Pakistan win toss and bat against England
Updated at: 1409 PST, Sunday, September 12, 2010
LEEDS: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi won the toss and elected to bat against England in the second one-day international at Headingley here on Sunday.
Both teams were unchanged from the first of this five-match series, which England won by 24 runs at the Riverside on Friday.
Pakistan's decision to stick with the same side meant there was still no place for all-rounder Abdul Razzaq who has been struggling with shoulder and back injuries.
Once again fast bowler Wahab Riaz, who will be interviewed by police next week in the course of their spot-fixing inquiries, was omitted.
Pakistan's tour of Britain has been overshadowed by newspaper allegations of a betting scam that saw no-balls deliberately bowled in the fourth Test against England at Lord's last month.
The claims, published in the News of the World, led to the suspension of Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif by the International Cricket Council.
Teams
England: Andrew Strauss (capt), Steve Davies (wkt), Jonathan Trott, Paul Collingwood, Eoin Morgan, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Michael Yardy, Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
Pakistan:
Kamran Akmal (wkt), Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq, Mohammad Yousuf, Fawad Alam, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi (capt), Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Irfan
Umpires: Nigel Llong (ENG) and Billy Doctrove (WIS)
TV umpire: Ian Gould (ENG)
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL
Monday, September 13, 2010
Reina denies Birmingham win over Liverpool
Reina denies Birmingham win over Liverpool
Heroics from goalkeeper Pepe Reina denied Birmingham City victory over Liverpool in a goalless draw at St Andrew’s in Sunday’s only English Premier League game.
The result maintains Liverpool’s unspectacular start to the season under new manager Roy Hodgson, but they remain in the bottom half of the league with five points from four matches.
Birmingham sit just one point further ahead but move back into sixth place, and will feel that their first half performance might have deserved all three points.
The home side put Liverpool under concerted pressure throughout the first-half and had two superb opportunities to score through striker Cameron Jerome.
The first came midway through the first-half when Reina produced a stunning save, diving to his right to keep out what looked like a certain goal from Jerome’s header.
Ten minutes later, Reina again blocked a sharp header from Jerome after an excellent cross from Sebastian Larsson.
With Fernando Torres again appearing to struggle in his search for form and fitness, Liverpool posed little threat for most of the match.
Only a late burst of pressure, with Steven Gerrard becoming increasingly influential, threatened the hosts, but Liverpool were unable to carve out many clear goal-scoring opportunities.
Heroics from goalkeeper Pepe Reina denied Birmingham City victory over Liverpool in a goalless draw at St Andrew’s in Sunday’s only English Premier League game.
The result maintains Liverpool’s unspectacular start to the season under new manager Roy Hodgson, but they remain in the bottom half of the league with five points from four matches.
Birmingham sit just one point further ahead but move back into sixth place, and will feel that their first half performance might have deserved all three points.
The home side put Liverpool under concerted pressure throughout the first-half and had two superb opportunities to score through striker Cameron Jerome.
The first came midway through the first-half when Reina produced a stunning save, diving to his right to keep out what looked like a certain goal from Jerome’s header.
Ten minutes later, Reina again blocked a sharp header from Jerome after an excellent cross from Sebastian Larsson.
With Fernando Torres again appearing to struggle in his search for form and fitness, Liverpool posed little threat for most of the match.
Only a late burst of pressure, with Steven Gerrard becoming increasingly influential, threatened the hosts, but Liverpool were unable to carve out many clear goal-scoring opportunities.
29 cricketers suspected of spot-fixing in IPL
29 cricketers suspected of spot-fixing in IPL 2: report
LONDON: Twenty nine cricketers, including two Australians are suspected to be involved in spot-fixing at last year's Indian Premier League in South Africa, a leading London newspaper said on Sunday.
According to a secret dossier compiled by the ICC's anti-corruption and security unit, the list includes some high-profile names but nobody from England or Pakistan, whose players did not take part due to security issues, The Sunday Times said.
"Some betting patterns were very suspicious at IPL 2," the report said quoting a source. Despite long-standing concerns about the integrity of the IPL -- whose commissioner Lalit Modi is suspended amid corruption allegations -- England players are expected to be available for the entirety of next year's IPL for first time.
According to a secret dossier compiled by the ICC's anti-corruption and security unit, the list includes some high-profile names but nobody from England or Pakistan, whose players did not take part due to security issues, The Sunday Times said.
"Some betting patterns were very suspicious at IPL 2," the report said quoting a source. Despite long-standing concerns about the integrity of the IPL -- whose commissioner Lalit Modi is suspended amid corruption allegations -- England players are expected to be available for the entirety of next year's IPL for first time.
Sania, Shoaib not interested in Big Boss IV
Sania, Shoaib not interested in Big Boss IV
There was speculation that Sania and Shoaib Malik, a Pakistani cricketer, would be one of the star couples who will feature in the new edition og Big Boss
Indian tennis star Sania Mirza on Monday rubbished media reports that she and her husband will appear in TV reality show Big Boss season IV and said even if such an offers comes, they are not interested.
There was a speculation that Sania and Shoaib Malik, a Pakistani cricketer, would be one of the star couples who will feature in the new edition to be hosted by Bollywood star Salman Khan.
Sania, who is preparing for Commonwealth Games, said she and Shoaib have never been approached by the show producers.
“This is a figment of the media’s imagination. The creators of this program have never approached me and more importantly, there is no question of me or Shoaib ever considering being on this program even if we were approached with the offer,” Sania told PTI.
There was speculation that Sania and Shoaib Malik, a Pakistani cricketer, would be one of the star couples who will feature in the new edition og Big Boss
There was a speculation that Sania and Shoaib Malik, a Pakistani cricketer, would be one of the star couples who will feature in the new edition to be hosted by Bollywood star Salman Khan.
Sania, who is preparing for Commonwealth Games, said she and Shoaib have never been approached by the show producers.
“This is a figment of the media’s imagination. The creators of this program have never approached me and more importantly, there is no question of me or Shoaib ever considering being on this program even if we were approached with the offer,” Sania told PTI.
Sushil Kumar is World wrestling champion
Sushil Kumar is World wrestling champion
Sushil Kumar created history by becoming the first Indian wrestler to win a gold medal at the World Championships
Sushil Kumar made history by becoming the first Indian to win a World wrestling championship gold medal when he overpowered home favourite Alan Gogaev to win the 66kg freestyle title in Moscow on Sunday.
The exciting 3-1 victory in the title-bout also made Sushil the first Indian grappler to bag Olympic and World championship medals. The 27-year-old already holds the Asian and Commonwealth titles.
On his way to the final, Sushil convincingly defeated Anastasios Akritidis of Greece (6-0), Martin Sebastian Daum of Germany (4-1) and Batzorig Buyanjar of Mongolia (9-1) before rallying to beat reigning European champion Jabrayil Hasanov of Azerbaijan (4-3).
Historic triumph
In the final, Sushil got the better of Gogaev in two straight rounds, winning 2-1 and 1-0 and sealing a historic triumph.
The Delhi wrestler had won the bronze in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, becoming the second Indian wrestler, the first being K.D. Jadhav, to achieve the distinction.
Last year in Denmark, Ramesh Kumar had broken India's long medal drought in the World championship by returning a bronze in the 74-kg category.
The other World championship medallists from India were Uday Chand (bronze in 1961), Bishambhar Singh (silver in 1967) and Alka Tomar (bronze in 2006).
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President G.S. Mander was quick to hail Sushil's feat.
“Sushil had proved his mettle at every level and now he has done it at the World level. It is a big thing to be the World, Asian and Commonwealth champion at the same time,” Mander said.
Sushil had won the Commonwealth championship in Jalandhar in December last and the Asian title here in May.
Welcome change
“In the midst of so much negative publicity doing the rounds (due to drug abuse in Indian sport), this is a welcome change,” Mander added.
The WFI Secretary and former Asian Games gold medallist Kartar Singh, too, expressed his joy after Sushil won the gold.
“I am very happy with his achievement. The country expected him to win the gold and he did it,” said Kartar.
“When I spoke to him, he said that it was due to God's grace. He said the competition was very tough, especially the semifinal against the European champion was a difficult bout.
“ had advised Sushil to give his best even against the fancied Russian wrestler (in the final) as such chances come very rarely in life, so he should grab it with both hands,” Kartar said.
Kartar hoped that the Commonwealth Games gold at home should not be a difficult thing to achieve for Sushil.
The WFI declared that a befitting welcome and suitable reward await the star wrestler on his return from Moscow.
The 1982 Asian Games gold medallist, Satpal, also showered praise on Sushil. “He had prepared well, otherwise it is not easy to win five straight bouts in day.
“Undoubtedly, he is the best wrestler India has ever produced. His humility and sincerity has made him what he is,” said Satpal.
Sushil Kumar created history by becoming the first Indian wrestler to win a gold medal at the World Championships
The exciting 3-1 victory in the title-bout also made Sushil the first Indian grappler to bag Olympic and World championship medals. The 27-year-old already holds the Asian and Commonwealth titles.
On his way to the final, Sushil convincingly defeated Anastasios Akritidis of Greece (6-0), Martin Sebastian Daum of Germany (4-1) and Batzorig Buyanjar of Mongolia (9-1) before rallying to beat reigning European champion Jabrayil Hasanov of Azerbaijan (4-3).
Historic triumph
In the final, Sushil got the better of Gogaev in two straight rounds, winning 2-1 and 1-0 and sealing a historic triumph.
The Delhi wrestler had won the bronze in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, becoming the second Indian wrestler, the first being K.D. Jadhav, to achieve the distinction.
Last year in Denmark, Ramesh Kumar had broken India's long medal drought in the World championship by returning a bronze in the 74-kg category.
The other World championship medallists from India were Uday Chand (bronze in 1961), Bishambhar Singh (silver in 1967) and Alka Tomar (bronze in 2006).
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President G.S. Mander was quick to hail Sushil's feat.
“Sushil had proved his mettle at every level and now he has done it at the World level. It is a big thing to be the World, Asian and Commonwealth champion at the same time,” Mander said.
Sushil had won the Commonwealth championship in Jalandhar in December last and the Asian title here in May.
Welcome change
“In the midst of so much negative publicity doing the rounds (due to drug abuse in Indian sport), this is a welcome change,” Mander added.
The WFI Secretary and former Asian Games gold medallist Kartar Singh, too, expressed his joy after Sushil won the gold.
“I am very happy with his achievement. The country expected him to win the gold and he did it,” said Kartar.
“When I spoke to him, he said that it was due to God's grace. He said the competition was very tough, especially the semifinal against the European champion was a difficult bout.
“ had advised Sushil to give his best even against the fancied Russian wrestler (in the final) as such chances come very rarely in life, so he should grab it with both hands,” Kartar said.
Kartar hoped that the Commonwealth Games gold at home should not be a difficult thing to achieve for Sushil.
The WFI declared that a befitting welcome and suitable reward await the star wrestler on his return from Moscow.
The 1982 Asian Games gold medallist, Satpal, also showered praise on Sushil. “He had prepared well, otherwise it is not easy to win five straight bouts in day.
“Undoubtedly, he is the best wrestler India has ever produced. His humility and sincerity has made him what he is,” said Satpal.
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