Pawar denies family's involvement in IPL bid

Published>Fri, Jun 04 10 11:48 AM

New Delhi: Union minister Sharad Pawar today dismissed reports of his family's involvement in the City Corporation's failed bid for the Pune IPL team, saying the construction company's Managing Director made the attempt in his individual capacity.

Amid reports alleging Pawar family's shareholding in the company, which ultimately lost the bid to the Sahara Group, Pawar said, "I have stated earlier also that neither I nor any of my family members were involved in any IPL team or the bidding process and I reiterate that statement."

The Pawar family reportedly has a sizeable shareholding in the Pune-based company but the former BCCI President insisted that the company's Managing Director Aniruddha Deshpande was given permission by its Board of Directors to get involved in the bid in an individual capacity.

"We were not involved at all in the bidding process.

Source: Web Search

Ex-Pak cricketers hail Akhtar, Malik's inclusion in Asia Cup squad

Published>Fri, Jun 04 10 11:38 AM

Lahore, Jun.4 (ANI): Former cricketers, including incumbent coach Waqar Younis, have backed the Pakistan Cricket Board's decision to include fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar in the 15-man squad for the upcoming Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.

Waqar welcomed Akhtar's inclusion and said the controversial speedster would be used in short spells during the June 15-24 quadrangular one-day tournament.

Former chief selector Salahuddin Sallu described the team as a 'balanced' squad, saying that the inclusion of both Akhtar and Shoiab Malik would enhance the prospects of the team in the coming assignment.

Another former chief selector Abdul Qadir also welcomed both Malik and Akhtar's inclusion, The News reports.

Qadir, however, expressed surprise over the PCB's decision to select four specialist openers in the squad.

Openers Imran Farhat and Shahzaib Hasan have also made their comeback in the national squad.

The team:

Shahid Afridi, Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal ,Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Shoaib Malik, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Amin, Asad Shafique, Shahzaib Hasan, Abdul Rehman, Imran Farhat, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamer, and Saeed Ajmal. (ANI)

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South Africa is having a ball - with World Cup

Published>Fri, Jun 04 10 11:22 AM

The World Cup 2010, a historic first for Africa, is set to begin in a few days. For host nation South Africa, it is about football and much more. The recent photograph of 91-year-old Nelson Mandela, caressing the 18-carat gold trophy and beaming with joy, said it all. Regardless of who lifts the World Cup, South Africa is already a winner.

South Africans proudly remember Feb 11, 1990, the day Mandela was released from prison after 27 years, and May 10, 1994,when he was inaugurated as the first president after democratic elections. June 11, the day the tournament begins this year, is now being hailed as a similar milestone. President Jacob Zuma has described the occasion as 'a defining moment comparable to the end of apartheid'.

In May 2004, South Africa won the right to hold the tournament, defeating the claims of Morocco and Egypt. Immediately its self-confidence and elation touched a new high. The triumph resulted from a brilliantly executed campaign that had received valuable assistance from Nobel laureates Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. It was a positive nod to South Africans who had projected 2010 as 'Africa's World Cup'.

But doubts surfaced soon enough. They persisted for long as the media carried stories of glitches and delays in infrastructure development as well as horror stories about crime in major cities such as Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria. FIFA's alleged 'Plan B', the possibility of hosting the World Cup in Australia, received some traction until Stepp Blater, FIFA president, categorically dismissed it.

Meanwhile, South Africans managed to get their act together, speeding up construction and restoration work on their roads, hotels, airports and stadiums. Living in Pretoria from December 2006 to December 2009, I witnessed a steady and impressive rise in the tempo of preparations in all relevant domains.

Now, as Barry Moody, a respected columnist, puts it: 'After years of doubt, soul-searching and criticism, South Africa stands on the threshold of a unique World Cup that looks likely to confound pessimists.'

Football fever is at its zenith, touching all walks of life. It seems that the entire nation, from cabinet ministers down to schoolchildren, is busy mastering steps of the Diski Dance, a series of rhythmic soccer moves, which showcases the country's passion for the sport.

It does not mean that all worries have disappeared. Ticket sales were rather slow. They have picked up recently after the authorities took measures to push domestic sales. Anxiety about a terrorist attack remains, with presumably the well-known international outfits being kept under a close scanner. A cartoon of Prophet Mohammed by the controversial cartoonist Zapiro in the prestigious weekly Mail and Guardian and its strong condemnation by the Muslim community posed a potential problem, but it seems to have been overcome. South Africans are hopeful of staging a trouble-free World Cup.

It will be a tournament marked by razzmatazz, African colours, dance and music. Sitting next to President Zuma at the Indian Premier League-II finals in Johannesburg last year, I saw him and tens of thousands of his countrymen watching spellbound the combination of Bollywood tamasha, African rhythm and spectacular fireworks. Festivities relating to the World Cup are certain to surpass anything that preceded them. And, for sure, there will be parties galore.

South Africans are, of course, unhappy to be placed in Group 'A' that includes majors like France, Mexico and Uruguay. 'Bafana Bafana' (The Boys), as the South African team is known, will need much luck to get through its first match with Mexico. What it will certainly get is massive support from highly charged local fans, each armed with his 'vuvuzela'. It is a plastic trumpet which emits a noise similar to a swarm of bees or a dying elephant. It has been described as the South African team's '12th man.' Vuvuzela music is viewed as a nuisance by some Western teams, but South Africa's head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has appealed to fans: 'Make them louder, louder, louder!'

With South Africa now placed at 90 in world rankings, no one is betting on its victory. But their triumph is already assured through their ability to be the first country in Africa to stage it on global standards. Besides, the World Cup is attracting extra tourists, foreign investments and unprecedented publicity. Renewed infrastructure is a major plus. The opportunity to cement national sentiments, bridge the black-white chasm and project a 'we have arrived' message is important. There is unspoken regret that African neighbouring nations have not fully accepted the tournament as 'Africa's World Cup.' But, objectively speaking, the tournament is a boost for self-confidence not only of South Africa but Africa as a whole. 'We must rise,' said President Zuma, 'and tell the story of a continent which is alive with possibilities.'

I phoned a European diplomat in Delhi a few days back with a request for visa assistance to a friend. She had served in Johannesburg until recently and was feeling sad at the prospect of watching the World Cup on television. 'I understand and share your anguish.' My words established an immediate connection. The assistance was given in a jiffy.

Friends of South Africa in India sincerely hope the World Cup will pass off peacefully and joyously. Only one regret though: If only our squad had been there, flying the tricolour!

Source: Web Search

SAfricans learn tongue twister anthem for World Cup

Published>Fri, Jun 04 10 11:08 AM

Before every South African football match, fans and players put their hands on their chest and with serious faces belt out the national anthem. But mid-song some keep quiet or fumble the words.

The South African national anthem includes verses in five of the country's 11 official languages, a tongue twister which has prompted the culture ministry to devise ways of encouraging everyone to sing the whole song.

Lerato Matshikiza, 25, from Johannesburg said that she only sings the Xhosa, Zulu and English parts of the anthem, humming through the Sotho and Afrikaans lines.

But she decided to learn all the lyrics after she attended a church function with American priests in December.

"It was so embarrassing. When we sang the national anthem, everyone sang on a high note at the beginning, but when it came to the Afrikaans bit no one knew the lyrics. So we kinda made up the words and the song picked up again on the English part."

Themba Mabaso, of the national culture department, said come the June 11 opening World Cup game between Bafana and Mexico, South Africans will sing all the lyrics.

"In our research, we found people didn't sing the lyrics because they were in a language they did not understand. So we designed literature that would unpack the content and meaning of the song in all languages," he said.

The booklets simplify the spelling of the words to make them easier to pronounce, he said.

The department also teamed with community organisations around the country to hold rehearsal sessions to teach the song, which is available as a CD or MP3 file, or even a cell phone ringtone, so people can practise at home.

Although many South Africans can't sing the national anthem, reggae singer Ras Dumisani drew national outrage with his off-key rendition before a rugby match in France last year.

South Africans were also up in arms when the anthem was cut to two verses at the opening match of last year's FIFA Confederations Cup. No explanation was ever given for the cut.

Under white-minority rule, which ended in 1994, the official anthem was "Die Stem" (The Voice of South Africa).

Most blacks sang "Nkosi Sikelel'iAfrika" (God Bless Africa) at anti-apartheid rallies as a symbol of independence and resistance to white rule.

The two anthems were merged into one in 1997 in a sign of unity.

But last year Afro-pop singer Thandiswa Mazawi refused to sing the Afrikaans verses at a youth day function, saying on social networking site Facebook that she hated the anthem. "How can it be that the anthem and prayer for Africa is now so blatantly joined with the anthem which systematically raped this land and its people of all its value and pride?"

Many South Africans simply don't know the verses that aren't in their own language.

Despite the end of forced segregation, South African sport remains divided along colour lines, with football seen as a black sport and rugby for whites.

Football players are often silent on the Afrikaans lyrics, while rugby players skip the first three verses in African languages.

Mabaso hopes the anthem will emerge as a unifying force, like during the 1995 rugby World Cup when the winning team of mostly white Afrikaakners attended music lessons to learn the Xhosa, Zulu and Sotho lyrics.

"The anthem is meant to unite the country and showcase South Africa's identity. Of all the national symbols we found, the national anthem to be the one people emotionally connected to," Mabaso said.

"We are really fortunate to be given a second chance by hosting the World Cup, so we can cement our nationalism and identity," he said.

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Kallis, Duminy lead Proteas to cleansweep of Windies

Published>Fri, Jun 04 10 10:18 AM

Half-centuries from Jacques Kallis and JP Duminy helped South Africa complete a clean sweep of their One-day International series with West Indies, when they won the fifth and final match by one wicket in Port of Spain.

Thursday's result meant that South Africa have now swept West Indies 5-0 in each of their last three bilateral ODI series.

Kallis, the Man-of-the-Match, hit five boundaries in the top score of 57 at better than a run-a-ball, and Duminy struck just one four in 51 from 75 deliveries, as the South Africans, in pursuit of 253 for victory, reached their target with just two balls to spare on a slow Queen's Park Oval pitch.

Lonwabo Tsotsobe carried the Proteas over the threshold, when he slapped a wide delivery from Kieron Pollard through cover for four.

"It's terrific to have achieved this result, and bounce back from the failure at the Twenty20 World Cup," said South African captain Graeme Smith.

"It was an important time for us as a group of people, and it was important for us to regain the faith of a lot of the public back home.

"I think a lot of the fans back home in South Africa support us through thick and thin, so it is nice to give them all something about which to feel good."

Like last Sunday, the Proteas ran into late trouble, when Charl Langeveldt was caught behind for six off the last ball of the penultimate over to leave the visitors needing eight from the final over.

But Roelof van der Merwe swung the first ball of the final over from Pollard over square leg for four to ease South Africa's tension before Tsotsobe won it for them three balls later.

"The last few games have been too close for comfort," said Smith. "We have chased on some pretty flat pitches, and West Indies have controlled the games at different times, and we have lost wickets at crucial times.

"But we have held our nerve. Winning is a habit, and when you get into tight games, and you are used to winning, you are able to limp over the line."

West Indies skipper Chris Gayle admitted that his side were in a bit of a rut.

"We seen to be in a bad habit of losing, and when it comes down to these tight situations in matches, we do not know how to handle ourselves," said Gayle.

"All in all, credit must go to South Africa. They played well. We were beaten fair and square. We had our chances, but we did not make use of them.

"It's been tough losing this much. The good thing is we have a few days off to put this behind us, and hopefully, we can get a fresh start in the (forthcoming) Test series."

South Africa had bowled with discipline to restrict West Indies, but Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit the top score of 67 from 104 balls, and Narsingh Deonarine helped himself to a run-a-ball 53 to lead the Windies to 252 for six from their 50 overs.

The visitors then started their chase steadily, but Smith was caught behind of Dwayne Bravo for 12 in the ninth over.

The South Africans then stumbled, when Hashim Amla, who earned the Man-of-the-Series award for his 402 runs, which made him the most prolific batsman in the series, was run out for 45 in the 14th over, and AB de Villiers was caught at deep mid-on of Gayle in the 19th over.

Kallis and Duminy put the Proteas back on course for victory with a stand of 58, but Kallis was dubiously caught behind off Gayle in the 36th over, and Mark Boucher was caught at short third man off Pollard to leave the visitors needing 78 from the last 84 balls.

South Africa lost their way inside the last 10 overs, when four wickets fell for 35 runs from 34 balls, but their last wicket pair held steady.

The two sides now prepare for a series of three Tests, with matches in Trinidad (June 10-14), St. Kitts (June 18-22), and Barbados (June 26-30).

The South Africans start a two-day tour match on Saturday against Trinidad & Tobago at the Frank Worrell ground on the St. Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies.

Source: Web Search

Nadal and Soderling on course for Paris rematch

Published>Fri, Jun 04 10 09:48 AM

In a French Open of upsets, only Rafael Nadal's progress has been predictable and he is now strong favourite to add to his four titles after storming into Friday's semi-final against Jurgen Melzer without losing a set.

The other semi is between Robin Soderling, Roger Federer's conqueror and the only man to beat Nadal at Roland Garros, and Tomas Berdych who knocked out fourth seed Andy Murray.

Melzer, the first Austrian man since Thomas Muster in 1995 to reach the semi-final of a grand slam, produced an inspired comeback to beat Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals.

Until this week, Melzer had never made it beyond the third round of a grand slam. He has met Nadal twice, the Spaniard winning both, and a Melzer victory would top any of the shocks seen here so far.

"I'm in the semi-finals against Melzer and it will be a very difficult match. I'm focused on that match right now," said Nadal who looks set to get the perfect chance to avenge last year's fourth-round defeat by Soderling in Sunday's final should they both play to form in the semis.

Source: Web Search

Fabregas back for Spain, Italy lose

Published>Fri, Jun 04 10 09:28 AM

Cesc Fabregas returned to action after two months out injured and played for an hour in Spain's 1-0 World Cup warm-up win over South Korea on Thursday.

World Cup holders Italy did not fare as well, losing 2-1 to Mexico, and Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger converted two penalties to give his side a 3-1 win over Bosnia in their last warm-up before the tournament in South Africa.

Arsenal midfielder Fabregas had a good chance to open the scoring for Spain when he hit the crossbar after 35 minutes but Jesus Navas's stunning late goal secured victory for the European champions who fielded mainly second-choice players.

"The first half was better than the second for me. This has all been a bit like a pre-season for me, but I am feeling good," Fabregas told Spanish state television.

Striker Fernando Torres, recovering from knee surgery, remained the only Spanish player not to have featured in the warm-up matches.

Italy went down to goals from Mexico's Carlos Vela and Cuauhtemoc Blanco before substitute Leonardo Bonucci pulled one back in a goalmouth scramble three minutes from time.

"I don't think we could have met a worse team today," said Italy coach Marcello Lippi, explaining that his side had just completed 10 days altitude conditioning and were not fully match fit.

"There are no alarm bells... We need to get fit gradually and peak at the right time. It's true I expected to see us better prepared physically," he told a news conference.

Mexico face South Africa in the opening match of the World Cup on June 11.

LAHM CAPTAIN

Philipp Lahm marked his debut as Germany captain with the equaliser against Bosnia having played a part in the 15th-minute opener when his clearance struck striker Edin Dzeko and sailed over keeper Manuel Neuer.

Schweinsteiger calmly converted penalties in the 73rd and 74th minutes to give Germany victory.

"In the second half, despite three weeks of preparation, we increased the tempo again and that was good to see," said Germany coach Joachim Loew.

"The potential is there. Everyone has worked hard and I think we have a good team, the mood is good in the team and we can play a good tournament."

France play their final warm up on Friday against China and centre back William Gallas should be fit after recovering from a stomach ache.

"He's really well," coach Raymond Domenech told reporters at the team's training camp in the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion.

Domenech was less pleased that around 200 children were prevented from watching training by security staff who had planned for a crowd of no more than 3,000.

"The fact 200 fans stayed at the door is unacceptable," he said. "They were kids, not hooligans.

"I don't know who took the decision but it's a scandal. The players were looking forward to seeing lots of kids in the stadium and there were plenty of empty seats."

Brazil coach Dunga was also venting his anger with renewed criticism of the World Cup ball, saying players from other countries were unhappy with it too.

FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke was in the firing line after he implied during a news conference that, in criticising the ball, Brazil were looking for excuses in case they failed to win the tournament.

"All he (Valcke) has to do is play," Dunga told reporters. "If he plays he will have a different opinion.

"Let's put him on the field to play, to come and train here with us, with this ball, and afterwards we can talk.

"It's not just the Brazilian players who are complaining, it's players from a number of countries," he added.

Source: Web Search

Sports bar

Published>Fri, Jun 04 10 08:38 AM

West Indies make 252 for 6

Half-centuries by Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Narsingh Deonarine resurrected the West Indies' innings in the fifth and final ODI against South Africa at the Queen's Park Oval on Friday. Chanderpaul scored 67, while Deonarine contributed 53, as the hosts posted 252 for the loss of six wickets. South Africa lead the series 4-0.

Brief scores: West Indies 252/6 in 50 overs

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Team India lose to Zimbabwe by 7 wickets in Harare ODI

Published>Thu, Jun 03 10 09:37 PM

Harare (Zimbabwe), June 3 (ANI): Team India continued its losing spree against Zimbabwe, as it suffered a humiliating seven-wicket defeat at the hands of the host country in a tri-series one-dayer played at the Hazare Sports Club here on Thursday.

Put into bat first, India managed a meager 194 for nine with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja top scoring with 51.

Team Zimbabwe chased down the target of 195 runs with seventy balls to spare. Opening batsman Brendan Taylor scored 74 of 90 balls in the successful run chase. (ANI)

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Openers'' poor form a worry for the team: Raina

Published Thu, Jun 03 10 09:09 PM

Harare, Jun 3 (PTI) Indian skipper Suresh Raina today blamed the batsmen in general and the openers in particular for the team''s back-to-back defeat against Zimbabwe in the ongoing tri-series here. "We didn''t bat well. We are not getting good partnerships from the openers. They didn''t get runs in last two games. Over all we did not bat well," a disappointed Raina said after the match. "We should have probably scored 260-270. We have to learn from our mistakes and perform well in the next game. Zimbabwe bowled really well," he added. After thrashing India in the tournament-opener by six wickets, Zimbabwe crushed the visitors yet again today as they chased down a paltry target of 195 with 11.4 overs to spare at the Harare Sports club. This defeat have jeopardised India''s chances to reach the final of the tri-series. The visitors will face Sri Lanka in a do-or-die battle on Saturday. "It is an important game for us. Sri Lanka have a very good side and we will have to play really good cricket. Let''s hope we play well," Raina said. His Zimbabwean counterpart Elton Chigumbura attributed the victory to the splendid bowling spell of Andy Blignaut and the opening partnership of Hamilton Masakadza and Brendon Taylor who forged 128 runs in 26.3 overs. "It''s a good comeback after the last game. Our bowlers bowled well, especially (Andy) Blignaut. His 10 overs for around 22 runs was outstanding. All the rest of the bowlers also bowled well," Chigumbura said. "We wanted the openers to give us a good start and they did. The opening partnership set the foundation and after that it was going to be easy to go after the bonus point," he added. Notching up his second successive Man of the Match award against India, opener Brendon Taylor said while he was happy with his effort, consistency remains a problem for him. "I am very happy with this performance after our dismal effort against Sri Lanka. Batting with Hamilton, I am always relaxed. He is a powerful hitter. For some reason I was ahead of him today. Consistency has been my biggest problem. If I can get another good knock, I would be happy," he said. PTI ATK PDS

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Scoreboard: India vs Zimbabwe, ODI tri-series

Published>Thu, Jun 03 10 08:37 PM

Harare, June 3 (IANS) The following is the Scoreboard of the ODI tri-series match between India and Zimababwe here Thursday:

India:

Dinesh Karthik c Taibu b Lamb 33

Murali Vijay st Taibu b Lamb 21

Virat Kohli c Taibu b Utseya 18

Rohit Sharma run out (Chigumbura/Cremer) 13

Suresh Raina run out (Blignaut) 3

Ravindra Jadeja c Masakadza b Blignaut 51

Yusuf Pathan lbw b Price 15

Amit Mishra c Coventry b Cremer 0

Ashok Dinda c Taylor b Lamb 16

Pragya Ojha not out 7

Umesh Yadav not out 3

Extras: (lb-7, w-7) 14

Total: (for nine wickets in 50 overs) 194

Fall of wickets: 1-58 (Karthik, 16.1 overs), 2-63 (Vijay, 18.4), 3-86 (Kohli, 24.6), 4-92 (Raina, 26.4), 5-95 (Sharma, 27.5), 6-127 (Pathan, 36.4), 7-128 (Mishra, 37.3), 8-176(Dinda, 44.5), 9-190 (Jadeja, 49.2)

Bowling:

Andy Blignaut 10 1 22 1

Ray Price 10 0 37 1

Greg Lamb 10 0 45 3

Prosper Utseya 10 0 41 1

Graeme Cremer 10 0 42 1

Zimbabwe:

Hamilton Masakadza c Kohli b Jadeja 66

Brendan Taylor c Vijay b Ojha 74

Charles Coventry c Pathan b Jadeja 20

Elton Chigumbura not out 16

Tatenda Taibu not out 13

Extras: (lb-5, w-2, nb-1) 8

Total: (for three wickets in 38.2 overs) 197

Fall of wickets: 1-128 (Taylor, 26.3 overs), 2-161 (Masakadza, 31.4), 3-170 (Coventry, 33.2)

Bowling:

Ashok Dinda 8.2 0 54 0

Pragyan Ojha 10 0 35 1

Umesh Yadav 4 0 20 0

Amit Mishra 9 0 56 0

Ravindra Jadeja 7 0 27 2

Toss: Zimbabwe, who chose to field

Umpires: Owen Chirombe and Rudi Koertzen (South Africa)

TV umpire: Russell Tiffin

Match referee: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand)

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Spirited Zimbabwe stun lacklustre India again

Published Thu, Jun 03 10 08:23 PM

Harare, Jun 3 (PTI) A listless India received their second mauling in a week at the hands of hosts Zimbabwe, who crushed them by seven wickets in the ongoing cricket tri-series here today. In a shock repeat of the tournament opener, India dished out yet another pathetic display in all three departments of the game to suffer a crushing defeat with 11.4 overs to spare that seriously jeopardised their chances of reaching the June 9 final. Put into bat, India''s famed line-up came out with a shoddy display to crawl to a below-par 194 for nine in 50 overs. Things, in fact, could have been worse but for Ravindra Jadeja''s gritty 72-ball 51 down the order. India needed to bowl out of their skin to defend the paltry total but Zimbabwe cashed in on a steady start and cruised to 197 for three in 38.2 overs to humble their opponents. This was also India''s first back-to-back defeat against the minnows. For Zimbabwe, Brendan Taylor (74) and Hamilton Masakadza (66) scored bulk of the runs with their 128-run opening partnership in 26.3 overs as the hosts bagged five points, including a bonus, from the match. They now have nine points from three matches that brightened their chance for a place in the final. India now must beat Sri Lanka on Saturday and then wait for the outcome of the islanders'' match against Zimbabwe on Monday for a place in the final. Needing less than five runs an over, Zimababwe made a slow but steady start with Masakzada and Taylor shunning risk in the first half hour before stepping up the tempo once they settled down. Taylor, who played some exquisite shots including a six off Umesh Yadav, reached his fifty in the 17th over off 59 balls with a single off Jadeja. India could break the Zimbabwean opening stand in only the 27th over with Ojha removing Taylor who holed out to long-off fielder Murali Vijay but not before taking the home side to the threshold of victory. After Taylor was out, Masakzada took upon himself the responsibility of maintaining the momemtum. Once he reached to his fifty, Masakzada hoisted Amit Mishra for two successive sixes in the 30th over to raise the 150 of Zimbabwe innings. Masakadza was out in the 32nd over of the bowling of Jadeja with Virat Kohli taking a stunning catch. Jadeja (2/27) got his second wicket in the form of Charles Coventry (20) before captain Elton Chigumbura (16 not out) and Tatenda Taidu (13 not out) took Zimbabwe home comfortably.

Source: Web Search

Cricket should not be an event in the Asian Games: Gill

Published>Thu, Jun 03 10 08:17 PM

New Delhi, June 03(ANI): While speaking to the media persons at New Delhi on Wednesday M S Gill, India's Minister of Sports said that he personally does not feel games such as cricket should be included in Asian Games. Gill added that it is upto the Board of Cricket Control for India (BCCI) to decide whether to send men's and women's teams to Guangzhou or not.

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Paes-Dlouhy cruise to finals, eye successive French Open title

Published Thu, Jun 03 10 08:13 PM

Paris, June 3 (PTI) Leander Paes and his Czech partner Lukas Dlouhy are just one step away from winning back-to-back French Open men''s doubles title after they stormed into the final with a straight set victory over Julian Knowle and Andy Ram here today. The third seeded Indo-Czech duo defeated their 10th seeded opponents Knowle of Austria and Ram of Israel 6-4 6-2 in a lop-sided semifinal match which lasted 75 minutes at Roland Garros. If Paes and Dlouhy win the summit match against second seeded duo of Daniel Nestor of Canada and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia, it would be the fourth French Open men''s doubles title for the Indian. Paes has already won the title in 1999 and 2001 (both with Mahesh Bhupathi) and then with Dlouhy in 2009. With already six men''s doubles and five mixed doubles Grand Slam crowns in his pocket, Paes, if he wins the final this time, will become the Indian with most Grand Slam triumphs with 12 titles -- one more than his estranged partner Bhupathi. Paes and Cara Black, who won the Australian Open mixed doubles Grand Slam title early this year, however, are already out of the French Open after losing their match in the quarterfinals here. Paes and Dlouhy made a rollicking start breaking their opponents'' serve in the first game and then held their own to surge 2-0 ahead. The defending champions then broke Knowle-Ram in the seventh game to go 5-2 up and wrapped up the first set 6-4 in 37 minutes. A set up, Paes and Dlouhy, however, did not show any complacency and won five points in a row by breaking their opponents in the first, third and fifth games to go 5-0 up in the second set. Knowle and Ram made a last-ditch fightback and narrowed the gap to 5-2 but it was too little and too late as Paes and Dlouhy won the second set 6-2 in 38 minutes to pocket the match comfortably. In another semifinal, Nestor and Zimonjic beat Wesley Moodie of South Africa and Dick Norman of Belgium 6-0 6-3. PTI PDS ATK

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Cricket should not be an event in the Asian Games: Gill

Published>Thu, Jun 03 10 08:07 PM

New Delhi, June 03(ANI): While speaking to the media persons at New Delhi on Wednesday M S Gill, India's Minister of Sports said that he personally does not feel games such as cricket should be included in Asian Games. Gill added that it is upto the Board of Cricket Control for India (BCCI) to decide whether to send men's and women's teams to Guangzhou or not.

Source: Web Search

Zimbabwe beat India by seven wickets

Published>Thu, Jun 03 10 07:47 PM

Harare, June 3 (IANS) Zimbabwe defeated India by seven wickets in the One-day international of the trinagular series here Thursday.

Put into bat, India made 194 for nine in 50 overs. In reply, Zimbabwe made 197 for three in 38.2 overs after openers Hamilton Masakadza (66) and Brendan Taylor (74) scored valuable knocks.

Source: Web Search

We need luck to be World Cup champions, says Messi

Published>Thu, Jun 03 10 07:37 PM

Johannesburg, June 3 (IANS) Lionel Messi says Argentine manager Diego Maradona has given him the right to play freely in his own style in the football World Cup in South Africa.

Argentina are in a tough group with Nigeria, South Korea and Greece. Though they had a disappointing qualifying campaign, the combination of Messi and Maradona makes Argentina a contender for the World title.

Asked what role he has been assigned by Maradona, Messi said here: 'To be honest, he lets me free to play, the same goes for Barcelona. He wants me to take part and touch the ball as much as possible in the game.'

Admitting that it was a tough qualifying campaign for them, Messi said the players have now settled down and are confident of winning the title.

'Honestly, after being classified for the World Cup, which was very difficult for us and complicated, we had no chances to get back together again. But the little time we were together and talked about it, we were all very enthusiastic and quite confident that we have a great team and amazing players and that if we train properly we can be the champions of the world,' said Messi.

The Barcelona striker also feels that the two-time World Cup winners need some luck to lift their third title.

'All world champion teams or champions of any other cup have had luck in some way or another at some point. In 2006, Argentina was the best team and for penalties, for this little thing, we lost against Germany. This is why there are moments that luck is important but you need to look for it,' he said.

Messi also feels that it would be tough ride for Argentina in the group phase.

On Nigeria, he said: 'I have followed the African Cup... and I do believe that with Nigeria you never know what's going to happen.. They not only have great players but they are very strong physically and yes, African teams are always difficult to beat.'

Messi said that Greece also stand a good chance.

'I think that Greece is a great team with amazing players. To be honest, I haven't seen them play much, I don't know much about them, but I don't think we need to focus on just one player. As I mentioned before, it's a great team and we will need to be in form to beat them amongst all the other teams in the group.'

'In a Word Cup anything can happen. What happened in that Euro Cup was a surprise to everyone, so why can't it happen in the Word Cup? The favourites to win are always the same, the bigger teams, but there are always surprises,' he said.

Messi went on to add that in World Cup no team can be taken lightly as 2002 semi-finalists South Korea can create quite a few upsets.

'I think that there is nothing impossible nowadays in football, as I mentioned before all the teams, even ours are the same, it is a World Cup and, as I see it, in a World Cup there are no easy teams. I wish we could win all the games and get to the finals but it won't be easy,' he said.

Source: Web Search

'Chaotic' situation ahead of final, reason behind Pak's 1999 World Cup loss: Pybus

Published>Thu, Jun 03 10 07:29 PM

Islamabad, Jun.3 (ANI): Former Pakistan cricket coach Richard Pybus has blamed the 'chaotic' situation ahead of the 1999 World Cup final for the loss against Australia in the all important match.

Pybus, who was then the assistant coach of the team, said that the 1999 Pakistan team had a number of star players, who had proved their mettle in the tournament, but failed to perform according to their talent when it mattered the most.

Pybus, who currently resides is South Africa and is a consultant to the Natal team, said things had gone awry ahead of the final against Australia at Lord's.

He added that preparations the day before the match went horribly wrong and were not in conjunction with the previous matches during the World Cup.

"First things first, we were beaten by the better team on the day. No doubt about that. However things before the game started could have gone a lot better. The preparation was not satisfactory and not in accordance with how we had planned things during the course of the tournament," PakPassion.net quoted Pybus, as saying.

He blasted the PCB for sending in so many officials to London just before the final, whose presence in the dressing room ruined the atmosphere completely.

"There had been no Pakistan Cricket Board members present throughout the tournament, but suddenly just because we were in the final, we had board members all over the dressing room, which affected the players and our preparation. As far as I am concerned there should not have been any board members in the dressing room prior to the game," Pybus said.

Pakistan's meek surrender to the Kangaroos in the match gave way to speculations regarding the match being fixed, however, Pybus denounced those aspersions.

"There was absolutely no evidence in my mind of any match fixing, we were quite simply outplayed in all areas of the game. As far as I am concerned, no players should have been accused of match fixing," he said. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Adriano questioned over alleged drug link

Published>Thu, Jun 03 10 03:37 PM

Rio de Janeiro, June 3 (DPA) Brazilian striker Adriano has been questioned by judicial authorities here over allegations of links to a drug-dealing gang.

State prosecutors in Rio said Adriano appeared with his lawyer for questioning on suspicion of financial dealings with the 'Comando Vermelho' (Red Command) gang run by Fabiano Atanasio da Silva, which controls several of Rio's slum districts.

An official said there were 'strong indications' that the player, who has not been included in Brazil's World Cup squad, had given money to the dealer, also known as FB.

Prosecutor Alexandre Themistocles has supported a police application to lift bank secrecy rules on Adriano's bank accounts and to examine his telephone records.

Media reports say Da Silva is also wanted for his alleged involvement in the shooting down of a police helicopter on October 17, 2009, in which three police officers were killed.

Adriano, 28, was regarded as one of the world's best strikers but is struggling to recover his reputation after his game was affected by injuries and reported alcohol and personal problems.

The former Inter Milan striker is hoping for a return to Serie A with a move from Rio club Flamengo to AS Roma.

Source: Web Search

Former Mourinho assistant Villas Boas to coach Porto

Published Thu, Jun 03 10 03:29 PM

Porto have appointed Andre Villas Boas, a former assistant to Jose Mourinho, as coach after sacking Jesualdo Ferreira last month, the Portuguese club said.

Villas Boas has signed an two-year contract, Porto said in a statement.

The 32 year-old, a former assistant and scout for Mourinho with Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan, made his debut as head coach when he took over at Academica Coimbra in October.

He took the side from the relegation zone to an 11th place finish in the Portuguese league.

Porto sacked coach Jesualdo Ferreira last month after the side finished third in the league, behind Benfica and Braga, and missed out on a Champions League spot.

Ferreira had led Porto to three consecutive title wins in the previous seasons.

Source: Web Search

Cycle soccer hopes World Cup fever will help the sport

Published Thu, Jun 03 10 03:09 PM

There are no Lionel Messi's, Cristiano Ronaldo's, nor any Wayne Rooney's in this World Cup, but the heat is on as teams around the world practice ahead of the World Cycle Ball Championship in Germany this year.

Cycle Ball, also know as cycle soccer or radball, is not new.

It dates back to the end of the 19th century, with labourers who wanted to play polo but couldn't afford horses.

Now the game has become popular in many parts of Europe and Japan, where it was introduced 40 years ago.

Ko Matsuda has been playing the game since he was 18 and has represented Japan seven times at the annual world championships.

"Cycle soccer allows us to enjoy the fun of riding a bicycle and the emotions of a ball game, at the same time," Matsuda told Reuters television.

The Indoor Cycling World Championships will be staged in Stuttgart, November 26-28, 2010.

There are only around 200 competitive cycle soccer players in Japan, according to the Japan Federation of Indoor Cycling website, but they hope the World Cup fever generated in South Africa starting June will help bring attention to their sport.

But there are some obvious differences between the sports.

Cycle soccer lasts a total of 14 minutes and while it is scored exactly like soccer and only the goal keeper can touch the ball with their hands, the big difference is no one is allowed to touch the ball with their feet, only with the wheels of a specialised bicycle.

Teams are also very small, usually just two members.

"I also love bicycles, so I couldn't believe people played soccer on their bicycles," said 40-year old Tokyo resident Yukinobu Mogaki as he watched Japanese players practice on Thursday ahead of the Asian stage of the world championship.

Takuma Tanikawa, a student at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, is a newcomer to the game but was hooked immediately after he first came across it as a freshman.

"When I started, I really got into this sport because in only one hour I was able to ride the bicycle and in another month I made indescribable progress," the 21-year old Tanikawa said.

Source: Web Search

England not making World Cup final, a failure: Capello

Published>Thu, Jun 03 10 02:39 PM

London, June 3(ANI): England manager Fabio Capello believes the contract to keep him until after Euro 2012 will be a failure if the Three Lions do not reach the World Cup final.

Capello held successful talks with Club England Chairman Sir Dave Richards to end weeks of speculation over his future.

They agreed to remove a clause in his contract, which said that his position could be reviewed by either side after the World Cup.

"To try to do something special is why I am here. The challenge is a big one, but that is what keeps you alive," The Sun quoted Capello, as saying.

The 63-year-old further reiterated his loyalty ahead of the crucial tournament, where England begin their bid against USA in Rustenburg on June 12, followed by matches against Algeria and Slovenia.

"Together with my staff we will do everything we can to achieve our goal. The players are excited and determined to play their part. The fans of England are the best in the world and we will be doing all we can do reward their loyalty," Capello said.

"I understand the pressure, the confidence of the country in this team and I am very focused. We have the players together as a group and it is like a club environment," he added. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Gilchrist rates Finn as Ashes weapon for England

Published>Thu, Jun 03 10 02:23 PM

Sydney, June 3(ANI): Former Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist believes that young England fast bowler Steven Finn can prove to be a handful during the Ashes.

Gilchrist's comments came after Finn earned rave reviews for his first home Test against Bangladesh at Lord's last week, where he recorded match figures of nine for 187.

"I think the Aussies will be keeping an eye on him this summer because he will be suited to Australian conditions. I've not met him in person so I don't know how tall he is, but from watching him on TV, anyone coming from that height and with the stature he has will benefit in Australian conditions," The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Gilchrist, as saying.

"In a couple of grounds especially where there is a lot of bounce it will be a nice benefit for England to have. I saw him play in Bangladesh on TV when I was in India. It's a hard slog for everyone out there, but the way he came out here at Lord's and got nine wickets was no surprise with the style he bowls," he added.

The 38-year-old also admitted that Finn's pace, height and bounce are comparable to Australian great Glenn McGrath.

"He runs in and doesn't try to do anything spectacular and often gets spectacular results. Glenn McGrath proved that's possible," Gilchrist said.

"There's a lot to happen between now and the Ashes and I hope for his sake he will be fit and in the team because if he is it will make it a bigger spectacle and a better event," he added. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Mandela will attend World Cup opening game

Published>Thu, Jun 03 10 02:07 PM

Johannesburg, June 3 (DPA) South Africa's revered former president Nelson Mandela, 91, will attend the opening game in the football World Cup next week, a local newspaper quoted the country's sports minister as saying.

The announcement follows months of uncertainty over whether the elderly statesman, who played a central role in South Africa's bid to become the tournament's first African host, would attend the kick-off.

The frail leader has restricted his public appearances in recent years.

South Africa face Mexico in the opening game at Soccer City in Johannesburg.

Business Day quoted Minister Makhenkesi Stofile as saying Mandela had written to the head of the World Cup local organizing committee and 'demanded' tickets to the match.

'He himself demanded to be part of the opening match and the local organizing committee said fine,' Stofile was quoted as saying.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation, which represents the anti-apartheid icon, refused to confirm the report.

'We don't discuss Mr Mandela's movements ahead of time because of security reasons,' Sello Hatang, spokesman for the foundation said.

The president of World Cup organising body FIFA Joseph Blatter had said earlier this week he was losing sleep over whether 'the most charismatic humanist' alive would join the 94,000-strong capacity crowd at the stadium in Soweto township.

Mandela lived in Soweto before being jailed for 27 years between 1963 and 1990 for resisting white supremacist rule.

Four years after his release, he was elected president in the country's first democratic national elections.

Source: Web Search

England arrive in South Africa

Published>Thu, Jun 03 10 01:47 PM

Johannesburg, June 3 (DPA) England's 23-strong World Cup squad landed in South Africa Thursday morning, where their arrival nudged excitement levels higher eight days before kick-off.

Fabio Capello's men, led by talismanic striker Wayne Rooney, landed at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport shortly after 8 a.m.

With all the teams' airport arrivals off-bounds, fans will have to wait for their first public training session to see the players in action.

England, ranked eighth in the world by FIFA, are going to be based in the north-western city of Rustenburg, about 160 kilometres from Johannesburg.

Their World Cup campaign begins on June 12, when they play the United States in Rustenburg's Royal Bafokeng Stadium. England's group C also includes Algeria and Slovenia.

England have not won the World Cup since taking the trophy on home soil in 1966.

Manchester United star Rooney struggled through the end of the club season with an ankle injury and a groin issue but the 24-year-old has said his couple of weeks away from the pitch could benefit the team.

Source: Web Search

England to stay in 3,175-pound-a-night hotel in S. Africa

Published>Thu, Jun 03 10 01:41 PM

London, June 3 (ANI): Coach Fabio Capello and his 23-man squad will stay at the 20-million-pound five-star Royal Bafokeng Sports Campus in Phokeng, Rustenburg for the duration of the FIFA World Cup.

According to the Daily Star, each player will stay in a room that costs 3,175 pounds a night.

All 76 suites boast extra-long beds, meaning 6 ft 7in forward Peter Crouch, 29, can sleep without getting his feet cold.

Every room has a 32in plasma TV with piped-in British programs, sound-proofing, extra-deep carpets, granite tabletops, double-sink bathrooms with glass showers and internet points plus wireless.

Bedrooms also have mini-bars, but Capello can check his stars are not raiding them via in-room monitoring systems.

England kick off their campaign against the USA in Rustenberg on June 12. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Monsoon scooter rally promises thrills aplenty

Published Thu, Jun 03 10 12:53 PM

Mumbai, Jun 3 (PTI) The 21st Gulf Monsoon Scooter Rally, which has attracted interest from even outside Maharashtra and promises a lot of thrills and tumbles, is scheduled to be held in neighbouring Navi Mumbai on June 13. The rally, the only one held on a regular basis solely for scooters in the country, will see riders displaying their skills on rain-fed dirt tracks, said chief organiser Shrikant Karani of Sportscraft here. "The rally would commence at Parel (in central Mumbai) but the 25-km competitive sector of gravel-laden dirt tracks would be in Navi Mumbai. There are competitions for three types of Indian scooters - two-stroke, four-stroke and gearless," he told a media conference last night. "We are getting calls from places like Bhopal, Goa and Hyderabad too while our regulars from Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nashik, Kolhapur and Navi Mumbai would also be competing. "Rustom Patel is the defending champion while four-time winner Manjeet Singh Bassan and veteran Zubin Patel are also in the fray," he said. "It''s held under the auspices of FMSCI (Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India)," said Karani who is four short of reaching the 300 mark in the organisation of motor sports events across the length and breadth of the country. "We are restricting the entries for logistical reasons to 40 and have received 35 so far. Standard entries close on June 4 and late entries on June 9. For the first time, incentives are being given to riders from outside the state to take part," he added.

Source: Web Search

Cricket Bible Wisden to branch out into other sports with new imprint

Published>Thu, Jun 03 10 12:47 PM

London, June 3(ANI): Wisden, the publisher of the annual Cricketers' Almanack, has plans to branch out into other sports next year.

As part of a new imprint, Wisden Sports Writing, leading writers have been commissioned to write books on football, sport on television and the world of the fan.

The new writers include two British Press Awards Sports Journalist of the Year winners - Patrick Collins and Ian Ridley - and Martin Kelner of The Guardian.

Matthew Engel, a former editor of the Almanack, will edit the series.

"We intend to publish only a handful of books each year. The aim is that every one of them will be of very high quality," Timesonline quoted Engel, as saying.

"Wisden has always aspired to excellence and we want this series to reflect our values: elegant, intelligent and witty books that will transcend individual sports and say something about life."

"The main criterion is whether they are books I want to read, and I think that's a pretty good basis on which to edit anything," he added.

It will be the first time that Wisden would publish a book on anything other than cricket since it founder John Wisden's Rugby Football Almanack was discontinued after only two issues in the mid-1920s, the report in Timesonline said.

John Wisden founded Wisden in 1864, and its annual publication has continued uninterrupted to the present day, making it the longest running sports annual in history. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

England tour crucial for rebuilding Pak team, says Waqar

Published>Thu, Jun 03 10 12:37 PM

Sydney, June 3(ANI): Pakistan coach Waqar Younis reckons that next month's England tour will be crucial for rebuilding the team for future tournaments.

"We are starting a hectic period with the Asia Cup, but I think the England tour is very important for the team, where we need to adopt a rotation policy and I think some new players will come into the fray," The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Waqar, as saying.

"I think the objective behind naming a number of youngsters is to encourage them and it is important that players be rotated because we have a series against South Africa in October-November this year as well," he added.

Waqar further backed Shahid Afridi, who was named captain for the Asia Cup and the tour of England last week.

"Afridi has not led Pakistan in Tests before, but he conducted himself well in the World Twenty20 and unity and fighting spirit would be the key to success and he can achieve both from the team," Waqar said.

Pakistan will play in the four-nation Asia Cup in Sri Lanka from June 15, then play Australia in two Twenty20 and two Tests in England before taking on the hosts in four Tests, two Twenty20 and five ODI games. (ANI)

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