Team India leaves for England to defend World T20 crown

Mumbai, May 29: Despite fitness concerns over pace spearhead Zaheer Khan and the players’ fatigue factor looming large, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was today optimistic about India retaining the World T20 Championship in England.

“We have a very balanced side, very strong in batting. We bat right down to 8 or 9. This is not to say we lack in bowling. We have a strong bowling attack too,” he told a press conference here before departing with teammates for London by an afternoon flight.

“We have some outstanding talents in our team and we need to focus on playing to our potential without worrying about the result. We have to give 100 per cent and hopefully we can defend the title,” he said about the team’s prospects in the tournament starting June 5.

Dhoni said the team’s most experienced pacer Zaheer Khan was less than fully fit and hoped the injured left-arm bowler would be available for the holders lung-opener against Bangladesh on June 6 at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.

Sania gets engaged; rules out early retirement

New Delhi, May 29: Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza has got engaged to a Hyderabad-based businessman but her family has ruled out an immediate wedding or early retirement for the star.

The 22-year-old, who is the most successful woman tennis player of the country, will continue playing the game and her father Imran Mirza said it will take a while before the two families decide on when the wedding would take place.

“This is to confirm that Sania Mirza is engaged to Mr. Muhammad Sohrab Mirza, whose family hails from the city of Hyderabad. Although not related, the two families have had friendly ties for several decades. However, the wedding is not expected to take place for a while,” Imran Mirza said.

“I would like to state that the news appearing in certain sections of the media about the two maternal grandmothers having fixed the liaison is baseless. It has also been wrongly projected that Sania is contemplating early retirement from tennis. These reports are absolutely untrue,” he said.

Sania’s career has been marred by injuries and countless controversies but despite the off-court woes, she has been the lone flag-bearer of Indian women’s tennis internationally.

Sania was the first Indian to win a WTA singles title and earlier this year added an elusive Grand Slam title to her kitty when she combined with Mahesh Bhupathi to win the mixed doubles event at the Australian Open.
Sania is currently in Paris playing the French Open. (PTI)

Winning start for Sania-Chia; Bopanna bows out

Paris, May 27: Sania Mirza and Chia-Jung Chuang of Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) sailed into the doubles second round of French Open with a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Ipek Senoglu of Turkey and Yanina Wickmayer of Belarus at Roland Garros here on Wednesday.

Rohan Bopanna and Jonathan Elrich of Israel, however, lost a tough first-round encounter to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain and Sergio Roitman of Argentina 4-6, 6-7 (10).

Sania and Chuang, seeded 14th, faced tough resistance in the first set that lasted 50 minutes. They converted all three break points that came their way while Ipek and Yanina wasted the same number of chances of breaking back.

Sania and Chuang raised their game in the second set, breaking their opponents twice and not conceding any break points, as they wrapped it up in just 24 minutes.

They will next face the winner of the match between Ukraine’s Viktoriya Kutuzova and Aravane Rezai of France and Polish pair of Agnieszka Radwanska and Urszula Radwanska.
Sania has bowed out of the singles competition, going down to Kazakhstan’s Galina Voskoboeva in the first round Tuesday. (IANS)

Modi hints at two IPL tournaments per year

Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman and commissioner, has hinted that the T20 tournament could be held twice a year, once in India and a shorter version overseas.

"The IPL will be based in India, but the second season (of a year) we are planning gives us the chance to see if a market exists and we are seriously looking at what we can do with it," he told the Daily Telegraph.

He said he had been encouraged by the response from fans in South Africa, where the IPL was shifted for the 2009 season due to concerns over security as the competition clashed with general elections in India.

"We have turned the challenges and adversities in moving to South Africa into an opportunity," he said. "It is the fans who determine if you are successful or not and they have come out in force here. It has shown that the tournament can be in any region, in any country. This opens up many different opportunities for us."

The USA, where the ICC has advised cricket officials to install an IPL-style Twenty20 league, is one of the countries Modi considers a potential host. "America throws up challenges but the format we have developed works," he said. "Apart from watching great cricket they have an enjoyable evening out. That will work anywhere."

"Before this tournament we did not know if we could do it. But we do know now. We have to satisfy an appetite across the world and build a fan base across the world. "

There have already been several demands for a window in the official calendar to accommodate the IPL, and the rise of Twenty20 is set to continue with the launch of tournaments in England, and another tournament involving players from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

© Cricbuzz

Nadal poised to claim French Open history

PARIS: Rafael Nadal believes his game is almost perfect as he targets an historic fifth successive French Open title.


The 22-year-old world number one, whose incredible Roland Garros record stands at 28 wins from 28 matches, has already written off losing his 33-match claycourt streak to old rival Roger Federer in Madrid last week.

He believes a combination of a draining four-hour semi-final victory over Novak Djokovic and the high altitude of the Spanish capital conspired against him.

"I am very happy with my claycourt season. I won in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome and made the final in Madrid. It's almost perfect," said Nadal, the top seed.

"Madrid was a different tournament. The court was fast, the balls were flying and I didn't play that well."

Adding to his confidence is the knowledge that he has beaten Federer in the last three finals at Roland Garros.

Federer, who is one title short of matching Pete Sampras's all-time mark of 14 majors, needs a French Open to become only the sixth man to complete a career Grand Slam.

But he's travelled this road before. Two years ago, Federer ended Nadal's 81-match winning streak on clay at Hamburg to instill fresh confidence of finally cracking the French code, but he was to be denied once the duo resumed hostilities in Paris.

On the evidence of the 2008 tournament, where Nadal didn't drop a set in seven matches and Federer won just four games in a brutally one-sided final, the Swiss star again looks doomed.

But Federer refuses to concede defeat, believing that his win in Madrid, which was his 58th title, but first of 2009, could represent another launchpad.

"He has never lost in Paris so obviously his confidence is very high, but I think we have seen that if you play Rafa the right way there are chances," said the 27-year-old, world number two.

"In Madrid it was important that I played well when I had to which I wasn't doing before because there was something lacking in my game, just a lack of practice maybe."

Sunday's meeting in Madrid was the pair's 20th career clash with Nadal holding the upper hand 13-7 overall, and 9-2 on clay.

Their rivalry is one of sports' most compelling with Nadal having dethroned Federer as Wimbledon champion in an epic final in 2008 before the Spaniard reduced the Swiss to a tearful wreck after victory in Australia this year in another five-set thriller.

In the unlikely event of the June 7 final not being a repeat of the last three, Djokovic, who had three match points against Nadal in his Madrid semi-final, would be the most likely beneficiary.

But the big-hearted Serbian, who turned 22 on Friday, has lost all nine claycourt meetings with Nadal, including four in 2009 - in Davis Cup, Monte-Carlo, Rome and then in Spain.

Djokovic has reached the semi-finals in Paris for the last two years, losing to Nadal on each occasion without claiming a set.

"It's not that easy. I probably played one of the best matches of my life against him (in Madrid), but he made some unbelievable shots to win those points which he did - again," sighed the Serbian.

Britain's Andy Murray has lost both his claycourt meetings with Nadal and despite holding a 6-2 advantage over Federer, the two have never met on clay.

In two visits to the French Open, Murray has yet to get beyond the third round.

But he is confident he can make a deep run into the event.

"Against the real clay-courters that play a lot of top spin, you can almost try and make it a hardcourt match by playing a little bit flatter and coming to the net and bit an shortening the points," said Murray.

Nadal faces a qualifier in his first match before a possible third round clash with Australian former world number one Lleyton Hewitt.

Federer opens against Spain's Alberto Montanes with old American rival Andy Roddick seeded to face him in the last eight.

Third seeded Murray renews his fierce rivalry with Argentinians when he meets Juan Ignacio Chela, while fourth seed Djokovic faces experienced Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador.

If the seeding works to plan, then Nadal would face Murray in the semi-finals while Djokovic would take on Federer.

Source:TOI

Bangalore plot Hayden's downfall for 2nd semi-final

JOHANNESBURG: There can be few sights more intimidating in cricket than Matthew Hayden walking in to face the new ball. If the left-hander is on a song, there might as well be a blast.


That thought alone will keep Royal Challengers on their toes when the second semi-final of the IPL begins at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Saturday. Hayden, wearing his Orange Cap and carrying the willow that looks like a toy in a truck-puller’s hand, will keep playing on the opposition’s mind.


Royal Challengers called for an emergency meeting on Friday that had all players in a huddle in a small conference room at hotel Sandton Sun for close to an hour. Whatever their personal work, the players had been asked to keep it aside until the all-important meeting was over. Captain Anil Kumble, coach Ray Jennings, Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis walked in first, followed by the rest who were still celebrating Manish Pandey’s ton on Thursday.

There was an important issue to be discussed and it remained no secret once the meeting ended. All the players walked out of the conference room except for Praveen Kumar, B Akhil, Roelof van der Merwve, Kumble and Kallis. They had an extended half an hour discussion amongst themselves.

Kumble knows that stopping Hayden alone will be the key to Royal Challengers making their way to the final. If they can get the belligerent left-hander early, the option of applying pressure on the rest of the line-up will be better than having him out there in the middle. Of course, Suresh Raina and Mahendra Singh Dhoni have been in equally good form, S Badrinath has been impressive and is fit after a slight niggle, Jacob Oram is still waiting to explode and Albie Morkel’s return from injury can make things tougher. But Hayden still remains the key.

"He is dangerous and we all know what he’s capable of doing. He’s the tournament’s highest scorer. If we can get him early, fine,’’ says Jennings.

In seven out of 11 innings, Hayden has given Team Chennai the right kind of start. His strike rate has been consistent at around 140. He has accumulated five fifties and an individual best of 89, so far, adding to the team’s top-order muscle. If Chennai can once again afford to flex that, Royal Challengers will have a lot of work. Dhoni’s best bet to follow-up on the start given by Hayden is Raina, the tournament’s second best batsman after the giant Aussie. At 414 runs, Raina has been the mainstay in Chennai’s middle-order and should be no less a worry for the Challengers.

However, it was interesting to hear Jennings bring Hayden’s name into the discussion whenever the topic of Chennai’s batting came up. Be it mind games or simply a lurking fear, Challengers do know that he’s a bigger threat than anyone else.

Source:TOI

Beckham launches England's World Cup bid

LONDON: David Beckham launched England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup by insisting no other country can match their passion for the globe's biggest sporting event.

England midfielder Beckham was at Wembley on Monday as the English Football Association began their attempt to convince FIFA, the world game's governing body, that they should stage the four-yearly tournament.

England hosted their only World Cup in 1966 when Sir Alf Ramsey's team won the event, but the nation's appetite for football is so strong that Beckham believes it is only right the competition should finally return 52 years after that historic victory.

"To have the World Cup in your own country is the dream of any player. I know first hand the passion of our fans and they would provide an incredible atmosphere at every game," said former England captain Beckham, who holds the record for most appearances by an England outfield player.

"There's no bigger support than our fans. There are full stadiums everywhere. Some of the biggest players in the world, (Zinedine) Zidane and Ronaldo, ask me what it's like to play in England. They love that passion.

"The passion doesn't just stop at Premier League level. It's from the grass-roots and the amateur leagues right through every league.

"When we stage big competitions it shows around the country how excited people get. Our country is renowed for getting excited by big events. I don't think any country in the world can compete with us for that.

"A World Cup in England would inspire a generation of younger players and capture the imagination of everyone."

Beckham was joined at the English national stadium by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, current England team-mate Wayne Rooney, as well as Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Geoff Hurst, who both played in the 1966 World Cup final victory over West Germany.

Manchester United striker Rooney said: "I know how much the crowd can lift you here and how much the country would get behind us. It would be a dream come true for any England player.

"Hopefully I'll still be playing at that time. I'll be 32 but you look at some of the players at Manchester United like Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. They are the perfect example to me to keep myself fit."

England, who failed to win the race to stage the 2006 World Cup, face competition from Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Russia, the United States and joint bids from Belgium and the Netherlands and Portugal and Spain.

FIFA's 24-man executive committee will deliver their verdict in December 2010 and the FA's bid leaders are well aware that they must win over delegates in Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and Asia.

FA chairman Lord Triesman said: "Our job in the next 19 months is clear; we need to put together the strongest bid possible. We believe that England can stage a wonderful event," Triesman said.

"We are determined that England 2018 will assist the development of football globally and meet FIFA's aspirations that the World Cup leaves a legacy of positive change."

England has already secured the 2012 Olympic Games and British Prime Minister Brown is keen to land another prestigious event.

"This Government is fully committed to this bid," Brown said. "It would be an absolute privilege to host this fantastic sporting event and I know this country, with its first-class stadiums and tremendous passion for football, would host an incredible tournament.

"It's fitting that we are launching the bid in England, the home of football, and at Wembley - the greatest stadium in the world."

Prince William, President of the English FA, added: "Hosting the World Cup would give the whole nation the opportunity to demonstrate our generous hospitality to teams and fans from all over the world."

Soruce:TOI

Bhutia decides to leave Mohun Bagan

KOLKATA: Baichung Bhutia on Monday served a quit notice on Mohun Bagan after the club officials questioned his commitment to the team.


The India captain called on the club's finance secretary Debashish Dutta and sought a release with immediate effect. The striker still has a year left in his two-year contract with the club.

"I no longer have any desire to play for Mohun Bagan after all that has happened. It's good, both for me and the club, to part ways in a peaceful way," Baichung said on Monday, on the sidelines of the team's practice session for the AFC Cup match against Al Karamah.

Mohun Bagan had on last Thursday slapped a showcause notice on Baichung, accusing him of remaining not "fully committed" to their I-League cause and skipping practice sessions repeatedly to shoot for a dance programme (Jhalak Dikhla Ja).

"It is evident that your focus has shifted from football and it has now become your secondary interest," club secretary Anjan Mitra had stated in the letter.

Baichung, however, didn't reply to the letter and instead, decided to take it on the chin, seeing in it an attempt to make him the "scapegoat" for Bagan's I-League failure.

"After playing for 17-18 years, I don't need to prove my commitment. From Day I, the club was aware of my schedules for the dance programme. I had been absent from practice only on Saturdays but never missed a match (in the I-League).

"It is there for everybody to see how I fared in the (I-League) matches against Chirag United, Dempo and Vasco at home. It's just that we had a bad game against Mahindra (in the final round).

However, when we learnt at half-time that Churchill were leading (against Mohammedan Sporting), we lost motivation in the second half," the Mohun Bagan captain admitted.

"But I'm extremely disappointed with this attempt to make me the scapegoat. It's an internal matter and the club should not have made the letter public. I've been humiliated and now, I feel no urge to play for the green and maroons," a visibly peeved Baichung thundered before leaving the ground.

Soruce:TOI

England win second Test by an innings and 83 runs

CHESTER-LE-STREET (England): James Anderson took nine wickets in a Test for only the second time in his career as England crushed the West Indies by an innings and 83 runs to win the second Test at the Riverside on Monday.

Victory, in their last Test before the start of July's Ashes series, meant England took the two-match series 2-0 after a thumping 10-wicket win at Lord's and saw them regain the Wisden Trophy they'd lost in the Caribbean this year.

The West Indies, following on, were bowled out for 176 in their second innings, having made 310 first time around after England had piled up 569 for six declared.

The tourists were 167 for eight at lunch on having lost five wickets in the session in total.

And after the break the match lasted just three overs.

Star batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul fell for 46 when he edged man-of-the-match Anderson through to Paul Collingwood, who took his first Test catch as a wicket-keeper having taken the gloves on Sunday after Matt Prior sustained a finger injury.

And Tim Bresnan, who before lunch had taken his first two wickets in Tests, ended the match when he had Fidel Edwards caught at fine leg by substitute fielder Karl Turner, who was appearing in front of his home crowd.

Anderson, who took four for 38 in this innings, had match figures of nine for 125 - his second-best in Tests after his nine for 98 against New Zealand at Trent Bridge last year.

Bresnan had an innings return of three for 45 in 14 overs.

West Indies, who resumed Monday on 115 for three, lost five wickets in the first session

Anderson, the only other bowler used alongside Bresnan on Monday, added three more wickets before lunch to his first innings haul of five for 87, including left-hander Suliemann Benn whom he bowled for nought off the final ball of the session.

After a pair of rain breaks saw nearly half an hour lost, the West Indies lost three wickets for five runs in 15 balls with Bresnan, in his second Test, taking two for none in three balls.

Lendl Simmons was out for 10 when he guided Anderson straight to substitute fielder Scott Borthwick at point to leave the West Indies 141 for four.

And they had added just one run when seamer Bresnan, who'd seen some chances missed off his bowling, took his first Test wicket with Nash clipping him straight to square leg where Durham's Borthwick took his second catch.

Bresnan, who along with Graham Onions made his debut in England's 10-wicket first Test win at Lord's this month, then reduced West Indies to 146 for six.

Denesh Ramdin, who made a first innings fifty, exited for nought when he edged a genuine outswinger from the 24-year-old Yorkshireman to Anderson at third slip before Anderson himself bowled Jerome Taylor.

England had been in charge here from the start with opener Alastair Cook's Test-best 160 the centrepiece of their total.

Ravi Bopara, who made 108 and helped Cook add 213 for the second wicket, was named man of the series after he also made a hundred at Lord's.

But how much England had gained ahead of the sterner challenge set to be presented by Australia, against a West Indies side only drafted in because of Sri Lankan players' Indian Premier League commitments and who did not take to early season English conditions, remained to be seen.

Soruce:TOI

Bangalore face must-win game against Delhi

JOHANNESBURG: An uphill task awaits Royal Challengers Bangalore when they take on formidable Delhi Daredevils in their do-or-die Indian Premier League match on Tuesday.


The Bangalore outfit, who are at the sixth spot in the table with 12 points from as many matches, has everything to play for as a loss would undoubtedly throw them out of the semifinal race.

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Delhi, on other hand, are sitting pretty at the top having already qualified for the semifinals with 18 points out of 12 matches and will be hoping to carry forward their winning momentum to the last four stage.

Besides the semifinal spot up for grabs, the match also provides Anil Kumble's men an opportunity to take revenge of their previous six-wicket loss against the Daredevils.

Although the Bangalore oufit are on a high after their last match win over second placed Chennai Super Kings, they would need something spectacular tomorrow to halt a consistent Delhi which boasts of innumerable match-winners.

AB de Villiers has been the pillar of Delhi batting, while Tilakaratne Dilshan and Dinesh Karthik provide the much neded fire power in the middle-order.

However, what remains a matter of concern for the Daredevils is the form of skipper Virender Sehwag and opener Gautam Gambhir.

Both Sehwag and Gambhir are still to fire in the tournament and the Delhi skipper expressed optimism of returning to form before the semifinals.

"I hope I will get runs in next couple of matches that we have to play before the semifinal. And if Gautam and I manage to find our form, that will be bonus for us," he had said.

With a rejuvenated Asish Nehra and Dirk Nannes up front, Delhi's bowling has been more than impressive.

Young Pradeep Sangwan has been consistent throughout picking up crucial wickets, while Amit Mishra provides the sting in Delhi's spin department.

In contrast, Bangalore does not have equal riches at their disposal and it would take quite an effort to upset Delhi.

Bangalore's top order has been pretty inconsistent with Jacques Kallis playing well in patches, while both Jesse Ryder and Robin Uthappa have been a big disappointment.

Overall, it has been a pretty slipshod display by their batters, but Ross Taylor's return to form would please Kumble, who would be expecting the Kiwi to come good again on Tuesday.

Although Bangalore's bowling has looked quite mundane, Kumble and Co. would take heart from the fact that they managed to restrict Chennai Super Kings to mere 129 in their last encounter.

And Kumble would be expecting a similar show from his bowlers against Delhi on Tuesday to brighten their winning chances.

Soruce:TOI

Shoaib Akhtar to miss Pakistan's T20 camp

Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar said Wednesday he would skip the Twenty20 team's conditioning camp at a luxury holiday resort due to a skin problem.

"I have skin problems in the groin... a doctor advised me a week's rest, so I will miss the conditioning camp starting from Thursday," Akhtar told AFP.

The 33-year-old Akhtar was selected for Pakistan's 15-man squad despite question marks over his fitness. He played only four Twenty20 games last year owing to fitness and discipline problems.

When Akhtar returned in February this year, he was dropped from the team after getting just one wicket in the two one-day matches against Sri Lanka. He was later ruled out of the Test series against Sri Lanka because of knee problems. The series was abandoned after a deadly attack on the Sri Lanka team in Lahore.

Akhtar played four one-day matches in Pakistan's latest one-day series against Australia in United Arab Emirates, taking three wickets without completing 10 overs in any of the matches.

Pakistan's World Twenty20 squad will undergo fitness drills at the Pakistani hill resort of Bhurban before playing three practice matches ahead of the second World Twenty20 tournament starting in England from June 1.

Akhtar hoped he would be fit in time for the practice matches.

"I will be fit when the practice matches start and will play these matches. Playing Twenty20 is a great challenge and hopefully I will be up to it," said Akhtar.

The mercurial paceman was also included in the inaugural World Twenty20 squad held in South Africa in 2007 but was expelled two days before the event on disciplinary action for assaulting team-mate Mohammad Asif with a bat.

Soruce:Cricbuzz

Venus Williams bundled out in Madrid

MADRID: World number three Venus Williams followed her sister Serena out of the Madrid Open on Tuesday when she was beaten 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 by unseeded Russian teenager Alisa Kleybanova in the second round.

The American was broken seven times by the 19-year-old world number 26 from Moscow, a day after Serena retired from her first round match against Francesca Schiavone with a knee injury.

Kleybanova, who knocked Ana Ivanovic out of this year's Australian Open, served for the match at 5-4 in the final set before Williams broke back.

But the Russian grabbed another break of serve in the next game and made no mistake second time around, sealing victory on her first match point when Williams went long with a forehand.

"It was not a good first set, just really flat, and that gave her the confidence that she had a chance," Williams said at a news conference.

With the French Open starting at the end of this month, one of two grand slams along with the Australian Open that she has never won, Williams said it was important for her not to take the defeat too much to heart.

"I think I'm playing really well and I'm moving well on the court and I feel good," she said. "I have another tournament to play so I'm focusing on playing positive there."

World number four Jelena Jankovic powered to a 7-5, 6-2 win over Slovak Daniela Hantuchova.

The Serb struggled with her fitness and the distraction of her mother's ill health earlier this season but appears to have regained her focus. The former world number one next plays the winner of Wednesday's second-round match between Virginie Razzano of France and Russian qualifier Elena Vesnina.

'AWFUL TENNIS'

"I feel my game is getting back together and I am gaining confidence with my match and that is positive for me," Jankovic said at a news conference.

"I was playing awful tennis and it was a disaster for me and almost painful to watch me out there. But now it's a different story and I'm getting back into form and doing well so far."

Ninth-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki also went through to the third round, thrashing American qualifier Varvara Lepchenko 6-3, 6-1, and Amelie Mauresmo of France beat China's Zheng Jie 6-2, 7-5.

Current number one Dinara Safina, who had a bye into the second round, is due to play China's Li Na on Wednesday.

Soruce:TOI

Cricket officially added as Asian Games sport

SINGAPORE: Cricket officially became an Asian Games sport Wednesday when it was approved by the Olympic Council of Asia, with India and Pakistan pled ging to send their best available teams.

It will make its debut in Guangzhou next year.

Both men's and women's teams will participate in a Twenty20 format contest, with India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh automatically qualifying, along with host nation China.

Other countries will have to play a qualifying round to fight for three additional spots.

"India and Pakistan were the drivers. Pakistan and India will come with their best teams because it will be a big competition," said OCA president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah after the organisation's general assembly.

"Asia's four Test-playing nations have committed to sending their best available teams," he added.

The 2010 Asian Games will take place from November 12-27 in the southern Chinese city.

India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are all scheduled to play Test and One-day series that month, but the OCA said once a schedule for Guangzhou was in place "truly the best players for that format will be available".

Cricket was last seen at a major multi-sport event at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, but was dropped for the next two editions in England and Australia.

Its only appearance at the Olympics was in Paris in 1900, where in a two-day match Great Britain -- represented by touring team Devon and Somerset Wanderers -- beat France, whose team mainly consisted of members of the British Embassy.

The Guangzhou Games will feature 42 disciplines, three more than at the last event in Doha, with dance sport, dragon boat racing, and roller sport added to the agenda. The Olympics have 28 disciplines.

More than 14,000 athletes from 45 countries are expected to take part

TOI

O'Connor selected for Golf Hall of Fame

BALTRAY (Ireland): Christy O'Connor of Ireland has been selected for the World Golf Hall of Fame for his 24 victories on the European Tour and his 10 appearances in the Ryder Cup.

O'Connor was chosen through the Veterans Category and will be inducted on November 2 at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida.

"This is a fantastic honor, not only for myself and my family, but for the whole of Ireland, and in particular, all my friends in professional golf ... who helped me enjoy a wonderful career in the game," O'Connor said.

He will be the second Irishman in the Hall of Fame. The late Joe Carr was inducted as part of the 2007 class.

O'Connor's career spanned four decades, with two victories in the British Masters and 10 victories in the Irish PGA. He never won a major, finishing one shot behind in the 1958 British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.

He won the European Tour's Order of Merit in 1961 and 1962, and he was a stalwart for Great Britain & Ireland in the Ryder Cup, playing on 10 teams with a record of 11-21-4 during an era of US dominance. O'Connor was on the 1957 team that won at Lindrick Golf Club, ending the Americans' 12-match winning streak.

O'Connor, 84, is part of the 2009 class that so far includes Lanny Wadkins, elected last month through the PGA Tour ballot.

TOI

Bangalore Royal Challengers beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 6 wickets

CENTURION: If ever there was a sight of dropping shoulders, brooding faces, frustrated reactions and of absolute helplessness marking their presence on a cricket field, it was here at the SuperSport Park here on Tuesday.

Ross Taylor held his bat like a sledgehammer and wielded it so hard that the Knight Riders were simply left bleeding.

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Eighty one from just 33 deliveries when the match looked lost for the Royal Challengers. What looked an imposing target of 174 was gobbled up in 19.3 overs! It was an effort that single-handedly dismissed the Knights attempt at securing that elusive victory, and the field resembled a battleground in which one frail army had been ruthlessly massacred.

Facing the Royal Challengers, such was the apathy of the Knights during the last two overs they bowled that Ishant Sharma hardly found the words to sledge at Boucher and Taylor even if he wanted to.

He walked up to the batsman, glared at him, mumbled something to himself and walked away; Sourav Ganguly never quite moved from where he was standing at third-man; Ajit Agarkar fell on his knees.

The rest of the players, meanwhile, behaved like they just wanted the last two overs to finish so that they could run back to their hotels.

While Boucher played the supporting role, Taylor thrashed the bowlers all over the park.

Source:TOI

Merwe reckons IPL gives an unfair advantage

Centurion: Left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe feels that the IPL provides an ‘unfair advantage’ to the players but the South African was happy for the role it has played in his call-up to the national squad for the ICC World Twenty20 in England next month. Merwe was not a certainty for the 15-man South African squad that was chosen this week for the Twenty20 World Cup. But that was before Van der Merwe made his bow for the Bangalore Royal Challengers in the IPL. In his first three matches, the 24-year-old Easterns Titans star claimed four wickets for 77 runs in 10 overs and scored 44 runs off 28 balls in two innings. “I’m very chuffed to be able to represent my country at a World Cup. I knew I had only the two T20 matches against Australia, but it was the chance I had been waiting for. I came off at Centurion and then the IPL really helped too.” “Not everyone in the country gets the chance to play in such a tournament, so I guess I had an unfair advantage,” Merwe said. The left-arm spinner was pleased to have the company of legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble in his team and said he was learning a lot from his Royal Challengers’ captain. “Anil is so experienced, he has helped me a lot. I spend a lot of time with him at nets and he has been helping me with more variations.” (Agencies)

Nadal wins record 4th Rome Masters title

ROME: Rafael Nadal won his record fourth Rome Masters title Sunday, beating defending champion Novak Djokovic 7-6 (2), 6-2.

It's the third clay-court title in three weeks for the top-ranked Spaniard, following victories at the Monte Carlo Masters and the Barcelona Open.

Nadal extended his winning streak on clay to 30 matches, stretching back to an opening-round loss to Juan Carlos Ferrero in Rome last year.

By failing to defend his title, Djokovic will lose the No. 3 ranking to Andy Murray on May 11, when last year's points drop out. The 21-year-old Serb has been No. 3 since August 2007.

Nadal broke an Open Era tie with Thomas Muster, who won three Rome titles in 1990, 1995 and 1996. Jaroslav Drobny and Martin Mulligan also each won three titles before the Open Era.

Chris Evert holds the women's record at the Foro Italico with five titles.

Rome is a key warmup for the French Open, which begins in three weeks with Nadal the four-time defending champion.

Nadal broke serve in the opening game of the match but Djokovic had his chances in the first set before losing control for good in the tiebreaker, sending a weak backhand drop-shot attempt into the net on Nadal's third set point.

Djokovic then double faulted to hand Nadal a 4-2 lead in the second set.

The match was a far cry from the Monte Carlo final two weeks ago, when Djokovic became the only player to take a set from Nadal on clay this year.

The match was played in alternating conditions, with wind swirling around inside the stadium when the sun disappeared for periods behind clouds.

Djokovic started off with a series of errors as he tried to flatten out his groundstrokes and go for winners to end rallies early. As the match wore on, he waited longer in rallies before going for winners with approach shots to the corners.

Still, Djokovic appeared unsure of his tactics at times. On one occasion in the first set, he attempted a serve-and-volley, but then retreated and watched Nadal's winner sail by him, out of reach.

Nadal uncharacteristically missed a few forehands at the end of the first set to let Djokovic pull even at 5-5, but Djokovic then missed a routine backhand into the net to drop his serve again and smashed his racket onto the clay, drawing a racket abuse warning from the chair umpire.

Nadal improved his Rome record to 22-1. His won his first two titles at the Foro Italico in 2005 and 2006 with epic 5-hour victories over Guillermo Coria and Roger Federer, respectively, then beat Fernando Gonzalez in straight sets in 2007.

Nadal improved his tour-best record to 38-3 this year, winning five of the eight tournaments he's entered.

It was Nadal's 15th Masters Series title, one more than Roger Federer and two shy of Andre Agassi's record of 17.

Source:TOI

Karthikeyan 2nd in sprint, ends championships at 12th spot

Brands Hatch (Great Britain), May 3 (PTI) Team India's Narain Karthikeyan finished second in the sprint race but had to pull out of the feature race with a crash to finish the A1GP World Cup of Motorsports at the 12th position with 19 points here today.

It was a bitter sweet day for Karthikeyan in the final race of the championship after the Mexico City leg was cancelled due to swine flu scare.

He registered his first and only podium finish this season with the second place finish in the sprint but was unlucky to be involved in a crash in the feature category.

Karthikeyan bagged eight points for his second place finish in the morning behind championships winner Team Ireland's Adam Carroll, the highest in the 12 of the 14 races he took part this season.

The former Formula One Indian driver could have improved his championships position had he not involved in a three-way crash in the first lap of the feature race in the afternoon with cars of United States and China, which eventually resulted to his retirement from the longer race.

PTI

Bangladesh pick two rookies for World T20

Bangladesh on Monday selected two uncapped top-order batsmen and recalled three bowlers for the World Twenty20 championships in England next month.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief selector Rafiqul Alam said Shamsur Rahman, 20, and Mohammad Mithun, 18, had been rewarded for their good batting form in domestic cricket.

"Shamsur has been batting tremendously in recent years," said Alam. "He can bat at number three which has been a weak link in our batting. He is also a brilliant fielder.

"Mithun also scored heavily in the leagues. He is a hard-hitting batsman and can also double up as wicketkeeper," he said.

The selectors recalled experienced left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak, who was reported for a suspect bowling action in November and suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Razzak, 26, reworked his action and was cleared to play international cricket in March.

"Razzak is our top spinner and has got a lot of wickets. He is an obvious choice in the team," said Alam of the bowler, who has 111 wickets in 81 one-day internationals and seven wickets in five Tests.

Seamers Shahdat Hossain and Syed Rasel were also recalled, while frontline batsman Mohammad Ashraful was retained as captain.

Bangladesh are drawn with Ireland and India in the preliminary round of next month's event which will be played in London and Nottingham from June 5-21.

Bangladesh's squad:

Mohammad Ashraful (capt), Mashrafe Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal, Junaid Siddique, Raqibul Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Naeem Islam, Abdur Razzak, Shahadat Hossain, Syed Rasel, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Rubel Hossain, Shamsur Rahman and Mohammad Mithun.

Coach: Jamie Siddons (AUS)

Sorce:cricbuzz

Safina to face Kuznetsova in final

STUTTGART, May 3: World number one Dinara Safina overcame a first set scare here on Saturday to outclass unseeded Italian Flavia Pennetta 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 and book her place in the WTA Stuttgart final.

Safina, who will play Russian compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova on Sunday, turned her semi-final around in the second set after calling for her coach Zeljko Krajan, going on to recover from 3-1 down to win the second 7-5.

In the third set plucky Pennetta, who beat last year's finalist Nadia Petrova and Jelena Jankovic en route to the semi-final, tired badly, having made the last four of the doubles competition, and failed to offer much resistance.

Nadal advances to semi-finals of Rome Masters

ROME: World number one and top seed Rafael Nadal progressed to the semi-finals of the ATP Rome Masters clay court tournament after a gruelling victory against sixth seed Fernando Verdasco on Friday.

The scoreline did not do justice to a keenly contested match that lasted 1hr 50min and in which Verdasco had more than enough chances to cause an upset.

The final statistics told the story of a match in which the former three-time champion Nadal took his opportunities while Verdasco let his slip by.

Verdasco hit 20 winners to just six by Nadal but made more than twice as many unforced errors -- 41 to just 20 from the world's best player.

And both men forced six break points throughout the match but while Nadal converted four of his, Verdasco managed only one break.

The 25-year-old sixth seed started badly, double faulting to hand Nadal a break in the opening game.

However, he hit straight back as Nadal played a dreadful service game and was broken to love.

The top seed soon clicked into gear, though, and broke Verdasco twice more to take the set.

The main difference in the opener was that Nadal was massacring Verdasco's second serve, winning 78 percent of the points when his compatriot missed his first service.

In the second set Verdasco had plenty of opportunities to get his nose in front but he missed three break point chances in the first game and two more at 2-2.

Even so, he was trading wilfully with Nadal from the back of the court and but for his high unforced error count he looked capable of beating the king of clay.

But at 4-3 to Nadal, Verdasco missed two simple volleys as he gifted his compatriot a break, despite having led 40-15.

He called for the trainer at the change of ends and his knee seemed to be giving him some pain, so it was unsurprising that he wilted easily in the final game.

Nadal took his win streak on clay to 28 matches since he was beaten here a year ago in the second round by Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Source:TOI