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.

England emerge World T20 champions!

BARBADOS:England stormed to a seven-wicket victory over Australia at the Kensington Oval to break their 35-year duck in International Cricket Council tournaments.

The ease of England's success in the final of the ICC World Twenty20 made a mockery of previous failures, as Craig Kieswetter and Kevin Pietersen's stand of 111 helped them cruise past Australia's 147 for six - with three full overs to spare.

Kieswetter (63) hit six fours and a six in his 40-ball 50 and Pietersen was almost as dominant in a run chase which became no-contest long before captain Paul Collingwood clubbed the winning runs.

Both of England's second-wicket pair got out before the end, allowing Collingwood to appropriately shepherd his team to the previously elusive silverware.

Australia, hitherto unbeaten in this tournament, stumbled disastrously to eight for three in the third over after being put in on a pacy pitch.

David Hussey (59) oversaw a well-crafted recovery. But England had taken a telling advantage, and were in no mood to let it slip this time against the old enemy. Hussey shared a fifth-wicket stand of 50 with Cameron White and also combined to good effect with his brother Michael to help add 55 in the last five overs.

But the resulting total never looked enough, and in the end England made it seem woefully short.

Their only minor moments of discomfort came with an early departure of their own - Michael Lumb spearing a catch to mid-on off Shaun Tait - and then an embarrassing five-minute hiatus for the organisers as groundstaff struggled to fix a glitch with the sightscreen.

Teams

Australia: DA Warner, SR Watson, MJ Clarke (Captain), DJ Hussey, CL White, MEK Hussey, BJ Haddin (WK), SPD Smith, MG Johnson, SW Tait, DP Nannes

England: MJ Lumb, C Kieswetter (WK), KP Pietersen, PD Collingwood (Captain), EJG Morgan, LJ Wright, TT Bresnan, MH Yardy, GP Swann, SCJ Broad, RJ Sidebottom

Azlan Shah: Pakistan take 5th position

IPOH: Pakistan clinch fifth position in the Azlan Shah Hockey cup in Ipoh city of Malaysia after beating China 6-5.

Pakistan and China managed to score a goal each in the allotted 70 minutes. Both the teams scored five goals each in the penalty shoot out.

However it was pakistan who eventually knocked out the opponents in the sudden death round by taking a lead of 6-5.

Australia will take on Malaysia for the third spot match while India and South Korea will meet in the final of the tournament.

KARACHI: Issara Kachaiwong of Thailand won his second Asian snooker title in four years when he beat Pakistan’s Mohammad Sajjad 7-3 in the final in Chanthaburi before a sizeable home crowd on Saturday.

Earlier, he had done his country proud by capturing the crown in Sri Lanka in 2006.

The title clash saw the two players fighting aggressively until three-all when the Pakistani gave up losing the next four frames in a row.

Kachaiwong won the battle 17-49, 78-15, 65-73, 94-40, 66-6, 43-64, 85-30, 81-1, 123-8, 120-1.

The Thai cracked three efficient breaks of 78, 80 and 61 in the second, ninth and tenth frames. Sajjad chalked up a break of 51 in the sixth frame.

Sajjad became the second Pakistani to have played the final since the inception of the Asian Snooker Championship in 1984 the first being veteran Mohammad Yousuf who captured the crown in 1998. Sajjad, however, earned the distinction of scoring highest break (134) of the event.

Earlier, Kachaiwong’s compatriot Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon edged past two-time former Asian champion, Yasin Merchant of India, 3-1 to seize third position.

After conceding the opener 0-88, the Thai was home 64-59, 106-0, 77-36.

Results:

Final: Issara Kachaiwong (Thailand) bt Mohammad Sajjad (Pakistan) 7-3 (17-49, 78-15, 65-73, 94-40, 66-6, 43-64, 85-30, 81-1, 123-8, 120-1).

Playoff for third position: Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon (Thailand) bt Yasin Merchant (India) 3-1 (0-88, 64-59, 106-0, 77-36).