Daily News Sports

Win at Last

2008-04-30T13:03:00.003+05:30

Streams of people were headed towards the gate. The crowd had realized it wasn’t going to be a dream day for Kolkata. Mumbai Indians, four successive losses, without Harbhajan Singh and Sachin Tendulkar, were finally tasting a win. The Mumbai team’s first century partnership did the trick and Robin Uthappa and Dwayne Bravo were the heroes.

But it wasn’t all rosy for the Indians after they had lost both the openers – Ajinkya Rahane (4) and Sanath Jayasuriya (18) – and Manish Pandey (0) with the scoreboard reading 25.

One just wondered what did the Mumbai team, after a brilliant bowling performance, require to pull off a win. Bravo and Uthappa had a 113-run answer, which not only propelled Mumbai to a win but in the process the two also upstaged Rohit Sharma and Andrew Symonds’s 111-run partnership against Rajasthan for the IPL record for fourth-wicket stand.

Bravo’s elegant drives and back-foot punches were a treat for cricket connoisseurs but silenced the Kolkata crowd.

Second in a row

Kolkata, on the other hand, tasted their second defeat in a row. Not exactly expected after they had a dream start to the tournament with a 140-run win over Bangalore Royal Challengers.

Earlier, Kolkata captain Sourav Ganguly had won the toss and decided to bat first. After Indians captain Shaun Pollock bowled his first over, the decision seemed to be the wrong one. The South African had sent back Brendon McCullum (1) and Ganguly (4) back into the dug-out within the first five balls of the match itself.

After Pollock was done, it was Sanath Jayasuriya’s turn to get some wickets.

He scalped three wickets, that of David Hussey, Mohammad Hafeez and Ajit Agarkar.

While Hussey and Agarkar walked back after having Ashish Nehra catch them in the deep, Hafeez edged one to wicket-keeper Pinal Shah.

Jayasuriya ended with much-more-than-impressive figures of 4-1-14-3.

But one man, who would like to forget the Indian Premier League would be Ricky Ponting. The Australian captain had a grouse about the IPL since the beginning, thanks to the lowly $400,000 that he fetched in the bidding process.

Ponting’s blues

Monday only added to his blues. The man, who played his last IPL match for the season before he returns for a tour to Caribbean, has only scored 39 runs from his four matches. Even his strike-rate (73.58) wasn’t Twenty20-esque.

What must have pained him even more was that though he was middling the ball well, his end had to come in the avatar of a run out. A mix-up with Hafeez meant Ajinkya Rahane had the ball thrown at Jayasuriya at the non-striker’s end and the Sri Lankan, cruelly for Ponting, flicked the bails off.

The only solace for McCullum, who was the other man from the Kolkata team to be playing the last IPL match this season, yesterday was his first-match knock of 158 not out.

That knock not only made the Knight Riders start on a high but even a man called Lalit Modi would have been salivating at the future prospects of the tournament and cash flows.

SCOREBOARD

Kolkata vs Mumbai : Eden gardens, Kolkata

Kolkata knight riders

B McCullum lbw b Pollock (2b) 1
S Ganguly c Jayasuriya b Pollock (2b, 1x4) 4
R Ponting run out (Rahane/Jayasuriya) (31b, 1x4) 19
D Das c Uthappa b Bravo (20b, 5x4, 1x6) 29
D Hussey c Nehra b Jayasuriya (20b, 3x4) 17
Mohammad Hafeez c Shah b Jayasuriya (6b) 2
LR Shukla not out (22b, 4x4, 2x6) 40
A Agarkar c Nehra b Jayasuriya (6b) 2
M Kartik c Jayasuriya b Fernando (11b, 1x4) 10
I Sharma not out (0b) 0

Extras (b 1, lb 5, w 7) 13
Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 137

Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Ganguly), 2-6 (McCullum), 3-40 (Das), 4-74 (Hussey), 5-77 (Ponting), 6-77 (Mohammad Hafeez), 7-90 (Agarkar), 8-131 (Kartik)

Bowling: Pollock 4-0-27-2, Nehra 1-0-9-0, Fernando 4-0-41-1, Kulkarni 3-0-15-0, Bravo 4-0-25-1, Jayasuriya 4-1-14-3

Mumbai Indians (target 138)

A Rahane c Hussey b Agarkar (10b, 1x4) 4
S Jayasuriya b Sharma (10b, 3x4, 1x6) 18
M Pandey b Dinda (3b) 0
R Uthappa not out (37b, 5x4) 37
D Bravo not out (53b, 8x4, 1x6) 64

Extras (lb-5, w-9, nb-1) 15
Total (3 wickets; 18.4 overs) 138
Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Rahane), 2-25 (Jayasuriya), 3-25 (Pandey)
Bowling: Agarkar 4-0-23-1,Sharma 3.4-0-33-1, Dinda 4-0-12-1, Kartik 3-0-24-0, Hafeez 1-0-16-0, Ganguly 2-0-14-0,Shukla 1-0-11-0

Ronaldo caught in sex scandal

2008-04-30T13:01:00.002+05:30

London: Police are investigating allegations by three transvestites that Brazilian soccer star and AC Milan forward Ronaldo threatened them after taking them to a Rio de Janeiro motel. Police said they were also looking into an accusation by the 31-year-old player that one of the transvestites tried to extort $31, 619 dollars in return for not going to the media.

According toThe Daily Telegraph, Ronaldo, who is back in his hometown recovering from an injury, left a nightclub in the posh Barra da Tijuca neighbourhood early yesterday with three call girls, only to find out that they were men, according to authorities.

Bhajji banned, to lose Rs 3 crore; Sree warned

2008-04-29T11:18:00.001+05:30

NEW DELHI: The IPL has banned volatile off-spinner and Mumbai Indians' stand-in skipper, Harbhajan Singh, for 11 IPL matches after finding him guilty of physically assaulting fellow Indian cricketer and Team Mohali bowler Sreesanth after an IPL game on Friday evening. According to IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, Harbhajan has also been fined 100% of his match fee for his conduct on the field.

The ban implies that Harbhajan stands to lose as much as Rs 3 crore as he will only be paid for the two matches that he played in the T20 league. Sreesanth too was given a warning on the basis of his behaviour in previous matches. Harbhajan's attack, however, was found to have been "unprovoked".

There could be further trouble for "bad boys" Harbhajan and Sreesanth as BCCI too has launched a probe into the spat which will examine the backdrop to the assault.

Mumbai Indians coach Lalchand Rajput was also found guilty of "conduct flouting the spirit of the game". "It's a Level 2 offence. He was fined 50% of his match fee as well. In the video footage, Lalchand was standing right behind Harbhajan and he could have stopped the incident from happening. He didn't take any step to restrain him from behaving like that. Instead, he stood there and was found laughing in the tape," a top BCCI official told TOI.

The ugly incident between Harbhajan and Sreesanth occurred a few minutes after the Mumbai team lost to Team Mohali. Images of a profusely weeping Sreesanth were aired on TV after the fiasco. Footage made available to the match referee Farokh Engineer shows Harbhajan shaking hands with Team Mohali members after the match.

Said Modi: "Then, the video shows Harbhajan slapping Sreesanth instead of giving him a handshake. I would like to make it clear to all players that the cricket board is not going to spare anyone who crosses the limit." Modi added that Harbhajan had accepted he slapped the pacer under no provocation and the match referee states this in his report.

"As a penalty for the Level 4.2 offence committed by Harbhajan Singh, we hereby order that Singh be banned for the rest of the league matches of the first IPL event," he said while announcing Engineer's verdict here in a city hotel on Monday, after the IPL inquiry committee examined the footage of the incident and consulted representatives from both teams.

"Harbhajan Singh will also be fined 100% of his match fee that may have been paid or may hereafter be paid to him in respect of the remaining matches only. That does not take into account any of the two earlier matches (prior to Friday) that he may have played," Modi added.

Engineer, who conducted the hearing, said: "Harbhajan accepted his guilt. It can happen to any cricketer and I am glad that Harbhajan knows where he has gone wrong." The former Indian cricketer then announced: "Sreesanth has been warned to behave well on the field."

Later, while addressing the gathering, Harbhajan hugged and shook hands with the Kerala fast bowler.

Super Kings beat Royal Challengers by 13 runs

2008-04-29T11:14:00.002+05:30

Bangalore, April 28:: MS Dhoni led from the front with an explosive innings and his bowlers later exploited an inept batting by their opponents to script a narrow 13-run win over Bangalore Royal Challengers and maintain their clean slate in the IPL match here tonight. Electing to bat on a Chinnaswamy Stadium, Dhoni with some lusty hitting along with Michael Hussey posted a competitive 178 for 5 in 20 overs.

In reply, the Royal Challengers were cruising to 102 for 2 in the 11th over only to make a mess of what appeared like a gettable target and were all out for 165 with two balls to spare.

The home team did not have the best of a start with opener B Chipli getting out cheaply for eight. But Wasim Jaffer and Ross Taylor took the team past 100 in the 11th over and they were cruising along.

The duo stitched a superb 89-run second wicket stand before Jaffer returned to the hut after making a breezy 50 off 33 balls, though he was dropped twice.

South African Jacques Kallis continued his poor form and was out cheaply for 14 but big hitting Kiwi Ross Taylor kept the run ticking at a reasonable pace.

But, once Taylor was out for 53 which he made from 34 balls with the help of three fours and as many sixes, the procession of Royal Challengers' batsmen started.

Mark Boucher (4), Virat Kohli (12) and captain Rahul Dravid (0) departed in quick succession though the former India captain was a bit unlucky to get the LBW decision off Manpreet Gony.

Even as cool-headed Dhoni kept on shuffling his bowlers to induce errors to their opposition batsmen, the last seven Bangalore Royal Challengers' wickets fell for just 38 runs and that put paid the home team's hopes of second win from four outings.

Punjab medium pacer Manpreet Gony, who picked up three wickets including two in one over of Boucher and Dravid, was the most successful of Chennai Super Kings bowlers while Palani Amarnath took two wickets.

Earlier, Dhoni and Michael Hussey shared a 95-run fourth wicket stand to take Chennai Super Kings to a competitive score of 178 for five in 20 overs.

Dhoni (65) gave ample demonstration of his class outscoring his Aussie partner as the two consolidated the position after the Super Kings were 83 for three at one stage.

Dhoni got his eye in before unleashing a fierce assault on the Royal Challengers in the later overs.

He plundered 45 runs off 16 deliveries at one stage disfiguring the bowlers' analysis to a great extent before trying for another big hit only to be caught in the last over.

Dhoni's contribution in the last 45 runs he added with Hussey (47) was an amazing 43 and his 65 came off 30 balls with 9 fours and three sixes. He had reached 50 in 24 balls earlier.

Matthew Hayden, Parthiv Patel and Suresh Raina fell after a slow start with only 83 runs coming off 12 overs.

But the Royal Challengers lost the ascendancy once Dhoni came to the crease.

Sweet first win

2008-04-28T11:12:00.003+05:30

MUMBAI, IANS: Adam Gilchrist slammed a 42-ball century, helping Deccan Chargers beat Mumbai Indians by 10 wickets on Sunday, as the much-hyped home team still waits for its first win in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket tournament.

Chasing a modest target of 155, Gilchrist blasted the fastest ton of the IPL, playing the destroyer's role to perfection, in the company of captain VVS Laxman to lead Deccan Chargers to their first victory in the league at the DY Patil Sports Academy.

The ignominy of Mumbai India's fourth defeat on the trot was intensified with the 10-wicket loss, a testimony of a dispirited performance - what with stand-in skipper Harbhajan Singh being suspended for allegedly slapping Sreesanth in Friday's match.

A splendid all-round display

2008-04-27T13:26:00.003+05:30

BANGALORE, PTI: A splendid all-round display enabled Rajasthan Royals cruise to a comfortable seven-wicket victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League tournament on Saturday.

For the second successive time, the Bangalore outfit failed to rise to the occasion in front of the home crowd at the Chinnaswamy Stadium making just 135 for eight in 20 overs after being invited to bat.

In reply, the team led by legendary Shane Warne chased it losing only three wickets with 17 balls to spare.

Man of the match Shane Watson, who dismissed both Dravid and Chanderpaul early, stole the show with a well compiled unbeaten 61 off only 41 balls with eight fours and two sixes.

Graeme Smith made a useful 49 before departing just before victory was achieved.

The giant killers

2008-04-26T10:23:00.002+05:30

The stage is set for an exciting weekend for Indian Premier League fans, who would be eager to know if Royal Challengers Bangalore are the next victims for giant killers Rajasthan Royals at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Saturday.

Shane Warne-led Rajasthan Royals, who were considered as the weakest team after a nine-wicket loss to Delhi Daredevils in their opening match, stunned the favourites like Kings XI Punjab and Deccan Chargers in a spectacular fashion and would be keen to prove that the feat was no fluke.

Rajasthan Royals jumped to fourth place after Thursday's superb win in Hyderabad and would be determined to keep at bay the Rahul Dravid and Co, just one step behind them at the fifth spot in the points table.

The Jaipur outfit appeared to have gelled well under their charismatic leader Warne and their morale is boosted with South Africa Graeme Smith joining the batting line up which is already in good shape with Yousuf Pathan, Shane Watson and Mohammad Kaif in good touch.

Battle for supremacy

2008-04-26T10:20:00.002+05:30

With two wins in their kitty, the Kolkata Knight riders and the Chennai Super Kings would battle for supremacy in their third league match of the IPL Twenty20 cricket tournament on Saturday.

Sourav Ganguly-led Kolkata Knight Riders, leaders of the points table in the ongoing IPL Twenty-20 cricket tournament so far, have a slight edge in the bowling attack but Chennai Super Kings, with solid batting line up, would not give up easily since being desperate to reach the top of the table.

So far, Kolkata team had a better run rate having secured (+) 3.774 ratio as compared to the hosts (+) 0.975 and another factor that weigh in the visitors' favour is the balance of the team.

Kings register first win of IPL

2008-04-26T10:19:00.002+05:30

Kumar Sangakkara's confident 94-run knock coupled with disciplined bowling fashioned Kings XI Punjab's 66-run victory over Mumbai Indians in their Indian Premier League match on Friday.

Sangakkara missed out on a well deserved century but propelled his team to a competitive 182, after being sent to bat by the rival skipper.

The hosts then restricted their opponents to 116 for 9 in their quota of 20 overs with Chawla coming up with a brilliant four-over spell, in which he claimed two wickets conceded just 16 runs.

Brett Lee also produced exceptional figures of 4-0-9-1 while Irfan chipped in with two wickets in his team's first victory in the tournament.

Gone down in a thriller!

2008-04-24T11:23:00.002+05:30

CHENNAI, PTI: In a repeat show of the Twenty20 World Cup final, Joginder Sharma lived upto captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's expectation and sent down a crucial final over as Chennai Super Kings pipped Mumbai Indians by six runs in a thrilling Indian Premier League on Wednesday.

Harbhajan Singh (28) and Abhishek Nayar's (45 not out) spectacular rearguard action had the Mumbai side needing 19 off the last over when Dhoni tossed the ball to Joginder.

The bowler conceded two fours in a row and bowled a no ball as well. But he kept his cool in the end and kept it tight as Mumbai Indians eventually finished on 202 for seven.

Chennai ride on Hussey rampage

2008-04-20T08:18:00.002+05:30

MOHALI, April 19: Mike Hussey cracked the fastest century in Twenty20 cricket history as Chennai Super Kings pulled off a comfortable 33-run victory over Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League match on Saturday.

Hussey's blistering unbeaten 116 off just 54 balls steered Chennai Super Kings to an imposing 240 for five on a perfect batting strip at the PCA stadium.

Scorecard

The Chennai outfit then restricted the home team to 207 for four to record a win in their opening match which turned out to be a high scoring contest under lights.

It was a virtual carnage at the PCA ground as Hussey plundered runs at will to notch up the second century in the tournament in as many days after Brendon McCullum's 158 in the opening match in Bangalore last night.

Electing to bat, the Chennai team took full advantage of a batting track and short boundaries with sixes and fours raining on a hapless Yuvraj Singh-led home team.

Suresh Raina (32), S Badrinath (31) and Matthew Hayden (25) were the other notable scorers for Chennai Super Kings.

The home team started off well and kept themselves in the hunt till the midway stage of the innings but the dismissal of James Hopes (71) brought Chennai back in the game.

Kumara Sangakkara (54), Karan Goel (24) and captain Yuvraj Singh (23) were the other batsmen who chipped in with some runs for Kings XI.

The highlight of the innings was the explosive strokeplay by Hussey, who hit as many as 10 sixes and seven boundaries to record an amazing strike rate of 211.11.

The likes of Brett Lee, S Sreesanth, Irfan Pathan and James Hopes could do nothing to stop the run deluge while the two spinners Piyush Chawla and Karan Goel were little more than cannon fodder. In fact, Chawla's only over cost 19 runs forcing Yuvraj to take him out of the attack.

However, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the highest paid player in the landmark auction, could manage just two runs before being trapped leg before by Hopes. But his team-mates made amends for his cheap dismissal with some lusty hitting which helped the team put on a mammoth total.

Faced with a stiff asking rate, Kings XI got off to a decent start with Goel and Hopes putting on 56 runs in the first five overs.

After Goel's dismissal, Hopes and the experienced Kumar Sangakkara kept up the tempo with some big hits but the run rate slowed down a bit after spin wizard Muthiah Muralitharan was introduced into the attack.

Muralithan's experience came handy as he used a lot of variations and gave away just 33 runs in his quota of four overs.

With the required run rate climbing alarmingly after every over, Simon Katich made a valiant effort in the fag end but it was not enough to carry the team to the victory target.

Man United leave it late to earn precious point

2008-04-20T08:16:00.001+05:30

LONDON, April 19: Manchester United needed a late equaliser from Carlos Tevez to draw 1-1 at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday and stay on track to win the Premier League title.

The reigning champions were trailing to Roque Santa Cruz's 21st minute opener for Rovers before Tevez flicked in a header three minutes from time after a long spell of United pressure.

The point leaves United three points above second-placed Chelsea with three games remaining, starting with next weekend's clash between the sides at Stamford Bridge, although United also have a superior goal difference.

United have 81 points, Chelsea are on 78 and Arsenal, who beat Reading 2-0, are third with 74. Liverpool are in fourth place with 69 points after a 2-0 victory at Fulham.

Bolton Wanderers won 1-0 at Middlesbrough to move out of the bottom three, Wigan Athletic drew 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United beat Derby County 2-1.

IPL Moments

2008-04-19T09:56:00.002+05:30

Knight Riders crush Challengers by 140 runs

2008-04-19T09:52:00.003+05:30

BANGALORE, PTI: Brendon McCullum's incredible unbeaten century coupled with decimating fast bowling helped Kolkata Knight Riders inflict a humiliating 140-run defeat on Bangalore Royal Challengers in the opening match of the Indian Premier League here on Friday.

Put in to bat, the Kolkata team scored a massive 222 for three and then skittled out their opponents for a paltry 82 to begin their campaign in the Twenty20 extravaganza in style.

Serena stops Sharapova to reach Charleston semis

2008-04-19T09:51:00.001+05:30

CHARLESTON, April 19: Serena Williams reached the Family Circle Cup semi-finals on Friday by beating number two seed Maria Sharapova 7-5, 4-6, 6-1.

The Russian, who won only nine of 35 points in a final set during which Williams made only one unforced error, lost to the American for the fifth time in seven career matches.

Williams, seeded fifth, blasted 11 aces and successfully landed 65 percent of her first serves during the two-hour, 30-minute affair to set up a clash with France's unseeded Alize Cornet who upset 10th seed Agnes Szavay of Hungary.

Sharapova and Williams came into the match in form.

The Russian last week clinched her first clay court title, beating Dominika Cibulkova in the final on green clay at Amelia Island, while the American also won her last tournament, two weeks ago at Miami.

Sharapova was happy to take the positives from a tough loss the day before her 21st birthday, saying, "Considering the success she's had on clay, she was obviously the favourite".

The Russian had a chance to win the first set 6-4 but failed to take it and although she won the second and battled to the end Williams finished much stronger to close out the match.

"If I did take that (first) set point or if I had taken a couple of those important points, I would have won the second and the match would been over in two. So, you know, that's the way it goes and that's the beauty of tennis."

Top seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia was due to face Russian number nine seed Vera Zvonareva later on Friday while the match between another Russian, fourth seed Elena Dementieva, and Swiss seventh seed Patty Schnyder was in progress.

Todays teams

2008-04-18T13:50:00.003+05:30

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I have time to get in shape for IPL: Sachin

2008-04-18T13:45:00.002+05:30

MUMBAI, April 17: Sachin Tendulkar on Thursday brushed aside reports saying he was doubtful for the opening Mumbai Indians IPL tie against Bangalore Royal Challengers on Sunday.

He said there were two more days left for him to get into shape to lead his team at the Wankhede Stadium.

"I am following the fitness regime given to me by the physio. There are two more days for the match. No decision has been taken as yet (whether he will play or not). It will be decided before the 20th," said the champion batsman at the team launch.

Tendulkar has not played any competitive cricket since being ruled out of the last two Test matches against South Africa after aggravating an old groin injury. He could not take part in the Olympic Torch relay event in New Delhi for the same reason.

Team coach Lalchand Rajput announced that off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has been appointed vice-captain of the team.

Also present at the official launch of the squad was guest of honour Sunil Gavaskar and Nita Ambani, wife of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, the franchise owner of the team.

Tendulkar said surprise was the key element in Twenty20 matches. "The key factor in Twenty20 (matches) is introduction of surprise element and we will have quite a few of these planned (for our rivals)," he said.

The 27 players, barring the absent Lasith Malinga and Loots Bosman, and support staff, were applied tilak mixed with mud from Tendulkar's nursery Shivaji Park ground in Dadar.

Tendulkar turned nostalgic and said he could never forget Shivaji Park and the way he had been taken around the ground and other places on a scooter by boyhood mentor Ramakant Achrekar.

Achrekar was especially present on the occasion to apply tilak on the forehead of all Mumbai Indians players. "I have grown up in that area and can never forget those days. I used to be taken around by Sir (Achrekar) on his scooter for playing matches. I would not have reached where I am without those happenings," he said.

Tendulkar, who skipped last year's World Twenty20 Championship won by India, said he had limited experience of playing the shortest form of the game when representing Mumbai last year in domestic cricket.

"I have played a few Twenty20 games for Mumbai last year and I enjoyed it. It's a great challenge and I am looking forward to it," he said.

"Shaun (Pollock) has already started giving tips to the young fast bowlers of our team. I am not sure how the wickets and conditions will be as the matches would start at 8 pm. I don't know how much dew will be there. We will have a few practice sessions to see how the conditions are," he added.

RWC2007 report - main findings

2008-04-17T09:09:00.002+05:30

Below are the main findings of the independent report into the All Blacks' Rugby world Cup campaign, released today:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

2.1 The material learnings need to be considered in the context of the whole report and with the knowledge that we have had the considerable benefit of hindsight in reaching our conclusions. In our view NZRU planned to win the RWC 2007 in a thorough and professional manner. Inevitably there is some focus on areas that could be improved. It is important that this summary is read in light of these comments. Further learnings and recommendations are contained in the body of the report.

RWC 2007 Campaign

2.2 In our view, winning the RWC was over emphasised by NZRU, primarily because of the handling of the conditioning programme - future planning should be lower key in terms of player and public awareness.

2.3 The RWC 2007 off-field planning and preparation was exemplary, ensuring that there were no distractions or barriers to performance. The approach should be continued in future campaigns.2.4 In terms of on-field preparation, the dominant theme was that the team were lacking in quality "game time". The combination of conditioning, weakened in-bound competition and poor quality pool opposition, meant that there was insufficient top-level game time. In hindsight, the games arranged before departure were not adequate preparation given the combination of circumstances discussed.

2.5 In our view there were too many All Blacks management in full time attendance at the RWC 2007. That view was repeated in interviews and in the 360 degree feedback.

2.6 NZRU, including the current coaches and management, have ensured the All Blacks brand continues to be one of the most successful in world sport (despite lack of world cup success).

Conditioning Programme

2.7 The conditioning programme was based on a sound premise but consultation and implementation were not optimal. In particular, there was a lack of proper consultation with Franchises ( ). Implementation was hindered by a "one-size fits all" approach to the length of the programme. Major initiatives such as this require testing and proper consultation.

2.8 All Blacks participation in the existing competition structure is in need of immediate review to ensure that the All Blacks have sufficient time to prepare, perform, recover and rest (as with other professional rugby players and sports people).

2.9 Re-integration of the players into the Rebel Sport Super 14 competition was not effectively managed which resulted in mismatched expectations between the players, the All Blacks management team and the Franchise coaches.2.10 One impact of the conditioning programme that was under estimated was the effectiveness of the players returning to rugby and the dent in confidence that some experienced from not having played.

2.11 The conditioning programme delivered significant improvements in speed, repeated speed, lower body power and strength, upper body strength and body composition. The All Blacks of 2007 became better athletes as a result of the conditioning programme.

2.12 The conditioning programme did influence at least two leading All Blacks to re-sign with the NZRU following the RWC. They both stated that without the conditioning programme they would not be playing rugby in New Zealand post the 2007 RWC.

Selection

2.13 The All Blacks selectors have a mature and effective selection process that has player welfare front of mind and a simple objective of selecting the best available team to win the next test match. Consistency of selection in the lead-up to the finals was agreed to be important, with the bulk of the 22 players in the quarter final having played in eight of the 11 tests leading into that match. On average 17 of the 22 selected for the quarter final played in each of the eight tests.Leadership

2.14 The leadership programme implemented by the All Blacks management team has contributed to the growth of leadership capabilities within the players and to the on-field success of the All Blacks.

2.15 The programme should continue and be adapted to provide an increased focus on on-field leadership and mental preparedness.

2.16 The leadership and mental preparedness approach by the All Blacks must be part of an overarching framework that provides a common and systematic approach to holistic player development. It must be integrated across all levels of professional rugby - All Blacks, Rebel Sport Super 14 Franchises and age grade national sides.

2.17 The effectiveness of the leadership development and mental preparedness strategies should be measured objectively.

Quarter Final

2.18 We were not required to reach a conclusion on the factors immediately relevant to the loss in Cardiff but we comment briefly on them to ensure we do not give an incomplete impression.

2.19 Factors outside the control of the All Blacks contributed to the loss of the quarter final. The performance of the referee and touch judges had a significant adverse impact on the All Blacks. An unusual combination of injuries was also a critical contributor.

2.20 The officials, the combination of injuries, along with the performance of the French placed huge pressure on the All Blacks leadership model. The leadership model failed to deliver what was its most important objective - decisions which give the best chance of winning the game. The team failed to ensure that the right decisions were taken at critical moments.

High Performance

2.21 The All Blacks environment and the high performance plan need to be part of an integrated plan. Consideration should be given to aligning the All Blacks and the NZRU high performance team structurally to ensure the long term sustained success of the All Blacks.

2.22 NZRU should measure the impact of the initiatives delivered through the high performance plan and the effectiveness of the service delivered by specialist providers.

Commercial

2.23 The commercial aspects of the RWC were very well managed. Key relationships were well handled. Budgeting and management of the commercial relationships were in general sound. The financial results of the RWC to NZRU were not material, a small loss on an incremental analysis of $0.243 million.

2.24 (SECTION EDITED OUT BEFORE PUBLICATION). The conditioning programme was a contributing factor to a significant decline in viewership of Rebel Sport Super 14 in New Zealand. The flow-on effect to the value of the competition brand was significant and underestimated in planning.

Source: Independent Review Of The 2007 Rugby World Cup Campaign by Mike Heron

Sharapova, Jankovic roll into third round in Charleston

2008-04-17T09:06:00.002+05:30

Charleston, SC (Sports Network) - Russian superstar Maria Sharapova and top- seeded defending champion Jelena Jankovic were easy second-round winners Wednesday at the $1.34 million Family Circle Cup tennis event.

The second-seeded Sharapova waxed American Bethanie Mattek 6-0, 6-0 as Sharapova needed less than an hour to advance to the third round.

The high-flying Sharapova is an awesome 23-1 this season, including three titles in four events. She captured her third career major title at the Australian Open back in January and is fresh off her championship at Amelia Island last week.

Jankovic handled American qualifier Alexandra Stevenson 7-5, 6-0 on the green clay at Family Circle Tennis Center. The Serbian star bested Russian Dinara Safina in last year's finale here.

Up next for Jankovic on Thursday will be Russian Anastasia Rodionova.

Other top-10-seeded stars advancing on Day 3 were No. 4 Russian Elena Dementieva, No. 7 Swiss Patty Schnyder and No. 9 Russian Vera Zvonareva. Dementieva drubbed American Jill Craybas 6-0, 6-2, while Schnyder stopped Belarusian Olga Govortsova 7-6 (7-2), 6-0 and Zvonareva zipped past Spaniard Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-1, 6-0. Schnyder was the runner-up here in 2002 and 2006.

Eleventh-seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska overcame Romanian Edina Gallovits 6-7 (7-9), 6-2, 7-5, 12th-seeded Slovenian Katarina Srebotnik came back to beat Czech qualifier Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 and 13th-seeded Belarusian Victoria Azarenka defeated Chinese qualifier Tiantian Sun 7-6 (7-4), 6-0. Srebotnik is rewarded with a third-round bout against former top- ranked American star Serena Williams, this week's fifth seed.

Additional second-round victories came for the aforementioned Rodionova, France's Alize Cornet and Ukrainian Tatiana Perebiynis.

The 2008 Family Circle winner will earn $196,900.

Pankaj Advani launches website

2008-04-17T09:03:00.003+05:30

Bangalore: Reigning World Billiards Champion Pankaj Advani yesterday unveiled his interactive website, pankajadvani.com to provide budding cueists all the tips, information and guidance about the game.

“The website, which forms the first phase of the Sportz People, an initiative by Sports Interactive (SI), sports information content enabler, being launched in India will provide young billard players, a direct access to me, providing them the opportunity to interact with me,” the 22-year-old champion told reporters.

Exclusive audio-video content will be made available to users through the website. Podcasts, photographs and latest news concerning the billiards champion are some features currently available, Naveen Aranha, SI’s Captain and CEO said.

Pankaj will personally address queries related to snooker and billiards. The website will also provide insights on the emergence of the sport in India, he said.

We paid the price for not taking our chances in the previous games against Namdhari XI and Mumbai Customs,” is how Air India North coach Harendra Sing

2008-04-17T09:01:00.002+05:30

New Delhi: Indian shuttlers had a disastrous start in the Asian Badminton Championship at Johor Bahru, Malaysia, with none of their men and women surviving in the singles competition on the first day yesterday. The Indian challenge folded in both men and women’s singles in the last qualifying event before the Beijing Olympics. Highest-ranked Indian Anup Sridhar and Chetan Anand crashed out of the men’s singles event with straight-game first round defeats. Sridhar gave little opposition to seventh-seeded Sung Hwan Park of Korea to lose 9-21, 13-21. Chetan, lost his first round match 19-21, 24-26 to Hiroyuki Endo of Japan after a 47-minute close contest.

Standing tall

2008-04-17T08:59:00.002+05:30

We paid the price for not taking our chances in the previous games against Namdhari XI and Mumbai Customs,” is how Air India North coach Harendra Singh analysed his team’s 2-2 draw against Army XI yesterday. The result sent North crashing out of the 46th Bombay Gold Cup. On the other hand Army XI now look forward to their last four clash against Air India on Friday.

If the North players were guilty of not scoring more goals in their first two games, Army goalkeeper P Thirumala Rao was the one who put paid to their chances in the key clash yesterday. Both teams finished with seven points apiece but Army topped Pool B on account of a better goal difference.

“We have done well against Air India North previously so I was confident we could pull it off today as well,” said Rao after his impressive performance. He was at his best particularly in the first half when he brought about four good saves.

The 29-year-old havaldar also credited his teammates for his side’s fight-back. “We didn’t lose hope till the end and that shows the character of the boys,” he added. Army XI came back twice to draw level in the 67th minute of the game. Rao who was adjudged best goalkeeper in the 2005 Gold Cup was also part of the Bangalore Lions PHL squad 2005 and 06.

He is confident of a similar performance when they take on Air India. “They are a good side but, I feel we can win against them too.” About the impending threat from drag-flicker Len Aiyappa in the semis, Rao said, “I have played against him on many occasions so I know his game. Let’s see how things unfold.”

Air India North had taken the lead in the 9th minute after Dhanraj Pillay’s magnificent sprint into the striking circle. Having beaten three defenders, Pillay crossed the ball to Sandeep Michael. Michael then passed to the unmarked Sameer Dad who merely had to deflect the ball into the net.

Army XI fought back to level in the 23rd minute as skipper Dhananjay Mahadik converted a penalty corner. Sandeep Singh scored North’s second goal through a ferocious drag-flick in the 43rd minute. Having gone into the lead North became defensive but that didn’t help as Mansid Bhengra found the all-important goal for Army in the dying stages of the game.
mumbai news

Pistons beat Timberwolves behind Hayes

2008-04-16T10:15:00.002+05:30

Flip Saunders only cares about one more thing in the regular season. He wants his Detroit Pistons to get through Wednesday's game in Cleveland without an injury.

After Detroit's 115-103 victory over Minnesota on Tuesday night, Saunders said he wasn't worried about someone getting hurt in the meaningless game against the Cavaliers, but he knocked on the wooden table as he said it.

Tuesday's win clinched the league's second-best record for Detroit, meaning it would have home-court advantage if it gets past Boston and the rest of the Eastern Conference an into the finals.

"That's nice to have, but I don't think it is critical," Saunders said. "With the 2-3-2 format, I don't know how much it even means."

The Pistons won the 2004 championship without having the home-court edge in the finals, and didn't push themselves too hard to earn it this time. In the last two weeks of the season, Saunders limited his starters to around 25 minutes a game."We decided on April 1 that we were going to start rotating in the young guys, and we'd take whatever happened," he said. "Luckily for us, the kids have done a great job, and we went something like 10-2."

Tuesday, Detroit got 55 points from the reserves, including 20 from Jarvis Hayes and nine each from three others.

"We're having a good time out there right now," said Richard Hamilton, who led the starters with 18. "We've gotten ourselves into a rhythm and we're ready to go."

Detroit finished the season with a 34-7 home record, eight games better than a season ago.

"Last year, we lost sight of taking care of our home court," said Chauncey Billups. "This year, we didn't want to let that happen again."

The loss, which ended Minnesota's two-game winning streak, was its 60th of the season. The Timberwolves finish the season with a home game against Milwaukee on Wednesday.

"We tried to hang around — we were right there at the end and they just made some plays," Minnesota coach Randy Wittman said. "Their bench just shot the lights out on us."

Billups added 17 points and six assists against his former team, while Al Jefferson led Minnesota with 30 points.

"Everyone makes good plays on that team, even their bench," Jefferson said. "That's why they are one of my favorites for the playoffs. When they won it in 2004 they had a good bench, and now they've got young guys who can play and make shots."

The first half followed Detroit's recent pattern. The starters kept the game close in the opening quarter — the Pistons led 24-23 at period's end — and the reserves convincingly won the second quarter.

This time, it was Hayes and Lindsey Hunter combining for 20 points as the Pistons pulled to a 52-43 halftime lead.

"Lindsey made shots, Jarvis made shots and we have good energy," Saunders said. "With that group, when we're making shots, we can turn it up defensively. That's important."

Detroit's starters returned for the third period, expanding the margin to 14, then let the reserves finish off the game.

Notes: As part of a season-long promotion, the Pistons gave away a $250,000 house at halftime. The winner was Tina Howard of Macomb Township. ... According to a team spokesman, Detroit will start the playoffs Sunday against Philadelphia, but the game time has not been announced. ... The Timberwolves finished 1-14 in road games against Eastern Conference opponents this season.

Woods surgery hurts title defence

2008-04-16T10:10:00.002+05:30

Tiger Woods is expected to be sidelined for between four and six weeks after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in Park City, Utah on Wednesday.

The world number one and 13-times major winner, runner-up behind South African Trevor Immelman at the U.S. Masters on Sunday, has had two previous operations on the same knee.

His rehabilitation time will prevent his title defence at the May 1-4 Wachovia Championship, and probably also his scheduled appearance at the prestigious Players Championship the following week.

"I made the decision to deal with the pain and schedule the surgery for after the Masters," Woods said on his official Web site (www.tigerwoods.com).

"The upside is that I have been through this process before and know how to handle it. I look forward to working through the rehabilitation process and getting back to action as quickly as I can."

Woods initially had surgery on his left knee in 1994, to remove a benign tumor, followed by arthroscopic surgery in December 2002."Tiger has been experiencing pain in his knee since the middle of last year," Woods's manager Mark Steinberg said.

"When he had it looked at by his doctors, arthroscopic surgery was recommended. Tiger has played through the pain in the past but knew it would be better for him to have the procedure done as early as possible."

"Of course, we're disappointed when Tiger is unable to compete in a PGA Tour event," PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said in a statement. "He's the No. 1 player in the world and a fan favourite wherever he goes.

"There is really never a good time for an athlete -- especially one of Tiger's calibre -- to take weeks off from competition during the season, but his health concerns have to come first."

The next major for Woods is the June 12-15 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines outside San Diego, one of his favourite courses where he has won a record six Buick Invitational titles.

Everton draws 1-1 with Birmingham, hurting chance of fourth place

2008-04-13T20:10:00.001+05:30

LONDON, April 13: Everton missed the chance to draw level with Liverpool in the race for fourth place - and the final Champions League spot - drawing 1-1 at Birmingham in the Premier League.

Mauro Zarate scored the equalizer for Birmingham with a free kick in the 83rd minute, in answer to Joleon Lescott's 78th-minute header. The draw lifted Everton to 61 points, two less than fourth-place Liverpool.

Birmingham's draw also helped relegation-threatened Bolton and Fulham, who both picked up valuable wins. Bolton beat West Ham 1-0, with Fulham winning 2-0 at Reading for its first away victory in the league since September 2006.

Birmingham has 31 points for 17th place, followed by Bolton with 29 and Fulham with 27.

Aston Villa beat already-relegated Derby 6-0 with six different goal scorers. Derby's only league win this season was in September.

In other results, it was: Sunderland 1, Manchester City 2; Tottenham 1, Middlesbrough 1; and Portsmouth 0, Newcastle 0.

Manchester United leads the league with 77 points, followed by Chelsea with 74 and Arsenal with 71.

Aston Villa started its goal rush by scoring twice in two minutes.

Ashley Young gave Villa the lead in the 25th minute when Derby goalkeeper Roy Carroll failed to clear his free kick while under pressure from Olof Mellberg. John Carew then scored from 20 metres in the 26th.

Stilian Petrov made it 3-0 in the 36th minute, chesting a goal kick from Carroll onto his left foot and scoring from 50 meters. Gareth Barry tapped the ball into goal in the 58th when Gabriel Agbonlahor's initial shot was saved by Carroll.

Agbonlahor then got on the score sheet with a low shot in the 76th, before Marlon Harewood finished off the rout in the 85th.

It's the third time this season that Derby has conceded six goals - it lost 6-0 to Liverpool in September and 6-1 to Chelsea in March. It was Villa's biggest away win in the league for 37 years - it beat Oldham 6-0 in the old third division in 1971.

Manchester City striker Darius Vassell scored his side's winner in the 87th minute with a scrappy shot that got past Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon.

City had taken the lead with a 79th-minute penalty kick from Elano, after Nyron Nosworthy tripped Daniel Sturridge. Dean Whitehead levelled for Sunderland in the 81st with a volley.

Sunderland is in 14th place, seven points above Bolton. Fulham won with goals from Brian McBride and Erik Nevland. McBride scored from close range in the 24th after taking a cross from Simon Davies, who also set up Nevland's goal in the 90th.

Bolton won for the first time in nine matches through a 47th-minute goal from Kevin Davies after a corner.

Tottenham went ahead in the 27th minute when Aaron Lennon's volley hit Middlesbrough defender Jonathan Grounds for an own goal. Middlesbrough levelled in the 69th when Stewart Downing's shot was deflected in off the head of Dimitar Berbatov

ICL may invite legal trouble for fielding 'Pakistan' side

2008-04-13T20:09:00.001+05:30

The Indian Cricket League (ICL) organisers run the risk of inviting legal troubles after fielding a 'Pakistan' XI, which has irked the cricket board here.

According to a board official, the ICL organisers have upset the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) by fielding a Pakistan XI which has players wearing national colours in the ongoing World Series.

"We basically believe that there is only one Pakistan cricket team that is selected by us as we are the legally authorised body given clearance by our government to do this job. No other organiser can claim to a 'Pakistan' team," the official said.

Meanwhile, PCB Chief Operating Officer Shafqat Naghmi confirmed that the board had asked its lawyers to prepare a brief on the issue soon so that further action could be taken on it.

"We are looking at the legal side of this issue. We believe what is being done is not right," he said.

PCB sources said if the need arose, the board would also talk to the International Cricket Council about the issue.

The ICC and its affiliated member countries don't recognise the rebel league and PCB has banned all its ICL players from domestic cricket, while telling the selectors not to consider them for the national team.

Sehwag's day out

2008-04-13T20:08:00.002+05:30

KANPUR, AFP: Harbhajan Singh and Virender Sehwag triggered South Africa's collapse on an awkward pitch to help India square the series with an eight-wicket win in the third and final Test here on Sunday.

Off-spinner Harbhajan bagged 4-44 and part-time spinner Sehwag 3-12 as South Africa were shot out for 121 in their second innings on a turning track of unpredictable bounce after conceding a 60-run lead on the third day.

India raced to the 62-run target off just 13.1 overs, with Sehwag smashing two successive sixes off spinner Paul Harris in a 12-ball 22. Sourav Ganguly (13 not out) and Rahul Dravid (18 not out) then completed the win.

Gamble!

2008-04-11T08:07:00.003+05:30

There is a strong belief that if India are really keen to win this match, they will have to play five specialist bowlers - including three spinners -- and juggle the batting line-up a bit, even if it means to have a non-regular opener take that responsibility.

Therefore, India would have to include a third slow bowler, leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, to exploit the advantage to the hilt. Chawla, who is quite familiar with the Green Park pitch as he plays for Uttar Pradesh, made his debut two years ago in a weather-marred match against England in Mohali. He has not played a second Test though he has appeared in 15 One-Day Internationals.

The selectors have also included off-spinner Ramesh Powar as a standby for Kumble in the inflated 16-member squad - a clear indication of how much the Indian think-tank is relying on spinners for the crucial match.

High on confidence?

2008-04-11T08:04:00.002+05:30

KANPUR, IANS: Left with no option, India will have to go for the jugular against a resurgent South Africa in the third and final Test beginning on Friday to draw the series after the visitors took a 1-0 lead with their surprise but well deserved win in the second match.

It is an unusual scenario for India, who have not lost a home series for almost four years. The last time they succumbed to a visiting team was in 2004 when Australia won the four-match series 2-1. Now captain Anil Kumble faces the same situation Sourav Ganguly had encountered then.

It is a surprising turnaround for India as they had performed so well against world champions Australia Down Under recently. The home team was beaten in the second Test by a team widely believed to be a weak one although not short on determination and resilience.

Venus takes leave of absence

2008-04-10T07:47:00.002+05:30

Wimbledon champion Venus Williams has decided to take some time off from playing tennis, but has not given a reason why.

"I've just been having some issues that I need to resolve, so I'm working on that at the moment and I'm hoping to be back playing as soon as possible," she said.

Last week, the six-time Grand Slam event champion announced her withdrawal from this week's Bausch & Lomb Championships, citing a medical issue. The powerful American played in Miami last week, and lost to U.S. Open runner-up Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals.

Williams still wants to play at the French Open in late May.

"Of course I want to be there (in Paris)," the former world No. 1 said. "I don't want to be at home watching on TV."

Williams is currently ranked sixth in the world and 10-5 in her singles action this season.

As Woods Chases History, History Appears

2008-04-10T07:45:00.002+05:30

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Pairing sheets listing the official 2008 Groupings and Starting Times for the first round of the 72nd Masters tournament for Thursday, April 10, were a hot item Wednesday. The most oft-scanned line on the sheet was about halfway down the page.
But to view the real battle shaping up this week, one must step inside the ropes of Augusta National’s living photo album. This is where Masters history moves and breathes, and the moments of the present are measured against the those that have gone before. Here, the tee times look like this:

10:45 a.m. — Tiger Woods; Robert T. Jones Jr.; Jack W. Nicklaus

Fanciful as it seems, Tiger Woods’s principal Masters competition this week comes not so much from the present, and the 93 other golfers in it. In reality, he is playing against the ghost of Bobby Jones and the spirit of Jack Nicklaus. His aim is to become the first player since Jones in 1930 to win all four of golf’s major championships in one season. His goal is to surpass Nicklaus’s record of 18 victories in professional majors.

So it was fitting when the master of the Masters decided to come out of retirement for a little cameo appearance. The huge crowds that turned out for the final practice rounds received a big surprise when Nicklaus, 68, showed up on the 10th tee with his old friend Gary Player, 72, who is playing in his 51st Masters. Player asked Nicklaus to join him before their scheduled 2:30 tee time with Arnold Palmer in the Par-3 contest.

Perhaps more than any other golfer, Nicklaus embodies the astonishing feats that have played out at Augusta National. He has won more green jackets than anyone, and the echoes linger still from his stunning sixth and final Masters victory in 1986, ringing as clear after 22 years as they did on that brightly lit Sunday.

Cheers enveloped him and his 18-year-old grandson, Jack Nicklaus III, as they headed out on No. 10. Outside the ropes was his son Jack II, who caddied in 1986. He is 46 now, the same age his father was then. Although Nicklaus had said he would no longer play the course from the 7,445-yard championship tees after he retired two years ago, he relented.

It mattered not to the adoring crowds that he had a 3-wood in his hands for his second shot into the 10th, now a 495-yard par 4. They pretended not to notice the 4-wood for his second into the 505-yard par-4 11th. When he needed a 5-wood into the 18th, they cheered anyway for the soaring shot. While change is a constant here, and the magnificent vistas that seem the same may be illusions, Jack Nicklaus is still Jack Nicklaus.

Like when he hit a 6-iron into the 16th hole, where he had a kick-in birdie 22 years ago. This time, his ball hit softly on the slope, hole high, above the pin, which was cut on the left. The ball never took the slope, hanging on the hill. His tee shot at the 17th clipped the Eisenhower tree and kicked back into the pine straw. But when Nicklaus went to the 18th tee and hit his drive down the middle, there were some of the old whoops and hollers.

And when he walked from the course, it took the best efforts of two Pinkerton guards to clear him a pathway through the crowds to the clubhouse. Nicklaus smiled tightly and responded to some of the cheers, but his shoulders slumped, and there was no doubt that he was not deceiving himself. He will not be taking many, if any, more walks down memory lane during tournament week.

“It wasn’t any fun hitting woods into all the par 4’s,” he said, a small, rueful smile in place. “That’s why I stopped playing. I probably wouldn’t have played the nine holes if I hadn’t had one of my grandsons on the bag. It was great for him out there. He looked around and said: ‘Wow. Man, there’s a lot of people.’ He really enjoyed that, and I enjoyed having him come along.”

Nicklaus also was not biting on any questions about Woods’s quest to overtake him, starting with one asking him about the oddsmakers having installed Woods as even money to win the Masters. He said he knew nothing about oddsmaking.

“Is he the favorite?” Nicklaus asked rhetorically. “By a mile? Of course he is. Why wouldn’t he be? You’re asking me a question you already know the answer to.”

The real question that remains is, can Woods do it? It will be answered over the next four days. If he can, he will have to do it against the Jack Nicklaus who set the standard, the one who not only won 18 majors but also finished second in 19 others. That Jack Nicklaus, not the one who may be wondering if he let some of those 19 get away.

A Rivalry That Could Blossom in Women’s N.C.A.A. Championship

2008-04-09T07:26:00.002+05:30

It got phonetically frustrating last summer when Candace Parker and Candice Wiggins were invited to train with the United States national team. Someone would call out their name, both would look up, and Parker, a Pat Summitt protégée, was not going to put up with that.

Post player and problem solver, she issued a brash rookie proclamation. “Hey,” she told her new teammates, the stately professionals of the W.N.B.A. “She’s Ice, I’m Ace.”

On the court, Parker’s stoic demeanor is actually icier than Wiggins’s, whose bubbly persona could melt a glacier much faster than global warming. But both were indisputable aces in leading Tennessee and Stanford to the national championship game here Tuesday night.

Ice versus Ace: Might it become a natural rivalry for the women’s basketball ages?

On the day before Wiggins and Stanford tried to dethrone Parker and Tennessee, someone dared invoke the legend of Magic and Larry (no surnames necessary) that was born when Michigan State and Indiana State squared off for the men’s national title in 1979. Wiggins, a Southern California girl, knew enough Lakers history to recognize a point that was being stretched from Los Angeles to Boston.

“I don’t know about that,” she said. “It just seems that I’ve known Candace forever. I look forward to continue playing against her in the W.N.B.A.”

It never makes sense to me to draw parallels between the women’s game and the men’s with regards to business potential, the art of inducing people to reach into their pockets or turn on their television sets. We are still talking about a women’s movement in diapers.

Magic and Larry had a foundation of decades to build upon when they forged a historically symbiotic union and pulled countless new fans to the N.B.A. The women are establishing their own model, their own way of doing things. Here, the itinerary might be cramped, but less than 24 hours after concluding their college careers, Parker and Wiggins will be drafted Wednesday into the W.N.B.A.

Although a good case could be made for the 6-foot-6 Sylvia Fowles of Louisiana State, Parker will probably go first to the Los Angeles Sparks. She is more marketable, more multiskilled, and whatever doubts there were might have been erased in the semifinals Sunday night. With a separated left shoulder, Parker dribbled the length of the floor, drew the defense and made the pass that led to the winning basket by Alexis Hornbuckle as Tennessee eliminated Fowles and L.S.U.

“Just the versatility of a 6-4 player, you don’t see that very often,” said Wiggins, who that same night was called “the best player in the tournament” by Connecticut Coach Geno Auriemma.

At my annual Final Four breakfast Tuesday with an old friend, Fordham Coach Cathy Andruzzi, I reminded her of a call she made to me four years ago from Atlanta, where she was helping to promote one of those high school all-star showcases.

“You’ve got to see the talent down here,” she raved. That class, now graduating, will be one of the deepest the college game has sent to David Stern’s 11-year-old women’s annex, which began conducting its draft the day after the Final Four in Boston two years ago.

Why not tap into its own marketing symbiosis, asked the W.N.B.A. president, Donna Orender? The spring/summer league is changing, evolving, occasionally flailing, but alive, kicking, unlike its women’s soccer counterpart, which was short-lived and is in the process of reinvention. Half the W.N.B.A. teams now have ownership that is independent of the league’s corporate big daddy.

“We are going into the next phase,” said Orender, who in the 1970s played for Queens College when it was a national power, long before the major state universities found gender-equity religion. So Orender has a sense of where this sport was, how far it has come, where it may go if the powers-that-be can continue to whittle away at old perceptions and stereotypes.

•

She acknowledged that the W.N.B.A. was started more on the exuberance of the late 1990s women’s sports push than on the ready-made quality of the product. These days, her mantra sounds like a cut off the “Sgt. Pepper” album: “Getting so much better all the time.”

It is more than the talent infusion, Orender said. It is the privilege of looking out into the draft audience now at the expectant families before she announces the picks, knowing these are players who, as 10- and 11-year-olds, were given hope for something beyond college when the W.N.B.A. tipped off in 1997.

Wiggins, for her part, said she needed to pinch herself last summer when she was around the veterans Lisa Leslie and DeLisha Milton-Jones, whose jerseys she wore when each played for the Sparks. Maybe the back of hers will just say Ice, in tandem with Candace Parker’s Ace. Their college careers are over. Time to market and make some money.

ICC sleuth quizzes Akhtar on fixing claims

2008-04-09T07:25:00.001+05:30

An International Cricket Council investigator has questioned Shoaib Akthar over the fast bowler’s claims that he was offered money to throw matches, Pakistani sources said on Tuesday.

LAHORE: An International Cricket Council investigator has questioned Shoaib Akthar over the fast bowler’s claims that he was offered money to throw matches, Pakistani sources said on Tuesday.

Akthar, 32, was banned for five years a week ago for criticising the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). He later alleged that that he had refused offers of bribes to underperform in international games during his career.

“Alan Peacock of the ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) interviewed Akhtar and some other players on Sunday and will make recommendations to the ICC over any further action,” a PCB source said.

The source did not identify the other players. Pakistan’s representative in the ACSU, retired colonel Nuruddin Khawaja, assisted Peacock in the investigation, said the sources.

Bishop can see some light for Windies

2008-04-09T07:24:00.001+05:30

PORT OF SPAIN: Ian Bishop believes there is still much work to be done before West Indies can regain some of their lost prestige, but he likes what he sees coming from the Caribbean side in recent matches.

Bishop, a former West Indies fast bowler, was part of the television commentary team that covered the two-Test series between Chris Gayle’s side and Mahela Jayawardene’s Sri Lanka which ended tied 1-1.

West Indies, chasing 253 for victory, completed a six-wicket victory in the second and final Test at Queen’s Park to level the series, after Sri Lanka won the opening Test by 121 runs at the Guyana National Stadium.

Bishop, who played 43 Tests and 84 one-day internationals between 1989 and 1998, like most Caribbean people, was relieved that West Indies won and avoided an historic series whitewash.
“I am extremely pleased that the team has won because a win for this team is so rare,” he
told

India have no time for Zims

2008-04-09T07:23:00.002+05:30

NEW DELHI: India has put off a planned tour of Zimbabwe in May-June because the dates clashed with the multi-million dollar Indian Premier League, an official said on Tuesday.

The week-long tour of the troubled African nation, comprising three one-day internationals, was part of the International Cricket Council’s Future Tours programme.

But the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said it had told Zimbabwean authorities that the national team was “very busy” over the period and would be unable to tour.

“We will not be going to Zimbabwe because the team is very busy, but will try and fix the tour after the IPL,” BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah said.

The IPL’s inaugural Twenty20 competition will be played across India from April 18 to June 1 between eight city teams featuring leading cricketers from around the world.

With India having a packed international schedule until next February, it is unlikely the tour of Zimbabwe will take place this year.

India, who play their third and final Test against South Africa in Kanpur from Friday, are scheduled to tour Bangladesh for a tri-series also involving Pakistan from June 8-15.

The Indians will then proceed to Pakistan for the Asia Cup followed by a tour of Sri Lanka from July 18 to August 29 for three Tests and five one-day internationals.

The Champions Trophy will be played in Pakistan from September 11-28, after which India host Australia and England for Test series until the end of the year. India are also scheduled to tour Pakistan next year.

Jackson would be perfect fit for Knicks

2008-04-08T08:09:00.002+05:30

This may be a first (and a last) in the New York City Metro Area.

Inevitably, if one newspaper endorses a certain candidate for a powerful political position, its rivals will endorse someone else. The same holds true in sports regarding top-shelf managerial and coaching vacancies.Even columnists on the same payroll habitually disagree on such subjects, if for no other reason than not to agree, no matter what, with the deep-rooted, insufferable comp. My supporting somebody guarantees backing for someone else by an adversary and so forth.

Hallowed be our shallowness.

Mark Jackson is a phenomenon. By fusing the feuding forces of the media from Manhattan, Long Island and New Jersey he has accomplished the unthinkable.

To a person — unless I have missed a dissenting vote or voice — we believe, as do those throughout the league with a stable hand on its pulse, there's nobody available more capable to replace Isiah Thomas as Knicks coach than New York's very own communications leader.

Jackson, who has 17 years of coaching experience as an on-the-floor-assistant, and the job are custom made for each other, a seamless fit. Never again would we have to hear the lame mantra from a sobbing Knicks coach or player about how tough it is to win in New York.

The 43-year-old (April 1, no joke) grew up here. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Queens ("I'm the only guy claimed by both boroughs ... and rightfully so"), he excelled at Loughlin HS, St. John's University and as a Knick. His home away from home is Madison Square Garden. Jackson's connection with fans and those covering the NBA is friction free. Who doesn't revere his basketball opinion? Is there any ex-player who possesses a keener sense of humor and richer respect for franchise (and league) history?

More important maybe than anything is that newly appointed Knicks president Donnie Walsh liked what Jackson did for the Pacers to such a degree he traded for him twice.

Walsh first obtained the seven-year veteran from my Paper Clips June 30, 1994. Two years later, Jackson essentially was dealt to the Nuggets for Jalen Rose; Larry Brown felt Travis Best and Haywoode Workman were equipped to handle the playmaking. Walsh corrected this mistake Feb. 20, 1997, but the psychiatrist arrived too late to come to the team's emotional/playoff rescue. Next Town Brown was on his way to Philadelphia.

In the three subsequent seasons Larry Bird's Pacers played in 50 playoff games, climaxed by a runner-up 2000 finish (six games) to the Lakers. Larry Legend left coaching soon afterward, and Jackson signed a free agent contract with the Raptors when, ahem, Isiah Thomas, Indy's incoming coach, showed perforated enthusiasm in retaining his services.

Accordingly, should Walsh reach out to Jackson for help a third time, it's additional motivation to delete The False Prophet from the Knicks organization.

Back then Thomas viewed Jackson's knowledge, counseling and sway with the players as a threat. You tell me; should Walsh allow him to stay on the premises would Thomas now root harder for or against Jackson?
This just in: Speaking of Isiah, er, Isaiah, it warms my heart to see J(ust) R(eleased) Rider earn some updated pictures and prints after being booked in Los Angeles for driving a car which apparently wasn't his.

You could have knocked me over with a subpoena. Booked and cut loose last weekend, Rider, 37, is scheduled to appear in court later this month. To ring in the New Year, Rider was arrested in northern California last January following a dispute with a cab driver. He pleaded guilty to a cavalcade of charges, including felony cocaine possession, battery, evading a police officer and breaking the business casual dress code.

In an unrelated development, Walsh said he would withhold judgment before observing Rider in person.

Props to Max Mosley, president of Formula One's governing body, for being implicated in a Nazi role-playing orgy.

In a shameless attempt to market this incident, all F1 autos shall now be equipped with sidecars.

WTA-Bausch & Lomb Championships Results

2008-04-08T08:08:00.001+05:30

AMELIA ISLAND, Florida (AP) - Results Monday in the Bausch & Lomb Championships, a $600,000 (?382,400) WTA Tour event on clay at Amelia Island Plantation (seedings in parentheses):

Singles

First Round

Jill Craybas, United States, def. Akgul Amanmuradova, Uzbekistan, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (4).

Marta Domachowska, Poland, def. Meghann Shaughnessy, United States, 6-2, 6-2.

Melinda Czink, Hungary, def. Casey Dellacqua, Australia, 7-5, 6-2.

Ekaterina Makarova, Russia, def. Aravane Rezai, France, 6-2, 2-6, 7-5.

Anabel Medina Garrigues (15), Spain, def. Maria Emilia Salerni, Argentina, 6-4, 6-3.

Olga Govortsova, Belarus, def. Virginia Ruano Pascual, Spain, 6-3, 6-3.

Sybille Bammer (9), Austria, def. Anna Orlik, Belarus, 6-3, 7-6 (2).

Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, Czech Republic, def. Timea Bacsinszky, Switzerland, 6-2, 6-4.

Lucie Safarova, Czech Republic, def. Tamarine Tanasugarn, Thailand, 6-1, 6-3.

Virginie Razzano (13), France, def. Yuliana Fedak, Ukraine, 6-2, 6-1.

Ayumi Morita, Japan, def. Nathalie Dechy, France, 6-4, 6-3.

Tatiana Perebiynis, Ukraine, def. Peng Shuai, China, 6-4, 7-5.

Alize Kornet, France, def. Michaella Krajicek, Netherlands, 6-2, 6-1.

Amelie Mauresmo (11), France, def. Olga Savchuk, Ukraine, 6-0, 7-5.

---

Doubles

First Round

Dinara Safina, Russia, and Agnes Szavay (3), Hungary, def. Gisela Dulko, Argentina, and Vania King, United States, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 10-3 tiebreak.

Victoria Azarenka, Belarus, and Elena Vesnina, Russia, def. Janette Husarova, Slovakia, and Agnieszka Radwanska, Poland, 7-6 (5), 6-4.

Chan Yung-jan and Chuang Chia-jung (2), Taiwan, def. Alona Bondarenko, Ukraine, and Alina Jidkova, Russia, 6-4, 6-3.

IPL norms Modi-fied

2008-04-08T08:02:00.000+05:30

The brewing controversy between the media and the Indian Premier League was laid to rest yesterday after IPL’s governing council chairman Lalit Modi said that new accreditation guidelines will be issued at the earliest.

“There has been a misunderstanding to a certain extent regarding accreditation,” admitted Modi after a meeting with members of the Sports Journalists Federation of India. “We spoke about the issues and the matter has been successfully concluded,” he added.

News organisations will no longer be committed to making all the pictures clicked by them available to the IPL within 24-hours. Instead the organisers of the mega million dollar tournament have decided to let the photo journalists enter a photo competition where the best entry every day will be rewarded.

Media personell from web sites who were earlier being denied accredation will now be allowed to attend post match interviews. “A new detailed media guideline will be issued shortly,” said Modi.

Earlier, media organisations had threatened to boycott the IPL if conditions were not amended. Those conditions dictated that the IPL may use all images taken at the grounds for free and without restrictions, and media organisations must commit themselves to uploading it.
mumbai news

Walking Wounded

2008-04-08T07:58:00.000+05:30

Another casualty: S Sreesanth is facing injury trouble too

The latest to join the injury bandwagon is paceman S Sreesanth, who is extremely doubtful for the Kanpur Test after hurting his bowling shoulder. Sources in the Indian team confirmed Sreesanth was in extreme pain.

Sreesanth did not bowl at all while skipper Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh didn’t attend the strenous practice session of the Indian team at the Motera stadium here after their three-day loss to South Africa in the second Test a couple of days ago.

Nursing station

Kumble is nursing a groin injury while Harbhajan was down with a stomach bug. Interestingly, BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah said only Kumble and Ishant Sharma will undergo a fitness test on the eve of the Kanpur match before the squad is reduced to 14 men.

Sreesanth looked in discomfort even while batting, with speculations about M S Dhoni’s fitness as well. Dhoni batted in the nets but did not take part in the fielding drills, raising more than a few eyebrows. Recalled paceman Munaf Patel joined the members of the Indian squad, who practiced in tempeatures over 44 degrees celcius for almost four hours, while Ishant Sharma will join the squad in Kanpur.

The fit twelve

Twelve members of the Indian team turned up on Monday, starting off with ground fielding and catching drills. The batting and bowling sessions looked intense, but it was clear that the defeat, which the Indians never expected to be so severe, and injuries have rattled the home team.

With Sreesanth’s injury, the bowling department is looking woeful, and if Ishant is declared unfit, finding an opening bowler would be a huge headache for Kumble. Sources close to the fast bowler said he would return to Kerala around April 14 for the Ayurvedic therapy.

Immense pain

Said the source, “For Sreesanth, it was a blessing that the South Africans declared first thing on day three of the Ahmedabad Test, because he was in no position to bowl. He has hurt the tendons of his right shoulder and is in immense pain.”

No one is sure how Sreesanth got injured here, but the bowler suspects it could be the result of a dive near the boundary to stop a four which caused the injury.

In the afternoon, Graeme Smith’s South Africans also turned up for a hit, but no one from either side wanted to speak to the media. The assembled journalists asked Indian coach Gary Kirsten for a comment, but he said he would speak to the media “after the series.”

Ronaldinho gone for the season

2008-04-06T18:07:00.000+05:30

Barcelona forward Ronaldinho will miss the rest of the season after tearing a muscle in his right leg, the club said in a statement on Saturday.

The Brazilian suffered the injury in training on Thursday and scans carried out on Friday confirmed that he would be out of action for around six weeks.

The 28-year-old has been plagued by a succession of injury and fitness problems in the past 12 months with local media reporting that the club want to offload him at the end of the season.

Barca, though, were boosted on Saturday by news that Argentina forward Lionel Messi hopes to have recovered from his injury in time for the Champions League semi-finals, if the Primera Liga side get past Schalke 04 in the quarters.

Former World Player of the Year Ronaldinho has been in the starting line-up in just 13 of Barcelona's 30 league matches and came off the bench in another four, scoring a total of eight goals.

Ronaldinho last played for Barcelona in the 2-1 loss at home to Villarreal on March 9, but began to complain of muscle pain in his right leg soon afterwards.

He underwent a scan to clarify the nature of the problem but it revealed no muscle or tendon injury and he was put on a training programme to deal with the complaint.

The player's absence from training heightened speculation that he could be on the way out of the club, but Barcelona president Joan Laporta has denied there is any rift with the player.

Working Hard

Ronaldinho's agent, his brother Robert de Assis, was photographed with AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani in the Italian media this week, prompting speculation that the Serie A side could be trying to recruit the Brazilian.

Messi tore a thigh muscle in his left leg in the 1-0 Champions League win over Celtic at the Nou Camp at the beginning of March, and was ruled out for six weeks.

It is the fourth time in the last three years that he has suffered a similar injury and he was sidelined for five weeks earlier this season with the same problem.

"I am working hard, and am pleased that all seems to be going well," Messi told a news conference.

"There is no pressure for me to return. There isn't a set date and I will not play until I am 100 percent."

Barca edged Schalke 1-0 away in their Champions League quarter-final, first leg on Wednesday and have the return at the Nou Camp next week. The semi-finals, first legs are on Apr 22-23.

"I think you can be sure I will be there for that game, although we still have to play the second leg in the quarters and we haven't made it yet," he added.

"I could be back before then."

Barcelona are in third place in the Primera Liga, a point behind Villarreal and seven adrift of leaders Real Madrid with eight games left to play.

They host UEFA Cup quarter-finalists Getafe on Sunday

Nadal to meet Davydenko in Miami final

2008-04-06T18:06:00.001+05:30

MIAMI, Florida (Reuters) - World number two Rafael Nadal will face fourth-seeded Russian Nikolay Davydenko in the Sony Ericsson Open final after semi-final victories on Friday.

The Spaniard, who reeled off the last 12 points of the match, beat Czech Tomas Berdych 7-6 6-2 in windy conditions, while Davydenko beat Andy Roddick of the United States by the same scoreline.

Roddick looked a shade of the player who beat world number one Roger Federer on Thursday and gave Davydenko his first victory in their six career matches.
Nadal holds a 2-0 record against Davydenko in their career meetings.

"For me (it's) going to be very important because to play a final in a Masters Series event, up against the big players, I know I need to play at my best level," Nadal told reporters.

He took 70 minutes to snatch a close-fought opening set, winning the tiebreak 8-6 on his seventh set point after 10th seed Berdych double-faulted for the first time.

The second seed then breezed through the next set.

"I think I am playing this tournament very well and today was a great match too," said Nadal. "The first set was tough, especially at the end, because I had a lot of chances.

"The beginning of the set was very important. I had to be very concentrated with my serve because it was very tough in the wind."

Roddick and Davydenko produced a high quality first set, but the Russian was the only player able to maintain the intensity in the second.

Roddick took a 2-1 advantage with a service break in the second set, but surrendered the advantage in the next game when he dropped serve.

Davydenko broke again, on his fourth opportunity, with a forehand crosscourt in the sixth game and sealed victory in the eighth when a Roddick forehand dropped into the net.

West Indies hail return of Sarwan

2008-04-06T18:00:00.000+05:30

March 20: West Indies return to home international action for the first time since last year’s World Cup when they take on Sri Lanka in Guyana from Saturday in the first of a two-Test series.

Since their poor showing at the one-day showpiece, West Indies have shown sparks of a revival only for disappointment to quickly follow.

Following last year’s 3-0 Test defeat by England, the Caribbean side claimed their first ever Test win in South Africa — their first Test win since May 2005 — but then lost the next two Tests and all five matches in the one-day series.

Spinners Sulieman Benn and Amit Jaggernauth are included in the squad for the first time, while captain Chris Gayle has Barbados all-rounder Ryan Hinds back in the side for the first time in nearly three years.

Teams :

WEST INDIES: Chris Gayle (captain), Dwayne Bravo, Sulieman Benn, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Ryan Hinds, Amit Jaggernauth, Darren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Devon Smith, Jerome Taylor.

SRI LANKA: Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Kumar Sangakkara, Michael Vandort, Malinda Warnapura, Thilan Samaraweera, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Chamara Silva, Prasanna Jayawardene, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Ishara Amerasinghe, Rangana Herath, Thushara Mirando, Chanaka Welegedara, Nuwan Kulasekara.Umpires: Billy Bowden (New Zealand) and Simon Taufel (Australia).

Muttiah Muralitharan

2008-04-06T17:58:00.000+05:30

Srilanka clawed their way back into the second Test on Friday, snapping up six West Indies wickets in the final session to leave the match finely balanced. The home team were 268-7 at the close on the second day, having gone into tea on 133-1 in reply to Sri Lanka's 278 all out. Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan did most of the damage, removing Ramnaresh Sarwan (57), Marlon Samuels (3) and Devon Smith (47).

Soccer: Board sticks by club ban

2008-04-06T08:54:00.000+05:30

United Soccer 1 has again slammed the door on the three clubs chasing places in the new-look Northern Regional League. After being instructed by New Zealand Football's appeals committee to revisit the appeals...

Arsenal's Premier League title hopes are over

2008-04-06T08:51:00.001+05:30

LONDON, April 5: Arsenal's faint Premier League title hopes were all but extinguished as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Liverpool on Saturday.

Arsene Wenger's decision to rest a clutch of first team regulars ahead of Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg tie at Anfield back-fired as his makeshift side proved unable to over-turn Peter Crouch's opening goal.

Nicklas Bendtner preserved Arsenal's unbeaten home record with a 55th-minute equaliser but a draw was not enough for the north Londoners, who still trail leaders Manchester United by five points having now played a game more.

Liverpool, meanwhile, departed content. Rafael Benitez's team not only tightened their grip on fourth place and Champions League qualification but the Spaniard's decision to field a largely reserve side should ensure they are fresh for their European decider.

Benitez's decision to make eight changes was no surprise. Wenger's decision to make five was, however, given the manager had suggested he required wins in all his remaining league games to prevent his sputtering title hopes from being completely snuffed out.

His line-up only succeeded in revealing how woefully short on depth Arsenal remain in comparison to their title rivals. Liverpool's reserves appeared to relish the opportunity to impress on one of the division's grander stages and they duly dominated the first half.

Crouch, in particular, performed as if determined to make up for the time he has lost sat on the sidelines this season. He stung Manuel Almunia's fingertips with a raking 25-yard drive and then teed up John Arne Riise for a glorious chance, only for the Norwegian to blaze over with his right foot.

Arsenal, it is true, were in an obliging mood. Wenger's side have rarely delivered such a limp display on home soil and when Yossi Benayoun broke onto Lucas's pass and dragged wide, the home support began to grow audibly restless.

That let-off did spark a mini-revival. In a frenetic four-minute spell, Cesc Fabregas pulled wide from 20 yards, Bendtner shot tamely at Pepe Reina and Steve Finnan was forced into a desperate clearance from Emmanuel Eboue's cross.

But in their eagerness to attack, Arsenal forgot how to defend. Three minutes before half-time, a long punt downfield from Reina was nodded by Crouch to Benayoun. Crouch charged on to the Israeli's return pass, twisted inside William Gallas and crunched into the bottom corner for his first away league goal of the season.

Wenger stalked off at half-time looking as if he was chewing a wasp, but some pointed words during the interval had the desired effect. Arsenal emerged for the second half snappier in the tackle and brighter on the ball and within seven minutes of the re-start they were level, Bendtner atoning for his earlier aberration by heading in Fabregas' free-kick.

Arsenal's sense of urgency was renewed. Wenger sent on Emmanuel Adebayor and Gael Clichy and the hosts gradually began to dominate possession. Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini both saw long-range drives bravely blocked while the Frenchman also deflected wide from Clichy's near-post cross.

By now the game was painfully stretched. Arsenal's determination to snatch a second goal left gaping holes at the back, and Andriy Voronin should have done far better than lob over the crossbar after being set up by Crouch with 10 minutes left.

A goal then would have secured Liverpool's first win in these parts for seven years but, at the final whistle, a draw still felt like a defeat for Arsenal.

Serena Williams defends Miami title

2008-04-06T08:49:00.000+05:30

MIAMI, April 5: Former World No 1 Serena Williams successfully defended her title at the WTA Sony Ericsson Open by beating fourth seeded Jelena Jankovic 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 in Saturday's final.

The 26-year-old Williams cruised through the opening set in just 28 minutes as Jankovic hit just three winners and made 11 unforced errors. The Serbian Jankovic, who has been battling a cold all week, found herself in trouble over and over again because of a weak second serve.

Jankovic rallied to take the second set 7-5 against Williams who struggled before eventually taking the third set.

Williams captured her second title of the season and the 30th of her career on Saturday.

The eighth seeded Williams also won her fifth championship here, having won last year in addition to claiming three straight titles from 2002-04.

Williams has amassed a 47-5 record during her 10 appearances at this hardcourt tournament, also finished as a runner-up in 1999 to sister Venus Williams.

Suzuki Is Nearing Milestones at an Unprecedented Pace

2008-04-06T08:44:00.000+05:30

With baseball players from the famous to the fringe coming under a performance-enhancing cloud, Ichiro Suzuki is the antidrug.
Suzuki, the sinewy Seattle Mariners center fielder, would contend that his strength is generated primarily from the curry rice balls that his wife, Yumiko, makes for him before every game. Suzuki is a natural, not just a result of what he consumes but of the way he plays.

The Japanese-born Suzuki, in his eighth season in the major leagues, is on the verge of several significant achievements. He entered the season 130 hits short of 3,000 for his two-country career and could become the youngest player in history to reach that professional milestone, although it would not be an official major league record. He is also approaching the most career hits for a Japanese player, needing 216.

In addition, he is seeking 200 hits for a record eighth consecutive season, which would tie him with the turn-of-the-19th-century star Wee Willie Keeler, who did it from 1894 to 1901.

Though separated by an ocean and a century, Suzuki and Keeler are remarkably similar. From the Baltimore chop to the Seattle slap, they have a common resolve: hit ’em where they ain’t. Keeler finished his 19-year career (1892-1910) with a .3412 batting average. Suzuki, including his time in Japan, entered the season with a 16-year average of .3419.

“Both players felt like they were the catalysts,” said Tom Shieber, the senior curator at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. “Their job was to get on base.”

The two began their professional careers 100 years apart, Keeler in 1892 and Suzuki in 1992. They are considered small for their eras, Keeler was 5 feet 4 inches and 140 pounds; Suzuki is 5-11 and 172. They started as right fielders, they throw and bat from the left side and, most significant, they rely on exquisite bat control and fleet feet for success.

Both were enormously satisfied with the simple single. Keeler set the major league standard for singles in a season with 206 in 1898. That record lasted until Suzuki rapped out 225 in 2004.

Keeler finished his career with 2,513 singles, 86 percent of his hits. Suzuki entered the season with 1,291 singles in the United States, 81 percent of his hits.

Each player led the majors in singles seven times. Suzuki occupies four spots among baseball’s top 10 for singles in a season. Keeler has three top 10s.

Interestingly, the top 27 spots for singles in a season — and 35 of the first 36 — are held by a left-handed batter or a switch-hitter. Left-handed hitters have a natural edge with their proximity to first base, but Suzuki’s hitting style appears to give him an extra head start.

“When he shifts his weight toward first like he does, it seems like he gets a couple extra steps on guys who are left-handed,” Boston Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell said last season. “That’s where the shortstop has to play a little more in and the third baseman has to honor the bunt more. It impacts defenses tremendously.”

In an interview last season, Suzuki said that when he scanned the field before entering the batter’s box, he enjoyed the uncertainty and anxiety around the infield.

“For me, that’s something that’s actually comforting,” Suzuki said through an interpreter. “If I see them all in the same position every time I come to bat, that would not be something I would like to see. When I see that, I can tell they are thinking about me and putting me into the equation. When I sense that they dislike the situation, it’s easier for me to play.”

Keeler also took a cunning approach to hitting. According to Peter Morris, the author of “A Game of Inches,” an exhaustive historical reference book on baseball, Keeler used a very heavy bat “and choked up significantly more than anyone else during the 1890s.”

Like Suzuki, he looked for seams in the defense to direct the ball.

And like Suzuki, Keeler used his speed. He and his Baltimore Orioles teammates in the early 1890s used the technique of bouncing the ball high in front of the plate and reaching first base before the fielder could retrieve it. It became known as the Baltimore chop.

“Keeler hardly struck out at all,” Morris said by telephone from his home in Lansing, Mich. “In the 1890s, we do not have much in the way of strikeout statistics, but it’s clear he had fabulous hand-eye coordination.”

Moving Fast and Flying High, Memphis Races Into Title Game

2008-04-06T08:26:00.000+05:30

SAN ANTONIO — If the teams competing in the national semifinals of the N.C.A.A. tournament were cars, they would be found on distinctly different lots. Memphis would be a Porsche — sleek, fast and flashy. The U.C.L.A. Bruins would be a Honda Accord — reliable, efficient and not bound to turn any heads on the freeway. Even U.C.L.A. center Kevin Love acknowledged that he would rather watch the Tigers play than his own team.
In the race for a spot in the national title game, Memphis played at a speed that the Bruins simply could not match. The Tigers raced to Monday’s final with a 78-63 victory over the Bruins. They will face the winner of Saturday’s late game between Kansas and North Carolina.

In Memphis’s drive to win its first national title in basketball, point guard Derrick Rose was in the driver’s seat with Chris Douglas-Roberts riding shotgun. Rose, a freshman point guard expected to be one of the top two picks in the N.B.A. draft, led with a veteran’s aplomb and kept the pace to the Tigers’ liking.

Douglas-Roberts did the rest, commanded the stage at this star-studded Final Four by leading all scorers with 28 points, flashing an array of floaters, runners and hard slashes to the basket. Douglas-Roberts provided the game’s signature moment, a backdoor cut and left-handed dunk that knocked over Love.

That sequence showed that the even if the Porsche does not get the best gas mileage, it always give a heck of a ride. In a game that ended up being a sprint, the Bruins were left choking on the Tigers’ exhaust fumes.

Rose finished with 25 points and the Tigers’ erratic big man, Joey Dorsey, had a game that showed his fickle nature, grabbing 15 rebounds and scoring no points.

Memphis’s players, thanks to their affiliation with Conference USA, have talked about being an outsider and playing with a chip on their shoulders. But this Memphis team (38-1) has won more games than any other in college basketball history. The Tigers’ only loss this season came at home to No. 2 Tennessee, and their collection of talent is among the most athletic and impressive in the country.

U.C.L.A.’s third consecutive trip to the Final Four again ended in heartbreak. The Bruins (36-3) fell behind by as many points in the first half and never looked in sync on the floor. U.C.L.A. Coach Ben Howland burned timeouts to spur on his team and howled at his team, which looked sloppy all night.

James Keefe and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute dropped sure rebounds out of bounds. Darren Collison looked unsteady at point guard all night. The only consistent Bruin on the evening was Russell Westbrook, who thrived in the higher tempo and finished with 22 points. After Memphis burst to an 11-point lead early in the second half, the Bruins failed to cobble together a significant threat.

Memphis’s fast-paced style helped them pull out to leads as large as 7 in the first half while they kept U.C.L.A. from playing its preferred bloody knuckles style.

Memphis led at the end of the first half, 38-35, but its biggest victory might have been controlling the tempo. The Tigers appeared determined to not let the pace get ground down the way it did in San Jose two years ago when U.C.L.A. beat Memphis, 50-45, in an aesthetically offensive West regional final game.

With 13 minutes 32 seconds remaining in the game, the teams had already matched their point total from that game in 2006, showing that Memphis had the tempo it wanted.

The Tigers’ early game plan appeared to be to not let more than eight seconds tick off the shot clock, as they hurried down the floor and rarely passed the ball more than three times.

No one better epitomized this than the crafty Douglas-Roberts, who led all scorers in the first half with 13 points. He got them with a series of innovative driving moves. Douglas-Roberts isn’t near the N.B.A. prospect that Rose is, but he showed that he may just be the most effective player in all of college basketball in terms of penetrating in the paint. He scored every way possible — a floater, a leaner and old-fashioned layups.

He finished the first half with 13 and spearheaded the biggest statistical difference in the first half — Memphis’s 10 fast-break points to U.C.L.A.’s 0. Douglas-Roberts also had the highlight play of the first half when he blocked Westbrook’s layup attempt on a fast break.

The biggest surprise for Memphis in the first half came from the play of the reserve forward Shawn Taggart, who scored 7 points and grabbed 7 rebounds off the bench for the Tigers. Taggart hadn’t scored more than 7 points total in eight of the past nine Tiger games.

African safari crush Indian tigers

2008-04-06T08:14:00.000+05:30

AHMEDABAD, Reuters: South Africa handed India their fourth biggest defeat on home soil on the third day of the second Test on Saturday.

The visitors won by an innings and 90 runs with two days to spare despite defiant half centuries by Saurav Ganguly (87) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (52).

South Africa had declared their first innings closed at 494 for seven before play began after accumulating a lead of 418 runs.

India, shot out for 76 in 20 overs in their first innings, were dismissed for 328.

South Africa's pace attack grabbed three early wickets in bowler-friendly conditions in the morning before Ganguly put the brakes on them forging partnerships with Vangipurappu Laxman (35) and Dhoni. (PTI Photo)

Scorecard | Match in pics | Special: South Africa in India | Watch: Embarrassing loss for India in 2nd Test | Players to watch | De Villiers and Kallis put South Africa on top

Mascherano's ban extended

2008-04-05T08:32:00.000+05:30

midfielder Javier Mascherano has had his ban for being sent off against Manchester United extended from one to three matches following his refusal to leave the pitch. The Argentina international,...

PepsiCo undecided on future with Sachin

2008-04-05T08:29:00.000+05:30

Beverages major PepsiCo on Thursday said it was yet to take a call on whether to continue with master blaster Sachin Tendulkar as Pepsi's brand ambassador after his contract expires...

Fifa wants to gift India 60 turfs

2008-04-04T07:25:00.001+05:30

MUMBAI, April 2: It might sound too good to be true but India could soon have close to 60 new artificial football fields. For this to happen, of course, the Indian government will have to cooperate with Fifa, the world's governing body in football, which wants to sponsor the fields as part of its 'Win India in India' project.

Last February, Fifa president Sepp Blatter who was in Delhi, promised to take Indian football to an international level. 'Win India in India' is similar to Fifa's successful African venture, and is likely to be launched in June this year with legends Michel Platini (France) and Franz Beckenbauer (Germany) gracing the occasion. Blatter said he had met the President and Prime Minister and went on record to say that he had received an encouraging response from both.

The new turfs are "cost-effective and cheap to maintain," said Deepak Khanolkar, Indian consultant for Greenfield BV, the Dutch company which won the Fifa contract for the specialised football fields.

"The 52 turfs, which were laid in Africa in 2006, cost $160,000 each. They were specially made to suit the hot and arid local conditions. We have laid hockey turfs as well. Most recently, UEFA's Europa Cup (under-21) was played on artificial turf laid by Greenfield in Holland," he said.

Under the understanding, Fifa will lay the turf on land provided by the government, set up training areas and other facilities and operate and maintain the grounds for a fixed period before the government takes charge.

The project under the Vision Asia development scheme is the second in the country, with a deadline of 2011.

In February 2008, the Fifa president announced that the body was ready to consider the use of plastic pitches for the 2010 World Cup. This decision was prompted by the quality of grass surfaces in Africa, where long spells of hot sun and drought frequently followed by torrential downpour made the pitches unplayable. However, a final decision on the issue has not been taken.

UEFA Cup: Rangers, Sporting in last 8

2008-04-04T07:22:00.000+05:30

LONDON, March 14: Rangers and Sporting completed the UEFA Cup quarterfinal line up, the Scottish team knocking out Werder Bremen while the Lisbon side ended the run of Bolton.

Werder, bidding to become the third German side into the last eight after Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen qualified on Wednesday, could only win 1-0 at the Weserstadion and went out 2-1 on aggregate.

Sporting, beaten finalists in 2005, edged a weakened Bolton side 1-0 at home to secure the tie 2-1. Bundesliga title challengers Werder forced 18 corners against Rangers, peppered their opponents’s goal from all angles but found keeper Allan McGregor in inspired form. Defeat capped a miserable few days for Werder, who were thumped 6-3 by VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga on Saturday

A dream come true: Sania Mirza

2008-04-04T07:16:00.000+05:30

January 25: In the title round of the mixed doubles, the Indian pair of Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza stand the chance of becoming the first all-Indian duo to win a mixed doubles Grand Slam title. The duo will take on China's Tiantian Sun and Serbia's Nenad Zimonjic, who defeated Zi Yan and Mark Knowles 4-6, 7-5, 10-6 in the other semi-finals.

The 21-year-old Sania, who has been playing on an injured leg for the last few days, said, "I'm excited to be playing in my first Grand Slam final. It's a dream come true. Mahesh and I started playing together at the Grand Slams at Wimbledon last year and we have been improving with every outing. I think he is one of the greatest doubles players and it is a privilege to partner him. His comeback from surgery has been amazing. He's hungry for success."

Sania's father Imran, who also doubles up as her coach, explained his daughter's injury: "Sania has an inflamed upper hamstring on the left leg. She got injured during her singles match against Venus Williams. She needs rest, but this is a Grand Slam final. She is willing to play on one leg if the situation demands. She is very determined and I'm hoping that the 48 hours rest before the final will help."

If Sania's looking for a little push for her bruised body she need not look beyond her partner, who has surprised his doctor, physio and trainer with what he has done in the last fortnight.

"My doctor Greg Mallham has been coming to watch the matches here and he is surprised by my progress. I was expecting to peak in the summer, I guess that is when I will really peak, but the body feels good now," Bhupathi said. "I never thought that I would be here playing the final, the goal was to get ready for the Australian Open and I worked very hard to be here."

Winning ugly: Blaugrana's new motto

2008-04-04T07:14:00.000+05:30

MADRID, April 2: Barcelona's ability to weather some heavy pressure from Schalke 04 in the closing stages of their Champions League victory in Gelsenkirchen could help revive their flagging fortunes.

The Blaugrana clinched a 1-0 win in the quarter-final first leg thanks to an early strike from forward Bojan Krkic, but although they dominated for much of Tuesday's match they found themselves on the ropes as Schalke piled forward in the closing minutes.

A series of sharp saves from goalkeeper Victor Valdes, some gritty defending from centre back Gabriel Milito and some streetwise time-wasting from captain Carles Puyol helped the visitors hang on for a valuable win.

"It's about time we gave our fans something to cheer about," Puyol told reporters. "It is an important win for us especially after everything else that has been happening at the moment. I think we're on track in the tie."

Puyol, who received a booking for time-wasting at the end of the game, admitted Barca had been prepared to drop their usual attacking style in order to win through.

"When you are suffering at the end of a game and the opposition are attacking, time-wasting is one way to cool things down," the veteran defender said.

"I was annoyed that I got booked because I was just waiting for the referee to blow the final whistle when he showed me the card," he added.

Striker Samuel Eto'o said team confidence had been boosted by the fact that, unlike in recent games in Spain, they had managed to hold on for the win.

"We had to work very hard because they pressured us a lot in the second half," he told reporters. "We've been playing quite well recently but we've been losing other games in the closing minutes.

Schumacher rules out MotoGP challenge

2008-04-03T22:11:00.001+05:30

BRUSSELS, April 3: Retired Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher has no plans to try and repeat his success on a motorbike despite finishing fourth in his first competitive race on two wheels.

The 39-year-old, whose seven titles and 91 grand prix wins make him Formula One's most successful driver, recorded the second fastest lap in the KTM minor series race at the Misano circuit on Italy's Adriatic coast last Sunday.

"I am not intending to be the new Casey Stoner or Valentino Rossi," Schumacher said in an interview on Wednesday referring to two of MotoGP's top riders. "I am not intending to take it up as a secondary career. If so, I should have taken it up 20 years before."

Schumacher, who has tested a Ducati MotoGP bike since retiring from Formula One at the end of 2006, rode a 990cc KTM Super Duke in the 10-lap KTM Trophy race. He finished third in Saturday's qualifying.

But the German said he was surprised by his success last weekend. "I was very surprised since I didn't get into it until about six months ago and I haven't done that much driving, particularly on two wheels," Schumacher said on a visit to Brussels to launch a campaign to reduce drink-driving deaths around the world.

"But a bike is a completely different subject. Moving from two to four is not so difficult up to a certain point but the hard work and danger starts after that."

Alonso happy to stay and fight for success with Renault

2008-04-03T22:08:00.000+05:30

MANAMA, April 3: Double world champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso is happy to keep faith with Renault and help lead the team in their fight for future success.

The 26-year-old Spaniard made it clear on the eve of this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix that he plans to stay with Renault for the long-term and has no plan to leave in a hurry at the end of this year.

It had been widely rumoured that he may consider switching to Ferrari as replacement for struggling Brazilian Felipe Massa by taking advantage of a 'get out' clause in his contract.

But Alonso said, "I don't remember that clause. I signed for two years in Renault, but as we saw last year, contracts are always very flexible!"

Asked if there was a clause in his contract allowing him to leave the team early, Alonso replied, "No."

He explained, "At the moment, we have just started the championship. We are disappointed about our performance in the first two races, but it is not a time to give up.

"It is a time to keep working and then we will see at the end of the season where we are. From next year, there is a big change of rules. All this can change again the picture in F1. At the moment I am convinced that Renault and me can do a good job together", he said.

"When rules change dramatically it is like putting a coin in the air. Any team can have a good car and fight for the championship. I knew when I signed for Renault that the gap was too big to recover all this distance in one year. I knew that 2008 would be a difficult season and we needed to keep improving and be as close as we can to the top teams", he added.

"At the same time, you always have to hope that if you are not fighting for the championship, you will be on the podium, or win one race or whatever", he said.

"It seems at the moment, we are not in that position so it is a mix of feelings. It is time to work now and hopefully after Barcelona the improvements are good enough and we can fight to be closer to the podium."

He said he was not optimistic of any great improvement this weekend, but hoped to see things improve in the future.

"There is not a big problem in the car, just many little ones. Aerodynamically the car has to be better and more efficient. We will see what happens", he said.

Cricket academy was my dream, says Salil Ankola

2008-04-03T07:57:00.001+05:30

Former India fast bowler Salil Ankola yesterday inaugurated of a cricket academy in his name at the Indian Gymkhana in Matunga yesterday.

“It’s a dream come true for me, it keeps me in touch with my passion.

“I was forced to give up cricket due to injury, but through this academy I want to work towards improving the fitness of players,” said Ankola.

Some wicket thoughts

2008-04-03T07:48:00.000+05:30

We live in the age of acquisitions. Nothing better illustrates this than the recent acquisition by Mukesh Ambani, Vijay Mallya, Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta and others of the 20:20 cricket teams part of the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Indian Premier League (IPL).

Not even all those cricket visionaries with their glass balls looking to predict the future of the game would have guessed that one day, India’s industrialists and actors would be buying up cricket teams. After teams, individual players are on sale or auction.

The richie rich owners can bid from a pool of foreign players (at least 50 of them) and the highest bidder wins a player to his team.

Don’t model for them Yuvi

The IPL brings about new equations within the cricket world. To what degree can their new owners control players? Can Ness Wadia, for instance, (who owns the Mohali team along with girlfriend Preity Zinta and others) have the power to tell a player not to model for a fabrics company may be because it might compete with Bombay Dyeing? Would Mallya stop a player from his Bangalore team endorsing an airline other than Kingfisher?

Who has the last word?

This guesswork brings me to the consortium of owners for certain teams. I think a couple of teams from the eight teams that form the IPL have been bought over by three or four persons jointly. This is known as a consortium of owners. How would these owners come together and decide the composition of their team? Big money often translates to big egos.

Would these owners’ scrap and bicker among themselves about team decisions and policies? Finally, how much control would each owner exert on their teams? Would one particular owner’s word be the last one?

Some scandals, please

On to the highly paid pawns (the players) on this commercial chessboard. While the cricket world is talking about how 20:20 cricket is all about the feisty firepower of youth, a new game for a generation weaned on instant thrills, the league actually gives the oldies of the game a new lease of life. Several players in the league are in their twilight playing years or have announced retirement from Test and one-day cricket.

They are now picked for the IPL. The IPL would similarly open avenues for coaches, commentators, entertainers, grounds men, in fact, everybody that goes with the cricket package. Finally with the names and money involved it would open up avenues for some scandal seeking, controversy hungry journalists like this one.

Shoaib Akhtar Update

2008-04-03T07:40:00.000+05:30

Shoaib Akhtar was Pakistan’s biggest pace hope but failed to live up to the tag and the nation’s expectations, culminating in a five-year ban yesterday. Here’s a timeline of his unique tale

If you wanted to write about Shoaib Akhtar, going by his figures would be among the worst ways to do it. Nine years, 43 Tests, 169 wickets, 133 ODIs, 208 wickets; it’s not even a tenth of the story. Numerous injuries, a controversial bowling action, lack of discipline and doping charges pepper the icon’s career.

This was followed by the comments about the retainership he was handed, leading to a five-year ban on playing cricket for or in Pakistan yesterday. Here’s a look at the troubles, travails and intrigues of the Rawalpindi Express

1997
Makes his international debut in November in the second Test against West Indies in Rawalpindi.

1999
The breakthrough year; starts with a fiery spell in Kolkata against India in the Coca Cola Asian Test Championships, where he took the wickets of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar off consecutive balls. At the World Cup, he ends not only as one of the leading wicket-takers, but also its leading star. He ends the year by being called for the first time in his career in Australia by umpires Peter Willey and Darrell Hair and , the match referee; John Reid.

2000
Bowling action is cleared early in the year but a rib injury forces him to miss the start of Nottinghamshire’s county season. A side strain then forces him out for the rest of the season and then a shoulder injury rules him out of a home series against England and he injures his knee and ankle before the year is out.

2001
Returns in March for his first international outing in ten months against New Zealand. Five wickets suggests he is back but breaks down with a hamstring injury nine balls into the next game and is called again for chucking. An University of Western Australia report concludes his action is the result of “unique physical characteristics.” Misses much of England summer tour due to injury and is called again in November in Sharjah but only to be cleared again.

2002
Hit by a brick from the Dhaka crowd in January, forcing him to miss end of tour. Recovers to destroy New Zealand twice at home, in the process bowling the first-ever 100 mph delivery. Blitzes Australia twice later in the year but is banned for an ODI after throwing a bottle into the crowds in Zimbabwe. Caught ball tampering in first Test, but escapes punishment.

2003
Axed from Pakistan team after a poor World Cup. Recalled in May for a triangular in Sri Lanka and becomes the second player ever to be banned for ball tampering. Appointed vice-captain for Test against South Africa but is banned for one Test and two ODIs for abusing Paul Adams.
Misses New Zealand Tests with calf and groin injuries but is photographed one day before enjoying a jet-ski ride. Returns for second Test, helps Pakistan win with a stupendous 11 wickets in the match but gets injured again in the ODI series.

2004
A disappointing series against India ends with a back injury in the final Test. Unable to bowl for the rest of the match, he comes out to bat later, freely smacking boundaries in a 14-ball 28. Inzamam-ul-Haq publicly questions the authenticity of the injury. On the tour to Australia, he is disciplined by match referees and injures his shoulder at Perth. Rumours of disciplinary breaches and problems with the team management emerge.

2005
Starts the year with a hamstring injury and misses most of the VB Series. Hamstring keeps him out of the India tour. On the bright side, he is offered a Bollywood role. Is verbally berated by Worcestershire chairman John Elliott for being a disruptive influence. Comes back for the England series after proving his fitness in a training camp, finishes with 17 wickets before an ankle injury surfaces.

2006
Questions are raised about his action again by Greg Chappell after the Faisalabad Test against India. Ankle injury becomes a stress fracture and rules him out of the ODI series. Doctors discover soon after a degenerative knee condition which threatens to end his career.

2006
Banned for two years after testing positive for the banned substance Nandrolone, Shoaib was sent back to Pakistan and missed the Champions Trophy. The verdict, however, was overturned by a three-man tribunal a month later.

2007
He makes a successful return to the side against South Africa in the second Test, taking four wickets in the first innings. But a hamstring injury forces him to miss the second innings and the rest of the tour.
A televised spat with Bob Woolmer results in Shoaib being fined by the board. Is declared unfit to take part in the World Cup due to injury.

2007
He is named in the Asia XI squad to take on an Africa XI but is withdrawn by the Pakistan board. Leaves a training camp in Karachi without permission and is fined at a disciplinary hearing. A dressing-room spat with Mohammad Asif in South Africa results in him being sent back home prior to the World Twenty20. Is consequently handed a 13-match ban and a huge fine for a number of breaches of discipline. He is also placed on a two-year probationary period during which any disciplinary breaches could result in a life ban.

2008
The PCB’s announcement of new central contracts sees Shoaib demoted from the top category to a retainership. He is handed a 5-year ban, preventing him from playing for and in Pakistan, after accusing the PCB of double standards over awarding of the contracts.

Courtesy: www.cricinfo.com