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India’s openers Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid missed a world record opening partnership by four runs as the first cricket Test against Pakistan ended in a draw here on Tuesday.
   India were 410-1 in reply to Pakistan’s 679-7 declared when play was called off after just 2.2 overs on the fifth and final day at the Gaddafi stadium.
   The result was a formality after murky weather and light rain curtailed play to just 64.2 overs from the available 270 over the last three days of the high-scoring Test.
   Sehwag and Dravid needed 11 runs to surpass the world record of 413 for the first wicket by fellow-countrymen Vinoo Mankad and Pankaj Roy against New Zealand in Madras in 1956. They faltered despite being assisted by both the umpires and the home team.
   With four hours lost due to bad light on the final day, umpires Darrell Hair and Rudi Koertzen offered Indian captain Dravid a chance to start play just before tea even though the visibility was deteriorating.
   When Dravid accepted the chance to break the record, the umpires consulted Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq who sportingly agreed to take the field.
   Sehwag, overnight on 247, scored seven to take the total to 410 when he edged a slash off seamer Rana Naved to wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal.

Bangladesh will prepare for the upcoming home season that includes three international series or tournament, in two phases. The first part will be held in Dhaka and second part at Bogra. This was revealed in a media release of the Bangladesh Cricket Board on Tuesday. The preparation will start on February 4.
   Meanwhile, in another release, the BCB said that they have informed the International Cricket Council about their desire to host Kenya for a separate one-day series or triangular tournament, also involving Zimbabwe. It is expected will take place between March 10 to 24.

Bangladesh Biman completed the super six quota of the Aktel Premier Cricket League with a seven-wicket thrashing of Kalabagan KC in the final match of the first phase at the Bogra Shaheed Chandu Stadium on Tuesday.
   The win raised Biman’s tally to 14 points from 11 matches which meant they secured third place in the table by virtue of a better head-to-head record against Mohammedan and Sonargaon, who both have the same points.
   Holders Old DOHS topped the first phase with 20 points from 11 matches. Victoria, the only side to have beaten them, finished second with 16 points.
   Brothers Union are the other side to be elevated to the next stage having earned 12 points. City Club also collected the same points, but had to rue their loss to Brothers in the first phase. City, however, could have advanced to the super six had Kalabagan beaten Biman. But the national airliner gave them no chance in the curtailed 25-over match.
   Biman restricted Kalabagan to 105-8 after asking them to bat. Replying to the paltry total, former national opener Shahriar Hossain built an 86-run partnership with left-handed Nazmus Sadat for the second wicket to steer the side home.
   Shahriar remained not out on 47 while Sadat notched up 47. Biman reached the target in 24.1 overs losing only three wickets.
   The super six phase will begin on January 20 with three matches to be played in each round. In the first round, DOHS meet Brothers while Victoria will take on Sonargaon. Biman and Mohammedan will vie in the other match.
   Unlike the first phase the super six matches will be held simultaneously at the Dhanmondi and Fatullah Stadiums as well as the BKSP.

The third reunion of the Alumni Association of BKSP will be held on March 24 at the BKSP premises. For holding the reunion successfully a new committee will be formed at a meeting, to be held at 10-30am at the Dhaka University gymnasium on January 20. All the former students of BKSP have been requested to attend the meeting on time.

FIFA world player of the year Ronaldinho Gaucho, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and AC Milan’s Andriy Schevchenko were named in UEFA’s Team of the Year on Monday, with Chelsea’s Jose Mourinho named as coach.
   European champions Liverpool also supplied Luis Garcia in the team voted for by 1.5 million users of uefa.com, the website of European soccer’s governing body.
   Milan, who Liverpool beat on penalties to lift the Champions League trophy, have two other players in the team, full-backs Cafu and Paolo Maldini, while Ronaldinho’s Barcelona team-mates Carles Puyol and Samuel Eto’o are also included.
   Ronaldinho, who collected numerous individual awards in recognition of his exceptional talents, was the player who received the most votes, a total of 90,295. That equated to an astounding 72 per cent of the votes for a position he shares with Shevchenko.
   ‘The voting recognised both the two best teams in Europe last season – Liverpool and Milan – as well as the two clubs that have shone in their domestic leagues in the past 12 months, Chelsea and Barcelona,’ said David Farrelly, uefa.com’s editor-in-chief on UEFA’s website.
   Five of the names also appeared in the 2004 team while there are five appearing for the first time.
   Best coach of 2005 Mourinho was named coach of the side for the third successive year while two of the London club’s players, centre-back John Terry and goalkeeper Petr Cech make the side.
   Barçelona manager Frank Rijkaard came third, with 22.53 per cent of the votes, behind Mourinho (28.16) and Spaniard Rafa Benítez (26.68).
   Juventus midfielder Pavel Nedved is included for the third year running but there was no place for Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, who narrowly missed out after being in every previous line-up since the vote’s inception in 2001 and also England captain David Beckham who was initially nominated.
   Meanwhile, the first half of the season over, Ronaldinho is now looking forward to more of the same from Barcelona. But for the next few matches, they will have to make do without one of their biggest stars, Samuel Eto’o.
   Ronaldinho is hoping for ‘the second half of the season to be just like the first. The intention is to move forward in the same way. ‘We play by memory, and have to remain faithful to our style of play and train to the maximum. That’s how we have achieved these 17 wins.’
   The Brazilian wizard defined Barcelona’s style as ‘always trying to play football, moving the ball up the pitch and not defending. Everyone knows that, which is why in most of our games there are 21 players in a space of just 50 metres. Our opponents close up at the back.’
   Ronaldinho did not want to get drawn into the controversy of Javier Clemente’s comments about Eto’o, but did confess to being extremely annoyed at the way Deco was sent off. ‘I was furious when I left the pitch because he is a very important player for us.’
   Asked about how he foresees a month or so without Eto’o, who has gone off to play for his country at the African Nations Cup, the Brazilian said, ‘That’s the fixture list, I don’t know who is to blame, but I do know that it can be very complicated for a player to be put in a situation like this. Samuel makes a huge difference, and it is bad luck not to have him here. I hope that we can carry on just as well with Maxi and Larsson.’
   Another option, of course, would be for Ronaldinho himself to play up front, to which the player replied, ‘I would have no problem with that as I have played in that position in the past’.
   He was also pressed for opinions on the state of the Camp Nou pitch, and admitted that ‘it is not good and we hope it gets better. But it is not the reason for any injuries.’
   Romario has just turned 40, and Ronaldinho describes the member of Johan Cruyff’s Dream Team as one of his idols. ‘I remember the 1994 World Cup,’ he says. ‘When I saw him I felt that I wanted to be just like him and now he’s 40 I hope I can end up enjoying a similar kind of success.’
   Team: Petr Cech (Chelsea); Cafu (AC Milan), John Terry (Chelsea), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Paolo Maldini (AC Milan); Luis Garcia (Liverpool), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Ronaldinho (Barcelona), Pavel Nedved (Juventus); Samuel Eto’o (Barcelona), Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan). Coach: Jose Mourinho (Chelsea).

Jose Mourinho claims Liverpool are the only team who can stop Chelsea retaining the Premiership title.
   The Blues opened up a massive 16-point gap over second-placed Manchester United on Sunday.
   However, Mourinho is more concerned about the team in third place and he knows Liverpool can reduce Chelsea’s lead to 11 points if they win their two games in hand.
   Mourinho has noted the turnaround in Liverpool’s form since the Blues won 4-1 at Anfield in October.
   The Reds are the Premiership’s form team and they have taken one more point than Chelsea over the last 11 league games.
   Liverpool also have to travel to Stamford Bridge and they are due to play the Blues on February 5.
   Mourinho said, ‘The gap is 16 points to Manchester United, but Liverpool can cut it down to 11 if they win the two matches they have to play. I think we are in a strong situation, but in football you have to keep going until it’s over mathematically.’
   Chelsea will be without match-winner Arjen Robben against Charlton on Sunday following his red card for celebrating his goal with fans, but Mourinho claims his ban opens the door for Shaun Wright-Phillips.
   The £21 million winger has been unable to hold down a regular place this season and Mourinho said, ‘It’s a chance for Duff and Wright-Phillips because Arjen will be suspended.’
   Meanwhile, ‘The Special One’ also believes his team has the edge over the best in the world because they can fight as well as play.
   Mourinho saw his depleted side scrap their way to a club record 10th successive Premiership victory at Sunderland on Sunday to establish a 16-point lead at the top of the table.
   The Blues were forced to come from behind as Mick McCarthy’s men made a nonsense of their 16-1 price tag to end the champions’ 100 per cent run, and once they had edged their way in front, were left to play the last 21 minutes with 10 men following Arjen Robben’s dismissal.
   However, despite a spirited onslaught from the Wearsiders, they rarely looked like surrendering their slim advantage, and it is that quality which Mourinho feels separates them from even the best around.
   ‘That’s very important,’ he said. ‘Our team has some qualities that money cannot buy, and when people sometimes don’t give us credit for our work, it’s because they don’t understand the world where we are.
   ‘I want you to tell me how many big teams in the world, how many big teams with the top players in the world, can fight like Chelsea does and can spend the last 10-15 minutes of a game fighting in the air, first ball, second ball, defensive corner, defensive free-kick, down to 10 men and fight and fight and fight?
   ‘If the game had 10 more minutes or 15 more minutes, we could have defended for more time. They are things that money cannot buy, team spirit, organisation, mentality.
   ‘Those are the kind of qualities we have. We have them because we have them, not because somebody gave us them.’
   Mourinho revealed his intention to retain his full squad, with perhaps one exception, during the January transfer window.
   ‘We are happy with the squad we have,’ he said.

Real Madrid ace Zinedine Zidane is set to hang up his boots after this year’s World Cup.
    Despite the Frenchman’s dazzling display against Sevilla on Sunday, Zidane has informed president Florentino Perez that he won’t fulfil the final year of his Real contract.
   Zidane will be 34 in June and admits his body can no longer take the toll of a long season at a club such as Madrid.
   A Real insider said, ‘Zinedine is exemplary and we know he is raising his game now to prepare his good bye to football.
   ‘We have asked him to continue until 2007 because his magic will never finish, but he prefers to only focus until May and then the World Cup before announcing his retirement. His place will be impossible to cover.’
   He was also floating after hitting a stunning hat-trick over Sevilla.
   Incredibly, it was the French ace’s first ever treble as he explained at the final whistle, ‘It is the first hat-trick that I have scored in all my life.
   ‘I have had to hope for 34 years (in fact he is 33) to score a hat-trick. It is great (laughter).
   ‘In reality, I’ve never thought about it. Scoring goals is something secondary for me. Today it has happened for me, but most important is that the team has won.
   ‘We are in a good way and it is important to continue thinking about obtaining victories.’

World Cup organisers say six million tickets have been ordered by 677,900 fans for this summer’s finals in Germany.
   The figures were released after the deadline for the third batch of sales involving 250,000 tickets had passed at midnight on Sunday. A ballot will be carried out on January 31 and ticket allocations will be made known and written order confirmations sent out in early February to those lucky enough to get tickets.
   Aside from the final itself and the last 16 game in Munich on June 24 which could figure hosts Germany if they win Group A the most sought after tickets are Germany v Poland (June 14, Dortmund), Brazil v Australia (June 18, Munich), Sweden v England (Cologne, June 20) and Netherlands v Argentina (June 21, Frankfurt).

Winger Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Manchester United’s next three matches after failing on Tuesday to overturn the red card he received in last weekend’s Manchester derby.
   The Portuguese was sent off for a high challenge on ex-United striker Andy Cole in the 66th-minute of Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Manchester City.

Inter Milan strike thoroughbred Adriano was pleased to get back in the goal scoring saddle with a brace this weekend, and says he may owe it to his new boots.
   ‘The pitch wasn’t the best and there was lots of sand, but the shoes went really well,’ reported the Nerazzurri star. ‘They also brought me luck because I scored twice.’
   ‘I hope I can score many more goals with these shoes.’ The Brazil international now has 16 goals across all competitions.

Juventus president Grande Stevens has declared Alessandro del Piero will never be forced to leave the club.Stevens said on Monday, ‘Del Piero and Juve are indivisible. It is not thinkable, neither permissible the idea of his divorce from Juventus.’ Del Piero also said, ‘I am delighted with the words of esteem coming from the president. I feel more and more for this club every day.’

Alex Ferguson’s season has reached crisis point with Manchester United players now fighting among themselves.
   Out of Europe, out of the Premiership title race, unable to beat non-league Burton Albion in the FA Cup and hammered 3-1 in the Manchester derby.
   Now two of Fergie’s main stars Ruud van Nistelrooy and Cristiano Ronaldo were involved in a furious bust-up at the club’s training ground on Monday.
   The pair clashed at the club’s Carrington complex during training and were immediately summoned to boss Sir Alex Ferguson’s office to explain themselves.
   It is understood the row related to Ronaldo’s sending-off in United’s derby defeat to Manchester City at the weekend.
   Van Nistelrooy is understood to have been furious with Ronaldo for his lunge on Andy Cole, which left United with 10 men.
   Sources claim van Nistelrooy accused Ronaldo of showing a ‘selfish’ attitude in getting sent off.
   There has been growing discontent among senior United players at Ronaldo’s attitude of late, many feeling the 20-year-old has become too self-indulgent. Fergie was said to be angry with both Ronaldo and van Nistelrooy for rowing in front of team-mates and shocked backroom staff.
   The revelation of the row is the latest crisis in a wretched season for United, which has seen them dumped out of the Champions League and trailing Chelsea by 16 points in the Premiership.
   United have failed to win a game so far this year and players openly rowing will harm morale further.
   United’s season of hell
   Sept 14: Wayne Rooney is sent off for sarcastically applauding the ref in 0-0 Champions League draw at Villarreal.
   Sept 24: United are beaten 2-1 at home by Blackburn.
   Oct 29: Middlesbrough stun United 4-1 at the Riverside.
   Nov 1: Roy Keane’s criticism of team-mates in an MUTV interview is censored by the club.
   Nov 2: A 1-0 defeat by Lille in Paris leaves Champions League progress in doubt.
   Nov 6: Major security lapse sees Old Trafford dressing room bugged during a 1-0 victory over Chelsea.
   Nov 18: Keane leaves United after 12 years.
   Dec 7: United out of Europe after finishing bottom of Champions League group.
   Jan 8: They draw 0-0 at non-league Burton in FA Cup.
   Jan 14: Manchester derby ends in 3-1 defeat at City and a red card for Ronaldo.
   Jan 16: Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy in bust-up.

Widespread reports indicate that under-fire England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson has been urged by The Football Association to end speculation over his future by revealing when he intends to quit his post.
   The Swede was caught in a tabloid sting at the weekend where he hinted he would consider leaving England should The Three Lions win the World Cup, although he has since stated he is ‘100 per cent committed’ to his job.
   Eriksson is expected to end his tenure whatever the outcome of the tournament in Germany come June, but the powerbrokers at Soho Square are believed to have asked the former Lazio boss to come public with his plans.
   Eriksson met FA chief executive Brian Barwick on Monday to mull over the fallout from the ‘fake Sheikh’ scandal, and is now under pressure to confirm or deny whether he will leave after five and a half years in the job after the culmination of the World Cup campaign.
   The FA is keen to prevent debates over Eriksson’s position overshadowing preparations for football’s biggest prize, and any announcement from the Swede would allow sufficient time to line up a high-quality replacement.
   Eriksson’s contract currently runs until 2008, and his agent indicated that he would be prepared to stay with the national setup until 2010, but he may yet follow in the footsteps of Sir Bobby Robson and Terry Venables by announcing his impending exit in the run-up to a major tournament.
   One possible front-runner for the job should Eriksson leave, Charlton’s Alan Curbishley, believes the former Benfica boss may yet stay on after the World Cup.
   ‘Sven hasn’t done himself any favours with his comments, made to people he had only just met,’ said Curbishley in the Daily Express.
   ‘But perhaps he is so sure of his position now that he can make these observations, safe in the knowledge that England go into the World Cup finals with a genuine chance of winning them.
   ‘And if they do, it would not surprise me to see him stay in the job.
   ‘He has been around in football long enough to know you can get away with anything so long as you are successful.’
   Meanwhile, Sven-Goran Eriksson’s right-hand man has said the weekend’s tabloid revelations gave the England coach the biggest shock of his career.
   Grip told BBC Sport on Monday, ‘He has been through a lot of things but this was something very special, because it was a real set-up. But I know that Sven is okay and he’s fully committed to the job.
   ‘It was a shock for him, this one. It’s not nice, because then you can’t trust anybody and you don’t trust what they are writing either.
   ‘You never know if it is true or not. It’s strange that they do things like that. They had planned it for several months.
   ‘He was a little bit shocked when he realised it was a set-up but now it’s okay.
   ‘He has spoken to them (the players) and he’s rather relaxed about the media. It’s no problem at the moment.’

Wayne Rooney has been warned he faces World Cup humiliation unless he controls his temper.
   Former top referee Jeff Winter fears England’s fiery Manchester United ace is out of control.
   He said, ‘He will not last 90 minutes at the World Cup because the referees will be under instruction to clamp down on dissent for the image of the game.’
   Rooney, 20, collected his eighth yellow card of the season for abusing ref Steve Bennett during Saturday’s stormy Manchester derby defeat.
   Winter said, ‘Like everyone in this country I’m desperate to see England win the World Cup and Wayne Rooney is a young man who can do it for us.
   ‘But he’s already been sent off in the Champions League this season and had to be taken off in a World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland.
   ‘Yet he most certainly has not learned his lesson and I’m fearful his chances of World Cup glory will go up in smoke.’
   Winter was appalled Rooney mouthed off at Bennett after being booked for dissent on Saturday.
   He said, ‘At half-time he ran 50 yards to gesticulate at the ref. He’s already taken a yellow card but that’s still not enough for him. If that was a foreign ref in the World Cup that would have been a red card.’
   Alex Ferguson had a half-time bust-up with Bennett and Winter added, ‘If a manager can’t show discipline, what chance does he have of controlling his players?’
   Winter is astonished United have appealed against Cristiano Ronaldo’s red card for a wild lunge at City’s Andy Cole.
   He said, ‘I’d love to hear how they try to justify that one. The player lost control.’

Lehmann Jens Lehmann believes Germany will beat England if the two old foes’ paths cross in the World Cup finals.
   The outspoken Arsenal keeper feels the arduous Premiership campaign will take its toll on Sven Goran Eriksson’s stars and is adamant that Michael Ballack is a better player than Frank Lampard.
   Lehmann, who is targeting a place in Jurgen Klinsmann’s line-up ahead of Oliver Kahn, also had a dig at Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney. When asked in Germany if the home nation should be favourites against England, he responded, ‘I would like to think so.
   ‘We’ll be at peak fitness so I hope that it’ll be hot at the World Cup.
   ‘The English players are good but I think the tough Premier League season will take its toll. I think we’ll be the better team. ‘We’ve had four games in 10 days and people are now discussing a two-week break in England. A winter break is generally advantageous.
   ‘Lampard was runner-up as Europe’s player of the year but Ballack was 14th. I don’t understand that as Ballack scores more goals.
   ‘Lampard is regarded as world class just because he plays for Chelsea. Rooney is good but hasn’t won anything yet.’

Chelsea’s Argentine striker Hernan Crespo has distanced himself from claims he is unhappy in England.
   Crespo, 30, has been previously quoted as saying he misses Italy, where he has spent much of his career.
   Crespo told the Chelsea website, ‘I don’t like this speculation. I think I’m a professional and I play with my heart at Chelsea.
   ‘In June I don’t know what will happen as in the last four years I’ve always changed club. I want to stay here.’
   Crespo joined Chelsea for £16m from Inter Milan three years ago but was unhappy at Stamford Bridge and returned to Serie A to play on loan for AC Milan.
   He spent last season on loan at AC Milan, where he was a revelation and scored two goals in the Champions League final defeat against Liverpool.
   He was brought back to London in the summer and has scored 10 goals this season.
   He added, ‘Complaining about my current situation at Chelsea is the last thing on my mind. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
   ‘My relationship with coach Jose Mourinho is very good and I understand that it’s impossible to play every game, so from a working point of view, there is no issue.
   ‘The team is in very good shape, there is a sense of strength about us and we are proud of that.’

Juventus manager Fabio Capello plans to quit football in 2009.
   ‘In three years time I’ll stop (coaching), but I won’t go into retirement, that’s for sure,’ he said at a ceremony in Milan, where he was receiving the 2005 Gianni Brera award for sporting excellence.
   ‘Maybe I’ll commentate a few matches on television, but I want to have more free time to travel and see the world,’ Capello was quoted by Italy news agency ANSA.
   ‘I’ve still got another year to run on my contract with Juve. I’m not sure what I’ll do with the other two.
   ‘An experience in a foreign league interests me, but for now I’m very happy at Juventus.’
   If he left Juventus when his contract expires at the end of next season, Capello’s services would be in demand. The 59-year-old has won major titles with every club for which he has worked.

India and Pakistan on Tuesday criticised the lifeless wicket prepared for the first Test here with home team captain Inzamam-ul Haq calling it a ‘poor advertisement for Test cricket.’
   ‘If we prepare wickets like this we will lose the crowds that came for the previous series against England,’ Inzamam said after murky weather and the batting-friendly wicket forced the Test to be drawn.
   India reached 410-1 in reply to Pakistan’s mammoth first innings total of 679-7 declared before play was called off after just 2.2 overs on the fifth and final day.
   Indian openers Virender Sehwag (254) and Rahul Dravid (128 not out) failed to compile a world record opening partnership by just four runs after Sehwag was caught behind off seamer Rana Naved.
   Inzamam said he had always been in favour of sporting pitches.‘Wickets like the one at the Gaddafi stadium here are demoralising for the bowlers and captains find it hard to stop the flow of runs. But since everyone has asked me about the pitch I must make it clear that I am the captain and not the groundsman,’ the Pakistan skipper said.
   ‘The lead-up to the Test was affected by bad weather so it may not have been easy to make a good wicket. Hopefully we have a better Test at Faisalabad and get a better wicket too.’
   Indian captain Dravid chose to play down his criticism of the wicket, but indicated he too was not happy with what was on offer.
   ‘I would not blame the groundsman or anyone for the pitch, but this obviously was not a pitch on which bowlers would like to bowl on,’ he said.
   ‘It is easy to criticise the pitch, the groundsman and other things, but not many people know about the art of making a wicket and it is not for us to ask what kind of pitches the hosts are preparing.’
   Dravid said India gained a lot of confidence from the drawn Test.
   ‘I do not believe in any team having the psychological edge or the momentum, but I can say that we have gained a lot of confidence going into the second Test,’ he said.
   The Indian captain, who preferred to open the innings with Sehwag in place of his predecessor Sourav Ganguly, also made light of the failure to break the world record.
   ‘To get to 410 was special and it was special to be close to that record,’ he said.
   ‘Sehwag was a bit disappointed. We could have got there and had it come it would have been nice. Dravid said it was great to ‘have the best seat in the house’ when Sehwag was batting. He was doing all the scoring, I was just hanging in there. It is amazing how he hit the good balls to the fence when I may have just defended them.’

Simone Warne says she’ll continue sharing a home with her spin bowling husband for the sake of their children, as the couple heads down the road to divorce.
   ‘It’s nice to have him there for the kids,’ she told journalists today as she and Shane Warne prepare to legally end their marriage.
   She said she and Warne would continue sharing their Melbourne home for as long as it worked for both of them.
   Their three kids needed both of their parents, she said.
   ‘I mean that’s the best environment you can have with children, is to have their mum and dad there. So while it works well for both of us, we’ll stay in the house.’
   ‘They just want love, they just want attention, so that’s what we’re there for.’
   Simone made the comments as she launched a new home and garden website, and said she was looking forward to the next phase in her life.
   ‘I’m just getting on with life, I’m just enjoying the journey,’ she told reporters.
   Earlier, she told how she went on a shopping frenzy soon after splitting with Warne — and a Prada handbag was first on the list.
   ‘I call that therapy,’ she told Sydney radio station MIX 106.5 on Monday.
   Their imminent divorce comes after years of alleged infidelity by the world’s leading wicket-taker.
   The final straw for Ms Warne came last year after British newspapers reported Warne’s alleged involvement in a series of sex scandals.
   ‘That was it. I had just moved with the kids to England when all that stuff hit the paper,’ she said.
   Asked how Brooke, 8, Jackson, 6, and Summer, 4, handled the news, Simone said they took it in their stride.
   ‘They were so young, they didn’t really understand,’ she said.
   ‘They just thought they had gone on a holiday and were coming back to Australia early.’
   Simone denied seeking $10 million in her divorce settlement.
    ‘I have never said I want $10 million,’ she said.
   She said speculation Shane would sacrifice his international cricket career to spend more time with their kids was correct.
    ‘He probably would,’ she said. ‘He’s a great dad and the kids adore him. They are holidaying with him right now.’
   But when asked if she thought he had a sporting man’s hero complex, which fed a belief he could do whatever he wanted, she said: ‘Maybe he just doesn’t know that the real world is.’
   Simone dispelled much of the media hype following the public split, including rumours about who she was dating.

Australia will proceed with a bid to stage the 2011 Cricket World Cup, Cricket Australia said today, despite reports from Pakistan it would defer to a joint Asian bid.
   The news comes just two days after Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh announced they were launching a joint bid.
   Pakistan officials had told reporters they understood Australia would not bid against them.
   But Cricket Australia general manager Peter Young said Australia was still interested in staging the event.
   ‘At this stage the ICC (International Cricket Council) is just asking for expressions of interest and we are interested,’ he said.
   ‘The deadline is February and we will be going ahead with that.’
   Mr Young said details of Australia’s bid had yet to be finalised but it was likely to form a partnership with New Zealand. Australia and New Zealand also co-hosted the 1992 World Cup.
   The ICC is expected to make a decision in June.
   ‘We are confident we can host a world-class tournament,’ Mr Young said.
   ‘We haven’t hosted the World Cup since 1992 and we have all the facilities and personnel to stage an event of this size again.
   ‘We’re exploring the option of a joint bid with New Zealand but if necessary we could go alone.’
   The World Cup has been awarded on an unofficial rotational basis for the past decade and Australia and New Zealand are next in line to stage the 2011 event.
   But Asian cricket chiefs have been demanding the ICC award every third World Cup to Asia because they have four of the 10 Test-playing nations.
   Mr Young also said Australia was still negotiating with India about the Future Tours Program and there had been no discussions on the Champions Trophy.
   India will stage this year’s Trophy in October and November but has said it will not play in future tournaments because they are scheduled during its peak season.
   Indian officials said earlier this week that they had agreed instead to host annual tours against Australia, raising doubts about the future of the Champions Trophy if both countries were absent.
   ‘We cannot comment about that but I will say that Australia is very keen to play more Tests and one-day internationals against India, but also in keeping with our obligations to the ICC’s Future Tours Program,’ he said.
   ‘When you look back over the last 20 or so years and you see how many times we’ve played England, it’s clear we haven’t play a lot against India and we would like to play more often.’

Glenn McGrath says Australia’s cricketers need to pull their heads in after a spate of bad onfield behaviour.
   Wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist on Monday became the third player inside a fortnight to be charged for an offence after his exchange with Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar on Sunday night.
   Gilchrist’s troubles come after pacemen Brett Lee (dissent) and McGrath (obscene language) were reprimanded for indiscretions during the New Year’s Test against South Africa in Sydney.
   McGrath told Sydney radio station 2KY on Tuesday the team needed to curb their emotions on the field but still felt the umpires had to be approachable.
   ‘If the umpire said in my opinion that wasn’t out, then you get on with it. I think at the end of the day the umpire still needs to be approachable and you still have got to be able to talk to him,’ he said.
   ‘I think at the end of the day it is up to the captain (to talk to umpires) and it should be left that way, and we just need to pull our heads in a little bit.’
   McGrath was involved in one of the most memorable on-field clashes of recent times, with the paceman verbally abusing West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan from close range in the Caribbean in 2003.
   The player-led ‘Spirit of Cricket’ code was instigated later that year in what was seen as a bid to combat Australia’s poor behaviour.
   The code states: ‘We play our cricket hard but fair and accept all umpiring decisions as a mark of respect for our opponents, the umpires, ourselves and the game.’
   McGrath felt the Australia team had been well behaved before the recent run of incidents.
   ‘It hasn’t been a good year for us considering it is not even a month old, but you look at our track record over the last sort of 12 to 18 months, two years it has been exceptional,’ he said.
   ‘Hopefully it is one of those things that pass and we won’t be seeing the match referee anymore.’
   Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young said: ‘What (CA chief executive) James Sutherland was quoted as saying during the Sydney Test still stands, I think that it is always disappointing when there is a report or more importantly a report that is upheld. ‘Our own players have set very high standards for themselves through the Spirit of Cricket pledge and as an organisation we have set ourselves a target of having zero breaches.
   ‘So it is always disappointing when there is a bad day, the players take seriously the pledge they have made.’

Left red in the face over the flat pitch dished out for the first cricket Test against India, Pakistan Cricket Board has rushed its chief curator to Faisalabad to prepare a lively track for the second Test.
   With the match here clearly headed for a tame draw, PCB does not want a repeat at Faisalabad, where the second Test begins on January 21, and has instructed Agha Zahid to ensure there is bounce and life at the track there.
   ‘There is nothing in it and clearly it is not the sort that is an advantage to the home side,’ a PCB official was quoted as saying in The News on Monday.
    ‘When you have some grass on the pitch the ball tends to hit the blades and deviates a bit and that is good for the pacers. But this pitch is totally flat, there is no movement or turn for the bowlers,’ the official said adding they were also worried on account of the weather.
   Zahid, who along with curator Haji Bashir prepared the surface for the first Test, claimed that the harsh winter weather hampered their efforts to prepare a lively track.
   The report also said that some of the Pakistani players themselves were averse to any grass being left on the pitch, which put pressure on the curators.
   ‘Last time when India toured Pakistan and there was some grass left on the surface for the three Tests, the Pakistani players were not happy at all with the curators. This time we were told we should avoid leaving grass on the surface,’ a groundsman was quoted as saying in the report.
   Faisalabad has the worst history of draws, and fears are being expressed here that the second Test could go the same way. In 23 Tests played in Faisalabad, 12 have ended in draws.

Tournament favourites Roger Federer and Kim Clijsters powered into the second round of the Australian Open Tuesday on a day that saw Martina Hingis made a successful comeback to Grand Slam tennis.
   Hingis looked like the Swiss Miss of old on her return to a tournament she won three times between 1997-99 and last played in 2002 before injuries cut her career short.
   The 25-year-old demolished Russian 30th seed Vera Zvonareva 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour to claim her highest ranking scalp since launching a comeback earlier this month following a three-year injury layoff.
   Federer also sent a chilling warning to his rivals by swatting Uzbekistan wildcard Denis Istomin 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 in ruthless fashion.
   The Swiss top seed, who Monday equalled US great Pete Sampras’ mark of 102 weeks as world number one in the ATP rankings, was in devastating form and showed why he is the overwhelming favourite to land his second Australian Open.
   Federer, who confessed to knowing nothing about his opponent, broke Istomin’s serve six times and was always in command.
   Germany’s Florian Mayer is next up to face the Fed Express.
   Lleyton Hewitt, the third seed who is scheduled to meet Federer in the semi-finals, was far less convincing against the 58th-ranked Robin Vik of the Czech Republic, struggling to finish him off in a five-set thriller.
   The Australian finally hammered the last nail into Vik’s coffin after three hours 45 minutes, winning 6-4, 2-6, 5-7, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.
   Hewitt’s former girlfriend Clijsters, like Federer a favourite to win the championship, showed no outward signs of the hip injury that threatened her appearance here as she brushed aside South Korea’s Cho Yoon-jeong 6-3, 6-0.
   But she said she was hurting and her movements and strokeplay were hampered.
   Mary Pierce, the fifth seed, was equally commanding in her opening match, taking less than an hour to dismantle Australian Nicole Pratt 6-1, 6-1 and will next play Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic.
   Others safely into the second round include Amelie Mauresmo, the third seed who beat Pierce in the final of the WTA Championship.
   But she was taken to three sets by China’s Sun Tiantian.
   Patty Schnyder, the Swiss seventh seed who reached the quarter-finals here last year, is also through after overcoming Eleni Daniilidou of Greece 6-4, 6-3.
   Number 12 seed Anastasia Myskina also comfortably made the second round, making her the seventh Russian women to pass the first hurdle.
   Among the men, sixth seed Guillermo Coria of Argentina booked his berth with victory over Romanian Victor Hanescu and Tommy Haas, considered a dark horse, continued his impressive form.
   The German, who beat Federer at the Kooyong Classic last week, ousted 14th seed Richard Gasquet of France in straight sets.

Sri Lanka let their rivals know they were anything but a spent force in the tri-series limited overs cricket competition when they produced a stunning form reversal to humble South Africa by 94 runs here on Tuesday.
   The Sri Lankans, who had made 282-6 in their innings, bowled South Africa out for just 188 with 5.4 overs remaining at the Brisbane Cricket Ground.
   Crushed by 116 runs in their opening match against Australia, Sri Lanka were aided by South Africa’s questionable decision to send them in to bat on a perfect wicket and in good conditions.
   Their cause was also helped by the late withdrawal of brilliant South African allrounder Jacques Kallis with an elbow injury.
   The Proteas also dropped two catches and ran poorly between the wickets, which cost them the wickets of top order batsmen Jacques Rudolph and Herschelle Gibbs.
   They lost their last five wickets for just 36 runs.
   The Sri Lankans were spurred by a 112-run partnership between Jehan Mubarak and Kumar Sangakkara for the second wicket.
   The partnership ended with the last ball of the 23rd over when Botha trapped Mubarak lbw for 61 off 69 balls, including nine boundaries.
   Sangakkara went on to make a stylish 88 off 109 balls. Despite the impressive start, Sri Lanka managed just 62 runs off their last 10 overs.

India will not participate in the biennial ICC Champions Trophy after 2006 because it is scheduled during their peak season between October and March, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Monday.
   ‘We’re not free in October in 2007, 2008 or 2009. We have made our position very clear to the International Cricket Council many times,’ said BCCI vice-president Lalit Modi. He also made the announcement at a news conference in Mumbai.
   India, the game’s commercial hub, will stage this year’s Champions Trophy from October 7 to November 5. However, they argue that holding the event during the period cuts into their bilateral schedule and, as a consequence, on their revenue.
   Modi said there was no confrontation with the ICC.

India and Pakistan will play four to five one-day internationals (ODIs) every year in non-Test playing countries, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Monday.
   Talking to reporters after the BCCI’s Marketing Committee meeting in Mumbai Committee chairman Lalit Modi said both the cricket boards of India and Pakistan have decided to expand the reach of cricket by playing matches in the summer months in those countries where there is a vast population of expatriate Indians and Pakistanis.
   IS Bindra, who was also present on the occasion, said these matches would be conducted by either of the two boards and would be bilateral cricket affair like the Sahara Cup, which was held for a couple of years in Toronto, Canada, and conducted by the BCCI.
   Bindra also added that no other organisation would be allowed to conduct the matches, referring to the CBFS-organised series in Sharjah.
   Modi further stated that to kick off this arrangement, two matches have been planned in Abu Dhabi on April 18 and 19, the proceeds of which would go for rehabilitation of people hit by the earthquake last year both in Pakistan and India.
   ‘Around 75 per cent of the proceeds would go for Pak quake relief, while 25 per cent would be spent on rehabilitating the affected people in Jammu and Kashmir,’ Modi added.
   Meanwhile, top cricketers from both countries are likely to play three charity matches in the US and Canada this year.
   Part of the income generated is likely to go for the victims of the October earthquake said Hasan Jalil.
   ‘After last year’s three matches between a World XI and an Asian XI was cancelled due to non issuance of visas to Pakistani players, I am planning to organise three matches sometime this year,’ Jalil told newsmen.
   ‘A portion of the income generated from the matches could go to the earthquake victims. I am talking to authorities if we can make the donation for the survivors,’ said Jalil, who is Lahore as a commentator for the 106.2 Hum FM radio for the ongoing first India-Pakistan Test.
   Jalil, who has his roots in India’s Badaun town, said he was in talks with the Indian and Pakistani boards and players. An announcement could be made before India’s 45-day tour ends February 19.

Former Pakistan fast bowler Sarfaraz Nawaz has no doubt that the increased use of Irfan Pathan as a top order batsman would take away his bowling potential in time to come.
   ‘Pathan is a brilliant up and coming bowler, but if he is made to bat higher up the order, his bowling would fall away,’ said Sarfaraz.
   ‘I can understand that Indians are imagining him to be another Kapil Dev, but they don't realise that the latter batted at number six and seven and was not made to apply himself as is being done in Pathan's case.’
   The discovery of Pathan's batting ability in recent months has been nothing less than startling with two of his impressive efforts coming at the top of the order.
   Pathan first made 83 coming in at No 3 in the Nagpur one-day international against Sri Lanka in October and then scored an impressive 90-odd as an opener in the Kotla Test against the same opponents.
   Sarfaraz feels Pathan has not yet developed enough as a bowler for him to dilute his focus.
   ‘It would hurt him in future and the Indian team who are looking at him to spearhead the attack.
   ‘At best he should look to come out and enjoy himself at number six or seven. The top order must do what is expected of them.’
   Nawaz is also critical of Ajit Agarkar, whom he terms as somebody who is trying to restructure his bowling completely.
   ‘When Ajit started, he was an out-swing bowler with a decent pace. I now see him only bringing it in to the batsmen.
   ‘If you want to bowl an in-swinger, it is important you use the crease brilliantly. Otherwise, you would be picked up by batsmen all the time,’ Sarfaraz said.
   ‘It seems he is putting no thought in his bowling, just going back to his mark, running up, bowling and then again retracing his steps. There is no imagination.’
   Nawaz, who picked 177 wickets during his illustrious career and is widely regarded as pioneer of modern-day Pakistan fast bowling, also feels that Agarkar is more intent on bowling maiden overs rather than trying to take wickets.
   ‘He is very defensive in his methods. Two or three deliveries in his over are way beyond the off-stump. He must realise that if you are defensive, you would never be able to achieve something big. You've got to take your chances to be what you want in your life.’
   Pathan claimed one wicket for 133 from 32 overs in the Lahore Test while Agarkar's return was 2 for 122 from 24 overs.
   Pathan has been impressive of late, picking 28 wickets from 5 Tests before the Lahore Test. However, Agarkar has claimed only five scalps in his last four Tests.

Indian cricket captain Rahul Dravid has earned kudos from former Pakistan captain and
   current chairman of the selection committee, Wasim Bari, who described him as a ‘very educated person’.
   ‘He looked a very educated person to me. The other day he saw me and came over to me on his own and said 'How are you Baribhai',’ Bari told his fellow selector Iqbal Qasim during the first Test at the Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday.
   ‘It was nice of him to come and ask my well being. Normally, you do not find such players these days,’ said the wicketkeeper who played 81 Tests and 51 one-day internationals between 1967 and 1984.
   When told that Dravid comes from a respected family in Bangalore and that his mother is a professor and a doctorate in fine arts, and his father is also a thorough gentleman, Bari said he was not aware of this.
   ‘I don't know about his background, but I found him a decent person, unlike normal cricketers,’ said Bari, 57.
   Dravid, 33, is one of most cultured cricketers in the world today, and is equally good at batting. His rock solid batting has earned him the sobriquet ‘The Wall’.
   The Indore-born right-handed batsman is playing his 95th Test here. He has scored 8,003 runs at an average of 57.16 before the Test began here Friday. He has also smashed 20 centuries. In 275 one-day internationals, he has tallied 8,843 at 40.19, with 11 centuries.

Shahid Afridi insists there is still friendship between him and Harbhajan Singh who was clobbered for four sixes by the dashing Pakistan all-rounder on the second day of the first Test in Lahore.
   Afridi said the Indian off-spinner had walked up to him later and asked if he had singled him out deliberately for punishment.
   ‘Naturally, my answer was no,’ Afridi told the Press Trust of India on the fourth day of the match on Monday during one of the bad light interruptions.
   ‘We remain good friends. I had a job to do and I did it according to my style. Naturally, if the conditions would have been friendly for spinners, Harbhajan would have created problems for me because that is his job,’ Afridi said.
   ‘However, on the field there is no friendship but only fierce rivalry and competition and we all know about that.’
   Afridi dismissed suggestions that Harbhajan had indulged in sledging when he was being hit mercilessly all over the park.
   ‘He did not talk to me at all. He did not even look at me. But he came to me and simply asked if I had deliberately picked him.’

GM Ziaur Rahman tasted his first defeat in the 4th Parsvnath International Open Chess Tournament, now being held in Delhi, when he lost to IM Parimarjan in the fourth round match on Tuesday.
   IM Abdullah Al Rakib shared points with India’s Shareen to secure 3.5 points.
   GM Ziaur Rahman, GM Niaz Murshed and IM Enamul Hossain, FM Mehedi Hasan Parag and FM Nasir Ahmed earned three points each at the end of the fourth round.
   FM Tayebur Rahman and FM Abu Sufian Shakil collected 2.5 points each. In the fourth round, Parag beat Mokal, Nasir beat Vidit, Razib drew with IM Balasubramaniam and Niaz drew with IM Koshy.

Real Madrid’s honorary president Alfredo Di Stefano has been fitted with a pacemaker following his quadruple heart bypass surgery and is expected to leave hospital in the next few days, doctors said on Tuesday.
   ‘An operation to fit Alfredo Di Stefano with a pacemaker has been carried out successfully,’ said a medical report issued by heart specialists at the La Fe hospital in Valencia.
   ‘The patient is making favourable progress in the hospital ward and is waiting to receive approval for his discharge in the next few days.
   The 79-year-old, who is Real’s record goal scorer, was admitted to hospital after suffering a heart attack on December 24. He underwent bypass surgery four days later and left intensive care on January 3.
   Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game, Di Stefano led Real to five consecutive European Cup triumphs between 1956 and 1960 and was voted European Footballer of the Year in 1957 and 1959.

America's seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong has told a South African newspaper that he is in talks on a movie about his life.
   Armstrong, 34, is due to travel to South Africa on Wednesday accompanied by his fiancee rock star Sheryl Crow for a first visit that will include a tour of Soweto.
   In an interview to The Sunday Times, Armstrong said that Matt Damon was favoured to play Armstrong who survived a bout of testicular cancer.
   ‘Matt's somebody I've known for a few years and is willing to play the part,’ Armstrong said.
   ‘He can dig into it on the athletic side and the illness side, but he'll also look and ride and feel like a professional cyclist.’