India beat South Korea 3-2 in Azlan Shah

India beat South Korea 3-2 in Azlan Shah

Ipoh (Malaysia), May 9: Defending champions India quelled a late Korean surge to eke out a narrow 3-2 victory and stretch their unbeaten run in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament here today. The Indian scorers were Arjun Halappa (10th minute), Tushar Khandker (45th) and Shivendra Singh (60th), while Korea scored through two penalty corner strikes by Nam Hyun Woo in the 12th and 70th minutes.

India began aggressively mounting onslaughts with central midfielders Arjun Halappa and Vikas Pillay setting up wingers Mandip Antil and Tushar Khandker who penetrated and split the Korean defence. They earned the first penalty corner in the fifth minute after Halappa found the foot of Korean captain and sweeper Lee Nam Yong.

Patel admits issues but says Houghton remains India coach

NEW DELHI: All India Football Federation President Praful Patel on Friday conceded there were "certain issues" between AIFF and Bob Houghton but asserted that the Englishman remains the national coach and will guide the team in next year's Asian Cup in Doha.

Addressing a press conference after AIFF Executive Committee meeting, Patel termed reports of Houghton's resignation as media speculation and said the coach would be in charge in the Asian Cup, scheduled in January next year.

"I myself spoke to Houghton a few days back and reports that he has resigned are completely baseless. He has certain issues (with the AIFF) as expressed by his agent. But that does not mean that he is no longer coach. He continues to be India coach and he will be there in the Asian Cup," Patel said.

"The Executive Committee has authorised me to take appropriate steps (in the Houghton issue)," he added.

On learning that the AIFF has started looking for a new coach after India's Asian Cup campaign in January next year, a miffed Houghton, whose current tenure ends at the end of Asian Cup, has threatened to resign if his contract is not renewed till 2013.

Houghton is understood to have given a three-month notice starting from April 30 though he is open to stay back if the AIFF agrees to his terms, which reportedly includes a $10,000 per month hike.

Patel stonewalled all queries on whether the AIFF would renew Houghton's contract after current terms expires in January next year.

"This is something between the AIFF and Houghton. We will discuss all issues with him. The matter is between AIFF and Houghton," he said.

Top AIFF sources said though no decision was taken today on renewal of Houghton's tenure post January 2011, there is no alternative other than giving the Englishman a new contract but the only question was whether the federation would agree to his demand for a hike of $10,000 per month in his salary.

"No decision was taken on Houghton's renewal of contract, nor on the terms and conditions. AIFF president himself will discuss the matter with Houghton and sort out the issue," a top source said.

In another important decision, the AIFF decided to give contracts starting from next month to 30 players chosen for the Asian Cup preparations with a hike of 15 per cent from what had been getting by them in the 2009-10 season.

"We have decided to give contracts to 30 probables for the Asian Cup. They will be given salary on pro-rata basis with 15 per cent hike from their existing contract amount for the eight months from June to January next year," the AIFF chief said.

"In case of some players not getting accordingly (under their current contract), the AIFF will look into it but that will be on case by case basis," he said.

The Executive Committee also decided to include Under-19 national side as one of the I-League teams from the next season starting in September and AIFF would give them contracts besides also appointing a foreign coach for them.

"An Under-19 team will be selected and they will play in the I-League from next season onwards. They will be given contract by the AIFF in a view to make it a team for the future say by 2014. The team will be based in Delhi and will have an international coach. We will start looking out for the coach," Patel, also the Civil Aviation Minister, said.

Asked about Mahindra United withdrawing from the I-League from next season, Patel said, "It was unfortunate that Mahindra decided to withdraw. We could not have done anything in this regard. They had given official communication yesterday."

Patel said I-League would be reformatting from next season with a few corporate houses likely to field their teams though he did not commit on whether the top-flight league will have 16 sides or not.

"Major corporate houses are showing interest in the I-League and I am sure that the I-League from next season will be much improved. There will be re-formating of the I-League with some teams being added from next season. We need a shake-up to improve the standard of I-League," he said.

Asked about the long-delayed appointment of a new AIFF general secretary, Patel said, "Alberto Colaco (incumbent) will be there till January 2011 and we have asked a headhunter firm to give us a list of candidates. After that we will shortlist and call for interview."

He also announced that Santosh Trophy will be shifted from Goa to Kolkata and will be held in July.

TOI

Dominant India beat Pakistan 4-2 in Azlan Shah

IPOH: Defending champions India showed flair and pumped in three second half goals to thump arch-rivals Pakistan 4-2 in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament on Friday.

India led 1-0 at half time with Sardar Singh scoring from a rebound off their second penalty corner.

In the second half, Mandeep Antil (47th minute), Gurbaj Singh (53rd) and Tushar Khandker (56th) sounded the board while Pakistan reduced margin through Mohammad Imran (37th) and Kashif Ali (66th).

Putting behind Thursday's lacklustre show against China, India dished out an aggressive display throughout the opening half with attacks from both flanks.

The Indian mid-fielders moved in tandem and with rapid inter-positional play and substitutions had the Pakistan defence on its toe.

Rupinder Pal Singh sent the first ripples when he drove a fierce hit from the left but captain Rajpal Singh failed to connect.

Soon Rajpal set up Shivendra Singh in the circle but the striker could not beat Pakistan goalkeeper Imran Shah.

The Indians mounted attacks after attacks but the goal eluded them. Both Sarwanjit Singh and Mandeep Antil deflected over, while Bharat Chikara and Tushar Khandker also fumbled.

India did not give any room for the Pakistan forwards to progress into their danger zone as Sardar Singh stood tall with support from Dhananjay Mahadik and Arjun Halappa, alongside Gurbaj Singh and Vikas Pillay.

India got their first penalty corner when Antil cut in from the left flank only to find Rashid Muhammad's foot. Mahadhik's flick was padded dangerously leading to another penalty corner when Sardar Singh pushed home from a rebound.

Pakistan earned their first penalty corner from a stray attack with Mahadik committing the breach while challenging striker Abdul Haseem Khan. Amir Shahzad, however, wasted the opportunity.

Pakistan came back strongly on resumption in the second half and found the equaliser from a penalty stroke conceded by a deliberate obstruction by Rupinder Pal.

The execution by captain Mohammad Imran in the 37th minute had no answer from Indian custodian Sreejesh.

Stung by this reversal, India accelerated their pace mounting further pressure on the Pakistan defence.

They went ahead again in the 47th minute when Gurbaj set up Antil whose faint deflection beat the Pakistani custodian.

The Indian domination continued as six minutes later they increased their lead with Gurbaj nailing one from atop the circle.

With the swing in favour of India, Tushar Khandker cashed in to score the fourth goal from a turnover spearheaded by Shivendra Singh in the 56th minute.

Pakistan were able to put one past goalkeeper Sreejesh from their second penalty corner when Kashif Ali found the target.

India now have four points from two outings and will next play Asian champions South Korea on Sunday.

In an earlier fixture, world champions Australia comfortably beat Egypt 4-0.

TOI

T20 WC Super 8s: Sri Lanka crush West Indies by 57 runs

BRIDGETOWN (Barbados): Mahela Jaywardene's superb form at the World Twenty20 continued as he made an unbeaten 98 in Sri Lanka's 57-run win over the West Indies in the Super Eights on Friday.

The opener's entrancing innings at the Kensington Oval was the centrepiece of Sri Lanka's total of 195 for three - the best by any side this tournament.

But the West Indies helped last year's losing finalists greatly by missing six chances during a wretched fielding display as they lost for the first time this tournament.

Jayawardene, given two reprieves, faced 56 balls with four sixes and nine fours as he followed up his 81 against New Zealand and 100 against Zimbabwe with another dominant innings.

The former captain's average for the tournament now stands at a scarcely credible 139.5.

Jayawardene was joined in a stand of 166, the second best in all Twenty20 internationals by captain Kumar Sangakkara, who made 68 after being dropped on nought and 27.

Only Loots Bosman and Graeme Smith, with 170 for South Africa against England at Centurion last year, have enjoyed a bigger stand at this level.

West Indies lost two wickets early on as Shivnarine Chanderpaul and hard-hitting captain Chris Gayle both fell cheaply, with Sri Lanka holding their catches as the hosts slumped to 23 for two.

The innings never really recovered from that double blow and West Indies limped to 138 for eight off 20 overs.

Ramnaresh Sarwan (28) and Dwayne Bravo (23) were the only batsmen to pass 16 in an innings where extras was the third-best contributor with 17.

Spinner Ajantha Mendis took three wickets for 24 runs from his maximum four overs and paceman Lasith Malinga three for 28.

Senior spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, back in the side after recovering from a groin injury which officials feared might end his participation in this tournament, took none for 26 from four overs but his presence in the team was a huge boost to Sri Lanka regardless of his figures in this match.

After Sanath Jayasuriya fell cheaply, having being promoted back to his old opening slot, Gayle set the tone for what followed by dropping rival skipper Sangakkara, on nought, when he grassed a slip chance, despite getting both hands to the ball after an edge off paceman Jerome Taylor

Left-hander Sangakkara, who won the toss, was given another let-off when Kieron Pollard failed to hold a tough caught and bowled chance.

Sangakkara eventually holed out having faced 49 balls with three sixes and five fours.

Jayawardene, enjoying a new lease of life as a Twenty20 opener, showed his class early on when he advanced to loft fast bowler Taylor for six over long-on.

But he too was given a couple of lives, with left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn the unfortunate bowler on both occasions.

Jayawardene, on 65, was well beaten by a Benn delivery, only for occasional wicketkeeper Andre Fletcher to miss the stumping.

And, in the same over, Jayawardene had added only one to his score when a top-edge was skied behind but neither Fletcher nor short third man Wavell Hinds went for the catch and the ball fell safe.

No-one has yet made two Twenty20 international hundreds but the unselfish Jayawardene refused to hog the strike in the last over as Tillakaratne Dilshan ended the innings with a four.

Both teams are back here on Sunday, with the West Indies playing India and Sri Lanka facing Australia, who thrashed the Indians by 49 runs earlier Thursday.

TOI

T20 WC Super 8s: Australia thrash India by 49 runs

BRIDGETOWN: India's grandiose plans of trapping Australia in a web of deceit backfired equally sensationally here on a bright Friday afternoon.

Their gambit of going into the opening Super Eights match with just two speedsters, despite Kensington Oval's penchant for bounce and pace, was always laced with great risk; but they were surely being over-ambitious, if not downright cheeky, if they thought their part-time spinners could double as a fifth bowler too.

Not surprisingly, they suffered a thumping 49-run defeat while chasing 186; they also found a huge dent in their designs on a semifinal slot. Rohit Sharma, who was added as a contingency to any batting malfunction, slammed a counter-attacking 79 (46 balls, 4x4, 6x6); but it was always going to be only a face-saver, rather than a match-saver.

Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni showed that he follows the norm too, when he chose to bowl on winning the toss. But took his first chance by tossing the ball to Harbhajan Singh: the crafty off-spinner bowled a deceptive maiden over too to raise hopes of a successful ploy.

The mayhem, however, was just round the corner. Strike bowler Ashish Nehra was greeted by David Warner (54) with a boundary; Shane Watson (72), then, added to the insult, smashing him for a six. The opening pair hoisted 104 runs in just 10 overs to suggest a true and complete rout.

They maintained the same punishing rate till the 15th over, galloping away to 145 for 2; but the last five overs yielded only 39 runs to give India some respite, and even some hope.

Earlier, Harbhajan conceded only three runs in his second over too; it promptly forced Dhoni to make his next gamble: he summoned Ravindra Jadeja to replace Nehra at the other end. A double-spin attack by the fourth over itself on a pace paradise; if nothing, it exposed India's hand completely. The first three deliveries went off peacefully; but the next three sailed into the stands for spectacular sixes. The aerial assault had begun.

Dhoni persisted with spin from one end; from the other, he furiously rotated his meagre resources, hoping to regain some sanity, somewhere. But the Aussies had smelled blood; the bowlers continued to bowl short and they responded by swatting them like flies.

Jadeja was brought back in the 10th over, in a last-ditch attempt; he was promptly handed the same treatment. This time, Warner took up the mantle, belting him for three sixes. Yuvraj Singh had to fill in with his own left-arm spin for the remaining two overs. India needed a handsome start to make the chase: Murali Vijay waded through Dirk Nannes' opening over, which came at him at over 90 miles per hour. Suddenly, as the ball zipped past clueless bats, it looked the story was unfolding somewhere else. Gautam Gambhir drove his first delivery and tickled another to pick up two fours.

Nannes, however, delivered two quick blows in the next over to trigger the collapse; next over, Suresh Raina too fell, attempting another vain pull. By the fifth over, India had been reduced to 23 for four. Rohit, who came as high as No. 4, was joined by Dhoni: this was the last hope for a fightback.

But Dhoni too didn't last long, succumbing to the lone spinner. It was just a question of time after that. Rohit played many glorious shots but the tailenders, weighed down by the daunting target, kept attacking and tumbling.

In the end, Rohit remained unconquered on 79. India now play West Indies on Sunday in a must-win game for survival.

Squads:

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (C), Murali Vijay, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Harbhajan Singh, Rohit Sharma.

Australia: Michael Clarke (C), Brad Haddin (w), David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Dirk Nannes, Steven Smith, Shaun Tait, David Warner, Shane Watson, Cameron White.

TOI

India beat Pakistan 4-2

India beat Pakistan 4-2

Ipoh (Malaysia), May 7: Defending champions India breathed life into their Azlan Shah hockey campaign with a resounding 4-2 win over arch rivals Pakistan here on Friday. India opened the scoring in the 26th minute through Sardar Singh to go 1-0 up at half time. Pakistan’s Muhammad Imran converted a penalty stroke to draw level in the 37th minute in the action-packed second half. India then scored thrice to take a decisive 4-1 lead with contributions from Mandeep Antil (47th), Gurbaj Singh (53rd) and Tushar Khandekar (56th minute). Pakistan pulled back one through Kasif Ali's drag-flick strike in the 66th minute but it was too little too late. It was an improved performance by India who wasted five penalty corners and struck in the dying moments to escape with a 1-1 draw against China in their first match. India, who defeated Pakistan in their last meeting at the hockey World Cup in New Delhi, had to win this match to give themselves a chance of qualifying for the semi-finals. India seized the initiative and started making deep forays into the Pakistani half led by Arjun Hallapa who did not play the match against China on Thursday

India surrender meekly

India surrender meekly

Warner, Watson make bowlers toil as Australia pile up 184/5

Bridgetown (Barbados), May 7: Rohit Sharma’s blistering unbeaten half-century went in vain as Australia humiliated India, inflicting on the 2007 champions a crushing 49-run defeat in a Super Eight Group F match of the Twenty20 World Cup here today.

Barring the toss, which Mahendra Singh Dhoni won and opted to field, nothing went right for India today and the Australian team, under Michael Clarke, made a statement that they are determined to win the only major trophy missing in their cupboard.

Put into bat, Australia rode on the blistering 104-run stand provided by openers David Warner (72) and Shane Watson (54) in 10-odd overs to post a commanding 184 for five even though they looked good for the 200-mark.

India beat Pakistan 4-2

India beat Pakistan 4-2

Ipoh (Malaysia), May 7: Defending champions India breathed life into their Azlan Shah hockey campaign with a resounding 4-2 win over arch rivals Pakistan here on Friday. India opened the scoring in the 26th minute through Sardar Singh to go 1-0 up at half time. Pakistan’s Muhammad Imran converted a penalty stroke to draw level in the 37th minute in the action-packed second half. India then scored thrice to take a decisive 4-1 lead with contributions from Mandeep Antil (47th), Gurbaj Singh (53rd) and Tushar Khandekar (56th minute). Pakistan pulled back one through Kasif Ali's drag-flick strike in the 66th minute but it was too little too late. It was an improved performance by India who wasted five penalty corners and struck in the dying moments to escape with a 1-1 draw against China in their first match. India, who defeated Pakistan in their last meeting at the hockey World Cup in New Delhi, had to win this match to give themselves a chance of qualifying for the semi-finals. India seized the initiative and started making deep forays into the Pakistani half led by Arjun Hallapa who did not play the match against China on Thursday

England beat Pakistan by six wickets in T20 WC

STAFF WRITER 22:8 HRS IST

Bridgetown (Barbados), May 6 (PTI) England defeated defending champions Pakistan by six wickets in the first Group E Super Eight stage match of the Twenty20 cricket World Cup here today.

Brief Scores:

Pakistan: 147 for nine in 20 overs (Salman Butt 34, Umar Akmal 30; Michael Yardy 2/19, Stuart Broad 2/25, Ryan Sidebottom 2/28).

England: 148 for four in 19.3 overs (Kevin Pietersen 70 not out, Michael Lumb 25, Craig Kieswetter 25; Saeed Ajmal 2/15).

South Africa beat New Zealand by 13 runs in T20 WC

Joseph Hoover

Barbados, May 7 (PTI) A blistering 72-run fourth wicket stand between Albie Morkel and AB de Villiers powered South Africa to a 13-run win over New Zealand in their Super Eight match of the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup at the Kensington Oval here.

The pair produced 72 runs in 38 balls to help South Africa make an intimidating 170 for four yesterday.

In reply, New Zealand could only muster 157 for seven with only Jesse Ryder (30) and Nathan McCullum (26 not out) making scores of substance.

Charl Langeveldt, Morne Morkel and Johan Botha shared six wickets equally between them while Herschelle Gibbs was credited with three catches in the outfield.

Albie Morkel was the toast of the Protean victory.

Coming into bat in the 14th over, he went berserk at the square, hammering every thing that was flung at him.

The battle for semifinals begins today

The battle for semifinals begins today

BARBADOS, May 5: India will have to battle it out with three World Champions to seal one of the two semifinal slots from their cluster when the Super Eights stage begins at the Kensington Oval from Thursday.

India have been drawn along with West Indies, Sri Lanka and Australia, who by far look the best equipped all-round team capable of claiming the coveted trophy.

Serena in quarters

ROME, May 5: World number one Serena Williams overcame a mid-match slump to defeat unseeded Andrea Petkovic in three sets at the Foro Italico on Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the Rome Open.

The Australian Open champion won 6-2, 3-6, 6-0 against the 49th ranked German but rarely looked to be at her best.

Serena is playing in her first tournament since winnin

Anand loses, World Championship match tied at 4-4

From Our Chess Correspondent

Sofia (Bulgaria), May 4 (PTI) World champion Viswanathan Anand was in for a surprise by a resurgent Veselin Topalov who scored a remarkable victory with white pieces in the eighth match to square off the World Chess Championship 4-4 here today.

Anand had been aptly surprised in the seventh game which was perhaps a prelude to things to come in the next. A loss in game one, two victories thereon in game two and four and after three successive draws, the world champion finds himself at a level scores in what is the most keenly contested world title in recent times.

England qualify for Super Eight following a washout

STAFF WRITER 2:57 HRS IST

Providence (Guyana), May 5 (PTI) England entered the Super Eight stage of the Twenty20 cricket World Cup after heavy downpour washed out their crucial Group D match against Ireland here.

With each team getting one point, England qualified for the Super Eight stage, thanks to their superior net run-rate.

England have a net run-rate of -0.452, better than Ireland's -3.500 after the two group matches.

Hosts West Indies have already qualified as the top team from the Group D.

Put into bat, England went off to a dismal start but Eoin Morgan's determined 37-ball 45 helped them eke out a moderate 120 for eight yesterday.

Morgan, who struck five fours, found good support from Luke Wright (20 off 24). The duo came together when the team was struggling at 49 for four and added 41 runs for the fifth wicket partnership to give a timely recovery.

AIFF president in damage-control mode

AIFF president in damage-control mode

New Delhi, May 4: Realizing the seriousness of the controversy surrounding national coach Bob Houghton’s resignation, All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Praful Patel has called the members of the executive committee for a crisis management meeting on Thursday.

In a bid to defuse the crisis, Patel will have an informal dinner meeting at his residence with all the committee members before the executive meets the next day (Friday).

Even as Patel started talking to senior AIFF officials, he maintained that Houghton has not resigned.

“The news about Houghton resigning as the football coach is not correct. I myself spoke to him last night in Cape Town. I think the only issue between the AIFF and the coach is that Houghton wants to know his future post-January 2011, when his contract comes to an end,” Patel, who is also the civil aviation minister, told reporters outside Parliament on Tuesday.

Patel said that there is no other issue between him and the federation.

“Bob continues to be our coach and I am sure the Indian team will play under his leadership in the Asian Cup in Doha in January. The news about the shoddy treatment meted out to him was incorrect,” Patel added.

Patel said that the executive committee will meet on Friday to discuss the issue.

“We are meeting on Friday where this issue will also be discussed. Once again, Houghton has not resigned,” Patel said.

Houghton resigned as India’s chief football coach on Monday following his differences with AIFF secretary general Alberto Colaco.

A top official in the AIFF told IANS that Patel has requested Houghton to reconsider his decision.

“But Patel will have some tough time in pacifying the executive committee members, who are angry with Colaco. Thanks to Colaco, Indian football is facing another crisis,” the source said.

The official said that differences between Houghton and Colaco reached the flash point when the secretary general during his visit to Malaysia for an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) meeting last month, met a top agent and asked him to look for a replacement for Houghton.

“Despite several differences, Houghton was willing to extend his contract after the mega-event and had even informed Colaco about it on April 5. But when Houghton heard that Colaco had asked the agent to look for a new coach, he was furious and resigned on Monday through an e-mail, giving a notice of three months,” the official said.

Speaking to IANS from Cape Town, Houghton said: “Yes, I have resigned. But it is a more complicated issue.” (IANS)

Rain favours the host to beat England

Rain favours the host to beat England

PROVIDENCE, May 4: West Indies won through to the second round of the World Twenty20 after beating England by eight wickets in a match whose context was completely changed by rain on Monday.

England made a challenging total of 191 for five, featuring 55 from former Ireland batsman Eoin Morgan, after being sent-in to bat by West Indies captain Chris Gayle.

But rain, which had interrupted Sri Lanka’s match against Zimbabwe here earlier in the day, returned after the West Indies had started their reply in barnstorming fashion to be 30 without loss at the Guyana National Stadium.

And when play resumed, the West Indies were left with a revised target of 60 in six overs, under the Duckworth/Lewis method for rain-affected matches.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (15 not out) and Andre Fletcher (12 not out) saw the hosts to victory with a ball to spare as they scored the eight runs they needed off the last over, from fast bowler Stuart Broad.

England now have a winner-takes-all clash against Ireland, who suffered a 70-run Group D thrashing by the West Indies last week, here on Tuesday to decide which team will join the hosts in the Super Eights.

Murali ruled out of Twenty20 WC due to injury

STAFF WRITER 15:19 HRS IST

Providence (Guyana), May 3 (PTI) Sri Lanka's campaign in the Twenty20 World Cup today suffered a blow with off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan being ruled out of the entire tournament due to a groin strain.

Muralitharan sustained the injury during his side's two-wicket defeat against New Zealand in the tournament opener here on April 30.

Team physiotherapist Tommy Simsek said Muralitharan has sustained a grade one strain on his right adductor muscle and will need up to three weeks' rest.

No replacement for 38-year-old spin wizard has been named by Sri Lankan team management. He took two wickets for 25 runs against New Zealand.

Muralitharan has more international wickets than any other cricketer with 792 in 132 Tests and 512 in 334 ODIs. He has 13 wickets in 10 Twenty20 Internationals.

Sri Lanka take on Zimbabwe today in a must-win encounter to have any chance of advancing to the Super Eight stage.

Indian team for Zimbabwe to be picked on May 9

STAFF WRITER 13:30 HRS IST

Mumbai, May 3 (PTI) The Indian squad for the upcoming triangular ODI series in Zimbabwe followed by a two-match T20 rubber against the hosts is to be picked by the national selection panel in Chennai on May 9, BCCI sources said today.

The tri-series featuring -- India, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe -- is scheduled from May 28 to June 9 with the three outfits playing one another twice in the round-robin phase leading up to the final between the top two teams.

The first three league matches are to be held at Bulawayo, while the last two as well as the summit contest would be held at Harare.

The ODI tournament is to be followed at the best-of-two T20 International series between India and Zimbabwe with the ties set to be held at Harare on June 12 and 13.

We trusted IPL financial experts: Sunil Gavaskar

We trusted IPL financial experts: Sunil Gavaskar

Mumbai, May 2: Breaking his silence on the controversy surrounding the Indian Premier League (IPL), former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has said he and his other fellow cricketers had complete faith in financial experts in the committee.

In an article appearing in the Times of India, Gavaskar expressed regret over the fact that he did not have much knowledge of financial and legal issues, so was unable to understand what was discussed in IPL meeting.

“Pity, we cricketers don’t have so much knowledge, for then we would have been able to understand a lot of the financial and legal issues that came up in council meetings. We cricketers looked at all the others who were knowledgeable about finance and trusted their expertise,” Gavaskar writes.

AIFF to renew Houghton’s contract

AIFF to renew Houghton’s contract

NEW DELHI, May 2: Faced with a resignation threat, All India Football Federation is set to renew national coach Bob Houghton's contract beyond Asian Cup in January next year.

Houghton had threatened to resign if his contract is not renewed till 2013, besides also demanding a hike of $10,000 per month after his current tenure ends in January 2011. The Englishman was apparently ticked off by the AIFF looking for a new coach after his current stint.