Englishman Howard Webb appointed referee for World Cup final

Published>Fri, Jul 09 10 12:07 PM

Johannesburg, July 9(ANI): British referee Howard Webb has been named by FIFA as the man in charge for Sunday's World Cup final between Spain and Netherlands at Johannesburg's Soccer City.

Webb, a Premier League regular, will be the first Englishman to run the final since Jack Taylor in 1974.

He is also the first referee to take charge of the World Cup and Champions League finals in the same year, The Sun reports.

The 38-year-old will be backed by English assistants Darren Cann and Michael Mullarkey.

The trio has officiated at three games in the tournament, including finalists Spain's shock 1-0 first-round defeat to Switzerland.

About 750 million people worldwide are expected to watch the game. (ANI)

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Now a Parakeet tips Netherlands to win World Cup

Published Fri, Jul 09 10 11:53 AM

Singapore, July 9 (PTI) Paul, the Octopus, is not the only creature predicting World Cup results. A parakeet, long tailed parrot, named ''Mani'' has also been forecasting match results. Mani has become the talk of the town after predicting that the Netherlands will lift the trophy. The parrot, an ''assistant'' to a roadside astrologer, had earlier predicted Spain-Germany semifinal and all the quarter- final ties. People are seeking Mani''s help to win bets on the World Cup matches, according to a report by the Channel News Asia. Muniyapan, Mani''s owner of Indian origin, said he was now getting 10 customers in an hour compared to 10 on a regular day due to growing popularity of his parrot.

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Uncertainty over Mandela's attendance at World Cup final

Published>Fri, Jul 09 10 11:45 AM

Johannesburg, July 9 (IANS) Nelson Mandela's family is yet to take a decision on the ailing former South Africa president's appearance at Sunday's World Cup final here.

'We reiterate that Mr. Mandela and his family will make the decision about whether he attends or not on the day,' Xinhua quoted Sello Hatang, the information communications manager at the Nelson Mandela Foundation, as saying Friday.

Mandela had been due to attend the opening ceremony, but cancelled after his 13-year-old great-granddaughter died in a car crash.

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ICC not bound to take action against Speed

Published Fri, Jul 09 10 11:23 AM

Karachi, July 9 (PTI) The Pakistan Cricket Board is unlikely to achieve anything by writing to the ICC about the disparaging remarks made by former ICC CEO Malcolm Speed against Pakistan cricket and its Chairman Ijaz Butt. The PCB shot a letter to ICC after Speed called Butt a ''buffoon'' in an interview to an Australian newspaper and described the cricket boards of Pakistan and Bangladesh as politicised bodies. Sources within the ICC told the PTI that since Speed was now no longer associated with the ICC he did not come under its code of conduct. "The letter sent by the PCB is going to serve no purpose because the ICC can''t legally or technically take any action against Speed for his statement," one source said. Speeds remarks came after Pakistan and Bangladesh joined India, Sri Lanka and South Africa in rejecting the nomination of former Australian Prime Minister John Howard for the post of ICC vice-president. Butt has said he would not comment on Speed''s remarks as the board had already sent a letter to the ICC asking it to take note of the statement by Speed. But the sources said that the ICC was not in any position to do anything. "Speed is no longer with the ICC and does not even hold any position in cricket Australia. What he said was in his personal capacity and the ICC can''t do anything about it," one source stated. Sources said PCB was mulling to send a letter to Cricket Australia also over Speed''s remarks.

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Cavaliers owner calls LeBron selfish for move to Miami

Published Fri, Jul 09 10 11:17 AM

The owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers called LeBron James selfish for his decision to seek a championship with the Miami Heat and promised the hard-luck city an NBA title before the six-time All-Star gets one.

In a letter to Cavaliers fans, the team's majority owner Dan Gilbert said he was disappointed that James opted to join fellow All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami and felt the nationally televised announcement was inappropriate.

"If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our 'motivation' to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels," Gilbert wrote.

"I personally guarantee that the Cleveland Cavaliers will win an NBA championship before the self-titled former 'King' wins one ... you can take it to the bank."

James opted to deliver his decision during an hour-long program on cable network Thursday after weeks of speculation on whether he would stick with his hometown Cavaliers or jump to one of the other five teams who courted his services.

His decision dealt a major blow to a city that has not celebrated a professional sports championship since 1964 and has developed a widely known reputation for falling on tough times in key games.

Without James on the payroll, the Cavaliers can now look to bolster their roster by signing players from what is regarded as one of the deepest pools of free agents.

"I promise you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only: delivering you the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue," wrote Gilbert.

The Heat, which last celebrated an NBA title in 2006, were clearly in a much more upbeat mood as the team gets set to begin a new chapter.

"We are thrilled that LeBron James and Chris Bosh have decided to come to Miami to join forces with our truly great player, Dwyane Wade," Heat coach Pat Riley said in a statement.

"We are looking forward to the opportunity of building something that our fans in Miami will be proud of for a long, long time. The journey is just beginning."

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There will no Murali like bowler in next 100 years: Saqlain

Published Fri, Jul 09 10 10:53 AM

Karachi, July 9 (PTI) Paying glowing tribute to retiring Muttiah Muralitharan, former Pakistani star Saqlain Mushtaq today said the Sri Lankan spinner was the best of his era and world cricket may not see a bowler like him in next 100 years. Murali, as he is called fondly, will call it quits after playing the first Test against India, starting July 18 in Galle. "I have no doubt in my mind he was the best spinner of his generation. A champion bowler no matter what some people say. I am sure many batsmen would have heaved a sigh of relief knowing he is going to retire now," Saqlain, also a champion off-spinner of his time, said. "You can learn a lot from just watching him bowl and his videos are a must see for young spinners. To be honest I don''t think in the next 100 years, cricket is going to see a spinner of his caliber," Saqlain, who is now settled in England, said. Although Murali, eight wickets shy of incredible mark of 800 wickets, will not play Test cricket he assured his side to play in the 2011 World Cup. Saqlain said that he spent many hours with Muralitharan discussing the art of spin bowling and found him to be an amiable and honest man. "The best thing about him is that he had no pretensions or airs about him and I am sure even after retirement he will be around to help and guide the youngsters aspiring to be successful slow bowlers," he hoped. Saqlain said that the greatest thing about Murali was that despite the controversies surrounding his action he kept fighting hard and became a great spinner. "In all fairness I don''t think his action is suspect. The fact is that when the ICC cleared his action why should anyone have even raised questions about his action," he said. PTI Corr AT

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Uruguay and Germany left playing for pride

Published>Fri, Jul 09 10 10:17 AM

Germany and Uruguay will hope to salvage some pride in their third-place playoff match on Saturday after devastating semi-final defeats earlier this week.

The two teams were largely written-off in the run-up to the finals but can hold their heads high after some stunning performances against top-ranked sides before their respective exits to Spain and Netherlands in the last four.

Germany's high-scoring young side are determined to cap their impressive World Cup with one last win in Port Elizabeth where coach Joachim Loew promised his bitterly disappointed players will be in the right frame of mind and ready to win.

"The disappointment is there but now we need to build up the team a bit," he said after the Germans were dumped out 1-0 by a far superior Spanish outfit in Durban on Wednesday.

"I'm certain we will go into the match with the necessary focus. No one needs to hang their heads low and we want to have a good final match," said Loew, whose team thrashed widely fancied England and Argentina in the knockout stages.

History will not favour twice World Cup winners Uruguay in this match after fourth place finishes the last two times they reached the semi-finals, losing out in the playoff to Austria in 1954 and the Germans in 1970.

Germany have finished third on three occasions and lost the playoff only once in 1958, to France.

PLAYERS AVAILABLE

Two players central to the German and Uruguayan marches through the knockout stages will be available again after suspensions that weighed heavily on both teams in the semis.

Attacking midfielder Thomas Mueller was sorely missed by the Germans on Wednesday and will likely start, as will Uruguay striker Luis Suarez, whose handball on the goal line late in the match against Ghana helped put his team in the last four.

Uruguay, who lost 3-2 to the Dutch after a last-gasp fight back, could be without in-form marksman Diego Forlan on Saturday because of a thigh problem sustained in the semi-final.

Three players who could figure -- Forlan, Mueller and Miroslav Klose -- are joint second in the scoring charts after netting four times each.

They all have a chance to win the golden boot if they can score twice and Spain's David Villa and Dutchman Wesley Sneijder -- joint top scorers with five -- draw blanks in Sunday's final.

Forlan said he was eager to play in the third-place match and wanted himself and Uruguay could go out on a high.

"I hope to be fit for Saturday," he said. "I really want to play for third place. Even that would be great for everyone."

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James joins the Heat in search of elusive title

Published>Fri, Jul 09 10 09:37 AM

LeBron James said Thursday he is leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to join forces with fellow All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh at the Miami Heat next season in the hope of winning an elusive NBA championship.

Ending one of the biggest transfer sagas in U.S professional sports, James said the three players had all agreed to take paycuts to team up and create a club capable of challenging the Los Angeles Lakers for the title.

"The things that the Miami Heat franchise have done to be able to free up (salary) cap space and to be able to put themselves in a position this summer to have all three of us, it was hard to turn down," James said.

"Those are two great players, two of the greatest players that we have in the game today, and you add me we are going to be a really good team."

The NBA's Most Valuable Player for the past two seasons, James's future had been the subject of intense speculation in the United States over the past few months but reached new heights when the free agency period began last week.

James and his management team helped fuel the frenzy by keeping their plans secret before he finally revealed the identity of his new team in a special one-hour show broadcast live on national television.

He arrived at the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich (Connecticut) wearing a pink and white shirt and answered a series of questions about the process he used to reach his decision.

"I am going to take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat," he said in revealing the highly anticipated decision.

James had been with the Cavaliers since they recruited him from high school as the top pick in the 2003 NBA Draft and quickly established himself as one of the sport's best players.

The now 25-year-old small forward has averaged almost 28 points over his career and made six All-Star teams but has never realised his dream of winning a championship.

Cleveland had the NBA's top record last season but was knocked out in the second round of the playoffs, increasing speculation that James was ready to leave his home state of Ohio.

Six teams, Miami, Cleveland, Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets and Los Angeles Clippers, all made offers to James but it was the prospect of playing with Wade and Bosh that proved decisive.

The trio had already teamed up to help the U.S. win the men's basketball gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and had talked about the possibility of joining forces in the NBA when they all became free agents at the end of last season.

BEST OPPORTUNITY

That possibility edged closer to reality when Bosh announced on Wednesday that he was leaving the Toronto Raptors to join Wade in Miami. On the same day, Wade revealed that he had re-signed with the Heat.

"I feel like this is going to give me the best opportunity to win and to win for multiple years and not only just to win in the regular season," James said.

"I want to be able to win championships and I feel like I can compete down there."

James said the financial details of his deal were yet to be finalised but he was taking a paycut so the Heat could sign all three big-name players and stay under the NBA salary cap. His off-court endorsements, however, still make him one of the highest-paid players in U.S. sports.

The announcement by James brought about a dramatic ending to one of the most enthralling transfer deals ever seen in the NBA with television networks, newspapers and websites all monitoring any development in the saga.

James added to the increasingly wild speculation by starting up his own personal website and Twitter account, instantly generating thousands of followers as even more rumours began circulating in cyberspace.

Each of the cities that were hoping to get his signature ran slick promotional campaigns and hired celebrities to push their case. Even U.S. President Barack Obama weighed in to the debate, saying he wanted James to go to his hometown Chicago.

At different times, almost of all the cities were rumoured to be close to signing him. Some bookmakers stopped taking bets on the outcome but Wall Street investors gambled on him moving to New York, sending shares of Madison Square Garden, owner of the Knicks, up more than six percent.

In Miami, all available tickets for next season's home games were snapped up long before the announcement was made while in Cleveland, extra police were deployed as disgruntled fans began taking out their frustrations by burning James's Cavaliers jersey.

"I never wanted to leave Cleveland and my heart will always be around that area, but I also felt like the greatest challenge for me is to move on," James said.

"I don't even see it like leaving Cleveland is the whole logistics of it. It's about joining forces with the other two guys.

"I felt like I respected their game the most and I felt like we have a great chance of winning and winning for multiple years."

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Rafa Nadal becomes shareholder at troubled Real Mallorca

Published Fri, Jul 09 10 09:17 AM

Tennis world number one Rafa Nadal has become a shareholder at financially troubled Real Mallorca, the Spanish league side said on Thursday.

"It's an honour to be able to help Real Mallorca, I will help in any way I can," Wimbledon champion Nadal was quoted as saying on the club website (www.rcdmallorca.com).

"I am proud to be a part of this new project put together by Mallorca locals. I am very pleased to have (Michael) Laudrup as the new coach and as the image for the club."

Nadal, a Real Madrid fan, was born and lives in Manacor on the Mediterranean island.

His uncle Miguel Angel Nadal, the former Barcelona and Spain defender, will be number two to Laudrup, who was appointed to replace Gregorio Manzano last week.

Mallorca are struggling with debts of up to 85 million euros ($104 million), are in voluntary administration, and have just been taken over by a consortium led by a former coach Llorenc Serra Ferrer.

They finished fifth in La Liga last May earning a place in next season's Europa League.

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Olympic and world 100m champion Fraser tests positive

Published Fri, Jul 09 10 08:57 AM

Jamaica's Olympic and world 100 metres champion Shelly-Ann Fraser has tested positive, her track club (MVP) president Bruce James said.

Fraser was due to run at the Diamond League meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland on Thursday but withdrew before the event.

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Spain not clinical enough, says Del Bosque

Published>Fri, Jul 09 10 08:37 AM

Spain have not been clinical enough in front of goal at the World Cup, according to coach Vicente del Bosque.

The European champions, who play Netherlands on Sunday in their first World Cup final, have won five of their six matches by a one-goal margin, dominating their opponents for long periods without finishing them off and squandering a host of chances.

"Maybe we are lacking that bit of judgment in front of goal but that's the most difficult thing in football," Del Bosque said in an internet chat on the website of daily El Pais (www.elpais.com).

"The key thing is to keep faith with our concept of playing and our solid organisation," he added.

"Out of that organisation, the players' individual qualities should be able to be decisive."

With Fernando Torres, who returned from knee surgery shortly before the tournament, out of sorts, Spain have relied heavily on David Villa in South Africa, the Barcelona striker netting five of the team's seven goals.

Del Bosque dropped Torres for Wednesday's 1-0 semi-final win over Germany in Durban and replaced him with Pedro and he hinted that he was not planning to tinker with the starting line-up much for the final.

Pedro earned praise from Del Bosque and his team mates for his performance against the Germans, in which he kept Philipp Lahm busy and prevented the fullback from making many of his dangerous forays down the right wing.

"We have pretty much maintained a block of players in these six matches and I don't believe there will be many changes," Del Bosque said.

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Clarke hits form to lead at Loch Lomond

Published>Fri, Jul 09 10 01:57 AM

Darren Clarke stole the limelight from his younger Northern Irish compatriot Graeme McDowell on Thursday as he charged into the Scottish Open first round lead.

U.S. Open champion McDowell had marked his return to tournament golf with a level-par 71 in the morning but Clarke's unblemished 65 later earned him a one-shot lead over the field.

Pre-tournament favourite Phil Mickelson did not make the best of starts in his bid to become world number one after this event. The world number two ran up a double-bogey on the 14th and had to settle for a 71.

Italian Edoardo Molinari, putting in a concerted effort to get into Ryder Cup reckoning with his sibling Francesco, is tied for second place with Briton Graeme Storm and Ireland's Damien McGrane. Double major champion John Daly is in a group two shots off the pace with exciting Japanese youngster Ryo Ishikawa.

Clarke is looking for his 13th tour title after two years struggling with his game, especially his putting. Hard work and determination have kept him going, he said.

He has also had encouragement from his younger compatriots McDowell and U.S. tour winner Rory McIlroy, both of whom he has mentored in the past.

"I've been delighted to see the two of them playing as well as they have and they've returned the compliment, telling me to keep working at it," 41-year-old Clarke told reporters.

Former Ryder Cup player Clarke, who came close to earning a wild-card in 2008, admitted he had even considered giving up golf when his game had dipped so woefully. "The red stool in the Harbour Bar at Portrush was looking good," joked Clarke.

He has a double goal. Victory or a place in the top five on Sunday night of those not already exempt for next week's British Open will earn him a St Andrews start.

Clarke was not the only one to show some vintage form with 1995 British Open winner Daly turning back the clock with a 67.

Invariably talk with the colourful American comes down to money and how much he owes.

Daly said he still owed the U.S. government's Internal Revenue Service $1 million, largely because of losing sponsorships three years ago.

"It's a struggle but I'm working it out," he told reporters. "I'm not broke but I have to get that settlement done (with the IRS) and move on."

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Puyol's semi-final winning goal 'made in Barcelona'

Published>Fri, Jul 09 10 01:37 AM

Carles Puyol's match-winning header against Germany in Wednesday's World Cup semi-final was the fruit of a move worked out on the training ground at Barcelona, the defender said on Thursday.

Puyol soared above the German defence in the 73rd minute to meet a corner from Barca team mate Xavi and powered the ball into the net to send the European champions through to their first final, where they will face Netherlands on Sunday.

"It's a move that we do at Barcelona," the shaggy-haired centre back was quoted as saying in As sports daily (www.as.com), adding that the goal was similar to one he scored against Real Madrid in a 6-2 victory for Barca at the Bernabeu during the 2008/09 season.

"We mentioned it to (coach Vicente) del Bosque a couple of days before the match when he told us that they (the Germans) were playing a zonal marking system and I said it might work out well," the 32-year-old said.

At a packed news conference at Spain's training base in Potchefstroom later on Thursday, he added: "I told Xavi at halftime to put it around that area and he did it very well and it all went off perfectly."

Del Bosque said in a internet chat on the website of daily El Pais (www.elpais.com) the Spanish players had been practising both short corners and balls into the penalty area like the one that Puyol converted.

"It's true that at Barcelona they do that when their opponents are defending in zones," he said. "We had discussed it with Carles."

THIRD GOAL

It was Puyol's third goal for Spain in his 89th appearance and he told Thursday's news conference it was important to make the most of the moment, especially for players who rarely got their names on the scoresheet.

"I don't think I'll go down in history for that one," he said. "I know very well what my status is. I hope there will be a goal just as important on Sunday."

The match against the Germans, who had thumped England and Argentina 4-1 and 4-0 respectively in their previous two matches in South Africa, had been Spain's best performance of the tournament, Puyol said.

"We were solid at the back and we have a great forward line but maybe we were lacking that second goal to settle us down a bit and stop us suffering right until the end."

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Referee Rosetti steps down after World Cup error

Published Fri, Jul 09 10 12:37 AM

Italian Roberto Rosetti quit refereeing on Thursday but said his decision had nothing to do with allowing a clearly offside goal in the World Cup.

The 42-year-old, who took charge of the Euro 2008 final, has opted to retire and become the referee designator for Serie B less than two weeks after Carlos Tevez's goal was allowed to stand in Argentina's 3-1 win over Mexico in the last 16.

"The disappointment of the World Cup did not influence my decision," Rosetti, who was not kept on for the quarter-finals, said in a statement.

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Joy in Spain, German misery after defeat

Published>Thu, Jul 08 10 11:57 PM

Spaniards exploded in joy on Thursday after their team reached the World Cup final for the first time while Germany plunged into tearful misery following a semi-final defeat that ended their World Cup dream.

Spain will meet the Netherlands on Sunday in Johannesburg's Soccer City when a new champion will be crowned from two sides seen for decades as the nearly-men of international soccer.

Spanish pride over their team's superb performance in beating a strong Germany side 1-0 on Wednesday was seen by many as a welcome antidote to economic woes which include Europe's highest unemployment and high debt.

Thousands of fans rushed into the streets after the victory exploding fireworks, blaring their car horns or playing mock matador with flags in the traffic.

The joy of Spain contrasted with gloom in Germany where men and women wept at public viewing sites in Berlin, where 350,000 people watched, and Munich where a crowd of 50,000 shed tears at the defeat of a team from whom so much was expected.

It was the second successive time the Germans had been heartbreakingly defeated in the semi-final.

There was a sense of bewilderment and shock among the population and in the newspapers after the youngest German team for three quarters of a century had looked magnificent in earlier games, scoring four goals on three occasions.

But there was also widespread admiration for the Spanish team whose experience, tactical cunning and unique skill in possession and close-passing nullified Germany's strengths.

But there was outrage in South Africa after hundreds of fans missed the semi in Durban because of chaos at a new airport, blamed on VIP aircraft jamming the runways and bad weather.

Radio programmes were filled with irate comments about the failure of the airports authority to move the small planes so airliners carrying fans could arrive. Up to 700 ticket-holders were said to have missed the match.

The chaos was a rare blemish on a so-far successful hosting of Africa's first World Cup, which has confounded pessimistic predictions of disaster.

Soccer's world governing body FIFA said the tournament would have the third highest attendance ever after passing the three million mark, behind only the United States in 1994 and Germany in 2006.

The Netherlands beat Uruguay 3-2 on Tuesday to reach their first final since 1978. It will be Spain's first final.

REFEREEING CHANGES

FIFA said on Thursday that the next World Cup in Brazil in 2014 would have a changed refereeing system which could include goalline technology or extra linesmen -- after some glaring mistakes in South Africa.

"I would say that it is the final World Cup with the current refereeing system," FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke told the BBC.

FIFA later announced on Thursday that England's Howard Webb had been appointed to handle Sunday's final.

The obstinate previous resistance of soccer's ruling body to change appeared to shift after some bad calls here, notably Frank Lampard's disallowed effort for England against Germany that clearly crossed the line according to replays.

Shaggy haired Spanish defender Carles Puyol, whose flying header late in the game won the match against Germany was variously dubbed shark or wild boar by his ecstatic team mates.

Puyol is a Catalan and Spaniards saw the team as an example of the unity lacking amidst the bitter political infighting that has marked the country's attempts to impose austerity measures to prevent a Greek-style debt crisis.

"We need something to show we can do things together instead of bickering all the time," said economist Pedro Schwartz from Madrid's San Pablo university.

"We're incredibly proud. This is a welcome distraction from the crisis and from the awful government we have. It lifts people's spirits," said civil servant Loria Alejandrez, 63.

The mood could not be more different in Germany where some fans blamed Paul, a supposedly psychic octopus who correctly predicted the results of all Germany's matches including Wednesday's defeat. Some want him publicly barbequed.

Huge television audiences watched the semi-final in both countries -- a record 31.1 million or 83 percent of market share in Germany and 14 million or 80 percent in Spain.

Spain will have to get past the Dutch to lift their first world title but even their normally calm coach Vicente del Bosque could not restrain his praise for the team, calling them magnificent after their best performance of the tournament.

The result on Wednesday means a European team will win the World Cup for the first time outside that continent.

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Tears of relief for Cavendish after Tour win

Published>Thu, Jul 08 10 11:37 PM

Mark Cavendish burst into tears and broke down on the podium as weeks and months of tension were finally released by victory in the fifth stage of the Tour de France on Thursday.

The Briton, winner of six stages last year, has endured a difficult start to both the Tour and the season, tarnished by self-doubt, controversies, crashes and two-finger salutes.

"I was on a cloud with my past wins and I crashed down. I went through hell," Cavendish told French television before bursting into tears.

Yellow jersey holder Fabian Cancellara, who retained the overall lead at the end of a 187-km ride in extreme heat, even came to cheer him up as the Briton was holding his head in his arms, incapable of uttering a word.

The two sprints held on the Tour so far, both won by Italy's Alessandro Petacchi, seemed to plunge the 25-year-old Isle of Man rider deeper into despair.

He literally hit the ground in the first stage in Brussels and hit a mental wall in the finale in Reims in stage four when he could not react to Petacchi's attack.

And the talk of the Tour at the start of the day in the champagne town of Epernay was whether he would raise his arms again and snatch his 11th stage win on the race this year.

Only his Columbia team were convinced it was the case.

"Fundamentally, Mark is still the fastest sprinter in the peloton," team manager Bob Stapleton told Reuters at the start.

"The problem yesterday was with the team tactics. Our delivery system failed to bring him to the right place in the right time," he added.

IT HURT

This time, the Columbia gameplan worked to perfection in a tricky finale full of curves, turns and corners.

The Garmin team-mates of American Tyler Farrar led the way into the final stretch but Cavendish's Australian rocket-launcher Mark Renshaw took over, his leader in his wheel.

While Petacchi, Farrar of green-jersey holder Thor Hushovd of Norway were suddenly stuck in the pack, there was no stopping the Briton, who went on to win probably the most emotional victory of his career.

Germany's Gerald Ciolek was second and Norway's Edvald Boasson-Hagen was third.

"It's a real relief, it gives me such a sense of achievement. The guys did such an incredible job. They did a great job yesterday but I let them down.

"I'm so happy I was able to finish the job today," he said.

The Briton admitted he had his wrongs and apologised for the controversies which marred his season.

In only his second win of the season in the Tour of Romandie in May, he gestured a two-finger salute that saw him withdrawn from the race by his team.

A month later in the Tour of Switzerland, he was penalised for dangerous sprinting when he crashed shortly before the line, sending half a dozen other riders onto the tarmac.

Last year, coming into the Tour, Cavendish had won 15 races. He had only won three when he arrived this year.

"It's easy to get on a cloud. But you can't stay there. I crashed out and came down badly, it hurt. But people around me picked me up and helped me back on my feet. I thank them."

Cancellara retained the overall lead with a 23-second advantage over Briton Geraint Thomas, with world champion Cadel Evans of Australia in third place 39 seconds off the pace. (Editing by Miles Evans; To query or comment on this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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Time running out for Sao Paulo 2014 hopes

Published>Thu, Jul 08 10 10:37 PM

Time is running out for Sao Paulo if South America's largest city wants to host matches at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, local organising committee president Ricardo Teixeira said on Thursday.

The Brazilians are also considering dividing the huge country into four regions, in which teams would be confined during the earlier rounds, to cut down on travelling.

Sao Paulo's plans were thrown into confusion last month when the committee and world governing body FIFA dropped the proposed venue, the Morumbi stadium, because the city had failed to provide financial guarantees for the renovation of the arena.

"If Sao Paulo wants to host the opening game or the competition as a whole, the deadline is getting close," Teixeira told reporters.

"Cape Town built its stadium in two-and-a-half years, so we are dangerously close to the limit."

Teixeira said he had a brief conversation with Sao Paulo mayor Gilberto Kassab last week but needed to meet state governor Alberto Goldman when he returns to Brazil before giving more concrete information.

"Nothing has been determined, it was a generic conversation because he (Kassab) is on holiday at the moment," said Teixeira.

"When I return to Brazil and he comes back from holiday, we will have a meeting with the governor of Sao Paulo."

FINANCING WORRIES

FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke said in a separate meeting that Brazil may be divided into four regions, rather than having teams travel around the entire country.

"Brazil is a continent not just a country, so we may divide it into four pieces, to make sure that fans do not have to travel (fly) more than one or two hours from one stadium to the other."

Teixeira, also president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), avoided directly commenting on a question about remarks by Valcke, who said in May that Brazil had fallen behind in its preparations.

"Next month, we will have the reports of the financial analysis of the stadium projects and we will see whether there is a problem or not," he said.

However, he admitted there were worries over the financing of the stadium in Curitiba.

Teixeira said the biggest problem facing Brazil was its ageing and often small airports, although he could not give any information on possible improvements.

"Airports are the responsibility of a government department called Infraero," he said.

He dismissed fears over Brazil's soaring crime rate, saying that violence happened everywhere.

"This problem exists all over the world. I see violence wherever I go, in Europe, in the United States, and in Brazil it's not different," he said.

Brazil was elected unopposed in 2007 to host the tournament which was earmarked for South America by FIFA under a short-lived rotation system. The same policy also brought the current World Cup to South Africa.

Brazil faces a huge job to improve its creaking stadiums and transport system while soaring urban crime is a major worry.

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London 2012 chief rules out clash with soccer season

Published>Thu, Jul 08 10 10:17 PM

The start of the 2012-13 English soccer season will be delayed so as not to clash with the 2012 Olympics, London Games chiefs said on Thursday.

The Olympics start on July 27 and end on Aug. 12, while the Premier League season traditionally opens with the Community Shield curtain-raiser in early August.

Organising committee chief executive Paul Deighton said he had held talks with the Football Association (FA) and Premier League to discuss the matter.

"We have been in discussions with all the sports bodies responsible for sports schedules in 2012 and we are on track to meet our obligation," Deighton told reporters at the end of a four-day visit by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to inspect London's progress.

Pushed on whether the Premier League and FA would agree to a slight delay, Deighton replied: "Yes".

Olympic host cities agree to abide by IOC requirements that no other major sporting events take place at the same time.

The FA said on Thursday they were in talks with the London organising committee (LOCOG) about fixing a date for the Community Shield, traditionally played at Wembley Stadium between the league champions and FA Cup winners.

Wembley will host the gold-medal match in the Olympic soccer tournament on the final weekend of the Games.

ASHES SERIES

The Olympics could also have implications for the cricket schedule. England are hosting Australia in the Ashes in 2012 with the first match of the series usually reserved for Lord's which will be the venue for Olympic archery.

Denis Oswald, the head of the IOC's co-ordination commission, said he was happy with London's progress.

"Two years before the Games you are at the turning point from conception and construction to the operational phase," Oswald told reporters.

"We are entering a crucial period in the coming months but we are convinced that London will have a very successful Games."

IOC president Jacques Rogge toured the 2012 Olympic Stadium earlier this week and met Britain's new Prime Minister David Cameron.

Oswald played down the 27 million pounds ($41.01 million) of cuts to the Games budget recently announced by Britain's new coalition government, saying: "The new government is fully backing and supporting the Games."

Asked to compare London's progress with past host cities, Oswald described it as "top of the league" after a dig at Athens.

"The president helped install the 2,012th seat in the London stadium on Monday," Oswald said. "I did the same in Athens but the key difference was that I did it three weeks before the start of the Olympics."

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Spanish team's future in jeopardy for lack of sponsors

Published Thu, Jul 08 10 09:57 PM

The Spanish cycling team that discovered Tour de France champions Miguel Indurain and Pedro Delgado are in jeopardy as they have been unable to find sponsors for next season.

"We have leads but nothing's been signed. It's hard," Caisse d'Epargne team manager Francis Lafargue told Reuters on Thursday.

French bank Caisse d'Epargne have been the squad's sponsors since 2006 but they announced they would not renew their support next season and team director Eusebio Unzue has been looking for a replacement without success.

"What with cycling's degraded image because of doping and the financial crisis, it's getting more and more difficult. The future is very uncertain," Lafargue said.

Caisse d'Epargne received a potentially fatal blow when the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) last month confirmed the two-year suspension of their leader Alejandro Valverde for his implication in the Puerto doping scandal.

"We still believe that the decision was unjust but there is nothing we can do," said Lafargue.

"It is hard for a team to be motivated on the Tour without a leader fighting for victory."

In Valverde's absence, the team's leading man on paper is former Paris-Nice winner Luis Leon Sanchez, an excellent rider for short stage races who has yet to prove himself on a big Tour.

"Cycling is more and more popular in Spain as a leisure sport but not so much as a competitive sport. And in a period of crisis it's hard to compete with other sports like football, especially when Spain is in the World Cup final," said Lafargue.

Several riders, whose contracts expire at the end of the season, have been approached by other teams and Lafargue admitted he was not optimistic.

The team have been in cycling for 30 years, starting in 1980 as Reynolds, before becoming Banesto, Iles Baleares and Caisse d'Epargne.

They won the Tour with Indurain five times between 1991 and 1995 and with Pedro Delgado in 1988.

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Games committee asks MCD to beautify Delhi as a ''sports city''

Published Thu, Jul 08 10 09:23 PM

New Delhi, Jul 8 (PTI) The Commonwealth Games Organising Committee today held a meeting with MCD officials during which the civic body was asked to undertake several beautification works before the sporting event. The meeting was attended by Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi, Mayor Prithvi Raj Sawhney and senior officials of the civic agency and OC. "The members of the Commonwealth Games committee of the corporation were present at the meeting. We were asked to undertake several beautification works in the city before the event starts, so that Delhi can be given the look of a ''sports city''," the Mayor told PTI. The MCD has been asked to spruce up entry points to the city and install gates besides putting up Games logos and banners in various areas," he said. Sawhney said the MCD can take up the work if it assured of funds from Delhi government. "We told them we should get funds from Delhi government from the work as we don''t have enough money for this. We will also cross-check with Delhi government before starting work like installing gates as we don''t want any duplication," the Mayor said. He said the MCD also informed the Organising Committee that work on Games projects being undertaken by it are nearly over.

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Lalit Modi moves high court against BCCI

Published>Thu, Jul 08 10 09:09 PM

Mumbai, July 8 (IANS) Lalit Modi, the suspended Indian Premier League chief, Thursday moved the Bombay High Court against the Board of Control for Cricket in India's decision to suspend him, his lawyer said.

'We have moved a petition in the Bombay High Court against the suspension of Modi by the BCCI,' Modi's lawyer Mehmood Abdi told IANS.

'We have also prayed to nullify the disciplinary proceedings of the board against him,' he added.

Modi has also prayed that the court appoint a mutually acceptable panel to consider the replies to the three show-cause notices issued to him under the charges of irregularities in the conduct of the T20 League.

'We have prayed for recall and withdrawal of the suspension order and further proceedings on the three notices,' Abdi said.

The BCCI had issued the suspension order to Modi April 25. Modi was also slapped with three show-cause notices April 26, May 6 and May 31, the lawyer said.

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Will play 2011 World Cup if team wants: Muralitharan

Published Thu, Jul 08 10 08:53 PM

Colombo, Jul 8 (PTI) All set to bid adieu to his five-day career after the forthcoming second Test against India, Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan today said if the team wants he will play the 2011 cricket World Cup in the sub-continent. Even though he had already announced that he will retire from the longer version of the game after playing the first Test against India starting July 18 at Galle, Muralitharan said his participation in next year''s World Cup depends on the need of the team. "I will be happy to see the younger players shape up and win the World Cup for Sri Lanka. But if the authorities think I should also be a part of the team, then I will play," the world''s highest wicket-taker said at a press conference here. Hitting back at his detractors, who questioned his bowling action, Muralitharan said it was easy to criticise anybody with a naked eye but bio-mechanics proved that his action was legal. He also thanked Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and World Cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga for their support when his action repeatedly came under the scanner. The batsmen worldwide have often dreaded facing him but when asked which batsmen he would find difficult to bowl at, Muralitharan named modern day legends Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar. "It is difficult (to pinpoint). Overall I think I played a lot of cricket against the West Indies during Lara''s days. And also played a lot against Sachin Tendulkar. Like that you can name so many. But these two players are very special players in the world. And I think they have played me the best," Muralitharan said. Praising the technique of Sri Lankan batsmen against spinners, the veteran off-spinner said he himself was troubled by his compatriots in domestic matches. "And I think if you ask me I won''t like to bowl to a Sri Lankan because I could get hit. I think most difficult players are Sri Lankan players. While playing club cricket (in Sri Lanka) I can''t get through these guys," Muralitharan said. Muralitharan said his Test record of 792 wickets was not unbeatable. "When Fred Trueman took 302 wickets, he said it will be very tiring for anyone to break his record," he said.

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IFA announces Santosh Trophy fixture

Published Thu, Jul 08 10 08:37 PM

Kolkata, Jul 8 (PTI) The Indian Football Association today announced the preliminary round fixture of the 64th National Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2009-10 which will be held in Kolkata from July 15-August 8. In a cluster I match, Karnataka will take on Meghalaya, while in cluster two, Maharashtra-Chandigarh and Tripura-Andhra Pradesh will lock horns to kick off the tournament. However, the venues of the tournament are yet to be finalised, according to the IFA. Hosts and the last edition''s runner-up Bengal, reigning champions Goa and semifinalists Tamil Nadu and Services have been directly seeded into the quarterfinal league stage. A total of 32 teams will take part in the Santosh Trophy with 28 unseeded teams divided into eight clusters where they will play round-robin league. The winners of each cluster will then battle it out in the knock-out pre-quarterfinal stage for a place in the quarterfinal league. The quarterfinal league will be held from July 30-August 4, while the semi-finals will be played on August 6. In the last edition held in Tamil Nadu, Goa lifted the title after defeating Bengal in the penalty shootout. MORE PTI TAP NN DB

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FIFA may compensate fans who missed World Cup semis

Published>Thu, Jul 08 10 07:47 PM

Johannesburg, July 8 (DPA) The ruling football body FIFA is looking into the case of hundreds of football fans who missed the World Cup semifinal between Spain and Germany in Durban Wednesday evening after their planes were turned back because of overcrowding on the tarmac.

'It is a bit too early to make a statement because this happened only last night, but we're looking at the matter and may consider a compensation for genuine cases,' said FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot.

Wednesday night saw chaotic scenes at Durban's new King Shaka International airport, where charter planes carrying VIPs squatted the parking bays of scheduled carriers, causing several planeloads of fans to miss the game after being diverted back to Johannesburg.

The charter planes were supposed to drop off their passengers at the new airport and then park at Durban's decommissioned old international airport, 60 kilometres away, for the duration of the game before returning to fetch their clients.

Instead, some charter pilots refused to continue on to the old airport, meaning scheduled flights which had booked the landing bays couldn't land, according to Bongani Maseko, an official of South Africa's airports company.

Top official of the World Cup organising committee, Jermaine Craig, also blamed bad weather for the hitches but said that overall the organisers have handled the large volume of traffic well since the competition kicked off.

'We have handled the traffic volumes extremely well and so are proud of the work we have done in this respect,' said Craig.

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Rusty Davydenko to open for Russia; Spain without Nadal

Published>Thu, Jul 08 10 07:37 PM

Moscow, July 8 (DPA) Out-of-form Nikolay Davydenko starts the campaign for hosts Russia with an opening rubber against Argentine David Nalbandian after the draw Thursday for their Davis Cup World Group weekend quarter-final.

Davydenko, who missed three months with a broken wrist, will be out to insure that Russia maintain the record of never having lost to the South Americans at home when he faces recent injury victim Nalbandian Friday.

'I haven't played for three months, just had a couple of matches on grass,' said the Russian 'Only time will tell how well I'm playing.'

The hosts have plenty at stake, holding a 17-match home win dating back nearly a decade and a half.

Davydenko's opening match will be followed by Mikhail Youzhny against Argentine Leondaro Mayer to conclude the opening-day programme. Teimuraz Gabashvili and Igor Kunitsyn are down for Saturday doubles against Nalbandian and Horacio Zeballos.

Nalbandian, who needed hip surgery 15 months ago, has since been bothered by other injuries including an abdominal muscle problem. He last competed in Monte Carlo three months ago.

Russia hold a 3-2 head-to-head lead in the series, with their last meeting the 2006 final in Moscow, which the hosts won.

Argentina have lost all three Davis finals they have played.

In Clermont-Ferrand, France will begin against holders Spain with Gael Monfils playing David Ferrer as both teams miss injured leaders.

World number one Rafael Nadal is out for the Spaniards as the new Wimbledon champion undergoes therapy on a knee, while France are without injured Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. France's Michael Llodra will face Fernando Verdasco in the second singles rubber.

Verdasco clinched the trophy for his nation in the 2008 final against Argentina, with Ferrer undefeated in eight straight Davis singles contests. France last beat Spain in 1923.

'It's going to be a close match,' predicted Verdasco. 'In Davis Cup you never know, that's why it's so special.'

Llodra will also do doubles duty on Saturday alongside Julien Benneteau against Feliciano Lopez and Verdasco.

Police are braced in Split as hosts Croatia play bitter Balkan rival Serbia for the first time in the competition.

Serbia are paced by Wimbledon semi-finalist Novak Djokovic, whose fitness may be suspect after the long fortnight on grass without a break.

But the world number two says his nation has the talent to reach the tournament's final in December. Croatia, with Ivan Ljubicic coming out of Davis Cup retirement to play for the first time since 2007, won the trophy in 2005.

Ljubicic will take on Djokovic in the first rubber while Marin Cilic then faces Serb Viktor Troicki. The nations have a huge sporting rivalry, with official ready to crackdown at the first sign of football-style crowd trouble.

'I'm used to playing in front of a lot of people and in a tense atmosphere,' said Djokovic. 'Davis Cup can be unpredictable, especially for the visitors.

'Croatia has more success, but we have a team that can get to the finals.'

Croatia are missing injured Mario Ancic and Ivo Karlovic.

The last of the four ties will be played in South America between Chile and the Czech Republic.

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Murali doesn't deserve the record: Emerson

Published>Thu, Jul 08 10 07:27 PM

Sydney, July 8 (IANS) Ross Emerson, the Australian umpire who in 1999 called Muttiah Murlitharan for chucking, feels the Sri Lankan spin wizard doesn't deserve to hold the record of highest wicket-taker in Tests.

Muralitharan is set to retire as the most prolific bowler in Tests with 792 wickets, after the first Test against India at Galle beginning July 18.

'I haven't changed my view in 15 years - he doesn't deserve the record,' Emerson, banished from international cricket after no-balling Muralitharan in a one-day game against England in Adelaide in January 1999, was quoted as saying the Daily Telegraph Thursday.

Emerson in 1996 had no-balled Muralitharan seven times in a one-dayer at the Gabba.

'You couldn't compare his record to Shane Warne's - no one ever doubted the legality of Warne's action. Murali was a great competitor and a great bowler but a lot of the time he just didn't bowl within the limits of the law,' Emerson maintained.

Darrell Hair, the umpire most famously associated with Muralitharan after he no-balled the off-spinner in the Boxing Day Test of 1995, too, insists he was right in his decision.

'I have no angst over him holding the record but the fact that the rules had to be changed to handle bowlers like that vindicated my action and of the other umpires who called him,' Hair said.

Cricket's lawmakers struggled to come to grips with debate over Muralitharan's action. After tests in 2004 revealed most bowlers illegally straightened their arms the law was changed from allowing no straightening to a 15-degree tolerance level.

'Once they changed the rules and made it legal for bowlers to bend their arm to 15 percent they gave an advantage to a couple of bowlers (Muralitharan included) who could get something extra from that rule. I would rather see the rule as it was where you couldn't bend your arm at all. That would mean everyone was the same,' Hair said.

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Resumption of Indo-Pak cricket on hold for now: Pawar

Published>Thu, Jul 08 10 06:53 PM

Mumbai, July 8 (ANI): International Cricket Council president Sharad Pawar has said a resumption of cricket ties between India and Pakistan is on hold for now.

"Immediate ties between both countries is not possible. It is not in the hands of the cricket boards. It is a diplomatic issue. This is a decision taken by the Indian government," Pawar said Thursday.

Pawar also said that the holding of day-night Tests is still in the debating stage, and experts opinion would be taken into consideration before activating such a format.

He also said that as of now, there were no plans to shift the ICC headquarters from Dubai to London. (ANI)

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Germany have lessons to learn, says coach Flick

Published>Thu, Jul 08 10 06:37 PM

Germany's young team were taught a lesson by Spain in their World Cup semi-final defeat and still have lots to learn, assistant coach Hansi Flick said on Thursday.

"We have learned a lesson or two from this match. We are on the right road but it was evident we haven't reached the end of this learning curve," said Flick, who was full of praise for the Spanish after their 1-0 victory.

"We wanted to deny them the space they needed and force them into mistakes. But you have to admit that they are one of the best teams in the world -- they are technically gifted and are great at keeping possession," he said.

Joachim Loew's assistant added, however, that Germany had left a good impression on the tournament before coming up against the very best on Wednesday in Durban.

"If you look at the other games, the team was in the best fighting spirit and I think it wouldn't be wrong to say that the whole world was realising, 'Hey, these Germans can play'.

"We were very solid, well organised but the team we met, Spain, were in a class of their own," he said.

Flick added there was plenty of work to be done with what is clearly a highly promising generation of young German players.

TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL

"I think we will carry on as we have been doing for the past months -- we have a lot of young players who need to be schooled and educated in all disciplines.

"The team has tremendous potential. It will be a labour of love and I really have to applaud their team spirit and their professional mindset. They set the bar themselves and that was admirable," he said.

Skipper Philipp Lahm agreed they had lots of work ahead, saying: "We're disillusioned and disappointed -- reaching the final is not something you can experience every day, its just every four years.

"We had a good tournament, we have quality but we have to continue working hard to be competing for trophies in the coming years," he added.

Lahm reiterated he would be happy to continue as captain but would have no problem if Michael Ballack returned to his usual role when he recovers from injury.

Lahm was sure there were good times ahead despite the pain of losing a second successive World Cup semi-final after being beaten as hosts in extra-time by Italy in the last tournament.

"The good thing is that I have many years left in me. I'm 26, so there will be more semi-finals. The world is our oyster for the future. It's never easy.

"Look at Italy, France they have their problems, we have a chance to be up there in the coming years. But it's a bitter feeling to lose a semi-final again." he said.

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Prize money for every bout won during Boxing Nationals

Published Thu, Jul 08 10 06:17 PM

New Delhi, July 8 (PTI) Boxers competing at the 57th National Championships will not just fetch medals for their triumphs but also take home decent prize money for every bout won at the event starting Saturday here. With the Indian Boxing Federation finding sponsors in the Sahara India Group, Videocon and the Monnet group, the boxers will be handed cash prizes after every bout at the Talkatora Stadium. Every preliminary round win will get a boxer Rs 1000. Winners of quarterfinal bouts will take home Rs 2000, while semifinal wins will fetch a boxer Rs 4000. The winners of the final bouts will get Rs 6000 each along with added cash awards of Rs 10,000 to the champion boxers in each weight category on the final day.

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Ronaldo's 'girlfriend' Irina Shayk's Facebook page hacked

Published>Thu, Jul 08 10 06:07 PM

New York, July 08 (ANI): Portugal footballer Cristiano Ronaldo's alleged girlfriend Irina Shayk's Facebook profile has been hacked.

This left Shayk upset during the night at Standard Grill where she dined with Ronaldo and family members.

Hackers had also posted that Shayk was distraught over the 25-year-old footballer's baby by a surrogate, reports The New York Post.

"I am so devastated, I am at home crying right now," a fake post read.

Shayk later cleared her fan page and closed her Twitter account.

Shayk's representative said: "Any statements allegedly made by Miss Shayk are all false. She has not and will not in the future comment on such matters." (ANI)

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Pak born Muslim Oz batsman says will never forget where he comes from

Published>Thu, Jul 08 10 05:07 PM

Islamabad, July 8 (ANI): Usman Khwaja, who is the first Muslim to represent Australia in Tests, has said that though Australia has been his home since he was a toddler, he can never forget his mother land-Pakistan.

"I will never forget where I come from, and no one should, but Australia has been my home every since I can remember," Khwaja told PakPassion.net.

"Ever since I can remember, I have supported Australia," he added.

Khwaja's family had migrated to Australia nearly 20 years ago, and now he stands on the threshold of becoming the first Muslim ever to wear the baggy green.

The left-handed batsman has been included in the Australian squad for the two match Test series against Pakistan, and Khwaja says there is no extra pressure on him because of his religion.

"No added pressure at all. Religion is a very personal thing to me and I only get judged by how I perform on the field, and that is all I can try to control," said the New South Wales (NSW) batsman.

Khwaja, who got a break due to a shoulder injury to NSW teammate Phillip Hughes, said he has received great support from his teammates throughout his career, adding that the presence of close friends like Steven Smith and Simon Katich in the Australian squad would be of great help in England.

"We are all fighting for position, but on the other hand there is a close bond with my NSW and Australia A teammates. I have known both (Smith and Katich) for a long period of time and they are both excellent cricketers and great mates," said Khwaja, who is also a trained pilot. (ANI)

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Poor Ashes performance no excuse for not winning World Cup: Strauss

Published>Thu, Jul 08 10 04:53 PM

London, July 8 (ANI): Captain Andrew Strauss has said that while no England team has won the cricket world cup since it was first played 35years ago, blaming a poor performance on the preceding Ashes tour of Australia won't wash as an excuse for failure in 2011.

Strauss told reporters at Trent Bridge, where the first one-day international between England and Bangladesh takes place on Thursday, that: "There's no reason why you can't go from a busy Ashes series and then win the World Cup.

"What you want in that Ashes series is for you to win and be full of confidence and have that under your belt before you go to the World Cup; that would be the perfect way to go in to a World Cup," Sports24 quoted him, as saying.

England has been on the losing side in three World Cup finals, being well beaten by the West Indies at Lord's in 1979 and Pakistan at Melbourne in 1992.

The closest they came to winning the World Cup was on the back of their last succesful Ashes tour, when an England team captained by Strauss's Middlesex predecessor Mike Gatting lost to Australia by seven runs in the 1987 final in Calcutta. (ANI)

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Troussier presses for second chance at Socceroos job

Published Thu, Jul 08 10 04:47 PM

Former Japan coach Philippe Troussier has put himself forward for the vacant Australia job after missing out on the post three years ago.

Australian media reported on Thursday that the Frenchman would be open to talks, despite former Cameroon coach Paul Le Guen considered by many as the front-runner to land the role.

"I am still open if they want to discuss it with me," Troussier told the Daily Telegraph newspaper, adding that he would blood young players at January's Asian Cup in Qatar.

"It is a transition phase for Australia because some of the key players will be retired by the next World Cup so it's time to start a new process.

"I know this kind of process because I did it with Japan for four years (from 1998-2002)."

The 55-year-old, who took co-hosts Japan to the last 16 of the World Cup eight years ago, lost out to Dutchman Pim Verbeek for the Australia job in 2007.

"The Asian Cup is a great chance to give opportunities to the younger players," Troussier added. "I would focus on the good young players and possibly take the under-21 team to Qatar."

Australia were knocked out of the World Cup in South Africa in the group stages despite holding Ghana 1-1 and beating Serbia 2-1 after being thumped 4-0 by Germany in their opener.

Verbeek stepped down after the side's exit and will take over as national youth technical director for Morocco next month.

"It's important to start a strong local process because (Australia) have strong potential and the A-League is a strong league," Troussier said.

"Also, European clubs will be reluctant to release players in January. I know that from experience."

Australia were believed to have approached England coach Fabio Capello and made overtures to former Barcelona and current Galatasaray boss Frank Rijkaard, who both remain under contract.

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'No power struggle,' Lahm says of captaincy claim

Published>Thu, Jul 08 10 04:39 PM

Durban, July 8 (DPA) German defender Philipp Lahm said his wish to retain the captaincy of the national football team was 'no attack' on team-mate Michael Ballack, who skippered the side before an injury prevented him from playing in the World Cup.

'It's no power struggle at all either because only one person has power and that's the coach,' Lahm said after Germany lost to Spain 1-0 in their semi-final match in Durban on Wednesday evening.

'When you've got a post you want to keep it, no more and no less,' said Lahm, 26. 'It'd be bad if I didn't want to continue carrying out the post. I enjoy it a lot. I haven't attacked Michael Ballack.'

The controversy arose on Monday when Lahm said in several interviews that he would like to remain captain beyond the World Cup, creating splash headlines in Germany of a 'power struggle' between him and Ballack, a 33-year-old midfielder with 98 caps.

'Of course I don't want to give up the captain's armband again,' Lahm was quoted as telling the Munich-based daily tz. 'I won't volunteer to give it up. But that decision is with the coach.'

Asked by the tabloid Bild whether the German team still needed Ballack, Lahm said: 'I'm not the one who should answer the question with a yes or a no.'

Lahm's comments caused a huge stir back home and team manager Oliver Bierhoff reacted to them by saying they had been ill-timed. But Germany coach Joachim Loew rejected suggestions that team harmony had been dealt a blow.

Defending the timing of his captaincy claim, Lahm said, 'I didn't talk about the team or about anybody who's here. It was only about my position and the post I'm carrying out at the moment.'

Ballack had been with the squad to lend support during the quarter-final win over Argentina. He left on Monday amid media speculation that relations with some of his team-mates were less than idyllic.

Loew said, however, that Ballack had left on the advice of the team's medical staff to begin rehabilitation work ahead of the new season.

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Force India test-driver Resta to have his own 'Whyte and Mackay' label

Published>Thu, Jul 08 10 04:13 PM

Uphall (Scotland), July 8(ANI): Test-driver for the Force India Formula One Team, Paul di Resta, will today launch his very own global whisky label.

The 24-year-old will have his 'Whyte and Mackay Di Resta blend' sold in shops across the world, and will also sport the brand on his racing kit.

The Force India team is already sponsored by the Scottish whisky giant.

Bosses at Whyte and Mackay, which has created personalized whiskies for US President Barack Obama and Scottish film legend Sean Connery, believe that the launch will be the first time an F1 driver has had his own whisky label.

"Award-wining master blender Richard Paterson has created a bespoke whisky for Force India driver Paul di Resta," The Scotsman quoted a company source, as saying.

"Richard has created many bespoke blends based on peoples' personalities. The blend is a union of Highland, Speyside and grain whiskies, representing his great strength, charm and raw Scottish talent."

"On the nose, this whisky is a little shy at first, but then gives way to a full-bodied explosion - reflecting Paul's initial shyness when he first meets people," he added.

Resta has also worked with McLaren, testing cars in the past, before joining Force India in February as test and reserve driver. (ANI)

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Webber eyes Red Bull victory in British Grand Prix

Published>Thu, Jul 08 10 04:07 PM

London, July 8(ANI): Red Bull racing driver Mark Webber has said that he has a good chance of winning this weekend's British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Webber, who has won two races this season, sees the Silverstone event as a home race for the Red Bull team, and a chance to bounce back in the championship fight.

"I like Silverstone a lot and I do fancy my chances. I'm looking forward to getting back on the horse after a non-finish in Valencia," Fox Sports quoted Webber, as saying.

"Silverstone's been a good track to me in the past. I've won there in most categories, except Formula One, so I'm looking forward to trying to add a Formula One victory to my other victories there," he added.

He further termed the airborne accident at the European Grand Prix as a "rough weekend in Valencia" and insisted that his form has been good.

"In Canada we finished fifth, but that was a very interesting Grand Prix for everyone. Turkey was another podium, so it wasn't a bad weekend at all, so the signs are good to continue having some good weekends and keep fighting," Webber said.

"I'm very optimistic that the future is looking good for us and the team is very settled at the moment," he added. (ANI)

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PG Programme in Golf Management in India

Published Thu, Jul 08 10 03:51 PM

Mumbai, Jul 8 (PTI) International School of Corporate Management (ISCOM) has partnered with the prestigious Elmwood College, Scotland to introduce the first-ever Post Graduate Programme in Golf Management in India. "Golf, as a sport is one of the fastest emerging sectors in India, with an estimated growth of 30 per cent in the next five years but there is a huge gap for good quality management professionals to join the golfing industry in India," Prof Keshav Rae, Director, ISCOM said today. "To bridge this gap in the management genre, ISCOM has partnered with Elmwood College to introduce the PG Programme in Golf Management," Rae said. Rae added that this course will equip candidates to effectively manage a complete Golf and Country Club type operation. "The course includes six months of intensive apprenticeship at a golf facility in Scotland, and a comprehensive course focusing on every aspect of the industry," he said.

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VW woos employees with World Cup sops

Published Thu, Jul 08 10 03:47 PM

Amlan Chakraborty Port Elizabeth, Jul 8 (PTI) Industry bosses may curse the FIFA World Cup as a quadrennial productivity sapper but there is another school of thought which sniffed an opportunity in this month-long soccermania to strengthen bond with the employees. While most companies grapple with absenteeism and a sudden deluge of sick leave applications, the situation has been refreshingly different at Volkswagen''s South African chapter with the automobile manufacturer distributing free tickets among employees to watch matches in Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg. Killing two birds with the same stone, the VW management linked it to socially relevant issues, the upshot being 50 employees who volunteered for HIV/AIDS tests were rewarded with tickets for matches in Johannesburg. The company also encouraged potential Nostradamuses, giving away 30 tickets in Johannesburg to whoever correctly predicted the outcome of the opening game between South Africa and Mexico. They, however, reserved the bulk of tickets for employees of its Port Elizabeth plant. In all 1470 tickets were distributed among its Uitenhage-based employees, 600 alone for Saturday''s third place playoff between Germany and Paraguay. Dr Carsten Krebs, VW-Coordinator Soccer World Cup 2010, explained the ideas behind distributing the tickets to the soccer-crazy employees. "We wanted to motivate the employees, giving them an incentive linked to performance and prevention of HIV/AIDS. After all, it was a rare chance to be part of this lifetime soccer event in Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg. We wanted to reduce absenteeism and strengthen the relationship in the company," he said. And the response has been heart-warming, he said. "The employees were overwhelmed. There was high participation rate and little absenteeism and most importantly, we have happy staff," he added. Interestingly, sports has been at the centre of VW corporate social investment in South Africa. In 2008, they launched ''A Chance to Play'' project, reaching out to 30,000 children since then, providing them regular coaching clinics in sports like soccer, rugby and cricket besides offering life skill training, touching on issues like HIV/AIDS. VW South Africa also runs an educational ''Soccer Bus'' project with coaches reaching schools and training boys and girls, besides imparting HIV/AIDS education. In fact, some 5.5 million Rand of VW South Africa''s community budget is invested in sports and the company sponsors local football PSL football club ''Moroka Swallows''. PTI AY PM

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PCB to fire selector Salim Jaffer for raising voice

Published Thu, Jul 08 10 03:37 PM

Karachi, July 8 (PTI) Controversies refuse to die in Pakistan Cricket with PCB now deciding to fire selector Salim Jaffer for allegedly conspiring against chief selector Mohsin Hasan Khan. The selection affairs came up for discussion at Governing Council meeting, chaired by PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt, on Wednesday in Lahore. "Butt told the members at the council meeting that it has been decided to remove Salim Jaffer from the national selection committee as he had tried to conspire against Mohsin Khan after the squad was announced for the England tour," one source said. Mohsin flew to Sri Lanka last month where he held a meeting with the national captain, coach and the manager and announced the squads for the T-20 and Tests in England against Australia and the hosts. The squad had some surprising exclusions including former captain Younis Khan, senior batsman Faisal Iqbal, opener Khurrum Manzoor, wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed and fast bowler Muhammad Sami. Later it emerged that the selectors were not happy with Mohsin as he did not consult them before announcing the squad. It transpired that Jaffer, who has been a member of the selection committee since 2007, held a meeting with governing council member Wazir Ali Khoja and conveyed dissatisfaction of the selectors with the attitude of Mohsin. There were reports that the selectors wanted to meet Butt to convey their grievances but sources said the PCB Chairman declined to meet them. Sources claim that Butt told the members that he would not tolerate dissension from any paid employee of the Board and since Jaffer was a paid employee he should not have created a fuss over the team selection for the England tour. "Butt told the members he would be removing Jaffer and reducing the number of members on the selection committee but Mohsin would continue as chief selector," one source said. Meanwhile legal experts have questioned the validity of the Governing Council meeting, pointing out that in a 10-member body it was necessary to have atleast seven members in attendance to complete the quorum. "Only six members attended yesterday''s meeting so the quorum was not complete," one expert said.

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Dhoni and wife arrive in Kolkata

Published Thu, Jul 08 10 03:27 PM

Kolkata, Jul 8 (PTI) Newly-wed Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his wife Sakshi arrived here today from Ranchi to meet friends and relatives. The couple flew into the metropolis at around 8:45 am and left the airport amid tight security. "Dhoni has some business deals here and might throw a party before leaving for Chennai in the evening," a close family friend of the Indian captain said. "Dhoni has a lot of friends in Kolkata and his wife also lived in the city so the duo decided to come here after visiting his hometown Ranchi," the friend added. The couple is also scheduled to visit the Kalighat Temple later. The 23-year-old Sakshi, who hails from Dehradun, had lived at the Sundaram apartment with her parents for years at Alipore here. A former boarding school student of Welham Girls'' in Dehradun, Sakshi spent all her vacations in Kolkata before getting into the Institute of Hotel Management in Aurangabad. Sakshi did her internship with the Taj Bengal where Dhoni apparently got to meet her. Sakshi''s father, an executive director with a tea company, divides his time between Kolkata and North Bengal as his office is here while the gardens are in the Dooars and Terai. Dhoni married childhood friend Sakshi on July 4 in a private ceremony at a farmhouse, about 25 km from Dehradun, attended only by family members and close friends, including a few of his team-mates.

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Footie referees may be biased based on play's direction of motion

Published>Thu, Jul 08 10 03:09 PM

Washington, July 8 (ANI): Soccer referees may be unconsciously biased towards calling fouls based on a play's direction of motion, new American research reveals.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that soccer experts made more foul calls when action moved right-to-left, or leftward, compared to left-to-right or rightward action, suggesting that two referees watching the same play from different vantage points may be inclined to make a different call.

It's been documented that individuals who read languages which flow left-to-right are more likely to have a negative bias for events moving in the opposite direction, from right-to-left.

In the Penn study of twelve members of the University of Pennsylvania's varsity soccer teams (all native English speaking), researchers found that participants viewing the soccer plays were more likely to call a foul when seeing a right-to-left attack

Lead researcher Alexander Kranjec, a post-doctoral fellow in the Neurology Department at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, said: "The effects are impressive considering that left-moving and right-moving images were identical, with the only difference being that they were flipped along the x-axis to create right-to-left and left-to-right versions.

"If the spatial biases we observed in this population of soccer players have similar effects on referees in real matches, they may influence particular officials differently: referees on the field will more frequently be in positions that lower their threshold for calling fouls during an attack, compared to assistant referees working the lines."

In real matches, referees and linesmen tend to be exposed to different quantities of right-to-left or left-to-right attacking plays, as referees employ a system to help them cover the field efficiently. Referees are encouraged to use a diagonal patrolling technique, choosing to run either a left or a right diagonal, while the assistant referees are tasked with running the sidelines.

Based on this study, the left diagonal system would favour the offence (viewing more attacks from right-to-left), and the right diagonal system would favour the defence (viewing more attacks from left-to-right). Given the relational opposition, the researchers suggest that referees should avoid switching diagonals at halftime.

Dr. Kranjec said: "There could be an unfair advantage if one team goes into halftime with a lead and the referees switch to a right diagonal system in the second half, favouring both defences.

"However, because referees viewing leftward action may be more likely to see a foul when no foul was actually committed, as seemed to be the case when the referee disallowed what should have been the US team's third goal against Slovenia, the bias could work against the offence sometimes."

Study participants called approximately three more fouls when images of soccer plays where viewed from right-to-left (66.5 fouls) compared to mirror images moving left-to-right (63.3 fouls). Participants were statistically more likely to call a foul when seeing a right-to-left attack.

The study appears in July 7 online edition of PLoS ONE. (ANI)

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Somdev''s run ends at Hall of Fame C''ship

Published Thu, Jul 08 10 02:53 PM

Newport, July 8 (PTI) Indian Davis Cupper Somdev Devvarman slumped to his second successive defeat against Mardy Fish and crashed out of the singles event of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships here. The unseeded Indian lost 2-6 0-6 to the American fifth seed in the second round of the USD 442,500 grass court event. Somdev had lost to Fish at Aegon Classic championships in London last month. Somdev had his chances but Fish was too good for the Indian as the American kept his cool to save as many as five breakpoints. Fish on the other side broke Somdev twice in the opening set and just trampled him in the second set, not letting the Indian to even get on the board. The defeat means that Somdev, who is now ranked 107, will have to wait a bit more to break into top-100. He earned 20 ranking points and USD 7,260 for reaching the second round.

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Spanish media full of praise for Del Bosque's heroes

Published>Thu, Jul 08 10 02:47 PM

Madrid, July 8 (DPA) The Spanish media was euphoric over coach Vicente del Bosque's team Thursday after they reached a first World Cup final, outplaying Germany 1-0.

The impressive win was front-page news in every Spanish newspaper Thursday, with the headlines expressing admiration for the way that La Roja dominated the semi-final in Durban Thursday from start to finish.

The headline in sports daily Marca was 'The Best In The World' followed by 'Millions Of Spaniards Celebrated the Victory In The Streets.'

Marca carried many photographs of the celebrations that erupted throughout Spain.

The headline in Catalan daily Sport was 'A Goal From Puyol...And Into The Final!'

Barcelona captain Carles Puyol scored the only goal in Durban. This Spain team has a very strong Barcelona flavour - no less than seven of Wednesday's starters were Barca players - and this has lead to many Catalans identifying with La Roja for the first time.

There were noisy celebrations in Barcelona's famous Ramblas on Wednesday, a place where the Spanish flag has not been particularly welcome or visible until this week.

Radio Rambla commented on Thursday that 'this is really the first time that the Spanish national team has been popular in Catalonia.'

Mundo Deportivo, another Catalan sports daily, praised del Bosque for fielding Barcelona winger Pedro instead of mis-firing Liverpool forward Fernando Torres.

This meant that Spain played with a 4-5-1 formation, the same setup that helped La Roja to beat Germany by the same 1-0 scoreline in the Euro 2008 final.

An online poll taken by Mundo Deportivo showed Thursday that no less than 89 per cent of readers think that Spain will now also beat the Netherlands in Sunday's final.

The principal narrative in the Spanish media was that Del Bosque has done well to restore the players' confidence in themselves after the shock debut defeat against Switzerland.

El Pais praised him on Thursday for 'keeping faith with the possession-and-passing game' that took Spain to triumph at Euro 2008.

According to El Mundo, La Roja 'was rarely in danger against Germany because they dominated possession of the ball, as usual.'

Several newspapers carried the comments of Luis Aragones, the coach who led Spain to that 2008 triumph.

Aragones, who was very critical with Del Bosque and his players at the start of the tournament, said on Wednesday that 'it is very difficult now to beat Spain, because of the possession that the team enjoys...The important thing is that the team who had the ball has won.'

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