Sania-Mattek storms into East West Classic quarters
Los Angeles, Jul 23 (UNI) Starting her campaign in the 600,000 dollar East West Classic
tournament on a winning note, Sania Mirza added another feather to her cap entering the doubles
quarterfinals with her partner Bethanie Mattek defeating Vania King and Alla Kudryavtseva in
straight sets here.
The second seeded Indo-American pair outplayed the American- Russian duo 6-3 6-4 in the first
round of the hard court event.
Next, they would be facing the Russian pair of Elena Versina and Vera Zvonareva, who beat
American wild card Tracy Lin and Riza Zalameda 6-4 6-4 in the opening round.
In the singles, Sania won the first round match yesterday against her Czech opponent Eva Hrdinova
in straight sets. The Hyderabadi girl is now warming up to play against Chinese Meng Yuan in the
second round.
PCB to blame if Champions Trophy is shifted: Miandad
Karachi, July 23: Pakistan Cricket Board has failed to make its presence felt at the International
Cricket Council and PCB would have only itself to blame if the Champions Trophy is shifted out of
the country, said former captain Javed Miandad.
"The Pakistan board has never been strong enough at any level to make their presence felt at the
international level. And they never did their homework for the Champions Trophy properly,"
Miandad said on Wednesday.
"They knew very well they were going to host the event and they should have started lobbying and
garnering support much earlier to convince teams to tour Pakistan. They could even have hired a
lobbyist or media firm to force home the fact that Pakistan is a safe country for cricket," Miandad
said.
The former Pakistan coach also insisted that there was no strong personality in the PCB in a
position to get things done at the ICC level.
"Our board has always been fickle. It is not even sure about is own existence. In Pakistan, boards
are changed for small reasons. So it is obvious that their presence cannot be felt at the ICC level,"
he added.
The veteran of 124 Tests said if Pakistan lost the hosting rights for the Champions Trophy it would
be a sad day. "Look, I am more worried that if we don't host the Champions Trophy then what
affect it is going to have on future series in Pakistan," Miandad said.
The former Test batsman said the world and the ICC worked under a system which is missing in
the PCB. "The thing is that we don't have any system of work or implementing our policies. The
ICC and its member boards work differently. Even if some of their players refuse to tour Pakistan
for security concerns they will not be punished for it."
Miandad said he could also understand why some of the countries had apprehensions about playing
in Pakistan at the moment.
"They look at things in a different perspective from outside Pakistan. But I still feel if our board tries
hard enough we can still have the event in Pakistan," he said.
PCB backs its Champions Trophy security plans
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) - The Pakistan Cricket Board is adamant it should host the
Champions Trophy in September despite growing concerns from leading international players and
officials about security.
On the eve of an International Cricket Council vote on the issue, the PCB's senior official said
Pakistan's hosting rights should be beyond dispute because it has met all the security needs of
competing teams.
The ICC's 10 full member nations will vote from 0800 GMT on Thursday. Pakistan's status is in
jeopardy because Australia, New Zealand and England boards and players' representatives have
expressed concerns about security in the country. Sri Lanka is among the alternate venues.
"If it's a battle of legality and logic, we have won it," the PCB's chief operating officer Shafqat
Naghmi told the Associated Press.
Naghmi said Pakistan had offered foolproof security to all the participating teams of the Champions
Trophy and neutral security officials had toured Pakistan during the last two months.
"But if still they say that they have reservations, what can we do?" Naghmi said. The reservations
do remain, with Australian Cricketers Association chief executive Paul Marsh among those urging a
change of venue.
"Based on expert reports read and heard during Sunday's meeting there is no way the ACA can
recommend touring Pakistan at this time," Marsh said.
In an interview on Geo News channel widely reported in the Indian media, Marsh said despite the
good rating for security when Pakistan hosted the Asian Cup final last month, safety concerns were
omnipresent.
"There is a credible threat in all the major cities in Pakistan, including those which are hosting the
event, and they expect bombing in the coming week. So it's what we are concerned about," Marsh
said.
An ICC spokesman said that, if required, voting will be held in which a two-thirds majority will be
required to shift the Champions Trophy from Pakistan.
Holding the tournament in Pakistan could prompt a partial player boycott among the concerned
nations, with Australia's Andrew Symonds having already said he would not travel there.
Australia said such a boycott would undermine a Pakistan-staged tournament, while stopping short
of saying how it would vote Thursday.
"We've always been of the belief that international cricket is all about the best versus the best, and
to do anything else would compromise the brand and the reputation of cricket," Cricket Australia
spokesman Peter Young told the Australian Associated Press.
Cricket Australia indicated that players who decide against touring for safety fears would not face
future selection repercussions, meaning Symonds could skip the tour and return for the 2008-09
international season.
The ICC admitted that fears were raised about potential security threats during a briefing for the
eight participating countries, player representatives and broadcasters on the weekend.
"If it was up to player representatives, they would prefer not to be in Pakistan because of the
environmental or external risks," ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said after the briefing. "They
have got concerns because no guarantees, as far as safety and security are concerned, can be given
by the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board), the ICC or security consultants.
"We can do everything in our power to secure and safeguard officials, but we can never issue
guarantees."
However, Lorgat said the briefing by the ICC's security consultants stressed "great satisfaction"
about the measures implemented by Pakistan at the recently completed Asia Cup.
Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi are scheduled to each host five Champions Trophy matches.
Karachi and Lahore successfully hosted 13 Asia Cup one-day internationals that ended earlier this
month.
Australia is the major test playing country that has not toured Pakistan since 1997-98 season. It
was scheduled to tour Pakistan in March-April, but rescheduled it until next year due to security
concerns.
Botham Leads Criticism Of Selectors
The fall-out over England's selection of Darren Pattinson continued on Wednesday with three
former captains demanding explanations.
Nottinghamshire seamer Pattinson, 29, was plucked from obscurity on the eve of the second Test
against South Africa at Headingley last week.
His sudden call-up has dominated the inquest into the 10-wicket loss at Headingley with confusion
over who had the final say in his selection for the match.
Ian Botham led the chorus of condemnation for the selectors, claiming their decisions were
"appalling, embarrassing and downright wrong" in his Daily Mirror column.
He added: "The England team selection on Friday knocked me sideways. "I feel very sorry for
Darren Pattinson, but I don't have any sympathy for the selectors who lost all sense of perspective
and embarrassed English cricket.
"It was the most illogical, pathetic and diabolical piece of selecting I've seen."I want to hear a
proper explanation for this, as do the England cricket fans around the country."
Pattinson was the first new cap since the current selection panel of Geoff Miller, James Whitaker
and Ashley Giles took over.
Geoff Boycott was also unimpressed with what they came up with as they looked for a swing
bowler.
Boycott wrote in the Daily Telegraph: "He bowled steadily and didn't let anyone down. It is not his
fault that he is at the middle of this schemozzle.
"But this was one of the first big decisions taken by England's new selection panel, and they got it
badly wrong.
"They need to admit their mistake and realise that wild hunches are no way to build an international
cricket team."
Nasser Hussain has called for someone to take responsibility for the selection. "There has been a
bit too much passing the buck since England were beaten at Headingley," Hussain wrote in the
Daily Mail.
"Geoff Miller is in charge of selection but there has to be collective responsibility and we can't
forget that it was the players who lost the match.
"The bottom line is that the selectors chose to bring Darren Pattinson into the squad but it was
Michael Vaughan, as captain, and coach Peter Moores who decided he should be included in the
side."
He added: "Ultimately, as captain, you have to take the blame. In Brisbane back in 2002 when I
got it wrong with the toss, I put my hands up at the first opportunity. I made it clear it was my fault.
"The captain of any team should always take responsibility, even if there were other people to
blame behind the scenes."
Beijing bound wrestler nominated for Arjuna award
New Delhi, July 23: The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has recommended Beijing-bound
Yogheswar Dutt and 2007 World Championship bronze medallist Alka Tomar for Arjuna Awards
for year 2007.
While most of the sports federations did not hesitate to disclose the names of the sportsperson they
have recommended for the Arjuna Awards, the WFI chose to keep the nominations a guarded
secret.
However, highly placed sources said that apart from Yogheswar and Alka, the WFI has also
nominated coach Gurmukh Singh for the prestigious Dhyanchand Award.
"WFI has nominated Yogeshwar Dutt and Alka Tomar for Arjuna Awards for year 2007. The
Federation has also sent Gurmukh Singh's name for the Dhyanchand Award," said the source.
Earlier, although WFI President G S Mandher said that they have recommended two wrestlers for
the Arjuna Award, he refused to disclose their identity.
"Yes, we have recommended two wrestlers - one male and one female - for the Arjuna Award.
But at this moment I won't like to disclose their names," said Mandher.
"Making recommendation of names hardly matters, what matters is winning the award," he added.
The WFI President also was critical of other sports bodies for making the recommendations public.
I feel other sports federations too should abstain from disclosing the names of the athletes."
Pak cricketers to go through army training
Karachi, July 23: Indiscipline has often been the bane of Pakistan cricket and the team management
hopes to right the wrong by putting the players through a strict regimen at a military base to prepare
them for international assignments including the Champions Trophy.
Manager Talat Ali said on Wednesday that the players who were named in the preliminary squad
for the Champions Trophy are staying at the military physical training school in the Kakul base and
have been made to follow all military discipline regimens in the week long training camp that
concludes on July 28.
"They are training with the assistance of military fitness trainers every morning under the supervision
of our team trainer and they are also attending mess for meals in the proper dress codes. It is an
exercise aimed at inculcating more discipline in them," Talat said.
The Pakistani players last year also attended a military type training camp in Abbotabad before
going to the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa where they lost in the final to India.
"This time also our first assignment is the Twenty20 four-nation event in Toronto, Canada and we
are confident this camp will prepare us for the challenges ahead," he added.
Pakistan, West Indies, Bangladesh and Canada are taking part in the four-nation event from August
14 to 17. The national selectors are meeting with the team management tomorrow to finalise the
touring squad for the Twenty20 event.
Talat said that only pacer Umar Gul had not bowled as yet in the camp during the evening net
sessions as he was still recovering from his rib cartilage injury that forced him out of the Asia Cup
tournament recently.
"But he is training in the morning and frankly speaking we don't want to put him under any pressure
by asking him to resume bowling before time," Talat said.
The selectors have kept a 16-year old left arm pacer, Mohammad Aamir, in mind for the
Twenty20 event because of the fitness issue with Gul and also since Mohammad Asif is suspended
due to his positive dope test in the Indian Premier League.
There is also talk about including fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar in the Twenty20 squad as a 16th
player to allow him a chance to train with the team and resume interacting with the other players as
he has not played for Pakistan since last December due to disciplinary and fitness issues.
The board didn't pick Shoaib for the fitness camp in Kakul as they felt his fitness was not clear and
it would be a risk putting him through a rigorous training schedule. Sources also say the board
wants Shoaib to first pay the fine of seven million rupees imposed on him by the appellate tribunal
last month.
Sri Lanka elect to bat against India in the first cricket Test
Colombo, July 23 (IANS) Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and elected to bat
in their first cricket Test against India at the Sinhalese Sports Club grounds here Wednesday.
The first two sessions of the Test match were washed out due to rain and wet ground conditions.
Spinner Ajantha Mendis is making his debut as Sri Lanka opted to play just two seamers. Nuwan
Kulasekara will share the new ball with Chaminda Vaas. India have fielded two seamers -- Zaheer
Khan and Ishant Sharma.
The first day's play has been reduced to 42 overs.
India: Anil Kumble (captain), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin
Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, V.V.S. Laxman, Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Harbhajan Singh,
Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma.
Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Malinda Warnapura, Michael Van Dort, Kumar
Sangakkara (wicket-keeper), Thilan Samaraweera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Prasanna Jayawardene,
Chaminda Vaas, Nuwan Kulasekara, Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan.
Umpires: Billy Doctrove (West Indies) and Mark Benson (England)
Third Umpire: Asoka de Silva (Sri Lanka)
TV Referral Umpire: Rudi Koertzen (South Africa)