Banned Afridi invites more trouble

Published>Mon, Feb 01 10 07:20 PM

Karachi, Feb 1 (IANS) After being banned for two Twenty20 Internationals for biting the seam off the ball, Pakistan's Shahid Afridi might land himself in more trouble for claiming that every team in world cricket tampered with the ball.

Sources told IANS Monday that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has taken note of Afridi's comments that all international teams are involved in ball-tampering and might decide to grill the experienced allrounder about it.

'There is no team in the world that doesn't tamper with the ball. My methods were wrong. I am embarrassed, I shouldn't have done it. I just wanted to win us a game but this was the wrong way to do it,' Afridi said after TV cameras caught him biting the ball during Pakistan's fifth and final One-day International against Australia in Perth Sunday night.

Under ICC rules, any attempt to change the condition of the ball through illegal means is a violation of the players' code of conduct and the offender is liable to be punished.

Afridi, who was leading Pakistan in that match because of the absence of regular captain Mohammad Yousuf, later said he was sorry for his bizzare action.

'I apologise to all and everyone involved in the match and to the fans around the world. This will never happen again,' he said.

'Being the captain, I should have been a role-model for my players which I was not, but I hope I will be forgiven.'

Afridi, 29, may have apologised but his brain snap could seriously dent his hopes of taking over as Pakistan's long-term captain.

Afridi was tipped to replace Yousuf as the new Pakistan skipper within the next few weeks but the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) might now have second thoughts about picking the allrounder for the challenging job.

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Indian shuttlers win double gold in South Asian Games

Published Mon, Feb 01 10 06:54 PM

Tapan Mohanta Dhaka, Feb 1 (PTI) National champions Chetan Anand and Trupti Murgunde led from the front as Indian shuttlers dominated the courts in the 11th South Asian Games, winning both the men''s and women''s team gold medals at the Wooden Floor Gymnasium here today. Up against Sri Lanka in both the men''s and women''s event, India did not give their opponents any chance and romped home with an identical 3-0 scoreline. Women''s trio of Trupti, Sayali Gokhale and PC Thulasi started the proceedings for India as they earned the first gold, while Anand, RMV Guru Sai Dutt and Aditya Prakash bagged the second gold in the men''s category. Anand gave India the 1-0 lead when he prevailed over Lankan No 1 Niluka Karunaratne 21-12, 21-18. Lagging behind 9-11 at one stage, Anand pulled up his socks and pocketed the first game conceding just one more point. The strapping Indian completed the formalities in the second game as the match lasted 37 minutes. RMV Guru Sai Dutt blew away Dinuka Karunaratne 21-8, 21-18 in a battle that lasted for 33 minutes as India continued their march for the second gold in badminton. MORE PTI TAP ATK

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Circumstances forced us to name Yousuf as captain: PCB chairman

Published>Mon, Feb 01 10 06:50 PM

Lahore, Feb 1(ANI): Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt has reiterated that circumstances prior to the tour of New Zealand had compelled the board to appoint Mohammad Yousuf as captain.

Butt said that as in the case of the Cricket Australia, they too wished to have only four captains being changed in the past 25 years, but the unpleasant developments had forced the board to change four skippers in just one year.

"It was not possible to appoint a young player to lead the Pakistan team on long, difficult tours of New Zealand and Australia. That's why we were forced to make Yousuf captain," The Daily Times quoted Butt, as saying.

"Yousuf led the national team after five long years and it was a difficult task," he added.

He also defended the appointment of three coaches - Intikhab Alam, Waqar Younis and Aaqib Javed, saying that they properly guided bowlers in the national team.

When asked about the poor seventh ranking of the national team in both Test and one-day cricket, Butt claimed that it was mainly because Pakistan had been playing at off-shore venues and had aced lack of cricket since last year due to security issues prevailing in the country. (ANI)

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India committed to providing security to foreign players: Chidambaram

Published>Mon, Feb 01 10 06:40 PM

New Delhi, Feb 01(ANI): Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said here on Monday that India is committed to providing security to players of all the countries playing in India.

Releasing his ministry's monthly report card for January, Chidambaram said: Let players from Australia, let players from Pakistan come to India,let them play in Mumbai or any other part of the country. I guarantee their security."

Chidambaram also strongly condemned the views expressed by the Shiv Sena against non-Marathi speaking people working in Mumbai.

"We reject the thesis of the Shiv Sena, we reject the thesis of the MNS. Mumbai belongs to all Indians. Indians are free to move anywhere in the country and work," Chidambaram said.

Earlier, Chidambaram had said the decision of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchisees not selecting any of the 17 Pakistani cricketers who had been given Indian visas for participation in the third edition of the IPL was a disservice to the game of cricket.

He had said these players were 20-20 World Champions and did not deserve to be treated this way.

He had said that any suggestion that the Indian Government had "nudged" the IPL not to select Pakistani players was not true and had no foundation. (ANI)

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Paes into Bollywood films now

Published Mon, Feb 01 10 06:10 PM

Kolkata, Feb 1 (PTI) Indian tennis ace Leander Paes, who won the Australian Open mixed doubles Championship yesterday, is also trying his hand at acting and has already completed part of a Bollywood film''s shooting. "Paes is into films now and could take up a career in Bollywood when he decides to hang up his racquet," Hiranmoy Chatterjee, Secretary of the Bengal Tennis Association (BTA) and considered close to the tennis player, told PTI today. Chatterjee said that Paes had already shot part of the film and is expected in Kolkata next month for more shooting. Paes, who is from the Beckbagan area of the metropolis and learnt his tennis lessons here, grabbed his 11th Grand Slam when partnering, Cara Black of Zimbabwe, he defeated Russia''s Ekatarina Makarova and Czechoslovakia''s Jaroslav Levinsky 7-5, 6-3 in the mixed doubles final at Melbourne. "Leander has been offered the hero''s role in the movie," Chatterjee said, but refused to divulge details about the film. "As for other details, it is for Paes or the director of the film to make public," he said. .

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Dempo to clash with Mohun Bagan

Published Mon, Feb 01 10 05:54 PM

Margao, Feb 1 (PTI) Leaders Dempo will take on Kolkata giant Mohun Bagan, who would strive to shrug off the hangover of a 1-2 defeat at the hand of Salgaocar, in a 13th round I-League football match at Nehru Stadium at Fatorda tomorrow. Dempo, on the other hand, had to share the points after another Kolkata outfit East Bengal held them to a draw in the last match. Now the Goan side, which has emerged as one of the title contenders in the tournament, will desperately try to pocket full points against Bagan. "We have to compensate ourselves with a win. We did not play bad in the last match but couldn''t score also. Our opponent had lost in their last match, so it''s natural that they''ll come hard against us but we have to be prepared for that," Dempo coach Armando Colaco said. "The boys had shown tremendous spirit in maintaining a good run in the previous matches and since we''re coming at a crucial stage of the league it will be very useful to end up with a win," Colaco added. Meanwhile, Dempo have a couple of worries with winger Clifford Miranda and defender Samir Naik being the doubtful starters. With Brazilian medio Beto and Nigerian striker Ranty Martins continuing their recovery form injury, Climax Lawrence and Peter Carvalho will have to share the responsibility in the midfield. (More) PTI COR VKV DB

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Major January transfers

Published Mon, Feb 01 10 05:50 PM

REUTERS - A list of major European moves in the January transfer window which closes on Monday (* denotes undisclosed).

Player Clubs Cost

Ruud van Nistelrooy Real Madrid to Hamburg SV *

Patrick Vieira Inter Milan to Manchester City *

Younes Kaboul Portsmouth to Tottenham Hotspur *

Andrea Dossena Liverpool to Napoli *

Chris Smalling** Fulham to Manchester United *

Thomas Hitzlsperger VfB Stuttgart to Lazio *

David Beckham Los Angeles Galaxy to AC Milan Loan

Robinho Manchester City to Santos Loan

Luca Toni Bayern Munich to AS Roma Loan

Landon Donovan Los Angeles Galaxy to Everton Loan

Eidur Gudjohnsen Monaco to Tottenham Hotspur Loan

Jo Everton to Galatasaray Loan

Yildiray Basturk VfB Stuttgart to Blackburn Rovers Loan

Amr Zaki Zamalek to Hull City Loan

Goran Pandev Unattached to Inter Milan Free

Sol Campbell Unattached to Arsenal Free

Maxi Rodriguez Atletico Madrid to Liverpool Free

** Player to join club at end of season.

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