S. Africa wants to exit from FIFA World Cup with heads held high

Published>Sun, Jun 20 10 01:57 PM

Johannesburg, June 20 (ANI): Mid-fielder Teko Modise has said South Africa's priority will now be to exit from the FIFA World Cup with their heads held high rather than hope for an unlikely qualification to the last 16.

According to Sports24.co.za, Bafana Bafana are on the brink of elimination after picking up a solitary point from their opening two Group A games.

They must now beat France on Tuesday and hope that Uruguay do not play out a draw with Mexico, while there would also need to be a considerable swing in terms of goal difference.

It quoted Modise as saying: "Qualification is not in our hands. It depends on the other results in our group. So, for us, the priority is rather about honour." (ANI)

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FIFA WC: Rooney branded England's "preening prima donna"

Published>Sun, Jun 20 10 01:51 PM

London, June 20 (ANI): Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has been branded a "preening prima donna" who expects the side to be built around him and blames everyone else when things go wrong.

According to News of The World, England insiders in South Africa believe he is acting like a spoilt brat over his outburst at booing fans after the 0-0 flop against Algeria.

Rooney has issued a statement through the FA about his comments: "I am as passionate about the England team as anyone. Last night, on reflection I said things in the heat of the moment that came out of frustration of both our performance and the result."e added: "For my part I apologise for any offence caused by my actions at the end of the game."

But his apology will only go some of the way to easing resentment in the camp.

Our source said: "Unless Rooney changes his attitude, there is a danger it will continue to fester among his team mates who believe he has been over-indulged."

A senior England source said simmering tensions within the England camp are being blamed on the player's ego.Wayne came into the competition placed on the same podium as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and thought he could eclipse them," he said.

"He believes the team should be built around him. And that's what Capello has attempted to do, even though it's meant Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard playing in a system that doesn't suit them. But he's done nothing to justify his billing.

Instead, he's been strutting around like a preening prima donna and having a go at the fans he's letting down so badly." (ANI)

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Saina clinches Super Series Singapore title

Published>Sun, Jun 20 10 01:37 PM

Singapore, June 20 (ANI): Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal clinched the second Super Series title of her career by winning the Singapore Open with a straight-game triumph over qualifier Tzu Ying Tai in the finals in Singapore today.

Television channel reports said Saina took just 33 minutes to beat Chinese Taipei's Tai 21-18 21-15 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The world number six had bagged her maiden Super Series title in June last year when she claimed the top honours at the Indonesian Open.

Last week, Sania won the India Open Grand Prix Gold title.

In a game that was close to start with, Saina was locked 18-18 with her rival at one stage before edging ahead. Saina had seven smash winners to show against her rival's three in the opening game.

In the second game, Saina displayed a better net game and outwitted her rival in rallies to emerge triumphant. (ANI)

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England rugby stars celebrate win aboard a luxury cruise with strippers

Published>Sun, Jun 20 10 01:23 PM

London, June 20 (ANI): Four England rugby stars were recently caught partying on a cruise with a bunch of scantily-clad strippers as they celebrated a win on a day off Down Under.

Delon Armitage, 26, Paul Doran-Jones, 25, James Haskell, 25, and Ugo Monye, 27, were seen aboard a luxury chartered boat in Sydney Harbour as girls in racy thongs, lingerie and bikinis entertained them.

According to the players, the women were promotional models hired from Sirens Agency - which supplies "strippers, lingerie and topless waitresses".

They said a businessman friend, who booked the cruise, invited the girls.

"We have spoken to the players involved and are entirely comfortable that this was an innocent afternoon spent on a friend's boat in Sydney Harbour," The Mirror quoted a Rugby Football Union (RFU) spokesman, as saying.

He added: "We are confident their behaviour was not in any way inappropriate."

The team were celebrating a 15-9 win over the Australian Barbarians - with Armitage, Haskell and Doran-Jones all starring. (ANI)

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Tiger tames Pebble to challenge leader Johnson

Published>Sun, Jun 20 10 01:17 PM

Tiger Woods stormed into contention at the U.S. Open with a sizzling back nine on Saturday that put him five shots behind fellow-American Dustin Johnson with one round to go at Pebble Beach.

Johnson, who eagled the par-four fourth hole and nearly aced the par-three seventh, claimed a three-shot lead over Britain's Graeme McDowell with birdies on the last two holes for a 66 that matched Woods's brilliant round.

The big-hitting Johnson, winner of the last two U.S. PGA Tour stops at Pebble Beach, was six-under-par 207 through 54 holes at the famed Pacific coast course.

"I love playing here," Johnson, 25, told reporters. "Today was a good day. I hit the ball well and made a few putts coming down the stretch."

But it was Woods who electrified the Pebble Beach crowd with a charge reminiscent of his dominant days, fist-pumping after birdies and manufacturing a spectacular shot at the last hole to finish with three successive birdies.

Woods, who began the day tied for 25th and seven strokes off the pace, overcame two early bogeys to make the turn at level par before a scorching back nine of five-under 31 catapulted him into third place on one-under 212 and back into contention for his 15th major title.

After he curled in a 15-foot birdie putt at the par-three 17th, Woods found himself in a jam at the 18th when his tee shot put him behind a tree on the right side of the fairway.

The world number one faded a three-wood around the tree, sending it toward the ocean before bending it onto the green where he two-putted for birdie.

"I just kept telling myself get back to even par for the tournament and I'll be right there," Woods said. "I just happened to do one better. It felt good to put it together."

Woods's score over the back nine was more than eight strokes on average better than the rest of the field.

PEBBLE BEACH LOVER

Johnson lived up to his reputation as a lover of Pebble Beach by leapfrogging McDowell at the close with two birdies while the Briton bogeyed the 16th and 17th holes.

"I wasn't quite expecting Dustin to do what he did, but he played magnificent," said McDowell. "He was awesome. He really just stood up and had no fear, hit the shots, hit all the shots."

Johnson began the day two shots behind McDowell and quickly found himself four back after the Northern Irishman birdied the first two holes in breezy, late afternoon conditions.

After a bogey by McDowell, Johnson made up two more strokes on the 290-yard, par-four fourth, which had been shortened by 40 paces to give players the option of trying to drive the green.

Johnson cashed in, hitting an iron within five feet of the cup and sinking the short eagle putt.

He followed with a birdie at the par-five sixth hole and nearly aced the 99-yard par-three seventh, spinning the ball back within inches of the cup for a tap-in birdie.

The see-saw duel continued until a two-shot swing at 17 where McDowell bogeyed and Johnson birdied to seize the lead.

Tied for fourth on level-par 213 were two-time U.S. Open winner Ernie Els of South Africa (72) and unheralded Frenchman Gregory Havret (69).

Masters champion Phil Mickelson struggled to a 73 for one-over 214, and 18-year-old Ryo Ishikawa of Japan returned a 75 for 216.

"I fought hard today," said Mickelson, whose three birdies were undone by three bogeys and a double-bogey. "But I didn't play well."

Johnson, who Woods described as "stupid long" after practicing with him on Monday, turns 26 next Tuesday and would love to celebrate with the trophy.

"You couldn't ask for a better present. This is what I live for. This is what I practice for every day," he said. "This is what we play golf for, to have a chance to win the U.S. Open."

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Former cricketer G R Sunderam dead

Published Sun, Jun 20 10 12:51 PM

Mumbai, Jun 20 (PTI) Former cricketer Gundibail Rama Sunderam, who played two Tests for India against New Zealand in 1955, died here today following a short illness. He was 80 years old. "He was not well in the last few months and was admitted to the hospital. He was discharged 10 days ago and readmitted to the hospital four days ago before breathing his last today morning at 5 am," former Test opener and Mumbai Cricket Association''s joint secretary Lalchand Rajput said. The funeral was held this morning. Born in Udupi in Karnataka, Sunderam, a right arm medium pacer, played in the third and fourth Tests of the 1955-56 home series against the Kiwis and took three wickets, after opening the bowling, including a personal best of 2-48 in his last appearance. He rose to prominence by playing for the Combined Universities outfit against the visiting MCC (England in Tests) team in 1951 and the touring Pakistanis the next year before getting a chance to represent the country in the ''unofficial Test'' against the Commonwealth XI led by Australia''s Benjamin Barnett in 1953 at the Brabourne Stadium here. .

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Murray offers sympathy to under-fire Rooney

Published>Sun, Jun 20 10 12:37 PM

Andy Murray knows a thing or two about shouldering a nation's expectations, particularly during Wimbledon fortnight, so he was well placed to offer some sympathy to England striker Wayne Rooney on Saturday.

England's failure to win the World Cup since 1966 is a fact trotted out as regularly as Britain's lack of a Wimbledon men's singles champion since 1936 and after Friday's dismal 0-0 draw with Algeria it looks unlikely to be put to bed.

It all got too much for Rooney in Cape Town where he shouted sarcastic remarks to a pitch-side camera as England were booed off by their own fans. The striker issued an apology on Saturday.

Murray, who also had some teething problems with the British media and fans, said he understood how Rooney felt.

"The one thing that I do know is that when you are sort of in the heat of the moment, when you have just finished the match, when things haven't gone as you would have liked, you can say things you don't necessarily mean," the Scot told reporters.

"You can be upset or angry about the way you played and therefore say something that you might regret, even 20 minutes, 30 minutes afterwards.

"But it is difficult. It's obviously a lot of pressure on England to do well at the World Cup. It's the same with the tennis players here, with a lot of sport in this country because it gets a lot of coverage."

BRITISH FLAGBEARER

Since taking the baton from Tim Henman as Britain's Wimbledon flagbearer, world number four Murray has grown to enjoy the spotlight at the All England Club, improving year on year to reach the semi-finals 12 months ago.

This year he has only one other British man for company in the 128-strong draw so the focus will be even more intense. While the support was welcome, Murray said the nation's desperation for sporting success could be tough.

"I think the matches I've played here are some of the best atmospheres I've ever played in," Murray said.

"But, you know, I think to win a World Cup is incredibly difficult and to win Wimbledon is incredibly difficult, as well. These are very, very, hard, hard things to do.

"There's been a lot of people that have come close the last few years, last 10 or 15 years with Tim, and myself last year. We need the support. If we get that, hopefully one day we'll be able to change it."

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