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Zimbabwe held their nerve to edge a two-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the opening one-dayer of a five-match series at the Harare Sports Club here Saturday.
   Stuart Matsikenyeri was the hero for Zimbabwe, top-scoring with 89 in a sixth-wicket stand of 114 with Elton Chigumbara to resurrect the home side’s hopes after they had collapsed to 50-4.
   Matsikenyeri’s performance helped Zimbabwe overhaul Bangladesh’s total of 247 with five balls to spare, finishing on 248 for 8.
   Chigumbara hit the winning runs for Zimbabwe, smashing Shahadat Hossain over midwicket for boundary to the delight of the home crowd to finish on 70.
   Earlier, Bangladesh had overcome a nervous start to reach 246 for 7, with opener Shahriar Nafees top-scoring with 78.
   The dreadlocked paceman Tawanda Mupariwa got Zimbabwe off to a flying start by removing Javed Omar for
   eight and Aftab Ahmed for nought with both men caught by wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor.
   But Nafees steadied the ship sharing two fifty-plus stands with Mohammad Ashraful (25) and Habibul Bashar (40).
   Nafees’s innings eventually came to an end when he was bowled by Ed Rainsford trying to force the pace at 188-6.
   Mohammad Rafique added a brisk 39 to push the score towards respectability with his innings highlighted by two huge sixes over deep fine leg and long-off.

Sri Lanka (756/5dec) lead South Africa (169 & 43/0) by 544 runs at stumps, day 3
   Mahela Jayawardene smashed the fourth highest score of 374 and shared a world record stand of 624 with Kumar Sangakkara as Sri Lanka battered South Africa in the first Test here on Saturday.
   The batting feast at the Sinhalese sports club saw Sri Lanka pile up a mammoth 756-5 declared in reply to South Africa’s modest 169 to gain a match-winning lead of 587 runs.
   The Proteas, who must bat out the last two days to save the game, were 43 for no loss in their second innings at stumps with Jacques Rudolph on 24 and Andrew Hall on 13.
   Rudolph opened in place of Herschelle Gibbs, who cannot bat before five wickets have fallen after being off the field for four sessions with a stomach bug.
   Skipper Jayawardene and Sangakkara, who came together on Thursday evening with their team on a precarious 14-2, destroyed the South African attack in the best ever partnership in the history of Test cricket.
   The third-wicket pair surpassed the previous best of 576 for the second wicket by fellow-Sri Lankans Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama against India at the Premadasa stadium here in 1997.
   Left-handed Sangakkara fell for 287, caught behind chasing a wide ball from Andrew Hall, but Jayawardene batted on to surpass Jayasuriya’s Sri Lankan record of 340.
   Jayawardene crossed West Indian Garfield Sobers’ 365 not out and was one run away from equalling Brian Lara’s 375 against England in 1994 when he was bowled by an express Andre Nel delivery.
   Some 4,000 home fans fell silent, having expected Jayawardene to cross the three remaining milestones: Lara’s 375, Matthew Hayden’s 380 and Lara’s world record score of 400 not out.
   The 29-year-old, who declared at the fall of his wicket, received a standing ovation as he returned after a marathon innings lasting 12 hours and 42 minutes in hot and humid weather in the Sri Lankan capital.
   Jayawardene hit 43 boundaries and a six during his 15th three-figure knock as the depleted South Africans wilted in the heat.
   The Proteas, already without the injured duo of skipper Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis, also missed veteran all-rounder Shaun Pollock, who opted out of the match following the birth of his second child.
   Pollock will be available for the second Test of the short two-match series which starts at the Sara stadium here on August 4.
   Left-arm spinner Nicky Boje bore the brunt of the assault, conceding 221 runs in 65 unsuccessful overs. Dale Steyn took 3-129 in 26 overs and pace spearhead Makhaya Ntini went for 0-97 in 31 overs.
   There was little the South Africans could do to stop the rampaging Jayawardene and Sangakkara in good batting conditions. It was the best display by two batsmen in a Test innings since Sobers made the unbeaten 365 and Conrad Hunte 260 for the West Indies against Pakistan in Kingston in 1957-58.
   Left-handed Sangakkara’s career-best knock, surpassing his 270 against Zimbabwe three years ago, lasted 11 hours and 15 minutes during which he hit 35 boundaries.
   Skipper Jayawardene was on 309 when he saw his partner depart just before tea, but himself returned after the break in a bid to overtake Lara’s record score.
   The partnership record came in the second over after lunch through four byes conceded down the leg-side by wicket-keeper Mark Boucher off Boje.
   Both batsmen, close friends off the field, hugged each other amid applause and a loud burst of firecrackers in the stands as umpire Mark Benson signalled the four byes.
   Jayawardene, who is playing his 82nd Test, surpassed 6,000 runs during the course of his innings. Sangakkara, a veteran of 61 Tests, has hit four double hundreds in 10 century-making innings.
   
   Top 10 partnerships
   624 3rd wkt K Sangakkara/M Jayawardene (SL) v RSA, Colombo, 2006
   576 2nd wkt R Mahanama/S Jayasuriya (SL) v IND, Colombo, 1997
   467 3rd wkt A Jones/M Crowe (NZ) v SL, Wellington, 1991
   451 2nd wkt D Bradman/W Ponsford (AUS) v ENG, Oval, 1934
   451 3rd wkt M Nazar/J Miandad (PAK) v IND, Hyderabad, 1982
   446 2nd wkt C Hunte/G Sobers (WI) v PAK, Kingston, 1957
   438 2nd wkt M Atapattu/K Sangakkara (SL) v ZIM, Bulawayo, 2004
   429 3rd wkt J Rudolph/B Dippenaar (RSA) v BAN, Chittagong, 2003
   413 1st wkt P Roy/V Mankad (IND) v NZ, Chennai (Madras), 1955
   411 4th wkt C Cowdrey/P May (ENG) v WI, Birmingham, 1957
   
   Top 11 Test innings
   400* Brian Lara (WI) v ENG, St John’s, 2004
   380 M Hayden (AUS) v ZIM, Perth, 2003
   375 Brian Lara (WI) v ENG, St John’s, 1994
   374 M Jayawardene (SL) v RSA, Colombo, 2006
   365* G Sobers (WI) v PAK, Kingston, 3rd Test, 1957-58
   364 Len Hutton (ENG) v AUS, Oval, 1938
   340 S Jayasuriya (SL) v IND, Colombo, 1997
   337 Hanif Mohammad (PAK) v WI, Bridgetown, 1957-58
   336* Wally Hammond (ENG) v NZ, Auckland, 1932-33
   334* Mark Taylor (AUS) v PAK, Peshawar, 1998
   334 Don Bradman (AUS) v ENG, Leeds, 1930
   Note: * denotes not out

Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy was officially presented Friday as a Real Madrid player following his arrival from Manchester United, saying the move meant he had fulfilled a dream.
   Van Nistelrooy, 30, signed a three-year contract after passing a medical earlier on Friday and was then presented to the media at the Spanish club’s Bernabeu stadium.
   The Holland international, who cost Real around 15 million euros, had asked to leave Old Trafford after a series of disagreements with United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
   Van Nistelrooy said, ‘It’s a great honour to stand here in the Bernabeu and it is a dream come true.
   ‘Real Madrid is a great club. It’s got history, the greatest players ever have played here, so it’s a great honour on my side.
   ‘When Real come looking for you, you don’t have to think about it because you know they are number one.
   ‘I will try to learn Spanish as quickly as I can because this move means everything for me.
   ‘I want to thank everybody for the confidence and the belief they have shown in me. I will do everything in my ability to play well.’
   Real club doctor Alfonso Del Corral said the striker was in fine condition.
   ‘We performed all the tests and verified that he’s perfectly fit after the World Cup. He had a knee operation six years ago in the United States, but has recovered perfectly from that.
   ‘We think that he’s in perfect condition to sign for Real Madrid and have, therefore, given the player and the operation our okay,’ said Del Corral.
   Van Nistelrooy had earlier admitted he couldn’t wait to be reunited with former Manchester United team-mate David Beckham, who supplied the crosses for many of the Dutchman’s goals during his time with the English Premiership club.
   He told Real’s website, ‘When Beckham left Manchester United I was very sad both on a personal level and because of the way we connected on the pitch.
   ‘They were wonderful times that I hope will now be repeated in Madrid.’
   Van Nistelrooy also said he was confident of creating an effective partnership with Real’s Brazilian striker Ronaldo and added, ‘I am dying to play with Ronaldo. He’s fantastic. His scoring numbers speak a thousand words.’ Real finally landed van Nistelrooy at the third attempt after having two previous bids turned down and manager Fabio Capello has been able to make a big impact in the transfer market since his arrival from Juventus earlier this month and had already splashed out on Juve duo Fabio Cannavaro and Emerson.
   A statement on United’s website thanked van Nistelrooy and said, ‘Manchester United would like to wish Ruud all the best at his new club and thank him for the great service he provided.’

Bangladesh Football Federation will hold an emergency meeting on Monday to work out the solutions after the mass resignation of the National Team Management Committee.
   The NTMC declared on Saturday that they would not be working under the BFF and Salahuddin announced his resignation from both the vice-presidency of the BFF and chairmanship of the NTMC.
   But the BFF has refused to accept his resignation. Anwarul Huq Helal, the general secretary of the BFF, said he only knows the official procedure. ‘If anyone wants to resign he has to submit a resignation letter and that’s the procedure, so far we have not received any such letter,’ said Helal.
   But he admitted he has read the news of resignation and also watched it on the TV.
   ‘What can I say, I don’t have any documentary evidence that my members have resigned,’ Said Helal.
   Helal assured that all the BFF members, including the persons who have tendered their resignations, will be invited to attend the emergency meeting. He also informed an emergency meeting does not need to have a quorum.
   The Executive Committee of the BFF reserves the right to dissolve the NTMC and Helal hinted that it could be a major point of discussion at the meeting.

Former Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has signed a four-year deal to take charge of 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa, officials said on Saturday.
   The deal was concluded in Rio de Janeiro on Friday after talks between Parreira and a delegation from the South African Football Association.
   South African Football Association president Molefi Oliphant told Reuters on Saturday ‘everything is signed and sealed’.
   ‘This is an exciting time for South African football.
   ‘The association has now delivered a world class coach for the team. It’s now up to him and the players to turn our side into a strong force,’ Oliphant said.
   He was unsure when Parreira would start in his new job but the Brazilian has already stated a preference for the beginning of 2007.
   South Africa, however, begin their qualifying campaign for the 2008 African Nations Cup finals with a home match against Congo in Johannesburg on Sept. 2.
   They will also meet Zambia away in a potentially key group match in October. There is also a friendly scheduled against Namibia in Windhoek on Aug. 16 but caretaker coach Pitso Mosimane has already been mandated to pick the squad for that game.
   Parreira will become the 14th coach for South Africa since the country returned to international competition 14 years ago.
   During that time they have twice qualified for the World Cup finals and won the 1996 African Nations Cup title but have won just three of their last 18 internationals played
   over the last 12 months in a slump that has seen them fall dramatically in the FIFA world rankings.
   Last week Parreira released a statement in Rio de Janeiro, saying: ‘It is an honour to receive an invitation from the South African national team as the country will be the centre of attention as hosts of the next World Cup.’
   The 2010 tournament offers Parreira an opportunity to coach at a record-breaking sixth World Cup.

Spanish giants Real Madrid are interested in signing Serie A stars Daniele De Rossi and Patrick Vieira, reports on Saturday are suggesting.
   After already netting Emerson and Fabio Cannavaro from Juventus earlier this month, boss Fabio Capello wants another central midfielder to partner his South American ace.
   ‘I need midfielders who are capable of helping the rest of the side,’ the Coach noted only this week.
   Capello knows all about De Rossi thanks to his spell on the Roma bench given that the Italian international has progressed from the Giallorossi youth sector to the first team in recent history. It’s understood that Real, via transfer wizard Franco Baldini, have already approached Roma regarding a bid.
   Real Madrid are allegedly ready to offer the capital giants almost £9m for the ball-winning youngster. However, De Rossi – born and bred in Rome – is unlikely to be sacrificed by Luciano Spalletti’s club, no matter what bid is tabled.
   As a result, the Madrid outfit have contacted Juventus to make enquiries about the availability of Vieira. The Frenchman, who played alongside Emerson in Turin last term, was thought to be on his way to Inter but Real may now hijack the move.
   Capello already successfully requested the capture of Vieira last summer when Arsenal accepted a £14m offer from the Bianconeri.

India skipper Rahul Dravid said Saturday a strong start would be the key to winning the tough triangular one-day cricket series in Sri Lanka next month.
   ‘We have a tough series ahead, with Sri Lanka doing very well in recent one-dayers. But if we start well, we can make a turnaround,’ said Dravid, whose side were thrashed 4-1 in one-dayers in the West Indies in May.
   Dravid said the team had been boosted with the return of master batsman Sachin Tendulkar, who missed one-day series against England at home and then in the Caribbean due to a shoulder injury. ‘His presence is important to all of us. It is good for us that he is around and looking forward to doing well in Sri Lanka,’ said Dravid.

If an unauthorised biography is to be believed, Ricky Ponting’s men travel with a supply of condoms and their blond Casanova, Shane Warne, had sex with at least 1,000 women and was caught just five times.
   ‘Spun Out’, penned by award-winning journalist Paul Barry, who had also authored Kerry Packer’s biography, portrays the Aussies as a bunch of womanisers with Warne miles ahead of his Baggy Green comrades.
   Courier Mail quotes excerpts from the book which claims Warne has had sex with at least 1000 women and the leggie had his first affair barely four months after his tumultuous marriage to estranged wife Simone Callahan in 1995.
   Barry also claims that the Aussies adhere to a code of silence which encourages promiscuity by Warne and other team members and apart from their ‘’coffins’’, carrying gears, they ensure they never run short of condoms.
   Most of the allegations, however, come from anonymous sources.
   One of Warne’s teammates described Warne’s marriage to Simone as a wedding between a naive ‘suburban girl’ and an accidental hero.
   ‘There’s no rocket science going on. He’s a spin bowler, she was a promotions model. They have both got blonde hair... If she hadn’t married she’d still be putting on a red lycra suit when the grand prix comes around,’ the unnamed player was quoted as saying.
   Barry claims Warne was still dating an English woman when he married Simone.
   Warne’s first affair came four months after the marriage after he picked up a sunbaking French backpacker on Bondi Beach, the writer claimed.
   ‘He was no great lover, she says, but he was attractive, good company and fun,’ he wrote.
   According to his friends, Warne loves to ‘collect’ women, especially the blondes.
   ‘One of Warne’s mates at Channel 9 told me he reckoned Warne had a pretty good average because he had probably had 1000 women and only been caught five times,’ the book read.

Mehedi Hasan of Tangail struck four times to steer his team to the zonal final of the Brahmaputra zone defeating Mymensingh 6-0 at the Tangail stadium on Saturday.
   In the one-sided semifinal of the Jubok Phone National Football Championship, Mehedi Hasan hit the back of the net in the 17th, 36th, 64th and 73rd minutes. Shamim al Mamun and Nasiruddin scored the other goals on 37 and 83 minutes respectively.
   Magura emerged as the champions of the Kapotakkho zone eliminating Chuadanga 3-0 at the Magura stadium. Kallol opened the account after six minutes, Nur Islam doubled the margin in the 64th minute and Nur Hossain Ripon completed the rout with an 85th-minute strike.
   Noakhali moved into the zonal final ousting Chittagong by 5-4 goals in the penalty shoot-out after the tie ended goalless in the allotted time at the Bandarban stadium. At Joypurhat stadium, Bogra pipped Pabna 7-6 in the penalty shoot-out as the stipulated time finished 1-1. Biplob of Pabna put his team ahead in the 46th minute but Karim equalised in the 82nd minute.

Mohammedan Sporting Club wrapped up their player recruitment formalities on the third day of the hockey players’ transfers at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium on Friday. However, the traditional crowd-pullers have signed five national pool players, one short of the six per team quota.
   Mohammedan prised away defender Yamin Mia from Mariners, forward Shamim Reza from Abahani while they retained their trio of pool players – midfielder Ashiquzzaman, defender Moshiur Rahman Biplob and forward Maksud Alam Habul.
   Mamunur Rahman Chayan and Ariful Huq Prince also remained at Mohammedan.
   The Motijheel outfit also recruited Ashiqul Huq Rinku and Rashed Hasan Rony from Sadharan Bima and Shohag Gazi from Wari Club. With an average local player-strength Mohammedan certainly will be relying on the overseas recruits.

The upcoming SA Games with 20 disciplines will be the biggest ever sporting extravaganza hosted by Sri Lanka and all the chefs de mission of the eight participating countries are now in Colombo to review the preparations.
   According to a Sri Lankan newspaper, the chefs de mission from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, the Maldives and Afghanistan, joined by their Sri Lankan counterpart, had their first meeting on Friday.
   Speaking at the meeting Sri Lanka NOC chief, Hemasiri Fernando, assured the touring contingents a memorable stay in Sri Lanka. ‘We have not embarked on major development of new infrastructure facilities. But we have redeveloped the venues to meet the international standards. In addition, we have constructed a new international class shooting range. I can assure you of a memorable ten days in Sri Lanka,’ he said.
   The mission chiefs expressed satisfaction with the progress Hosts Sri Lanka have expressed confidence that the tenth edition of the Games would be a big success.

Italy boss Roberto Donadoni has told players eligible to play for the Azzurri that they will all be considered for national service.
   The new tactician already insisted at his official presentation that his doors would always be open and he’s confirmed that after visiting the Udinese squad in pre-season training this week.
   ‘Every player has the same possibility as everyone else of being selected,’ said the former Milan and Italy winger.
   Donadoni was keen to use Vincenzo Iaquinta’s success at Germany 2006 as an example to all of those playing for what some may deem as less fashionable clubs.
   ‘Iaquinta has demonstrated that there is a chance for everyone to do well for Italy,’ continued the former Genoa and Livorno Coach. ‘There are no prejudices.’
   Donadoni spent the day with the Friuli outfit at Asiago on Thursday and he’s admitted he’ll continue his own mini-tour of Italy’s clubs during the course of his reign.
   ‘Part of my job is to introduce myself to the footballing community,’ he continued. ‘I think it will be very important to create a good spirit in collaboration with various clubs.’

England (England 461/9dec) lead Pakistan (119 & 167/5) by 175 runs at tea, day 3
   Monty Panesar dismissed Pakistan’s three leading batsmen as he bowled England to within sight of an innings victory in the second Test at Old Trafford here Saturday.
   When rain forced an early tea on the third day, Pakistan in their second innings were 167 for five in reply to England’s first innings 461 for nine declared - still 175 runs behind.
   By then left-arm spinner Panesar had captured the prize wickets of Mohammad Yousuf, Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and Younis Khan on his way to a return of four for 48 in 19.1 overs.
   Panesar struck first ball after lunch removing the dangerous Yousuf for 15 after he drew the batsman forward and beat the outside edge before wicket-keeper Geraint Jones completed the stumping.
   Pakistan were 101 for three at that stage and that became 117 for four when Panesar saw off Inzamam for an unlucky 13.
   The Pakistan skipper played the ball onto his toe as he pushed forward and Alastair Cook took the catch at silly point although it needed TV umpire Ian Gould to confirm the decision.
   Panesar had taken two wickets for nine runs in 18 balls and, in a match coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Jim Laker’s Test world record 19 for 90 at Old Trafford, another England spin bowler was playing an important, if not quite as dramatic, role at the Manchester venue.
   Younis chanced his arm on a couple of occasions before completing a 91-ball fifty with six fours while new batsman Faisal Iqbal lofted Panesar for six.
   But the 24-year-old Northamptonshire bowler, the first Sikh to play Test cricket for England, was unruffled and removed Younis for 62 when the batsman, propping forward but playing no stroke was lbw to leave Pakistan 161 for five. Pakistan resumed Saturday on 12 without loss.
   Kamran Akmal was two not out and Imran Farhat, batting with a fracture in his right ring finger, four not out.
   Before play started fast bowler Harmison, who took six for 19 in Pakistan’s meagre first innings 119, was passed fit after leaving the field late on Friday with a side strain.
   Meanwhile Jones continued despite suffering a fracture in the tip of his right ring finger while batting Friday.
   Harmison allayed fears regarding his fitness in his first over Saturday, all of his initial six deliveries clocked in excess of 81 mph.
   And in the fourth over, Harmison and Jones combined to reduce Pakistan to 21 for one.
   Akmal, promoted to open after Salman Butt was dropped from the team that drew the first Test at Lord’s, was undone by a ball that lifted alarmingly off a good length and fended behind to Jones, the Pakistan wicket-keeper out for his second four of the match.
   Harmison was now on his way to a fiery opening spell of 7-2-10-1.
   Panesar was soon getting sharp turn, as well as bounce, and his accuracy was rewarded in his fourth over when Farhat, on 34, lunged forward and gave a simple bat/pad catch to Ian Bell at short leg.

A frail-looking man named Diosiam jogs on to a football field in an upmarket New Delhi suburb, followed by a band of keen-looking players—all of them ex-drug addicts or living with HIV/AIDS.
   They warm up on the slushy field as a small crowd gathers to see them in action, not a common sight in a country besotted by cricket.
   But football is now being used as a therapy for those trying to put their lives together after years of drug abuse or who have been sidelined by society due to their being infected by the HIV virus.
   ‘Football has turned out to be one of our major successes ... in helping bring people back on track,’ says Shantanu Chowdhury, 46, a programme manager with non-governmental organisation Sahara which operates a treatment centre here.
   ‘The game helps our inmates not only to gain fitness but also acts as an instrument of empowerment. It has helped them boost their morale and lead a healthy life,’ says Chowdhury, an ex-drug addict who has been working with the organisation for nine years.
   Some 200 people are at any one time involved in various therapy programmes run for the past 28 years by Sahara in the south Delhi suburb of Greater Kailash, according to Chowdhury.
   While women are engaged mainly in handicrafts, men focus their energies on football—and a rock band they have formed at Sahara, which terms itself ‘a therapeutic transitional community’.
   ‘Football has made me feel part of society as it has brought me back into the mainstream,’ says Diosiam, 33, who like many Indians uses only one name.
   ‘I was fed up with life but could not get out of drugs. During rehabilitation, football gave me a zest for life and I now play in Delhi’s A division league,’ he says with pride.
   Diosiam, who has been at Sahara for eight years—first to kick an addiction and later as an employee—is one of seven players from Sahara who are good enough to have made it to the Delhi league.
   Diosiam’s cousin Sawmpau, who died of AIDS a few years ago, was instrumental in inculcating football in their daily routine and a tournament is organised in his memory every year.
   Initially residents of Chittaranjan Park resisted the idea of allowing players from Sahara to play football on the local ground.
   ‘Convincing the residents’ association to let us use their ground was not easy,’ says Chowdhury.
   ‘It took a lot of effort to make them understand that our players are normal people who made some mistakes in life,’ he says.
   Now teams from Sahara regularly use the ground to play against each other or against teams from other parts of Delhi.
   ‘(Local residents) come out to watch us play. Some even join us for a game, which shows that the stigma attached to drug users and HIV positive persons is eroding,’ says Diosiam.
   Most players on the Sahara teams are from northeastern India, where football is more popular than cricket, but some foreigners from Iran and Nigeria living in India on permits have also joined up.
   Diosiam, who hails from the northeastern state of Manipur, feels football has helped forge a strong bond between Sahara inmates and has also helped them create an identity.
   For some, he says, football heralds a new beginning in life.

Ian Bell said he was delighted both he and Alastair Cook had been able to live up to Kevin Pietersen’s rallying cry to England’s junior players after the two young guns both made hundreds in the second Test against Pakistan here at Old Trafford.
   Cook (127) and Bell (106 not out) were the main contributors to England’s first innings 461 for nine declared. At stumps Pakistan, skittled out for 119 first time around, were 12 without loss in their second innings - still 330 runs behind.
   Both Cook and Bell were making their second hundreds in as many Tests after they’d each reached three figures in the drawn series opener at Lord’s.
   It was an ideal response to the problem of a batting order missing Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan and star all-rounder Andrew Flintoff.
   Despite his Lord’s century Bell was widely expected to be dropped for the second match of this four-Test series. But Flintoff’s failure to recover from an ankle injury gave the Warwickshire batsman another chance.
   In the run-up to this match Pietersen, who himself has risen to star status during the past 12 months on the back of his exploits for his adopted country, said it was vital all the team turned in match-winning performances.
   ‘I’m not really there to shoulder the responsibility of the whole England team - these blokes are all top class international players so it’s not just up to me to shoulder the pressure,’ the South Africa-born batsman insisted.
   ‘It’s all about 11 blokes going out there and doing their best for England, not just for me to go out there and try and do well.’
   Bell, whose hundred Friday was his fourth Test century and third against Pakistan said his team-mate’s comments were spot on.
   ‘There’s been some poor performances, some very good performances. We were without some big players, the Flintoffs, the Vaughans, and I think it is important then that when we get the opportunity as young players we do step up,’ the 24-year-old right-hander explained.
   ‘I didn’t take it in any bad way that he (Pietersen) said that. I think he pretty much talks a lot of sense and with a lot of honesty. That’s what we’ve done, we’ve stepped up.’
   And the 21-year-old Cook, whose hundred was his third in seventh Tests, said the way in which the tail had hung around with Bell was vital to England’s cause as they built on fast bowler Stephen Harmison’s first day six-wicket haul which ripped through Pakistan.
   ‘It’s crucial when you get the opposition 119 all out that you stick the knife in and build a big first innings total,’ the Essex left-hander added.
   ‘It was great me and Belly scored the runs but it was a great team effort and Harmy, batting down the end, to put on 73 with Belly was important.’
   But, despite England’s strong position, Bell insisted there was no complacency in their camp.
   ‘There are some world class players in that side. If Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf get in, they can score big runs.’
   And England face a nervous time waiting on the fitness of Harmison, who sustained a side strain while bowling late Friday, as well as wicket-keeper Geraint Jones’s right ring finger injury.
   A team spokesman said both players would be re-assessed Saturday morning.
   And with Flintoff, fellow Ashes-winner Simon Jones and back-up Test paceman James Anderson all sidelined, a major injury to Harmison especially would be the last thing England wanted.

Andre Agassi bid farewell to a tournament that helped shape his glorious career, losing to Fernando Gonzalez in the quarter-finals of his final appearance at the Los Angeles ATP event on Friday.
   The eight-time Grand Slam winner Agassi was the defending Los Angeles champion, and he also captured the title in 1998, 2001, and 2002. He was runner-up in 1988 and 1999.
   Gonzalez needed one hour, 53 minutes to win 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 over Agassi, who is retiring after next month’s US Open. The 36-year-old American survived three match points in the third set, but couldn’t hold serve in the final game as Gonzalez clinched the victory with a backhand winner.
   Gonzalez, of Chile, won their only other meeting 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) in Washington in 2003. Ironically, Gonzalez helped lower the curtain on another American tennis legend’s career.
   Gonzalez beat Michael Chang 6-3, 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 in the first round of Chang’s final match at the 2003 US Open. Chang retired after the Open. The bronze medallist in singles from the 2004 Athens Olympics advances to the semis where he will face No 8 Dmitry Tursunov of Russia, who won in a walkover over top seed Andy Roddick.
   The other Saturday semi-final will see sixth seeded Tommy Haas square off against Slovakia’s Dominik Hrbaty. Agassi, who was playing in just his second quarter-final of the year, announced in June at Wimbledon that he would retire after the US Open, which starts in August.

Pavel Nedved is determined to help Juventus secure an immediate return to Serie A.
   Juve will start the new season in Italy’s second division and with a 17-point deduction after being found guilty of match-fixing.
   Many of the Old Lady’s top stars, including Fabio Cannavaro, Lilian Thuram, Gianluca Zambrotta and Emerson, have jumped ship, but Nedved has committed his future to the club.
   Moreover, he is relishing the challenge of trying to win promotion from 17 points down.
   ‘I’m going to stay here until Juve are in Serie A, where they deserve to be,’ said the 33-year-old.
   ‘For me, Serie B is my Champions League and to earn promotion with a 17-point handicap would be like winning the cup.’
   The Czech midfielder revealed that he had received offers from Spain following Juve’s relegation to Serie B, but stressed that his heart belongs at the Stadio Delle Alpi.
   ‘My agent did everything to get me a move to Spain, but my family is happy in Turin and I had to repay a favour to the Agnelli family (Juve’s owners),’ he explained. They have always been by my side.’

Villarreal midfielder Marcos Senna is close to joining Manchester United for a fee of about $12.75 million, news reports said Saturday.
   The Brazilian-born Senna, a 30-year-old who appeared for Spain in the World Cup after obtaining dual citizenship earlier this year, is said to have agreed personal terms with United.
   Senna, who played against United in last season’s Champions League, has helped Villarreal improve since arriving from Brazil’s Sao Caetano in 2002.
   United manager Alex Ferguson is looking to strengthen his side’s midfield for next season and has already signed England international Michael Carrick from Tottenham. The English club this week raised a reported $19 million from the sale of Ruud van Nistelrooy to Real Madrid.

Steven Gerrard wants Craig Bellamy to demonstrate all his fiery attributes for Liverpool.
   The Welshman was lured to Liverpool from Blackburn Rovers this summer and some believe he can spur them on to title glory.
   Gerrard feels the striker has the tools to flourish at Anfield, but also believes his famed fiery streak can also benefit The Reds.
   Bellamy has a history of rubbing players up the wrong way and Gerrard wants that to continue.
   ‘As a player he’s a nightmare to play against, horrible,’ Gerrard told The Daily Mirror. ‘It’s funny because I’ve had a few run-ins with him on the pitch and I think I’ll be reminding him of that.
   ‘But, believe me, I’ll be glad to have a player like that on my side. We need characters like that on our team.
   ‘To win the league and other trophies, you need to have characters who have also got the quality – and Craig has definitely got that.

John Wright has expressed his frustration with the selection policy prevalent during his stint as coach of the Indian team.
   He has also admitted to being perplexed at the decision to appoint Sunil Gavaskar as consultant for the Test series against Australia in 2004-05 and has revealed that it was done at the behest of Sourav Ganguly.
   In his book Indian Summers Wright says that the selectors were parochial and tried to plug for players from their own zone.
   ‘The first six or seven selections were straightforward. But when it got down to the marginal selections, those last three or four spots that determine the balance of the team and your ability to develop new players, the zonal factor kicked in and things would get interesting,’ Wright was quoted as saying in the book by Mid Day, a Mumbai-based tabloid.
   ‘It was easy to tell when selectors had come to a meeting with an agenda, ie to try their damnedest to get one or two players from their zones into the team. If their boys weren’t picked, they tended to cross their arms, clam up and take no further part in the meeting.’ Wright worked with five selection committees, headed by Chandu Borde (twice), Brijesh Patel, Syed Kirmani and Kiran More.
   He reveals that VVS Laxman and Mohammad Kaif were the ones who felt the heat of the selectors’ whims the most.
   ‘VVS Laxman and Kaif are examples of outstanding performers who always seemed to be only one or two failures away from having their places questioned.’
   Wright felt that the time was right for a change of leadership towards the end of his tenure.
   ‘As much as I respect Sourav Ganguly and acknowledge his record as captain and his contribution to Indian cricket, I believe there were sound arguments for a change in leadership towards the end of my stint.
   ‘There might well have been times when he favoured a change in a coach. What really mattered was the two of us saw the bigger picture, worked as a partnership to provide leadership on and off the field and got results. In that last season, though, the results dried up.’
   He reveals the hand of Ganguly behind Gavaskar’s appointment as consultant in the home series against Australia and admits to being unhappy with the move.
   ‘Two days before the first Test [in Bangalore] I was notified that the legendary Sunil Gavaskar would be joining us as a batting consultant.
   ‘I couldn’t work out how it had happened,’
   Wright says, also indicating that he had in fact asked for some assistance for the bowlers, not the batsmen.
   ‘Gavaskar solved the mystery by revealing in a team meeting that he had a text message from Ganguly. I was far from happy because as the head coach I should have had the final say on support staff issues.

Mourinho hails Sheva
   Jose Mourinho Friday hailed Andriy Shevchenko as the best signing in Premiership history – and insisted he will fire them to Champions League glory.
   Mourinho has put Shevchenko above the likes of Thierry Henry, Eric Cantona and Gianfranco Zola as the best player ever to have played in England.
   ‘The signing of Andriy is not only a very important moment for Chelsea but also a very important moment for English football,’ said Mourinho. ‘Everybody wants the Premiership to be the best in the world and by attracting players like Andriy it can become that. We are very happy to have him here and it is a dream come true as for three years we have been trying to sign him. Now it is a reality.
   ‘And he is not the kind of player to stick on what he did in the past. Of course he has been the best player in the world, the best player in Europe, he has won European Cups and titles in Italy. But he is not the kind of person to sleep on that.
   ‘He has got the personality where he wants to win more things.’ — New Age Desk
   
   Carlos mulling Turkey move
   Real Madrid fullback Roberto Carlos is poised to sign for Turkish club Fenerbahce on a three-year deal, it was reported here Saturday.
   Spanish sports daily Marca reported that the 33-year-old Brazilian international is ready to sign for the Istanbul outfit in a transfer deal worth 5 million euros, ending his eight year association with Real.
   Long regarded as the world’s best left-sided full-back, Roberto Carlos had been linked with a move to Chelsea earlier this year but the prospects of a move to the English Premiership appear to have receded.
   If Roberto Carlos leaves, Real will seek to replace him with Lyon’s French international Eric Abidal, Marca added. — AFP
   
   Lampard stuck on ‘only’ £100k
   Chelsea star Frank Lampard will not be offered a new contract to put him on a par with the top earners at the club. The midfielder’s £100,000-a-week deal made him the highest-paid player at Stamford Bridge, but he has been overtaken by Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko.
   The new signings both pocket a staggering £130,000 each week.
   Even though Lampard has three years to run on his present arrangement, his agent Steve Kutner claimed he would be handed a new deal to place him on a par with Ballack and Shevchenko. However, the club have yet to budge.
   John Terry is looking to boost his weekly pay packet of just £90,000. The Chelsea skipper has only two years remaining on his contract, so finds himself in a stronger bargaining position than his England colleague Lampard.
   Meanwhile, Sir Alex Ferguson has attacked the transfer fee inflation caused by Roman Abramovich’s arrival at Stamford Bridge. The Manchester United boss compared the £1m he paid for Eric Cantona in 1992 with the £30m shelled out on Shevchenko, questioning whether the Ukrainian truly represented value for money.
   Ferguson himself is no stranger to massive transfer fees, having paid £28m (41m euros) for Juan Sebastian Veron in 2001 and £29m for Rio Ferdinand a year later. — New Age Desk
   
   Cole relishing Blues fight
   Joe Cole is not worried for his place at Chelsea ahead of the new season, with the England star welcoming the arrival of big names Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko.
   Chelsea have been head and shoulders above their rivals in the last two seasons, but manager Jose Mourinho has not rested on his laurels as he has added world stars Ballack and Shevchenko to his ranks.
   The capture of Germany star Ballack will increase competition in the midfield area, but Cole is ready to rise to the challenge.
   ‘It is a different sort of way we are going at it this year,’ Cole told Sky Sports News.
   ‘I am happy and ready to compete for my place again, like I have done for the last two years, and I am looking forward to it.’
   Welcoming the arrival of Ballack and Shevchenko, Cole added, ‘It is exciting. They are a bit older than me and I have watched them play and they are great players and I am looking forward to playing with them.’
   ‘We are ready and fresh and can’t wait for the start of the season.’ — New Age Desk
   
   Fergie wants Rossi to fire
   Sir Alex Ferguson has hinted that he will let Italian star Giuseppe Rossi off the leash in the new Premiership season.
   Rossi arrived at Old Trafford in 2004 from Parma and has been tipped for greatness by many respected figures within the game.
   Ferguson has taken a patient approach with Rossi, but such is the teenager’s talent he has already featured in the Scot’s first-team plans.
   United are short in the attacking department following the sale of Ruud van Nistelrooy to Real Madrid and Rossi is likely to be handed a chance to prove himself in the early weeks of the season, rather than be sent out on loan.
   ‘We want to see Giuseppe progress as a centre forward and it is looking more likely he will stay with us now,’ said Ferguson.
   United are likely to make their first signing of the summer early next week after agreeing a fee with Tottenham for Michael Carrick, but Ferguson has denied bidding for his Spurs team-mate Jermain Defoe.
   ‘There has not been any interest from us [in Defoe],’ Ferguson told MUTV.
   ‘As far as the Tottenham situation is concerned, we made a move for Michael Carrick – but that is all we did.
   ‘He is the only Tottenham player we are interested in at the moment and I think it will stay that way.’ — New Age Desk
   
   Maradona wants Basile to stay with Boca
   Diego Maradona on Thursday said Alfio Basile should stay as manager of Boca Juniors until the end of the year, and only then accept the offer to replace Jose Pekerman as coach of the Argentine national team.
   This, Argentina’s hero from the 1986 World Cup told Radio Mitre of Buenos Aires, ‘for respect for Boca Juniors fans.’
   The Argentine soccer federation has approached Basile about replacing Jose Pekerman as manager of the Albiceleste. Pekerman resigned after Argentina was eliminated in quarter-finals of the World Cup in Germany.
   Maradona, who is an adviser to Boca Juniors, was the man responsible for the arrival of Basile as coach in 2005. Basile has since led Boca Juniors to the past two league titles and the Copa Sudamericana crown.
   Basile coached the Argentine national team from 1990 to 1994.
   Maradona said that since Argentina has no competitive matches scheduled in the next few months, Basile should only accept the offer to manage the national after the end of the year. — AP
   
   With this tattoo, I thee wed
   Reading midfielder Steve Sidwell has turned his back on his wedding vows – by having them tattooed on his body.
   The former Arsenal player, who helped The Royals to a first ever promotion to the Premiership last season, has had the vows to wife Krystell tattooed on his back.
   Sidwell, 23, told The Sun on Saturday: ‘It’s just the wedding vows I said to my wife.
   ‘They’re not the traditional wedding-day vows – they’re ones I made up myself and said to her. It’s pretty long.’
   Sidwell had the 100-word text tattooed on his back just days after the couple returned from honeymoon.
   ‘There are a fair few words to it and, off the top of my head, I can’t remember all of them. She’ll kill me for that,’ he said. — AFP

Andriy Shevchenko claims the persistence of Roman Abramovich and the approval of his wife were behind his decision to swap AC Milan for Chelsea.
   The Ukraine striker became British football’s costliest signing when he completed a £29 million move this summer.
   Shevchenko revealed for three years the Russian billionaire owner of Chelsea had tried and failed to persuade him to join him.
   But having spoken to his American wife Kristen, who is expecting another baby, and seeing their son Jordan reach 20 months, he decided the time was right to give in to Abramovich’s advances.
   Shevchenko also hinted his son Jordan may become a future Three Lions star!
   ‘And my son could play for England one day? Yeah!’
   Shevchenko said, ‘Because of his persistence and as my life situation changed I decided the time was right.
   ‘For the past three years the signals I have got are that Chelsea wanted me to play for them.
   ‘I talked very closely with my wife about this.
   ‘I have a boy and another child on the way and this was a decision we took together.
   ‘When Roman Abramovich first approached me about coming to Chelsea I always found him welcome and happy there at Milan.
   ‘Chelsea have been consistently wanting me for the past three years and that is something that meant a lot.
   ‘I wanted to go somewhere that I felt I would be welcome.’
   But the 29-year-old denies he and his wife have a special relationship with Abramovich.
   There were suggestions that Shevchenko was a signing of the Russian oil tycoon, and not manager Jose Mourinho.
   But Shevchenko added, ‘I don’t want to use the friendship because that’s such a strong word.
   ‘He is the owner of the club so you must always maintain a professional attitude.
   ‘He asked did I want to come and play for his club but I’ve never had dinner with Abramovich and our wives have never had dinner together. It’s a professional relationship and it’s always been one.
   ‘That will continue. Who knows what the future holds? But I don’t believe I am going to suddenly start having dinner with the owner.
   ‘I find these things odd because we have never socialised before and never been socially friends.
   ‘My personal and private life will always remain personal and private.
   ‘I have told you the truth about the relationship so I don’t see any issues.’
   He also insisted that he never saw any signs of match-fixing when he played in Italy.
   Shevchenko declared, ‘It is very difficult for me to understand what has occurred in Italy.
   ‘When I reflect on the games now, it’s hard for me to believe that there was something behind what the players were doing on the field.
   ‘From my experience of playing with and against every player, they all gave their maximum on the field to win the game.
   ‘I’m happy on a personal level the sentence was reduced for AC Milan and that they will play in the Champions League.
   ‘But I still don’t believe the sentence is correct. Certainly the original sentence was too aggressive.’

Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has said the breakdown of his relationship with manager Alex Ferguson was the reason for him seeking out a move to Real Madrid from Manchester United.
   ‘My relationship with Ferguson had ended which was very painful. He did a lot for me, waiting for me while I was injured then giving me the chance to play and giving me confidence,’ van Nistelrooy told a news conference at the Bernabeu on Friday.
   ‘But what happened, happened. A good relationship ended. It was very disappointing for me.’
   The 30-year-old signed a three-year contract with the Primera Liga club after passing a medical earlier on Friday. No fee was officially disclosed but Spanish media reported it was about $19.12 million.
   Signing van Nistelrooy for United from PSV Eindhoven had been a personal quest for Ferguson who pressed ahead with the move even after the striker failed a medical in April 2000.
   The Dutchman then sustained a serious cruciate ligament injury while training with PSV a few days later but United stood by him and he eventually joined for a then-British record fee of $35.39 million in 2001.
   He went on to score 150 goals for the club but fell out of favour at United last season as Ferguson increasingly selected Frenchman Louis Saha to partner Wayne Rooney in attack.
   The final straw came, van Nistelrooy said, with his omission from the team for the League Cup final.
   The striker, who scored 20 goals or more in four of his five seasons at Old Trafford, put in a transfer request two weeks ago and Real have beaten Bayern Munich to secure his services.
   ‘I finally decided my time was over after the (League) Cup final,’ he said. ‘That was when I became unhappy. It had nothing to do with the club or the fans. It was the relationship with the manager that broke. I thought it was best to leave.’
   ‘I had an incredible five years in Manchester and I will always remember my time there and the unconditional support from the fans.’
   Van Nistelrooy said he did not bear a grudge with Ferguson over the situation.
   ‘I never got to say goodbye to Ferguson but there is plenty of time for that. I owe him a lot and that is why it was so painful.’
   Real president Ramon Calderon said, ‘We are delighted to be able complete the signing of another player requested by our coach Fabio Capello. He is a goal-scoring machine with great technical abilities, good with his head and both feet.
   ‘This won’t be the last time we are up here presenting players. We are making a great effort to construct a winning team to break this run of three seasons without a trophy.’
   Van Nistelrooy is Real’s third signing under their new president following Italy’s World Cup-winning captain and defender Fabio Cannavaro and Brazil midfielder Emerson.
   The Dutchman now faces the challenge of competing with Raul, Robinho, Julio Baptista, Antonio Cassano and Ronaldo for a place in the Real attack.

Asia’s first David Beckham football academy may be set up here in Hong Kong at a cost of at least $10 million, a news report said Saturday.
   Managers of the academy, named after the Real Madrid star, plan to visit Hong Kong next month to decide if it is suitable, the South China Morning Post reported.
   If the academy is set up, it would train 20,000 youngsters a year from around the region and would cost between $10 million and $18 million, the newspaper said.
   Beckham, who captained England’s failed World Cup campaign, is hugely popular in Hong Kong where football is the leading sport on television. The footballer would visit the academy at least once a year.
   Students would stay in dormitories at the academy and be trained in physiology and biology as well as footballing skills.
   The David Beckham Academy already has branches in London and Los Angeles and is also looking at cities in China - including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen - as possible sites for its Asian base.
   A spokesman for AEG, which partners David Beckham in setting up the academies, told the newspaper: ‘Other countries like India, Korea and (countries in) the Middle East have expressed strong interest as well.’
   However, he added: ‘The city has to be a hub and Hong Kong fits. Whether a city has existing sports facilities will be a factor, since it could lower the cost.’
   AEG is seeking local partners in Hong Kong and other Asian countries to set up the Asian branch of the academy and hopes to open it by 2008.
   Beckham still troubled by WC injury
   Associated Press . Madrid
   Meanwhile, Beckham hasn’t recovered from the left knee injury he suffered at the World Cup and may be forced to spend two weeks on the sidelines, news reports said Thursday.
   Beckham pulled up after 30 minutes of his first training session since arriving at Real Madrid’s preseason training camp in Irdning, Austria.
   The midfielder hadn’t played since leaving the field during England’s quarterfinal defeat against Portugal on July 1, his last game as the national team’s captain.
   ‘The World Cup injury is still bothering me. Tonight the doctors will take a look at me and I’ll find out how long it will take to recover,’ Beckham was quoted as saying by the Web site of sports daily Marca.
   ‘We’ve got a long time for preseason work and it’s better to start without feeling any pain. Today it hurt when I’d been running for a while and I told the doctor about it,’ said Beckham, whose former Manchester United teammate Ruud van Nistelrooy is to join Madrid on Friday.

Frank Lampard has revealed how the biggest match of his life could be in Barcelona – as he and Spanish fiancee Elen Rives plan to marry abroad next year.
   Elen, 28, and their 11-month-old baby daughter Luna were the greatest comfort to the soccer hero as he sank into the depths of despair after England were knocked out of the World Cup in Germany on penalties.
   Now he is ready to wed his beautiful senorita. As he joined his Chelsea team-mates for pre-season training in the luxurious surroundings of Beverly Hills in LA this week, Frank, 28, told how he has become a real family man besotted with his fiancee and tot.
   Frank told how he had to wrench himself away from the two ladies in his life at the end of a holiday in Las Vegas last week to meet up with his club-mates and manager Jose Mourinho at their US base.
   The star, whose autobiography Totally Frank will be serialised in the News of the World today and The Sun next week, said, ‘Simply leaving the holiday to go back to work was hard. Luna was crawling and making smiley faces and she laughs at you. There are so many special moments now.
   ‘As a first-time dad, in the first few months you are always worried what you are doing. It is hard work. But you get your reward and now, as she is getting older, it gets better every day.’
   And life with Elen could not be better. Frank revealed, ‘I think we will hopefully get married next year. That is the plan. It won’t be a big, flashy wedding. We won’t sell pictures to a glossy magazine. That’s not my style. We think it will be abroad, but it will hopefully be somewhere where it is done before anyone knows. Then we will tell everyone.’
   Frank told how former model Elen still teases him because he does not do fancy tricks like Brazilian ace Ronaldinho, who plays for Barcelona – Elen’s hometown team.
   He said, ‘We sit and watch the TV and she will say, “Why can’t you do that?” when she sees some of the things he does. But I have to say, “It’s not that simple. There are different players and different styles”. She is Spanish so she says what she thinks. If I have had a bad game she tells me.’
   And Frank is loath to criticise the infamous partying by the wags – England wives and girlfriends – seen at the World Cup and led by Elen.
   Frank defended the decision by then manager Sven-Goran Eriksson to allow the players’ partners to join them in Germany – but said he would not complain if new England boss Steve McClaren bans them from future tournaments.
   He said, ‘It was definitely nice, as players, to see the wives and girlfriends. But it has to be at the right times – the day after a game, when you have played and warmed down.
   ‘But maybe during the preparation for a big game I don’t think you want to see them for a few days while you are training, focusing on the game and sleeping in the afternoons.
   ‘It would not really bother me if the new manager said they can’t come. I would just get on with it. I don’t think they have any effect on matches.
   ‘The girls were in their hotel for a month. It must have been quite boring for them at times. I don’t know how many times they went out, but if they had not gone people would have said, “This one does not like this one,” or, ‘That one does not like that one.’
   ‘I thought it was great that they bonded.’
   Private school-educated Frank is keen on politics, reads heavyweight biographies and is a passionate viewer of politics show Question Time on BBC1.
   He is a tireless worker for the Teenage Cancer Trust and his father has compared him to great former England captain Bobby Moore for his friendly, generous, off-the field behaviour.
   Frank, whose dad played in the same West Ham team as Bobby Moore, said, ‘I met Bobby as a kid but was too young to really know the person.
   ‘I think dad was saying that I am quite conscientious and quiet in my own way. He always says Bobby Moore was a real gentleman. I don’t know if I am but it is something I try to be.’
   Frank caused a few shock headlines with isolated incidents in his younger days. He said, ‘You can’t always be spot on — though dad says Bobby was — but I try to be.’
   Now Frank is looking forward to a return to football, being back home with Elen … and hoping for two or three more kids.
   He said, ‘Hopefully it will be in the not too distant future but it’s up to Elen. But we are both keen.’
   For now he is just loving being a dad of one.
   Missing a penalty for England won’t give Frank sleepless nights, he insists. But his daughter Luna does. And he loves it.

Germany was the most fan-friendly World Cup ever staged but in future FIFA must act to ensure a greater allocation of tickets go to supporters and not corporate sponsors, an England fans’ group said on Friday.
   After a meeting to address the highs and lows of the June 9 to July 9 tournament, Mark Perryman, a leading member of the England Fans’ Group, said their only complaint was with the number of tickets given to sponsors and the media.
   ‘It really was the most fan-friendly World Cup ever,’ he told Reuters. ‘The reason for that was not just the excellent organisation but it was the reception in the streets of very, very friendly German people. The one thing that they (FIFA) got wrong was the ticketing. The percentage of tickets going to sponsors was equivalent to twice the number of tickets going to fans which we all found completely unacceptable.’
   Each country was allocated eight percent of the available tickets for their side’s matches while corporate sponsors were given almost 19 percent.
   Perryman said more and more fans were now travelling to support countries like South Korea, Japan, and Mexico and that the system would need to change.
   Between 60,000 to 80,000 England supporters travelled to Germany for each England game but many of those who made it into the stadiums were forced to buy tickets on the black market.
   During the finals FIFA repeatedly said that a huge percentage of tickets given to the sponsors reached genuine fans through competitions and promotions.
   Many undoubtedly reached genuine fans through the black market as well, but Phil Smith, head of policy at the Football Association, told Sky Sports News they were doing all they could to lobby the relevant bodies to allocate more tickets directly to fans for future tournaments.
   In England, fans who follow the national side at competitive and friendly games are awarded caps and those with the most caps are at the top of the list to receive tickets for international tournaments.
   ‘Of course corporations (and sponsors) need to have a number of tickets for VIPs and some of them are undoubtedly used in competitions but the best way to distribute them is directly to the fans through each competing Football Association,’ Perryman said.

Zinedine Zidane has gone from head-butter to headhunted with a Chilean team believing he is the man to knock over their mountain of debt.
   A group of businessmen said Friday they hoped to convince the French icon to play a few minutes in a friendly match with first-division side University of Chile, with takings aimed at settling the club’s dues of 10 million dollars.
   ‘Our idea is to invite him to Chile so that he can be honoured for all that he brought to football,’ spokesman Marcos Kaplun said on Friday.
   ‘He could play a few minutes for the ‘U’ during a friendly match.’
   The date and details of the event had not been finalised, Kaplun added.
   In Zidane’s last game before retirement, the World Cup final against Italy, he went from World Cup hero to tournament villain with his notorious headbutt on the chest of Marco Materazzi in reaction to some choice insults by the Italian defender.
   The French captain was sent off ten minutes before the end of extra time and with the scores locked 1-1 France went on to lose the ensuring penalty shootout 5-3.
   FIFA fined the 34-year-old 7,500 Swiss francs (4,700 euros, 6,000 dollars) over the incident and handed him a three-match ban even though his club and international career ceased on the night of the dramatic final in Germany.

Fiorentina have told want-away striker Luca Toni that his dream of joining Inter this summer will not turn into reality.
   The World Cup winner has informed the Viola that he wants to sign for the interested Nerazzurri, but the Tuscan giants have reminded him that he’s contracted to them until 2009.
   ‘I think that all of our best technical resources need to be maintained,’ stated Fiorentina sporting director Pantaleo Corvino.
   ‘Sometimes you have to go against the wishes of an individual. Toni wants to go and take into account the offers he’s received, especially the one from Inter.
   ‘However, we have been very clear – we want to keep Luca Toni with us in Florence next season.’
   Toni is a wanted man after he netted an amazing 31 goals in Serie A last term as he guided the Artemio Franchi outfit to fourth in the table.
   However, Corvino did suggest that Toni could move on if the club received what they considered as a big enough offer for the almost 30-year-old.
   ‘Our priority is to keep Toni,’ he added. ‘The only odd thing about this situation is that when someone wants to buy a great player then they have to make a very important offer. ‘But if clubs want to just try to disturb us and cause problems then that is not right. In these cases you have to declare war and we are now at war.
   ‘We’ll have to see how it will come to an end. He wants to go, but we must go forward with our own intentions.’
   Toni only joined the Viola last summer after he controversially left Sicilian giants Palermo for just £7m. It’s understood that Fiorentina now want to net somewhere in the region of £18m for the former Brescia player.

Inter Milan midfielder Esteban Cambiasso hit back Friday at claims that his club didn’t deserve to win the 2005-06 Serie A title after the country’s match-fixing scandal stripped Juventus of the championship.
   Inter, which finished third behind Juventus and AC Milan, was declared Serie A champion Wednesday by the Italian soccer federation as the highest-ranking team in the standings that had not been punished in the case.
   However, following the ruling, a number of prominent figures within Italian soccer argued that Inter didn’t merit the Serie A title as the club hadn’t won the crown on the field.
   ‘When I hear it said that we have to win a scudetto on the pitch, I respond that we did. We won the points on the pitch,’ Cambiasso said. Among those who have vented their opposition to Wednesday’s decision was Juventus midfielder Pavel Nedved.
   ‘To win the scudetto you need to be first on the last day (of the season) and they never have been,’ Nedved said, according to Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport. ‘We are very proud of this title and personally, I am very happy to play in this shirt,’ the midfielder said.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Mauro Camoranesi have told Juventus that they have no intention of playing in Serie B next season.
   The Italian giants have again insisted on Saturday that there will be no more illustrious sales, but the duo have hit back by claiming they want a transfer.
   ‘It seems evident that Zlatan doesn’t want to play in Serie B,’ said the Swede’s agent Mino Raiola.
   ‘Juventus need to take that fact into consideration. We are looking for a way out.’
   Camoranesi was a little more direct in his views by maintaining he had no desire on continuing his career in the Second Division.
   ‘One makes great sacrifices to play at certain levels,’ he told Argentine television during his vacation in South America. ‘The stadiums we play in, the Cups we play for…
   ‘Then, out of the blue, all that is taken away from you. With respect, now we have to play against teams like Albinoleffe in stadiums which hold 20,000. I honestly don’t intend to do that.
   ‘I’ll speak with the club as soon as possible to decide what happens, but my objective is to play for a team who is targeting the Champions League Final. I don’t care in what country that is in.’
   Both players do have many admirers and have been associated with a number of clubs over the past few weeks.
   Ibrahimovic is a confirmed target for Inter, while Manchester United could make a bid after they sold Ruud Van Nistelrooy to Real Madrid. The Spanish giants themselves have also been linked, as have Milan.
   Ibrahimovic, signed from Ajax for £11.5m in the summer of 2004, is now valued at around £14m by the Old Lady.
   Camoranesi, a member of Italy’s World Cup winning squad, has been associated with Valencia and French champions Lyon.
   Juventus already have a replacement for Camoranesi after signing Marco Marchionni from Parma on a free transfer.

Brazilian soccer star Ronaldinho won back the rights to a Website address including his name on Thursday, successfully tackling a serial cyber-squatter.
   A United Nations agency ruled that ownership of the www.ronaldinho.com domain name must be handed to the FC Barcelona and Brazil player within 10 days.
   The name ‘Ronaldinho’ has not been registered as a trademark, but a World Intellectual Property Organisation arbitration panel said it considered the player’s name a trademark because it identifies him and his professional activity.
   Ronaldinho filed a complaint with WIPO over the use of his name in the Internet address of a site registered by Eladio Garcia Quintas of Gran Canaria, Spain, who was using the page to direct unwitting surfers to online advertisers.
   The WIPO statement noted that the panel didn’t consider the use of the disputed domain name to constitute a ‘bona fide offering of services.’
   The arbitration panel, which was set up in 1999, allows those who think they have the right to a domain to gain control of it without having to fight a costly legal battle or pay large sums of money.
   The ruling is the second time the Brazil international has successfully defended the right to control the use of his name in Website addresses.
   The player, whose real name is Ronaldo de Asis Moreira, has his official Website at www.ronaldinhogaucho.com, which he was awarded after a similar ruling in December 2004.
   So-called ‘cyber-squatters’ register domain names for a small fee in order to sell them back to companies and individuals with a claim to the name.
   In this case, the panel noted that Quintas, who has been named in a number of earlier disputes, had attempted to take ‘unfair advantage’ of Ronaldinho’s famous name and trademark to attract Internet users to a Website devoted to promoting third party products and services.
   Other soccer stars who have recently won rulings in domain name disputes include Italian international Francesco Totti, England midfielder Joe Cole and Dutch soccer manager and former player Frank Rijkaard.