Junior Asia Cup Hockey

Bangladesh crush Oman 7-1

Bangladesh Under-21 Hockey team earned an empathic 7-1 goals victory against Oman in their second Group B match of the 6th Men’s Junior Asia Cup Hockey in Hyderabad, India, on Sunday, reports UNB.
This was a great victory for Bangladesh Youth team after a humiliating 0-8 goals defeat against strong South Korea in the inaugural match on Friday.
Bangladesh National Hockey team earlier earned a comfortable 6-1 goals victory over Oman in the final to clinch the AHF Cup Hockey title with unbeaten run in Singapore recently.
In the day’s match, Bangladesh clearly dominated over Oman by 3-1 goals in the first half.
Captain Russell Mahmud Jimmy and substitute Hasan Jubair struck two goals each, while Rimon Kumar Ghosh, Krishna Kumar and Asaduzzaman Chandan netted one goal each for the winners. Basim Rajab scored the consolation goal for the losers.
Placed in Group B, Bangladesh will play their third and last match against strong Pakistan today (Monday).
Bangladesh team: Mehrab Hossain Kiron, Asaduzzaman Chandan, Tapash Barman, Moshiur Rahman Biplob, Irfanul Haque, Abdur Sajjad, Rasel Mahmud Jimmy, Sheikh Nannu, Rimon Kumar Ghosh, Iqbal Nadir, Krishna Kumar, Shamsul Alam Sujon, Moshiur Rahman, Hasan Jubair and Abu Nahid Labu.

Bangladesh A, Warks heading for draw

The rain-affected second three-day match between visiting Bangladesh A team and English county side Warwickshire is heading for a draw on the third and last day at
Edgbaston in Birmingham on Sunday, reports UNB.
The first three-day match between touring Bangladesh A team and England Under-19 team also ended in a draw on Tuesday due to rain at the Hazelgrave Ground in Loughborough.
Replying to Bangladesh’s first innings total 252 for all, Warwickshire resumed the first innings with overnight 144 for 4 in 42 overs and scored 342 for 9 in 86.2 overs when last report came in.
Nazmul Hossain claimed five wickets for 90 runs, while Rubel grabbed three for 76 runs.
Earlier, on Saturday, the second string Bangladesh team were all out for 252 in 71.5 overs in the first innings with two half century by captain Junaid Siddiqui (50) and wicket keeper Dhiman Ghosh (not out 50).
Naeem Islam (30), Rajin saleh (29), Raquibul Hasan (28) and Tamim Iqbal (27) were the other major contributors for Bangladesh A team.
N Tahir picked up three Bangladesh wickets for 49 runs while Miler, Gronewald and Daggett took two wickets each.
On completion of the 2nd three-dayer, Bangladesh A team will play the 3rd match against Leicestershire on July 16-18, the 4th against Derbyshire July 21-23 and the 5th three-day match against a South African selection on July 25-27.
After the three-dayers, Bangladesh A will play three one-day matches — against Lancashire on July 30, Marylebone Cricket Club on August 1 and Durham on August 3.

Pele and Banks warn Ronaldo over Real deal

LONDON, July 13: Football legends Pele and Gordon Banks both warned Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo against walking out on Champions League winners Manchester United and moving to Spanish giants Real Madrid on Saturday.
The 23-year-old forward has still four years remaining on his contract with United - with whom he also won the Premiership last season - and both Pele and Banks ridiculed both his and FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s claims that he was being treated like a “slave”.
“You are a slave if you work without a contract or you don’t get paid,” said 67-year-old Pele, who was in Stoke, central England, to unveil a statue dedicated to Banks and for a charity match for the former England goalkeeper’s charity foundation.
“If you have a contract then in any job you have to finish the contract.
“I think that when he finishes his contract, then he should be free to go wherever he wants to go.”
Ronaldo, who bowed out of Euro 2008 in the quarter-finals after a 3-2 defeat by Germany, is currently recovering from ankle surgery which will rule him out of the start of next season.
Banks, whose save from Pele in the group stage of the 1970 World Cup finals is generally believed to be the greatest ever, accused Ronaldo of showing a lack of respect to Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
Banks, who was part of England’s 1966 World Cup winning side, said he could not understand why Ronaldo, who scored 42 goals for United last season, would want to move away from Old Trafford to Real Madrid.
“I can’t understand why he said he felt he was being treated like a slave,” said the 70-year-old, who lost an eye in a car crash in 1972.
“If he has just signed a new contract then he should respect his manager and honour it. It’s stupid.
“I don’t understand what the problem is. He plays for a team that has just won the European Cup and the Premier League. He plays for his country. What more does he want? “It’s like anything in life. If a businessman signs a contract then he has to honour it. It’s no different than a professional footballer.”
Real Madrid are believed to be prepared to offer around 85 million euros (134 million dollars) for Ronaldo and pay him nine million euros on a five-year deal.
Ronaldo, a boyhood Real fan, has consistently been linked with a move to the Spanish capital since the end of last season.
The management at Real believe that Manchester, who want to keep their star striker, who is under contract until 2012, will be eventually forced to reach a deal to let him go if he wants it.

National Junior Boxing

Results of quarterfinals

Ruhun Reza (BKSP), Rezaul Islam (Bangladesh Ansar), Rakib Sheikh (Rajshahi Education Board) and Mohammad Russell (Jessore DSA) moved to the semifinal in 25 kg weight category of the 20th SouthEast Bank National Junior Boxing Competition on Sunday, reports UNB.
In the 29 kg weight category, Sajib Hossain (Bangladesh Ansar), Robin Mia (Rajshahi City Corporation), Mohammad Asif (BKSP) and Abdul Kuddus (Rajshahi Education Board) advanced to the semis.
In the 35 kg weight category, Mohammad Aslam (BKSP), Mehedi Hasan (Rajshahi DSA), Salahuddin Tipu (Gopalganj DSA) and Shahadat Hossain (Bangladesh Ansar) confirmed their semi-final berth.
In the 42 kg weight category, Mohammad Rubel (Basabo Tarun Sangha), Shaheen Bappi (Rajshahi City Corporation), Gregory Hajda (Rajshahi DSA) and Mohin Bappi (Jessore DSA) secured the semi-final berths.
In the 45 kg weight category, Ranju (Kushtia DSA) Riad Hossain (BKSP), Monirul Islam (Jessore DSA) and Mohammad Hafiz (Bangladesh Ansar) reached the semis.
In the 48 kg weight category, Arif Hossain (Bangladesh Ansar, Shaheen Mollah (Gopalganj DSA), Selim Hossain (Rajshahi Division) and Moinul Islam (BKSP) booked the semi-final berths.
In the 51 kg weight category, Nazrul Islam (Meherpur DSA), Mojahid Haq (Bangladesh Ansar), Setu Karmakar (Chapainawabganj DSA) and Saddam Hosain (Dhaka Mariner Youngs Club) reached the semis.

Chang in Int’l Tennis Hall of Fame

NEWPORT, Rhode Island, July 13: Michael Chang, who captured the French Open title at the age of 17 to end a 34-year Roland Garros drought by US men, was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame here on Saturday, reports AFP.
Chang won the 1989 French Open just three months after his 17th birthday, defeating Sweden’s Stefan Edberg in the final to become the event’s youngest men’s winner after having earlier toppled top seed Ivan Lendl.
“It is truly an honor,” Chang said. “I will always cherish and forever remember my experiences on tour with my family, friends and fans.”
Also enshrined Saturday were sports marketing pioneer Mark McCormack and Tennis Week publisher Gene Scott, both posthumous inductees as contributors. The Hall now has 207 members.
Chang went 662-312 in a 16-year career, winning 34 titles and spending seven years ranked in the top 10, peaking when he became world number two in September of 1996.
Chang, who also reached three other Grand Slam singles finals, went 8-4 in Davis Cup play, helping the US win the trophy in 1990.

BFF to sign Mou with CITYCELL as football sponsor

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with mobile phone operator CITYCELL at the BFF Bhaban at 3pm today (Monday), reports UNB.
Talking to the reporters, BFF president Kazi Salahudin CITYCELL has agreed to become the title sponsor of BFF soccer meets for next three years.
Although he would not give the exact figure of the deal, it was learnt that the amount will be over Tk 15 crore.
BFF earlier had been negotiating with Aktel, another cell phone company, for the sponsorship.

Tennis coaches leave for Sri Lanka

Two Bangladeshi Tennis coaches —Rashedul Islam Rumi and Mustafizur Rahman Russell — left here Sunday for Sri Lanka via Bangkok to participate in the “New Level 1 Coaches Course-beginner & Intermediate Players” to be held in the island nation on July 14-25, reports UNB.
International Tennis Federation coaches Serush Menon and Karl Davies will conduct the 12-day coaching program.
National Sports Council will provide Tk 100,000 towards meeting the expenditure, while Bangladesh Tennis Federation will bear the rest amount.
Sri Lanka will provide lodging, food and local transport for the participants.
Bangladeshi coaches will return home on July 26.

National Squash

Swapan Pervez of Bashundhara Group emerged champion in Premier Division of the 1st Delta Life National Squash Tournament beating defending champion Bhola Nath Chouhan by 3-1 sets in a keenly contested final at the Dhaka Club on Sunday, reports UNB.
Youth and Sports secretary Dr. Golam Mostafa Talukdar was the chief guest on the final day and distributed the prizes among the winners.
Brig Gen Kamaluzzaman of Army Club became champion in the above-50 division of the meet with a straight 3-0 sets victory over Iftekhar Uddin Nawshad of Dhaka Club.

Inter tell Lampard to decide

ROME, July 13: Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti said on Saturday the decision whether Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard joins the San Siro outfit is ultimately down to the player, reports AFP.
Moratti said that the time has arrived for the 30-year-old England international to make his intentions clear of where he wants to spend the new season. “We’ve made our offer to Chelsea and now it depends on the player. He is someone we like, but we can’t do any more than this,” the Inter chief told Corriere dello Sport.Lampard has been a summer-long transfer target for the Italian champions and was one of new Inter boss Jose Mourinho’s key players during the Portuguese’s time at Stamford Bridge.

Klitschko knocks out Thompson to keep world titles

HAMBURG, Germany, July 13: Ukraine’s Vladimir Klitschko knocked out America’s Tony Thompson in the 11th round to retain his WBO and IBF world heavyweight titles on Saturday, reports AFP.
Klitschko, who has held the IBF belt since April 2006, was fighting for the first time since taking the WBO crown off Russia’s Ruslan Ibragimov in February in New York.
The 32-year-old took control of Saturday’s fight from the fourth round before going on to inflict Thompson’s second defeat in 33 fights.
Klitschko now has a record of 51 wins and three defeats.
Saturday’s fight was his first in his adopted home city of Hamburg in eight years.
He and boxing brother Vitali moved here in 1996 following his Olympic Games victory.
Klitschko’s next fight is likely to be in November against Russia’s Alexander Povetkin, the number one IBF challenger.

England v South Africa 1st Test

Smith, McKenzie defy England

LONDON, July 13: The Lord’s pitch was living up to its reputation of not breaking up, as South Africa’s match-saving mission was given a boost by an unbroken opening stand between Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie. England plugged away, sustaining the pressure with accurate spells of pace and spin, but the visitors have learnt their lesson from a poor first innings.
The morning session brought 54 runs in 28 overs and 61 runs were squeezed out between lunch and tea. Smith finally had some relief from a tough match, raising his half-century from 106 balls, brisk by comparison to McKenzie’s which took 190 deliveries. The scoring rate certainly wasn’t eye-catching, but they have provided the platform the team needed after crumbling to 247 on the third day.
England have recent memories of finding it much tougher dismissing a side second time around at Lord’s. In 2006 they enforced the follow-on against Sri Lanka, who then batted for 199 overs to save the Test. So Michael Vaughan, even though he wasn’t in charge for that match, will have been very aware of the task ahead when he sent South Africa back in.
There were the occasional alarms for Smith and McKenzie, especially against Monty Panesar who probed away in what will be a busy innings for him. McKenzie survived a confident lbw shout on 13, when the ball was heading for middle and leg although Daryl Harper thought otherwise.
Smith had two let-offs, once when no one appealed for a faint under-edge off James Anderson, then when an inside edge scooted through low to Tim Ambrose against Panesar.
England worked hard on the ball to try and extract some reverse swing. There was a hint of it for Ryan Sidebottom, when he returned for a second spell, as he speared a series of deliveries full at Smith and Anderson’s afternoon burst was testing. However, as expected, the main dangers came from Panesar who settled into a threatening spell from the Nursery End. McKenzie was rendered virtually scoreless and for one period before lunch he added two runs in 60 balls, until the shackles were broken momentarily with a lofted on-drive off Panesar. The scoring rate, though, was of no concern to South Africa whose focus is purely on batting time.
Vaughan was at his quirkiest in the field, never afraid to set unusual fields when there was very little happening with the ball. At one stage for McKenzie facing Sidebottom there was a silly point and three very close men at cover, who could have linked hands. Then with Paul Collingwood in action there were five men catching in front of the bat. But nothing broke the concentrating and opportunities were few and far between. Anderson found the outside of edge of McKenzie’s bat, but with the pitch dying the edge fell well short of Ambrose, and Broad encouraged Smith to lob a slower-ball excruciatingly into the gap at cover.
The crowd tried to lift the atmosphere, with the encouragement of the England fielders, and the breakthrough nearly came when McKenzie edged Sidebottom through a gap in the slip cordon. The look on the fielders’ face told showed the frustration was growing.
England still have plenty of runs to play with, but South Africa are a third of the way towards their ultimate aim of leaving Lord’s intact.

Pay up or miss Champions Trophy: PCB tells Shoaib

KARACHI, July 13: Shoaib Akhtar could be left out of Pakistan’s preliminary squad for the Champions Trophy despite being cleared to play by the Lahore High Court as the maverick pacer has not yet paid the fine imposed on him for disciplinary violations, reports PTI.
Shoaib has been told by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to pay by Monday the fine of Rs seven million imposed on him by the appellate tribunal that reduced his original ban of five years to 18 months last month.
The 18-month ban has been suspended by the Lahore High Court but the fine remains which Shoaib has not paid as yet.
“We have sent the notice directly to him and if he does not agree to pay the fine then we might not consider him for the Champions Trophy preliminary list (to be announced on Monday),” a senior board official said.
Shoaib himself has been untraceable and his legal counsel Abid Hasan Minto said the fast bowler has not contacted him for consultations on whether to pay the fine or not.
“Nor have we received any copy of the notice by the board,” he said.
The names of Shoaib and Mohammad Asif were included in the preliminary list by the national selectors last week but the board put its foot down and asked the selectors to come down to Lahore for further discussions.
Sources say some of the board officials want the selectors to explain why Shoaib and Asif were included in the preliminary squad when both bowlers were facing problems.
Asif is awaiting the report of a three-member fact finding commission of the board which will decide whether his 19-day detention in Dubai last month was because of possession of some banned substance or the result of a misunderstanding.
A board official made it clear that it cannot decide on the case until it gets the official report from authorities in Dubai on the whole affair.
“Even if Asif is included in the preliminary squad and if the committee finds he had some banned substance on him when he was detained in Dubai, he can be dropped,” the official said.
But sources say that Asif, who has resumed training in Lahore, is likely to get a reprieve from the board in some form as the selectors and the national team management is keen to have him back in the team as soon as possible.
“And if we don’t get the official report of the public prosecutor from Dubai then obviously the advantage will go to Asif,” the official said.
Asif was detained from June 1 to 19 while returning from India and later repatriated by authorities who didn’t charge him for any drug related offence.

Mixed reaction to Ronaldinho arrival

ROME, July 13: There has been a muted response to the impending transfer of Ronaldinho to AC Milan by a number of the club’s past players, according to La Gazzetta Sportiva, reports AFP.
AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani is expected to meet Barcelona officials and the Brazilian’s agent and brother, Roberto De Assis, in the Catalan capital in the next 48 hours to finalise the move and pay a deposit of 10 million euros.
Despite the 28-year-old’s pedigree as a two-time world player of the year though, there is a feeling amongst former stars of the Italian club that perhaps he isn’t the type of player they need.
Pierino Prati, who helped Milan win the 1969 European Cup, believes that the club still requires a target-man.
“He’s definitely a quality player, but is he what Milan needs? Perhaps not. Looking at the squad it’s evident that there is a need for an out and out centre-forward,” he said.
Another European Cup winner with the club, Dejan Savicevic, is more concerned about the type of form Ronaldinho will be in as and when he arrives in Italy.
“If he starts training well and finds the form he had before, then he can be the star who makes things happen for Milan. His understanding with Kaka could be perfect,” he said.
One person who is in no doubt that the ex-Paris Saint Germain player will be a star in the San Siro is fellow Brazilian, Jose Altafini, who played in AC Milan’s first ever European Cup triumph in 1963.
“Last season Roma played the best football with one striker and three others playing off him. If Milan want to play this type of beautiful football, this system is the best and would be perfect for Ronaldinho,” he said.

Kaka backs Ronaldo to be crowned world’s best

ROME, July 13: Brazilian superstar Kaka believes controversial Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo will succeed him as the world’s best player, reports AFP.
The AC Milan midfielder cleaned up in 2007, winning both the FIFA World Player of the Year award and the European Golden Ball, following a year in which he guided the San Siro side to the Champions League, scoring 10 goals on the way to victory.
Now he feels the Portuguese winger’s exploits in helping the English side to succeed Milan as European champions warrants him lifting the various trophies.
“I believe that the number one candidate is still Cristiano Ronaldo, above all for what he did and won in the Champions League with Manchester United,” Kaka told La Gazzetta dello Sport’s Sportweek magazine.
However, he isn’t entirely ruling himself out of the race.
“For me there’s still half a season, so we’ll see,” he said.
The 2007/2008 campaign was a disappointing season for Milan.
Having set the FIFA Club World Cup as their target, they were unable to refocus on the remainder of the season once they had won it in December.
They were also undone by an atrocious home record and as such will now play in the UEFA Cup having finished fifth, outside the Champions League qualifying positions.
Kaka remains excited by the upcoming challenges.
“It will be a different season with lots of new inpsirations,” said the 26-year-old.

Hanescu claims first career tennis title

GSTAAD, Switzerland, July 13: Victor Hanescu won his first career title as he took advantage of a tired Igor Andreev to claim a 6-3, 6-4 victory in 70 minutes at the Gstaad Open here on Sunday, reports AFP.
A rainy weekend stayed dry for the title match, but it did little good for Andreev, losing 2004 finalist who was forced to conclude his semi-final in the morning a few hours before facing the well-rested Romanian.Hanescu, 26, becomes the first from his country to win the trophy at this alpine resort venue since Ilie Nastase in 1973.
The number 80 was playing in his second career ATP singles final following a runner-up finish last September in his hometown tournament on clay at Bucharest against Frenchman Gilles Simon.
Hanescu was dominant over Andreev, who had finished off the third set of his semi-final on the day with a victory over Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-6 (7/2), 5-7, 7-6 (7/5).Andreev lost the Gstaad final four years ago against Roger Federer. The 34th-ranked Russian will turn 25 on Monday with the loss still fresh in his mind.
“I’ve been unlucky here twice, but I will be back,” said the finalist. “I wasn’t so tired from playing twice, but Victor was just too good.
“He was unbeatable today.”

Del Potro win Stuttgart title

STUTTGART, Germany, July 13: Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro won his first career title on Sunday when he beat French second seed Richard Gasquet 6-4, 7-5 in the final of the Stuttgart claycourt tournament, reports AFP.
Del Potro, the world number 65, was also playing in his first final and succeeds world number two Rafael Nadal as champion.Nadal pulled out of the tournament following his epic Wimbledon final win over Roger Federer last weekend.

Creamer on top by 4 shots

SYLVANIA, Ohio, July 13: Paula Creamer shot a 1-under-par 70 Saturday, 10 more shots than she needed for her first round, and held a four-stroke lead after three rounds of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic, reports AFP.
Creamer, who set the course record with her opening 60, was at 18-under 195 through 54 holes at Highland Meadows. The 21-year-old Californian had a 65 in the second round.
South Korea’s Eun-Hee Ji was in second place, as she has been after all three rounds. She shot a 68 to cut two strokes off of Creamer’s lead.
She could easily have made an even bigger dent in the lead. Ji cut it to three strokes when she birdied the 11th hole while Creamer, playing in the same group, was three-putting for a bogey. Creamer recovered with birdies at the 13th and 17th holes. Ji was 1 under for the final seven holes and missed two birdie putts inside 10 feet.
Playing her first full year on the tour, Ji missed a 10-footer at No. 16. Then, moments after Creamer saved par with a 7-foot putt at the closing hole, Ji missed a 6-footer for birdie.
Rachel Hetherington had a 67 and was alone in third at 202. Karrie Webb made the biggest move of the day, shooting a 62 to climb into a tie for fourth with Chinese rookie Shanshan Feng, who shot a 64. They were both at 203.
Defending champion Se Ri Pak, trying to become the first LPGA player to win the same tournament six times, had a 72 that left her 14 shots back. Michelle Wie shot a 71 and was at 213.
Creamer will be after her seventh career win and third of the year. She won tournaments in Hawaii and Tulsa, but is trying to erase bad final rounds in each of her last two starts.
She lapsed to a 78 in the final round to fall into a tie for sixth in the U.S. Women’s Open at Interlachen two weeks ago, then put herself out of contention with a closing 74 a week ago in Arkansas.
Creamer is No. 1 on the U.S. Solheim Cup standings and ranks third on the money list behind Lorena Ochoa and Annika Sorenstam.
The lead threesome had to wait more than an hour to tee off when play was delayed because of a thunderstorm that rumbled through Toledo and its suburbs. Heavy rain was expected overnight, forcing organizers to again go to threesomes off both tees in the final round.

Sissoko close to return for Juventus

ROME (AFP) - Juventus midfielder Mohamed Sissoko said on Sunday that he hasn’t long left to go before returning from injury and should be available for the Champions League preliminary matches, reports AFP.
The 23-year-old Mali international injured his right thigh on June 1 playing for the national team against Congo.
The former Liverpool player - who moved to Juventus in January for a fee of 11million euros - told La Gazzetta Sportiva that following a summer break filled with recovery work he is nearly back to 100percent.
“I should start playing again soon, but the doctors have told me I have to take it one step at a time.
“I don’t think there will be problems. I’ll say again, I’m fine, but if it’s possible, I’ll speed up my recovery,” he said.
Sissoko, who prior to playing for Liverpool played for Valencia under Rafael Benitez where he won the UEFA Cup and league title in his first season, will stay in Italy for the start of Juventus’ Champions League campaign, rather than return to his home country for an international friendly on August 20.
However, he is keen to be present for the 2010 World Cup qualifier against Congo on September 7.
Sissoko is also looking forward to linking up alongside the Turin club’s new midfield signing, Christian Poulsen, who completed his 9.5 million Euro transfer from Sevilla over the weekend.

Love breaks Spartak hearts

MOSCOW, July 13: Brazilian striker Vagner Love scored a first-half hat-trick to lead CSKA Moscow to a 5-1 win over city rivals, and nine-time champions, Spartak in the Russian Premier league on Saturday.
The Red Army side were 3-0 ahead before the interval thanks to Love’s treble.
Serbian midfielder Milos Krasic made it 4-0 for CSKA in the 53rd minute before Spartak substitute striker Nikita Bazhenov reduced the arrears in the 61st minute firing in from just outside the box.
But CSKA’s Turkish import Erkin Caner restored his side’s four-goal advantage when he scored with a well-struck free-kick with 12 minutes remaining.
The win lifted CSKA into seventh place in the table, eight points behind leaders Kazan whose lead was cut to a point when Perm beat struggling Vladivostok 2-0.
Perm’s Bulgarian striker Martin Kushev put his side ahead in the 25th minute with a close-range header from Nikola Drincic’s corner.
Two minutes after the interval Croatian midfielder Tomislav Duimovic added the second with a header from Drincic’s free-kick.

Lankans still unsure of playing in next yr’s IPL

COLOMBO: In a setback to Sri Lankan players, who want to play in next year’s Indian Premier League at the expense of a Test series against England, Sri Lanka Cricket on Saturday said the board has not yet accepted their demand, reports PTI.
“It is not correct to say that the crisis has been resolved and that Sri Lankan players can now go ahead to play in IPL league next year ... The matter is still at a negotiating stage by the Interim Committee and the Players’ Association,” a SLC top source said on conditions of anonymity.
He said the SLC was still awaiting a response from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on the proposal to reschedule the dates or any other alternative schedule of the tour.
ECB announced on Wednesday the dates of two-Tests home series against Sri Lanka starting May 7, which coincides with the IPL, scheduled between April 10 and May 29, 2009. This led to some Lankan players meeting President Mahinda Rajapakse to plead either to get the tour postponed or be played after the IPL. On Friday, reports of SLC giving permission to players to play in the IPL instead of touring England after President Rajapakse’s intervention provoked sharp criticism from the ICC with CEO Haroon Lorgat saying it might be the start of a dangerous trend.
“If we don’t manage this situation we could be threatening the lifeblood of all member countries. International cricket generates revenue that is essential to our survival,” Lorgat had said.

Inter right to target Lampard, says Zola

ROME, July 13: Italy under-21 coach Gianfranco Zola has said that Frank Lampard would be an excellent signing for league champions Inter Milan.
The pair played together for two years at Chelsea and having seen his quality at close quarters, Zola know exactly what type of player the San Siro side will be buying.
“Frank is unique in the world,” he told La Gazzetta Sportiva.
“A midfielder who can score 20 goals in the championship. The fans should know that he is not a spectacular player, but a winner.”
Should Lampard make the move to San Siro then Zola believes that he will be playing for one of the best coaches in the modern game in Jose Mourinho.Whilst the ex-Napoli and Parma striker missed out by a year on playing under the Portuguese, he has heard enough first-hand reports to know that Mourinho can be a success in Italy.
“Mourinho loves messing around, but when it comes to work he is a bulldozer. With Mourinho you only work with the ball, which is loved by players,” he said. With the Beijing Olympic Games fast approaching Zola is hopeful that Italy, whose first match is against Honduras on August 7, can improve on the bronze medal they won in Athens four years ago.
To that end he has big hopes for former Manchester United and Newcastle United striker Giuseppe Rossi, who hit 11 goals to help Villarreal to second place in the Spanish league last season.

SPORTS NOTES

I won’t be
makeweight in
Ronaldo deal’
says Robinho

MADRID, July 13: Brazilian international striker Robinho said on Sunday he didn’t want to be sold so Real Madrid could afford to bring Cristiano Ronaldo to Spanish champions Real Madrid from English Premiership titleholders Manchester United, reports AFP.
The 24-year-old told sports daily AS that he wanted to stay at Real where he has been for the past three years and not be offloaded to United’s Premiership rivals Chelsea for a reported 40million euros as Real attempt to finance the 85million they wish to pay for Ronaldo.
“I hope to stay at Real this year,” said Robinho, who cost Real 24million euros when they secured him from Santos.
“I don’t want to be part of the Ronaldo deal.”
Robinho, capped over 50 times by Brazil, has been selected for the Brazilian Olympic squad which Real have reluctantly accepted he can play in.

Zidane is the
best player ever,
says Beckham

MADRID, July 13: Former England captain David Beckham claimed on Sunday that his ex-Real Madrid team-mate Zinedine Zidane is the best player of all time, reports AFP.
The 33-year-old Englishman told sports daily Marca that it had been a dream come true to play alongside Zidane for three years at Real.
“To train with Zidane for three years (2003-06) was a dream,” confessed Beckham, who has been capped over 100 times by his country.
“For me he is the greatest player of all time.”
Beckham, who is now playing for Los Angeles Galaxy, also believed that the best Spanish player at the moment is Barcelona’s playmaker Xavi, who inspired Spain to the Euro 2008 title last month and was judged player of the tournament.
However, Beckham also thinks that goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who he knows from his time at Real, should be awarded world player of the year after several outstanding performances at the Euro.
Beckham also denied he wished to become an actor even though he is living in Hollywood but that he would like to return to Madrid - where he still has a house - one day and work with the youth side at Real.

Ganguly in the
football League

KOLKATA, July 2: Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly will try his legs on football and will turn out for Chirag United in the I-League starting in September, reports PTI.
Chirag United, who were promoted to the I-League this season, will sign up Ganguly to add some “gloss” to the league.
A brand ambassador of Chirag computers, part of the RP Group, Ganguly will formally complete the formalities after he is back from the three-Test tour of Sri Lanka, Chirag chairman Kaustav Roy said.
“Ganguly’s presence in a football match will be a star attraction; maybe he’ll play for a two-minute slot in one of the I-League matches. Again, it all depends on Ganguly’s availability from his cricketing assignments,” Roy added.
Roy said they thought about this as Ganguly’s presence will definitely help promote football.
Meanwhile, Chirag United played out a goalless draw against George Telegraph in an encounter of the Calcutta Football League (Premier Division) at Howrah on Saturday.