Federer tells Murray that time without coach could be beneficial

Published>Thu, Aug 12 10 02:07 PM

London, Aug.12 (ANI): Grand Slam champion Roger Federer has reportedly told British tennis star Andy Murray that not having a coach could be positively beneficial.

Murray has been without a coach for almost three weeks, since parting company with Miles Maclagan.

Federer, who won his 210th Masters match on Tuesday by beating Juan Ignacio Chela 7-6, 6-3, has only just started a new coaching relationship with Paul Annacone, the former mentor to both Pete Sampras and Tim Henman.

Federer says he spent a long without a coach at his side that he now feels confident enough to try something different and experiment a little.

"I became No.1 in the world having no coach, really. I went through a period of time, which was very interesting almost at the peak. I didn't have a management company, nor did I have a coach. I thought that was a great learning experience for me and that's why I think I'm super stable today, regardless if I do have all the stuff around me," the Daily Express quoted him, as saying.

"Today, I like it that I have that power to take decisions on a tennis court and also off court and that's something I'm very happy I went through," he added.

"That's why, it's just a learning process in the beginning and you have to feel with what you're comfortable with. And sometimes smaller is bigger and sometimes bigger is better. It depends on how you feel and where you are in your career and your stage of your life," Federer said. (ANI)

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'Saeed Ajmal can be a match-winner with little variation,' says ex-Pak spinner

Published>Thu, Aug 12 10 01:57 PM

Karachi, Aug 12(ANI): Former Pakistan cricketer Tauseef Ahmed reckons that off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has the capability to become a match-winner if he works on certain aspects of his game.

Tauseef said that Ajmal would be a better bowler if he masters the art of spinning the ball regularly into the right-handers.

"At the moment Saeed relies heavily on doosra, but if he could be more dangerous if he begins working on using the index and middle fingers to impart spin on the ball from outside the off-stump," The Dawn quoted Ahmed, as saying.

"Presently, Saeed uses his third finger to bowl off-spin which itself is a remarkable thing because generally one doesn't bowl in this manner. But there is always room for improvement, and I'm sure Saeed will work harder to achieve that," he added.

He even rated Ajmal as a better bowler than England off-spinner Graeme Swann, who took a career-best 6-65 in Pakistan's second innings of the Edgbaston Test.

"Comparatively speaking, I regard Saeed a better bowler than Swann because he bowls the 'doosra' which is a potentially a wicket-taking ball. However, Swann has a great loop that enables him to become more effective and his track record proves that," he said.

In his six Test matches, the 32-year-old has claimed 27 wickets at an average of 42.28. (ANI)

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Golfer Montgomerie wins gagging order against tabloid story on private life

Published>Thu, Aug 12 10 01:53 PM

London, Aug.12 (ANI): Golfer Colin Montgomerie has become the latest sportsman to prevent the publication of a story about his private life.

The 47-year-old approached the High Court to stop a national newspaper from publishing a report about him causing hurt to his wife of two years Gaynor Knowles by seeing an ex-girlfriend.

According to The Telegraph, Mr. Justice Eady granted the injunction relating to Montgomerie last month, preventing a tabloid newspaper from publishing the story.

The matter was subsequently resolved out of court and there is no suggestion of any truth in the allegations.

Montgomerie, who is Europe's captain for the Ryder Cup in Wales in October, was at a press conference with his American counterpart in Wisconsin on Wednesday.

"I know a lot of you are having a lot of fun right now at my expense. I apologise for this, that you have to bring this up, but at the same time no further comments from myself on that matter," he was quoted, as saying.

He added: "I'm here to talk about the Ryder Cup. So please, no further questions on anything regarding my private life. By definition, that is private." (ANI)

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IPL muscles flexing leaves White open to disclosing Victorian mates drawbacks

Published>Thu, Aug 12 10 01:47 PM

Sydney, Aug.12 (ANI): Australian all-rounder Cameron White is facing a major dilemma of sorts when he takes part in next month's Champions League in South Africa as a member of the Bangalore Royal Challengers squad, which is owned by liquor baron Vijay Mallya.

Widely regarded as Australia's best Twenty20 player, White may be forced to reveal key secrets and drawbacks of his first class side Victoria when both face each other in the competition.

A clause gives Indian Premier League (IPL) teams first rights to players for the Champions League, and this benefits the powerful Indian franchise owners.

White, who captains Victoria during the Australian domestic season, is therefore, in a difficult position of not knowing how many Victorian secrets he would need to divulge when representing Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Cricket Victoria CEO Tony Dodemaide, as saying there would be a discussion to remove it when Cricket Australia's memorandum of understanding for next season's contracts came up.

Asked if he expected White to dish up secrets of the highly successful Victorian Twenty20 system and weaknesses of his team mates to Bangalore, Dodemaide told SMH: "I would expect him to do what is required, but I think his heart and soul is with Victoria."

Victoria is not scheduled to play Bangalore in the group matches of the tournament, to be held in South Africa from September 10, but could square up in the finals - the winner's purse is three million American dollars.

Victoria has received 200,000 dollars from Bangalore for White, but Dodemaide said: "We would have loved to have Cameron. We are disappointed, as is Cameron. He has been our leader for some years, and will continue to be our leader for years to come." (ANI)

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Pakistan decides against flying in replacement for injured Gul

Published>Thu, Aug 12 10 01:23 PM

Karachi, Aug 12(ANI): The Pakistan team has decided against calling up a replacement bowler for fast bowler Umar Gul who pulled out of the Test series against England due to a hamstring injury.

Pakistan is currently 2-0 down in the four-match series, but team manager Yawar Saeed insisted that there would be no replacement for the injured fast bowler.

"We have two back up pace bowlers Tanvir Ahmed and Wahab Riaz in the touring squad and either one of them can replace Gul for the remaining Tests," The Daily Times quoted Saeed, as saying.

He stressed that Ahmed and Riaz have been with the team since the start of the tour, and were ready to replace Gul whenever required.

"The tour selectors will decide who will play, but for now we are not asking for a replacement as Gul is also due to have another scan on August 18," he added.

Gul picked up the injury when running in to bowl during the second Test at Edgbaston, and was withdrawn from action to undergo a scan.

He will sit out the third Test at The Oval, starting August 18, and the fourth and final Test at Lord's. (ANI)

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Impossible for PCB working under Butt to restore international matches: Mani

Published>Thu, Aug 12 10 01:07 PM

Islamabad, Aug 12(ANI): Former International Cricket Council (ICC) President Ehsan Mani has said that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would not be able to restore international matches in the country under the chairmanship of Ijaz Butt.

"There's a possibility of an international XI touring Pakistan within one year, but it's impossible for the present board working under Ijaz to fully revive international cricket in Pakistan," The Daily Times quoted Mani, as saying.

Leading cricket teams have refused to visit Pakistan following the 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team in Lahore, which killed eight people, as well as injuring seven Sri Lankan players and their assistant coach.

Mani further said that nothing could be done until the PCB submits a report on the Lahore attack to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

"Until this report is handed over to the ICC, revival of international cricket in Pakistan is impossible," he added.

He also stressed that the PCB officials should be accountable and provide complete independence to run the affairs.

"If the board is run like it is nowadays, it will affect the team's performance. There is lot of confusion in the decision making of the PCB which is also damaging country's image," Mani said.

Earlier, PCB spokesman Nadeem Sarwar had said that the board has sought the government's approval to forward the high-level review over the terror attack to the ICC.

A panel of Lahore High Court judges have compiled the report.

"It was a judicial inquiry and we require permission from the government to dispatch the report to ICC," Sarwar had said.

In the last two years, Pakistan 'home' games have also been staged in the United Arab Emirates and New Zealand.

Pakistan, which was due to co-host the 2011 World Cup, was also stripped of its matches following the attack on the Sri Lankan team.

Pakistan was supposed to hold 14 matches, including one semi-final. Eight of Pakistan's matches have been awarded to India, four to Sri Lanka and two to Bangladesh. (ANI)

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Abbey Clancy 'to forgive fiance Peter Crouch'

Published>Thu, Aug 12 10 12:53 PM

London, August (ANI): Abbey Clancy will forgive fiance Peter Crouch following a conversation with her mum, her pals have claimed.

Abbey, 24, flew to see her mother Karen in Majorca after Crouch's fling with an Algerian hooker was revealed.

Karen has been counselling her distraught daughter for 48 hours. Abbey admitted she still loves Crouch, 29 - and wants him back.

"This is a real battle between her heart and her head. Her head is saying leave him but in her heart she wants to stay with him," the Sun quoted one of her pals as saying.

"She's a very emotional person so it looks like her heart will win. If she does, he has to be the luckiest man on the planet," the pal added.

But Abbey is worried hooker Monica Mint, 19, who Crouch bedded during a stag do in Madrid last month, may have further revelations. (ANI)

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