Zimbabwe stun defending champions Pak in T20 WC warm-up match

Published>Fri, Apr 30 10 12:22 PM

Lahore, Apr.30 (ANI): After stunning Australia in their first warm-up match by registering a sensational one run win, 'minnows' Zimbabwe trounced defending champions Pakistan by 12-runs in the second practice match ahead of the ICC T20 World Championship.

Zimbabwe were struggling for 64 for 5 in the 12th over, but Elton Chigumbura's exciting knock of 49 not out from just 35 balls saw the Africans post a respectable total of 143 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs.

In reply, Pakistan started on a positive note with wicket keeper Kamran Akmal hitting a blistering 37 from 27 balls, but wickets kept falling from the opposite end, which reduced the defending T20 World Champions for 67 for 5 after 10 overs.

Pakistan's hopes were revived by some sensible batting by middle order batsmen Fawad Alam and Misbah-ul-Haq, who added 51 in 7.4 over for the sixth wicket, but pacer Prosper Utseya removed both the set batsmen in space of three deliveries.

Utseya returned with a match winning figures of 4 for 15 in his quota of four overs, The Daily Times reports.

Chigumbura shone with the ball as well taking 3 for 16 in three overs to help his team register its second consecutive win in the warm-up matches. (ANI)

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Rooney named Football Writers Player of the Year

Published Fri, Apr 30 10 12:08 PM

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney claimed his second award of a remarkable season on Friday when he was named Player of the Year for the first time by the Football Writers Association.

Rooney, who has scored 34 goals for United in all competitions this season, took 80 percent of the votes cast by members of the FWA.

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba was a distant second in the voting with Manchester City's Argentine frontman Carlos Tevez in third position.

"I am delighted to win an award with so much history and tradition and to follow a long line of wonderful players who have been honoured by the FWA since 1948 gives me real pride," Rooney said.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank my manager at United Sir Alex Ferguson, the coaching staff and my team mates without whose help and support this award would not have been possible."

Rooney, who was voted PFA Player of the Year on Sunday, has successfully filled the void left by the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid although the tail end of his season has been interrupted by injury.

He is unlikely to play in United's final two Premier League games as they try and overhaul Chelsea at the top of the table because of a groin strain having recovered quicker than expected from an ankle injury.

"Wayne is a worthy winner of our prestigious award and the margin of his victory is testimony to the marvellous season he has had for club and country," FWA chairman Steve Bates said on announcing the award.

"His tally of 34 goals so far this season is certain to have captured the attention of our members but I am sure the overall improvement in his game at Manchester United has been of equal significance.

"Wayne's enthusiasm, hunger and desire mark him out as a special player and we hope he can carry his club form on to the international stage in the World Cup this summer and help England achieve their dream."

Rooney will be presented with his trophy in London on May 13.

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Gibbs desperate to win T20 World Cup

Published>Fri, Apr 30 10 11:22 AM

South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs desperately wants to win the ICC Twenty20 World Cup and said he is ready to exchange any individual honour of my career for a victory in the Caribbeans.

"I would exchange any major individual honour in my career for a winner's medal at an ICC event," Gibbs told 'The Star' from Bridgetown, where South Africa is practising ahead of their first match against India in St Lucia on May 2.

"You can take any Man of the Match Award away. I want to win a major ICC event, and it is the same for all the other senior players," Gibbs said, reflecting on the lost chances in earlier ICC tournaments that left him disappointed alongside Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher.

"I wasn't part of the Test series victories in Australia and England, so this is what it is about for me," added the batsman who has honorary citizenship of the Caribbean islands of St Kitts and Nevis after hitting six sixes in one over in the 2007 World Cup against Netherlands.

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We will surprise India: Afghan coach

Published Fri, Apr 30 10 11:08 AM

Joseph Hoover St Lucia, Apr 30 (PTI) Afghanistan coach Kabir Khan has warned the Indians, saying his side were unperturbed by their reputation and will look to exploit the surprise element to dazzle Mahendra Singh Dhoni''s men in their twenty20 World Cup opener tomorrow. "On the technical side it is good that they don''t know us because when they know about you they will plan. The coaches will watch the videos and work on our weakness. Luckily, we know everything about them. We have seen all their IPL games. We will give them a surprise which will make them remember us after the game," Kabir said. Another important component of their team, all-rounder Karim Sadiq feels the fact that they don''t depend on any individual gives them an edge over the mighty Indians. "They have all performed. We haven''t got a certain guy we bank on. We have got a batting line-up which runs down to number eight. And we have got seven bowlers to choose from. "If one batsman fails, the other one will win us the match. If one bowler doesn''t perform, another guy will bowl well. It has been a story of total team performance. I think we have good side which is capable of pulling off an upset," Karim explained. Captain Nawroz Mangal also exuded confidence and said his side would give their everything and grab the opportunity of playing at such a high level. "We are very happy that we are here. We worked really hard for it for the last two years and that has put us in the top 12 teams in the competition. "We know there is a lot of pressure back home. But we have already fought in pressure cooker conditions and we are used to it. We will give our 100 per cent in this pressure game," said Nawroz. More than their epoch-making performances, Nawroz was glad that cricket had unified the people of Afghanistan. "It is a great achievement. If we have qualified, it is because of the whole nation''s prayers. If the whole nation is praying for you, it means that it is bringing the whole nation together. Cricket is already playing a role in Afghanistan and it can play a major role in the peace process in the region," emphasised the 28-year-old. "We have been playing together for the last seven-eight years. The players are united and they love their country. They are hungry for cricket and want to prove that they are the next coming cricket team nation in the world. .

Source: Web Search

Not just jazz by the bay

Published>Fri, Apr 30 10 11:02 AM

India, April 30 -- Carnival Time - As the week unfolds, the biggest attraction in Gros Islet isn't cricket, but the annual Jazz Festival. Anand Vasu profiles the 12 teams and their leaders who will rock the WT20. India : MS Dhoni Captain courageous, as he is known, showed how important he is to his team, whichever that may be, bringing home the IPL title for the Chennai Super Kings. With Sehwag missing, Gambhir slightly under the weather with fever, Yuvraj searching for form in the middle, Dhoni's role becomes more important. He can control the pace of the innings and the match, from any position in the batting order, and will have to play his part for India to go all the way. Squad: M Vijay, G Gambhir, Y Singh, S Raina, Y Pathan, D Karthik, R Jadeja, Z Khan, P Kumar, A Nehra, H Singh, P Chawla, V Kumar, R Sharma. South Africa: G Smith In a format where every ball is crucial and the total package of batting, bowling and fielding can be the difference between teams, South Africa are a formidable unit. Many of their players have IPL experience and Jacques Kallis was among the most consistent players for Royal Challengers. Smith is coming off an injury, but has been the man to bring inspiration and direction to the Proteas. All that's left is to get over the tendency to choke in big matches of ICC events. Squad: J Kallis, L Bosman, J Botha, M Boucher, de Villiers, JP Duminy, H Gibbs, R Kleinveldt, C Langeveldt, A Morkel, M Morkel, D Steyn, J Theron, R van der Merwe. Australia: M Clarke For a team whose grip on the 50-over World Cup has barely loosened in the last decade, and the Champions Trophy also now becoming their property, Australia have a surprising amount to prove in T20 cricket. Initially, they just did not take the format seriously enough, but now they want to show that they're true professionals. Clarke, warming up to the task of captaincy, has to make a name for himself as a leader before inheriting the job full-time from Ricky Ponting. Squad: D Christian, B Haddin, N Hauritz, D Hussey, M Hussey, M Johnson, B Lee, D Nannes, T Paine, S Smith, S Tait, D Warner, S Watson, Cameron White. Pakistan: S Afridi The holders of the trophy, Pakistan have had a fairly routine year in international cricket -- no team has toured their country, a legend or two has retired, a few players have been banned and inconsistency is their hallmark. It's a cliche, but it's the unpredictability that makes this Pakistan team, led by Shahid Afridi, so dangerous. In small grounds, on slow tracks, they could tourniquet a few teams out of matches. Squad: S Butt, M Hafeez, K Latif, M ul-Haq, F Alam, U Akmal, A Razzaq, A Rehman, H Azam, K Akmal, M Sami, M Asif, M Aamer, Saeed Ajmal. England: P Collingwood Eternally lagging behind in limited-overs cricket despite taking to the formats earlier than others, England have everything to gain. As the only major team never to have won an ICC tournament of any kind, Paul Collingwood's men have to show that they have mastered the T20 format. Most of their players have experience of the shortest version in domestic cricket, and a few have made their mark on the IPL. The time has come to go one step further. Squad: J Anderson, R Bopara, T Bresnan, S Broad, C Kieswetter, M Lumb, E Morgan, K Pietersen, A Shahzad, R Sidebottom, G Swann, J Tredwell, L Wright, M Yardy. New Zealand: D vettori The perennial under-achievers in limited-overs cricket, especially ICC events, New Zealand have all it takes to go all the way, but somehow never do. Exciting young batsmen at the top of the order, brilliant fielders, bowlers who can mix the pace up and a captain who can do everything on a cricket field. Vettori has gone from being merely the premier left-arm spinner to someone who scores when runs are needed. Watch out for them, but keep the fingers crossed. Squad: B McCullum, J Ryder, M Guptill, R Taylor, S Styris, A Redmond, J Oram, G Hopkins, R Nicol, N McCullum, K Mills, T Southee, S Bond, I Butler. West Indies C Gayle The islands have plenty to make up for, given their experience with hosting the 2007 World Cup, which was an unmitigated logistical disaster. The fans are passionate about the game and have stuck by the team even though the results have not been great in the last few years. With Kieron Pollard making waves in Twenty20 cricket, the challenge for skipper Chris Gayle is to channel the team's energies in the right direction at the right moments. Squad: S Benn, D Bravo, S Chanderpaul, N Deonarine, A Fletcher, W Hinds, N Miller, K Pollard, D Ramdin, R Rampaul, K Roach, D Sammy, R Sarwan, J Taylor. Zimbabwe P Utseya Another team which struggles to match up in the longer versions but can prove annoyingly efficient in the shorter forms. Seamers who are not quick but do enough with the ball and spinners who land the ball in the right areas, make Zimbabwe tough to score off. They beat West Indies in an ODI not long ago and stunned Australia in a warm-up match here. Skipper Prosper Utseya leads the pack in stingy bowling and is unafraid to operate in power play. Squad: A Blignaut, C C'bhabha, E C'gumbura, C Coventry, G Cremer, C Ervine, G Lamb, T Maruma, H Masakadza, C Mpofu, R Price, V Sibanda, T Taibu, B Taylor. Ireland: W Porterfield The strongest of the Associate nations, Ireland have come close to building a team that can perform consistently against stronger nations. The challenge for them will be to adapt to the conditions - hot, humid and not much help for the fast bowlers. The conditions are far away from what they are used to back home, but the team has nothing to lose. Don't forget they stunned Pakistan in a World Cup, at the same venue - West Indies in 2007. Squad: P Connell, A Cusack, G Dockrell, T Johnston, N Jones, G Kidd, J Mooney, K O'Brien, N O'Brien, B Rankin, P Stirling, A White, G Wilson. Afghanistan: N Mangal The rise and rise of Afghanistan has been the feel-good story for a few years running for the ICC now. The team has come together from the most troubled of situations in a war-torn country to earn their place in the sun. Their aim, to shock one of either India or South Africa, might be pushing things a bit far, but in their maiden appearance at a World Cup, no one is taking them lightly. Nowroz Mangal has already led his team to a win against Ireland. Squad: M Nabi, K Sadiq, M Ashraf, R Ahmadzai, D Ahmadzai, M Shahzad, H Hassan, S Shinwari, N Ali, A Stanikzai, S Zadran, S Noori, S Nasrat, S Shafaq. Sri Lanka: K Sangakkara After his disastrous run as captain of Kings XI Punjab, Kumar Sangakkara will be happy to be back at the helm of his beloved Sri Lanka team. A tight unit that has tremendous intelligence in spin bowling, fields with purpose and self-belief and generally looks organised, the visiting islanders could be one of the dark horses of the tournament. If their batting can come up with the goods, and the fast bowlers work out a way to keep things tight, the battle is half won. Squad: M Muralitharan, T Dilshan, M J'wardene, D C'imal, A Mathews, T Perera, N Kulasekera, S Randiv, A Mendis, L Malinga, C W'gedara, C K'gedara, S J'suriya, C J'singhe. Bangladesh: S Ai-Hassan Ever since they were ushered into the fold in international cricket, Bangladesh have been dangerous in the shorter versions of the game. From stunning Australia in Sophia Gardens, to showing India the door in the World Cup in the West Indies in 2007, the Tigers have caused much heartburn to opponents when least expected. As one of the premier all-rounders in the world game, the captain Shakib al Hasan believes in leading from the front.

Source: Web Search

Bindra comes out in support of Lalit Modi

Published>Fri, Apr 30 10 10:52 AM

New Delhi, April 30 -- Former BCCI president and a member of the IPL governing council, IS Bindra, on Thursday, lashed out at BCCI officials and the media for leaking out stories and castigating former IPL chairman Lalit Modi without proper investigation. In an e-mail to the media, Bindra called Modi a maverick, a marketing genius, responsible for the growth of Indian cricket. "It is a sad surprise that he has suddenly become an object of vilification. All hell broke loose in the media based on some leaks from so-called reliable sources within the Board and some statements made by principal players in the whole drama," Bindra lamented. The Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) president complained that Modi was being convicted without being given a fair trial. ".part of the blame lies with our own cricketing fraternity for being an instrument in leaking all kinds of unconfirmed reports without veracity or merit. The media has been ready with the guillotine to hang the hero of the IPL. He has been accused of match-fixing, rigging of bids, laundering of money, and all kinds of allegations pertaining to financial irregularities and dealings based on unsubstantiated evidence."

Source: Web Search

Not just jazz by the bay

Published>Fri, Apr 30 10 09:58 AM

India, April 30 -- Carnival Time - As the week unfolds, the biggest attraction in Gros Islet isn't cricket, but the annual Jazz Festival. Anand Vasu profiles the 12 teams and their leaders who will rock the WT20. India : MS Dhoni Captain courageous, as he is known, showed how important he is to his team, whichever that may be, bringing home the IPL title for the Chennai Super Kings. With Sehwag missing, Gambhir slightly under the weather with fever, Yuvraj searching for form in the middle, Dhoni's role becomes more important. He can control the pace of the innings and the match, from any position in the batting order, and will have to play his part for India to go all the way. Squad: M Vijay, G Gambhir, Y Singh, S Raina, Y Pathan, D Karthik, R Jadeja, Z Khan, P Kumar, A Nehra, H Singh, P Chawla, V Kumar, R Sharma. South Africa: G Smith In a format where every ball is crucial and the total package of batting, bowling and fielding can be the difference between teams, South Africa are a formidable unit. Many of their players have IPL experience and Jacques Kallis was among the most consistent players for Royal Challengers. Smith is coming off an injury, but has been the man to bring inspiration and direction to the Proteas. All that's left is to get over the tendency to choke in big matches of ICC events. Squad: J Kallis, L Bosman, J Botha, M Boucher, de Villiers, JP Duminy, H Gibbs, R Kleinveldt, C Langeveldt, A Morkel, M Morkel, D Steyn, J Theron, R van der Merwe. Australia: M Clarke For a team whose grip on the 50-over World Cup has barely loosened in the last decade, and the Champions Trophy also now becoming their property, Australia have a surprising amount to prove in T20 cricket. Initially, they just did not take the format seriously enough, but now they want to show that they're true professionals. Clarke, warming up to the task of captaincy, has to make a name for himself as a leader before inheriting the job full-time from Ricky Ponting. Squad: D Christian, B Haddin, N Hauritz, D Hussey, M Hussey, M Johnson, B Lee, D Nannes, T Paine, S Smith, S Tait, D Warner, S Watson, Cameron White. Pakistan: S Afridi The holders of the trophy, Pakistan have had a fairly routine year in international cricket -- no team has toured their country, a legend or two has retired, a few players have been banned and inconsistency is their hallmark. It's a cliche, but it's the unpredictability that makes this Pakistan team, led by Shahid Afridi, so dangerous. In small grounds, on slow tracks, they could tourniquet a few teams out of matches. Squad: S Butt, M Hafeez, K Latif, M ul-Haq, F Alam, U Akmal, A Razzaq, A Rehman, H Azam, K Akmal, M Sami, M Asif, M Aamer, Saeed Ajmal. England: P Collingwood Eternally lagging behind in limited-overs cricket despite taking to the formats earlier than others, England have everything to gain. As the only major team never to have won an ICC tournament of any kind, Paul Collingwood's men have to show that they have mastered the T20 format. Most of their players have experience of the shortest version in domestic cricket, and a few have made their mark on the IPL. The time has come to go one step further. Squad: J Anderson, R Bopara, T Bresnan, S Broad, C Kieswetter, M Lumb, E Morgan, K Pietersen, A Shahzad, R Sidebottom, G Swann, J Tredwell, L Wright, M Yardy. New Zealand: D vettori The perennial under-achievers in limited-overs cricket, especially ICC events, New Zealand have all it takes to go all the way, but somehow never do. Exciting young batsmen at the top of the order, brilliant fielders, bowlers who can mix the pace up and a captain who can do everything on a cricket field. Vettori has gone from being merely the premier left-arm spinner to someone who scores when runs are needed. Watch out for them, but keep the fingers crossed. Squad: B McCullum, J Ryder, M Guptill, R Taylor, S Styris, A Redmond, J Oram, G Hopkins, R Nicol, N McCullum, K Mills, T Southee, S Bond, I Butler. West Indies C Gayle The islands have plenty to make up for, given their experience with hosting the 2007 World Cup, which was an unmitigated logistical disaster. The fans are passionate about the game and have stuck by the team even though the results have not been great in the last few years. With Kieron Pollard making waves in Twenty20 cricket, the challenge for skipper Chris Gayle is to channel the team's energies in the right direction at the right moments. Squad: S Benn, D Bravo, S Chanderpaul, N Deonarine, A Fletcher, W Hinds, N Miller, K Pollard, D Ramdin, R Rampaul, K Roach, D Sammy, R Sarwan, J Taylor. Zimbabwe P Utseya Another team which struggles to match up in the longer versions but can prove annoyingly efficient in the shorter forms. Seamers who are not quick but do enough with the ball and spinners who land the ball in the right areas, make Zimbabwe tough to score off. They beat West Indies in an ODI not long ago and stunned Australia in a warm-up match here. Skipper Prosper Utseya leads the pack in stingy bowling and is unafraid to operate in power play. Squad: A Blignaut, C C'bhabha, E C'gumbura, C Coventry, G Cremer, C Ervine, G Lamb, T Maruma, H Masakadza, C Mpofu, R Price, V Sibanda, T Taibu, B Taylor. Ireland: W Porterfield The strongest of the Associate nations, Ireland have come close to building a team that can perform consistently against stronger nations. The challenge for them will be to adapt to the conditions - hot, humid and not much help for the fast bowlers. The conditions are far away from what they are used to back home, but the team has nothing to lose. Don't forget they stunned Pakistan in a World Cup, at the same venue - West Indies in 2007. Squad: P Connell, A Cusack, G Dockrell, T Johnston, N Jones, G Kidd, J Mooney, K O'Brien, N O'Brien, B Rankin, P Stirling, A White, G Wilson. Afghanistan: N Mangal The rise and rise of Afghanistan has been the feel-good story for a few years running for the ICC now. The team has come together from the most troubled of situations in a war-torn country to earn their place in the sun. Their aim, to shock one of either India or South Africa, might be pushing things a bit far, but in their maiden appearance at a World Cup, no one is taking them lightly. Nowroz Mangal has already led his team to a win against Ireland. Squad: M Nabi, K Sadiq, M Ashraf, R Ahmadzai, D Ahmadzai, M Shahzad, H Hassan, S Shinwari, N Ali, A Stanikzai, S Zadran, S Noori, S Nasrat, S Shafaq. Sri Lanka: K Sangakkara After his disastrous run as captain of Kings XI Punjab, Kumar Sangakkara will be happy to be back at the helm of his beloved Sri Lanka team. A tight unit that has tremendous intelligence in spin bowling, fields with purpose and self-belief and generally looks organised, the visiting islanders could be one of the dark horses of the tournament. If their batting can come up with the goods, and the fast bowlers work out a way to keep things tight, the battle is half won. Squad: M Muralitharan, T Dilshan, M J'wardene, D C'imal, A Mathews, T Perera, N Kulasekera, S Randiv, A Mendis, L Malinga, C W'gedara, C K'gedara, S J'suriya, C J'singhe. Bangladesh: S Ai-Hassan Ever since they were ushered into the fold in international cricket, Bangladesh have been dangerous in the shorter versions of the game. From stunning Australia in Sophia Gardens, to showing India the door in the World Cup in the West Indies in 2007, the Tigers have caused much heartburn to opponents when least expected. As one of the premier all-rounders in the world game, the captain Shakib al Hasan believes in leading from the front.

Source: Web Search

Bindra comes out in support of Lalit Modi

Published>Fri, Apr 30 10 09:48 AM

New Delhi, April 30 -- Former BCCI president and a member of the IPL governing council, IS Bindra, on Thursday, lashed out at BCCI officials and the media for leaking out stories and castigating former IPL chairman Lalit Modi without proper investigation. In an e-mail to the media, Bindra called Modi a maverick, a marketing genius, responsible for the growth of Indian cricket. "It is a sad surprise that he has suddenly become an object of vilification. All hell broke loose in the media based on some leaks from so-called reliable sources within the Board and some statements made by principal players in the whole drama," Bindra lamented. The Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) president complained that Modi was being convicted without being given a fair trial. ".part of the blame lies with our own cricketing fraternity for being an instrument in leaking all kinds of unconfirmed reports without veracity or merit. The media has been ready with the guillotine to hang the hero of the IPL. He has been accused of match-fixing, rigging of bids, laundering of money, and all kinds of allegations pertaining to financial irregularities and dealings based on unsubstantiated evidence."

Source: Web Search

Nadal wins, Murray loses in Rome

Published>Fri, Apr 30 10 08:26 AM

Holder Rafael Nadal provided more evidence that he is regaining his old dominance on clay after an injury-hit 2009 by cruising past Romanian Victor Hanescu 6-3 6-2 at the Rome Masters on Thursday.

British world number five Andy Murray struggled, however, and lost 6-3 6-4 to Nadal's Spanish compatriot David Ferrer.

Nadal, who romped to his sixth consecutive Monte Carlo Masters title earlier this month, displayed superb movement throughout and got his first break in the fourth game with a sizzling return.

He produced stunning forehand winners on his way to going 4-1 ahead in the second set.

He then fended off Hanescu's valiant attempts to pull back a break, saving five break points in his last two service games, before sealing victory with a smash at the net, with AS Roma captain Francesco Totti applauding in the crowd.

"Since the start of the clay season I've been playing well and that's important," Nadal told a news conference before admitting to relaxing a little towards the end.

"I played with a little less intensity after going 4-1."

In the last eight Nadal will meet Stanislas Wawrinka, who crushed Swede Robin Soderling 6-3 6-2.

POOR SERVING

Murray had snapped a run of three defeats with victory over Italy's Andreas Seppi on Tuesday but he looked below his best in the third-round meeting with Ferrer.

He got in fewer than a third of his first serves in the opening set, which 13th seed Ferrer sealed with a sweet drop volley after breaking in the sixth game.

The poor serving infected other parts of Murray's game and he shook himself a few times, apparently baffled by his own ineptitude, before conceding serve again in the seventh game of the second set.

Clay specialist Ferrer served out to beat the Scot on his least favourite surface and set up a quarter-final with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

World number two Novak Djokovic progressed too, with a 6-4 6-4 win over Thomaz Bellucci that was harder than the score suggested.

Djokovic, the 2008 champion, had to come from a break down in each set against the Brazilian, who put up a lively display but at times had trouble keeping his big serve under control.

The Serbian will now meet in-form Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, who thrashed him in the semi-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters two weeks ago.

Verdasco, fresh from his triumph at last week's Barcelona Open, booked his place in the last eight with a 6-4 7-6 win over his compatriot Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

"I don't think I'm the favourite at all. I suppose if I play an aggressive game, then I will have a good chance to win," Djokovic told a news conference when asked about the Verdasco match.

"The last time we played I really didn't feel good on the court. I made a lot of unforced errors and didn't really give the real picture of my game."

After turfing out world number one Roger Federer on Tuesday, Latvian Ernests Gulbis won a final-set tiebreak to scramble past Italian wild card Filippo Volandri.

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Fulham bounce back to reach Europa League final

Published>Fri, Apr 30 10 04:46 AM

London, April 30 (DPA) Fulham came from behind Thursday to beat Hamburg 2-1 and set up a Europa League final date with Atletico Madrid.

After a goalless draw in the first leg, Mladen Petric's first-half free-kick seemed to have put Hamburg in control.

But Simon Davies levelled midway through the second half, before the Hungarian forward Zoltan Gera forced in the winner with quarter of an hour to go.

'It's the most important goal I have ever scored so I'm very, very happy. It's amazing,' Gera told ITV4. 'We did so well, every single player.'

For a modest club on the Thames, reaching a first European final, a first final of any sort since 1975, represents an extraordinary achievement, and the six minutes between the goals was probably the greatest six minutes in their 131-year history.

Most of all, though, this was a triumph for Roy Hodgson, Fulham's experienced and affable manager.

'This team has got an unbelievable amount of spirit and character to come back from a goal down,' said goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.

'They really did rock us and it took us a while to get going again.

'(Hodgson) has been fantastic since day one when I arrived at the club, and every player can vouch for that.'

Centre-forward Bobby Zamora, who had been a doubt with an Achilles injury, was fit enough to start and, although he seemed to be moving a little gingerly, he caused Hamburg problems from the off.

Two minutes in, he collected a pass from Gera, stepped inside a defender, and was denied only by the outstretched left hand of Frank Rost.

Hamburg, though, were far from overawed, and welcomed back Petric after injury.

As in the first leg, their greatest threat came from the Burkina Faso winger Jonathan Pitroipa, whose pace troubled John Pantsil.

It was Petric, though, who opened the scoring in the 22nd minute. Danny Murphy tripped Ze Roberto, and the Croatia international smashed a dipping, swerving free-kick into the top corner.

Schwarzer was perhaps a little slow to get across to it, perhaps deceived by the ferocity of the strike.

Fulham immediately began to dominate possession, but it was Pitroipa on the break, drilling a drive just wide from 20 metres, who had the next real chance.

The home side looked neat enough in possession, but after the early Zamora chance, they created little but corners in the first half.

With Zamora battling gamely but clearly still struggling, Fulham lacked fluidity, and he was withdrawn 12 minutes into the second half for Clint Dempsey.

Gradually, as Hamburg dropped deeper, Fulham began to take control.

Damien Duff flashed a shot-cum-cross across the face of goal, before the equalizer arrived with 21 minutes to go.

Murphy chipped a ball over the top for Davies, who controlled it with the back of his heel, turned back past Guy Demel, and prodded a finish past Rost.

Seven minutes later came the second. Davies won a corner on the right, and as Murphy's delivery bobbled around the box, Gera turned smartly to slam in the winner.

Hamburg seemed shattered by that, and their threat was fairly comfortably contained in the final minutes.

A minute into injury-time, though, a loose ball fell in the box to Ruud van Nistelrooy, who scored ten goals in nine games against Fulham as a Manchester United player, but he scuffed badly wide.

'It just keeps getting better,' said captain Murphy.

'When we went a goal behind it would have been easy to think this was the end of the journey, but I thought the spirit we showed in the second half was tremendous.'

Fulham face Atletico Madrid in the final in Hamburg May 12 after an extra-time strike from Diego Forlan helped the Spanish side progress on the away goals rule after the tie finished 2-1 on the night to Liverpool but 2-2 on aggregate.

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Shot in the arm for Modi as Bindra comes to his defence

Published>Fri, Apr 30 10 03:48 AM

Through all his recent troubles, former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has had the backing of Punjab Cricket Association president and his one-time mentor IS Bindra. On Thursday, Bindra again came to Modi's defence, crediting him with the IPL's success and accusing the BCCI of leaking information.

"It was due to the marketing genius of a maverick ? Lalit Modi ? that Indian cricket finally emerged as a colossus in the international firmament in terms of reach and financial clout. Indian cricket became the epicentre of world cricket and the envy of the cricketing fraternity during this key phase...Modi is unquestionably responsible for converting Indian cricket into a financial giant and for creating a truly global international brand in the IPL."

Blaming the BCCI, Bindra said, "I can say with conviction that part of the blame lies with our own cricketing fraternity for being an instrument in leaking all kinds of unconfirmed reports without veracity or merit. India has started to feel like a banana republic in the realm of cricket administration...." Incidentally, Modi happens to be a PCA vice-president.

Bindra also questioned the media's role. "It is a sad surprise that he has suddenly become an object of vilification. All hell broke loose based on some leaks from so-called sources within the Board and some statements made by principal players in the whole drama. Is Modi a builder of the greatest sporting brand in a short span of three years or a villain who has undermined the foundations of Indian cricket?"

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Now, IPL-I bidding process under scanner

Published>Fri, Apr 30 10 02:18 AM

The ongoing government probe into the alleged financial irregularities in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has now put the entire bidding process of IPL-I, carried out by suspended IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, under the scanner due to narrow margins between the winning franchises and those who lost out.

In a few cases, the winning bids for the franchises were ahead by less than Rs 50-55 crore from those who lost out, a source said. "Unless there was some sort of guidance provided from within the IPL, it's unlikely that the difference between winning and losing bids will be range bound," an official told FE.

The probe is looking into bidding documents of all the eight teams and comparing them with the financials of those who lost out. The probe is also looking to establish any links between Modi and the winning franchises and his powers of influencing the bidding process before IPL become a huge success.

Sources close to the development, which took place during IPL-I in 2008, have told FE that a Delhi-based corporate biggy had lost the bid for one of the franchises to a company with a very less margin, owing to a wrong advice from people who are close to IPL and BCCI. In return, the losing firm was later associated with the IPL in a different capacity, sources said.

Overall, IPL in 2008 had managed to generate over Rs 2,800 crore from the eight franchises when the average cost of a franchise stood at Rs 357 crore.

A full-fledged investigation into the bids of all suspected franchises by the officials would lay bare the truth about the rigged deals, the government feels.

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Coach Jesus leads Benfica to brink of triumph

Published>Fri, Apr 30 10 02:06 AM

Though he lacks Jose Mourinho's dashing looks and Carlos Queiroz's globe-trotting lifestyle, unfashionable coach Jorge Jesus will become a hero to many Portuguese soccer fans if he guides Benfica to the league title at Porto on Sunday.

Benfica, by far Portugal's most-supported club, are six points ahead of surprise package Braga with two games left and can win their first title in half a decade by earning a draw at Porto's Dragon Stadium.

"We feel closer to the title," Jesus told reporters after Benfica thumped Olhanense 5-0 on Saturday. "With the end of the league closer and a six-point lead, things are easier, we have every chance, but cannot launch the fireworks before the party."

Lifting the trophy would be the high point of the straight-talking 55 year-old's career. After a journeyman playing career, his early years as a coach were spent in the lower divisions.

A traineeship at Johan Cruyff's Barcelona in the 1990s eventually paid off and Jesus took Belenenses and Braga to fifth places, prompting Benfica to call for his meticulous training, tactical acumen and motivational skills.

"The players will play double what they did last year, and double, maybe, is too little," he said when presented as Benfica coach last June.

His relationships with fellow coaches can be stormy, as bitter words with Domingos, the coach who succeeded him at Braga, showed. Former players, however, are full of praise.

"In Portugal, no one works like him. His methods are fantastic and he is always attentive to detail," said midfielder Hugo Leal who played under Jesus at Belenenses.

At Benfica, Jesus has created a goal-scoring machine with a Latin American flavour. Argentine winger Angel di Maria has shone brightest, compatriots Javier Saviola and Pablo Aimar have recovered some of the glow lost in their latter years in Spain, and Paraguay's Oscar Cardozo has been the main finisher.

Winning the title on Sunday in Porto would also be symbolic of Benfica's revival. After "wily old fox" Giovanni Trapattoni, as he is endearingly known, led them to the top in 2005, Benfica hired a succession of coaches who could not repeat the feat. Meanwhile, Porto dominated, winning four championships in a row.

After selling key players last summer, Porto had an inconsistent season, plagued by injuries and suspensions. But with burly Brazilian forward Hulk back in the side from suspension they have won their last six games.

With Porto's fight for a Champions League spot all but lost -- they are five points behind Braga -- the home side will play for pride and to stop Jesus setting off his fireworks at their own ground.

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Inzamam tips Pak to defend World Twenty20 title

Published Fri, Apr 30 10 12:22 AM

Karachi, Apr 29 (PTI) Pakistan''s former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has tipped Pakistan to successfully defend its title and win the World Twenty20 Cup in the West Indies that starts from tomorrow. "The way I see it this Pakistan team is well balanced and so strong for this format of the game that it shouldnt lose to any team unless they self-destruct with internal issues," Inzamam, the countrys most capped player said. Inzamam said that Pakistan had a very strong bowling line-up but they needed to be consistent in their batting. "The bowling is strong and has variety so that will be their strength but the batting has issues and the senior players will have to shoulder the main responsibility," he said. Inzamam who played 120 tests and 318 one-day internationals said that Pakistan needed to play sensible cricket and keep their head to do well. "South Africa and India to me are the greatest threats to Pakistans ambitions to win the World Cup. I am very impressed with the disciplined way South Africans play while the Indians have some dangerous players with plenty of flair," he said. Inzamam said that Misbah-ul-Haq would have to anchor the innings as he was capable of playing long innings but the others must play their natural game. "Shahid Afridi is perfect for T20 cricket and he has lot of energy and enthusiasm as a captain. He will be vital to Pakistans success in the tournament. I see him turning out to be an inspirational leader for his team." Former Pakistan captain and ex-chief selector, Aamir Sohail, predicted a more sedate World T20 Cup this time. "I dont think we will see the high ratio of sixes and big totals this time in this tournament. Mainly because of the pitches and the weather conditions in the West Indies would also test the teams." Sohail said initially when T20 cricket was launched the bowlers were running away scared of taking a hiding but now they had read the format well and were not running away. "The bowlers now try to take wickets it is not just about big hitting. This World Cup will be all about which team displays better skills and plays clinical and sensible cricket," he said. He pointed out that T20 cricket had also evolved over the last few years and the World Cup would be different in nature from the Indian Premier League. The former opener said that the Pakistan team was well suited and equipped for the World Cup but he disagreed with the selection of left arm spinner Abdul Rehman as a replacement for the injured Yasir Arafat. "We have enough spinners in the side and I dont think Rehman will get a chance to play in this tournament," he added.

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Ankle injury returns to haunt Wozniacki again

Published Thu, Apr 29 10 11:48 PM

Caroline Wozniacki's ankle injury returned to haunt her on Thursday as the top seed was knocked out of the Stuttgart Open in straight sets by Lucie Safarova.

The world number two, who retired hurt during a match at the Family Circle Cup in Charleston two weeks ago after injuring her ankle in a tumble, said she was still struggling as she lost 6-4 6-4 in her first match in Stuttgart.

"I didn't feel I could move 100 per cent," the Dane told reporters after her defeat to the 38th-ranked Safarova. "She was making me run and that's why she won.

"If you can't move it's difficult to win."

The Czech Safarova said she sensed Wozniacki was vulnerable.

"She was not moving as well as she can," Safarova said. "I was trying to make her run and push her."

Safarova did not have a break point against her and a single break in each set was enough to give her victory.

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Twenty20 WC will be a Caribbean celebration: Morgan

Published Thu, Apr 29 10 10:56 PM

Guyana, Apr 29 (PTI) ICC President David Morgan today said the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup will be a chance to celebrate the unique contribution Caribbean makes to the game. "The West Indies holds a special place in the international cricket family, having contributed some of the all-time great of the game. But I believe there are still great times ahead for cricket in this part of the world and the successful staging of this event is part of that positive future," Morgan said in an ICC statement. He also wished luck to all the participating teams and picked minnows Afghanistan and Ireland for special praise. "I want to congratulate Afghanistan and Ireland for making it through the tough qualifying stages to be here and I would like to extend my best wishes to all 12 of the mens teams and the eight womens teams as they will all play their part in this festival of cricket. Good luck to all of you." The event begins on Friday with New Zealand taking on Sri Lanka. The second match of the day is between local favourite West Indies and qualifier Ireland. The ICC President also called on the locals to throng stadiums with great fervour. "Over the next 17 days, I am looking forward to a celebration of all that''s good about West Indies cricket. We''re encouraging the people of the Caribbean to bring their enthusiasm and passion for cricket to the matches and make it a memorable event for everyone involved. "Bring your musical instruments, your songs and cheers, your flags, banners and colourful costumes. And, above all, bring that party spirit for which cricket matches in the West Indies are famous," he said.

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Former CONCACAF champions Atlante fire coach Cruz

Published Thu, Apr 29 10 10:48 PM

Atlante coach Jose Cruz, whose team played at the 2009 Club World Cup, has been sacked after a poor Mexican Clausura championship.

Atlante, coached by Cruz since 2006, finished bottom of Group Three last weekend, missing out on the eight-team knockout phase for the title.

"Cycles come to an end and Prof. Cruz's has concluded with Atlante," club president Jose Antonio Garcia told Televisa.

"He's a great coach who did a lot for Atlante but we're going to have to find a new trainer."

Cruz steered Atlante, nicknamed the "Iron Colts", to the Apertura title in 2007 and the CONCACAF Champions League last year.

This earned them the right to play in the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi in December where they finished fourth in the tournament won by Barcelona.

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Nari Contractor issue to figure at BCCI meet

Published Thu, Apr 29 10 09:52 PM

Mumbai, Apr 29 (PTI) The Mumbai Cricket Association will raise the issue of humiliation inflicted on former India captain Nari Contractor at this season''s IPL final at the upcoming BCCI working committee. Contractor returned to his South Mumbai home without witnessing the IPL final on April 25 at D Y Patil stadium as the ticket he carried was declared invalid. The MCA had got the ticket from the IPL authorities. "We have written a letter to BCCI that many of our guests were stopped at the gate of the D Y Patil Stadium though they had valid tickets for the final as the persons manning the entry points declared them as fake," MCA''s joint secretary Lalchand Rajput told PTI today. "It needed my personal call to IPL CEO Sundar Raman before they were allowed in after a long wait, but Contractor had, by then, returned home. I did not know he had gone back till he informed me about it the next day," he said. The matter will be taken up at the Board''s Working Committee meeting (on May 2)," Rajput said. MCA has also demanded that in future the staging of all IPL ties will have to be done through the respective local association, Rajput said. This year, for example, Mumbai Indians directly dealt with the Cricket Club of India and held all their seven home matches at the Brabourne Stadium without going through MCA and the latter, in turn, boycotted these ties.

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London Olympics avoid being drawn into UK vote

Published>Thu, Apr 29 10 09:48 PM

Preparations for the London 2012 Olympics have not been dragged into the bitter election campaigning in Britain, with organisers confident of continued good relations with the party that wins next week's polls.

"The Olympic Games have not tumbled from the lips of a single politician during this campaign," London Games chief Sebastian Coe told a small group of reporters on Thursday. "They have not become a political football."

Britain is holding a parliamentary election on May 6, with the ruling Labour Party trailing the main opposition Conservatives in the polls, hinting at a potential change in the country's leadership two years before the Olympics.

Coe said while the outcome was as yet unknown, preparations would continue as planned, with no single day to waste.

"There is no certainty of outcome but we will go on delivering seamlessly with whatever the political landscape looks like," Coe said after presenting a progress update to the International Olympic Committee.

Coe, himself a former conservative member of parliament, said the Games had stayed out of the political arena thanks to the organisers' work on obtaining cross-party support.

Coe said even a change in the leadership of the Olympic ministry would not affect them.

"Those are political decisions but what we are focusing on is delivering and letting all political parties know what the progress is," he said.

"We understand that whoever nudges across the line will face the bleakest outlook of public expenditure in a generation," Coe a former Olympic middle distance champion, said.

IOC SATISFACTION

IOC chief Jacques Rogge gave London a thumbs up, saying there was no specific single problem with preparations.

"We have discussed the possibility of a change of government and we are absolutely at ease there," Rogge told reporters.

"There is a multi-party support (for the Games) in the United Kingdom," he said, adding the IOC was equally comfortable with preparations. "We have no earmarked challenges for London. Nothing specific," he said.

Coe said organisers would also "very soon" finalise their venue plan with the relocation of rhythmic gymnastics and badminton.

He also said organisers would unveil the mascot of the Games well before July 27, two years to the day of the Games opening, with sales to start on that day.

The IOC caught a first glimpse of the tightly-guarded secret and approved it on Thursday. Coe refused, however, to reveal any details other than the IOC liking what they saw.

"Yes they did see it," Coe said, adding they had also presented "the narrative behind it" and that the mascot had already gone into production.

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Boxing - From sand in Iraq to Garden stage for soldier

Published>Thu, Apr 29 10 09:28 PM

From a "ghetto ring" set in the sands of Kirkuk, Iraq, to a debut at Madison Square Garden amid the lights of Broadway has been quite a journey for U.S. Army helicopter pilot Steven Badgley.

Badgley, 30, will make his professional boxing debut on June 12 in a four-round bout on the undercard of Ivan 'Iron Boy' Calderon's WBO light-flyweight defense against Jesus 'Azul' Iribe of Mexico.

"It's a dream come true, fighting in Madison Square Garden," Kiowa Warrior armed reconnaissance helicopter pilot Badgley told Reuters. "Who would have ever thought?"

Badgley, whose opponent has not yet been announced, took up boxing at 16, but shelved thoughts of making it a profession when he joined the army in 2002.

Still, he dabbled.

He tried out and made the Fort Carson, Colorado, boxing team where he got great training from the U.S. Olympic coach.

After becoming an aviator, Chief Warrant Officer Badgley was sent to New York's Fort Drum and linked up with Watertown Area Boxing Club, where he worked out and trained fighters.

When he made his next return to Iraq in October 2008, Badgley left base armed with heavy bags and other equipment donated by boxing club chief John Pepe.

'GHETTO RING'

"Right out in the middle of the sand by the trailers we were staying in, I built a little ghetto boxing ring with 4x4s and plywood, rope and had a little gym out on the sand there.

"It was very cool," he said in an interview.

The makeshift ring gradually attracted interest.

"At first one guy came out and I was training him and then two, then three. We initiated a Wednesday night fight thing. Our whole unit would come and watch.

"Then more and more people came out to where every time I'd get done flying, I'd come back and there would be a crowd of people waiting to work out with me."

The fight scene grew to where they were allowed to organise an exhibition on a stage used for USO shows.

"We had a little ring put up there. We had 12 fights, we had judges, we had some awards donated, and 500 to 600 people showed up with aircraft flyovers.

"It turned into a huge event televised by the Pentagon Channel. It was amazing."

After the year of duty in Iraq, Badgley, whose non-sanctioned armed services amateur record is 14-6, began to dream again of getting serious about boxing.

"I had regretted not going pro," said light-heavyweight Badgley, who sports a clean-shaved head and heavily tattooed arms. "I'm 30 years old. I'm in good shape. I love the sport."

Badgley, who has a four-year-old daughter and another child on the way, said this was the time to strike although he intends to remain in the military for a full 20-year career.

"If I don't do it now I would never do it, and I think I would constantly regret it."

He resumed training with former heavyweight Greg Sorrentino, a veteran of fights against Trevor Berbick and Michael Dokes, who learned from welterweight great Carmen Basilio and lives about an hour away.

Back at the Watertown gym, Badgley mentioned his frustration to old-time promoter Don Majeski.

"Don talks to this guy, who talks to that guy, who talks to Top Rank," Badgley said about the promotions firm. "The next thing you know I got an e-mail back asking if I wanted to make my pro debut in Madison Square Garden."

"It was a no-brainer," Top Rank's Carl Moretti told Reuters. "What a story. What a kid."

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Modi was a victim of unfair vilification, says Bindra

Published>Thu, Apr 29 10 09:26 PM

New Delhi, April 29 (IANS) Former Indian cricket board president Inderjit Singh Bindra, an influential member of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council, feels suspended IPL chairman Lalit Modi was a victim of unfair vilification and lauded him as marketing genius who has changed the landscape of Indian crikcet.

Saying that he is not holding any brief for Modi, Bindra said the IPL commissioner deserved a better appreciation of his work and a fair trial if anyone thinks he has committed any serious mistakes.

'The time has arrived for me to post some appropriate questions that have been nagging my mind and have interest in the public eye. Is Lalit Modi a builder of the greatest sporting brand in the world in a short span of three years or a villain who has undermined the foundations of the edifice of Indian cricket?' said Bindra.

'In the final analysis, I would like to make it abundantly clear that I hold no brief on behalf of Mr. Modi. Some of the issues which have cropped up concern some alleged violations of laws relating to the FEMA and money laundering and some allegedly serious offences under the Indian Penal Code and are outside the jurisdiction of either the GC or the Working Committee of the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) or the General Body,' Bindra noted.

'However, I am not going to prejudge the issue and in accordance with the constitutional and principles of jurisprudence enshrined in our democratic fabric I will refuse to hold anyone guilty before giving a fair opportunity. I refuse to be swayed by media frenzy in determining vital issues concerning the reputation of not only an individual but also a brand and the reputation of Indian cricket,' he said.

Bindra said he was pleased to read the extracts of Indian cricket board president Shashank Manohar's press briefing wherein he has offered to be totally objective and impartial in the application of the rules and regulations of the board.

'The unfolding events of recent weeks have, undoubtedly, created a crisis that has been fueled by massive media frenzy. Indian cricket has come under threat. The uncontrolled cascade of public perceptions is threatening to tear asunder the wonderful fabric of cricket built thread by thread by many legends,' Bindra said.

'This mosaic of cricketing leadership was woven by the blood, sweat and tears of on-field galaxy of outstanding players and honorary officials working with missionary zeal and unwavering commitment,' said Bindra, recalling the efforts so many cricket administrators in promoting the sport in the country.

'I was fortunate to step into the shoes of Mr. (Madhavrao) Scindia due to the efforts of many friends, including Mr. Jagmohan Dalmiya. This period witnessed the final breaking of the monopoly of Doordarshan for broadcasting rights as per the 1994 decision of the Supreme Court. It was an epoch transformation that attained its full potential post change of regime in November 2005,' g

On Modi, he said: 'It was due to the marketing genius of a maverick -- Lalit Modi -- that Indian cricket finally emerged as a colossus in the international firmament in terms of reach and financial clout. Indian cricket became the epicenter of world cricket and the envy of the cricketing fraternity during this key phase.'

'Lalit Modi is unquestionably responsible for converting Indian cricket into a financial giant and for creating a truly global international brand in the IPL. His positioning, branding and commercial savvy puts the League in the ranks of true marketing icons akin to the many success stories dissected as case studies in leading business schools across the globe.'

'It is a sad surprise that he has suddenly become an object of vilification. All hell broke loose in the media based on some leaks from so called reliable sources within the board and some statements made by principal players in the whole drama. It is disappointing that the vast majority of the media has so far not taken a balanced perspective to the affair,' he added.

Bindra felt sad that the IPL, a successful global sporting brand has overnight became an object of ridicule and vilification in what was a veritable trial by media.

'Make no mistake, I am not sitting here to protect anyone or apportion blame at this stage. I would not like us to rush to judgment. For somebody who has been closely associated with the developments in the international cricketing arena since 1982, I cannot but painfully ponder how and why?' said Bindra.

He also held the cricket fraternity for the ongoing controversy in the IPL.

'I can opine with conviction that part of the blame lies with our own cricketing fraternity for being an instrument in leaking all kinds of unconfirmed reports without veracity or merit. The media has been ready with the guillotine to hang the hero of the IPL. He has been accused of match fixing, rigging of bids, laundering of money, and all kinds of allegations pertaining to financial irregularities and dealings based on unsubstantiated evidence,' he said.

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Plans to start five more Cricket Academies in Kerala

Published Thu, Apr 29 10 07:38 PM

Kochi, Apr 29 (PTI) Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) plans to start 4-5 more state Cricket Academies and district Acadamies throughout the state this year to train 350 students. The state Academies would come up at Palakaad, Perinthalmanna, Thalassery and Waynad. Fifteen district academies would be started in the state this year, KCA Secretary, TC Mathew, told reporters here. During last year, two cricket academies -- Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram and two sports hostels at Mannanam, Mutholi were started in which 56 students were trained. The success of the academies has encouraged the association to start more academies this year, Mathew said. The training is part of Cash Kerala (Cricket Academies and Sports Hostels) project to nurture young cricket talents between the age group of 12-15. Expenses for training and coaching would be met by the KCA, while the parents would have to bear the educational expenses, he said. The academies will have the support of video analyst, trainers, dietician, sports phychologist, Physiotherapist so that the students can be nurtured and brought to the limelight, he said. Two nets in each academy, bowling machines, training grounds and access to the ground were they can play regular matches, boys are trained by experienced BCCI level I and level II coaches and these coaches are getting special training by the BCCI expert coaches. The KCA also has plans to start a rural academy in Rajakat in Idukki at about 2400 feet above sea level which is the first high altitude cricket training center in kerala. Three academies for girls have been planned this year. The KCA will be observing year-long diamond jubilee celebrations of its formation on September 17 this year and BCCI officials are expected to participate, he said. An International stadium had been planned in Kochi and within the next 15 days Chief Minister is expected to give all clearances, he said adding by September the foundation stone for the project was expected to be laid and work to commence. PTI UD RC ATK

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Bopanna-Qureshi bow out of Tunisia Challenger

Published>Thu, Apr 29 10 07:22 PM

Tunis, April 29 (IANS) The top seeded pair of India's Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan went down fighting here to Frederico Gil of Portugal and Marcelo Melo of Brazil in the doubles quarterfinals of the $125,000 Challenger tennis.

Bopanna and Qureshi lost 5-7, 6-3, 9-11 here Wednesday.

The India-Pakistan pair had received a walkover in the first round from experienced Frenchmen Thierry Ascione and Arnaud Clement.

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Stick to the construction timetable, IOC urges Sochi

Published>Thu, Apr 29 10 07:08 PM

Organisers of the Sochi 2014 winter Olympics were urged on Thursday to keep up their construction pace as Europe's largest building site is still a long way away from resembling an Olympic city.

Sochi, which won the Games in 2007 with the majority of its venues needed to be built from scratch, has pledged to start construction of every venue by the end of this year.

It has also got to build sufficient accommodation for visitors and working staff, the IOC said.

"We are happy to see the progress... mainly in the field of construction," Gilbert Felli, the International Olympic Committee's Games Executive Director told reporters.

"But this project is a huge project. The timing is always something we are scrutinising very carefully. We are happy with the deadlines but there is still a lot to do.

He said organisers must meet the volume of necessary accommodation for visitors, workers as well as athletes and officials while also moving more organisation staff from Moscow to Sochi "to be hands-on on the preparations."

The IOC earlier on Thursday was briefed on the progress by Sochi Games chief Dmitry Chernyshenko who confirmed that an ally of Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin would become the new Russian Olympic chief.

Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov, the government's point man for the Sochi Games preparations, will replace Leonid Tyagachyov, who resigned as Russian Olympic chief following the country's worst ever showing at February's Vancouver Olympics.

"Zhukov is the only candidate," Chernyshenko told reporters, adding he would be appointed ROC chief on May 20 but would also remain as head of Sochi's supervisory board.

"It is a unique model of a lack of conflict of interest," Chernyshenko said.

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World Cup returns to the Caribbean as Twenty20

Published>Thu, Apr 29 10 06:58 PM

Grost Islet (St.Lucia), April 29 (IANS) After recent tremors that rocked their cricketers, Pakistan are confident of defending the World Twenty20 title they won nine months ago as their war-torn neighbours Afghanistan make their debut in a major international cricket tournament, starting in Guyana Wednesday.

The 12-nation tournament, supposed to be a biennial event, was played thrice in successive years owing to an anomaly in the world organisation's Future Tour's Programme.

Cricket is back in the Caribbeans, still smarting under a disappointing and yet an eventful 50-over World Cup three years ago. It will be played in the islands of Guyana, Barbados and St. Lucia as the exciting shortest version is fast catching the imagination of cricket fans world over. With two World Cups and three editions of the Indian Premier League, there is a surfeit of the Twenty20 stuff.

The image of the sport is somewhat sullied as it grapples with allegations of match-fixing and corruption in the IPL, but it hardly seemed to affect the fan following as the stadiums are packed and there are more eyes riveted on it with TRPs zooming.

Pakistan, Bangladesh and Australia are in Group A while Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Zimbabwe are in Group B. The 2007 champions India, South Africa have been clubbed with Afghanistan in Group C while hosts the West Indies, England and Ireland are in Group D.

There are no clear favourites -- and there cannot be in a sport where the fortunes of a team take twists and turns in no time.

Since winning the title last year in England, Pakistan have seen worst of the controversies with indefinite bans on World Cup winning captain Younis Khan and top batsman Mohammad Yousuf, who in a pique announced his retirement from international cricket.

Another former captain Shoaib Malik and all-rounder Rana Naved are serving 12-month suspensions as a Pakistan Cricket Board probe panel found them guilty of causing conflicts in the team during their disastrous tour to Australia last year.

Even new captain Shahid Afridi, and the Akmal brothers Umar and Kamran, are on probation. Pakistan are living down the controversies and hope to redeem themselves with a good showing here.

They have enough fire-power to defend their title. Umar, who was the star performer during the team's tour Down Under, Afridi, Misbah-ul-Haq and Kamran will be Pakistan's mainstay in batting while lanky fast bowler Mohammad Aamer, spotted by the legendary Wasim Akram, will surely be the player to watch out for.

The expectations are high as well from their neighbours India since the players are in the Twenty20 mode following their IPL stint. After a second round exit last year, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Co. have set their eyes on regaining the trophy they won in the inaugural year in South Africa, beating Pakistan.

One of the biggest stars in world cricket, Virender Sehwag will be missing from action due to an injury, but India boast the best batting line-up in the tournament. Their bowling, however, is a matter of concern for Dhoni.

Fast bowling spearhead Zaheer Khan and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh have been among wickets for Mumbai Indians, runners-up in the IPL. Dhoni will also rely on a host of part-timers Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Yusuf Pathan, and Yuvraj Singh, who have shown the knack of breaking threatening partnerships.

The spotlight will also be on Australia, who tasted the ignominy of a first round exit last year. They will have new captain in Michael Clarke, who has Shaun Tait and Dirk Nannes to rattle the batsmen. Nannes was part of the Netherlands side that defeated England at Lord's in last year's tournament.

The Australians are in good shape, having lost only one of their last five Twenty20 internationals. Cameron White, David Warner, David Hussey, Mitchell Johnson are some of the big hitters who can make a big difference.

The West Indies at home can be favourites and their showing this format has been pretty exciting. Semi-finalists last year, West Indies start their campaign against Ireland Friday before taking on England, who they defeated last June to reach the semi-finals.

West Indies skipper Chris Gayle, a Jamaican, admitted that home advantage also brings in some pressure. But he said his side was focussed on delivering.

Last year's runners-up Sri Lanka have a sprinkling of match-winners, Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya telling the cricket world that age is no bar in any form of the game.

The world will be watching Afghanistan with keen anticipation, if nothing for their fairytale rise. They are not expected to gobble up teams like India and South Africa, but they can create an impression with their spirited approach that brought them this far from the bottom of the heap.

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'Pained' China accepts Sydney medal loss

Published Thu, Apr 29 10 06:48 PM

China was 'pained' by the loss of a women's gymnastics team bronze medal from the Sydney Olympics but respected the decision to withdraw it after team member Dong Fangxiao was adjudged to have lied about her age.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) asked for the medal to be returned on Wednesday after an International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) probe into Dong's age concluded she had been younger than the minimum age requirement of 16 in 2000.

"The Chinese Gymnastics Association respects the decision of IOC and will actively cooperate with the IOC to deal with this issue according to relevant regulations and requirements," a spokesman told the Xinhua news agency.

"We feel deeply pained by it. We will take it as a lesson to learn, and furthermore will comprehensively intensify the all round management over the athletes to firmly prevent similar things happening."

In a separate statement, the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) wholeheartedly endorsed the decision.

"The COC requires Chinese sports associations to regulate and intensify their education on rules, to take this case as a lesson to learn and resolutely prevent similar cases from happening."

Dong registered different ages at Sydney and the 2008 Beijing Games, where she served as a technical official. Her five team mates -- Yang Yun, Liu Xuan, Ling Jie, Huang Mandan, Kui Yuanyuan -- will also lose their medals.

The CGA also suggested that frequent changes to the FIG's age eligibility rules had contributed to the problem.

"The FIG continuously changes the rule of age limit, which requires us to update the information in time and keep strict monitoring and careful supervision. Any carelessness would cause problems," said the CGA spokesman.

Suspicions of age faking have dogged Chinese sport for years.

The FIG also investigated Yang, who also won a bronze in the uneven bars in Sydney, but found there was insufficient evidence to prove age fraud and she was let off with a warning.

The case against Yang, the wife of China's three-time Olympic champion Yang Wei, was triggered when she admitted on Chinese television before the Beijing Games that she had been 14 when she competed at Sydney.

During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the FIG was ordered by the IOC to investigate the age of China's He Kexin, women's team and uneven bars gold medallist.

He was subsequently declared eligible by the FIG two months after she and her team mates won China's first ever Olympic team gold in women's gymnastics.

Source: Web Search

India won two bronze in Junior World Badminton c''ships

Published Thu, Apr 29 10 06:38 PM

New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) Young Indian shuttlers B Sai Praneeth and H S Prannoy won two bronze medals in the recently concluded Junior World Badminton Championships held at Guadalajara, Mexico. There was more good news for India as three players -- Parneeth, Prannoy in boys and PV Sindhu in girls -- qualified for the Youth Olympic Games to be held at Singapore in August later this year. The tournament, which concluded on April 25, saw some brilliant performance from the Indian junior shuttlers, mainly Prannoy and Praneeth. Prannoy had a good run in the tournament as he beat second seed Malaysian Loh Wei Sheng in the first round and then notched up a win against ninth seeded Hseih Feng of Chinese Taipei in pre-quarter finals. In the quarterfinals, Prannoy defeated Liu Kai of China 21-9, 21-9 with his powerful smashes before going down 9-21 13-21 to Korean Kong Ji Wook in the semifinals. Praneeth also put up a splendid performance, defeating Boonyakorn Thumphanichwong of Thailand in first round, before getting past Claer Bout Lucas of France in the pre-quarters. The Indian lad then defeated Subagja Riyanto of Indonesia 21-14, 21-10 in the quarterfinals before succumbing in the semifinals against Axelsen Viktor of Denmark 17-21, 21-17 15-21. In the girls singles event, PV Sindhu was at her best as she defeated fifth seed Korean Choi Hye Jin in the first round before beating Wentholt Josephine of the Netherlands in the pre-quarter finals. But the Indian lost in the quarterfinals, going down against second seeded Chinese Suo Di 21-13, 17-21, 15-21, a Badminton Association of India release said. Later, Sindhu beat Carolina Marin of Spain 21-17 21-19 to finish fifth. In the team championships, India defeated America by 3-0, Singapore by 3-0 and England by 3-0 before losing 2-3 to Denmark to finish at the ninth position.

Source: Web Search

Wenger against bidding for successful World Cup stars for Arsenal

Published>Thu, Apr 29 10 06:32 PM

London, Apr 29(ANI): Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said he will not be tempted to buy players who make an impact during the World Cup in South Africa.

"The World Cup will not affect our recruitment. It is dangerous to buy on the back of a World Cup. The prices are artificial and you have to bear in mind that anyone can have three weeks of glory," The Sun quoted Wenger, as saying.

Wenger, who has been reluctant on spending money and signing new stars, further said that he will add new players early in the summer.

"To have 10 years of success is quite different. With the season drawing to a close, people are inevitably looking to discuss our transfer targets," Wenger said.

"I do have targets and have been talking to people, but I cannot mention any names at the moment. The earlier you settle your teams for the next season the better it is and the less anxiety you have," he added.

Wenger's transfer policy, based on nuturing young talent and not spending big on established players has been criticized, as Arsenal are on the verge of finishing the season without a trophy for the fifth year in a row. (ANI)

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Ribery 'flew underage prostitute to Germany as 26th birthday present'

Published>Thu, Apr 29 10 06:18 PM

Paris, Apr 29(ANI): French winger Franck Ribery had paid thousands of pounds to jet an underage prostitute, Zahia Dehar, from France to Germany as a 'birthday present' to himself.

Dehar, who had been in hiding since the scandal broke a fortnight ago, revealed that Ribery paid for her first class flights and a five-star hotel for his 26th birthday last year.

"I was Ribery's birthday present. Franck approached me in a Paris club. He booked me and flew me to Munich to celebrate his 26th birthday," The Telegraph quoted Dehar, as saying.

"He made reservations at a luxury hotel in Munich. We had sex and he paid me. I was a lovely little present, wasn't I?" she added.

Ribery has been embroiled in a sex scandal after French police raided the Paris brothel Cafe Zaman, earlier this month.

Dehar had told officers how she had 1,500 pounds-a-night sex with three French international players, including Ribery.

While Ribery has admitted that he had sex with Dehar, he denies paying her or knowing she was only 17-years-old at the time, which would make it illegal. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

First professional basketball league in Mumbai

Published Thu, Apr 29 10 06:08 PM

Mumbai, Apr 29 (PTI) The country''s first professional baseketball league is to be hosted by Mastan YMCA, the cradle of basketball in Mumbai that has produced some of the finest hoopsters, from May 5-15. The inaugural Mastan Basketball Professional League for men and women, sponsored by Lakadawala Developers and organised by the Basketball Federation of India, will present a unique opportunity to the country''s leading players. For a change they would not represent their clubs or companies but would be playing in teams picked by the BFI, prompting players from different states, backgrounds and styles to play together, a media release said today. While a pool of 80 players will be selected to form eight men''s teams, 40 women players will be picked to form four women''s teams. All players will be provided three-star accommodation and boarding besides being paid a professional fee per match, increasing with every stage of the tournament, the release added.

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Warne backs 'good captain' Dhoni led India to win T20 World Cup

Published>Thu, Apr 29 10 05:38 PM

Sydney, Apr 29(ANI): The Indian Premier League (IPL) is often blamed for young cricketers losing their focus, but Australian legend Shane Warne believes that it could help Team India win the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies.

Warne also considers the Michael Clarke-led Australia to be a strong contender for the tournament.

When asked which team would be his favourite for the event, Warne said: "India because their players play so much in the IPL. And Pakistan because the format suits them, but Australia is playing more of it and understanding the game a lot better."

He reckons that opening batsman Virender Sehwag's absence due to a shoulder injury can be a massive loss to India, but said Mahendra Singh Dhoni "is a very good captain", who can overcome all the odds to lead his team to success.

The 40-year-old further views Dhoni, as one of the best Twenty20 cricketers playing in the tournament, along with Australian all-rounder Shane Watson, England batsman Kevin Pietersen, Sri Lankan fast bowler Lasith Malinga and West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard.

Dhoni's team had won the inaugural edition of the Twenty20 World Cup in 2007 after defeating Pakistan by five runs at Johannesburg. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Quail Hollow Championship was a walk in the park for Woods

Published>Thu, Apr 29 10 05:08 PM

Charlotte (North Carolina, US), Apr.29 (ANI): Having finished an uncharacteristic fourth in the Augusta Masters earlier this month, golfer Tiger Woods participation in the Quail Hollow Championship here was a virtual walk in the park.

"I have to say this feels a heck of a lot more normal than the Masters did. I think just two weeks in a row competing is. ... I'll have a better barometer of what normal really feels like because I haven't done that in a while," the New York Daily News quoted Woods, as saying.

Woods is still searching for the swing that was good enough for a tie for fourth at the Masters.

Asked how long it might take before his swing feels normal again, he said: "Usually after I come out of the West Coast swing, I usually feel pretty good about my game. It's usually three events. Coming into Florida, I (usually) fine-tune a few things a few things and show up at Augusta. This has been a little bit different."

Woods is still hounded by the ramifications of his actions. Just last week, he was criticized for attending a Nickelback concert and a backstage party in Orlando.

Asked if he can get back to leading a relatively normal life, Woods said, "No, there's paparazzi everywhere at home, helicopters here and there ... people driving by, paparazzi camping in front of the gates. That hasn't changed." (ANI)

Source: Web Search

East Bengal down but not out, to take on Sporting Clube

Published Thu, Apr 29 10 04:38 PM

Kolkata, Apr 29 (PTI) Despite their six-match humilation in the AFC Cup, East Bengal with their star striker Bhaichung Bhutia fully fit, will take fresh guard in the I-League when they face bottom-rung Sporting Clube de Goa at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan here tomorrow. The Federation Cup champions lost to Al-Nejmeh 0-4 in the AFC Cup to cap a woeful run that saw the side concede 20 goals in six matches. But East Bengal had a silver-lining in their loss to the Lebanese outfit with India captain Bhaichung Bhutia playing the full duration of the match - something that will bolster the side, even as they are down with injuries to their key players -- Uga Okpara (ankle), Syed Rahim Nabi (thigh), Subhash Singh (knee) and Yusif Yakubu (groin). East Bengal have 24 points, but to their advantage they have six matches left in the I-League, compared to 20 points of Sporting, who have relegation threat looming large. The Goans have four matches left in the I-League. In absence of Okpara, East Bengal''s defence has been in a disarray with the likes of Saumik Dey and Harmanjot Khabra failing to lead the backline. For the Goan outfit, languishing at the bottom of the table, injury to their ace striker Nathaniel Amos has been a cause for concern. .

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Seven top players excluded from Pak hockey squad for Azlan Shah Cup

Published>Thu, Apr 29 10 04:18 PM

Karachi, Apr.29 (ANI): The experienced trio of Sohail Abbas, Rehan Butt and Shakeel Abbasi have been axed from the Pakistan hockey squad after they failed to impress the selectors during the trials held here at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium.

Announcing an 18-member squad for the upcoming Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey tournament in Ipoh, Malaysia, chief selector Hanif Khan said the three players have actually been 'rested'.

Pakistan would be going to Malaysia without seven of its top players as skipper Zeeshan Ashraf, Akhtar Ali and Mohammad Waseem have already opted out of the May 6-16 tournament. Goalkeeper Salman Akbar did not attend the trials.

"We have rested senior players Sohail, Rehan and Shakeel as they looked mentally stressed in the trials, so we have selected new players in a hope that it starts a new beginning for Pakistan hockey," Khan said.

30-year old full-back Mohammad Imran has been handed over the captaincy for the tournament, which would feature world champions Australia, South Korea, hosts Malaysia, India, China and Egypt.

Khan also expressed the hope that the newly capped players would salvage the country's pride after the catastrophic show at last month's World Cup in New Delhi, where Pakistan finished on a humiliating 12th spot.

"We have the Commonwealth Games in India and then the Asian Games later in the year, so we hope that this new team settles soon. Don't expect medals from this team soon but, once they settle, they will win laurels," The Daily Times quote Khan, as saying.

Pakistan contingent:

Mohammad Imran (captain), Imran Shah, Imran Butt, Aamir Shahzad, Kashif Ali, Mohammad Irfan, Fareed Ahmed, Mohammad Rashid, Zeeshan Ali, Mohammad Tauseeq, Waqas Sharif, Shafqat Rasool, Abdul Haseem Khan, Mohammad Zubair, Mohammad Rizwan, Andul Qayyum, Kashif Ali, Umar Bhutta. (ANI)

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NBA - Bucks shoot down Hawks to take series lead

Published Thu, Apr 29 10 04:08 PM

The Milwaukee Bucks produced a stunning late comeback to snatch a 91-87 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday and close in on a major series upset.

Trailing by nine points with four minutes remaining, the Bucks constructed a 14-0 run and surged into a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven first-round series.

Rookie point guard Brandon Jennings led the way with 25 points and John Salmons scored eight of his 19 in the pivotal fourth quarter run for the Bucks.

"This would have to be the best game of the whole year because it's the playoffs," Jennings told reporters. "I had got a little motivation before the game so that made me want to come out and really play. I knew I had to come out aggressive."

Milwaukee had not reached the playoffs since 2006 but after winning three games in a row following two losses at the start of the series, the sixth seeds can eliminate Atlanta with a home win on Friday.

The Hawks have struggled on the road and did not seriously threaten during back-to-back losses in Milwaukee but were expected to return to winning form at home.

Al Horford had 25 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for Atlanta while Marvin Williams had 22 points, but their team mates struggled to contribute and top scorer Joe Johnson fouled out in the fourth with 13 points.

Jamal Crawford, who earlier this week was named the National Basketball Association's best player in a reserve role, managed just 4-for-18 shooting to finish with 11 points.

After a tight first half, Atlanta built a 13-point lead in the third quarter and looked on course for victory before Milwaukee's late charge put the visitors in control of the series.

In Denver, the Nuggets kept their season alive with a 116-102 victory over the Utah Jazz.

Carmelo Anthony recorded 26 points and 11 rebounds as the Nuggets cut their best-of-seven series deficit to 3-2.

Utah point guard Deron Williams had 34 points and 10 assists in the loss, but the Jazz will have another chance to close out the series Friday at home.

Source: Web Search

Akram backs India, Pakistan as joint favourites for ICC T20 title

Published>Thu, Apr 29 10 03:38 PM

Karachi, Apr.29 (ANI): Former Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram has backed both India and defending champions Pakistan as favourites to lift the ICC World T20 Championship, starting April 30 in the West Indies.

Akram said both the sub-continental giants have the talent and passion to take home the coveted silverware.

"Australia and South Africa are also capable of winning but the nature of the West Indies pitches make Pakistan and India favourites, because they will help sub-continent spinners," The Daily Times quoted Akram, as saying.

He said that since the Pakistani team has not played much international cricket in the recent past, it has the hunger to do well.

"Pakistan have been starved of cricket, so they have the thirst to win the title again," Akram said.

He pointed that Pakistan has got a fighter in skipper Shahid Afridi, who possess the aggression needed at the international stage.

"You need someone like Afridi as captain in Twenty20 cricket. He has aggression needed in a leader and in a short Twenty20 match he will always sparkle," Akram said.

He said the Pakistan squad has a number of talented players who can rise to the occasion and create trouble for even the best teams in the world.

"Look at the available talent, Afridi can single-handedly win a Twenty20 match as he is equally lethal with bat and ball, and then the depth in bowling makes Pakistan favourites," said the former pacer, who is regarded as one of greatest swing bowlers of all time.

Speaking about India's chances, Akram said: "What I have seen is a remarkable passion in the Indian players as well as in the public to win this title, and they too have a very good team."

Akram said that a final between the 2007 champions India and the defending champions Pakistan is what he is looking forward for.

"You cannot rule out an Indo-Pak final, which will do a world of good for international cricket," he said. (ANI)

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'Hosts' West Indies have an edge in ICC World T20 Championship: Rameez

Published>Thu, Apr 29 10 03:10 PM

Lahore, Apr.29 (ANI): With only a day left for the commencement of the ICC World T20 Championship, former Pakistan captain Rameez Raja has said that while all major teams stand a chance to pocket the coveted title, it is the hosts West Indies who would have an edge.

Rameez said it was difficult to pick a team as the favourite for the T20 title.

"All teams share equal chances in the event and predictions are hard to make in the shortest format. May be the West Indies might have a slight edge being the hosts," The Daily Times quoted Rameez, as saying.

Speaking on Pakistan's chances of defending the title, he said the defending champions have some quality spinners who could do well in Caribbean conditions.

"Several quality spinners could boost Pakistan's title campaign in the Twenty20 World Cup," Rameez said.

He, however, pointed out that Pakistan would greatly miss the services of fast bowler Umar Gul, who failed to recover on time from a shoulder injury sustained during the training camp.

Rameez said Pakistan's hopes would largely depend on experienced players like skipper Shahid Afridi and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq.

"Afridi and Razzaq hold the key for Pakistan," he said. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

The Most Influential Athletes

Published>Thu, Apr 29 10 02:52 PM

Tom Van Riper, Forbes.com

Cyclist extraordinaire Lance Armstrong has seven Tour de France titles to his credit. He's been named Associated Press male athlete of the year four times, a record matched only by Tiger Woods (Armstrong remains the only one to win four consecutively).

Along the way, he dated Cheryl Crow, ran the New York City Marathon and flirted with a run for Texas governor. And he did it all while battling cancer, the cause that brought him back to competitive racing in 2009 after a four-year retirement. Declaring cancer awareness as his chief motivation, Armstrong finished third in last year's Tour de France at age 37. He plans to make another run this year.

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It all adds up to grant Armstrong the status as the most influential athlete in America, according to surveys by Encino, Calif.-based E-Poll Market Research, the research firm that measures over 5,000 celebrities on 46 attributes including influence, awareness and likability. More than half of all Americans know who Armstrong is, according to E-Poll data, more than Peyton Manning or LeBron James. Nearly a third consider him to be "influential," while 46% profess to "like him a lot."

Talent is just a part of why the public would consider an athlete as "influential." The rest is drawn from endorsements and media attention, along with off-the-field image (cancer awareness work only helps, of course). In short, has the player raised interest in the sport he plays?

"It means that people feel he's making an impact," says Gerry Philpott, E-Poll's chief executive.

Both James and Manning, poster boys for the NBA and NFL, respectively, join Armstrong in the top ten. What people like: the right mix of confidence and humility, along with the perception of James and Manning as team-oriented players who place winning above individual stats.

The same is largely true of Boston Celtics star Kevin Garnett, whose public profile doesn't quite match James or Kobe Bryant but who's seen as an intense competitor who will go all out to win, including putting up maximum effort on the defensive end of the court. Garnett's trade to Boston from low-profile Minnesota before the 2007-08 season did wonders for his "go to battle" reputation as lhe ed the Celtics to a title during a nationally televised playoff run. And his willingness to play through injuries this season has earned him good press coverage, even as it's reduced his effectiveness on the floor.

Notably missing from the list: Tiger Woods, whose scores placed him at or close to the top less than a year ago, according to Philpott. No one can doubt Woods' enormous influence on golf over the years. But the retreat of several of his sponsors in the wake of his personal problems has people naturally assuming that his influence is waning, at least for now.

"People hear about Accenture, AT&T and others pulling out, and they figure he's just not as influential any more," Philpott says.

Not surprisingly, eight of the ten most influential athletes hail from individual sports (cycling, speed skating, snowboarding) or from the NBA, which markets individual stars over team brands. Major League Baseball, where fans tend to be more tribal (i.e., following teams more than players), isn't represented, though Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols just misses, says E-Poll. And what if 2010 brings LeBron an NBA championship and Armstrong another Tour de France title? Let the recalculating begin.

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