Sport woRLd
Asian Voice - Saturday 1st December 2012
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Action at a Glance Michael Clarke has regained the number-one ranking in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen after producing a spectacular performance in the second Test between Australia and South Africa which ended in a thrilling draw in Adelaide on Monday. The 31-year-old Australian captain scored a masterly 230 in the first innings, his fourth doublecentury of the year, which has earned him 33 ratings points and has helped him leapfrog Kumar Sangkkara of Sri Lanka and South Africa duo of Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis into the number-one position. This is the third time Clarke has moved to the top of the table. He first achieved the number-one ranking in August 2009 and then again surged to the top earlier this year in March-April. Unfortunately, both the times his stay at the top has been brief - a possibility which still
exists as he leads Sangakkara by a slender 10 ratings points margin. If Sangakkara manages to turn around the first innings failure into a strong performance in the second innings of the ongoing second Test against New Zealand in Colombo, then he has a good chance to reclaim the coveted spot which had snatched from West Indies' Shivnarine Chanderpaul in July. Clarke had started the year in 20th position and has made his way to the top scoring 1,309 runs to date at an average of 119. Apart from Clarke, Ricky Ponting (24th, down by three) and Michael Hussey (12th, down by one) are the other two current Australia team players who have tasted number-one positions in the past. But Clarke is not the only player who has vaulted up the rankings. All the players who produced good performances in the just-concluded three Tests in Adelaide,
Mumbai and Khulna, have been rewarded with rises in the latest rankings. Batsmen to make upward movements include Chanderpaul, England's Kevin Pietersen, West Indies' Marlon Samuels and Darren Bravo, India's Cheteshwar Pujara and David Warner of Australia. Pietersen was at his brilliant best on a Wankhede Stadium turning track and scored one of the finest centuries of his career by slapping 20 fours and four sixes
in a 223-ball 186 that laid the foundation of England's series-leveling 10-wicket victory. For this heroic effort, which also earned him the man of the match award, Pietersen has earned a jump of six places which has put him in seventh position. There is good news for the bowlers as well. England's Graeme Swann has bounced back into the top 10 after grabbing eight wickets in Mumbai. The crafty spinner has jumped six places to not only claim sixth place but has once again become the highest-ranked England bowler ahead of James Anderson (10th, down by four places). Swann's new-ball partner Monty Panesar was in a class of his own while registering match figures of 69-15-21011. For this marvellous performance against some of the very best players of spin bowling, Panesar has been rewarded with a jump of nine places which has put him in 29th position.
Pepsi bags IPL sponsorship Sachin does not need any advice on his future: BCCI official rights for five years Soft drink giants Pepsi became the new title sponsors of the cash-rich Indian Premier League after it won the bid for title rights for five years by paying a whopping Rs 3.96 billion. Pepsi pipped Aircel, which had offered Rs 3.16 billion, in the bid for the title sponsorship of the Twenty20 tournament. IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla said that the title-sponsorship contract was for five-year period and will end in 2017. Realty firm DLF ended its five-yearlong association with the IPL as the title sponsor in August and the BCCI floated the tenders last month. DLF paid Rs 2 billion for the five year period of 200812. "So far our records of selling various properties of IPL has been very good. We have doubled, tripled or quadrupled the amount while selling some of the properties," Shukla told reporters after the meeting of the IPL governing council. Deepika Warrier, executive director Marketing of Pepsico Beverages, said she was very happy that the company has reaffirmed its commitment to cricket. "We have been associated
with cricket for the last 20 years. The IPL is a tremendous product. It is a brand which rivals any other sporting brand across the world," she said. The title sponsor rights include a number of branding and other marketing benefits to be received by the title sponsor at every IPL match during the season as specifically outlined in the Invitation to Tender. The BCCI had made it clear in its tender notice that the companies which intend to sell off the rights after winning the bid are ineligible to apply in the first place. Only corporate entities, whether in India or abroad, which are interested in placing a bid for themselves and/or their holding or subsidiary company(ies), for the purpose of the advertisement and promotion of their own brands within their primary product or services categories were eligible to participate in this tender process and to submit bids.
Sachin Tendulkar's streak of low scores might have raised a question mark over his future but senior BCCI official and IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla came out in support of the senior batsman saying one needs to look at his "colossal record" before making any comment. "He will hang up his boots when he thinks it's time for him to go. He does not need any advice on this. Before making a comment on his performance you have to see his colossal record and his past performance," Shukla told reporters outside the Parliament adding that the veteran cricketer will come back strongly in the forthcoming matches. "He will do well in forthcoming matches," Shukla said. Tendulkar has been battling poor form for sometime and his last 10 innings have yielded just 153 runs at an average of 15.3, the lowest by an Indian top-order batsman in the corresponding period. The 39-year-old's last three figure score in Tests came in January last year against South Africa. Asked about India's loss
to England in the second Test at Mumbai, Shukla said: "It is sad. After the victory in Ahmedabad the batting lineup could not perform the way it should have. It was a turning wicket and English spinners performed better." Shukla, though, said the board will look into the matter and would take necessary corrective measures. "We will discuss the shortcomings and so will the team management to see how the performance can be improved," he said. On the selection of the team for the next two Tests against England, Shukla said it remains the prerogative of the selection committee and nobody should interfere in their domain. "Selectors are also former players and they will take a call on this. Whom to select and whom not to, it is their domain," he added.
Sprint legend Usain Bolt may play cricket after Rio Games Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt, who has already conquered the racing track with six Olympic gold medals, may switch to cricket after the 2016 Games in Rio de Janerio. The 26-year-old from Jamaica had held talks with Australian spin legend Shane Warne's Melbourne Stars in October but his agent Ricky Simms said that he won't be available for this year's Big Bash Twenty20 League. "Usain is currently an athlete focused on his preparations for the 2013 World Championships in Moscow," Simms said. "He may try his hand at cricket or football when he retires from running but that would be after 2016." Bolt, who grew up in cricket-mad Jamaica and is the defending champion in 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay events at the London 2012 Olympics, had earlier
showed interest in participating in the Australian tournament. Warne then tried his hand to bring Bolt in the team and had launched a Twitter campaign. On Friday, former Australia wicketkeeper Ian Healy once again brought up the issue when he tweeted that a deal
between Bolt and the Stars to play in the competition - which runs from 7 December to 9 January - was "hours away". However, Simms dismissed the claim, saying: "I met with the Melbourne Stars in October and told them Usain is not available to play cricket this year."In the past, Bolt has appeared in charity cricket matches and even managed to famously clean bowled then West Indies captain Chris Gayle in 2009. Bolt, who considers football to be his first love, was also the special guest of Manchester United at the 2011 Champions League final in London. Last October, the Jamaican also expressed his desire to play football professionally in the future. "I always wanted to try to play soccer," he said in October. "Maybe at the end of my career. It would be something that I would love to try," he had said.
Bopanna marries Supriya Ace Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna tied the knot with Supriya, studying MA in Bangalore, in a glittering ceremony at a picturesque luxury resort on Sunday morning. Rohan, 32 was dressed in traditional creamcoloured attire, while his bride was in a red sari. Rohan, son of Machanda Bopanna and
Mallika of Garagandur village, Madapur, and Supriya, daughter of Chodumada Col. Annaiah and Saroo, exchanged garlands in the Dampathi muhurtham at 10.46 am. The wedding ceremony, which was held not far from where Bopanna was born and raised – Madapur- had almost the entire Indian tennis fraternity in attendance.
Messi nears Mueller’s record
Superstar Lionel Messi, having taken his 2012 goals tally to 80 in midweek, can close in on German great Gerd Mueller's all time record of 85 in a calendar year on Sunday. The Argentinian had already surpassed Pele's total of 75 goals in 1958 and a double at Spartak Moscow, when Barcelona secured their spot in the Champions League last 16, further boosted his hopes. With his La Liga-leading side travelling to Levante, Messi now has eight matches left before the Christmas break in which to break Mueller's record of 85 goals in 1972. “Everyone says I'm very competitive, I do plan my objectives year by year to keep improving and to win again all we have won before,” Messi said. “I just like to train, play and win. I've been like that since I was young, but without my colleagues I would not achieve anything, they deserve all the credit.”
World Cup mascot named Fuleco
The 2014 football World Cup mascot will be named Fuleco after a popular vote ended. The name Fuleco received 48 per cent of the votes from the Brazilian public on Sunday, beating Zuzeco (31) and Amijubi (21), football's world governing body FIFA said. FIFA said that more than 1.7 million people in Brazil took part in the vote to select the name for armadillo the mascot. The armadillo, which is in danger of extinction, rolls up into the shape of a ball when threatened. The mascot carries the colours of the Brazilian flag.
Vettel becomes youngest triple champion
Sebastian Vettel became the youngest triple champion in Formula One history on Sunday when he finished sixth behind the victorious Jenson Button in a tumultuous Brazilian Grand Prix. The 25-year-old German, who was involved in an opening lap collision, made light of the damage to his Red Bull car as he fought through the field in a dramatic race run in treacherous rainswept conditions at the Interlagos circuit. Vettel's only title rival, two-time champion Spaniard Fernnando Alonso, finished a fine second after a courageous drive for Ferrari, but it was not enough to overhaul a pre-race 13-points deficit as his German rival won the crown by just three points.
Recuperating Nadal back on practice court
Rafa Nadal returned to the practice court and started hitting balls again for the first time since the latest in a series of knee injuries forced his withdrawal from the US Open at the end of August. The 11-times grand slam singles champion, who has not competed since a shock defeat to Czech Lukas Rosol in the second round at Wimbledon in June, completed a session under the supervision of coach and uncle Toni Nadal on an indoor hard court in his home town of Manacor on the island of Majorca.