Resurgent Punjab aim to spoil Delhi''s chances

Published Sat, Apr 10 10 01:54 PM

Amit Kumar Das New Delhi, Apr 10 (PTI) Laggards Kings XI Punjab will continue their quest to salvage some pride and make life difficult for second-placed Delhi Daredevils when they clash in their return match of the Indian Premier League here tomorrow. On a roll with four straight wins, Delhi were brought to earth by the Kolkata Knight Riders in their last match and Gautam Gambhir''s men have to make sure that there are no more hiccups from here on or else there semifinal hopes might be in jeopardy. The last time these two teams clashed, Gambhir had smashed a 54-ball 72 to help Delhi beat Punjab by five wickets but things might be a little difficult this time considering, Punjab have already derailed Mumbai''s campaign on Friday. With semifinal hopes dashed and nothing at stake, Punjab will be doubly lethal and they would be look to win the rest of their matches to restore some pride. Punjab''s campaign has been plagued by inconsistency and controversies, especially involving explosive batsman and former skipper Yuvraj Singh. The stylish left-hander has been in pathetic form and even though he has got starts, he has not been able to convert them. Considering the Twenty20 world cup is round the corner, Yuvraj will look to strike form. Among their other batters, Sri Lankan duo of Mahela Jayawardene and skipper Kumar Sangakkara could not make much of an impression in at least the first half of the event. However, Sangakkara''s match-winning 56 against Mumbai last night must have given him some confidence and the left-hander will look to use that when he captains his side tomorrow. Punjab, who have won just three matches against Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and table-toppers Mumbai Indians, Irfan Pathan and Piyush Chawla have been the highest wicket-takers. Back from injury, Australia''s Brett Lee has so far failed to make an impact, while S Sreesanth has been making news more for his temperamental behaviour then his bowling. In contrast, Delhi boasts of a formidable batting. With David Warner and Virender Sehwag opening and Gambhir coming next, they have the right mix of aggression and caution. Among the bowlers, spinner Amit Mishra has been their wrecker-in-chief with 14 wickets so far, while Farveez Maharoof who has played just six matches, has supported him nicely scalping eight wickets. Ashish Nehra, who has recovered from a rib injury, is also expected to play and swell Delhi''s pace attack.

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Botham sets off on 25th cancer charity walk across UK

Published>Sat, Apr 10 10 01:50 PM

London, Apr 10(ANI): Twenty-five years after England cricketing legend Ian Botham's first charity walk, from John O'Groats to Land's End, he is stepping out again for his blood cancer charity.

Botham, who is the President of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, has raised 12 million pounds for the charity over the years, and his total last year was more than 500,000 pounds.

This year he will be walking through ten towns in ten days starting in Manchester and finishing in London.

"It is quite remarkable. I feel proud of the achievements we have made over the years...both for myself and for all the people who have been with me throughout the walks," Sky News quoted Botham, as saying.

He further said that he is not as physically fit as he was when he participated for the first time, but insisted that he is looking forward to complete the distance.Its different now. I had a hip operation last summer, so I've been in training for eight weeks," Botham said.

"At the end of the day I have to get myself in shape so that I can reach the finishing point," he added.

Joining Botham for the cause will be Ross Lindley, who at the age of nine suffered from leukaemia and was with the cricketer as he ended his first walk in 1985.

"I can't believe that I am here 25 years later and joining the great man once again. I feel both proud and emotional when I think back all those years," he said. (ANI)

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Saker accused by friends of plotting Australia's Ashes downfall

Published>Sat, Apr 10 10 01:40 PM

Melbourne, Apr 10 (ANI): Former Victorian and Tasmanian fast bowler David Saker, who has been selected as England's bowling coach, has been accused by his friends of being party to the enemy side and plotting Australia's downfall in the upcoming Ashes series.

Saker was selected ahead of higher-profile candidates such as Craig McDermott and South African Allan Donald as the permanent replacement for Ottis Gibson, now the head coach of the West Indies.

"Most of the text messages I've got are already describing me as 'you bloody Pom'. The Peter Siddles and Clint McKays have wished me not too much luck," The Age quoted Saker, as saying.

Saker appreciated the good-natured ribbing from his friends, but insisted that they were right: His allegiances are already firmly in the England camp.

"Once I put myself in the interview mode [last month] I was one of them, and since I've been offered the job obviously I'm one of them now. Everything I'll be doing is about trying to take down the Aussies next season. I'm looking forward to that," he said.

Saker acknowledged that he was "not a big technical person" in terms of bowler tuition. "Bowlers are there to get wickets and I don't care if they look good," he said.

"As long as they're getting wickets and their process of getting wickets is all right, I'm happy. What goes into their heads is most important in my opinion, not their technical stuff. Obviously you've got to be across the technical stuff ... but my major strength is trying to get 20 wickets in a game," he said.

Saker's first task will be to guide the English bowling attack at the World Twenty20 in the West Indies later this month. (ANI)

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Football World Cup to be safe despite Al Qaeda threat

Published>Sat, Apr 10 10 01:30 PM

Johannesburg, April 10 (IANS) The football World Cup to be held in South Africa will be safe despite threats from Al Qaeda, the organising committee has said.

Any move to disrupt the event would be unsuccessful, Danny Jordaan, chief of the local organising committee (LOC), was quoted as saying by BuaNews.

'It's not going to happen,' he said.

Jordaan's comments came after a group Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB) warned international visitors not to come to South Africa as their safety would not be guaranteed.

More than 30,000 police officers are being recruited and trained specifically for strategic deployment during the tournament, Jordaan said.

Interpol will also mount a joint intelligence gathering operation during the World Cup to ensure that the tournament concludes without any major security threats.

Al Qaeda's north African branch had warned Thursday that it will attack the international event which kicks off June 11 in Johannesburg.

'All those countries are part of the Zionist-Crusader campaign against Islam,' Al Qaeda said in the Islamic Maghreb statement published Thursday in the jihadist online magazine 'Mushtaqun Lel Jannah'.

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Tevez is Manchester City's Rooney: Mancini

Published>Sat, Apr 10 10 01:18 PM

London, Apr 10 (ANI): Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has said that their ace striker Carlos Tevez is their reply to Manchester United's Wayne Rooney.

The Argentine is in good form having already scored 26 goals this season and four in his last two matches for the Champions League-focused side.

Ahead of their clash with Manchester United at Eastlands on next Saturday, Mancini is hoping he can keep his own striker fit for the last six matches as they aim to hold on to their top-four spot.

Before their game against United, City host Birmingham on Sunday fully aware that a win would put them four points clear of nearest rivals Tottenham.

"We have had a lot of injuries. I hope that in the last six games we can play with a strong team. Carlos is most important for us like Rooney is for United. He is scoring a lot of goals and I am very happy with him," The Sun quoted Mancini, as saying.

Since Tevez's strike partner Emmanuel Adebayor returned from a ban last month, the deadly striker duo have scored six times in just two matches.

Adebayor echoed the thoughts of his manager by calling his pal one of the best in the business.

"Carlos is on top of his form right now. We are very delighted to have a striker like him in our team. It's great for me coming back into the game to play alongside him. He's one of the best in the business and we just pray he can keep going," he said.

"We have four of the best strikers around in the Premier League this year - we have Drogba, Rooney, Torres and Tevez. Those four are doing a great job for their clubs, they are all in top form and that's really good for the Premier League," Adebayor said. (ANI)

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John Terry's 'girlfriend' says media made her look like a 'prostitute'

Published>Sat, Apr 10 10 12:54 PM

London, Apr 10 (ANI): The French model, who allegedly had an affair with England captain John Terry, has said that the media projected her like a "prostitute".

Vanessa Perroncel said Britain's tabloid press "went mad" as the clamour for an interview went into overdrive.

The 34-year-old model said she was left hurt by some of the claims made about her.

Perroncel, who has a three-year-old son with Terry's former team-mate Wayne Bridge, triggered a tabloid frenzy in January when claims of her affair with the Chelsea captain came out in the open.

"They made out that I'm some kind of prostitute. That's really what they're saying. And the stories are untrue. They have gone mad. Who are they to do this?" Sky News quoted her as telling the Guardian.

The underwear model revealed that soon after the revelation of her affair, journalists inundated her Surrey home.

"Masses of journalists are outside my door. And they ring the bell, and I say no, and they keep doing it and doing it. They're putting notes through the letter box, offering me money and then more money," she said.

"I have my three-year-old son, he keeps asking who are these bad men taking pictures. I just tried to go on as if nothing was happening. I told him not to look at them," she added. (ANI)

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FIFA unveils tickets for 2010 World Cup

Published Sat, Apr 10 10 12:40 PM

India, April 9 -- The final design for 2010 World Cup tickets was unveiled on Friday by FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke and South Africa organizing committee CEO Danny Jordaan at Maponya Mall in Soweto. The unveiling ceremony of golden-coloured tickets with the World Cup logo on it (an African map and a player doing an overhead kick) was used by organizers to promote the next ticket sale stage. Tickets will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis to the general public from April 15, when the fifth and final sales phase begins. "For this last phase, we have made a big effort to assist football fans by introducing various additional means to purchase a ticket," explained Valcke. "We are committed to facilitating the process for all fans and giving them this last chance to attend the matches and experience the excitement of this first World Cup in Africa." Prices range from $20 to $160 for group matches and $70 to $450 for the opening match between South Africa and Mexico on June 11 at Soccer City in Johannesburg. In all, 500,000 tickets for all matches - except the sold out final July 11 - will be made available. Tickets can be purchased in South Africa during the final sales phase through 11 ticketing centres across the 9 host cities, in 600 FNB brank branches nationwide, at certain sales points, via the FIFA website or by calling a special hotline. We are excited about these new initiatives, which make the process much easier for everyone. We have always said that it is important that we make this World Cup more accessible to the people and with the over-the-counter sales, we believe this measure is consistent with the needs of the fans," said Jordaan.

A total of 240,000 World Cup tickets were sold in the fourth phase, 85 per cent of which went to South African residents. Overall, 2.2 million of around 3 million tickets have been sold for the tournament.

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