Sport World
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 4th May 2013
Wimbledon organisers moved to justify a staggering 40 per cent rise in total prize money that will make the pot at this year's championships the biggest ever in tennis. Players at this year's grass court grand slam, which starts on June 24, will receive a total of 22.6 million pounds with the men's and women's singles champions each pocketing 1.6 million pounds. Last year's Wimbledon singles champions earned 1.15 million pounds - 39 per cent less. "These are significant increases and we have made them because we wanted to and not because we had to," All England Club chairman Philip Brook told reporters and also outlined a redevelopment of the site including putting a roof on Court One by 2019. "We understand and appreciate the difficulties for all players reaching the top echelons of our sport. It's a long and expensive road to the top and it's getting longer." Asked if the rises were justifiable during a harsh economic climate in which many people struggled just to afford tickets for the prestigious tournament, he said Wimbledon had to compete with other major sporting events. "I know the economic climate is difficult, I accept that, but the world that we live in is a world where we are competing with other international tennis
events and we also keep an eye on what is happening in other sports. We do think that this was a moment in time when we could respond to a subject that has been spoken about a lot over the last 18 months and we have chosen to make these increases this year because we feel it's the right thing to do. "Fans won't pay the price (through ticket increases)," he added. "It's an affordable increase in terms of our
overall operations here. "We've had early discussion about 2014 ticket prices and there won't be any significant change to how we look at that." Brook said there had been no pressure from the world's leading players but said the increases reflected calls for more prize money for the lesser-ranked players who are often packing their bags after the early rounds. Qualifying rounds: Players who lose in the opening three rounds at
Wimbledon this year will be the chief beneficiaries of the prize money rises with increases of between 62 and 64 per cent. Those who fail to survive a single match in the main draw at the championships will be rewarded with a 23,000-pound cheque, up from 14,500 pounds last year. "We started last year focusing the prize-money increases on those that lose in the early rounds or qualifying," Brook said. "These are not players who are superstars (but) players who are finding their way and not making a lot of money." A women's singles player who bows out in the first round without winning a game will still be rewarded with a cheque that is close to the average annual earnings in the UK. With a 6-0 6-0 demolition usually lasting less than 45 minutes, Wimbledon officials were quick to defend their generosity. Richard Lewis, chief executive of the All England Club, said the public should recognise that the riches enjoyed by the likes of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic through prize money and sponsorship were not available to rank and file tour players. "It's not just the top players, we have to make the sport attractive to the next generation of talent and that means that players ranked 50 to 100 or 100 to 200 need to know that they can make a good living."
Sachin turns 40, cuts cake with Bangladesh complete first visually challenged in Kolkata Test win in Zimbabwe
Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar turned 40 last week with cricket administrators and his fans lining up a series of events to celebrate the event in Kolkata ahead of a Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders IPL match in Kolkata. Sachin began the day with a customary cake-cutting ceremony at the Mumbai Indians team hotel. Earlier, the Cricket Association of Bengal celebrated Sachin's birthday a day in advance by cutting a 10-pound cake in the presence of 100 blind students.
Visually challenged students from Narendrapur Ramakrishna Mission Blind School and Light House for the Blind cut the cake in the evening. "We are overwhelmed with joy. We want Sachin to live 100 years," a message from the CAB read. Next day’s cake cutting ceremony was a private affair held near the dressing room. Sachin's wife Anjali cut the cake and fed him the first piece in the presence of Mumbai Indians team owner Nita Ambani and other guests. The chocolate cake was made up of special cocoa from Ghana and Madagascar. It had an image of Sachin and the World Cup-winning moment of April 2, 2011. Sachin thanked the people across India for forwarding their best wishes for his birthday. In a career spanning 24 years, Sachin has got almost all the batting record to his name other than Brian Lara's Test highest of 400 not out.
Hamilton Masakadza's determined 111 not out went in vain as Bangladesh wrapped up only their fourth Test win on Monday to earn a share of a two-match series with Zimbabwe. Masakadza held off the Bangladesh attack for more than six hours but lacked support at the other end, allowing the tourists to bowl Zimbabwe out for 257 and complete a 143-run victory at Harare Sports Club. The home side went into the final day with six wickets intact and a slim chance of scoring the 263 runs still required to chase down a target of 401. Although Masakadza gave Zimbabwe hope of avoiding defeat after seeing out a wicketless first hour with his younger brother, Shingirai, a double breakthrough quickly put the result beyond doubt. The Masakadzas had thwarted Bangladesh's bowlers for 119 minutes in total after coming together
on the fourth evening but they were parted when Shingirai was trapped lbw by Mohammad Ashraful for 24. With Elton Chigumbura soon falling lbw to Sohag Gazi and Ziaur Rahman claiming the wickets of Richmond Mutumbami and Graeme Cremer after lunch, the match only stretched into the second half of the day because of Masakadza, who went to his century with a huge hit over midwicket for six. When Shakib Al Hasan trapped Kyle Jarvis lbw, Masakadza had run out of partners and Bangladesh had their fourth Test win from 79 matches -- and their first ever in Zimbabwe and first Test win since 2009. "After such a huge defeat in the first Test the boys have come back well," said Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim. "We were under big pressure because when we play against Ireland and Zimbabwe we are expected to win every match at home or abroad."
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Milkha Singh gets lifetime achievement award
Sincere and determined efforts and hard work from athletes, coaches and the sports organizations are the essential ingredients needed to earn a medal in the Olympics, legendary Indian athlete Milkha Singh said. in Kolkata. 'If Jamaica, with such a small population, can produce great athletes like Usain Bolt and others, then why India with a huge population cannot produce medal winning athletes in Olympics," Milkha Singh wondered while in Kolkata to receive an award. Known as "The Flying Sikh" Milkha took the Indian athletics on the world map with his sterling performances in sprints like 200 m and 400 m winning top position in Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and other international meets. Milkha, who after becoming the first Indian to win a gold in athletics in Commonwealth Games at Cardiff in 1958 became 4th in 400 m at summer Olympics in Rome during 1960 in a photo finish, said India has the potentiality to win medals in the Olympics. After receiving "the Lifetime Achievement Award" conferred by the Calcutta Sports Journalists' Club at the historic Town Hall in Kolkata, the great runner was overwhelmed by the honour bestowed on him and said "no other city shows this much adulation, honour and respect to the players and sportspersons as shown by Kolkata."
Lancashire batsman hits six sixes in one over
Lancashire's Jordan Clark has become only the fifth batsman to hit six sixes in one over during a professional cricket match. The English County said in a statement that the 22year-old had achieved the feat in a Championship Second XI game against Yorkshire to join an illustrious list of names. Former West Indies all-rounder Garfield Sobers was the first man to do it, in 1968, and Indian Ravi Shastri followed suit in 1985. South Africa opener Herschelle Gibbs smashed six sixes in an over at the 2007 World Cup and Indian Yuvraj Singh did the same at the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup the same year.
US govt sues Lance Armstrong over sponsor money
The US government has filed court documents laying out its case against cyclist Lance Armstrong, who is accused of defrauding the Postal Service by taking millions of dollars in sponsorship money while flouting professional cycling rules by doping. The US department of justice said in February it would join a whistleblower lawsuit brought in 2010 by Armstrong's former teammate, Floyd Landis, and filed its formal complaint. Armstrong has been stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and was banned for life from cycling in 2012 after accusations he had cheated for years. In January, he said the accusations were true in an interview with television host Oprah Winfrey.
Virat Kohli's passion reminds me of myself: Viv Richards he old swagger is not conspicuous, the chewing gum and maroon cap that T added to his menacing image on the pitch
are also missing. As he settles down to a media conference, Viv Richards presents a mellowed image. As he admits later, he is less confident against journalists than he was on the field. "The cricket field was my home." In his heyday, he spread fear among his rivals and inspired awe among fans. Picture this: His fastest Test ton, off 56 balls, which came in the mid-80s, remains a record to this day. There have been players who have surpassed his records, but none has matched the impact he had. That cold stare, the horizontal-bat shots against the fastest of bowlers without the protection of a helmet, all that made him one of the finest batsmen ever
in the game. While experts are still looking for someone who would fit into the mould of the Antiguan, Richards himself dropped a hint on who could be his successor. Virat Kohli. Yes, that youngster from Delhi who was known to mouth abuses at the hint of confrontation but is fast maturing as a batsman and now represents India's batting future. Years back, Don Bradman spoke of how Sachin Tendulkar's batting style reminding him of his own approach. Look where Tendulkar has reached?
Richards said: "I love Virat's aggression and passion. He reminds me of myself." Richards had his ways of unnerving the opposition. He spoke for long on what true aggression means. Standing at the crease and looking into the other guy's eye, that to me is aggression, not sledging. The bowler will try and bang (at) you but if you are there till the end of the day, that'll hurt him more. You should stand the ground." Walk, don't talk. Virat, according to Richards, is someone who can stand his ground even under
tremendous pressure. That ability has shone through in the past two years - in the World Cup, in Australia, in the Asia Cup and even in the home Tests against England and Australia. Bluff master: Among qualities Richards is looking to impart to struggling players like Virender Sehwag is the 'art of bluffing', in his role as the Daredevils ambassador. "I would always have a Sehwag in my side knowing how destructive he can be. I had a little chat with him. (Knowing his style) the opposition would plug the boundaries, so he can collect singles or doubles. "That's what I mean by bluffing (basically, change your style). Gayle has played bluff on a few occasions. He plays cautiously and then he explodes. He's been so successful."