20
guyanatimesGY.com
tuesday, july 23, 2013
Pattinson ruled out of remaining Tests
Warne retires from cricket as he opts out of Big Bash
Tests, as well as 293 more in 194 one-day internationals. Warne, who retired from Test cricket in 2007, featured in each of the last two seasons of the Twenty20 Big Bash event. “I think the time is right for me to hang up my Big
Bash boots,” he said. “Juggling business, family and commentary commitments across two continents is not easy. “I’ve always loved the game but now it’s time to observe.” Warne bowed out of Test cricket after helping Australia to a 5-0 Ashes whitewash of England in 2007. The Australian retired from the first-class game in 2008 after a spell captaining English county side Hampshire. Warne quit all forms of cricket in May 2011 when he left Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League but announced in November of the same year that he would feature in the Big Bash tournament. (BBC Sport)
bid],” said Moyes at a news conference in Yokohama, Japan. “We have made a second offer, but Ed is dealing with it rather than me.” Two days after United’s initial offer was confirmed, Woodward returned from the Australia leg of their pre-season tour to attend to urgent transfer business. Barcelona have not made any official comment, but the situation has reportedly been complicated by the managerial vacancy created at the Nou Camp by Tito Vilanova’s decision to step down because of ill health. It is not clear whether Chelsea’s pursuit of United striker Wayne Rooney has any bearing on the club’s attempts to sign Fabregas. The Spaniard came through Barcelona’s La Masia academy before Arsenal signed him as a 16-year-old in 2003. He developed as one of the Gunners’ key players under manager Arsene Wenger before taking over the captaincy in November 2008. Fabregas spent eight years with Arsenal, playing 303 games and scoring 57 goals, but returned to Barcelona in a five-year deal worth £25.4m in 2011 and has helped them win the Copa del Rey in 2011-12 and La Liga last season. He has played 96 times in total for Barcelona, including 60 league games,
but has rarely featured in his preferred midfield role, with Xavi, 33, and Andres Iniesta, 29, ahead of him in the pecking order. He has made 83 appearances for Spain, winning the 2010 World Cup and the European Championship twice. In addition to Fabregas, United have a reported interest in Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo and Tottenham attacker Gareth Bale. Left-back Leighton Baines and midfielder Marouane Fellaini, both of whom worked under Moyes at Everton, have also been linked with moves to Old Trafford - where the transfer record remains the £30.75m they paid Tottenham for striker Dimitar Berbatov in 2008. But none of those moves have materialised as yet and when asked if he appreciated why some United fans were becoming anxious, Moyes replied: “I can understand that feeling. “But there have been quite a few changes. Other managers have changed their clubs, too, and everybody thought this might be the summer when transfers are done later in the month. “That was always the thought I had when I came into the club. You have to remember I only started on 1 July, so in truth I have only been in the job three weeks at this present time.” (BBC Sport)
A
ustralia fast bowler James Pattinson will miss the rest of the Ashes series against England after suffering a stress fracture of the lower back. The 23-year-old complained of soreness in his hip and back at the end of the second Test at Lord’s. Cricket Australia confirmed Pattinson would miss the rest of the tour after a scan revealed the extent of the injury. “Unfortunately he will not take any further part in this Test series,” said Australia team doctor Peter Brukner. “Scans have identified an early stage low back stress fracture. “He will commence a rehabilitation programme with the aim to have him back for the Australian summer.” The tourists say they have no immediate plans to call up a replacement for Pattinson, which could mean a recall for Mitchell Starc. Starc was left out of the side which was thrashed by 347 runs by England at Lord’s on Sunday. James Faulkner and Jackson Bird are also available as back-up to frontline seamers Peter Siddle and
S
Shane Warne
hane Warne has retired from all forms of cricket after announcing he will not play at this year’s Big Bash tournament with the Melbourne Stars. The 43-year-old Australian is the secondhighest Test wicket-taker of all time with 708 in 145
James Pattinson
Ryan Harris. Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Chadd Sayers are among those who could potentially be called up from the Australia A squad currently playing in South Africa. Cricket Australia general manager Pat Howard said: “While we are obviously disappointed for James, the selectors have five bowlers fit and ready to perform in England, providing them with many op-
tions. “It is also important to note that several players have been performing for Australia A and are available to be called up at any stage if the national selection panel [requires] them.” Pattinson took seven wickets in the two Tests at a cost of 307 runs, and almost helped Australia pull off an unlikely Trent Bridge victory with a gritty 25 not out in a thrilling climax to the first Test. (BBC Sport)
Fabregas is not for sale − Barcelona
Delhi police file chargesheet B in 2000 fixing case
Cesc Fabregas
H
Hansie Cronje
ansie Cronje is the only cricketer named in the chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police relating to the match-fixing case of 2000. The chargesheet was filed in a trial court on Monday, more than 13 years after the scandal broke. When the issue first came to light, Delhi Police had charged the then South Africa captain Cronje with fixing his team’s ODIs against India in March 2000 for money. Cronje had confessed to accepting money from bookmakers in June that year, while being cross-examined by the King
Commission in Cape Town, and was banned for life in October. On June 1, 2002, Cronje was reported to have died in a plane crash near George in South Africa’s southern Cape. “There are six accused in this case, three of them are on bail while two are abroad,” Inspector Keshav Kumar, the investigating officer in the case, told the court. “The sixth is Hansie Cronje, who is dead.” The others are bookmakers and gamblers Rajesh Kalra, Krishan Kumar and Sunil Dara, who are all out on bail, and Sanjeev Chawla and Manmohan Khattar,
who are overseas. Delhi Police have alleged that Cronje persuaded some of his teammates to agree to underperform in a one-day match in 2000. Batsman Herschelle Gibbs and bowler Henry Williams were both banned for six months and fined by South African authorities for their admissions in the scandal, which broke when the police, working on an unrelated extortion case, tapped a telephone conversation between Cronje and Chawla. He is believed by the police to be in the UK and they hope to seek his extradition now that the chargesheet has been filed. “We will now request the court to grant approval to seek extradition of Chawla from the UK to India,” Ravindra Yadav, additional commissioner of police (crime), told AFP. “The UK government does not allow extradition without the chargesheet. We are almost sure Chawla is in England. “This is criminal conspiracy. People went to the ground to watch the games thinking they would be played in the true spirit. They did not know the outcome was fixed. That’s why we have filed the charges.”
(Cricinfo)
arcelona have told Manchester United that Cesc Fabregas is not for sale. United confirmed on Monday that they had submitted an improved bid - understood to be £30m plus add-ons for the midfielder but reports in Spain claim that has been turned down. “Fabregas is not for sale,” a Barcelona source said on Monday. “The president (Sandro Rosell) has been very clear with Man United.” Old Trafford boss David Moyes earlier said he may be forced to admit defeat. When asked whether he would give up on Fabregas were the deal to drag on, Moyes said: “I think a point does come but I think when you are interested in good players you want to give it every opportunity to materialise. And I’ll do that. “I’ll hope that things can continue to try to move forward. “At this moment I can only tell you that Ed Woodward (United’s executive vice-chairman) is working hard to make the deals happen and we’re hoping some of them will fall into place shortly.” United confirmed they had made a £25m offer for the 26-year-old midfielder last Monday, with Woodward leading the negotiations. “As I understand it, Ed had a response [to the first