India’s cricket chiefs on Tuesday appointed former player Chandu Borde the manager-cum coach of the national team for the upcoming tours of Ireland, Scotland and England.
   The veteran, who turns 73 next month, was given charge of Rahul Dravid’s side a day after South African Graham Ford turned down India’s offer to coach the team.
   Borde, a top order batsman and widely respected as a shrewd thinker of the game, played the last of his 55 Tests in 1969 and captained India in one match.
   He later served as chief selector from 1999-2002, but was currently leading a retired life at his home in the western city of Pune.
   Borde will manage the Indian team for the five one-dayers against Ireland, South Africa and Pakistan in Belfast and Glasgow between June 23 and July 3 and the subsequent full tour of England.
   He will be assisted by bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad and fielding coach Robin Singh during the three-month tour.
   The Board of Control for Cricket in India will continue their search for a full time coach after Ford’s refusal to take up the 300,000-dollar a year job.
   ‘Borde will manage the team in England as we look for a coach,’ said BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah after a board meeting here.
   Ford, a former South African coach, said on Monday he preferred to continue as director of cricket with English county Kent after being offered the India job on Saturday.
   India are seeking a permanent coach to succeed former Australian captain Greg Chappell, who quit in April after India’s first round exit from the World Cup.
   Former captain-turned-commentator Ravi Shastri, who served as interim coach for last month’s tour of Bangladesh, declined to continue citing media commitments.
   Ford’s snub has shaken the BCCI, a rich and powerful player on the world stage with ambitions of making its current president Sharad Pawar the International Cricket Council chief in 2008.
   Former captain Sunil Gavaskar, who was on the seven-member coach selection panel that picked Ford, admitted: ‘We are back to square one and that is a fact of life.’
   The BCCI are unlikely to go back to former England spinner and current Middlesex director John Emburey, who was also interviewed on Saturday and rejected.
   The panel, headed by Pawar and also including Shastri and another ex-captain Srinivas Venkataraghavan, had earlier spurned former Sri Lanka and Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore, who was keen to take up the job.
   The BCCI’s apparently ham-fisted search for a coach has drawn flak from the sport’s leading website Cricinfo.
   ‘By not advertising for the post or sending out feelers as soon as Chappell left for Australia, the board seriously overestimated its own hand,’ Cricinfo wrote.
   ‘The promise of a big fat payday may lure those more mercenary but a top-level coach requires all sorts of assurances before taking up a job of such magnitude.
   ‘Will they find a new coach before India’s Test series against England begins?
   ‘For a start, do they even know where to look? This is an embarrassment that the BCCI has brought upon itself.’

India on Tuesday axed aggressive batsman Virender Sehwag and spinner Harbhajan Singh from both the Test and one-day squads for the upcoming tours of England, Ireland and Scotland.
   Lanky seamer Ranadeb Bose, 28, was the only uncapped player in a 16-man squad for the three Test matches against England starting at Lord’s on July 19.
   Promising Mumbai batsman Rohit Sharma, 20, is the new face for the one-dayers against Ireland, South Africa and Pakistan in Belfast and Glasgow between June 23 and July 3.
   Veteran Test player Chandu Borde, who turns 73 next month, will manage both teams in the absence of a regular coach after South African Graham Ford turned down the Indian board’s offer on Monday.
   Captain Rahul Dravid will have Sachin Tendulkar as his deputy for the Test series, while wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was named vice-captain for the one-dayers.
   Tendulkar and another senior pro Sourav Ganguly, who were rested for last month’s one-day series in Bangladesh, were expectedly included in both squads.
   Bose forced his way into the Test team after emerging the most successful bowler in the Ranji Trophy first-class tournament with 57 wickets in eight matches for Bengal.
   Bose will be part of a five-man seam attack alongside Zaheer Khan, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Rudra Pratap Singh and Ishant Sharma, who made his Test debut in Bangladesh.
   The Test squad has only two specialist spinners in Anil Kumble and Ramesh Powar.
   Rohit Sharma is one of the country’s emerging batsmen, scoring 531 runs from eight Ranji Trophy games in only his second season in domestic cricket.
   Chairman of selectors Dilip Vengsarkar said Sehwag, India’s lone Test triple centurion, and Harbhajan were left out due to their prolonged poor form.
   ‘Both need to work on their game,’ said Vengsarkar. ‘I am confident they will be back soon because they are very good players.’
   India open against Ireland at Belfast on June 23 followed by three one-day internationals against South Africa at the same venue on June 26, 29 and July 1.
   This will be followed by another one-dayer against Pakistan in Glasgow on July 3 to raise funds for charities of the Prince of Wales.
   Test squad: Rahul Dravid (capt), Sachin Tendulkar (vice-capt), Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthick, Gautam Gambhir, Sourav Ganguly, Venkatsai Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Dhoni, Zaheer Khan, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Rudra Pratap Singh, Ishant Sharma, Ranadeb Bose, Anil Kumble, Ramesh Powar.
   ODI squad: Rahul Dravid (capt), Mahendra Dhoni (vice-capt), Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Karthick, Rohit Sharma, Zaheer Khan, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Rudra Pratap Singh, Ajit Agarkar, Piyush Chawla, Ramesh Powar.

An unexpected loss to basement team Rahmatganj thwarted Sheikh Russell’s bid to go top of the B league and it was the only upset of the second phase of the professional league of the country.
   The B league committee on Monday suspended all fixtures for four days until Friday due to the country experiencing heavy downpours.
   The last match of the B league was held last Saturday.
   Dhaka Abahani now lead the standings with 22 points, one match less than traditional rivals Dhaka Mohammedan.
   Both teams will be eagerly waiting for the league to resume as they are scheduled to meet on Saturday. The winners will gain a firm foothold on the title track.
   Muktijoddha and Sheikh Russell however will have a relatively easy time against Chitagong Abahani and Rahmatganj in their next encounters.
   
   Standings
   (Played, won, draw, lost, goal for/goals against, points)
   Dhaka Abahani 11 6 4 1 12/4 22
   Dhaka MSC 12 6 4 2 23/8 22
   Muktijoddha 12 6 4 2 20/9 22
   Russel KC 12 5 5 2 12/5 20
   Brothers Union 12 5 4 3 21/11 19
   Ctg MSC SC 12 5 2 5 10/10 17
   Arambagh 12 5 1 6 13/12 16
   Farashganj 12 3 5 4 10/14 14
   Khulna Abahani 13 3 2 8 13/27 11
   Ctg Abahani 12 3 1 8 8/23 10
   Rahamatganj 12 2 2 8 8/29 8

Legendary former Pakistan captain and coach Javed Miandad marked his 50th birthday Tuesday by saying that he fears for the future of the national side.
   But the master batsman said that despite his experience he had not applied for a fourth stint as coach after the death of Bob Woolmer at the World Cup in March.
   ‘What I have been saying for the last three years was not heeded and Pakistan cricket has come to a stage where we have no replacements for players and domestic cricket is in a shambles,’ Miandad told AFP.
   ‘I predicted Pakistan would fare badly in the World Cup and it came about. Now we need proper planning for cricket otherwise we won’t be able to solve the slump.’
   Pakistan, the mercurial winners of the 1992 World Cup, were knocked out of the 2007 edition in the first round by minnows Ireland. The next day Woolmer was found dead in his Jamaica hotel room.
   Jamaican police at first said he was murdered but they were expected to announce later Tuesday that he died of natural causes.
   Inzamam-ul-Haq, who quit as Pakistan skipper after the tournament, said Miandad was the best choice to coach the team after Woolmer but Miandad said he was not interested.
   ‘Why should I apply?’ asked Miandad, who served as coach between 1998-1999, then from 2000-2001 and again from 2003-2004, when he was replaced by Woolmer.
   ‘I have been busy with some assignments and once I complete them I will start private coaching to help budding cricketers because I know cricket is in my blood and I can’t be away from it.’
   Miandad, a shrewd captain, who led his country in 34 Tests, winning 14, while taking Pakistan to victory in 25 of his 61 one-day internationals as captain, said Pakistan cricket has been run chaotically.
   ‘People can see how cricket affairs are run by those who don’t know about the game and there are no checks and balances because there is no constitution of the cricket board,’ he said.
   The Pakistan Cricket Board is appointed by President Pervez Musharraf, the board’s patron.
   ‘As one of the pioneers of the game, when I see the waste of money on meetings at holiday resorts and other enjoyments, I feel sad because this is the money meant for the betterment of Pakistan cricket,’ Miandad said.
   Miandad—who played 124 Tests for Pakistan, scoring a Pakistan record of 8,832 runs, and racking up 7,381 runs in one-dayers—said his services had not been used properly by Pakistani cricket authorities.
   ‘Life has been very kind to me and I always look ahead and always want to return what the game has given me. But sadly it has not been so,’ Miandad said.

England captain Michael Vaughan praised his side’s character after their 60-run victory in the second Test against West Indies at Old Trafford here on Monday, saying they would learn more from a close win than their thrashing of the tourists at Headingley.
   This win gave England an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the four-match series, ahead of the final Test at the Riverside on Friday.
   It also saw Vaughan become England’s most successful Test captain with 21 wins in 35 matches, compared to Peter May’s 20 in 41 back in the 1950s and 1960s.
   However, after England’s innings and 283 run win at Headingley, West Indies’ heaviest Test defeat, this latest win was no walkover.
   West Indies, set what would have been a Test fourth innings record of 455 to win, were bowled out for 394 shortly after lunch on the final day after Shivnarine Chanderpaul made a defiant 116 not out.
   Left-arm spinner Monty Panesar, who finished the match by dismissing last man Corey Collymore, had a match haul of 10 for 187 - his first 10 wicket Test return in what was his 16th match at this level and the first time this had been done by an England slow bowler since Phil Tufnell achieved the feat against Australia in 1997.
   ‘I’m really proud of the team,’ said Vaughan. ‘We’ve been asked a lot of questions, been asked to show character both as a team and individuals. These victories are more special because you know you’ve had to work very hard.
   ‘The Headingley victories are nice but this one is a special one because we’ve know we’ve had to work hard for it.’
   Vaughan’s preparations for this match were overshadowed by an interview he gave to the Guardian where he said Andrew Flintoff’s now infamous pedalo escapade at the World Cup had damaged the side’s morale.
   Vaughan denied using the word ‘Fredalo’ during the interview but the Guardian subsequently published an audio tape where Vaughan used it twice.
   ‘I openly admit I was embarrassed by what I did. I’m sorry for that.’ Reflecting on the match, Vaughan said it would be a shot in the arm for a West Indies side that has now won just one of its last 28 Tests.
   ‘West Indies will have gained a lot of confidence from that game. They have proved they can be a decent side when they become a disciplined one.’
   As for beating May’s record, Vaughan said: ‘It’s special because I’ve passed a legend in Peter May. ‘But you don’t win a game of cricket without having good players and I’ve been very fortunate to have a lot of good players in my teams.’
   One of those has been Panesar and Vaughan said of the slow bowler: ‘He’s becoming pretty special and he’s just great to have in the team.’
   Panesar, described by West Indies captain Daren Ganga as one of the top three spinners in the world, was spoken to by umpire Aleem Dar for excessive appealing and the otherwise mild-mannered bowler said: ‘He was saying maybe appeal before I start celebrating.
   ‘I guess I get a little bit excited when I’m out there.’
   Ganga, in his first Test as West Indies captain after replacing the injured Ramnaresh Sarwan, said: ‘A lot of guys played with a lot of pride and a lot of purpose, and it’s only going to augur well for the rest of the series.’

Kenya will host the third and final Afro-Asia Cup series in June 2008, local cricket officials said on Tuesday.
   The country was picked to stage the tournament during the just-concluded second edition of the Afro-Asia Cup in India.
   ‘We are honoured and privileged to host the third and
   last edition in the first and
   second week of June 2008,’ Cricket Kenya chairman Samir Inamdar told AFP on arrival from India.
   ‘This is one method of raising the profile of the game in the country.’
   It will be the second time that the tournament, which brings together the top cricket players from Africa and Asia will be staged in Africa.
   South Africa hosted the first edition in 2005.
   Inamdar said the June 2008 dates had been selected to suit the competing team to avoid a repeat of the previous two tournaments when some star players from Africa and Asia were forced to pull out from their respective teams due to national commitments.

Multimode Group thrashed Rahimafrooz Limited 8-2 in the BRAC Bank 5-a-side football tournament at the ISD gymnasium in Dhaka on Tuesday.
   In other matches, Square Group continued their winning run in the tournament defeating BanglaCat 2-0 while Ice Technology edged past IDLC 2-1 and hosts International School Dhaka outplayed Radio Foorti 4-1.

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed will distribute the National Sports Award-2006 among 10 sports personalities and organisers at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium on June 21.
   The nominees are: Mohammad Hasanuzzaman Bablu and Khandaker Wasim Iqbal (football), Mohammad Rafique (cricket), Sharmin Akhter (shooting), Mohammad Ehtesham Sultan (hockey), Foujia Huda (athletics), Mahmuda Sharif (swimming), Azad Abul Kalam (body building and weightlifting), Nayana Chowdhury (Judo) and Lt Col (retd) MA Hamid (organiser).
   The National Sports Award introduced in 1976 carries a medal, cash and a certificate. Till date 158 personalities have received the award from 1976 to 2005.

The Bangladesh Football Federation will rely on local coach and trainers in the Nehru Cup invitational tournament to be held in New Delhi from August 16-28.
   The under-23 team will participate in the tournament that was last held in 1997. The traditional meet began in 1982 and teams like Uruguay, Yugoslavia, Poland, Soviet Union, Hungary and Romania have taken part in the past.
   A total of six teams, split into two groups, are likely to compete in the tourney,

Former world number one Lindsay Davenport has given birth to a baby boy called Jagger Jonathan Leach.
   The 31-year-old American, who said she had no plans to continue her career after announcing her pregnancy last year, had the baby on Sunday.
   ‘Lindsay and Jagger are both doing great,’ Davenport’s agent Tony Godsick said on Monday.
   Davenport won three Grand Slams - the 1998 US Open, Wimbledon in 1999 and the Australian Open in 2000.
   Davenport, who has 51 career titles, married husband Jon Leach in April 2003.
   She said last December: ‘I hate the word ‘retirement’ but this season was such a struggle physically for me and I can’t imagine playing again.
   ‘I feel like the second part of my life is about to begin. My life is with my husband and my future child.’

Former Pakistan cricket captain Imran Khan reiterated Tuesday that the Pakistan Cricket Board should take legal action over the handling of coach Bob Woolmer’s death.
   Khan told AFP during a visit to London: ‘No-one should be able to go away scot-free after tarnishing and damaging the reputation of players and cricket so much.’
   The former all-rounder last week suggested that Sarfraz Nawaz should also be sued, claiming in a interview with British newspaper The Guardian that the former Pakistan paceman was the first to raise claims that the team was involved with bookmakers.
    ‘Pakistan Cricket Board should sue everyone with responsibility because this was so damaging for the Pakistani team, for Pakistan cricket and to the country,’ Khan, now of the Tehrik-e-Insaaf (Movement for Justice) political party, said Tuesday.
   ‘They should have ruled out first whether this was natural causes.
   ‘By what Pakistan cricket has been through—players being DNA tested, finger-printed, insinuations of match-fixing, insinuations that the players might have killed their coach—all this was so damaging and this went on for a good two months.
   ‘And I think someone should be held responsible for it.’

Low ticket prices at this year’s inaugural ICC World Twenty20 tournament are seen as key to bringing crowds back to International Cricket Council events, according to Cricket South Africa chief Gerald Majola.
   ‘We’ve looked at the two previous ICC events—the World Cup in the Caribbean and the Champions Trophy in India—and in my opinion they were not successful,’ Majola told reporters at the unveiling of the tournament logo in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
   ‘So we need to take care of those pitfalls here in South Africa and make sure the stadia are full.’
   Hosted in South Africa from September 11-24, the World Twenty20 will see 10 full members of the ICC and associate members Kenya and Scotland taking part.
   ‘To ensure that every person is able to enjoy the tournament, ticket prices will range from 20 to 160 rand ($1.40-$11.24)’ Majola added.
   The 27 matches will be held in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, with nine matches at each ground.
   Two double-headers each will be held in Cape Town and Durban, with one in Johannesburg, which will also host the final.
   Tickets go on sale on Thursday, with a dedicated call centre and internet sales site having been set up.

Grand Master Ziaur Rahman, International Master Abdullah Al Rakib, IM Enamul Hossain, FIDE Master Sheikh Nasir Ahmed and Minhazuddin Ahmed Sagar were sharing the lead with 2.5 points each at the end of the third round of the Premier Group in the Destiny International Rating Chess Tournament on Tuesday.

India has always been considered cricket’s land of slow bowlers, men with supple wrists dedicated to the beguiling and mysterious art of spin.
   But there’s a change in the air and it’s coming at express pace as more and more youngsters are turning to fast bowling to make their names.
   Recent years have witnessed a pace boom in India, with Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Irfan Pathan, Rudra Pratap Singh, Vikram Rajvir Singh, Ishant Sharma, Ashish Nehra and Laxmipathy Balaji all playing key roles.
   Indian fast bowling coaches believe the number is bound to increase with each year.
   ‘We have 8-10 fast bowlers who can fight for four places in the Indian side, which was not the case a couple of years ago,’ TA Sekhar, a coach at Australian speed bowling legend Dennis Lillee’s MRF pace academy in Chennai, told AFP.
   ‘Talent is there in the country. We will have to be patient to get the desired results.’
   Time was when India relied on spinners to win matches at home and away, with the famous quartet of Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, Bishan Bedi, Erapalli Prasanna and Srinivas Venkataraghavan calling the shots in the 1960s and 70s.
   Those were the days when an India captain threw the new ball to his opening bowlers only to take the shine off it so that he could press his match-winning spinners into the attack.
   The emergence of Kapil Dev changed it all in the late 1970s as he proved that India were capable of producing quality pacemen.
   He was a trend-setter in that he inspired many youngsters to take to fast bowling.
   Kapil quit international cricket in 1994 with a then Test record of 434 wickets and was regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders in history.
   He also bagged 253 one-day wickets, as well as scoring 5,248 Test runs and 3,783 runs in the shorter version of the game.
   The fast bowling trend continued even after Kapil quit as Manoj Prabhakar, Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad all served India with distinction in the 1990s before the latest crop of fast bowlers took over.
   The phenomenon is nothing short of a surprise because unhelpful Indian conditions have always discouraged pacemen who have to struggle on low, slow pitches.
   ‘Cricket is a batsman’s game. We don’t come across too many quality pacemen in India because it can be very frustrating for them as the pitches are not sporting,’ said Sekhar, himself a former Test seamer.
   ‘That’s why we see youngsters eventually turning to either spin bowling or batting. But we now have a battery of fast bowlers and we must give them an opportunity.’
   With Zaheer back into the groove after a form slump and Sharma making an impressive debut against Bangladesh recently, the fast bowling scene looks promising in India.
   Srinath, now an International Cricket Council match referee, said the pace-talent hunts were ‘desperately required’ in the country.
   ‘I was involved with one such programme and I was amazed to see so many young boys turning up. Such initiatives bring a lot of awareness among youngsters,’ said Srinath, took 236 Test and 315 one-day wickets.
   ‘I must say that not long ago, very few wanted to be fast bowlers. Thankfully, things are changing now.’

Monty Panesar has said keeping his emotions under control is proving one of the biggest challenges of his soaring Test career.
   The 25-year-old left-arm spinner enhanced his growing reputation with 10 for 187 in England’s 60-run third Test win against West Indies at Old Trafford.
   That saw Panesar become the first England spinner since Phil Tufnell against Australia at The Oval in 1997 to take 10 wickets in a Test match.
   Off the field Panesar, the first Sikh to play Test cricket for England, is as far removed in character from Tufnell as is possible to imagine, being a non-drinker and non-smoker, unlike the former Middlesex left-armer whose private life became the subject of some lurid newspaper headlines.
   But Panesar is as passionate as anyone when it comes to playing cricket and that enthusiasm, his manifest eagerness to do well, coupled with his undoubted skill has already made him a cult hero with fans around the world.
   Whereas Tufnell would sometimes turn his anger on team-mates if things weren’t going well, the only outlet Panesar has for his emotions on the cricket field appears to be with his frenzied appeals.
   As Shivnarine Chanderpaul, dropped on 18 by Panesar, slowly and methodically batted West Indies towards what would have been a Test record fourth innings victory total of 455, England’s spinner became increasingly frustrated as a succession of pleas were turned down by Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar.
   And at one point Panesar charged down the pitch to celebrate a ‘catch’ in the slips when a wickedly bouncing delivery had clipped Chanderpaul’s helmet.
   Players, who risk being fined or suspended if their conduct towards officials falls foul of the International Cricket Council code of conduct, are supposed to appeal to the umpire’s face before celebrating a wicket.
   Dar, after rejecting Panesar’s appeal, had a word with the bowler and appeared to be telling him to calm down.
   ‘He was saying maybe appeal before I start celebrating. I guess I get a little bit excited when I’m out there,’ explained Panesar, whose sprint down the pitch when he takes a wicket gives the appearance of hyper-active puppet whose strings have just been cut.
   Panesar has been mocked for his poor fielding and now, in England at least, every time he succesfully gathers and returns the ball he is cheered, albeit in a supportive if patronising fashion, by spectators.
   However, on Monday, he surprised a few people by dismissing Darren Sammy caught and bowled following the all-rounder’s well-hit drive.
   ‘I was disappointed with the catch I dropped. I felt I was there and I should have taken it,’ explained Panesar, described by West Indies captain Daren Ganga as one of the top three spinners in the world.
   ‘Today’s (Monday’s) one, I guess it stuck in my hand and I was glad to get a caught and bowled.’

West Indies captain Daren Ganga believes the renewed resilience shown by his side during their 60-run third Test defeat against England here at Old Trafford augurs well for the future.
   Defeat meant West Indies have won just one of their last 28 Tests and saw England go an unbeatable 2-0 up in the four-match contest with just the final Test starting at the Riverside on Friday to come.
   But a largely fledgling side, bolstered by the return from a knee injury of experienced batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, defied plenty of pundits by taking the match into a fifth day.
   Set what would have been a Test record fourth innings victory total of 455, Chanderpaul’s determined unbeaten 116 not out gave England more than a few scares before they sealed victory.
   Just as encouraging for West Indies was the performance of debutant all-rounder Darren Sammy.
   The 23-year-old, the first St Lucian to play Test cricket, bowled his medium-pacers with control to take seven for 66 in England’s second innings, a haul which kept West Indies in the match.
   For West Indies it was a major step forward after their record innings and 283 run defeat in the second Test at Headingley.
   ‘After the loss at Headingley, we were written off in this series,’ said Ganga, captaining West Indies in a Test for the first time after skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan’s tour ended with a shoulder injury at the Leeds ground.
   ‘I think Shiv played a brilliant innings, one of the best Test match hundreds that I’ve seen. It’s just unfortunate we couldn’t go all the way.
   ‘A lot of people doubted we could get 450,’ the opening batsman added.
   ‘All credit to the guys and the manner in which they batted. Getting to 60 runs short of that total showed a lot of character and strength, and a lot of positives from this game we are going to take to that next Test.’
   Trinidad and Tobago captain Ganga has found himself involved in controversy after reports the selectors’ choice of Chris Gayle as skipper for the upcoming one-dayers against England had been rejected by the West Indies Cricket Board.
   It appears that Ganga, left on the sidelines during the recent World Cup in the Caribbean, could now captain the one-day side.
   ‘There’s a lot of speculation in the Caribbean,’ said Ganga. ‘These things are beyond my control. It’s a stop-gap situation I’ve found myself in. This is a decision that has got to be made by the board.’
   Meanwhile Chanderpaul, himself a former West Indies captain, said he felt obliged to be an example to his younger colleagues.
   ‘The senior players have to lead the way,’ said the 32-year-old left-hander. ‘The guys are still young and need some time to mature. I think when we get that right, we’ll start winning some games.’
   And in the meantime Chanderpaul said he would continue to play through the pain barrier. ‘I’ve been doing a lot of hard work. The knee is painful, but I keep wrapping it up.’

When Maria Sharapova was first transported up the drive of Edgbaston Priory five years ago she was accompanied by her coach, her father Yuri, and not much else.
   Fifteen titles, two Grand Slams and over $9 million later, the Sharapova entourage is now slightly more formidable, includes two bodyguards for security and her press gatherings in a squash court doubling up as a media room are packed to the rafters, reports Birmingham Mail.
   Times have changed from when, as a fresh-faced 16-year-old, Sharapova first graced her Birmingham public and marched fearlessly to the semi finals as a qualifier.
   And they certainly changed more cataclysmically 12 months later when she followed up her first DFS crown with a memorable Wimbledon triumph within three incredible weeks.
   So of course Sharapova must in some ways have changed, and not just physically from the waif-like figure which charmed the masses on those early visits to Birmingham.
   No longer can she adopt the same carefree off-court attitude of 2003; with success comes greater responsibility, and with responsibility comes almost excruciating scrutiny.
   Even so she remains cheerfully unaffected by the hullabaloo that now pursues her every move, and is simply both comfortable and delighted to be back at a venue that feels very much like home.
   ‘This place brings so many special memories,’ says the 20-year-old already boasting more experiences than most enjoy in a lifetime. ‘When I look back this is where my success started and my results came.
   ‘Wimbledon was the biggest win of my career and preparation for that including winning here which was pretty exciting. I can’t really believe it’s my fifth year in a row, I’m getting old.
   ‘Every time I play on grass I just feel part of the history of the sport. Grass is the centre of tennis, and while I only play two tournaments on it when I look ahead this is always the time of year when I really hope to feel healthy.
   ‘If I had to choose two tournaments to compete in and not play anything else, it would be here and Wimbledon.’
   It’s not just the feeling of the turf underfoot and those never-to-be-forgotten memories which quicken the pulse of the Siberian siren.
   From the moment she arrives at Priory, the sight of some familiar faces and first look at the ‘intimate’ Centre Court bring everything flooding back.
   ‘I always see the same people here every year, the volunteers and people who work for the tournament and the members.
   ‘It’s just great, it feels like when you don’t see people in a long time and then come back to the same place and see those who were around when you had some good times.
   ‘It makes it home from home in a way and it’s a great little stadium where the fans can see you closely.
   ‘It’s a really intimate court where I love to go out and compete, knowing also that I’ve won the tournament twice before and have some great fans.’
   So does Sharapova, now feeling less inhibited by a recent shoulder injury as she prepares for today’s second round match with American qualifier Lilia Osterloh, feel she’s changed much in the last five years?
   ‘The hair might be a bit shorter and a little darker,’ she says with a smile. ‘Personality-wise? I don’t think so.
   ‘Of course I’ve matured as a person and a tennis player but I’ve still got great family and friends around me - these are the people who have kept me the person I am.’
   So what chance the world number two - she was 125 back in 2003 - following up her best ever French Open appearance - a semi final - by repeating her DFS/Wimbledon double?
   ‘If that skinny girl the size of a spaghetti could do it three years ago then I can definitely do it now.’

England captain Michael Vaughan believes fast bowler Stephen Harmison is on his way to once again becoming a major force in cricket.
   The Durham quick, three years ago rated the world’s best bowler, endured a poor series during the 5-0 Ashes series debacle in Australia where his first ball wide in the opening Test set the tone for England’s largely lacklustre performance in a depressing campaign.
   Even more concerning was his waywardness for the first two Tests of the ongoing home series against the West Indies who, unlike Australia, only have one world class batsman in Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
   But the 28-year-old appeared a bowler transformed in the second innings of England’s 60-run second Test win at Old Trafford, concluded on Monday, which gave the hosts an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the series ahead of the fourth and final Test at Harmison’s Riverside home ground starting Friday.
   The sight of consecutive deliveries whistling past off-stump started to become routine rather than remarkable and something of the old venom, which makes Harmison so difficult to face, was evident after lunch on the final day.
   Harmison, who had a chance this match to work with England’s new bowling advisor Allan Donald, the former South Africa quick, followed that up when Fidel Edwards deflected another rising ball to Ian Bell in the slip cordon.
   England’s spearhead finished with four for 95 from 33 overs.
   ‘He showed more character than any of us,’ said Vaughan, for whom victory saw him become England’s most successful Test captain with 21 wins in 35 matches compared to Peter May’s 20 in 41.
   ‘I’ve never been a bowler so I can only imagine how hard it must be when you know you are not at your best, you know you are struggling and you are having to continue to bowl in front of many people watching,’ the England captain also told reporters.
   ‘He looked at himself, answered a few questions and came back in the second innings. He really worked hard. I don’t like to say he’s back to his best but he was certainly back to some real consistency in the second innings.
   ‘I’m really pleased for him because he’s worked a few things out and he’s deserved a little bit of success,’ added Vaughan after England had set a new record of 11 successive home series without defeat.

President Thabo Mbeki brushed aside doubts about South Africa’s preparations for the 2010 World Cup on Tuesday, vowing to surpass Germany’s hosting of last year’s tournament.
   When FIFA’s president Sepp Blatter visits the country later this month, ‘he will find us well on course with our preparations for both the Federations Cup in 2009 and the FIFA Soccer World Cup in 2010,’ he said.
   ‘I have no doubt that our local organising committee, government at all levels and everybody concerned will do the necessary work to guarantee that we host a better tournament in 2010 than the excellent 2006 German World Cup,’ he added in a speech before parliament in Cape Town.
   Mbeki quoted from a recent statement by Blatter that: ‘Plan A is South Africa, Plan B is South Africa and Plan C is South Africa’.
   Blatter has previously expressed doubt about the slow start of stadium construction for the tournament, the first time the world’s biggest sporting event will be staged on African soil.

Bjorn Borg has been forced to abandon plans to make a first appearance on grass since the Wimbledon final of 1981 after being severely bitten by a dog.
   The Swedish tennis legend was due to turn out in the Liverpool International Tennis Tournament at Calderstones Park on 15 June in a match against Pat Cash.
   But, after receiving medical treatment, Borg has been advised not to put any weight on his leg for three weeks.
   Tournament organisers said Bjorg will still be appearing to greet the crowds.
   ‘I’m so disappointed that I cannot play,’ said Borg. ‘I’ve been really looking forward to this event and have been practising hard for four months to get ready.’
   Organiser Anders Borg, who said the German shepherd dog that attacked his namesake is called Wolf, added: ‘This kind of thing is hard to take, but when they do happen we just have to deal with it
   ‘It is a big blow but I am glad he will still appear and honour his commitments.’
   Richard Krajicek, the 1996 Wimbledon champion has been signed up to replace Borg.

Twelve-year-old Alexis Thompson has become the youngest golfer to qualify for the United States Women’s Open.
   Thompson had rounds of 72 and 71 to finish sixth at a qualifier in her home state of Florida and will take her place at Pine Needles on 28 June.
   She is seven months younger than previous record holder Morgan Pressel.
   British pair Jo Head and Janice Moodie also qualified, as did Swedes Liselotte Neumann, Carin Koch and Maria Hjorth - Charlotta Sorenstam just missed out.

Despite his unbeaten 139 in the Afro-Asia Cup final in Chennai, Indian wicket-keeper batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni remained in the fourth place in the latest LG-ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen.
   Dhoni, who hit the highest-ever ODI score by a number seven batsman in Chennai, now trails third-placed Michael Hussey of Australia by 10 rating points.
   England’s Kevin Pietersen still occupies top batting spot with Australia captain Ricky Ponting in second place.
   Sri Lanka opening batsman Sanath Jayasuriya’s slide in the rankings since the ICC Cricket World Cup continues as he has dropped six places and is now ranked 13th overall.
   Jayasuriya’s loss means Australia’s Andrew Symonds has moved into the top 10. South Africa’s Shaun Pollock has achieved his highest career batting rating following his maiden ODI century in the Afro-Asian Cup played in Bangalore and Chennai last week.
   Pollock moves up 12 places and is now in 40th spot in the LG ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen after a brilliant 130 off 110 balls in Bangalore.
   Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh, who took four wickets in two matches, drops two places and he’s now ranked 15th overall.

Thierry Henry has followed his agent in dismissing a report which suggested the Arsenal striker had agreed to join Barcelona in the summer.
    France Football wrote that Henry had successfully negotiated a move to the Nou Camp - a claim swiftly quashed by the player’s agent Jerome Anderson - and the striker has also issued a denial.
   Speaking at a testimonial for former Lyon striker Sonny Anderson, Henry told L’Equipe: ‘A lot has been said about me. There are misunderstandings.
   ‘It is impossible to stop the rumours. This speculation does not affect me at all.
   ‘I will be 30 in August. This isn’t the first and won’t be the last time that people will talk about my situation.
   ‘In the meantime, I am still an Arsenal player.
   ‘If something happens, in one way or another, then, I will speak.’
   Henry reiterated his displeasure at the April departure of vice-chairman David Dein, who left after a dispute with his fellow directors over the increased involvement of American businessman Stan Kroenke.
   He added: ‘The problem is there have been some changes at the club. ‘His (Dein’s) departure was a mistake. If there was a person who did not have to leave Arsenal, it was him.’
   Henry’s representative Anderson has indicated he will be taking legal action against France Football for the initial article.
   In a statement he said: ‘No meetings have ever taken place between Jerome Anderson and Barcelona in France or anywhere else, and Jerome Anderson will be seeking legal advice against France Football.’

It’s 31 days since United lifted the 2007 Premiership title - 61 days until they begin the defence of their crown and two days before the fixtures come out. Yet already Ryan Giggs can’t wait for the new campaign.
   Giggs has entered eight seasons in his Old Trafford career wearing the tag of Champions.
   But the Welshman has gone into the last three campaigns with the hollow feeling of being an also-ran.
   Now the 33-year-old is anxious to enjoy the glow of winning another title.
   ‘I’m already looking forward to playing in a season where everyone refers to us as champions,’ he told the Manchester Evening News.
   ‘I want to go on and win it again. I don’t want to dwell on achievements.
   ‘I still feel like there’s work to be done. Even after winning the league this season, I just want next year to come.
   ‘The satisfaction of winning this one was really high because the standard required to win the league is so much higher now than in previous years.
   ‘The bar has been raised, first by Arsenal and then by Chelsea, since we last won it in 2003.
   ‘It was a big challenge for us, but also for every club in the league because Chelsea have got the financial capability to go out and buy any player they want. When they’re all fit they could put two teams out, and two quality teams at that.
   ‘We are lucky in the respect that they had a few injuries. Up until the last few weeks we were reasonably OK in terms of injuries. But I think we were due that bit of luck because we’ve had injuries in that past few seasons and that’s really worked against us. But we certainly made the most of it.’
   Giggs won a record ninth title when the Reds finally saw off the Chelsea challenge in May.
   But for more than a dozen of Old Trafford’s seniors it was their first championship success.
   The winger believes that breakthrough can be the
   platform for more Premiership titles.
   ‘It’s a relatively young squad that we have and there aren’t too many players that have won it before,’ he says.
   ‘It’s always nice for the younger lads, like Wayne and Cristiano, but also for the other lads who’ve joined recently - Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra, Ji-sung Park.
   ‘The one thing the manager offers any player that comes here, is trophies.
   ‘That was one of the first things I thought about when I knew we’d won the title seeing the look on their faces. I know how I felt when I won my first league, it was brilliant.
   ‘I think people could see the promise this team had, but we had to prove how good we
   are. We’ve done that now, and hopefully it gives us the platform to go on and win more trophies.
   ‘Hopefully, it gives the players who have not won the league before the confidence to go out next year knowing that they can do it again. The experience of having done it before will be a real asset for those players, because you know how to deal with certain games and the twists and turns of a title race.’
   Giggs has leapfrogged Liverpool’s Phil Neal and Alan Hansen as the title-winning Kings.
   He can extend his lead as the Champion of Champions this term as he also chips away at Sir Bobby Charlton’s appearance record. Sir Bob is United’s all-time record appearance holder with 759 matches.
   Giggs now has 715 Reds appearances behind him.
   But personal accolades come second for the Welshman.
   ‘I’m proud of my nine titles but I’m not thinking of it as the ninth title I’ve won, I’m just glad to have won the league this season having gone three years without it,’ Ryan added.
   ‘That means more to me, that we’ve got the title back, than any personal achievement.
   ‘When you start out in your career as a player you set yourself goals and targets. When I was in the youth team all I wanted to do was get into the first team. Once you’re there you really want to stay in the side and keep your place.
   ‘As for winning trophies, I wanted to win as many as possible, but you can’t set out to win a certain amount of e titles or so many cups. I didn’t anyway.
   ‘I’ve always just gone out looking to do well in each competition, trying to win every trophy available.
   ‘And when I’ve won one, I focus on trying to win another one.’

Playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme will hold the key as Boca Juniors attempt to unlock Gremio’s defence in the first leg of the Libertadores Cup final at the Bombonera on Wednesday.
   Last year Riquelme played a major role in leading unfashionable Spanish club Villarreal to the Champions League semi-finals, where they lost to Arsenal.
   After falling out with Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini, Riquelme has returned to Boca on loan and again been the main figure in taking them to the final of the Champions League’s South American equivalent.
    Riquelme produced a brilliant display as Boca won 2-0 away to Paraguayan champions Libertad in the second leg of their quarter-final, having been held 1-1 at home.
   He also scored the first goal as they beat Colombian surprise package Cucuta 3-0 in their semi-final second leg last week, overturning a 3-1 deficit from the first game.
   Boca, beaten by Colombian provincial side Once Caldas in their last appearance in the final three years ago, have won five Libertadores Cup titles and another would put them one behind record-holders Independiente.
   Gremio, twice former winners, have reached the final only 18 months after hauling themselves out of the Brazilian second division.
   Under coach Mano Menezes, they are hoping to upstage their bitter Porto Alegre rivals Internacional, who won the competition last year.
   Midfielder Tcheco promised that his side would not be intimidated by the atmosphere at the notorious Bombonera stadium.
   ‘Players have to get used to this sort of pressure,’ he said, adding that the days of dirty tricks for which the Libertadores was once famous were in the past. ‘Nowadays, this is just mystique.’
   Gremio’s preparations for the match were hit by logistical problems as they were prevented from travelling to Buenos Aires on Monday because of dense fog in the Argentine capital.
   Teams:
   Boca Juniors - Mauricio Caranta; Hugo Ibarra, Daniel Diaz, Claudio Morel Rodriguez, Clemente Rodriguez; Pablo Ledesma, Ever Banega, Neri Cardozo; Juan Roman Riquelme; Rodrigo Palacio, Martin Palermo
   Gremio (possible) - Sebastian Saja; Patricio, William, Teco, Lucio; Sandro Goiano, Diego Gavilan, Lucas, Tcheco; Carlos Eduardo, Diego Souza Referee: Jorge Larrionda (Uruguay)

The football season might be all-but over in Europe but Asian fans can look forward to a feast of soccer action over the coming weeks as the world’s top players make a beeline for the region.
   The Asian Cup finals get underway next month with a host of European-based stars on show as Japan, South Korea, China and Iran prepare to battle with Asian newcomer Australia for top honours.
   Australia’s participation for the first time has whetted appetites with their host of English Premier League players, including Mark Viduka, Liverpool’s perennially injured Harry Kewell, Everton’s Tim Cahill and West Ham defender Lucas Neill.
   But it is the arrival of club sides, who are all under pressure to help develop the game in the region, that have fans excited.
   The top draw is Manchester United who are expected to show off new signings Nani, Anderson and Owen Hargreaves for the first time.
   Add in Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, it’s little wonder tickets have been selling well.
   In Seoul, 65,000 tickets were snapped up in a matter of hours, with that many again disappointed after the game on July 20 sold out.
   ‘Demand was huge. 130,000 people wanted to buy tickets so obviously we sold out in a matter of hours,’ said the internet company that organized the sale.
   The Red Devils, fresh from winning the Premier League, get their tour underway against J-League side Urawa Red Diamonds in Saitama on July 17 before playing FC Seoul and then to Macau on July 23 for a showdown with Shenzhen.
   Their match against a Malaysian XI in Kuala Lumper was called off after stinging criticism from the Asian Football Confederation which accused United of ‘disrespect’ as the tour clashes with the Asian Cup finals.
   The fear is that such a big club will divert attention from the flagship tournament.
   But while United dumping the Malasyia match was a partial victory for the AFC, Asian football’s powerbrokers could do nothing to prevent the rest of the tour going ahead.
   Two other high-profile events also clash with the Asian Cup.
   Liverpool, boosted by Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher signing new four-year contracts, headline the Asia Trophy in Hong Kong from July 24-27.
   Joining the Champions League finallists are Harry Redknapp’s Portsmouth and Fulham, with former Northern Ireland boss Lawrie Sanchez at the helm.
   Across the East China Sea in South Korea, Sammy Lee’s Bolton, Steve Coppell’s Reading, French champions Lyon and Argentina’s River Plate will vie for the biennial Peace Cup from July 12-21.
   Barcelona are also heading to Asia for matches in Japan, China and Hong Kong in August while German giants Bayern Munich make a one-off trip to Hong Kong on July 1.
   One club that won’t be coming is Real Madrid, a regular visitor to Asia, which has decided not to tour this year to give their players a well-earned breather.
   It was Real Madrid that led the charge into the vast untapped marketplace of Asia with a tour of China in 2005 that was widely derided for their take-the-money-and-run attitude.
   Other clubs have also been accused of milking the region, pocketing huge appearance fees and boosting their profile while putting nothing back in to develop Asian football.
   Asia offers untapped riches in terms of talent, television revenues and merchandise, and FIFA president Sepp Blatter wants clubs to conduct training clinics for Asian players and help young footballers while they are here.
   ‘It’s good if the big clubs come but they should give something and not just take away,’ he told AFP last month.
   ‘They have already taken a lot of money through television rights in Asia.
   ‘Invite youngsters, help some charities or do humanitarian activities, conduct clinics with the players.
   ‘This would be good instead of just coming in and training, sleeping, playing and leaving.’

European football’s governing body UEFA will allow Denmark to play its next four matches at home, easing sanctions imposed after a fan attacked a referee in a game against Sweden, Danish news agency Ritzau reported on Monday.
   UEFA last week awarded Sweden a 3-0 victory over Denmark for their June 2 Euro 2008 qualifier after the match had to be stopped just minutes from the end when a spectator assaulted German referee Herman Fander with the score at 3-3.
   As part of the sanctions, UEFA ordered Denmark to play its next four home matches more than 250 kilometres from Copenhagen - effectively forcing it to play abroad due to the country’s small area and the lack of suitable stadia at such a radius.
   But on Monday, after it was made aware of the problem, UEFA’s disciplinary committee informed the Danish Football Federation (DBU) that Denmark would be allowed to play the matches within the country’s borders.
   ‘If one of the potential stadiums were to be located at a distance a little less than that indicated in the decision, UEFA would approve this stadium, as long as it meets UEFA’s security requirements,’ the committee wrote in a message to the DBU, Ritzau reported.
   The committee stressed that it had always intended for the matches to be played in Denmark, the news agency added.
   ‘In our most creative moments after the sanctions were handed down on Friday, we have of course toyed with the idea of playing at stadiums abroad ... but we are abandoning those plans now and awaiting the appeal before proceeding further,’ DBU spokesman Lars Berendt said in a statement.
   UEFA also ruled in its initial decision that Denmark’s next match be played behind closed doors.
   Denmark has said it plans to appeal the decision concerning the next four matches, which it considers particularly harsh.
   However, it does not plan to appeal a 100,000 Swiss francs fine, nor the three-match suspension handed down against veteran Danish international Christian Poulsen for the red card he received from Fander in the 89th minute of the match for punching Swedish rival Markus Rosenberg in the stomach.

Brazil have added Real Madrid striker Julio Baptista to their Copa America squad after midfielder Ze Roberto quit international football.
   Baptista, who was unable to secure a regular first-team place in his season on loan at Arsenal, has not played for his country since the 2-0 win over Wales in a friendly last September.
   Former Bayern Munich midfielder Ze Roberto pulled out of the squad last Friday, two days after being recalled for the first time since the 2006 World Cup.
   ‘After much personal meditation, I reached the conclusion that, at the age of 32, I cannot serve the Brazilian national team with the quality required in the current circumstances,’ he wrote in a letter to the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).
   ‘Similarly, I will not be as useful to the group as I was on previous occasions.’
   Ze Roberto has been in outstanding form for his club Santos, leading them to the semi-finals of the South American Libertadores Cup, where they last over two legs to fellow Brazilians Gremio.
   Venezuela host this year’s Copa America from June 26-July 15.

Arsene Wenger has thanked Arsenal’s fans for their ‘trust’ - and promised a much more competitive team to watch at Emirates Stadium next season.
    The Gunners boss returns to work this week with several key issues to resolve ahead of pre-season training next month.
   Wenger, 57, has already moved to reassure fans he has no intention of quitting the club in the wake of the shock departure of vice-chairman and close friend David Dein.
   The Arsenal boss stressed there was ‘absolutely no need to panic’ and remains confident of the prospects for next season.
   Wenger has long lauded the potential of his current squad, and insists he will only add players of ‘exceptional’ quality.
   The Frenchman remains confident this Arsenal side are on the verge of greatness.
   ‘I would like to thank the fans because they have been consistent in their support to our team - week in, week out, 60,000 turn up at the Emirates even when we were out of the championship race,’ Wenger said in the Arsenal end of season DVD ‘Young Guns’, out today in all Arsenal stores and via home shopping.
   ‘First I would like to thank them for the way they trust us and promise them that we will come back next season and fulfil all their hopes and at least give everything to do it.’
   Wenger accepts it took his team some time to adapt to their new surroundings - a trait which more than played its part in their lack of impact on the Barclays Premiership title race last season.
   The Arsenal manager, however, knew it was a move which had to come to safeguard the long-term future of the club and see them compete at the very highest level, both on and off the pitch.
   Wenger said: ‘Because it is of course massive, it is big, more comfort. You lose a little bit that kind of compact atmosphere that you get still at Anfield - but on the other hand it has such a huge potential for the club to develop to a top level that is needed.
   ‘It was needed and its fantastic.’
   The likes of Cesc Fabregas, 20, and Kolo Toure, 26, both penned new deals during last season. This summer there were also contract extensions for full-back Emmanuel Eboue and striker Emmanuel Adebayor. Wenger feels such driving ambition goes a long way to ‘make’ a club.

David Beckham will not return to a European club on loan during the Major League Soccer off-season, according to Los Angeles Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas.
   He told Sky Sports News: ‘We talk about David Beckham and sometimes we don’t mention enough that this is a human being.
   ‘His mental and physical rejuvenation is important and we can’t run him ragged with what his responsibilities are on and off the field. ‘So in the off-season it is important for our players to take the time to rejuvenate for the next season.’
   Lalas reiterated the Galaxy’s desire to help Beckham in any war to further his international career, with the former Manchester United midfielder now considered a key player as England’s Euro 2008 qualification enters the final crucial phase in the autumn.
   ‘We’re excited. As far as we’re concerned it’s wonderful for David and it’s wonderful for LA Galaxy,’ Lalas said.
   ‘His call is to the national team and as I’ve said before I’ll drive him to the airport, it’s great for him and it’s great for the Galaxy.’

Jose Mourinho promised to win back the Premiership title with free transfers.
   Chelsea boss Mourinho has claimed that he will have no money to spend in the transfer market this summer even though billionaire owner Roman Abramovich has publicly insisted there will be funds available. But super-confident Mourinho still believes Chelsea can regain the title from Manchester United.
   Reading midfielder Steve Sidwell and Bayern Munich’s Peruvian striker Claudio Pizarro have already arrived for nothing, and they will joined PSV defender Alex - who is owned by Chelsea.
   United, meanwhile, have splashed out £40million on Owen Hargreaves, Nani and Andersen.
   But Mourinho told the Daily Mirror: ‘For the next season Chelsea have told me there is not much of a budget for reinforcements.
   ‘The money will be practically nil and we will not be paying for transfers. But I don’t think that investment is necessary because Chelsea already have an able and successful team as long as we don’t have injuries.
   That is what hurt us last season.
   ‘Even without big investments, Chelsea will be fighting with United. I am convinced that we will be the best next season.’

Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce on Tuesday slammed Manchester City over the cash dispute which is delaying the 5.5 million pound (10.8 million dollar) transfer of midfielder Joey Barton.
   Barton agreed his move to St James’ Park last week, but a row over a 300,000 pound pay-off to which he was contractually entitled if he was sold without asking for a transfer has prevented the deal going through.
   City are adamant that they will not pay because the 24-year-old was not forced out of the club.Allardyce said: ‘They are out of order. This is a private matter, a confidential issue that should not have been made public. I’m flabbergasted and want the situation resolved.
   ‘I am just trying as Newcastle manager to secure a player of this kind and quality and the deal has been held up.‘I cannot understand it because City didn’t pay anything for this player as he came through the youth system and are selling him for over 5 million pounds.
   Barton’s agent Willie McKay has referred the matter to the Professional Footballers’ Association, but Allardyce wants to get the issue resolved as soon as possible.’

There is a painting 10 stories tall of LeBron James on the side of a building near the Cleveland Cavaliers’ arena, a giant testimony to the US basketball hero following the path of Michael Jordan.
   ‘King’ James, the slam-dunking 22-year-old playmaker who has lifted the Cavaliers to their first National Basketball Association Finals, is the most flamboyant NBA player or pitchman since Jordan led Chicago to six NBA titles.
   Nike, the same sponsor who helped make Jordan a global icon, plastered James on the side of the structure as part of a seven-year, 97-million-dollar deal. Overall, James makes 150 million dollars hawking soda, gum and lawn mowers.
   Even the San Antonio Spurs, who won the first two games in the ongoing best-of-seven championship series, and seek a fourth crown in nine years, can see the future unfolding.
   ‘Nobody is rooting for us. The world is rooting for Cleveland. They want to see the new MJ come alive,’ said 15-year NBA veteran Robert Horry of the Spurs.
   James was fourth in NBA scoring with 27.3 points a game and also averaged 6.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists. Even after a magical 48-point semi-final effort to beat Detroit, James knows he is far from matching boyhood idol Jordan.
   ‘I’m making a push for it. Not (there) yet,’ James said. ‘This is the first step to greatness. It feels like a fantasy.’
   Adding to the magic was the fact that Jordan, whose title-winning shot in 1998 thrilled James, spoke to the prodigy after the Cavaliers qualified for the NBA Finals.
   ‘He said, ‘Seize the moment. It’s definitely there to take,’’ James said.
   In 1991, Jordan won in his finals debut over a veteran Los Angeles Lakers team that won two of the prior four NBA titles. Now James is the debutant with a young team trying to upset a club that won two of the past four NBA crowns.
   James, who leads his team in the cry ‘championship’ every time they break a huddle, is not sure a championship will cement him among the all-time NBA masters, citing the difference between team and personal achievements.
   ‘It’s not my role to say,’ James said. ‘It satisfies me more to win a championship with my team. You become one of the greats based on what you do as an individual.’
   ‘King’ James without a crown? That’s an unthinkable notion to Cavaliers coach Mike Brown.
   ‘He’s too driven, too talented, not to win one. To be considered one of the best of all time, you have to have one of those on your resume, at least one. It’s a matter of time for him,’ Brown said.
   Asked if he hoped to have an impact more like Muhammad Ali or Jordan, James made it clear he was aiming to be more businessman than humanitarian, but also determined to blaze his own trail either way.
   ‘I’m going to try to be more of LeBron James,’ he said. ‘I want to end my career the best way and then just be more of a businessman. I can try to set things up for my family and pass the word to kids and older adults.
   ‘On the business side of things, I’ve definitely been working to brace myself for when the NBA career is over. I know it doesn’t last forever.’
   Four years out of high school, James often feels far older than his years.
   ‘I don’t feel 22 until I get off the court and I’m running around playing video games with my son, things like that,’ James said. ‘I just feel like a veteran. I’m kind of the leader.’
   James, knowing the importance of what would be Cleveland’s first major sport title since 1964, will not miss a game over impending fatherhood although his girlfriend is due to give birth to his second child on Sunday.
   Tim Duncan, the Spurs forward whose greatness has come with a workman-like quiet quality, marvels at a one-man gang like LeBron.
   ‘I can’t relate to him in any way,’ Duncan said. ‘I’ve been on more of a veteran squad. I’m a piece of the puzzle. He’s a much bigger piece.’

Chelsea’s Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba admitted Tuesday that he was tempted by a move to either Spain or Italy.
   ‘Spain and Italy attract me a lot and, although I am a long way from saying farewell to Chelsea, you never know what can happen,’ Droga told The Sun newspaper.
   ‘I’m at the last big turning point of my career.
   ‘It’s time for one final big choice ‘should I stay or should I go?’ I am tempted to discover another world and to see what footballing life is like outside England.
   ‘It would be a big disappointment if I never manage to play for teams that I dream of playing for. That would be terribly frustrating.’
   Drogba has concerns over the club’s ambition following rows between owner Roman Abramovich and boss Jose Mourinho.
   He added: ‘If I think the club lacks ambition, then it is sure I will not stay too long. I’m 29 and I don’t have much time to lose.
   ‘I believed in being loyal to a stable club. But it is clear that, in such matters, players don’t control anything.’
   Drogba extended his contract with the Premiership runners-up last November until 2010.

Rafael BenÍtez, the Liverpool manager, has demanded actions rather than words from the new owners at Anfield, but with the club’s summer being dominated by unrest behind the scenes rather than the top-class signings he was hoping for, their supporters may be partly reassured by yesterday’s address from George Gillett Jr.
   BenÍtez is known to have been disgruntled by the lack of progress in his search for reinforcements, particularly in view of Manchester United’s projected £55 million outlay on three new players. The Spaniard has expressed displeasure in conference calls with Rick Parry, the chief executive, and Gillett and Tom Hicks, the co-owners, whose working relationship is not running smoothly, but Gillett moved to defuse the crisis talk yesterday in characteristically colourful terms.
   ‘I read that Rafa is throwing hand-grenades at us and making demands, that there’s a tension or disagreement between him and the Gillett and Hicks families,’ Gillett told the London Times. ‘Nothing could be farther from the truth. As far back as February, Rafa laid out a programme for us. Each one of our sports businesses has a core concept. You can’t just flop around looking at opportunities here and there, go left, go right. It has to be part of an integrated plan.
   ‘We have one at Liverpool, one we understand 100 per cent, believe in and support. The plan involves us spending money, but it will be part of a plan, not just spending like a drunken sailor.’
   BenÍtez has come to accept that the Americans’ promise of support in the transfer market does not equate to the blank chequebook that he envisaged after his initial conversations. That feeling was reinforced at the weekend, when it emerged that a shopping list previously headed by Samuel Eto’o, the Barcelona forward, includes less inspiring names such as Diego Forlán, the Villarreal striker whose name was synonymous with profligacy during 2½ unsuccessful seasons with Manchester United.
   Talks are continuing behind the scenes with a view to signing at least one top-class winger – possibly Mancini, of AS Roma, or Florent Malouda, of Lyons, although the latter is also courting interest from Arsenal and Chelsea – and a centre forward, but these talks have not always been harmonious.
   While much has been made of tension between BenÍtez and Parry, particularly about the time of the Champions League final , there have also been disagreements between Gillett and Hicks over the money they should be making available to strengthen the squad.
   It is increasingly clear to Benitez that his transfer kitty this summer will be more modest than he thought when he was making plans to sign Eto’o. He is also likely to have to look beyond his secondary targets – such as Carlos Tévez, of West Ham United, Fernando Torres, of Atlético Madrid, and David Villa, of Valencia – to a list that includes forwards such as David Trezeguet, of Juventus, Darren Bent, of Charlton Athletic, Diego Milito, of Real Zaragoza and Forlán. There is support within the club for a bid to resign Michael Owen from Newcastle United, but BenÍtez is cool on the matter.
   Much will depend on the amount of funding BenÍtez is able to raise by selling players. Negotiations are continuing with Marseilles this week over a deal for Djibril Cissé, who spent last season on loan to the French club and is also attracting interest from Bolton Wanderers, while Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United have registered strong interest in Craig Bellamy.

Is there any question what sport is the most popular on earth? Sports Illustrated’s International 20 of the top-earning non-American athletes is dominated by nine soccer players, all of whom benefit here from one of the worst exchange rates on the dollar in years. Many have also been helped by the deep pockets of Chelsea billionaire owner Roman Abramovich, who is a George Steinbrenner on a global scale.
   Meanwhile, the retirement of reigning international king Michael Schumacher has opened the door for another Formula One superstar, Fernando Alonso.
   He may not be a household name yet, but he’s gaining fast.
   The rest of the International 20 is made up of golf and tennis stars, an Italian motorcycle-racing icon and five other athletes who make their living in US-based leagues.

Thierry Henry’s agent on Tuesday categorically denied reports that the Arsenal striker has agreed terms with Spanish giants Barcelona.
   France Football magazine claimed that Henry’s agent Jerome Anderson met with Barca’s sporting director Txiki Beguiristain last week regarding a three-year deal with an option of a fourth year.
   But Anderson insisted: ‘I can categorically state that I never had a meeting with anyone representing Barcelona. The whole thing is garbage.
   ‘I did not meet with anyone - whether in the south of France or anywhere on this planet. I have read the article in the French magazine and there is not one element of truth in the story and they will be hearing from my lawyers.
   ‘Where this comes from I have absolutely no idea. Nobody checked these claims with anyone involved in the story. It is scandalous.’
   And Jeff Weston, from the SEM Group which manages Henry, told BBC Sport on Tuesday: ‘No such meeting took place. That is absolute rubbish.
   ‘There’s never been any question of him not being at Arsenal next season.’
   Henry’s future has been the subject of speculation again despite him signing a four-year contract with the Gunners last summer, with both Barca and AC Milan linked to the player.
   Last week Henry told ESPN that it was ‘great to hear’ reports of interest in him from European champions AC Milan, but stressed ‘I am an Arsenal player at the moment’.
   Henry went on to say he had been ‘devastated’ by the departure of vice-chairman David Dein, who left after a dispute with his fellow directors over the increased involvement of American businessman Stan Kroenke.
   ‘The bosses have been unsettled and a lot of players at the club have been unsettled,’ he added.
   Meanwhile, Henry’s Arsenal and Gunners team-mate William Gallas thinks that he may quit Arsenal if he has fallen out of love with the club.
   Gallas admitting that players should leave the club unless they share his commitment to win trophies next season.
   But French World Cup defender Gallas has also admitted that Arsenal need to spend this summer to add to their squad.
   Gallas, 29, told the London Daily Star: ‘I have got some personal targets for next season, which are the same as the team’s objectives.
   ‘I am hungry to win matches and titles. Once you reach the age of 30 the best moments come when you lift a trophy.
   ‘I hope that Arsenal will finetune their squad by making high-quality signings.
   ‘And as far as departures are concerned, if certain players want to go, like Thierry, we should not prevent them from leaving.’
   Gallas endured a frustrating first season at Arsenal following his move from Chelsea last summer, which led to doubts over his own future.
   But Gallas insists he is fully committed to Arsenal and wants to help the young players like Cesc Fabregas realise their full potential.
   Gallas added: ‘I am proud to take on the role of one of the club’s senior players. I talk to the youngsters and give them advice.
   ‘I’ve begun playing the big brother role with the numerous young players, and I am happy to do so.
   I am almost 30, and you have to pass on your experience to the young ones.
   ‘Last season was a transitional period for me. I arrived at Arsenal and had to adapt to a new club and new team-mates.
   ‘I was out injured for three months but still did not give up. I am a warrior, and I battle all the time.
   ‘I needed to disregard a whole host of matters, and I reckon I have come through it all pretty well.’

West Ham United’s Argentina striker Carlos Tevez has revealed he is ‘interested’ in joining Italian champions Internazionale.
   The 23-year-old, who is currently preparing for this month’s Copa America in Venezuela, moved to Upton Park from Brazilian side Corinthians at the start of last season in what later proved a hugely controversial switch.
   But after securing Barclays Premier League survival for Alan Curbishley’s side with the solitary strike during a 1-0 win over Manchester United on the final day of the season, speculation has increased that he will leave the Londoners this summer.
   Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea have all been linked with Tevez but, with international team-mates Hernan Crespo, Julio Cruz, Walter Samuel, Esteban Cambiasso, Javier Zanetti, Nicolas Burdisso, Mariano Gonzalez and Santiago Solari already plying their trade at the San Siro, it seems Serie A may now be his favoured destination.
   ‘I know Inter is interested in me,’ said Tevez. ‘It would be nice to play in Italy, especially in a team that has so many Argentinians.
   ‘There will be some meetings, some discussions, but I really don’t know anything official yet.’

Steven Gerrard is desperate for a rest after two years of near constant football.
   Gerrard did not get a proper break last summer due to England’s World Cup campaign.
   But the Liverpool skipper intends to put his feet up for a few weeks this time around.
   He told The sun: ‘I’m worn out and I desperately need a rest, it’s as simple as that.
   ‘Two-and-a-half weeks off after the World Cup wasn’t enough to prepare for a hectic season which included going all the way in the Champions League final and playing for England.
   ‘It’s been a difficult season for me but I’m getting married next week and I’ve got four weeks to try and put my feet up.
   ‘The international players get an extra week and I’ve got to make the most of it so I’m in good shape for the new season.
   ‘Demands on players at the highest level can be excessive.
   ‘It’s a no-win situation because the more success you have, the more games you have to play.
   ‘But it’s going to be a big season next year for club and country.
   ‘Domestically Liverpool have to improve while England have to build on recent performances and qualify for Euro 2008.’

1 Fernando Alonso
   Auto Racing
   Spain
   Last Year’s
   Rank: 15
   Total income: $35,000,000
   
   2 Ronaldinho
   FC Barcelona (Soccer)
   Brazil
   Last Year’s
   Rank: 3
   Total income: $32,700,000
   
   3 Roger Federer
   Tennis
   Switzerland
   Last Year’s
   Rank: 7
   Total income: $31,343,885
   
   4 Valentino Rossi
   Motor Sports
   Italy
   Last Year’s
   Rank: 2
   Total income: $30,000,000
   
   5 David Beckham
    Real Madrid/Los Angeles Galaxy (Soccer)
   Great Britain
   Last Year’s Rank: 5
   Total income: $29,700,000
   6 Yao Ming
   Houston Rockets (NBA)
   China
   Last Year’s
   Rank: 13
   Total income: $27,455,000
   
   7 Ichiro Suzuki
   Seattle Mariners (MLB)
   Japan
   Last Year’s
   Rank: NR
   Total income: $24,000,000
   
   8 Maria Sharapova
   Tennis
   Russia
   Last Year’s
   Rank: 4
   Total income: $23,799,501
   
   9 Thierry Henry
   Arsenal (Soccer)
   France Last Year’s
   Rank: NR
   Total income: $21,400,000
   
   10 Michael Ballack
   Chelsea (Soccer)
   Germany
   Last Year’s Rank: NR
   Total income: $20,900,000
   11 Ronaldo
   AC Milan (Soccer)
   Brazil
   Last Year’s
   Rank: 8
   Total income:$20,700,000
   
   12 Hideki Matsui
   New York Yankees (MLB)
   Japan
   Last Year’s
   Rank: 9
   Total income: $19,000,000
   
   13 Dirk Nowitzki
   Dallas Mavericks (NBA)Germany
   Last Year’s
   Rank: NR
   Total income: $18,101,625
   
   14 Ralf Schumacher
   Auto Racing
   Germany
   Last Year’s Rank: 15
   Total income: $18,000,000
   
   15 Andriy Shevchenko
   Chelsea (Soccer)
   Ukraine
   Last Year’s Rank: NR
   Total income: $17,300,000
   16 Alfonso Soriano
    Chicago Cubs (MLB)
   Dominican Republic
   Last Year’s Rank: NR
   Total income: $17,250,000
   
   17 Vijay Singh
   Pro Golf
   Fiji
   Last Year’s
   Rank: 11
   Total income: $16,411,026
   
   18 Alessandro Del Piero
   Juventus (Soccer)Italy
   Last Year’s Rank: NR
   Total income: $15,700,000
   
   19 John Terry
    Chelsea (Soccer)
   Great Britain
   Last Year’s Rank: NR
   Total income: $15,500,000
   
   20 Steven Gerrard
   Liverpool (Soccer)
   Great Britain
   Last Year’s Rank: NR
   Total income: $15,400,000