Coaching Pakistan team 'not bed of roses': Waqar Younis

Lahore, Mar.27 (ANI): Admitting that coaching the national squad 'is not a bed of roses', newly appointed Pakistan cricket coach, Waqar Younis, has said that he has left his ego back in Australia and is now ready to accept the challenge.

"Coaching is all about management. A coach needs to forget his ego - for being a great player of yesteryear. He should come to the level of his players and think the way they think. I have left my ego back in Australia because I believe that no coach is bigger than the game," Waqar said in an interview with Deutsche Welle Urdu Service.

Waqar, who had settled in Sydney after retiring from professional cricket, said he would give his best and would try not to disappoint the fans, who have had few occasions to celebrate over their national squad's success in the recent past.

"The history of Pakistan cricket tells us that the coaching of the national team is no an easy task. But someone had had to come forward and I accepted the challenge. I assure the nation and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that I will not disappoint them," he said.

Waqar, who arguably was one of best swing bowler of his times, said his priority would be to install discipline and confidence in the team, and urged people to refrain from criticising the team and the team management after every defeat.

"I understand that the people of Pakistan are mad for cricket and their sentiments are badly injured when the national team loses but I request them that they should curb their emotions and try to understand the circumstances before reacting," he said.

Though Waqar's first assignment is to help Pakistan defend its title in the upcoming ICC T20 World Championship in West Indies, but the newly appointed coach said his prime target is the 2011 World Cup.

"Yes, World Cup 2011 is the real target. I have seen immense talent in Pakistan A and U-19 teams which needs to be groomed and I am sure that in next few months things would start moving in the right direction," he said.

Waqar said Pakistan has got players who are capable of lifting the T20 World Cup once again, and added that fitness plays a vital role in any major tournament.

"Pakistan are capable of defending their title in the presence of Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq and Akmal brothers," he said. (ANI)

Banned, fined players can appeal according to board's constitution: PCB

Lahore, Mar.27 (ANI): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has clarified that the players, who were banned and slapped with hefty fines, can appeal against the decision as per the board's constitution.

A statement issued by the PCB said: "All the seven players who were banned or fined after the Australian Tour Inquiry Report have the right to appeal as per the guidelines laid down in the PCB Constitution clause number 35."

It may be noted that the PCB had given 30 days time to the players to appeal.

The PCB had suspended former captain Shoaib Malik and fast bowler Rana Naved-ul-Hasan for one year, and slapped hefty fines on star all-rounder Shahid Afridi, wicket keeper Kamran Akmal and his batsman brother Umer Akmal following the recommendations of a committee headed by the Chief Operating Officer (CCO) Wasim Bari.

It had also banned former captains Mohammed Yousuf and Younnis Khan for an indefinite period.

The PCB had formed the six-member committee to look into Pakistan's deplorable performance during the tour of Australia, during which the visitors were white washed in all three Tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 match. (ANI)

Strauss says skipping Bangladesh tour's benefits will be seen during Ashes series

London, Mar 27(ANI): England skipper Andrew Strauss has said that he was right to take a break from captaincy of the national team and rest himself for the tour to Bangladesh, but insisted that he will never do it again.

Strauss was accused of "disrespecting Test cricket" by Australian legend Shane Warne for resting instead of touring Bangladesh.

"I can understand the criticism - their argument the captain should be there all the time is a valid one. But I think we must look at ways of making sure our players are performing at their best when we need them most," The Sun quoted Strauss, as saying.

"The benefit of taking some time off now will only be seen in the summer and into next winter. We have some very important cricket coming up. Come The Ashes, we're going to need as much energy and enthusiasm as we can muster. I still think missing Bangladesh was the right decision," he added.

Strauss, who will return to lead the side against Bangladesh in May and Pakistan in July, said that it was not a unilateral decision.

"Myself, head coach Andy Flower and England managing director Hugh Morris spoke about it for a number of months. This break was an opportunity we saw in the schedule. I don't think I'll need another one," he added.

In his absence, Alastair Cook led England to whitewash victories in both the one-day and Test series and Strauss said: "It was fantastic to see some guys in Bangladesh who hadn't been involved in the Test team have a go."

"Cookie did things his way and did an excellent job, but I think the lads understand the principles we're putting in place," he added. (ANI)

Uncapped Vinay Kumar in World Twenty20 squad

India named uncapped paceman Vinay Kumar in a 15-man squad for the third edition of the World Twenty20 championship in the West Indies next month.

Left-handed batsman Yuvraj Singh will mark his return to the national side after a wrist injury ruled him out of a test and one-day series against South Africa earlier this year.

Opening batsman Gautam Gambhir and left-arm paceman Ashish Nehra were included in the squad by India's selectors on Friday despite injury doubts over the in-form pair in an ongoing domestic Twenty20 league competition.

The 26-year-old Vinay is one of four pacemen in the bowling attack for the April 30-May 16 tournament spearheaded by Zaheer Khan. India are grouped with South Africa and Afghanistan in the league phase.

Among the notable omissions in the line-up are batsman Virat Kohli and fast bowler Ishant Sharma.

"We've a very strong batting line-up and I am sure the team will do well," chief selector Krish Srikkanth told reporters.

India won the inaugural edition in South Africa in 2007 but bowed out early in the tournament in England last year which was won by Pakistan.

Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, Ashish Nehra, Vinay Kumar, Dinesh Karthik, Rohit Sharma, Piyush Chawla.

Featured Friday: Tony Sebastian

It was that time of the year again. While my friends were busy cheering for their IPL teams, I was trying to figure out which team I should support. Why don't you support the team from your state you ask? You see, I am a Malayalee and there is as much chance of there being an IPL franchise from Kerala as there is for Sreesanth to complete his allotted overs with an economy of less than six, even if it was in a test match, against a school team of girls.

So when a Tamilian friend of mine called me last Sunday and said "Dude! Heard the latest from the IPL bid? There's a group from Kerala involved" I was quick to see through the whole thing and I cut to the chase "Alright wise guy, I get it. Bid from a bunch of guys in Kerala = Tender Coconut. Very funny. Har har." But apparently, he was not kidding. There would be a new IPL team from Kerala starting next season!!! Wow! Maybe Sreesanth would get the purple cap this season. (We Malayalees make fun of Sreesanth in public, but secretly hope and pray that he does well)

My scepticism regarding a group of investors making a respectable bid for an IPL team from my state was well-founded. I do not really have to mention the strikes which are an every day occurrence, they actually made an Oscar winning movie about it - Hartal O'Ker. For those of you who are not familiar with the political situation in Kerala, here is how it goes. Every five years, the opposition party and the ruling party would switch roles and do nothing else except chase away investors, be them Indians or foreigners. The twitter-compliant elected representatives of the state assembly (there are 140 characters in all) would ensure that the state remained stagnant while others surged ahead. In fact, Kerala has always reminded me of the "Mark Time, March" from school days: Stay rooted to the same spot and switch between the left and right periodically.

So it was indeed a huge, pleasant surprise when the news of the Kochi team came through. And God knows that his country deserves it. Kerala has produced some of the finest sportsmen and sportswomen over the years. Of course, most of us don't know them because they did well in athletics, volleyball and football which quite sadly our race can never do well in (and with the advent of this new IPL team, I am sure there'll be more famous cricketers from Kerala in the years to come). But the passion with which Malayalees support sports is legendary. If you're travelling to Kerala this summer and you happen to pass through its northern districts, you would be surprised to see it adorned with flags of Brazil, Argentina, Portugal and other footballing nations. The posters and cut-outs of Messi and C. Ronaldo will line the streets and various local football clubs proclaiming their support for their favourite nation will organise football-viewing centres.

That doesn't mean Malayalees don't love their cricket, they just haven't been exposed enough to it. I was there at the Kochi stadium when India beat Australia, cheering with 70,000 others when Tendulkar took 5/32, his best ever bowling performance. I was there when India beat South Africa twice in the same match (because of a scoring error) and the atmosphere was spectacular. I can't wait to experience those magical moments again: the non-stop percussions and the spontaneous Mexican-waves, the tremendously loud and sportive crowd which chanted "Po-llllloh-ck, Pollock" every time he was at the third man boundary and much much more.

I don't know what the team will be called, but it will probably be written fully in lower-case to appease those staunch opposers of all forms of capitalism. Whether they name the team Kerala strikers or Cochin cowboys (no cattle-class reference intended), one thing is for sure - the whole of Kerala will be there cheering its team till the very last ball. I cannot wait for Kerala's tryst rendezvous with destiny.

Editor's Note: Tony Sebastian is a wordplay enthusiast who jumbles letters to induce laughter and finds the experience extremely rewording. He tweets here, blogs here and sets cryptic crosswords here.

Featured Friday: Deepak G

The room was abuzz with activity. Journalists uncomfortably shifted in their chairs, murmuring among themselves. Rivals from Star, Zee and CNN were all caught in hectic discussions. If what was being rumoured was indeed true, it would change the landscape of India's favourite sport for ever.

The murmur suddenly reached a crescendo, and then fell to absolute silence. He'd come. Lalit Modi. Some say the most powerful person in the ICC, the one who really calls all the shots. He wasn't a household name like say, Jagmohan Dalmiya used to be - but all that was set to change now.

Modi took his seat, and quietly surveyed an army of journalists and cricket enthusiasts in front of him. He spotted a few legends of the game as well, some not from India. He knew very well the implications of what he was about to say - it would draw flak from the pundits, shock among the masses and panic amongst advertisers. He knew it all. But 'Lalz' was a brave man. Despite a voice frequency which could make a tuning fork move on its own, he knew how to get into dangerous and controversial things. And pull them off. After all, he was the kingpin in his school Tazo mafia. He smiled briefly and then let out a puff of air. It was time.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming", he delivered. "Our great sport, started by our British and Australian ancestors in the 1870s, has come a long way. From Grace to Bradman to Sobers to Lillee to Richards to Tendulkar to Murali. It's been a journey. But change has been constant, my friends. And we must endeavour to move with the times."

The crowd took in a small gasp. They knew what was coming.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honour, privilege and deep responsibility to unveil before you, The World Test Cricket Championship."

The crowd stared open-mouth. They couldn't believe this was happening. The journalists took it all down, not willing to miss a moment. This would shape the future of cricket as they knew it.

"The top eight T20 teams in the world will now battle it out over a period of ten years to decide the World Test champion. But, I sense unrest among a lot of you, and would like to assure you that this will have no impact on the current T20 or ODI schedules. The yearly World Cup of each will continue to happen, we will continue to have the IPL, but we must embrace this new format, which is making waves around the world. This IS the future of cricket."

There were questions galore, but no one knew where to start. Lalit saw this all and continued to smile. Perhaps now he could continue, he had prepared a long speech for all eventualities.

"See, over 130 years ago, when England and Australia played that first T20 match, when Charles Bannerman scored the now legendary 57 not out off 33 balls, little did we know how cricket would evolve. Many things have come and gone since. The scoops and reverse sweeps have made way for cover drives and square cuts. Those of you who watch grainy images of Don Bradman's epic 166*, the highest T20 score to date, will attest to that fact. The rebellious Kerry Packer, in a bid to increase the amount of advertiser revenue possible, staged 'longer' matches, which he called One Day cricket. And to the horror of many people, he started using white uniforms regularly to distinguish his so-called one-day league! But today, it is accepted practice to wear whites and no one really raises a fuss."

"Last year, after a complaint by some of the counties in Papua New Guinea complained they were not getting enough matches, the PNGCB came across a novel idea - a three-day match of 50 overs per day, with two innings. Many of you remember that. I remember there being much criticism in the press… your press… about the same. How the world's top T20 country could do something that could kill the game! But the floodgates opened! People loved this new method. Cricketers loved it too! They said it didn't have the frenetic pace of T20, and could focus on constructing an innings."

"RUBBISH!", screamed a legendary Malaysian T20 cricketer, part of the 1977 World Cup winning squad. "Constructing an innings? What nonsense! It's all this new generation and their lazy attitude! In our days, we'd just get out there in our coloured outfits and smash the blooming ball around! The worst kids would be given the ball, to teach 'em a lesson. Why, we used to thwack sixes the height of the Petronas' in those days..."

Modi sighed. He expected backlash. "I agree to your point, sir. But this is not 1977 anymore. Things have changed. There are more youngsters interested in building their technique and defence. And what's more, bowlers are starting to feel marginalized, and have got better. In fact", and he knew this statement was going to bring the house down, "I have made it mandatory for each team to select bowlers on merit."

The din took all of five minutes to subside. "Defence?!" screamed a pundit. "What new-fangled rot!" He left the room in disgust.

A journalist, known for his statistical bent of mind, took the audience mic. "Sir, this is very brave. But, everything's going to change. What will a good innings be now? A batsman has virtually unlimited time to score runs. Will we be seeing scores of 200s and 300s made by a single batsman?"

"It could very well happen. The idea is to give a batsman time to construct an innings and the bowler, being a vital part of the game, will aim to outfox the batsman proactively rather than hoping for an error. We're hoping that someone will be able to better Shane Warne's 2/4."

Some of the audience couldn't fathom it. A bowler taking more than 2 wickets in a game! Things would never be the same! What would happen to the IPL, the institutional tournament which was into its 23rd year? How would players be able to handle the heat and conditions for 5 straight days, for more than 80 overs per day? All this fitness nonsense was going to ruin the game, many felt.

Modi smiled, realising his work was done. "On a parting note, friends, I'd just like to tell you not be afraid of change. Yes, this may seem too much and too daring. But it could have easily been the other way round. Imagine if we had started out with Test cricket instead, and slowly changed to T20 over the years. Imagine if Bradman were a Test cricketer - imagine the number of runs he would have scored! Imagine if bowlers were given competent wickets to bowl on all this while, they might actually have had a role to play. Why, some of them might have picked up all ten wickets in an innings!"

At this last point, the audience burst into laughter. Modi's legendary wit had worked again. And at once, they knew it was alright. Change was inevitable. Yes, many could picture parody articles on cricket websites for the next few days ("Modi proposes timeless Test matches", one satirist was already thinking up). There would be flak.

But that was how cricket had to evolve if it were to keep up with the other sports of the world. T20 cricket was for too long snubbed by Americans as being 'mentally bland', compared to the intellectual requirement of golf or 3-day baseball. Perhaps Test cricket was that lease of life that was required to save cricket.

In a corner in his room in Bangalore, a young cricketer who'd never been able to break into the India T20 team, Rahul Dravid, smiled. He knew his time had come.

Editor's Note: Guest writer Deepak Gopalakrishnan aka Chuck puts big words onto PPTs for a living. He loves rock music and pretends to air drum in Mumbai public transport. He tries to make hilarity out of every goddamn thing that happens to him, and blogs here here, and tweets here.

IPL means partying in Kolkata even if KKR is struggling

Kolkata, March 26 (IANS) For the aficionados of the Kolkata Knight Riders the Indian Premier League is more a fun than serious cricket. They are firmly behind their Dada Sourav Ganguly and his hapless boys who are going through a lean trot in the third edition of the cricket's biggest money spinner.

With the Twenty20 extravaganza returning to their city of joy after it was shifted to South Africa last year, the fans here are having a ball. And there are some who loathe the tournament for its ill effects on the classical form of the game and for some others it's just a commercial razzmatazz that is hurting other sports.

'Young players like Sourabh Tiwary and Abhishek Jhunjunwala are being weaned away by the lucre of the IPL and they might settle for it than striving hard to play for the country,' says Soham Dey, a second year B.A. student of Journalism and Mass Communication. 'That's a dangerous trend.'

But Debasish Banerjee, Manager of an Electronic Company, disagrees.

'Maybe, IPL is big business with all its frills, but it also has some positive aspects. It's a great exposure to young cricketers in the country. They will learn a lot sharing the dressing room with international players,' says Banerjee.

Eminent sports personalities from the city, former Davis Cup coach Akhtar Ali and swimming ace Bula Chowdhury, have a different take. They are concerned at IPL's adverse impact.

While Ali feels the IPL is a money-making racket, Bula says, 'cricket as a sport is getting hampered due to the tournament's commercial nature.'

'The IPL is pure business spiced with needless embellishments which have no place in cricket. I don't like this kind of entertainment.' says the long-distance swimmer.

'It's sad that the IPL, being a domestic tournament, is hogging all the limelight away from major international events which deserve to be highlighted.' sighs Bula, citing the media dismissed in a couple of paras the Commonwealth Boxing Championships, where India won as many as six gold medals.

The average Kolkatan though is not complaining and savouring every IPL moment. Whether it is Shah Rukh Khan's jig at the Eden Gardens or the return of Dada to captain the KKR. Kolkata is partying every evening finding some excuse or the other.

'I watch the IPL only because I love Shah Rukh Khan.' chirped Sukla Mukherjee, a housewife.

'The sweet sound of willow on a pleasant winter afternoon at the Eden Gardens is mesmerising. But I'm afraid that the IPL may kill Test cricket slowly,' cautions her husband Dipankar, a journalist.

Dipankar Bhattacharya, a middle-aged businessman, said last year he sorely missed being part of the IPL as it moved to South Africa due to Lok Sabha polls.

'It was very unfortunate that the IPL went overseas and the homecoming this year is pleasing,' he says.

'Terror has taken its toll on sport. I fear that the homecoming may be temporary if terror is not tackled,' confessed a worried Abhijit Dasgupta, a general physician.

Vinay Kumar lone new face in T20 World Cup squad

Mumbai, March 26 (IANS) Bangalore pacer Ranganath Vinay Kumar was the only new face in the 15-member in the India squad for the Twenty20 World Cup in the Caribbean in April-May, but there is no place for Delhi's fast bowler Ishant Sharma and batsman Virat Kohli.

Chief selector K. Srikkanth and his colleagues decided to include injured Gautam Gambhir and Ashish Nehra. Gambhir strained his hamstring, playing for Delhi Daredevils against Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, while his teammate Nehra could not play a single IPL match due to a rib cage injury. Both Nehra and Gambhir went to Sri Lanka for an ayurvedic treatment.

'We have selected the best team. We are also happy that everybody is in fine form. I am confident about the team that we have selected. We can do well and we do have a powerful batting line-up,' said Srikkanth.

Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, who last played for India during the 2008 Asia Cup in Pakistan, also found a place in the side ahead of left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who played in the second edition of the Twenty20 World Cup in England last year.

Young Karnataka batsman Manish Pandey, who has been in a great form, failed to impress the selectors, who preferred the experience of middle-order batsman Rohit Sharma who can also his turn his arm over to bowl off-spin.

The selectors also could not fit in the in-form Karnataka batsman Robin Uthappa as they preferred to stick with wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik in view of skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's record of injuries on recent tours.

Dhoni attended the selection committee meeting.

Vinay Kumar was finally rewarded for his consistent performance in domestic cricket, especially with Bangalore Royal Challengers. Vinay Kumar picked up 46 wickets in the Ranji trophy and is the joint second highest wicket-taker in the IPL with eight scalps.

India are in Group C with Afghanistan and South Africa. India open their campaign against Afghanistan, May 1, at St. Lucia. India, 2007 champions, made an early exit from the last year's Twenty20 World cup in England.

The women's selection committee also announced a 15-member squad for the Women's Twenty20 World Cup that would also be held in the West Indies from April 30 to May 16.

Men's Team: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag (vice-captain), Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, Ashish Nehra, R. Vinay Kumar, Dinesh Karthik, Rohit Sharma and Piyush Chawla

Women's team: Jhulan Goswami (captain), Mithali Raj, Poonam Raut, Sulakshana Naik, Anagha Deshpande, Rumeli Dhar, Amita Sharma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Reema Malhotra, Diana David, Gouhar Sultana, Sonia Dabir, Priyanka Roy and Anjum Chopra

PCB faces fire on contract policy

Former cricket stars today berated the Pakistan Cricket Board for omitting leading performers from the list of centrally contracted players. The former players were also irate about PCB''s decision to demote some players to the stipends list and awarding central contracts to players, who did not play for the national team last year.

PCB yesterday announced a list of 18 players, who were awarded central contracts in three categories, dropping the names of Mohammed Yousuf and Younus Khan. The Board also named 19 players, who will get a stipend of Rs 75,000 per month.

"I don''t know what criteria has been followed while finalising the list, but it is amazing that players like Hasan Raza, Sohail Tanvir, Rao Iftikhar, Muhammad Sami, Imran Nazir have been omitted while other promising youngsters like Sarfaraz Ahmed, Khalid Latif and Khurrum Manzoor are now being given stipends," former Test batsman Basit Ali said. The secretary of the Karachi City Cricket Association Siraj-ul-Islam Bukhari said he could not understand how the Board could give just stipends to players like Sarfaraz Ahmed, Latif or Manzoor who were the future of Pakistan cricket.

"We will lodge a strong protest with the Board and we want to know in the governing council what criteria was adopted for giving contracts and stipends," Bukhari said. More PTI Corr AT.

Wozniacki, Jankovic ease into Indian Wells final

Caroline Wozniacki breezed into the final of the Indian Wells WTA tournament with a commanding 6-2 6-3 victory over her good friend Agnieszka Radwanska Friday.

The Danish second seed pumped her right fist in celebration after sealing victory in one hour 38 minutes when her Polish opponent, seeded fifth, hit a forehand wide to be broken for a fifth time.

Wozniacki, who is projected to climb to a career-high second when the world rankings are released on Monday, trailed 15-40 on Radwanska's serve in the final game before winning the last four points.

"I played consistent and tried to be aggressive," Wozniacki told reporters after reaching her first WTA final of the year. "We know each other so well.

"Agnieszka is a great fighter and she doesn't give up. I knew I had to fight till the last point to win this match."

The 19-year-old Wozniacki will take on Jelena Jankovic in Sunday's final, the sixth-seeded Serb having cruised past Australian Samantha Stosur 6-2 6-4 earlier in the day.

"Jelena is a great player, a former world number one, and it's going to be a tough match," Wozniacki said."

Jankovic broke her opponent twice in each set to wrap up her win in one hour 28 minutes on a hot afternoon at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Eighth-seeded Stosur had not dropped a set on her way to the last four but struggled for rhythm against her higher-ranked opponent, piling up 36 unforced errors and four double faults.

MISTIMED FOREHAND

The match ended when the Australian mistimed a forehand service return which flew skywards and Jankovic celebrated reaching her first WTA final of the year.

"I'm feeling good, going to the finals," the smiling world number nine said. "I had some tough matches here and some good wins.

"Samantha has an unbelievable serve, one of the best in the women's game, and I was able to return a lot of her first serves. I was putting a lot of pressure on her second serve," Jankovic added.

"So I think that was the key, because I was able to break her quite a few times. And then it made everything easier for me."

Although bitterly disappointed by her performance against Jankovic, Stosur was happy with her overall display at Indian Wells and is expected to break into the top 10 for the first time when the rankings are issued on Monday.

"Try and look at the positives," the Australian said after losing to the Serb for a third successive time. "It was a great week, but today I definitely didn't play anywhere close to as well as I can.

"Really, I just got frustrated and wasn't able to pull it back. When you're a set down against a quality player, it's always tough to come back."

Senior players will be missed: Waqar Younis

Pakistan cricket team will take some time to settle in absence of banned seniors players, feels the new coach Waqar Younis. The Pakistan Cricket Board, taking a disciplinary action, had recently banned and fined seven players.

Waqar, a former Test captain who reached here yesterday to take up his new assignment, said the bans and fines may affect team''s performance initially. "Obviously any team would miss players of the calibre of Muhammad Yousuf, Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik or Rana Naved.

I hope that the remaining experienced players in the side provide full support to the youngsters in the team," Waqar told reporters at the airport. The PCB has banned prolific batsmen Yousuf and Younis indefinitely and imposed one year bans and fines of two million rupees each on Malik and Rana.

Waqar is expected to meet the PCB Chairman soon and sources say his views would be sought on the captain for the T20 World Cup, Pakistan''s next international assignment. "As far as the captaincy issue is concerned that is for the Board Chairman to decide.

But obviously I have my views on this and I will convey this when I meet him," he said. Waqar felt that the national team''s performance could be improved by injecting discipline and confidence into the team.

The former fast bowler, who is settled in Sydney, is reported to have told the Chairman that lack of discipline and cohesion in the team were the major reasons for the poor performances in Australia.

Joe Cole, wife 'welcome baby girl'

England star Joe Cole's wife Carly Zucker has given birth to a baby girl.

According to sources, the tot, born at 7.12pm on Thursday night, is the spitting image of the Chelsea midfielder, reports The Mirror.

During the birth, Joe, 28, was at his wife's side at London's Portland hospital.

A source said: "Both mother and baby are doing really well. The whole family are delighted and Joe was really emotional immediately after the birth.

"They originally planned on calling their daughter Scarlet but because she looked so much like Joe they are reconsidering.

"She really is the spit of her dad - all the family are laughing about it.

"Joe was texting and calling all his mates."

Prabhjot sorry for showing finger to crowd

Senior Indian forward Prabhjot Singh has apologised for his improper behaviour during the hockey World Cup when he was caught showing his middle finger to a section of crowd. Prabhjot, after India''s defeat against Argentina on March 12, was heckled by some fans near the eastern stand, and in the heat of the moment he showed to them his finger.

Prabhjot in his reply to the show cause notice, served on him by Hockey India, said he lost his cool when some fans started abusing his family members. "Firstly, I would like to apologize that an inappropriate picture of mine was published in the Times of India Newspaper on March 13, 2010.

The incident that happened was a result of a series of events. "A particular group of people supporting the opposition team had been regularly staying back after every match and passing lewd comments about me and the team during our cool down sessions.

"I had ignored their provocative behavior during the previous matches. However during our last match, they starting passing lewd comments on my family, me and the team during our cool down session.

In addition to this they started showing provocative gestures and became derogatory. "In the heat of the moment, I revolted to protect me and my family''s integrity and unfortunately this was picked up by the media.

I apologize for the incident," he said in his reply, according to Hockey India.

Wood's wife 'disappears' as ex mistress vows to unveil more sex texts

Tiger Woods' wife Elin Nordegren has reportedly disappeared as one of his alleged mistresses vowed to unveil more racy text messages she claims to have received from the golf star.

Former porn actress Joslyn James revealed she is ready to unwrap more dirt on the shamed golfer, with whom she allegedly had a three-year affair.

According to the Mirror newspaper, James has set up a website where Woods' alleged sex texts can be read and she would soon post some of the more than 1,000 text messages.

"I just wanted the public to know and the truth to be out there for me to have people see what I was being told and not just judge me for being with a married guy," the Daily Telegraph quoted James as saying.

The 32-year-old apparently added: "If I would have known everything that was going on, and wasn't being lied to, I would have done things differently."

She also told the New York Daily News: "There were certain things about our relationship that were not conventional. There were a couple situations when he was a bit more aggressive than usual."

Meanwhile, Elin, the mother of Wood's two kids, has not been seen at their residence for several days, according to TMZ.com.

Man City coach says Bridge should use injury lay-off to reconsider joining England squad

Manchester City coach Roberto Mancini wants full back Wayne Bridge to use his month-long injury lay-off to reconsider his decision to quit England.

Bridge, 29, is out of action after undergoing a hernia operation.

According to The Sun, Eastlands boss Mancini has urged him to think carefully about doing a U-turn as he believes the Three Lions have a golden chance of lifting the World Cup in South Africa this summer.

"When he comes back to training I'll speak with him - I hope he will play in the World Cup," Mancini was quoted, as saying.

"It's important for a player to take the chance to play in a World Cup. You don't get many chances in your life to do that. I hope for Capello and England that Wayne can change his mind," he added.

Bridge is sidelined until mid-April.

Doctor prayed to God to heal Beckham's Achilles tendon

The surgeon who operated on David Beckham's Achilles tendon has revealed that he prayed to God to help him heal the former England skipper's wounds.

Dr Sakari Orava said he begged for the Lord's help in healing Becks' Achilles tendon, which he ripped playing for AC Milan.

"It wasn't so easy to get back to sleep. But I'm a devout Christian, so my wife and I prayed. We said it is not up to us, it's in bigger hands to see if things go fine," The Sun quoted Orava, as saying.

Milan bosses made a frantic phone call to the world renowned Achilles expert on Monday.

Becks, 34, tore his tendon last Sunday.

He was operated at the orthopaedic surgeon's clinic in the Finnish city of Turku the next day.

Beckham has been ruled out playing in the World Cup.

"There is mental stress and pressure, but you can't show it. The job needs to be done. My hands were not trembling," he said.

Beckham writes open letter to AC Milan mates

A torn Achilles may have forced David Beckham out of the game but the England star has expressed full support to his mates at AC Milan by posting an open letter on the club's website.

"I want to wish everyone the best of luck and to say I hope they win the title. I would also like to thank you all for your support after the Chievo match," The Sun quoted Becks, as saying..

"I hope to play with you again and be part of this marvellous club," he added.

Beckham, 34, is out for the season after he tore his Achilles during Milan's 1-0 win against Chievo last Sunday.

Beckham was on loan at the Serie A club from LA Galaxy.

He underwent surgery earlier in the week but is also ruled out of this summer's World Cup.

Theo Walcott acknowledges Becks help during toughest year of his career

Twenty-one-year-old Arsenal winger Theo Walcott has acknowledged England star David Beckham's help in seeing him through the toughest year of his career.

The Arsenal winger, 21, suffered knee and back injuries this term and paid tribute to Becks and club pal Tomas Rosicky.

"David was there to help me out. I really appreciated it. It's a big shame about his injury so near to the World Cup. I've had so many injuries but Arsenal have been fantastic. One big influence has been Tomas. He was out for 20 months with a knee injury but came in every day with a smile. Amazing," The Sun quoted Walcott, as saying.

Bravo Mumbai!

New Delhi, March 18 -- No one reads wickets better than Sachin Tendulkar. He's shown that to bowlers, fieldsmen and devotees like you and me. While the talk had veered around the slowness of this track, Tendulkar had dismissed apprehensions about the track on Tuesday itself. With the Ferozeshah Kotla theatre packed to the brim on Wednesday, the master decided for some reason, much to the Delhi Daredevils' misery - that tonight would be the night. His mastery was evident as he played shots all around, cricketing mostly (even in this format!), and raced to his 50 off just 23 balls. It was delightful stuff, even if you were one of the Delhi faithful, grimly determined to support your own. The only thing you could really do was sympathise with the poor Daredevils' bowlers, who saw balls of every length fly away to the fence. Call it the cruelty of this format or perhaps the man's genius, good length balls were treated with the same disdain as those that fell short or were wide. His strike rate was about 200 for the day, but the good length stuff got him runs at about three times the balls he faced. The Delhi bowlers tottered in aimlessly, fielders tottered around providing escort service to balls that raced past and the cheergirls gyrated while butter chicken-treated unsexy Delhi bellies followed them in whatever manner they could. In the midst of it all, the Daredevils' stand-in skipper, Dinesh Karthik, who had taken over from Gautam Gambhir in the second over itself after he had hobbled off the field with a hamstring pull, looked like the speaker of perhaps a state assembly, unable to control the pandemonium. By the time Tendulkar was out, caught by Yogesh Nagar for 63 off 30-odd balls, the Mumbai Indians had galloped to 122 and it was just the 11th over. The rest needed to just muster up the runs and dispatch the bad balls to the fence - which they did, though not at the pace that Tendulkar had promised.

To make the Daredevils misery in their first home game complete, Gambhir might miss the next game. Given how they marshaled themselves in his absence, it's a miss they cant afford.

Yousuf receives PCB's green signal for Bangladeshi league

Lahore, Mar.18 (ANI): A day after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) clarified that players must seek permission from it to participate in any foreign cricket tournament, former captain Mohammed Yousuf has been allowed to play in a private league in Bangladesh.

"Yousuf had requested the PCB that he wanted to play in Bangladesh and Ijaz (Butt) has given him the permission," The Daily Times quoted a PCB spokesperson, as saying.

It may be noted that the PCB had issued a strict warning to the players wanting to participate in domestic tournaments of other countries, saying they must obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the board.

"The PCB firmly conveys to all concerned that no player is allowed to play cricket outside Pakistan without having prior approval from the board in this regard. Any player interested to play cricket in any part of the world should apply to the board to seek permission for the same," a statement issued by the PCB said.

The PCB has prohibited players selected for the upcoming ICC T20 World Championship from taking part in Bangladesh's domestic T20 tournament, which is to be played in Sharjah.

Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal, Mohammed Hafeez, Abdul Razzaq and Imtan Nazir had signed for the tournament beginning March 26 but insiders said the PCB do not want to risk these players ahead of the coveted T20 World Cup and is unlikely to grant them the NOC's.

When Hitler tried to give English cricket a Nazi twist!

Melbourne, Mar.18 (ANI): A new book about 20th-century reporting has revealed that future Nazi regime dictator Adolf Hitler raised his own cricket team to play some British prisoners of war during the First World War.

According to the book's author, John Simpson, Hitler declared the sport "unmanly" and tried to rewrite the laws of the game.

Simpson's cites the piece as appearing in the Daily Mirror in 1930.

He says that Oliver Locker-Lampson, an MP, decorated wartime veteran, right-wing zealot and fervent admirer of Hitler wrote the article.

It was published under the headline "Adolf Hitler As I Know Him" on September 30, 1930, as the Nazis' brutal rise to power gathered pace.

According to The Times, Locker-Lampson describes how in 1923, shortly after the Munich putsch, he met some British officers who had been prisoners of war in southern Germany during the First World War.

By coincidence Hitler, then a lance corporal in the German Army, was recovering from his wounds in a nearby hospital.

"He had come to them one day and asked whether he might watch an eleven of cricket at play so as to become initiated into the mysteries of our national game," writes Locker- Lampson.

"They welcomed him, of course, and wrote out the rules for him in the best British sport-loving spirit."

According to Locker-Lampson, Hitler returned a few days later, having assembled his own team, and challenged the British to a "friendly match".

As Simpson points out, Locker-Lampson infuriatingly failed to inform his readers who won, but we can assume that the British POWs thrashed Hitler's XI, because he immediately declared the game insufficiently violent for German Fascists.

According to Locker-Lampson, Hitler had an ulterior motive for wanting to play the game:

"He desired to study it as a possible medium for the training of troops off duty and in times of peace." He also wanted the game to be Nazified.

"He had conned over [sic] the laws of cricket, which he considered good enough no doubt for pleasure-loving English people. But he proposed entirely altering them for the serious-minded Teuton."

Specifically, he "advocated the withdrawal of the use of pads. These artificial 'bolsters' he dismissed as unmanly and un-German ...in the end he also recommended a bigger and harder ball."

Locker-Lampson was not mocking Hitler. Far from it, he regarded Hitler's "essential improvements" to the English game as a mark of his greatness.

The British MP was the founder of the Sentinels of Empire, a blue-shirted group of right-wingers dedicated to fighting Bolshevism.

Like many upper-class Englishmen, he was besotted by Nazism, and the rest of the article is a dribbling paean of praise to Hitler.

Hitler's angry contempt for cricket, his attempt to invade the rules and alter them in his own image, and his inability to comprehend the complexities of the sport all point to one, inescapable conclusion: he was out for a golden duck. He only faced one ball. (ANI)

Tiger Woods' ex-mistresses won't be rooting for his Masters comeback

New York, March 18 (ANI): Tiger Woods' return to the golf course at the Masters Tournament is unlikely to be the favourite moment for his former mistresses.

At least two of the women linked to the ace golfer will be away from their television sets when the star plays his first tournament at Augusta since his infidelity scandal.

"I won't watch. I'm not interested," the New York Daily News quoted Loredana Jolie Ferriolo, 26, as saying.

"I'm happy that he's back, but I hope this doesn't interfere with his therapy that he's going through," the New York-based model stressed. "It would be hard to understand how he can compete with a clear head, but that's Tiger Woods," she added.

Gloria Allred, attorney lawyer for former porn star Veronica Siwik Daniels, a.k.a Joslyn James, also said Woods was "ignoring the human wreckage that he has left behind" with his comeback.

Allred said: "Whatever happens in the Masters' Tournament will not change the fact that as far as Veronica is concerned, Tiger has proven himself to be the master of deception." (ANI)

PCB suspends its 'unfit' chief financial officer

Lahore, Mar.18 (ANI): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has suspended acting chief financial officer Mushtaq Ahmad, as he failed to improve the board's awry financial affairs.

Insiders said Mushtaq, who was also suspended by former PCB chairman Dr. Nasim Ashraf but was restored by incumbent Ijaz Butt, failed to impress the National Assembly Standing Committee's on the board's financial problems.

Members of the committee were unhappy over Mushtaq's handling affairs and questioned his ability to work responsibly..

According to The Dawn, a PCB panel headed by Wazir Ali Khoja has already interviewed several persons and hopes to replace Mushtaq by next month. (ANI)

Winning the Premier League means more than lifting World Cup: Clichy

London, Mar 18 (ANI): Arsenal defender Gael Clichy has said that winning the English Premier League this season would mean more than lifting the European Cup or even the World Cup.

The French international is desperate to end the Gunners' five-year trophy drought. And with Arsenal in a three-way title battle with Manchester United and Chelsea, Clichy feels he might never get a better opportunity.

"This season is all about winning as much silverware as possible and the Premier League is now so close. The confidence and the quality are there and it's right there for us to take. I won the League in my first season with Arsenal and it was a great feeling," The Sun quoted Clichy, as saying.

"When you work so hard, go through so many good and bad times, to win the title shows that you have been the best team. That's why I want to win the Premier League over the Champions League this year, even though the European Cup may be a better trophy in the eyes of most people," he said.

"That is why I need to maintain my best form to the end of the season. If I am a champion with Arsenal it will improve my chances of going to the World Cup with France. That would be a dream come true, but if I had to choose one trophy right now I'd go for the Premier League," Clichy said.

Clichy and Sol Campbell are the only members of Arsene Wenger's 2004 Invincibles still at Arsenal.

And the full-back, 24, says there is a huge difference in the dressing room compared to the atmosphere he found as a teenager fresh from French minnows Cannes. (ANI)

'Fit' Harris can make Test debut against New Zealand

Sydney, Mar 18 (ANI): Australian captain Ricky Ponting has said that fast bowler Ryan Harris could make his debut in Friday's first Test against New Zealand, if he overcomes his side strain.

South Australia seamer Peter George has been added to the squad as cover for Harris.

Ponting said he expected Queensland's Harris, 30, to train at full pace at the Basin Reserve on Thursday, but there was some concern that he would pull up sore on Friday.

Victorian quick Clint McKay, who made his Test debut in December, is also vying for a new-ball role in place of injured Peter Siddle, who has been out for several months with a back problem.

"Ryan will play if he gets through as well as we want him to today and we'll wait and see how he wakes up in the morning," he said.

"That's going to be the important thing," The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Ponting, as saying.

Harris boasts of an impressive one-day international record of 29 wickets at 15.51 in 12 matches.

Ponting also said 20-year-old NSW all-rounder Steve Smith was unlikely to be promoted ahead of Test No.6 batsman Marcus North, who is struggling for form but has received the backing of his Test skipper. (ANI)

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Agassi and Navratilova in comic mode at Haiti fund raiser

Former tennis greats Andre Agassi and Martina Navratilova stole the limelight with their wit while playing in exhibition matches on Friday to raise money for victims of the Haiti earthquake.

Navratilova and Justine Henin beat Steffi Graf and Lindsay Davenport 8-6 in a light-hearted women's double encounter before Pete Sampras and Roger Federer overcame Agassi and Rafael Nadal by the same margin.

After the two matches finished in front of a capacity crowd of 16,100 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, venue owner Larry Ellison presented a check for $1 million to the American Red Cross Haiti relief and development fund.

"We hope it's going to be more than a million dollars," Ellison, the billionaire software mogul and chief executive of Oracle, told a news conference.

"What we guaranteed was at least a million dollars but people are continuing to make contributions. With a little bit of luck, we'll tally everything up and we'll go over the million dollar target."

Each of the eight players competing in the "Hit for Haiti" charity matches wore a microphone so the stadium crowd and television viewers could hear the banter as play unfolded.

Serve-and-volley maestro Navratilova set the tone in the women's match with a barrage of quips and verbal jabs.

After Graf lost her microphone while scampering back to retrieve a lob, Navratilova said: "Your mike fell off when you were running back. Does that mean you're faster than the speed of sound?"

Agassi delivered a virtual stand-up comic routine that would have earned him high praise in his glitzy home town of Las Vegas.

BALD GUYS

"You know what everyone here is thinking: who are those two bald guys playing with Federer and Nadal right now?" he jested to Sampras, who compared Agassi to American television character Kojak.

Agassi directed most of his humour at his long-time tennis rival Sampras, who he berated for being a poor tipper.

After Sampras had challenged a call by a linesman, Agassi, as quick as a flash, said: "You know what goes first Pete? The eyes are the first thing to go."

While the crowd relished the non-stop display of verbal jousting and creative shot-making, the serious point of the evening was not forgotten.

"I'm pretty excited to be here and come back to Indian Wells, to do this for Haiti and what they're going through," Agassi said.

Davenport added: "When we got on the court and they were playing some of the videos (of Haiti), then it really brings you back down to earth about why this event was taking place.

"It's truly amazing, the catastrophe that happened. To help out even just a little bit definitely feels good."

The Haiti earthquake is thought to have killed up to 300,000 people and left a million homeless.

BJP warns of legal action if govt declares IPL tax free

Mumbai, Mar 13 (PTI) BJP today said it would take legal action, if the state government fails to implement a cabinet decision to impose entertainment tax on the Indian Premier League(IPL) matches here. Finance Minister Sunil Tatkare''s recent announcement that there will be no entertainment tax on the IPL matches, has evoked a sharp reaction from the main opposition.

The party has alleged that the government was favouring the cash-rich league and warned it will move the court if the matches are not taxed. "Did IPL seek a tax waiver? Why is the state government, reeling under a severe debt burden, favouring IPL," state BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari told PTI here.

It was decided in the state cabinet meeting on January 20, to levy entertainment tax on IPL, he said. However, the minutes of the decision were not made, he added.

"Chief Minister Ashok Chavan should explain if the state cabinet has decided to give a tax waiver to IPL," Bhandari said. About the January 20 cabinet decision to tax IPL, Bhandari said "Chavan should explain why was that decision taken and why has the latest one been taken.

" "Is Tatkare, who belongs to NCP, trying to appease his party chief Sharad Pawar, president of Mumbai Cricket Association?," Bhandari asked. .

Lampard says no qualms about doing a 'Henry' for England

London, Mar 13(ANI): England midfielder Frank Lampard has admitted that he would not mind 'cheating' like France striker Thierry Henry did against Ireland if it meant getting his team through to the World Cup final.

During France's playoffs against Ireland four months ago, Henry used his hand twice to control the ball before delivering a cross to William Gallas who scored a goal, which decided the fate of the game. enry was labeled a 'cheat' for not owning up the handball.

"You know, I probably wouldn't say anything! I felt a bit sorry for Henry, because it was an instinctive action," The Sun quoted Lampard, as saying.

"I think it's probably easier to own up after the game. At least you're through then! That is probably the wrong thing to say, isn't it? But if I did own up and it cost us the game, I would probably be lynched when I got back to England," he added.

The 31-year-old further said that he is looking forward to England reaching their first World Cup final since 1966.

Lampard will also be first in England manager Fabio Capello's list to take penalties despite messing up in the quarterfinal against Portugal in 2006.

"I'm a regular penalty-taker and I think, if that's the case, you're obliged to volunteer," Lampard said.

When asked if he would be going for power or placement, Lampard said: "I've tried to place it before and I mucked it up against Portugal. I think if you're really confident, then place it. But if you're a bit nervous, put your foot through it." (ANI)

Keep hands off my coach, Murray warns Brit tennis association

London, Mar 13 (ANI): Britain's Lawn Tennis Association has been asked by their No.1 player Andy Murray to keep their hands off his personal coach.

Murray has sent a stark warning to the LTA as they hunt for a new Davis Cup captain.

Miles Maclagan was thought to be a contender to replace John Lloyd, whose job is under threat after Britain' shock defeat by Lithuania last weekend.

But world No 4 Murray left no doubt when asked if he would let Maclagan share his duties with the Davis Cup team, The Sun reports.

"No. He's my coach and I am happy with the way things are working out. I don't want Miles to be the coach of the Davis Cup team," he said.

Tim Henman has already ruled himself out of the running, while Greg Rusedski is thought to be keen to fill any vacancy, should Lloyd's contract be terminated. (ANI)

Long way to go to deserve Manchester United icon status: Rooney

London, Mar 13(ANI): Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney reckons that there is a long way to go before he can compared with some of the club's legends.

His comment comes after several former United stars including David Beckham hailed him as the best player in the world, and one of the best to have pulled on the red shirt.

Rooney is enjoying a jaw-dropping campaign after taking his goal tally for the season to 30.

"I have so much learning and improving to do over the next few years. At the end of my career it would be nice to be spoken of as one of the greats. But right now I certainly don't see myself as that," The Sun quoted Rooney, as saying.

"It's only my sixth year at United - you need a few more before you can be saying that," he added.

The 24-year-old further said that midfield Paul Scholes is one man at Old Trafford who fully deserves that iconic status.

"It's hard to sum up Scholesy because he's changed his game since he was younger. He's like a quarterback now, getting it in the middle and spraying it around the field," Rooney said.

"He's unbelievable - he's one of the greatest of all time," he added.

When asked about his reaction over England manager Fabio Capello overlooking him for the captain's armband when John Terry was dumped as skipper, Rooney said: "I captained against Brazil, which was great. Hopefully one day I could do it full time. But now is not the right time."

"There are more experienced players in the team who deserve to be captain. I think that and obviously the manager does too," he added.

Schumacher has nothing to fear from me, says Hill

While Michael Schumacher returns to Formula One racing at the age of 41, Damon Hill could find himself running the rule over his old rival as a grand prix steward later this season.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said at the Bahrain season-opener that Hill would be one of the stewards at the Monaco Grand Prix in May as well as at least one other race.

The Briton, 49, world champion with Williams in 1996 after some epic and highly controversial battles with German Schumacher, assured Reuters on Saturday he would be impartial.

"There are more important things than individual relationships. The important thing is the sport, and that the sport has got credibility," he said at the Sakhir circuit where seven-times champion Schumacher is making his comeback with Mercedes.

"If judgments are made, and which are perceived to be glaringly unbalanced, then it damages the sport, so we have to avoid that.

"The people have to make decisions based on the analysis of right and wrong, irrespective of who those people might be," he added. "I think I'm sufficiently distanced from it."

Hill never won in the principality, beaten into second place by Schumacher in 1995, whereas his late champion father Graham was dubbed "Mr Monaco" for his five victories there.

In 1994, Hill and Schumacher collided in a title-deciding race in Adelaide that eliminated both from the race and handed the German his first crown. Stewards judged it a racing incident, although some observers saw a more deliberate intent.

The appointment of drivers as one of four race stewards follows controversies in recent seasons and a feeling that decisions could be improved with the involvement of former racers.

Four-times world champion Alain Prost of France is one of the stewards at the Bahrain race.

Hill, who pointed out that FIA President Jean Todt was previously Schumacher's team boss at Ferrari and that it had not influenced his decisions in his new role, said they could make an important contribution.

"It's important drivers give their perspective on the sport," he said.

"They have a valid input into things, and I think this is a good step.

"If the criticism is that the people who are making those decisions are not fully equipped, then you have to then put your hand up and say, 'Okay, I would like to contribute to that knowledge base'.

"As drivers, people who have really enjoyed the sport and have got that insight, that driver perspective, it's really important they make that contribution back to the sport to try and give that unique angle on things," said Hill.