August 28, 2010
LONDON: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) was on Friday accused of turning Test cricket into a ‘southern game’ after it released the international fixture list for 2011 with no Tests further north than Nottingham.
Jim Cumbes, Lancashire’s chief executive, believes that unless the ECB scraps the system of competitive tendering the removal of Test cricket from the north could become an economic reality for years to come, leaving Yorkshire, Lancashire and Durham, which between them stage 50 percent of competitive cricket in the country, to survive on a future of one-day cricket.
Sports
August 28, 2010
KARACHI: Pakistan One-day International and Twenty20 skipper Shahid Afridi on Friday said that Pakistan cricket team would perform better than they performed in the ongoing Test series in the upcoming five ODIs and two Twenty-20 against hosts England.
“Certainly our One-day International and Twenty20 squad is better than our Test team and we would perform better than what we did in the Test series.
“Moreover, team’s morale would be high after their victory in the third Test against hosts,” Shahid Afridi told reporters here before leaving for England on Friday.
Sports
August 28, 2010
LONDON: Mohammad Ilyas, the Pakistan selector, has rejected reports that he and fellow selection committee member Azhar Khan were snubbed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over the national team’s selection for next month’s limited-overs series against England.
Ilyas told ‘The News’ here at Lord’s on Friday that the PCB agreed to ‘80 per cent’ of the suggestions made by the selectors while deciding the 16-man squad for the limited-overs series which will kick off with two Twenty20 Internationals in Cardiff on September 5 and 7.
Sports
August 28, 2010
LONDON: Graham Gooch, England’s batting coach, has defended his team’s batters after a string of unimpressive outings in the ongoing Test series against Pakistan.
“Low scores are part of the game,” said Gooch, who has been involved with the England Test squad on a consultancy basis since last winter’s tour of South Africa.
Sports
August 27, 2010
BEIJING: China is preparing to host a major cycling event next month that will pass through seven cities, in the hope that it will eventually be on a par with the Tour de France, organisers said.
The Tour of China will begin on September 10 in the ancient capital of Xian, home to the Terracotta Warriors, and end in the northern port city of Tianjin on September 20, covering 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles) the China Daily said.
"It took us three years to prepare for this event," said Pang Zhichen, the head of the Chinese Cycling Association.
Sports
August 27, 2010
WELLINGTON: Australia’s tour of India and Ashes series against England will hold them in good stead as they look to win their fourth successive cricket World Cup next year, batsman Mike Hussey said on Thursday.
Ricky Ponting’s team have an exhausting schedule from October until the World Cup begins next February, playing two Tests and three One-day Internationals in India in October and three one day matches against Sri Lanka back home in November.
Sports
August 27, 2010
Pakistan won a crucial toss only to drop last match’s centurion Alastair Cook as wet weather spoiled the opening day of their Test series finale against England here at Lord’s on Thursday.
After Salman Butt elected to field in overcast conditions, Pakistan found themselves in a perfect position to put England under pressure, just days after flooring England with a lethal display of swing bowling in the third Test at The Oval which they won by four wickets.
Sports
August 27, 2010
MANCHESTER: Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has received a timely boost with the news that Rio Ferdinand should return to action ahead of schedule.
Ferdinand has been recovering from the knee ligament damage which forced the England captain to miss the World Cup in South Africa.
Ferguson said last week that he expected the centre-back to be sidelined until the start of October, but Ferdinand has made rapid progress in his recovery and has been back in training this week.
Sports
August 27, 2010
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The investigation of North Carolina's football program has expanded into possible academic misconduct involving players and a woman who also has worked as a tutor for coach Butch Davis' son, school officials said Thursday night.
Athletic director Dick Baddour declined to identify the players or say how many may be involved, and he refused to specify what the possible violations may have been, saying only that they involved "a student tutor and student-athletes on the football team.
Sports
August 27, 2010
PARAMUS, N.J. – A season filled with "worsts" finally gave way to a couple of "firsts" for Tiger Woods.
By missing only one fairway and having a birdie putt on all but two holes, Woods began the FedEx Cup playoffs with a 6-under 65 for a share of the lead with Vaughn Taylor after one round at The Barclays.
It was the first time in 335 days that he found his name atop the leaderboard on the PGA Tour.
It was the first time in 12 rounds, dating to the opening round at St. Andrews six weeks ago, that he broke 70.
Sports
