Anderson expected to be fit for Ashes showdown despite rib fracture: ECB

Published>Sat, Oct 16 10 01:56 PM

Sydney, Oct 16 (ANI): England pace bowler James Anderson is expected to be fit for the Ashes showdown against Australia next month despite suffering a rib fracture.

Anderson sustained the rib injury while boxing during a recent England training camp in Germany, and it was feared the problem may not have cleared up in time for the opening two Tests in Brisbane and Adelaide.

England's defence of the Ashes begins on November 25, and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are confident that the pacer will be ready for the first Test, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

An ECB statement said: "ECB can confirm James Anderson sustained a cracked rib during England's recent preparation camp in Germany."

"Anderson is continuing his training program ahead of the Ashes tour and will fly out to Australia with England's Test squad on 29th October.

"It is anticipated that he will be fit and available for selection for the first Test Match against Australia in Brisbane," it added. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Teenage Arsenal footballer arrested for indecent exposure

Published>Sat, Oct 16 10 01:36 PM

London, Oct 16 (ANI): A 19-year-old Arsenal footballer has been arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure, it has emerged.

Midfielder Craig Eastmond, who signed a long-term Gunners deal this year and is tipped for England - was bailed until next month.

"We can confirm that on Wednesday October 6, police received an allegation of indecent exposure from a woman in Battersea. A 19-year-old man attended a South London police station and was arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure," the Sun quoted a Met Police spokesman as saying.

"He has been bailed to return on a date in November pending further enquiries," Police spokesman added. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Commonwealth gold medallist Sarnobat meets Governor

Sat, Oct 16 10 01:26 PM

Mumbai, Oct 16 (PTI) Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan today congratulated India''s shooting sensation Rahi Sarnobat for doing Maharashtra and the nation proud by winning a Gold Medal at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. Rahi Sarnobat, along with Anisa Sayyed, won Gold in the pairs 25 m pistol event for women registering a score of 1158 leaving behind Australian and English pairs. The Governor conveyed the best wishes from the nation to her for success at the Asian Games to be held later during the year in China. Sarnobat accompanied by her parents, met the Governor at Raj Bhavan. She later met Maharashtra Legislative Council Chairman Shivajirao Deshmukh here. Deshmukh said Rahi had made the state proud by her achievement.

Source: Published>

Johnson warns Pietersen to be ready to face chin music

Published>Sat, Oct 16 10 01:22 PM

Melbourne, Oct 16 (ANI): Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson has opened his feud with Kevin Pietersen ahead of the Ashes series, and vowed to "get up his nose" with bouncers against the England batsman.

Johnson and Pietersen traded insults and had to be pulled apart by Stuart Clark in a heated confrontation before the first Ashes Test in Cardiff last year.

The incident, involving a stray ball that Pietersen hit towards Johnson in the Australian warm-up nets, caused extreme ill feeling between them.

"We don't mind bowling short early, get up his nose. You like to go after the blokes who are the best in the world," Johnson told Inside Cricket Magazine.

"It's nice to get them out and it's another intimidating factor for you down the track. There's pressure on him being their best batter," he said.

The rift between Johnson doesn't show any sign of healing, News.com.au reports.

"He (Pietersen) is not someone I'm going to ring up every weekend. If I see him I'll say hello. I'm not going to be the man who doesn't say hello. That's as far as it goes," Johnson said. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

How Billy Bowden's 'insider tips' saved Matthew Hayden's Test career

Published>Sat, Oct 16 10 12:56 PM

Melbourne, Oct 16 (ANI): New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden's advice helped Mathew Hayden escape axe from the Australian team and resurrected his batting form.

Hayden, who was cricket's most dominating and imposing batsman, had a little help that no one knew about, because he also had the umpires on his side.

In his new book "Standing My Ground" Hayden reveals how he went out of his way to befriend some of the world's best umpires and they often helped him during important moments of Tests.

Hayden sought Billy Bowden's help when he was stuck in horrible form during the 2005 Ashes in England and was facing the axe if he didn't score big in the fifth Test.

During the Test, Bowden provided some key advice that helped Hayden all the way to 138 that saved his Test career, News.com.au reports.

"Before my career-saving century against England at the Oval in 2005, New Zealand's Billy Bowden visited the nets and I approached him for advice," Hayden writes.

"I told him my goal was to try to tighten up in the Test. I felt I'd been expanding my attacking game too quickly, and I asked him to speak up if he thought so too. During the match I'd say to him, 'What do you reckon?' and he'd say, 'Looking real good, just stay patient.'

"I'd sometimes ask, Is he swinging that much? and he'd say, 'Oh, it's just starting to reverse. Billy was brilliant that week. He really helped me," Hayden writes.

"People might be surprised that I had conversations like this with umpires, but I never considered it insider trading. I used every resource I legally could to enhance my game, and umpires were part of that process," he adds.

Hayden says that he has great respect for Indian umpire Srinivas Venkataraghavan as he gave him invaluable tips about batting in India during the 1998 spin clinic.

"I had great respect for the man and his opinions, and would sometimes say to him, 'What about this field?' He'd say, 'They're obviously trying to make you hit across the line,' tutoring me at a vital stage of my career." (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Man suing Federer's manager 'has new evidence to prove betting claims'

Published>Sat, Oct 16 10 12:52 PM

Washington, Oct 16 (ANI): The person suing IMG owner has claimed that he has new evidence to prove that Ted Forstmann obtained inside information from Roger Federer before betting on one of his tennis matches.

Jim Agate, who owns the printing company suing IMG for gambling-connected tax losses, filed phone records with the court which he says prove Forstmann called Agate the night before the 2007 French Open final, and that Agate immediately called a Costa Rican betting service to place the bets.

Agate also filed wager reports allegedly detailing the Federer bets.

Ironically, Federer lost the '07 French Open to Rafael Nadal - also an IMG client - allegedly costing Forstmann a bundle.

All tolled, Agate claims Forstmann lost 96,000 dollars in the days surrounding the Federer/Nadal match and Agate filed a receipt for a 96,000 dollars wire transfer to prove it, the money which Agate says Forstmann paid him for the gambling losses.

Forstmann's rep, Michael Sitrick ahs told that these allegations is an "absolute lie" made by a "desperate man."

Sitrick hasn't seen the documents Agate filed, but says he wouldn't be surprised if they're phony, reports TMZ.

Federer denies giving Forstmann any inside info about the match in question.(ANI)

Source: Web Search

Delhi CWG show makes Aussie swimmer a star

Sat, Oct 16 10 12:36 PM

Melbourne, Oct 16 (PTI) She went to Delhi in anonymity but five medals at the Commonwealth Games have made swimmer Alicia Coutts a household name in Australia now. The 23-year-old returned to the country today along with the rest of the over 500-strong Australian contingent to a warm reception from none other then the Prime Minister of the country Julia Gillard. Coutts, who won three individual and two relay gold medals in Delhi, had no sponsors before the Games and even thought of quitting following an abdominal surgery just after the Beijing Olympics. "I actually didn''t know if I wanted to swim any more. I always had in the back of my mind, ''Will I ever be back to where I was?'' I''ve definitely got over that," she told ''The Sydney Morning Herald.'' "My dad said to me he knew I was going to be a good swimmer right from the word go. He told me, ''You''ll go to the Olympics one day.'' Now I''m getting better and proving that I can be as good as he thought I was going to be," Coutts says. Alicia''s father Gary, also a swimmer, died when she was only six months old and she pursued the sport for him. "I actually had my first ever swimming carnival when I was seven on the day my dad actually died. He died in the morning, and the carnival was in the afternoon, and my mum said, ''You''re not going to go.'' "But I said, ''I have to go, I have to go and swim for Dad,'' so my grandparents took me, and I swam and I won all my races," he said. Coutts now wants to get fitter for the 2012 London Olympics. "I definitely want to try and get fitter and thinner and stronger," she says. The swimmer said she surprised herself with her performance in Delhi. "I wasn''t expecting to go that fast. I''m one of those people who doesn''t go into anything expecting something. I like to go in, see what I can do and see what happens. I know there''ll be expectation but I will still approach things the same way I have." PTI PM

Source: Published>