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Getting on top of an opposition in the first two days is not a situation Bangladesh usually enjoys in Test cricket.
   Bangladesh finished the first innings on 427 and in reply Australia at stumps on the second day were 145-6. Yes, that was the score though hard to believe.
   It was unbelievable not only for the cricket fans but also for those involved too. The circumstances at the post-match press conference of Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore on Monday, could be a great example to tell you how the Tigers were awestruck with their very own performances.
   When in this sort of situation any team of the world would have come up with an idea about how they want to complete the job, Whatmore still remained very careful to talk about any possible outcome.
   ‘The situation is that Bangladesh are very much on top. We are in the driving seat but we have to realise how close we are to winning the game,’ said the coach.
   ‘It’s not the one-day game that you can win by taking only 10 wickets. In Test cricket, you have to take all 20 wickets to win a game,’ he added.
   Whatmore, however, did not like to think that far. His immediate goal was to dismiss the Australians in the first innings as quickly as possible.
   ‘It’s a nice feeling that we are in charge but the first thing is that we have to take all their 10 first innings wickets. That’s our main objective,’ he said.
    ‘Let’s get the 10 wickets fall and then let me take a decision about the follow-on,’ said the coach while talking about the unique prospect of a Bangladesh win.
   Whatmore ruled out any kind of pressure to maintain the momentum and transform the initial success into an eventual victory. ‘We have no pressure on us. Everybody in the team is enjoying our game,’ he said.
   ‘We have won a number of one-day matches but as far as Tests is concerned and given the opposition, I am very pleased with the performances,’ added the coach.

Playing too many matches at a stretch has took its toll on the mighty Australians, claimed leg-spinner Stuart MacGill after seeing his team-mates facing a follow-on despite his career best performance with the ball on Monday.
   MacGill took 8-108 in Bangladesh’s first innings yet found himself in an embarrassing situation after the tourists ended the second day’s play on 145-6, still 282 runs behind the hosts.
   ‘Since the last summer we have played 16 Test matches. It was a pretty long summer. So, it was not very easy for us,’ said the spinner, who surpassed his previous best figures – 7-50 against England at Sydney in 1999.
   ‘I’ve been fortunate that I did not play in much of those games. Compared to others I am relatively fresh,’ added the bowler.
   MacGill, however, vowed that the match was not yet over and Australia had every chance of fighting back.
   ‘Although Bangladesh is in a very strong position, the match is far from finished and I know that Australia will fight. Let’s see what happens next,’ he said.
   ‘I guess the first thing as a bowler is that you have to concentrate on your job and hope it will help your team to win the match. I did exactly that. At the moment I am tired and satisfied and looking forward to bat,’ he said.
   Lamenting his in and out spells in the Australian team, MacGill said he desperately tried to do something good so that it could help him to grab another opportunity.
   ‘When you do get an opportunity after a long time you must want everything to happen immediately,’ said MacGill, who now boasts 25 wickets in two-and-a-half Tests against Bangladesh.

Tajikistan coach Sharif Nazarov pointed out the lack of big-match temperament as the main cause of the downfall of Bangladesh in the quarterfinal of the AFC Challenge Cup on Monday. Dejected Bangladesh coach Diego Andres Cruciani also echoed the same view.
   ‘I found Bangladesh were in a nervous state, the team that played against us two years back seemed mentally tougher, Bangladesh were very sluggish in their moves,’ said Nazarov.
   What brought the best in his team? ‘The defeat against Kyrgyzstan in the group phase spurred my players to produce the best, and the weather was a little colder today that also helped us,’ said the coach.
   Cruciani blamed his players for a lack of concentration. ‘They were afraid and nervous. Tajikistan played power football and our players were disorganised, there was no team spirit. I thought that after the 1-1 scoreline they would regroup themselves but that did not happen,’ said Cruciani.
   Crucinai tipped Tajikistan as the firm favourites against Kyrgyzstan in the semifinals if they continue to play like this.

The International Cricket Council handed Australia cricket team two separate trophies and a cheque for $500,000 on Monday for being the top team in the Test and one-day ranking in the past 12 months.
   On behalf of the ICC, the president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board Ali Asghar presented the trophies to Australian captain Ricky Ponting and vice-captain Adam Gilchrist at a simple ceremony before the start of the second day’s play at the Fatullah Stadium.
   This is the second consecutive year in which Australia have benefited from their dominance of both the Test and ODI tables on the April 1 cut-off date. The trophies were scheduled to be handed over before the first Test started, but later it was deferred by a day at the request of the recipients. Creagh O’Connor and James Sutherland, the chairman and the chief executive of Cricket Australia, were also present on the occasion.

The Standard Chartered Young Tigers National School Cricket starts today with 328 schools from Dhaka Metropolis and Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet divisions playing in 64 venues across the country.
   Standard Chartered bank, the sponsors of tournament, will provide Tk 40 lakh this year and it will increase by Tk 10 lakh in the next two years.

France midfielder Zinedine Zidane said Monday he wants to end his international career in July with a second World Cup triumph in Germany.
   Speaking to German football magaznie Kicker, the Real Madrid talisman said: ‘It would be good if I could finish my international career in the French team with a big and beautiful success. I want to become World champion again - that’s my goal.’
   The 33-year-old has already retired from the international scene once before after France’s dismal showing in the European Championships in Portugal in 2004.
   But he made a comeback in August 2005 as France struggled to qualify for the showpiece event due to kick off on June 9. Zidane played his part as the 1998 winners recovered to squeeze through ahead of Switzerland, Republic of Ireland and Israel.
   After the World Cup, though, Zidane is adamant he will not be making another u-turn and he also plans to retire from club football by the end of next season.
   ‘It is absolutely certain. The World Cup is my last big challenge at that level. With Real Madrid I still have another year on my contract to go before 2007. And then I will decide, in total peace, what I will do,’ added the former World and European player of the year.
   Zidane is also hoping that France can make up for their nightmare 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea where they failed to make it out of a group containing Uruaguay, Denmark and Senegal, without even mustering a single goal.
   ‘France has the potential, with big players, to go far in the competition,’ he added.
   ‘To do so we have to be at the top of our form in June. We have to improve our game. If we play like we did in most of our qualification matches then we won’t have much hope.
   ‘I am convinced that the team will improve because we have much more potential than we demonstrated in qualifying.’
   Zidane is hoping a persistent groin problem he suffered earlier in the season does not resurface in Germany, so he can lead his team all the way to the final on July 9.
   ‘For the last two, three months, I have been feeling good and I have rediscovered my movement and rhythm. But at my age I need longer to recover than I used to.
   ‘On the other hand, it is easier to forget about pain when we are living great experiences.’

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved four Indian venues where Champions Trophy matches will be played later this year, an official said on Monday.
   The limited-overs tournament will be held at the Brabourne stadium in Mumbai, the Sardar Patel stadium in Ahmedabad, the Punjab Cricket Association ground in Mohali and the Sawai Man Singh stadium in Jaipur.
   The ICC, which previously insisted on just three venues for the month-long event, okayed a fourth venue after the Indian board agreed to pay 200,000 dollars to the world body as compensation.
   ‘The ICC had initially asked for a million dollars, but we convinced them to bring it down to 200,000 dollars,’ said Indian cricket chief Sharad Pawar.
   Regular Test centres like Chennai and Bangalore were rejected by the ICC because of the threat of rain at that time, while the Eden Gardens in Kolkata declined to host matches.
   The final programme for the October 7-November 5 tournament, organised by the ICC to raise funds for its developmental activities, will be unveiled in New Delhi on April 27.
   The biennial tournament, regarded as a mini World Cup, features the six top limited-overs teams as on April 1, 2006 and two qualifiers drawn from the remaining four Test-playing nations.
   Sri Lanka, the West Indies, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh will play each other on a round-robin basis from October 7 to determine the two qualifiers.
   World champions Australia, England and hosts India have been drawn in group A of the main tournament along with the second-placed qualifier.
   The other group comprises South Africa, Pakistan, New Zealand and the top qualifier.
   Two teams from each group will make the semi-finals. The final takes place on November 5.
   The West Indies won the last edition of the Champions Trophy two years ago defeating hosts England in the final.
   The tournament is a prelude to the next World Cup that takes place in the Caribbean from March next year.

Sri Lanka’s cricket selectors on Monday recalled seamer Nuwan Zoysa for the upcoming Test tour of England but captain Marvan Atapattu remained an uncertain starter.
   Atapattu, who has been sidelined for the last three months due to a back injury, was named captain of the 16-man squad pending a fitness test before the team’s departure on April 19.
   Opening batsman Jehan Mubarak and Ian Daniel have been put on standby in case Atapattu does not make the tour, which includes three Tests and five one-day internationals, Sri Lanka Cricket said.
   Zoysa, 27, who has been plagued by injuries through his career, played the last of his 30 Tests in July 2004, but his presence in the seaming English conditions is considered vital.
   The lanky left-arm seamer replaces paceman Dilhara Fernando, who was dropped after a lacklustre performance on Pakistan’s recent tour of Sri Lanka.
   Senior pro Chaminda Vaas returns to spearhead the bowling attack after he missed the Pakistan series due to injury.
   Sri Lanka begin the tour with a three-day game against British Universities at Cambridge from April 24.
   The first Test starts at Lord’s on May 11, followed by the second Test in Birmingham from May 25 and the third in Nottingham from June 2.
   Sri Lanka will also play a Twenty20 international at Southampton on June 15 before a series of five one-day internationals against England from June 17 to July 1.
   Squad:
   Marvan Atapattu (capt), Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Upul Tharanga, Chamara Kapugedara, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Thilan Samaraweera, Michael Vandort, Prasanna Jayawardene, Chaminda Vaas, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Zoysa, Farveez Maharoof, Muttiah Muralitharan, Malinga Bandara.

India’s cash-rich cricket authorities have created a million-dollar fund to develop champions in other sports, an official said on Monday.
   The Board of Control for Cricket in India will take promising 15-year-olds from Olympic sports under its wing and sponsor their training and education in a bid to make them world-class athletes.
   ‘Cricket may not be an Olympic sport but as Indians we have a responsibility to help in producing Olympic champions,’ BCCI president Sharad Pawar said.
   ‘We have decided to put aside a million dollars for the purpose.’
   Cricket is by far the most popular sport in the country and earned the BCCI sponsorship and television rights worth a billion dollars in the last six months.

Ticket touts were hit by new UK legislation on Monday, banning the unlicensed sale of any tickets to this summer’s World Cup in Germany.
   It was already a criminal offence to sell tickets to England’s group games.
   But new measures have come into effect, closing a loophole that allowed touts to sell tickets for the latter stages of the tournament.
   The World Cup gets under way on 9 June, with England beginning their campaign the following day against Paraguay.
   Football Association chief executive Brian Barwick believes the new legislation will create a safer and more enjoyable tournament for England fans in Germany.
   ‘It has been extremely frustrating to see online touts, who we monitor on a daily basis, undermining all this good work by selling tickets for the latter rounds in which England could be playing,’ he said.
   ‘The new regulations will close this loophole and should lead to a better tournament for all England fans in Germany this summer.’
   FIFA general secretary Urs Linsi added, ‘FIFA welcomes this major step in the fight against ticket touting taken by the UK government.
   ‘The security and protection of fans visiting the World Cup is our top priority.
   ‘The new legislation in the UK helps FIFA to strengthen its fight against the illegal selling of tickets on the black market both through traditional channels and the internet.’

England’s 1966 World Cup heroes don their famous red kits again for the first time since winning the trophy 40 years ago.
   Surviving stars of the 4-2 win over West Germany lined up for this commemorative snap – the only one missing is captain Bobby Moore, who died of cancer in 1993.
   Hat-trick hero Sir Geoff Hurst said on Sunday, ‘We thought it would be fitting to put the kits back on. We haven’t worn them together since we lifted the Cup.’
   Meanwhile, England fans are planning to invade Germany in a fleet of camper vans for this summer’s tournament to avoid paying sky-high hotel prices.

Milan defender Cafu has expressed his desire to remain at the club. The Brazilian defender’s contract expires in June, and although he previously suggested that he would return to his native country to finish his career, he seems to have had a change of heart.
   ‘Me leave Milan? I’ve never said I was definitely going to leave. Here I feel happy, I want to stay and I really think my wish will come true,’ he told Gazzetta dello Sport.
   ‘There are a few things to face and solve, we have 20 days to do it, but I’m sure we’ll find an agreement,’ the 35-year-old added.

The future of Indian city Guwahati as an international cricket venue will be determined by Sri Lankan match referee Roshan Mahanama, an official said on Monday.
   Angry fans turned violent at the city’s Nehru stadium on Sunday after the fifth one-day international between India and England was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to bad weather.
   Police were forced to fire tear gas after spectators threw missiles, set advertising hoardings on fire and damaged television cameras after the umpires decided no play would be possible due to wet ground conditions.
   Two policemen and one spectator were injured in the violence.
   ‘It is indeed sad what happened,’ an Indian cricket board spokesman said.
   ‘We have asked for a report on the incidents from the local association. The International Cricket Council will also get an assessment from the match referee.’ The assessment is expected after the seven-match series finishes on April 15.
   ‘Action, if any, will only be taken after that.’
   The government-owned Nehru stadium in the northeastern city, which was leased to the local Assam Cricket Association, was damaged and broken furniture and glass strewn on the ground.
   An ICC spokesman, however, refused to blame the Board of Control for Cricket in India for selecting Guwahati as a venue for the current series.
   ‘India came up with an itinerary and England agreed to play a match in Guwahati,’ the spokesman was quoted as saying by BBC Sport.
   ‘If a board proposes a venue it’s up to the visiting country’s board to accept it or not.
   ‘If the England and Wales Cricket Board had had any doubts about it they could have sent a security delegation to inspect the ground.’
   Authorities had used a helicopter in an attempt to dry the ground, with the blades pushing wind downwards, but to no avail.
   Local officials blamed the umpires’ reluctance to play for the violence.
   ‘We are not satisfied with the umpires’ decision and we will write to the International Cricket Council about it,’ Assam Cricket Association spokesman Bikash Barooah said.

Germany manager Jurgen Klinsmann has shown he is not afraid to make unpopular decisions – even if they upset his old club Bayern Munich. Klinsmann won the 1997 German title at Bayern and will rely on several Munich players at this summer’s World Cup, including his captain Michael Ballack, but he continues to anger the German champions.
   Just 24 hours before Bayern’s game against rivals Werder Bremen on Saturday Klinsmann revealed that Bayern’s goalkeeper Oliver Kahn was no longer first choice for Germany after occupying the number one jersey for eight years.
   Arsenal’s Jens Lehmann is now the number one heading into the finals.
   ‘It was Bayern’s request that the decision was taken sooner because it was a burden for the club. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Bayern chairman) told me that at the airport,’ said Klinsmann.
   But Klinsmann’s decision to rock Kahn’s confidence before the Bremen game, which Bayern lost 3-0, infuriated the club management.
   ‘A decision like that before the most important league game this year is not an ideal moment,’ raged general manager Uli Hoeness.
   ‘We could have sat down on Sunday in Munich but maybe there is another flight heading to California,’ added Hoeness acidly, referring to Klinsmann’s much criticised insistence on returning to his California home regularly.
   For some time Klinsmann has been reproached for continually jetting back to his United States home rather than staying in Germany to prepare for the first World Cup match on June 9.
   The 36-year-old Kahn cut a glum figure against Bremen and his misery continued as Bayern lost 3-0.
   Bayern manager Felix Magath said Kahn was not at fault for any of the goals and backed the goalkeeper to bounce back from the setback.
   ‘If the German national coach can leave a goalkeeper like him on the substitutes bench then German football cannot be that bad,’ said Magath.
   ‘If Kahn is in this sort of form I have no doubt that we will win the league and the cup.’
   Kahn, capped 84 times by his country, must now decide whether to call time on his international career but Magath believes he will go to the World Cup.
   ‘I expect him to go to the World Cup as the number two,’ Magath added.
    ‘Oliver gives the impression that he took the decision well.’
   Kahn’s club and international team-mate Ballack offered some sympathy but had to watch his words when asked on Klinsmann’s decision on Kahn.
   ‘My opinion on this topic is well known. It is bitter for Kahn and I can sympathise with him,’ said Ballack.
   ‘The Kahn story did affect the club but we just have to get on with it.’

Juventus struggled to shake off their Champions League hangover as they drew 1-1 with Fiorentina on Sunday.
   Knocked out of Europe’s top club competition by Arsenal in midweek, the Serie A leaders fell behind early in the second half to a goal by the division’s leading scorer, Luca Toni, before Alessandro Del Piero equalised to salvage a point.
   Juventus were second-best for most of the first half at Turin’s Stadio delle Alpi.
   Only the quick reactions of Christian Abbiati prevented them going behind in the 16th minute, the reserve goalie diving to save Luis Jimenez’s penalty after defender Jonathan Zebina had fouled Toni.
   Abbiati was powerless, however, shortly after the interval when Toni broke the offside trap before curling a right-footed shot past Abbiati.
   Faced with the possibility of another humbling defeat, Juventus found their rhythm and winger Gianluca Zambrotta tested visiting keeper Bogdan Lobont with a powerful shot from outside the area.
   In the 62nd minute Del Piero, who missed both legs of the tie against Arsenal due to injury, controlled a defence-splitting pass by Patrick Vieira before firing into the bottom corner of the net.
   With five rounds left to play, Juventus look safe at the top, though Milan are clearly the in-form side with Brazilian playmaker Kaka scoring his first hat-trick for the club.
   Chievo had failed to earn a point in four previous Serie A matches against Milan at the San Siro and the home side dominated the early stages.
   Chievo’s response to Milan’s lengthy periods of possession was to pump long balls forward – a tactic that unexpectedly paid off in the 14th minute, when Marco Malago nodded on for Pellissier to volley past Dida.
   The goal failed to change the balance of the contest.

The president of the Italian Footballers’ Association has called for a change in the culture surrounding Italy’s favourite sport after fans verbally and physically abused Inter Milan players when they returned home from a 2-1 away win over Serie A rivals Ascoli at the weekend.
   ‘This was an episode of barbarity, intolerance and stupid violence fuelled by the hysteria that surrounds football in Italy,’ Sergio Campana told Radio Anch’io on Monday.
   ‘We need a cultural revolution – we need to learn to lose gracefully. But I believe it will take a generation.’
   The latest incident to stain the image of Italian football happened in the early hours of Sunday as the team exited the terminal building at Milan’s Malpensa airport, where they were met by about 50 fans, angry at their team’s Champions League elimination by Villarreal last week.
   Most of the fans limited themselves to hurling insults, but the situation degenerated in the car park, where captain Javier Zanetti and midfielder Cristiano Zanetti were punched and kicked by a smaller group before police intervened, allowing them to reach their cars and drive away. Neither player was seriously injured.
   ‘We’re talking about it now because the victims are footballers at Inter, but the outbreaks of violence are frequent, above all in Serie C (Italy’s third division) and, I’m sorry to say it, on the pitches in the centre-south of Italy,’ Campana said.
   ‘Attacks outside the stadiums, in the dressing rooms, buses stopped as they come back from away matches, cars vandalised, threatening telephone calls at home.
   ‘And we shouldn’t make the mistake of blaming it all on a minority of fans.’
   Inter president Giacinto Facchetti condemned the violence.
   ‘We cannot accept that disappointment degenerates into violence. Violence is unacceptable for anyone that declares himself an Inter fan,’ he said in a statement on the club’s website.
   The police chief at Malpensa airport, Enzo Ricciardi, said that he would be studying close-circuit television footage of the incident.
   ‘We have enough evidence to be able to identity some of the people that were involved,’ he was quoted as saying in La Gazzetta dello Sport.

From a football club such as FC Barcelona you would expect that the nickname of their supporters and fans could be of deep rooted, meaningful, historical/political and/or cultural significance and origin.
   The Barca fan is very well known to be as supportive of their own club as they are defensive of their Catalonian identity but FC Barcelona supporter’s nickname derives from the Catalan word ‘cul’ which means simply ‘ass’. So, ‘Les Cules’ are nothing else than ‘The Arses’.
   The reason is simple and goes back to the early 20th century and the old Barca stadium ‘Les Cortes’. Passers-by could see the rears of fans sitting in the upper stand and on the stadium wall. Therefore quickly a new name for the supporters had been found.
   It seems that the name ‘Cules’ has attached itself to the famous institution of FC Barcelona forever.

Lowly Racing Santander gave Barcelona a fright on Sunday before the Primera Liga leaders came back to draw 2-2 and restore their 11-point lead at the top of the table.
   Henrik Larsson put Barca in front after 18 minutes but Racing struck back almost immediately with two goals in four minutes, from Antonito and Oscar Serrano, to turn the game on its head.
   Samuel Eto’o levelled the scores after 33 minutes and although Barca dominated thereafter they appeared content to secure the point.
   Osasuna’s 2-1 win at Alaves earlier on Sunday put them a point back in fourth place. The top two finishers in the table go directly into the Champions League next season, while third and fourth have to enter through the qualifiers.
   Pierre Webo pounced on a loose ball to open the scoring for Osasuna after 13 minutes, and Savo Milosevic rose to head Ludovic Delporte’s free-kick into the net 10 minutes after the break.
   Alaves’s John Aloisi missed a second-half penalty, after Osasuna’s Miguel Flano was sent off for handball, before Rodolfo Bodipo headed a late consolation goal for the home side.
   Two goals in three minutes saw Champions League semifinalists Villarreal draw 1-1 at home with Deportivo Coruna.
   Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard rested Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho and defender Oleguer but it did not affect his side’s cavalier mentality.
   Racing’s Israeli goalkeeper Dudu Aouate had already made a fingertip save from Larsson, when the Swedish striker scored the opener. In a free-flowing attack Mark van Bommel collected Eto’o’s back-heel and fed Larsson in the area, who fired into the far corner.
   The visitors only held the lead for a minute before Racing’s Serrano crossed for striker Antonito to spin clear of defender Rodri, to score just inside the near post. Barca were rocked and four minutes later Serrano broke the offside trap to collect a long ball and shoot past Victor Valdes.
   Barcelona continued to press patiently and in the 33rd minute Deco picked out Ludovic Giuly in the area, who cut the ball back from the byline for Eto’o to score with a low shot.
   Deco thumped a shot against the post before the end of a breathless first half.
   Rijkaard withdrew Eto’o in the second half to give Argentine striker Maxi Lopez a rare run. Barcelona’s evening ended on a sour note when captain Carles Puyol collected his second yellow card in the dying seconds to be sent off.
   Eto’o was subjected to racist abuse from a section of the home fans during the game.

With an estimated US$24 million in endorsements last year in addition to his $8 million salary from Real Madrid, England midfielder David Beckham retains his title as the highest-paid player in the game for a third year.
   But even this poster boy may be losing his lustre at age 31 after Vodafone recently decided not to renew his sponsorship contract. The head of our list of the top-earning stars is again dominated by Real Madrid’s galacticos. Beckham is followed in the rankings by team-mates Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane.
   Ronaldo and Zidane switch places from last year, with the burly Brazilian striker breaking through the US$20 million earnings barrier to move into second place.
   Zidane takes home a bigger paycheck than Ronaldo and Beckham, too, deservedly, as he is arguably the finest player of his generation. But the famously shy Frenchman doesn’t have their marketing pull to attract the same volume of endorsement dollars.
   While Zidane lets his feet do the talking, Ronaldo powers as coolly through the world of glamorous celebrity (and a rock-star-like following of female admirers) off the pitch as he does through defences on it. Nike is Ronaldo’s big contract. Zidane turns out for rival Adidas.
   The top three each earn sizably more than the fourth best-paid player, Barcelona’s impish-looking playmaker Ronaldinho, who took home less than three-quarters as much as Zidane last year and barely two-fifths of Beckham’s haul.
   There is a fair degree of earnings parity thereafter among the world’s best-paid players. In a fictional football economy where Beckham earns 100 Becks a year and Ronaldinho 44 Becks, most of the rest of those on our list would fall in the 30- to 35-Becks-a-year range.
   That is not so different from the earnings of the previous year, though the balance between endorsements and salaries has swung a little in favor of the latter as sponsors have focused more on endorsement deals with full teams. Michael Stirling, founder of agency Global Sponsors, says the market for individual-player deals is softer than usual because the quadrennial World Cup is only a few months away.
   ‘The stars of the next four years will be born there,’ he explains. ‘The old guard is coming of age, and corporations are waiting for the new wave of big stars to be revealed before signing some of the older players to more multimillion-dollar endorsement deals.’

Michael Ballack’s desire to leave Bayern Munich has nothing to do with football and everything to do with money, disgruntled boss Uli Hoeness said.
   The Germany international midfielder is expected to join English champions Chelsea this year after turning down the chance of extending his contract with Bayern.
   ‘It’s clear that Michael is not moving to learn a new language or learn a new culture,’ Hoeness told Kicker. ‘He’s going to learn about a new kind of money.’
   ‘I’ve got no resentment towards Michael,’ Hoeness said. ‘But I just wish he was completely honest and said “I’m going because I want to earn more money”.’
   According to reports, Chelsea are poised to make Ballack their highest paid player with a weekly salary of 121,000 pounds ($210,000).

Premiership leaders Chelsea and nearest pursuers Manchester United both enjoyed dramatic wins to keep alive the prospect of a decisive clash between the teams later this month.
   Chelsea beat West Ham 4-1 in a bizarre London derby, remaining on course for a second straight title despite the twin handicaps of going behind and having a player sent-off.
   But United stayed in touch with a 2-0 win against Arsenal.
   All of Chelsea’s goals in a storming comeback came after they’d gone 1-0 down in the 10th minute and seen Maniche sent off minutes later.
   Didier Drogba and Hernan Crespo put Chelsea in the driving seat before half-time and second-half strikes from skipper John Terry and William Gallas saw the Blues to a remarkable win in front of their Stamford Bridge supporters.
   Victory meant Chelsea were 10 points ahead before United kicked off against Champions League semifinalists Arsenal.
   But roared on by a record crowd of 70,908 – United’s biggest for a match at Old Trafford – Sir Alex Ferguson’s men rose to the challenge in style.
   And no one more so than Wayne Rooney. The England striker opened the scoring for the hosts in the 54th minute before setting up South Korea’s Park Ji-sung 12 minutes from time for United’s second.
   Yet the result of all this breathless action was that Chelsea were left with the seven-point advantage over United with which they’d started the weekend, albeit with just five games left now.
   Not that Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, who’d heard Ferguson indulge in some typical ‘mind games’ earlier in the week, was downplaying the significance of his side’s win.
   ‘We showed it doesn’t matter what Manchester United do,’ he said.
   ‘They can win or lose or whatever. We don’t need to depend on their results to be champions,’ the Portuguese added. ‘The character of the players was unbelievable,’ said Mourinho, who earlier this week insisted he was more worried by bird flu than United.
   Meanwhile, United manager Ferguson was convinced his team, who’ve now won nine league games in a row, would still be in the title hunt come their April 29 trip to Stamford Bridge.
   ‘I firmly believe that if we keep winning our games, then we have an outstanding chance. We still have to go to Stamford Bridge and win there.
   ‘We need a collapse, but sometimes it can happen and Chelsea have to go to Bolton next week and do you really think that Bolton will lose five games in a row? I don’t think so.’
   Rooney, the subject of Sunday newspaper allegations that he’d racked up 700,000 pounds in gambling debts, was in superb form and Ferguson said of the report, ‘The stuff about Wayne was pathetic, absolute rubbish.
   ‘We know Wayne, but he is getting the same treatment that George Best, Paul Gascoigne and David Beckham had. We just live in that age.’
   Arsenal, who didn’t see talismanic striker Thierry Henry take the field Sunday until the France star came off the bench with 20 minutes remaining, were left five points behind north-London rivals Tottenham in the race for fourth place.
   ‘It is still in our hands mathematically, though,’ said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, whose side travel to Portsmouth on Wednesday.
   ‘We are five points behind Tottenham, but we have a game in hand and they still have to play us at Highbury.’
   Chelsea played most of their match with 10 men after Maniche was dismissed in the 16th minute for a wild challenge on full-back Lionel Scaloni.
   By then the Hammers had already rocked Chelsea when defender James Collins headed in Yossi Benayoun’s corner at the near post.
   But Chelsea turned the game on its head with two goals in just over two minutes, Drogba – named man of the match – scoring in the 28th minute before setting-up strike partner Crespo.
   Maintaining the feeling of ‘as you were’, third-placed Liverpool beat Bolton 1-0 at Anfield thanks to a 31st birthday goal from Robbie Fowler as they stayed five points adrift of United.
   ‘One more win should be enough (to finish in the top three) because Spurs have got to play against Arsenal so that means one of them will drop points,’ said Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez.
   Elsewhere, Newcastle went 10th with a 2-1 win in a north-east derby away to Middlesbrough at the Riverside.
   Fresh from their UEFA Cup heroics, Boro went behind to a George Boateng own-goal before Shola Ameobi made it 2-0 for Newcastle before half-time.
   Boateng scored at the right end late on but United held on.
   Down at the bottom, West Bromwich Albion remained in the relegation zone after a goalless draw away to Midlands rivals Aston Villa.
   Frustrated Albion manager Bryan Robson called for the introduction of television technology after referee Mark Halsey turned down two Baggies’ penalty appeals.
   ‘I’ve looked at the video replays and both penalty decisions were handball.
   ‘Surely a camera can be put in place with pictures relayed to the fourth official who can say whether or not a penalty should be given?
   ‘That way you will get justice. Penalties are so crucial and the stakes are very high.’

Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard tried to dissuade club president Joan Laporta from signing Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho three seasons ago.
   The revelation that the Dutchman did not want the current World Footballer of the Year at the Camp Nou comes from former Barca vice-president Sandro Rossell, a close personal friend of Ronaldinho, who was instrumental in getting the player to sign for the Catalan club from Paris St Germain.
   Rosell is releasing a book on his time at Barca alongside president Laporta. Along with the Ronaldinho revelation, he also reveals that Laporta wanted to fire Rijkaard and replace him with Luiz Felipe Scolari when Real Madrid were 14 points ahead in La Liga during his first few months in charge.

David James has accepted Paul Robinson will be England’s number one in this summer’s World Cup.
   ‘I think Robbo is going to be the man who lifts the World Cup,’ conceded James. ‘That’s how it is and you have to accept that.
   ‘As long as I’ve given everything I can to the cause, I’ll be happy.
   ‘Even when I was playing and Robbo was understudy, we had a good relationship.’

When Italy open their World Cup campaign against Ghana on June 12 they won’t be facing one set of adversaries but three.
   First, they will have 11 Ghanaians to contend with.
   Then there is the referee and his linesmen. Almost every Italy fan blames Ecuadorean whistleblower Byron Moreno for their team’s elimination by South Korea in 2002. Finally, there is the enemy within in the shape of Italy’s fifth columnists – the sports press.
   The Italian passion for sport means the country boasts three big sports dailies – La Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport – each of which must fill about 30 pages everyday and even more during a World Cup.
   Filling the papers occasionally means upsetting somebody. Franco Zuccala is one of Italy’s most experienced football writers. The 75-year-old has covered every World Cup since 1966, worked as a TV presenter for state broadcaster RAI and written for more than 60 newspapers, including La Gazzetta dello Sport.
   He says part of the problem is saturation – the huge demand for news means journalists end up sniffing around for scandal.
   ‘I’m more of a man than the lot of you put together. You don’t have a conscience,’ Italy striker Christian Vieri told a packed news conference at Euro 2004, holding up a newspaper article that claimed he had fallen out with goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
   Zuccala also believes the tortured relationship between the scribblers and the dribblers has as much to do with fierce regional loyalties in Italy, which leads editors to set one player against another.
   ‘It’s a geo-political question. In Italy the press is concentrated in Milan and Rome and editors tend to come out in support of players from their area, whether they play for Roma or Lazio or whether they play for a northern club,’ he says.
   In this respect, Zuccala argues, Italy coach Marcello Lippi has acted shrewdly in drawing on players from around the country.
   ‘Every coach tries to pick his best players but Lippi has chosen his squad from all over the place. There are players from up north, players from Palermo, a number from Rome, like (Francesco) Totti and (Daniele) De Rossi.’
   But could it not also be the case that Italians prefer their sport when it is spiced up with a dash of controversy?
   Italy’s most famous television football show, Il Processo di Biscardi (Biscardi’s trial), is a kind of kangaroo court composed mostly of journalists.
   The defendants (never present) are players, coaches, referees, club presidents, football administrators – anyone who has failed to spot an offside, missed a sitter, fielded the ‘wrong’ player, or fallen short of footballing perfection.
   The discussion begins calmly but ends with contributors talking, and often shouting, over the top of each other.
   Il Processo was first broadcast in 1980.
   One of its earliest targets was then Italy coach Enzo Bearzot, who became the object of stinging criticism over his refusal to name Serie A’s leading scorer at the time, Roberto Pruzzo of AS Roma, in his squad for the 1982 World Cup.
   Increasingly under fire after a poor start to the tournament, Bearzot ordered his players to stop talking to the media.
   Italy went on to beat West Germany in the final, but the breakdown of communication during Italy’s finest hour left a bitter taste that refuses to go fade even today.
   ‘If you notice, you don’t often see people talking about Bearzot. There is still bad blood there that has never gone away,’ Zuccala says.
   ‘The heroes of that World Cup have become (Marco) Tardelli and (Paolo) Rossi. The press have shunted Bearzot to one side.’
   Bearzot’s successors have also endured a bumpy ride.
   Arrigo Sacchi was furious when the press revealed details of his salary, while Lippi’s predecessor Giovanni Trapattoni was ridiculed for the vial of holy water he took to the 2002 World Cup co-hosted by South Korea and Japan.
   Apart from an outburst in World Cup qualifying when he called a RAI cameraman a ‘dickhead’, Lippi has maintained his composure, though the pressure-cooker atmosphere of a major tournament promises to be the ultimate test of his cool, cigar-munching persona.
   ‘He’s taken us to the World Cup. He has beaten Holland and Germany. He can’t do better than that,’ Zuccala says.
   ‘But the arguments are bound to start when he names his team. Someone will ask why he didn’t pick (Christian) Panucci from Roma, or (Massimo) Oddo from Lazio.’
   Then, of course, if Italy don’t beat Ghana, the knives will be out.
   ‘There’s an old Sicilian saying: “If you’re badly dressed, the dog will bite you”,’ Zuccala says.
   ‘As long as he’s winning, he’ll be OK. As soon as Italy lose, the arguments will start up.
   ‘You’d think the players would be able to take a bit of criticism but they’re just like anyone else. To have the press constantly at your back affects you in the end’.

Wayne Rooney spent £60,000 on a necklace for Coleen McLoughlin – as it emerged he ran up £700,000 gambling debts in five months.
   The Man Utd star treated fiancee Coleen to the Tiffany jewellery in time for the Aintree races last week.
   But Coleen, 20, shunned the platinum and diamond necklace for a scarf – and was without it again when she arrived at Old Trafford yesterday for United’s game with Arsenal.
   Rooney shrugged off speculation that his betting problems might affect him by thundering in the opening goal of the 2-0 home win.
   Asked if he was worried about the reports the England ace, who was 6-1 with bookies to be the first scorer, said afterwards, ‘Look at my performance and answer that for yourself.’
   It emerged on Sunday that the £30-million striker ran up his huge debts between September last year and February. He is now being chased for the cash after losing on horses, dogs and football matches he was not involved in.
   Rooney joined the betting ‘school’ in the England dressing-room which included Newcastle’s Michael Owen and Chelsea star John Terry.
   But now he has confessed to his shocked business managers that he is being pressured to settle the debt.
   Rooney’s management team are understood to be angry that he was allowed such a massive credit limit.
   Talks are going on between his
   camp and private bookie Goldchip, which is run by millionaire Stephen Smith, 57.
   Rooney, who earns around £60,000 a week plus millions in sponsorship deals, is managed by agent Paul Stretford and his company Proactive. It is understood Proactive is seeking legal advice on whether Goldchip had a gambling licence at the time that Rooney was placing the bets.
   The star started betting a few hundred pounds at a time but the amounts grew as he tried to recoup his losses.
   ‘His spokesman said, ‘We have no comment.’
   Goldchip boss Smith said that until he got his own licence he was authorised to receive bets as a bookie’s agent.
   He insisted, ‘I have never operated as an unlicensed bookmaker. It is all legal.’

Left-hander Phil Mickelson sealed his third major title and second green jacket with a two-shot victory in the US Masters on Sunday.
   One shot clear after the weather-hit third round was completed earlier in the day, the 35-year-old American fired a closing three-under-par 69 to finish on seven-under 281 in late afternoon sunshine at Augusta National.
   Mickelson broke clear of a tightly bunched leaderboard with birdies on seven and eight and effectively secured his second Masters crown in three years by picking up further shots on 13 and 15.
   He could afford to bogey the last, after missing the green to the left with his approach, before collecting his 29th PGA Tour title.
   Winner of last year’s US PGA Championship at Baltusrol, Mickelson became the first player to clinch successive majors since Tiger Woods at the 2002 US Open.
   South African Tim Clark spectacularly holed out for a birdie-three from a greenside bunker at the last for a 69 which earned second place on 283.
   Holder Woods, the world number one, had to settle for a share of third position, four birdies in the last six holes giving him a 70 and a four-under total of 284.
   Level with Woods were Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal, who shot a best-of-the-week 66, world number three Retief Goosen (69) and Americans Fred Couples (71) and Chad Campbell (71).
   When Mickelson rolled in an eight-footer on 15 for his fourth birdie of the day, it put him four clear as his closest rivals repeatedly failed to take advantage of birdie opportunities. Playing partner Couples was two strokes back after a birdie on 13 before he three-putted from four feet for a bogey-five on 14.
   Couples, at 46 aiming to become the oldest Masters champion, was in excellent form from tee to green but missed several close-range putts as his victory hopes faded.
   Twice former winner Olazabal reeled off five birdies and one bogey to race to the turn in four-under 32.
   Masters champion in 1994 and 1999, the Spaniard then struck a superb second shot from 245 yards to three feet for an eagle on 15 to briefly join Couples in a tie for second.
   Although he slipped back with a three-putt bogey at the par-three 16th, he parred the last two holes to finish at four under.
   Woods, chasing a fifth green jacket, clawed his way into a share of second place with his third birdie of the day at the par-three 16th, but then bogeyed 17 before holing a 20-footer at the last.
   Like Couples, the 30-year-old American was badly let down over the opening holes by his putter in his bid for an 11th career major.

Oliver Kahn has moved to quell speculation over his future by insisting that he wants to be part of Germany’s World Cup squad despite being told he is no longer first-choice goalkeeper.
   Kahn hinted that he might retire from international football last week after Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann announced that Arsenal’s Jens Lehmann would be his No.1 keeper at the June 9-July 9 finals.
   But despite Kahn’s bitter disappointment at losing his place in the starting line-up after 86 appearances for Germany, he said he wants to be part of the host nation’s challenge this summer even if it is just as a squad member.
   ‘It’s important for the team that I’m present during the World Cup,’ the 36-year-old Bayern Munich star told a press conference.
   ‘It’s not an easy situation. Of course, I was disappointed not to be chosen as first choice after working so hard.
   ‘But it’s more important that I give my support to the whole team so that we can achieve our objective—to be world champions.’
   Klinsmann took the unusual step of announcing his support for Lehmann on Friday, ending a long-running guessing game over who would keep goal for Germany at the World Cup.
   ‘Jurgen Klinsmann has taken his decision, I’ve accepted it, I’ve thought about it and I’ve decided to do what’s best for the
   team,’ said Kahn, adding that he has ‘no conflict’ with his rival Lehmann.
   ‘We’ve got to rise above talk of a rivalry between Kahn and Lehmann. We need to be positive so we can achieve our goal,’
   said Kahn, revealing he had received several messages of support from his international team-mates.
   ‘Other members of the team and players from different clubs called me after the announcement and told me ‘you have to be there, it’s important for the team’,’ Kahn said.

Sales and Marketing clinched the title of CityCell Inter-department Cricket Tournament outplaying Customer Care Division by 17 runs at the Dhanmondi Cricket Academy ground on April 8.
   Batting first, S&M made 158 in the stipulated 20 overs with Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun scoring 106. Chasing 159 for victory, CCD were bundled out for 141. Toufiq of Customer Care scored 52. Shahidut Islam took five wickets for S&M.
   Chye Hoon Pin, the CEO of CityCell, watched the final and later distributed prizes among the participating teams. Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of S&M was adjudged man-of-the-match.
   The six-team competition began on on March 30.

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has denied that he has fallen out with England strike partner Michael Owen.
   Rooney has hit both the front and back pages over the past few days, as in Sunday’s tabloids there was talk of the 20-year-old amassing gambling debts in the region of £700,000. Reports had suggested that Rooney was angry with Owen, a well known gambler, for introducing him to the past-time but this has now been dismissed.
   A spokesman for Rooney and his management company Proactive Sports Management has issued a statement to refute any such suggestions of a rift.
   ‘Any suggestion of a rift or a dispute between Wayne and Michael are completely without foundation as far as Wayne is concerned,’ he said.
   ‘Wayne and Michael remain the best of pals.’

The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced a windfall for former cricketers as the working committee decided to extend its pension scheme on a mega scale here today.
   The likes of Kapil Dev and Mohinder Amarnath, who led India to 1983 World Cup triumph, will receive up to Rs 35,000 as monthly pension.