Sports

London, August 19: Andrew Strauss has told his team to resist the urge to force the pace in their must-win encounter at The Oval and focus instead on wearing Australia down over the first three days. The sides start the fifth Test level at 1-1 on Thursday, but the tourists have the advantage of being able to lift the Ashes urn with a draw.

“We know the situation ahead of us,” Strauss said. “We need to win the game, so in a way that helps your clarity of mind and you know what needs to be achieved.

England, August 19: Cricket chiefs are probing a suspicious betting allegation concerning the Ashes series ahead of tomorrow’s crunch final test.

The sport’s governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has received a report from the Australia team making a claim of suspicious bookmaking activity during the current Ashes series.

According to website Cricinfo, an Australian player was approached by a man suspected to be linked to illegal bookmaking at the team’s hotel, following their defeat by England in the second Test at Lord’s last month.
–Agencies

Melbourne, August 19: Ricky Ponting’s legacy as captain is at stake in the deciding fifth Ashes Test against England and his phenomenal success of the past would be forgotten if the team doesn’t win the match, reckons former Australian skipper Allan Border.

“In Ricky’s captaincy journey, having been a losing captain in 2005, it’s a chance for redemption,” Border said.

England, August 19: Andrew Flintoff believes that an England victory in the final Test against Australia would surpass their Ashes-winning achievements of 2005.

The Oval will mark his last Test for England and the all-rounder, who missed the three-day drubbing at Headingley, said yesterday that if they win it will be a “greater achievement” than the extraordinary events of four years ago when the Ashes were regained for the first time in 16 years.

Karachi, August 19: Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif seems to be on course for a return to the international fold ahead of the Champions Trophy.

The PCB has asked Asif, 26, to report for a coaching camp for young players to gauge his fitness for the tournament, to be held in South Africa, as he completes a 12-month ban for a doping offence.

“Asif is attending the training camp for under-23 players in Karachi where we have asked camp commandant Rashid Latif to give us a report by August 20 whether he is match fit for the Champions Trophy,” chief selector Iqbal Qasim told Reuters.

London, August 19: Bermuda struggled again in their second innings after offspinner Rodney Trott took a five-for to restrict Uganda’s first-innings lead to 28 on a rain-interrupted second day in Hamilton. At the close of play, the hosts were back in front but had lost four crucial wickets.

Interestingly, all 24 batsmen to be dismissed in the game have fallen to catches. Too many loose shots cost Bermuda dearly in their second innings, before captain David Hemp restored some stability. Bermuda’s hopes of forcing a win rest on his shoulders.

London, August 19: He is not the most professional cricketer around, but former England captain Michael Vaughan says talismanic all-rounder Andrew Flintoff is second only to Sachin Tendulkar when it comes to lifting his team and the fans.

“At Cardiff, on the first day of the Ashes series, the atmosphere was dead for the first few hours but then all of a sudden Freddie came to the crease and the whole ground was lifted. It was phenomenal and no other player in world cricket – apart from Sachin Tendulkar – has that ability,” Vaughan wrote in ‘The Daily Telegraph’.

Islamabad, August 19: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt Tuesday dispelled speculations of discord within the national team, saying that the players were united and looking forward to giving their best in the ICC Champions Trophy.

The PCB chairman had one-on-one meetings last week with Pakistan team management and players in Karachi. The meetings were held with a view to scotch rumors in the media about rifts within the Pakistan team.

Melbourne, August 19: Pumped up they might be but the Australians will not go into the deciding fifth Ashes Test seeking revenge for the 2005 series defeat against England, insists skipper Ricky Ponting.

“Let`s make one thing clear. I am not going into this series-deciding Test at The Oval seeking revenge for 2005. It`s never been unfinished business for me,” Ponting wrote in his column.

Mumbai, August 19: Masterblaster Sachin Tendulkar today said it was the responsibility of entire nation to encourage other sports in India. He said it during a panel discussion on Cricket in Changing Times, after unveiling cricket commentator Harsha Bhogles book Out of Box-Watching the game We Love here this evening.

Melbourne, August 19: Even though the Australians are pumped, they will not go into the deciding fifth Ashes Test seeking revenge for the 2005 series defeat against England, insists skipper Ricky Ponting.

“Let’s make one thing clear. I am not going into this series-deciding Test at The Oval seeking revenge for 2005. It’s never been unfinished business for me,” Ponting wrote in his column for ‘The Australian’.

Melbourne, August 19: Nothing short of holding aloft the replica of the urn next Monday will be enough to exorcise Michael Clarke’s demons from 2005, the Australia vice-captain said on Tuesday night.

As the leading run-scorer in the series, Clarke has gone a long way towards atoning for his relatively modest 2005 campaign, when he averaged 37, but that will be ‘worthless’ if Australia cannot retain the Ashes, he said.

London, August 19: Monty Panesar – who was recalled to the England squad for the fifth Ashes Test – says he is ready to accept the responsibility of spinning his team to victory in the decisive match.

Panesar has not featured in the playing eleven since the opening match at Cardiff.

Only a win will win England back the Ashes and the spin friendly nature of the Oval pitch gives Panesar hope that he will feature alongside off-spinner Graeme Swann when the game gets under way on Thursday.

Johanesburg, August 19: Herschelle Gibbs will represent his home team – the Cape Cobras – instead of his Indian Premier League franchise Deccan Chargers, in this year’s Champions League Twenty20 tournament.

The convener of selectors for the Cape Cobras Omar Henry, announced the initial 20-member squad, led by South Africa captain Graeme Smith, which includes Gibbs, for the tournament due to be held in India from October 8 to 23.

Gibbs’ inclusion came as a surprise since he was expected to play for the Deccan Chargers.

Colombo, August 19: Heavy rain has delayed the start of the second day’s play in the first cricket Test between New Zealand and Sri Lanka here on Wednesday.

Just 78 overs of the stipulated 90 were bowled on the first day due to bad weather and more rain was expected in this southern coastal town over the next four days.

Sri Lanka were due to resume their first innings at 293-3 with Mahela Jayawardene on 108 and Thilan Samaraweera on 82.

New Zealand play two Tests, two Twenty20 internationals and a limited-overs tri-series also featuring India during the five-week tour.

Hamburg, August 19: Arsenal, Stuttgart and Olympiakos Piraeus Tuesday took a giant step towards the lucrative group stage of the Champions League with away wins in their first leg matches in the play-off round.

Premier League side Arsenal won the Battle of Britain against Scottish club Celtic 2-0, while Stuttgart beat Romanian club Timisoara 2-0.

Olympiakos managed in 2-0 victory in Tiraspol against Moldovan club Sheriff.

London, August 19: Chelsea maintained their perfect start to the season as they came from behind to beat Sunderland 3-1 at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland took the lead through Darren Bent, but second-half goals from Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard and Deco gave Chelsea all three points.

In the evening’s other Premier League game, newly promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers won 1-0 at Wigan Athletic.

Mumbai, August 18: Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi reckons reviving Test cricket’s popularity is the next challenge ahead of the administrators, while Sachin Tendulkar believes the first step in that direction could be throwing open the gates for school and college students.

“One of the suggestions I gave to the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) was to make Test cricket day/night affair to allow people to come and watch it after their duty hours,” said Modi, hailed for making Twenty20 in general and IPL in particular a massive success, during a panel discussion here today.

New Delhi, August 18: South Africa Tuesday brought back doubles specialist Wesley Moodie in their five-member squad for the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie against India.

After their top player Kevin Anderson made himself unavailable for the crucial tie, Rik de Voest, ranked 188, will be their top singles player.

Izak van der Merwe (296) and Raven Klaasen (295) are the other two members.

Moodie, world number nine, is expected to team up with Jeff Coetzee (26) for the indoor hard-court tie in Johannesburg.

Allahabad, August 18: An Allahabad court on Tuesday admitted an application for filing of criminal charges against star batsman Virender Sehwag and his business partner Siddharth Dilawari.

Sehwag, who is currently undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore, will be booked under sections 406 (cheating), 417 (breach of trust) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) along with business partner Dilawari.

New Delhi, August 18: The first round defeat at the Binghamton Challenger proved too costly for Somdev Devvarman as the Indian dropped 23 rungs in the latest ATP ranking list to be placed 163rd, whereas Sania Mirza hung on to her 74th position in the WTA chart.

Somdev had lost to Sergei Bubka of Ukraine last week at the UAS tournament.

Sania, however, managed to maintain her 74th position in singles and imroved her doubles ranking to 46 from 49.

The Indian yesterday failed to qualify for the prestigious Rogers Cup after losing second round match.

Cincinnati, August 18: Roger Federer played down Andy Murray’s elevation to the world number two ranking on Monday, saying the Scot would merely be one of many contenders for his US Open title next month.

The world number one steps up his preparations at the Cincinnati Masters this week, looking to hone his game before he bids to win his sixth consecutive US Open title and claim a record 16th grand slam crown.

Murray lost to Federer in the final in New York last year but the Swiss said there were plenty of other players who could be just as dangerous.

Liverpool, August 18: Liverpool face Stoke City at Anfield on Wednesday with concern already arising about their chances of winning the Premier League this season.

That may sound absurd given that the new year is a mere 90 minutes old but Liverpool’s loss to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday means they are already off the pace of the other favourites to win the league.

New Delhi, August 18: Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has come out in full support of Virender Sehwag and said he might also leave Delhi Ranji team, if the situation doesn’t change.

Gautam Gambhir supported Virender Sehwag’s allegation on the Delhi District and Cricket Association (DDCA) and praised his opening partner’s move.

“I am absolutely behind Sehwag. There should be transparency in the selection process and if the situation remains same, I wouldn’t hesitate switching to a different state,” said the flamboyant left-hander.

Melbourne, August 18: Legendary New Zealand all-rounder Sir Richard Hadlee has hit out at the ICC for “betraying the game of cricket” by protecting the interest of India, who are the largest generator of revenue, ahead of the sport itself.

Hadlee was particularly worried for the future of Test cricket, saying the growth of Twenty20 and the huge financial lures for players from the IPL meant International Cricket Council needed to exercise its authority.