Miandad set to coach Pakistan again

Karachi: previous captain Javed Miandad on Monday spoken his desire to coach the Pakistan cricket team once again if the PCB decides to replace the accused players and the management in England in the wake of the match-fixing scandal. Miandad, a experienced person of 124 Tests, said that he was ready to step in and assist the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in the midst of the biggest fixing scandal to have hit the world cricket.
"I can take charge and manage things but first the board has to recall the players accused of spot-fixing and the present organization from England. We need to ground a new look side and new organization for the One-Day series in England," Miandad told PTI. The previous batting great, who is now the director-general of cricket in PCB, said he had aired his mind and now the ball rests on the board's court.
"I am forever there for Pakistan cricket and these latest spot-fixing scandal has hurt me immensely. It is harmful for Pakistan cricket and the board needs to steps of its own to set things right," Miandad said. Miandad, who was coach of the nationwide team thrice in the past, said PCB should immediately recall those players from England who were under the scanner.
"I don't want to say much now but it is perceptible the management failed. We have enough talent in Pakistan to field a new look side in the ODI series. We should make a fresh start and try to clear this tainted image," Miandad said. Miandad, though, declined to make any comments when asked if he felt it was time for PCB chairman Ejaz Butt to resign.
"seem I don't want to go into that. The chairman has been appointed by the chief patron of the board and only he can decide who will run cricket affairs," he said. "I am a member of this board and I have the attention of Pakistan cricket at heart. That is why I am suggestive of these radical steps. The investigations will go on but we need to understand that we can't carry on playing like this in the ODIs with all this pressure on the team," the former captain added.

Dhoni missed his top spot, Sehwag rises in ICC ODI rankings

Dubai: Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni lost his number one spot, but opening batsman Virender Sehwag gained eight places to go back to the top-10 at eighth in the ICC ODI rankings issued on Sunday. India held on to the second spot in the team rankings in spite of losing the tri-series final to Sri Lanka last night.
Sri Lanka, sixth before the series, are just at the back of India, and in front of South Africa, who drop to fourth, when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.
New Zealand drop to sixth from fourth as Australia, at the top, and England, in fifth spot, stay unchanged. In person rankings, Tillakaratne Dilshan broke into the top five of the batting chart. Dilshan's match-winning attempt of 110 in the final against India last night was sufficient to earn him a three-place boost in the rankings and he now sits in fourth position, level with Hashim Amla of South Africa.
Amla's team-mate AB de Villiers has benefited from Dhoni's slip with the 26-year-old from Pretoria taking over at the top of the rankings. The other main mover upwards in the top 10 is Sehwag, who was confirmed Man-of-the-Series in Sri Lanka.
The hard-hitting opener was the series' top-scorer with 268 at an average of 67 and that attempt has moved him up eight places on the rankings to eighth place. Sachin Tendulkar, who was rested as of the tri-series, lost four places and now sits in 10th position.
A player loses half a per cent of his ranking for every ODI he misses. In the list for bowlers, India pacer Praveen Kumar has gained five places to smash into the top 10 for the first time in his career.The 23-year-old took nine wickets in the Sri Lanka tri-series at an usual of 23.66 and now sits in 10th position in the ranking, level with Pakistan's Shahid Afridi.

Wests Tigers attendances rise by eight per cent

The SFS and SCG are proving to be very popular grounds for Wests Tigers fans with attendances increasing by eight per cent this season. Wests Tigers moved to play their blockbuster games at the SCG and the SFS in 2009 and averaged 20,796 fans per game in their debut home ground season.

This year, the average attendances increased to 22,479. SCG Trust Chief Executive Mr Jamie Barkley congratulated Wests Tigers fans. “This year, Wests Tigers fans have attended games in increasing numbers which is a credit to their loyal support base,” said Mr Barkley.

“Wests Tigers fans come from far and wide across the Sydney metropolitan area and they enjoy the comfort, great viewing and intense atmosphere generated at the SFS and SCG. “Wests Tigers play an attacking brand of rugby league and are one of the most appealing teams in the NRL competition,” said Mr Barkley.  “Playmakers such as Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah offer great flair and players such as Lote Tuqiri, Beau Ryan and Gareth Ellis are crowd favourites,” he added.

Wests Tigers biggest attendance this season was 30,685 for the clash with South Sydney at the SCG in May.
Playing home games at the SFS and SCG has allowed thousands of more fans to attend NRL games and catapulted Wests Tigers to record attendances. As a result, Wests Tigers has one of the NRL’s highest average attendances.

Gold medallist Mo Farah named in English Commonwealth Games team

Farah, who won the 5,000m and 10,000m in Barcelona in July, is fixed by reigning European and Commonwealth triple jump champion Phillips Idowu.
Christine Ohuruogu, who won Olympic 400m gold in Beijing in 2008, will also protect her Commonwealth title. Lisa Dobriskey will look to duplicate her 1500m win from Melbourne in 2006.
The 26-year-old from Kent, who won her first major medal at the Commonwealths four years ago and added a silver at the World Championships in Berlin last year, will also fight in the 800m. But she missed out on a medal at the European Championships in Barcelona.
"To preserve my title would mean a lot to me and the more racing experience I can get in championship events the better," she said. "Other than next year's World Championships, there are extremely few such opportunities between now and London 2012."
Craig Hunter, chef de assignment for England in Delhi, added: "I'm delighted to welcome such a strong group of track and field athletes into the England team for Delhi and look forward to their performances there - especially after such a dramatic European Championships."
"After an wonderful season, two gold medals in the European Championships and a new British 5,000m record, I hope to finish a fantastic summer season with one more good performance in India," he said. He said: "It's been a great season so far and I look to go to India and win another gold medal."
England won six gold, four silver and eight bronze athletics medals at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. The 2010 Games run from 3-14 October and feature 17 sports.

Peru and USA top teams at Youth Olympic Games

Singapore, Aug. 23 (ANDINA): In girls' play in Youth Olympic Games, Peru used their altitude advantage to beat Japan 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-18).
Japan had to rely on chips and soft returns to land the ball in the resistance court. Soon, Peru became aware of the plan and took the scheme.

Japan's coach, Uehara Norihito, was far from satisfied with his girls, but also sharp out "this is a young side and it is the first time they are challenging in an international tournament of an Olympic standard."

In the late game, the USA overcame a late surge from Egypt to win 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-23).
Egypt made a reappear in the last set and were leading at one stage, but a smash by Samantha Cash (USA) tied the game and soon her team had the lead to stay.
"We got a small piece lax in the last set and that's where Egypt took an advantage," said Cash.

Peru meet up Belgium and the USA take on Japan on Tuesday in the girls' semifinals.
Egypt and Singapore will play for fifth and sixth place on Wednesday.

Cristiano Ronaldo gives Pau Gasol some pointers facing the USA vs Spain game

Real Madrid footballer Cristiano Ronaldo spoke to NBA player Pau Gasol prior to the USA Senior Men's National Team against the Spain Senior Men's National Team game yesterday at La Caja Magica in Madrid, Spain.

USA won the warm-up game for the 2010 FIBA World Championships which begin in Turkey on August 28.

Gasol, who stands at 7ft tall, is the starting power ahead for back-to-back NBA champions the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers journey to London to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 4 as part of NBA Europe Live.

Credible Upholstery

England Beat Hungary 2-1

Steven Gerrard scored twice in four second-half minutes as England came from at the back to defeat Hungary in their first outing since their dreadful World Cup campaign.

England, by and great, received warm backing from the 72,024 inside Wembley, with clapping comfortably outweighing booing after a performance during which Fabio Capello's team produced some eye-catching attacking moves.
But the crowd voiced their disappointment when Phil Jagielka unfortunately guided a low cross into his own net after 62 minutes.
In truth, England had grounds for criticism that are sure to once again raise the subject of goal-line technology.
A Frank Lampard strike that clearly crossed the line was not awarded during England's humiliating 4-1 beat against Germany at the World Cup.
And at Wembley on Wednesday replays optional substitute Michael Dawson had cleared the ball before it had crossed the line.
The coach had moved away from the much-maligned 4-4-2 formation, opting in its place to play Barry, Gerrard and Lampard in a central midfield area, with Adam Johnson and Theo Walcott, who were both left out of the World Cup squad, providing the width as Rooney operated as a lone striker.