Staff ReportLAHORE:
Sana Mir has replaced Urooj Mumtaz as captain of the Pakistan women’s team for the Twenty20 World Cup in England in June. Urooj remains in the 14-member squad and Sana’s vice-captain duties have been given to Nain Abidi. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 14-woman team for the tournament, which will run alongside the men’s World Cup, as well as four reserve players. Sukhan Faiz and Nahida Khan were left out among those that took part in the Women’s World Cup in Australia while Marina Iqbal was a new inclusion. Squad: Sana Mir (captain), Nain Abdi (vice captain), Almas Akram, Naila Nazir, Armaan Khan, Batool Fatima, Nazia Sadiq, Asmavia Iqbal, Bismah Maroof, Qanita Jalil, Urooj Mumtaz Khan, Javeria Wadood, Marina Iqbal, Sajida Shah. Reserves: Kainat Imtiaz, Sania Iqbal, Rabia Batool, Sadia Yousaf.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
MOTORSPG
Having the riders lined up on the grid for a MotoGP race in the middle of the desert, under floodlights, only for it to get postponed just seconds before the start due to torrential rain has to be about as unlucky and unlikely as it gets.
Unsurprisingly, the genius that is Valentino Rossi summed up the mood in the paddock on Sunday night perfectly when he said (and I am toning this down significantly): "It's like being alone with a girl only for your mother to walk in at the crucial moment!"
Thankfully the rain abated in time for Monday night's restart and we were all able to resume position and finally get it on as Australia's Casey Stoner eased to victory, with 2008 champion Rossi finishing second and Jorge Lorenzo third.
There had already been a sense of anticlimax on Thursday when Valentino and Sete Gibernau publicly made their peace over a bitter row that started, coincidentally, at Qatar back in 2004.
It was the first ever race to be run here and Vale was forced to start from the back of the grid after a complaint from Sete's Honda team that Jeremy Burgess and his crew had swept his grid position clean.
Valentino crashed out trying to recover positions in the race and, when Sete took victory, Rossi swore he would make sure the Spaniard would never win another race - a promise he stuck to in their most public falling out at Jerez in 2005, when he punted him off the track on the final corner.Sete announced his retirement at the end of 2006, marrying a supermodel and disappearing into the ether before divorcing and returning to MotoGP as a test rider last year. When he announced he was coming back full-time for 2009, we were all looking forward to some unfinished business getting sorted out.
"Honestly, I'm really happy to have Sete back," said Vale, disappointing the hacks but without doubt echoing the sentiments of the entire paddock.
"Some of my hardest battles have been with him and I wish him luck. Hopefully he can be at the front again - not in front of me, but at the front - and I think we can be friends again."
"We've all matured since then and I've come back with my hand outstretched to Valentino and to everybody else," said Sete.
"I'm proud of the way I've been welcomed back and proud that Valentino says he had to ride on the limit against me in the past. I think he'll be champion again this year."
The pair had actually already kissed and made up - metaphorically speaking of course - in an impromptu phone conversation last summer when Sete was visiting his friend Fonsi Nieto, the former 250cc and WSBK rider, in Ibiza.
The Spanish pair were having dinner when Fonsi received a call from Valentino, who owns a house on the island.
Fonsi cheekily passed the phone to Sete without telling either who was on the other end. "It was a bit confusing and he caught us both out," recalls Sete. "We talked for a little while and we've been in touch a couple of times since."
Friendly rivalry is an essential part of racing and while it may have overstepped the mark at Tech 3 Yamaha, where Colin Edwards and James Toseland are still not talking, there is very much the opposite vibe going on a few doors down the pit-lane at Ducati.
Nicky Hayden suffered a 130mph high-side during qualifying on Saturday and when Casey Stoner returned to parc fermé at the end of the session to be congratulated and interviewed on his pole position, his first question to his mechanic before he'd even taken his helmet off was about the welfare of his team-mate.
Golf
Harrington's driving will need to be on song this year to retain the Claret JugTurnberry to set longer Open test
Padraig Harrington will aim for a hat-trick of Open titles at a Turnberry course that is 247 yards longer than when it last staged the tournament.
The Scottish course, which last held the Open in 1994, will measure 7,204 yards for the 16-19 July event.
The new layout features six new tees, including a 200-yard drive over the bay near the famous Lighthouse at the 10th.
The longest course in Open history was Carnoustie, which measured 7,421 yards when Harrington won in 2007.
Since Zimbabwean Nick Price triumphed at Turnberry 15 years ago, the straight 410-yard 16th has changed to a 455-yard dogleg right, while the par-five 17th has been stretched from 498 to 559 yards with three new bunkers also added.
The new layout features six new tees, including a 200-yard drive over the bay near the famous Lighthouse at the 10th.
The longest course in Open history was Carnoustie, which measured 7,421 yards when Harrington won in 2007.
Since Zimbabwean Nick Price triumphed at Turnberry 15 years ago, the straight 410-yard 16th has changed to a 455-yard dogleg right, while the par-five 17th has been stretched from 498 to 559 yards with three new bunkers also added.
The 17th is the hole that Price eagled with a 50-foot putt as he saw off Sweden's Jesper Parnevik.
Turnberry first staged the Open in 1977 when Tom Watson beat Jack Nicklaus by a single stroke in what was dubbed the "Duel in the Sun". Although Nicklaus finished 65-66, Watson shot 65-65 with third-place Hubert Green 10 shots back.
Australian Greg Norman claimed his first major when Turnberry held the second of its three Opens in 1986.
Harrington, who defended his title with a four-shot victory over Ian Poulter at Royal Birkdale last year, will be playing his first tournament at the Ayrshire venue. The Dubliner is bidding to become the first player to win the Open three years in a row since Australian Peter Thomson in 1956.
Tiger Woods will also be making his first visit, but Sergio Garcia, Paul Casey and Geoff Ogilvy all competed in the 1996 British Amateur.
Meanwhile, with the world gripped by economic gloom, organisers of the Open are offering help to golf fans to get to Turnberry.
Turnberry first staged the Open in 1977 when Tom Watson beat Jack Nicklaus by a single stroke in what was dubbed the "Duel in the Sun". Although Nicklaus finished 65-66, Watson shot 65-65 with third-place Hubert Green 10 shots back.
Australian Greg Norman claimed his first major when Turnberry held the second of its three Opens in 1986.
Harrington, who defended his title with a four-shot victory over Ian Poulter at Royal Birkdale last year, will be playing his first tournament at the Ayrshire venue. The Dubliner is bidding to become the first player to win the Open three years in a row since Australian Peter Thomson in 1956.
Tiger Woods will also be making his first visit, but Sergio Garcia, Paul Casey and Geoff Ogilvy all competed in the 1996 British Amateur.
Meanwhile, with the world gripped by economic gloom, organisers of the Open are offering help to golf fans to get to Turnberry.
"Corporate hospitality is 15-20% down in line with all UK sporting events - everybody has suffered from that a little bit and it reflects the world we are in," said director of championships David Hill.
"We are encouraging clubs to bring members and the R&A will pay £250 towards the cost of a coach.
"In this period of recession we're trying to reach out to clubs and we will be contacting them with details. We're asking them to bring 30 people.
"We're also conscious that with the success of golf in Ireland we're anticipating a lot of people coming over and there will be a coach service from the ferry terminals.
"But we're not hugely concerned. We are pretty upbeat and we are confident that there is huge interest and that we should get to the same figures we had when the Open was last here in 1994."
While Opens at St Andrews always prove the most popular and attract in excess of 200,000 people, Turnberry's attendance 15 years ago was 115,000.
A daily ticket will cost £55 and Hill added: "When you compare that to other sporting events I believe it's fantastic value."
Prize money - Harrington scooped £750,000 last year- has still to be announced for July's event, but the Masters earlier this month showed no increase on last year.
"In recent years we have been the most lucrative major championship in dollar terms but with the shift in the exchange rate that may be difficult to sustain," said Hill.
"We are encouraging clubs to bring members and the R&A will pay £250 towards the cost of a coach.
"In this period of recession we're trying to reach out to clubs and we will be contacting them with details. We're asking them to bring 30 people.
"We're also conscious that with the success of golf in Ireland we're anticipating a lot of people coming over and there will be a coach service from the ferry terminals.
"But we're not hugely concerned. We are pretty upbeat and we are confident that there is huge interest and that we should get to the same figures we had when the Open was last here in 1994."
While Opens at St Andrews always prove the most popular and attract in excess of 200,000 people, Turnberry's attendance 15 years ago was 115,000.
A daily ticket will cost £55 and Hill added: "When you compare that to other sporting events I believe it's fantastic value."
Prize money - Harrington scooped £750,000 last year- has still to be announced for July's event, but the Masters earlier this month showed no increase on last year.
"In recent years we have been the most lucrative major championship in dollar terms but with the shift in the exchange rate that may be difficult to sustain," said Hill.
RUGBY LEAGUE
Reds' Sibbit banned for Hull gameSalford will be without second-rower Ian Sibbit for Saturday's Super League game against Hull after he was handed a one-match suspension.
Sibbit also received a £300 fine after being found guilty of a high tackle in the Reds' 38-6 defeat by Catalans Dragons on Saturday.
Castleford's Rangi Chase is free to face Celtic Crusaders on Sunday.
The stand-off was found not guilty of making a dangerous tackle in the Tigers' defeat by St Helens on Sunday
RUGBY UNION
O'Connell handed Lions captaincy
Ireland's Paul O'Connell has been confirmed as British and Irish Lions captain for the three-Test summer tour to South Africa.
The second row was one of 14 Ireland players included in head coach Ian McGeechan's 37-man squad on Tuesday.
The party also includes 13 Welshmen, eight from England and two Scots.
Ireland centre Keith Earls was a surprise call-up, as was countryman and back-row Alan Quinlan, Welsh wing Leigh Halfpenny and England lock Simon Shaw.
England wing Ugo Monye is also on the plane, but national captains Steve Borthwick of England, Ryan Jones of Wales and Mike Blair of Scotland were among those left out.
With Wales' Lee Byrne and Ireland's Rob Kearney the only full-backs in the squad, another surprise omission was England number 15 Delon Armitage.
Leicester loose forward Tom Croft, one of England's most consistent performers in the Six Nations, also misses out, along with international team-mate and Wasps fly-half Danny Cipriani and Wales and Ospreys number 10 James Hook.
The 21-year-old Earls, who can also play full-back, has two Ireland caps but did not feature in the Grand Slam-winning side during the Six Nations campaign.
Shaw, 35, is the only player in the squad who featured on the previous tour of South Africa, when Martin Johnson led the Lions to a 2-1 series victory in 1997.
McGeechan, who as head coach appointed Johnson as skipper 12 years ago, believes O'Connell has similar qualities to the England legend and is the ideal man to lead the Lions, on and off the field.
"He leads from the front on the field and as a quality international has the respect of his fellow players all over the world," said the Scot.
"As a member of the 2005 tour to New Zealand he played in five matches including three Tests so knows all about the ethos and challenges of Lions tours.
"I look forward to working with him and the entire squad over the coming months as we strive to develop a side that can add a successful chapter in the long history of the Lions."
O'Connell, who featured in all three of the Lions Tests in the 3-0 defeat by New Zealand in 2005, said he was honoured to have the chance to captain the side against the world champions.
"This was never something I aspired to do but to be selected is a great honour," said the 29-year-old, who has made 62 Test appearances for Ireland and who got the nod ahead of his international skipper Brian O'Driscoll.
"I looked at the squad last night and it will be a privilege to lead them. It's a great honour considering the captains that have gone before me, some of them legends of the game.
"Brian O'Driscoll gave me a ring the other day after we had spoken to Ian and was great about it. The main thing will be leaning on the experience of the coaches and leaders within the squad.
"It needs to be a big squad effort. That will be the secret to any success. The more people who have input the better."
Former Lions scrum-half Matt Dawson told BBC Radio 5 Live that O'Connell has "the Martin Johnson type quality about him".
"He leads by example. He has blossomed as an experienced player over the past year or so. He's been through the mill and it is a perfect opportunity and time for him to captain the Lions."
And former Lions hooker Keith Wood agreed that his former team-mate was the ideal man for the job.
Wood told BBC Radio 5 Live: "There is a new level of maturity and he is a leader by example.
"He talks very well and he understands how to be a captain. There is the upmost respect for him across Ireland."
McGeechan said he opted for physical ball carriers among the forwards to combat the threat posed by South Africa's Bakkies Botha and Schalk Burger.
"It's important you do have forwards that are comfortable on the ball as well as being big men," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"Simon Shaw is one of the most skilful forwards I've ever coached. Nathan Hines is the same. Paul O'Connell gets his hands on the ball quite a lot."
Lions scrum coach Graham Rowntree added: "It's important that we took some physical animals. Because that's what South Africa are
Ireland's Paul O'Connell has been confirmed as British and Irish Lions captain for the three-Test summer tour to South Africa.The second row was one of 14 Ireland players included in head coach Ian McGeechan's 37-man squad on Tuesday.
The party also includes 13 Welshmen, eight from England and two Scots.
Ireland centre Keith Earls was a surprise call-up, as was countryman and back-row Alan Quinlan, Welsh wing Leigh Halfpenny and England lock Simon Shaw.
England wing Ugo Monye is also on the plane, but national captains Steve Borthwick of England, Ryan Jones of Wales and Mike Blair of Scotland were among those left out.
With Wales' Lee Byrne and Ireland's Rob Kearney the only full-backs in the squad, another surprise omission was England number 15 Delon Armitage.
Leicester loose forward Tom Croft, one of England's most consistent performers in the Six Nations, also misses out, along with international team-mate and Wasps fly-half Danny Cipriani and Wales and Ospreys number 10 James Hook.
The 21-year-old Earls, who can also play full-back, has two Ireland caps but did not feature in the Grand Slam-winning side during the Six Nations campaign.
Shaw, 35, is the only player in the squad who featured on the previous tour of South Africa, when Martin Johnson led the Lions to a 2-1 series victory in 1997.
McGeechan, who as head coach appointed Johnson as skipper 12 years ago, believes O'Connell has similar qualities to the England legend and is the ideal man to lead the Lions, on and off the field.
"He leads from the front on the field and as a quality international has the respect of his fellow players all over the world," said the Scot.
"As a member of the 2005 tour to New Zealand he played in five matches including three Tests so knows all about the ethos and challenges of Lions tours.
"I look forward to working with him and the entire squad over the coming months as we strive to develop a side that can add a successful chapter in the long history of the Lions."
O'Connell, who featured in all three of the Lions Tests in the 3-0 defeat by New Zealand in 2005, said he was honoured to have the chance to captain the side against the world champions.
"This was never something I aspired to do but to be selected is a great honour," said the 29-year-old, who has made 62 Test appearances for Ireland and who got the nod ahead of his international skipper Brian O'Driscoll.
"I looked at the squad last night and it will be a privilege to lead them. It's a great honour considering the captains that have gone before me, some of them legends of the game.
"Brian O'Driscoll gave me a ring the other day after we had spoken to Ian and was great about it. The main thing will be leaning on the experience of the coaches and leaders within the squad.
"It needs to be a big squad effort. That will be the secret to any success. The more people who have input the better."
Former Lions scrum-half Matt Dawson told BBC Radio 5 Live that O'Connell has "the Martin Johnson type quality about him".
"He leads by example. He has blossomed as an experienced player over the past year or so. He's been through the mill and it is a perfect opportunity and time for him to captain the Lions."
And former Lions hooker Keith Wood agreed that his former team-mate was the ideal man for the job.
Wood told BBC Radio 5 Live: "There is a new level of maturity and he is a leader by example.
"He talks very well and he understands how to be a captain. There is the upmost respect for him across Ireland."
McGeechan said he opted for physical ball carriers among the forwards to combat the threat posed by South Africa's Bakkies Botha and Schalk Burger.
"It's important you do have forwards that are comfortable on the ball as well as being big men," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"Simon Shaw is one of the most skilful forwards I've ever coached. Nathan Hines is the same. Paul O'Connell gets his hands on the ball quite a lot."
Lions scrum coach Graham Rowntree added: "It's important that we took some physical animals. Because that's what South Africa are
Cricket
Lendl Simmons hit 102 and Brendan Nash 78 as West Indies declared their first innings on 315-6 on day two of their warm-up match with Leicestershire.
Simmons, whose uncle Phil was an overseas player at Grace Road between 1994 and 1998, shared a 154-run stand spanning 30 overs with Nash.
Both men retired unbeaten to allow team-mates batting practice. Paceman Alex Wyatt, 18, finished with 3-42.
The hosts, who made 182 in their first innings, were 51-1 at stumps.
"It was a pretty flat batting track and I enjoyed it," said Simmons, who also hit a hundred at Grace Road playing for West Indies A against Leicestershire nearly three years ago.
"I know my uncle played here a few years ago and I also played here for the A team a few years ago and I enjoyed today - it was a good feeling.
Simmons, whose uncle Phil was an overseas player at Grace Road between 1994 and 1998, shared a 154-run stand spanning 30 overs with Nash.
Both men retired unbeaten to allow team-mates batting practice. Paceman Alex Wyatt, 18, finished with 3-42.
The hosts, who made 182 in their first innings, were 51-1 at stumps.
"It was a pretty flat batting track and I enjoyed it," said Simmons, who also hit a hundred at Grace Road playing for West Indies A against Leicestershire nearly three years ago.
"I know my uncle played here a few years ago and I also played here for the A team a few years ago and I enjoyed today - it was a good feeling.
"It was important I made a good start to the tour. I've taken this warm-up game very seriously and I wanted to make a good show of myself.
"I have been looking forward to this series, particularly the first Test at Lord's, and I'm feeling in good nick."
On Monday, Windies coach John Dyson delivered a scathing verdict on the Grace Road pitch after seeing Leicestershire dismissed for a small total and his side reduced to 80-4.
But a change in conditions and a determined display from the West Indies middle order rather showed up his comments, with the tourists ending the 100 overs of their first innings - the maximum allowed for the three-day warm-up matches - 138 runs ahead.
The 24-year-old Simmons scored a double-hundred for West Indies A against England in St Kitts and made his Test debut in the final match of the series in Trinidad.
That display earned him a place in West Indies' tour squad and he chose his uncle's old stomping ground to enhance his claims for selection in the opening Test at Lord's on 6 May.
Resuming overnight on 21, Simmons was given one reprieve on 79 when he slashed at left-arm seamer Harry Gurney and was dropped at slip by Boeta Dippenaar, but otherwise he seemed to have adjusted to the conditions impressively.
He retired hurt only three balls after reaching his century with his 11th four through extra cover, but had recovered sufficiently from cramp in his right arm to keep wicket when Leicestershire began their reply.
Nash was equally impressive and, although he was watchful at first, he also hit 11 fours before retiring after being hit on the thigh.
The pair's premature retirements allowed Dinesh Ramdin, leading the side in the absence of skipper Chris Gayle, who is playing in the IPL, to forge a 54-run stand with Sulieman Benn.
Ramdin made 36 before being caught in the deep to hand Dippenaar his maiden first-class wicket in a career spanning nearly 14 years.
Emerging seamer Andrew Richardson ensured West Indies finished the day in buoyant spirits by removing opener Tom New in his second over when he fended a short ball to gully.
"I have been looking forward to this series, particularly the first Test at Lord's, and I'm feeling in good nick."
On Monday, Windies coach John Dyson delivered a scathing verdict on the Grace Road pitch after seeing Leicestershire dismissed for a small total and his side reduced to 80-4.
But a change in conditions and a determined display from the West Indies middle order rather showed up his comments, with the tourists ending the 100 overs of their first innings - the maximum allowed for the three-day warm-up matches - 138 runs ahead.
The 24-year-old Simmons scored a double-hundred for West Indies A against England in St Kitts and made his Test debut in the final match of the series in Trinidad.
That display earned him a place in West Indies' tour squad and he chose his uncle's old stomping ground to enhance his claims for selection in the opening Test at Lord's on 6 May.
Resuming overnight on 21, Simmons was given one reprieve on 79 when he slashed at left-arm seamer Harry Gurney and was dropped at slip by Boeta Dippenaar, but otherwise he seemed to have adjusted to the conditions impressively.
He retired hurt only three balls after reaching his century with his 11th four through extra cover, but had recovered sufficiently from cramp in his right arm to keep wicket when Leicestershire began their reply.
Nash was equally impressive and, although he was watchful at first, he also hit 11 fours before retiring after being hit on the thigh.
The pair's premature retirements allowed Dinesh Ramdin, leading the side in the absence of skipper Chris Gayle, who is playing in the IPL, to forge a 54-run stand with Sulieman Benn.
Ramdin made 36 before being caught in the deep to hand Dippenaar his maiden first-class wicket in a career spanning nearly 14 years.
Emerging seamer Andrew Richardson ensured West Indies finished the day in buoyant spirits by removing opener Tom New in his second over when he fended a short ball to gully.
Olympics
Adcock and White are bright hopes for 2012 and beyond
Britain's badminton players can topple China's top talent according to the boss of England's governing body.
The Chinese won eight medals, including three golds at the Beijing Olympics, while British pair Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms lost in the quarter-finals.
Badminton England chief executive Adrian Christy told BBC Sport: "We are coming in after a successful era, but we're building for 2012 and beyond.
"There will be no compromise. China are the competition but we can be bigger."
Badminton England's directive is developing the current crop of international players and the young prospects coming through to the Elite senior level, as well as providing a pathway for producing talent for the Olympics.
Christy, who oversees the development of the sport in England and Britain, is targeting two medals at London 2012.
He is looking to improve on the mixed doubles bronze won by Simon Archer and Joanne Goode in 2000 and the Athens silver in won by Robertson and the now-retired Emms in 2004.
Following the lack of medals at last year's Olympics, Christy added: "We did well in Athens and Sydney and we were close in Beijing.
"Although we had tough draws in China, the fact of the matter is that we didn't deliver."
As well as performance director Ian Moss, the responsibility of this delivery that Christy is demanding also lies in the hands of the recently-appointed Ian Wright and Andy Wood.
Wright, former national head coach, is the new performance manager and Wood, team GB manager in Beijing, is the new Olympic team boss for London.
Wood led Team GB in Beijing, while Wright guided England to bronze in the Sudirman Cup in 2007 and successive silvers in the European team championships in 2007 and 2008 and was also GB and England coach in Beijing.
With six high performance centres in England and a base in Milton Keynes the future looks even brighter for the sport in Britain.
Wright revealed huge "excitement" for his new role, emphasising his responsibilities lay towards talent recruitment and winning medals.
"We do have a lot of emerging players but in the long term we have to compete with the Asians and increase the base of players," Wright said, adding that Gabby White, 18, and Chris Adcock, 20, were great prospects.
"There have been some uneasy times but we now have to create more competition for players for the English and British programs.
"At the end of the day we will be judged by this."
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