Bangladesh are hoping that captain Mohammad Ashraful will rediscover his batting touch as they begin their quest for a first win in the second Test against New Zealand at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Saturday.
   Ashraful, 24, admitted he had angered the fans with his two and nought in the opening Test, where Bangladesh had one of their best chances to beat one of the top sides.
   ‘I know people were angry with me but it doesn’t irritate me because this is reality. They support me when I do well, so I would like to have some support when I don’t do well. Hopefully there will be a turnaround,’ he said.
   Bangladesh looked set for a famous win before New Zealand, set 317 to win, reached their record away-from-home target with three wickets to spare.
   But the home team, whose lone success in 54 Tests was against Zimbabwe, will take heart from dominating the first four days with left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan recording the country’s best innings figures of 7-36.
   Ashraful, who is returning to his home ground at the Sher-e-Bangla Mirpur Stadium, said Bangladesh would target New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori after his fighting 76 saved the opening Test.
   ‘He (Vettori) made the difference in the first Test and we will have to find ways to get him early. We still have a lot of positives from the first Test as we bowled and batted well but couldn’t finish it off,’ said Ashraful.
   ‘We have the talent to win the second Test. The pitch will support our bowlers.’
   New Zealand coach John Bracewell was wary of Bangladesh backlash after their near-miss in the opening Test.
   ‘They may have seen it as an opportunity lost, not an opportunity that’s going to destroy them. They may say “we’re getting close” and take the optimistic line,’ said Bracewell.
   ‘Vettori needs more support and it’s something we’re working through, getting experience into the other bowlers, trying to build their skills,’ he added.
   Bracewell also praised his team for the first-Test win, saying it spoke volumes about their strength of character.
   ‘Given the position we were in, it’s one of the great character wins. The way the guys assessed the run-chase and applied themselves was great. I couldn’t heap enough praise on them,’ he said.
   ‘Heat took its toll but the players’ ability to adapt and change in a quick turnaround is a testament to their commitment and their ability and I hope they continue,’ Bracewell added.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Women’s School Football Tournament, organised by Bangladesh Football Federation under the AFC’s Vision Bangladesh programme, starts at the Dhanmondi Women’s Sports Complex today.
   Aga Khan International School will meet Summer Field in the opening match of the tournament.
   Twelve renowned schools of the city are participating in the nine-day meet. BFF president Kazi Salahuddin will inaugurate the tournament designed to raise footballing interest among the women.
   Though school girls will be playing in the tournament the BFF chose the word ‘women’ to expand the horizon.
   Among the 12 participating teams seven are English medium schools and the rest five are Bangla medium schools. The BFF receives an allocation $2.5 lakh annually from the FIFA with an instruction that al least 25 per cent of the money will have to be spent on the development of women’s football. In the recent past a handful of women’s tournaments were organised by the BFF but it was never continued.
   However, this time BFF is determined to hold women’s football regularly. ‘We hope to continue the expansion of women’s football and is it just the starting, we are hopeful that the school tournament will attract more teams in the future. Under Vision Bangladesh we have to emphasise on the women’s game and we are doing it,’ said Sirajul Islan Bachchu, the head of the organising committee, at a press briefing held at the BFF House on Thursday.
   Bachchu also added that a number of schools have refrained from participating in the meet due to examinations and next time the tournament will be organised at a convenient time for the schools.
   Convenor of the organizing committee Mahfuza Akhter Kiron, members Nasrin Baby, and Rashida Afzalunnessa was also present on the occasion.
   Group A: Aga Khan International School, Master Mind International School, Summer Field International School.
   Group B: Scholastica School, Siddeshswari Girls High School, Azimpur Girl’s High School.
   Group C: Green Herald International School, BIT, Rajdhani High School.
   Group D: Australian International School, Viqarunnissa Noon School, Natun Kuri.

A Pakistan court Thursday overturned a life ban against former cricket captain Salim Malik for alleged involvement in match-fixing.
   Malik was banned following a lengthy inquiry in 2001 formed after three top Australian players accused him of offering bribes for them to under-perform.
   Malik appealed against the ruling to Pakistan’s top court which earlier this year ordered Lahore’s Civil Court to hear the case.
   Judge Malik Mohammad Altaf ruled in favour of the 45-year-old Malik on Thursday and ordered the ban be lifted.
   Malik hailed the verdict as a vindication, and said he could now return to cricket, this time as a coach.
   ‘I am relieved after the court verdict,’ Malik told AFP.
   ‘I have served cricket for 19 years and today I feel vindicated. Now I can live a peaceful life and can do coaching which I badly wanted.’
   Malik’s lawyer said the court ruled that the Pakistan Cricket Board wrongly imposed the ban after acting on recommendations from the inquiry which was headed by a High Court judge.
   ‘The PCB did not have the jurisdiction to ban Salim Malik so the court lifted the ban on our appeal,’ lawyer Shahid Salim said.
   The ban had also prevented Malik from holding any office or having involvement in any cricket-related activity.
   Malik was banned after Australian players Shane Warne, Mark Waugh and Tim May claimed he offered them bribes to under-perform during Australia’s tour of Pakistan in 1994.
   Warne and May alleged Malik telephoned them in their rooms and offered them big money to under-bowl during the first Test in Karachi which Pakistan eventually won by just one wicket.
   A one-man commission cleared Malik in 1995 of the allegations citing a lack of evidence after the Australian players refused to return to Pakistan to testify. But High Court Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum’s inquiry team later recorded their statements in Australia.
   Malik’s name also featured in an Indian match-fixing inquiry, which led to a life ban for former captain Mohammad Azharuddin in 2000 – a ban which was later lifted in 2006.
   The late South African captain Hansie Cronje, also banned for life on match-fixing, named Malik as an offender in a separate probe in South Africa.
   Two lower courts earlier refused to hear Malik’s appeal, but a three-judge panel of the Supreme Court in May this year directed the Civil Court to record evidence and reach a verdict.
   PCB legal adviser Tafazzul Rizvi said it would honour Thursday’s ruling.
   ‘PCB did not impose the ban, we just implemented the recommendations of the inquiry tribunal,’ Rizvi told reporters in Lahore. ‘We will honour the decision of the session court and will not file an appeal against the ruling.’
   Malik played 103 Tests and 263 one-day internationals for Pakistan between 1981 and 1999. He also led his country in 12 Tests and 34 one-day internationals.

The West Indies have thrown Pakistan a lifeline, offering to play two Tests against the cricket starved team at a neutral venue next month, Pakistan’s top cricket official said Thursday.
   Pakistan have not played a single Test this year after Australia postponed their full tour in March over security fears in the wake of deadly suicide bombings and other unrest blamed on Islamic militants.
   Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt said the two Tests to be played in Abu Dhabi would be in addition to the three one-day internationals which the two countries have already agreed from November 10-14.
   ‘The West Indies have offered to play two Tests and we hope the proposal materialises and we find some sponsor for the Test matches,’ Butt, who took over as chairman earlier this month, told AFP.
   ‘It will give our players an ideal opportunity to play some international cricket after a long layoff,’ said Butt.
   Pakistan’s last Test was against India in December last year, and if the West Indies’ offer falls through, Pakistan’s next Test outing will also be against India in January next year.
   Pakistan cricket has been badly hit by security fears, with other foreign teams refusing to tour the troubled country in the wake of the 9/11 attacks on US soil and the subsequent US-led invasion in neighbouring Afghanistan.
   An eight-nation Champions Trophy was postponed after South Africa pulled out of the event which had been due to take place in September this year.
   The International Cricket Council last week rescheduled the Trophy for September-October next year, but would closely assess security during Pakistan’s home series against India early next year.
   Pakistan also had to relocate its home series to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka in 2002.

Celebrating a birthday away from the home and family members is not very uncommon with the ICC’s elite panel of umpires and often they do it in quite humble manner without any buzz.
   But that was not the case for Daryl Harper, one of the two umpires conducting the Bangladesh-New Zealand series, who turned 58 on Thursday and celebrated it amid pomp and grandeur.
   Emirates Airline – an official partner of the ICC, which sponsors the elite panel of umpires and match referees, gave Harper a pleasant surprise when it hosted a party to celebrate his birthday at a city hotel on Thursday.
   The party was also attended by Asoka de Silva, the other elite panel umpire involved in Bangladesh-New Zealand series. Neither Harper nor Asoka had any previous idea what was waiting for them inside the partly hall.
   ‘Frankly speaking, I can’t really remember when I last had my birthday party at home. Probably once in the last eight years,’ said Harper to the awaiting guest. ‘I am really surprised today, it was beyond my expectation.’
   His joy was transmitted to Askoa and the duo had come out of their usual shell to give the attending guests an idea of their passion and love for the game and profession while talking in an informal session.
   Harper happily explained to everyone about his strange business card that carried picture of a dog chasing him in the cricket field. Funnily enough, the business card begins with a slogan – every dog has his own day.
   ‘It was probably in 2003 when the dog attacked me during a Test match between Sri Lanka and England at Kandy. The picture was published in Sri Lankan newspaper next day, I got a lot of fun out of it,’ said Harper.
   ‘I didn’t have any business card until two years ago and decided to have one for myself only after seeing its frequent uses in the sub-continent. Everyone here offers me his card and in return wants one from me,’ he said.
   ‘Everybody has his best moment in career and the picture is a true example of it and that’s why I used it in my business card,’ said Harper, who was also full of fun when he described his relation with the players.
   His relationship with Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan could best describe the Australian umpire’s sense of humour. ‘Every time I meet him, I ask “are you still single?” And he replies, ‘Is your daughter still single?’
   ‘This year I was officiating a one-day match between India and Australia in Commonwealth Bank series in Sydney. It happened to be my 150th ODI and my family were present at the stand.’
   ‘During the game I went to Irfan and said, “Look at the stand and see my girl waving her hand to you.” Irfan also waved his hand and they both had an eye-to-eye contact. They never got married, but the moment gave me a lot of pleasure.’
   Harper looked jovial when he described how he met Bangladeshi umpire Enamul Haque. ‘Enamul met me and asked how he can be a
    good umpire when I came here in 2000 to train the local umpires. Eight years on I found him as my colleague in the third one-day match between Bangladesh and New Zealand, which was so pleasing,’ said Harper.
   The umpire, who will be standing in his 75th Test match in Dhaka from Saturday, also had a logical view over sledging which has now become an integral part of international cricket.
   ‘I can’t imagine a Test match with the opposing players not talking to each other. If it really happens, the match will be boring really. So we don’t stop them and interfere only if it gets overboard,’ said Harper.

Bangladesh Olympic Association granted affiliation to the Bangladesh Golf Federation at an executive committee meeting at the BOA office on Thursday.
   Earlier, the BOA had formed a five-member committee with vice-president Sirajul Islam Bachchu as the convener and CEO Col (retd) M Waliullah as the member secretary to look into the golf federation’s appeal. The committee after scrutinising all the aspects in the light of the IOC Charter made the recommendation for granting the affiliation.
   The BOA executive committee members unanimously voted for the affiliation in the meeting.
   BOA secretary general Kutubuddin Ahmed has congratulated the new federation and hoped that it would flourish the game in the country.

Bangladesh football coach Shafiqul Islam Manik dreams of a ‘Team Bangladesh’ and believes his team has taken the first step towards fulfilling that dream in the recently-concluded Merdeka Cup.
   Bangladesh lost to both Mozambique and Myanmar by identical 0-1 margin and drew 2-2 with group champions Vietnam in the last encounter.
   ‘We hope to form ‘Team Bangladesh’ with the players maintaining three key ingredients of discipline, commitment and performance, in the Merdeka Cup all the players showed that spirit, we performed well but to get the results we have to work hard.’ said Manik.
   ‘Being successful in the international arena has no short-cut ways, the national team needs more exposure and continuous training to get the success, playing more international matches is also a must, our players have the talent to be the best among the regional teams,’ said Manik.
   Manik pointed out a lack of quality forwards as one of the main drawbacks and urged the federation to take steps to produce strikers, the power and the strength of the booters have also to be increased through scientific methods.
   Manik strongly denied that he had opted for a defensive strategy. ‘The 3-5-2 formation does not mean that I had adopted a defensive strategy, a coach can insert five attackers in the game but still take a defensive policy, I have played positive football and tried according to our abilities,’ said Manik.

Visitors Chittagong Abahani snatched a valuable point from Farashganj with a 1-1 draw at the Narsingdi stadium in the Citycell B League on Thursday.
   Mithun Chowdhury of Chittagong Abahani put his team ahead in the 81st minute but Farashganj’s Nigerian recruit restored the parity on 90 minutes.
   At the Bangabandhu National Stadium, Rahmatganj played out a goalless draw with Arambagh.
   Rahmatganj have 10 points, Farashganj have eight and Chittagong Abahani’s collection is six points from six matches, while Arambagh KS earned five points from five outings.

Dhaka International University registered the biggest win in this year’s edition of the Mentor’s Inter Private University Football Tournament thrashing Northern University 8-0 at the Army Stadium on Thursday.
   Md Atiqur Rahman of Dhaka International University slammed a hat-trick with strikes in 22nd, 44th and 50th minutes while Shumon Kumar Mondol and Kazi Md Mozibur Rahman scored a brace. The other goal came off Rakib Hossain’s feet.
   In the other match of the day, North South University edged past Independent University 2-0. Wazed Khan opened the account in the 19th minute and Imtiazuddin Khan doubled the margin in the 59th minute.
   Today’s matches
   Gono Bishwabidyalaya v United International University University of Asia Pacific v IUBAT

In what appears to be a softening of his earlier stance, Ijaz Butt, the new chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, has said he bears no grudge against Geoff Lawson, the Pakistan coach, and that the PCB will continue to support him through the rest of his contract period.
   ‘As the PCB chairman, I am duty-bound to fully back Lawson and to take care of all his liabilities,’ Butt told Dawn. ‘What I said in the press conference was my personal opinion which I had also given to the then chairman Nasim Ashraf.’ Butt added that Lawson would be given whatever support was needed to help him improve Pakistan’s performances on the field.
   In his first press conference as chairman, Butt had given an unusually harsh assessment of Lawson’s tenure as coach, concluding that Pakistan had ‘no utility for him.’ He also said that his contract would not be renewed once it was over.
   Cricinfo has also learnt that efforts at a reconciliation of sorts with Lawson have been made by the chairman. Speaking to Cricinfo, Lawson revealed that there had been no contact with Butt since he took over. But it is believed that a message has been passed on to Lawson through a third party that there ‘may have been some misunderstanding’ over the initial comments made by Butt.
   Lawson has also received unexpected backing from former Pakistan captains Imran Khan and Javed Miandad. Both felt it was unfair to blame Lawson entirely for Pakistan’s inconsistent performances since he took over last August.
   ‘How can you blame the coach for Pakistan cricket’s ills when your domestic structure is stagnant,’ Imran told Reuters. ‘Don’t expect miracles from the coach.’
   Miandad, who had three stints as coach, felt the players should also shoulder the blame. ‘It is not just an issue of coaching,’ Miandad said. ‘Lawson should not be blamed solely. The players should also take responsibility and I think they should be held accountable as well.’
   Lawson told Cricinfo during the four-nation Twenty20 tournament in Canada recently that he was unfazed by the criticism directed at him.

Any concern that a dodgy umpiring decision might deny England their million-dollar pay-packet in Antigua has been swept aside when Stanford 20/20 announced on Wednesday that its umpires will be allowed to make use of TV replays for all contentious decisions.
   The ICC has been conducting trials involving the use of TV replays, but it remains at an experimental stage and has divided opinion among officials and players alike. Such is the huge amount of money at stake in the forthcoming Stanford 20/20 for 20, however, that the organisers are keen to avoid any on-field disputes for controversial decisions and, presumably, to lessen the pressure for the two umpires in the middle.
   ‘Stanford 20/20 believes it is essential that this simplified and modernised innovation is in place to ensure that incorrect decisions are eliminated and the integrity of the game is maintained.
   Simply put, the umpires will control and officiate the game and the players will get on with the business of playing,’ said Mike Haysman, Stanford 20/20’s director of cricket.
   ‘Stanford 20/20 feels that this umpire referral process is the most practical means to eliminate obvious mistakes and we see it as the way forward.’
   The first match gets underway on Saturday between the Stanford Superstars and Trinidad Tobago, the tournament culminating on November 1 with England’s $20 million match.

The on-field dispute between Brett Lee and Ricky Ponting has taken a twist with the coach Tim Nielsen saying a poor over-rate was not the main reason the strike bowler was not used in the first session of the fourth day in Mohali.
   Lee, who has failed to penetrate in his first two Tests in India, argued with Ponting on a morning when the part-time medium pacer Michael Hussey, the debutant Peter Siddle, regular Mitchell Johnson and spinner Cameron White were all preferred to him.
   Ponting and Michael Clarke, the captain and vice-captain, both justified the decision by saying the team was about five overs behind the required rate – they also wanted to slow the speed of the ball down – but Nielsen said they were only three behind. It’s not a level that would cause any player to fear a fine.
   ‘We made a decision to take pace off the ball,’ Nielsen said. ‘You don’t see Hussey bowl too often. We changed things around because things weren’t working for us.
   ‘The over-rate wasn’t crazily out of control – three down at the time. In the end it was a tactical decision.’
   The team believes the incident, which featured heavily in Australian papers, was blown out of proportion and Ponting and Nielsen said there was no lingering resentment between the players.
   However, Nielsen’s explanation shows how worried Ponting was over the form of his main bowler, who he did not want to risk when India resumed their target setting at 100 for 1.
   ‘When you’re losing Tests, there’s a lot of things being made of little issues,’ Nielsen said. ‘When you’re winning, that’s not the case.’
   Lee delivered eight overs after lunch on the fourth day and took the wicket of Sourav Ganguly before India’s declaration. Siddle bowled admirably in his first Test, collecting four wickets, but Lee almost has 300 victims.
   ‘He certainly hasn’t got the results he’s been looking for,’ Nielsen said. ‘He’s been indicative of the performances over the two test Tests, he’s been a little inconsistent.’
   Nielsen said Lee was ‘frustrated’ but was fine mentally after a difficult off-season, which included separating from his wife.
   ‘He’s come from a 15-month period where he’s had real impact every time he’s been required,’ he said.’ In some regards, we’ve built this series up, it’s got a bigger status than normal.
   ‘Brett was keen to have a real impact and when that happens it is easy to get impatient and search for results. He’s working hard, he’s come off a break from his personal issues and has had a break from not playing in Darwin. All those things have added up to him being a little bit off the boil.’
   Nielsen felt the bowlers were too impatient in Mohali, where India’s batsmen worked the side into a position to set Australia 516 for victory. ‘We were searching for results quickly because we felt like we were under pressure,’ he said.
   ‘These conditions are unrelenting, if you’re not quite right with your skills you get shown out.’
   When the squad reconvenes in Delhi on Sunday the bowlers will continue their quest to discover the secrets of reverse-swing. They were behind when England used it spectacularly in 2005 and are desperate to catch up following the highly effective tricks of Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma over the past two weeks.
   ‘We’ve tried a few different things, like bowling across seam,’ Nielsen said. ‘We’re working on getting one side rougher, and doing it legally, which is the challenge.’ Troy Cooley, the bowling coach in charge of England three years ago, should be able to help and has told the bowlers to hold the ball across the seam, like the Indians do.
   ‘We haven’t been able to put the ball in the right place often enough, when it’s been swinging or not,’ Nielsen said. ‘Sharma and Khan build up big pressure and it’s difficult to score. There’s more pressure on batsmen for longer periods.’
   Stuart Clark’s fitness will be tested early next week after he missed the second Test with an elbow injury.
   He had a cortisone injection before the second match and will be expected to bowl regularly before proving he is ready to return. If he can, he will get his spot back.
   ‘Stuart has played so well for us over the past couple of years,’ Nielsen said. ‘Given his elbow comes right, you’d expect him to come back into the team.’

Former finalist Marcos Baghdatis lost 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 to Marcel Granollers at the Swiss Indoors Wednesday, but emerged smiling after finally completing a match following injury.
   The Cypriot, who played the final three years ago against Fernando Gonzalez, couldn’t hide his renewed optimism - even in defeat - after failing to complete his last two matches over the past month. ‘I’m not happy to lose, but it’s great to finally finish one,’ said Baghdatis who lost in Orleans and Metz in France.
   ‘It shows I’m back on the Tour.’
   The 43rd-ranked Baghdatis was playing his first event since retiring in a first-round clash against Ivo Karlovic with a back injury three weeks ago at Metz, when he had to be stretchered off court.
   The Cypriot took treatment on his left thigh during the second set as he was laid on on the sidelines by the trainer.
   ‘It’s part of the back problem, the doctors tell me I will feel pain for the next month. I’ll know how it went for me when I wake up tomorrow. ‘So far, I’ve got up with a new pain every day. Physically, I’m not 100 percent yet, but I’m working on that.’ After missing 2006 in Basel, Baghdatis went out in the semi-finals a year ago to Finn Jarkko Nieminen, who claimed a spot opposite Roger Federer in the second round with a 6-2, 6-4 defeat of Argentine Eduardo Schwank.
   Baghdatis saved two set points in favour of the Houston clay champion Granollers in the tenth game to level at a set each.
   But the Spaniard got the early break and one more for insurance to easily ride out a convincing victory, and will face Italian Simone Bolelli in the next round.
   Nieminen will be up against the odds when he plays Federer, who took the night off to head across the road to watch the Champions League match between FC Basel and Barcelona.
   The pair met a year ago in the Basel final, with the Swiss again speeding through to a victory, his ninth against the Finn.
   ‘He makes me play badly, I don’t know why,’ said Nieminen, ranked 29 in the world. ‘He has an 18-0 score on sets against me. So I’ve really got only one goal - to at least win a set.’ American fourth seed James Blake, chasing a place in the Masters Cup in Shanghai, kept his hopes alive as he beat German Nicolas Kiefer 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, ending the evening with an ace.
   Germany, which began with six players, found the numbers reduced by two more, with Benjamin Becker, a qualifier, still in the hunt after beating countryman Andreas Beck 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 for a place in the quarter-finals.
   Belgium’s Kristof Vliegen put out Vienna winner Philipp Petzschner 6-2, 6-3 while Russian Igor Andreev, the world number six stopped Germany’s number one Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-6 (8/6), 6-7 (0/7), 7-5.
   Andreev, twice a clay finalist at Gstaad in the Alps, went through with 17 aces to win his 42nd match of the season.
   He will be competing in his eighth quarter-final of 2008 when he plays either third seed Juan Martin Del Potro or Swiss Stephane Bohli.

Mushtaq Ahmed was named as the new England spin bowling coach by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) here on Thursday.
   The 38-year-old former Pakistan leg-spinner, a key figure in Sussex’s three County Championship winning teams, will work on a consultancy basis with the spinners in England’s Test and One-Day squads as well as promising up-and-coming slow bowlers.
   An ECB statement said Mushtaq, who recently announced his retirement from the first-class game because of a persistent knee injury, would be severing all ties with the ‘rebel’ Indian Cricket League.
   ‘It’s critical we nurture and develop the next generation of England spin bowlers using the expertise and knowledge of former players such as Mushtaq,’ said ECB managing director Hugh Morris, himself a former England batsman.
   ‘Spin has been integral to the success of the world’s best cricket teams and we are keen to ensure that there is a constant flow of spin-bowling talent into the England set-up.’
   Legendary England spin bowler Derek Underwood, who recently began his term of office as President of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the owners of London’s Lord’s Cricket Ground, has been among those voicing concerns about the depth of English spin bowling.
   And there are others who argue that left-armer Monty Panesar owes his place as the sole specialist spinner in England’s current Test side as much because of the lack of alternatives as the Northamptonshire bowler’s own quality.
   But David Parsons, the man whom Mushtaq in effect replaces, has no doubt that the new addition to England’s coaching staff can help make spin an increasingly important part of Kevin Pietersen’s attack.
   ‘We are very excited that a bowler of Mushtaq’s standing within the game has decided to join our team of specialist coaches based at the National Cricket Performance Centre at Loughborough (central England),’ said Parsons, now the ECB’s performance director.
   ‘He will have a role to play at all levels of the game. His primary task will be to mentor our leading spin bowlers in the Test, One-Day and Performance squads but we also believe he can help encourage youngsters at the grass roots of the game to take up and learn the art of spin-bowling.
   Mushtaq played 52 Tests, taking 185 wickets at just over 32 apiece, and 144 One-Day Internationals for Pakistan and was a member of Pakistan’s World Cup winning team in 1992.
   In the course of a 21-year career, he took 1,407 first-class wickets.
   He was also one of the driving forces behind Sussex’s success during his six years with the south coast side - taking 598 wickets in all competitions and playing a major role in the team’s only three County Championship title-winning teams of 2003, 2006 and 2007.

Dale Steyn, the South African fast bowler, has been struggling with an illness and is ruled out of next week’s one-dayers against Kenya. He said he ‘will possibly be considered again’ for the matches against Bangladesh which start early next month.
   Steyn has been suffering from severe headaches since mid-September, according to a report on the Supercricket website.
   ‘It was so bad that I could hardly get out of bed. I also became terribly nauseous,’ Steyn, who has lost four kilos over the last month, said. ‘Until now the doctors have not been able to determine exactly what the cause of the headaches is.’
   South Africa have a home-and-away series against Australia beginning in December, a contest they have not won since they were re-admitted into cricket in 1991. ‘That is why I believe it’s necessary rather to take things easy for now and not to take a chance against Kenya,’ he said. ‘I want to be at my best against Australia. Since the series in England I haven’t bowled a single ball.’

Top seed and defending champion Andy Murray cruised to a 6-3, 6-3 first round victory over Viktor Troicki of Serbia at the St Petersburg Open on Wednesday.
   The 21-year-old Scot, the world number four who captured the Madrid Masters at the weekend, improved to 49-14 on the season and will take on Latvian Ernests Gulbis in the second round on Thursday.
   In their previous meeting in the third round at Queen’s Club in June, Murray prevailed 5-7, 6-1, 6-4.
   Fernando Verdasco needed only a little over an hour to defeat Latvian wild card Karlis Lejnieks 6-1, 6-3, to advance to the quarter-finals.
   Schuettler reached his sixth quarter-final this season with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Slovak Republic’s Dominik Hrbaty. In a first round match, eighth seed Marat Safin defeated top Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-2, 6-4 in 68 minutes. He will next face Kazakhstan qualifier Andrey Golubev, who fired 17 aces in a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Belgian Olivier Rochus.

Persistent rain put paid to Ireland’s hopes of reaching the final in the one-day triangular series in Kenya after yet another heavy downpour prevented play in the game between the hosts and Zimbabwe on Thursday.
   As a result both Kenya and Zimbabwe have qualified for the final on Saturday on the strength of their superior run rate while Ireland, who, despite being also on nine points, and needed only a point bow out of the series.
   The incident has left the Ireland coach Phil Simmons a disappointed man.
   ‘Every team wants to be in the final. We have played well in the series and we deserved our place. But there’s little we could do with the rain,’ said Simmons.
   The Irish side will now travel to South Africa where they are scheduled to play Namibia in the ICC Intercontinental Cup final starting in Port Elizabeth on October 30.

Australia named their team on Thursday for the Hong Kong Sixes on November 8-9.
   Squad: John Davison (captain), Brendan Drew, John Hastings, Michael Hill, Stephen O’Keefe, Nathan Reardon, David Warner.

Luiz Felipe Scolari has warned his Chelsea stars they will have to go the extra mile to beat Liverpool in Sunday’s Premier League showdown.
   Scolari’s side are flying on all fronts after beating Roma 1-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday to remain firmly on course for the second round of Europe’s elite club competition.
   But Scolari’s thoughts had already turned to this weekend’s Stamford Bridge clash with Liverpool just minutes after the final whistle blew against Roma.
   The Blues top the Premier League on goal difference from Rafa Benitez’s side, who like Chelsea are unbeaten in their first eight matches, so a victory for either side would be a major psychological blow to their title rivals.
   While Chelsea have no reason to fear Liverpool, Scolari knows his men will have to go the distance to beat a team who make a habit of scoring late goals.
   ‘I want to play beautiful football against Liverpool because they are a strong team,’ he said. ‘They fight not for 90 minutes but for 100 minutes. They have won four games after 85 minutes.
   ‘We need to play very well and pay attention until the referee finishes the game.
   ‘Most important for us in this moment, if we don’t play well, is to score one or two goals and win the game.’
   Scolari’s team got the perfect preparation for Liverpool’s visit against Roma. With Fernando Torres injured, Liverpool are likely to make a point their principle aim on Sunday, so it was a useful test to overcome the obdurate Italians.
   Luciano Spalletti’s side produced a gritty, disciplined display that frustrated Chelsea for three quarters of the match but the hosts never let their concentration waver and finally broke the deadlock thanks to John Terry’s first goal of the season - his first at home since August 2006.
   The victory left Chelsea on top of Group A with seven points from a possible nine. They are yet to concede a goal in Europe this season and Scolari believes one more win will be enough to book their place in the knockout stages.
   ‘We have only one more game in our home and we needed this three points,’ he said.
   ‘This win is important because I think we need three more points.
   ‘It is also important because they have more confidence. They know if sometimes they don’t play well but are good tactically and stay in their positions it is better for us.
   ‘When we play against Roma in Rome I think they will play a different style and we will have more chances.
   ‘We are in good condition for first or second position but we are not finished yet. If we draw there maybe I am satisfied because we are in a good condition to qualify.’
   John Obi Mikel’s surging run that Philippe Mexes ended with a cynical trip led to one of Chelsea’s few first-half chances. Frank Lampard almost made Mexes pay from the free-kick as his fierce strike grazed the crossbar.
   Although Salomon Kalou tested Doni with a low strike, for once Scolari’s side weren’t getting it all their own way.
   But they finally got through in the 77th minute. Lampard whipped in a corner to the near-post, where Terry, who has been struggling with a back injury, timed his run perfectly to beat Mexes and Rodrigo Taddei to the ball and power his header past Doni.
   Roma have taken just three points from their first three group matches but Spalletti is convinced their improved display against Chelsea can be a springboard to qualify alongside the English club.
   ‘There is only one point between three teams. We have three games left and our chances are pretty much the same as they were before this game,’ he said.
   ‘We showed a great attitude and good spirit. This is something we need to carry on so we get back to the way Roma can play.
   ‘This performance sets the tone for the way we need to improve over the next few months. I remain convinced we deserved more and it gives us hope for the return.’

A repentant Joey Barton has pleaded with football fans to accept that he is a reformed character after spending 74 days in prison following assaults on a 16-year-old boy and a former team-mate.
   Barton, who could be in line for a return to the Newcastle side in Saturday’s derby clash with Sunderland, says giving up drink — he has been sober since last December — has helped him to realise he must change or lose the career he loves.
   ‘I have messed up on more than one occasion but nothing sobers you up like going to prison,’ he said.
   ‘It was not a nice experience and I know this is the last-chance saloon.’
   Barton is eligible to play again after serving a six-match ban imposed by the Football Association after he received a suspended four-month prison sentence for an unprovoked training ground attack on Ousmane Dabo when the two players were both at Manchester city.
   The midfielder would have almost certainly served time in prison for that assault if he had not already been given a six-month custodial sentence over an alcohol-fuelled attack on a teenager during a night out in his native city of Liverpool in December 2007.
   Barton served 74 days of his sentence and is now hoping to rebuild his career and act as a positive example for other wayward young men aiming to turn their lives around.
   As he articulated that objective, Barton could not however prevent himself courting fresh controversy by suggesting that he could be a more relevant role model than ‘squeaky clean’ players like Michael Owen and David Beckham.
   The claim triggered a torrent of outraged reaction on radio phone-ins on Thursday with listeners suggesting Barton should have waited until he has proved he genuinely is capable of acting as a role model, but the player insists his intentions are sincere.
   ‘I hope I can be a shining beacon for kids who have been in trouble,’ he said. ‘I have probably made a lot more people unhappy than a normal person. Hopefully young kids who look at squeaky clean, unbelievable professionals like David Beckham and Michael Owen but can’t relate to them, can relate to me.’

Blackburn boss Paul Ince believes Benni McCarthy’s hunger for goals has returned and is set to hand the striker his first start of the season against Middlesbrough on Saturday.
   McCarthy last scored for Blackburn in February and he has become something of a marginal figure at Ewood Park after making only four substitute appearances so far this season.
   But Ince believes the striker’s goal for South Africa against Ghana last week was a sign that he is ready for a return to centre stage.
   ‘Benni came back to pre-season not quite right,’ the Rovers manager admitted. ‘He’s had to work really hard to get himself to the weight he needs to be at.
   ‘He has had a couple of games for South Africa and that has helped him. He seems to have that hunger back.
   ‘Benni has been razor-sharp in training and he did well when he came on in the last 15 minutes against Bolton last weekend. He gives me another selection problem but that is what I get paid for.
   ‘It is nice because Benni is a quality player and when he is right he is one of the best in the Premier League.’
   McCarthy’s path back to the first team has been eased by Roque Santa Cruz’s current hamstring problems although he faces competition for starting places from Robbie Fowler, Jason Roberts and Matt Derbyshire.
   Despite their relative wealth of strikers, Blackburn have managed only eight goals in eight league games this season and Ince admits that figure is a concern.
   ‘I was disappointed we did not have a shot on target against Bolton,’ he said. ‘That is something we have been working on this week, being a bit more offensive and getting people into the box.’
   McCarthy, 30, managed only 11 goals for Blackburn last season after scoring an impressive 24 in his first campaign in England.
   Despite the dip, Blackburn regarded him highly enough to give him a new three-year contract at the end of last season.

Michael Ballack’s place in the German team was under threat on Wednesday after furious coach Joachim Low summoned the Chelsea star to explain his public criticisms of the way the squad is being handled.
   Low is angry after Ballack criticised him in newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) in which he said the coach should show his senior players more respect and loyalty.
   ‘I will call Michael Ballack and insist on a meeting in Germany,’ Low told the German Football Federation (DFB) website on Wednesday.
   ‘I am extremely disappointed by the manner and content of what he has said - I cannot accept this. What happens after that, and the decision I make, will depend on this conversation.
   ‘Quite often in the past, we have asked Michael Ballack as captain to address things which he sees critically or differently.
   ‘The fact that he chose to air these criticisms in the media is utterly wrong and incomprehensible.
   ‘No player - and the captain isn’t an exception - has the right to criticise the selection policy or decisions of the coach, or to level public criticism against the team.’
   Earlier in the day, Low and team manager Oliver Bierhoff held an emergency phone conference call with DFB president Theo Zwanziger, who is in Zurich for a FIFA conference, to discuss the matter.
   ‘I am disappointed with Michael Ballack over his style,’ said Zwanziger.
   ‘His comments have led to a complicated and difficult situation developing.
   ‘The team has developed in a very positive way in the last few years and therefore I don’t understand the fact there has been criticism from the team aimed at Joachim Low in the media.
   ‘Such comments are absolutely inappropriate. In the interest of the success of the team, the authority of the national team coach must have the highest priority.’
   In Tuesday’s FAZ interview, Ballack criticised Low for dropping veteran midfielder Torsten Frings for this month’s World Cup qualifiers against Wales and Russia.
   ‘Maybe he is not in top form right now, but he is still playing at very high level,’ Ballack said of Frings.
   ‘If he is no longer wanted, he should be told so honestly.
   ‘Respect and loyalty is the least you can expect as a deserving national team player.’
   But Ballack received support for his comments by Frings.
   ‘It wasn’t right that I didn’t play and Michael recognised that too,’ Frings told German television channel Sat1.
   ‘If anyone is going to say something, then it has to be the captain.’
   Also in the FAZ interview, Chelsea star Ballack also said he had sympathy for Kevin Kuranyi who walked out on the team during their 2-1 win over Russia on October 11, after not being selected for the game.
   Low has since said he will never select Kuranyi again.
   Having captained Germany to World Cup qualifiers over Russia and Wales earlier this month, Ballack had an operation to remove thickened nerves from both feet.
   Low never called him after the operation, Ballack said.
   ‘I am surprised, because in the past it was always different,’ Ballack said.
   But former Germany captain and coach Franz Beckenbauer said he is troubled by the noises coming from die Mannschaft and players’ egos are getting the better of them.
   ‘For me there is too much talk coming from the national team,’ said Beckenbauer.
   ‘Everyone is announcing themselves whether it is Kuranyi, who suddenly disappears, or Frings, who talks about retiring.
   ‘And now we have Ballack, the captain, coming out and saying this.
   ‘These sort of things should be dealt with internally.
   ‘Some people should hold their tongue and play football, or at least have the conversation with the coach, not with a journalist.’
   Ballack has already tested Low’s patience this year when he had an on-field row with Bierhoff after the Euro 2008 final last June in Vienna which erupted again in September with a war of words between the manager and captain in the media here.

Zabeel Investments have pulled out of a deal to buy Charlton in a move that will fuel speculation that the Dubai-based group could turn their attentions to Everton.
   The Gulf investment group, which had also considered taking over Newcastle, had an offer for Championship club Charlton accepted earlier this month.
   But the proposed deal has been scrapped because of concerns over the state of the recession-hit British economy and fears that restrictions on foreign ownership of English teams could be on the agenda, Charlton said in a statement.
   ‘Zabeel Investments has informed Charlton that the decision not to proceed was taken on the basis that its focus moving forward will be on domestic opportunities in Dubai that complement the current Zabeel Investments portfolio,’ the statement said.
   ‘This combined with the current debate around foreign ownership of football clubs and the worsening economic climate in the UK contributed to the decision of Zabeel Investments to pull out.’
   The news will disappoint Charlton fans who had been looking forward to the London club’s efforts to secure a return to the Premier League being underwritten by Zabeel’s deep pockets.
   The club has reported debts of 20 million pounds and will suffer a substantial drop in income next season as they are currently in the last year in which they are eligible for special payments designed to help clubs cope with relegation from the top flight.
   Charlton dropped down to the Championship and are currently in danger of dropping to the third tier of English football after a midweek defeat left them 20th in their 24-club division.
   Reports in the English media have suggested that Zabeel may have turned their attentions to Everton, although that was denied in Charlton’s statement.
   ‘Zabeel Investments has made it clear to Charlton that this decision was not made as a result of any discoveries during the due diligence process.
   ‘Contrary to recent press reports, Zabeel Investments has confirmed to Charlton that it has not approached any other club since it made an indicative offer for Charlton Athletic on October 10, nor has it authorised any approach on its behalf.
   ‘In addition, Zabeel Investments has confirmed it has no current intention to acquire any English football club for the foreseeable future.’
   A spokesman for Zabeel added: ‘Zabeel Investments has the highest regard for both the supporters of Charlton and the way in which Charlton is managed and wishes the team every success in their quest for promotion this season and moving forward.’

Legendary German goalkeeper and World War II veteran Bert Trautmann, who celebrated his 85th birthday on Wednesday, will be the DFB guest of honour at next month’s friendly against England in Berlin.
   The ex-Manchester City goalkeeper, who famously helped the club win the 1956 FA Cup final despite suffering a broken neck, will receive a special German Football Federation (DFB) honour before the game.
   ‘The game at the Olympic Stadium is the perfect occasion to honour Bert Trautmann for the good work he did for German football in England,’ said DFB president Theo Zwanziger.
   ‘Bert Trautmann was a legend of English football in the 1950s and as both a sportsman and human-being was a great ambassador for Germany.’
   Although his real name is Bernd, Trautmann is widely known by his nickname Bert which he picked up while playing football in England.
   Born in Bremen in 1923, Trautmann joined the Luftwaffe early in World War II, served as a paratrooper and fought on the Eastern Front for three years where he earned five medals including an Iron Cross.
   Later in the war, he was transferred to the Western Front in France, where he was captured by the British as the war drew to a close.
   One of only 90 of his original 1,000-strong regiment to survive the war, he was sent to a prisoner-of-war camp in Lancashire, but refused an offer of repatriation.
   Following his release in 1948 he settled in the northern English county, combining farm work with playing as goalkeeper for a local football team.
   Several notable displays attracted the attention of City, but 20,000 of their fans attended a demonstration against the decision to sign the former paratrooper.
   But he won over City’s fans playing all but five of the club’s next 250 matches and in total made 545 appearances between 1949 and 1964.
   He is most famous for the 1956 FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium when 15 minutes before the final whistle he suffered a serious injury after diving at the feet of Birmingham City’s Peter Murphy.
   He continued to play, making crucial saves to preserve his team’s 3-1 lead, but his neck was noticeably crooked as he collected his winners’ medal and three days later an x-ray revealed it had been broken.
   After his playing career, he spent nearly 20 years as a manager and in 2004 he was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for promoting Anglo-German understanding through football.

Teen sensation Bojan Krkic scored twice as Barcelona cruised past Basel 5-0 Wednesday to keep their 100-percent record in the Champions League Group C.
   Coach Josep Guardiola left Andres Iniesta, Samuel Eto’o and Thierry Henry out of the starting line-up, but the French striker came on for Xavi Hernandez in the middle of the second half. That left 18-year-old Krkic to lead the attack.
   It was Argentine winger Lionel Messi who opened the scoring in the fourth minute, beating the Basel offside trap and picking up a superb cross from Daniel Alves to knock the ball past his compatriot Franco Costanzo in the Swiss goal.
   Barely 10 minutes later, Xavi Hernandez lobbed a ball across the Basel defence to Sergi Busquets at the far post and the Spanish under-21 international slotted it home.
   Messi played a ball to the feet of Krkic, who sent it to the corner of the net of the net from the edge of the penalty area in the 22nd minute. Krkic, whose Serbian father, also named Bojan Krkic, played for Red Star Belgrade, doubled his tally at the start of the second half when Barcelona launched a counter-attack after a rare Basel foray into Spanish territory.
   Xavi Hernandez made it five for the Catalan side just two minutes later. Barcelona now have a perfect nine points from three games in Group C, which also includes Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk and Sporting Lisbon.

The Brazilian football confederation (CBF) on Wednesday announced a six-year, 90 million-dollar sponsorship contract for the national football team by one of the country’s major banks.
   The CBF said the sponsorship of the ‘Selecao’ would run till the end of the World Cup finals in Brazil in 2014. The size of the contract was not officially announced, but according to local media reports, the Itau bank will pay 90 million dollars (70 millions euros) over the six-year duration.

Chelsea, Inter Milan and Barcelona won to stay on course for the knockout stages though 2005 winners Liverpool only drew at Atletico Madrid in a subdued night of Champions League action.
   Following Tuesday’s 36-goal spree, Wednesday’s eight matches offered less in that area with only Barcelona’s 5-0 thrashing of Basel in Switzerland of note in the goal-scoring stakes.
   Chelsea’s 1-0 home victory over AS Roma kept them well on course at the top of Group A, Inter Milan thanked Brazilian Adriano for their 1-0 win over Cypriots Anorthosis leaving them as pacesetters in Group B, while Barcelona topped Group C.
   Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari believed his side were in good form before the return match against AS Roma in November.
   ‘Roma need to pressure us to try to win more than they did today, maybe there we will have more space to play,’ Scolari said.
   ‘We only have one more Champions League game at home so this was a very important victory.’
   England skipper John Terry, who got the 77th minute goal, added: ‘They made it very difficult for us the whole game but thankfully we got the goal and picked up three points.
   ‘They are a very good side, they have got some great players in their team and made it difficult for us. They worked very hard all night and maybe they deserved something but thankfully we got three points. ‘I think in the first half we got a little bit frustrated and were maybe too keen to get a goal. We had to be patient and wait for a chance because sooner or later it will come.’
   Terry said of his goal: ‘I think it was my first goal at the Bridge for a couple of years now, so I’m delighted to get off the mark.
   ‘I got a bit of cramp so I couldn’t celebrate but I am pleased we got the three points.’
   Teen sensation Bojan Krkic scored twice as Barcelona cruised past Basel to keep their 100-percent record.
   Goals from star Argentinian striker Lionel Messi, Sergi Busquets, two from Krkic and a fifth from Xavi Hernandez brought Barcelona up to an impressive 10 goals from their three victories.
   Italian champions Inter Milan were made to battle all the way by a spirited Anorthosis Famagusta at the San Siro.
   Adriano scored the winner late on in the first half to put Inter in control of the group with seven points from three games.
   Adriano had suffered from depression and a loss of form last season and was eventually loaned out to Sao Paulo but he has come back to form this season, looking leaner and more focused.
   The Cypriots did themselves justice, though, by hanging in to the end and they are still in a position to qualify for the knock-out stages after Panathinaikos and Werder Bremen drew 2-2 in Greece.
   Liverpool’s Irish international Robbie Keane, yet to score in the Premiership, had put the visitors ahead in the 14th minute for his second Champions League goal at Atletico’s Vicente Calderon stadium.
   The 83rd-minute goal of Simao, whom the Merseysiders tried to sign two years ago, was a blow for Liverpool although both they and Atletico have seven points at the top of Group D.
   Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez said a major miss by Keane had been difficult to accept. ‘In this situation it doesn’t matter how you score, you have to score. That’s it,’ said Benitez.
   ‘You have to finish when you have the chances. We were trying to find the perfect pass. We were in their final third and all we were doing was passing it.’
   In the group’s other match, Marseille coach Eric Gerets suffered a nightmare return to former club PSV Eindhoven as the Dutch beat the French club 2-0 to keep their slim Champions League hopes alive.
   It was a gritty double from international striker Danny Koevermans that kept Gerets’s side at the bottom of the pool all but ending Marseille’s chances of progressing any further. Gerets was furious with his team’s performance.
   ‘There was a world of difference between the two sides. I was relieved when the game was over,’ said Gerets.
   ‘There were a lot of mistakes. We weren’t fresh but these are not excuses. We haven’t lost hope but we have to be realistic and if we have to concentrate on something it has to be the UEFA Cup (for the third place finishers in the groups).’

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez was concerned about knocks to Steven Gerrard, Robbie Keane and Xavi Alonso at Atletico Madrid in midweek ahead of Sunday’s Premiership clash at Chelsea.
   Irish international Robbie Keane, who still hasn’t scored for the Reds in the league, put Liverpool ahead after 14 minutes in this Champions
   League Group D match but Portuguese winger Simao equalised late on to salvage a point for Atletico.
   ‘If you said to me before the game that we would have seven points that would be good,’ said Benitez. ‘We have dropped two points and we also have some injury concerns.’
   ‘Gerrard, Xavi and Robbie all went off in the second
   half and they have some problems. Keane is having muscular problems but it is not that serious. Alonso has a knock on his knee and Gerrard has a niggle too.
   ‘They are a bit tired and we are trying to keep them fresh and 100 percent fit.’
   Both Atletico and Liverpool have seven points in the group and face off again in the next Eurpean match at Anfield on November 4.
   Spanish international Fernando Torres will be desperate to get fit for that game after missing the return to his former club with a hamstring injury.
   Benitez admitted Torres was missed and had another dig at the international fixture list with Torres and Ryan Babel injured on international duty.
   ‘Obviously we missed Torres as he is a special player,’ said Benitez. ‘However he wasn’t available so there is no point talking about it. There are too many international games and you already know my opinion on this topic.’
   Liverpool lost control of the match against Atletico and that is something Benitez wants to improve on ahead of the Chelsea fixture.
   ‘We had control of the game for the first half and at the start of the second and I am disappointed we lost it,’ said Benitez. ‘Kun Aguero came on and that helped them a lot. We also didn’t defend as well which was a decisive factor.
   ‘We had chances to kill the game and we didn’t. If you don’t take your chances that is sometimes what happens.’
   A trip to Stamford Bridge awaits Liverpool next as the two unbeaten Premiership teams go head to head.

A late slip cost Liverpool dear in Wednesday’s Champions League group match at Atletico Madrid as Portuguese winger Simao struck an 83rd minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw.
   Irish international Robbie Keane, yet to score in the Premiership, had put the visitors ahead in the 14th minute for his second Champions League goal at the Vicente Calderon stadium.
   The 83rd minute goal of Simao, whom the Merseysiders tried to sign two years ago, was a blow for Liverpool although both they and Atletico have seven points from nine in Group D.
   Atletico and Liverpool face off again in the next group match at Anfield on November 4.
   ‘We had control of the game for the first half. I am disappointed because we had chances to kill the game and we didn’t. If you don’t take your chances that is what happens sometimes,’ said Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez.
   ‘We tried to be too precise, tried to give the perfect pass and didn’t finish when we should have done.
   ‘If you said to me before the game that we would have seven points that would be good. But we have dropped two points and we also have some injury concerns.
   ‘Steven Gerrard, Xavi Alonso and Robbie Keane all went off in the second half and they have some problems.’
   Atletico coach Javier Aguirre said: ‘We always try to win every game. We had more chances in the second half and were more decisive. We will see if the draw is a good result later on.
   ‘It was important not to lose at home.’
   It is a big week for Liverpool who have a title tussle with co-leaders Chelsea on Sunday.
   With Atletico old boy Fernando Torres, who captained the club at the tender age of 19, missing with a hamstring injury, Benitez started with a 4-5-1 formation with Keane as the target man.
   Surprisingly Dirk Kuyt — the match winner in a 3-2 win over Wigan Athletic on Saturday — was left on the substitutes’ bench with Javier Mascherano taking his place.
   For Benitez it was a return to his hometown of Madrid and Liverpool had four Spaniards — the same number as Atletico — in their starting line-up in Pepe Reina, Xabi Alonso, Albert Riera and Alvaro Arbeloa.
   Atletico, reeling from their weekend derby defeat to Real Madrid, handed a debut to 19-year-old defender Alvaro Dominguez with Tomas Ujfalusi out injured.
   Sergio ‘Kun’ Aguero was on the bench with Aguirre claiming the Argentine was tired and former Liverpool man Florent Sinama Pongolle started in attack.
   Pongolle was not the only old boy on show with Luis Garcia, a 2005 Champions League winner with Liverpool, a surprise starter.
   This was Atletico’s biggest European night since March 19, 1997 — when they were ousted by Ajax in the Champions League quarter-final — and there was a red-hot atmosphere at the Calderon.
   UEFA had threatened to switch the match to a different venue after the trouble in Marseille but fortunately there was no repeat.
   After conceding early goals in their previous two matches Atletico were probably relieved to be 0-0 after 10 minutes but then Keane struck after a slick pass from Gerrard.
   Atletico were toothless with the fans chanting for Aguero and Reina had virtually nothing to do in the first half with a shot from Diego Forlan the hosts’ best attempt.
   Aguero came on at the start of the second half for Garcia, who had no impact against his ex-employer, as the home side went with three strikers.
   Three minutes after the break Liverpool had the ball in the net again but it was ruled out for offside.
   Atletico had the same thing happen to them and then on 56 minutes Simao hit the post but the ball rebounded to Reina.
   Simao then equalised with a sweet strike and both sides could have won it in the closing stages.

Blackburn Rovers manager Paul Ince is one of several leading English football figures who believe David Beckham will be a success in the Italian game if he joins AC Milan on loan.
   The Italian giants said Wednesday they were confident of signing the England midfielder for a short spell in between seasons of Major League Soccer, where Beckham plays for LA Galaxy.
   And Ince, who had a spell with Inter Milan after playing alongside Beckham at United, has no doubts about his former Old Trafford and England colleague’s ability to adapt to the Italian game.
   ‘His quality with the ball is the best I have ever witnessed. He is an inspirational player, he has been great for English football, he’s an ambassador and a really good friend.
   ‘It will be interesting to see how he gets on with the language but he can call me for a few tips.
   ‘Mind you I would rather he signed for Inter than AC! I wish him all the best though.’
   Ince said bringing Beckham to Blackburn was beyond the confines of his budget: ‘I would love to sign him but I just can’t.’
   Beckham needs to continue playing first-team football if he is to continue to get picked by England manager Fabio Capello and break 1966 World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore’s record of 108 caps for an outfield player.
   Reports in England claim Capello, a former Milan manager, helped smooth the way for Beckham’s surprise move by calling Adriano Galliani, the Milan managing director, to vouch for the former Manchester United star.
   England goalkeeper David James said: ‘I haven’t spoken to David about it and don’t know whether he’s going to Milan but as a player I know he’s still hungry and wants to play.
   ‘Any player with international aspirations knows he has to be playing regularly and I’m sure that’s the case with David.’
   Harry Redknapp, James’s manager at Portsmouth, added he hadn’t given up hope of bringing Beckham to Fratton Park: ‘If he doesn’t go to Milan maybe I’ll try to sign him myself. He would be a great loan for anybody.
   ‘I haven’t made an enquiry but it has crossed my mind. Maybe I’ll try tomorrow if it doesn’t happen with Milan. David is still a great player, and you can’t tell me he wouldn’t be a great benefit to our Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe with his crossing.
   ‘I’m sure he is going to break Bobby Moore’s record for the number of outfield England caps now (108). I don’t think he’ll beat Peter Shilton’s record (125) - but David James might do that.’
   AC Milan arrive at Fratton Park on November 27 for a UEFA Cup tie and Redknapp added: ‘Would he come to Portsmouth? Why not? His missus (Beckham’s wife, the former pop star Victoria Adams) might prefer shopping in Portsmouth to shopping in Milan. I don’t know.
   ‘The fact is he is still a top player and wants to play. And I’m sure we wouldn’t be the only ones interested if he didn’t go to Milan. They would be queuing up.’

David Beckham could be an alternative to Italy's Andrea Pirlo as a deep midfield playmaker if he completes a loan move from Los Angeles Galaxy to AC Milan, coach Carlo Ancelotti has said.
   'David can cover all the positions in midfield,' Ancelotti was quoted as saying by Thursday's La Gazzetta dello Sport. 'He could also play in Pirlo's position.'
   Chief executive Adriano Galliani said on Wednesday that Milan were in talks with the England international, who is usually a winger, over a short-term loan deal.
   The arrangement would enable him to maintain his fitness and stay in contention for the England team during the US close season.
   Galaxy play the final match of their Major League Soccer campaign against Dallas on Sunday and if a deal is agreed, Beckham would join Milan in January before returning to Los Angeles for the start of the new season in late March.
   England coach Fabio Capello, whose side have won four out of four as they bid to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, has hinted he would only pick Beckham for February's proposed friendly with Spain if he was playing.
   During the last MLS close season, Beckham trained at English Premier League club Arsenal but was overlooked by Capello.