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Monday, May 17, 2010

Australia women lift World Twenty20

BRIDGETOWN: Ellyse Perry took three wickets and held her nerve in a tense last over as Australia beat New Zealand by just three runs in a thrilling women’s World Twenty20 final.

With the White Ferns needing 14 off the last over, Perry – also an Australian international football player – who was backed up by fine fielding from Rene Farrell and Shelley Nitschke, did not give up a boundary and the pace bowler finished with impressive figures of three wickets for 18 runs from her four overs. Victory came just hours after Australia’s men’s team had lost in the corresponding final to arch-rivals England.

The result was tough on Sophie Devine, whose unbeaten 38 off 35 balls rescued New Zealand from a top-order collapse to give them a shot at victory just a year after they were beaten in the final to England at Lord’s. New Zealand, chasing a modest 107 for victory after holding their rivals to 106 for six, slumped to 29 for four inside eight overs. In the end, Australia were grateful for a late stand of 27 between Sarah Elliott and Lisa Sthalekar that got them to a total they just about managed to defend.

Salman Butt likely to be captain for England tour

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering a move to appoint Salman Butt as captain for the two Test series taking place in England against the hosts and Australia with Shahid Afridi likely to lead the Twenty20 and the One-Day International (ODI) squads.

According to sources, the team management, including coach Waqar Younis, as well as the PCB officials all seem to agree on Salman’s appointment viewing Afridi’s reluctance to return to the Test arena. Afridi has not played a Test for almost four years and while the all-rounder has not confirmed his decision to stay away from Test matches, his return looks highly unlikely.

Pakistan’s next appointment is the Asia Cup that starts from June15 in Sri Lanka followed by the tour of England where it will play two Twenty20s and two Tests against Australia as well as four Tests, five ODIs and two Twenty20s against the hosts. While the tour is still over a month away, the PCB is already mulling over the possible candidates for the threemonth long tour.

“Nothing has been confirmed as far as the captaincy is confirmed,” Ijaz told The Express Tribune from London where he is meeting with his English counterpart Giles Clarke. “The squads for the Asia Cup and the tour of England will be named together on May 22 or 24 as the team will depart for London directly from Sri Lanka after the Asia Cup.” The sources added that Salman, who finished as the third-highest scorer in the recently- concluded 2010 World Twenty20, has the backing of the coach as well as the senior players in the team and is on good terms with all team members.

Pakistan may head to the one-day tournament in Sri Lanka and the tour of England hampered by the absence of key players including Mohammad Yousuf, Younus Khan and Shoaib Malik, with all three banned by the PCB. Younus and Malik have filed appealed against their bans, the hearing dates have set as May 22 and 29 respectively. As a result, Malik, if successful, may be able to make his international comeback while Younus may have to wait until the Test series in England.

PCB, KCCA at odds over local elections

KARACHI: The Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) Secretary Sirajul Islam Bokhari has claimed that the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) district body elections will be considered void because the election commission is holding the polls according to 2003 PCB electoral rules instead of the 2007 constitution.

“The 2007 constitution clearly defines the election process and the role of election,” Bokhari told The Express Tribune. “It says that whatever policy is formed by the PCB governing body must get approved by the federal sports board.” According to Bokhari, the PCB election rules are supposed to be formed by the current governing body with approval of the federal sports board. “How can the commission follow rules formed by Shaheryar Khan in 2003 when the 2007 constitution clearly suggests that the current governing body is to make the rules.”

Chief election commissioner Abdul Sami Khan disagreed with Bokhari. “The PCB has nothing to do with the federal sports ministry because it’s an independent organisation,” said Khan.

Tyson Gay breaks 44-year old record

Manchester: When Tommie Smith last set the world record in the straight 200 meter run, Walt Disney was still alive, the Beatles had yet to release Sgt. Pepper and Smith himself was still known as a great track star, not just as the guy who did the black power salute in Mexico City. For 44 years Smith's hand-timed 19.5 stood as the best ever time in the longer sprint run on a straight track. Not anymore.

American sprint star Tyson Gay lowered Smith's mark by .09 seconds this weekend on a specially constructed track at Manchester's Great City Games. His time of 19.41 included a blazing first 100 split of 9.88 and served notice that, when healthy, Gay can present a challenge to Usain Bolt. (It might not be much of a challenge, but still.)

Smith himself was in attendance to witness the feat and gave hearty congratulations to Gay. Soon after he broke the mark in May 1966, the IAAF stopped recognizing separate world records in the straight 200 and only included marks set on the regulation curved track. The race is rarely contested anymore, namely due to the fact that there aren't many tracks which include 200-meter straightaways.

After the race, Gay was asked whether he could supplant Bolt as the world's fastest man. "He's in another class right now but I'm working hard to get there," he said. "The challenge is for me to work hard to get to where he is at."

Two ailing Pak footballers look for Mesiaha for heart treatment

By Ubaid-ur-Rehman AWan

KARACHI: Two former Pakistan football players Lal Mohamad and Abu Jan are living are very miserable life in poverty due to which they have become prey to heart ailment.
Both are paying visits to city hospitals with no money at hand to afford the expenses.

According to details, in 1969, both these players represented Pakistan at international football. Lal Mohammad used to play for Dhaka Mohammad in Dhaka, after that he shifted to Pakistan and became members of the national team. He used to play for Pak P W and Habib Bank in domestic football. He also remained football coach.

FIFA referee Ahmed Jan has said the ailing football is in miserable condition, as he has no money to continue his treatment. He has to undergo bypass, but his family is not financial strong to do that.

Haji Masood Parekh is currently extending financial support to the footballer. Another footballer Abu Jan is also living in misery. Though he had suffered the heart, but his condition is a bit stable and now shifted to home. Both the above mentioned players are friends as well as they played together.

Essex retain their faith in Danish Kaneria



Danish Kaneria, the Pakistan leg spinner under police investigation for his alleged role in spot-fixing, is expected to join Essex when they travel by coach to the Netherlands on Thursday for a Clydesdale Bank 40 match.

He also remains part of Pakistan’s plans for their tour to England next month unless charges are brought against him.

Kaneria was arrested and questioned under caution by Essex Police last Friday along with Mervyn Westfield, a young fast bowler, as part of an investigation into alleged spot-fixing in a Pro40 match against Durham last season.

It has been reported that Kaneria introduced Westfield to a bookmaker who offered money in exchange for Westfield bowling poorly in one over. Both players have denied the allegations and were released on bail.

While county staff have been instructed not to comment on the case, The Times was told that the investigation will have no impact on selection unless charges are brought. Kaneria played for Essex against Kent last week and is expected to play against the Netherlands on Friday.

An official of the Pakistan Cricket Board told The Times yesterday that no request has been made by the ECB to drop Kaneria for the tour to England, which begins in late June and features “neutral” Test matches against Australia as well as four Tests with England.

“This is just a media report now,” the PCB said. “We have received no official comment, so there is nothing to change our plans. We won’t select the squad for a couple of weeks.” In normal circumstances, Westfield, 22, would have been a candidate to play for the county in the five-wicket victory over the Bangladeshis that concluded yesterday. Essex fielded a second-string attack that included two first-class debutants and two strike bowlers in Maurice Chambers and Tony Palladino, who, like Westfield, a former England Under-19 player, are on the fringe of the first XI.

Westfield has made little impact in the second XI this season, taking no wickets in three matches, and was playing club cricket for Wanstead on Saturday, when he made 66 not out against Gidea Park & Romford. The county would not say whether he will be the side to play in the second XI match against Hampshire today.

It is understood that police opened the case in March after an Essex player reported suspicions about the alleged fraud to senior players, who asked the club to investigate, which has made for a difficult atmosphere in the dressing room.

Palladino, a 26-year-old fast bowler who looked impressive against the Bangladeshis, begins a month-long loan with Kent and could feature in their LV= County Championship match against Durham at Canterbury today. There is no suggestion that Palladino is implicated in the spot- fixing allegations, but his spell away from the club may still come as a relief.

Essex lost five wickets in chasing 130 to beat the Bangladeshis at Chelmsford yesterday. Palladino took two more wickets to finish with six in the match as the touring side laboured to a total of 211 that was boosted significantly by a last-wicket stand of 46.

India, S.Korea become joint hockey champions

IPOH, Malaysia: India and South Korea were named joint champions of the 19th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup on Sunday after the final was abandoned because of heavy rain in northern Malaysia.

The decider in Ipoh was only in its 12th minute when the match was suspended because of the heavy downpour and after waiting an hour organisers cancelled the match, declaring both teams the winner.

Officials say it is the first time in the history of the tournament that a final had to be called off, with both teams also going down as the first joint champions of the tournament.

For defending champions India it is their fifth Sultan title, matching Australia, while for Asian Champions South Korea it will be their second title after winning the cup before in 1996.

“It is the decision of the organisers and we respect that. Anyway the rain was not about to stop and in the end that may well be the right decision,” said India’’s assistant coach Harender Singh.

South Korea’’s penalty corner flicker Nam Hyun-Woo was the top scorer overall with nine goals, while India’’s Sardar Singh was named player of the tournament.

In the play-off for third place, world champions Australia defeated Malaysia 5-3.

Pakistan clinched fifth place after defeating China 6-5 on penalties after the match ended 1-1 in regulation time.

PBSA President prises Sajjad

KARACHI: President of the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA), Alamgir Shaikh, has described the performance of Mohammad Sajjad as world class.

“He played with a different touch of class and reached new heights in a short span of time,” Shaikh told Dawn on his return with the Pakistan snooker squad from Bangkok here on Sunday evening.

Sajjad, who stole the limelight hammering highest break (134) of the 26th Asian Snooker Championship, finished runner-up losing 3-7 to Thailand’s Issara Kachaiwong on Saturday.

He earned a runner-up purse of $1200 and an additional $100 for the highest break.

According to the PBSA official, Sajjad together with Indian maestro Yasin Merchant has been invited to play in 6-Red Samsong international tournament being in Bangkok in July.

He also commended the performance of debutant Asjad Iqbal who qualified for the knockout stage before making his exit.

The PBSA patron, Asghar Valika, also returned with the team.

Sulaiman beat Nigel in Malta Open Scrabble



May 17th, 2010 by Ubaid-ur-Rehman Awan

QAWRA: Mohammad Sulaiman of Pakistan beat former World champion Nigel Richards of New Zealand by 61 points in 14th round of 2010 Malta Open Scrabble Tournament.

Mohammad Sulaiman is currently at number one place in final round of Malta Open Scrabble Tournament after defeating Helen Gipson of Scotland and Nigel Richards of New Zealand. The final score was Mohammad Sulaiman 431 and Nigel Richards 370.

Talking exclusively to The Sports Encounter, 70-years-old Mohammad Sulaiman said “I did not claim to win the title but I will try my level best to win the final as well. My aim is to get place in top five players and I am working very hard for this. I am better player than Nigel Richards and that is why I beat him. My family and friends was praying for my victory and with the help of ALLAH, I am able to reach in the final round. “

Total six games will be played in the final round of tournament where Mohammad Sulaiman will face Craig Beevers. Sulaiman is considered as one of the best players of scrabble in Pakistan and he is among top five players of the country.Total 92 players are participating in 2010 Malta Open Scrabble Tournament including Edward Martin of England and Nigel Richards of New Zealand.