Get back to best for selection, Lee told

Melbourne, May 1 (PTI) His career graph sliding due to constant injury breakdowns, Australian pacer Brett Lee has been told by chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch to produce his absolute best on return from the latest arm injury to have any chance of being picked again. Hilditch conceded that the 33-year-old Lee was rushed back too early after recovering from an elbow surgery that took over eight weeks to heal.

"He can come back from injury, he came back to pretty much his best the last time. This elbow injury has obviously been a big setback.

With the benefit of hindsight he might have tried to come back too early," Hilditch was quoted as saying by ''The Australian Associated Press''. "Really, now he''s going to have a hard rehab program to get back to his best if that''s what he wants to do.

He''s got to see what his rehab is like and needs to get back to his best - but he needs to be back to his best," he added. Lee was picked for the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies despite concerns about his fitness and ultimately had to be replaced by Ryan Harris owing to an arm injury.

"I acknowledge that at the time it was a little bit of a gamble. We needed him to play eight or nine IPL games to get ready, which he had in front of him," Hilditch said.

"Then he had the thumb injury which impacted his preparation. That was disappointing.

In the end, the result doesn''t impact on this tournament, Ryan will be here, he was very close to selection in the first squad," he added. Lee''s latest injury is his fifth since December 2008 in a long list that includes ankle, elbow and other niggles.

Team physio Alex Kountouris, however, hopes to see Lee back in action in another five weeks. "He has got to see what his rehab is like and needs to get back to his best.

If he gets back to his best he will be a very potent weapon for us. He has been a great bowler for Australia.

"Really this is now in the hands of how he comes back from this injury," he said.

Ancelotti asks Liverpool fans to respect Chelsea's history

London, May 1 (ANI): Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti has sent a defiant message to rival Liverpool fans to respect his club's history.

The Reds and Blues have shared a bitter rivalry in recent years, particularly after the arrival of owner Roman Abramovich, which resulted in two Premier League titles for Chelsea.

But Liverpool fans have been mocking their Chelsea counterparts for their lack of titles compared to Liverpool's, The Sun reports.

Ancelotti said: "The past is the past. The Liverpool players will be focused on this game, only this. Everyone respects the history of Liverpool. Everyone has to have respect for our history, too. Maybe it's a different history, but everyone has to have respect for the history of this club."

Liverpool can lose their standing as Britain's most successful club if they beat Chelsea. It will open the door for Manchester United to claim their 19th league title, overhauling Liverpool.

The Chelsea chief is adamant that he does not expect Liverpool to lose in order to ensure United did not win the title.

"I think that Sunderland will do their best to beat United and Liverpool will do the same against us. Every team has respect for this Premier League and every team has to do their best until the end of the matches," he said. (ANI)

Liverpool will betray history if they don't beat Chelsea, says expectant Fergie

London, May 1 (ANI): Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has said that ace rivals Liverpool will be betraying the history of their club if they do not do everything to beat Chelsea on Sunday.

Many United fans fear that Liverpool will not have the same desire to beat Carlo Ancelotti's players knowing that it could all but hand their rivals a record 19th Premier League title.

"I think Liverpool will do their best on Sunday, they have to. Great clubs don't throw their histories away, they don't throw their traditions away for one game," The Sun quoted Ferguson, as saying.

"They have been in 11 European finals and won 18 titles. That is a fantastic history and you don't throw that away. Do you think their fans want to go home saying their team capitulated and didn't even try? Of course not," he said.

Ferguson pointed to the situation on the last day of the 1994-95 season as an example of what Liverpool is about.

They beat Blackburn at Anfield knowing that could hand United the title.

"In 1995 it was exactly the same, the similarities were there. We depended and hoped on Liverpool producing and we got that.

"Their manager Roy Evans talked to me and said 'You have to earn the right to win the title' and that stands today," he said. (ANI)

Paes-Dlouhy ousted from Rome Masters

Rome, May 1 (PTI) Leander Paes and Lukas Dlouhy crashed out of the ATP Rome Masters 1000 after being handed a straight-set defeat by the seventh seeded Polish-Austrian pair of Lukasz Kubot and Oliver Marach in the quarterfinals here. The Indo-Czech combination went down 3-6 4-6 in 76 minutes.

The Polish-Austrian duo converted four of the seven break point chances they created to prevail in the contest. Paes and Dlouhy, winners of the Miami Masters, had not played a single ball in the tournament before yesterday''s match as they got a bye in the first round and were given a walkover in the pre-quarters.

French footie Franck Ribery's underage hooker strips on talk show

London, May 1 (ANI): The hooker, who French footballer Franck Ribery bedded while she was still underage, is said to have worn a bikini to a talk show and then removed the top.

Zahia Dehar, who wore only a tiny swimsuit on the TV show, did a sexy dance with two hunky male models, before disappearing into a box on the set with one, reports the Sun.

The Moroccan-born beauty then emerged back on the set sans her bra and covering her breasts.

Her male friend was seen wearing the bikini top. (ANI)

Clarke gives Warner the freedom to go for big hits

Gros Islet (St.Lucia), May 1 (IANS) Australian skipper Michael Clarke has given a free hand to opener David Warner to go for the big shots whenever he likes in the ongoing World Twenty20 in the Caribbean.

Australia play their first match against defending champions Pakistan Sunday. Clarke is banking on in-form Warner, the leading scorer in Twenty20 internationals in 2010, to blast Australia into a winning position inside six overs.

Warner has already shown that he has warmed up to the challenge, with scores of 72 from 49 balls and 51 off 41 deliveries in Australia's warm-up matches against Zimbabwe and Windward Islands.

'He's the type of guy that sees it and hits it and he's full of confidence,' Clarke was quoted as saying in The Age. 'He plays a huge part, like Matty Hayden used to for us.

'Within six overs, we can have a real firm grip on the game if Davey goes off. He takes a lot of risks and there are times when he doesn't perform.

'He's a huge part of our team and I'm trying to give him the freedom to do exactly what he's done in the last two games.

'To walk out, see the ball and hit the ball. Not be too concerned if he misses out a couple of times, just keep playing his way. He's a matchwinner.'

Clarke says Warner and his opening partner Shane Watson can take Australia towards a winning total against a spin-heavy Pakistan attack.

'If we can build an innings in that first eight to ten overs, we've got so much strike power even down the bottom of the order. Mitch Johnson, Steve Smith,' Clarke said. 'All these guys can clear the fence quite easily.'

Uthappa, Tiwary for Manjrekar double wicket tourney

Mumbai, May 1 (PTI) Robin Uthappa and Saurabh Tiwary, two batsmen who shone during the Indian Premier League for their respective franchises, would take part in the Vijay Manjrekar memorial single wicket cricket tournament organised by the Shivaji Park Gymkhana here on May 9. Tiwary''s Mumbai Indians teammates Shikhar Dhawan and Ambati Rayudu, along with India discards Sanjay Bangar and Ramesh Powar are to play in the tournament carrying a total prize money of Rs 3.42 lakh, according to the organisers.

The winning player would take home Rs 60,000 and the runner-up Rs 40,000. A day earlier another former Test stalwart who played for the famous cricket cradle which is celebrating its centenary year, Ramakant Desai, would be remembered.

A double wicket tournament conducted in his name in which local cricketers would fight it out for the winning pair''s top prize of Rs 75,000 out of a total prize pool of Rs 2.45 lakh would be held on May 8. According to the Gymkhana''s secretary Dr Vikas Dubewar, the occasion would be used to honour past cricketers who have represented it in local tournaments over the years.

Govt sanctions Rs 1.50 lakh for former chess player

New Delhi, May 1 (PTI) Sports Minister M S Gill today sanctioned an aid of Rs 1.50 lakh for former chess player Nasar Ali Syed from the National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons. "Dr M S Gill, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports has sanctioned an ex-gratia assistance of Rs 1.50 lakh from National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons to Nasar Ali Syed, a former chess player who is living in indigent condition," a Ministry release said.

Syed had played chess at national and international level from 1967-1969. "Taking into consideration his financial position, the Sports Minister has sanctioned ex-gratia payment of Rs 1.50 lakh to Syed," the release said.

Under the Scheme of National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons, the Ministry provides lump sum financial assistance to outstanding sportspersons of the past, who are facing financial distress. During the last three years, the Ministry has extended ex-gratia financial assistance to 18 former sportspersons living in indigent circumstances, the release said.

Weather won't come in way of Olympics in UAE

Dubai, May 1 (IANS/WAM) Weather is not a disqualifying factor for holding a future Olympic Games in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge has said.

'Dubai is examining whether it has the capability of organising the Olympic Games. A study is going on and the IOC is helping that study,' Rogge said here Friday.

'Many countries would like to organise the Olympic Games. The IOC has no automatic rotation. We always look first at the quality of the bid. If we can go for the first time to a region, we are happy, like with Rio, but Rio was a decision based on quality,' he said.

The IOC president hoped that preparations for the next edition of the Games in London are on track. 'We were given an excellent presentation by London 2012.

'We discussed the possibility of a change of government and we're at ease about that, as there has always been a strong multi-party support. We are pleased with the pace of construction, preparation and marketing.'

--IANS/WAM

Coleen Rooney feeling broody

London, May 1 (ANI): Just six months after the birth of baby Kai, Coleen Rooney is saying that she wants more babies with hubby Wayne.

Talking at the Philip Armstrong fashion show in Liverpool, the proud mother showed off a photo of Kai, which she has as her iPhone screensaver.

"I've really started getting used to being a mum now and I absolutely love it," the Mirror quoted her as saying.

"I wasn't scared about having a baby at all because I've been surrounded by babies all my life.

"But it's just a case of getting used to it and not having as much sleep and getting into routines.

"I definitely want more children. Not right at this minute, but maybe in a year or so. I'm not rushing back to work either, I'm just enjoying being a mum," she added. (ANI)