Bangladesh T20 rebels banned for 10 years

Bangladesh cricket chiefs said on Wednesday that 13 players who opted to compete in the unauthorised Indian Twenty20 league will be banned for 10 years. The Indian Cricket League (ICL) unveiled late Tuesday its new Dhaka Warriors team in New Delhi, which comprises 11 Bangladesh internationals reportedly earning 200,000 dollars each over a three-year period. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) held an emergency meeting Wednesday and decided to ban the players for joining the unapproved league for 10 years, BCB spokesman Rabeed Imam said. "We don't have full reports of who have joined the ICL. But today, the board has decided that whoever has joined the unapproved league would be automatically banned for 10 years," he said. The board was also considering legal action against the 13 for breaching International Cricket Council rules, he added. At least seven of the 13 players informed the BCB they were retiring from Bangladesh cricket, citing personal reasons. The 13 players announced for the Dhaka Warriors include former captain Habibul Bashar and senior team-mates Shahriar Nafis, Dhiman Ghosh, Mohammad Rafique and Alok Kapali. The others are Aftab Ahmed, Farhad Reza, Manjural Islam, Mabud Chowdhury, Mahbubul Karim, Mohammad Sharif, Mosharraf Hossain and Tapash Baisya. Players aligned with the ICL -- bankrolled by India's largest listed media company Zee Telefilms -- are banned from playing official domestic and international cricket. The meeting was held a day after the board announced it would not accept the players' retirements. Earlier Wednesday, Bangladesh's Australia-born coach Jamie Siddons, who joined the cricket minnows a year ago, denied the sport was in crisis. "We can't afford to lose that many players on a regular basis. We'll replace these guys with young players but my biggest concern is that the ICL will come knocking again next year," Siddons told AFP via telephone from Australia. Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful told the leading Bengali language newspaper 'Prothom Alo', in an interview published Tuesday that he was offered a 700,000-dollar contract to play in the ICL, which he declined.

source: www.cricbuzz.com

ESS pay $1bln for Champions League rights

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - ESPN Star Sports will shell out nearly $1 billion for the commercial and marketing rights for the Twenty20 Champions League. The inaugural tournament will be held Dec. 3-10 with $6 million in prize money. It will feature eight teams, two each from Australia, India and South Africa and the champions from the England and Pakistan domestic leagues. Organisers said on Thursday the broadcaster had bid $900 million for a 10-year deal, plus some $75 million for marketing. "The commercial rights were won by ESPN STAR Sports with a bid of $975 million (including $75 million for marketing the tournament)," they said in a statement. "This makes the Champions League Twenty20 the highest value cricket tournament on a per game basis." The Australian, Indian and South African boards will jointly organise the Champions League, an off-shoot of a lucrative Indian version launched this year. "We are absolutely delighted that after a fair and transparent process, we have what we believe to be the best commercial deal for the inaugural Champions League season and for cricket fans across the world," Lalit Modi, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president said in the release. Organisers plan to expand the field to 12 teams next year.

source: www.cricbuzz.com

Chanderpaul tops list of ICC award winners

West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul was named as the 2008 International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricketer of the Year at an awards ceremony here on Wednesday. The 34-year-old left-hander, a mainstay of his side's batting for over a decade, was chosen ahead of his three fellow nominees - Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene, South Africa skipper Graeme Smith and Proteas fast bowler Dale Steyn. During the voting period, the gritty Guyanese played eight Test matches, scoring 819 runs at an average of 91.00, including three centuries and six fifties, all of which were against the top seven teams in the world. "I am honoured to be given this prestigious award tonight and I am very thankful to God for blessing me with the talent that I have," Chanderpaul said upon receiving his award. Chanderpaul, who follows India's Rahul Dravid, all-rounders Andrew Flintoff (England) and Jacques Kallis (South Africa), the joint winners in 2005, and two-time ICC Cricketer of the Year Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain, in taking the award, also played 13 ODIs during the voting period.
He finished top of the averages with 74.75 having scored 598 runs, a haul that included a century and five fifties. He is currently ranked number one in the ICC Test batting rankings and sixth in the list for ODI batsmen. There was a consolation for Steyn when the paceman was named Test player of the year. During the 12-month voting period, Steyn took 86 wickets at an average of just 18.10 in the 14 Test matches he played. No other bowler took more than 58 wickets in the same period and he was the only bowler to earn an average less than 21.50 (of those who played more than three matches). "I have had a pretty decent year I suppose but I didn't think about winning this award until the past few days," said Steyn. "I don't really know how I feel. Perhaps tomorrow morning it will have sunk in for me because obviously this is a huge award and it's massive for me," added the bowler, who recently helped South Africa win their first Test series in England since 1965.
India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni was named as the one-day player of the year, while his team-mate Yuvraj Singh won the inaugural international Twenty20 performance of the year award after striking six sixes off an over from England quick Stuart Broad during last year's World Twenty20 in South Africa. Sri Lanka's 'mystery' spinner Ajantha Mendis was chosen as the emerging player of the year while England captain Charlotte Edwards was named as the women's player of the year. Australia's Simon Taufel, the only man ever to win his award, was named as umpire of the year for the fifth time in a row. Dutch all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate won the Associate player of the year award for those outside the Test elite. Sri Lanka, for the second year in a row, won the spirit of cricket award presented to the team which, in the opinion of the ICC elite panels of umpires and match referees, has best conducted itself on the field. Chanderpaul and Steyn also featured in the ICC Test team of the year chosen by the ICC selection panel chaired by former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd and including Australia batting great Greg Chappell, recently retired South Africa all-rounder Shaun Pollock, Sidath Wettimuny, the former Sri Lanka opener and former Bangladesh batsman Athar Ali Khan. Australia fast bowler Brett Lee was the only player included in both the ICC's Test and one-day teams of the year.

source: www.cricbuzz.com

Dhoni and Yuvraj win ICC awards

India one-day captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was named the International Cricket Council (ICC) 2008 one-day international player of the year here on Wednesday. At the same awards ceremony, Dhoni's India team-mate Yuvraj Singh became the inaugural winner of the Twenty20 international performance of the year. Dhoni beat fellow nominees Sachin Tendulkar, Australia quick Nathan Bracken and Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf to win the award. During the voting period, Dhoni played 39 ODIs and scored 1,298 runs at an average of 49.92 and at a rate of 82.46 runs per 100 balls faced. In that time he hit a century and nine fifties. The wicket-keeper also made 62 dismissals (46 catches and 16 stumpings) in the same period. Dhoni, currently ranked as the world's best ODI batsman, said: "I am really happy to get this - it's a great privilege. "Also, it feels great to know that I am the first Indian player to get this particular award and it's very special because now I am in the company of a lot of other good cricketers. "Some fantastic players have won this award in the past and to be mentioned in their company is truly a humbling experience for me." Yuvraj's award was recognition for the batsman's feat in hitting six sixes off an over from England fast bowler Stuart Broad during the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa last year, which India eventually won after defeating Pakistan in a thrilling final. It was the first time a player had hit six sixes in a single Twenty20 international over. Herschelle Gibbs did it in an ODI during the last year's World Cup in the Caribbean while West Indies great Garfield Sobers became the first man to achieve the feat in a first-class match back in 1968. "I would like to thank the ICC for recognising the performances of the players - it's an important aspect of the year for us," said Yuvraj. "After the fifth six in that over I remember having butterflies in my stomach and I knew that if I managed to hit it for six it would be very special. It was a great feeling when I saw the ball go over the boundary."

source: www.cricbuzz.com

Federer, Djokovic book US Open rematch in semis

New York: For Roger Federer to win his fifth US Open title in a row, the Swiss second seed must prove he still has what it takes to beat Novak Djokovic, this time in a semi-final rematch of last year's final.
Twelve-time Grand Slam winner Federer and Serbian third seed Djokovic, the reigning Australian Open champion, advanced to a Saturday semi-final replay of their 2007 title showdown with impressive quarter-final triumphs Thursday.
Federer advanced to his 18th consecutive Grand Slam semi-final and stretched his US Open win streak to 32 matches by defeating 130th-ranked qualifier Gilles Muller 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) to end the Luxembourg left-hander's dream run.
"I'm happy to keep the semi-final streak alive. That's a huge streak for a long time," Federer said. "I'm really happy with my mindset going into the semi-finals. I'm happy to take it to the final four one more time."
Federer, who last missed a Slam semi-final at the 2004 French Open, has a 6-2 career record against Djokovic, including a 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 victory in last year's final.
"He's an absolute favorite in that match," Djokovic said. "I lost to him last year. For him it's a big challenge to go back to number one. For sure it's going to be a great match."
Djokovic eliminated US eighth seed Andy Roddick 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) in Thursday's other Arthur Ashe Stadium quarter-final, the Serbian spurred on by Roddick's jokes to the crowd two nights earlier about Djokovic claiming several injuries.
"Andy said I have 16 injuries. Obviously I don't," Djokovic said, drawing boos from a crowd dominated by Roddick supporters.
"Like it or not, it's like that," Djokovic said. "They are already against me because they think I'm faking everything."
"That was not nice to say in front of this crowd that I have 16 injuries and I'm faking it. The momentum is not nice."
It will be the first healthy meeting of Federer and Djokovic since last year at Flushing Meadows.
Djokovic beat Federer in straight sets in the Australian Open semi-finals on the way to his first Slam title, but Federer said he was ill, and Djokovic retired against Federer in an April semi-final on Monte Carlo clay.
Saturday's other semi-final will send British sixth seed Andy Murray against Spanish world number one Rafael Nadal, who seeks his third Slam crown in a row after beating Federer in the French Open and Wimbledon finals.
"Hopefully I can take it one more step than I did at the French Open and Wimbledon," Federer said.
The Swiss ruled the rankings for 237 weeks until last month, when Nadal ended his reign before capturing singles gold at the Beijing Olympics.
"You could see why he was number one," Muller said. "Every time the score was tight he came up with the better shot."
Federer, 27, has not lost at the US Open since David Nalbandian beat him in the fourth round in 2003. But his aura of invincibility has been punctured this year after seasons of utter domination.
"It's not too much about Roger's invincibility. He's human," Muller said. "Everyone knew he had a tough year. He struggled a little bit. It's more the belief I had in myself, the confidence that I could beat him.
"I could have won the two tie-breakers for sure. I just wasn't so lucky."
Federer won the only break of the match in the ninth game of the second set on a forehand winner. Muller denied Federer on three break points in the third set on the way to a tie-break, then grabbed a 4-1 edge before Federer rallied.
"I'm happy I was able to come back and pull it out because it looked like it was going to go four," Federer said. "When you are down you try to fight and that's what I tried to do out there."
Muller, who twice rallied to win here after losing the first two sets, upset Russian fifth seed Nikolay Davydenko in the fourth round to become the second qualifier in the US Open final eight after France's Nicolas Escude in 1999.
"A lot of people think I should be happy but I'm disappointed because I feel like I had my chances and I didn't take advantage of them," Muller said.
Djokovic made the most of his chances to down Roddick, who was two points from forcing a fifth set until he double faulted twice to give the Serbian his only break point of the set, which Djokovic converted on a backhand lob winner.
Each man held once more to set up the tie-breaker, which went to 5-5 before Roddick netted a backhand volley to give Djokovic match point. The Serbian smacked a service winner and Roddick wass done after two hours and 34 minutes.
Djokovic broke Roddick in four of his first eight service games, providing the margin for claiming the first two sets, but Roddick held serve his next nine chances to set up the fourth-set drama.
Roddick's fifth loss in seven US Open quarter-finals ensured American men would equal their longest Slam title drought at 21 events, matching a five-year hex that the late Arthur Ashe ended by winning the 1968 Wimbledon title.

source: www.mid-day.com

No time to celebrate: Paes

Mumbai: Leander Paes moved a step closer to a grand double after clinching the US Open mixed doubles title yesterday. The celebrations though, will have to wait. For, Paes is set to partner Lukas Dlouhy in men's doubles final tonight.
"Sadly, there's no time to celebrate as the doubles final is less than 24 hours away. So, no party tonight… we'll celebrate tomorrow. Hopefully, it will be a double delight," Paes told MiD DAY from New York.
The 35-year-old, who was partnered by Zimbabwe's Cara Black (29), defeated Britain's Jamie Murray and American Liezel Huber 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 in the final.
Paes and his Czech partner Lukas Dlouhy have already made it to the men's doubles final and will face brothers Mike and Bob Bryan of the US.
Paes, who won the Wimbledon alongside American Lisa Raymond in 1999 and the Wimbledon and Australian Open crowns in 2003 with US star Martina Navratilova, said: "It was a tough match. No final is easy. The joy of finally winning a mixed doubles title at US Open is fantastic. I have lost two mixed finals here previously."
Paes, pairing with American Meghann Shaughnessy had lost last year's final to Max Mirnyi and Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.
In 2001, Paes and Lisa Raymond fell in the final to Australians Todd Woodbridge and Rennae Stubbs.
"Cara played really well and backed me up just when I needed it. She had a couple of fantastic reflexes at 6-4 in the second set. I knew we would win it then," he said.
Paes also added: "Cara's been wanting to partner me for quite sometime. Thankfully, we met a few months ago and got together," Paes said.However, the Paes hopes to carry on with Black for some years now. "We will play together through this season and next as well," he signed off.

source: www.mid-day.com

Kirsten faces BCCI backlash

The Cricket Board today took strong exception to coach Gary Kirsten's comments in the media that Mahendra Singh Dhoni was ready for Test captaincy and asked the South African to concentrate on his job only.
BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah has categorically told Kirsten to avoid airing his personal views in media and focus on his job of coaching.
"As per the rules and regulations, Kirsten should not have spoken such things in the media, it is not his job. We have the selectors to decide who should be the captain," Shah told reporters.
"His job is to coach the Indian team and not give interviews on the selection matters or the captaincy. His comments have not gone down well with those concerned because he is an important member of the support staff. But I will still give him a benefit of doubt," Shah said.
He also dismissed the notion that Kumble should hang up his boots.
"Anil is a great cricketer and he knows well when to quit. As long as he is in form, I don't think the selectors are going to drop him," he said.
Kirsten had told a television channel earlier this week that ODI skipper Dhoni was ready to take over the Test captaincy from Anil Kumble.
"He (Dhoni) is ready for it (Test captaincy) but there is no need to rush as of now. Anil (Kumble) has done an exceptional job, he is a great leader and he is toiling in many overs for India. He is prepared to do 30 overs in a day. But he is on the other side of the physical side of the game.
Shah said Kumble was doing well and the selectors were not contemplating any change at the helm of the Test team.
"Anil Kumble is a great cricketer. He knows when he should bow out or give up the captaincy. Right now he is bowling very well and the selectors will never drop him or change the captaincy," he said.
When asked if Yuvraj Singh, who is struggling with the bat, should take a break from international cricket, the Board secretary expressed hopes that the left-hander would soon rediscover his form.
Shah further added that the decision to include or exclude a player from the team was that of the selection committee.
"Our selection committee has been doing the job with great responsibility. Let them select the team," Shah added.

source: www.mid-day.com

Paes hopes to repeat 1999 Wimbledon feat

New York: Nine years after his twin crowns at Wimbledon, Leander Paes is hoping history to repeat itself at the US Open.
Having reached the finals of both men's and mixed doubles of the US Open, Paes is recalling the 1999 Wimbledon and reckons this is going to be special for him.
"I think 2008 in New York is going to be special," said the ace, after he and his Czech partner Lukas Dlouhy thumped Argentine pair Maximo Gonzales and Juan Monaco 6-2, 6-0 in just 46 minutes to storm into the men's doubles final.
The former Davis Cup captain and his Zimbabwean teammate Cara Black have already made it to the mixed doubles final.
In 1999, Paes had partnered Mahesh Bhupathi and Lisa Raymonds to win the men's doubles and mixed doubles crowns at Wimbledon.
"I was much younger back then," said Paes, recalling the feat.
"As you get older, I push my body to new limits and try to raise the bar a few more times," he said.
Paes was particularly happy with the show against the Argentines and said, "When you finish a semi-final of a Grand Slam in 46 minutes, you're always happy.
"It was one of the fastest matches I had in my career. The balls looked like watermellons out there."
Made to play twice on Tuesday, Paes was also happy to get some rest before turning up for the mixed doubles final.
"They made me play twice and I was scheduled early. Now I can go back and relax," he said.
On his partnership with Dlouhy, Paes said, "It's going very well right now. Lukas is crazy just as I am. He's also very hard working. That's why it's working out so well."
Though he cherishes all his Grand Slam titles, Paes insists the highlight of his career is the bronze medal he won in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
"Nothing will ever better my Olympic medal," he said.
"Let me remind you it was in the singles. That's the epitome of my career," Paes added.

source: www.mid-day.com

Kaif takes a stance, a new one!

BANGALORE: It Takes Two! India A's Mohammad Kaif (left) and Robin Uthappa share a light moment at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore yesterday. pic/Vinod Kumar TEven before the India A vs Australia A three-day game began, Mohammad Kaif could be seen trying to adjust his stance.Methodically, he wanted his left shoulder to point towards mid-off so that it would open up shots on the off side for him. He was seen practicing for hours trying to get the shoulder in the right position.Two days agoFor the last two days, Kaif showed how much of a difference the change in stance has made to his batting. He was the only batsman on show from both sides, who was timing the ball sweetly and driving the cherry through the off side with comfortable ease.Gone are those jittery movements he would make before facing the bowlers that made him appear nervous and edgy.With rain affecting the first two days of the match, India A were finally bundled out for 284. In reply, Australia A were 113 for 8.Most batsmen struggled to adjust to the up and down nature of the wicket here at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, but Kaif made it look as though the pitch had no demons.Three bad shotsHe played only three bad shots in his 204-ball 94 and one of them resulted in his dismissal. While attempting to heave Marcus North for a six, he was caught at deep mid-on.With one more three-day game against Australia A to be followed by two four-day games against New Zealand A, if Kaif continues to bat the way he did here, chances are he could well be a contender for a place in the Test series against Australia.

Source: www.mid-day.com

Symonds' absence might reduce tension: Kirsten

Andrew Symonds' likely absence may leave Australia short on experience when they tour India next month but at the same time, it might ease tension in the high-profile series, reckons India coach Gary Kirsten.
Symonds has had a stormy relation with both the Indian players and the crowds. Booed and barracked in India, he also figured prominently with Harbhajan Singh in the Sydney racism row last summer.
Nursing a hurt ego after Cricket Australia downgraded the racism charges against Harbhajan, Symonds is cooling his heels after he was sent back home for preferring a fishing trip to a compulsory team meeting.
Though the volatile all-rounder is likely to miss the India series, Kirsten feels it might help in reducing the tension that of late surrounds an Indo-Australian series.
"There is a lot of hype around him and the quality of player that he is, and also I gather there is a lot of tension around from what happened in the last series," Kirsten was quoted as saying by The Age.
"To not have him around...does that alleviate it? Does it make it better? I don't know the answer. But I don't think it takes the gloss off the Test series," said the South African.
"One thing we must always be aware of is the game is bigger than the individual," Kirsten added.
Should Symonds miss the tour, Kirsten said, Australia would have to draft in inexperienced players and India would do everything to capitalise on that.
"To not have those types of individuals means they are going to be replaced by more inexperienced players, so we will hopefully be able to exploit (that)," said Kirsten, pointing out that the Aussies would no more have Adam Gilchrist in the ranks as well.
"We all know with the Australian set-up that they always replace those individuals with quality players, but in the heat of Test match battle sometimes experience counts for a lot," he said.
Australia will announce the team for the four-Test series in India next week and though Shaun Marsh and David Hussey are knocking on the selectors' door, the final shape of the squad remains unclear.
CA has already sent selector Jamie Cox to India to monitor the performance of Australia A spinners Beau Casson, Bryce McGain and Jason Krezja and assess if they merit a place in the senior squad.

source: www.mid-day.com

Sri Lanka ready to host Champions Trophy

With the International Cricket Council finding it tough to convince apprehensive cricketers on touring Pakistan for next month's Champions Trophy, Sri Lanka on Friday said it is ready to hold the tournament even at a short notice.

"We are ready to hold the Champions Trophy as we are the alternate venue for the tournament," Sri Lanka Cricket Chief Executive Duleep Mendis said.
Sri Lanka Cricket officials feel that all the grounds are in good condition as the Indian cricket tour is currently taking place.

source: www.rediff.com

Zaheer Khan helps India pull level

Dambulla: Inspired by a game-breaking spell from Zaheer Khan, India clinched a low-scoring contest here at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium on Wednesday, evening the five-match series at 1-1 — an eventuality that had appeared remote after Sri Lanka’s overwhelming win in the first ODI.
After M.S. Dhoni won the toss, Zaheer extracted Sri Lanka’s three best batsmen — Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Sanath Jayasuriya — to help India bowl the host out for 142 in 38.3 overs.
The left-armer, who finished with four wickets for 21 runs, was well supported by his new-ball partner, Praveen Kumar, who scalped three.In trouble
The chase of 143 appeared in the brambles, when Nuwan Kulasekara removed Irfan Pathan, opening in place of Gautam Gambhir (stiff neck), and Suresh Raina before the lunch break, and again when Thilan Thushara’s double strike left India on 75 for five.
The men who stepped up were Virat Kohli, Dhoni and debutant S. Badrinath. Kohli’s 37 was a fighter’s innings, not always pretty or technically assured, but combative as a bulldog. His partnerships of 36 with Yuvraj Singh and 23 with Dhoni, while not substantial, nudged India closer.
The 19-year-old Kohli handled Mendis positively, thinking little of crashing the mystery spinner through the off-side or slog-sweeping him over mid-wicket.
But Kohli drove lazily to cover and Rohit Sharma got his front foot too far across, as left-armer Thushara — brought on to switch Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan around — rocked India.Coming good
Dhoni, who promoted himself, and Badrinath, who has done everything asked of him — and then some — before national selection, set about chipping away at the runs needed.
The pair hared between the wickets, judging their ones and twos adeptly. Dhoni’s show of responsibility, while admirable, was expected; he has nervelessly controlled several chases in his young career.
Badrinath was a revelation: his exploits at the domestic level and on ‘A’ tours have been impressive, but never before will he have faced the intense pressure of an international razor-edge chase or the unique challenges posed by Mendis and Murali.
The sixth-wicket partnership of 60 brought India to within eight runs of victory. But Dhoni (39) was bowled off the inside edge when Dilhara Fernando found some reverse swing, and it was left to Badrinath to guide the tail through. Mendis spread panic when he trapped Harbhajan in front, but Zaheer applied himself, and capped a remarkable day.Touch of magic
India needed a touch of magic to begin things, particularly after Monday’s mauling, and Zaheer provided just that. Through a spell of controlled, first-rate seam bowling, the left-armer tore the heart out of Sri Lanka’s batting.
The ball that started it was a rip-snorter, flawless in length, and cutting into the left-handed Sangakkara at pace to hit the off-stump.
Impeccable deliveries slanted across the right-hander accounted for Jayawardene and Kapugedera, procuring edges to first slip and wicketkeeper Dhoni respectively.
Praveen chipped in with Chamara Silva’s wicket, getting one to bounce on the right-hander. Jayasuriya and Tillakaratne Dilshan attempted to steady the pitching ship — with Sri Lanka at 11 for four — but Zaheer cranked one through Jayasuriya’s defensive hop, striking the left-hander’s pad, and half the home side had been returned to the pavilion in fewer than 14 overs.
When Badrinath ran in from square-leg to complete a splendid catch diving forward, ridding India of the dangerous Dilshan, Dhoni’s men had Sri Lanka on the mat at 44 for six.Fight-back
But here occurred one of those curious things that that seem to happen often in cricket. The side on top let up just a bit, the one pinned discovered the virtue of common sense, and a fight-back was on.
Kulasekara and Thushara were the men who made the most of India’s generosity, although it must be said that the touring side had its share of ill-luck, some of it its own making. Dhoni has excellent instincts as a leader, but why he fancied Yuvraj’s left-arm slows for two overs — to open fields — one will never know.
Kulasekara, on eight, was caught plumb in front by a Munaf off-cutter, but umpire Gamini Silva turned the appeal down, leading to the seamer venting his frustration.
On 13, the right-hander edged Harbhajan to Rohit Sharma’s right at slip; the one-handed grab wasn’t sufficient.
The left-handed Thushara was impressive, lofting the quicker bowlers over the in-field and back-cutting Harbhajan for a fine 44.
Praveen broke the 74-run stand, feeding each partner a slower ball.
Thushara dragged the off-spinner to deep mid-wicket; Kulasekara shovelled the back-spun delivery to short mid-wicket.
India had some trouble shifting the last two wickets before Harbhajan, who had limped off after catching Mendis off his doosra, returned to dismiss Fernando.
SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka: S. Jayasuriya lbw b Zaheer 13, K. Sangakkara b Zaheer 2, M. Jayawardene c Yuvraj b Zaheer 2, C. Kapugedera c Dhoni b Zaheer 0, C. Silva c Kohli b Praveen 0, T. Dilshan c Badrinath b Pathan 16, N. Kulasekara c Badrinath b Praveen 25, T. Thushara c Kohli b Praveen 44, A. Mendis c & b Harbhajan 0, D. Fernando c Kohli b Harbhajan 12, M. Muralitharan (not out) 11; Extras (lb-6, w-11): 17. Total (in 38.3 overs): 142.
Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Sangakkara), 2-10 (Jayawardene), 3-10 (Kapugedera), 4-11 (Silva), 5-33 (Jayasuriya), 6-44 (Dilshan), 7-118 (Thushara), 8-118 (Kulasekara), 9-122 (Mendis).
PP1 (1-10): 14/4; PP2 (11-15): 24/1; PP3 (16-20): 10/1.
India bowling: Praveen 10-2-34-3, Zaheer 9.5-3-21-4, Munaf 6-1-24-0, Pathan 5-0-21-1, Harbhajan 5.4-0-26-2, Yuvraj 2-0-10-0.

India: I. Pathan c Sangakkara b Kulasekara 5, V. Kohli c Kapugedera b Thushara 37, S. Raina lbw b Kulasekara 1, Yuvraj lbw b Mendis 20, M.S. Dhoni b Fernando 39, Rohit lbw b Thushara 0, S. Badrinath (not out) 27, Harbhajan lbw b Mendis 1, Zaheer (not out) 2, Extras (b-3, lb-4, nb-2, w-2): 11. Total (for seven wickets in 39.4 overs): 143.
Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Pathan), 2-16 (Raina), 3-52 (Yuvraj), 4-75 (Kohli), 5-75 (Rohit), 6-135 (Dhoni), 7-139 (Harbhajan).
PP1 (1-10): 29/2; PP2 (11-15): 25/1; PP3 (16-20): 21/2.
Sri Lanka bowling: Kulasekara 9-2-26-2, Thushara 7-1-32-2, Mendis 10-1-22-2, Fernando 5-0-25-1, Muralitharan 8.4-0-31-0.

source: http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/21/stories/2008082151152000.htm

Jamaica's Bolt gets gold, breaks record

A sprint double was all too predictable. To make the Olympics absolutely special, Usain Bolt added a world record double Wednesday by winning the gold medal in the 200 meters.Already well ahead coming off a tight bend that was supposed to be his only challenge, the Jamaican didn't coast for the first time in the games and bettered the world record of Michael Johnson one that even the track great considered still out of reach.With his time of 19.30 seconds, he sliced .02 off the mark dating to the 1996 Atlanta Games. And, incredibly, he cut his personal best by a massive .37."I'm shocked. I am still shocked," Bolt said. "I have been aspiring to the world record for so long."On the eve of his 22nd birthday, one full of historic hyperbole, Bolt won by the biggest margin since the 200 came on the Olympic scene 108 years ago. In a sport dominated by hundreds of seconds, he beat the field by two-thirds of a second."Everything came together tonight and I just blew my mind and blew the world's mind," he said.All too far behind him, defending champion Shawn Crawford went from fourth to taking silver in 19.96 after both Churandy Martina of the Netherlands Antilles, the original runner-up, and Wallace Spearmon were disqualified for running out their lane. A second American, Walter Dix, got bronze.Never letting up, Bolt dipped at the finish line and once he saw the record was gone, he fell to the track, his giant legs and arms pointing every which way."He is Superman 2," Johnson said on the BBC said after he saw his record fall.No way, said Bolt."I'm Lightning Bolt. I'm not Flash Gordon or anybody," he said. "My name is Lightning Bolt."If swimming had Michael Phelps, track has Usain Bolt and the games are so much the better for it.And on another sultry evening where nothing seems to go wrong for the overpowering Jamaicans, Melaine Walker beat Sheena Tosta of the United States in an Olympic record of 52.64 seconds to win the 400 hurdles.When the reggae blared again, it was clear it had become the theme song of the Bird's Nest."I am glad to know he is from Jamaica and that he is supernatural," Walker said of Bolt.In another final which turned into a one-man show, Bolt was his showboating best again. It turned him into the first man ever to break the world marks in both sprints at an Olympics. Not even Carl Lewis or Jesse Owens could do that.No one could blame him for the hot-dogging dances after such a performance.All from a man that was a virtual unknown outside his Caribbean island nation ahead of this season.He had coasted to a world record of 9.69 in the 100 on Saturday but had promised to keep on running this time, knowing Johnson's record was one of the most exalted in the sport.But nothing is beyond this dangly carefree Jamaican despite an Olympic diet of chicken nuggets.Less than an hour before his oversized performance, he was fooling and frolicking with his coach in the stadium tunnel, all grins and banter. While others pump themselves up with screams of encouragement, slapping their faces to get the adrenaline going, there is nothing like a joke for Bolt.Playing to crowd, he was smoothing his closely cropped pate, wiped those imaginary drops of tension from his brow before beating his yellow shirt again, and ready he was.It was unlike anything seen in the sport."He got an incredible start. I just went 'Wow,'" said Johnson, a man known for his calm composure. "It was a much more amazing start than he got in the 100 meters and then his turn was just absolutely fabulous."Starting in lane 4, he always had a good view of American rivals Walter Dix and Wallace Spearmon in the outside lanes. Crawford was just inside the towering Jamaican. It was all irrelevant.With the 4x100 relays coming up over the weekend, the Jamaican could become the most successful track athlete of the games.In the battle for sprint supremacy it was Jamaica 3, United States 0. And the Jamaican women were ready to make it worse on Thursday in the 200.Defending champion Veronica Campbell-Brown and Kerron Stewart had the fastest times in qualifying for the final, ahead of their U.S. rivals Muna Lee and two-time world champion Allyson Felix.In the absence of injured hurdler Liu Xiang, China got an unexpected chance to cheer when Zhang Wenxiu won bronze in the hammer throw behind champion Aksana Miankova of Belarus and Yipsi Moreno of Cuba.Looking for a long-distance double, 10,000 champion Kenenisa Bekele easily advanced into Saturday's final of the 5,000, letting his U.S. rival Bernard Lagat take the third heat.Surprisingly, Bahrain's Rachid Ramzi, who won the 1,500, passed on his chance for a double and was a nonstarter in the race.With Liu injured, chief rival Dayron Robles continued his smooth way toward gold, clearing the hurdles with aplomb to qualify in 13.12 seconds. He was joined by U.S. rivals David Oliver and David Payne.With Bolt the undisputed hero, Lyudmila Blonska could well become track's villain of the games if a doping violation is confirmed Thursday.The International Olympic Committee said Wednesday that the heptathlon silver medalist, who finished second to Ukrainian teammate Nataliia Dobrynska on Saturday, was under investigation.If confirmed, Blonska would become a repeat offender and kicked out of the sport forever. The 30-year-old Ukrainian served a doping suspension for the steroid Stanozolol between 2003-05.

Source: http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/showsports.aspx?id=SPOEN20080062343&ch=8/20/2008 11:54:00 PM#

3 medals for India, at least bronze for Vijender

Boxer Vijender Singh ensured another medal for India at the Beijing Olympics when he outpunched Carlos Gongora of Ecuador in the quarterfinal of the 75kg category bout on Wednesday.With this victory, he is now assured of at least a bronze medal.The Bhiwani pugilist, one of India's best medal hopes, was ahead in all the four rounds and clinched the bout 9-4. The Ecuadorean had no answer to his rival's flurry of punches and trailed 1-4 in the second round.Vijender made the difference with his left-hand jabs and crucial uppercuts to which Carlos had no answer.With the score reading 7-2 in favour of Vijender after the penultimate round, the Ecuadorean needed to go all out in the fourth and final round. He did manage to close the gap but Vijender's evading tactics and excellent footwork won him the bout.

Source: http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/showsports.aspx?id=SPOEN20080062328&ch=8/20/2008%207:17:00%20PM#

Ronaldo commits to Manchester United

August 07, 2008 ,Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo said he will stay at Manchester United next season and is not about to join Real Madrid, Portuguese media reported on Wednesday.
"[United manager Alex] Ferguson heard my arguments and I heard his and between the two of us we decided that the best thing for both parties was that I should stay at Manchester United next season," Ronaldo was quoted as saying by Portugal's LUSA news agency.
LUSA said the quotes are from an interview with the player due to be published in Portuguese daily Publico on Thursday.
The comments were welcomed by United, who said "Ronaldo remains a Red" and "Cristiano Ronaldo is going nowhere" on their website, adding Ferguson's delighted reaction.
"We always knew this was the case," Ferguson told MUTV. "He's very happy here -- he's always been happy here.
"He's never had a complaint about Manchester United. He's always been treated properly and I have a great relationship with the boy, as do all the players.
"I think we can put this to bed now. It's finished. The boy's a United player and that's what's important."
Ronaldo, who is currently recovering from ankle surgery, added that he wants to quash any speculation that he would be staying at United against his will.
"Before any rumours emerge that I'm unhappy to stay at United I want to make one thing clear and that is that anyone who says that is lying," he was quoted as saying.
BODY AND SOUL
"I will give my body and soul to Manchester United. I will be fighting to honour this shirt with the determination and dedication I have always shown."
The 23-year-old, who won a Premier League and Champions League double last season with United, blamed himself rather than Real Madrid for the speculation over his future.
"I want to make it clear that I was the one responsible for this controversy. The directors of Real Madrid are not to blame because it was me who publicly voiced my willingness to sign for Real. I also ended up involuntarily being the reason for the conflict between the two clubs."
Ronaldo, who last year signed a five-year contract with the champions, said he had been interested in the move.
"I knew Real Madrid were interested and had allegedly made a high offer to United," he said. "For a while my intention was that United should accept to transfer me to Real and to say anything else would be to deceive people and my own conscience."
Ferguson was sympathetic to Ronaldo's response to the interest from Real.
"The fans have got to understand it's very hard when a young boy's tempted by all this money," said the Scot.
"He's a young lad from Madeira and his father died a young man. Cristiano now looks after his mother, sister and his brother, so I can understand that [money may have been tempting]."
Real president Ramon Calderon hinted on Tuesday that the long-running saga had come to an end.
Calderon said the Primera Liga club's new Dutch signing Rafael van der Vaart was "the first and almost certainly the last signing we will make this season".
The saga had been partly fuelled by comments from Ronaldo, who said during Euro 2008 [Images]: "The possibilities [of going to Real] are big but it doesn't depend on me.
A hugely valuable player for United, Ronaldo scored 42 goals last season and was named England's [Images] Footballer of the Year for a second successive time.
Publico said on its website that Ronaldo had decided to stay at United and that the full interview would be published on Thursday but did not give any direct quotes.

Source: www.rediff.com

Ishant rested for Sri Lanka ODIs

Ishant Sharma has been rested for the five one-dayers against Sri Lanka to keep him fresh and fit for the Champions Trophy and the tests against Australia in October. Munaf Patel has been named as his replacement but will be replaced by Ishant Sharma for the Champions Trophy.Mahendra Singh Dhoni will return to the squad but Parthiv Patel has been included the 16-man contingent. Parthiv Patel, however will be left out of the 15-man Champions Trophy squad.Yusuf Pathan along with Robin Uthappa have been overlooked as Sachin Tendulkar, Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh make their way into the squad.Sreesanth is still nursing his injury and was not considerd while U-19 captain Virat Kohli was the surprise inclusion.

India team for Sri Lanka ODIs: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (C), Yuvraj Singh (VC), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Parthiv Patel, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Virat Kohli, Pragyan Ojha, Praveen Kumar, RP Singh and Munaf Patel.

Champions Trophy squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (C), Yuvraj Singh (VC), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Virat Kohli, Pragyan Ojha, Praveen Kumar, RP Singh

Smith joins calls for Twenty20 to be in Olympics

South Africa captain Graeme Smith became Wednesday the latest leading cricketer to say he was in favour of Twenty20 cricket becoming an Olympic sport. Opening batsman Smith, asked his view at a press conference ahead of the fourth Test against England at the Oval, backed the call of former Australian star Adam Gilchrist for the 20-overs game to be part of the Games from 2020. "From a player's perspective it would obviously be a fantastic thing to be part of an Olympic Games," said Smith. "We've always just watched from the side and seen how special the event is. "Twenty20 offers the opportunity (for cricket) to become an Olympic event. It's not only going to grow the game around the world but it will be nice for us as players to be part of a special event." Smith's comments followed those of Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik, who said: "I myself would like to play cricket in the Olympics and join the mega event of the sports world." Sri Lanka star Kumar Sangakkara was equally enthusiastic. "The Olympic Games would provide the perfect platform to showcase the game to a larger audience, drawing in new fans and helping drive cricket development in emerging cricket countries," he said. "From a player's perspective, the privilege of competing at an Olympics would undoubtedly be a highlight of your career." Other players who have publicly supported Gilchrist's stance include former international captains Stephen Waugh (Australia), Stephen Fleming (New Zealand) and India's Sourav Ganguly. Cricket was part of the Olympics just once, in 1900, but last year it was recognised as an Olympic sport -- the first step towards full admission to the Games.

source: www.circbuzz.com

Captaincy won't change my style: Pietersen

New England captain Kevin Pietersen said Monday that he wanted to take his "instinct" approach as a batsman into his new role as leader of the team. Pietersen, 28, was announced as England's Test and one-day captain, starting with the fourth and final Test against South Africa at the Oval from Thursday. He said he did not believe the captaincy would affect the way he played. "Time will tell. I hope it won't. It's a way I've been successful with so far in my career and something I want to try and keep at a real high level." Asked what style he would bring to the captaincy, Pietersen said: "The way I play is very gut instinct orientated and I like to do things spontaneously. I like to do what I feel is right in a situation. "I think over the years I've played cricket I've gained a good cricket brain. My gut instinct when I've been batting for England has assisted me tremendously. It's a brand new challenge for me and I love challenges." He said he would captain England "with a smile on my face". Pietersen paid tribute to Michael Vaughan, who resigned Sunday, and said he had "huge boots to try and fill. Michael was a great leader and a great friend." He believed that Vaughan remained a great batsman and that after he had taken some time off he would go back to county cricket for Yorkshire and win back a place in the England team. He said the invitation to captain England had turned his life around. He said he accepted the job after speaking to his wife Jessica and his parents in South Africa. "You could see how emotional Michael was when he spoke about his family and it's an emotional decision," said Pietersen, who said he had a good meeting with coach Peter Moores on Sunday. "He likes to challenge us on a daily basis. There are a lot of strong characters in the dressing room and a lot of opinionated people. I sat down with Peter and we had a real good discussion about how we want to take this team forward. I think my position from a player to a captain is totally different and we need to unite and to get on the same hymn sheet." He said he would lean on people like Vaughan. "I will always respect what happened in the past and I will always ask for advice. I'm fresh into this and I will need some help. One of the most exciting things is that I have had text messages and phone calls from senior members in the squad who have said they are right behind me." Chairman of selectors Geoff Miller confirmed that uniting the Test and one-day captaincy was something he had wanted to achieve. Paul Collingwood resigned from the one-day captaincy Sunday. Miller announced only one change in England's 13-man squad for the final Test against South Africa, with batsman Ravi Bopara replacing Vaughan, which he said was a sign that there was no panic from the selectors with England trailing the four-match series 2-0. He said the selectors had not contemplated a change of captaincy before Vaughan's resignation. Nottinghamshire batsman Samit Patel is the only uncapped player in a 15-man squad for a Twenty20 international and five one-day internationals against South Africa. Wicketkeeper Matt Prior has been recalled. Pietersen was quoted recently as expressing doubts about travelling to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy next month. He has also been linked with the Indian Premier League Twenty20 competition. Asked how the captaincy would affect his participation, he said: "I haven't even thought that far ahead. My concern this week is about how we can salvage pride from this series." Pietersen was born and raised in South Africa and played for the Natal provincial team as an off-spin bowler and hard-hitting lower order batsman. Disenchanted with South Africa's racial quota system he joined Nottinghamshire in 2001, where he quickly established himself as a top order batsman. Entitled to a British passport through his English-born mother, he qualified for England in September 2004 and was almost immediately picked for England's one-day side for a series in Zimbabwe. He made such an impact there that he was drafted into the squad for a one-day series in South Africa and despite being jeered by the local crowds he made three centuries in seven matches to announce himself as a player of quality and big-match temperament. He made his Test debut against Australia in 2005 and played a major role in England's winning of the Ashes, notably with his innings of 158 in the final Test at the Oval. Despite being criticised for sometimes being too aggressive and impetuous he has hit 13 centuries in his 42 Test matches and has an average of 50.36, placing himself in the top bracket of international players. Pietersen holed out to long-on when he was on 94 in the third Test at Edgbaston last week. Asked whether he might have played differently if he had been captain, he said: "Hopefully I am going to bat exactly the same way. The way Colly (Paul Collingwood) and I played is exactly the way you need to play against South Africa and against Australia. You have to be positive and aggressive." England squads: Fourth Test against South Africa: Kevin Pietersen (captain), Tim Ambrose, James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison, Monty Panesar, Ryan Sidebottom, Andrew Strauss. Twenty20 international and one-day series: Pietersen (captain), Anderson, Bell, Bopara, Broad, Collingwood, Cook, Flintoff, Samit Patel, Matt Prior, Owais Shah, Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett, Luke Wright.

Source: www.circbuzz.com

Dhoni to be conferred Khel Ratna

India's one-day and Twenty20 captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was on Monday chosen for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the country's highest honour for a sportsperson. An expert committee, chaired by Milkha Singh met on Monday to discuss the nominees and decided to confer the award on Dhoni for leading India to the Twenty20 World Cup triumph. It makes him only the second cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar to get the honour. Sources in the Sports Ministry, however, informed that an official announcement will follow only after August 20. The Board of Control for Cricket in India's Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty hailed the decision. "On two occasions we felt let down, when Rahul Dravid [Images] didn't get Khel Ratna and Yuvraj (Singh) was denied the Arjuna. "Dravid was in good form, we had won 16 ODIs on the trot and the team was on a high -- still he did not get the award. "Yuvraj too was unlucky not to get Arjuna after two years of consistent performance. We are happy Dhoni got it," he told Times Now channel. Shetty said what impressed him most about Dhoni was the way he conducted himself. "What I like most about 'Mahi', apart from his cricket, is the way he leads. He is a cool customer and never gets agitated. I'm also impressed by his clarity of thought. He speaks his mind even if it may not be seen in the right sense," he added.

Source: www.circbuzz.com

Kumble hails 'resilient' Team India for super show

Galle, Aug 3 (PTI) Having bounced back in the Test series through an all-round performance, Indian skipper Anil Kumble today said he never doubted the 'resilience ' of his teammates and asserted that his team had prepared well for the series.Indian today mauled Sri Lanka by 170-runs in the second Test to square the series 1-1, having lost the first Test in Colombo."The way we have come back after four days it is really amazing and I am really proud of the fact that we have this group of players who have shown so much of resilience. Not just once but time and time again. So there is quality. So there is absolutely no doubt," Kumble said at the post-match press conference."We have done that in the past and this team has been through ups and downs. It (team) has fair amount of experience and quality. So there is absolutely no doubt that we will regroup and come back hard and I am really proud the way we played in this test match." Kumble was extremely happy with his opening pairway India's spin-pace attack responded to the SOS call."The opening partnership in both innings (was crucial). Veeru getting 200 in the first innings and Gautam getting us off to a fantastic start in both the innings was very important. The way Harbhajan bowled in both the innings, the way Ishant and Zaheer bowled in the second innings was really amazing." PTI