Sachin Tendulkar rules out retirement for now

BANGALORE: Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar on Wednesday indicated that he would not retire for now.

"As long as there is a reason to wake up with a reason in the morning, it makes sense in continuing (playing cricket). The day I don't enjoy wielding bat in my hands, I will think otherwise. But that moment hasn't come as yet.

When I will get that feeling, I will confirm on that," he said after receiving the Test Cricketer of 2011 at an awards function.

His younger contemporaries like Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman have hung up their boots from international cricket.

Receiving Special Award for notching up a double ton in an ODI match against the West Indies, Virender Sehwag said his next target was to play 100 Tests for the country.

In a lighter vein, Sehwag said superstition did not apply to him when he approached double ton in any form of cricket as he did not give any room for the bowlers to think much.

"If the ball is there to hit along the fence or over it, I do that without much thinking," he said.

However, Sehwag said he was a bit superstitious when Tendulkar neared his first double ton in one-day internationals.

"We all thought even if Sachin gets out on 190s, we will all stand up and clap anyhow. But when he got there, all players and sports staff gathered at the players balcony and applauded his achievement. That feeling cannot be expressed," he said.

  

Receiving Performance Under Pressure Award, Gautam Gambhir said last two T20 World Cups were disappointing for Team India after winning the first. However, the team would try to give 100 per cent and play well in the competition.

  

"I am not sure of winning the cup. It is not in our hands, but will put up a good show in the upcoming T20 World Cup to be played in Sri Lanka," he said.

  

On lifetime achievement awardee Ajit Wadekar, Tendulkar said the former Indian captain was a fantastic coach who knew the art of mentally preparing before he walked out on the field.

West Indies favourites to win World Twenty20: Sourav Ganguly

 

NEW DELHI: Without playing down India's chances, former India skipper Sourav Ganguly suggested on Tuesday that West Indies were among the frontrunners to lift the World T20 title in Sri Lanka next month.

  

"West Indies are a powerhouse (in this format)," an impressed Ganguly told reporters at an event organized by tournament broadcasters ESPN-Star Sports.

"They have guys like Chris Gayle, (Kieron) Pollard, Dwayne Smith, Andre Russel and (off-spinner) Sunil Narine. They also have a good fast bowling attack with Fidel Edwards and Kemar Roach, all bowling at 90 miles an hour," Ganguly added.

Ganguly's fellow commentator for the event, former Test batsman Sanjay Manjrekar, agreed, saying, "West Indies are a strong Twenty20 team because they have got the best four T20 players in the world."

While both felt there are other teams like Pakistan who can rise to the occasion, India too will be looking to add to their one World T20 title, won in 2007, when they head to Sri Lanka for the Sept 18-Oct 7 event.

"When you have players like Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh, it is very difficult to count India out. There is a lot of firepower there," Ganguly said.

"India always have a great chance, especially in limited-overs cricket. They have got the players who can clear the boundary with ease and they will be playing in the subcontinent, where the short ball will not bother them. India have most things going in their favour. If Sehwag fires at the top, it will be difficult to stop India. That said, they are in a tough group in World T20."

'Bhajji should have been recalled earlier'

Ganguly also chose to bat for beleaguered recalled off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, saying, "Harbhajan is one bowler who should be playing all three formats of the game. One year was a bit too long time to keep him out. The board should have spoken to him and told him, 'Look, we are giving you six months time to sort out your bowling'. You can't keep a bowler like him in domestic cricket for too long."

'27 cameras for each match'

The official broadcasters will be installing 27 cameras for each of the 27 matches during the World Twenty20. "We will have 27 cameras for each match. We will also have touch screen cricket presentation tool in our analysis," an ESPN director said.

Passion for speed takes MS Dhoni into world of racing superbikes

  

NEW DELHI: Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's love for bikes is no secret. His garage boasts of a Hellcat X132 (only one in South Asia), a Kawasaki Ninja, a Yamaha 650cc, a Hero Honda CBZ Xtreme and a TVS Star City among others.

The Indian skipper has now taken his passion a step further by foraying into the world of Superbike championship with his own team - MSD R-N Racing Team India.

This team - the only one from India - is currently competing in the Supersport World Championship after making its debut in the Czech Republic race in Brno last month. The team was put together in a matter of weeks and is expected to take part in the full championship next year. Frenchman Florian Marino and Dan Linfoot of Great Britain are the two riders of the team.

The Supersport series was introduced as a support class to the World Superbike Championship in 1990. The series is organized and supported by FGSport and sanctioned by FIM - motorbiking's international governing body.

The news about Dhoni's involvement with the team was kept under wraps for weeks until it was reported on the official website of the championship. Dhoni's close friend Arun Pandey is the chairman and managing director of the team. Dhoni is mentioned as part of the management of the team which also includes Telugu film actor Nagarjuna as one of the directors of the team.

"We are definitely involved with the superbike team but I can't reveal more details at this moment," Pandey told TOI from Moscow, where the team competed in its third race of the season.

The team has been launched to cash in on the arrival of the World Superbike Championship in India. The Buddh International Circuit is set to host the first race next year in March.

"We are looking at it from the long term perspective," team principal Amit Sandill said at the launch last month. "Trying to grow the sport in Asia. The sport itself is in a pretty nascent stage in Asia so this is a first step. Trying to get to the championship and making a kind of mark in the championship and then take the sport to India and then other countries in Asia. We would also like to start a racing academy. Behind all this is the passion, which comes as a bonus."

The team officials, however, are keen on keeping mum about Dhoni's involvement. "We have just launched the team a couple of weeks back. We are planning a full-fledged launch soon but it depends on Dhoni's availability," a team official said.

In the first race of the season, Marino managed a 13th place finish on his Kawasaki ZX-6 R bike after starting in the 23rd place. The Frenchman followed that up with a 19th place in Silverstone on August 5. In this weekend's race in Moscow, Marino and Linfoot came in 14 and 16.

Ashwin spins India to innings victory

The carrom ball was on target, last man Chris Martin started his walk back, and the Indians celebrated. The goodly Sunday crowd roared and Ravichandran Ashwin was the toast.

Man-of-the-Match Ashwin picked up his second six-wicket haul in the Test to return match figures of 12 for 85 – the best by an Indian against New Zealand in Tests.

Dismissing the Kiwis for 164 in the second innings, the host romped home by an innings and 115 runs at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here on Sunday, the fourth day of the first Test.


Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha supported Ashwin admirably with six wickets in the Test and Virender Sehwag’s catching at slip on the final day was brilliant. The second and final Test begins in Bangalore on August 31.


Lack of character

Spectacular, the Indian victory certainly was. But then, the lack of character in much of the Kiwi batting was shocking. Only the dogged Brendon McCullum (42) and the impressive Kane Williamson (52) displayed some fight. In fact, a flawed decision that ended a determined 72-run second–wicket partnership between the two batsmen opened the sluice gates.


McCullum edged an incoming delivery from paceman Umesh Yadav to his pad but saw umpire Steve Davis’ finger go up. A visibly upset McCullum departed and the Kiwis subsequently crumbled.


The proceedings began only at 11 a.m. – inclement weather prevented play earlier – and India started with spin from both ends. There was less purchase for the spinners during this phase. The lack of sunshine and pitch being covered for long periods due to rain meant the surface was not particularly dry for the spinners. The use of the roller might also have helped bind the wicket initially.

Once the track became drier, things began to happen. New Zealand captain Ross Taylor offered no shot to an Ashwin delivery that spun in to disturb the stumps. Credit should be given to the bowler here. Ashwin had largely been spinning the ball into the right-hander from the off and middle stump with a leg-side cordon in place.

This time around, he put seeds of doubts in the batsman’s mind by turning the delivery from well outside the off-stump. The shift in line worked.


Classic dismissal

Ojha maintained the pressure from the other end. In a classic left-armer’s dismissal, he bowled a teasing delivery of flight, drift and turn to find the edge of Williamson’s blade. The Kiwi had batted with footwork, soft hands and deft touch.


The left-handed Daniel Flynn missed a sweep off Ashwin’s flighted delivery and a stunning low diving catch by Sehwag at slip ended southpaw James Franklin’s brief tenure. Ashwin’s delivery had turned and bounced to force the edge.


New Zealand was on a rapid downward spiral. Ojha looped up one to Doug Bracewell and Virat Kohli held a smart catch at gully. Ashwin trapped Kruger van Wyk leg-before when the batsman misread a carrom ball, removed Trent Boult with a top-spinner and soon it was all over 24 minutes after tea. In yet another capitulation, New Zealand had lost its last seven wickets for just 26 runs.

Earlier, the Indians were challenged by McCullum and Williamson. Both were cautious but read the length well. Ashwin had forward and backward short-legs and a silly mid-on for Williamson but no silly point. While the prospect of getting the batsman caught bat-pad with an off-break in the leg-side cordon always exists, not having a silly point could have been a ruse to get Williamson play more freely on the off-side and lure him to edge one spinning away or straightening to the ‘keeper or the slip.


Williamson, who drove with poise and style, was alert to the possibility. Soon the silly mid-on was taken out and there was a man at silly point!
Ojha operated to McCullum with two slips and a silly mid-on but no man at silly point, a logical position for a bat-pad catch for a left-arm spinner bowling at a right-hander. Once again, the ploy could have been to get the batsman to drive at the one spinning away. McCullum did not fall for the bait but then a rough decision got him.
There was a worrying moment for India when a Willamson pull off Ashwin struck Cheteshwar Pujara fielding at short-leg. Pujara went off the field with a bruised knee but an official statement said the injury was not serious.

Alex Ferguson rules out further signings

MANCHESTER ( United Kingdom): Alex Ferguson has ruled out any more summer signings at Manchester United and insists time is running out for any player looking to leave.

Ferguson unveiled Dutch defender Alexander Buttner at his Friday news conference, with the former Vitesse player having completed his move to United on Tuesday.


He follows Shinji Kagawa, Robin van Persie and Nick Powell to Old Trafford while Chilean teenager Angelo Henriquez also completed a move to United this week.

But Ferguson insists that there will be no more incoming players despite rumoured interest in Mexico's Hector Herrera.


And time is also running out for Dimitar Berbatov, who is trying to seal a move away following the arrival of Robin van Persie.

Ferguson said: "We definitely won't be buying anyone else, that's for sure. There's no movement I can tell you about. There's only a few days left to the deadline and it will all pass quickly, I imagine."

Van Persie made his debut in United's 1-0 defeat to Everton on Monday night as a late substitute but Ferguson has revealed the Dutchman could start when United face Fulham at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The United boss admitted he would prefer the former Arsenal striker to have more games -- but is ready to give him a start.


He said: "He's had a few days training since Monday. In an ideal world he would be better with two or three games under his belt but it's a home game and there's every chance he could start."


Ferguson also revealed that Buttner will provide the right competition for Patrice Evra, as the Frenchman has been playing too much in recent seasons.


"It gives us that back up as you said we have defensive injuries at the moment," he added.

"Patrice Evra could play centre back, he has done before in the past but it gives us a stronger squad, that's the most important thing."


"Buttner's a straight-forward, attacking, quick full back. He will be a terrific addition to us.


"When you consider Patrice Evra for the last five years has played an average of 48 games a season. It's an incredible statistic and Alex comes now to challenge that position."


Danny Welbeck signed a new-four year deal with United on Wednesday and Ferguson revealed it was a difficult negotiation with the player's agent, as the striker's injury problems coming through the ranks were a concern.


But the United boss was relieved to tie the England international down.


He said: "It wasn't an easy negotiation with his agent. It's always difficult to assess their level at that age.

"Bearing in mind that Danny has had growth problems all the time, therefore he had a lot of minor injuries that sometimes kept him out for periods.


"Last season was exactly that. He had two injuries but he's getting stronger and in two years he will be an outstanding player. We're delighted to get him on a contract."


Ferguson has now called on his side to bounce back following Monday's surprise defeat to Everton but knows that they are facing a difficult challenge against Fulham.


"I went to see Fulham on Saturday, they played very well. The club has grown tremendously since Roy (Hodgson) got them to the Europa League final.


"The place is buzzing, full house every week, good atmosphere, their home record is terrific and they've got a lot of experienced players -- six players over 30.


"It won't be an easy game, we're at home, we have to make an impact quickly after losing Monday night and we expect that."

Lance Armstrong plots strategy after loss of titles

LOS ANGELES: Cyclist Lance Armstrong plotted his career strategy on Saturday after the US anti-doping agency banned him from the sport for life and stripped him of the record seven Tour de France titles. USADA branded Armstrong a dope cheat on Friday, a day after the 40-year-old Texan said he would not pursue a bid to clear himself of charges that he used performance enhancing drugs to win cycling's most prestigious race from 1999 to 2005.


The agency laid out five rule violations for which Armstrong has been sanctioned, saying the cancer survivor who became a hero to millions took part in a systematic doping conspiracy with his then US Postal Service team. It said that, as Armstrong has dropped out of an arbitration process, he "has received a lifetime period of ineligibility and disqualification of all competitive results from August 1, 1998 through the present".


Along with his celebrated haul of Tour titles, Armstrong stands to lose the Olympic bronze medal he won in 2000 along with other race titles, prize money and other awards.  The International Cycling Union, the sport's governing body based in Aigle, Switzerland, had been fighting USADA for jurisdiction over Armstrong's case and said Friday it wanted to see USADA's full explanation for the sanctions before acting.


However, USADA's statement made it clear they believe the UCI is bound by the World Anti-Doping Code to back up its findings.


"Because Mr. Armstrong could have had a hearing before neutral arbitrators to contest USADA's evidence and sanction and he voluntarily chose not to do so, USADA's sanction is final," the agency's statement said. Armstrong had long denied accusations of doping but said Thursday he would no longer even address the issue. "Today I turn the page," he said. But hours after USADA's announcement on Friday he made it clear that doesn't mean he'll disappear, tweeting his intention to compete in a local mountain bike race in the Aspen area in Colorado called the Power of Four.


"Excited to be racing the #poweroffour tomorrow here in @AspenCO," Armstrong tweeted, apparently confident of a warm welcome from the local cycling community. Certainly Armstrong had already received support from leaders of the anti-smoking and anti-cancer causes that he champions, and from sports apparel giant Nike.

"Lance has stated his innocence and has been unwavering on this position. Nike plans to continue to support Lance and the Lance Armstrong Foundation, a foundation that Lance created to serve cancer survivors," the firm said. Armstrong, who has branded the USADA probe a "witch hunt, had gone to court in a bid to block the agency's proceedings.


But on Monday a federal judge in his hometown of Austin dismissed his lawsuit, leaving Armstrong until midnight on Thursday to tell USADA whether or not he would seek arbitration. "I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999," Armstrong said Thursday. "The toll this has taken on my family, and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today -- finished with this nonsense." USADA maintains that Armstrong used banned substances -- including the blood-booster EPO, steroids and blood transfusions -- dating back to 1996, and said 10 of his former teammates were ready to testify against him.


If the UCI confirms the move, it faces a potential headache of choosing new winners for the seven disputed tours, as a number of cyclists who finished behind the American have also been implicated in doping scandals.

Indeed, Armstrong has argued that at least some of the witnesses who have implicated him cannot be trusted as they are themselves admitted dope cheats.


Former teammate Floyd Landis, who finally admitted doping years after he was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title, accused Armstrong of systematic doping, helping trigger a federal government probe of Armstrong and others. That investigation ended in February with no criminal charges brought, but it apparently provided further impetus to USADA's probe of the cyclist.

USADA said it also had blood tests taken from 2009-2010, when Armstrong briefly came out of retirement to compete internationally again, that were "fully consistent" with blood doping. Armstrong, who retired from cycling last year, said he passed hundreds of drug tests during his career and adhered to the rules in place at the time of his Tour de France wins. "I refuse to participate in a process that is so one-sided and unfair," he said, alleging that from the start the probe had been "about punishing me at all costs." However, World Anti-Doping Agency chief John Fahey said Armstrong's decision not to fight the charges could only be seen as an admission of guilt. "There can be no other interpretation," he said.

Federer, Murray could have rematch in US Open semis

NEW YORK: Roger Federer and Andy Murray could meet in a US Open semifinal that would be a rematch of their recent finals at Wimbledon and the London Olympics.

The top-seeded Federer and No. 3 Murray were placed in the same section of the field during Thursday's draw at Flushing Meadows for the year's last Grand Slam tournament. Play begins Monday.

Federer beat Murray in July for his record-tying seventh championship at the All England Club; Murray beat Federer this month on the same Centre Court grass for the gold medal.

Second-seeded Novak Djokovic, the US Open's defending champion, could face No. 4 David Ferrer in the semifinals.


Rafael Nadal, who owns 11 Grand Slam titles and is ranked third, withdrew with knee trouble that has sidelined him since he lost in the second round of Wimbledon in late June. This is the first US Open since 2008 that doesn't have the quartet of Federer, Djokovic, Murray and Nadal as the top four seeded men, in some order.

The potential men's quarterfinals are Federer vs. No. 6 Tomas Berdych, who upset him in the 2010 Wimbledon quarterfinals; Djokovic vs. 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro; Murray vs. No. 5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga; Ferrer vs. No. 8 Janko Tipsarevic.

Possible women's quarterfinal matchups are top-seeded Victoria Azarenka vs. defending champion Sam Stosur; four-time major champion Maria Sharapova vs. 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova; 14-time Grand Slam title winner Serena Williams vs. former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki; No. 2 Agnieszka Radwanska vs. No. 6 Angelique Kerber.


Williams' older sister Venus, who is ranked 47th this week and not seeded, plays American wild-card entry Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the first round and could face Kerber in the second. Venus Williams, the 2000 and 2001 champion, pulled out of last year's US Open hours before she was scheduled to play in the second round, revealing that she had been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.

Four-time major champion Kim Clijsters will begin what she says will be the last tournament of her career against American wild-card recipient Victoria Duval. Clijsters, a 29-year-old Belgian who is seeded 23rd, might face Stosur in the fourth round.


Clijsters won the US Open the last three times she entered the hard-court tournament, in 2005, 2009 and 2010. She missed it last year because of a stomach muscle injury.

Want to settle in Bangalore: Mary Kom

BANGALORE: Undeterred by attacks on people from the northeast that triggered an exodus, Manipur-born Olympic bronze medallist MC Mary Kom said on Wednesday that Bangalore was a potential destination for her family, should the Koms decide to relocate from Imphal.

"I like Bangalore. The people are very nice and humble. The weather is good even during summer," said the 29-year-old. "I like it so much that I want to settle here after my career."

The champion said she was not comfortable raising her twin sons in insurgency-wracked Manipur, where she runs a boxing academy and serves in the police as a DSP.

Mary's husband K Onler confirmed that the family was looking at the city to settle down in the future.

"Right now, Mary cannot leave her post (police job). After her retirement, we will look at options that include Bangalore, Pune and New Delhi. As many as 15 members of my family live in Bangalore. That will be an advantage," Mary's husband K Onler said.

  

Onler was distressed by at least six of his kin heading back to Manipur, spooked by the attacks in Bangalore. "I have advised the others to stay back in Bangalore as there are no jobs for them in Manipur. They are all employed with corporate houses here. I feel they should not fall victim to the mischief of a few troublemakers," he said.

  

Mary, too, expressed shock. "When I got to know of this, I was upset. My humble request to everyone is that we all pray for love and peace. If the problem in Bangalore reduces, I hope the northeast people come back and restart their lives. I'm really upset at the happenings across the nation."

  

Onler, whose father was killed in an attack in his home state, said fear should not dictate actions of his people in the state, especially when the situation had improved. "I'm told there are volatile pockets in the city. But we have always shared a good relationship with our Muslim brethren, so I am certain things will get better," he said.

Karnataka sports minister Appachu Ranjan said the government would welcome Mary to the city.