, Joginder Singh, Rajat Bhatia, AB de Villiers, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Moises Henriques, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Andrew McDonald, Farveez Maharoof, Yo Mahesh, Mithun Manhas, Amit Mishra, Dirk Nannes, Ashish Nehra, Wayne Parnell, Shashi Ranjan, Aavishkar Salvi, Pradeep Sangwan, Sarandeep

Singh, David Warner, Umesh Yadav.

Mumbai Indians: Sachin Tendulkar (capt.), Murtaza Ali, Dwayne Bravo, Shikhar Dhawan, Jean-Paul Duminy, Dilhara Fernando, Harbhajan Singh, Sanath Jayasuriya, Zaheer Khan, Dhawal Kulkarni, Ryan McLaren, Chandan Madan, Ishan Malhotra, Lasith Malinga, Graham Napier, Abhishek Nayar, Kieron Pollard, Ambati Rayudu, Rajagopal Sathish, Syed Shahabuddin, Rahul Shukla, Aditya Tare, Saurabh Tiwary.

Source: Web Search

Schumacher won't indulge in dirty tricks: Hamilton

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 02:39 PM

Formula One ace Lewis Hamilton has said that rival and seven-time champion Michael Schumacher won't indulge in dirty tricks on the racing track this year.

The British ace admitted he feared Schumacher's reputation for nasty track tactics when they were running close together in Bahrain on Sunday.

Hamilton finished third in his McLaren, well clear of the German who was a distant sixth making his comeback with Mercedes after three years.

Hamilton said: "He was on my tail for a while. But it wasn't a problem. At the beginning when I first saw him it did cross my mind that it was a new experience and will he attack or do a stupid move. But just from that one experience, I know what he's like now. He's fair, he's smart."

Hamilton still believes Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel will be the man to beat this year despite Ferrari's one-two with Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, The Sun reports.

German star Vettel, 22, looked set to win until an engine problem left him powerless, as Alonso, Massa and Hamilton swept past.

Hamilton said: "If Vettel had a reliable engine, he's got so much down force he could run away with it. But if he has problems it won't be a runaway year for anyone. For me, that was one of my best drives and we are an age ahead of where we were this time last year."

Teammate Jenson Button insists his confidence has not been dented, despite losing the first battle with Hamilton after finishing seventh.

And the world champ is confident he can improve in Australia on Sunday week.

Source: Web Search

For Cameron White, Shield final more important than IPL

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 02:27 PM

Melbourne, Mar.16 (ANI): All-rounder Cameron White has said that he had no reservations about choosing between leading Victoria into its Sheffield Shield title defence against Queensland and appearing in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

White has already missed the start of the Indian Premier League season and a tidy sum of 200,000 dollars.

But he says missing out on leading the Bushrangers was never an option.

"There's a fair bit of money involved but this is the reason I get the opportunity to go and play in the IPL, because I've played for Victoria and they've given me the opportunity. I think it was probably the right thing to do and it was what I wanted to do," the Herald Sun quoted White, as saying after the Bushrangers' final net session yesterday.

Team mates David Hussey and Andrew McDonald similarly put their home team ahead of IPL cash.

White's return from the recent Twenty20 and one-day international matches against New Zealand is a huge boost to a Victorian side that needs only to draw the home final to claim back to back Shields for the first time in 30 years.

The Victorian skipper also confirmed opening batsman Chris Rogers got through a searching 30-minute batting session to test his fractured left hand and he will take his place at the top of the order.

There is no question Victoria will bat first and stay at the crease for as long as possible should it win the toss this morning, knowing the Bulls must take 20 wickets to wrest the title out of Victorian hands.

"Hopefully you bat into a position to win the game. It's obviously important to bat long and deep in the first-innings if you get a chance," White said.

The only first class match Victoria has lost in more than two season was the one-wicket defeat in a thriller against the Bulls at The Gabba three weeks ago, a fact skipper Chris Simpson puts a lot of store in.

"Obviously Victoria's had the wood over us in Shield cricket and to be able to, what we think, is slowly try and turn things around I think that's a good start in that direction. If we can get up in this game it will be a huge turn," Simpson said.

"They're a very good cricket team with . . . a lot of good form in the past few years. We're obviously after their record and trying to emulate what they have done in the last five years."

VICTORIA - Cameron White (capt), Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Michael Hill, David Hussey, Nick Jewell, Andrew McDonald, Bryce McGain, Darren Pattinson, Rob Quiney, Chris Rogers, Matthew Wade, Damien Wright (one to be omitted. 12th man to be named)/

QUEENSLAND - Chris Simpson (capt) Ryan Broad, Wade Townsend, Lee Carseldine, James Hopes, Chris Lynn, Chris Hartley, Ben Dunk, Jason Floros, Cameron Boyce, Ben Cutting, Luke Feldman, Chris Swan (one to be omitted, 12th man to be named). (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Tyson getting ready to make debut as reality TV star

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 02:07 PM

New York, Mar 16 (ANI): Former world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson is getting ready to make his debut as a reality TV star.

Tyson, a life-long pigeon keeper, will star in a series about bird racing, The New York Post reports.

"I may have stopped fighting. But I never stopped flying birds. It's my first love," Tyson said.

The show, to be called Take on Tyson, pits Tyson and his birds against the best racing-pigeon owners in New York.

It is set to air on the cable channel Animal Planet sometime early next year.

The headline potential of turning the ferocious fighter into a reality TV star is not lost on Tyson himself, who has never been on a continuing series.

"I am a little worried about the sitcom effect. Mike Tyson and Animal Planet? They don't seem to go together, do they?" Tyson said over the weekend

Tyson begins shooting next month in Brooklyn. For the show, Tyson turned his birds over to a cigar-smoking pigeon trainer, Vinnie Torre, who is getting them ready for the competition.

"Mike will be the underdog this time," said Marjorie Kaplan, the head of Animal Planet. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Want to enjoy IPL to the hilt? fans tell you just how

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 01:53 PM

Chennai, March 16 -- The IPL is always attracting first-timers to cricket stadiums. After the night of the Deccan Chargers here, HT reveals the lessons learnt from seasoned fans on how to enjoy cricket, and more, at Chepauk. Early bird prizes Come to the stadium early if you want good seats because they are not numbered, said Shubha. The ticket only specifies the stand and the tier, she added. After that, it is first-come-first-served. Spectators are allowed inside four hours before the match. Also remember, most of the gates are really narrow, allowing one person to go in at a time. So expect long queues outside. The DJ starts playing as soon as the gates open and there are live performances before the toss. Make the most of it. No smoking please "I lit a cigarette inside the stadium once and ended up paying a spot fine of Rs 200," said Sudarshan, a regular at Chepauk. That's far more expensive than having your packet of cigarettes confiscated. Better not light up, unless you want to lighten your pocket.

An IPL match starting at 8.00 pm usually ends at around 11.30, quite late in the night. But there is good news. "The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) has special buses for spectators during matches at Chepauk," said Mathan. Auto-rickshaws are available too, but as this correspondent found out, the driver may just turn out to be a schizophrenic who thinks he is Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa rolled into one. So, if you find yourself in a tight situation, give F1 a miss and try the bus.

Source: Web Search

Rs.200 crore bets on IPL match in Gujarat

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 01:49 PM

Ahmedabad, March 16 (IANS) The cricket betting market in Gujarat placed bets totalling Rs.200 crore on the Indian Premier League (IPL) match here between Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Daredevils, a source said Tuesday.

According to the source, the amount was substantially higher than the normal amount bet on such matches elsewhere in the country. The Rajasthan Royals-Delhi Daredevils match was played Monday.

With the police keeping a vigil, the bookies adopted new methods to outmanoeuvre them, according to the betting market source.

Instead of conducting business through multiple mobiles from a flat or business establishment, the bookies accepted bets through internet and kept moving in large vehicles.

'The rates were declared at least five hours in advance on the internet and bets were taken on various parameters like total score per side,' the source said.

The bookies shifted base from scrutiny-prone urban areas to the safer confines of tiny towns in Gujarat even before the IPL series began.

This came to light when police raided a farmhouse in Kagrol village in Sabarkantha district a week ago and unearthed a ring engaged in taking bets on the Australia-New Zealand cricket match in Hamilton.

Eight people were arrested, Rs.800,000 in cash and 66 mobile phones were seized. They had hired a farmhouse hoping it would not be detected.

Source: Web Search

Posh on her way to be with 'shattered' Becks

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 01:43 PM

London, Mar 16(ANI): Injured England midfielder David Beckham's wife Victoria is on way to Helsinki to be with the shattered star.

Beckham had a successful two-hour operation in Finland on Monday, less than 24 hours after rupturing his left Achilles tendon during AC Milan's Serie A game against Chievo at the San Siro.

The 34-year-old is likely to head back to Milan once he has recovered from his operation, while Victoria will return to Los Angeles to pick up their three sons.

Victoria had already planned to take Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz to Italy for an Easter holiday with their dad.

The injury has come as a big disappointment for Beckham, who clearly wanted to be part of England manager Fabio Capello's squad for this summer's World Cup in South Africa, and had worked very hard to have a chance.

"David has been crying and is in deep shock. Football is his life and he feels like it has been unfairly taken away from him. He's just so low," The Sun quoted a friend, as saying.

"The only reason he carried on playing so hard in Europe and was away from his family for so long was to get to his last World Cup. He thinks it's all been for nothing," the friend added. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

"No chance" of Beckham playing in World Cup: Finnish surgeon

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 01:39 PM

Turku (Finland), Mar 16(ANI): The leading surgeon who operated on England and AC Milan midfielder David Beckham, has said that there is "no chance" of him playing in this summer's FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Beckham was operated on less than 24 hours after rupturing his left Achilles tendon during AC Milan's Serie A game against Chievo at the San Siro on Sunday.

Talking about the injury, Dr. Sakari Orava said: "The tendon was totally torn."

Even though the operation to fix it went "smoothly", the 34-year-old will still be undergoing rehabilitation when the England squad flies out for their camp in Rustenburgto.

Beckham, who had been hell-bent on appearing in his fourth successive World Cup finals, will not even be able to kick a ball for three months.

"This is probably the lowest point he has ever encountered in his professional career. Words cannot express how devastated David is," The Sun quoted a family friend, as saying.

"Mentally this is disastrous. He thinks he's being punished for something he must have done wrong in life, which of course is ridiculous," the friend said. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Kolkata is out with its dancing shoes on

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 01:07 PM

Kolkata, March 16 -- Usually, the only time Kolkata publicly shakes a leg (or both) to Hindi film numbers is when Goddess Durga is bid goodbye. Unusually, it does the same in the time of the IPL. So, when the deejay played Uff teri adaa from 'Karthik Calling Karthik' soon after a Knight in purple called Murali Kartik struck, the Eden showed it didn't have two left feet. The near full house swayed; in tune if not always in step. The lady in a new Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) shirt and jeans moved her hips gently while for the gent in a red tee (and soon to be shirtless) a row behind, dance meant more violent pelvic contortions. They grooved when songs from 'Om Shanti Om' were played and at Shah Rukh Khan's gig, gyrated to 'Aal Izz Well' - the chartbuster from the other Khan who gives most awards functions and the IPL a miss. The result was no different when the variety on offer was a remixed version of 'We don't need no education' or 'We will rock you' set to a faster-than-usual tempo. Or every time Korbo, lorbo, jeetbo re (the KKR anthem) rang out loud. Even the stern salt-and-pepper handlebar in G block wasn't impervious to the mood of this Sunday matinee show. He shook head and shoulders. A groovy kind of Eden wasn't the only proof of inhibitions being shed for a three-hour programme that was more about sportainment. A middle-aged lady in green with two pre-teen boys wearing the old black-and-gold KKR shirts was throwing water pouches in air as the home team romped to victory. Nobody complained. The lady was proof that I wasn't the only parent dragged to a show that is as removed from my idea of sport as Didi (Mamata Banerjee) is from Dada. In purple shirts or black and gold and at least one in the yellow of the Brazil football team, the boys, teen and below, proved this marriage of cricket and Bollywood works for them.

Maybe, because the whole thing is less than half-an-ODI long, it was possible to be civil and comfortable on the terraces.

Source: Web Search

F1 not in crisis despite new rules: Ecclestone

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 12:53 PM

London, Mar 16 (ANI): Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has insisted the sport is not in crisis despite the new rules, and asked people not to panic.

There are fears that what was billed as a blockbuster season with four world champions fighting for the title will turn out to be a flop.

"There's no panic or crisis. There's nothing we can do immediately, we should not knee-jerk into changes," The Sun quoted Ecclestone, as saying.

"We're involved in four flyaway races now so let's see how the teams adapt and look at it again after China."

"The first race with new rules was always going to be a learning curve," Ecclestone added.

The ban on refuelling could turn races into a start-to-finish procession Ecclestone said: "I've explained to teams our business is about racing and entertaining." (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Pugilist grapples with destiny

Published>Tue, Mar 16 10 12:47 PM

New Delhi, March 16 -- No one gave Paramjeet Samota a chance to storm into the final of the XXX Commonwealth Boxing Championships on Monday. Even his coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu, when asked on Sunday how many boxers would win on Monday, said, three out of four - Vijender Singh, Dinesh Kumar and Suranjoy Singh. Not Samota. On Monday, however, even the boxer could not believe he entered the final. Samota, who started his career as a wrestler, will play New Zealand's Joseph Parker in his first major senior final. "I can't believe it," said Samota after he beat Scotland's Ross Henderson 5-2. "For the first time I have defeated an European boxer in a major event."

Interestingly, Samota's first love was wrestling. He joined an akhara as a kid but his father Pardeep Singh, also a boxer, shifted him to boxing. "I am from a village where wrestling is popular," said Samota. "My father introduced me to Haryana state coach Vishnu Bhagwan in Bhiwani," he said.

Source: Web Search